Can I share with you how I have learned of God's love for me and how it is not contingent on my "goodness"...or lack there of? For many years of my life, I thought that I had to somehow earn God's love and acceptance. It was such a hard place to be, for I knew my heart, and it was not good a whole lot of the time! And, to be truthful, it still is not. But, I learned about how God did not require perfection or good works for me to be acceptable to Him. I love Him so much for teaching me this! Hopefully, some of what I share here will bring to you a better understanding of what the Bible says about God's love for us.
Thank you for opening your heart to read on...and please send me a note if you would like to learn more. I wrote a book, The Lamb King...God's eternal love story, to help myself and others understand the Bible, and would love to send you a copy (totally free of any charge or obligation) if you would like to learn even more about God's love for you.
John 10:10 Jesus says...“My purpose is to give life in all its fullness."
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
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2 Corinthians 5:21...For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
1 John 2:2...He is the one who took God’s wrath against our sins upon himself and brought us into fellowship with God, and he is the forgiveness for our sins, and not only ours but all the world’s.
John 14:6 Jesus says:...“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.
Praise God for sending His perfect son Jesus in the form of a human man to earth, to take our punishment on the cross of Calvary, for our sins so that we could have peace and fellowship with God and forgiveness for our sins.
Jesus died on the cross...but did not stay in the grave forever. No, He rose to life three days later. He is alive and in heaven with God the Father and God the Spirit!
When we believe this, we will want to start the journey of fellowshipping with God through prayer and reading His wonderful words to us in the Bible. Then, when we pray and hear Gods words, we will desire to make changes to our lives…to become more in character and action like God himself…through the power of the Holy Spirit. We will start to desire to replace sinful actions with loving actions. This is the ongoing process of becoming more like Christ.
But as long as we live here on earth, we will struggle and fight with our sin nature. We need to pray and meditate on the Bible and grow in our relationship with God. He will not let go of us! He will keep helping us, and giving us the strength to become more like Him, through His Holy Spirit…until the day that we join Him in Heaven!
Remember, it is our BELIEF, our confession of our need for Jesus' sacrifice which payed the cost for our sins. He took upon Himself our punishment for those sins, it is HIS righteousness that God accepts. It is not our good or bad behaviors that determine if we will be in heaven with God.
Romans 10:9...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
When you accept His love, you will start to desire to turn away from those things that do not please Him. He will give you His strength to do so, ask Him...then trust and obey His leading.
Revelation 3:20…Jesus says: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”
God loves you, and is waiting for you to respond to His love. Will you today?
The actual story of Christmas happened over 2000 years ago. Each year, as I remember that story, my gratitude and awe for it grow more and more. But our own lives are also a story. And each year when Christmas comes around another scene of our lives is played out. The Christmas story never changes, but with each passing year, our own story does.
How often do we get the Christmas story confused with our own?
This year, I choose to set that long ago story apart from my own story. The story of God's love shown to humankind by sending us a Savior King...in the form of a tiny baby. His own Son, Jesus. THE GIFT. I choose to celebrate Him this Christmas.
Celebrate Him by my worship of Him.
Celebrate Him by sharing His message of love with the hurting people around me.
Celebrate Him by surrounding myself with songs about His love.
Celebrate Him by displaying nativities, lit candles, and nature around my home...reminding me of His birth.
I choose to celebrate HIM.
Yet, my life like yours, has many stories of Decembers past and will have stories of Decembers in the future. These are the stories of our lives as we celebrate what has become known as "Christmas".
Some Decembers our lives have loads of children, trees, gifts, fireplaces, food, snow, family times and love.
Some Decembers our lives have heartake, divorce, strife, pain, loneliness, or even death.
Some Decembers our lives have an abundance of wealth.
Some Decembers our lives have an abundance of debt.
Some Decembers our lives display a sort of soft quiet.
Some Decembers our lives are a bustling month of activity.
But the story of Christmas NEVER changes! NEVER! It is always the same. We can always celebrate that story! In December...or all year long.
Though, my challenge, like for many of you, is to not connect the actual Christmas story with the story of my own life. My challenge is to realize that each December will be a different "act" of my life. That each year will bring with it change. I challenge you to remember that we need to accept our current December for what it is, instead of wishing for a past December or even having a hard time forgetting about one of them. Remembering instead, that the Christmas story will never change and to celebrate the true story of Christmas rather than re-live our own.
Try along with me to realize that how we choose to live during the month of December is unique to each of us. It is our life that we are living.
So...
If we love family time, we should join in.
If we love decorating, we should join in,
If we love gift giving, we should join in.
But just remember, that these activities are not the Christmas story. They are just activities of our lives. Let's always remember God's great love shown toward us. He sent us Baby King Jesus, the Savior of the world...before any of these December activities threatened to distract us from His story.
There is His story, and there is mine. I choose to not confuse them any longer.
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There is a beautiful photographer based out of Seattle, Washington who spends a good part of each year in Paris, France. When in Paris she photographs the charming old stately structures of the city, as well as the delicate young vibrant flowers that are displayed everywhere. She has a true artists eye and her photo editing skills are bar none. She has been featured in Victoria Magazine, The New Yorker, Romantic Homes and several more. She has authored/photographed two remarkable floral books, as well as having a stunning stationary line with journals, calendars and cards. What's more, she and her husband David even have their own stock photography company! She is my absolute favorite photographer. She is Georgianna Lane.
Okay, back to my dream. Georgianna was to hold a workshop in Paris, France this past spring. My dear amazing husband Johnny said that I had to attend. My jaw dropped and I started to protest. But my sweet and discerning husband said that I HAD to go. So with that, I wrote to Georgianna and told her of my interest in coming. Long story short, the workshop collided with her publisher's needs from her and it had to be postponed. My dream come true, suddenly vanished.
But with true grace, Georgianna offered me an opportunity to have time with her in Seattle for a day of mentoring. In writing this, I almost tear up. The day that I spent with her, was like a dream come true. She was willing to answer any question I posed and was so gracious as she critiqued my work and gave me advice on my growing art photography business.
We started out in the morning with coffee and roses! The roses on the table were beautiful and the coffee from her press was very welcoming. She even accommodated my needs with special gluten-free biscotti. Delicious. One side note...her coffee mugs were the same Johnson Brothers pattern as Johnny's and my wedding dishes...that we still use every day. Blessed.
Throughout the day she and I went over so many details of my business and she taught me valuable new editing techniques. She served me a delightful lunch out on their lawn. As we sat down outside to eat, I wanted to offer a prayer but found myself shy to take her hand and pray. So, I offer that prayer now... "Lord, thank you for the sweet friend and amazing opportunity you have given me this day with Georgianna. Thank you for her warmth and kindness toward me. Thank you for the beauty of this yard and the food that you have provided us with. Bless Georgianna and David and their businesses. Thank you for the gift of your gorgeous creation that we can photograph. In Jesus' name, Amen"
Later in the afternoon, we meandered around her charming yard and collected a bouquet of blossoms in which to make an arrangement to photograph. We then photographed together. Amazing. Next, I was mesmerized watching her edit one of my pictures. I could not take notes fast enough!
What a fabulous day from morning 'till dusk. I will forever have it tucked tightly away in my memory bank as of one of the best days of my life...a dream come true.
Her amazing book...and a planner and calendar from her collection. What a lovely gift to sit down to!
Beautiful setting for our lunch break.
Back home...using the techniques that Georgianna taught me. (This is the bouquet that we picked out of her yard.)
Georgianna and I after a beautiful day together!
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Valedictorian of her class!? Yes, and why not? She claimed that honor in her graduating ceremony of ONE! My darling daughter could not walk to receive her diploma with her class, so she and her husband planned a "Graduation Ceremony" for her this past weekend, with just his family and hers. They found a cap and gown at his parents home and we turned on Pomp and Circumstances for her to walk down the aisle. She then gave a speech and threw up her cap! We had a toast, amazing cake and sparkly gifts and celebrated her accomplishments together as a family. It was totally darling!
Lindsay actually finished her school one year ago just days before she had her first baby...so she could not walk with her class at the graduation. She had studied online completing her education, earning her a BS (Science), BSN (Nursing), and a PHN (Public Health Nurse).
♡ Proud Mama here! ♡
Marks parents live near Shasta where they have a beautiful alfalfa farm where they can see both Mt Shasta and Mt Lassen. We all stayed together at the farm having a most wonderful time. We went on many walks there, one down to the river where we picked a bouquet of wildflowers for Hans to give to his mama. We went to Burney Falls on the way there and found it to be one of the most beautiful waterfalls we have ever seen.
We caravaned the trip there and back. With two cars, four adults and a one-year-old the trips had many stops. My favorite (aside from the falls) was a little park with a river where we picnicked. Hans had his very first fishing experience. So sweet.
♡ Such precious memories ♡
Burney Falls
The Farm
The Graduation Ceremony
The Party
The "Formals"
Mt Shasta and Fishing
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