receive

"Man finds it hard to get what he wants, because he does not want the best; God finds it hard to give, because He would give the best, and man will not take it." -George MacDonald

I was teaching at my cell group last night about breaking free from and eradicating sin, and one of my points (out of Romans 6) was that once we let go of our sin, we need to walk in new life. What does that mean? New life means that there was an old life...and that old life was a life of sin, not focused on God. The old life brought curses, and the new life cancels the curse in order to bring blessing. So, to walk in new life means not only walking according to God's will BUT also receiving the blessings He gives us as a result of that walk!

I went to prayer morning this morning and the one thing I walked away hearing in my heart was that once we have come to God and laid our sin at the cross, we can and need to receive His love and blessing. It is a false humility to not receive the grace that Jesus died for us to receive. This is one area in my life that I wrestle with...and the quote above truly describes the reality of my situation. People (I am preaching to myself here...) tend to hold onto this idea that they don't deserve good things and will often settle for second best or even less than that. This can be due to guilt/shame or having a poverty mindset. Either way, this is NOT how we are meant to live! Christ died not just for us to be set free from sin, but to be set free from bondage, sickness, poverty, and death! And Christ is the way into the relationship with the Father where we can receive His gifts. I am trying to give up my right to say what I do or don't deserve, and am praying for God's help so I can receive.

the ransom

So, two entries ago, I told you about the demand we placed on the guys in return for the "booty" aka weaponry, which was a shrubbery (which we didn't actually want, nor receive) and a meal. It took awhile to plan a night for dinner, but last Friday night, we got our ransom. We did not get just any meal...we got an experience. We were served real Italian cuisine- rabbit cacciatore over polenta, bruschetta, potatoes, asparagus with pancetta, and red wine, all served by a gracious host and cook. We ate, laughed, and talked, like how I imagine a real Italian family would. Then we had pre-dessert- pear and Gorgonzola cheese. To top it all off, we finished with coffee and pie. We were up late enjoying each other's company and I can truly say I was impressed. It was one of the best homecooked meals I have ever experienced. I am inspired to learn how to cook some Italian food! :)

k-life

This morning (and tomorrow) I volunteered at K-Life to answer calls for donations, as it is a listener supported radio station. I am excited to see them reach their goals for fundraising because they are a beacon of light in California, from the Central Coast to Ventura County. The music they play is fun and God-focused, and they fill the rest of the time with Godly messages. If you listen tomorrow from 6-9am, you may hear my voice! But if you have the ability, you should also donate! They are a blessing and need our support...so call in or go online to klife.org :)