So True!!

This is such a true quote!! 

June 27th is a very special day for me. So Here's the deal: Yes, I prayed the prayer at 4 years old. And yes, I got baptized at 8 (mostly because all my friends were doing it). Yes, I grew up in a Christian home, I memorized all the verses, went to Awana, and did all the right things. But honestly, I was just doing all that because that's kinda what you're supposed to do. Ya know? It was all outward. I only read my Bible because my mom told me to, and Christianity seemed like this big chore. I would lay in bed at night SO scared of dying, because deep down inside, I knew I was not saved.

But I'm so glad Jesus didn't give up on me. Out of the blue (now, I see it was God's grace)... 2 summers ago, I started to feel horrible. Like realllyyyy horrible. It came to the point where one night I absolutely couldn’t go to sleep and I wanted to know for sure that I was going to heaven. So late on that night of June 27th, 2014, I felt such an urging feeling on my heart and tearfully was just crying out to God and begging Him to give me a heart of surrender. Right then and there, Jesus took full hold of my life. I remember turning in my Bible that night to Philippians 1:6 (which is now my very favorite verse!), which says: “He who began a good work in You WILL complete until the day of Christ Jesus.” I’m so glad God continued that "good work" in my heart. This is not because of me whatsoever. This is 100% His work, because on my own, I didn’t want anything to do with God. So today, June 27th, I would like to give a very special shout-out to JESUS! He is amazing. If it wasn’t for Him, who knows where any of us would be?

✨

~*The Uniqueness of Christianity*~

Religion says "DO." Christianity says "DONE."

Religion says, "Do lots of nice things so hopefully, maybe, possibly God can accept you into heaven."

Jesus says, "ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That's why I died for you, so that you can know for sure you will have eternal life..." ↓↓

WHY? Because He loves us. It should've been me...it should've been us dying on that cross. Jesus said I LOVE YOU....so I died INSTEAD of you.

HOW? We can't do anything to earn eternal life. Jesus said, "It is finished." And He meant that. All you need to do is accept His free gift of salvation...which is not earned by your own merits, but by Jesus' sacrifice alone!

YES, He died. BUT...He didn't stay dead!

IF Jesus remained in the grave...we have nothing. Absolutely nothing. We wouldn't have a reason to live life. However, three days later, He arose and lives victoriously!! We have hope just because He lives.

THIS is the uniqueness of Christianity. All the other "gods, good teachers/prophets, etc..." are in the grave.

JESUS is ALIVE.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

Happy Resurrection Day!

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

{More than Conquerors}

{ I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.}  Galatians 5:16-17

 You know that moment when you're flipping through your Bible, and then BAM that 

verse pops out at you!?! Yep. That's kinda what happened with this passage up there. 

I mean, I've read Galatians before, but this time God really used those verses to show 

me something new. The struggle is so, so real. It is such a constant battle. It's a war: 

between the spirit who lives in us...and that--oh, so bothersome flesh!! Lately, especially 

with certain struggles and things going on in my personal life, I can truly say just how real 

that struggle really is. I want to do the right thing...but it feels like the flesh is 

so much more powerful and the temptations are so strong!! As verse 17 says, "...and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish."  

That's why I love verse 16 so much, 

"Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." It says to walk in the spirit to kill those fleshly desires...to really abide in the beauty of Christ. What I find to be really helpful, is to recite this verse to myself every time I feel like the flesh is winning in that battle. And pray. Pray,pray, pray. And the really awesome news is that whatever you are facing 

dear friend, I know it is different for everyone in our different walks of life, but 

it is so comforting to remember that greater is HE that is in us (the 

spirit of Christ that indwells us) than he who is in the world (aka the flesh)! And remember, 

in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Romans 

8:37). When we continually walk in the spirit, we don't have to let that flesh win! No 

weapon formed against us will remain....because we are MORE than conquerors through 

Him!!! 

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Reflections of 2015....

As I am sitting here by the window with my tea (and chocolate...of course!), listening to the pitter-patter of the rain...I can't help but reflect on all 2015 brought with it...lots of joys, disappointments, trials, lots and lots of learning experiences. As the year comes to a close, I am realizing how much God has really been SO faithful through it all. He used the trials that this year brought with it to grow me. He used the difficult times to teach me that He is the only One who's always there, and I can run to Him when I have nothing left. It's true that I have approximately 2 million things I need to work on in this new year, and it is very discouraging just thinking about it...BUT the good news is that He is not done with the work He started in me (thankfully!), and He's not done with the work He started in you. God won't stop that beautiful work until we are fully, completely, and gloriously beautiful. He's got a great big plan, that He is unfolding one step at a time. I can't wait to see all He has in store for us in 2016!! Happy New Year everybody (and belated Merry Christmas)!

"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6