Awaiting Grace

As Christians, we spend a lot of time waiting...

Waiting for His birth.

Waiting for His death.

Waiting for His resurrection.

Waiting for answered prayer.

Our faith is often tested by waiting. Waiting on God means that our life is under His authority and direction. If we move ahead without God's direction, we live in a life of turmoil, anxiety and uncertainty.

Waiting provides us an opportunity to learn. We learn about God's perfect timing and His ability to be in charge of every detail. We so often long for proof, but that is where faith come in. Faith is believing and trusting in God.

Hebrews 11:6 says "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."

As we enter this last week before Easter and continue our wait for Jesus' death and resurrection, I pray for strength. Strength in our faith to trust in His plan and be encouraged in His grace of waiting.

Peace.

Laura

Our Job is to Love

Today the sermon at church was on "Sharing My Faith." As I was listening to Pastor Darrin, I couldn't help but think of Sara.

Pastor Darrin talked about how sharing our faith today is very different than how it has been in the past.  How it is important for us to first listen to others...listen to their story.  Listening requires us to be fully present with others and give them our full and undivided attention. Once we hear their story, it is not our job to judge them and/or save them. It is our job to love them.

God's job is to judge, Jesus job is to save, and our job is to love.

Isn't that awesome! Why do we make our job so difficult? All we have to do is love.

I think Sara was a role model at sharing her faith. She first and foremost loved well! She fully trusted and left the rest up to the One whose job it is to judge and save.

Sara shared her faith by being fully present and listening to the needs of others. She developed relationships and loved them well.  It was through her love of God and others that she was able to impact the lives of others and connect them closer to the one who could bring them peace and joy.

I am so grateful to my little sister for being brave in sharing her faith.

And, I am grateful and blessed to continue this ministry by sharing my faith, here in our lower story, while she is enjoying true joy with Him, in her upper story!

Have a blessed week!

Laura

Our Ultimate Purpose

Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the son of man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life."  ~John 12:23-25

Since losing dad in 2010 and Sara in 2011, Easter has taken on a new depth of meaning. Those that God blessed us to love and live with here on earth...those that we can't imagine living without, are given eternal life! One day we will live with our heavenly father, and be reunited with our loved ones!

When I'm feeling lost without them, when I long for their giant hug, I can find joy in the blessing that Christ died so we can live.

I also find joy knowing that both dad and Sara lived their life glorifying Him. They lived their life showing people through their actions what it means to give up their own wants, needs and desires for the will of our Father.

God tells us through the above bible verse, that until we die to everything but the Father's will, we will never accomplish the purpose we are living for in the first place. If we truly trust God and have faith in His will for our lives, we should not be afraid to be buried like a seed in the soil of God's will for our lives.

I saw this with both dad and Sara...they were not afraid to give up everything for God's will in their lives and because of that, their faith produced an incredible amount of fruitfulness in their lives. Ultimately the grace and peace of Christ in their lives.

For that, I am eternally grateful and filled with JOY.