Untangled

  I don't know about you, but I am not a super organizer.  Our house would be a big hit on a new reality series-"Clutter Busters"!  It will never appear in those beautiful photography shoots in Better Homes and Gardens but it is home. I have long ago given up the idea that my skills would ever earn me the best housekeeper award but I am okay with that because it is not big on my priority list.  As you can imagine, when I put away our Christmas decorations for the year I don't have any lights that are wrapped neatly and stored in their original boxes.  So each year I have to go through the process of untangling the sets of lights.  The other day as I was doing this task I was thinking about how our lives can be just like that tangled mess.  

  I don't know if you've realized this but life is complicated.  Even when we are enjoying what we consider to be a good life there are bumps and twists and knots along the way.  I feel extremely blessed in my life right now but here is an example of how just a small hour of time can go awry. My teenage daughter wakes up late and realizes how little time she has to get ready.  The toast almost burns while putting a dog outside. After trying to find something to bring for lunch I am resigned to having to eat a school lunch not knowing what is being served. I put out dog number two and let dog number one in.  I try to finish getting ready as dog number two is barking to come in and dog number three is whining to go out.  I slap on some makeup and put out dog number three and wonder why they can't all go out at the same time.  I yell upstairs that it's time to go and hear that my daughter is not ready.  Trying to remain patient I put all three dogs in kennels. I run out to get yesterdays forgotten mail and come back in to hear my daughter screaming to turn on the breaker that has been knocked off by her hair dryer.  I go flip the switch and go to the car and try to breathe normally while the kid is rushing around the house trying to find everything she didn't pack up last night.  We leave ten minutes late and I listen to a very unhappy girl describe to me all the way to her school why it is my fault that this has happened.  As I drop her off I slump in exhaustion thinking about the work day looming ahead of me and how I'm going to get through it!

  Could you tell a similar story?  In the past a less patient, less wise self might have spewed hateful words at my young daughter.  Unfortunately my oldest daughter and husband could tell you about some of those times when I handled some tangled messes of life in a bad way.  Instead of trying to untangle them carefully like I have to with my strings of lights I would try to bull my way through not caring who got knotted up, squeezed or crushed in the meantime.  Over the years,though, God has shown me better ways to handle these jumbled situations with many nuggets of wisdom in his Word.  These are just an example of some of those.

      But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.      Galatians 5:22

     A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.     Proverbs 15:1

    The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.    

                                                                                                                        Proverbs 12:18

     "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"  Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself."  Matthew 22:36-37

     Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil,but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.                                                                                     1 Corinthians 13:4-7

  This transformation of being able to handle life's stresses and demands and to act in a more Christ-like way did not happen over night.  God, like a potter molding his clay, has molded me.  Through prayer, faith and thanksgiving I have become a kinder, wiser and more gentle person.  I have learned to look at the race marked out for me and the prize--eternal life-that I will receive. Life's mangled paths become easier with the help of God, his Son and the Holy Spirit.  Every one of us can experience this life through Him.  So give him a chance and join me to get Untangled.    

What Christmas is All About

     When I was young one of my favorite holiday specials on television was "A Charlie Brown Christmas". This special first aired in 1965-the year I was born.  In the special, Charlie Brown is fed up with the commercialization of Christmas and sets out to find its real meaning.  I wonder what Charlie would think about the holiday season in 2012?  His anger over pink aluminum Christmas trees drove him to pick out the tiny real tree that nobody else could love.  Would he be disgusted by the air-powered blow-up Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer standing twelve feet tall?  Would he say "Good Grief!!" when he saw the thousands of lights blinking in unison to a sexy version of "Santa Baby"?  Would Linus still be able to stand on the stage and tell everyone what Christmas is really about or would he be filling out his list of the top five electronic devices available on Black Friday--woops! I mean the Black Friday Eve super sales on Thanksgiving night?!    

     Here are some questions you need to start asking yourself.  What does your holiday season look like?  Do you find yourself stressing about if you have enough money to buy what the kids want?  Is your To Do list going to do you in?  Do you find yourself being grouchy and yelling at others in the spirit of Christmas?  Does the inside and outside of your house look like an explosion of Pinterest decorating ideas gone bad?  Are you finding yourself kicking plastic reindeer across the yard when they don't light up?  Are you and your spouse looking up counselor names and phone numbers after you put up the Christmas tree?  Would you be willing to run over the back of someone's foot in Walmart just to get that $5 video while the store's intercom is playing "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas"?  If you can answer yes to any of these questions or others you personally can come up with I would advise you to yell at the top of your lungs "Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?!"

     And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy,  which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
                                                                                               Luke 2:8-14
                                                                                               (recited by Linus)

     God's son in the form of a baby.  A baby that would fulfill scripture and forever change the world.  A baby that would one day do the will of his Father and take on the sins of all people.  A baby that would one day be crucified and conquer death three days later.  The one who would bridge the gap between a fallen world and God.  The one that can give us everlasting life if only we believe. 

     So, this year as we head into the holiday season I have a prayer for all of us.  A prayer that each one of us will slow down and remember those words recited by Linus to his good friend Charlie Brown.  And that is what Christmas is all about, my friends.



  

Looking for Light in the Darkness

     If you would ask my kids they would tell you that I don't use my I-Phone to its potential.  I don't talk much on it and compared to the three of them my texting is almost nonexistent.  I occasionally add and use apps on it but I probably really don't need all the bells and whistles that this phone has. But there is one thing I love about my phone. When I push that button at the bottom of it there is instant light!  I love that it does that because I have to be honest here...  I really don't like the dark. In the darkness, all of my worries and troubles seem to build like a thunderstorm on a humid, spring day. In the darkness, a night of sickness seems to tick by second by second at the pace of a snail. In the darkness, my body craves light like a plant that turns itself towards the warmth of the afternoon sun. In the darkness, hope seems to slip away from me.  So if I find myself in the dark I find myself pushing that button. It's not a huge amount of light but it comforts me.  It can also guide me to a place where I can find more light.

     Of course the kind of light I am talking about in the previous paragraph has to do with what physicists call   "electromagnetic radiation to which the organs of sight react".  Whoa! that's a mouthful!  Today, though, I want to focus on another way we can talk about light and darkness. When Adam and Eve lived in the garden of Eden with God they were told not to eat of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  But the serpent deceived them and made them doubt and they made a bad choice.  Their choice separated all of us from God. We are in darkness because of our sin. I heard an excellent example of this the other night at church from one of our pastors so I am going borrow his example and put it into my own imagery and words.  Imagine that this separation is like you and God standing on opposite sides of the Grand Canyon.  You can try to build a bridge back to God with good things that you do or the way you treat others but you will never be able to get to that other side because we are all sinners.  No matter what we do we can never mend that separation.  God's word says "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)  So no matter how hard you are out there working on that bridge it will never make it all the way across that wide canyon.  But, God had a plan.  Even in our wildest dreams we could not have imagined a fix like this one.  When Jesus died on the cross it was like God used that cross as a mega-bridge. The vertical portion became a strong girder into the canyon and the horizontal section became the span of a bridge across that large canyon back to God.  We can now cross from darkness into the light.  Jesus has said, "I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:11-13)  When you hear this story of light and darkness you have to decide what to do with it.  Are you going to take this gift of light and salvation and accept what Jesus did for you or are you going to run the opposite way back into the darkness? 

     Now, let me tell you, there is a lot of darkness out there in this fallen world and you don't have to look very far to find it.  It is creeping around you this very moment!  Immorality and addiction run the streets.  Hopelessness and despair curl up in the dark corners of rooms.  Fear and disillusion crowd the hearts of many.  The pain and suffering of sin blots out the life of those who choose not to believe.  "For the wages of sin is death -separation from God from all time, "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)  This is good news for those of us who don't like the dark!  If you feel like the darkness has already swallowed you up and there is no way out, let me tell you that is a lie!  That is a lie perpetuated by Satan himself just like he did in the garden with Adam and Eve.  There is nothing that you can do that will separate you from Jesus' love if you believe in what he did for you. "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)

     Does this mean that our lives will become a cakewalk?  Does it mean we won't ever meet with trouble?  Will all our problems disappear?  Of course not.  But what the light does is give us hope.  It challenges us to rise up to fight the lies perpetuated by Satan in so many ways here on earth.  God gives us the tools to defeat the darkness. "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of  God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the power of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when that day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests."  (Ephesians 6:10-18a).

     So here it is--your chance to get out of the darkness!  Start moving toward the light now!!


If you are looking to get out of darkness click on any of the buttons above for more information on how to find the light!  Plus here is a great song from Sanctus Real about God's light and what he has done for you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOvX0aADP0M

Content In All Things

  The child on the video held the shoe box as though he had just been handed the world.  One would think that the greatest treasure of all was in the box he held.  But in reality the box had some simple toys- a Matchbox car and a rubber ball.  Nothing that ran on batteries or electricity!  Also in it were toiletry items such as a wash cloth, soap, toothbrush and toothpaste.  The remaining contents were school supplies like paper, colored pencils and a pencil sharpener. The box the boy held was a Christmas gift given to him through a program called Operation Christmas Child.  This program started by the ministry,Samaritan's Purse, has given nearly 1 million Christmas boxes to children since its inception in 1993.  I thought about how different this scene was from the ones that would occur around the world every Christmas season.  Crowds of pushing, rude people running to get the "best" sales on Black Friday, expensive toys with all the newest bells and whistles, ungrateful family members rushing back the day after to exchange a gift they just can't stand were scenes that ran through my mind.  How different from this small boy whose face beamed as he held his small treasures!

  Over the past couple of weeks God has been continually bringing the word contentment to my devotional time and to my thoughts throughout the day.  Being content in this world can be very difficult and I struggle with this concept.  I am sure that many of you have struggles with this, too.  It's hard not to buy into the world's ideas on what should make us content.  We are bombarded with messages that tell us what the best things in life are.  Greed and want seem to crowd out clear thinking while millions go into deep debt.  We are led to believe that lots of money and a big house will get us there.  We are shown how the newest piece of technology can make our lives so much easier.  Athletes, actors and actresses are splashed across the television and in magazines showing us the "good life".  If only we had more, more, more or different, different, different then we would have contentment.  Many of us spend so much time in our lives trying to find, buy or work our way there that we never have time to actually think about what it is to be content.  Here is what God says about these things.

     But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.  But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.     1 Timothy 6:6-11

  The more we pursue a godly life these other things fall away as unimportant and the more content we can become.  We can see the blessings in our lives more clearly and be happy with who we are than what things we have.  Timothy specifically says "godliness with contentment" will give us great gain.

   I have looked deeper into what God wants for us in the area of contentment and this is what I have found. After receiving gifts from the people in Phillipi the Apostle Paul sent this message, 

     I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.  I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength.     Philippians 4:10-13

Sometimes when I read this passage I think how amazing it is.  Paul was in prison at this time for sharing the story of Jesus.  I am sure this was not a place of comfort but yet Paul says that he has learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  But I want you to focus on the last line in this passage.  He gives God the glory for helping him to be content.  Once again we see that gaining full contentment is only possible with the help of God.

  I think emotions can play a big part in this.  For example, the past couple of weeks I had a few rough days at home and at school.  I was tired and feeling a little blue.  My emotions told me that what I had in life was not good  enough.  My brain started to think in a negative pattern.  Instead of being content I started to complain to anyone who would listen.  If only I had....,  If only my husband would....,  If only I could...., If only my children realized....  But then in my quiet time with God he spoke to me through a devotional book I had been reading.  These were the exact words, "You have been on a long, uphill journey and your energy is almost spent,  Though you have faltered at times, you have not let go of My hand.  I am pleased with your desire to stay close to Me.  There is one thing, however, that displeases Me, your tendency to complain."  (Jesus Calling, Sarah Young)  Talk about being stopped right in my tracks! God knew exactly what I had been doing! Letting your emotions rule is dangerous.

  So during this ongoing journey to discover more about contentment I have learned a few things.  I need to focus on what God has given me already and what he has done for me in the past.  It's even helpful to write down all your blessings and pull that list out from time to time to remind you of what you do have!  Being truly content does not come from the world but from God.  If I am not content I need to talk to God about it not just complain to others around me.  They cannot fix my situation.  If we allow God to help us pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness then we can learn to be content in all things, too.  Then, just like that small boy with the Christmas shoe box, we will be beaming with contentment, too!



If you are interested in taking part in Operation Christmas Child this year click on this link: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/ .You will never regret the decision to send a gift to one of these children!

    

Out of Focus

I have been noticing something over the past year that makes me a little irritated.  When I look at a book I find myself having to hold it further away so I can actually see the letters.  Trying to read information on medicine bottles has become very difficult.  Then one day I was trying to read some numbers on an insurance card that was surely written in the smallest type size ever!  I get frustrated in these situations when I can't get my eyes to focus.  Unfortunately, my vision has never been good.  Being horribly near-sighted has always kept me in glasses or contacts.  But now the optometrist has started to talk about bifocals.  UUGGHH!  I resist getting them.  Surely, I'm not old enough for those?!?!

When I think about this I am reminded that there are ways we get out of focus in our spiritual lives, too.  I will be the first to admit that I have been feeling this way lately.  Over the past three weeks I have struggled with this feeling. I have not been at church for three weeks and my devotional time has been lukewarm.  I have found it hard to concentrate and my last blog post was three weeks ago.  I have been feeling out of focus.  It's an uncomfortable feeling and it leaves me a little irritable just like the issue with my eyes!  This is when I know it is time to put myself at arms length just like my books and take a look at myself in a focused way.  This is what I have discovered and some "prescriptions" to help you get back in focus.

It is very easy to fall into keeping yourself "busy" with all kinds of things the world has to offer.  As I looked over the past three weeks trying to figure out why I was feeling this way I was appalled at the amount of time I had spent on the computer doing things like watching shows on Netflix, reading posts on Facebook, checking e-mail, pinning on Pinterest, and just surfing the Net.  I don't consider any of these to be horrible activities but what I found is that I had gone overboard with the amount of time spent there.  Plus, while doing these things I was not having a lot of interaction with my family and friends.  That is a problem.  We learn from Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians that some are confused about what they can and cannot do in certain situations in the early church.  This is what he said, “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.  (1 Corinthians 10:23)  We have to think carefully about the activities we do each day.

I believe very strongly that going to church every Sunday is not the key to getting into heaven or the thing that makes you have a strong relationship with God.  I know people who are in church every week but never live their life outside those walls in a Christian manner.  I find, though, that when I attend worship services regularly it builds me up for real life out in the trenches.  I feel a fellowship with those around me when I am there.  I get to sing praises to the one who redeemed me and I can be reminded of what God says to us in his Word.  Some days I am comforted and some days I am challenged.  It's easy to get caught up in "I'll just go next week..." and then find that several weeks have passed and soon not going becomes a hard habit to break. Sometimes I long for the days of the early Christians who met together daily.  We are lucky in this day and age to have options to help us out when we do miss a day of church though.  I like to listen to   Christian radio.  I also like going to the website of Proverbs 31 ministries and reading the articles and information they have there.  Some people enjoy watching television ministries.  God offers us lots of ways to hear his Word if we choose to do it.  I do think that face to face relationships are the best, though.  As my husband says, "The best days to go to church are the days we really don't feel like going!"

 Another thing that I have allowed to take my focus is worry.  When we are using our energy on the "what ifs" we have none left for what is important.  This is one of the passages I prescribe for those who are dealing with this issue.
     Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.  For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them.  And how much more valuable you are than birds!   Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?  Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?  Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.   If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!    And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.   For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.  But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.  Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.  Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."   
Luke 12:22-34

Worry seems to have a constant companion.  That companion is the devil.  The father of lies lurks around us waiting to gain a foothold.  He twists God's words and makes us doubt.  He brings up our past failures and tells us we are not good enough.  He encourages us to be unhappy with what we have and long for things we don't have.  He makes us unsatisfied and unfocused. He wants to bring death.  But the great news is that Jesus has conquered death.
    Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.     Hebrews 2:14-15

If you have been feeling out of sorts lately I suggest you take some time to stop and look at what has been happening in your life.  Like me I am sure you will find areas that you need to think about and adjust.  Let God help you get back into focus!

Glory to God

I was angry!  When I was younger temper tantrums came easy to me.  I loved to cry, scream, kick things and my favorite-slam doors!  Over the years my temper has been reigned in but this past week I had myself a big old-fashioned one!  The news had not been good.  My sister's follow-up MRI from her pancreatic surgery earlier in the year showed a spot on her liver had grown quite a bit larger. Cancer-again.  That same kicked-in-the-stomach feeling had been handed to my family once more.  I was angry at the disease, angry that my sister would be going through chemo, angry that we had to feel this fear again and yes, I will admit it... I was angry at God.  I felt somewhat better after my sobbing had diminished.  I wanted to be mad at God still but I couldn't.  This is the reason why. When you spend time in God's Word it starts to sink into your brain.  Bits of it become remembered and even memorized.  You can't keep it from coming to the surface and getting in the way of those emotions you are having.  In fact, within seconds of hearing the news while I was at work I started humming a song called "Glorious".  Here is a stanza from that song.

 

     No one else above Him

     None as strong to save

     He alone has conquered

     The power of the grave.     (Glorious, Paul Bloche)

I wanted to let my emotions reign but after my tantrum had finished I kept coming back to truth I have learned and cannot ignore.  I wanted to compare my family's issues to a man named Job.  It seemed like we were constantly plagued with trouble.  But as I remembered the story it was obvious Job's life had been much worse.  Job had lost everything important to him in his life.  Not only did his health suffer but he had lost his income, his family, his friends, his servants.  He lost everything. But he also stayed firm in his faith of God.  When I take my eyes off myself and my family I see many others in this world suffering more than us. 

Another message that kept coming to me were the words of Jesus in the gospel of John.  He was telling the disciples about some of the things that would be happening before and after his resurrection.  These words are so valuable for us in this day and age.  

     I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.                       John 16:33

God never promises us that life as a believer will be easy.  In fact he tells us the opposite!  But what we do have is the power of Jesus in us to help us get through these troubles.  I can make it through anything because in my weakness God's power becomes evident.  Over the years many people have asked how I have gotten through these days of cancer in my family.  My answer is always the same.  "My faith in God."

In this post I give glory to God for all he does for us and ask him to be with my sister as she starts her treatment this week.  I ask for strength and peace for her, her husband, the kids and the rest of her family and friends who are in this fight with her.  Please friends join me in continued prayers for her.  To my sister, Tammy, I give you these words to keep close to your heart!

I look up to the hills,
    but where will my help really come from?
My help will come from the Lord,
    the Creator of heaven and earth.
He will not let you fall.
    Your Protector will not fall asleep.
Israel’s Protector does not get tired.
    He never sleeps.
The Lord is your Protector.
    The Lord stands by your side, shading and protecting you.
The sun cannot harm you during the day,
    and the moon cannot harm you at night.
The Lord will protect you from every danger.
    He will protect your soul.
The Lord will protect you as you come and go,
    both now and forever!       Psalm 121

  

     

     

     

Beautiful

I was having a discussion with my youngest daughter about some things that people do on Facebook that we really don't like.  One of her biggest pet peeves was a "friend" who constantly posts negative comments about herself.  I have seen other people do this same thing on my own page.  We agreed that these people are just trying to get others to pay attention to them and post something nice about them.  I think all of us do this from time to time.  My husband calls it "fishing for a compliment".  We all like to hear good things about ourselves and I suppose a little "fishing" from time to time on Facebook or in real life is not that big of a deal but I wonder about those who do it so frequently. I am amazed sometimes about the things that people will "tweet", "post" or "text" to others. (Like I tell my oldest daughter-you don't have to write and send every thought in your head!  But that could be a whole other topic on which to blog!)  With all this stuff out there in public, though, I have started to see something that really breaks my heart.  There are a lot of people who really don't feel loved or see themselves as important.

There are many reasons we can feel this way.  The world has a way of making us bitter, angry, and hurtful towards others.  Many of us are guilty of lashing out, saying things we don't mean or becoming angry at situations that don't call for such emotion.  We erect walls and stop talking to family or friends.  Others are frustrated by the lot life has given them. We feel disappointed and negative.  All of this leads to people feeling unloved and unimportant.  But listen.  If you are relying on family, friends, job, etc., etc. to make you feel loved and important let me tell you something.  It will never happen.  There is only one who can make us complete and that is God-the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Some of you may be rolling your eyes right now and saying "Whatever!" and I can tell you there was a time in my life that I would have been doing exactly the same thing.  I went to the pits of despair in my life with depression.  Counseling and medication helped me but there was still something missing.  It was God who filled that hole in me and made me feel truly loved and important.  There is no one who knows us better than he does. 

     For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.  How precious to me are your thoughts, God!  How vast is the sum of them.  Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand —when I awake, I am still with you.     Psalm 139:13-18

One of God's greatest acts of love was sending his son, Jesus, to die for us.  The story of Jesus is so amazing that sometimes it is hard for me to wrap my mind around.  But that is my human thinking trying to make sense of it.  Several weeks ago my pastor said something that has stuck in my mind.  The story of Jesus is simple.  As people we complicate everything.  We study his story.  We argue over small, insignificant matters.  We form different denominations.  We write books to argue that our opinion is correct.  But here is the simple statement about God's love for us in probably the most famous piece of scripture in the Bible.  

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

He died for you.  If you believe that, you get to live forever with God. Simple. My friends, we are all treasured by Him.  He loves us more than anyone can ever love us.  No matter who we are and no matter what we have done, we are beautiful to him.

Check out these two great songs by Mercy Me and Big Daddy Weave and hear more about how you are loved.

Beautiful by Mercy Me:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6pS5HCkgPI

Redeemed by Big Daddy Weave:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSyLqbP8Z4I