God Loves Me Even Though He Knows My Past

That’s a comforting thought to me.  That God loves me no matter what I do.  He loves me despite the bad choices I have  made in my past.  He knows my entire bio, all of it, and he still loves me and wants a relationship with me. 

If we focus on this fact, it makes all the small disappointments we deal with on a day-to-day basis seem so silly.  Doesn’t it?  If God loves you no matter what happens, then why do we really have any fear?  Is there anything more important than God’s love for us and his pursuit of us?   If we can hang onto this love and the knowledge that He made us so that He could have a relationship with us, then doesn’t that make anything else we may lose or that doesn’t work out for us just pale in comparison? 

So think about the issues you are facing today.  Your worries, your complaints, your struggles….whatever they are, doesn’t it help knowing that none of that could ever separate you from God?  If you are upset or hurt or mad at yourself for decisions you have made recently or in your past….doesn’t it lessen the blow knowing that God still loves you and wants a relationship with you despite those decisions? 

He knows EVERYTHING about us, and he still loves us, wants a relationship with us, and most importantly He has a place for us with Him in heaven, IF we do one simple task.  If we accept Jesus as our Savior.  That is it.  All you have to do is say a prayer telling Jesus that you accept what He did for your sins, and that you want Him to live in your  heart forever.  That you will live for him, and you are grateful for what He has done for you.   That’s it.  It’s real easy, and it’s the ultimate gift from God.

We had a guest pastor at church yesterday and He described this gift from God as the 8th Wonder of the World.  The fact that God loves us no matter what, pursues a relationship with us at all times, and has a place for us in heaven.  We are so undeserving of this, that is the miracle.  The wonder. 

Remind yourself of this often, it definitely puts a new perspective on life.

I’m Thankful for Our Kids

Today is once again Thankful Thursday.  I think it’s so important to remember to be thankful.  I know we shouldn’t have to remind ourselves to be thankful.  But I think it’s necessary.  I believe we should wake up every single day and start the day by telling God all the things we are thankful for.  I, myself, do not always remember to do that.  But that is my goal. 

I’m going to try my best to remember to say thanks to God for everything I’m thankful for, the minute I open my eyes in the morning.  Another idea is to start a Journal of Thanks.  And just fill it each day with all the things you are thankful for.

Today (and really everyday) I’m thankful for our kids.  My daughter is about to turn 7 and is in first grade, and my step son is 12 and is in 6th grade this year.  It is his first year in middle school.  Which of course brings a lot of changes.

They are great kids.  They have good hearts and are learning a lot about the Bible ,and how to have a relationship with God.  We try to teach them about God as much as we can, and how to apply it to their day-to-day life. 

Being a parent is one of the greatest and hardest roles all wrapped into one.  Raising children can be extremely challenging at times.  Sometimes more than others.  And you just hope you are doing the right thing.  But it can also be such a joy when you see them make the right decisions.  When they tell you they read something in the Bible, or that they helped out a friend, or they want to join a Bible study, or they helped out at school, or they want to give their allowance money to people who need it more…….you just feel so proud of these human beings you are responsible for.  As they get older I know we will have many more challenging times, but just as many, if not more,  joyous and proud times.

It’s the hard things in life that bring so much joy.  The relationships we put the most investment in ,and work at the hardest, are the most rewarding. 

So, today I am thankful that God gave me the opportunity to have two children in this lifetime.   Those two kids are a gift that I will forever cherish.   I take my role as a mother very seriously, yet I want to have a lot of fun in the process.  I want my kids to know the truth about God, to have a loving relationship with God, and to know they have parents that love them and want the best for them.  I also want them to remember how much we laughed together.

Thank you Lord for trusting me with these kids.  I won’t let you down.