Someone told me today that you can try to give as much grace as you can, but there comes a time when you have to say, “you need to get your shit together.” And I guess there might be some truth to that, but imagine if that’s what God said to me.  

“Sorry Netanya, but you used up all my grace. I can’t give you anymore.” 

Gosh. Thankful that His grace is never-ending, that He is molding me and transforming my heart, and always pulling me back into His goodness. 

My job this summer has been such an unexpected blessing. I work for conference services at my university and during the summer my school basically turns into a hotel where groups and camps stay. Occasionally, we get a chance to talk to some of our clients and I’ve had some of the most interesting conversations about Christ, sin, culture, politics, religion, ect. It’s been such as good thing and I’m always surprised when it happens. 

I was monitoring in the theater tonight for Worldview, and I started talking to a man about traveling, studying abroad, and my experience being an exchange student. He told me has also traveled most of his life and has met people from all over the world.  We started talking about the differences between cultures, particulary French and American, and how Americans are more public about their personal lives while the French are more private.  As we were talking about this, he began to tell me a story about a Russian girl at his church who told him that Americans just give their smiles away and it means nothing, but when Russians smile they are giving you their whole heart; a part of themselves. He explained to her that when Americans give a smile, we are acknowledging you as a fellow human being. In this moment they both shared a common understanding and respect of each other’s cultures. But the last thing he said was, “Isn’t it amazing that despite where we come from, we as Christians share a common foundation. And that’s Christ. Because we make an effort to understand each others’ cultures, we understand that forming those relationships will be different or slower-paced than we are used to, but the same goal is there for both of us. The goal is to share Christ.” 

Such a thought-provoking statement, and one that stirred my heart and prayers for those sharing the gospel in foreign countries. The same need for Christ is there, and I pray that the Sprit will break down those cultural barriers so the truth can be proclaimed to all the nations. 

“Though our feelings come and go, his love for us does not. It is not wearied by our sins, or our indifference; and, therefore, it is quite relentless in its determination that we shall be cured of those sins, at whatever cost to us, at whatever cost to him.” - CS Lewis

“I can no longer condemn or hate a brother for whom I pray, no matter how much trouble he causes me. His face, that hitherto may have been strange and intolerable to me, is transformed in intercession into the countenance of a brother for whom Christ died, the face of a forgiven sinner.” -Bonhoeffer

:: convicting ::

Couldn’t find a video for this, but here is the just released clip of Tim Chaddick’s sermon on “why Jesus creates stories” at the Resurgence Conference. Never heard a more moving story about grace and redemption. Can’t forget those lines—“I see you under the blood of Jesus”. Overwhelmingly beautiful. Give it a listen. 

I had a strange dream last night, an actually pretty morbid dream, but never the less it weighed on my heart this morning as I tried to piece together what it meant.

In my dream there was a killer in the town (I’ve probably been watching to many episodes of criminal minds) and he was reeking havoc. I saw him and saw what he looked like. I then ended up in this snowy clearing with huge trees all around. I was with a friend and we saw this frightened boy come up to us with blood all over his feet and ankles. I don’t remember how he was related to the killer but we grabbed him and packed snow around his feet. He was standing right in the middle of this forest and I asked him if I could pray for him. He said yes and I grabbed his hand and began to pray for him that the Holy Spirit would open his heart so that he would know Jesus. I prayed that he would realize that his sins were forgiven and as I was praying I saw three ornate crosses in front of me, flashing in a 3-D sort of way. And then the blood on the boys feet was washed away.

I don’t know why I had this dream or whether or not it was significant or just coincidence, but it reminded me that our sins have been washed away. We have been made white as snow. I think I’ve been fighting that lately. I’ve been bogged down with my sin, frustrated, and trying to fix me with me all the while forgetting that it is finished. I have been made new. My sin is never too much for Him. However strange this dream was, I pray that I be reminded of this every day.

“But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.” -Isaiah 53:5