faith – Page 2 – Ribbons and Lace

New Beginnings

January 1, 2019January 3, 2019 Emilydvsn

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Each new year marks a new beginning for us. We step into 2019 with an expectation of new beginnings and new opportunities, but nothing has really changed except the numbers on the calendar.

As I look around at my situations, there are still messes, in my personal life and in my house. My Christmas tree still stands in my living room taunting me to be more productive. Olaf still sits in my front yard begging to be put away. Papers still sit in my school bag waiting to be graded. And more importantly, the trials in front of me sit looming like giants.

Nothing changes because the calendar flips over.

Only through Christ are we changed. Only through our relationship with Him do things begin to change. I’m not talking about going to church and giving your tithe. Those are great things, but that’s not the most important thing. The most important thing is a real, authentic relationship with Jesus.

Does that mean we have it all figured out? Absolutely not or there would be no need for Christ, and we need to quit acting like we do. Me in particular. I hide those things that hurt and act like it’s all okay. But God calls us to be authentic.

James 5:16 says, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” When is the last time you confessed your trespasses to someone? Yeah, I can’t remember either. We go to church and put on our masks and act like we have it all together.

But as we start this year of new beginnings, I confess that I don’t have it all together. I need my Savior just as desperately now as I did when he pulled me out of the miry pit. I still fall short daily. I want to be authentic. I want people to know that being a Christian isn’t about being perfect. It’s about having a relationship with the Savior of the world and through His grace I am not the same person I was several years ago. I will always need my Savior. I know that only through Him can I really be changed.

I pray this year is a new beginnings in your relationship with Jesus. If you don’t know Him, please reach out to me. I would be more than happy to share His love with you today.

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It’s All About a Relationship

December 8, 2018December 9, 2018 Emilydvsn

Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Galatians 4:7

I have spent my whole life in the church. I can remember my Grandma carrying me to revivals at her charismatic church, while we attended somewhere much more reserved. We eventually changed churches, hopping from one denomination to another. Nothing shocks me in worship, as I’ve experienced it already at some point in my life.

But sometimes, we can become numb. Even though, I have experienced true worship with my Savior, I still sometimes feel as though I’m going through the motions. This morning while doing my Beth Moore Bible study. I became convicted. This Bible study is going through the Psalm of Ascents, and today we were talking about hardships. Sometimes those hardships move us to push God away, and our worship becomes less than authentic. We want to keep Him at a safe distance, but not too far away.

It’s all about a relationship.

That’s what I could hear Him whisper in my spirit. No matter what is going on in our lives, we should bring it all to Him. The great thing about being in a relationship with our Savior is that He allows us to give it all to Him.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

He tells us to come to Him. Come to Him when your world is falling apart. Come to Him when life is messy. Come to Him when your heart is in a million pieces. Come to Him because He already knows. He’s not surprised by your anger or your fear or your doubt. He wants you to give it all to Him, so He can begin to heal you.

We don’t understand all that God does. Isaiah 55:8 says, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord.” However, part of being in a relationship, is being able to voice those things we don’t understand.

We need to realize that God is here for us. We don’t always understand Him, nor will we until we get to heaven. We need to realize that salvation isn’t just fire insurance. It’s so much more. He is inviting us into a real relationship with Him, an authentic relationship.

If you don’t have a true relationship with my Savior today, and want to know how to do that, please reach out to me. There is nothing greater than a real relationship with the Creator of the universe!

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In His Presence

December 7, 2018December 7, 2018 Emilydvsn

You will show the path life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalms 16:11

Some days are just hard. Not because of anything particularly disturbing. It’s just that, right now, with little kids, I feel like I’m in the trenches. Today was a hard day, and I just feel defeated. After taking off and lugging three kids to the dentist, the doctor for flu shots, and to Kroger with a screaming toddler, I’m exhausted. I haven’t been able to do much more. As I sat and listened to Ann Elizabeth read her devotional, I realized that my joy and hope do not rely on my outward circumstances.

I know that my Spirit is renewed when I spend time in the presence of my Savior. You see, when I really spend time with Him, my shift focuses. I’m no longer focused on me and my situation. I can’t if I’m truly in His presence. It becomes all about Him.

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. Psalms 95:2

You see, when you come before the God of creation, you become humbled. You realize that whatever is happening in your life is minuscule in the grand scheme of things. You begin to worship, and your worship begins to change things. In Joshua 6, God tells His people to march around the walls of Jericho once a day for six days. On the seventh day, they were commanded to march seven times. On the seventh time around, the priests were to blow the trumpets, and then the people were to shout. On that seventh day, the walls of Jericho fell down flat. When we praise Him, strongholds begin to fall.

I realized tonight that even though,my day turned out less than ideal, that all I needed was time with my Savior. Acts 3:19 says, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” I know that my spirit is truly refreshed when I’m in His presence. I just have to take it all to Him.