Rejoicing in the Lord

Here we are in a new year, beginning a new semester and even with a fresh start I feel as though I am already behind. Yet, God always has perfect timing. I really wanted to have finished Steps to Christ last semester, but instead we are finishing up the last chapter the first week of a new semester. I do not believe there could have been a more perfect time to read this chapter.

As we begin a new year and everyone is making resolutions on how to make this year better than the last, I found in this chapter a resolution I want to make for myself. On the first page, "In every one of His children, Jesus sends a letter to the world." The author continues on to describe how some people will never see Jesus and understand his love from nature or from reading the pages of the Bible. They only see him revealed in the life of someone else. Isn't that crazy? Just think we could be what makes the difference in someone's life, we could be the reason that someone decides to follow Jesus; just by our lives! Taking a minute to think about just how HUGE that is, I became overwhelmed with wanting to be that person; wanting Jesus to be so in my life that and living in such a way that others desire to know Jesus because they have met me!!! So yes, you may have figured it out by now, one of my new year's resolutions is to be that person. This year I want to completely surrender myself to Christ so that when others see me they don't see me, they see Jesus' love and care.

That was only one of the concepts that completely enthralled me from this chapter. As I have spent this semester really searching and trying to truly connect with Christ I have been so incredibly blessed. I have experienced things with God that I never have before. I've noticed his care and working in my life in a way that I haven't before. This last chapter makes it clear that things are not always going to be incredible, there will be times when it seems as though life cannot get any worse. Connecting to Christ doesn't guarantee a life of easiness where everything is great and wonderful. There is will be hard times and discouragement. But she says when these times come remember the good things you have experienced, remember how Christ has revealed himself to you. It is by remembering these things that we can hold on to our faith and stay connected to Christ even when we feel as though we are slipping away. Don't remember the failures, instead remember the success and know that God is still there.

So now, as we begin the new semester I challenge you to step out and make it a great one. You are a letter to someone, what are you saying? What are they reading in your letter? And remember we all have failure and discouragement but we all have success too!

And now that we have finished reading Steps to Christ, you may wonder what is next. But have no fear, the blog will continue on with reading the gospel of John!