Hope

My husband has wanted a big dog he can go hiking with and take long walks with for awhile now.  I thought it might be nice to go ahead and get him a new "best friend" for Valentine's Day - a gift that will keep on giving!  But we didn't want to get just any dog - we wanted to rescue one.  We didn't just want to purchase a dog - we wanted to save a dog's life.  So we ventured out to the Animal Shelter in Charlotte, NC.

It was about five minutes into our search when I saw her.  I cannot even begin to imagine how her life has been.  She's about three years old and the name the shelter gave her was "Pearl".  When I saw the name they gave her on the tag, I immediately thought of Matthew 13:45-56, "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!"  She's part German Shepherd, part English Coonhound.  Her thin and frail frame and that sad look in her eyes told me that her life has not been an easy one.  I wondered if she was the one we were supposed to rescue.  She sat shivering in her cold, concrete kennel with puppy-dog eyes that pierced my heart so deeply that I think I heard that Sarah McLachlan song, In the Arms of the Angel, in the background.  That commercial always makes me cry.  But seeing it in reality was much harder.

As I looked into her eyes, I could see she was broken.  I began to cry.  I've been broken before.  And I was rescued, too (thank you, Jesus!)  We asked to spend time with her and have some interaction because we knew that even if we felt she might be "the one", we wanted to make sure the feeling was mutual. (smile)  She timidly approached me and her tail, that was tucked underneath (a sure sign of fear and uneasiness), slowly came out from underneath and began to wag as she laid her head into my hands and closed her eyes as if to say, "Ahhh...".  I rubbed her underneath her jaws and told her I loved her.  I really meant it.  I imagined the heart break she's gone through in the short three years of her life.  She needed to know someone loved her.  Her previous owner was unemployed and penniless, so he could not feed her and she had never been spayed or given any worm preventatives.  It was obvious she recently given birth to puppies and probably had no idea where any of them were. I can't imagine how hard that would be.  She was hungry, broken and then to top it all off - strangers put her into a cold, concrete kennel.  Oh, it was more than my mommy heart could take.

We'll take her!!

It was only moments before we told the volunteers we wanted to rescue her.  We cannot bring her to her new home until Wednesday because she is being treated for whipworms and then she will be spayed that morning.  She's been through so much and I can see it has taken its toll on her. 

We got to visit our precious little girl today and gave her the first bath she's ever had (we know that because she did not do well at all - the volunteer said it seemed as if she'd never been bathed) but even though she was scared and unsure, she did not bark, bite or growl even once.  She didn't like it, but she was not mad - just scared and confused.  We will go again tomorrow to walk her and spend some time with her and on Wednesday, she will come home with us!  Considering all she's been through and the fact that she is beginning a new life on Wednesday, we've decided to give her a fitting, new name:

Hope. 

Friends...the economic situation in our country has had a trickle-down effect.  I couldn't believe how many dogs had been surrendered by their owners - and some of them abandoned - because people cannot afford to take care of them.  If you have a desire to have a dog (they are hard work but so worth it), please consider rescuing one from the animal shelter.  You can save a life - and I guarantee that in the process you will be blessed beyond measure by the love you will receive in response.

I've Got the Power!

The other night, on my way home, I picked up my cell phone to call my husband.  Unfortunately, it was dead.  The power had run out and I did not have a way to charge it.  Ugh.  Don't you hate it when that happens?  I giggled as I thought about my new smart phone that my husband gave me that was equipped with all the bells and whistles was beautiful but worthless.  It sure looked good on the outside, but it was absolutely of no use to me at all.  I mean, what good is a cell phone without any power?

As I thought about this I realized that for many years of my life, my spiritual walk was kind of like that.  I said I knew Jesus, said all the right things, went to church and even read my bible occasionally but I was like a cell phone without power.  I didn't have the power of the Holy Spirit inside of me because I had never truly surrendered my life to Jesus Christ.  I didn't have a personal relationship with Him, I just looked good on the outside. 

In John 14:16-17, Jesus promises that He will send the Holy Spirit to live in us when we become true believers in Him.  He says the Holy Spirit will lead us into the Truth, give us guidance and He will not abandon us.  In Acts 1:8, right before Jesus ascended back to heaven, He said "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you". 

One day, I sat back and evaluated my life and realized I did not have that kind of power inside of me.  I began to see I didn't have a changed life, I didn't grieve over my sin like I should, I continued to live a double life of partying and swearing and then would get up and go to church the next day without batting an eye.  I knew that my way was not working out at all and that I needed help in order to live the Christian life.  I couldn't do it on my own!

I realized that I needed Him to live inside of me, change me, mold me, convict me and guide me.  I had to turn away from my sin and toward my Savior.  I needed to confess my sin to Him, ask Him for forgiveness and allow Him to make those changes in my life that I was incapable of doing.  God knows we cannot do this in our own power - that's why He wants to do it, Himself, through us. Even with His power, there are times I mess up and rely on my own power, but my heart grieves and I eventually return to Him and "plug back into His power" because I know that without Him, I am hopeless. 

If you are still trying to do it on your own, I beg you to spend some time with the Lord, asking Him to show you the truth of where you stand with Him.  Someone who claims to be a Christian but doesn't have the power within of the Holy Spirit is like a cell phone without power - it may look good on the outside, but honestly, can it do what it claims to do? 

1 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

God's Ways

Have you ever noticed that when someone is out in the sun and they get a little bit of color on them, everyone says, "Oh, you look so healthy!"  Strange, it's true - sun can make someone look like they have a healthy glow.  However, the "healthy glow" we see is, in reality, evidence of damaged and very unhealthy skin.  So what we are seeing is really not so healthy, after all.  Over time, it can cause sun spots, aging of the skin, wrinkles and even cancer! 

What we see can sometimes deceive us into thinking things that are not necessarily true.  Like when we look at someone and judge from their appearance.  Sometimes it comes in the form of someone with tattoos, a nose ring and spiked hair.  Or, perhaps we look at someone who is absolutely gorgeous and fit and we think they have their lives all together without a problem in the world.  Sometimes it comes in the form of someone who is "the least of these".  There's a great example of this in the Bible (actually many) but today I'm specifically thinking of the story of a young teenager named David.

To look at him, you wouldn't think he'd be much to look at.  He was a shepherd of his father's flock and spent all of his time outdoors.  You read in 1 Samuel 16 that he was not even considered when the prophet Samuel came looking for the next King of Israel.  His father, Jesse, paraded all of his big, strong, burly brothers in front of the prophet thinking that he was looking for one of them.  But Samuel said, "Are these all the sons you have?"  Jesse thought for a moment and just half-halfheartedly said, "Well, there is still the youngest, but he's out tending to the sheep and goats."

As soon as Samuel saw David, he knew that he was the one God wanted to anoint as the King of Israel.  Everyone must have been so confused!  David?  Why him?  What did he have that the others did not have?  In 1 Samuel 16:7 it says that God doesn't judge by appearances or height, he doesn't see things the way we do.  He looks at the heart.  David would be known as a man after God's own heart. 

God's ways are not like our ways.  As you go out into your day today, remember that what we see is not always the truth of the matter.  Looks can be deceiving. If someone cuts you off in traffic, it could be that they are on their way to the emergency room with a sick child and they are not thinking straight.  If someone hurts you with their words, it could be that they have been hurt by words and they are just acting out.  Hurt people hurt people, you know.  If you are the target of gossip, it could be that the person gossiping has such a poor opinion of his or herself that they must gossip in order to make themselves feel better. And if you see someone who seems to have it all together, don't assume they have need of nothing and don't need a friend or a kind word.  Sometimes they are the ones who need it most.

There are always some things I am not going to understand.  But one thing I do understand is that God's ways are not my ways, and everything and everyone He allows into my life has a purpose.  When I seek to understand what He might be teaching me in the moment instead of trying to place blame or draw my own conclusions, I can see a glimpse of God's ways.  

Ladies Bruch & Mini Retreat - Feb. 4

It's time for a Girls Morning Out!  Grab your girlfriends and meet me on Saturday, February 4, at the Big View Diner from 9am-12:30pm for a Ladies Brunch and Mini Retreat!  The cost is only $20 per person and that includes everything - a beautiful brunch, coffee or tea, 2 Bible-based sessions, tip and taxes!  We have reserved their "party room" and have room for up to 60 women!

We initially reserved NarroWay Productions for Saturday and were going to have three sessions and worship led by Cindy Kessler & her friends.  The conference was called "Not Just Another Love Story" and included the NarroWay Broadway-style show the night before.  Though the venue for Saturday has changed, I will still be attending the show the night before at NarroWay and want to encourage you to come, as well!  It's a fabulous show and ties in well with some of what we will be talking about on Saturday.  To register (separately) for the show on Friday night, you can click here.

The brunch will include:

Farm Fresh Scrambled Eggs
Applewood Smoked Bacon
Country Sausage Patties
Homefried Potatoes
Stone Ground Grits
Assorted Breakfast Pastries & Muffins
Fresh Fruit Salad
Toasted Bagels with cream cheese, butter & jam
*** Includes Coffee OR Tea *** 

Sessions taught will be centered on the "Heart".  Our theme verse is Psalm 51:10: 

 "Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me."

Here are the topics:

Session One:  Heart Troubles (Be equipped to face heartbreak & difficulties and use those times to allow God to show you wisdom, comfort and restoration!)

        

Session Two:  Heart Overflow (Learn how to examine your motives & heart in decisions, actions & opportunities presented to you in your life & how to overflow God’s love into the lives of those you love!)

If you already registered for the NJALS Conference, NarroWay will be contacting you shortly for reimbursement options.  You can have a full refund or if you would like, they can just charge you for the show cost on Friday night and reimburse the rest.  IMPORTANT:  If you already registered, you will still need to let me know if you plan on coming to the brunch!  Our records are separate, so I don't have access to who registered yet.  Just email me at lnease@leslienease.com or call me at 704-617-3108.

To register, simply email me at lnease@leslienease.com and I will make sure you get a seat.  The $20 will be due on the day of the event in cash or a check made out to Potential Unlimited.  No deposit is necessary.

TO DOWLOAD A FREE FLYER TO GIVE OUT TO YOUR FRIENDS, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

See you at the Big View Diner on February 4!

"Nehemiah" Web Launch Party Feb. 1 - You're Invited!

Friends, I wanted to share this with you...it all kicks off next week and it sounds like something we don't want to miss!  -Leslie

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — As a singer, songwriter and speaker, Kelly Minter is passionate about helping women discover Jesus through Scripture. In her latest Bible study, Minter seeks to lead women toward the spiritual wholeness that comes from finding out what “breaks God’s heart” and then getting involved in God’s mission.

“A broken heart is often the very thing God uses to restore the broken,” writes Minter in Nehemiah: A Heart That Can Break, a new Bible study produced by LifeWay Women.

“My goal in this study is not to uncover every word [in Nehemiah], but to follow missional themes about service, Kingdom work, tender hearts, prayer, love of the poor and the sacredness of Scripture,” said Minter.

According to Amy Lowe, co-director of LifeWay Women, “This Nehemiah study is all about seeking out what God has put on ladies’ hearts to do for the suffering, broken and hurting people around them.”

“Kelly brings the book and person of Nehemiah to life,” said Lowe. “She takes what has often been seen as a ‘manly’ book about building and teamwork and reminds us that Nehemiah was a man whose heart broke for his people.”

LifeWay Women will celebrate the launch of the Nehemiah study at a live web party at 11am (CST) Feb. 1, 2012.  (That's 12pm EST, ladies!)

The event will feature live segments with special guests Beth Moore and Lisa Harper.  LifeWay Women is also hosting a sweepstakes with the winners being announced onair during the webcast.

“Nehemiah” webcast party giveaways include:

• Kindle Fire
• $100 LifeWay Gift Card
• Bundle of other LifeWay Women products, such as No Other Gods Bible study, Ruth Bible study, Loss, Love & Legacy CD, and a Nehemiah kit 
• Nehemiah kit
• Tickets to LifeWay’s new Abundance event

Participants will be able to interact with others and ask questions for additional giveaways in the show’s live chat stream.

Paige Greene, co-director of LifeWay Women, will host the webcast. Author Lisa Harper will be among special guests.   “This is a chance for us to celebrate what God is going to do in the lives of women who will pick up this study,” said Lowe.

Visit LifeWay.com/Women for more information about Nehemiah: A Heart That Can Break.

LifeWay Women is a ministry of LifeWay Christian Resources, one of the world’s largest providers of Christian products and services.

Minter is an author, conference speaker, songwriter and singer. She speaks and leads worship at women’s conferences, retreats and events. Her previous Bible studies include No Other Gods, Ruth: Love, Loss & Legacy and Hannah’s One Wish.

(Written by Jon Wilke)

Fraud or Flawed?

My kids see me at my worst – they see me when I’m having a rotten day, when I’m tired or over-extended, when I’m not as attentive as I should be.  They also see me at my best – and sometimes, when I take them with me to speaking events, they see me on stage, sharing God’s Word with people.  When I’m on the stage, speaking, it can seem like I have it all together and that I have all the answers.  But that couldn’t be further from the truth.  And my kids know it!

One night as I was preparing to leave for a speaking engagement, my husband and I were in a heated argument about an hour before I was to leave. I was in tears and as I was leaving, I fell into his arms and sobbed, “I feel like such a fraud! How can I go share God’s Word with people when I’m not even able to live it out myself all the time?!”  He cradled my face with his hands, looked me in the eye and said, “You are not a fraud.  You are a beautiful woman of God who has a message to share.  There is not one person speaking God’s word who lives it perfectly.  We are all imperfect.”  Then he prayed for me and I left very encouraged.

I realized something as I prayed on my way to the event.  I wasn’t a fraud.  I was flawed.  There’s a difference.  I like that my kids and my husband clearly see how God can use a person like me – a real, live, flawed, imperfect but willing vessel – for His purposes.  I like how they see that a mom or a wife who may have yelled at them earlier (and apologized for it through tears) is still capable of being used by God later that night.  That’s how powerful He is!  If He can use me, He can use anyone.  I hope they will see that He can use them, too.  Flaws and all.

Are you avoiding obedience to God in something because you’re afraid you won’t measure up to the role you think you have to play in order to do it?  Are you afraid you are going to seem like a fraud if you forge ahead and do something, knowing you don’t have it all together yet?  I totally understand that thought process, I really do.    But I also know it’s a lie.  Think about it – if God really wanted you to be perfect before He could use you, then it would be about you…not Him.  But it’s not about you.  It’s totally about Him and what He can do through you.  You’ll be amazed at how He can change you along the way, as you become more and more like Jesus.

Don’t be afraid to be flawed.  If you were perfect, you would have absolutely no need for Jesus.  A fraud is someone who pretends they aren’t flawed.  Be real, be honest, and be transparent about your struggles but most important, be honest about how God taught you through them, how He’s growing you in His grace and how He is forming you into the person He wants you to be.  But please…don’t delay obedience waiting for the day you will have it all together.  That day will never come this side of heaven.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  2 Corinthians 4:7

Desperate for a Cure

Have you seen the movie "Contagion" yet?  Stephanie and I watched it the other night.  I would not recommend this movie to a hypochondriac, that's for sure!   It was really fascinating to watch how quickly this virus spread all around the world.  People were panicked.  It didn't take long for complete chaos to break out and for the people all over the world to get very desperate to get their hands on a cure.  There was even a guy who said he had a cure but he was just out to make money - he was bamboozling millions of naive people and they died as a result of his selfishness.  That always makes me sick when people capitalize on something so terrible just to make a quick buck.

The tag line for the movie is, "Nothing Spreads Like Fear."  So true!  These people were terrified.  At the first sneeze, it was a wave of panic as they began to quickly get sicker and sicker and within days the virus would unmercifully take their lives.  Of course they were scared, I would be too!  There was no hope, it seemed.  Finally, after a few months, there was a cure but only so many people could get the cure at a time, as the demand was far greater than the supply.

As I watched these frightened people, so desperate for a cure, I couldn't help but think I wish we would all truly understand the fact that there really is a virus that is worse than the one in the movie because it isn't spread - we are born with it.  But nobody seems desperate for this cure.  Nobody seems fearful of the virus.  Many pretend they are not sick or think they aren't sick enough for it to be a problem.  That virus is called sin and its mortality rate is 100% if not cured.  There is only one cure and it's Jesus Christ.

Why aren't we desperately seeking this Cure?  In that movie, I was struck by how people would go to great lengths to get their hands on a cure that would save them physically - but spiritually, where did they stand?  Because when it all comes down to it, we know we will all eventually pass away someday (the mortality rate for humans is 100%, as it turns out).  Why is this not something about which we concern ourselves?  Our eternity is at stake and we are basing all of our efforts and striving on this short life on earth!  Are we blind?

I'm pretty sure it's because we are being bamboozled by someone sinister and evil who wants not to make a quick buck off of us, but to make us his victims, his trophies of deception.  Satan is the master deceiver and his desire is that we all feel comfortable in our sinful state.  He wants us to think that when people talk about him being a real threat to us, they are crazy.  He wants us to believe that everyone will be fine after this life.  His desire is that no one would survive and that we will all join him in his eternal home - separated from the God who so desperately loves us.  He is not dressed in a red suit with horns and a pitchfork as he would want you to believe.  No, he usually shows up in a much more welcoming package.  After all, before he decided he was equal to God (delusion, by the way), he was the most beautiful angel in heaven!  Doesn't sound like a creepy looking, pitch-fork holding, cackling character to me. Don't be deceived, my friend.

If, as the movie states, nothing spreads like fear, then why are we not fearing God, the only One worth fearing?  The kind of fear I'm talking about is different - it's a reverence, a respect, a submissive fear.  If we fear God, we have nothing left to fear.  But here's what Psalm 36 says...

¹ Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts.
      They have no fear of God at all.
 ² In their blind conceit,
      they cannot see how wicked they really are.

I'm here to tell you that Satan is a liar.  ALL of us have contracted this "virus" called sin.  All of us.  It's hard to fathom, I know.  It's easy to say, "But I haven't killed anyone, or I'm not as bad as so-n-so.." But even one bad thought is more sin than a Holy God will tolerate.  Sin must be judged and according to the Bible, the payment for sin is death and separation from God for eternity.  But Jesus paid our debt!

Maybe you think this is my opinion, not the truth.  Why not research for yourself, in the pages of the Bible, what God says about our sinful condition?  Here are some scriptures for you to read.  I pray He will grant you wisdom and truth as you seek the pages of Scriptures for answers.  There is a cure for your sinful condition and God has provided it because He cannot stand one more moment of being separated from you.  He loves you desperately and He proved it by giving His life for you.  His desire is that no one should die and live their eternity out away from Him.  He loves you.  Read for yourself...

Romans 5:12-21, Romans 10:9-13, Romans 3:19-28, Colossians 1:15-20, 2 Peter 3:3-9

Asking for a Blessing

Our family tradition is to go to the beach for a week just after Christmas to unwind, refocus and reflect.  It's one of my most favorite times of the year!  We are enjoying some relaxation here at Edisto Beach this week and honestly it's my favorite trip yet.  This beach is more secluded, less commercial and it feels like a real retreat.  I think I might cry when we leave!

The first night we were here, I went out on the third floor balcony, which has a beautiful view of the sky.  The stars were going on for miles and miles.  I absolutely love the sky.  I just sat there, bundled up, praying and thanking God for such a beautiful display.  As I watched the sky, I prayed He would show me a shooting star.  I don't know why I wanted to see one, but I did.  I really believed in my heart that He wanted to show me one, too.  I even told Him I wasn't going to go inside until I saw it, just so He'd know how serious I was (I am a stubborn one at times).  But I ended up going inside after about thirty minutes because I was too cold to sit out there for much longer and it had already been an hour.

As I prayed that night, I thanked Him anyway.  I may not have seen my shooting star, but honestly my heart was so full.  I knew it was a lot to ask.  I also know it's important to walk by faith, not by sight. Whether He showed me a shooting star or not didn't matter - He was still God and I trusted Him.  But I still felt that before I left, He would show me a shooting star.  Don't ask me how I knew, I just knew deep in my heart. As I drifted off to sleep, I felt so peaceful.

I told my girls about my experience the next day.  I told them that sure, I was disappointed but I knew God would show me one before I left.  I think in their hearts, they knew He would come through, too!

Yesterday, as I was scrolling through the internet, I found an article about a Meteor Shower that was going to be showing up on Wednesday morning around 2:30am and would last for hours.  Not only did it say it was a meteor shower, but a strong meteor shower!  I knew right away that God was going to show me that shooting star, but I was going to have to work for it by setting my alarm and getting up in the middle of the night. Oh, I love my sleep.  This was conflicting for me!  Then, I recalled the night before Jesus was crucified how He asked the disciples to stay awake and pray, but they kept falling asleep because it was in the middle of the night and they were tired.  It felt as if God was saying, "I want to bless you, but you need to do your part." 

How badly did I want it?  Would I sacrifice to get my blessing by waking up at 3am and shivering in the cold to see it?

Of course I would!

Last night around 3am, my girls and I were on the third story deck of this beautiful beach house, watching a perfectly clear, star filled sky rain down shooting stars while wrapped in big comforters. And the scripture that kept coming to me was James 1:17-18:

Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.

Don't be afraid to ask Him for a blessing, my friend.  He loves you so much!  But you might be asked to do your part.  You must decide...is the blessing worth the effort?  My bet is, you'll see that it truly is.  I only asked for one shooting star...but His plan was to give me a sky-full!

To read about another time I asked God for something and He went above and beyond, click here!

I Need Your Help!

I'm conducting a short survey for my new book and I need your help!  Would you mind taking this survey for me? It will be anonymous and the results are going to be tremendously helpful for me.  Thank you so much and have a Happy New Year!

Click here to take survey

Your John 20 Moment Is Coming

We've all been through stuff.  Hard stuff that makes our hearts sick and makes us feel like the world is going to crash in around us.  We all struggle.  Some of us are struggling this moment and some of us have just come through the fires of struggle and are finally on the other side.  Nobody has it all together - it's just some of us are better at pretending than others.

Whether it be childhood abuse, addiction, rejection, divorce, or whatever else your struggles in life have been - you can empathize with those who are going through those same struggles.  Maybe you're in a struggle with God right now.  Is He asking you to give something up that you don't want to let go of?  I've been there.

If you are in the middle of a struggle, just know you are not alone.  And if you've been healed by God either physically, emotionally or spiritually, maybe the Lord helped you to overcome those trials and struggles for such a time as this? We have an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ here on earth - to allow Him to live through us as we reach out to those around us who are hurting and feeling hopeless.

It's a privilege to be used by God for this purpose.  With this privilege of being Christ's hands and feet, we cannot lose sight of something very important: The hands and feet of Jesus Christ were pierced on the cross. When we look at the Greek word for pierced, we find the word nyusso, which means "to pierce through, often of severe or deadly wounds given one". Our severe and seemingly deadly wounds have been nailed to the cross and our new lives reflect the same resurrection power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead! We are a new creation, created to do good works in Christ which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Eph. 2:10)

Some of us want to follow Christ with all of our heart, but like the rich young ruler in Luke 18, when Jesus asks us to let go of the things we think matter the most to us, we refuse to do it.  We think we cannot live without those things in our life.  And it pierces our hearts to imagine letting go of something we consider to be so important and think God is unreasonable for asking us to let go.  I remember when He asked me to let go of alcohol.  I thought it was unreasonable and ridiculous.  But when I finally surrendered it to Him and let go of that stronghold in my life and allowed Him to heal me of that addiction, I finally experienced the freedom I so desperately craved in my life.  But it was hard, I'm not gonna lie.

Are you feeling pierced today? I want to encourage you to read John 19-20. John 19 is the dark, frightening time in Jesus' life when He was scourged, beaten, pierced, scoffed, whipped and ultimately crucified. Things looked bleak. All seemed lost. It seemed as if the enemy was winning. But then came John 20. Hope. Truth. Victory. Resurrection!

There is a "John 20 Moment" coming in your life - hang on and wait for the Lord. Resurrection is a beautiful thing - but death must precede it. This is not a physical death in our sense, but a spiritual one.  We die to ourselves - to our lusts, our passions, our sinful hearts - in order for Him to resurrect us into our new life with our new heart, given by God in His mercy, which beats in us with His passions, His desires and His ways.  What a beautiful gift!

Salvation is a free gift, given by the grace of God alone - but it does cost us something....our life.  We often mistake this as a bad thing. But God's ways are so much better than ours!  Those things we hold onto and think we cannot live without (though we know it is not in God's plan for us to keep holding onto them) are destroying us and keeping us from an intimate relationship with God.  Let go, my friend.  Trust Him.  He knows what is best for you and He loves you more than you could ever imagine.  Abundant life - that is what He has for you.  But you must let go.

We must relinquish everything to Him - every part of our heart.  Yes, it is painful - piercing to the heart, if you will.  But remember our piercing is part of our story and our story is what God can use to reach out to a hurting, hopeless world.  May we all have the courage to allow Him to pierce our souls with His truth, allow Him to pry our tightly gripping hands off of our unfulfilled lives and reach out to the world as a new creation, being His hands in feet to the nations in 2012!