to make a wretch His treasure...

How deep the Father's love for us. Amazing love. So constant. And I focus on this love. On what He has done because His love and grace are constant, forever. And my love is ever changing. So simply affected by circumstances. Lord take away my doubt, my faltering faith, and I will dwell on You. Who You are. Take away the James 1:6 from my life. An abundance of faith. A renewal of truth. Reignite a passion. Falling in love with my Savior and believing all He says He is.

I read the word... the boldness of Paul as he teaches Christ. As he shares the Light of the world. Not dwelling on his past but walking in his cleansed, redeemed, grace filled life. So in love with his Savior.

And I read "One Thousand Gifts". I'm reminded. Thanksgiving. How much to be thankful for. Even if I muster only thanks for my salvation. Saved. From death, from being away from a good God. I was saved. I cannot save myself. Thankful for God's only Son. That he bled for me. But, not just that. He taught me how to live. How to trust the Lord.. And Matthew 26:39. Not my will, Lord, but Yours. All to the Father. All... love, grace, forgiveness. Thankful for things such as these. All from Him. Gifts. And I'm learning. As I read and as I live... my stubborn self is learning the meaning of thanksgiving. And grace comes. In abundance.

I read... Purpose Driven Life. Living for eternity, pleasing the Father, offering Him all in the here and now. I'm learning, still. To live in awareness of His presence. To walk in thanksgiving. To seek His face in all things. And the source of it all? Focusing on His love. Because how could I not rejoice when I remember His love? This love I still cannot fully grasp.

But when I remember my Savior, His grace and love, All is whole.

Peace fills the questions and emptiness.

And I learn to surrender.

To soak in His love and allow the Holy Spirit to mend me...

we will

I've been reading in Acts lately and have been so encouraged by Paul's boldness. This morning I read Acts 22. I began wondering how the Lord allowed him to go through so much. How did Paul continue in boldness and faith? And the Lord so sweetly showed me. The Lord will never give us more than we can handle. This is a promise: "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13. Yes, he was flogged and beaten, thrown out of cities, put in chains in his own birthplace... but the Lord never left him. He was protecting him. And Paul was strong and faithful. The kind of son the Lord was looking for to stand for Him. I can imagine it. The Lord looks down, turns Saul to Paul, and believes this man will stand for him against all adversary. Will we live that way? That the Lord notices us and says, that's my child who will stand boldly and never back down for my Name's sake. Or will we be like a wave going back and forth that he will not trust to stand firm in our faith through all things? Lord let us be like Paul. Trusting you in all things. Not only believing you are good when things are for us, but when all is against us. Standing firm. Taking ground against the devil not just defending ourselves. Believing that you have created us to be great in Your Name. We will stand Lord. We will fight.