Tag: #livingingodsgrace

CHANGE

My sister and I in front of the Chapel at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary 

A few months ago, my sister and her family moved from Cleveland to New Orleans. Prior to the move, we could visit them anytime. Weekends. Holidays. Summer Vacations. Day Trips. We’re in Pittsburgh, PA. – They’re in Cleveland, OH. It was awesome to have them so close by. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit them at their new home, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. My sister and brother-in-law were busy writing papers and studying for finals, so I took the opportunity to spend some quality time with my niece and nephews.

Their move was hard on our family. When they first made the announcement, we were all in disbelief. Everything was going to CHANGE. How would holidays work? What about New Year’s Eve? What about our annual Cousin’s Week? The one week in the summer when we all travel to Cleveland for Vacation Bible School at Liberty Hill Baptist Church where my brother-in-law was the Pastor. It’s been hard for me to come to terms with their move, so I could only imagine how difficult the move was on my niece and nephews.

During my visit, I decided to ask, “How has the move been for you?” Much to my surprise, they all said the same thing.

At first, they were in shock. “They must be joking. We aren’t really going to leave Cleveland and move that far away, are we?”

Then,they were nervous and scared. “How can we leave the only home we’ve known for the last 10-years? How can we leave all our friends?”

I thought they would stop there. I wasn’t totally prepared for what they said next…

“But mom and dad said we were going, so we went. And now that we’re here, we really like it. We like our new school. We like our new friends. We like the community center down the street. And we love getting snowballs and beignets!”

As I was traveling back home, I thought about how my niece and nephews have embraced the CHANGE God put in front of them. Even though they were shocked and scared, they trusted their parents and the result is a new home in a new city filled with excitement and new possibilities.

The truth is…we all should be like my niece and nephews. When God calls us to a new thing, a CHANGE, we should embrace it. Be shocked, be nervous and scared, but trust that God is faithful and will work everything out for our good and His Glory. God has a plan for our lives and it often requires a CHANGE. 

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

Getting snowballs with my niece and newphews at one of their new favorite spots – #pontillysno 

One

#ONE

I slid the shirt off the hanger, crept to the corner of the store where nobody was, and shoved the shirt down my pants. As I walked out the store, I was grabbed by two men who led me through a door that was barely noticeable to the eye. “We saw you steal that shirt,” they said to me with disgust. “That mirror you were in front of. It is a two-way mirror. We have you on videotape”, they continued. Then they asked, “Why did you do that. Why did you steal this shirt?”

As a teenager, I did a lot of things. Some things I did to impress my friends. Some things I did so other people would like me. Some things I did to be cool. Some things I did because they felt good. And some things I did with no real rhyme or reason – just because.

If I could go back and have a conversation with my 13-year-old self, I would tell her to be purposeful in everything she does. I would encourage her to be intentional. To be thoughtful about the activities she engages in, the people she hangs out with, and the decisions she makes. I would tell her to filter her thoughts and actions through the Word of God. And I would tell her that whatever she does…do it ALL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.

Truth #1

DO IT ALL FOR THE GLORTY OF GOD

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV)

Karris

Two

#TWO

We all have at least one thing. One thing we don’t want anyone else to know. One thing we wish would go away and never be talked about again. I’ve already told you about my one thing (see #7), but I didn’t talk about the depths of shame and guilt I felt because of it. We’ve all been there. We’ve all struggled with forgiving ourselves for the mistakes we’ve made in the past. The enemy wants us to keep our sins in the dark. To make us feel so ashamed that we drag them around in suitcases for the rest of our lives hoping that no one sees them. But people do see them. And the weight of carrying a suitcase stuffed with everything we are trying to hide will eventually become too heavy. And we will break. I almost did.

If I could go back and have a conversation with my 13-year-old self, I would tell her to get rid of the suitcase. She doesn’t need it. And there is no honor in carrying around a suitcase stuffed with sins. Once she confesses her sins, asks for forgiveness, and turns away from that sin – she is forgiven. And any attempt to convince her otherwise is a lie. A lie. I would tell her that Jesus Christ died on the cross for all her sins and she doesn’t have to carry them anymore. She is forgiven. It’s that simple. It really is.

Truth #2

YOU ARE FORGIVEN

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 NIV)

Karris