A Calmer Faith

“A calmer faith...where we don’t revolt when His plan and ours conflict. Where we relax in the midst of an answerless season. Where we accept (and expect) deserts in our spiritual journey as surely as we do joy. Where we are not intimidated or persuaded by other people’s agendas but moved only by Him. Where we weep in repentance, sleep in peace, live in fullness and sing of victory.”
-Patsy Clairmont

Gratefulness

Two weekends ago we visited New Orleans. It was the first time for me to be back at my home church since right after Katrina, and I had very mixed emotions as I walked in.
After a wonderful worship service and a time of visiting with dear church family, it started to clear out in the church. Just like old times, we were the last ones to leave :-)
But before we left, I couldn’t help but revisit the place where years ago I felt the urgency of the call of Christ so clearly and so keenly that I felt no other choice than to kneel and repent of my sin. I walked in the classroom and looked around. The room looked almost exactly the same, these 11 ½ years later. The words from the song “This is Where I Met Jesus” echoed through my mind and tears filled my eyes as I knelt in the spot where He quickened my soul and redeemed me. Thoughts flooded my mind: Why did You choose to save me? Why did you look at my 6 year old self and convict me of my need for You? I don’t understand that kind of love. You spared me the regrets and pain of living my life without Your Spirit. You carried me through the valley of the shadow of death, teaching me that You are my Father in a more real sense than I can ever comprehend.
There was only one thing I could stammer: “Thank you, Lord. Thank you.”

Thank you seems to fall so short when trying to express the immense gratitude for the salvation He has given, but what more is there to say? So here I stand, I grateful recepient of His grace. Soli Deo Gloria!