God's Grace Isn't One Size Fits All

 Hey, Friend.

Today's thoughts turn to my faith life and the realization that when we say that we accept Christ as our personal Lord and Saviour and that we have a personal relationship with Him it really is personal. It will not be the same for each one.

Last night I did interpreting work for a Deaf couple for their Life In The Spirit Seminar with the Catholic Charismatic Community that I used to belong to.  I was sooo excited to serve with the community where I was nourished spiritually and where I grew. In my mind I was thinking all out worship, the power of the Holy Spirit palpable in that place. That wasn’t exactly what happened. It felt -- so different. Not what I remembered worship with that Community to be.

And yet people were blessed. The Deaf couple felt a sense of belonging with the community that they said they do not feel with their own relatives. This couple's hearing daughter sees this Community to be the means by which she can bring her whole family back together. The couples who took care of the Youth Ministry when I was still active in service there are still very much involved, and so are a number of people from the Singles Ministry who I know. Even someone I served with in the Youth was still there. I can see that they find God in that Community. They feel a belongingness there.

And then there’s my experience with my current community. It’s a community for me, albeit I still only know a few people and I don’t attend as regularly as I used to. Still, when I am with them, I get to worship. My heart is in the worship, all out, and even during low days I am able to make that decision to lift my hands and surrender all. I was telling a friend that I know how imperfect our worship leaders are, I sometimes raise an eyebrow when they preach and take what they say with a grain of salt. But when they lead worship, when they speak, God speaks to me. I am touched. I am filled with thanksgiving, with a great love for God. I know for sure it is God’s grace and His Holy Spirit working through them...through all of us.

So whatever Community people are called to be a part of, I know God’s grace will find them there and will touch each one. He loves us wherever we are.
When I say that I have a personal relationship with my Lord, and when others share that with me, it means that we experience His love and His grace on our own terms, according to what we need. He is not one size fits all.

Thankful always for God's Grace...

Back to Books

Hey, Friend.

Thanks to all the TV series I've been following I have fallen behind on my reading. Tsk, tsk, tsk. This certainly won't do.

So almost halfway through 2014 I am buckling down and joining two (2!) reading challenges. Because I'm crazy that way. ;)

Reading Bingo 2014

Because Books and Bingo are both fun! I got this from the site of Retreat by Random House where they have two Bingo cards, the regular challenge and the YA challenge. Regular for me, please.

A Century Of Books

This challenge from Stuck In A Book is one that I plan to do over a long period of time. Say about a decade. Okay, that's an exaggeration, maybe just three years. The idea is to read a book published from each year of the past century (that's from 1914-2013). Now where am I going to find a good book from 1920? This is going to be a scavenger hunt of sorts!

So if you're up for the challenge and you want to join me just pick up a book and start reading. :) I'll see you on the other side!

Are you doing any reading challenges this year? Let me know if you have a particularly good one that you think I should try.

Getting lost in my TBR...

It's Been Nine Years

 Hey, Friend.

I just realized that it's been nine years since I opened a Blogger account...and it's not this one. Nine years of setting stuff up and deleting it all. Sayang. 

Oh well.

This has to mean the end of years and years of writer's block, right?

Pushing past that mental wall...