Relabeled 2012 Wrap up

Well, here we are at the end of October. I set out to write for 31 days straight. I ended up writing 21 days all together. So not quite what was set out for, but I'll take it. :) My plan is to occasionally write a post and link it in with these as the inspiration for it comes.

Now that the month is over, I'm really feeling the need to take a break from blogging. This break will be for the month of November, unless I get some huge divine sign that I absolutely need to write on a subject. I am planning to use this time to revitalize myself and refresh my mind, body, and soul as my husband and I prepare for our little boy's arrival around the start of December.

If you want to get the latest on what's going on with me, you can catch up with my blog page on Facebook. Also, in December, I'll be going from this url (www.belovedpursuit.com) back to www.belovedpursuit.wordpress.com. So, while it's not much different, it is something to take note of. If you do subscribe via e-mail, this change will not effect anything.

So here is to November, and I hope we can keep in touch through FaceBook and Twitter (@AmyMcCollister).

{Day 29} From Fake Friends To Real Relationships

Have you ever wondered what goes wrong in our relationships? So do we over at Must Love God. In fact, I'm over there today sharing a little of what I've found helps in finding and making life long, Godly friendships.

[caption id="attachment_282" align="aligncenter" width="250"] Join me here today[/caption]

{Day 23} From Smart to Wise

They seem like they'd be the same thing, don't they? Yes, I thought the same thing when this topic hit my mind. So then, I decided to look up their actual meanings. Here's what I found:

Smart: Having or showing a quick-witted intelligence.
Wise: Having or showing experience, knowledge, and good judgment.

Do you see the difference? One can be smart, while not being wise. This also works the other way around. One can be wise without necessarily being smart.

Think about it, how many times have you seen someone who's very book smart, not displaying wisdom. Or what about a wise person not seeming to be very street smart? More often than not, I'm sure.

So the real task is blending these two ideals into one. The only way we can do that is by having consistent connection with the One who is not only wise, but also smart. The One who knows each of us better than we know ourselves. After all, He is the only one he is able to give wisdom when we ask, and to make us smart to the schemes of Satan, who wants nothing more than to knock us down a peg or two.

Which will you choose today? One without the other? Or both learned from the One who wants to give us all He can?

{Day 22} From Perfectionism to Relationalism

Okay, okay...I know I slacked off...again. Days 19-21 just didn't end up happening. This month has just been insane. I'd planned on coming home on Friday night after a birthday party and writing a post, but then at the birthday party I got a surprise. My Aunt Carla had flown in for the weekend, just for the baby shower. Then Saturday, the hubs and I had our birthing class, followed by an evening with Carla, Dad, my sister and her boyfriend. Sunday was jam packed with church (all morning), our baby shower (right after church), then small group in the evening. So my brain was pretty zapped from all the excitement/activity and the last thing I would have been able to do was concentrate on a post. I chose to, instead, focus on the blessing that this weekend was.

Anyway, onto today's topic.

How many times in a day do we feel that our walk with God comes down to a list. The list that says I need to do this, that and the other. So long as each of these things get done, I'm on the right path.

What happens when that's all our walk becomes about? When the list is the gauge to how we're doing when it comes to our relationship with God? What would happen if we turned our "to do" list into so much more?

On the other side of the coin. What happens when we spend so much time praying to, worshipping and loving God, that we forget that we are called to do some work. Whether on ourselves or on others?

Sure, I believe that this our faith can be demonstrated by doing such things, but are we not also called to look within ourselves to "fix" what needs to be fixed in our lives? What about looking beyond ourselves to the needs of others?

I believe that we are neither saved only by works, but also by faith. The two coinciding together create more than just a perfectionist faith. What we tend to find in the perfectionist faith is the to do list. I need to pray, read my Bible, worship, help so-and-so,  and so forth.

On the other hand, when we mix the perfectionism with the love God has placed in us for Him, we get a relational faith. I believe this is the type of faith that we are all called to. Not the strict "to do list" way of life, but a love motivated doing. Not an I-gotta-get-this-done-or-else mentality, but an I-want-to-do-this-out-of-my-love-for-Him mentality.


How much would our lives changed if rather than be motivated (or demotivated) by our to do list, we instead found ourselves motivated to do things out of the love we've found in Him?

{Day 18} From Failure to Forgiven

If you're joining me from my Count Me Accountable post over at Must Love God, welcome! If you're stopping here first, I'm glad to have you. Today I'm going to mix the running 31 days series of relabeled with my CMA update. This one and the one over at MLG are completely different posts, I hope you'll join me in both places today.

To the nitty gritty.

Back in August, I started with an amazing group of women on a challenge called hello mornings. The purpose of this challenge is to make mornings count. To get up, spend time with God, exercise and get the day off to the best start possible. Instead of feeling rushed, it is meant to give meaning to the day. To realign priorities.

I was going strong, going well, for a good 4-6 weeks. Then several things hit, almost simultaneously. The third trimester started (the inconsistent sleep and all), my work schedule went a little wacky (and still is) and my energy seemed to evaporate all over night. No matter what the reasons excuses I hate to say that I'm at least 2 weeks behind on the 1 Peter Kept Study that I started in August.

I'm not doing too well with a sleep schedule. Part of that is due to working splits 3-4 days a week, part of it is due to waking up to reposition several times a night, and another part is simply laziness, not finding the motivation to get up each morning. I know being pregnant is a legitimate reason for a lot of things. However, I do not want to be able to get away with it.

It has been my goal from the start to not use my pregnancy as an excuse to get out of things, a reason for allowing certain things, or letting it stop me from enjoying things that I love to do. While in many areas, this goal has been an easy one to keep. The areas I'm having issues with allowing it to become an excuse for not getting done what I set out to do is in my quiet time, and in my house keeping.

I want to keep up on both of these things. So my goal as I set out this week is to get at least one area in our townhouse cleaned up and organized each day, even if it's only a corner, it'll be a start. As well as to at least keep up with my youversion plan of reading 1 chapter from the new testament each day.

How about you? What are your goals this week? Share in the comments here, or join us over at Must Love God and link up your own post with us there.

Blessings friends.

{Day 17} Should've Been Me

This song has been playing on the radio later. It reminds me that no matter what I do, Christ died for me. Every time I hear it, I am reminded of just how great a sacrifice it was that He willing gave His life for me. It challenges me to relabel myself from deserving to undeserving. After all, we're all undeserving when it comes to the grace that is offered to us freely in the form of a cross.

{Day 16} From Fear to Reverence

Fears, we all have them. Some of them menial. Some of them legitimate. Others we go out of our way to avoid.

What happens when we allow our fear of authority, our fear of punishment, or our fear of surrender stop us from truly seeking our Father who loves us.

Fear: An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.

Can God stop our pain? Sure. Should we fear Him because He allows us to feel pain? Absolutely not.

The fear we are called to, is not actually fear at all. We are called to live a life of reverence.

Reverence: Deep respect for.

Deep respect. I believe this comes from a deep commitment. From a deep love. A love that we can only find when we are seeking the One who created it.

I'd much rather live a life of reverence than fear. A life lived in reverence is a life that chooses to show the proper respect to the One I live for. A life of fear is a life living on egg shells due to not knowing what is coming around the corner.

How about you friend? What is different between a life lived with reverence and a life lived in fear?

{Day 15} From Painful to Beautiful

Have you ever experienced something so painful that you've never thought you'd be able to see past it? Then later on, you look back and you can see His thread of beauty weaving every bad thing together? If not, have you taken the time to look back at those painful situations? Or has fear of falling back into it kept you from looking and learning about His faithfulness through those things?

[caption id="attachment_282" align="aligncenter" width="250"] Join me here today[/caption]

Friends, I am over at Must Love God today, sharing a song that reflects on this very concept. Won't you join us as we listen to the truth that He makes us new? I invite you to come and listen. Not only listen, but allow it to sink in.

{Day 14} From Anxiety to Tranquility

Are you like me? Do you find yourself worrying about anything and everything? Every twist and turn in the road brings about something else to worry about. Now, I've heard the following scripture time and time again. It's one I'm sure we've all heard bits and pieces of throughout our lives, but have we ever taken the time to reflect on this entire passage? To really look at what He's saying to us? Can we do that now?

O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O LORD, You know it all.
You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,"
Even the darkness is not dark to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.
For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother's womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.
When I awake, I am still with You.
O that You would slay the wicked, O God;
Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed.
For they speak against You wickedly,
And Your enemies take Your name in vain.
Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
I hate them with the utmost hatred;
They have become my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.
(Psalm 139)

Notice, the amount of times You (in reference to God) is used. This passage tells me that it's not at all about what I can do for Him. In fact, it's all about what He does for me.

Maybe when we're anxious, it's because we're focusing too much on what we can/can't do, and not enough on what He can do. Perhaps if we turn our focus to Him and give our anxieties then, and only then, will we experience what it's like to live this life with peace and tranquility.



My challenge for us this week friends is to look for ways to actively surrender our anxieties to Him, and to seek the tranquility that we can only find under His protection. Won't you join me?

{Day 13} From Forgettable to Memorable

Have you ever felt like you didn't matter? Like no one remembers that you're still alive. Have you ever felt like you were just forgotten. Whether by family, friends, or acquaintances? I'm sure we all have at one point or another, we simply feel like we're easily forgotten.



There is hope friends. Read these verses:

In my trouble I cried to the LORD, And He answered me. (Psalm 120:1)

'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' (Isaiah 41:10)

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6)

In all three of these, we see an aspect of being remembered, and loved. The first one is by just the simple acknowledgement of God hearing your prayers and answering them. The second is in the form of a promise. God promising to always hold us up, no matter what happens. The third is another promise. A promise the always be with us, through every trial and circumstance that comes our way.

So friends, will you join me in reflecting on these promises?

{Day 12} Whatever You're Doing

It's been another crazy day. So I'm going to use this chance to play another song that falls in line with our topic.

{Day 11} From Heartbroken to Hopeful

If you've been around here for a while, you'll probably remember the potentially dream shattering news my husband and I received. If not, you can read about it here. The news hit my heart and it hit it hard. After that, I had a couple weeks of heart to heart conversations with God, and a lot of surrender mixed within those. Within a month we found out about a miracle on the way.

Terrified, I informed my husband. Yes, I said terrified. Why? Because in the 3 months leading up, we had already experienced one miscarriage, and I don't think I'd been able to survive another one. Terrified because I wasn't quite sure how the hubs would react. I mean, I figured he'd be excited...eventually. Once he knew, he was excited, which made me feel 10 times better.

We had planned on waiting a while before we told anyone. Ya know,just in case. Well...we were too excited and ended up telling almost every one fairly quickly. Which again, reassured me that this was going to be it. That at the end of this pregnancy we wouldn't be holding heartbreak any longer, we would have in our arms, our first child.

The weeks have come and gone fairly easily. Now we're 8(ish) weeks out and gearing up for our little boy to come. In fact, just a couple weeks ago, we had the privilege of having maternity shots taken. My younger sister did a great job.

Here's how the heartbreak has turned into hope for us:

[caption id="attachment_728" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Don't you just love the fountain?[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_734" align="aligncenter" width="300"] My favorite picture we took.

Momma and son

This pic was awkward to take but turned out adorable

Momma, Andrew, and the photographer

Kevin giving a glimpse into his personality...yes, a little goofy

Kisses, kisses[/caption]

 

{Day 10} From Good to Grace

So yeah...day 9 didn't happen. Between getting called into work early...then getting some sad news...followed by going back into work...my brain was mush. So you'll just have to forgive me for that one. :P

If you remember, about a year ago, I wrote a post...well several posts...on the book Grace for the Good Girl. While I didn't post for every chapter in the book like I wanted to, but I did make it through the entire book. And I loved every single chapter. It challenged me in ways that were uncomfortable but in ways that I knew I needed to be challenged.

For this one, I'm going to go back through and share some of my favorite quotes and most challenging quotes to help give a better idea of just how the book impacted me to live by grace rather than by good deeds.

“If I obey perfectly, then I am in charge. If it comes down to grace, then Jesus is in charge.”

“Good girls are good listeners. Good girls are always there for everyone. Good girls don’t get mad. Good girls are laid-back. Good girls roll with the punches, go with the flow, follow the leader.”

“As good girls, we subconsciously label ourselves as the strong ones, the responsible ones, the sweet ones, or the right ones…But Jesus is calling us to a deeper, truer, freer identity.”

[About Jesus] “Knowing there were peopole who disagreed, even hated him, didn’t cause him to change one thing he did. He wasn’t working to maintain a good reputation. He was walking in dependence on his Father. Jesus didn’t value what people thought; he valued people, period.

“I can’t tell you how many times I have stood dumbfounded and wimpy in the middle of a heated discussion only to tell the person off while alone in my car on the way home. I sound so tough alone in my car.

“We know we’re supposed to trust God, but trust is so intangible. It almost seems passive in the face of all there is to do.”  [OUCH...I still struggle with this one]

“The law was given to lead the unbeliever to her Savior, not for the believer to try to keep it.” [Wince]

"You have trained people to think you have no needs, but you are secretly angry with them for believing you.”

“…if you are working in your own strength, then who gets the credit? You do. If you aren’t being rewarded for your hard work, who gets offended? You do. If things aren’t going the way they should, who gets angry? You guessed it.

“The first side is where most good girls live. We know about the forgiveness, about the sin and the blood and the death of Christ. But we aren’t as familiar with the body side. So we live on the forgiveness side and try hard to get the life.”

Okay...so most of these still apply to me. For many of them it's not to the same extent it did before either. So that is progress. So on the rebound of re-reading (and getting re-convicted in some areas) I'm going to let these sink in.

The only thing left to say is...so often we try to be good enough to deserve the grace He gives to us. When the only thing that is left for us to do is rest, relax and receive.

So friends, will you join me in receiving and resting in the ocean of His grace?

{Day 8} From Dead to Alive

So often I feel like this is a description that is far over used. It's almost become a cliche. However, the more I reflect on what this whole thing is about...this living for Christ, I can't help but keep coming back to this: Before I accepted Him and repented, my heart, mind and soul was in fact dead. Dead to the promises of eternity. Dead to the beauty around me. Dead to the miracles that happen daily. All in all, dead.

When we discover the goodness of who He is, fully accept His sacrifice on the cross, and commit our lives to Him, we are no longer dead. Something inside awakes within us. Not just within us, but something wakes us up. Our eyes are opened to new colors, new wonders, and new experiences.

Soon after the newness of it all fades away and we find ourselves in a rut. We know we're saved, we know He is good, and we know He hasn't changed or moved, but we just don't seem to have the excitement we had at first. Soon after the dead feeling seems to be creeping back in to us, into our hearts, into our lives.

So what happened?

Could it be we let the world get to us again? Or maybe we forgot that by accepting His love, grace and mercy that meant we gave Him control, and we took back control? Then again, maybe we forgot that part of accepting Him means changing our habits? It means taking time out to dwell with Him...yeah, I've been there too.

So friends, choosing life over death is something we must do minute by minute. We must choose to not only focus on Him, but to dwell with Him in all we do. So let's make that our challenge as we go about our lives, shall we?

{Day 7} From Broken to Whole

Have you ever felt completely broken? Like you've been thrown to the ground and your heart, soul, mind, determination, ect has been destroyed, shattered? If you're like most in the world, this happens on almost a daily basis.

At one point in time or another, we all have felt what it's like to feel like we're in a million different pieces. When we're in those places, feeling completely helpless like nothing and no one can heal us. Then we read passages in our Bible, or we hear someone scriptures while talking and we're like "yeah...right...like this is going to help."

The good friends encourage us not to take their word for it, but to really dig into those scriptures on our own. We resist for a few hours/days/weeks/months/years until we realize things are getting any better on our own. Then we decide to listen to the prompts and we find scriptures like these:

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5

When we're done we find ourselves crying. Broken over this beautiful concept. That He CHOSE to go to the cross for us. Not just to rid us of our own selfish desires and cleanse us from our sins. He chose to sacrifice Himself that we might be healed (i.e. made completely whole). 

But for the first time, this broken isn't a broken, shattered, helpless/hopeless feeling. It's a brokenness with hope. The knowledge that because He chose to be "broken" for us, that we are healed. As we searched other areas we see that along with healing comes a wholeness. A new, complete life that is full of nothing but abundant promises.

So for at least the second time this series so far, the very topic that I'm looking to write on, God has prepared the base for me to spring board off of it. I picked the first week or so topics ahead of time, not knowing what to expect.

So friends, let's take comfort in the fact that we are made whole because He was wounded and chose to go to the cross for us.

{Day 6} Musical Interlude

As you are aware, I've started a 31 days series on relabeling ourselves in order that we might get a better idea of who God created us to be.

Well, it's almost 8 p.m. and I haven't written today's post yet. For good reason, too. You see, I left my house around 10 a.m. yesterday morning. Silly me, forgot to write today's post ahead of time. Today, my best friend/accountability partner married the love of her life. So being 8 months pregnant and in the wedding...my brain is kind of fried...okay maybe that's an understatement.

So I've decided today, I'm going to post a couple songs that have really hit a chord with me when it comes to rediscovering exactly who I was made to be.

This first song, I listened to when I got home from the wedding. The lyrics are so fitting. Not only for the symbolism of Christ to His people, but also for the commitment that two people make when they get married.


This next song, I have loved for a long time. It reminds me that as long as I am being who He made me to be, I will be free. Being free and undone is the safest thing to be.


This last song is one that is welcoming us to realize that the only one who is perfect is our Abba Father. This is a song that encourages us to embrace the changes He brings to our hearts and lives.

{Day 5} From Loner to Connected

Growing up I was always the outcast, the odd-one-out, the loner. Even in my own family. I have always been the one who you'd see sitting back watching others. It didn't matter what it was, if it was a group thing, I quickly placed myself on the outside. I had convinced myself that it was safer to be the loner, to not have to lean on any other person. Even when the tough times came, I always found a way to glide through them, to work through them, to trudge through them, without having to ask for help from anyone.

While I always had friends, I had been one (and still can be sometimes) to keep them at arms length. Having learned that most people that come in do so to only leave gaping wounds and then walk away. From an early age, I had learned that relying on others around me was something that I could not do without experiencing huge hurt and heartache. I learned that I could easily live life with nothing more than acquaintances, that true, real, deep, for-good-AND-bad relationships didn't exist.

Enter Kevin, 7 years ago (today). We'd known each other for 3 or so years from church. For the 3 months prior to 10-5-05, the day we started dating, we had become good friends, the best of friends actually. I had found myself sharing stories about my past with him that no one knew. It was scary, I couldn't believe I'd found myself sharing some of those hurts from my childhood, but at the same time it seemed natural, safe. It was the start to a relationship that I knew was going to be different from every other one, but I didn't know how.

I can see now that God gave me him to show me what a good, strong, open relationship was meant to be. Relationships (friends, family, ect) were meant to build us up. The close ones were made to turn us into better people. We were not meant to walk through the valleys of life alone. That was never His intent.

Since then, there have been many people walk into my life who I consider to be very close, close enough to be like family. In these last several years, there have been a few who have ripped the flesh wide open, only to leave me to sew myself back together. The first one, about killed me. Until I learned to turn to the ultimate Healer. Since then each one that does so, He shows me why they came into my life in the first place. Then I can treasure the good, and let go of the hurt much more quickly.

Then came the time He called me to start blogging. It was nerve wracking. Little old me, writing for other people to see? Umm...no thanks. I kept feeling the push, so I did so. My first post wasn't much, but it was a start. It took a while to get on the ball, to warm up. It took a little less than a year to get into the habit of writing regularly, but it was started nonetheless.

Last year, participating in this series lead me to meet several amazing writers and through them I have met even more sensational writers. I've been so blessed to have fallen feet first into this community. For without them, I wouldn't have been able to stand very well through the miscarriage we experienced at the start of the year. Without them, I wouldn't be able to find myself sharing my heart monthly over here (where I am today, talking about that very miscarriage season).

Without God's teaching, guidance, and nudging this journey I've been on. The one where He's taught me how to be connectable with others He places in my path. Without this teaching I would be the loner of all loners.

How about you? How has God taught you to be connectable?

{Day 4} From Rags to Royalty

Throughout the bible, we read many stories about how God takes the unlikely candidates and extends His grace. Turning them into His children. Heirs to the throne. It doesn't matter how far, down and out we are, or we feel we are. He is faithful enough to draw us back into His will, if we want Him to. He will always, always, always take our rags and turn them into robes suited for royalty. In reality, after we have claimed Him as our savior, that's what we are....royalty.

The story of the prodigal son is one I think we can all identify with. While yes, it's used a lot in sermons to set an example of God's never ending love for both the one who strays and of the older brother who remains faithful. I believe that each and every one of us can relate to the prodigal son. At one point in our lives or another, we all have to make that choice. The choice to run into the arms of our Father, or the choice to walk away. Whether we're coming to him for the first time, the second time, or what seems like the millionth time. He will always welcome us back with open arms. Throw a feast and place His royal robes on us.



At this point, it all comes back to our each individual mind set. God knows we are royalty because He chose us to be royalty. We have to make the choice to believe that we are royalty. Not because we feel like we're royalty, but because we were created by the King of the world. Making each and every one of us a prince or a princess. All we have to do is believe in Him and choose to believe that when He calls us "son" or "daughter" it is because that's who we are not who we have to become.

So dear friend, Will we choose the royal robes today? Of perhaps we'll cling to the rags, because they're what we know, where we feel safe? It is ultimately up to us.

{Day 3} From Captive to Free

Oh man...you've gotta love the way God works. I had several titles of posts already set up. Having no idea what they would lead to. Now I say this because this morning I got together with a loved friend. We were discussing Rehab. Have you heard her story? If not, or if you need a refresher, please feel free to jump over here and read it. Then do me a favor, and come back to my humble abode here and join me to see how He's connected her story and this title in my heart and head.

Rehab started out being captive to her culture. She was in a sense, the most judged person in her civilization all because of the profession she found herself in. Not only did she find herself being held captive by others judgement, she was also held captive by the king. For he relied upon her to seek out those that were coming in to take siege to the town.

On the other side, she found herself being taken captive by stories she heard about this one they called Yahweh. The God of the Israelites. She found these stories, these miracles to be profound. We can't help but wonder if she may have found herself dreaming what it might have been like to live free, to experience the deliverance and love that this people found themselves surrounded by. Even if they didn't realize just how blessed they were.

One day, one normal day for one in her profession, she was scanning the incoming crowds. When she saw those two men. Knowing deep within what these Israelite men's intentions were. Having a fear of their God because of the stories that she'd heard, she was moved to take a drastic leap. A leap that could very well destroy the life she knows and likely be the very end of her life as well.

In the end, it's this very leap that saves her life. Both literally and spiritually. While her actions may have been less than stellar and cause for speculation, the one thing that we have to look at is the amount of faith her actions took. Faith in a God she had only heard about.

How many times in our lives do we find ourselves being held captive by something? Perhaps it's a "secret" sin. Perhaps it's a label you (or someone else) has put on you. Then again it could just be a lack of faith, whether in yourself, in others, or in God.

Whatever is holding us captive, more often than not it is going to take a leap. Normally this leap is something that we feel is going to destroy us. That's where we need to have the faith that Rehab did. She didn't necessarily have faith in the men she hid. No, because all she knew about men is that they more often than not used her and left her feeling completely empty. She had faith in this God she'd heard so much about. She'd heard stories about His faithfulness and His power to overcome anything that may be standing in His way.

So I ask you today friend, is there a leap that God's asking you to take? Might I encourage you to give it another thought? To bring it into consideration again? Then to pray over it, and actually do it? He is bigger than the jump, even if you feel like you're falling, if it's a leap He's called you to, He will give you the extra stamina you need to make it to the other side.

{Day 2} From Worthless to Priceless

For most of us, we feel a sense of purpose at a young age. We just have a gut feeling that we know what we're supposed to do with our lives. We feel a sense of worth. When in all reality, if we don't have Christ, our lives and souls are worthless. The greatest call we have is to love God then love others out of that love.

We often are told that we are bought at a price. A high price. The price of Christ coming down to this broken world and living a perfect life only to give it up for us on the cross. Keep in mind, Christ didn't have to die for us. He knew that was his purpose.

Sometimes I ponder these questions: what if he would have chosen to go off the game plan and live it up while he was here? What if he would have gotten to the final stage and said "ya know what? I changed my mind. These people aren't worth it."

Then I stop to think, how thankful am I that he didn't. For I was bought at the highest price one could imagine. The life of God's child. His only son. And that fact (in and of itself) makes this life I live (and the one you live too) priceless.

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{Day 1} From Old to New

Today is day one of taking off the labels you, me and others put on ourselves and replacing them with who God says we are and who he created us to be. I hope this journey will connect with and challenge us to become deeper, more mature followers of Christ.

The transformation from our old being to our new being rarely happens over night. I feel that many times, this concept becomes nothing more than a cliche, or something we use to make ourselves feel good about what becoming a follower of His is supposed to do to us. Then we often find ourselves getting discouraged when the change doesn't happen right away. Let me ask you this: how often does the best work happen overnight?

Back in August, I joined the Hello Mornings Challenge. I was so looking forward to kicking the old habits (or lack there of) when it came to my bible study habits. Replacing them with new, daily, exciting studies. Unfortunately, that change hasn't quite happened. I am now a week behind. There's many factors that play into this, but when I opened up the study this morning, I couldn't help but laugh when I read a quote from today's devotional.

...being a new creation doesn't mean we won't war against our flesh.

That struck a cord with me. That's when it donned on me that it's okay if I don't always feel as though I am new, even if in my head I know it's true. All that matters is that I am continually taking steps away from my old self and putting on my new self with each step away. It is a life-long process.

So often I think we fall into this trap of thinking that if it doesn't happen in the exact moment we think it should that we have somehow failed. I know I tend to read in 2 Cor 5:17: "therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come" thinking that it supposed to happen in the exact moment I accepted Him into my life, gave Him ultimate control.

So friends, I think it's time for these labels to be given a different perspective. Instead of focusing on the need to feel new right away, maybe we can look at the little things we can do that will help make us new each day. Maybe it's trying to see things from a better perspective. Taking our thought life under control. Quit buying into the lies that Satan feeds us and start looking into His truths to shape us into the new creation He wants us to be.

How about you? In what ways have you began to embrace your being a new creation in Christ?