The First Read of 2011

The other day, I was looking for a book to read, and my mom suggested "The Cross-Centered Life" by CJ Mahaney. He discusses obstacles to keeping your life cross-focused, and practical suggestions on how to actually have a cross-centered day. I can put this book down--but only because I have to in order to think through what I just read. I've been challenged...and I'm not done yet.

" "I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, ' Paul wrote. 'For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins' (I Corinthians 15: 1, 3).

First importance. The bible tells us that, while there are many different callings and many possible areas of service int he kingdom of God, one transcendent truth should define our lives. One simple truth should motivate our work and affect every part of who we are.

Christ died for our sins."
~"The Cross-Centered Life: Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing" by C.J. Mahaney, page 20

Introduction: Fun Stuff Wednesday

It's Wednesday. And you knew that...but what you didn't know is that it is now "Fun Stuff Wednesday." Perhaps if I would have realized that is what I would have named this, I would have chosen more thoughtfully the phrase I put on my photo when I was editing it. Oh well. I say "fun stuff" all the time, so it's just me. Which is what "Fun Stuff Wednesday" is about.

OneThing is about the pursuit of Christ, not about Laura Luann. But for awhile now I've been contemplating giving my blog a personal side. So welcome to Fun Stuff Wednesday! I edited my picture days ago, I've been thinking all day, "Don't forget to post..." but I never really decided what to blog. So with 15 minutes to go before we leave for church and the decision I'm posting now...you get to hear about my day.

Which consisted of sewing. (For the record, the non-working part of my day yesterday, and my day off on Monday also consisted of sewing.) I've been able to finish two dressy blouses, reconstruccted a skirt, and starting a swimming suit. The blouses involved material that was not very forgiving, the skirt involved a plan in my head and hoping the real thing would resemble the plan :), and the swimming suit was because I'm crazy--although so far it's been the easiest thing I've worked on today. :)

I have a long project list and am hoping to get ride of most of it before I lose my wind. I kinda have a love-hate relationship with sewing but right now it's more love than hate.

Happy Wednesday! 

To Walk as Jesus Did

“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil” (Luke 6:35).

It is my duty to love,
Not to be loved.


“And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2).


It is my duty to serve,
Not to be served.


“And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful” (Titus 3:14).


It is my duty to be merciful,
Not to receive mercy.


“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36).


It is my duty to give,
Not to be the receiver.


“Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back” (Luke 6:30).


It is my duty to do good,
Not to have good done to me.


“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).



But I am...

loved
“For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

 served
“[Jesus], though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:6-7).


given mercy
 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4-5).


the receiver
“And from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (John 1:16).


I have had so much good done to me

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” (Romans 5:8-11).

A Look Back on 2010

Every year on December 31, I write an email that looks back over the year now passing. These are my thoughts on 2010...

2010 has been a year of change and transformation…not all of it has stuck and I find myself re-learning lessons even today. This year, God revealed to me the darkness of my own heart: Selfishness. Pride. Impatience. Unfaithfulness. Self-trust. I was saved when I was 6 years old—I knew even then that I was a sinner and needed a Savior, and that Jesus had paid the price for my sins on the cross. But the grace that made salvation possible is also the grace I need for daily life. I cannot please God on my own, whether for salvation or in daily life. I need God’s grace to transform my heart so that I can “walk in a manner worthy of God” (I Thessalonians 2:12). The Bible says that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” I can’t have the fruit of the Spirit if I’m living for Laura. The passage continues, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-25). When I live for Christ in His strength, I will be Self-less. Humble. Patient. Faithful. Trusting.



Those aren’t easy lessons to learn—and as I said, I’m still learning and re-learning them! But God is so very good. And gracious. And He is all my hungry heart needs. I pray that my life will glorify Him!

I also included the words to "Grace, Unmeasured, Vast and Free"--a song I learned this year that has meant a lot of me. The chorus begins, "Grace paid for my sins And brought me to life. Grace clothes me with power To do what is right."

My favorites from 2010...

graduation :)

flip-flops on the beach!

 

my missions team in California

my sister and I painted our room

 

at a friend's wedding

 

enjoying the zoo when Grandma came to visit

I pray that not only have you experienced saving grace, but that you are also seeing it working in your own life right now! Happy new year to you all and prayers for a wonderful 2011!

In Christ alone,
Laura

Mary's Attitude

Christmas is over, but I still find myself thinking about Mary. Mary was a sinful human being like you and me, but certainly she was very devoted to God—not perfect yet with a heart facing God in faith and humility.

“And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38, ESV).

Mary did not question. I’m sure she couldn’t fathom the depth of what she was agreeing to, but I’m sure there were various emotions coursing through her. She was going to have a baby! But that wasn’t supposed to happen yet…what would people say—or do?

But Mary said “Yes—let it be.” Mary’s entire life was changing but she submitted humbly.

When hard things come into my life, I’m not always so willing. Instead of “Yes, Lord,” I whine and complain. I want something else. But Mary acknowledged her place as a servant—and a servant says yes to her Master…no matter what He asks.

The Shepherds' Story

Angels we have heard on high

Sweetly singing o’er the plains,

And the mountains in reply

Echoing their joyous strains.

Shepherds, why this jubilee?

Why your joyous strains prolong?

What the gladsome tidings be

Which inspire your heavenly song?

One of our pastors commented recently on the shepherds. He mentioned that Luke wrote his Gospel from the testimonies of eyewitnesses--those shepherds were still telling the story some 60 years later!

Shepherds in the field abiding,

Tell us when the seraph bright

Greeted you with wondrous tiding,

What you saw and heard that night.

How well are you telling the story? How well am I telling the story?

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

"And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them" (Luke 2:20).

Merry Christmas

from OneThing blog!

In the Bleak Midwinter

Personally, I don't think that winter is so bleak. :) But this Christmas hymn talks about the exalted Christ wanting our hearts. He doesn't need anything from us...but He does desire our fellowship and worship!

frosty wind made moan,

Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;

Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,

In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;

Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.

In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed

The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,

Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;

But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,

Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

 

What can I give Him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;

If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;

Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

~Christina Rosetti