Hey girl! Today, I wanted to send you some encouragement and a reminder of how beautiful, treasured, known, and loved you are by the God who made you. 💛 The same God who determined the number of stars and named each one of them (Psalm 147:4) created you because He wanted one of you!! There is only one of you. I have these moments that I like to call “zoom-out” moments, and it’s where I like to step back from going through the motions to marvel more at God and all that He has done and is doing around us. 🤩 I think we can get discouraged at times in the world that we live in because of the brokenness around us and within us. I also think we can become discouraged in this world because in our spirit, we long for Heaven and for all to be made right again like it once was in the Garden at the beginning (Romans 8:18-25). I wanted to remind you today of the hope that is available to us in Jesus Christ who stepped down from heaven— God in flesh— into the sad and sinful state of humanity and gave of Himself so that we can be redeemed, healed, made whole, and have HOPE that is “imperishable, undefiled (pure), and unfading” (1 Peter 1:3-4). He gave His life so that we could have life and a relationship with Him. It's a gift of grace. We can't save ourselves or ever do enough good things to earn it… that would look like a toddler trying to pay off trillions in debt with the pennies in his piggy bank! 😅 We need Jesus, and He came to us because He made us, loves us, and wants to spend forever with us. Jesus takes the wreckage of our choices and brings life from ashes, as Shane & Shane describe in their song, “Oh But God”. He desperately longs to walk with us closely, breathe His new life into us, and guide us into His good plan for us… which is life in abundance (John 10:10). I love these words from author Cambria Joy about the abundance of Jesus, "Jesus's life dripped with abundance. Not in earthly belongings, but in his regular oversupply of meeting the needs of those around him. He knows our needs even in this moment, and wants to give us not just enough but to fill us above and beyond what we're capable of receiving. This is true for our basic needs and our deepest need— to be loved. He wants to fill our hearts with more than they could ever hold. Because Jesus is generous in every way, we regularly see that his love cannot be contained and spills out as leftovers. When Jesus multiplied a kid's lunch of bread and fish to feed a hungry crowd of thousands, he provided so much food, they ate until they were stuffed and— you guessed it— had leftovers." —Cambria Joy from her new book Milk & Honey
Jesus is hope — He lifts us. Jesus is peace — He comforts us. Jesus is joy — He anchors us. Jesus is strength — He carries us. Today, know that you are not alone. Not even for a second. "If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night, even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you." —Psalm 139:11-12 God wants to have a close relationship with each of us and has His arms wide open, ready to be our closest friend who will never fail us. He has a heart of kindness, tenderness, and compassion. We can come as we are, we can talk to him about the hard things and the good things. We can trust Him, and with full assurance know that the very source and Creator of light and life, Jesus, will light our way. "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all." —1 John 1:5 One day, He is going to make all things new, and there will be no more darkness. There will also be no need for the sun or moon anymore in that day as He, Jesus, will light all of Heaven with His presence and glory (Revelation 21:23). WOW!!! But, the good news is: He has already defeated all darkness of sin, death, and hell, and He invites us into a relationship with Him and life in His light now. Yes, we can't wait to spend eternity with Him in Heaven, but He came to us so that we can be set free from any darkness and live in His marvelous light, love, and hope starting now. “In Him [Jesus] was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” —John 1:4-5 He is good, and he loves you more than you will ever be able to comprehend. Step into His light today, and let's enjoy and praise Him forever together. ✨ "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" —Psalm 27:1 I'm sending you love today, and I pray that each day we will step deeper into true health which starts in our spirit with knowing Jesus and enjoying Him more. 💛
Love + hugs,
Heather
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