Vol. 9, Issue 4 Nuthin’ But Grace April 2015
First Baptist Church of Madison, North Carolina
I love to declutter my house. Ok, I love to talk about decluttering my house and sometimes actually do it. I was reading about this one day and came across this quote by Stacy London: "Your closet needs to be a place of joy and celebration of who are you now - not who you were.” As I read that statement, it struck me that the statement is true about everything in life. I decided to insert a different word for closet.
"Your life needs to be a place of joy and celebration of who are you now - not who you were." Isn’t that what the Gospel is all about? Didn’t Jesus say He came to give us abundant life – not life that we just get through or life that we have to endure, but abundant life?
"Your life needs to be a place of joy and celebration of who are you now - not who you were." Are you and I celebrating the life we have – even if we don’t have everything we want, even if things aren’t quite the way we had hoped? I don’t know about you, but I often find myself overwhelmed by all the demands of life, or struggling to move beyond the pain of the past, or contemplating the future. I often forget to focus on the here and now. What about you? Where is your focus? Living in the past or living a life of regrets is not a life of joy and celebration.
"Your life needs to be a place of joy and celebration of who are you now - not who you were." Easter has come! Christ is Risen! We are new creations in Christ! Is there joy and celebration in your heart at that news? Does that joy overflow into every part of your life? Even in the darkest part of life, Jesus’ actions change everything! Nothing is the same. God sent His Son into the world to say “I love you!”
Maybe it isn’t my house that needs decluttering as much as my heart and my thoughts. Maybe we all need to throw out those things that are no longer a benefit to living the life Christ has for us. Maybe our regrets, past pain, resentments, and anything else needs to be put out on the curb so that we can begin to live again the life Christ so freely gives to us!
It’s Spring! Time for some good old spring cleaning? Are you with me?
Grace and Peace,
Jan
Ththe mountaintops and ignore the trained guides and their work on getting us there and the personal discipline necessary to make the journeys.
My Dear Church Family,
I am completely overwhelmed by your generosity toward me. Your monetary gift is so greatly appreciated! I am humbled by your thoughtfulness!
Even more, I am so honored to be able to worship with you all each Sunday. I so appreciate all that you have done to support me as I attend seminary and also as I minister among you. I have never experienced such love! Your kindnesses and love are such a blessing to me!
Please know that I hold you all so close in my heart. You are such a wonderful people and I am so very blessed to be with you. There just are not words enough to thank you.
In deepest gratitude,
Jan
The Board of Trustees, Faculty and Graduating Class
Of
Hood Theological Seminary
Are pleased to announce
Graduation Exercises
Saturday, May sixteenth, Two thousand fifteen
Worship and Holy Communion Service eight-fifteen o’clock in the morning
On the Seminary Grounds
Commencement
Ten-thirty o’clock in the morning
On the Seminary Grounds
1810 Lutheran Synod Drive
Salisbury, North Carolina
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH NON PROFIT ORG.
P.O. Box 209 PERMIT # 45
MADISON, NC 27025 MADISON, NC 27025
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED