Amazing grace

I've always found it challenging to have tough conversations with kids. I never know exactly what to say, or how much to share in order to answer their questions without sharing too much. Poor Brady is probably still scarred from our Lady GaGa "disco stick" conversation around Christmas.

Last night I had a cool discussion with Hope that I won't soon forget. We were driving to Clarksville for a dance recital, and passed the cross on the hill near Ozark.

Hope: That's like the cross Jesus died on.
Me: Where'd you hear about that?
Hope: In a book.
Me: What book?
Hope: Um, I think it's called a Bible.
Me: Do you know why Jesus died on a cross?
Hope: No.
Me: So if we believe in Him, we can go to heaven when we die.
Hope: I believe in Him.
Me: Me too.
Hope: When it gets dark tonight, I'm going to make a wish on the wishing star that Jesus would live in my heart.
Me: You don't have to wish on a star, sweetie. You just have to ask Him, and He'll live there.
Hope (yelling): HEY, JESUS. WILL YOU COME LIVE IN MY HEART?

Now, I know she doesn't really understand how it works, nor does she understand why we need eternal salvation, but I love the simplicity of her acceptance of it. Because, really, we try to make grace too tough.

After that talk, she decided we needed to sing some Taylor Swift. Hope's philosophy: if you don't know the words, just sing really loudly.

To know Him, to make Him known

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
~ Phllippians 3:7-11

I've always felt a kinship with the Apostle Paul. Not so much with his zeal for missions, but more so with his impatience and stubbornness. God had to strike him down to get him under control; and Paul never took that gift of grace for granted.

Just as Paul is my spiritual hero, Philippians is my favorite book of the Bible, and the verses above are my favorite passage. I love that Paul considered himself a bondservant of Christ. I admire how committed he was to spreading the gospel. Whenever I feel discouraged in my walk with God, all I have to do is re-read the book of Philippians, and I remember my calling.

Today was my first opportunity to attend chapel at work, and oh, how I needed that. Sometimes it's so easy to get bogged down in stress and forget why we do what we do. How fortunate I am to work at an institution whose motto is "Christ over all."

Last night I was sitting in my living room, feeling sorry for myself and wondering if I'd made the right decision in changing jobs. And man, did God ever speak to me during chapel today. For months, I've been asking Him for the same thing. My daily prayer to Him was, "I want to know You." How very lucky I am that He's led me to this job. This place where I not only can worship Him in the open, but get to know Him better. We open every meeting in prayer; I can assure you that helps to put issues in perspective.

I often forget that some of God's lessons are best learned through adversity. Paul and Silas found a reason to sing while shackled in jail; I can certainly find a reason to sing while faced with feeling overwhelmed and stressed.

I do want to know Him, even if that means sharing in His sufferings. But what a reward waits for us. I can't wait. How about you?