Centered...

Hi Everyone!

I felt prompted today to post specifically about my relationship with God. Let me tell you a little about the Creator of the Universe...who loves me unconditionally (and you, too) and desires a personal relationship with me (and you, too)!

For a while I had things mixed up. I kept trying to put God at the top of my "to-do" list and was constantly frustrated when I wasn't able to check off that box each day.  I desired to have God be a part of my life for as long as I can remember...but I wasn't really "getting it."  All the while, though, the power of Christ was working to draw me to Him...and He showed me that He wants to be the very center of my life...not just at the top of my list of priorities.

All of us are messed up in one way or another. We're just not perfect, no matter how many boxes we check off on our list, or how many PTA meetings we participate in, or how many lasagna's we make for friends in need.  We all have "stuff."   So God sent his Son to pay the price for our mess...for our sin. The creator of the Universe loves US!. Me...and YOU!   The Bible puts it this way:

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.'  Acts 17: 24-28

We either accept it, or we don't. But he is never far from each one of us!

You've probably heard this one:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17

If you've never asked the Lord to remove your sins and become the very center of your life, will you do that now?  It's just between you and God.

It's not an easy road, I'll tell ya. But allowing Christ to be the very center of my home, my family and my heart has brought me peace that transcends all understanding! I'm not saying I don't have bad days and hard times, but true peace isn't the absence of all of those things....it's the presence of God DURING all of those things!

I'm praying for you now as you read these words and I would be thrilled to talk with you further about any of this!!

Blessings,

MariLee

So....as an addendum to this post, I was actually selling some things on ebay including an audio book of "Experiencing God"  I always go to Amazon.com to use the "review information" when I'm selling something and I came across an amazing review of this book, by some guy I do not know...but his thoughts truly inspired and blessed me. Here is what he has to say:

"This book made me get on my needs and pray to God that I would never try to do anything for him again, that's right. You see when I got out of grad school I thought I was going to be this super missionary and save the world of everything, including poverty and hate. Needless say it made me realize that much of my attitude was based on pride and arrogance, not realizing that the only thing my creator wanted from me was intimate love and devotion...not my "skills & plans". I literally cried and prayed with my Savior after my brother in Christ, Blackaby, helped me realize this…it was a very illuminating and personal experience for me. And yes, from my personal love relationship with God, I do have a strong desire to be apart of His Kingdom on earth and share in its work - which sure beats trying to do things for Him that I think he wants. David H. Squires"

What an awesome insight! Thanks David...whoever you are! :-)