Taking responsibility

I just finished reading chapter 3 and I am deeply moved and convicted.  Here is something that really stood out to me:

"The main problem in your life is not what's happened to you, not what people have done to you; your main problem is the way you have responded to it." Page 28

Even though I don't typically blame people for the most apathetic time in my life, I do blame what has happened to me. I admit that I handled the challenges in my life very poorly. I chose to not let people hurt me anymore by shutting off my heart and numbing out and by doing so, I not only blocked out the pain but I wasn't able to experience the goodness of God. As much as we want them too, our hearts cannot compartmentalize. I choose to take responsibility for the poor condition of my heart and give all glory to God for any of the good in me.

-K8E

I hope you dance...

"You're glorifying something when you find it beautiful for what it is in itself. Its beauty compels you to adore it, to have your imagination captured by it." Page 6
Through Jesus and the grace of God, I am still here in God's kingdom after 11 years. In the past, I often saw God essentially as a 'spare tire' for life, a just in case when I die option. When I fall into that mindset I know that I have taken my eyes off of Jesus and what his life has to offer not only me but others as well. I desire to truly glorify God, not for what He has to offer is but rather out of a genuine and deep adoration for Him. When I am in touch of who Jesus is and what He has done for me, I see the beauty and glorifying him becomes second nature.

Lastly after reading the first chapter, it reminded me of the song "I Hope You Dance" by Leann Womack. Although the song itself is cheesy and a bit too country for me, I do love the lyrics. Here is a little snippet of the lyrics:

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance I hope you dance
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance

"But God didn't leave us defenseless.  God said to Jesus, "Obey me about the tree"-only this time the tree was a cross-"and you will die."  And Jesus did.  He has gone before you into the heart of a very real battle, to draw you into the ultimate reality of the dance.  What he has enjoyed from all eternity, he has come to offer to you." Pg. 13

Wow.  As many times as I've heard and thought about the bravery of Jesus in the garden, his surrender to God never fails to leave me awestruck.  I cannot imagine the level of fear that he must have felt knowing what kind of pain was going to be inflicted on him.  On top of the overwhelming physical pain, Jesus was going to be separated from his Father for the first time ever.  I believe that is what scared him the most:  Not being in relation with God and being out of the light.  Yet, he did it anyways.  I love how Jesus led by example.  He never asks us to do anything that he hasn't already done.  He fought the most important battle in the history of the world, in the Garden of Gethsemane, and surrendered in order to give you and I the chance to know him.  Why he loves us so much I will never understand.  I am so grateful that our Savior came to us.  He came to us to give us the opportunity to spend eternity with him just because he loves us.  So amazing.

King's Cross Reading Schedule

Hey Fellow Members of the Island of Misfits!

February is rapidly approaching, which means we will all be reading King's Cross by Timothy Keller together as a family. Yay! Just to give you all a heads up, here is the reading schedule for the book:

Week	Dates	Chapters	Pages
1	2/1 - 2/6	1 & 2	3-25
2	2/7 - 2/12	3 & 4	26-48
3	2/13 - 2/18	5 & 6	49-69
4	2/19 - 2/25	7 & 8	70-94
5	2/26 -3/3	9 & 10	95-122
6	3/4 - 3/11	11 & 12	123-152
7	3/12 - 3/17	13 & 14	153-172
8	3/18 - 3/23	15 & 16	173-193
9	3/24 - 3/31	17 & 18	194-225