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Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.” Genesis 4:1

When I was a young adult studying to be a teacher I had to take a class called Child Development. Covering everything from conception to puberty and all the nature verses nurture in between was quite alarming. Simple math gave me concern that by the time 3% of children have hearing impairment, 3% have vision impairment, 3% have this or that and so on……upwards of 100% of children suffer from disease or handicap! What did I take away from this? Mankind is a miracle!

When Eve gave birth to her first born, she gazed down and saw the wonder that he was. Every tiny fingernail and every curl on his head was a most precious gift from God, a miracle. And the curse of child birth was totally irrelevant. Her baby was perfect in every way!

The human race is so much more than the result of sex. We habitually take our existence and others for granted, but you are not the will of man, you are the loving act of God. Gaze upon yourself as Eve sees the first man born of flesh and then look around. With the help of the LORD we are here. Chins up! We are a miracle a wonder!

Love,

Gretchen

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” John 11: 25

The Jews in Judea were seeking to kill Jesus. The Jewish establishment was growing very uncomfortable with Jesus’ message and growing popularity. Then, Jesus learns that his very good friend Lazarus, from Bethany, a town in Judea, has become ill. Lazarus’ sisters send for Jesus. Jesus’ disciples advise against this due to the current political climate surrounding Him.

In verse 4 of this passage Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death.” The disciples thought He meant the illness wasn’t terminal. In verse 11 He says, “I am going there to wake him up.” The disciples argued that if he was only sleeping why bother to go at all? Jesus bluntly told them, “He’s dead.” (verse 14) So the disciples decide that if Jesus is insistent on going, He will not go alone.

The continuing story tells of the sister’s grief and many who have gathered to comfort them. Jesus tells Martha, Lazarus will rise again and Martha agrees that indeed he will resurrect in the last days. Then Jesus spoke the beautiful words above! Jesus is the resurrection today! Not ages from now, today!

Not one of the characters in this story could imagine the terror of the coming days. In just a few weeks Jesus would be crucified. He did not want to leave His friends and followers with no hope, not even for three scary days. Lazarus was the opportunity to show that death did not have the last word.

We often live as though Jesus is the resurrection and the death. STOP! Jesus said, “ I am, The Resurrection and The Life!”

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Gretchen

You armed me with strength for battle; you humbled my adversaries before me. 2 Samuel 22:40

David’s life has come to an end. He looks back and sees his personal failures, but they fall irrelevant in the face of God’s mercy, grace and constant presence.

THE ONLY THING RELEVANT IN YOUR LIFE IS WHAT GOD SEES, AND YOUR LIFE RESTORED. If David can stand confidently before God with a grateful heart, so can you.

Fear of past sins will destroy a forgiven present. Sins aren’t covered, they are washed away, dissolved, swirled down the drain never to be remembered again. Hallelujah!

Have a great day!

Gretchen

“Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.” 2 Samuel 7:16

This verse is the final passage of what is now known as the Davidic Covenant. David is a warrior king, but peace has come and he has united his tribe Judah with the other tribes of Israel and established Jerusalem, then known as The City of David, as the political and religious center by returning the Ark of the Covenant. David decided he would build the first ever permanent house of God. Nathan, God’s prophet to David commended the plan until God directed otherwise.

God’s response was this, “No David, you will not build a house for Me, I will build a house for you and it will reign forever.” This is known as the Davidic covenant. Solomon, David’s son, would later build the temple.

Throughout David’s story he was the unlikely hero. God saw in David what others could not. In return, David repeatedly looked to God for his identity rather than family, friend or foe.

God designed you, so let Him define you and direct you. You will forever be in Good Hands.

Have a great day!

Gretchen

Letting Go

From the moment I first held my child in my arms, I knew the day of letting go would come. I dreaded the inevitable, secretly crying after birthday parties, the end of each school year….. All the while, my life was amazing. Real, but incredible, except a heartbreaking event was approaching at warp speed…. an empty nest. I would have sold my soul to stop it.

Resentment festered in my heart thinking I would someday live in a house with no children’s laughter, no helpless innocent that needed my expertise in motherhood to sustain them. I did my share of complaining about unending laundry and dishes, but I knew I would do loads a day for the rest of my life if time would just stand still. My closet misery was disguised by a busy life full of wonderful people and intriguing adventures, but I wouldn’t look at photos of places we had been and things done because they were gone, over, never to return. The fact that my desire selfishly robbed those I love of the very natural act of growing up weighed heavily. My oldest shared with me her favorite Dr. Seuss quote, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” I didn’t appreciate her enthusiasm for a future without me in it, but I did indeed smile on the outside and waited for privacy to cry some more.

Logically I knew the manner of my release would have a tremendous influence on the emotional development of my children and so I prayed. One of God’s greatest acts of grace is allowing us to fight until we are exhausted and then reach out to comfort when all other options are gone and hope has faded. His touch is peace and the greatest strength I’ve ever known. I began to realize, I wasn’t raising little girls of today, but rearing women of the future and they were going to need fortitude, strength, skills, encouragement and love if they were going to survive and thrive. The beauty of time entered the secret places of my heart. I became an active part in blazing a trail to the future and a large part of that was appropriately ‘letting go.’

Two of the most amazing young women on earth call me mom. The days of peddling bikes down dirt roads and running barefoot to the fishing hole are now precious memories because I see them as the foundation of greatness rather than time gone forever.

I’ve just spent hours in my kitchen next to my daughter (Thing One) making beautiful food for a neighbor in need and luxuriating in the closeness of the small town that molded her. Tonight there will be a blond headed, green eyed angel (Thing Two) home from school, sleeping in the next room. I will hear her stir as she turns in her slumber, and be reminded, the gift of life covered in Grace and cushioned by unfathomable love, is better than I could have ever imagined because ‘letting go’ is actually a great act of love I wouldn’t have missed for the world.

When I let go, God showed up. He bumped me from the center of the universe, put things into perspective and a blessed life happened.

Love,

Gretchen

But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Titus 3:9

You don’t have to go to every argument you are invited to. – Bryan Jones to his daughter Gretchen.

This Pastoral Epistle was written to Titus who is given charge overseeing many pastors on the island of Crete. He must have had great strength of character. Opposition to the Christian messages was prevalent. Engaging in heated conflict proves counterproductive. A positive ethic focuses on overcoming evil with good.

Unprofitable and useless are strong words with very unpleasant implications. Who has time for that? However, it is hard to argue with someone doing something loving and kind. The Gospel message of hope and peace garners far more attention than petty controversies over who’s who in a moment that will soon pass away.

Feel free to turn down those invitations!

Love,

Gretchen

“Look, He is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of Him.” So shall it be! Amen. Revelation 1:7

The purpose of apocalyptic scripture is to see the whole history, the big picture, of mankind and know that God will reign supreme in justice.

As a graduate with honors from the School of Hard Knocks, degreed in “Refuse Wise Counsel”, nothing frustrates me more than people that just won’t recognize God’s authority, power and love and learn from the lessons of those that have gone before them. Reading the news, living in a world gone terribly wrong, exhausting one’s self in an effort to leave the air you share better than you found it, brings a defeated end to the day, but the absolute assurance that grants peace is knowing God wove every atom, every molecule of the universe together and He knows what He is doing. I don’t need to understand, I don’t need to huff and puff, I just need to love and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ……God will judge in due time and all will be right.

Have a Fabulous Friday,

Gretchen

In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will. Ephesians 1:11

In the Greek translation verse 3-14 is one long sentence of praise and it reads like a hymn or verse. Paul cannot get over the fact that God has bestowed His riches in Heaven on us, undeserving sinners. God has always had a plan for redemption and restoration and at the heart of this plan is Christ. Christ’s death sets us free.

Like Paul, I hope I never get over the fact that God gave me salvation. I did not deserved it when I received it, and I daily fall short of worthiness, yet God’s grace is sufficient and my restoration is ongoing, 24/7, 365.

God is Good,

Gretchen

Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because “the righteous will live by faith.” Galatians 3:11

Evidence is presented to a judge, the keeper of knowledge and discernment. Based on facts, the judge decides and declares guilt or innocence. When the gavel slams, the decision is made. It is irrevocable. If the accused is declared not guilty, they are known to be justified.

After Paul first visited Galatia and established a church in this Roman province, Jewish-Christian teachers came to continue the work. They insisted that new converts must become sons of Abraham by way of circumcision and strict observation of Jewish law.

This perspective made obedience to the law as important as the crucified Messiah. There is no comparison. By faith and faith alone, we know that Christ voluntarily gave His life for ours. He lived a human existence but remained Holy, died on the cross and rose from the grave on the third day, thus taking away sin’s grip on all who believe!

Do we submits ourselves to standards of righteousness? Yes, but it is through faith that we are saved and stand before our Judge to be found blameless, guilt free, totally justified.

Have a Wonderful Midweek,

Gretchen

This is the written account of Adam’s family line. When God created mankind, He made them in the likeness of God. Genesis 5:1

In the first four books of the Bible the creation story is told twice. Chapter five begins with the words above. Once again it is stated, “In the likeness of God.”

Two things played a part in robbing mankind of our likeness to God: Man’s freewill, and the overwhelming temptation to sin, to chose things of this world over God’s perfect will.

God is Holy. Sin robbed mankind of its Holiness. But from the moment sin entered the world God maintained a means of restoration. By man’s freewill we accept God’s authority and believe that His Son Jesus gave His life in place of ours as payment for sin. When we chose these things of God over the temptations of the world, we return to our likeness of God.

Satan would have you believe this is an impossible ideal. It is not. We are God’s crowning joy, a perfect reflection. Look to Him and mirror His love, His action, His passion. In this way we are restored to His likeness.

Have a Wonderful Day of Love,

Gretchen