Here is your Christmas Card

Merry Christmas

God has been stirring me to write for over a week as he's been brewing things in my heart this Christmas season.  Today I was talking with someone and sharing the struggles of this season that we were both facing. The holidays tend to be hard for a lot of people. Christmas can be a really good opportunity for you to get depressed about what you don't have, once had or never wanted.  For me this season has been really special because of all the things God has done throughout this year. If I could sum this year up in a phrase it would be called "The Search for Identity." This year has been a year of seeking the lord for his plan for me and getting a clear picture of how loved I really am. This last week our pastor taught the 4th Advent message this Sunday teaching out of Galatians 4 (You can hear the sermon series at www.realityolympia.com) This week really captured some ideas that I had wrestled over this year and I think most of us struggle with from time to time. Most identity issues come out of a lack of seeing our true value through God's eyes. Some see themselves as more valuable than God but most struggle to see how much God truly values them. I can be honest enough to say that this has been a lifelong battle for me.  Most of my life I have struggled with feelings of inadequacy, lack of acceptance, value and purpose.

Galatians 4:5 God sent him to pay for the freedom of those who were controlled by these laws so that we would be adopted as his children. 6 Because you are God’s children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into us to call out, “Abba![a]Father!” 7 So you are no longer slaves but God’s children. Since you are God’s children, God has also made you heirs.

I've heard the word adopted in reference to our relationship to God many times.  Every time I've thought "Well thats awesome that God adopted me". Yet I've never though about the aspects of adoption in contrast to the negative things I've struggled with.  I'm stealing these things from this weeks sermon. I mentioned that I've struggled with inadequacy, lack of acceptance, value and purpose. Part of being adopted its be loved no matter what, being chosen, wanted, and set apart.  The power of adoption though Christ has the power to undo any lie you have believed about yourself. Adoption has the power to reset ones life giving them a second chance.  Adoption through Christ proves that we are so valuable that we are heirs to God's kingdom.  Regardless of our past, struggles in our present life or worries about our future God's incredible love for us empowers us to overcome wrong thoughts about our self. His love gives us strength to overcome in the moment, and faith to believe that he knows our future and has planned it out. Going into 2014 I'm excited to see what he's up to. There are a lot of people who need to know how much he loves them. There are a lot of young people (my passion) who need to know that they are heard, not forgotten, unloved or left behind.

In 2014 I believe that God would have us seek him in Faith knowing through him we have the power to change our cities, lead or families and friends to him and see amazing things in our own lives. Jesus even said we would do great things than him. In 2014 God's desire is that we would truly experience the power of the holy spirit to heal, restore and make new.  The question is how hard are we willing to seek him? How much of our own agenda are we willing to lay down to see him kingdom come and his will be done? How much do we truly trust him?

Let join together as one family. Seek the lord for our cities, our friends and family. This Christmas Eve, lets see this season for what it's truly about. God's redemptive work to save his kids from themselves. God incredible love to live, and then die on a cross for you and me and finally his awesome power to rise again proving he can overcome the power of sin and death for every person who chooses to believe in him!