I hope your weather has been as beautiful as ours down south the last week. Sunshine, crisp cool mornings...perfect for going for a early walk or run...cool afternoons, which at my house means leaving the windows open! I love everything about fall, the smell, the weather, pumpkins, scarecrows, colorful leaves, volleyball games, bonfires, football, chili, and all the other comfort foods that come with it. I just don't like what follows, but we won't dwell on that for now (winter,ugh!)
Last week my dad came to visit. We had a great time. It was so nice to see someone in the family. I sure am missing them. With volleyball season going strong, Craig can't get away for a weekend so that we could travel home. Not sure if I'm ready to make that trip myself, but I may have to try. I'm not sure if I can wait until Thanksgiving to see everyone again.
I'm so thankful for the awesome friends we have here that have become like our family. It makes these long stretches of not seeing family a lot easier. They come to volleyball games, they have me and the kids over for dinner when Craig's traveling and even ask us to spend the night. :) I haven't done that yet, but it would be fun! Craig's season is going really well. They are 10-5, the games they have lost have been super close and a tough loss. But there are other great things going on with the team spiritually, which is more important!
In our home group, which is made up by an awesome bunch of Christ followers, we are reading a book called Crazy Love, by Francis Chan. We are having some great discussions and learning moments as we go through this book. It's main focus is to challange Christians to be in love with God. "Because the answer to religious complacency isn't working harder at a list of do's and don'ts-it's falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, as Francis describes it, you will never be the same....It's crazy, if you think about it. The God of the universe-the Creator of nitrogen and pine needles, galacies and E-minor-loves us with a radical, unconditional, self-sacrificing love. and what is our typical response? We go to church, sing songs, and try not to cuss."
This book does an amazing job of letting us know how much God really loves us. I don't know if I've ever grasped how wide and deep His love for us is. I mean, just imagine, as uncomfortable as it might be to do this, your child hanging on a cross. You know you could stop it, but you don't because you know that the world needs your child as a sacrifice for their sins? That's what God did for us! That was His Son on that cross...His Son. Oh, how He loves us!
This is my prayer"
"O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need for farther grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still.Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, so that I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, "Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away." Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long."
-A.W. Tozer
