A Beautiful tapestry

Invite God to do something so significant through your life that it's doomed to failure unless HE be in it.

His words burned through me like I had just taken a dose of Nyquil. You know how you get sick and you know one dose of that nasty cold medicine and you are guaranteed a good sleep within an hour?...yeah, that's how I felt. The words were hard to swallow, but I knew they were meant for my good.

I have thought about writing something "inspiring" for a long time. But, I've hid behind some pretty heavy insecurities and lies I often tell myself: you are not a writer, you are not some expert theologian, you are just some slow talking southerner who still doesn't know the different ways in which to use effect and affect, who versus whom...and well, I've already confessed that I really don't even know how to properly use an ellipses. I vaguely remember something from an English professor in college saying not to end a sentence with a preposition. And "Sarah, be careful with run on sentences."

But, my brain is an endless run-on sentence. My ideas run from one thing to the next like someone with attention deficit disorder. (Perhaps I need Ritalin?) It serves me well for keeping up with the minds of three children under four years of age, but I find it difficult sometimes to communicate my wild, ambitious thoughts with adults.

But, the truth is, the idea for this devotional has been in my heart and mind for a very long time. For the longest time, I allowed my insecurities of others seeing my poor grammar or lack of theology keep me from relaying all the goodness that I have discovered in knowing God. I have let fear that my friends of different religions or no religion at all keep me from writing...not because I didn't think they'd still love me, but because they would think I had gone crazy. "Sarah? A writer? Writing about Jesus? Wasn't she a science major?"

It is true. I have a bachelor's degree in science. In my college years, I took only three English courses. One of which was "Women's Literature"...and that was because it coincided with when my boyfriend who was in a class over at Georgia Tech and we could then spend the rest of the day together. That, and it was an excuse to be romanticised by Jane Austin's writings and take a break from from all the human anatomy courses. (Yes, I totally went to college to get a MRS. degree. I graduated Magna Cim Laude with that one!)

But, these ideas, you see...well, they have been floating through my head for such a long time. It is almost as if God had been slowing weaving together a beautiful love story...a beautiful tapestry all this time. But who am I? Just a simple Southern gal who sometimes speaks with a little drawl and ends her sentences with prepositions.

But, I couldn't escape those words when I heard them: "Invite God to do something so significant through your life that it's doomed to failure unless He be in it."

I knew it was time. Time to let those words that have been trapped in my heart and soul and release them to the world. Time to let the world know that God is SO good. I am not good, but He is so, so good. The world is not good, but He is so, so good. It was time to share what I had learned through my trials in this life...that God is a God of grace, not a God of rules. And that it is time we STOP condemning and judging and making people think that they are not good enough.

You are good enough. He created you. He said you were wonderfully made. Like myself, He is creating a beautiful tapestry with you as well.

I write for an audience of one. But, I pray. Oh how I pray that somehow God can show you that you are so wonderful. That this gift of grace is free. That it isn't what most of you have been taught by religion. I write for only Him, but I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't do a happy dance if this had some profound effect (effect or affect...see, I still don't know!!!) on someone.

That God is good. And He is worth getting to know. Because it's really all about Him. And when we surrender that...oh man! There is freedom. He will not let you fail.

So, here I am. In the midst of 47 posts. In the beginning I told God, "OK. I'll do this but only once or twice a week." But, I have felt His pushing to allow Him to speak through the words I type on this keyboard every day. A 365 day devotional. To shed some truth on this God of grace and love. Not the God of "religion" that most people have been scared into. And I am terrified and haven't a CLUE as to how I'm going to do this!!!

And what a better time to start than seven days before Easter. So, this isn't an April Fool's joke. April 1st...come as you are...no makeup, no cleaning yourself up...come with all your sin. Bring a cup of coffee. And meet a savior that ADORES you. Seven days a week, starting seven days before Easter, at seven AM. Oh, and bring a friend! I'm from the South...the more the merrier around here. We are known for our Southern Hospitality ya know?

Hugs,
Sarah