Writing From Experience

So, you all know that I’ve been writing my book. It’s been quite struggle to carve out time from my busy crazy days to get a substantial amount of writing in. But it is coming along. I love it. I love the process that I am going through as well. Most times. The fun part comes after the painful one though. I have been going through old journal entries, trying to bring back all the laid-to-rest memories of this journey. Some, I would have completely forgotten had it not been for my crazy obsession to journal and my neat penmanship back in high-school. Old memories. Old feelings. Bad memories and bad feelings. Nevertheless, the fun part is coming. I just know it. I can already see it. It is the part where I see where my life is now and how God has brought me through the thickest of storms, still sane. Mostly.

But last night was not a fun part. And this is a true confession to all this madness.

I have finished the introduction and am currently writing the opening chapter. The one where I believe, everything starts. It’s title is undecided, but the main point is about how one can create, within her mind, what I call a false reality. It’s something that is clearly not real, feelings that are not justified, or thoughts that are lies we have conjured up in our minds. Especially women. As I was writing, I decided it would be good to input some examples of false realities that I have created in my own life. Lies that, in the moment, I choose to believe. And there are plenty to choose from, but for some odd reason I could not put them down on paper. The words just would not come. The countless experiences seemed to have vanished at the one and only beneficial and needed time! So I prayed. Asking that God would remind me of some. I didn’t ask to relive them, just to remind me of them. You know, as if they were someone else’s stories I was able to preview as a quick jog to my memory. Well that is just not the way it works.

Last night, I had a bad dream. More like a nightmare. Now, this is normal for me. The ratio of good dreams to bad dreams in my life is quite a tipped scale in favor of the bad dreams. But for the last 3 months or so I have had them every night. Usually I wake up in a funk, still feeling the emotions I did in my dream. Frustration, anger, fear. But they shake off before breakfast and I move on with my day. Most times. But then there are days like today when those emotions just wont release.

Without boring you of the details, in my dream I was being stalked by 3 men. Not like paparazzi stalked. Like creeper status stalked. Finally I asked everyone in my house to lock all the doors so they wouldn’t get in. I ran to one of the rooms in my house to lock the doors and there was already a man in there. As I flipped the light on, he jumped at me in attack, and at the moment shook myself out of my sleep. Of course I started bawling and woke my ever-so-amazing husband in a fright and he held me the rest of the night.

However, despite my intense desire to fall back asleep, I couldn’t. I have been awake since 3AM. I thought maybe I was just spooked so I got up, walked around. Even brushed my teeth again Trying everything to get me out of this weird weird state. At 8:30A I went to breakfast with a dear friend. I thought maybe I was coming out of it because we were laughing and crying and sharing, but then I realized the lies and fear were still there. This guy came in and sat in the booth across from us and the whole time I had this weird fear that he was watching me. Stalking me. He didn’t even look like a creeper but I was seriously afraid despite the fact that I knew he wasn’t. So when I got home, I talked to Ty about it [in tears] and he not only talked me back to reality, he gave me profound insight into what was going on. He said, “You realize what is happening right? You are doing research for your book.”

Bingo.

You see, when one is in the moment of false reality, it’s all they can see. I could have [and partially did] lived this whole day in fear and frustration if I didn’t have my husband to pull me out. I needed his perspective to prove that mine was skewed. It was false.

So today has been a day of research. A day of fear. But also a day of answered prayer. My memory is jogged and so today has also made great progress in my newness as a writer. All to say, I am writing from experience.

~JM

Divinely and Utterly Happy

Looking over my archived blogs I am ever so grateful for my life.

As one of my favorite actresses once said, “Did I tell you how divinely and utterly happy I am?” ~Holly Golightly [Breakfast @ Tiffany’s]. It was a trip down memory lane, glancing back at the girl I once was, seeing now the girl I still am, and just hoping for the woman I might become. Five years ago, as a 17 year old girl, my worries consisted of what college I would go to, my future career options, and who I was going to marry. 

Never in a million years would I have predicted all that has happened in those short five years. But I could not have chosen a better college to attend (GBC), nor a better major to pursue (psychology), nor would I have planned to come home 2 years early, just to change my major to Ministry Counseling and marry such a passionate and driven man with whom I would spend the rest of my life making music.

My plan for my life was quite different. I was going to get married at 19, finish my degree, work as a school psychologist at an alternative high school for 5 years and then start my enormous family [9 little ones to be exact]. Oh and I was going to find a church where I could sing on the worship team. There’s a verse in Proverbs that has never rang truer to me: “A man’s heart can make his plans, but the Lord directs his steps” [Proverbs 16:9]. But even though things did not pan out as I had imagined they would, I could not be more divinely and utterly happy. Seriously. And that does not necessarily mean that I am happy because I’ve got it good. No problems. Perfect husband. Perfect job. Perfect life. No way Jose. It is hard. It is dang hard. There are times when I am convicted in Scripture or when there is a principle of “Wife-hood” that I feel I just cannot learn. Times when I feel like I am a little girl starting at a budding flower.

Just staring.

And staring.

Hoping that by staring I will be able to figure something out. That the answers to my questions, the calm to my fears, will just jump out at me and I’ll say, “OH! That’s how it works!” “That’s what that means!” “That’s what I’m supposed to do!” But it doesn’t quite work that way. Just like math and music and spelling and reading, all learning takes first hand experience and boat loads of practice.

My dear friend Channing and I had a saying we would always remind each other of in high school. “Don’t pray for patience, because God’s not going to just give it to you.

He’s going to give you opportunities to learn it.” God is not going to just sprinkle some fairy dust and there ya go; lesson learned and attributes attained. His Word clearly illustrates that things will never be easy, but that His grace will always be sufficient [2 Corinthians 12:9].

It makes me think of the story of Moses in the Exodus from Egypt [Exodus 33]. He is freaking out in conversation with the Lord begging, “I have no idea where I am going. I need you to show me.” [Any of you said these words before...or even now??] And the Lord replies, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

He doesn’t say, “I will cause your heart and mind to trust me so that things run smoothly for us both.” He lets Moses know, it is going to be ok. He will give all that he needs, when he needs it. He will learn and he will grow. He will thrive as the leader of these people.

Just like us.

So this is my challenge to you: Rest. Rest in knowing that God will supply your every need. Rest in knowing that anything and everything you go through, He knows about it and promises that you’ll make it through. Rest in knowing that hard times purge the bad stuff out and grow the new stuff in.
If there’s one thing I know with all my heart, it is that the Lord is faithful to His people and that, my friends, keeps me divinely and utterly happy.

A Cause That Calls for Action

It has been heavy on my heart to make sure this blog serves strictly to raise awareness for these social issues and not to place my personal convictions on the hearts of my readers. If reading this causes your heart to stir, then please contribute in whichever way you believe you are being called to. For some it may be the power of prayer for these hurting children. For others it may be giving financially to this organization or another with the same cause. For others it may be giving of your time to volunteer and aid in raising awareness. Whatever your chosen involvement, it will make a difference. I promise.

I have known about this organization for about a year now. When I was first made aware of this grave injustice, my heart broke. So I made a commitment to pray. I didn’t know what else to do. But about two weeks ago I had an experience that I cannot brush off, nor can I claim as coincidence.

For the last 3 months or so I have been having these nightmares. It got so bad that my husband has started praying for my mind to rest in God’s peace before we go to bed. So this one night, he prayed and we went to bed. He woke up early and left for a meeting, while I got some extra zzz’s. However, during that extra sleep time, I had the scariest, most real dream of my life. Here is an excerpt from my journal that morning:

I woke up in this dark and dirty tavern. My vision was fuzzy but I could tell there were men drinking all around me. Then women started to come in and sit with the men and it was as if we were all going to watch a play. The curtain to the stage was drawn and actors were running about frantically. I decided I needed to find my husband. I looked backstage, in the side rooms, outside, but he was nowhere to be found. And people I had known for years were walking by me as if they had never known me before. No welcoming smiles. Only the sound of drunken brash men and the high pitched yelping of their women.
It was then that I realized, I was living in a brothel.

For some reason the brothel allowed its girls to go home on the weekends, so I raced home to look for my husband and any other men I could find to rescue me from this awful place. But much to my dismay, I found no one. I was running out of time so I returned to the brothel, took out my red journal and began writing down the names of all the men in my life that I would round up next time I went home. I also wrote a prayer that went something like this, “God I know I’m here for some reason. I’m confused but I know you are going to use this in other girls lives somehow. You always do. I trust you.” As I was writing, the girl sitting next to me nudged me as a warning that the headmaster was coming. I hurriedly slipped the journal beneath my leg as he approached my table. He proceeded to tell me that I had broken the code of silence and that I was to be punished. He pulled a drill out from his pocket, grabbed my right hand, and began to drill a hole in the flesh between my thumb and index finger.

At this point I woke up in a frantic with a sharp pain in the exact spot of my dream. I thought maybe my hand had fallen asleep or that something had bitten me, but nothing. No mark and my hand was fully functional. It took me a while to remember where I was and realize that everything was just a nightmare. But then the real pain hit me. For me, it was just a nightmare. But for thousands of boys and girls across the world, it was reality. They didn’t get to wake up.

Soon after I started researching organizations on this topic of sex-trafficking and remembered about Love146. I searched their website, watched every single video, and read all the blog entries about what these people are trying to accomplish. It is amazing. To see and hear the stories of lives they’ve touched, girl’s who were considered “discarded” from brothels are now finding new lives in the recovery homes. Girl’s and boys who once lived their lives as gruesome entertainment and pleasure of others, now experience Freedom and Hope.

I am brought to tears again and again because I know the God of the universe and I know He sees the pain and suffering of these children. And yet, He is still good, He is still sovereign, and He is still God. And He uses people like me and you to bring justice and peace to this hurting world. I mean, logically, if He was such a powerful God could He not just free those children Himself? The answer is yes He could. But time and time again He reveals to us in His Word that, “they will know you are My disciples by your love for one another” (John 13:35). It is our job, as believers, to brings justice to those who are in need. To rescue the weak, give homes to the poor and needy, and be advocates for those who cannot advocate for themselves.

We do not serve a God who is absent from our current troubles nor the injustice of the world. He makes a promise in Psalms that says, “Because of the devastation of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the needy, Now I will arise,” says the LORD; “I will set him in the safety for which he longs.” (Psalm 12:5) We serve a great God who, in His time, will bring all injustice to its right judgement. But for now, we, His people, have the responsibility to arise and help in the ways we see necessary. The greatest crutch we have created is the mentality that someone else will do it. If that was the mentality of Rob Morris and his crew, Love146 would never have existed. Lives would not have been saved. And hope would never have been birthed in those beautiful girls.

Below is the story of how this organization came to be. I hope that you will read it and be inspired as I was. I was not only inspired to DO something about it, but to change my own mentality of how I face everyday life. That when I am complaining about the amount of laundry that needs to get done, or become petty on what my husband does or does not do for me, I remember this story and realize how selfish and minute my complaints really are. This is the story of the hundreds of defenseless women and children all around our world.
————————————————–

A Number for Her Name

[Excerpts taken from Love146.org]
In 2002, the co-founders of Love 146 travelled to South East Asia on an exploratory trip to determine how they could serve in the fight against child sex trafficking. In one experience, a couple of our co-founders were taken undercover with investigators to a brothel, where they witnessed children being sold for sex. This was their experience. This is the story that changed our lives.
“We found ourselves standing shoulder to shoulder with predators in a small room, looking at little girls through a pane of glass. All of the girls wore red dresses with a number pinned to their dress for identification. They sat, blankly watching cartoons on TV. They were vacant, shells of what a child should be. There was no light in their eyes, no life left. Their light had been taken from them. These children…raped each night… seven, ten, fifteen times every night. They were so young. Thirteen, eleven… it was hard to tell. Sorrow covered their faces with nothingness. Except one girl. One girl who wouldn’t watch the cartoons. Her number was 146. She was looking beyond the glass. She was staring out at us, with a piercing gaze. There was still fight left in her eyes. There was still life left in this girl…

“…All of these emotions begin to wreck you. Break you. It is agony. It is aching. It is grief. It is sorrow. The reaction is intuitive, instinctive. It releases a wailing cry inside of you. It elicits gut-level indignation. It is unbearable. I remember wanting to break through the glass. To take her away from that place. To scoop up as many of them as I could into my arms. I wanted to break through the glass to tell her to keep fighting. To not give up. To tell her that we were coming for her…”

“Because we went in as part of an ongoing, undercover investigation on this brothel, we were unable to immediately respond. Evidence had to be collected in order to bring a raid, and eventually justice on those running the brothel. Some time later, there was a raid on this brothel and children were rescued. But the girl who wore #146 was no longer there. We do not know what happened to her, but we will never forget her. She changed the course of all of our lives.” -Rob Morris, President and Co-founder
You may be asking the question, “How do I get involved?” First, educate yourself on this issue. There is plenty of material on the Love146 website for you to explore through. Second, this Spring Tyson and I are hoping to have a benefit concert for this organization. If you are interested in participating, you can email me at juliannahallworth@gmail.com.
With great ambition,
~JM

I Am My Husbands "Know-Not"

So Ty and I were driving the other day, a normal day, and admist our conversation he turned to me and said, “Babe, it wasn’t until I got married that I realized I don’t have all the answers.” To which I replied, “I am your Know-Not! I remind you how much you don’t know! I’m gonna blog about this.” haha.

Of course when I said that I would blog about it, I meant no dishonor to my amazingly wonderful husband, he really is a smart man. But this concept is as true as the sky is blue. When you begin to relate closely with other people, there are times when you realize that there are things you have thought for years or opinions you hold, that fall flat.

Let me give you two examples:
Example number one. I was raised with the notion that vacuuming, in place of sweeping, was an effective way to clean the house. You had less of a chance of spreading the dirt and could just suck it up. Plus with all the little fun gadgets (I may be the only one who thinks they are fun) you could get around the edges of things you wouldn’t be able to with a mere broom. And! When you sweep, you have to pick up everything you gathered. When you vacuum it all goes away. However, Tyson was raised the direct opposite. So when it came time to clean the house, my husband grabbed a broom and I hooked up the vacuum.
I asked, “What are you doing?”
And he replied, “I’m cleaning. This way is much faster and less setup.”
“Faster, maybe, but effective, not so much. There’s more steps to take.”
(I shortened our conversation for the sake of your sanity because we went on for literally 20 minutes.)
So who won the cleaning war you ask? No one. Our house stayed un-swept and un-vacuumed. But it did get me thinking, maybe he’s right. Maybe it is faster and less work. Opinion compromised.

Example number two. (This is a serious one). A lot of women, including myself, sometimes take pride in their stubbornness. Sometimes we equate stubbornness with strength. If we’re challenged or pushed, we stick to our guns…that makes us strong. I formed the first 19 years of my life on this concept. Violated as a child by someone who was supposed to love me, the course of my life had taken a naturally callused road. My mother, who was my rock and my prayer warrior, taught me by example what it looked like to be a woman of strength. However, what I gleaned from her example was one-sided. What I gleaned was the strong, dignified, no-one is going to hurt me again idea that she portrayed so well. What I did not glean was the soft, sweet, trusting in the ways of the Lord spirit she also lived. As a result, I became hard-headed, argumentative, and in a sense, the wall of “line-backer” defense I had set out to become. (SideNote: That is the extent of my football knowledge). The trick was, however, to not let anyone see that stubborn side. I had to obtain a sweet, simple, loving spirit so that people could not detect the hardening that was taking place in my heart. Did I love the Lord? With all my heart. Did I genuinely love people? Absolutely. Did I love my family and friends? With everything in me. But did I allow true authentic closeness with anyone? Negative.

(Still example number two I once told a friend I was never going to need a guy. I specifically remember telling this friend that it would be the first thing I would tell any guy I dated, “I don’t need you in my life. I am ok on my own.” Every guys dream words right? Wrong. But, like a stubborn woman does, I stuck to my guns. A couple months into the relationship (after the marriage talk had already confirmed our future together) I told Tyson those exact words. Thinking for sure he would run, or at least freak out, he simply replied, “Are you sure?” “Of course I’m sure,” I replied. “I think it’s silly and way too dependent for girls to feel they need a guy. Guys let you down and our dependence should be on the Lord only.” (A bit of my self-righteousness sneaking in there). I’m sure even Ty would say that the words I was saying were true. Our hope and assurance should always be in God alone, but he knew that was not where this high horse was coming from. This was the man I was going to marry. I was going to vow to commit myself to him…forever. I was trusting that he was going to provide for me and our future family. I was trusting that he was going to love me, adore me, and care for me for the next 60+ years. And here I was telling him I did not need him. With all certainty and confidence, this was my opinion, my stance.

Then I got married.

Tommy Nelson, a pastor and one of the most engaging communicators I have ever heard, once said, “Marriage is like putting a revolver in the hands of your spouse, holding it up to your temple and trusting they won’t pull the trigger because they have character.” AH! How flooring is that? But it’s so true!! After hearing that message, my view of trust and need in my marriage is beginning to shift. I am seeing how much I need my husband in my life. How much God calls us to rely on one another. And this does not strictly apply to marriage. We need relationships, friendships that will sharpen and grow us in our spiritual maturity. Beth Moore once said, “Thank God for the people who bring out the worst in you. They purge out the bad so that God can scrape it off.” Though we must not become exclusively dependent on another, we should look to each other for encouragement, accountability, and grace through this mist we call life.

So this is my challenge to you:

If you are married, tell your spouse how much you appreciate them (regardless of the situation).

If you are not married, tell a friend how much you appreciate them.

We need each other. And thanks babe, for returning the favor and being my “Know-Not”.

Ephesians 4:1-5
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Colossians 3:12-17
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

~JM

A Wedding Day for the History Books

Two weeks to the day, I was Julianna Hallworth.

Now, I am delightfully referred to as Julianna Morlet.

Relaxing. Amazing. Beautiful. Christ-centered. Smooth. Fun. Perfect. These are the words that describe our wedding day. It is definitely one for history books. With 600 friends and family surrounding us, I felt so much love, hope, and happiness from the hearts of people who have been praying for us, loving on us, and encouraging us through this journey. But the thing that I am most satisfied in my heart about is that not one single person could have walked away that day doubting they heard the message of Jesus Christ and the purpose of His Church. The ceremony was exquisite. Tyson and I could not stop talking about it our whole honeymoon. The way everything flowed and the words of wisdom all the pastors had for us (there were four of them) made our wedding the most memorial day in my life. The Lord was most definitely the focal point and for that we are grateful. It was our prayer that nothing would distracted from such. And I believe that prayer was answered.


We also could not have asked for a better bridal party. With 11 bridesmaids and 10 groomsmen, 4 flower girls, and 2 ring bearers, let’s just say, the party never ceased to amaze me. They were so much fun, they were so incredibly helpful in all the preparation and day of set-up, and we love each and every one of them so dearly. We definitely raised some eyebrows when we would tell people how many were in our wedding party, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

And the Song Writing Continues

We’re back in the zone again! The words are flying, melodies ringing, harmonies falling into place, concepts becoming concrete. Song-writing is such a weird thing because the song becomes who you are, what you have been through or what you are going through. In these last couple days of engagement Tyson and I have felt an enormous weight of brokeness for the loved ones around us. It was initially weird to us that all this emotional turmoil would hit so close to our wedding day, a time when we were supposed to be over-the-top excited. But then we both realized how natural it really is. If we cannot hurt with one another, how will we relate. That is what the Christian life is about: community, accountability, love, compassion and grace.

So as we hurt with our loved ones who hurt, and rejoice with those who rejoice, we know that in these next couple of days and the next 50+ years, they will hurt when we hurt, and celebrate when we celebrate.

Oh how I love the body of Christ. Oh how I love my family.

What does community mean to you?
Who should you be hurting with?
Who should you be celebrating with?

~Julianna

Who Forgets About Their Wedding Cake???

Me! I love sweets, I love candy, I love desserts, so how on earth could I have forgotten about my own wedding cake? We know what I’ll be doing tomorrow. Along with bridesmaid shoe searching, reception list making, and flower ordering. One step at a time.

The last two months have been quite interesting. A couple friend of ours got engaged on Tuesday and it was like living the happiness and excitement all over again. I feel like it should be too soon to say, “Remember when we got engaged…” but that’s what we said! haha. Everything is still a fresh memory, but life has a way of solidifying those memories with real life happenstances. Those joys and feelings of love have quickly been tested by the roots of commitment and selflessness.

I led worship last weekend at our Women’s Retreat and the last day I shared about what I was currently learning in the Word of God. At the time is was a small lesson that I did not know was going to grow into the cornerstone of my future marriage. The lesson was this: God gives every human being a calling…every woman, every man. But when God has called a woman into marriage, her primary ministry and service to God transfers from those around her to her husband. In their marriage, he becomes the minister. He becomes the hands and feet, the mouth and wisdom of their relationship and she serves him as unto the Lord. Now this is not a power issue, nor is it a “all women should be seen and not heard” speech. Me of all people would never in a million years agree with those statements. However, the Lord fashioned me, shaped me, molded me to fit this man who He fashioned, shaped, and molded to fit me and together we complete the work He has called us to. I think I got to a point in my life where “the next step” was a godly man who could take me, take us, where I had never been before; musically and spiritually. He is now our leader. The responsibility is on him to seek the Lord for the direction of our lives and my responsibility is to pray for him as he leads. He has a huge responsibility:

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish…” Ephesians 5:25-7

Our husbands (future husbands) now have the responsibility to present us (wives, future wives) blameless before God, just as Christ will with the Church. Can you imagine?! But I know and I believe the God has bestowed grace upon such a sinful mankind that he will be able to accomplish the task. We are their helpers. We are their prayer warriors.

Now, I hope that you can see the image of my tear stained face between these typed lines because I have not lived up to this. It is not until recently that I have begun to live in a daily battle with my stubborn mind, my wounded heart, and my broken spirit to allow Tyson to lead me. And I know I am not alone. How many of us are afraid to trust? How many are afraid to allow someone to determine the direction of your life? How many live in fear of the plethora of possible mistakes he could make? ME! But I truly believe God honors the praying, believing woman. That is what LOVE is:

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
~1 Corinthians 13:7

It bears the burdens of life. It believes in the ability and the heart of your husband. It hopes for the best, giving the benefit of the doubt. And it endures the trials and troubles that come with the package.

This is love.

And for those of you who are single or dating, pray for your future husbands. Do not obtain this attitude of independence because it can easily turn to pride and arrogance…been there. Done that. Join with me as we, together, live into the humble power of prayer and love for the men in our lives.

~J

The Power of the Cross

It has been a while since I have written and for that I apologize. It is so easy for me to forget the great importance of mellow, reflective down time. Last week and the week approaching finds Tyson and I very busy with work and church, but it’s a good busy because this week is the passion week; the week of events leading up to Christ’s horribly gruesome death and glorious resurrection. (For a list of the events for this week click here.)

As many of you know, today is Palm Sunday; the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey welcomed by the Jews as their King. He was the one they had waited for. “Hosanna!” they cried (meaning: God save now), for they knew Jesus was sent to save them. But much to their surprise and dismay, Jesus was not coming to redeem them in the manner they had expected a great King to. Instead of over-throwing the Roman Empire, Jesus’ life portrayed humble submission and peace. The same Jesus they were worshipping and clinging to one day was the same Jesus they demanded crucified the next. Even pagans found no wrong in Him, yet because the people were so adamant, they ordered him crucified. (Luke chapters 22-24)

Bearing the treacherous pain and agonizing torment, the wrath of God was poured out upon the innocent lamb of God. Think about that for a second….God did not spare His own Son…His perfect Son…His beloved Son…All because of His sovereign and righteous judgement and amazing grace. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about grace. The message of the Bible is all about grace. The purpose of life is all about grace. John Piper says this about Jesus’ death and resurrection:

“Christ did not die to forgive sinners who go on treasuring anything above seeing and

savoring God. And people who would be happy in heaven if Christ were not there, will

not be there. The gospel is not a way to get people to heaven; it is a way to get people

to God. It’s a way of overcoming every obstacle to everlasting joy in God. If we don’t

want God above all things, we have not been converted by the gospel.”

Jesus did not endure what He did just so the population of heaven could rise. He came, died, and rose again for the purpose of bridging the gap between sinful man and a holy God. And in bridging that gap, He conquered death, sin, and condemnation by rising again through it all! He came to set the pace of a greater, more satisfying life of freedom from the bondage of the law. The freedom of grace. For me, it is not an option to live life without my Savior. It would be merely impossible. “If God is God—and He is—small with him is better than big with anybody. His old things are better than anybody’s new things. Being his child is better than having the world. And better to be blind with the invisible God than to see everything without him.” (John Piper) The gospel gives us a new life! It literally means for me to have a perspective change in EVERY area of my life. To refocus upon the cross of Jesus and the holiness of God. Who am I but a sinner saved by the grace of a loving and just God?

I cannot change my way of thinking, I am prone to sin.

It is the power of the Gospel that transforms lives and many of us bear witness to that.

So this Easter, what will you be celebrating?

How is the power of the Gospel transforming your life?

~JH

(Some extra reading: Romans 1:16; Romans 8:32; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31)