I’m reading Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow right now and I’m loving it! She hooks you from the very beginning, quoting a missionary who made a vow not to complain (even about the weather)… powerful stuff.

I had a pretty sucky day – you name it and it all came at me at once today – but in keeping with all that I’m learning from this book, I decided not to list my complaints, but instead list my confessions. When was the last time we actually confessed our sins? Other than Catholics, I don’t know many who do this. We might admit to a past sin; now that we’re all saved and fire-proofed, we can mention it without pause. But what about the sin we’re walking around in right now?

I had quite a list – selfish, disrespectful, impatient, slow to forgive and quick to get angry, unloving – this is the abridged version; the real one is 4+ pages long.

So what’s the point? to wallow in some sin and shame and guilt? ABSOLUTELY NOT. It’s to remind myself a) of the importance and place that confession has (a discipline God tells us to do for our own benefit), and b) to never believe the lie that I’m “kinda doing ok” with sin – like I can “manage” it somehow without actually having to confess or own up to it. That’s the worst. You know who that characterizes in the Bible? The Pharasees. I do not want to look in the mirror and see a Pharasee.

The whole point of confessing is fully owning up to it so that the next step – a crucial one to the process – repentance can be fully embraced. If you never quite admit that you did something wrong, it’s hard to fully turn from what you didn’t exactly claim to have done. It’s a healthy part of the whole spiritual wellness thing if we truly move from confession to repentance and walk fully in the forgiveness that we know we’ve had since Christ said, “It is finished,” over 2000 years ago.

It was done then and it is done now. We are forgiven. Period. Someone once said that living in sorrowful guilt (which is NOT what God intended as part of the process of maturation) is like hanging Jesus back on the cross every time you sin, and then begging for the forgiveness He’s already given you. He was crucified once. He was buried once. He is resurrected. He is risen. And if we believe, our old selves are crucified with Christ and it is not us who live, but Christ in us, living and accomplishing His will for our lives.

All that to say, it was a really great exercise: instead of listing my complaints to God, I confessed my many sins and shortcoming before God. He already knew. They’re already forgiven. I’m fully accepted. I’m loved unconditionally.

It turned around my sucky day and I feel better and a wee bit more mature in my faith. It moved me from a “I’m mad because the world owes me and things should be better than all this” list to a “I’m grateful that You love me and give freely of Your life and love and grace” list – a vast improvement.

Me: What are you most looking forward to about London?

Grant: Dancing on roof tops with brooms.

Me: …

Grant: Watching nannies come in and out with the changing wind.

I love my husband so much. He gets me.

Grant and I have had so much fun over the past few days.

Thursday we headed to 5 Paces to support a charity event benefitting the Susan G. Komen search for the cure. A few of our friends – Kellan,Rob, and another guy – played and sang everything from Jack and Diane to Rihanna and Bribed. It was immensely entertaining and the singing wasn’t bad either.

Friday night we set my friend Coco up with one of my boss’s friends, Matt. The six of us went to dinner in the Highlands at Surin of Thailand first around eight. It was really good and the portions were so big we each had a little of everyone else’s. Very tasty. Around ten we made our way to Dark Horse Tavern for a few low key drinks only to discover that in the basement they had live rock band karaoke. This was not the game, but a real live rockin’ band and when you sing you are the lead singer. To say it was amazing would be an understatement. We. Were. Rockstars. Shannah sang “Welcome to the Jungle,” Matt sang “Bohemean Rhapsody,” I sang “Anyway You Want It,” and Coco sang “Living on a Prayer.” All were crowd pleasers. We’re trying to immediately set up when we’re going back.

Saturday, Coco and I met up with Leen in Piedmont park. We ran into the Altmixes in the dog park where Georgia and Stella got some play time and headed over to Park Tavern for a leisurely late lunch in the sun. Phenom.

Saturday night we went to dinner with Brian and Kendra at Noche in the Highlands. It was really good. They serve tapas, so again we got to taste a little bit of everything and it was mmm mmm good.

This morning we’re going to Grace Midtown and after the past few days, I’m seriously questioning why we don’t just move yo Midtown. Well, out lease is up in April, so maybe we’ll see!

What have you been up to lately?

We know pretty well the story of God parting the Red Sea to save Moses and the Israelites from impending death as they escape from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 14:13-31).

Some take aways from this miracle:

• It took the faith of one man: Moses
• It took space – the people stood back and watched from a distance
• It took time – “the wind blew all that night” (v. 21)

The story we hear less about is the second time God parts the waters for the salvation of His people Israel (Joshua 3). When God moves He rarely never does the same thing twice; so, even though these two stories are similar, there are striking differences.

• This took the faith of the leader, Joshua, the 12 leaders of the 12 tribes and the levitical preists
• This was a much more close encounter: the people had to leave their camp and come to the water’s edge and the priests had to get their feet wet (v.14, 8)
• This was immediate – “as soon as the feet of the priests touched the water… [it] backed up a great distance…” (v.15-16)

What can we learn from this? God is faithful; He will move on our behalf and to His great glory; earlier in our walk He may show up in huge ways that require very little on our part; as we mature and walk deeper into sanctification He may ask more on our part – more faith, more commitment – we may have to get our feet wet before we even see a hint of the miracle to come, but He is able and powerful to move and He will make a way where there was no way before (Psalm 77:19b).

In case you’re wondering,
What’s His motivation…? I mean, other than the fact that miracles bring glory to His name, why would He move on my behalf?

The answer is simple:
“He led me to a place of safety; He rescued me because He delights in me.” (Psalm 18:19)

Brandon and Elizabeth are getting married this weekend! Grant’s in the wedding and we’re headed out of town today at lunch. The place where they’re getting married is beautiful and the whole ceremony, reception and weekend should be pretty awesome.

In the words of my infinitely wise (and newly engaged) friend, Megen:
“Weddings are the best!”

Amen.