I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
A Christ-like Aroma
Studies have shown that specific scents can evoke strong emotional memories and activate our brain in unique ways. The olfactory system, responsible for our sense of smell, directly links the brain's areas associated with memory and emotion.
In Ephesians 5:1-2, Paul describes a unique kind of scent—not one we can smell with our noses, but one that is evidence of a life lived in imitation of Christ: "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
Just as scents linger and leave an imprint, when we imitate Christ–choosing love over indifference, forgiveness over resentment, and selflessness over self-interest–our lives become a fragrant aroma to God and to those around us.
It’s not always easy to mirror Christ's love. It is, however, always a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God that permeates our relationships, workplaces, and communities, even if we don’t see it or feel it.
So consider your actions, words, and attitudes today. Reflect on the fragrance they might emit. How aligned are they with the love and sacrificial nature of Christ? Imagine Christ's love as a transformative fragrance, not just lingering but deeply impacting. Meditate on one specific way you can imitate Christ's love and sacrificial nature in your daily interactions.
Truth Changes Everything
Think about the best news you've ever received in your life. Maybe it was a doctor walking into a waiting room and saying, "The surgery went perfectly." Maybe it was a phone call that said, "You got the job." Maybe it was two lines on a pregnancy test you'd been praying for.
Good news changes everything.
But none of those moments, as incredible as they are, even come close to the truth delivered on the first Easter morning:
"He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay."
Matthew 28:6 (NIV)
Jesus had been crucified publicly, brutally, and officially. He was wrapped, sealed in a tomb. There was no question. Jesus was dead. It was true.
But when His followers Mary and Mary Magdalene arrived to grieve? The stone was rolled away. The tomb was empty. And an angel met them with the most stunning announcement in human history.
But the angel doesn’t just tell the women the truth. He invites them to look for themselves. To step inside. To experience the...
