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.
Say “Yes” to What Matters
Peter sat in grief and darkness. He had publicly denied knowing Jesus just before Jesus was crucified. And for a couple of days, Peter had to process his guilt without expecting it to go away. But on the third day, Jesus’ tomb was found empty and the stone rolled away.
Not long afterward though, Peter was out in a boat with several other disciples doing what he was trained to do before he met Jesus: fishing.
It’s as he’s doing this that Jesus appears. But instead of letting Peter continue to live with the shame of his past, Jesus pulls him aside and asks him a question that propels Peter into his purpose:
“Do you love me?”
Three times Jesus asks Peter this—one for each time Peter denied him. This wasn’t a passive-aggressive question: Jesus was inviting Peter to reaffirm the relationship he’d previously denied.
Every time Peter responds with, “Yes Lord, you know that I love you,” Jesus re-commissions Peter by calling him into the role of church builder and shepherd.
Jesus’ resurrection meant that Peter didn’t have to be defined by his mistakes. He could still embrace the call on his life and become the leader Jesus knew he could be.
Like Peter, you also have the opportunity to say “yes” to loving Jesus and being loved by Him. No matter how dysfunctional your life looks, or how far from Jesus you feel, there is nothing that can separate you from His love.
Your past mistakes or current problems do not dictate your purpose when your life is rooted in Christ.
God has given each of us access to a free gift we don’t deserve: a free gift that is available when we choose to love God and receive His relentless, sacrificial love for us.
The resurrection reassures us that no situation or mistake is impossible for God to redeem. There is no fear Jesus cannot conquer and no life He cannot heal. No darkness can stand against the power of the risen God who conquered death on our behalf.
There is nothing our God can’t do, and no one our God can’t redeem.
Today, say “yes” to Jesus and allow Him to reveal His deep, unending love for you.
A Look in the Mirror
As humans, our default setting isn't exactly selflessness. We often judge ourselves by our intentions, but judge others by their actions. We can be quick to accuse without first looking in the mirror.
But Jesus calls us to live differently:
“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.”
Matthew 7:12 NLT
Often referred to as the “golden rule,” it’s a brilliant litmus test for discerning how to respond to people in the face of hardship, uncertainty, and pain.
Here are some ways we can apply this verse to our daily lives:
WHEN SOMEONE HURTS YOU...
Think: Have you ever hurt someone, either accidentally or intentionally? And when the mistake was made or realized, did you want to be screamed at and given a harsh consequence, or did you long for grace and a second chance?
To the extent that we forgive, we are forgiven. So what if, today, we give others the same grace, compassion, and mercy that ...
