Greetings, Dear Friends!

Susie Larson here...

And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. Each month I give away a $10.00 Starbucks gift card to someone who posts on my blog. For the months of March AND April I will give away away a gift card and a couple of copies of my new book, "Growing Grateful Kids."  And it's time to announce the winners for March. Drum roll, please...

Alisha Hughes - A copy of Growing Grateful Kids

Lisa Nishimura - A copy of Growing Grateful Kids

Heather (don't know last name - posted March 16) - A $10.00 gift card to Starbucks.

Congratulations to you! Please send me an email with your mailing address and we'll get the books and gift card out within the next 7-10 days.

To the rest of you, leave a post, share an insight, bless lots of people, and just maybe you'll win a fun treat next month!

A Quick Note:

I am thrilled to announce the release of my next book: Growing Grateful Kids: Teaching Them to Appreciate an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Places." Let me tell you, I am excited about the message in this book. If you have children at home (or grandchildren you want to influence spiritually), order a copy today. I do believe this book will equip you to parent from a spiritual perspective (but it's loaded with lots of practical application). You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll be inspired and encouraged (that was my goal, anyway). :) 

Now, on to my topic...

I am excited about what I have to share with you today!

If you've read my recent weekly posts, you know I am in a season of learning about a new gear in grace. Grace for salvation is one thing (and what a blessed thing it is), but grace to live and to do the extraordinary is something more altogether. 

This spring speaking season for me is one of intensity, demand, and constant work. In between events and even between sessions I have battled some major fatigue, but whenever it is time to step up, God surprises me with a fresh infilling of strength, clarity, and boldness. Over and over again comes the whisper across my heart, "My power is perfected in your weakness." This has been the song of my heart for the past several weeks. 

What happens when we get weary? We become self-aware. We look down. We notice gravity. The older I get, the more gravity bothers me. I am so not thrilled about what happens to your skin when you get older! But even on a more important level, when we are weary, it's easy to notice how far we fall short and how feeble our efforts can be. These kinds of perspectives keep us chained to an earthbound existence. 

The other day I read Romans 8:1-2 and though I've seen it a thousand times before, it about knocked me over. There is now therefore, NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has SET ME FREE from the law of sin and death. 

If we are in Christ Jesus, there IS NO condemnation in us! No root, no weed, no seed (unless we allow it to be there). We have a blood-bought right to be FREE of condemnation! Which means we are free to be God-aware and not self aware!

This morning I was getting ready to go work out and I looked in the mirror and frowned at a few of the things that have been bothering me about myself. Just like that the Holy Spirit whispered across my heart, "Stop looking at yourself!" And let me tell you, those were words straight from heaven!

We'll never get anywhere or do anything significant as long as our gaze remains fixed on ourselves! 

Are you more sin-aware than God aware? Are you still counting your sins and feeling the weight of their debt? Because Jesus has cleared the slate! They are GONE! You are FREE to skip and jump and run and celebrate a debt that is no more!

Read this wonderful poem by W.N. Tomkins:

Reach my blest Savior first, take Him from God's esteem; 

Prove Jesus bears one spot of sin, then tell me I'm unclean.

Love that. When the enemy holds up your account, you point to the cross! Shout out, "Look at Jesus, my risen Lord, and just try and tell me I'm unclean! He took my sin and now I am clean! I am the righteousness of God in Christ! I am an heir of God!" 

Are you more self-aware than God aware? Do your thoughts roam to the size of your thighs or your inability to organize, more than they do the majesty and the abilities of Almighty God? Lord, help us to lift our chin and look up.

Read this great excerpt from my 'Believer's Bible Commentary":

(Comparing the law of sin and death to life in Christ Jesus):

It's like the law of gravity. When you throw a ball into the air, it comes back down because it is heavier than the air it displaces. A living bird is also heavier than the air it displaces, but when you toss it up in the air, it flies away. The law of LIFE in the bird overcomes the law of gravity. So, the Holy Spirit supplies the risen life of the Lord Jesus, making the believer free from the law of sin and death." (p. 1708).

The law of LIFE in Christ Jesus overcomes the weight of our sins and our humanity!

Lord, help us to comprehend what You've offered us here. You've set us free from condemnation, from self-awareness, and from the law of sin and death. Though this is true, it will never affect and impact our lives when we embrace unbelief and when we insist on looking more at ourselves than we look at You. It doesn't matter if we are weak or small or human - You made us this way - and You've purposed to show Yourself strong and mighty on our behalf! You desire to do the extraordinary in and through us! Have Your way, oh Lord! Break through our affinity for gravity and lift us up by Your grace. Help us to rise up with wings like eagles that we might live from an other-worldly perspective. Help us to draw from Your resources that we may look for and be expectant of supernatural results. In Your Name, we pray, Amen. 

What a gift God has given us! Our slate is clean, we have supernatural assistance every moment of the day, and we have an engaged, intimate Father who is with us every step of the way. This is the stuff of miracles.

You give ME Your shield of victory. Your right hand sustains ME. You stoop down to make ME great (Psalm 18:35). 

Amazing love.

Until next week~