Be Free!

Happy Wednesday, Dear Friends!

As I announced to you last week, I will be posting every Wednesday from now on.

My goal for this blog it twofold:

To encourage you in your walk of faith, and to hear what God is teaching you as well.

Yesterday morning during an especially sweet time of prayer, I stumbled across this passage:

And so God can always point to us as examples of the incredible wealth of his favor and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us through Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:7)

And it got me thinking...am I an example of the wealth of His favor and kindness? Yes, He has offered it to me at a great cost to Himself, but to what extent have I allowed "the power that raised Christ from the dead" to be at work in my life?

Dear friends, it is both our privilege and our responsibility to walk in the freedom Christ has secured for us!

Think about certain areas in your life where things are a little bumpy, or inconsistent. Think about areas where nerves are still exposed or anger easily flares. These are the areas to go after with God!

Instead of biding our time or walking with a limp, let us come boldly into God's presence and truly expect that His mercy will forgive, His grace will make room, and His power will redeem.

Back when I taught aerobics, I had a boss who was an amazing decorator. Her home looked like a page out of a magazine. Whenever her builder had a perspective buyer he would use her home as an example of his handiwork.

She was blessed with a nice structure of a home. But she took it to the next level by filling every room with warm colors, pictures of memorable moments, and furniture that made you want to sit down and read a good book.

Many people have been blessed with a nice home only to allow the cares and chaos of life to take it over and make every room a crowded mess. Obviously, a builder wouldn't be quick to point to their home and say, "Just look at what I have created!"

In the Old Testament we are told of a time when God looked down on mankind and saw such evil and selfishness in their hearts, He became sorry He ever made them.

But the Redeemer has come! And with the power of His ressurection comes the access we need to live life to the fullest.

Ephesians 1 tells us that we have everything we need because we've been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heaven...because we belong to Christ.

Determine to be free. Go after your freedom until you get it! Take hold of all that's been offered you because of the unfathomable love and kindness of Christ.

May your life be one where Jesus and the angels happily point to YOU as an evidence of God's great handiwork. May it please them to raise you up as an example of His redeeming work. May your life be holy and sanctified so that others feel at home in your presence. And may you always nurture and care for the precious gifts God has deposited within you.

Peace to you, my friends.

Let me hear from you..

I'll be back next Wednesday.

Until then, live by faith, and be free.

Victory this Winter!

Happy 2007, Everyone!

I trust that your holiday season was a blessed one.

As many of you know, Monday has typically been my "Blogging Day."

But with new schedule demands, I need to move that day to Wednesday. So starting next week, I will post on Wednesday. Please consider subscribing to this Blog's feed so that you will recieve notification when I post.

Now, on to today's topic...

I don't know about you, but the winter season is typically my toughest season. Because of the residual effects of Lyme Disease, my bones and joints tend to be especially sore during this season. I feel my best when I am out in the warm weather, biking in the sun, and working up a sweat!

Everybody is different. For some of you, winter may be your best time of year. Either way, I think we all relate to having a less-than-favorite time of year.

A while back I was praying about this winter season, asking God for a special grace to get through it. The Lord "one-up'd" me by saying, "You will not only 'get through' this winter, you will walk victoriously through it! LOOK for my ressurection power this season and you will find it!"

I was instantly struck by the stark (but all-too-familiar) contrast between my perspective and God's.

Since that morning in prayer, I've been constantly nudged by the Holy Spirit to "look up."

The other day I pulled into my driveway and got out of my car. As I walked toward the house, I heard a bird sing. I stopped in my tracks and turned around.

We were enjoying an unusually warm winter day. The snow was melting, the sky was blue, and a bird was singing!

I looked up at the strong oak tree in our front yard and sure enough, a tiny little bird had its eyes toward heaven and was singing a beautiful song. For a brief moment, I thought it was springtime. I inhaled the fresh air, looked up at the sky once more and thanked God for a visual reminder of a heavenly promise.

His promises are true all of the time. We may celebrate Easter in the spring, but the power of Christ's ressurection is available all year long.

The next morning during my prayer time, I listened to a few songs one typically hears at Easter time. Easter is my favorite holiday because it surrounds me with reminders of God's intimate love and His power to make all things new.

Just because I've yet to put away all of my Christmas decorations, doesn't mean I can't "take out" my Easter decor.

I'm going to walk in victory this winter by fixing my eyes on the Promise we celebrate in the spring. When the sky is blue I am going to walk outside, lift my eyes and take it in. When the clouds move in, I'm going to play the songs that remind me, that above the clouds, the blue sky is still very much in place.

Some of you may not be able to relate to my "winter struggle" but you have gray days and seasons of your own.

The Bible says that God surrounds us with His tender mercies. The Bible also says that blessings chase the righteous, and they overtake us!

Look to the Lord and His strength today. Seek His face always.

Amidst this winter season, look for signs of springtime. Be reminded of the promise of renewal. Even in the winter, the promises of renewal and replenishment have been made available to you today.

Bless you, dear friends!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Greetings, Everyone!

I just wanted to let you know that I will be taking a "Blog-Break" for a couple of weeks to enjoy the holidays with my family.

If you want to read a fun blog about my New Year Resolutions, visit the CAN Blog. The easiest way to access that Blog is to go to my website at: www.susielarson.com and then click on the Christian Authors Network Blog link in the left margin.

I pray you'll be inspired.

I will return on Monday, January 8th.

Be blessed, my friends!

Peace~

Defining Your Journey...

Every "Eve of Christmas Eve" we sit down for a candlelight family dinner. With the exception of the Christmas tree lights and the flickering flame of the candles on the table, every other light in the house is turned off. A classical Christmas piano CD plays in the background giving the whole night a sense of atmosphere.

The boys each sit in their regular places. Kevin and I take our places at the opposite ends of the table. We look around and smile. A few goofy statements are made, causing everyong to laugh. We hold hands, bow our heads, and pray. And then we begin our discussion. One we have every year...

Every Eve of Christmas Eve, we gather around the table for two reasons: to talk about what God has done and to anticipate what He will do the following year.

Years ago we began every "Eve of Eve" dinner with these two questions:

What has God done in and through you this year?

What do you sense He wants to do in this upcoming year?

One year Luke answered the first question with these words,

"I learned that when you're thankful, life is so much better."



That same year Jake answered the second question this way:

"I sense that God wants me to understand all that's available to me because of Him. And I think He wants me to appropriate those things in my life."

Last year Jordan said something like this, "God cares about every detail of my life. I get the sense that He wants me to be more bold for Him so that others know how much He cares for them."

What a powerful thing it is to stop amidst the busy season and remember what God has done. When we talk about the faithfulness of God, our faith is encouraged and our expectation increases. Instead of being stressed by our long list of to-do's, we are blessed by the long list of ways God has come through for us. When we share the ways that God is stirring in us and wants to teach us, we are compelled to be more earnest in our pursuit of Him

We've shared this wonderful tradition for a number of years now. The questions no longer need to be asked but we ask them anyway; and then we share our answers over a nice Christmas meal.

I pray for moments of peace around your table this year. May you pause and recall the many ways God has come through for you. May you continue onward in your faith journey knowing that He will faithfully lead you. And may your heart overflow with thanks because you know that since Peace came to earth, Joy came to stay.

A Special Note...

Greetings Dear Friends!

I'm posting a little early this week because I am flying out tomorrow to meet with my publisher for the next few days. Most of you know that I post every Monday, but this time, my usual post will appear on Wednesday when I return.

In the meantime I want to share something very important with you. Some of you who know me know that the issue of human trafficking has been weighing on me for the last year or two. Through a series of divine connections, I was introduced to a POWERFUL mission that is very close to my heart. International Justice Mission works tirelessly to rescue little girls forced into prostitution, prosecute the perpetrators, transition the victims back into life, and strengthen communities so they will no longer allow such a practice to take place. Well I am thrilled to tell you that I've recently joined with Christian artist Sara Groves as Minnesota's representatives for IJM.

We will be hosting a fund raising banquet on Tuesday, May 15th, 2007; please mark your calendars, save your money, and plan on joining us if you live in the area.

Jesus calls us to release the captives, rescue those in need, and bring justice to the oppressed.

IJM is doing just that.

Please consider supporting this powerful organization. I would love to see you in May.

That's all for now~

Blessings to you and yours!