1 John 1:2

Good morning!

I just finished reading Verse 2 of our study, and at first struggled to see how it was much different from Verse 1 from yesterday! Sometimes going slowwllyy through Scripture is tantalizing and each little "bite" is quite enough. Other days and "bites" though, can seem bland or we can be unsure as to what God wants us to know about Him in such seemingly repetitive or simple words.

However, after I read the footnote on Verse 2, something popped right out at me! It says "he is also the source of life and sovereign over life". He gives us our life in baptism when beforehand we were actually the walking dead - in sin! In those short, grace-filled moments when the Word of God is spoken and the water is poured, a still lifeless soul is awakened and breathing full abundant, eternal life!!

This reminded me of course of the baptism of my nephew this weekend. :) It just bring tears of joy to see a baptism. How God promises to give eternal life and faith to a soul in baptism - it is the ultimate witness of grace working! How undeserving we are but his desire and love for us is magnificent! He wants us home with him someday to spend all of eternity with him! The way he values us, that he came from living with the Father in heaven to live with us on earth and not just live - but die a death unspeakable in order to have us with him forever.

And just a note in regards to starting a new study: I don't know if any of you have read this post on the other GMG site, but I want to share it because it has some great ideas for studying the Bible and encouragement for the commitment! I know without this tool, I am much slower to read my Bible daily and use it for the life power and resource it is! When I really think about it, it's so obvious why at any point I feel the way I do in anger or frustration or worry (the list could go on!)...my filter isn't clean and my faith and heart aren't recharged! I confess that there's been too many stretches of time without God's Word, and after those times, I can only thank God for his patience and forgiveness towards me. I want a relationship with him that is strong and fruitful - but why do I act sometimes like I'm just a distant acquaintance?!

So, I am thankful for each of you that take the time for this accountability and encouragement group. I know God is using each of you as well as many other women all over the world going through this study with me, to do amazing things and to stretch our faith so we don't grow stagnant! According to the enrollment over at the  GMG site, 

"We have women in Guam, Singapore, Italy, South Africa, Ukraine, the Caribbean,  Israel, Germany, Austria, Costa Rica, Japan, Switzerland, Palestine and more!  Nearly ever state is covered from the west coast with a group in Orange County, California, to Oregon, Washington and two groups in Hawaii to Las Vegas, Chicago, North and South Dakota, Montana, Iowa down to Florida, Texas, Alabama, Louisiana, and over to New York, Maryland and Ohio!"

...cool, right? Needless to say, there's lots of alarm clocks going off and coffee pots brewing each morning as we all study God's word together in the mornings! (Or in the evenings or whenever you know is your best time...) :)

Praying you all have a day full of blessings! When you notice them or experience them - please share your joy! 

Love,

Cait