Some more ramblings...

God is moving and shaking and working amongst the chaos. Good, hard conversations. Redemption's coming through brokenness. Honesty. Holiness. The daily grind is hard on the soul and tends to make me feel the sorrow of the world. Sorrowing well, I haven't been good at it. I am learning. The longing and cravings inside every one's soul of this "is not as good as it goes". Never was meant to be. Thank goodness.
Sharing hope. Sharing life with others even when it's messy and hard and filled with darkness. Their can be beauty. It can be taxing, but it can be Holy. It can be life giving and the next minute suck the life out of you. God is constantly putting people in my path who are struggling. I can give them hope. Just retelling my story...His glory....brings tears to my eyes and hope once again to my own soul. "Kicking in the gates of hell" as my mentor says is what it feels like. One heartache at a time, but Satan will not win. God has given me truth to speak. He is good. Really, really good.
We had our Christmas party with our church plant the other night and stayed out late. Talking. Talking about real things that really matter. Idols. Sin. Fighting for truth. Redemption. I am so thankful for the women God has put into my life who are honest and real and strive for Holiness. They teach me so much. The hubs on the way home said he felt the same way. Sharing his story with others, sin, brokenness, hope, redemption...we both felt very full and grateful.
Our old church, Red Mountain, has some beautiful music (you can find a lot on spotify) and one you must listen to is Dearly We're Bought. Just fabulous. Excuse the guitar tabs. It's the only lyrics I could find.

Dearly We're Bought
Verse 1:
F G C
Come raise your thankful voice
Am G Am
Ye souls redeemed with blood
F G C Am
Leave earth and all its toys
F G C F C
And mix no more with mud

Chorus:
Am F
Dearly we're bought, highly esteemed
C G
Redeemed, with Jesus' blood redeemed
Am F
Dearly we're bought, highly esteemed
Verse 2:
C G Am G C
Redeemed, with Jesus' blood redeemed
With heart, and soul, and mind
Exalt redeeming love
Leave worldly cares behind
And set your minds above

Verse 3:
Lift up your ravished eyes
And view the glory given
All lower things despised
Ye citizens of heaven

Verse 4:
Be to this world as dead
Alive to that to come
Our life in Christ is hid

Now off to address many, many more Christmas cards. I am so not organized...glad our merit is NOT based on getting cards out in a timely manner....