Live Like We're Dying

A few things that happened this week in our lives:

• Jacob started his 2nd semester of seminary this week
• I went into my 2nd week of teaching which meant I had calmer, less anxious kindergarteners...and parents
• We had a nice break from Wednesday night and Sunday night youth activities before they start up full swing next week
• We started planning and preparing for our Youth All-Nighter next weekend
• We found out we're trying to sell our church building to buy or build a new one...big news!
• Jess, Jenn, and I threw Jaime a Bridal shower which was a lot of fun to be with people my own age...that rarely happens
• We are getting caught up on finances only to have Jacob's tooth break in half this week...which means we are no longer caught up with our finances

Through the day-to-day of life I sometimes just get caught up going through the motions and not really living with purpose. Today while I was listening to a radio talk show I started thinking about the purpose of this life. They were talking on the show about "purposeful living" and I began to look at my purposes. Ultimately everything I do should come down to Christ. My serving should be to bring Christ glory; teaching and helping grow up the next generation should be to bring Christ glory; all my decisions, thoughts, and words should be to bring Christ glory.

Romans 13:23 says, "...everything that does not come from faith is a sin."

So with that being said, boy am I one big sinner! I act out of faithlessness all the time! My purpose gets skewed so often and I begin to make it all about me. I serve because I want the applause. I teach because I want to be the best teacher for my own gratification. I make decisions based on my desires. The things I think and the words I say are full of selfishness and vanity. And the list could continue forever. What a beautiful reminder that I NEED a Savior! I NEED cleansing! I NEED forgiveness!

Romans 8:18-25 says, "I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out...For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind...What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God-THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!"

I am constantly reminded of my need for my Savior and the purpose of my life. What a beautiful gift the cross is to the world. What a beautiful sacrifice Jesus paid for us, for mere sinners!

Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

He gave up His life so that I may truly live, so today I was reminded (once again) to live like tomorrow was my last. To live with a purpose. To live for eternity. To live for the One who gave up His life so that I may find true life.

Matthew 16:24-26 says, " If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?"