Overflowing Grace

It was in the moments right as I began to wake up that I saw a Styrofoam carryout box.  It was closed and I handed it to the Lord, who was sitting on His thrown.  The carryout box was very clear, as well as the knowledge that the contents inside the box were the unknown pieces of my future.  As I came to, and started thinking about this image, I wanted to change the idea of the Styrofoam box to a nicer box, like a treasure chest, knowing that what was inside was very valuable to me, but in staying true to what I saw, I began to realize the depth of it all.   Our life is fragile. Very fragile.  We become dented and broken easily. And our life in perspective of the entire universe is pretty irrelevant.  Our life serves a purpose, but as it says in the Bible " You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14).   After a few generations, we are forgotten.  Sounds harsh, I know, but this is the point.  It is in the hands of God that our loves take

The other day I was walking to my car in a Dollar Tree parking lot, when I heard the wailing cry of a newborn baby.  The cry was so pitiful, my heart felt sorry for this innocent little thing, and I found myself thinking, "It's ok baby. I'm sorry this life is so tough."  The revelation hit me that a newborn baby's cry gives us a good depiction of the fallen world we live in. Most babies spend the beginning of their lives in the comforts of their mother's womb.  It's warm and cozy and safe.  But as soon as that little baby enters into this world, what happens?  They cry.  They are immediately hit with the cold hard truth that we live in a fallen world.  We no longer live in the garden of paradise.  Life is hard and uncomfortable. Bad things happen to good people.  We experience pain and loss and brokenness.  Is there any good, any hope in this life?  Is it possible to glimpse pieces of heaven here on Earth?  I think yes.  In fact, I am confident of this

When my Aunt asked if I would be willing to house sit for her over spring break, I felt a nudge that it was from the Lord, but, at the time, I had no idea what that nudge would lead to. My boyfriend came to visit for the holidays in Ohio, and we stopped in South Carolina at my Aunt and Uncle's for a couple days on our way down to Florida.  I was going to be leaving from Florida to spend 3 months in Brazil, so when my Aunt offered that I could house sit for them and take care of their dogs over spring break, I felt that this was a gift from the Lord so that I wouldn't be worrying about my dwindling bank account while I was in Brazil.  And when she also offered that I could house sit for them again two months later, I was really thankful for an opportunity to spend time with them and for money that I would be able to count on, since my faith journey for the last year and a half had been so unpredictable.  I quickly agreed, and my Aunt bought me a new plane ticket back to the U.