Renewal

Last night on the way home from a Super Bowl party, the song Great Adventure, by Steven Curtis Chapman, came on the radio. We were cracking up as we remembered waaaaayy back in 1991 at Fort Benning. Our good friend, Rhonda, organized a "Christian aerobics" class and about 10 ladies showed up to do aerobics to Christian music. We had this ridiculous routine where we were all in a big circle doing this "pony" skip-thing around and around. "saddle up your hoooorses, we got a trail to blaze....."
Thank goodness there was no Youtube then!!!

Today I headed out on my recently restarted lunchtime run/walk and decided to listen to Steven's Declaration CD on my iPod. It's one of my favorites and has such great praise music. His words always really speak to me and knowing how his family has dealt with that horrible tragedy last year his total relience on God just means even more.

I ended up listening to the song "This Day" a couple of times. Here are some of the words:
Yesterday the sky was bright and clear
I could see the sun and I could hear the song
Faith flowed like a river free and deep and grace was not so hard to be believed
But that was yesterday
And what was close enough to touch
Now seems a world away
So what about this day

This day all His mercies are new
This day every promise is true
Father, help me to believe
Give me faith I need to know You

Who knows what tomorrow's light will bring
Tears to cry or maybe songs to sing out loud
But only God can see that far away
And He made us for living day by day
'Cause He wants us to see
That the God that He's been every day of history
Is who He is this day


What that says to me is that no matter how much our own lives change, we can know for certain that One thing will not change. God does not change. Hebrews 13:8 says "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever." He knew us before we were formed in the womb. He knows the number of our days. Nothing surprises Him. We may face trials. We may face uncertainty. We may face sorrow. But God will not leave us. He has promised us that. And his promises do not fail.

Another encouragement I hear in that song is that no matter how many times I've failed- failed Him, failed my family, failed myself, He will forgive me. His mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness.
Every morning I start out with such a great plan. Great hopes and a determination to be the best wife and mother I can be. And every day I fail in some way. Some days sooner and bigger than others. But what I know is this: God forgives me. Every day I have a new chance to accept His grace and be fully dependent upon Him for the tools I need to be what He wants me to be. I don't have to try to do it on my own, and I don't have to hate myself because of my failures. I am renewed in Him. Loved and treasured and saved by Him.

I hope that each of you knows His saving grace and finds comfort in the knowledge that He loves you and forgives you and carries you no matter what the situation.