Genesis / OM update :)

So... I've embarked on quite an endeavor. I've started reading/listening to "The Bible in 90 Days." Yep... 90 days. I'm pretty stoked about it! I'm actually a day ahead right now... I wanted to finish Genesis! It's crazy that I've heard all these different stories before in my life, but I've never put them all together like I can now that I've heard them all in the order they happened. My one thought after reading Genesis? Dang, these people were pretty messed up! I mean my goodness... we've got denial, murder, lying, cheating, doubting God (over and over again), and I could go on. What stands out to me though, is that God's promise to these people never wavered. God didn't say, "aw man, he messed up... I guess I'll have to go bless someone else now." God knew the doubt, the pain, and the wickedness that these men would undergo. I can't help but let my imagination wander and think that God watched these men, whom He had promised time and time again to bless and make into a great nation, commit great sins against Him. How His heart must have ached. Liars and cheaters... who would've ever thought that God's plan would come about through such people as these?? But wow... How refreshing! Knowing that God can use these men shows me that He can use me too! I know you guys are thinking that I've never murdered someone, I try not to lie, and I don't really think I'm a cheater either. But man, sometimes you can't help but to come face to face with the harsh reality that you are, indeed, a sinner. I have fallen short of the glory of God. We all have, whether we like to admit it or not. But thanks be to God, who sent His Son to redeem me from my sin! Because of Him, and His grace and love for me, I can be a part of God's plan, just like the men from Genesis.

And now... as a bonus for reading this blog... a little Oxford Manor update... The Bible study that Brett and I were trying to get started flopped. FLOPPED! But, get this... we met a couple in Oxford Manor who said that since they could never make it to the Bible study that we were having on Tuesday nights, they decided to start one of their own on Thursday nights. How cool is that? They invited us to it, and we love it! This is now an effort within Oxford Manor... not something that Brett and I (neither of whom live in OM) are trying to get going. So we've joined forces. The couple leading the study is young, and needs guidance. Brett and I aren't all that old and wise, but we have great leaders at the Summit who have taught us one main thing... always bring it around to the Gospel! And we've taken that mindset and are working to teach it to those in Oxford Manor as well. I absolutely love the crazy mix of people that are in this group. They're all pretty young, and they've surely got some struggles and messed up lives. But what have I learned from Genesis? It looks like they're prime candidates for God do some pretty amazing things in and through their lives! Tonight they all came over to my house for dinner. I'd post some photos... but to my dismay... someone dropped my camera on the floor and now it's broken. I was pretty bummed about that, but cool story... later that evening, the girl who dropped it said to Brett and I that something is different about us because we were the only 2 who didn't get upset with her for dropping it. We had yet another opportunity to share God's love and grace with her. Without it in our lives, we surely couldn't give it to her - praise God for His love, mercy and grace! I couldn't stop smiling tonight. This, THIS is what I bought this house for. My new friends live about 4 minutes from my house, and they now know that they are welcome anytime. I love this house, I love my new friends, and I love my LORD!

Amen & Goodnight!