Grace

We have had lots of fun enjoying the hot summer-like days around here. We visited the pool today with friends and got to eat watermelon and say goodbye to Momma Kuhns, who is leaving for five weeks to Colorado and Arizona.

Sunday we listened to one of my favorite sermons Pastor Mike has ever preached on repentance. It was about freedom in Christ and about how our weaknesses and surrender to Christ bring us closer to Him and reaching people.

And then SkinnyRunner posted this Crosswalk daily devotional about what image we are trying to present and it was exactly in line with the message. It really encouraged me.

In 2 Corinthians 12:10 the apostle Paul writes, "...for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

The next time you have a dream you think you can't achieve or you're tempted to paint a perfect picture of yourself on Facebook, remember it's the weaknesses, the imperfections — the things you can't accomplish on your own — that give God the opportunity show off in your life.

When we accept our place as broken and imperfect people, God finally has the opportunity to shine brightly in our lives. Living lives that point others to Him is what gives us purpose. So, ironically, it's in the moments of seeming failure that we are of the most use in the kingdom of God.