"Crazy Love"

Thursday, marks the first day of fall and it is 90 degrees today! EEK...it has been SO humid and as much as I have enjoyed the southern weather, I am SO ready for fall weather!  Fall is my favorite season for many reasons. It is no longer sweltering hot, it's comfortable weather, and everything is so colorful outside.

All the colors of the fall indeed are like a beautiful mosaic or even better put,"October is a symphony of permanence and change!"  I appreciate the seasonal changes and I think God brings them before us to remind us that we need to have a time of "harvesting" in our own lives and replenish our souls.
Our church is going though the book, "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. It is so fitting to be reading it at this time of year. I get so busy and caught up with all that is going on, and shamefully I'll admit that I do not sit back enough and take the time be in "awe" of my God! God has been apart of my life since I was itty -bitty. I have loved him from a very young age and accepted him as my Savior when I was 6. I really did not grasp who he was to me until I was in high school. My love grew for God in a a more intimate way when I attended college. During my four years at Baptist Bible College, I came to appreciate his plan for my life, his purpose for me and prepared to serve him in Christian Education. Since that decision and being in Christian Education for seven years, my life has been established and settled very comfortably!
I have been given food, shelter, and a great home.
 I have been blessed with an awesome husband.
I  have been given the opportunity to stay home with our two sweet boys whom I love and adore.
So all this= a good comfortable thing called "LIFE!"
That deep love and appreciation for God that was once radiant during high school, college and even the first few years of marriage, has been put on the back burner. I've allowed other things to take first priority.
Society has become "FAST" paced and there is no such thing in life as the "SLOW" pace. I have really been striving to make it a daily habit to appreciate WHO God is to me, and even more then that~ humbled that I AM a child of His! My daily priorities and purpose all need to start with him and admiring Him.  I take the time to do my quiet time with the Lord, but my mind starts running and I am not always in "awe" of  this amazing God who is in "awe" of me! Even more then that-he loves me unconditionally.
That's why I LOVE Crazy Love! I need it as a refresher especially at this seasonal time. I actually bought the book when it first came out and read the first 4 chapters and then of course ....life got busy and I put it aside. But this time we are doing it in small groups with our church. I am not putting it aside. Our Pastor is doing a series at church along with this book and I highly recommend it!
 Here is a background of the book;
The God of the universe is crazy about you! His love is the most powerful thing in the world and He wants to give it to you, so you can live for Him. If you have made a commitment to follow Christ, then read Crazy Love to be reminded and challenged in your walk. Sharing from his own life struggles and sacrifices, author Francis Chan issues a call for selfless, Christ-like living. Let the love you have received from God impact your life like never before.
I was reminded of a song we used to sing in Youth Group and Lake Ann Baptist Camp-
“Casual Christian”

       by
DeGarmo & key

I don’t want to be,
I don’t want to be a casual Christian
I don’t want to live,
I don't want to live a lukewarm life.
Because I want to light up the night
With an everlasting light
I don’t want to live the casual christian life.

I am excited to continue this "Crazy Love" series and praying that my heart does not become "lukewarm" in this busy life!  My youth pastor always said to us; "In everything you do, do it with eternal values in view" (Pastor John Cousins). The only things that matter on my list are the things that are making an impact for eternity!  Here's to my soul being " a symphony of permanence and change" for Him!

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