Open Hearts

I love the doctrine message that we are hearing right now in church first and foremost. Our life is so simple. Our Father gives us life on earth and gives us eternal life. What I love about the gift of life though is that it is a greater gift for our parents at first. Our parents, whether through prayer or not have received this ultimate gift and I can only pray that all parents lead their children to Christ. Sometimes our Father challenges future parents though in ways that can test faith and relationships. The ultimate passing grade though for parents that pass the test is adoption. 

So many times people touch our lives in different ways and one of the things that I love most about people is seeing the changes. I will admit that changes are not always good and it is our jobs and God's children to help bring those back to our Father to gain the ultimate freedom. But when changes are good God just smiles down on all of us and it is this great big grin that makes me want to serve him more and share his works. I will keep my words short today and His words short because I want to give a big shout out to a sister of ours that was in our wedding.

Amy Crawford Wagar has such a huge heart, and she and her husband have taken an ultimate leap of faith that we should all be proud of. I wanted to share her adoption blog with you. 

I love you all and encourage you all to open your heart just a little more. 

Romans 8

Life Through the Spirit

 ¹ Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

 ⁵ Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. ⁶ The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷ The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. ⁸ Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

 ⁹ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. ¹⁰ But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. ¹¹ And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

 ¹² Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. ¹³ For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

 ¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. ¹⁵ The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry,“Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.