©+Laurie Pace Graphics One Design 2018
Christmas Memories with Grandson Jonathan probably in about 2008.
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Christmas memories are strong with the holidays here upon us. We are in the midst of the third week of Advent and Terry and I are enjoying reading our advent study each morning and in the evening we have been studying the book of Mark and how his gospel compares to the other ones.
This evening study prompted us with some tough questions to answer in our lives looking back. First it asked the simple question of what it meant to 'follow' someone. In today's world of social media, most people would define it similar, following friends, family and celebrities. The Biblical idea of following when it came to Jesus, it meant total surrender of your old life, old things and old thoughts. The commitment to follow Jesus was authentic and totally giving everything up for him. None of us today would give up our 'stuff' or our lives, or our families. Jesus' followers, the Disciples, left family, friends, home, money and inheritances. They gave up everything.
Then we sat and came to the huge realization that we had not given up truly anything to follow Christ. For me, I cannot remember life without God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The Bible has been always with me growing up and church woven into our lives throughout the weeks and on the weekends. I was not giving anything up, but I was gaining much every single day. I am still connected with many from my childhood church still today. I will not share Terry's thoughts as this is a personal journey for each of us.
Do you 'fish' for people in your life today? How do you share your faith and ignite the fire in someone else to 'follow' Christ? That was HUGE. From 2006 forward about 10 years straight, I blogged probably 5-7 times a week always sharing something from my heart or my faith. I was brought to a halt in my writing affected by comments from family as to me 'sharing' too much. When Terry and I visited last night, he suggested I return to my thoughts and writing in my faith again. How can you ever share too much about the beauty of our Father in Heaven, his son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit?
Terry observed that at that same time I stopped blogging, I slowly began to stop painting. Currently it is a love hate relationship. Different time and different place, and I am not sure my heart is in painting any more. Yet, it is my artwork that is totally out of my direct gift from God, and the writing is a true sharing of my faith and how dear the Lord is to me and to my family.
How can I continue to 'Fish' for the Lord? It is through my work, my writing, my art, my music, my songs, my prayers and through the way I live my life. I have five grandchildren that we are constantly engaged with. Terry and I have the gift of being close to them and teaching them through song and faith and prayer how important the Holy Spirit is with in them and how God and Jesus are woven into everything in their life.
Teach by example, live by God's laws, trust in the Holy Spirit, and follow Jesus because He is the way to God and heaven.
This evening study prompted us with some tough questions to answer in our lives looking back. First it asked the simple question of what it meant to 'follow' someone. In today's world of social media, most people would define it similar, following friends, family and celebrities. The Biblical idea of following when it came to Jesus, it meant total surrender of your old life, old things and old thoughts. The commitment to follow Jesus was authentic and totally giving everything up for him. None of us today would give up our 'stuff' or our lives, or our families. Jesus' followers, the Disciples, left family, friends, home, money and inheritances. They gave up everything.
Then we sat and came to the huge realization that we had not given up truly anything to follow Christ. For me, I cannot remember life without God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The Bible has been always with me growing up and church woven into our lives throughout the weeks and on the weekends. I was not giving anything up, but I was gaining much every single day. I am still connected with many from my childhood church still today. I will not share Terry's thoughts as this is a personal journey for each of us.
Do you 'fish' for people in your life today? How do you share your faith and ignite the fire in someone else to 'follow' Christ? That was HUGE. From 2006 forward about 10 years straight, I blogged probably 5-7 times a week always sharing something from my heart or my faith. I was brought to a halt in my writing affected by comments from family as to me 'sharing' too much. When Terry and I visited last night, he suggested I return to my thoughts and writing in my faith again. How can you ever share too much about the beauty of our Father in Heaven, his son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit?
Terry observed that at that same time I stopped blogging, I slowly began to stop painting. Currently it is a love hate relationship. Different time and different place, and I am not sure my heart is in painting any more. Yet, it is my artwork that is totally out of my direct gift from God, and the writing is a true sharing of my faith and how dear the Lord is to me and to my family.
How can I continue to 'Fish' for the Lord? It is through my work, my writing, my art, my music, my songs, my prayers and through the way I live my life. I have five grandchildren that we are constantly engaged with. Terry and I have the gift of being close to them and teaching them through song and faith and prayer how important the Holy Spirit is with in them and how God and Jesus are woven into everything in their life.
Teach by example, live by God's laws, trust in the Holy Spirit, and follow Jesus because He is the way to God and heaven.
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Laurie Pace
A Texas Artist
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