Humbled and Changing

Hi friends, old and new! I've been out awhile on the blogging. I really needed to reevaluate some things in my life, so I took a little break. I've revamped by blog a bit and really want to use this as a place of encouragement, not because I am anything special or have great words on my own, only because God can use anything He wants to challenge and strengthen us, even if its just through what other believers are walking through.

We have officially been in Tyler a year! It feels so much more like home than I ever thought it could. It's amazing how much the Lord changes us in "transition" seasons.
Over the past year, the Lord has been teaching me what grace truly is. In all honesty, grace was never something I truly understood and am continually asking the Lord to teach me more about. I don't know about anyone else, but I know that as a human, I have the tendency to try to perform or work for my salvation. Many times its covered up with good things for Jesus, and I may not necessarily describe it that way or literally think in those terms, but the way I live my life has often been evidence of that. My service to the Lord has many times been attached with a desire for acceptance and favor from man or a way of gaining His blessing, none of which do much in the way of giving Him all the glory.

I am so grateful for the transforming power of Jesus. He is so faithful and good to change our hearts. Realizing that nothing inside of me is good and that even what I consider my "GOOD", is filthy rags to Him(Is. 64:6)- I am humbled. I am at the mercy of a good, loving, and righteous God, who forgives and has saved me, and not because of anything I have or can be (Eph.2:8, Rom. 8:16). He saves, He transforms, and He gets all the Glory! I'm growing more in love with my Savior.

Be encouraged and blessed today! love and hugs