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And it is all grace.

What God is teaching me right now...

1.  It is a much sweeter feeling to forgive and love than to indulge the drama or seek revenge.
2.  Sincerity gains you more trust and respect than being loud, showy, fancy, or impressive.  It is much more valuable to be exactly who God created you to be and is empowering you to be in the moment than anything you may think you "should be."
3.  Don't trust everyone who says, "Lord, Lord." (Note: I'm still working this one out.)  Meaning, do not trust that they are necessarily of the same accord spiritually.  Use wisdom and discernment before assuming kindred spirits and sharing things that require any level of trust.  Vulnerability is a wonderful, beautiful, and valuable necessity to the journey that I wholeheartedly believe in, but I must beware of grown-up hurting hearts that do not yet know how to handle my vulnerability.
4.  Everyone is struggling with something.
5.  It is always worth it to take a moment for another person.  By taking one moment in your possession and giving it away freely, you open the door for another person's heart to receive whatever you can give or the Lord can give through you: a word of Truth, an ounce of love or encouragement, etc. and then the miracle is that it is multiplied beyond your ability.
6.  Real faith shows itself by its foundation.  In the storm, it lands on the ROCK and is not tossing about on the waves like the sand.  Despite the cries or difficulty, it is grounded by Truth.  It is receptive to wisdom and the voice of Truth.  It is willing to trust.  It does not respond out of pain or fear but out of trust and belief that God alone is greater and that is ultimately what matters.
7.  God will use you when you make yourself available and keep your heart soft to Him.  Then, the temptation will flood in to let this puff you up or breed pride in your heart.  So He will offer an opportunity for brokenness...for your weakness to be the showcase for His strength.  And then you gain a whole new level of intimacy with Him as you exchange your self for His glory and His desires.  When you exchange who you are on your own for who He is in you.  Ans so the dance continues.  He using you for His purposes in His Kingdom.  You being reminded of your own poverty to prevent pride.  You discovering the beauty of His redemption.  Repeat.
8.  God will give you gifts every single day...droppings of His love...words to His love songs...portions of the love letter He writes you every day.  We must be willing and able to see them and identify them as such.  There are moments of beauty.  Little miracles.  And He gives them for free.  And I feel Him literally touch my heart in this very physical way in those moments, and I've never felt that loved before.  And even if the gift is the word or action of someone else, I recieve it straight from His hand because I know only He can create moments like that - only He knows me like that - only He can give that much to me.  And it is all grace.
9.  A huge part of my communion with the Lord and growing in His Spirit comes when I write...writing is my way of processing and as I process, I have the opportunity to attribute all the goodness in my life or story to Him.  I have the chance to identify where His hand has moved, held me, guided me, or comforted me.  I am able to piece together His steps in my life, how my life is a canvas for His art...when I let it be.  But I don't see it all...or get the full picture at least, until I write.
10.  Gaining another person's trust is a responsibility, a compliment, a privilege, a gift.  And it is to be taken very seriously.
11.  Truly, God knows best.

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