As a teacher I deal with all sorts of students, co-workers, and parents. Last week, someone asked me if I love the behaviors out of my students. My answer was that it is my goal to show my students unconditional love no matter what they do or say, but fail more than I'd like to admit. As I pondered on their question throughout the day, I realized that Jesus loves the sin right out of us. Jesus loves us so much that He lived a perfect life, died a terrible death, endured hell, and was separated from His Father. He did that for me, even though He knew that I'm not perfect. He offered Himself to us all, although the world shuns Him, kills, murders, destroys His creation and so many other little and big sins. He offered not only me, but everyone the gift of salvation. Ephesians 2:8 states, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is a gift of God, not a result of works, so no one can boast" (ESV).  This gift of salvation is free. We just need to take hold of that gift and the Holy Spirit will plant the seed of faith into our hearts. The gift of salvation puts my name in the Book of LIfe. The gift of salvation allows me to stand before God on judgement day knowing although I'm not perfect, I get to go to Heaven by the blood of Jesus. The gift of salvation now guides me to love the unlovable, to forgive seven times seven, to not judge but to show grace. Now although not perfect, my goal is to let the love of Jesus flow from me out onto others to help reveal the gift of salvation. 

As a Christian we hear that we are hypocrites. We expect perfection. We don't sin or look at our own sin, but we focus on other's sin. Yet, God calls us to be a light in the darkness. We are called to be an example. But what happens when we sin? What happens when we wrong someone? God tells us in James 5:16, "Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed" (ESV).  Today my anger got the best of me at school and I yelled. It was the kind of yelling that did not allow me to show the love of Jesus, but rather the ugly side my human sinful side. I quickly felt guilty. I knew I had a choice to make. I could just move on with my day or I could apologize. The easy way would be to just move on, but I  am I obeying God by not asking for forgiveness? Am I being a good example of a Christian by losing my temper and then just moving on? No I wouldn't be a good example. So I went to the classroom where I yelled at the students and apologized. I explained that I lost my temper and was not being respectful. Was it easy? No it wasn't but I knew God desires I confess me sins to those I wrong, even if that means 20 students. My goal next time is to show the love of Jesus, even when I'm frustrated or angered. I challenge you to do the same, even when it's difficult. How can you let your light shine in the darkness this week? 

Hi there! I'm Jenn and love Jesus. This blog is to reveal God's truth in every day situations that I experience. I have had a tough life, yet I know that God is my guiding force through it all. Jeremiah 29:11-13 states, " For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart " (ESV). These verses have guided me through the hard times and the good times. I know God has a purpose in my life and it is for His good. His plan. He tells us His ways are not our ways and I need to remind myself of this daily and challenges and changes arise. God has been calling me to write this blog for a long time and I have always made excuses. "I'm too busy." "I'm not qualified." "I'm divorced and a sinner." Yet I'm reminded that God does not call the qualified, rather he qualifies the called. So here I am following God's calling. I'm stepping out if faith. I'm excited to see where this journey, God called me on, is going to take me.