I fell in love with Jesus at a very young age. When I learned from God's word that he loved me so much that he sent his own son to die for me, to take my sins and nail them to the cross, I was just blown away. I just couldn't believe that someone loved me that much without reservation. Not only did he die for me, but then, three days later, he rose again, forever defeating sin and death. I was just so amazed.
Over the years, as I went through teenagehood and young adulthood and I started facing some of the storms of life, I realized even more of what a savior I had. Just one example of the many ways that God has shown his faithfulness to me over the years is when my husband and I were at the coast, and I received some devastating news. I was absolutely grief-stricken. I was hurting so bad that, honestly, the first few hours after receiving the news, I couldn't even pray. Finally, I took my Bible onto a little port swing, overlooking the water there at this little seaport town, and God directed me to Psalm 91 around verse four, and it said that he was my shield and my rampart. Now, the word rampart really jumped out at me because rampart is a protective barrier.
Now, picture this. I'm sitting overlooking this harbor, and for the first time, maybe, I look, and I notice there's this seawall in front of me preventing the ocean from flooding this little seaport town. So, in God's great love and faithfulness, he sends me to his word to remind me that he is my shield and rampart, and he gives me a visual of this seawall that's protecting this little city from being flooded, just like he prevents me from being flooded by grief and emotion.
That is just one of the many ways over the years that he's shown me the depth of his love, grace, and mercy, and I am so, so grateful. My absolute favorite verse is Ephesians 2.10:
"For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
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