Grace

Tonight in bible class we talked about grace. Tuesday night bible class, which would be the equivalent of wednesday night class in the states, is always in German because well, I am in Germany. This the the only lesson that is generally not translated for us. At this point, Tiffany and I don't know enough German to follow along, so we usually journal through class. I usually try to listen for a few minutes and then find my mind wondering as I attempt to figure out what a word is and then make some other string of assimilations. Anyways, tonight was a bit different, we did a little in English and got to give some input about grace.

At the end of class, the question was posed about how we have seen Gods grace in the past year in our lives. My mind automatically began to race to situation after situation. I thought about our family friend Robert paying the tab for my car last Christmas when it was broken because I had just used everything I had saved until that point to finish paying off that semester of school. Then I thought about the time my uncle was in a car wreck at thanksgiving and all of my friends made a huge thanksgiving feast and brought it up to the ICU at OU and shared a thanksgiving meal with not only my family, but all the other families in the waiting room. I thought about Lisa's 4 year old nephew Ashton, who was waiting for a kidney and was at 85% kidney failure in April. I thought about how all of the girls in club rallied together and took the family meals, snacks and toys up to the hospital. Ashton got a kidney on Sunday by the way :) he is doing great! Situation after situation, each one has God written all over it.

I started thinking about when I became a Christian 5 years ago, and where I would be today if I had dedicated my life to Christ. I wasn't on a bad path per say, but I wasn't on a good one either. Short run down- I started a Bible study to read the bible in a year- changed churches because of that study, found out I didn't get into university of Florida, my first choice. Wasn't interested in any of the schools in OK that I already had full rides to. I found OC on the net, went for a visit, loved it! Shortly there after a dedicated my life to Christ. I went to OC in the fall. Hated the first semester but made some amazing friends. Started to participate and do more and then began to love OC. My stepdad passed away the end of my freshman year. Came back sophomore year and was dragged to club stuff. Ended up rushing, loved my club, became an officer. Met some of my best friends now! And the rest is history. I thrived at OC. I soaked up everything I could. It makes me shutter to think of where I would be today if things hadn't gone the way they did.

I know I have a story, its not an easy one to share, but it helps being here. On a weekly basis I get to share my story with people. With readers. With contacts. With friends. My eyes are open, constantly looking for where God is cracking a door. There are a lot of cracks here in Germany. I can't fill them, thas Gods part, im merely someone here to push the door open a little more.

I start reading with Ceili tomorrow. I'm looking forward to the book we are reading, Discovering God's Will for Your Life. It will be interesting to see how we will both be able to grow and learn from each other and this book. Is the seed ever fully grown? The roots need water too!

Quote: If you are growing, you will always be out of your comfort zone. ~John Maxwell