Following directions is not always my strong suit. Starting today and for the next 12 weeks, I will be going to class on Tuesday instead of Monday. I finished up my homework yesterday and sent it electronically to the assignment mailbox. As I was getting some paperwork together, I glanced over my assignment sheet which stated that we were to bring our homework to class in paper form. Whoops. My 13 year old daughter overheard me telling my husband of the situation and made it a point to remind me that following directions in school is very important. Oh how I love it when my own words come back to haunt me!! :)

God loves you and me. God's wrath against sinners was satisfied when Jesus died for us. This does not mean that God does not discipline us. In our small group we discussed discipline after reading Hebrews 12:4-17 which explains that God disciplines us because He loves us. Our pastor shared that discipline comes from the root word disciple which means to learn. In order to become more like Christ we must endure discipline - we must learn and change.

If you have children, you discipline them because you want the best for them. Right? You want to mold and shape them into a godly person. God's relationship with us is similar but magnified many times more.

I don't know what you are enduring right now, I don't know if it is discipline, consequence, testing, temptation or just plain life but what I do know is that the old cliche is true "whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger." I know, I know that doesn't seem very comforting but what we learn from those times of enduring is priceless.

The great commission calls us to make disciples of all the nations - how can we be making disciples unless we too are being disciples?

Keep learning - don't give up - think about what past times have taught you and look forward to the day that you will realize what you learned from what you are going through right now.

Have a great day
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie