Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. Matthew 16:24 NLT

“Give God the chance to do something wonderful.” Oh, how we need this sweet reminder to TRUST the One who nurtures our hearts with desire to follow Jesus.

God did something wonderful when Jesus died on the cross and rose again! His will was fulfilled when He sacrificed His Son; the perfect One without sin who suffered for each one of us.

“Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” We receive forgiveness and LIFE through His death and resurrection. We need to be reminded what Jesus has done and honor Him with ALL of our LOVE.

In this season of new birth, He invites us to come as we are with desire and a readiness for change. We don’t have to live in the errors of our ways or settle for what is holding us back from finding the beauty of JOY.

Jesus came to bring light to the darkness and remind us we’re not alone in our struggles. He helps us cling to God’s promises, walk- in- truth and welcome perfect PEACE. He leads us closer to the Father and helps us find relief as we walk in the fullness of gratitude.

It doesn’t matter where we’ve been. God will ready us for forgiveness because of Jesus. We don’t have to hide in ditches of doubt; chained to the shame of surrender. We NEED to let go of what wounds our souls and TRUST in our mighty Defender. God will hear the cries of our hearts and cover us with mercy and grace. He knows what we need to be breathe in fullness and leave fear behind. He will do wonderful things to restore our hearts.

We were created to be in communication with God. He will never stop trying to reach us with the goodness of His LOVE or remind us we are worthy to follow Jesus. He will change our lives in beautiful ways when we live by FAITH. Let’s do what it takes and BELIEVE in the God who believes in us.

Dear God, thank you for Jesus! Thank you for calling us worthy of Your love and helping us find perfect peace. We will love you all of our days, bravely surrender shame and recognize what Christ has done for ALL of us. In this season of newness, humble our hearts so we will clearly see why we need You. Thank you for the wonderful way You bless our souls and help us hold gratitude. Thank you for Your loving sacrifice and what it means to walk in truth and be a follower of Jesus! May we strive to glorify You, give You praise for all things and never stop walking on the path toward wholeness. Amen