Worship

So, today I have been a very busy mommy. Cleaning, packing, putting away Christmas decorations, laundry, playing with my son, etc. However, today hasn't just been any other day in the busy life of a mommy today has been a day filled with worship. All day no matter what I have been doing my heart has been filled with worship for my Savior Jesus Christ.

Worship - to give praise, honor, and respect to God; reverence given to God (Holy Bible , NIV)

My heart is over-flowing with love and appreciation for all that God has done for me. John 3:16 tells us that "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." That in itself is more than enough. Jesus came so that I could be free, so that YOU could be free. For that I will never be able to praise Him enough. Awe, but here is the thing. God goes beyond that and gives us grace, mercy, and blessings every day that we don't deserve but because He loves us so much He goes above and beyond to show us in our every day lives.

In Jeremiah 29:11-12, God tell us "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." A future and a hope. Two things that once upon a time, I never thought I would have. Awe but in 1 Corinthians 2:9... the Word tells us"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." Even after I gave my life to Christ I still could not conceive how He could take the mess I had made out of my life and do anything with it.

I was damaged goods. My heart wasn't just torn but it was shredded from years of abuse by others and by myself. I didn't even like me so how could God possibly do anything with me. I struggled with what I saw and what God saw in me. I saw ugliness and God saw beauty.

See, I really shouldn't be alive today. Many times others could have and wanted to take my life. I wanted to take my own life at one time. But, God in His ever-merciful and ever-graceful love kept me. He forgave me of my sins and gave me strength to forgive the sins of those who hurt me to the core. God saw beyond the torn and shattered days of my youth. He saw beyond my hurt and pain and he saw beautiful.

Just a few years back I would have never been able to say that I was beautiful. Even years after being a Christian I still saw myself as that abused and neglected little girl that no one could love. But God stuck by me even when I doubted His love for me and today I can sing fervently and full of passion about His love and His forgiveness.