Jesus knew that as much as her body thirsted for water, her heart and soul were even more desperate for relationship–a knowing, compassionate, and lasting connection with someone who would love her just the way she was.
And he was offering her exactly that.
Read MoreWe get to stand tall instead of staying small and scared.
We get to run free instead of being confined to the lies that we used to believe.
We get to have real and lasting hope that even the hardest things are not wasted when Jesus is in charge of our lives.
We don’t get shortchanged.
Read MoreWhen we feel afraid or ashamed, we can remember that God is the great giver of compassion. Not only does he buckle us in safely and take the wheel, but he will hold our hand as long as we need him to. He longs to be gracious to us. He rises up to show us compassion, even when we cannot show it to ourselves.
Read MoreHe finds a way to work our bad experiences, our unanswered questions, and our worst mistakes into the shaping up. He is the expert sculptor who can take an ordinary–or seemingly impossible–lump of clay and transform it into a masterpiece. As we experience success and failure, rest and work, amazing and awful, easy and hard; he holds us together with his truth and light and love.
Read MoreThe way God responds to us is astonishing. Like getting a huge bouquet of flowers on an ordinary day. Like finding out your gift card has WAY more money on it than you hoped. Like winning the grand prize in a contest with impossible odds.
Read MoreWith a God like this, we don’t have to be afraid of new or different. With him by our side, we can move through this life with expectant hearts–no matter how challenging it is likely to be.
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