Bloom & Prose

I've been really blessed recently by one of my new favorite passages in Scripture, Ephesians 1:4.  "Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love." Before He spoke this earth into existence, God had a plan.  An intricate and stunning plan to breathe life into His sons and daughters, and increase His family of three to a family of millions.  His children would rule and reign with Him in victory, living a life of joy and peace here on earth and in the eternity to come.  Being God, who by very definition is love, His efforts in creating us were not merely some overflow of creativity by a massive creative being, though I'm sure His creations do spill out of Him like so much water.               ...

I've been a Christian my whole life.   My childhood years were full of activities very common in our culture today - Sunday school, youth group, and summer camps.  During my teens I transitioned into being a youth leader, worship leader, camp counselor, and nursery school teacher.  I attended a well-known Christian university in college and became a public school teacher…but I left my chosen profession of teaching (and my comfy, decent-paying job) after 4 years to attend a Bible college.  My life became more "ministry" centered, and I worked as a personal assistant to a minister and his wife, and eventually as a worship director in churches. Through all those experiences, I loved Jesus, and was so grateful for what He'd done for me.   In keeping with what I'd been taught over the years, I did whatever it took to get closer to Him.  Being very self-reflective, I was a pro at identifying all my supposed imperfections and failures.  I kept tallies in my...