My favorite things to soak in...

One of them is the Twisted Peppermint body wash from Bath & Body Works. It is refreshing and I just love the scent of mint this time of year. I use the lotion everyday too. Mmmm. Another one of my favorite things to soak in is truth. I heard this song on the radio today and just stopped, closed my eyes and soaked up the truths it speaks of. Here is the link to a short demo of the song. Here are the words...

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! – who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save:
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied –
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine –
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
‘Til He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand!

There are people in my life- some I know, some I only 'know' through blogs and online connections, but I sense that they need some spiritual food. This is a small taste of what I try to understand and accept and to live out in my own life. That when it comes down to it, nothing really matters in life except for who I am in Christ. It is the driving force in many of things I say and do from day to day, and I say 'many'- not all- because I am human, and I fail all the time at living in light of all that Christ has done in and through me.
I thank Him for the gift of forgiveness- not only the forgiveness I have in Him when I accepted that He died on the cross for my sin and paid MY debt on the cross...but also for the forgiveness that He has allowed me to offer other people who have 'wronged' and hurt me in my own life. Without Christ I would not be who I am. Plain and simple.
At this time of year it becomes crystal clear to me all over again- the picture of God sending His Son to earth, in the form of a baby, that He might experience all that we do as humans, but instead of living like one of us, He lived blamelessly and took all our sin and shame on Himself and conquered death that we might have a way to Heaven. It's this gift of salvation- accepting what He did for our sin and believing that God is who He says He is- that has changed my life and continues to impact the way I live.
I hope and pray that anyone who needs this free gift of Hope, Peace, and Assurance of salvation will simply whisper to God that they want Him to change their life too. It is the best gift ever.