How God Made Me

In my Exchanged Life training, I learned that I'm a "C" type of person. "C" for conscientious, meaning that I read instruction manuals and try to do everything right. The problem with that is that I spend a lot of time telling others they're doing things wrong, and that doesn't make me popular. Oh, to be an "I" (inspirational) person and know how to be a good friend. One thing I'm starting to see is that if instead of focusing on what's wrong, I just share with others what God has taught me, that can actually be encouraging. I've certainly have made the same mistakes that I see others make; I can share what I've learned from all of my bad days. And it helps to express appreciation for people, because there's plenty to appreciate.
It really makes me happier to remember that God isn't going to just let me sit and rot in my unloving tendencies. He's going to teach me to love the way He loves. I love Ephesians 2:10 where it says that God created us IN CHRIST JESUS (that's gotta be good) to do good works which He prepared in advance for us to do.
Back to the subject of bad days, wow, Monday was one. My two homeschooled girls and I were all in a bad mood. Then in the afternoon when I told my 13-year-old to do her homework, she said, "I have a brain." Translation: Mom, get off my case. At this point three of my daughters were displeased with me, and I went to my room, put my head under my pillow and cried. I love the way Jesus shows up at times like that. He told me, "Go back and love them." And He told me to try to understand how life looks from their perspective (like He does). I went back to Kelly and said, "I know you have a brain." And I told my two youngest that I realized school is difficult in some ways. I think it helped.

NEXT SUBJECT: ASSURANCE
That was the topic at Exchanged Lives a week ago, a topic near and dear to my heart since I spent a year and a half wondering if I had lost my salvation. A bit of history: I trusted in Jesus for salvation when I was 18, and have spent my whole adult life trying to follow Him. He's everything to me...Nonetheless, about three years ago I found myself unsure about my spiritual status; here's how all that started: Once I didn't get what I prayed for, which wouldn't have been any big deal since it was a somewhat insignificant thing that I had asked for. But I (at the time) was convinced that it was God's will and I was trying so hard to have faith that God would give me what I asked for. Then when it didn't happen, I got angry and told God He was wrong to not grant me what I'd requested. It took me only a minute or two to repent and decide that God wasn't wrong after all; I just didn't understand what He was up to. A month or two later, I remembered the incident and started to wonder if I had committed the unforgivable sin, blaspheming against the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:29). I certainly had treated God disrespectfully. The thought of Jesus leaving me made me feel very sad and lonely. I got advice from two Bible scholars who both told me I had nothing to worry about. So I decided to let it go. But every time I read in the Bible about blaspheming against the Spirit, I would get a nagging worry. When Dr. Dave Orrison came to speak to my class about assurance, it was so encouraging to hear him say that God is love, and He really isn't looking for an excuse to condemn people, but He's looking to save people. That's pretty much exactly what my husband told me on day one of this whole mess of mine. I then told God that I was sorry for questioning His kindness. He brought to mind this verse, which I found very reassuring: "this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day." (John 6:39) Isn't He wonderful?