Redemption.

           Wow, so much has been happening in the past few months that I don't even know where to begin. I suppose that if I was a better blogger who kept up with her posts more often that I wouldn't have this problem, but then where would the fun in that be??? Hahaha. Anyway, I am just going to start off with where I am now and go from there. Whether that going is forwards, backwards, or some of both, I just don't know... ;-)
        So, Redemption. What does that word mean to you? What emotions, memories, and or feelings does it bring up in you? For me, I practically (and have in the past) tear up at the beauty of it. :-) Seriously, just take a moment and think about it. Think about what an amazing,  powerful,  gift of grace it is to us. To me, redemption is God taking all of our selfish, screwed up, nasty hopeless messes and turning them into a something so beautiful and powerful that ONLY He could possibly do. And that's NOT EVEN ALL OF IT!! He then uses those beauty from ashes stories in our own lives to inspire others to turn to Him and then have their OWN redemptive stories to tell!! This is powerful stuff, my friends. Powerful, awesome stuff from a powerful, awesome God. :-) Tell me, WHO ELSE could take all of our scars and hurts and turn them into beauty beyond imagining?? THAT IS THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD. THE GREATNESS OF HIS LOVE FOR US!!! "As we run our hands along these scars, may they tell us who we are, WE ARE THE REDEEMED." - I LOVE love love this line from the song All the Same by 10th Ave North!! Our scars tell us who we are, but it's not that we are wounded messed up people, but that "we are the REDEEMED!!" God has redeemed us not only because of His infinite love for us, but because He has chosen us (US!!!) to go and help Him in his redemptive work that He is doing in the world. Our relationships, our lives, our stories, are that much powerful because of what He has done in our lives!!
      This all makes me think of Edmund and Eustace from the Chronicles of Narnia and how their redemption through Aslan not only affected them, but it dramatically changed the lives of those around them as well. Their stories illustrate the truth of Romans 8:28 in a way that we can understand and relate to. Their stories also show that while the journey to redemption is never easy, it is ALWAYS WORTH IT. :-)