These past few weeks have been difficult ones for me personally. I've become aware of some traits in my life that need dealing with. I've neglected this blog quite a bit and have been throwing myself 100% into my work - which I adore. I love working for an employer like Birmingham Children's Hospital and are so grateful for heroes like my CEO and Chief Nurse who have given me opportunities I am so fortunate to have!
But I have contemplated that I have almost allowed my identity to become my work. It has got to the point where my body has actually physically given up and I have had to have some time off work (which I HATE!). But I am hoping this time off will be a good thing and will help me to make necessary adjustments and be an even better employee and all-round person.
But what I have noticed with this blog is that virtually since July last year it has almost become entirely devoted to SGM and their problems with C J Mahaney. This has been a negative issue and one that still seems unresolved. My interest in it is tied up of course with my very unfortunate experience with them and the fact my family still go. But it isn't a subject that is going to awake my passion! I think of heroes like Terry Virgo and Rob Rufus and Ern Baxter who point us to keeping our faith on fire for the Church!
So tonight I brought two Kindle edition books which I am very excited to dip into - "Invading the Impossible" (which I helped the Hong Kong church transcribe) a few years ago and Rob and Ryan's NEWEST book; "Living Grace: How Grace Affects your Whole Life". It is my hope that this enforced time off work will help me to remember Kingdom truths that used to set me on fire!
Disappointment in not seeing a coming to reality of the things I have (and still) believe in may have quenched the fire of hope. But I still believe it can be re-inflamed by reading glorious things like these two books! Here's the book being launched at City Church International;
Here's my favourite quote from Rob's chapter on the "Grace-Hating Spirit";
"People are hesitant to preach a radical Gospel of Grace but have you ever thought how radical the law is? Those who preach a mixture of law and grace are actually just compromisers. If you are going to preach the law, do it properly! The full extent of the law requires you cut off your hand if it is causing you to sin! When religious zealots fly planes into towers in the name of their gods, they are being absolutely faithful to the law! Under the law, we should kill anyone who doesn't keep it. In fact if you read the law properly you will see that if your kids don't keep the law, then you must stone your own children.
The reason why people say grace is radical is because they have never heard the law being taught properly".
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