Monday, November 10, 2008

Flawed Yet Forgiven!

I want to share a couple of photos with you before I start my Behind Those Eyes post.

My hubby Mark and I were blessed with tickets to this past weekends NASCAR races! Yipee!! We have been NASCAR fans since before it was cool! Thank you to Mark's boss!
















Before my 50th birthday I would never have gotten in this car (too embarrassing, I suppose), but here I am in a car that Dale Earnhardt actually drove ~ I even sat on the same seat.


I have never worn a hat in public ~ but now that I am 50 ~ and God has done such an amazing work in my heart over the past few weeks ~ I figured it would be ok.

We had such a great time ~ I just wanted to share.



Now for my Behind Those Eyes post. I cannot believe we are already on Chapter 9, We Are Completely Flawed Yet Forgiven Completely, and we only have one week to go. It has been a challenging yet rewarding study and I am thankful to Lisa Whittle for writing this wonderful book and to Lelia at WriteFromTheHeart for hosting this study. I know I am not the same person who first picked up this book in mid-September.

Completely flawed ~ yep ~ no denying that! All of the MS. that have been shared in this book are only cover-ups for the real deal ~ a sin-filled nature. Taking the mask or armor or concealer off has only revealed the truth and we all know that scripture tells us that the truth will set us free! Thank God ~ I am free!

Freedom does not mean that I do not sin any longer ~ on the contrary. Often times I feel as though I sin more now than I used to. I believe that is, in part, because I am more fully aware of God's character and how He is trying to change me.

I am so much like Paul. Lisa shares scripture from Romans 7 with us when Paul speaks about his desire to do good and right things but finds himself making wrong choices. I do that all the time. It's kind of like: I'm definitely going to start my diet on Monday then all of a sudden it's Thursday and I say: Oh well, I'll start next Monday when I know God has spoken to my heart about my body being His Temple and the need to take care of it. I want to yet I don't.

Yes, I am completely flawed. But thank God (literally) the story doesn't end there.

I am forgiven completely!

In 1997 God took me on an incredible 8 month journey. My husband took a temporary job transfer to Wyoming. While he was away working during the week and the kids were doing their thing, I had many hours to spend with God. He taught me lessons in forgiveness that I never dreamed possible. During those months he cleaned my heart of bitterness, anger and unforgiveness toward my dad. It was a long process but one I will never forget.

The wonderful thing about learning to forgive my dad is that I came to a new depth of understanding about how God forgives us through the blood of Jesus.

Lisa uses one of my favorite scriptures on the subject: Psalms 103:12, "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." To me that means, no matter how many times the enemy may try to put those sins back on me, he can't because they truly can never catch up to me again. They are gone, never to be found again, and never to be remembered by God.

Lisa's challenge question: In your heart of hearts, do you think God is ready and willing to forgive you? Honestly...will you let Him?

I can honestly say, though I don't deserve one moment of it, His grace and mercy have overcome my unworthiness and YES! He is ready, I have let Him and I am forever Thankful!!

What about you? Ask yourself the same question. Will you let Him?

Considering It All Joy, Cindy

19 comments:

  1. You look so cute in that car. How great that you are doing things you've never done before!

    You go girl!!!

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  2. You look great in a cap....I have tried to wear baseball caps, and I just can't get them to work for me!

    Thanks for your sweet encouragement to me even when I'm ranting and raving.

    I'm feeling much better today.

    It's comforting to be completely forgiven inspite of my flaws.

    Love you, Lee

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  3. Love the pictures! Glad you had a good time!!

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  4. What a good post. I'm so glad God is a forgiving God. He loves me when.....thank you Jesus.

    Glad you had some fun time! 50 looks great!

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  5. Cindy I have SO enjoyed seeing God work in your life over the past few weeks. You my friend are building up His kingdom!

    These are GREAT pictures...what fun times...thank you for sharing them...and breaking down and getting in that car!

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  6. Cindy,
    I believe you hit the nail on the head with your comment about you feel you sin more now. You are right that it's more about God convicting us and showing us our sin. The closer we walk with Jesus, the more in tune we are with His character and how much unlike His character we are. We see what/who we want to be like and at the same time, God gently tugs at our hearts of the things we should not do, stop doing, or start doing.

    Thanks for this post. So glad to see the growth in you through this study.

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  7. You look beautiful and there are some Nascar fans in this house too!

    We live 30 minutes from the Bristol Motor Speedway so it's an annual event here. (I'm not a huge fan, but I like it ok...the guys...they LOVE it! :-)

    You sound like you went through a season like myself. I was so angry at everyone...then GOD saved me and I thought I had forgiven them...I really wanted to.

    GOD dared to let them surface and show what I was shoving down under my "good girl" exterior. We had to get rid of that stuff.

    Boy, it's tough..when you've been hurt, it's tough..when you've been really, really hurt...it's tougher...when someone has ripped your life up in front of you..it's impossible without HIM and HIS Spirit..I know that one.

    Blessings and love,
    Teri

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  8. Cindy,

    How courageous you are. It is a difficult thing to go through the growth experience you did in 1997.

    There is freedom and conviction and forgiveness all wrapped in ONE.

    Thank you for your post,

    Kristy

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  9. You look great in a hat!

    no matter how many times the enemy may try to put those sins back on me, he can't because they truly can never catch up to me again. They are gone, never to be found again, and never to be remembered by God.
    All I can say is,Amen!!!

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  10. Amen! Yes...as far as the East is from the West! And I am so thankful...flawed but thankful!
    You are the real deal!
    50 is looking great on you!

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  11. Love the pictures - and you look so cute in a hat!

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  12. I just love how you say it here, friend! "All of the MS. that have been shared in this book are only cover-ups for the real deal ~ a sin-filled nature. Taking the mask or armor or concealer off has only revealed the truth and we all know that scripture tells us that the truth will set us free!"

    Until we uncover the truth, we live in lies. Until we understand our flaws, Satan has us trapped in that circle of trying to be, trying to be, trying to be.

    Freedom. It is some of the best of what our Christ has to offer on this side of Heaven!

    AND, I gotta say, you look awfully CUTE in that baseball cap! Lookin' rather free!

    So blessed to be on this journey with you,
    Darlene

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  13. Your post reminded me of a passage I read recently in a Max Lucado book...God has only one requirement for entrance into heaven: that we be clothed in Christ. Jesus describes the inhabitants of heaven as "They will walk with me and wear white clothes, because they are worthy." (Rev. 3:4) The elders are described as "Around the throne there were..twenty-four elders..they were dressed in white and had golden crowns." (Rev. 4:4) All are dressed in white. But "He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God." (Rev. 19:13)
    His robe is not white, his cloak is not spotless, his garment is dipped in blood, while ours are white. Why? Paul says "He changed places with us." (Gal. 3:13)

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  14. Yes!! I have to let Him over and over again.

    I love this: "Freedom does not mean that I do not sin any longer ~ on the contrary. Often times I feel as though I sin more now than I used to. I believe that is, in part, because I am more fully aware of God's character and how He is trying to change me."

    Oh, my. It's so true. And I love that you said it!

    My son is a big Nascar fan! Looks like an adventurous day. I have to ask, who is your driver? That Jimmie Johnson is driving me crazy.

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  15. Cindy,
    I read your post about walking through the door... Praise God!!!
    And I am so glad that you are letting Him forgive you.
    It is so hard for me too. I find I hold myself to such a higher standard than He does... so I find it hard to forgive myself, and accept His.
    I am so proud of you for the work you have done; and for allowing us to see the changes God has made. Thank you for being open enough to do that!
    May God bless you mightily in this new freedom!
    Love in Him,
    Heather

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  16. Your welcome...
    I am just glad that God can use my pain to help others through theirs. That He can use my stuff and struggles to help others to find where they are stuck too.
    Love,
    heather

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  17. Hi Cindy.. I was just visiting blogs today and I just wanted to say I enjoyed my visit here today. I see some of my bloggy friends here as well *smile* What a wonderful study I enjoyed reading different views of this study. I'm doing a series on Joy and your header caught my attention.

    Aloha Lorie

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  18. Courage my friend, Courage...

    You're loved.

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  19. I CAME HOME FROM CHEMO TO FIND THE PINK TEDDY BEAR. I LOVE IT AND IT FILLED WITH LOTS OF LOVE. THANK SO MUCH FOR I WILL TREASURE IT!
    Your friend Cindy

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Hi Friend, I read and cherish every single comment you leave! You bring Joy to my heart! Blessings, Cindy