Leaving it All Behind. . .

There are three songs at the top of my list on my itunes "morning lifeline" playlist. You all know I am a huge fan of Kristian Stanfill. So, naturally one of those songs is The Stand, by Kristian Stanfill.  I absolutly love this. 

As I was driving home from running some errands tonight, I was listening to this song and thinking how incredibly grateful I am for my relationship with Jesus Christ and my eternal life through Him.

I am completely overwhelmed by God's grace and mercy. I'm humbled by the blessing's He continues to pour out on me despite my abundance of short-comings, countless mistakes and continued failures .  

God's love for us never ever fails. Never gives up. Never runs out. 

Even when we don't deserve it, He's right there waiting for us. 

{Talk about grace upon grace} 

I believe that's why this song is such an intimate song for me.

I love the chorus:

So I'll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all

So I'll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours

When we moved up to Columbia we immediately got plugged in to Newspring Church. I could feel God at work in my life big time but I still felt like I wasn't giving Him my all. Somewhere between our Mirror Mirror, Adam & Eve, and Weird series (that weird series rocked my world) I became so disgusted with my lackadaisical approach towards God's will and calling for my life. 

I was so ready to embrace what He wanted to do in and through me. 

One morning during a very early quiet time I decided to flip over to Philippians 3 where Paul is teaching about no confidence in the flesh. Read the whole chapter here.

This is the verse that pierced my heart:

 "¹² Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus"

Ahhh!! I love these words from Paul.

He's admitting that No, he doesn't have it all together but he knows he is reaching for something better in Christ.

He's shouting, Forget your past! Forget your abundance of short-comings, countless mistakes and continued failures! Keep running toward Christ and the great things the Lord has for you!

Don't. look. back.

{Stay focused on the prize}

I'm right there with you Paul. I have not obtained these things but one thing is true- I am leaving it all behind. I'm not looking back. I am running toward Christ. 

{I'll stand My soul Lord to You surrendered All I am is Yours}