Striving...

Mike allowed me some time away yesterday afternoon for my "retreat", application of a book study I am doing with a small group of women in our church. It was a sweet time of focusing on the Lord, and a little shopping too. :) Something I read really encouraged me. I want to share
First i was convicted of my sin by the beginning of the Ps that we were to look at from our "homework assignment".
"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. " Ps 127:1
I had been laboring in vain this past week, striving to love my husband and children and care for my home in my own strength. I of course desired to repent of the sin in my heart.
Then i read this.......
"When i sin, God feels no wrath in His heart against me. His his heart is filled with nothing but love for me, and He longs for me to repent and confess my sins to Him, so that He might show me the gracious and forgiving love that has been in His heart all along. God does not require my confession before He desires to forgive me. In His heart he already has forgiven me; and when i come to Him to confess my sins to Him, He runs to me ( as it were) and is repeatedly embracing and kissing me even before I get the words of my confession out of my mouth! God does see my sins, and He is grieved by my sins. His grief comes partly from the fact that in my moments of sin, I am not receiving the fullness of His love for me. He even sends chastisement into my life; but He does so because He is for me, and he loves me; and he disciplines me for my ultimate good. I don't deserve any of this, even on my best day; but this is my salvation, and herein I stand. Thank you, Jesus"
~From " A Gospel Primer for Christians" by Milton Vincent
There are scripture references for all these statements in the book, so awesome!
I praise God for all the fantastic resources He has given to us, and that he continually uses them to draw me back to Himself.