Series of random thoughts

I know I have been a bit inconsistent with keeping the blog updated. But what can I say, life can be a little busy at times. There are days that I cannot put into enough words to truly explain. So what you get is a bunch of random thoughts, put together in some way. I tried to make as much sense of my thoughts as I could.

As I sit here and reflect on the week, I can't help but think about God's grace. Grace that has gotten volunteers through the day, grace that has been given to residents of Lakeshore who have lost everything, grace by which I have been saved, grace that is only given by the Lord and Savior. Fully deserving of death and hell, He gives eternal life to me a sinner who was so wrapped up in sin. I know I never deserve to be called a child of God, but I am grateful beyond what my words can describe that He's called me.

It is grace that is given that overcomes obstacles. On our own we are inconsistent and undependable, I am glad the He has not left us to operate under our own power. It is my prayer for myself and other believers that we would not try or want to operate by our own power, but desire to be bound to Christ who gives grace.

I agree in prayer/song with those who have sang:

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness like a fetter
Bind my wandering heart to thee:
Prone to wander, Lord I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O, take and seal it;
Seal it for thy courts above.

I like what John Piper has to say about this song
"Make your goodness like fetter a chain that binds my wandering heart to you Seal my heart with an unbreakable bond for the courts of heaven. In other words: Keep me! Preserve me! Defeat every rising rebellion! Overcome every niggling doubt! Deliver from every destructive temptation! Nullify every fatal allurement! Expose every demonic deception! Tear down every arrogant argument. Shape me! Incline me! Hold me! Master me! Do whatever you must do to keep me trusting you and fearing you till Jesus comes or calls"

I hope that this would be our prayer. To be bound to God and have my heart sealed for the courts above and to do whatever it takes to keep me trusting and fearing the God who saves the most undeserving.

On a side note:
Things in Lakeshore are busy. this past week we had somewhere around 10 teams of volunteers that were out working in the community. Tasks that they were working on varied from cleaning yards, gutting houses, putting up drywall and siding and insulation, laying carpet, and all sorts of other things.

I have been able to get around more and meet some of the Lakeshore residents. There have been times that all I could do was give them a hug as they tell me of losing family members, homes, and possessions. But it is my prayer that as teams go in and work on these peoples homes that the residents will be given hope and that the gospel message would be presented to those who are not yet followers of Christ.