Happy New Year everyone. I'm back from a long trip from the Turks and Caicos Islands, which is an amazing place with perfectly turquoise blue waters. We ended 2010 in a celebratory fashion and let me tell you how grateful I am to God. My commitment to Live Slow allowed me to have Christmas all wrapped up well before the trip. We came back Christmas Eve and had more wonderful family time. After that, I enjoyed a visit from my best friend Terri and then, traveled to Virginia to visit my ailing grandma. Again.....if my life had been junked up with "stuff" I may never have experienced all of the blessings I've received in the last 3 weeks. And now I'm back....
I'm going to take this time to wrap up those gifts of rejection I never got to, because tomorrow marks the beginning of a 21-day Daniel fast with several churches nationwide. I'll spend the next 21 days, blogging about the fasting and posting recipes for those following along. Here are the rest of the gifts:
Gift # 3: Rejection draws you closer to Christ, as you intimately experience what he dealt with almost daily.
Gift # 4: Rejection changes your perception about yourself and those around you. It allows you to empathize and have compassion for people who face rejection for whatever reason.
Gift # 5: Rejection also makes you aware of how you reject and judge others...you may think you don't, but it helps you look deeply into the depths of your heart.
Gift # 6: Rejection cuts to the heart of truth and makes you keenly aware of your dealings with others and God.
Gift 7: Rejection is a fact of life. I'm reminded of this when I watch children experience bullying in any form. It's always been a problem and while painful, trains us for the future.
Gift 8: Rejection is a great teacher. Jesus reminds us what to look for in his disciples. A disciple produces fruit.
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them."
Matt 7:15-20
Gift 9: Being rejected, is a great reminder of how you reject God. Every time you decide to disobey or decide that you know better than He does, he'll remind you otherwise. This is a great gift.
Gift 10: Rejection makes you realize how much God loved you. He loved you so much that he endured it on your behalf and died for you.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
That's the best gift EVER!!
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