Because He Loves Me

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." ~ Galatians 2:20

Years ago I had a dream where I was laying against a large wooden post on the ground. My arms were being streached and tied to the wooden post that laid horizontal at the top of the other wooden beam, and I realized that I was laying on the cross. In my dream I looked over toward my left hand as a man was placing a metal stake into the palm of my hand and as he swung the hammer down on the stake I was immediately standing next to the the cross watching as Jesus' hand was nailed to the cross. I stood there with tears in my eyes, feeling the pain that Jesus suffered, and realized that he took my place on that cross.

The images of that dream remain vivid in my mind, and have serve as a constant reminder of the sacrifice that Jesus made on my behalf. He gave himself for me so that I might live because he loves me.

There are days when I question what living fully means, and what does it look like on a daily basis. It's easy to get caught up in the mundane things in life, or to get stuck in a pattern. But when that happens how does one fully live?

As I look at my life, I find that living fully is being in the present moment, yet listening for the ways God is calling me. I find that lately it's in the few quiet moments I sneek in between the kids naps, and moments of standing alone in my driveway looking up at the night sky and finding solace in God's creation. I may be small compared to the night sky, but God's love for me is so great.

I was once told that faith is believing in what I cannot see. I may never see all there is to see in this life, or fully understand the things in this life, but it's by faith that I can live life to it's fullest and explore the gift Jesus gave me as he took my place on that cross.