February 22 LOVE PICKED US SO GRACE COULD USE US.

Affirmation: Instead of telling people what they want, let’s tell them who they are.

You are:-God’s incredible creation.-Loved immensely and intensely.-Courageous, Compassionate and Connected -Talented, gifted and capable -Kind, loving, and thoughtful -Handsome and Beautiful

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Wholehearted Guidepost from Brené Brown

Cultivating Laughter, Song, and Dance

BRENÉ'S INTENTION

I call this the almost-didn't-make-it guidepost because at the beginning I wasn't sure a guidepost on singing and dancing should be part of this book. But here's the truth: As much as I didn't want to believe it, laughter, song and dance emerged in the data as important and vital to our wholeheartedness.

The hard part for a lot of us when it comes to embracing laughter, song and dance is that straightjacket of cool. When I was young, I had a loud laugh, and that was cute and great until about middle school. Then, all of the sudden, when I was criticized for being uncool, I got smaller. And by smaller, I mean quieter and more self-conscious, with more fear about how boldly I could really express myself. Cool had become my straightjacket, and I had to learn the hard way how to take it off. It was so worth it, because when we laugh, dance and sing together, we form community in a way that nothing else can. Laughter, song and dance are so powerful because they are how we communicate to each other that we're not alone.

This Lesson's Intention

"Cool is an emotional straightjacket. I am going to take it off."

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Mastering the 7 Decisions from Andy Andrews 

The Active Decision 

3. I AM A PERSON OF ACTION. I am Resilient 

I will create a new future by creating a new me. I inspire others with my activity. I am a leader. I will create a habit of lively behavior.

I will walk with a spring in my step and a smile on my face. My activity will create a wave of success for the people who follow me. As a leader, I have the ability to encourage and inspire others to greatness. I do not fear failure, because failure exists only for the person who quits.

I do not quit. I am courageous. I am a leader. I seize the moment. I choose now. I am resilient. 

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Reading for Today

Walk in Grace. Live in Love. by Bob Goff

Feb. 22

LOVE PICKED US SO GRACE COULD USE US.

Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right." 

ACTS 10 34-35 

 

Every year when I was in school, we were required to go to "athletics," better known as gym class. I always hated it because there was a possibility we'd play kickball or dodgeball or pretty much anything that required a ball. This meant there would be team captains to pick players. It is a time-honored tradition that picking teams in gym class starts with the best and goes to the worst. I often hoped God would make the bell ring forty-eight minutes early because I knew what was about to happen again. I wouldn't get picked. I was huge. I almost blocked the sun. This was good. But I was clumsy, which was bad. 

It was a terrible system, leaving me and all the other uncoordinated guys stranded on the sidelines looking at each other in our gym shorts and T-shirts. It was clear who was cool and got picked and who wasn't. I'm so glad God doesn't chose who will be with Him the way the guys in gym class picked who would be on their team. 

Ifl ever teach a gym class, I'm going to draw a big circle in the middle of the group and say, "Everyone is in." That's how God chose us. The Bible says God loved the whole world, every person in it. Not just the cool ones or the knowledgeable ones or the ones who believed all the right things or made all the right moves. He doesn't want anyone to suffer, and He doesn't want anyone to feel alone. He doesn't want anyone to go through life without Him, and He doesn't want us to spend eternity without Him either. 

We don't have to burden ourselves by wondering who's in and who's out, because God already told us: He wants us all. If you're someone who knows about God's extravagant love, you've let grace find you. Once He does, the question is what we'll do next. Love picked us so grace could use us. 

 

Reflect on God's unconditional love for you today. What comes to mind?