A Hint of mint Me

When my mother died in March 2008 [& after the numbness wore off] I started to re-evaluate my life. When my minister agreed to spend part of a worship service praising the Lord Who Provides because He provided for each of my needs as it occurred throughout the year. I remembered that His grace is enough...I have enough. He is enough. I want to share some of the scales God allowed to fall off my eyes this year as part of this evaluation process.
Around this time last year I was completely broken. What I had feared the most then had HAPPENED! Whether you want to say it originated in my family, or came from exposure to the world, being cynical or GOD ; the facts remain the same, I felt completely broken. Emotionally and Spiritually, I was gushing blood to the point of needing a transfusion. Only, I wasn't even in the ambulance on my way to the hospital...But Christ was willing to have His blood poured out for me.
There is a saying [and no, I don't know who said it first]: "When you fall to your knees before God, He will help you stand up to anything."
Hope made its entrance from the east, west, north & south...basically Hope emerged in my life.
I probably would have said this before my mother died, but these words mean so much more now:
Rachel's Missions Statement:
I am a follower of Christ Jesus.
I know that salvation is a free gift from the Lord.
I know that to accept this gift I must be a free-thinking individual, mature enough to understand the full ramifications of such a decisions.
I know that to not accept the Lord on His terms incurs many consequences, with the most important being unable to spend eternity with the One Who Is.
I also know that if I do accept His cleansing "transfusion" but then turn away later has consequences as well.
I know the Messiah died on a cross and His blood was shed to provide me with a blessing I could never give myself, the only true blessing.
I know that 3 days after dying my Savior rose triumphant over death.
I know that after accepting the Lord's reign over my life the Holy Spirit begins His work on my very nature [body, mind and spirit--Deuteronomy 6] which continues the rest of my days on earth. The Holy Spirit, the Comfort of the Lord leads me every step of my walk, moving my heart and my behavior closer to the the high standards of God.
I know I will NEVER act, think or feel PERFECTLY in tune with the requirements of the Adonai.
Since I have chosen the One Who Loves and calls according to His purpose; when the Heavenly Father looks at me [literally, Shines His face upon me. Numbers 6] the Lord sees the face and the Body of Jesus, to ONLY man to EVER walk the earth completely perfect, from His birth to His death.
I worship God the Father; Jesus, His One and Only begotten Son who is the Salvation of the world; and the Holy Spirit who renews me.
I experience All of them not as 3 separate gods, but as just 3 of the aspects of the Whole Yahweh; similar to how I experience the ocean: sight, smell, sound [analogy source unknown].
The Lord knows the gifts and plans He has for me [Jeremiah], BUT these plans will not come to full fruition until I and the rest of humanity:

STOP REJECTING HE WHO IS ABLE!!!

A famous quartet of musicians once said, "Love is the answer."
Well I say: IF love is the answer & God is Love, then God is the Answer.
One more thing...for those from Hope Church [both the one who heard me say these things and those of you who didn't] I know you thought the mention of Hope above was about the family at Hope. I do mean you in part, but I also mean that My hope comes from the Lord. So this mention of you is a thank you of sorts because I also know that when I walk into any gathering of ours, hope is what you offer, hope from the Lord.