Death Brings Life

I'm going to try and write this one out of my mind right now because it needs to be written on here I think. Usually I write down my devos. first because it is just faster if I copy them off the paper but this one needs to be now. Hopefully, it will make sense. God has been putting on my mind a lot about how to live life for Him. Things like not to conform to this world and spend time with Him and make him the center of your life. It kind of hit me upside the head when God brought this theme into my mind this week and last night at church He seemed to be pushing it with the message my pastor gave about devotion. It hit me in a missions way too for those of you who really know me personally that is a big deal. How many times have we heard "Death brings Life" espically in the church? That is what most if not all the new testament is about too. It is about Christ dying on the cross for us. To start out because I don't know how many people are reading this that are or are not Christians but I will give an example in my life where death brought me life. There are 4 times where it has. Two I could chose and 2 times I couldn't. First major change in my life was after my grandpa passed away. I changed my major in college from an elementary ed degree to a FACS plus Child Development degree. It wasn't the easiest change in my life because I have always dreamed about being a teacher. Another recent one is when my grandma past away 2 years ago. That one was a I had to do it major life change. I graduated from college and moved down to AR with a preschool teaching job. Never will regret that change. I love it here and the people around me. I have two more I could share but won't. Those two examples should be enough to show you that death even when it is someone that we love will bring some kind of change in our lives big or small. A small one could be like for me getting a part time job because I needed it and wanted to move on with my life and I got that job after a favorite teacher of mine past away and that started my career path in a way. Isn't it the same way with Christ? Christ died on the cross so we could have a new start in life with Him by our sides. He took away our sins upon that cross and bared them for us so we could be free in Him. Free to have a life that glorifies His Father and Him. Free to be happy. Free to love without mistakes. Free to find comfort in Him. Free to go to Him whenever we need to. Free to do whatever pleases Him because the sins were off of us. Free to fly and trust Him while we are flying through life with Him. I think even Peter died to himself after he saw Jesus raised from the grave because he saw the words of Jesus come true. That changed Peter's life. It just amazes me how we go through life thinking death is a bad thing when really it isn't on either side. Really, would you rather be living for Jesus here where it is hard or dying for Him and going to a place where there is glory forever. There is a way to start a convo. with someone who doesn't know Christ. What better way to start out but saying "Death brings Life" and then explaining what that means with Christ. From a mission view, missionaries might have to die for Christ but what better way to die then for Him. You are living the best life you could for Him if you are out there serving on the mission field or at least in my view but of course it's where I want to be and for those of you who know me you know that. This is a big lesson that God is teaching me and another way He is preparing me to go I truly believe someday.