a Gospel-centered life

Most of you reading this are in Florida (i miss you all so much) and have been asking me how i like Birmingham, to which i replied, "i love it. i'm going to blog soon." It took me a while, but i'm finally coming through on that promise. Since i've been in Birmingham, i've met a ton of fantastic people. i am continually amazed at how quickly God's children can form real relationships, and not based on shallow, worldly things, but based on the unity of the Gospel and of the Holy Spirit.

By the providence of God, i got plugged into an awesome Bible study (thank you Tim Winters). i've been incredibly challenged by what God has been teaching us. For the past month, we've been discussing what a Gospel-centered life looks like and how the Gospel is not only used in our salvation but affects all areas of our lives. i never realized that before. And truly, if we don't understand the Gospel ourselves, how are we to preach it? If we're not daily being affected by the reality of what Christ accomplished on the cross, how will our lives testify to the Gospel to those around us?

God especially showed this principle to me through my new and dear friend, Emily Moore. The first time we met at Starbucks for discipleship, her first two questions were, "What's your testimony?" and "Will you tell the Gospel to me?" Talk about challenging. By God's grace, the Gospel just poured from my mouth. i've never shared the Gospel with anyone before so this came as somewhat of a surprise to me, although it shouldn't have (Matt. 1019,20). And again, at small group last week, she asked me to share again. What a beautiful example of accountability. Afriend who realizes the importance of meditating on and being daily changed by the Gospel and challenging me to preach it to myself daily. i've never had anyone do that to me before, so it was awesome!

So, the weight of my sin has been great lately, realizing that i am completely inadequate in and of myself. But to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God's grace is sufficient for me (2 Cor. 12:9,10) has been my strength. Two quotes have aided the process of this idea becoming reality.

"Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong, but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world." Martin Luther

"The reason many people do not enter the kingdom of heaven is not, by popular conception, because the standards are too high, but because the standards are so low for entry that our pride will not allow us to accept such a great free gift." John Piper

Oh! to be so humbled by the Gospel that we could simply accept it. This is only possible by His grace in our lives. Of course, this is easier said than done. But God has granted to us to share in Christ's sufferings (Phil. 1:29, 3:8; 2 Cor. 4:8-11). To rejoice in our sufferings, not only after the fact, but in the midst of them-how beautiful!

May we suffer well. Together.

There's so much more i could write, but i know how turned off i am by insanely long posts, so i'll save it for another time.