Little Offerings: Eucalyptus, Monvee and Grace

My favorite smell is Eucalyptus. After spending a semester in Australia I really started to like the peaceful smell of it! So when I get a chance to take a bath I have a few selections of Eucalyptus smelling bath soaks, i also have a spray (oil)i use often times when i am stuffy in the bathroom after a shower or in our bedroom at night or even in Morgan's room, it helps me breath better!!! Just the thought of it makes me relax!

I am leading a women's Monvee bible study on Wednesday nights, I told Matt when it started i would do the 7 week class and that is it. I am a slow learner and know that when i put limitations on God he doesn't listen well!!! We are going on our 8th week of the study and i think we have at least 2 or 3 weeks left. I have never been in a small group where you can feel that God is there, each and every lady that has showed up was placed in this study for a reason, to tell there stories to help the other ladies, see something in a different light, to learn from each other, we typically have 8-10 women there and each time is amazing. I told the ladies last week that I feel like I can't just end the study at the semester and that we need to keep meeting in January. I am thankful the study is on Wednesday's because it really recharges me to tackle the rest of the week.

One amazing story - we had a lady show up a few weeks ago for the first time, she had stopped into the church a few times but had not joined a group yet, the Wednesday she joined us she was riding her bike past and was ready to get home to watch a TV show she was super excited about. Something (GOD) made her turn her bike around and walk into church to find a small group. As she was walking up to church her landlord was walking out and they knew exactly what study to take her to....it was so amazing to see the group respond in Grace to someone new in the class everyone welcomed her with open arms. The mission statement vision statement (whatever they are called) is:

Encounter grace: we want people far from God to know God through faith in Jesus.
Grow in grace: we want people who know Jesus to grow close to Jesus.
Give grace: we want people who know Jesus to share Him with others and bring His teachings and ways to a world that is in desperate need of the love of Jesus

My group is a PERFECT example of this. Words can't even begin to express my thankfulness to God and my excitement. I also feel that the story above is under told but i don't know what words to use to explain in! God is Amazing!

GRACE - there is so much behind this! Grace is about being forgiving, looking past what one has done, if you have a bad day, you don't need to take it out on the waitress that maybe is having a bad day as well. Try giving someone that extra smile, hold the door for someone with full arms, let someone into your lane when you are driving, try to be kind to people no matter what is going on in your day and see how that can turn our attitude around. EVERYONE deserves grace, no matter what you have done, haven't been to church in a while, God is graceful, go, if you go every once in a while, don't feel bad about it, you have to do what you can and God is graceful. Were you selfish when you should have really sat down to read with your kid, or call your friend to see how they were doing, its ok. God is graceful.

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. ~ 1 Peter 4:10 (ESV)
God has given you GRACE so you can give it to others...