they inspire me

There is a stirring in my spirit when I see growth, a joy that overtakes me and causes me to want to jump up and down.  Both the green sprouts that come up out of the ground from newly planted seeds and the leaves that form on mature plants create excitement in me.  "Yes! His Kingdom come!" I want to shout.

It is a joy to walk alongside of so many people and watch as the Lord does a work in them.  Sometimes He uses me in their journey and sometimes I just get to sit back and watch these lives unfold before my very eyes.  But regardless of my involvement in their journey, I find my breath taken away as I am left in awe.  I become speechless from the stories, from the wisdom shared, from the love displayed, and from the acts that my friends step into right in front of me.

I love watching the newer believers in my life drink in the gospel every week, eyes wide and sparkling with the hope that the empty tomb offers.  They remind me that the basics of our faith--grace and new life and joy and love--are truly the most important part, that the resurrected King and His forgiveness and the power that His Spirit gives to all of His followers are more important than any of the nitty gritty pieces of theology I often find myself pondering.  They remind me that I need to constantly live out of the gospel and out of the transformative work of Jesus.  I love watching these sisters and brothers grasp biblical concepts for the first time and step into freedom from strongholds for the first time and engage in listening prayer for the first time.

And truly, nothing is more wonderful than watching my friends who have been walking with the Lord for decades get wow-ed by the Gospel all over again.  I love to hear their stories of stepping out in boldness, to watch as these strong men and women of God lovingly encourage the rest of us to have a missional-mindset, to be in the room as they welcome and love new-comers so well.

I count myself blessed to be invited into the lives of so many who exemplify the on-going work of the Spirit.  Their growth inspires me.  It reminds me to never stop living out of the beauty of the Gospel.  It encourages me to press deeper into the Life that He offers.

Thank you, friends, for opening up your hearts and sharing your lives with me.  Thank you for allowing God to continuously transform you.  Thank you for having a heartbeat that echoes the Kingdom of God.