1.

I am learning a few things this summer.
One of them is that God does not call the equipped; He equips the called.
I have always been drawn to the story of Moses, so I was excited to begin reading Exodus through Logan and I's Bible reading.  It may be that I love Moses so much because I loved the movie "Prince of Egypt"... it's a classic.  But I think part of his appeal to me is his inherent human-ness.  He's a coward at times.  He's a murderer.  God gets angry with him.  But God uses him to conquer.  And I have always felt that if God could use cowardly, stammering, idiots like Moses, He could use me, too.  I am believing that I don't have to be equipped for God to use me.  I just have to be faithful, to be willing to respond "Yes, Lord; here I am."
The second lesson is closely related; I have learned that God desires a broken vessel.  I've learned this lesson before - many times - but it's finally beginning to sink in.  As elementary as it sounds, I will never reach perfection alone.  I am unchangeably broken, apart from the cross.  But I don't have to stay that way.  I can become victoriously freed to allow the Spirit's work in my life and to fight against darkness.  But I don't do the work.  I surrender, and Jesus shapes my brokenness into beauty.  He has been reminding me daily never to forget my weakness, because the moment I forget how weak I am alone is the moment I believe that I'm capable alone.  The Enemy has succeeded in many of our lives by convincing us that we are capable of glory and freedom apart from Jesus.  But Christ in me is the true hope of glory.  And the Spirit of the Lord brings liberty, not enslavement.

I hope you are enjoying summer with all its beauties.  Mine has consisted of a lot of this: