The Plumbline

God called you and chose you to be his. Do your best to live in a way that shows you really are God’s called and chosen people. If you do all this, you will never fall. And you will be given a very great welcome into the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, a kingdom that never ends. (2 Peter 1:10-11) Called, not just chosen. Sometimes we forget we have more to do in this walk with Jesus than just attest to our Christianity. We are called to work alongside Jesus in being witnesses in this very harsh world. We are called to be bold in our faith, standing strong in the midst of things we don't understand fully. In being examples of his grace and love, we can change a very harsh world into a much kinder one. We can make a difference, but only when we are willing to be used by God wherever he places us.  We must never forget that Christ is in control of our comings and goings, but we must also remember that he calls us to action. Witnesses do more than just show up. They get in...

Do God's plans ever change? It is a question I have often asked when things seemed to be going one way and then all of a sudden, they are all headed the opposite direction. Is it possible the 'turn of events' that happened was really all of the original plan? Could it be that I just didn't see the 'whole plan' when I set out on the journey? Is it possible God's plans for us include much more than we see right now? Perhaps God has things more 'under control' than we might think because he frequently reminds us that even before we were born, the plans for our lives were already marked out. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5) But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. (Galatians 1:15-16) Home birth or h...