Day 551 ~ #IASunity

Fifteen days until Christmas!  Oh my!!

I think I am going to do something different on my blog for December all together.

1. Last year I did the 12 days of Christmas, which I will do again starting the 14th- which I am sure doesn't make any sense starting on the 14th that is, but if you count the 14th, then the 25th is the twelth day.
2. This year I was invited by Doug Bender to write four posts about his book Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First  from December 9th through the 12th . .
3. Soooo. . .  I have decided that throught the 8th I would share the top Seven things I love about December . . . 
4. And for the last six days of the year, a look back at 2012. 

My instructions are to:  1.) You select 4 readings within Session 2 (pg 37-66) of the book to write about  and 2.) During Launch Week, December 9-15, you write four (4) blog entries telling the story of your spiritual journey as you read and interact with the Live Second book and the four readings you choose.

My second (of four) post is from (quoted from the book) week 7, Day 7: Unity

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.  May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 

—John 17:20–23

Love is the sign of our faith. Unity is the motif of our spirituality.  As the Father and the Son are one, so must we be. Bitterness and resentment should have no place in our lives. Unforgiveness and prejudice should find no home in our community. Our lives and our prayers should be littered with concern for others and care for those around us.

Talk with God

Ask.

 “. . . that they may be one as we are one . . .”  

God, I ask you to heal these relationships . . .

I could have chosen to writen about 'forgiveness' because Lord knows that there are a few people I need to truly forgive . . . I could have chosen to write about 'letting go', once again Lord knows that I need to 'let go' of a few things [FOR GOOD] . . . I could have chosen to write about 'love' which we all know that it is 'love' all that I want to feel . . . I could have even chosen to wrrite about 'humbling' experiences . . . or 'love defined' . . . YET . . . what I did choose to write about is unitting.  

Dear Heavenly Father . . . 

I ask that you remove all resentment from my life, let alone I ask that you bring my family together as one, as we should be.  To look out for one another, as we build each other up.  I ask you to remove all resentment from my family's heart and bring us all together.

God forgive me for the resentment that I added to the mess I/we created.  

Finally, forgive me for not letting you take the driver's seat.. 

I surrender to you, my Lord. 

Amen. 

As I learn the importance of truly letting go and letting God, I understand more and more about "faith" and the reality of being second.  

To truly put Him first and wholely surrender to him . . . this is what being second is truly about.

If I expect to go to home to Jesus, I must first be forgiven.  BUT . . . To be forgiven by Him . . . I must first forgive others.  Bottomline . . .  if I do not forgive others then Jesus will not forgive me.

Surrendering to Him will finally allow me let go and heal.

Tweet using #IASunity to share your prayers.

Available in stores week of December 9th, 2012

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

I am second..

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

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