Tullian Tchividjian Enjoy!

May 9

Tullian Tchividjian

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Acknowledging Failure IS A Virtue: A Response To Jen Wilkin Posted: 08 May 2014 10:16 PM PDT I’ve been asked to respond to Jen Wilkin’s post last week, Failure is Not a Virtue. I won’t rehash Jen’s point. You can follow the link and read the post for yourself. There’s lots that could be said. On the surface, it’s not easy to see what’s wrong with it. She quotes the Bible and she makes some valid points. But something is missing. And you can’t know what that is unless you dive beneath the surface and explore her post at a deeper theological AND existential level. So, let me just point out two major “under the surface” points that seem to be the source of the theological muddiness on the surface. When You Fail To Distinguish Law And Gospel…You Lose Both Jen’s concern seems to be a reveling in moral laxity. She calls it “celebratory failurism.” She writes, “Some have begun to articulate a skewed view of grace—one that discounts the necessity of obedience to the moral precepts of the Law. I call this view celebratory failurism—the idea that believers cannot obey the Law and will fail at every attempt. Furthermore, our failure is ultimately cause to celebrate because it makes grace all the more beautiful.” I have to be honest and say I’ve never encountered a Christian who “celebrates failure.” And I’ve been around for a while. Don’t get me wrong, I see moral laxity in everyone, everywhere. But I don’t see real Christians reveling in it or bragging about it. Anyway, it’s not just the diagnosis that I question. It’s her proposed solution to this “celebratory failurism” which reveals some pretty deep theological confusion. Things get very confusing when you don’t properly distinguish God’s law from God’s gospel. Theodore Beza (John Calvin’s successor) rightly said that, “Ignorance of this distinction between Law and Gospel is the principal source of abuse which corrupted and still corrupts Christianity.” Both God’s law and God’s gospel are good but both have unique job descriptions. As I mention here, Paul makes it clear in Romans 7 that the law endorses the need for change but is powerless to enact change—that’s not part of its job description. It points to righteousness but can’t produce it. It shows us what godliness is, but it cannot make us godly. The law can inform us of our sin but it cannot transform the sinner. It can show us what love for God and others looks like, but only love can produce love for God and others (1 John 4:19). Nowhere does the Bible say that the law carries the power to change us. The law can instruct, but only grace can inspire. We can tell people about what they need to be doing and the ways they’re falling short–instructing, exhorting, correcting, rebuking, preaching “the imperatives”–and that’s important. But we’re being both theologically AND existentially simplistic and naive when we assume that simply telling people what they need to do has the power to make them want to do it. Telling people they need to change can’t change them; exhorting people to obey (which we should definitely do) doesn’t generate obedience. Even God’s command to love him with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength is not itself what causes actual love for him. What causes actual love for God is God’s love for us. His love for us is what motivates love from us. The Bible is very, very, very clear that grace and grace alone carries the power to inspire what the law demands. Love, not law, compels heartfelt loyalty. Ask your spouse. Ask your teenagers. Ask your employees. Ask yourself! Too many people assume that championing ethics will itself make us more ethical; that preaching obedience will itself make us more obedient; that focusing on the law will itself make us more lawful. But is that the way it works? With God or your wife or your husband or your children or with any other human for that matter? I completely understand how natural it is to conclude that, given our restraint-free cultural context, preachers in our day should be very wary of talking about grace at all. That’s the last thing lawless people need to hear, is it not? Surely they’ll take advantage of it and get worse, not better. After all, it would seem logical to me that the only way to “save” licentious people is to intensify our exhortations to behave. Therefore, what we desperately need is a renewed focus on ethics, duty, behavior, and so on. I mean, surely God doesn’t think that the saving solution for the immoral and rebellious is his free grace? That doesn’t make sense. It seems backwards, counter-intuitive. Matt Richard describes well how naturally we take it upon ourselves to reign the gospel in when we fear too much of it will result in lawlessness: I have found that as Christians we many times attribute “lawlessness” to the preaching of the Gospel. Somewhere in our thinking we rationalize that if the Gospel is presented as “too free, too unconditional or that Jesus fulfills the law for us” that the result will be lax morality, loose living and lawlessness. It’s as if we believe that the freeing message of the Gospel actually produces, encourages and grants people a license to sin. Because of this rationalization we find ourselves strapping, holding and attaching restrictions to the Gospel so that we might prevent or limit lawlessness. In other words, the Gospel is placed into bondage due to our rationalization and reaction to lawlessness. The truth is, that lawlessness and moral laxity happen, not when we hear too much grace, but when we hear too little of it. InOne Way Love, I share the following letter I received from a man I’ve never met. He wrote: Over the last couple of years, we have really been struggling with the preaching in our church as it has been very law laden and moralistic. After listening, I feel condemned with no power to overcome my lack of ability to obey. Over the last several months, I have found myself very spiritually depressed, to the point where I had no desire to even attend church. Pastors are so concerned about somehow preaching “too much grace” (as if that is possible), because they wrongly believe that type of preaching leads to antinomianism or licentiousness. But, I can testify that the opposite is actually true. I believe preaching only the law and giving little to no gospel actually leads to lawless living. When mainly law is preached, it leads to the realization that I can’t follow it, so I might as well quit trying. At least, that’s what has happened to me. Gerhard Ebeling wrote, “The failure to distinguish the law and the gospel always means the abandonment of the gospel” because the law gets softened into “helpful tips for practical living” instead of God’s unwavering demand for absolute perfection, while the gospel gets hardened into a set of moral and social demands we “must live out” instead of God’s unconditional declaration that “God justifies the ungodly.” As my friend and New Testament scholar Jono Linebaugh says, “God doesn’t serve mixed drinks. The divine cocktail is not law mixed with gospel. God serves two separate shots: law then gospel.” Jen confuses these two “shots” and therefore fails to deliver the real bad news which prevents the reader from hearing (and being relieved by) the real good news. Jen Is Right…And Wrong The only other thing I would say is that Jen is right: failure is NOT a virtue. I’m not sure, however, that I’ve ever heard anyone say it is. But (and this is very, very important) failure IS a fact. AND because it’s a fact, acknowledging failure IS most definitely a virtue. Not to do so is delusional at best, dishonest at worst. The painful struggle to which Paul gives voice to in Romans 7 arises from his condition as someone who has been raised from the dead and is now alive to Christ (justified before God), but lingering sin continues to plague him at every level and in every way (sinful in himself )–what Luther described assimul justus et peccator. Paul’s testimony demonstrates that even after God saves us, there is no part of us that becomes sin-free—we remain sinful and imperfect in all of our capacities, in the totality of our being, or, as William Beveridge put it: I cannot pray but I sin. I cannot hear or preach a sermon but I sin. I cannot give alms or receive the sacrament but I sin. I can’t so much as confess my sins, but my confessions are further aggravations of them. My repentance needs to be repented of, my tears need washing, and the very washing of my tears needs still to be washed over again with the blood of my Redeemer. So when I say “Because Jesus succeeded for you, you’re free to fail”, I’m NOT saying “go out and sin more so that grace may abound.” I’ve never heard anyone say that. What I AM saying is that you ARE failing and that if you are in Christ, your failure does not condemn you (Rom. 8:1). Furthermore, your failure cannot separate you from God’s love (Rom. 8:31ff). So, because Jesus succeeded for you, you’re free to fail without fear of being cast out, abandoned. Even our most cataclysmic failures won’t tempt God to “leave us or forsake us.” Perfect love casts out all fear. So, regardless of how well I think I’m doing in the sanctification project or how much progress I think I’ve made since I first became a Christian, like Paul in Romans 7, when God’s perfect law becomes the standard and not “how much I’ve improved over the years”, I realize that I’m a lot worse than I realize. Whatever I think my greatest vice is, God’s law shows me that my situation is much graver: if I think it’s anger, the law shows me that it’s actually murder; if I think it’s lust, the law shows me that it’s actually adultery; if I think it’s impatience, the law shows me that it’s actually idolatry (read Matthew 5:17-48). No matter how decent I think I’m becoming–how much better I think I’m getting–when I’m graciously confronted by God’s law, I can’t help but cry out, “Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death” (Romans 7:24). Paul’s sobermindedness shows itself when he says things like “I’m the chief of sinners” and “I’m the least of all the saints.” Ironically, Paul’s honest acknowledgement of how unsanctified he was demonstrated just how sanctified he was. In other words, theologians of the cross (as opposed to theologians of glory) recognize that sanctification consists of an increased realization of our weakness and just how much grace we need. You see, this is what happens: the most common way grace is misunderstood is when people confuse it with cheapened law. Think of the first and greatest commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37). Or think of Jesus’ crushing line in the Sermon on the Mount: “You therefore must be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matt. 5:48). Grace, for many Christians, is the reduction of God’s expectations of us. Because of grace, we think, we just need to try hard. Grace becomes this law-cheapening agent, attempting to make the law easier to follow. “Love the Lord with all your heart” becomes “try to love God more than sports.” “Be perfect” gets cheapened into “do your best.” J. Gresham Machen counterintutively noted, “A low view of law always produces legalism; a high view of law makes a person a seeker after grace.” The reason this seems so counterintuitive is because most people think those who talk a lot about grace have a low view of God’s law (hence, the regular charge of antinomianism). Others think those with a high view of the law are the legalists. But Machen makes the compelling point that it’s a low view of the law that produces legalism, since a low view of the law causes us to conclude we can do it—the bar is low enough for us to jump over. A low view of the law makes us think the standards are attainable, the goals reachable, the demands doable. This means, contrary to what some Christians would have you believe, the biggest problem facing the church today is not “cheap grace” but “cheap law”—the idea that God accepts anything less than the perfect righteousness of Jesus. As essayist John Dink writes, Cheap law weakens God’s demand for perfection, and in doing so, breathes life into the old creature and his quest for a righteousness of his own making. . . . Cheap law tells us that we’ve fallen, but there’s good news, you can get back up again. . . . Therein lies the great heresy of cheap law: it is a false gospel. And it cheapens—no—it nullifies grace. Only when we see that the way of God’s law is absolutely inflexible will we see that God’s grace is absolutely indispensable. A high view of the law reminds us that God accepts us on the basis of Christ’s perfection, not our progress. Grace, properly understood, is the movement of a holy God toward an unholy people. He doesn’t cheapen the law or ease its requirements. He fulfills them in his Son, who then gives his righteousness to us. That’s the gospel. Pure and simple. Sanctification, simply defined, is love for God and love for others. But what actually produces love for God and love for others? Not the law. Nowhere does the Bible say that the law produces love. Nowhere. What the Bible does say is that love for God and others is produced only by God’s love for us. “We love him because he first loved us.” And this radical one-wayness of God’s love is alone the impetus to realizing the very things that Jen (and I ) longs to see happen in the lives of Christian people.

A New Thang!

All of creation speaks of God doing a new thing, the gospel, the Word of God.  God has been doing a new thing in me.  I am a recovering perfectionist, and extremist. I do all or nothing.  I may always have these tendencies but God is changing me.  To let go of the past, good and bad, can be hard, painful.  It is a kind of death it feels like.  We can get stuck in the mud of what is familiar and comfortable even if it is something hard or good that has happened.  I think of Lots wife.  God was trying to lead them to a better place.  It was a new place, better for them.  It was fearful.  They didn't know what to do with themselves so Sarah looked back.  This was the very thing she was told not to do.  We do that sometimes.  She turned to a pillar of salt.

God has been very patient, kind and long-suffering with me.  When you are trying to let go of the past and move to a new thing and you don't know what to do, AA says just do the next right thing.  Elizabeth Elliott says when you are overwhelmed just do the next thing.  Sometimes when we feel lost and don't know what to do we just take the next step trusting God to lead us, in faith.  Grace is not there to make us feel like we can handle something.  It is there when we need it, in the moment.

I began writing the blog because I wanted to share Gods faithfulness to the unfaithful.  I have not lost that but God is doing a new thing.  The blog will be different.  I hope much better.  I want the Spirit to give me fresh ideas.  I hope you enjoy, pass along, and see the difference.  I want it to be fun.  Somethings we do has to be hard but writing a blog is not one of them.

So I am excited where the Spirit will lead us together in the days and weeks to come.  He always surprises me by His grace.  

Thank you for your prayers.  God is answering them all over the place.  I am taking it slow.

Prayers for today by Scotty Smith

A Prayer for Casting Our Anxieties on Our Father

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

     Dear heavenly Father, I slept well last night, but I awoke restless and antsy. I know you tell us not to be anxious about anything (Phil. 4:6), but, honestly, I am feeling a bit anxious.

     Sunrise has yet to happen, yet I’m already looking forward to moonrise. Thank you for freeing us, your beloved children, from pretending otherwise. At least I’m not anxious about surprising, embarrassing, or disappointing you. The gospel has taken care of that old bondage and slavery. I know that you love us with an everlasting, unwavering love—no matter what is going on inside of us.

     What’s my restlessness about? There’s really nothing enormous looming on the horizon—no major crisis staring me down, no boulder I’m assigned to push up a hill, like Sisyphus. It’s just one of those Fridays where I find myself looking at seventeen little backpacks of needs, issues, and hurting hearts lined up at my front door, waiting to be picked up.

     So what will I do with my restless, fitful, anxious feelings? Father, I would surely despair if I didn’t really believe you care for me. That would be the one unbearable burden. But please help me know what anxiety casting actually looks like today, and over the next several busy days.

     Of these things I am certain: you’re not calling me to be the fourth member of the Trinity; I’m not the whole body of Christ; you do promise sufficient grace; you will give wisdom to those who ask; and your strength is made perfect in weakness—in myweakness.

     Father, show me which of the seventeen backpacks I’m to pick up first; which ones don’t really have my name on them at all; and which ones will just have to wait, as you give me grace not to give into my people-pleasing idol.

     As you have promised, please send your transcendent peace to guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7). Help me to live today at the pace of grace. So very Amen I pray, in Jesus’ trustworthy and triumphant name.

You can get Scotty's prayers daily by email or on Twitter.  Have a blessed weekend friend.  This is the day the Lord has made.  Rejoyce and be glad in it.

CATEGORIES: PRAYER

TAGS: ANXIETIES, CARE CASTING, DO NOT BE AFRAID, FEARS, GOD'S CARE, GOD'S COMPASSION

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What Is Your Treasure?

For many reasons I have decided to not write for awhile.  I have prayed about this and ask the counsel of good friends and family.  They have advised me to take a break.  The Rich Young Ruler ask the Lord what must he do to be saved.  He told the Lord all the things good things he had done.  The Lord ask him to give up his treasures and follow Him.  The Lord is always asking us what do you treasure more than me.  Will you give it up and trust me to give you something better, Himself.  Jesus went on to tell the disciples with man it is impossible but with God all things are possible.

As you can see it is hard for me to give this up.  I have a few things already written I will share with you in the days to come.  Pictures, quotes, things others have written as the Lord gives them but I will not be writing anymore until the Lord gives it back.  I trust He will as Abraham put Issac on the alter he trusted God to bring Issac back to life.  If and when the Lord gives this back I trust it will be different, better in some ways than before.  If He doesn't then I have to be ok with that and go with where He maybe leading me next.

Keep your hearts encourage.  Encourage one another.  Read good stuff. Stay in prayer and thanksgiving.  Keep you eyes on Jesus dear friends and be safe.  Thanks for your continued prayers for us the Fords.  You truly bless us with your faithful friendship and love for the Lord.

The Force of Grace

from Elevation Church PRO 1 month ago NOT YET RATED

This thing that is
but we often cannot see.
Too close for us to see the magnitude,
the glory of this structure.
We often see the detail
But not the stretching, sweeping scale of the thing.

It wraps us up.
Holds us.
So we consider it gentle. Warm. Kind.
We do not see, though, the violent nature.
The wrath and hate for the converse: our sin.

We do not see the scale.
We touch what is visible through our tunnel eyes and say "grace."
But we see only a fragment of the grand, scandalous tapestry
That God has woven together over time.

The fabric of the world itself.
The very reason the stars are strung together.
When we choose to put one foot in front of the next, it's grace.

This gracious glory buried within us,
Beating on our ribs to speak of his wonder.
With this touch, life is given.

The giver's love is this cloak.
This sea of blue green forgetfulness. This face of majesty.
The crackling, roaring thunder.

Grace, his sound.
Glory, his bright display.
Breaks and creates. And finds us. And we're found.

The split curtain. The opened back.
The mingling blood and water.
The flood that destroys the world we've built.
All the earth submitting to his power.

The Cross.

Grace wrapped in triumphant glory.
He is the eyes-shut embrace. The driving rain.
The wind blows, but only at his word.

And this same fury, this sin-thrashing storm,
Is the tempest that bows to wash our feet.
And this same fury, this sin-thrashing storm,
Is the tempest that bows to wash our feet.

Read More…

On A Fast Train

The other day it hit me I was doing the same thing I did years ago.  I remember a time, when I was getting sick, that I would get in my husbands red pick up truck, roll down the windows, turn up the country music, smoke cigarettes and just ride.  Even though I was worshiping God and talking to Him I was withdrawn from Him and from life.

The other day a hard thing happened.  I got in my red jeep and did the same thing.  I had a hard thing happen.  I got in my car, rolled down the windows and the wind blew through my hair and the country music caused a throb in my chest.  I had tears streaming down my face in thankfulness how God had directed me and worked in my heart and others.  But on the way back home, the Lord showed me I was running, running again.  My daughter wrote, I have to be ok with not being ok.

I have thought of all the ways I have ran through the years.  My mind has raced, and I have spaced out.  Men do this through work and coming home and retreating to the television.  Women do this through their home, taking care of children, getting on the computer, reading one book after another.  I have done it all.  I was not ok.  I was hurting and it was real and He cared for me.  Even my friends couldn't give me what I so needed.  I couldn't even ask others to pray or pray myself.

I was on a fast train to Texas and it crashed but did not burn.  I decided I would take some time off and just be, rest, enjoy God while doing a little yard and house work, eat and sleep.  I was all given out.  I was so fooled.  I thought I was doing what God wanted me to do because He was leading me and giving me strength.  I was loving people and they were looking to Jesus.  It seemed such a good thing and it was.  I had to be ok with the mystery.  What was God doing...

After a few days of sleep and rest I went out on my porch and I began to cry.  I didn't know why.  My life had been hard for awhile and there were no signs of it getting any better.  I just decided to feel the pain of it all.  To be with the Lord until my strength renewed and take time to hear from Him what He wanted me to do. I went to Him as my comfort.  I went and had lunch with Jesus.  When the waitress ask for how many, I explained just me.  Then I said me and Jesus.  She laughed and said yes mam.  It was good.  I talked to Him about what He wanted me to do.  He impressed upon my heart that He wasn't so interested in what I did for Him as my heart.  He wanted me to be led by Him moment by moment.  I was ok with that.  It was a mystery.

After I got home things flooded my mind of things I knew God wanted me to do.  So I began to take steps to do them.  He unfolded ways that never occurred to me.  What has God been doing in me?  I am not going there. I am ok with not knowing or understanding.   His ways are not our ways.  Who can know the mind of Christ.  I did some running yesterday, but it came to me it is not what I do but what He has done.  I can't help everyone in life.  I can't even help me at times.  But I can ask Him Lord if you want me to help this person let me know.  Let me know what it is you want me to do.

I have always been someone who just wanted to understand.  Understand what made life work and figure things out.  I now see there are certain things I can know but understanding the ways and mind of God is not one of them.  His loved is real.  His grace is real.  He is always good.  He is working in ways I never imagined.  I hope I don't run today.  I hope I deeper understand Who He is and what He has done for me.  I do.  But if I do run, I have prayed He will catch me and bring me back to His heart.  I have returned to my friends and ask a few to pray for me.  My mind is still.  It is not racing or blank.  I have a peace again.  Greater than before.  I am ok with the Mystery.  I am ok with God.  He is even ok with me!

This morning after writing I said Lord change me, I just can't do it.  He said, I am trying, I can't lol.  He cracks me up sometimes.  I said all I can do is rely on you.  He laughed.

I called Mothers Day off!

My kids ask me if they could come to the farm and celebrate Mothers Day.  They wanted their dad to cook and them to bring the sides.  Sounded like fun.  Then the more I talked to them and thought about it, I decided this might put more of a hardship on them than it would give to them.  A good mother always thinks of her kids well being first before her own.  So I decided to cancel Mothers Day.  My kids are grown now and have their own lives.

Through the years holidays have always been a big deal in our family.  We would all get together and there would be a big meal, whether we celebrated anything from Christmas to their birthdays.  We always had great expectations of these times together.  I guess holidays and celebrating together are not all bad.  Some people are able to gather and really love each other.  I guess some people fake it, been there done that.  It is a time of building memories.  I love some of the memories we have make together, pictures taken and treasures of gifts given.  But more times than not someone left with their feelings hurt, disappointment flooded our hearts many times.  The thoughts we are not a close family.  Do these people really love me anyway.  Of course my children and husband are dearly loved by all but we love imperfectly.  We love selfishly.  We want our own way.  We have fought and quarreled and demanded people love and accept us perfectly.

But then we give to each other.  We serve each other.  We put each other before our own selves.  We forgive and forget.  We laugh, we hug, we pray.  We give gifts and love that is beyond what we can do.  We look to the needs and interest of each other, pray for each other and hope for Gods best in each of our lives.  My kids are forming their own relationships now.  I don't have to try to keep them close or fix their relationships.

I thought I love my kids all year long.  I told them be with your friends, think of my love for you and the love of your perfect Parent in heaven.  We all are busy people and we need the break, not more pressure to perform.  I just decided the best way I could be the best mom I knew how, this particular Mothers Day, was to call Mothers Day off and I am glad I did.

I always thought about my kids...if I could put you in a glass dome on top of a hill and protect you from the world and its pain I would.  But I could not do what I had hoped so in my eyes, I failed.  This is a fallen world and we are a fallen people.  But there were things I wish I had taught my kids growing up.  These are some of them but I didn't know them myself.  I did the best I could but I failed.  I don't care what kind of parent you are or how much you love your kids, I think when they are raised you will say...it was all of God's grace in my kids life.  I did the best I could but it was not good enough.  Some of us parent better than others these days.  Our kids are learning from our mistakes.  But it cannot be done perfectly.  We must depend and pray and believe God for our kids.  We will even fail at this but He does not fail.  We must trust Him to the deepest part of our heart for our kids, their salvation.  We must do our best, claim His promises and trust in His grace for our family.

1.  I cannot parent you alone but God will help me.  You are just on loan to me.  He loves you more than I do.  All I have is His including you.  It is He who will show me what to do with it all.

2.  I will fail and you will fail but God is bigger than our failure.  You are not perfect and neither am I.  We will claim that He uses it all for good and for His glory.

3.  I love you but I cannot be your friend nor make you happy all of the time.  You are not going to like me sometimes but you have to trust everything I do, I have your best interest at heart.  I will be wrong and I want to listen to you.  Share your heart with me.

4.  Not given them the law to prove themselves and be accepted but taught them by grace.  Given them the law as Gods gift to them.  To see how short they fail.  To see how they needed Jesus.  That He loves them just as they are.  They are totally accepted, totally loved.  That the law is one of Gods ways to protect them and show them how to live.  But the law would not give them the power and the love they needed to live.  It would not give them life.  How to budget time and money and eating better.  How to have a balanced life and how to enjoy it.

5.  I wish I had taught them more about the new law; better how to love God and love people.  This is sanctification.  Makes them more like Jesus.

6. I wish I had taught them more how to serve each other than me serving them.  How to encourage and build someone up.

7.  Instead of being so focused on their outward behavior I wish I had shepherded their hearts.  Ask them questions, listened to what was going on in their little minds and hearts.

8. Taught them about suffering and how God would use it to bring glory to Himself and for them to trust Him more.  How He had a plan for them and they could not mess it up.

9.  To lean on Him and not themselves.

10.  My kids saw me studying a lot and how I had a hunger for His word, but I wish I had allowed them to go into their rooms or outside and learn to be quite and listen to God.  I wish I had shown them how to enjoy God through His creation and their gifts He had given them.  I wish I had modeled this for them.

11. How nothing can meet their deepest needs for love and acceptance but God.

12.  To accept and embrace who they are.  They will fail but they have the righteousness of God.  They are His children.  As my friend said, His children, perfectly imperfect, perfectly loved.

13. I wish I had taught them about anger, righteous and unrighteous and how to deal with it.   How Gods anger we deserve was taken out on Jesus.  How we don't have to be angry and try to control but can trust God.  There are things we are going to be angered at and it is right, but if we don't forgive it will eat us alive.

I am sure there are things I should add to this list but these are some things that come first to my mind.  My kids are beautiful adult people who will always be my kids.  Not because of what they do but because they are mine and I love them.  They are all loving God and loving people.  They have failed and will fail, suffered and will suffer, grown and are growing,  I am so proud of each of them.  They are trophies of His grace as Tim Keller says.  I don't worry about my kids anymore. I hurt for them at times and it is hard. I try to love them, disciple and encourage them.  Tell them I am so proud of them.  Ask for their forgiveness when I fail.  I see Gods faithfulness in their lives.  I see now God never intended me to be a perfect parent but to do my best and trust Him with the rest.  I did that.  I failed big time and you will fail to.  Some of the most powerful things you can say to yours kids are I understand.  Jesus came to same the same thing.  So look at me to look at Jesus.  He is faithful even when I am not.  It is not that some of you won't be celebrated tomorrow but that Jesus celebrates over you.  Happy Mothers Day to all you moms out there.  You are awesome and I love you!