Starting From Scratch

Have you ever made something from scratch?

It takes quite a bit of work. First you find the recipe you want make, buy all the different ingredients, and begin mixing it all together. Certain recipes you have to measure things exactly or cut a certain way or they will not turn out right. Sometimes you're a little short of something and a dash to the store is needed and ah! You're almost done and you forgot to preheat the oven! 

When life begins to get away from you and you've had a horrible day, the last thing you want to do is bake or cook anything. Making things from scratch is time consuming, it's messy, it's hard and I guess that's why now you can buy almost, if not everything in a box at a grocery store or from a bakery. It's easier to take 10 minutes (give or take) to go through the drive-thru for dinner or buy a cake for some one's birthday then to make it yourself. And it's not a sin to do these things, I've had those days too.

However, you can truly tell the difference from a store bought and a home cooked meal/dessert. I'm not saying that everything store bought isn't good but our homemade brownies.... Betty Crocker can't hold a candle too. It's harder and time consuming but it tastes better and is so worth it! Also, people appreciate a homemade meal, you took time and effort out of your busy day to make something they'd all enjoy eating. It says a lot without saying anything.

God is the same way. When we accept Jesus as our Savior He doesn't pull a new us off the shelf and things don't immediately fall into place. You still have debt from college loans, you're still unemployed, you still have those pounds you want to shed, you may still be addicted to _____ (though yes I know some people who quit cold turkey after accepting Jesus) etc. but; now you have hope, peace, love and you have a Father to guide you as you walk the path who is forming you and making you into a new creation day by day by day. God starts from scratch with us, wiping the slate clean. Yes. We have a fresh start and the journey is time consuming; we feel like we take two steps forward some days and two steps backwards other days, we aren't perfect. It's messy as we deal with the ugliness of sin. It's a hard and narrow path... but, it's worth it!

All good things take time. To get from one place to another you must travel the distance in between. To run a race you must first train. To turn a triple pirouette you need to learn how to turn a single pirouette. And on and on and on the list goes.

I've started dance classes here in Haiti from scratch. No studio already in place, no dance assistants, no mirrors, no dancewear. And it is hard, it is messy, it is time consuming but God has been reminding me these past two days that it is worth it. I know that it is true, though my head wants things to move much much faster... but, as God put on my heart New Years, 2015 is the year to be still and know that He is God. To draw close to Him and His Word, to grow in my relationship with Him and it's worth it.

 So, I encourage you all to run with perseverance, to continue on though you're discouraged and you would like to "Just be there all ready!" or to finally see progress. I promise if you're doing His work it is always worth it. We don't see all the behind the scene or the future scenes ahead but He is working. Do not be discouraged for you are His, do not long to race ahead to the end of the book for every moment is leading to something far bigger than you have ever dreamed