Day 1: Spending time with God

Reading Mark 1-4

Verses that spoke to me:
Mark 1:4-8: John the Baptizer..preaching a baptism of life-change that leads to forgiveness of sin....8: I'm baptizing you to turn your old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism - a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit - will change you from the inside out. When John is baptizing it is so people leave behind their old life and live a changed and holy life. However when Jesus baptizes us, he changes us instead of us trying to change. He changes our hearts. 

 Mark 1:40:  A leper came to Him, begging on his knees, "If you want to, you can cleanse me." Deeply moved, Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, "I want to. Be clean." When I read this I think of how much compassion Jesus has for me, for all of us. It's like a little child coming to his mommy and saying, Mommy, if you want to clean my owie, you can. And what mother wouldn't want to clean up her son's owie??? I mean, it's just pure love spoke so simply. Lord, if you want me to be whole and clean, you can clean me. To me, this very is pretty powerful. 

Mark 2:15-17: Jesus and his disciples were at home having supper with a collection of disreputable guests. Unlikely as it seems, more than a few of them had become followers. The religion scholars and Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company and lit into his disciples: "What kind of example is this, acting cozy with the riff-raff?" Jesus, overhearing, shot back, "Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I'm here inviting the sin-sick, not the spiritually-fit." 

Mark 3:4: Then he spoke to the people: "What kind of action suits the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them helpless?" I feel like Jesus is really talking about having a heart of service in these last verses. Serving those that need to be loved and serving whenever we see someone in need. It's not just about when the time is most convenient, or whether or not we're following rules/norms. It's about loving and serving people. Maybe this is what Sundays should be about, days of service. Not just relaxing with the family, but serving those that need your love, including serving your family.

Mark 4:20: But the seed planted in the good earth represents those who hear the Word, embrace it, and produce a harvest beyond their wildest dreams." Opening myself up to hear God's word and being good soil so that I can live the life God calls me to live, which is much bigger than I could ever imagine. Becoming good soil, is just about asking God to make us good soil; Just like Mark 1:40 - If you want to, you can cleanse me. I want to. 

Lord, 

Thank you for giving me direction for my life and showing me the next steps in living a life that you want me to live. Please keep showing me the direction you want me to go and make the me open to hear your Word and really let it sink into my life to change me to be who you want me to be. Help me to serve you, serve my family and those around me, and show compassion to those that you are showing compassion to. Show me how to live like you want me to live and be brave enough to pursue what you want me to pursue. 

Again, please change me and open me up to become the person you want me to be. Please open my heart to hear specifically what you're saying to me in my life. I know that the things I read out of Mark might not be what someone else would read, but I pray that I will remember the things you're speaking to me. 

I lift up this little baby growing in my belly and I pray that you will keep him or her strong and safe. I pray that you will show the plan you have for him or her and keep this little one close to you and feeling your presence. Please teach me to be the kind of mom you want me to be. And give both Mike and I the love you have for this baby. Please show us how to take care of our family. 

Please also show me how to serve Safe-Families. Guide me to submit my heart fully to you while I go on this journey and I pray that you are the strength that I rely on when I'm tired and help me to give everything I am and do to you. 

Please touch those that I love and bless them. Please use me to be a blessing in their life. And no matter who we are, I pray that when we ask you to cleanse us that you will want to and make us new people; more like you. 

I love you and I'm excited to grow closer to you. I hope that you speak to me and change my life. Help me to bring everything I have to you and pray continuously. 

Love, 

Rachel -