you are special.

if you haven't read or heard of the book you are special by max lucado you're missing out on a sweet inspirational story. i was first introduced to this book a couple of summers ago when i worked at camp war eagle. we would read this book as a bedtime story to our campers and i soon fell in love with this book as much as my cabin full of 6-year-olds did. 

this morning in church, this book was used in reference to finding our identity in christ. i love when stories are written for children but have an ageless and important message that is carried out. i love the power of a message that is carried out through an innocent children's book. and i love that since rereading this particular children's book today i have been thinking and praying about my identity in christ.

if you haven't read this book, you're in luck! i found a video on youtube of the book being read aloud with the pictures shown on the video. now, i'm the sort of person that likes to read a book in her head and create voices and such to create the story just like i want it. so, needless to say, this version of the story doesn't quite do it justice for me. but, if still gets the storyline across. next time you are at the library or bookstore, search this sweet little book out and read it to yourself. you can even create voices too. 

and before i go...

"therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. because of our faith, Christ has brought us into the place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory.

we can rejoice,too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. and endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. and this hope will not lead to disappointment. for we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with love."

romans 5:1-5

this past week i have looked to this verse repetitively, and sure enough, this verse was apart of the message taught this morning. talk about an assurance from God.

 i've learned this week that it's okay to be sad and mourn over hard times in our lives. it's okay to question what happens next. and it's okay to feel a little bit of emptiness over the loss of someone. because we have hope...

"and this hope will not lead to disappointment."