Are you Subscribed to the New Blog?

Hi friends,

Just wanted to make sure you know about the new blog over on the Beauty Divine website! Now that my website is up and running, I’ve started regularly posting again but you’ll have to follow me over there!:) If you follow me on a feed reader, you can subscribe to get updates by using this link.

Here’s what you might have missed in the last month or so over on my new blog…

Me & The Misters updates – what me and my two favorite gents are up to these days

Design Trends – some of the fun trends for spring…neon brights and fiery oranges

Ask the Experts – great advice from creative experts like DoubleTake Photography

New In Shop – a glimpse of what I’ve been working on – some of my new projects and designs

+ Motivation, Tutorials, DIY projects, etc.

 

I’d love for you to head over there and leave me some comments so I know you’re still reading! Let me know what you’ve been up to!

xoxo, Laurie

 

 

Evil Heels + the Comparing Game

I’ve never been able to pull off high heels.

[heels via pinterest.com]

Last weekend we watched Transformers 3 and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley was RUNNING in high heels. I don’t know whether that is super impressive…or super crazy…maybe both:)

[credit: imdb.com]

But me? I can’t even walk in them. Someone please explain to me why I have a closet full of smokin heels that never get worn.  I’ll tell you why. They are sneaky.

In the store, they are always twice as cute as the low heels or flats. And they whisper things like, “I would go great with such and such outfit. I’m different than all the others. Four inches is really not that tall. All you have to do is wear me to dinner and then you can take trade me for flats.”

And next thing you know I am swiping my card and determining yet AGAIN that I can do this. This time WILL be different. I’ll be able to walk like a runway model in THESE heels.

But then, just like with all the others, I can’t walk.

Sure they might look nice with my outfit …if I don’t move. But the minute I try to actually wear them some place, I look ridiculous! I even took Pointe in ballet where you balance on your toes…and I just can’t transfer that balance to heels.

I knew it was all over when my husband asked me one night if I had an extra pair of flats in my bag. We weren’t even out dancing or something difficult like that….it was in the parking lot…on my way to the restaurant. He didn’t think he wanted to carry me to the door hahaha.

[credit: fashionisspinach.com]

So many times I think we play the comparison game and put unnecessary expectations on ourselves. We look at things other people are able to do or able to wear and thoughts creep in. “Maybe I should be more like that…” or “Maybe I’m not good enough because I dont…”

But there’s two reasons why we always lose the in the comparison game.

1) We start getting jealous – we start noticing all the things we aren’t good at or don’t do well. We get depressed. We get bitter. We stop being unique and noticing our strengths.

or

2) We start getting prideful – we start thinking we’re the best and looking down on others. We stop listening to advice and treating others like they don’t have value.

I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be either of those things. So the first step is to STOP comparing.

Romans 12:15 says “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”

Easier said than done, right? How am I supposed to be excited when someone designs something better than I do? Or be rejoicing when someone else is rocking stillettos and I’m looking short and stumpy in my flats?

Did you see what I just did? I looked at someone else’s positive outcome and turned it into something that’s negative about me.

If we stop comparing, maybe we can realize that it’s NOT all about us. And someone else’s positive outcome doesn’t mean that your outcome can’t be positive too. It’s a shift in the way we think. For example, I need to look at my own designs and remind myself what I like about them or what needs work. Or I need to remind myself that my husband likes me in flats because a) he doesn’t have to carry me to the door haha and b) he likes me to fit under his arm.

[flats via pinterest.com]

So here’s a fun homework assignment for you today… answer the following questions:

1) Who have you been comparing with and how have you let it make you feel bad?

2) What strengths are unique to you and what can you get excited about that you already have?

3) What is a step you can take to rejoice with others without looking down on yourself? Do it!

Battling Insecurity

Every week I lead a small group Bible Study of teenage girls in at my house and I seriously look forward to that night all week. I love these girls – they are so much fun! We spend a lot of the time pigging out on snacks, playing games and laughing at ridiculous stories. But the Bible Study part of it has been SO GOOD too. We are going through this book:

Head to Soul Makeover – helping teen girls become real in a fake world.

Anyway, last week’s topic of insecurity really resonated with me and I have to share. I think all women struggle with it on some level and most of us are constantly questioning ourselves, relying on what other people think and say about us to establish how we feel about ourselves. So we fake it, becoming someone we think other people will approve of and cover up the real person underneath in order to hide our insecurities.

Insecurity grows from letting negative words play over and over in our minds. So the focus of the week was to figure out what you are saying to yourself on a regular basis. We basically take a quiz every week (which remind me of the ones in teeny-bopper magazines I used to read:) ) to let us know what we need to work on and then use the truth of scripture to help transform us from the inside out. Since I know you are all dying to take the quiz, here’s a link to take it online: Don’t Replay the Lyrics Quiz

After taking the quiz, the key is not to get depressed at how uncertain or insecure you are! Instead, we gotta focus on how to become “more real” and confident. Here’s how: starting at the very beginning and change our “self-talk” to what God thinks about us.

“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever  is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things.” Philippians 4:8

-

>Whatever is TRUE

When you tell yourself whatever is true (or real), that means telling yourself what God says about you, instead of what someone else says.

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

What kinds of negative things do you say about yourself that are easily proven wrong (such as “I can’t do anything right”)?

  Do you need to let go of something bothersome someone else said about you that just isn’t true?

-

 >Whatever is NOBLE

No matter how unworthy you may feel, God’s love for you can’t be shaken.

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken  nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10)

 In what situations do you tell yourself you are worthless or unlovable?

  What can you find in yourself that is noble (noble means “worthy of honor or respect)?

-

 >Whatever is RIGHT

God promises to take care of you if you’re mistreated by someone.

“Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.” (Psalm 27:10)

 What kind of wrong has been done to you that has you telling yourself that your life isn’t fair?

 What right thing can you start telling yourself about the situation instead?

-

 >Whatever is PURE

Nothing you have done is beyond the reach of God’s cleansing power.

“Long ago, even before he made the world, God chose us to be his very own through what Christ would do for us; he decided then to make us holy in his eyes, without a single fault-we who stand before him covered with his love. (Ephesians 1:4)

 What kinds of things make you feel impure, dirty, or unacceptable?

 Have you ever had a time when you told yourself you have done something that cannot be forgiven? Were you right?

-

 >Whatever is LOVELY

God wants to replace your injured, broken, or ugly places with beauty.

“Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.” (Psalm 34:5)

 When you think about your appearance, is there anything about yourself that you would not necessarily call “lovely”?

 What does the above verse say we can do to overcome our feelings of shame and look “radiant” or beautiful?

  Have you ever seen someone who has this quality of inner radiance that shines from inside because they hope in the Lord?

-

>Whatever is ADMIRABLE

God gives you the power to do things you might not feel capable of accomplishing on your own.

“I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me- I am ready for anything and equal to anything through him who infuses inner strength into me, that is, I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency! (Phil.4:13 AMP)

 In what kinds of situations do you feel like you can’t be a leader, that you you’re afraid to speak from your heart, or that you need to shrink into the background?

 What can you tell yourself at times like that?

-

 >Whatever is EXCELLENT

God’s love and care for you proves your level of excellence in his eyes.

“Look at the ravens- they don’t plant of harvest or have barns to store away their food, and yet they get along right – for God’s feed them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! (Luke 12:24 TLB)

 Do you feel like you’re unworthy or worthless? Do you tell yourself that you’re just average?

 If you could put yourself in God’s place, what do you think he would tell you right now about your worth?

-

 >Or PRAISEWORTHY

God made us acceptable, which results in praise to him.

“To the praise of his glorious grace, by which he has made us accepted in the Beloved.” (Ephesians1:6 KJV)

 When someone compliments you, do you feel you don’t really deserve kindness, praise, or affirmation?

 When someone praises you, whom are they really praising? Why?

—

The last part of our study is choosing a challenge for the week. So choose the types of positive things you need to tell yourself the most. These are the areas you tend to “fake it” in order to cover up something.

O        TRUE: I need to let go of a lie someone said about me and believe God

O        NOBLE: I need to affirm that God loves me even when I feel embarrassed.

O        RIGHT: I need to remember God will take care of the wrong done to me.

O        PURE: I need to declare that God says I am forivable.

O        LOVELY: I need to see the beauty God has given me.

O        ADMIRABLE: I need to claim God’s power when I feel inadequate.

O        EXCELLENT: I need to state that I’m valuable when I feel average.

O        PRAISEWORTHY: I need to thank God that I’m acceptable when I feel undeserving.

He Loves Me Anyway

A few weeks ago, we took our youth group to Wichita for the Winterjam concert and one of the amazing bands we got to see were these guys (Sidewalk Prophets). They performed a song called You Love Me Anyway and I can’t seem to get it out of my head, especially with Easter around the corner.

How great is the love of our God.

As I’ve been thinking through the portion of the lyrics I added below, I’ve had a growing desire to just fall on my face before Jesus. The extremes of these words really help me to see the truth of my sin. I wasn’t there the day that He was crucified, driving the nails into his hands and feet, but it was my sin he was paying for. I wasn’t there mocking him from the crowd, but I make a mockery of his truth when I disobey Him selfishly. I wasn’t there betraying him that day, but I betray Him by keeping silent when I should speak up. I am the worst of sinners, but He loves me anyway.

I am the thorn in Your crown
But You love me anyway
I am the sweat from Your brow
But You love me anyway
I am the nail in Your wrist
But You love me anyway
I am Judas’ kiss
But You love me anyway
See now, I am the man that called out from the crowd
For Your blood to be spilled on this earth shaking ground
Yes then, I turned away with this smile on my face
With this sin in my heart tried to bury Your grace
And then alone in the night, I still called out for You
So ashamed of my life, my life, my life
But You love me anyway
Oh, God… how you love me
You love me anyway
It’s like nothing in life that I’ve ever known
You love me anyway
Oh Lord, how You love me

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.”

1 John 3:16

Happily Ever After…

Ahhh romance….isn’t it grand?

One of the fun things about being a girl is getting to bat our eyelashes and be giddy when the “right guy” says the “right thing.”

Take today for example: I told my husband over gmail chat that he should get out and enjoy some sunshine. He responded with this: “I wouldn’t be fully in the sunshine unless I came home and you smiled”

Hahaha.

I know it is totally a line and he was just saying it to make me laugh because it’s cheesy. But still. I liked it.

Romance can be awesome…but it can also be awful.

And if we as girls idealize romantic love, it is easy to end up heartbroken. There is just something inside of girls that causes us to think there is a dreamy guy out there who will say all the right things, won’t notice any of our flaws, and who will make our every day life totally perfect. That’s why the Twilight movies are so popular. I used to think this way, but the truth is our identity cannot be found in another person, no  matter how great they seem.

I spend so much time worrying that the girlies in my youth group will get hurt…Which leads to me secretly giving all their boyfriends the stink eye haha. But it is so easy during the teenage years to worship this idea of romance almost to the result of obsession. I know I did.

Here’s a really cool perspective I read this morning in Hayley DiMarco’s blog.

(P.S. She is awesome. And you should buy all of her books. I have read this one and this one and am currently reading this one and this one.)

She says this…”I would love to have a life filled with nothing but dreamy, romantic moments. Romance is not a sin, but wanting it (or needing it) could be. If you are depressed because you don’t have any romance in your life or you get mad when your guy is clueless about it, then you’re addicted to romance. If you fantasize about romantic love or you covet someone else’s dreamy relationship, either fictional or real, then you are addicted to romance.”

Our identity can only be found in our Creator and He wants us girls to guard our hearts.

Here are a few tough questions we can all check ourselves with…

Do you constantly worry about relationships?

Do you feel better about yourself when there is guy interested in you?

Do you run to others instead of God for relief when you are upset, stressed, or exhausted? Does that relief ever last?

What do you feel like when you can’t get a guys’ attention?

Do you believe that the guy you are dating will give you peace or fulfill your happiness?

Are you constantly trying to impress the opposite sex?

Do you listen to the advice of friends and family when it comes to guys you date?

Whose opinion is most important to you?

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Proverbs 4:23

One, Not Everyone

[Image credit: Humble gift bye Marielliot]

I have another confession to make. I don’t watch the news on TV and I don’t read the newspaper. EVER. In the past, I have distanced myself from what’s going on in the world so much that it actually became embarrassing. For example, in the middle of a group talking about current issues, I remember asking, “What oil spill?”

Yeah, it’s bad. I’m getting better and at least check headlines every once in awhile, but I still don’t like hearing about hard things going on – especially things that I assume I can’t do anything about. Maybe you can relate to that feeling of helplessness. It’s not that I don’t care. In fact, I start to care too much. Is it possible to care too much? I guess what I mean is I get so overwhelmed in finding that my time and my resources just can’t help everyone.

“Well, duh, Laurie,” you might be thinking. “You can’t help everyone.”

But if I help some people and not others, that wouldn’t be fair right? You’ve heard your parents or teachers when you were little say something similar…

“I can’t give you special treatment, because then everyone would want special treatment.” That becomes my reasoning and even an excuse to close my ears to the hurting. “If I help her, I’d have to help him,” and so on and so forth. So I don’t do anything.

Or how about the other excuse that comes to mind… “It’s probably not going to do much good, so why try?”

Let me give you an example. There is a Girl’s Home in my city that is full of hurting teenage girls. Because of the state of the system, they are shuffled in and out of that place like crazy. I might get to know girls who will tell me their stories about how they were raped or kicked out of their houses, etc. We’ll get close and then the next week they’ll be gone – shipped off to another foster home or group home in another city. So it’s tempting for me to say, “Well I might as well not even try getting to know these girls or spend time and money on them. It won’t do any good because they’ll be sent away.”

I could then just shut my eyes and ears, pretending the Girl’s Home doesn’t exist. I’d feel great without all their stories weighing on me, right?

Maybe not.

Andy Stanley is an amazing pastor and my husband passed this message on to me a couple weeks ago. It really stuck with me and I am trying to put it in to practice as I share it with you. (Note: You can view the full sermon here: One, Not Everyone)

His main point was this…

“Do for one, what you wish you could do for everyone.”

Pick one cause, one person. (Usually they pick you haha) Then use your time and resources to do all that you can for them.

Do for that one person what you wish you could do for every broken heart, every empty stomach, every hopeless addict. Doing all that you can for that one is so much better than not doing anything for anyone. Agreed?

This seems easy, but putting it into practice will take work. And patience. If you choose to help an addict, they may hurt you over and over and over again before they turn around for good. Or if you choose to help someone who is poor, you might spend lots of money and time before they are ever able to get on their feet. Or if you choose to help someone who has been abandoned, it might takes years of you reassuring them that you love them before they finally believe it. Change takes time and hard work.

But if you do for one what you wish you could do for everyone there is so much power in that. When their life is changed because of the work and time and money you put in, they are then able to do for others what they couldn’t do before. And it often multiplies. But even if it doesn’t, you are changed in a powerful way because you gave of yourself.

I am blessed enough to have my “one” in my life. She is the sweetest girl who has been dealt a pretty hard life. Because of her proximity, I am able to do for her what I couldn’t do for all of the girls at the Girls Home. I sometimes worried that it wasn’t fair to others that I gave her my time, my advice, my resources. And I still worry that it may not be enough to make a big impact on her. But slowly, slowly I’ve been seeing a change in her. Her smile is a little brighter and her confidence is growing… and more than that, my love for her is growing too.

God also gives us this promise: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:9-10 (emphasis mine)

If we take the opportunities given to us and really invest in that one person, that one cause, we will reap a harvest. To the non-farmers like me, haha, that means it will be worth it if we do not give up on them. If we don’t close our ears and ignore a need that we can do something about, it will be so worth it. Our impact could not only last a lifetime, but it could last into eternity too. That’s pretty sweet.

(Note: If you have the chance to check out Andy Stanley’s message: One, Not Everyone. Please do it! He says everything a whole lot better than I can!)

Financial Peace

How would you like to think about money and be at peace? Anything that talks about finances, savings plans or even just self-help in general usually makes me run in the other direction. But this book is not a boring one of those…it is REALLY good.

If there is one big area of my life I have always needed more self control it has been money. I have always just spent money until it’s gone. My mindset was, if it’s there, I can spend it. Who even needs to keep track of the bank account? I remember two years ago I got talked into opening a credit card (which I never wanted to do because I know myself well). Within three months I had already racked up $1300 on pretty much nothing…clothes and food? You guys have experienced that thought, right? “Where did it all go?? Who spent all this money on my card?!”

I was turning out to be one of those ladies at the mall who has to hide the shopping bags in the trunk so that her husband doesn’t see. Haha. The excuse that all this stuff was “on super sale” was quickly running out. So once I finally told my husband about my crazy spending habits and my giant credit card bill. (Side note: this was really hard to do! But really, if you want to not fight about money with your spouse, you have to be totally honest! You will be so free if you get rid of secrets.)  I got put on “spending probation” and he has been slowly teaching me how to keep track of money ever since. He is very wise when it comes to money but he’s not perfect either. He can err on the side of not spending or giving enough. Like most couples, money used to be a big thing we’d fight about because we were opposites…and money is just stressful.

But here is where the book came in. We started reading it about 6 months ago and already are pretty blown away by how it has improved our lives. A lot of the principles go against what we’re used to hearing. Our culture is full of maxed-out credit cards, foreclosed houses, and “I gotta have it nows.”  We are one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but we feel like we never have enough (see The Trouble With Paris). It doesn’t matter how much money we make, we always think we will just be happier if we have a little bit more.

Dave Ramsey is a really smart guy and he explains things well so it make sense. He made a lot of mistakes and was bankrupt by his early 20s but he turned his life around and is now a millionaire. Warning: This is NOT one of those “get rich quick” books. You’ve read the story of the tortoise and the hare. This is a book teaching you how to be the tortoise. You’ll come out with the win, but it’s going to take some time and hard work.

In the 6 months that we have been reading the book here are some of the changes we have seen…

-We never fight about money now. Ever. I seriously can’t remember the last time.

-We paid off our school loans and sold our house. So went from $90,000 in debt to ZERO debt (moving in to a parsonage helped as well – we can’t take full credit for that)

-We saved up an emergency fund that will cover us for 3-6 months if needed. No more freaking out if the car breaks down or if we get hit with big medical bills – these things have happened already and we didn’t have to get stressed.

-We are now able to give without feeling like we won’t be able to pay our bills if we do. <—my favorite part

-We are now able to think about investing in the future…the kind of saving that feels like it pays off…like buying a house or car without making payments, mutual funds, retirement, someday building a youth center, etc.

- We each have spending money each month…a little for dates, a little for trips, a little for clothes and fast food.  <–my second favorite part:)

Check out the book here. It is only$10 and is so so so worth it.

Already read it? What changes have you seen?

The Trouble With Paris

I thought I’d just share a really awesome series we’ve come across in the last few months. Stephen and I were so inspired by not only the message of this curriculum but the way that they used visual effects to reach young people. We are going to try our hand in the next couple weeks at making this style of video or maybe some cool clips to go along with some of his messages.

If you haven’t been introduced to The Trouble With Paris series, this what it’s about….

We live in incredible times. Western culture has taught us that our value and identity comes from the products, experiences and relationship that we consume. You can become a celebrity if you want it bad enough. Youth is worshiped and commitment to anything is uncool. But where do I find contentment and happiness? In a society where consumerism is god, how do Christians express their faith in a meaningful and relevant way? The Trouble With Paris takes you on a four-week journey exposing the myths of popular culture, whilst presenting a new lens by with to view Christianity in a consumer world. It is the ideal resource for individuals wanting to reshape how to live out your faith in a world of plastic promises.

Take a few minutes to check out these video clips from the series…

Hyperreality

Our Reality

God’s Reality

Want to see more? The Trouble With Paris

 

Housework Rules! NOT!

How many of us would like to have this attitude?

This is SO not me!

This week I was planning on doing a really “fun” anti-procrastination project but then I took one look at my dirty house and knew I had to make it a priority. How I wish I would’ve taken before and after pictures because wow! It was really bad. We have had a REALLY busy week and this was the state of my house:

Bathroom – makeup and hair products scattered everywhere. There was grime from too much hairspray (from all of my attempts at Big Hair! ) all over the counters and walls. Towels were not even halfway hung up, but instead left on the floor.

Kitchen – Even with  having a dishwasher, my sink was overflowing with dirty dishes. My mission this week was to make five good meals  so we wouldn’t eat out and with that came dishes! The counters were covered in bills and empty food boxes that needed to be crushed and thrown away. Nothing was wiped down. Gross.

Bedroom – Closet was empty because all of our clothes were on the floor! Along with books, spare pillows, and random accessories I didn’t bother to put away.

Living room – DVD’s, cups, and food wrappers were strewn all over since we kept watching movies late at night and then were too tired to clean up afterward. Tables and shelves were dusty and the entryway was filled with shoes and coats that we hadn’t bothered to put away because there was already a pile there:)

So when I say it was a mess, that’s an understatement! So my AP project for this week was too be a good housewife and clean my house. I spent close to two hours cleaning it all up. I washed sheets. I scrubbed the shower. I did all the laundry and dishes. The house was so shiny and I was so proud of myself when it was done.

Okay but that was yesterday.

Today I woke up, remembering all the hard work I did and expected to relax all day in my clean house. Then I took a look around.

We didn’t clean up our dinner dishes. We had another late night movie and so again, wrappers, drinks, and DVDs were scattered around the living room. Yesterday’s clothes were not picked up but left on the bedroom and bathroom floors.

I was so disappointed. What happened to my perfect house?

In the midst of my moping and picking up AGAIN, a verse sprang to mind:

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9 Doing good doesn’t necessarily have to be about how we treat others. It can be how we “do life” in general.

In thinking about this verse, I was reminded of a Bible Study I did by Jen Hatmaker called “Makeover: Revitalizing the MANY roles you fill.” I would really recommend this to all of us girls who are tired! As women we take on so many roles, juggling and thinking we have to be perfect at all of them. We are “expected” (mostly by ourselves) to be fashionable, beautiful, social, Godly, great cooks, naturally tidy, ahead of the curve at work,  the perfect daughter, mother, wife, friend…it goes on and on. And then we wonder why we are tired!

While I’m all for not procrastinating, I also think it’s important not to get overwhelmed and think we have to accomplish everything.

Let’s be honest. We can’t! If we try, we will be frustrated and tempted to give up at everything.

God made us girls capable of accomplishing great things as long as we don’t get so busy that we stop hearing His voice and His leading. Let us not grow weary in the main things we need to do and then let go of the rest!

This post is linked to “Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays” #3

Redemption

Redemption by George Herbert

Having been tenant long to a rich Lord,
Not thriving, I resolved to be bold,
And make a suit unto him, to afford
A new small-rented lease, and cancell th’ old.

In heaven at his manour I him sought:
They told me there, that he was lately gone
About some land, which he had dearly bought
Long since on earth, to take possession.

I straight return’d, and knowing his great birth,
Sought him accordingly in great resorts;
In cities, theatres, gardens, parks, and courts:

At length I heard a ragged noise and mirth
Of theeves and murderers: there I him espied,
Who straight, Your suit is granted, said, & died.

In this poem, George Herbert tells a parable of going to a rich landowner to discuss the fact that his lease requires him to pay more than he can afford. Failing to find the landlord among the rich and powerful, the speaker eventually is surprised to discover him among thieves and murderers. Once he finds him, there is a dramatic twist. The landlord himself has paid the price of his new lease, giving his life as payment.

I really loved this poem because of the simple picture it paints of God’s love for us. It’s easy to read words in the Bible and forget the power of the story. The underlying story in this poem is the struggle of humankind since the fall. We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Death is payment for sin and since none of us is perfect, we cannot afford to pay the cost of what we owe.

The speaker is much like us. He wishes to find a solution to his problems but finds that his landlord is absent: the landlord (God) has gone to take possession of ‘some land he had dearly bought’. When we go searching for Christ, he surprises us. He is not found among wealthy kings or pious priests who have it all together. He is found among the least “important” in our eyes. He cares for the sinners, the murderers, the thieves, the prostitutes…every one of us who is guilty. He cared enough to die, to pay our debt. He kindly says, “Your suit is granted” or literally “It is finished.” In other words, at the moment of dying, his thoughts are for those he wishes to rescue.

Redemption literally means ‘a buying back.’ He has paid for us. We only need to believe and accept it.