Last week we went to the southeast conference--all ten bases in the southeast gathered together for a week of worship together in talladega, alabama. There was a lot happening in each meeting and i think the main thing God was showing me was about how what God says is done--is done. That when God says, "It is finished" then it is truly and completely finished with nothing more to be done. when we repent of something and God says He is faithful and just to forgive--He is. When God says we are in Christ and our sin is no longer counted against us, it's true. When God says we are saints and beloved and that we are new creations--we are! It is so amazing the faithfulness and goodness of God.

God is also showing me a lot about grace. I think a lot of it started with Don Stephen's teaching on the Kingdom, which was the week before last. He talked about God's grace and how we are no longer under the law. period. Perhaps if this conference had been before that teaching i wouldve been there trying to do things to clean myself up. Instead, i was able to receive the truth that there is nothing for me to do, nothing that i have to do. I kept asking the Lord this week if there was something i should be doing and He kept saying no--He has done it all.

Amen!

Father Heart of God and Spiritual Gifts

This past week I was privileged to attend classes with the DTS on Father Heart of God as well as go to my own classes which were on spiritual giftings. It was a busy week :) I was in class basically all day every day with only an hour break for lunch. But it was good. I had the teaching Father Heart of God during my dts but it was our first week of teaching and the day before the teaching was kelly's accident so....i wasnt really into it.

One of the most impactful things was hearing the speaker, Doug Easterday, talk about his relationship with his children and his wife. He told stories about doing little, special things for them just because he knew they would like it. The way he talked about his love for his family helped me see God as a good father--caring for His children. God helped me see this week that i have not looked at Him as being a personal Father, but often a distant authority. Hearing Doug talk about his love for his kids helped me to see God's Father love for me. It helped me expand my view of God--He is big enough to be personally intimate with all His kids!

One thing that I have struggled with a lot in the past and this week has been reconciling God's sovereignty and our free will. It has been a struggle for a long time without conclusion. This week it was cool because Doug hadn't addressed the topic at all but for some reason Friday morning it was the first thing he talked about. He recommended a book on the topic and simply said that God is sovereign and we make choices. I'm not sure i will understand more than that. in fact, im pretty sure i will not. But it was really awesome how God brought it up and it allowed me to be more open to the teaching that day which was on forgiveness.