ALL IN

Growing up in a small and very safe neighborhood with parents who loved me and took me to church on Sunday's, I learned the Lord's prayer and prayed before meals.  The closest thing I ever saw to extreme faith was my aunt and uncle, who everyone said were a little crazy, who moved their large family to Brazil to follow Jesus.   We listened to Billy Graham on television and I watched as people went forward to "give their lives to Jesus", but I never understood what that really meant.

Rifqa Bary has extreme faith, the kind that I want.  In her book "Hiding in the Light" she shares her story of giving up everything to follow Christ.  This is a love story of a young girl who finds the kind of love people are searching for.  It is not an easy journey after she finds Christ.  The road to freedom is difficult, dangerous,  and painful, but she perseveres through prayer and God's living word.  

One of my favorite quotes from the book is below.  This quote shows you that Rifqua gave up everything for Christ - and everything does not just mean material things.  It means her life, it means she was ALL IN for Christ.

"Devotion to Christ meant giving Him everything: my time, my energy, my thoughts, my resources, my dreams.  It meant denying myself and willfully allowing His new life to transform my heart from the inside out."   "This new faith of mine required that I restrain from boiling with anger toward my family or in desiring to take revenge against them for hurting me.  Rather, I was supposed to pray for them, forgive them, and love them as Christ loved His enemies.  It didn't mean b being a doormat, not defending myself,but it did mean my response toward them, because of Christ's new life in me, ould actually be characterized by the genuine strength of God's love instead of selfish, artificial strength of anger."   "I was determined to go ALL IN."

This is indeed a powerful testimony of God's love and protection which should cause you to praise the one who created you and give Him everything.  

I received this book from Waterbrook Press for my honest review.

There's JOY in ......

• Two daughters hugging goodbye.  Putting differences aside for love.
• Hands raised in praise.
• A grandson's big smile.
• Prayers nailed to a tree.
• Play dough all over the kitchen.
• A kiss to celebrate 70 years.
• A son sharing his heart.
• The shining face of a granddaughter as she sings to her Savior.
• Watching loved ones live out unselfish acts of service.
• Prayers around a friend along with tears.
• A husband's encouragement.
• Fresh red raspberries.
• Hearing songs written & sung for our Lord.
• Listening.
• Dancing.
• Sitting in front of the fan.
• Catching a walleye.
• A grandson running just to hug me.
• Knowing I am loved.
• Living words.