Dealings with my heart

For my Birthday a sweet friend sent me a new book.  Its a little book that at first glance looks like a mini Bible bound in black leather.  It's called The Valley of Vision.  It's a collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions.  The Puritans were a group of Christians in the 16 and 1700's that broke away from the church of England and came to America in hopes of dedicating themselves to a life of purity and devotion to God. They believed that every individual must be reformed by God’s grace to fight against sin, and to do what is best for him/her and right before the Lord. Their strength in this came from their practice of prayer and meditation. Many of them who clung to doctrines of grace wrote down a record of God's intimate dealings with their souls, not with an eye to publication, but as a test of their spiritual growth, and to encourage themselves and others in their quest to purity and holiness. 

As I am reading this collection of prayers and writings it is a sweet reminder to me of why I started this Blog several years ago.  I started it so that I could keep a journal of all the things God was doing my heart and how he was changing me as I sought to Seek Him First in my my family, in my marriage, in my relationships, and in my life as a whole.  I did not write it for publication and certainly not with motives of self boasting for if anything it has shown my weakness and my lack of ability to do or write anything that makes a bit of sense outside the grace of God on my finger tips as I peck away on the key board. 

I do know though that it does test my spiritual growth and almost helps me to stay accountable to myself as I seek to be learning something new all the time.  I notice that during the times in the past that I have been able to write consistently it has made for times of great spiritual growth and inspiration with in myself.  If anyone else gets anything out of what I write then that will be another added miracle only possible by the grace of God. My influence on others would only be for encouragement and personal reflection on the lives of those who read it.  My prayer would be that they too would join me in a quest for purity and holiness.  For if we are still on this earth walking, breathing, and living our lives then it is only by the grace of God so that we can bring Glory to His Great Name and do his good works until the day of Jesus return. 

"For me, living means living for Christ....."  Philippians 1:21
"for we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior." Philippians 3:20