Who Am I?

Happy New Year! I am not one to get overly excited about this holiday. I do, however, use it as an opportunity to reflect upon the previous year. I am thankful that we do not need to wait for a specified amount of time to have something declared new.

There are certain threads that continually weave throughout my life and therefore my blog {grace, forgiveness, community, brokenness, faith, hope, love...}. I am not the best writer, but I always write from the heart. I hope to write more this year if for no other reason than it helps me to ponder life deeply and sit with God, communing with Him.

And nothing can ever be new for us without grace. Life. Breath. Every heartbeat.

I went to see Les Miserables in the theater. I have always loved the story. This movie version really had a profound impact on me though. The story of the power of redemption is overwhelming. And grace.

{A little back story for those who are unfamiliar...}

Jean Valjean was imprisoned for stealing bread. After 19 winters, he was paroled, but labeled an ex-con. He came upon shelter from a kind priest. Valjean stole silver from him and was caught. When the guards brought him back to the priest, he essentially vouched for Valjean, saying he even forgot the valuable candlesticks. Valjean is overcome by the grace shown to him {from his soliloquy: "Yet why did I allow that man to touch my soul and teach me love? He treated me like any other. He gave me his trust He called me brother. My life he claims for God above. Can such things be?"} 

And it can feel too lofty, too amazing, this grace for the sinner. But, it all comes back to the love that came down at Christmastime. A love that was born to save. A love that is steadfast. A love that is eternal. A love that enters into the midst of our mess. A love that goes before us. 

Valjean accepted this gift of grace, even as he grappled with who he was in light of it. 

And it can be so easily forgotten: who we really are in light of such grace. 

So, who am I? 

All that really matters is this answer: I am His. I am loved. Completely. Irrevocably. 

And you are, too.