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“Long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure” (Ephesians 1:4 & 5, Life Application Study Bible).

Why am I here? What is my purpose? Self-help books suggest that people should look at their own desires and dreams and there they will find their purpose.  But from experience I know this leads to hopelessness and despair. The starting place must be our Creator and His eternal purposes for each life.

I was born of German parents in Ukraine which was then part of Russia. During the second World War we fled from our country always just ahead of the Russian front. We lived in refugee camps across Europe. As displaced persons we refugee kids were made to feel that we were not as good as children born in the country. Later, when we immigrated to Canada, I became an immigrant girl who never fit in with her teen crowd. I didn’t speak English; I couldn’t relate to the culture, I was hopeless at sports. I was a misfit.

Even at home, I couldn’t please. My Mother would ask “Why can’t you be like other girls?” The edge in her voice made me feel that she was disappointed with me.

The voices outside myself–and the voice within me–told me that I don’t have what it takes. I carried this mind-set well into adulthood. When I first heard that Jesus loved me enough to die for me (not just for the whole wide world, but for me!), I could hardly believe it. But there was more: He wanted to adopt me into His family. This would happen through Jesus Christ. If I would receive Him as my Savior and Lord, I would become a child of God. He would take me just as I am. One day, I asked Him to come into my life. And He did!

Slowly it began to dawn on me that because Jesus lives within me, I have what it takes to live a joyous, productive life. In the grand scheme of things, I have a place. I have a destiny. I have an inheritance that is eternal. I felt like celebrating my new identity. After careful thought, I gave myself the name Grace. Every time I write my name, I’m celebrating the fact that I belong to the best family in the world: God’s family. And all because of Grace:

Great
Riches
At
Christ’s
Expense.

Where are you in this faith journey? Has life dealt you some cruel blows? Do you feel excluded from the in-crowd? These hurtful things don’t have to define you. The real truth about you is found in Ephesians 1:3-14. Put your name where it says “we” or “us”. Say the verses out loud to yourself, adding, “this is who I really am.”

Father, I pray that all who read these words will know the hope to which you have called us. May they experience the power of the risen Christ within and walk with dignity and joy. Amen.

Questions: Where are you in your faith journey? Do you feel excluded from the crowd? What defines who you are?

About the Author Helen Grace Lescheid

1. Our economic downward spiral
2. America’s first black president, Barack Obama, is elected
3. Mumbai under siege
4. Pakistan blast at the Marriott Hotel
5. Pirates ruling the seas off of Africa
6. Georgia vs. Russia conflict
7. The “Made in China” scare
8. Fidel Castro’s reign came to an end
9. The rescue of Ingrid Betancourt in Colombia
10. Natural disasters: the cyclone in Burma and the earthquake in Sichuan, China

I’m always drawn to the Top 10 News Stories because they capture the raw reality of things that were felt around the globe. It’s incredible to look back on that list now and think, “Wow. That all happened just this year.” Things that shattered our ideals, revolutionized our politics, and painted a different landscape for what is to come.

If you have some time, take a few minutes to reflect. Ask yourself, what will I remember most about 2008? What stands out in your mind as the event that most affected you?

Image credit: IowaPolitics.com

An online Newsweek article gave me some insight via a three-page interview with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. Keep in mind that Georgia has been independent of Russia since 1990, but that hasn’t meant peace between Russian and Georgian military, or even the end of internal fighting between separatists and Georgian troops.

What I learned from him is this:

· Russian troops have been gathering in North Ossetia (in Russia, but on the border with Georgia) for the past four months saying “exercises” were underway. Yet the Russians publicly said military action against Georgia was coming.

· There were some confrontations in South Ossetia (part of Georgia), but nothing out of the ordinary.

· Then an even bigger confrontation happened, the attacking of villages, but still, nothing too alarming.

· It wasn’t until Saakashvili felt something was very wrong that he tried calling the Russians, NATO and some European presidents, to no avail.

· The Russian foreign minister, after claiming the separatists were the ones who started opening fire, said they were trying to contain the situation.

· Georgia said it would do something to quell the conflict and asked Russia to do the same. Saakashvili announced a unilateral ceasefire.

· But while Russia made it appear as though they are trying to end the conflict, tanks and armored personnel carriers went full-steam ahead.

· To defend themselves and stop the assault, Georgia engaged back with artillery fire.

· War.

Yes, a rough timeline (and Saakashvili’s side of the story), but it gives you an idea. Often I wish world disasters and wars could be simply laid out in point-form so that I would understand the who’s and the why’s of them.

Are you following the ongoing war between Georgia and Russia? Do you invest time to understand different world conflicts?

To read the entire Newsweek article, go to: http://www.newsweek.com/id/152254

Photo credit: pntphoto