[Photo credit: The BAS Library]

We are not called to faith by an angry God who is standing above, threatening to shower his wrath on us.  Rather, he is the one who runs to his wayward children to welcome them home, arms opened wide, with nothing but love in his eyes. He is the one who praised Mary for making time spent with him more important than anything else.  He is the shepherd who searches for the one lost sheep, not willing that any should be left behind. Paul tells us that God’s kindness leads us to repentance, not his anger or disgust or disappointment.

We were called by his love, and it is to his love that we surrender.  God loves us with all he is, and he demonstrated this by paying for our sin with his own sinless life, absorbing the punishment we deserved onto himself. For love. There is more to this life of faith than blind obedience. We surrender to his love.  It is the one thing that God desires above all else, that we love him with our entire heart, soul, mind, and strength – with our whole being.  This is the call to salvation and the call to a life dedicated to following Christ into eternity.  It is all about his love.

You are invited to The Dig, a streamlined six-week Zoom gathering which offers the opportunity to delve into this idea of surrendering to the love of God, resulting in a truly authentic faith life. We will talk about how God’s love defines us and helps us discover who we really are, and how we can live a life of prayer – open, alive, and without ceasing.

Starting the week of Sept. 25 (exact day/time to be determined for two groups – daytime and evening), The Dig will not be a time of lecture-style teaching, but rather a joint excavation in search of authentic faith. We will examine Biblical truths in a discussion format, using archaeological tools such as a mason’s trowel (to gently scoop away at the surface, without damaging what is unearthed), and a brush (to tenderly reveal the beauty found there). There is no written homework, but certainly plenty to ponder and integrate.

Have you always felt there was more to a relationship with God? Me, too, and this desire spawned a yearlong excavation into my own life.  If you want to go deeper, The Dig is for you.  The evening group is full while the daytime group has three more open spots. Please email me at gigi.seriouslygirl@gmail.com to reserve yours.

Love,
Gigi

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:23. —Hebrews 10:23 (NIV)