OPEN NOW: A Morning Email from Jesus (and Caitlin)

Hey hey team of fantastic humans! Did I get you with that title? I hope so. :) Sometimes cheesy works. It’s the middle of the week and you got out of bed this morning (or you are about to), NICE WORK! Give yourself a little fist bump to keep you trucking through this day.

I’m not totally sure of what I want to say in this post, but felt like God wanted to say something. So here I am typing and asking the Spirit to put to paper what He’s speaking to His children. He is always speaking. Did you know that? The thing is we aren’t always listening. I’ve been working on quieting my own heart and tuning in to what God is doing and saying.

If you aren’t a Christian, I hope you still read this post and understand more of how the Gospel has changed my life and how I want to live (even thought I fail often). This post can still give you a window into my Wednesday and I hope it encourages you in yours as well!

This morning, as I begrudgingly rolled out of bed into the cold dark world, I was thinking about this equation: Jesus + Nothing = Everything. I’ve heard it before. I’m sure some of you have too. We can even simplify the equation to Jesus = Everything. Oo, I like that.

With my half awake pre-coffee mind, the Lord was beckoning me to answer the question: Is this true to you Caitlin? Of course I was quick to respond with an immediate, “YES LORD!” But then He went a little deeper and I began to reflect on not only what I believe, but how I am living.

It was one of those “Psalm 139 Search me God and know my heart” kind of moments. I started to ponder questions like: Does my day in and day out life reflect that Jesus is my everything? Do my actions and my words speak life and resurrection into the broken places of my world? Do I boldly act in the Spirit to share the Good News in words and deed? In some ways, yes and I am grateful to God for how He uses me. But in a lot of ways, no. And that doesn’t have to lead to shame. It can lead to growth.

Think about it, if I truly believe that Jesus paid it all on the cross, that I am now dead to myself and alive in Christ, that he loves me so much he calls me his daughter and co-heir of the kingdom, that I found the true purpose in life, and that the Spirit of the living God dwells in me, shouldn’t that radically change the way I go about my day?

We all need reminders of how big and beautiful God's love for us really is. Hoping this post can be that for some of you today. My prayer is that when we wake up in His new mercies, we can just sit in awe of who He is and what He has done. But it doesn’t stop there. Then, we get to go out and live a life of love as an overflow of gratitude and worship to Him.

I am thankful for how the Lord is searching me, teaching me, and leading me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139: 23-24). Let’s open our eyes a little wider today and tune our lives into Him. I have just over 6 weeks left at my site here in Limpopo. This is my last week teaching classes. I think in some ways it is the nearing end of this chapter that has moved me to reflect so much on these things. Maybe you are coming to the end of something too or the beginning of something else. No matter what is behind, or what is ahead, God is with us today.

So let’s live today. Is there a person you can pray for at work? Do it. Is there someone who needs a word of encouragement? Speak it. Let someone go in front of you at the grocery store. Pay for someone’s meal at the drive through. Ask for forgiveness from someone you have wronged. Pick up trash in your neighbourhood. Sit down with the homeless person on that corner and learn their story. This is how we live out the gospel. This is how we give freely because we have been given everything already (Matthew 10: 5-8)! It’s time to let go of fear and live in love-- Perfect Love that casts out all fear (1 John 4:18). Be a freak for Jesus today. We might just realise it’s how we actually want to live every day.

Jesus + Nothing = Everything.

Do you believe it?

Do you live it?

This is not to make anyone feel guilty. The Gospel doesn’t do that (Romans 8:1). This is to make you feel loved. Free. Joyful. And encouraged to be the ambassador of Christ that God has called you to be in your corner of the world. My friend Laura once told me, “You might be the only bible someone ever reads.” Think about that! What a cool opportunity to be a walking talking gospel to those around you. (It also gives me some added motivation to meditate on and memorise scripture!)

Quick note: It is Laura’s birthday TOMORROW and I love her so much! <3 Happy birthday and keep shining, gorgeous!

Let’s go be Jesus freaks. I’ll be anticipating all the testimonies and celebrations of how God moves in and through you as you follow him wholeheartedly today. We've talk enough. Now it's time to live it out! Love like it’s your job, because it sorta is (John 13:35). His love is what this world needs more than anything. And you have it to give. Get your freak on.

His child,

Caitlin