Lauren Sparks

The Sparks Notes

Hi, Mom. I’m Home…and Grace and Truth Link Up

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The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,[a] so that we may serve the living God!  Hebrews 9:13-14 NIV

 

For high school graduation, a relative gave me a laundry bag.  A practical, if unimaginative gift.  It said, “Hi, Mom.  I’m Home.”  During my college years I wore out that bag and a couple of baskets! Every time I planned to go back home to visit my parents, I saved up as much dirty laundry as I could.  Then hauled it many highway miles with me.  In fact, I saved my dirty clothes for so long that I never had any clean ones to pack for the trip!  I wore straight out of the dryer for the entire visit.

 

My mom didn’t do the laundry for me (she wouldn’t if I’d asked anyway).  I happily washed and folded my own clothes there because Mom’s machines required no quarters.  And at Mom’s house I didn’t have to worry that my jeans might get stolen from an unattended machine.  Totally happened to my Rocky Mountains (Anyone else remember those?).

 

When my sister and I came home on the same weekend or for the holidays, that washer and dryer ran around the clock.  We made sure to clean every shirt and pair of socks we owned while there.  After which we hauled everything back to school to hang in our closets – sparkling clean and pressed.

 

Do you know what dirty laundry we never have to carry around?  That which we perpetrated in our own lives.  The blood of Jesus washes us cleaner than any detergent could.

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Christ made the ultimate sacrifice of Himself so that we could be forgiven of our sins and made “whiter than snow”.  I thank the Father that nothing I’ve ever done can be held against me because I’ve trusted Him to expunge it.  No stain sets too dark or too stubborn for those who love the Lord and accept His gift of salvation.

 

 …let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.  Hebrews 10:22 NIV

 

And now for this week’s featured link up post!

 

My writer heart just loves Lois Flowers’ Telling Our Stories (and a Giveaway).  Not only is her post a great philosophy for good writing, but I think it helps with good communication overall!  And the giveaway is so sweet!  Thanks, Lois.

 

Grace and Truth_Rules

1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.

3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate)

 

Grace and Truth_Meet Hosts

We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

HEATHER HART & VALERIE RIESE – Candidly Christian
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LAUREN SPARKS
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

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Praying God’s Word Wednesday #13

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We have the privilege of a guest “prayer” for today’s edition.  My friend Mary is a Cross Cultural Worker in another country and regularly sends out email updates about her and her family.  Her most recent communication contained a “Praying Scripture” section – just like we have been doing together here.  AND the passage she used to pray is one I’ve been working on memorizing this year.

I LOVE it when God uses others to emphasize what He’s doing in our lives.  It’s so kind of Him.

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With permission, I share the scripture passage and prayer she shared with me:

 

But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.  He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leave are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.  Jeremiah 17:7-8

 

The prayer is a little long for the photo boxes I usually put mine in, so I have split it.  I want to honor her heartfelt words to the Lord and not cut it short.

 

 

…and truth, nourished by your living water.  May we not fear in times of hardship and trials.  And may we always bear fruit, the fruit of the Spirit in our lives and the fruit of the harvest!  We pray this for all believers, but in particular, those that are facing persecution and spiritual warfare.  May they stand firm, rooted and established in you.  Amen.

 

I appreciate so much Mary allowing me to use her words and display her heart for God’s people.  Lifting you to His throne in this.  And don’t forget to share this on social media or with a friend who could benefit.  It would mean so much to me.  If you don’t want to miss a Praying God’s Word Wednesday, subscribe over on the right hand side of this page.

Lauren

 

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