God and Country
As I write, I am sitting on the front porch of a log cabin in the mountains in north Georgia. It is six o'clock and in the distance I can hear the chiming of church bells. Birds are singing, crickets are chirping, and I hear squirrels arguing amongst themselves in the tree tops. Dogs are barking and occasionally I hear the crunching gravel under the wheels of a vehicle as their engines hum in the distance. It is so peaceful here. I am reminded of my childhood home in West Virginia. When I close my eyes I can travel back to a time when life was simple and my biggest concern was avoiding the crawfish pinchers when I went swimming in the creek. When I think about how my life has unfolded, I am amazed at God's redeeming love and daily mercies. I have made so many bad choices and yet God in his mercy has forgiven me and restored me whenever I came to him admitting that I was completely undone and helpless without Him. Even when I was not living for Him, he spared my life.