CONSTRUCTION ZONE: HARD HATS REQUIRED
A Construction Zone?
Why do I need a hard hat to think about my spiritual identity? We're talking about the matters of my heart, not heading for a lumberyard!
Your spiritual birth immediately drops you into a new life construction zone, so you need to be equipped with a hard hat and a good, strong flashlight!
God's good plan for us as individuals is really, really easy... the invitation to eternal life is open to everyone, and all that's necessary to particpate is to say "YES" to Jesus!
Learning how to express your new spiritual self is a little more complicated because you are still housed in a human body.
You are getting ready to build a new life, so you're going to need some help to learn about the building codes that will help you create a state of the art dwelling place for your spirit.
Think about this with me for a minute... you have just experienced an encounter with Jesus that has brought your spirit to life. You are bubbling over with joy, and are looking for a way to express your new creative nature.
HOW DO YOU DO THAT?
You are bubbling over with excitement, and are filled with a desire to tell somebody what is going on inside your heart, but you don't have the words that adequately express what you are feeling!
How's that for a clear picture? 
You have just given birth to your eternal spirit, so you are in need of some baby paraphernalia!
The great thing is, your baby spirit was birthed to a spiritual body, so that provides us the vehicle we need to get you to the destination God has in mind for you. No, I don't mean your body, I mean the body of Christ!
The body of Christ is made up of people that Jesus calls his "church," so you are most definitely not alone in the quest for your new spiritual identity! There are many ways that we interact with each other in the body of Christ.
It's not a coincidence when you hear the lyrics of a song that seems like they were written just for you... or hear a portion of a minister's message on television or the radio. It's not a coincidence when you find a blog post, a bumper sticker catches your eye, or you find yourself reading a website that talks about the grace of God! That's just God's way of using his body to bring you what you need to learn more about him.
Isn't that the best news you've heard since you heard about Jesus? You really are NOT ALONE in this world! There's a great big family that needs to know that you have arrived... our corporate goal as Christians is to do a better job of connecting new babies to the people that God wants to become a part of your new life in Christ.
I have spent the past several years in isolation from the body of Christ. That is, I've been in the demographic of what's known as our nations "once-churched."
I haven't been part of a local church family since 1994... so, why not?
I was very ill, and the circumstances of my life required my undivided attention. It's not that I didn't want to be in church, it was the fact that I COULDN'T. The dark night of my soul was reverberating with deep peals of thunder, flashing lightning and a massive flood of raging white water!
Actually, I've been giving birth to God's Grace Notes, so that's why I speak to you about my spiritual identity with such confidence. I KNOW that God hears your faintest cry for help. I KNOW that He never leaves us alone, even though I FELT as if even He had abandoned me for many of those long, lonely years!
I was born and raised in church, so I'm completely familiar with that environment... in fact, God's Grace Notes is also known as Ye Olde Church Lady!
I was totally committed to my church, but what I didn't realize is the fact that I was actually hog tied and bound by a spirit of religion that stole the joy from everything I did, including the church activities that I loved so much! 
My life felt shrouded in gloom, even though my life was firmly anchored in my church activities. There's something wrong with that picture, don't you think? I couldn't understand why I couldn't seem to experience the "good" life that everyone else seemed to be enjoying.
I spent several years in a dark and terrible mental prison that prevented even the faintest ray of light from shining on my path. I dwelt in utter darkness, chained to the pain that held me in an iron clad grip. There was no relief for my pain until the overwhelming volume of my grief finally shattered the massive wall that stood between me and Jesus.
I had to endure the dark presence of God until every trace of my misplaced trust was destroyed, and I came to understand what it means to truly be born again. The birth canal to spiritual prosperity is a dark and winding canal, but it is not unmarked territory!
Jesus has already planned the twists and turns of life that will lead you to the place he intends for you to call "home" while you are living in this world.
It's been a long journey through that the dark process of spiritual renewal, and the experience has changed me forever! Now, I AM ready for that abundant living that the Bible talks so much about! I am ready to dwell in a land that flows with milk, honey... and the constant companionship of my favorite rescuer!
You should be excited too, because what's good for me is good for you... and what's good for you will be good for the next person, who will be good for the next person, and the next...
That, my friends, is the next step that God has in mind for you... for me, and for the entire body of Christ. Good things are just over the horizon for all of us, so stay tuned to God's Grace Notes for further news and updates about the glory storm that's headed in our direction! It's going to be a dazzling display of grace, glory... and a powerful demonstration of the impact of Jesus's resurrection.
Take heart, dear children... it's a brand new day for the kingdom of God!
I know you're hurting... I'll stay right here until your help arrives
It's time for EMERGENCY MEASURES!
