Happy Birthday!

Today marks the fifth birthday of my blog, 1202 posts representing who knows how many hours of my time over the five years.  And I still love blogging! It's been a wonderful journey for me.  I've had the opportunity to watch Eowyn's Heir blog; she's one of those writers who can organize her thoughts and knowledge and whip out a four paragraph post in nothing flat...and it will be grammatically correct to boot!  I am not gifted that way, so there are many blog ideas that never make it out of the deep recesses of my muddled brain.  Hold those thoughts...

I was struck recently by one tidbit of information that registered in my blog statistics.  Someone visited my blog after using the internet search keywords "What does it mean to be made alive with Christ?" I wondered how many people who visit my blog might be curious about its title.  "Made alive with Christ" represents a spiritual truth that has been very important in my Christian growth, that being that I had absolutely nothing to do with my salvation in Christ.  Just as a dead person can do nothing to give life to his physical body, a spiritually dead person can do nothing to resuscitate his soul.  We must be made spiritually alive by God, through His gift of faith in Jesus Christ. It was He who chose to save me from the eternal punishment I deserve for my sins.  That same power that regenerates our souls energizes every aspect of our Christian life.  Whereas the natural man walks according to the sinful course of this world (Ephesians 2:1), those who have been made alive with Christ possess a new mind and a new ability to live free from the control of Satan, as we eagerly wait to be united with our Lord in heaven.  

Blogging can be a rather lonely activity. I often wonder, "Does anyone actually read what I write?"  That's why blog statistics are such a wonderful thing!  I am continually amazed that people from all over the world visit my blog...in small numbers, mind you, but I am thankful for each person who takes time to stop by.  I am also grateful for those of you who occasionally leave comments...you don't know what great encouragement that is to a blogger!  Here's to a new year and many more posts...Lord willing!  :)