An Introduction
Happy New Year, my beautiful sister in Christ!
I can't begin to tell you how excited I am to be starting this New Year with you as we unwrap the gifts of God in Genesis.
What began as an extraordinary beginning -- the creation of the Earth, living things, and man -- with the promise of abundant life with God, soon turned into sorrow and sin as Adam and Eve fell into temptation.
Much like our New Year's resolutions and the excitement to start fresh, we fall into the same temptation of wanting more. More than what abundant blessings God already gave us.
More than God Himself.
In this study, we'll actually look at the Great Flood (Chapters 5-9), the second genesis - a rebirth. And instead of finding a God angry at the sinful state of man, we find forgiveness.
We find faithfulness in Enoch, Noah's gratitude, and God's peaceful promises.
We see silent acts of love from Shem and Japheth, and patience as the Lord wipes out sin and breathes new life to the earth.
Through it all, we see the works of a merciful + loving God worthy of praise and delight.
I'll be honest with you -- when we had our team meetup in November, my heart instantly jumped at the Genesis study. The story of rebirth is the song of my heart.
If you're familiar with my own story I've shared on my blog and Instagram, you know by now of the dark years I spent in a state of anger, pride, depression, and at one point, I was even suicidal. I wanted absolutely NOTHING to do with God.
God was as dead to me as my heart was.
If you had told me 15 years ago that I would be writing about Genesis, I would've laughed in your face.
Yet, here I am -- doing Bible studies!!!! Only by the grace of God is this even possible. My heart has been renewed in the Lord, and it brings me to tears, as I write this!
God is so faithful. God is so good.
God makes all things new.
Maybe you've experienced your own floods + storms in your life -- maybe you're ready for a rebirth -- God is moving mountains for you. He is wiping out your shame, guilt, anger, failure, shortcoming, and sin.
Whatever New Year's resolutions you have, I invite you to let the Holy Spirit work His wonders. Let your heart open up to God this New Year.
Delight yourself in the Lord's overwhelming + beautiful presence. Give your whole self to Him, and He will lift you up and breathe new life into you!
Let's walk together this New Year -- in faith, in thanksgiving, in Christ.
Peace be with you, my gorgeous faithful sister.
