When I was little, my big brother and I would play hide and seek with our neighbors every summer evening. Base was always their front porch.  They had 100 places to hide in their yard because they had massive pine trees that lined their property.  I remember the hiding.  The fear.  My heart pounding.  I hated hiding.  But, I hated being alone and  found even more.

I was the youngest, so often the oldest girl, Karol, would say, “Hey Stacey, you can hide with me if you want.” Did I want?  Oh yes! But the thing is, Karol knew, if I hid out with her, we’d probably be found quicker. I didn’t do quiet very well.

But sometimes, we’d escape the finding. She would grab my hand, say, “Go!” and take off running.  My little legs would try desperately to keep in step with hers. We would make it with only  seconds to spare,  and yell out “Home free!!” Victorious we’d collapse on the glider,  and wait out the hot July night counting lightening bugs till someone else was found.  Not us.  Not this time.  We were home free.

I told you a few week ago that this book has turned me inside out. The truth is, it has wrecked me in the best way possible.  Emily has called me out of hiding. Better yet, she has yelled, “Home Free” and challenged me to run breathlessly for base.  And to be honest, reading her words has been a lot like sitting on the glider with my friend Karol watching summer pass by.  She says brilliant stuff like this:

• There has never existed an unredeemable failure. p 187
• But if your life is hidden with Christ in God, then failure loses the power it used to have over you. p 193
• Because the truth is, Jesus came to stand between you and that hurt. p 195
• To accept the lovely, the messy, and the unexpected things in our days, knowing that God sees them and has an eternal perspective is to say with confidence I receive your timing. I accept that you know so I don’t have to.  Even when it all goes wrong. p 207
• To experience victory, you absolutely positively cannot wait until you feel safe. p 213
• Jesus Saves is not just a religious slogan; it is my present day reality. p 220

And for this life long Good Girl, these words are more than just words.  They are a lifeline of hope.  Because truthfully, I still hate the hiding.

Remember, that your life is hidden with Christ in God, you no longer have to manufacture your own safe places.  And when we forget to remember?  We don’t have to travel over mountains and rough terrain to get back to God.  Simply receive and believe that the truth is still true, and purpose to stay safely inside him. p 221

Safely, inside him.

Jesus Saves.

He is base.

He is home free.

Emily, thanks for grabbing my hand and saying“Go!”

Grace for the Good Girl {Part 1} :: Masks

Grace for the Good Girl {Part 2} :: Let, let let