Your Paycheck {Why You Might Not Want This One}

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life

 in Christ Jesus our Lord."

~Romans 6:23

Powerful and humbling. Think of this: We all sin. 
Sin's paycheck is death. 
(This isn't looking so good..) 
If the payment for sin is death, and we've all sinned, then the only thing that we all deserve is death. But, that word "but" changes everything. The gift, the GIFT, of God is eternal life. He gives the gift of salvation freely to anyone who will open hands and heart and humbly give thanks for the precious gift we obviously do not deserve.

I wonder to myself, Can it really be that simple? Is God that good that He would really just give eternal life to anyone? And I know that the answer is YES! YES! YES! 

Yes, He is and yes, He does. Since He is the Author and the Finisher of our faith, He can cancel sin's paycheck, our paycheck, of death- and give us gifts!

The best gift of all? 
The One and Only God gave 
His One and Only Son, the most valuable of all gifts. 

I open hands and heart and utter a quiet "Yes." 
Yes, I am a sinner, dirty, deserving of only one thing. But, there's that word again, BUT, He gives His Son on that cross- the one I deserve to die on- and He takes my place. He gets thorns into his scalp and whips on his back and nails hammered through his hands and feet. He gets spit in his face and mocked and beaten and betrayed and killed- death- for me. In my place. And I'll never be able to earn eternal life, but I can open these hands and heart, not to be pierced with the nails and betrayal, but to receive this gift of salvation. His love- the deepest, widest, highest, wildest, most wonderful love of all.

I'm the one who should be locked in prison, burning forever, but His great gift saves me and cancels that paycheck. He offers me freedom. I'm so thankful for that gift and all gifts that my Father gives. I will not just give thanks, but live thanks. I will live thanks to God who didn't "withhold His own Son" from me (Romans 8:32).

How could I ever tire of this thanksliving...


Feel free to comment below and express your thanks to Him, who gave His very Son.. for you!

Compassion... Christmas?

I don’t remember the day, but it came, the day I stopped dreaming. It just sorta happened. Before I even realized it, I was content with putting God in a box. He can only do so much, you know.

I know the stories- Abraham, Moses, David, Esther- people who did amazing things with God. The problem is though, that my focus was always on what the people did. So I thought, Not me God. I’m not quite right for this.

Turns out, my eyes have been on the wrong person all along. See, it’s not about what they did really. It’s about God. Isaac was spared by God’s mercy, the waves parted by His hand, the giant went down by God’s power, and a people group were blessed because of His favor. Without God, these awesome things wouldn’t have even happened.

I don’t remember the day, but it came, the day I started dreaming again. It just sorta happened. Before I even realized it, God was standing on the box. He can do whatever He wants, you know. So He does. He does some crazyawesomeinspiring things. Suddenly, I’m asking Rebekah for her photos and putting them on Christmas cards. I was clicking and confirming and a couple hundred cards were arriving.

See, I know it’s easy to forget, but God commands us to live our lives with compassion. Painful, messy, lovely compassion.

This Christmas I am practicing this living compassion. I’ve chosen not to accept gifts this year. An unconventional sacrifice. Instead of giving me a gift, just give something, anything, to someone who really needs it. I'm not doing this because I want a pity party, a pat on the back, or my name in the paper- but because the only thing I need and want cannot be bought. 

Because when everyone is opening their gifts, hearts feeling full, 
I want mine to feel full knowing that someone truly in need, received.

There are hungry children- dying hungry- right now.

There are thirsty children-dying thirsty- right now.

There are orphaned children-dying orphans- right now.

And I don’t think they're praying for a wii or an $80 coat… 

they just want some love. 

They just want someone to wrap their arms around them and tell them that they are a gift, infinitely more valuable than any possession.

Christ spoke and this Christmas it’s all about compassion.

To find out how you can get in on this compassion movement, click here.

Compassion... Cards?

First off, thank you thank you for your interest in this adventure of mine. When I came back from India in July, my heart was so broken by what I saw and I was so anxious to do something.

With a little work and the help of a friend and amazing photographer, Rebekah Yeretzian, this idea of selling cards to spread compassion came to life.

That’s what it’s all about for me. Compassion. So together, Rebekah and I have created Christmas cards to sell this year, all the proceeds to go to missions projects around the world. We are still deciding where these proceeds will go specifically so keep an eye out for that :) 

My thing is this:

There are hungry children-dying hungry- right now.

There are thirsty children-dying thirsty- right now.

There are orphaned children-dying orphans- right now.

I may not be able to go to each of them, hug and love each of them in person, but I can do something. And you can too.

It’s simple. Buy a card, a couple cards, whatever you can- and find that you are living compassion this Christmas. To find out how I’m trying to radically live compassion this Christmas, click here.

There’s no guilt trip. No begging. No company name, logo, and statement of faith. 

You buy them, you give them, and together- we live compassion as Christ commands.

Who knows what crazyawesomeinspiring things God will do?!

Want to purchase some cards and spread the compassion?

Single card: $2

10 pack (candle design): $20

10 pack (winter scene): $20

10 pack (blue ribbon): $20

20 pack (assorted): $40

Details:

Envelopes included.

Deliver locally- free.

Other- shipping & handling fees may apply.

Cash or check only.

Message me on facebook or e-mail nessabarnes0041@gmail.com (with subject line “Christmas Cards”) if you’re interested!



Here's a peek at the covers of each of the three designs!

"Winter Scene"

"Blue Ribbon"







"Candle Design"