Day 3

"A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace"
From the Inside Out by Hillsong United

About a year ago I went with a few of my friends to their youth group (the one I go to now, and love dearly). I didn't go with any intentions of reconnecting with God, or making new friends, or any of that, I went because I wanted to spend time with my friends, and this group played floor hockey. Really, that was it. A game and some friends got me to start going. The first night I went, From the Inside Out was played during our worship time. The third and fourth lines in the verse above hit me like a freight train. See, whenever I would mess up, people were always criticizing, ignoring, mocking, or yelling at me and it made me resent them so much, even my own family. But the thought that someone loved me unconditionally despite my frequent misgivings was daunting to say the least. A year later, this song is still very important to me, it's like a hug on a bad day. Whenever I feel myself slipping or I'm unsure of things, I just turn it on, and I know that I am at home in God's arms. No judgment or criticism, just love.

Mel