Hi Jim,

Thanks for a neat place like the Shack, to grow in GRACE -Insane grace!, with NO STRINGS- and the knowledge of Jesus - REAL LIFE!   You're encouragement shows me him, along with everyone elses.  I've learned so much here about God and His unconditional LOVE for ALL.   love dave c. 

Embracing Truth, Life, and each other!  WOW!!!!

Love you all for the messages of hope and encouragement.

Love in Christ,

                  Mattie

      

Thanks Jim for a place to share the love of Christ that He has planned in each one of our hearts .I thank God for all here at the shack. Love Dan

Jim! Bro, lots of love to you man. Really dont know where Id be if I  hadnt stumbled accross the shack! This is seriously the only place I can come where I feel NO condemnation whatsoever no matter where Im wandering in my life or what Im being distracted by

I know I dont post much but I check in every day, sometime 2 or 3 times  and love reading the discussions and revelations you all have.

Praise God for you all and for His never-ending love for us!

Love Ray

Hi Jim, All

This was the first forum I every came to, back in...2002? I think it was. I since have found this and a few others very helpful. In fact I would have to say that this forum did more for me( to change my life I mean) than anything that has happend to me in the last five years.

The openness of ideas and the willingness people have to say what they think,has been a great blessing to me. This entire internet idea sharing thing is really amazing in that none of us would have met and discussed these ideas in " normal life.

Well thanks again Jim for your work here.

phil

      

DIDDO!!!  What incredable Love given and a bridge offered to a small town girl on a broken road!!!!.... All the cracks and craters in my road were leading me to this incredable hero's Journey --------for sure You all played a major part  ---what overwhelming grace to see the hero in us , the person we were created to be----Ahhh!!...Just Being...."Being Love"....Love to you all........Nette

      

"A Woman's Heart should be so lost in God that a man needs to seek Him in order to find her."

"Life is messy, clean it up."

(saying: courtesy of Bissell cleaning machines)

      

The idea of messiness makes me think of a "lesson" I learned one time from the Spirit. 

The concept of 'sterile'.  Religion wants to "sterilize" faith in God until it is clean and perfect and without defect, but the Spirit pointed out that sterile can end up meaning devoid of life, an inability to conceive.  How's that for irony? Life is messy, isn't it?  Like that's anything to God!

      

Connie,  Good insights!  ... and definitely backed up by the realities of life.

Continuing to appreciate all of you and this site.

Joyce

Jim, believe me I've tried to live life inside of the church structure and it doesn't work for me. The only way I can live is inside the grace of the lord and to acknowledge and thank him for his finished work!

The Shack is a great place to hang, you know what I'm sayin'?

      

the shovel wrote: My dear friends! I thank God for you because of the example you show forth of the amazing grace of Christ, both to those who come and go as well as to those who have made a habit of hanging out at the Shack.  Yes, example. For you yourselves are what living free in Christ is all about!!     While some try to suggest that we avoid the reality of true living in Christ from pushing grace too much I have always found it incredible that anyone could not see the obviousness of the life that oozes through you all.  Do you know what I see?  I see love and compassion for each other as well as for any who pass through here.  Not only in your words - you know, saying "I love you" - but through your words.  What I mean is simple: there is a giving of yourselves to those who are struggling.  The sharing of life to each other reveals a Christ-in-you love and tolerance toward each other.  While we don't preach on "responsibility" - but instead openly reject the legality of principle-based living - I constantly witness those who respond to one another in love and kindness and long-suffering and patience and gentleness and respect and forgiveness and in truth and in honesty and in openness.  How can something like that happen?  Amazing, don't you agree?  I encourage you to continue in this insane grace of God, and never let anyone make you feel you are missing the real stuff of Christ!  Love, Jim

I just now saw this thread- don't know how i missed it before.

What an awesome, awesome post Jim!!

When i first checked out this site, it took all of about 2 minutes for me to see & realize what you so beautifully & accurately stated above        

"Insane Grace of God"- man i love that!!!!!

All you folks here- Christ SHINES in you. It is awesome beyond words!!!!!!!!!!

      

Been busy, but found my thoughts echoed here once I got a chance to come back and touch base.

      

Belle,

No, I have not gone just yet. It is happening soon, though. And I echo your blessing of peace and grace to you as well!!

Adam,

No sweat, you'll be serving soon enough when you get that baby and her mother home!

      

YOU AINT KIDDIN!

      

Isn't it funny how you can miss people you have never even met?  I miss you guys the days I cannot log on and I miss you guys when no one posts for a few days.  I try to think up something to post just for the exchange. Just to let you all know you are loved!!

,

      

I agree, Shannon.  These Shack folks are wonderful friends!  

I'm so very thankful, for all of you here at the Shack.  And Jim and Sherri I thank God for having a place to be able to just enjoy others, grow, and most of all the continued encouragement of keeping my eyes on HIM!!!

I'm so very touched by God and his full acceptance of me.  And it's wonderful to see a place where not only is the truth encouraged to see that full acceptance.  But to also experience the love of Christ being made complete in his love in and through us to each other. 

realrest wrote: And thank goodness our God is one that justifies the wicked, looks for the sick, and makes us new all by his doing!!!!

or even better, thank goodness He doesn't even see wickedness, sickness, and even our old selves.

Jim so beutiful what you shared here to your friends, but I was struck by just a couple of words...

Insane Grace...

Can grace be anything but insane???

Why have I battled all these years...I've been like watchman Nee taught a thermous trying desperatly to become a thermous...or in a room, but trying desperatly to

get into a room.  It really does seem insane that God, Almighty God, Creator God, could truly love, and accept and not only have mercy for, but delight...

in a wretch like me.

Your right Jim...its Insane.  In human terms in makes no sense at all...Its out of control.

and yet somehow if you flip your thoughts upside down, flip all the world systems upside down...if you exchange your supposed wisdom for foolishness.

You find that Gods Insane Grace, is the only sane thing there is.

Wow Jim..you just blew my mind, and I probably didn't explain very well...but thank you.

Heather DAwn

      

Heather, you explained it insanely well! :)

Love, Jim

Lol  hehehe....well ya know if its insane...as I've already stated i suspect I have an edge. tee hee.

Seriously I'm just joking, don't want some poor person wondering if I'm recently escaped from the funny farm, but you know there have been times when the anxiety and the guilt of having a driven nature, so depseratly desiring to please God, to be accepted by God, to do the right thing...that I have felt like I was a step away from insanity.  I like Gods version of Insane Grace so much better than mine...dont' you.

hugs

HD