Out of His Fullness (intro)

Let me be completely honest and say right off the start that I have no idea what I am doing starting a blog, but somehow it seems to be a step of obedience in something God has put on my heart over the past several months that I can no longer put off or explain away. Only He knows if I will end up actually writing on it very much or not, but at least I am completing the first step! (First steps are always the hardest, right?)

The words from John 1:16 have continually pressed upon my heart in seeking a name or direction for the theme of this blog, and I actually had decided on “From the Fullness of His Grace” as a title (from the NIV wording that I’m used to), but alas, that name was already taken. I have to admit, though, I was even more blessed in looking up several different translations of that verse to find alternate wordings. The Amplified Bible really gives a more FULL rendition of some of what we are given in Christ: “For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift.” What a beautiful picture of how God keeps giving and giving out of His complete fullness!

While I don’t envision that this introvert will jump into sharing lots of details about my personal life in this potentially public forum, it does feel like such a meaningful thing to just proclaim that I believe this verse is true today as much as any day, in this season as much as in any season, and in every moment for the future as well. To quote Ann Voskamp (which I do envision happening more often), “All is grace.” The more I allow my eyes to be opened, the more I see this is true in everything. His grace is enough. His love covers and fills. All of these can show up in the most unexpected of places and ways. So I want to keep my eyes open to see and my heart open to receive all that God will continue to bring “out of His fullness.”