Daughters of the King, we miss you already....

Daughters of the King 2013 in a word...fantastic.  If you were there, you know this to be true.  But just in case you missed it, here's just a summary of the incredible time we had!




Photo Booth FUN!  At Daughters of the King, we know how to have a good time, and the smiles on these faces are proof of that!  And just so you know, we're not above being a little silly.  And by "a little" we might actually mean a lot....

Crazy crafting.  The girls glitterized and glammed up some cowgirl boot ornaments, made their own lip gloss, and created Shrinky rings.  What's not to love?!?!



 

As you can imagine, seriously good times require some seriously good food.  With cupcakes, punch, midnight movie munchies, a mountain of pizza, and a chocolate buffet that's outta this world, we feasted like princesses.  Like Daughters of the King, to be exact!

But the very best thing...sharing the light and love of Jesus with these fantastic girls.  Thanks to powerful teaching from Elizabeth wickline, Sue Hatfield, and Neal Hatfield...and thanks to Small Group Leaders who loved on their small groups...we had plenty of opportunities to remind these gals of their great worth in Jesus.  There's nothing quite so beautiful as knowing you are a Daughter of the King!

5 Fantastic Reasons to be at Daughters of the King

Man, oh, man---oops, scratch that!  Woman, oh, woman, have we got a newsflash for you!  Just in case you haven’t heard, Daughters of the King (DOK), our sleepover for junior high, high school, and college gals (and even grownup gals who don’t mind getting zero sleep), is just a few weeks away (April 5-6).  And, trust us, you don’t want to miss it.  Why?  Well, we’re glad you asked, because we happen to have compiled five fantastic reasons for you to be at DOK.  So, without further adieu…

 

1.     No boys allowed!  And by that we mean no…boys…allowed.  No boys.  At all.  This is a 100% girl party.  We’re not even letting the guys on the Uplands Staff inside!   Since it’s just gals, we can let our hair down, kick back, and have a blast celebrating the awesomeness of being female.   We understand this might be a bummer for all the guys out there who love Uplands Reach, so that’s why we have Mighty Men of Valor (April 20).  Guys, we love ya, and I would say we’ll be thinking about you at DOK, but chances are, we won’t.  We’ll be way too busy with…. 

2.     Line Dancing!  Lots of it!  Better bring your boots, buckles, jeans, and hats because this is one western adventure you won’t soon forget.  We’re seriously about to cowgirl up.  And is there a cowgirl out there who doesn’t love the Cupid Shuffle?!  No!  But even if there were, the load of fun we’re gonna have at DOK would change her mind.   Now, I know what you’re thinking…”But I don’t know how to dance!”  No worries, we’ve got some incredible gals lined up to teach some fun and easy steps.  But even if you want to opt out of it, we’ll still keep you occupied with…

3.     An abundance of amazing activities.  Where do we begin listing them?  How about with makeovers, manis, pedis, photo shoots with a professional photographer, a late night movie on the big screen, jewelry making…my fingers are cramping up from all the excited typing!  So, suffice it to say, let the good times roll!!  Whew, we’re gonna need some sustenance to fortify us for such incredible adventure.  Good thing we’ve got a….

4.     Chocolate Buffet.  No, that wasn’t a typo.  Plan on a literal buffet of chocolate, as far as the eye can see.  Well, maybe just as much as a couple really long tables can hold.  At any rate, envision fountains flowing with chocolate, skewers loaded with strawberries, and satisfied smiles on lots of faces!  But, last but most certainly not least…

5.     Elizabeth Wickline.   The mere mention of her name makes us smile.  This fun, funny, funky gal loves gals, and she’s got a powerful message about self image.   Feel like getting to know her ahead of time?  Check out her blog, boundinbeauty.blogspot.com.  She’ll be sharing the love of Jesus straight from her heart, and we don’t want to miss it.  And we don’t want YOU to miss it, either!  So don’t!

 

It’s too bad we already promised you just five fantastical reasons for you to be at Daughters of the King…because if we wanted to, we could list at least a billion more.  But we’re gonna save you lots of scrolling by just proclaiming here and now…DAUGHTERS OF THE KING IS FANTASTIC, AMAZING, INCREDIBLE!  (And so are you, daughter of the King!  That’s why it’s your destiny to be there.)

 

For more info, go to www.uplandsreach.org or shoot us a message on the Uplands Reach facebook page!

jjj

He is All You Need

I wasn't sure what to do my devos on this morning. So i prayed that God would reveal something to me. Then i managed to flip through the well-worn pages of my Pawpaw's Bible. I came upon this verse, Psalm 73:26:

My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Heartache is, well basically it's what it says it is: painful. There are things and people in this world that are going to let you down. Wanna know how I know this? I've been there way too many times. 

See, people on this planet are not as perfect as we tend to think. We picture ourselves in Pleasantville where nothing or no one can go wrong. But here's the deal, the same people who you live with, are friends with, live beside, and work with are the same as you and me. 

Romans  3:23 says, "for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.". Notice the word "all" here.  This means that every single person on the planet Earth deals with sin, just like me and you. They deal with the same jealousy, bitterness, irritability, misunderstanding, anger, and pain that we do. Yet we expect them to somehow be perfect.

When we come into heartache, we think it is the most devastating, horrible thing that has ever happened in the history of relationships, best friends, your boss, etc.  But ya know, they are just like you and me; and sometimes we have those situations in life where we wish we would've made the right decision.  Or maybe the decision was correct, we just wish it didn't hurt as bad. 

But check out this verse Christ gave us!  

My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Did you get it that time? Cause if you did, you should probably be jumping up and down (to say the least)!  Read it again:

My flesh (everything that is in me that is not ordained by Christ) and my heart (that soft mushy thing that allows us to come into occasional pain but is the giver of earthly and heavenly love) FAIL; but God is the strength of my heart (able to heal every tear and fill every hole) and my portion (literally this means my territory) FOREVER (even as we walk through those heavenly gates).

So did you get riled up that time?  This verse is telling us we WILL have heartbreak.  God allows it so that we are forced to lean on Him.  Or He may be protecting you from something that only He knows. But we can have assurance in Him. He can bring us freedom from the situation.  He can bring healing.  He can allow a greater work in us that we could ever possibly imagine.  Or maybe you will allow Him to wrap His big arms up around you and let Him guide you to His perfect comforting will. 

God is all we need. We simply need to trust and have faith that He is all knowing.  Pro 5:21 "For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He ponders all his paths.". He knows what is best for us.  Take comfort in the fact that God loves you and He is the ONLY strength you will ever need. Give your burden to Him. 




Surrendering all,

Elizabeth 

Teen Camp Wrap-Up 2012

This week at Teen Camp, here at Uplands Reach, we had a blast pouring into the lives of young people from all around!  There were campers here from Florida, West Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia!  It started on Monday, June 25th and lasted through Friday, June 29th.  I believe there were tears in many eyes.  

 Lunch was a time where kids could chill out, grab some treats from the Canteen (the snack shop), meet some new peeps, and simply have a blast in the small amount of free time they had! 

P.S.  They could also sit with members of Seventy-One!  The band we were blessed to have for the week.

Lives were changed.

World changers surrendered.  

Praises could be heard from miles away.

The His Reins MOD was able to saddle up onto Mighty Bucky 

and have their try at actually staying on. 

Brother Neal and Ora had a blast helping out with this adventure!

The Epic Worship MOD created sheets for the Upfest adventure on Friday night!  

This was a night filled with a talent show, arts and crafts, music, and hang time. 

 Isn't this sheet beautiful?

 The MudSlingers MOD involved making pottery and crafts all week long.

Maryanne led this Mod.

(I do believe it was one of the favorites of the girls.)

This camper's name was Jordan.  

She created an awesome bowl that she got to take home and enjoy!

Teen camp was a week filled with laughter and tears.  It was amazing to see these individuals grow throughout the week.  These campers grew more this past week than most Christians will grow throughout their entire life.  Their willingness was humbling.  I do believe they taught the Summer Team here at Uplands way more than we could have ever imagined to teach them.

Ephesians 2:4-7

But God, who is rich in mercy, 

For his great love wherewith he loved us,

Even when we were dead in sins, 

Hath quickened us together with Christ, 

By grace ye are saved;

And hath raised us up together, 

And made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

That in the ages to come he might shew 

The exceeding riches of his grace 

In his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Extraordinary You

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."          Ephesians 2:10

Have you ever thought about the fact that each and every part of you was constructed by the great architect Jesus Christ?  Each part of you, from your fingers to your toes was created for a specific purpose.  You have a smile to brighten someones day.  You have hands to shake the lonely man in the back pew.  You have feet to walk and be a witness.  You have eyes to see the broken hearts and heavy-burdened.  You have ears to listen to the stories of your children.  You have a mind which was configured in just the way God wanted it. This mind can be used for Him. 


Each of your intricate details can be used to the glory of God - a light in the darkness.  Let God lead you.  He made you, so He knows that you are capable of extraordinary things!  

Rugged Spirituality...Rugged Awesome

The first Rugged Spirituality wilderness weekend was an incredible success. After all, firecraft, tent camping, paracords, cooking over an open fire, long hikes....it's pretty much every component of awesome. But don't just take our word for it! Here's some feedback from Jared, a super cool youth worker: "Thanks for the Rugged Spirituality weekend and the effort put into investing in the lives of youth.  Christ was clearly the focus of the weekend, and the survival techniques we learned from you and Ken from Survival Tek were great.  How wonderful to use the illustration of how to survive if lost in the woods and relating it to how we need to realize where we stand before God.  I've had some great conversations with my students since the weekend.  Thanks again!”

Check out this short video, and be watching for 2012 dates coming soon!

Make a video of your own at Animoto.

Daughters of the King...Sweet Reminder!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Represent Jesus - by Joy Workman

I was looking at an article online of a lioness whose cub had slid off an embankment and was in danger. The lioness gathered other lions to try and get her baby, they were all looking over the bank and could see the little cub flailing and trying to get back to its mommy. It was hopeless for the little thing, but a mother took on danger and braved the descent to rescue her little one. She carried it back to safety in her jaws.

What a touching story....the character of motherhood, a mother's love, a mother's protection, a mother's sacrifice.

We, who are mothers would do the same thing. We would put ourselves in harm's way to defend and protect our little blessings...or would we?

I recently read of a baby with it's umbilical cord still attached, left at a dump site, being bitten and eaten by ants. I read the article about the newly named infant, Caleb Hope, who was found by workers, who is recovering and will, hopefully, be placed in a loving home.

How did we get to this place? How did we become less human than even the wild animals? How do we kill and throw away our children like yesterday's garbage?

My heart is overcome with grief for baby Caleb, for unwanted little babies, for humanity.

Our consciences have been seared by political rhetoric of what is right and what is wrong. Politicians have decided that the tiny, helpless life snuggled safe within it's mother's womb, that's moving and has a heartbeat, isn't really a person. It's a thing, a fetus.

What have we become? We are a people that have lost our humanity. We are a society of self. When we stop caring for the helpless, we cease to be human. It's very evident in today's headlines of what we have become.

The only hope our world has is what we represent...Jesus. We must represent Jesus at work by being trustworthy, by being honest and by working our hardest.

We must represent Jesus on our daily errands by being pleasant, by being thoughtful.

We must represent Jesus at home by being the first to say, "I'm sorry", by showing our children out of God's word how to behave, and by being courteous even to our spouses.

We have to be more Christlike. Sinners don't come to church as they used to, they don't hear about Jesus. They only see Jesus through us. Humanity depends on us. Our neighbors depend on us. Our family depends on us. We must show light to a darkened world. We must show Jesus.

Phillippians 2: 15,16 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
20,21 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the thing which are Jesus Christ's.

For more from Joy, check out her blog, The Meaning of Joy, at www.themeaningofjoy.blogspot.com.

Boot Camp 2012

Boot Camp will blow your mind. It's that awesome.

Our summer interns, aka Boot Campers, spend the summer on the campus of Uplands Reach and have the privilege of learning from great instructors, serving in the summer camps and events, participating in music and drama, and traveling with the Summer Team to various churches and rallys. And in between those things, we manage to squeeze in manifold adventures such as camping, biking, horseback riding, and much, much more.

I said all that to say this: Don't. Miss. Out. For more info, call our office (336.667.7177), go to our website (www.uplandsreach.org), or request membership in the Boot Camp 2012 group on facebook (http://www.facebook.com/groups/155604377847000/). Even if you're kinda interested but have questions or concerns, feel free to contact us to talk it out. Who knows...this just might be God's incredible plan for YOUR summer.

Fire Piston...Finally! by Matthew McNeil

It works!

What is this? I'm glad you asked. This is the wonderful, glowing fruit of an arduous trial and error process that resulted in a piece of wilderness equipment that I’ve sought after for a couple of years now—a fire piston! It’s a little tool made up of a piston and a cylinder that fit together to form an air tight seal, and as the name implies, it’s used for fire-starting. On the low end, they cost no less than $40 and can sometimes exceed $200 on the high end. What makes this one so great is the fact that, after watching a video online (and tweaking the design a bit), I made it! It works by compressing a quantity of air into a space too small to contain it when you hammer the piston down into the cylinder. When you do this, the air inside it rapidly heats up. Add a tiny piece of tinder to the mix—a piece of charred cotton fabric, or wood punk (you know, that dry, decayed wood you’ve seen in the woods that almost resembles a sponge)—and voila! You now have a glowing ember that can be deposited into a tinder bundle and blown into flame. You just need to try one out sometime! As a matter of fact, plan on being at the Rugged Spirituality event November 4-5! Then you could give it a try!

For more info, call our office at 336.667.7177 or check out our website (www.uplandsreach.org).

You can also like the official Uplands facebook page (www.facebook.com/UplandsReachConferenceCenter).

These Boots Weren't Made For Walking (Ouch)

I can't help it...I'm a boot fanatic. I love 'em. Always have, always will.

And today is no exception. My sweet husband took me to Watsonnatta in Boone to pick out a new pair for my birthday.

And what a blissful pair I found. Knee high, distressed leather, just the right amount of slouch. Just the right blend of country and chic. At the risk of looking like a pirate, you can even fold the tops down for added oomph. Anyway, they were the boots of my dreams, and I was delighted to wear them out of the store.

So, with my fabulous husband by my side, I walked those boots out the door, down the sidewalk, and into the local sandwich joint. I was feeling super cool.

In fact, I was feeling so cool that I wasn't watching my step. Instead, I was watching my reflection in the glass, making note of how fab those boots looked with my skinny jeans and long sweater.

And that's when those boots took on a mind of their own. They walked right out from underneath me, leaving me sitting on my rear end with several boothloads of people staring. And pointing. And laughing. And blowing soda out their noses.

You'd think I'd be mortified. I wasn't. Sadly, I've done far more humiliating things than that. But I sure was humbled. The first thing that came to mind was Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Don't tell me the Bible isn't relevant! I experienced this passage first hand. Consider this lesson learned. (Ouch.)

DOK 2012, where have you been all my life? - Maryanne Tuck Grimmett

No, seriously.  It's been forever.  Or maybe just a year.  Anyway....

I have the privilege of being on full-time Staff at Uplands Reach.  This means I get to work with a ton of amazing campers at a ton of amazing camps.  But there is one event, I must admit, this is my secret favorite.  Okay, now that I just blogged it, I guess it's a secret no longer.  But, I don't care.  I'm gonna let the world know.  In fact, I am currently screaming this from the rooftops.  Or maybe just typing really, really, really emphatically.  At any rate, I'm seriously pounding these keys.  And the message:

I LOVE DAUGHTERS OF THE KING.

And once you know what it is, you'll love it, too.  In fact, you'll be racing to the Uplands Reach website (www.uplandsreach.org) to download your registration form today.  So, here's the skinny...

Daughters of the King is a sleepover for girls in the seventh grade through college.  It's NO BOYS ALLOWED.  Why?  Because we've got too many cool things to do...like manicures, pedicures, makeovers, suh-weet jewelry making, midnight movies and munchies, and (the grand finale) a chocolate fountain that will send you into sugar shock upon mere glance.  For realz.

So, take my word for it when it comes to the fabulousness of DOK.  And hurry up and register so we can count you in on the fun.  FYI, if you register by September 24, you'll save $25, which makes the cost per person $75 instead of $100.  If you have any questions, call our office at 336.667.7177 or go to the Daughters of the King event on the Uplands Reach facebook page.  Be there, friend of mine!!

How do You Know That Summer has Begun?

82 degrees.  Paper cutters slicing.  Weed-eaters whirring.  Phones ringing.  Crew members laughing.  What does this all signify?

Summer has officially begun at Uplands Reach.

This place is a beehive of activity as we actively prepare our campus for the Boot Campers that arrive this Sunday and for Teen Camp which begins on June 20^th!

Here are some pictures of some the recent happenings here at URCC:

An awesome row of dedicated crew members and volunteers

Volunteer Training - we love our Vols!!

Here at Uplands, we'll do anything to stay cool during the summer months.
Even if it means pouring a cup of ice water on our head.  

Some crew members in the van on an outing

The beginnings of an amazing worship team

A Shout-Out to Our Donors - by Sue Hatfield

       

We are gearing up for the summer camp season. It is just around the corner!  We are so excited to see what the Lord will do. 

     Summer at URCC is so intense.  It is basically a nonstop 3 month stint.  Besides the camp weeks that we offer for teens, juniors, and tweens, we will travel to a different church each Sunday with our college-age, summer team of champions to present the Gospel through music, drama, testimonies, and the preached Word of God.  There are several youth rallies planned and also a one-day Hispanic Camp that we will host on the camp property.  In between all of that we, as the Staff, will pour into these summer interns through many different classes and activities.  The interns leave with 80 hours of Bible and Christian living classes so they can return to their many different college campuses equipped and ready to give an answer to any man that asks them of the hope that is in them. (I Peter 3:15)

     This is such an intense time of ministry!  But it is so exciting to see these young champions get on fire for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  That’s why Neal and I love it so much.  That’s why we do what we do! And we couldn't do it without our donors! So, to all of you who give to URCC, THANK YOU for your faithful support to Uplands Reach whether it is through the general fund, by supporting the partnerships, or sending campers to camp!  Thank you for helping us reach this generation for Christ!

A Life Well Lived - by Neal Hatfield

Remember GOD has a plan for your life. 

The question is have you deeply sought HIM for HIS plan for you.

Remember you can’t have a GODLY life with a closed Bible.

Obey GOD and leave all the consequences to HIM.

When you have a question, ask the LORD about it and do what HE says.

Live by I Corinthians 10:31 and enjoy watching then LORD direct your steps.

When this life is over you will hear your precious SAVIOR say,  “WELL DONE”.

I can promise you it will be worth it all when we see JESUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!      

You Haven't Missed the Boat!!!

Don't worry...you haven't missed the boat!  You can still register for Peace Week Teen Camp 2011!  And it's a good thing, too, because we want YOU there.  Do yourself (and your parents) a favor by getting your registration in by June 6 to save $25.  Do yourself an even huger favor by registering as soon as possible so that you have a better chance of getting into the MOD of your choice.  What's a MOD?  I'm glad you asked.  At Uplands Reach, you customize your camp experience by choosing an intense, week-long activity focus that matches your interests.  This year's MODs are super groovy: Rugged Spirituality (camping), Epic Worship (music), MudSlingers (pottery), Ultimate Goal (athletics), and His Reins (horsemanship).  It's gonna be sweet, we guarantee.  So be there!

 

For more info, check out our website (www.uplandsreach.org), call our office (336.667.7177), or go to the Uplands Reach Conference Center page on facebook.

 

Operation Mustard Seed: A God-Sized Dream

Out of control.

Does this ever describe your circumstances? Sometimes it does mine. 

Maybe it’s family troubles, bills, relationships, work, or something as simple as a messy house. These circumstances make us feel like we’re playing catch-up and always trying to hold everything together. We feel like if we let go for a second, everything will spin out of control.

There is a neat story tucked away in the Old Testament. God commands the prophet Jeremiah to go down to the potter’s house and simply observe. What Jeremiah sees isn’t exactly perfect. The potter is working a piece of clay that simply isn’t right. The Bible says, “The pot he was making was marred in his hands.” 

So, the master potter simply reworks the marred clay into another form. God asks Jeremiah, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as the potter does?” 

The same goes for our own lives. We are clay in the Master’s hands. Sometimes we look at the “clay” of our life, and it sure looks marred. But who are we to say that God can’t take that marred clay, redeem it, and make it into a beautiful piece of art?

This is Maryanne:

She is a potter and staff member at Uplands Reach. She has a passion in her heart to share the good news of the Gospel through pottery. This spring, she has started working on a new ministry though Uplands Reach called Operation Mustard Seed.

Her goal is to have a fully functional pottery studio at Uplands Reach to reach individuals who need hope and healing, and people who just love to create! And what a better way than through the art of pottery?

I recently showed Maryanne my favorite mug. It is the most unusual mug I’ve ever seen; I bought it a little art shop in Tennessee. I’ve always treasured this quirky piece. 

When Maryanne saw it, she had to giggle. Having a trained eye, she showed me that my favorite mug was a piece of clay that had been spinning out of control. It is too thin in some places, and has lines that show where the potter had to firmly grab it before it became a blob of clay all over again. But the artist apparently hadn’t given up. They saw a unique and beautiful piece that someone (ME!) would just love. So they glazed it, fired it, and sold it. And am I ever glad! Despite the fact that I know that it’s not a “perfect” mug, I love it all the more because it’s unique.

Isn’t it the same with us?  God knows we’re not perfect, but he loves us exactly the way we are.  So much so, that he made the ultimate price for us: his life.

To make the dream that God put in Maryanne's heart a reality, Operation Mustard Seed needs $5,000.  That's 100 people giving $50 dollars each.  This  goal is so attainable, but we need your help.

If you would like to help spread this message of hope and healing through the art of pottery, send your tax-deductible donations to:

Uplands Reach Conference Center

P.O. Box 830

Millers Creek, NC 28651

Make sure you put “Operation Mustard Seed” in the memo line.  Thanks!

A New Ministry at Uplands Reach

It's a warm spring day - the sun is shining, the air is fragrant, and a gentle breeze is blowing.

As I work at my desk at Uplands, I all of a sudden hear the clop of hooves nearby.  Before I know it, a group of about ten college students comes around the bend, all on horseback, and pass by the window.  You can tell they are having the time of their lives - laughing, smiling, and joking with each other as they ride on by.

This scenario happens every Wednesday and Friday. A group of college students gather at the campus of Uplands Reach for a two-hour trail-ride on our gorgeous property led by our equestrian program’s leader, Justin Hatfield. 

With newly cleared trails, excellently trained horses, and enthusiastic leadership, Uplands Reach's newest ministry branch, His Reins, has been growing in its popularity with local college students.  With its debut at camps this summer, His Reins is hoping to be an effective outreach to the broader horse community of the surrounding areas.

Please take time to pray for this new equine ministry.  Lives are already being touched – and it’s not even our busy camp season yet! Please pray for Justin as he pioneers this new ministry.

Take a moment to enjoy some of the following pics!

If you are interested in giving to His Reins write your tax-deductible donation to Uplands Reach Conference Center and put "His Reins" in the memo line.  Mail your gifts to:

Uplands Reach Conference Center

P.O. Box 830

Millers Creek, NC 28651

Your financial gifts insure that Justin and his volunteers can continue to keep our horses in top shape and also provide more programs so they can minister to more kids and college students throughout the year. 

Potterize - by Maryanne Grimmett

Before 

After

If you want to see my happy face, plunk me down behind a pottery wheel and shove fifty pounds of fresh clay in my direction. Man, oh man, I just love playing in the mud. I call it potterizing--the adventure of transforming a blob of seeming nothinglesss into something with form, function, and (sometimes!) beauty. 

On a day like today, when I am fighting to keep a good attitude while rushing to complete a million tasks within a single calendar square, I am reminded of that Sunday School chorus "He's still working on me...to make me what I ought to be..." I am so, so, so grateful that, as a child of the risen King, my Jesus is not content to let me stay as I am. He potterizes like no one else can. Despite my follies and failures, He's still molding and making...and He won't clock out in the middle of the job. I sure don't deserve His mercy, but I'll take it anyway! 

My prayer for today: "Jesus, thank you for loving me eternally, irrevocably, and unconditionally. Make me like You, even when its so much easier to be like me. I love You."