I have been aware of a lack of putting Christ Jesus at the center of my life lately... It seems as though every new day, a new challenge arises. And we are always faced with this question, "How am I to respond to this?" I was not responding at first. I realized that my priorities were mixed up, but I also had no desire to change that... I was enjoying it. It was not until this past tuesday evening that I finally was corrected in how I was thinking. I was very discouraged over this distraction, I was discouraged over sin... I called up my father... I can't think of anyone who I would rather talk to in a time where I needed to get my eyes on Christ. So we just started talking... "Hey Bud, how are you?" (awkward pause) "not so great" I replied... He began to draw me out, to ask me about my soul, to point me to the cross... He preached the gospel to me. I needed to hear it obviously, but I was too confused in my sin to preach it to myself at that moment therefore he preached it to me. He encouraged me to pick up my guitar and worship. So I hung up the phone and worshipped... I just remember being in my room and singing a song by Kathryn Scott called "At the Foot of the Cross" and in that song there is a line that says, "I lay every burden down, at the foot of the cross," and I just kept on singing that line, I just repeated it, I had a lot to lay down, a lot that I needed to give to God, a lot of priorities that I needed to adjust, a lot of good things that I was making more important than God needed to be put back in their place. I am so grateful for Calvary... I am so grateful that I serve a God that is patient with me in my sin... These words to a hymn by John Newton really spoke to me that night... and have continued to speak to me since then...

One there is, above all others,
Well deserves the name of Friend;
His is love beyond a brother's,
Costly, free, and knows no end:
They who once His kindness prove,
Find it everlasting love!

Which of all our friends to save us,
Could or would have shed their blood?
But our Jesus died to have us
Reconciled, in Him to God:
This was boundless love indeed!
Jesus is a Friend in need.

Could we bear from one another,
What He daily bears from us?
Yet this glorious Friend and Brother,
Loves us though we treat Him thus:
Though for good we render ill,
He accounts us brethren still.

O for grace our hearts to soften!
Teach us, Lord, at length to love;
We, alas! forget too often,
What a Friend we have above:
But when home our souls are brought,
We will love Thee as we ought.