25

We serve a loving Heavenly Father, who desires to show us His goodness, so that we might take
delight in Him and experience His joy. James 1 says:
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

We serve a God who loves us and wants to manifest His good gifts in our lives.  We can be challenged to be a place to receive that goodness.  He provides gifts to show His love toward us, and so that we might use them to show others that He loves them, as well.  We can delight in the goodness of God and give Him honor and praise because He has chosen us to follow Christ and called us into relationship with His Son.  Praise His name!

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God is at work all around us, and He desires to work through us and even for us. God is pleased as we delight in Him.  Philippians 2 says:
13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,
15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world...

A young lady from Atlanta, about to turn 25 years of age, went to a concert recently in Los Angeles to hear a popular singer who had released an album called, 25.  Jamie, her sister Morgan, and a small group came along, and they approached Adele.  Jamie told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

“She’s squatting down so people can take selfies and she’s talking the whole time and then she got to us and I look at her and said, ‘Do you want to sing with me?’” 

She continued:

...Adele said, ‘Well then, come up here.’ It was the quickest exchange. Her security guard came up and got me. My sister and I had done a You Tube cover of (Adele’s) ‘Remedy,’ so I started singing it. I’m kinda glad I forgot the lyrics because I got to hear Adele sing that close. She said, ‘You don’t have to sing one of mine,’ so then I did ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love,’ which is my parents’ song. It was really special because my parents weren’t there and that moment is such a big part of my life now.”

Adele had no idea, apparently, that she had invited a Grammy-nominated Christian artist to sing on stage with her.  Because Jamie was Jamie Grace, who related that:

“My birthday is in November and I’ll be 25 – which is big year for me – on Nov. 25. Adele’s new album is called ‘25’ and I’m shooting a documentary called ‘Waiting for 25,’ so I’m very emotional about the number 25 right now. With that, I wanted to buy tickets to see her for my 25th birthday and this was the only show I could get tickets for and I spent three hours online trying to get them. So I said, let’s celebrate my birthday three months early.”

Go to Jamie's website, and you'll find out why she's is waiting for 25 - she will be old enough in the state of Georgia to become a foster parent! The documentary will include stories of people who are adoptive parents or who have been adopted. The site states, "The primary viewers of this documentary will be families who are considering adoption and want to know more about the process and life during and after an adoption. We want to talk about the challenges but also want to highlight some of the joys. The main goal is to give families a realistic outlook on what it's like. The interviewer - Jamie Grace - just happens to be very passionate about adoption and wants to gain as much knowledge as she can as well."

Jamie Grace has certainly made a mark on Christian music during her relatively short time in recording Christian albums.  Toby Mac has been someone who has helped to guide her music ministry.  On the website, ImAFighter.org, she writes:

I’m Jamie Grace.

I have Tourette Syndrome.

I’m A Fighter.

As an early teen I started an organization called teensWts (Teens with Tourette Syndrome) to raise awareness and share support for teens with Tourette Syndrome – like me. I was learning how to be confident in “being different” and wanting to encourage my peers and also meet kids and teens that I had something in common with. It started with on Youtube video answering the question, “What is Tourette Syndrome?” followed by a video for kids and teens who were newly diagnosed.

The website has a picture of her accepting the 2012 GMA New Artist of the Year Dove Award.  That was in her hometown, at the Fox Theater in Atlanta.

What a marvelous moment in Los Angeles with Adele!  And it certainly has attracted some attention for her - the video has over two million views.  I think this speaks to the power of a moment.  God gives us wonderful opportunities to experience His grace.  And, sometimes it's not exactly super-spiritual, just an expression of His love for His children.  God is like that - He wants to bless us just because...just because of His great love.   If we look, perhaps there are moments He will use in our lives.  And, that moment for her was her approaching 25th birthday, which leads to another point...

I also think about the concept of passion about ministry.  Jamie has a passion for foster care and adoption, and is doing something about it - making herself available to be a foster parent, once she reaches the age at which that is allowed in her home state, and promoting adoption and foster care through a video.  She is using the talent that God has placed in her to broaden His reach through her.

We can be challenged to look for those marvelous moments where we have seen God show up in our lives in a profound way - and make ourselves available to see His presence manifested through us. And, thank Him for the way He has made Himself known.