The spring equinox has passed and it is officially spring. This is the season of renewal and new growth. We know that this is the spring in central Texas, because allergies are abundant, due to the prevalence of pollens from the grass, flowers and trees that are coming back from their winter dormancy.
This is also the time that people take on the task of "spring cleaning." When I was young and living in colder climates, it was the opportunity to open up the house, let in fresh air, and clean everything from being kept in the house over the winter months. In Texas, the process of spring cleaning is to let in the last remnants of reasonably cool air and clean everything before closing everything up, to keep in the air conditioning during the long summer months.
Spring Cleaning for the Soul
This process of spring cleaning or renewal is physical reminder of the renewal that God want to accomplish in us, as part of our journey of faith.
[T]o put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22-24 (ESV)
The winter of our souls is the time before Christ, where we were separated from Him. We created our own identities, defining who we were and how were were going to live. These were corrupted versions of who we were meant to be.
When we accept the gift of forgiveness from God, because of the sacrifice of Jesus, we enter springtime for our souls. We are given a new live with a new identity. We can now be the people that God designed us to be, do what He created us to do, and experience the live He wants for us.
The principles, perspectives, purposes, and priorities that made up our old identity do not just disappear, when we are saved. This is why we are called to "put off your old self" and "put on the new self." This process of renewal is what we need to engage with, to allow God to complete His work in us. Although we are not what we once were, we are also not yet what God created us to be (See the article "Identity Conversation #2").
An Invitation
To support this process of redeeming identity in your life, we are starting the HE so I Project. This is being provided as a free study to assist in discovering who God created you to be through knowing and understanding God.
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The name of this study comes from the understanding that:
We were created to be image bearers of God. So, we were designed to receive our identity from Him. An identity that reflects who He is.
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We are projects in process, transforming from living out of our old identities into living out of our new identities. As we discover more about who God is, we are able to know more about who He designed us to be. This is the process of redeeming our identity that we are passionate about and invite you to participate.
The HE so I Project currently includes Bible study lessons that can be downloaded. These can be worked independently or in small groups. (My wife and I are both leading separate small groups working through this study.) You can access the Bible study lessons on the HE so I Project Bible Study page.
We will also be producing a podcast that will include a conversation about the main topic of the lesson for that month. We invite you to join in the conversation by listening as well as asking question or providing feedback in the comments. You can learn more about the podcast on the HE so I Project Podcast page. The podcast can also be accessed at your favorite place for podcasts.
We are on other podcast providers, but this covers many of them. In future emails we will share the other providers we have our podcast.
For this first month of the HE so I Project, we will be studying the name of God. Names are an important part of who we are, especially during biblical times. We want to discover what we can know about the identity of God through His name and what that means for who we can be.
We will be adding other aspects to the HE so I project as God leads and as time and engagement support. We are looking forward to adding a devotional, virtual study, and merchandise to further support us on this journey of redeeming identity.
Please share with others the opportunity to know God and discover who they could be through the HE so I Project. The best support you could provide us is prayer and sharing us with others.
We look forward to walking with you on this process of renewal, as we put aside our old identity and put on our new identity.
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| What would you like to see added to the HE so I Project next? |
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