I am a Phoenix.

   In this day and age the names we give our children often have very little to do with the meaning and more so with how it is spelled or what is trendy for that time. I am here to say there is power in a name. My father chose my name and whatever process he used, the power he put at my disposal is awesome. 
   Stacey means, "Of the Resurrection".For the past week I have spent quite a bit of time contemplating what that really means...especially last week over the Easter holiday. Jesus sacrificed his life and was resurrected on the third day. Common knowledge, I know. I am OF the resurrection so what does that mean? It means that I am paid for, bought, redeemed, a new creation in Christ. I have the power to die to my sin nature and be made new daily. The truth is that this is available to all who call on the NAME of Christ. I feel especially capable of doing this because my father chose to call me "of the resurrection." My identity has been one of survival...whatever form that took. I managed to pick up some really awful vices along my road of survival. For years I have tried to fight my own battles through sheer will and determination. I have an ample supply of battle ready equipment...we commonly call them by their names "defense mechanisms"...a quick tongue in case of verbal attack, the ability to puff my chest and appear larger than life in case my opponet is bigger than me. An arsenal of meanness, rudeness, ruthlessness, contempt, rage...you get the idea. I cant remember any other life. I have needed to be prepared to survive at any given moment. I am a warrior of life and I have scars to prove it.Ever so gently the Lord allowed me to realize that Jesus has scars too.They are because of me, my armor, my arsensl...they put the stripes on his back, the thorns in His skull, the nails in his wrists and feet, the spear in His side. I did this to the one who loved me first. Revelation of this nature tends to have a profound impact in our lives if we can accept our resonsibility. 
   The choice now is what I will do with this life altering conclusion. The good news is that though I signed his death sentence God revoked it. He resurrected Jesus. I am of the resurrection, all I  need do is claim the victory and stop fighting. Yes, I said it, stop fighting. Jesus has already won. The reality is He paid the price for my battles so that I don't have to, So why am I still collecting scars? His desire is for me to put on a new armor fashioned in His image and everytime I choose His armor over my own He takes another scar and makes it a beauty mark. He restores the soul as only He can because He paid the price for it. 
    So I challenge you to give God your imperfect worldly armor for His and live in victory instead of survival. Be a phoenix like me and become a new creation through Christ. 
                                Love,
                                    I am of the Resurrection