Prodigal or Princess?

I'm back from a rather long hiatus (sorry about that) and what better time to return than refreshed and restored from a retreat to Montreat, NC with some fabulous women!  I can't say enough about the wonderful time i had there. We laughed, we cried .........and......we cried....... and....... we cried some more.  I'm well aware that statement sounds like a total contradiction, but they weren't sad tears.  They were tears of joy and tears of release and forgiveness for others and ourselves.

My best friend Lindsey and i on a break from our session

Since returning home, two words from our "sessions" have been echoing in my mind.  Princess and Prodigal.  At one time or another, i can imagine that both have described all of us...I know they have described me.  You see, I've never had a problem with thinking of myself as God's princess.  He is the King and i am his daughter, so that makes me a princess, right?  That brings me to the Prodigal.  I used to relate the word Prodigal with the parable in the bible about the prodigal son, you know, the one that took his inheritance early and squandered it all, eventually coming back in to the welcoming arms of his father? Until recently, i often related this story to big events in a persons life that caused them to run from God or do something drastic.  Since returning home and having really thought about this word and prayed about it, I'm realizing that anything that causes us to take our eyes off God and go away from him  makes us a "prodigal".  Aren't we constantly running back to our "father" just like the boy in the story?  Aren't his forgiving arms always welcoming, ready to receive us when we do?   I'm so thankful that they are.  I know they have welcomed this prodigal back time after time.  I hope that wherever you are,  you always realize that no matter what you've done, big or small, it's all the same to God.  If you are a child of God, it says in his word that he not only forgives us of our sins but that he doesn't even remember them!

“I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins. Put Me in remembrance; let us contend together; state your case, that you may be acquitted.” (Isaiah 43:25-26 )

so what are you waiting for?  run back in to his arms like i did and will continue to do.  He's waiting....arms open wide.