The words poured from her lips and pierced my heart:

"God doesn't owe me salvation. The question isn't 'Why didn't God save everyone?' but rather "Why did God save me?" The answer is grace. The response is gratitude." - R. C. Sproul, as quoted by Angie Smith.

I looked around the dark room at the thirty other women seated around me to see if anyone else seemed to be as affected by these words as me. I had heard them before - I grew up as a missionary kid - but that night God struck me with the realization that I had grown accustomed to His grace.

I had lost my sense of awe and wonder that He picked me.

In the midst of folding clothes and browning taco meat, wiping little bottoms and making beds, I had somehow grown used to the idea that God saved me.

Grace had become commonplace, as if God owed me.

But in His love, He whispered that those words were for me to hear that night.

He didn't have to pick me.

But He did.

God loved me enough to reach down into the pit and save me from destruction, and that's reason enough to celebrate every day of my life.

I love how the Contemporary English Version gives us this rendition of a well-known verse:

You have rescued me! I will celebrate and shout, singing praises to you with all my heart. Psalm 71:23

God is worthy of our celebration, our praising, our shouting, and our dancing. We were created to glorify Him in the first place, and what better way to do that then to keep celebrating what He's done, what He's doing, and what He promised to do.

Of all people, Christians have the most reasons to celebrate. But too often, we don't. If we want to live a life of celebration, we need to remember what God did:

• Where were we before He rescued us?

• What did life look like?

• How was our outlook on the future?

• And then, what did God do?

• How did He show grace and mercy toward us?

• How does He continue to shower grace over our lives?

• What does He promise to do in the future?

As a friend of mine says, "If we don't remember, we forget." And I don't want to forget. I want to remember His rescue and celebrate it each day! (Because life is more fun when you're having a party, is it not?)

Go ahead and thank God for rescuing you. I'll do a happy dance with you and say "Praise God!"

Editor's note: This article was originally published on One Thing Alone. It has been modified and republished here with permission.

The post How to live a life of celebration appeared first on FamilyToday.

That little shepherd boy who beat the giant with just a sling? The one who went on to defeat the Philistines and who reclaimed Israel from the dumps of the time of Judges? That David who restored order to Israel and made plans for the beautiful temple. He valiantly roused the troops and killed tens of thousands. The David who became a national hero.

You might think that David was a warrior.

But David was only as great as the MIGHTY MEN who had his back (2 Samuel 23).

We are only as great as the MIGHTY PEOPLE who have our backs. Men who put their lives on the line with him. Men who sneaked past enemy lines to get a cup of water from his childhood well. Men who slayed giants, and men who rushed across mountaintops in the dark. Men who were inside informants, and men who encouraged David when he was in the pits of despair. Men like Eleazar, who "stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword."

Men like Abishai, who "raised his spear against 300 men, whom he killed."

Men like Benaniah, who "went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion."

David was great, but only because he had a company of MIGHTY MEN who fought alongside him.

Even he wasn't able to do it on his own.

Friends, we all need a company of MIGHTY WOMEN. If you're trying to do this journey of womanhood, of motherhood, of wifehood alone, you're missing out on the great joy of doing life with MIGHTY WOMEN.

If you're trying to do life alone, you're missing out on the joy of MIGHTY friendships. As we're approaching the release date of my next book, I'm surprised at how much I've come to rely on the women in my life over the last year. These precious MIGHTY WOMEN have prayed me through intense editing sessions, watched my daughter, fed me, encouraged me, and kicked my rear when I needed motivation. Every time I felt weak and unable to press on, God has sent a MIGHTY WOMAN to lift me up and help me keep going. We need women to laugh and cry with, women to bring us a basket of fruit "just because" and women who don't mind our garlic breath when we're trying to kick that sinus infection. Women who will toil on their knees for our children and women who will do the happy dance when our baby girl gets her first tooth. We need each other.

And someone needs you.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on One Thing Alone. It has been republished here with permission.

The post Why you need mighty women in your life appeared first on FamilyToday.