Fruitcake and Icecream

This is basically a summary of the important points Pastor Louie Giglio highlighted when he preached how significant it is to share the Gospel or let's say how to live in a Christ like-image and as a reflection of Jesus, without others saying about you that you are one of those Christians that seem to have no Jesus inside them.

I do not know but this particular preaching hit me right through my heart. More than any time of my life, I sense the urgency to spread God's Word; to help the lost and wandering people to receive Jesus in their life and to have the salvation God stored for them more than anything else in this world. The passion is raging inside me, desperately wanting to be heard and longing to be used by GOD to share His good news especially for those who have no purpose in their lives yet. The fire has started igniting in me and I can't help but to lighten up other's soul and heart also through the ignition that God is working in my life over the years of my walk with Him. 

Louie Giglio is the pastor of Passion City Church,
located in Atlanta, Georgia. He is also a public speaker, author,
and the founder of the Passion Movement.

My utmost thankfulness to Louie Giglio who's been faithfully using by God to speak the truth. I am indeed one of the many people that though who is in Christ and following Christ already has still been touched and moved by his preaching. By the power of the Holy Spirit, I have reminded of many things in my Christian journey. I thought I've been doing great and right in all areas of my life but God revealed to me that I am not. By that moment, I sincerely repented to God the actions and the thoughts that I did, believing that I am doing it right and for His glory but I was not. In my relationship with Him, in the ministry that He has called me to be part of--ushering, in my academics, and even in leadership, GOD has personally spoken to me the day I have decided to watch this podcast entitled 'Fruitcake and Icecream'.

The preaching ran through with Pastor Giglio telling a true story of a college girl named Ashley whose life was very messed up and who was so much broken. Until one day, she had a roommate who happens to be a Christian to whom she calls "fruitcake" because for her, she is not like any other Christians who seems to be 'righteous'. As Louie Giglio is reading Ashley's diary, Ashley described her roommate as unique and different just like a fruitcake. Crista (Fruitcake) wants to be friend with her but for Ashley it doesn't make sense because no one has ever wanted to be her friend.

There came a time when Ashley was crying so much due to pain and hurt that she was feeling yet her roommate stayed silent and just accompanied her (while eating an icecream). Crista and Ashley often have a conversation whenever Crista asked Ashley if she wants some icecream. One night, Fruitcake asked Ashley if she wanted to watch a sermon of Louie Giglio preaching and Ashley said sure why not, she've got nothing to do anyway. Fruitcake let her sink into Louie's entitled "Indescribable" preaching. Afterwards, when Fruitcake asked her how was the preaching, Ashley's feedback was that it doesn't make sense at all--that GOD is for everyone and He cares about each of us. For her, how could a GOD possibly care for me with such a messy life that I've got? Then Fruitcake asked Ashley again if she would want to try another sermon and she agreed. They watched the sermon called"Passport" and Louie Giglio talked about Christians don't have to hope for the best in the end, that people don't have to do good stuffs to get to Heaven. It made sense but pretty weird. Then Louie started talking about grace--that because of grace GOD could love her and forgive her sins. From that moment onwards, Ashley knew that Jesus showed to her and that, she truly have seen Jesus.

Let me share to you (2) main ideas (we seldom remember) about grace: 

GRACE is God at work. 

GRACE is what happens when you can do nothing and God says I can do something else. 

Read 2 Corinthians 5:13-21 for deeper insights.

Source: https://www.youversion.com/
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After three months in faith and walking with God, Ashley died in a car accident on her way to a church. Ashley's story is a story of grace, it's a story that Ashley would want and Louie wants to share with the world. "It's a story of GOD who did what we cannot do. It's a story of a GOD who took all of our wrong and put His innocent Son and took all of the innocence of His Son and put it into the account of the people who put their trust in Him. And if you're Crista today, if you're a fruitcake, don't count GOD out. You don't know what GOD is doing to the people that are right around you. You don't know how close they are to wanting something in their lives that is true and real. And if you're Ashley, how could you not know that there is a GOD in Heaven that loves you so much and His message to you today, 'I was in the world, in this same world, in Jesus Christ reconnecting the world to me and I am not counting your sins against you. The story today is even for the screw ups, it's even for the messed ups, it's even for people like you and it's powerful, that's why it's called amazing, amazing grace" (Louie Giglio). 

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves,
 it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. 
Romans 2:8-9

You see, Louie Giglio brought us back to the starting line. I believe, he wants us to renew our minds what is so amazing about grace, that only by the grace of GOD we could have an intimate and personal relationship with Him. Only by His grace we could cry out to Him and pray. All we have to do is ask GOD to save us and HE will. And when we have decided to follow Him, surrendering our all to Him, everything just changes and because of His love that is unfailing, we could love Him back and give Him back all the glory that He alone deserves.