So, I received my long-awaited graduation ring from Mercy not too long ago. I cannot tell you how excited I was to wear it! Let me share with you a little about the ring itself and the significance it carries with it...
Mercy Graduation rings are handmade by a former Mercy graduate. Each girl that completes the program at Mercy receives this ring as a gift, a reminder and a unity that will last forever. The rings represents SO many things...
First and foremost it signifies my
covenant to the Lord. Just like a wedding band, this Mercy ring conveys deep emotions of eternal, unconditional love, eternal happiness, eternal commitment, and eternal togetherness between the Lord and I. These rings signify
eternity - it's a complete circle with no break and no end or beginning, it just goes on and on - it is eternal. God's love for me and my love for Him is eternal, through thick or thin, better or worse.
Not only does the ring signify the
unity I share with my God, but also with all of my many, beautiful
Mercy Sisters and the
connection and
gratitude that I will have for Mercy Ministries for the rest of my life.
cooking in the kitchen
hanging out
sisters forever
sunbathing together
God couldnt have blessed me with a more
wonderful place or more
amazing people to grow close to him and experience freedom.
Em, my counselor
Brooke, my nutrition manager
Christy, the nurse
My home for 7 months
The ring also is a reminder of where God has brought me from. Goodness, to think back to this time last year... it was a
scary time in my life.
But God, in his infinite love saved me from the grips of death and placed my feet on solid ground. It's a reminder that
all things are possible through Him.
"I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry, He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord." Ps. 40:1-3
before
after
The three stones on my ring each represent different parts of the
Trinity. God, the Father, God the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit. Each of these that God exists as a unity of three distinct persons, yet identical in essence. Each is divine, yet there are not three gods, but one God. The Trinity shows us that there exists in all the universe a single being known as God who is self-existent and unchangeable. The Father creates (
Isaiah 44:24), the Son redeems (
Gal. 3:13), and the Holy Spirit sanctifies (
Rom. 15:16).
‘Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none.’ Isaiah 44:8
Each part of the Trinity is summed up simply by: The Father creates (
Isaiah 44:24), the Son redeems (
Gal. 3:13), and the Holy Spirit sanctifies (
Rom. 15:16). As the Trinity is three distinct Persons in one God, each of these stones is a reminder that I must strive to
harmonize the distinct aspects of my personality into the
single purpose of loving God and loving others.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30-31
Lastly, my Mercy is a symbol of God's Mercy. If you look closely at the ring, the way the three stones are set creates an 'M.' Not only for Mercy Ministries, but also God's mercy in my life. Mercy is withholding of punishment, and an act of giving help or having compassion on the afflicted. The loving-kindness of Jesus Christ gives to us Eternal Life. My Salvation is an act of the mercy of God, completely unwarranted by my past actions. "It wasn't so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. But when God, our kind, loving, merciful Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God's gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there's more life to come—an eternity of life! You can count on this." Titus 3:5-8
I am certainly extremely undeserving of complete forgiveness and an abundant life with
no strings attached. The way I was living, the lies, abuse to my body, worshiping idols... I could go on and on, I very much deserved death,
eternal death, but God rescued
me! He saved a wretch like
me!
"The Lord rescued me from every evil work and has given me salvation in his kingdom in heaven: to whom be glory for ever and ever. " 2 Tim. 4:18
"The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” Lam. 3:22-23
A covenant, a unity of multiple dimensions, a reminder of the power of the Trinity and a reminder of God's merciful love in my life. So much significance in a single piece of jewelry, significance that I will cherish
forever.
God Alone
You are not a god Created by human hands You are not a god Dependent on any mortal man You are not a god In need of anything we can give By Your plan, that's just the way it is You are God alone From before time began You were on Your throne Your are God alone And right now In the good times and bad You are on Your throne You are God alone You're the only God Whose power none can contend You're the only God Whose name and praise will never end You're the only God Who's worthy of everything we can give You are God And that's just the way it is Unchangeable Unshakable Unstoppable That's what You are ;
http://jeffreykahl.blogspot.com/2009/06/practical-significance-of-trinity.html
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