More Than I Ever Imagined

   I am a huge fan of... 

Some of my favorites are ColorSplash, Dear Genevieve, Sarah's House,  Holmes on Homes, and Curb Appeal.  However, my absolute favorite is Income Property.  I think I like this one so much because the rental spaces are usually in such bad shape that it IS hard to imagine it to be a livable space.  But more than just repair the structrual/foundation problems and renovate it to be lived in, I love how it is transformed into an incredible apartment.  I just imagine being a homeowner of one of those places and maybe feeling like it could get 'spruced up a bit' but never thinking it could ever be a place someone would WANT to live in.  I guess that's why the homeowners are always so surprised when they see the finished product.  

I've been so encouraged by the current sermon series at Crossroad's called "Imagine".  It's challenged me to really let my heart imagine and dream with the desires God has placed in me.  As I watch HGTV, at the end of the shows are the big reveals and almost every time, the first reaction is "It's more than I ever imagined it could be!"  (and maybe they just don't televise the bad reactions, but I have to believe they all turn out good).  I had never noticed that before until we started the "Imagine" series, and I thought it interesting how the designs are always 

"more than they could have imagined".  

I watch these designers on HGTV as they go into a space that often looks hopeless, but they don't look at it the way we do.  They see with their imaginations and are able to see a vision for that space and then accomplish an amazing design- more than the homeowners could have asked for or ever imagined.  

It puts a desire in me to have that kind of perspective of the world and circumstances around me.  I want to see with

 His eyes and understand with His mind.  

1 Corinthians 2:16 "...but we have the mind of Christ."  I want to look into a hopeless situation, and be able to imagine what the hope of Christ could do to transform their life.  

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations for ever and ever! Amen."      

~ Ephesians 3:20-21