Personal Note from Cara:

It is difficult to accept that every human will fail us — and that we fail others all the time, too — even those who really love us and we really love. Actually, humans are incapable of being 100% reliable. We try, but we fail.

That FAIL — the untruths we tell, the pride we feel about ourselves, the taking we do because we feel we deserve it - it is Sin. And we are absolutely STUCK in our Sin. We cannot try hard enough to get out of it. It’s impossible for us to free ourselves of our sin.

Why do I think about this? We Just need to keep living — just carry on, right?

NO. I don’t want to live like that. There has got to be more. I’m so tired of sinning and wondering what on earth matters. The spiral just carries on and on — unless there is something more. how can I feel hope and joy when sin is everywhere - including inside me?

This is where God comes in, if we let Him. But God cannot be around sin. He did make a way to get rid of sin, though. he says that something sinless needs to die to remove sin. DEATH happens for anyone who sins. This is why, so long ago, they killed so many ‘spotless’ animals when they made offerings — To get rid of sin and be near God. but the sins kept happening, so the killing of animals kept happening.

The Lord had a plan to change the way sinners reconnect to him — and live, instead of die.

God’s son, Jesus (also God), who was in heaven, became born as a human and lived a sinless life here on earth. Jesus was God, living on the earth he created and interacting with the people that he created (and dearly loves). and Jesus, who did not sin — because he is God — became the ultimate sacrifice for ALL human sin. He died like the sacrificed animals, taking away all of our sin, so we could live with God forever. This was the plan and this really happened.

So, how can each of us tap into this ‘saving from our sin and living forever with god?’

• You must recognize that you sin. And you must regret that you sin. And you must tell God that you are sorry for your sin — ask Him for forgiveness for your sin.

and

• you must believe that Jesus is real and that he actually died for your sins so that you don’t have to die for your sins.

If you truly do and believe these things, then Jesus’ sacrifice covers you and your sin! You should be prompted to seek Him and learn more. You will be amazed at how this changes your life — in every way — for the better.