new things, old teachings and a fresh approach.

It feels great to be back in Atlanta. I have loved seeing people that are very close to me. The trip home yesterday went very well. The flights were very smooth and comfortable. I was anxious the last 3 or 4 hours of the trip because I was becoming so excited to be back in Atlanta. When Logan and I went to get our baggage we found out that neither of my bags had made it to Atlanta! The good news though is that Logan's bags made it! I will have to call them this afternoon to check on the status of my bags.

This morning I attended Mountain Lake Church as they were having their grand opening of their new worship center! The whole church building has been transformed into an extremely beautiful and attractive church. It was awesome to be apart of this morning. I am also looking forward to attending MLC regularly. For those of you who do not know about this church, it is a church in northern Forsyth county. If you turn left onto Brownsbridge road going North on GA 19 (400) you will follow for a short distance and then turn left onto Dahlonega Highway. The church will be on your right just past Coal Mountain church which will be on your left. I had been playing drums at this church for the 6 months or more before I went to Estonia and I will continue to play there starting next Sunday, which I am EXTREMELY excited about.

The pastor this morning delivered a great sermon about when the Pharisees asked Jesus what they should do with a woman who had committed adultery. According to the law of the time people who committed adultery could have stones thrown at them as punishment. Jesus had choices to tell them and the Pharisees were looking for any reason to get Jesus in trouble so they could have him punished. This is why they brought the woman to him. Jesus was kneeling down at the same level as the woman who was on the ground. Jesus stood up and told the Pharisees this, "Let him who is without sin amongst you be the first to throw a stone at her."

After Jesus said this he bent back down towards the ground. One by one, beginning with the older ones, the Pharisees left without throwing a single stone. After they had left Jesus stood up and asked the woman, "Where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

The woman said, "No one, Lord."

Jesus replied, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."

This is life changing if you grasp what Jesus did and said here. There is one difference from the Pharisees and the woman who committed adultery. The woman's sins were known; the Pharisees sins were hidden. Jesus knew they were all sinners and that is why he suggested the one Pharisee who is without sin may throw the stone at her. None of the Pharisees are without sin. No human is without sin. We are all on the same level.

It was great to be reminded of this and how much I need the grace of God every day. I fall short of the glory of God. This is why I need Jesus.

Being home, like I said, is very nice. It felt good to sleep in my bed and it feels good to be sitting on my couch writing this to you. I am very excited for the challenges I will face in the next months of my life as I walk daily again in Atlanta. I hope to continue writing these blogs. Please continue to keep me in your prayers. Mainly the prayer of me continuing to stay disciplined.

Thanks!

-brett

*This story of the Pharisees and the woman can be found in the Bible. It is in the book of John or for those of you tuning in from Estonia the book of Johannese evangeelium. It is in chapter 8 of John, verses 1 through 11. See on grupi kaheska Johannese evangeelium, verses üks kuni üksteist.