Be Different

If you could label each year of your life with a word or phrase, what would it be?
I try to record the events and learnings of each year on one sheet of paper, and I always detect an overriding theme. 2008 was 'set apart'.
As I journaled throughout the year, I found the same struggle - to be set apart, holy, obedient and living for God and yet still living with and for others. 1Peter 2 says we're chosen, a royal priesthood, holy, God's own. Can you imagine if we acted that way? The OT is filled with God's desire that we set ourselves apart for him. Just as we expect certain behaviors from our leaders, holiness means that we can't always do everything everyone else does. And believe me, that's okay! Because holiness also means that we'll be given things others won't. It's a great exchange - hopelessness for hope, chaos for peace, sadness for joy, frustration for patience.
1 Cor 6 - we are no longer our own, we've been bought with a price. What a high value he placed on us to have us act any other way but as children of the King!