About the Author: Allison Gingras
Allison Gingras works for WINE: Women In the New Evangelization as a WINE Steward tending the Virtual Vineyard including facilitating WINE Virtual Vineyard. Her ministry: Reconciled To You Allison authored The Gift of Invitation and Seeking Peace (OSV). She is co-editor on WINE's Called By Name.
While many good things in life do require sacrifice, many others do not, for example, God’s love and mercy required nothing of us but to accept these precious gifts. So to say ‘nothing’ good comes without sacrifice is not true, in my opinion. I think we always need to consider the time and situation of people we study. It helps with our understanding more fully.
Mary Ellen, I definitely see your point – that we do nothing to earn God’s good gifts. I think Huldah’s (well Stephanie’s point really cuz Huldah is fictional) point is the blessings that come from sacrifice. Even that great gift you speak of came to us via Christ’s sacrifice of his life – and all the suffering he accepted on our behalf. Just another way of seeing this — Sacrifice is a good though our world tries to twist it to a negative. Thanks for sharing your thoughts… I love engaging in discussions on this stuff!!