So what is it... this cost  thing...?... What does it look  like...?  Well.... for each of us it is... or it  can be different... but whatever it looks like... whatever the specific situation or circumstance that takes me there... that really doesn't  matter... what matters is where it is bringing us... and whatever God  is allowing to happen in my life... it will  take me here... to this place... the place I call the end of me... these things will  take us to the end of ourselves... because the price  I pay... is simply... me...

 We all need  to get there… to the end… it’s the only  way… and it is not an easy way… getting to the end will cost  me absolutely everything… starting with …. everything I think  I know about life... about God... about the church... about Jesus... all of it... God delibertely takes  us into the fire... to help us to get to the end… not the end of the journey... not the end of the problem... (that could stay with us till the end of our journey here)...

...but the end of ourselves.  That’s His goal for us… our end… He never gets us… until He gets us there…. gets us to the end. You see… what He is after… is us…   He wants us… that’s all…  just us… not our service… not our ministries… not anything we can do for Him… just us… and He doesn’t ever get us until we finally see we are totally helpless  and have absolutely nothing  to offer  Him… except  ourselves…