For Him, For All

Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Well this is a nice verse for the upcoming holiday. It makes me stop and think about what I am most thankful for and how I'm showing God my thanks.  I'm pondering how I've spent this last year, since last Thanksgiving.  What have I spent the year storing up? Have I focused on treasures in Heaven or treasures on earth?  Has my energy been spent on acquiring things or wisdom? How have I spent the majority of my time? What, or rather whom, did I seek this past year? Myself or God? It's been a tough year, to be frank, but I do believe it has forced me to look to God and find where my treasure really lies.  Most of the time it is in Him.  I do falter and have my selfish moments, being the broken human I am.  But I believe God has me on a great path right now and He and I are looking ahead to new horizons that are Heavenward. That's where I want my heart to be. For Him, for all.

A Loving God

Joel 2:13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.

This is not the most common picture of God, I fear.  From what I see and hear, people often think God is angry and out to get them in his anger. Yet here we have one verse (of many frankly) describing God as slow to anger and abounding in love.  And this verse from the Old Testament, again, people often think God in the Old Testament is different from God in the New Testament.  Truth. God has been, is, and will be our loving God eternally. God wants the best for us, and we must do our part in recognizing our own need for Him in the first place.  If we can see that we are in need of forgiveness, mercy, and grace, we will be more likely to accept our loving God.  When we think we can do this life on our own and have no need for God, we fall into the trap of seeing God as angry because we are trying to meet an impossible standard on our own.  Jesus is the only answer to our lives. He shows us God's love in the flesh and bestows His mercy and grace on us while we are still sinners. That is the mark of a loving God.

Holy Spirit Baptism

Matthew 3:11 "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."

I am a little unsure how to write about this one today.  I'm thinking about baptism with the Holy Spirit and how much deeper that cleanses that with water.  We get so caught up on how much water to use in church's, when in reality we need to be bringing people in the presence of Jesus Christ and letting Him baptize them with the Holy Spirit.  A Holy Spirit baptism goes soul deep refining our heart with a heavenly fire that writes the law on our hearts and cleanses the skin.  Baptism with water is an outward sign of the cleansing the Holy Spirit does within. If you've never had the experience of being washed by the Holy Spirit, ask Jesus to do so. Be ready when you ask! There is nothing quite like it, and I can guarantee you will want to revisit this moment over and over again.  You will know when it happens because you will feel the incredible power of our Almighty God!

"I Will Follow"

John1:43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."

Jesus made such a simple request and yet what a deep impact it made. Following Jesus was not an easy road, nor is it today.  To follow Jesus is so much more than accepting the finished work of the cross.  We begin with our acceptance of Christ as Lord and Savior, and then we must move on to deeper and lasting obedience. In responding to Jesus' request to "follow me", the simple answer is "okay".  The deeper (and more difficult) answer is, "I will follow." To answer, "I will follow," means we leave ourselves behind and seek Him in all things. We love on others and seek wisdom. We loosen our grip on the things of this world that seem so important, and recognize His will and His way are our guide for living. "I will follow" is an act of love in response to Jesus' sacrifice for us. 

Extravagant Love

Isaiah 50:23 Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.

"Those who hope in me will not be disappointed." So what do you do when you are disappointed? How is it that those living in Christ can have this hope but be disappointed. The issue is where the hope lies. When we hope in things of this world...a conversation going a certain way...extra money showing up at a certain time...a certain person showing up...then we will surely be disappointed.  Things of the world will always disappoint us.  The Lord says, "those who hope in me". When we find ourselves disappointed, it's wise to look at what has caused the disappointment. Ten times out of ten, it will be something earthly we were hoping for which didn't meet our expectations. These are good times to take a moment and get our focus back on the One who never disappoints. God is always for us, and when we place our hope in Him we live in expectancy, rather than living with expectations. Jesus offers us something the things of earth never will, extravagant love.

The Finished Work

Ezekiel 47:14 You are to divide it equally among them. Because I swore with uplifted hand to give it to your forefathers, this land will become your inheritance.

Scriptures often remind me of the faithfulness of God. I am drawn again and again to stories where God remains faithful to His people, even when they are not faithful to Him. There is so much to be said for holding strong in your faith and staying the course, even when the road is rough.  God is faithful to His word and He is unchanging.  We can go to God in difficult times because we know exactly what we will find at the foot of the cross; mercy, love and grace. Sometimes the only place I can go is the foot of the cross, and there I am always reminded of who God is and who I am in Him. The finished work of the cross is not only about the sin of the world being atoned, but it is also about the resurrection life we live in Christ. There is hope as we walk the road and we are not alone, even when we are lonely.  God is with us through it all, and He has won the victory for us.  He is faithful to  His word. On this we can rely.

Beyond Me

Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

The providence of God is something I have been experiencing very mightily this year.  I have always known in my head that God provides what I need when I need it. The change is that I am finding this truth in my heart now.  I am experiencing His providence through peace in my soul and also in my human needs. There is something particular about the way God provides.  He gives us exactly what we are seeking, even when we don't realize what we are seeking.  I have people often ask me if I'm looking at jobs. Recently, I've noticed the question is worded, "What are you looking at?" I've just smiled to myself because, frankly, I'm looking at God.  I'm looking at Him to see what He is saying and doing and where He is leading. I feel like a small child looking to his mother for an answer. I'm seeking God and He is providing for all of my needs (and Dalton's).  It's surprising at one level, humbling at another, and I feel stupid that it took me being without a job to get here. Worry is slowly waning as peace takes over.  I still stumble at times, but the peace that I've been given is beyond me.

The Goal

Colossians 4:5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.

This section of scripture is so very good.  It is a good lesson and reminder to consider all that we say and do at all times.  I am not always so good about that.  Many times I am speaking and doing without being aware of who may be watching or listening.  I always pray that I live life through Christ and that He is who people see and hear.  But alas, I am imperfect and in need of grace. I am continually asking God to reveal my own heart to me and transform me in the power of the Spirit.  There are times where I do not make the most of an opportunity and have had to consider why that may be.  Sometimes it's that I literally didn't even realize the opportunity in front of me until it was past.  Other times I have known the opportunity was there but have felt paralyzed by fear or apathy. I pray that God continues to work in me and build my faith so that I may recognize each opportunity and be bold enough to respond when He prompts me.  Be to others as Jesus is to me, that is the goal for which I run my race.

Love Demonstrated

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Some days I think on these words or read these words and think, Oh my goodness! How fortunate I am! I have days where I am so far from being worthy of the love of God. I make horrible choices.  I think terrible thoughts. I'm unkind in a nice way. (You know what I mean.) I prove to myself this very verse. There is nothing in me that is good enough for God. And praise be to Him that He loves me simply because I am His.  I am beyond grateful for the Savior and for the way that God loves on us before we ever even speak His name.  I am blown away by the fact that the Holy Father seeks me before I ever even think to look for Him. There is nothing more humbling than realizing fully that I am a sinner in need of grace every single day on this journey with Jesus.  But there is also nothing more hopeful than knowing I am loved by God and Jesus took my place in death so I can live with Him eternally.  My broken life made completely whole through the blood of Christ and His resurrection.  This is living life to the full and it's meant for ALL people!

Peace, Joy, and Hope

Matthew 2:19-20 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead."

As I read a few of these passages in Matthew, I'm struck by how many things Mary and Joseph were told by God.  Their connection to the Father had to have been something particular in order to follow Him so faithfully throughout these difficult circumstances.  As I head into the Christmas season and find myself practicing for all of the Christmas performances I will be a part of, I can't help but hope that God will speak to me in a new and particular way this year. I deeply want to be close to Him and know His moving.  I want to hear His call and answer Him with joy. I can't imagine what Joseph and Mary must have been thinking throughout the start of their journey with Jesus.  I'm sure there were days of complete uncertainty and frustration, but I also believe that God was so near that the peace they felt through it all passed understanding. That's what I desire. Peace, joy, and a deep sense of hope that only comes through the Christ child.

The Spiritual Gift Shift

Daniel 1:17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.

This verse got me thinking about the gifts God gives in order to accomplish His work. These gifts are from the Spirit and bring others into the presence of God when we use them. As I am in a time of transition, I am seeking to understand how my Spiritual gifts are shifting to something new. I experience certain gifts that continue to be with me, but I can tell that others are gone. It is an interesting time to try and discern what the Spirit is doing in me and how God is preparing me, gifting me, for what's next on this journey.  I am watching very closely to see how God is using me to further the Kingdom these days and seeking His wisdom on where I am going to be placed next for His glory. It is not an easy task and it is definitely one that requires conversations with my Spiritual mentors to help me on the journey.

Who Am I?

1 Chronicles 17:18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?"

This is King David's question to God after he learns what God's plan is for the building of the temple.   I don't have the same feelings as King David in regards to the size of God's plan for him, but I do have the same feelings of "who am I" when I consider what God is doing in my life. It is always good to look back on your life and see how God has been working and moving. It is humbling to realize the details God has ordained. These thoughts help me to remember that God has been with me and continues to go ahead of me on this journey, especially on the days I struggle.

For the Sake of Another

Daniel 6:22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king.

Daniel in the lion's den. I always tell my Sunday school kids to think about what a Bible story tells them about God. I'm asking myself that same question now.  The parts that are obvious are what it tells us about Daniel and the king. God was very aware of what was going on with Daniel.  He knew the circumstances that Daniel was going to endure, but He also knew what great decree would come about because of Daniel's difficult circumstances. God is just. He is always for good. What amazes me as I read this story, is that the circumstance Daniel endured, even with the angel with him which he didn't know was going to be the case, was all for a larger purpose. The king's decree then has the entire nation worshiping God. What might I be enduring for the sake of another's eternity?

Growing Deeper

Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. he has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

This struck me today.  How do our hearts know so deeply that we are made for eternity and yet we cannot even begin to understand the fullness of God? The more I learn about God and the more time I spend with Him, the more questions I have.  The only difference in my wiser self asking questions of God is that most of those questions I don't actually care to have answered.  Those questions lead me to deeper love and faith in Him and thankfulness that Jesus is my life.

God's Perspective

Hebrews 10:39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

This verse spoke to me in many ways today.  This whole chapter of Hebrews is great. We have such a hope in Christ that makes all of life better.  There is no fear needed, which is easier said than done at times.  We have Christ in us and when we can walk with His confidence, our circumstances become less important.  We can see the hope of eternity in all things.  We can look on situation with the eyes of God and see the bigger picture from His perspective. This is not an easy thing to do.  It takes lots of prayer, lots of time spent with Jesus intentionally, and a length of time doing both things.  Seeing with God's perspective is a lifetime of getting to know Him.  It's not instantaneous. It's not fleeting. It's a journey.  It's seeing a little bit more each day and recognizing that God is always moving and always working for our benefit. He is good and His work is good. It can be hard to see in the midst of horrific chaos, but He is there drawing us near to Him and giving us refuge under His wing. We don't need to shrink back and we will not be destroyed because the victory is already won in Christ.

Forgiven and Free!

Acts 2:24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold him.

The resurrection of Jesus gets me going! I want to shout "Amen!" every time I read any scripture the refers to it. There is something about the resurrection and the power that it showed that brings me a strong sense of hope. The fact that Jesus was brought back to life, walked the earth, then went to Heaven makes me think about the mightiness of God. There is so much that I lack in tapping into the man of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. I desire that more and more.  We are free from death.  We have hope in eternity.  We are not defeated.  The victory has been won on our behalf and we get to claim it as our own.  We get to live on earth in the power of the resurrection and when we leave this earth, we go with the power of the cross into Heaven.  We have a merciful, loving God who bestows His grace upon us to give us life in Christ. We are forgiven and free!

A Timeline of Redemption

Jeremiah 32:42 This is what the Lord says: As I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised them.

It's hard to read scripture like this, where Israel has to experience the hardship because of their own actions. And yet, every time I read these stories (there are so many times that Israel walked away from God), I am drawn to the fact that God is always about redeeming them and bringing them back to Him and keeping His promise.  It blows my mind.  We do dumb things, stupid, horrible things, and God redeems us. Heck, He redeemed us before we ever even did anything, and He knew what we were going to do, but Jesus carried it all anyway.  God is in the business of redemption.  My entire life, and yours, is one big redemption story.  All of the good that has happened to me, all of the bad that has happened to me, it all falls on my timeline of redemption.  Each marker tells the story of God seeking to get closer to me and how/if I choose to let Him. God pursues me all the time, even now, I have died with Christ and live in Him, and God is still working on me. He is still transforming my heart on this redemption journey while I am a new creation in Jesus. God pursues us all in this way.  He loves us all through our good and bad.  How do you respond?

Spirit of Unity

Romans 15:5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,

We are all in this together, in basic terms.  Finding unity in a broken world with broken ideas and broken people is not a simple task. That is why Paul makes his statement here, that a spirit of unity comes from God.  Every good and perfect gift comes from above. I forget that sometimes.  All of the good things I have, experience, know, they are all from God. I don't do a great job of thanking Him for all of them, but they are all from God.  When I seek something good in the world, when I'm looking for particular positive thing to occur, I must seek God for He is the good I am seeking. Seek God and unity will happen.

Fight and Surrender

Jeremiah 18:6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the Lord. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel."

These words were not heard with great happiness. I have to admit that at times, I don't hear these words with great enthusiasm either.  It is great when the Potter wants to break down the clay that I view as marred and rebuild me into something new.  It is a completely different feeling altogether when He sees in me something that I didn't really realize was so detrimental to my walk with Him and decides to break it down and rebuild it. Some things I'm not ready to hand over for that purpose just yet.  Sometimes it's a matter of being viewed a particular way by a particular group of people that creates the apprehension.  Yes, I am constantly seeking transformation through the Spirit, but I'm not always ready for what God is refining.  It's a journey of struggle and celebration, denial and acceptance, fight and surrender. I'm learning to let the Potter have His way in me because my experience with Him reminds me that He knows me best.

They Got What They Wanted

1 Samuel 10:19 "But you have now rejected your God, who saves you out of all your calamities and distresses. And you have said, 'No, set a king over us.' So now present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and clans."

It is amazing to me, or so it seems, that the Israelites whined long enough that God finally gave them what they wanted, a king. This is always a little unsettling for me to think about.  I start thinking about what I have been asking of God and what I really believe I want. Then I pause and think about whether or not it would be good for me to actually have those things I really want.  Ultimately, a king was not the best thing for Israel.  They had many kings, both good and bad.  So, now I must take stock of what I have been requesting of God and discern whether some of those things that I am still awaiting are being put off for my benefit.  Maybe the things I think would make my life great would only ruin it.  New perspective, for sure.  Israel got what they wanted, but it wasn't the best thing for them as a nation...At least not until Jesus came. ;-)

Be Intentional

Today I'm in more of a thought process than a reading process. I've been finding myself with a ton of quiet time while I have been painting our basement. I don't listen to music or have the TV on, mostly because there isn't one, but I haven't been able to think about anything except painting.  I try to pray or talk to God while I paint, but I'm finding that isn't so easy to do. I'm distracted by keeping a straight edge or making sure the paint is covering.  This got me to thinking. Even though I am doing a very quiet and solitary activity, I am not able to focus on God. It seems odd, yet I think there is a lesson there for me.  I have to spend solitary time that is intentional God time.  I can't just seem to let that time happen as my day goes.  I have to sit myself down, quiet the work of the day, and invite God to join me.  Oh, I know He is with me all the while I am painting, but I'm too distracted to pay Him much attention.  It's interesting learning. I have to be intentional in spending time with God for relationship sake.

Good News

Acts 8:35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

I'm not very good at telling the good news about Jesus.  I would much rather live out my life and have people notice that something is different about me. I realize that this is not what we are called to do, but I struggle with just randomly talking to people about Jesus.  I have no problem sharing my experience or being open about what He has done or is doing in my life, but I'm not good about telling the story of Jesus.  I don't know that I'm necessarily being challenged to do that at this point, but I do know that I will keep sharing what I can while I can. I do want all people to come to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior because there is nothing better in this life.

A Single Command

Galatians 5:14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

This is easy to do when your neighbor is kind and thinks like you.  However, the moment there is a little dissension, loving your neighbor is a whole new gig.  Paul follows this verse with verses about living in the Spirit and producing fruit of the Spirit.  That is how you love your neighbor no matter who he/she may be or what he/she may believe.  Living in the Spirit is walking with Jesus daily and surrendering all of yourself to Him.  It is about letting the Spirit do the work in you to produce the fruit that only the Spirit can give.  Patience on our own will eventually run out, but I know that we've all met that one person in our lives who is forever patient with everyone, that's of the Spirit. How about peace?  It's easy to have peace when life is going well, but what about when the wheels come off and you find yourself out of control.  Again, we all know that someone who seems to have peace in any and all situations; it's of the Spirit.  Loving your neighbor only happens fully when we live in the Spirit.  Surrender yourself and see what happens.

The Grand Design

1 Chronicles 16:12 Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,

I don't know about you, but I love to reminisce.  I love to think about the days gone by.  Liz and I were just talking about being Burke Bulldogs and the maroon and gold colors that hold a dear place in our hearts.  It is important to look back on the past and remember where we have been and what God has done.  You are where you are today because of how God moved in your past.  There is no other explanation than that.  You have been shaped by the experiences you've had, both good and bad, and God has been there through it all.  David wrote this psalm encouraging the Israelites to remember  who God is to the nation and how important the nation is to God.  When I reminisce about my past, the fond memories come to mind, but there are also thoughts that come to mind like Mom.  There are difficult moments along with the happy ones. The difficult ones have grown my roots deep in Jesus, making the happy moments that much more meaningful and joyful. Remember what God has done reminds me of His mighty hand at work in the grand design and that I am a part of His great plan. Humbling.

Price Paid

Mark 15:25 It was the third hour when they crucified him.

I don't really have any extra words for this.  It's just something to ponder, the price paid for my redemption.

Such a Time

Excerpt from Esther 4:14 ...for such a time as this

I don't typically pull a small portion out of scripture, but today this phrase keeps running through my mind.  I do believe that God spends our lifetimes working out all of the details, people we know, skills we have, knowledge we gain, and experiences both good and bad to bring about the best possible life for each of us.  I believe that we can look at our lives chronologically and see the movement of God at each time stamp. Sometimes this is the part that excites me when looking at what's next. What time is this that God has been preparing me to live? What am I being called to do that might be difficult or risky, but in the end will be completely worth following God on the journey.

Live With Expectancy

Psalm 71:14 But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.

How can we get to a place where these words come from our lips? What would it take to bring us to such a place of hope and praise? When we look at those in the Bible who have gotten to a place like this, I notice that they have all had their own share of trials.  David, Joseph, Paul, Mary, Moses, Daniel...there are many more and all of them had lives of difficult circumstances.  What we learn from them is that in order to speak this verse as truth, we must come through the valleys with God.  We must look to Him as our strength and recognize that He is our refuge.  A life of grace comes from walking through the valley and rejoicing on the mountain.  When we travel life and all of its peaks and valleys and see the faithfulness of God in each and every place, then we will be people of hope and praise. We will live with expectancy of what the Father is doing and worship Him in all things.

Justified By Faith, Not Law

Galatians 2:15-16 We who are Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners' know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.

I am always so refreshed to read these scriptures from Paul. It is so easy to get caught up in the rule-following, Christian-service kind of religion. Here Paul is talking about his conversation with Peter who was being a bit of a hypocrite and reverting back to some of the "old ways" of their Jewish heritage that were based out of the law. Paul is very clear in his writings about where our salvation comes from.  He describes it very well throughout the New Testament. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.  There is nothing in his writing about following rules or being sure to serve.  But let me be completely clear here. If we are living IN Christ Jesus, as Paul explains also, the law of God is written on our hearts and we will naturally do the things that are spiritual fruit instead of fleshly habits.  We will be people who are good. We will do good things and we will be good to others because we won't be able to do anything else, if we live in Christ. We won't have to try to be good or do good, we just will because it will become our very nature. (It's a journey, remember, so we won't be perfect. Read verse 17 about that.) We are not saved because of the list of rules we follow or because our good deeds outweigh our bad.  We are saved through the death of Jesus on the cross, and His resurrection gives us life to the full on earth and everlasting with God.

Sorrow and Peace

Isaiah 40:4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.

It is interesting to feel sorrow and peace at the same time.  I have had a couple different times in my life where this has rang true. I feel like that is the depth of this verse. When we are walking with Jesus and we are taking our steps out of faith in Him, we find that our circumstances don't really seem to matter so much.  It's not that we won't feel sorrow or pain, it's that we will have a great sense of peace as we live our life in Christ. We will walk valleys and climb mountains, we will traverse rocky roads and scale difficult terrain, but on all of those paths we have our precious Jesus by our side. He makes all of the difficulty worth it and He gives us great peace and calm. To call on Him is our only option sometimes. To draw near and rest in the arms of God is the only thing that makes sense in certain moments.  This verse does not mean that Jesus will take away our hardship, it means He will walk it with us and be our peace in the midst of chaos.

In Love

1 Corinthians 16:14 Do everything in love.

This is a little convicting for me.  Everything? I can safely say this is not something to which I have attained fully. Everything would include speaking, thinking, reacting, feeling, etc. yeah, God's got some work to do in me yet. I do pretty well when I'm being watched, but I fall horribly short when it's just me. How would my life change if I were to consider love in everything I did? Wow. I'm not even sure I know how incredible that life could be.  There is a new prayer for my soul with the Holy Spirit; make my spirit such that everything I do, I do in love. Man, and think about how different life in general would be if we were all able to do everything in love. My brain can't even fathom it. Only with Jesus can we even begin to live in love. Only with the help of the Holy Spirit can our hearts be transformed to love as we have been loved.

Let It Speak

I'm going to let the Book speak for itself today. The Scripture is the Living Word of God. Let it speak to your heart.

Titus 3:1-8 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

Still Learning

Jeremiah 31:2 This is what the Lord says: "The people who survive the sword will find favor in the desert; I will come to give rest to Israel."

I am really fussing with the word favor these days. I understand the point of suffering quite well, but to be in the favor of God is something that is hard for me to grasp.  I think it has to do with verses like in the new testament where Mary has found favor with God and her life gets messy. I know that God is the giver of all good things, but it is hard for me to understand that fully for some reason.  I know I have been given many good gifts and I have been kept from some horrible things, but I don't know that I would qualify that as "favor". Favor seems to be something altogether different. It is God choosing to pay particular attention to someone or something. It appears that when His favor rests on someone, He draws very, very near with specific attention and time. I'm still learning about it, and I'm kind of frustrated with it.  I need more time with this one.

Freedom of the Soul

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all the joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is quite a prayer statement, and yet, there is nothing more that I wish for people. There are great words in this phrase, joy, peace, trust, hope, power...love it! My favorite part about this is that it is a call to God to act, not a call to the people to do.  Paul gives all of the power and  expectancy on God, who can do all things.  God is in charge of our joy and our peace.  God is who gives us the overabundance of hope through the Holy Spirit working in us.  Our only step is to trust in Him, put our faith in Jesus Christ and the finished work of the cross and allow God to do the rest. That's pretty awesome. And, frankly, I know I have only touched the hem of His garment, so to speak, on this topic and I can attest to the freedom my soul felt the moment I realized that grace is an agent of change, not just forgiveness. So, may you trust in Jesus and allow God to fill you with joy and peace and overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Heaven Is My Home

James 1:2-3 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

Verses like this always make my mind think hard.  It is interesting to me that our brothers and sisters before us were joyful in trials. They had Kingdom eyes. They were able to think back on their life with Christ, in person, and know what they were gaining in a completely different way than we can understand.  They walked with Jesus. They saw his love in action.  They watched his pain on the cross. They touched his scars in His resurrection. Being in the presence of Jesus changed them. So are we just out of luck because we didn't live in that time? Absolutely not!  We get the joy of being in the presence of the risen Christ at every moment.  We don't have to wait for Him to show up at our dinner party or at our river side church meeting.  We have Jesus with us at every moment. Our joy comes from knowing that while we are in the midst of the trial, we have Jesus Christ living in us walking through our trial with us.  We live in Him, not just with Him. The apostles knew this too. They experienced incredible life after Jesus was resurrected. Not in a successful earthly way, but in a "Heaven is my home, so nothing here can touch me" kind of way. Go through the Refiner's fire with Jesus and you will find a nearness to God that you have never had before.

Year In Summary

Psalm 81:7 In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud, I tested you at the waters of Meribah.

This was a cool verse to read today.  Each year I ask God to give me a word for the year and last year (I used school years as an educator) my word was rescue.  I didn't quite understand it's full meaning until the year had come complete.  Rescue was a word that God used with me to others, others to me, and God to me. This verse is the perfect summarization of my year of rescue.  I have been brought to places that I could not stand on my own, where my knees were the only place I could be. I have walked alongside others who have had difficult paths and shared grief, sorrow and happiness.  I have been blessed to have a cloud of people who have supported and listed me up. I have been rescued this year. I have been given a new word for the next four months, at least, but I'm keeping that one to myself for now. ;-)  God is incredible!

It's Not Motivational, It's Spiritual

Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

I was led to this verse today and was surprised a bit as I read the verses prior.  In the verses prior, Paul is talking about being content in every situation. He knows what it is like to live in need and in plenty, but has this security, I guess you'd call in, in all situation through Christ.  I feel like I sometimes hear this verse in conjunction with people who are fighting a battle of some sort and they use this verse as a mantra, one might say. I guess it's true that you could use this in that way, but I feel like the focus for people is that they can do it as long as Christ is at their side.  I don't think that was Paul's meaning, from everything else that I read from Paul.  I believe if Paul were to speak these words, he would put the emphasis on through, not everything. It wasn't so much a motivational statement as it was a Spiritual statement. Paul is giving God the credit completely.  Paul recognizes he has absolutely nothing to do with his own contentment because his contentment comes through Jesus. It's not about conqueror something. It's about being "more than conquerors" through Jesus Christ. Just a thought.

"I've Got This For You."

Psalm 31:24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

Sometimes the journey is tough.  The days get long and the valley can be very deep. It is an interesting place to walk. I am at great peace and yet, there is something in me that is melancholy. This is always disappointing to me for myself. I think I should be able to be past that part in my walk and always feel up, but that is not the way life works. We have ups and downs on purpose. What I have found is that when I am in the valley, I am always drawn back to God. Even when I haven't necessarily been far from Him prior to the valley, I am still drawn in closer as I walk through that down time. God's goal is to be close, which is why the peaks and valleys are necessary. Some times I just need Him to give me His reassurance and that's what the valley is for, for me to get to a place of nearness where Jesus can whisper in my ear and tell me "I've got this for you. Keep moving forward." Only in the valley will I still myself enough to hear the gentle whisper.  On the mountaintop it is all celebratory and loud, no whispers are heard there, only rejoicing. Valleys are necessary because they give us a God perspective we cannot hear on the mountaintop.

Just Do It

Jeremiah 29:5 "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce."

This is the word to the Israelites in exile.  Sometimes God calls us to make a life in a place where we do not expect to be.  Life doesn't stop just because we are in a place that is unwanted or unappealing. Our goal is always to glorify God. In order to do this we have to step up to the plate and make an effort where we are.  It isn't a matter of wishing we were somewhere else or wishing for different circumstances.  It is a matter of seeking God in all and through all, and then giving Him the glory for the work He is doing (because let's be honest, God is always doing work on our behalf).  There are times when I want to give up and go do what I know I can do, but that would not be glorifying God. It would glorify me and my skills.  I have to take stock of where I am and what I am being called to do, then...I need to do it. There is blessing in walking the path you've been given when you're walking with Jesus (Mom would say, even when that path is cancer). Jesus knows what to do...so just do it. (This is a bit of a pep talk for myself. 😏)

The Reason For Hope

1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

This verse ends in 16, hence the comma at the end. It's not a typo. :-)  Anyway, this is a great verse for my heart! Frankly, from 3:8 through 17 is all good, but I'll focus on this verse.  This is something that as the years have progressed and I have grown closer to Christ, I have gotten better at sharing my love for God out loud.  When I get the chance, or when people ask, I always try to give the glory to Him. This has been quite evident with my present situation and the peace that I have.  It is definitely of God, so it's easy to say it's Him.  However, sometimes it isn't an appropriate time or place to share in gentleness or might be disrespectful in a certain setting.  I always pray for discernment at those times because now I readily share God's work in my life.  I do believe the key in sharing is gentleness and respect, which is why it is attached to verse 15.  It is so important. The bigger question for today is, Is Jesus the reason for your hope? I pray that He is or that you will ask Him to be your hope.

The Final "Move"

Some days I enjoy reading multiple passages from the Bible and seeing their common message.  Today it is the message of hope and restoration.  God is in the business of redeeming and restoring.  We fall into the trap of thinking that God is only out to get us when we do bad things, but that is not what the Bible tells us.  We are reminded again and again of the love God has for us as we move through the text.  The final "move", as it were, is the cross.  Jesus died for each one of us because He loves us, there isn't any other reason.  We are loved by God. We are sought by Him. We are redeemed through Jesus.  We are made holy through the Spirit.  We have the omnipotent Lord on our side, rooting for us, restoring our lives and loving us through it all. That kind of love will change you.

Live In Confidence

Isaiah 50:7 Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.

Even during the times when I don't feel like anything bad is happening around me or to me, I still need these little glimpses of glory. These reminders that because I am the Beloved's I have nothing to fear or worry about.  I can live life completely peacefully in His arms and know that He will take care of my soul.  This does not mean there may not be trials at some point, or that rocky paths may befall me. It simply means, when I am walking with Jesus all of those trials and rocky paths are of no concern. I am assured of the love of Christ and nothing can separate me from it. I can be confident in God, which is really where my confidence can only be found...in Him.

On A Personal Level

Ephesians 1:17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

Paul's words again remind us that all of our knowledge and understanding of God come from Him.  In order to know the Father better, we must seek Him as often as possible asking for His attributes to be made our own. And this can only be accomplished when we have Jesus living in us. There are so many different good character traits that we each long for and try to attain. The truth is that those will only become who we are if we are transformed through the Holy Spirit in us making us the new creation in Christ.  I pray that I may know and understand God better, that I may discern His perfect will for my life and that I may love others with the love of Christ. Only when I know God on a personal level will I ever be able to be the person I was created to be rather than just performing good character qualities.

A Beautiful Command

Luke 9:35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him."

This verse is a beautiful command from God. I'll leave it at that.

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow

Proverbs 27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

I'm not a major goal setter type person, but I like to have ambitions and things I want to accomplish.  I love my to-do list. This verse gives me a better perspective on my plans. It's not that I don't plan or that I only live for today.  It's more that I am careful with my time and what I put energy toward. I realize that God is the only One who knows the number of my days.  He has the design set. My job is to seek Him and His will. I do not know what tomorrow will bring, but I know He holds it. I need not fear or worry. I can rest in the assurance that God is in control and I can trust in His sovereignty.

A Journey To Delight

2 Corinthians 12:10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul's words here are a bit hard to swallow.  I'm not sure I delight in his list and I know in my head, strength in weakness with God.  I could even say I've experienced God's strength in my weakness in this life, however, to delight in insults, hardship, persecution, and difficulty, boy, that's quite a statement. I have more growing to do. I want to fight back and seek understanding in these things.  I want to find a purpose and a reason behind them. The truth is that the only purpose or reason worth finding is that these things, weakness, insults, hardship, persecution, and difficulty bring us nearer to Jesus.  We walk with Him because he walked with us. He has endured all of these for our sake. It's a journey to delight. The reality is, if we ever experience these things with Jesus at our side, we will delight in Him.  Then it won't be about the pain, it will be about the gain.  That's what Paul experienced.

Things Above

Colossians 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Oh, the things above listed later in the chapter.  This is a great statement for Paul to make, and yet there is not a ton of explanation of how to do it.  How do you set your heart on things above? I'm going to list a few of the ways I have found to help me get myself looking upward. It's definitely not an exhaustive list, and some of them don't always work for me and may not work for you, but I'm attempting to help with the application of this.  Here we go...

Reading my Bible: from verses to chapters
Praying: talking to Jesus about what is happening in my life and asking for a Godly perspective
Forgiving: letting go of the wrongs done to me and the wrongs I have done
Surrendering: giving the little things over to the Holy Spirit
Talking: speaking with mentors and leaders about the work God is doing in, around, and through me
Fellowship: sometimes I just need to be with my brothers and sisters in Christ
Worship: for me this involves everything from listening to music to singing and playing music
Praising: telling God how awesome He is
Being thankful: remembering all that God has done, both in my world and in the entire world
Reading: I spend time reading books by my favorite spiritual authors like Dallas Willard, Philip Yancey, or even fictional writers like Francine Rivers

The main idea that Paul finishes with is to do all of these things in love.  Seek peace. Seek Jesus. Love on people. Let God do what God can do in your life. Surrender completely and get ready!

We Are Fortunate

Isaiah 51:1 "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn;"

I love verses like this, that remind me of those who have gone before.  I have been blessed to have had so many of my relatives be followers of Jesus and show me the way of faith. These verses give me a good picture of where I come from and where I am going.  And the beauty of these verses is even more so, that even though we all haven't had amazing people go before us in our immediate families, we have our sisters and brothers in Christ who have paved the way for us.  I am beyond grateful for the support I receive from those around me and can only hope to give back what I've been given.  Spending time in prayer and fellowship is one way I hope to be a support for others.  We have such an incredible cloud of people who walk with us.  We are not alone. We have been supported throughout our lives by so many, both on earth and in heaven.  We are fortunate.

A Remembrancer

1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the Lord helped us."

I don't have much to say about this today, only that it was what I needed to hear.  I need to be reminded about God's work in my life and look back on those moments when He has been faithful.  It is so easy to get caught up in the current events of life, or worry about the future, when really, if we look back at how God has helped us thus far, we will find peace in knowing God is for us. I've been thinking of a way to start tracking those times, like Samuel did here with the stone.  I would love to have something that I use as my thanks to the Lord for his help, but also that is a remembrancer. God has been faithful. God is faithful. God will be faithful. That's what I needed today.

I'm Ready

Matthew 25:13 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour."

This is always a little unsettling for me.  Sometimes I'm in the middle of something awesome going on and think, What if Jesus came back right now?! Then there are moments where I'm not being so awesome and I think, What is Jesus came back right now?  Yes, it's the exact same question, but boy is there different tone and meaning in the two. Being prepared for the Bridegroom takes a lifetime.  We have the gift of salvation and the assurance of Heaven from the moment we accept Jesus into our lives.  There is no fear of losing that once you've got it.  I think for me the reason this verse is unsettling is because I never want to disappoint God.  And even when I type that I immediately think, we don't ever disappoint God.  He loves us and He knows us. Being prepared for me then becomes more about walking with Jesus all the time.  Seeking Him in each and every moment. That's what takes a lifetime to achieve.  It takes practice and screw ups and more practice. No, I do not know the day or hour of Jesus' return, but I do know I will be with Him in Heaven someday and I'm on the journey of a lifetime with Jesus. What if He came back right now? I'm loved, I'm His, and I'm ready.

Light Removes Darkness

Matthew 12:44 Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order.

Jesus is teaching here referring to an evil spirit leaving a man.  In the end the evil spirit returns and brings seven others with it, making the condition of the man worse off than he was. Immediately my reaction is, "What am I filling my life with? Am I simply attempting to remove, sweep clean and put in order my own life, without recognizing the need to replace those things with something that will keep my life full?" Here's the thing, when we attempt to rid ourselves of our bad parts, we are not capable of replacing those parts with good parts to keep the bad parts away.  We may look tidy and even feel pretty good about ourselves for a while, but inevitably the bad parts always seem to return.  If we want to remove bad parts permanently, we must turn those bad parts over to God and let the Holy Spirit infiltrate every part of our darkness. We cannot simply remove the darkness from our lives and expect it to be gone.  We have to let Jesus, the Light, remove our darkness and allow the fullness of the God to live in us through the work of the Holy Spirit.  God in, around, and through us; that is the goal.

Words of Truth

Isaiah 43:1-2 But now, this is what the Lord says--he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you , O Israel: "Fear not, for I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."

These verses of being called by name by God speak to my soul. God knows each and every one of us at a depth we can't even begin to understand.  And not only does he know who we are, He loves us enough to walk with us through this life. He makes promises like the ones above, not being overcome or engulfed by life's circumstances.  Walking with God takes a lifetime of practice.  It isn't easy to understand what it means to be summoned by Him or to be His beloved. There are times when I feel so completely loved by God that nothing could shake me.  Then there are times when I wonder if God even remembers my name. The truth is right here in Isaiah, "Fear not, for I have summoned you by name; you are mine." My name is written in the Book of Life because of my relationship with Jesus and his sacrifice in my place.  There is nothing that can separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus because He is my creator and He has called me according to His purpose. I will not be overcome.  I am more than a conqueror! I am God's beloved, even when I don't "feel" like it. Sometimes we have to think about what truth we know, when our emotions get in the way of being loved. I have been summoned by God, and I am His.

Simply Love

Romans 14:19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

This is a good verse to keep in my back pocket when I'm tempted to share an opinion.  Sometimes our beliefs fly in the face of others and we say them to get a particular reaction.  Frankly, that is in direct opposition to Paul's advice here. Even if you believe you are right with your entire heart and soul, not all people are ready for your thoughts or are able to understand them at that moment in their own journey.  We must be so careful to build each other up and help each other grow without force. We are here to support and love one another and leave the transforming of hearts to God.  We are simply called to love one another. Simply love.

The Triune God

Psalm 18:28 You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.

This is an encouraging word when things seems to be overwhelming.  The Lord is faithful, even when it seems as if he is being slow.  The Lord is perfect, even when it feels like His will is too hard. The Lord is pure, even when it seems that trouble abounds. We are supported by the most Holy of holies.  We are in union with the Creator of the universe, the one who knows all things because He put them into being.  The One who breathed physical life into man breathes life into our souls. We are made in the image of God to be in relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.  There is nothing on this earth that can make any difference inner life, that can keep our lamp lit and change our imperfection to perfection.  Our life on earth is different when we walk with Jesus and let the Spirit turn our dark places to light. We just have to accept that we are a creation of the Father, atoned through His Son, and carried by the Spirit. Our lives are made complete by a triune God whose perfect love for us transforms our imperfect beings.

You Don't Earn Heaven

Matthew 19:30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

As I read on from this verse, it is the story of the farm workers who all did different amounts of work but each received the same pay. The verse above is not about the poor becoming rich or the rich becoming poor.  It's not about the losers of the world becoming winners and vice versa. While there is some truth in the fact that your earthly status has nothing to do with your heavenly status, the fact that Jesus follows this verse with the wages story tells me his meaning had more to do with not being able to do enough to earn your way to a place in heaven.  God's kingdom is not about merit. It is not about how much you do or how well you do it.  God's kingdom is not about pleasing God. God's kingdom is very simply about being loved and loving in return.  There is nothing we can do or say that will make God love us anymore than He already does.  He loves the murderer just as much as He loves the missionary in Africa. There is nothing to earn, just accept.  Accept the gift of God's love and see what happens.

Not For Wimps

Matthew 10:16 I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

What an interesting statement for Jesus to make to his disciples as he is sending them out to "preach" to the lost Israelites. I'm trying to understand what it looks like to be as shrewd as a snake and innocent as a dove. What a strange combination. Yet, I think it is exactly what it takes and what it looks like to live in the world and not be of the world.  We have to navigate so carefully and be on guard while responding with a peaceful spirit. It is not a simple task, to be sure. And being as shrewd as a snake must be done with the innocence of a dove, otherwise we are no different than those who are not in Christ. Jesus isn't an easy name to share. There is no other name that gets the same reaction as His. This is the proof that there is something to who He is. We must keep walking with the Spirit in order to be innocent and peaceful, but we must also keep watch for the evil one. Christianity is not for wimps, that's for sure.

Don't Be a Resounding Gong

James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

It's been a very interesting week. Why is it that bringing yourself in a humble state to God is so difficult at times? We are like bratty little kids who want it done our way or to our liking and when that doesn't happen, we throw a fit.  Okay, maybe that's just me. ;-) Here's the deal, when I talk at God, rather than talking with Him, I am not humble at all.  I become a resounding gong, clanging out my thoughts without any regard for my love for God and His love for me. Unfortunately, then I have to be humbled.  I have to be brought to a place that is so irritating in my mind that the only place I can turn to is God.  I feel horrible about that.  I don't know why I can't just always turn to God.  I do so well in seeking Him in some things and so terrible in others.  Trying to come to God out of love and not just because I want something or even need something is a daily step I am working hard on right now.  Approaching the throne of Grace out of love every day so my relationship with God is strong and my understanding of who He is humbles me, that is the journey I am on.

Literally Just Sitting

This is a day where I'm kind of worn out and I don't really have the capacity to sit down and dig deep with God.  This is a day where I literally just sit in the quiet and rest in the presence of God without doing anything.  No talking, no praying, no reading, no typing, just sitting.

Authority Is God's

Daniel 7:14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Lately God has been reminding me of His authority over the earth and all that is in it.  He has been assuring and reassuring me that He is in control and He is who makes things happen.  This verse is the final piece in the puzzle for me today. God was, is, and will always be in control.  He has the power to do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done.  His will is perfect. There is nothing that will change who God is. To His glory, may I always live.

Complete Breakdown

Psalm 43:5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

All of Psalm 43 is very appropriate for me today. Some days you just have moments that are tough. I don't even realize how I have taken to leaning on myself until I am completely shot and can't go anymore.  Then it hits me hard. I'm doing life on my own again. I'm not spending enough time with the source of my soul.  I need time to just sit and be, and I need to make time for that daily...Sit in my sanctuary with God and renew my soul. There is the typical cycle that happens when I find myself out of oomph.  It's usually a complete breakdown emotionally and physically, followed by particular time with Jesus, crying out for rescue, ending with an enormous praise for His faithfulness and His Presence.  My time with Jesus is sacred. I know it. Sometimes life just makes it such that it is very hard to get into that space with Him.  The Psalms are a great way to spend time with God and lift your voice to Him. I need Him every hour, in joy and sorrow. Some days this is painfully obvious to my soul, especially when I've missed my time.

Unconditional, Unchangeable, Unshakeable

Matthew 5:44-45 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

This verse was such a good reminder to me of the fact that God loves people not because we are worthy, but simply because He does. His love is unconditional, unchangeable, unshakeable. What a great way to live life, knowing you are loved just because, no stipulations attached.  Now the good reminder is that if God loves people like this, and I am called to love people like Jesus, then my love for others has to be unconditional.  This is only really possible for me through the Holy Spirit in me.  Left to myself, I will look at how others treat me, at the very least, to decide whether or not they are worthy of my love.  With the Spirit working through me, only then am I really able to love people with the heart of God. I just have to get out of the way and let Jesus show. Easier said than done in some situations, which is why I am thankful God works on me as I walk with Him and loves on me the whole time. Whew!

Watch For It

John 2:4 "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."

This is the miracle of water to wine.  I am contemplating why Jesus performed this miracle. Was it to please his mom? Was it to help the family? Was it to reveal a bit more of who he was? Was it to give glory to his Father? Jesus performs this miracle under the radar and takes no credit for it.  The bridegroom gets the credit for saving the best wine until the end of the party. For me today, this verse shows me the small mercies Jesus bestows as we await the perfect timing for a thing. He brings little graces about so that our hope continues. Timing is such a hard concept to grasp, especially when we have such a finite view of the topic. Details emerge here and there and we try desperately to put the pieces together without knowing the full picture. I get myself into trouble with this one, trying to decipher where the final destination is. Then I am gently reminded that this life is not about the end destination, it is about the journey I'm on to get there. I have to look at each piece and discern what is happening in my heart and soul in this instance that is leading me closer to Christ.  Mary involves Jesus because she knows the deep impact he will have in the small things. There is glory to be seen on the journey, not just at the end of it. Watch for it.

From the Very Beginning

1 Corinthians 2:13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.

It is apparent to me today that my journey with Jesus is all because He sought me first. I only know and understand what I do today because of the God and His gift of the Holy Spirit. In the verses prior to this Paul is talking about knowing God for who He really is and that this is only possible by the power of the Holy Spirit.  I know this, but I have never really thought about it's deeper meaning. We are moved in our souls to seek God and to love Him because of the Spirit's work in, around, and through us.  We are not even aware of our own need until it is revealed to us from God.  Jesus is so much more than just a sacrifice on my behalf, and that much I understand.  It is the fact that my heart is open to Him in the first place, for which I need to be most grateful. I love Him because He first loved me, and the meaning of that is becoming renewed in my mind and in my soul.  Human wisdom is not what draws us to God. The Spirit of God is who brings us near to God, from the beginning through to the end.

Through All and In All

Psalm 54:4 Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.

I don't know about you, but for me, when I am feeling in need of sustenance, I don't refer to this verse.  I grab my cold brew with cream or a Dr. Pepper, get a little snack, heck, I might even take a nap in order to get myself back to feeling normal. We use all different types of vices for all sorts of purposes in order to do life on our own as God looks on knowing we will never be fulfilled. And even worse yet, we start to compare our vices to those of other's, making ours seem less "sinful". If only we could turn to Jesus each time we are in need.  Seek Him first and let Him guide our hearts to what it is we truly need.  This verse says it all, the Lord sustains us, through all and in all.  He is our help. Call on Him.

Transformational Grace

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Renewing of the mind tends to lead people to educating themselves about God. I have a hard time thinking that is really what Paul was talking about here. Education about God, as important and as good as that is, is nothing compared to living in the Spirit (living with God). So what did Paul mean by "be transformed by the renewing of your mind"? Here is what I've experienced and what Paul's words mean to me...When I learned about transformational grace through Dallas Willard's writing, in Renovation of the Heart, my mind was renewed through a revelation from God. I learned that grace is an agent of change, not just a type of mercy.  God uses grace through the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts to become what He created us to be.  Our actions and words change because we are transformed from the inside out by the work of the Spirit through God's grace.  Our hearts no longer desire to do things of the flesh when we allow the Spirit to take over. We are transformed bit by bit. Our heart begins to desire things of the Spirit, which is how we will be able to "test and approve what God's will is". This is a journey and it takes a lifetime.  I have only begun to scratch the surface.  It is still hard, at times, for me to know God's will, but I am continuing the Journey with Jesus to be transformed.

A Lovely Picture

Psalm 73:23-24 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

What a lovely picture the psalmist paints.  Walking with Jesus at moments when all else seems to be failing. I have been seeking God for quite some time now and I am still amazed at how He brings His word to me.  He uses the Bible, other people, situations, books, nature, "coincidences" and so on.  God loves to be our guide and take us through life.  The hardest part is actually listening to what He says, once one is able to discern His voice.  This relationship takes time to build.  I have had many conversations with God over the years, and I still need reassurance from my trusted mentors that I am hearing Him and not myself.  The beauty in this verse is that even when we are a bit clueless or are doing our own thing, God is right there walking with us, making our path His path. We are refined as we go and we are set apart for Him in Christ.  There is nothing better than this journey with Jesus.

Finding Our Rhythm

Jeremiah 33:11 '...the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord, saying, "Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love endures forever." For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,' says the Lord.

I was sent to this word today and I was instantly reminded of life before Mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  The five of us spent time together playing music, eating meals, watching movies, taking trips, and so on.  It was a beautiful time.  We enjoyed each other so very much, from all of us together to each possible pairing that could occur.  It was pretty amazing.  Then the cancer diagnosis came and God showed us all a new way to live in Jesus through His Power, His Grace, and His Glory. We were each given a new depth to our life in Christ through Mom's cancer battle.  There are really no words for it, so I always hope the depth is visible to those who have known us through it all.  But to the real point here. Since Mom's been in Heaven, it has been hard to find our rhythm as just the four of us.  We do just fine and we are all okay, but it's very different than when we were five.  We have asked God many times what this is all about and when we will have our restoration on Earth.  I believe this verse is reminding me that God has great intentions for the four of us, and that we are almost at the place where this can be revealed.  There is hope in death, and we know it in the depth of our souls.  We are great with whatever life brings, whether that is restoration here on Earth or reunification in Heaven.  God's will is perfect and His plans cannot be shaken.  I'm reminded of that today.

Not Enough

Mark 8:5 "How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked. "Seven," they replied.


Yes, this is the miracle of the loaves and fishes feeding over 4000 people. Today I am struck by the compassion of Jesus on these people who had not eaten for three days. He calls the disciples to him and then asks them the question.  The disciples weren't sure about how this was going to go either, wondering where in the world they were going to get food for the people when they were in the middle of nowhere.  And yet, Jesus took what little they had to offer and made it plentiful for all who were there.  There were even leftovers. For me today, the seven loaves feel a little like where I am in my life.  I feel like, "Lord, this is what I have to offer.  It isn't much and I'm not sure how it will work, but it's what I have to give." God can take my little offering that, frankly, for me alone would not be enough to do anything with, and make it bountiful for the Kingdom.  My part is to give Him all that I have (you realize the disciples didn't say anything about what they were going to eat if they gave up their bread) and let Jesus make something incredible happen.  Surrender.

Symbols and Markers

1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen.  He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the Lord helped us."

Samuel called upon the Lord for the people of Israel and they were saved from the Philistines.  In the Old Testament, the people of God always put up some kind of marker to show where and when God had helped them.  We don't do this so much anymore.  I'm kind of taking a little moment with this here, thinking about how I might be able to incorporate something similar in my own life.  I often write down things that have happened and how God moved, but I don't necessarily set aside something to mark those moments. I have to ponder this more. I'm not sure where my heart is on this yet, and the purpose it may serve in my faith journey with Jesus.  Symbols are powerful, but I don't want them to become the focus.  Food for thought.

Unsure To Assurance

Isaiah 43:19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.

Today I specifically asked God to remind me of His faithfulness and this is the verse I read randomly. 😉 God is so good.  He is faithful in our daily living and He is faithful in his promises. This verse was something I desperately needed to hear.  God has told me He is doing a new thing with me, but I was starting to feel a little unsure.  It's taking more time than I'd like to find out what the new thing is. The verses before this are about not dwelling on the past, but moving forward. I needed those words too, although remembering the past gives me opportunities to see where God has been faithful already. God has a good track record in my world and I do not doubt Him now.  His gift of His Word today takes me from unsure of His movement to assurance that He will do what He has said.  He is faithful and I will continue to be faithful to Him. You can trust that God is faithful. I've seen Him in action.

Daily Bread

Luke 11:3 Give us each day our daily bread.

Boy this is a tough one for me, the planner.  I like to know what's coming.  I like to be ahead of the curve and be prepared.  This section of The Lord's Prayer is always one that gives me pause. Each Sunday when I say this portion, I pray a little extra prayer asking God to help me to be thankful for the fact that I am taken care of today. I pray that God would remind me that He worries about the day for me and He is taking care of me tomorrow because He is who holds it. I'm learning to enjoy the moment, the day, and be grateful for how God's providence has brought me to the moment.  It isn't easy and there are definitely days where I don't do well with this at all.  I have a long way to go in living this verse in my heart and soul.  Thankfully, the Spirit in me is working on it for me.

The Challenge of Prayer

Luke 11:2 He said to them, "When you pray, say; 'Father, hallowed by your name, your kingdom come.'

I realize I have stopped right in the middle of the prayer we all know as The Lord's Prayer, but it is purposeful. I want to focus on this first line. I feel like I don't do a good job of meditating who God is when I say this prayer.  I feel like it has become very rote and rehearsed and that makes me sad. Today I am thinking only of this first line.  The holiness of God is not only in who He is, but it is even in His name. There is power in the name of Jesus, and we don't always recognize it, or at least I don't.  Then we have the line of "your kingdom come", which is really about seeking God's kingdom first and getting a little Heaven while we are here on earth.  I feel like I need to do a better job in my prayer life, because I know I am not always going at my prayers with this in mind, seeking His kingdom and experiencing Heaven here.  I'm usually aiming for some kind of relief from pain, be it physical, emotional, or spiritual or I'm asking for something to make life simpler. How would my prayers change if my focus was on God's perspective of my life instead of my perspective? Hmm...

His Word

Psalm 33:11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

This is a comforting verse to me.  Even though I don't know what tomorrow holds, I know that God absolutely does.  He is preparing a way for me and that way cannot be thwarted. This entire Psalm is lovely to read, praise to God and hope in Him. I find that sometimes all I need to do is sit and read through the Psalms and my spirit is rejuvenated. I am reminded of what I know. Read Psalm 33 today and let God speak life into your soul with His Word.

It's a Heart Thing

1 Corinthians 8:1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

I like this reminder. One of my favorite thoughts about getting to know Jesus is taking the knowledge that we have in our heads and getting it into our hearts. Heart knowledge changes everything. This is one of those topics that can also be hard. We often want to convince people about Jesus by what we know. This rarely works. Sometimes people are interested in the factoids we can pull out, or the historical references beyond the Bible that show Jesus' existence.  These things are just what I called them, factoids. They might help change a mind, but they definitely won't do anything to the heart.  And the same holds true for all of the head knowledge we can use to answer questions about the Bible or God, it won't change a heart. Love is what changes people.  Think about how you feel when you know someone loves you. It makes everything okay. It changes your outlook. The same is true of the love of God, except that it is even more potent.  Love from others makes us happy and gives us something to look forward to. Love from God brings us deep joy and gives us hope in all things. We can know with our heads that we are going to Heaven when we die, but that won't make living easier. However, when we live with Christ in our hearts, "to live is Christ and to die is gain" becomes a reality. Get to know Jesus with your heart and see what happens!

Little Trials of Faith

Lamentations 3:24 I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."

Sometimes life takes us to a pit where all we have left is Jesus. We feel a complete loss of control and our effort seems all for naught. We are walking in the valley. How many of us get there and are able to say these words from Lamentations?  I'll admit, they are not the first words to come to my mind.  My first go to is to tell God of my frustration and whine a little. It doesn't matter at that point that my situation isn't nearly that of someone else; I'm still in an 'oh, woe is me' frame of mind.  So what does it take to get to the point where this statement, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.", is our go to phrase? I think there are a couple of things for us to consider. The first one being when we are broken down so far that we really have nothing left to go on. Our self is completely empty and we only have Jesus in us, which is right where we always need to be.  The first time that happens, we experience the deepest peace we can ever reach. Jesus in us knowing what to do and doing it, that provides a peace that passes all understanding.  The second item for consideration is how much time we are spending with Jesus on a daily basis. Is Jesus a portion of our day in any and all circumstances? Do we make time for Him each and every day so that when our circumstances fall apart, we can find peace in Him? This is not easy. The trust needed to wait on the Lord is a journey of little trials of faith throughout our lives.  I thank God I have a lifetime to get there!

Maybe For One

2 Corinthians 1:4 He comforts us every time we have trouble, so when others have trouble, we can comfort them with the same comfort God gives us.

Sometimes our struggle and discomfort is not about us. Yes, we can learn from it and gain a deeper relationship through God and the understanding He gives us in those times. The bigger picture is that some of those things happen to us for other people.  There are multiple ways God can reveal Himself to others when we go through trials.  It may be in the peace we are given. It may be in the hope we talk about. A person might be able to see wisdom through the trial or God's strength on the journey. In the case of the verse above, Paul is talking about how we can extend God's comfort to those who are experiencing something we have gone through.  Our trials make us more empathetic and give our presence and words more spiritual authority. Difficulties are things we get to experience for our own growth, but sometimes they are about bringing one person to Jesus.  That's not always easy to see or understand.  God just loves people that much.

Wherever You Wish

Jeremiah 40:4 But today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. If you want to, come with me to Babylon, and I will take good care of you. But if you don't want to come, then don't. Look, the whole country is open to you. Go wherever you wish.

Wow, what a moment for Jeremiah. God has done what He said He would do to the nation and now Jeremiah is able to go home, essentially.  But he is offered whatever he wishes by the commander who found him. I don't even know what it would be like to be offered such an open ended decision.  Go wherever you wish. I always think it's what I want, for God to say, "Do what you want to do." And then when I read this passage, I think, I would probably do what Jeremiah did, go to my family. I would go back to what I know. I don't know that I actually want to be in charge of my life. When I'm just given the thought of complete free reign, I can't handle it.  I want to seek God even more and discern His perfect will and follow it. Something about His control is peaceful and hopeful. I'm in seeking mode right now, so maybe that is why I feel that way.

Surrender

Galatians 3:3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?

Alas, we try so hard. Why is it that we have such good intentions on the front end of transformation and then find ourselves regripping that which we had let go?  We fall into that trap of attempting to just do one or two things that seem to be a good idea, but ultimately are us trying to control life. There is no magic way to surrender.  It is a daily practice we must do. We must invite Jesus to be a part of our lives and daily surrender our will to Him. There is so much we can do on our own and sometimes it is tempting to just do it.  Other times it is not even a temptation to do it on our own, we will find ourselves doing it without even thinking, a habit almost.  I ask God to show me those things that I tend to keep for myself to work on instead of turning them over to the Spirit.  It is easy to fall into the trap as the Galatians did and lean on the flesh.  Living by the Spirit takes time and practice. It's all a part of the journey. Surrender.

Strengthening Faith

Romans 4:20-21 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

Do you find waiting difficult? Me too. Even in the times when I am completely convinced that God has a plan and I know he has the power to do what he says, I am impatient.  This verse in Romans is a shout out to Abraham.  Abraham was very old and had to wait a very long time for his promised son, Isaac.  Yet, Abraham's waiting strengthened his faith and the timing, Abraham and Sarah being very old, allowed God to receive even more glory for the promise. What can we do while we wait to strengthen our faith? I have found for me it is a revisiting of the promises God has given before and His faithfulness in fulfilling them.  This is not my first experience with faith with God.  I have to revisit all of those things where God has done what He said He would do.  Some of those are from the Bible, like Abraham's story, others are from my parents' stories that they lived out in front of us, and others still are from my own personal experiences with God.  When I start to list all of the ways God has been faithful and fulfilled His promises, my faith is strengthened and I can give God the glory again for those great deeds. Then I am given another portion of patience to wait with great expectancy of what God will do next.  Oh, the joy of living in the power of the resurrection!

Keep it Personal

Mark 8:26 Jesus told him to go home, saying, "Don't go into the town."

I always find it fascinating that when Jesus would do miracles, he sometimes would tell people to keep it to themselves. This is something I need to consider.  In today's world, I feel like with social media and the ease of getting/sharing information, we share everything that is going on in our lives.  However, I know there are times where God is asking me to not share, to keep certain moments for myself.  What is the purpose in that? I believe it has to do with creating moments that are just for God and me.  They are memories and experiences that only are for Him and me to share and grow my personal relationship with Jesus and keep it a personal relationship.  I think of the moments that I have with Dalton that are just between him and me. We share special times that are not posted on Facebook or Instagram and they are relationship strength builders.  I need to be doing the same thing with Jesus.  Not everything needs sharing, and I need to listen to the Spirit when He prompts me to keep it to myself.

Valleys and Mountaintops

James 5:11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

There are so many verses about perseverance and hope in the Bible.  Verses that talk about the suffering and hardship. Right on the heels are the verses about compassion and mercy and grace. I know I have written about it before, but I wonder why we need to have the suffering and hardship in order to fully experience the compassion and mercy of God. What is it in our human nature that makes us so bent on being the one who gets the glory when times are good, but complaining to God when times are hard?  I have gained so much more in those times of difficulty and the Lord's compassion and mercy are more deeply understood. I hope that as times get better and I am back on the mountaintop once again, whenever that comes, that I am able to keep my focus on Jesus and give Him all of the glory there too.  Life is full of valleys and mountaintops simply because we need them.  Our brokenness cries out for both valleys and mountaintops because we need the closeness of Christ in the valleys and the rest in Him on the mountaintops. We were made to live in Jesus, and we can only do that when we suffer with him and rejoice with him, valleys and mountaintops.

Goals and Desires

Ecclesiastes 2:11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.

This wisdom is kind of sad to read. It seems very hopeless. And yet, I totally get what Solomon was saying. We put all of our efforts into earthly goals. We aim for success and set our small goals to meet the great goal. As he says here, it is all meaningless.  We all end up in the same spot anyway. We all have the same ending, death on earth. Happy, right? The focus for us has to be Jesus. Our focus in this life must be Jesus in order to have the gain of Heaven after death.  And the more beautiful hope is that if we focus on Jesus while living on earth, we will get glimpses of Heaven as we journey. Life is meaningless when we chase after our own goals and desires.  We become lost in our selfishness and cannot find life. Our hope is in Christ living in Him because He is the life, He even said it, "I am the way, the truth, and the life". Our goals and desires need to be first set on Christ and then all other things will be added, including meaning.

Life Goal

1 Peter 3:14 But even if you should suffer for what is right,  you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened."

Oh, this is a hard word.  Prior to this, Peter discusses blessing those who insult or wrong you.  Ugh!  Not easy to do!  It is hard for me to let God deal with the justice side of life.  I want everything to be fair and just. I like for people to get what's coming to them. And then I type that last sentence and my brain goes straight to, "But praise be to God that 'in yet while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.'" Oh, right. Salvation is not earned.  Love from God is not earned.  If I am to live in Christ, I am called to love unconditionally.  The hard part is trusting that God will take care of the justice, that He will do something to those who have wronged us. God has been reminding me for about the last six months that justice is for Him to handle. I still fall into my own plan of justice, but I just do it with the silent treatment instead of outright calling people out.  That's not good either. I'm asking God to soften my heart that the Spirit in me would "bless those who persecute you" and make me the living embodiment of Jesus in, around, and through me.  That's a life goal.

Mind, Body, and Soul

Psalm 48:9 Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.

Meditation is a lost art, in my opinion.  We have become so busy and our minds race with what's next on our priority list. I once heard a speaker by the name of Pete Hall, he's in education, make the statement, "Schedule your priorities, don't prioritize your schedule." In my job, that instigated major change and renewed a passion. I was so worn out and couldn't seem to get caught up on the job tasks, that I had lost my vigor. However, when I started to schedule my priorities, I got back to doing the things I loved about my job and didn't allow the distractions to take over.  I believe this to be true in our walk with Jesus too, and I have applied it in my spiritual life as well. I schedule my time with Jesus because it is important to me, a priority.  When I do that, I can tell that my stress levels are lower and my strength is renewed. At times I have even gone so far as to spend time simply listening to meditation music and focusing solely on Jesus for 10-15 minutes. Those times, that meditation on Jesus, is so life giving. It is hard to describe. It is mind, body, and soul renewal all within a few minutes.  Speaking of this, I am feeling the prompting to begin that practice again. I'm going to add that to my time with Jesus for this season of life. I will meditate on Your unfailing love, Lord.

Press On!

Philippians 4:13-14 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

There are days where I am reminded of my old self.  Little things that creep back into my mind that Satan tries to use to distract me from the goal. My forgiveness is taken care of in Christ. God has washed me clean and I am a new creation. Sometimes it's harder for me to forgive myself and move on, than it is to understand that God has forgiven me.  I cling to those things for some strange reason. I don't know if it's a way I keep myself in check, keep my control intact maybe.  I don't know. I need the reminder of the forgiveness of God and then the next step of forgetting what is behind and seeking Him first.  No more remembering the bad things and holding on to them as if they are important.  It's time to reach heavenward and walk in Christ with confidence and assurance.  I am loved. I am worth it. I am God's. I am a new creation. Press on!

Take a Risk

Esther 4:14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

I was sent to this verse today and was surprised by what it was, the "for such a time as this" verse. Esther was prepared her entire life for this moment, to save the nation. Where she was and why she was there had nothing to do with her. It was all about God and His doing. He put her in the palace in such an unlikely way and then she is called to bring deliverance. It was not an easy decision for Esther to speak with the king.  She could have easily been killed for doing so.  Her step of faith in choosing to speak for the nation was very risky.  What is God asking you to do that seems risky?  Is it possible that He has put you in a time and position to do something outrageous? This is particularly exciting for me to ponder.

Moving Forward

Lamentations 3:25-26 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Oh how I enjoy reading Lamentations!  There are so many verses in chapter 3 that I wanted to write about today, but these were my choice. In the midst of a struggle, these are the words I needed today. Seeking God is all I can be about these days.  There is excitement with the possibilities that lie ahead, yet there is major sadness in what I am leaving behind.  What is it about moving forward that is so difficult?  Why do we desire to stay in what we know or go back to what we know?  Why are we so afraid to step out and try something new or different? The faith that moving forward takes is special in its own way.  Faith in moving forward is about expectancy and hope. It requires us to look back, not go back, but look back on God's faithfulness for assurance and seek Him anew as we move forward. It is not about expecting God to do the same things He has done in the past.  It is about seeking what God is doing now. I don't know about you, but I tend to get slightly impatient.  We want answers and understanding. Unfortunately, sometimes when we are seeking God, we are confused and lost due to the fact that we are seeking God anew, not just finding patterns of His works.  If we seek Jesus, answers and understanding won't be necessary and we will wait quietly for the Lord.  Jesus brings great peace and calm in the midst of moving forward, for He is all we need.

Not Easy, But Good

Romans 5:3-5 No only so, be we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

I just love Romans so much!  What a great book Paul wrote, well, letter I guess!  And he says it so well! Honestly, I have no fancy words to add to this or anything to even make it resonate more.  My heart is ringing with these words and I'm soaking in their true meaning. We want to say that suffering is bad and we want to shield our loved ones from it.  But here we have truth. Suffering produces so much in us and we are grown to a depth that produces hope in the midst of all things.  It's good to be in the pit. Oh, if we could only believe this statement and live it out.  I didn't say it was easy to be in the pit, nope, I said it is good. The grace of God is at it's zenith when we are in the lion's den dependent solely on the saving of the Holy Spirit.  When we are at our weakest point, God's power is mighty.  That's the deal. Suffering will refine your soul like nothing else.

Ready For Life... and Death

Proverbs 27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

This verse has been ringing for me for quite some time now.  With a new day, come new mercies from God, of which we are in desperate need.  Most of the time we don't even realize how important God's mercy is or how impacting it can be.  From good things to tragedy we are unsure of what tomorrow holds.  We can make all of our beautiful plans and have each moment ready for living, but the reality is that we are not in control of any of our minutes.  God knows our days and the number of them.  He knows what we will encounter and how we will respond. We are made for redemption through a life in Christ. The only way we get through tomorrow, and don't worry ourselves about what's coming, is to live life in Christ and know that He holds tomorrow in His hands already. My prayer is always that God go before me, wherever He sends me. I walk in that faith each morning with the assurance that I am walking in the footsteps God has prepared, holding the hand of my friend Jesus, and being guided along with way by the Spirit.  He is bigger than any circumstance and that's what makes me ready for life... and death.  It doesn't matter what tomorrow brings, or if it even comes, because I personally know the One who holds tomorrow... and me.  In Paul's words, "To live is Christ and to die is gain." Truth.