I Can't Do It All

    Sometimes God brings about reminders that I am not a superhero. One time in particular was when one of my co-teachers was out for a week. Because of that, I had to work multiple days in a row from 7-5. Luckily, I talked with her over that next weekend, and she was feeling better. 

   Unluckily my other co-teacher got sick. On top of that another teacher got sick and it was spring break for the college students who usually fill in. And many of them went on vacation somewhere for break. Thus, I went through another three days of working almost every day 7-5. 

   It was that Wednesday that I reached my breaking point. I had worked many hours, interacted with children and others for most of my day when I'm an introvert, had other things to do outside work, and I was burnt out! I looked at my boss that day and I told her so. She understood and did what she could to make the week a bit smoother on me as my co-teacher was not in in the mornings the rest of the week due to her illness.

   Now, that week I had a choice. I could have continued to act like everything was okay. I could have done that and been cranky and emotional the rest of the week. But I didn't do that. I chose to be honest, real, and authentic with others. I chose to say, "God, I need your strength. Please help me shine your light during this week though I am tired." I chose to listen to Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

   God came alongside me, and I finished the week not on my own strength but His. Whatever you are going through, God will be there with you. He will carry you through if you trust in him.

   So, are you relying on God? How can you be authentic with others each day? What can you trust God with more in your life?

 

Thanksgiving Positivity

   Have you ever been in a place where you are surrounded by people who are being negative? I'll tell you what; I have been to many places and met many people who will never be content. These people who just find something to complain about whenever they get the chance. I'll give you some examples: "it is too rainy out to get anything done today." "These customers are so annoying." "I wish I could have gotten the red jacket instead of the blue one." And the list goes on and on.
   When I walk into a room where everyone is complaining I just feel drained. I get sick and tired of people who just say negative things. When I walk into that room and someone is complaining I normally try to put a positive spin on it. For example: if someone says "these customers are so annoying." I say "at least you have a job where you earn money." See, anything negative can be spun in a positive way.
   You may be saying "what if a friend or family member is sick?" I would say "I don't know why that is happening but I do know that God has a plan." It may seem like a cop out but everything does happen for a reason. You never know what might happen because you can't see the future. You staying home because you are sick may have saved you from getting into an accident.
   On Thanksgiving we try to be thankful for all of our blessings. Well, blessings can also come though bad things. We may not think of bad events as blessings but it is true (listen to the song "Blessings" by Laura Story if you don't believe me). 
   We have a choice. We can choose to be negative about everything, or we can choose to be positive no matter what is going on. We can choose our attitude. It may be raining but we can say, "thank you God for keeping the earth green." We may have wanted a different colored jacket but we can say, "thank you God for the jacket that I have to keep me warm." We may be sick but we can choose to say, "thank you God for this time I have with my family and that I am still alive."
   So, will you choose to be negative about everything? Will you be positive even when bad things happen? Will you thank God in all circumstances?

   Philippians 4:11-13, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Ephesians 4:29

Outdo One Another

    In the past, I have talked about how the thief of joy is comparison. That is still true, but did you know there is something we are to outdo one another in?

   Romans 12:9-13 says "Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality." 

   Verse 10 says we are to outdo one another in showing honor. We are called to be a light in this dark world. We show love to others each day so they can see Jesus through us. 

   Is this verse saying we are to flaunt when we show love to others? 

   No, it says we are to outdo one another in showing honor. Is it honorable to flaunt our accomplishments? Is it honorable to tell others about all the sacrifices we have made for others? No, it is honorable to do as we are called to do and reflect God's glory.

   What does that look like? We are authentically real with others. We cling to the Lord and listen to the Holy Spirit as he guides us. We remember the hope we have in Christ and spread that hope to others. We wait for the Lord to help us in our trials. We pray consistently. And we use our gifts to reflect God's glory. We give him the honor. That's how we outdo one another in honor, honorably.

   So, are you showing others God's love? How can you outdo others in honor, honorably?

 

The Lost Ring

    I enjoy stories, whether true or fictional. Here is a real story that happened to me: one day I was at soccer coaching. My goalkeeper needed to step out for a minute for a break during a short sided game. I stepped in and tried to take my purity ring off before I got a fat finger from a shot. 

   As I was pulling the ring off, one of the girls took a shot. I dove for it and was pulled into the game. Once my keeper was good to come back in, I stepped out. Then I went to touch my ring finger and realized my ring was not there. One of my players noticed I seemed preoccupied and asked me what was wrong. I told her I lost my ring. She said, "oh no! We will help you look for it." 

   After practice was over, I started looking for the ring. I looked in my bag first, to be sure I did not leave it in there. Then I went to the goal. Looking at the place where I had to dive to make a save, I found the ring! 

   The girl who was helping me look was so happy we found it, and so was I. This is a very simple event that occurred in my life, but it had a profound connection to the Bible.

   In Luke 15, Jesus tells of three parables. One of the lost sheep, where a shepherd leaves his 99 sheep to find 1 that was lost. The next of a woman who lost 1 of her 10 silver coins. When she finds it, she rejoices. The last about a son who asked for his inheritance early, left home, squandered his inheritance, went back home, and the father accepted him back into his household.

   If I were to ask you what these stories have in common, you would probably be able to guess easily: things that were lost then found. They seem like simple stories but if you have ever lost something you cared for, you know how good it feels to find it. 

   In the same way, God rejoices when one of his children was lost and becomes found. When I lost my ring, the player asked me if I was sentimental. I told her a bit, but the truth was I had that ring since high school (for 10 years). It was not worth much, but it was worth a lot to me. 

   That made me think about God. He is sentimental. He loves all of us and we are worth so much more than a ring. God does not want any of us to perish. He wants to give each of us a chance to join his family. That's how much he loves us. He loves us so much that he sent his son to die for us. It is amazing to think about.

   Think of a time you lost something, then found it. How did you feel? Are you lost right now, and God is calling you to him? If you have been found by God, how can you help those who are lost be found?

 

How You Relax

    One day I was doing a devotional for the LBC Women's Soccer Team about stress. I talked about how we all relax in different ways. Some people read. Others watch TV. While others, who are much more devoted than I, may go for a run. It doesn't matter how you do it, but everyone needs to relax at some point or run the risk of burning out.

   During the devotional I asked the girls how they combat stress, or what they do to relax. There were many of the typical answers then one girl said "Jesus." The coach thought she said "cheese." This misunderstanding made everyone laugh. 

   The truth is that Jesus is a good answer for this question. He even encouraged his followers to relax. Mark 6:31 says: "And he said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.' For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat." Jesus recognized that needed to rest. Yet, if you look at this passage in context, this is where Jesus feeds the 5,000. He wanted to rest but he did not let his wants get in the way of an opportunity the Lord gave him.

   Finding a balance of completing the mission God has given you and resting is vital. There will be times we really want to rest but an opportunity comes up. We must be willing to sacrifice as Jesus did. We also must be smart about resting when we have time.

   So, are you resting when you need to/have time to? Are you looking for opportunities to spread the Good News?

Zombies Among Us

    One time I was on a bus ride with my team, and we were playing a game of would you rather. One question came up about the zombie apocalypse. Now, of course, being Christians, we don't believe in zombies for real. But the girls were trying to decide who they would want to go through the apocalypse with.

   This scenario got me thinking about zombies. Did you know there are zombies among us? Not the gross ones you are thinking of. I'm talking about the fact that according to the Bible we live in a sinful world. We are dead in our sin. Thus, we are the walking dead. Unless that fact changes at some point in our lives, we will die and go to hell.

   But there's good news, we can live again. Romans 6:4 says, "We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." If we accept that we are sinners, confess our sins, and believe that Jesus died for them then Jesus is our savior. We are alive in him. No longer the walking dead, but alive! It is amazing to think about.

   So, are you dead or alive? If you are dead, I encourage you to learn how you can truly live in Christ (read the book of Luke). If you are alive in Christ, how are you spreading the gospel so others can live in Christ?

 

Multiplying

    While in school, I did well in most subjects. I enjoyed reading and social studies as I liked stories and learning about other people's lives. My least favorite subject was probably math. I did well enough in it, but I did not enjoy having to learn all the formulas and such. Math is important as God created it and it tells us things about him and the world. But there's one area of math that is very important: multiplying

   Why multiplying? One of the most well-known verses in the Bible is the great commission. It tells us to go into the world and make disciples. We, as Christians, are called to multiply. We are to spread the good news of the gospel to others so the body of Christ can grow. Just think if you spread the news to one person, one becomes two. Then if you both share the good news, two becomes four. Then four becomes eight and so on. That's how the body grows by making disciples.

   But it does not end there. If we don't continue to get into the word and grow in God, then we are in danger of dividing. I've heard and seen many people who leave the church over arguments, offense, or just because they felt like they didn't belong. Would that happen if we were in the word and believed what God said? It may still happen because of the devil, but I think it would be less likely. It is vital that we guard ourselves against division. Yes, we may disagree on certain things. But, as Christians, we can all agree about what Jesus did for us on the cross and that he is Lord and Savior.

   So, are you doing as you are called and trying to multiply God's kingdom? Are you in danger of division at church?

Changing Seasons

    One day I was listening to a podcast and the speaker was talking about how God doesn't call us to be safe. I got to thinking about that and I thought about all the events of the Bible and the people who lived through those events. Most of the time those people were not safe in whatever situation they were in; at least they were not safe according to the way of the world.

   Then I thought about how sometimes I crave adventure. How I get tired of the mundaneness of life. And then I remember times when I was asked to do something new. When I was asked to do something uncomfortable, I got scared. I was scared because that new thing was unsafe. 

   Here's the thing: we are not called to be safe, but we are safe in what God calls us to do. It's an incredible balance where we need to not let the season of life, we are in get to us. There will be times where we are thrust into action and there will be times where we are bored. The choice we have is what we do in those seasons.

   If you are in a season of mundane, you can ask God if this is where he wants you. If he has something more for you, or if this is where you are meant to be. Sometimes God asks us to just be. To do the typical routine and that's enough because you are working for him in that season.

   If you are in a season of adventure, you can continue talking with God to ensure you are in his will. You can call on him for help. You can know that with him on your side, even if the adventure gets scary, he is with you and will not let you fall.

   So, what season are you in right now? How can you trust God no matter what season you are in?

Home: Encanto Series

    If I were to ask you where is the place where you are most comfortable in the whole world, what would you say? I am sure many of you would say: your home. Home is the place in the world where you have the most control. You decide what it looks like, what you eat, when you do things, etc. The writer of the song "Colombia, Mi Encanto" talks about how he loves his home in the last song in the movie Encanto.

   We probably love our homes too. We love how home reminds us of family, warmth, love, and so much more. Yet, for some, home doesn't bring up these feelings. For some people home brings up hurt feelings, pain, and sorrow. Others have never had a place where they call home.

   Whichever camp you land in, I have good news for you. Wherever you think of when you hear the word home on earth isn't your real home. In John 14:2 Jesus tells us "In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?" Our home is not on this earth. Our home is in heaven.

   When we feel out of place, lonely sad, scared, etc. We can have hope in God. God loved us so much that he wanted to be with us. He sent his son to die for us so we could be home with him.

   So, as we close this series, I encourage you to remember that we can see God in all things on earth (whether in depravity or in creativity). I encourage you to think about where you are headed when you die. Where is your home? How can you help others get home?

 

We Are All Loved: Encanto Series

    There are times we feel like we are not special or unique. But God made us all different. He made us all for a purpose. This is what the song "All of You" is about in Encanto. Mirabel is the only member of her family without a special gift. Yet, she still works hard to help her family.

   Mirabel may not have a gift that seems like a superpower, but she does have a gift. Actually, she has multiple gifts. She is an encourager, she's creative, she's loving, caring, strong, and so much more. Without her, the family would have cracked under pressure and lost the miracle. She reminded them that they were all special and loved even without their gifts from the miracle.

   1 Peter 4:20 says: "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." Because of God's grace and love, we are saved. He wants none to perish and he lets us be a part of his story. He gives us unique gifts and missions so that all may come to know him. 

   This means that not only are we unique and have gifts but anyone we meet is as well. God loves everyone and that's what we are called to do as well. We are to celebrate our differences and love others no matter what they do or say. That's the serving part in 1 Peter 4:20. We are not given gifts to glorify ourselves. We are given gifts to reflect God's glory.

   So, are you showing love to others? Are you using your gifts to reflect God's glory? How can you show love today?

Change: Encanto Series

   One insect that is used as an example of change is a caterpillar. Caterpillars go through a transformation. They eat a lot, go into cocoons, and come out completely changed. This transformation is what the song "Dos Oruguitas" from Encanto is talking about.

   While the original lyrics are in Spanish, it does not change its profoundness. It talks about two caterpillars in love in a changing world. But, in order for these caterpillars to grow they had to leave one another. If they did not, they would not be able to be in cocoons and change into butterflies. So they went into cocoons, became butterflies, and realized that in order to grow more they needed to be apart.

The whole song is a metaphor for Abuela's life. She had to run from her home, and she did with her husband. But her husband died during their escape. That's a lot of change for a young mother of 3. Then she had to pick up, move on, and grow alone.

   That's actually a lot like our lives. Yes, we are to be in relationship with others because God created us as relational beings. But the most important relationship we can have is the one we have with God. If we are not in relationship with God, then we will not grow in him. 

   Colossians 1:10 says: "So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." We are to walk with God. We are to bear fruit. What fruit? The fruit of the spirit. We are to spread the good news of the Gospel. To do all of that, we must have relationship with God. We must be growing in him.

   Is growth easy? No, usually it is uncomfortable. Do you think it's all peaches and cream in that cocoon? A caterpillar changing completely and growing wings. That's probably a bit uncomfortable. But do you think that butterfly regrets going through that change and growth after its done? Probably not because they can fly! Imagine what God can do with us if we allow him to change us and help us grow!

   So, are you spending time with God each day? How has God helped you grow in him? How can you grow in God today?

   Link to lyrics for "Dos Oruguitas" https://lyricstranslate.com/en/dos-oruguitas-two-little-caterpillars.html

What Else Can I Do But Wear A Mask: Encanto Series

    Have you ever felt like you were not allowed to make mistakes? Have you ever felt pressure to be perfect? Have you ever put a mask on because you felt like people wouldn't like the real you? That's exactly what Isabella is feeling like. She sings all about it in the song "What Else Can I Do?"

   Isabella is the eldest child in Mirabel's family. Her gift was she could make flowers. She is called the "golden child" by Mirabel. She was viewed as beautiful and perfect by many in the town. As the oldest, she was expected to marry and have more children who would also carry on with new gifts to help the town.

   That's a lot of pressure. It's no wonder she sings this song. She made a flower that wasn't perfect. It was sharp and different. There's a line in the song that says: "What could I do if I just knew it didn't need to be perfect? It just needed to be? And they'd let me be?" Isabella is crying out that she just wants to be herself. When I was a teacher, I used to tell my students all the time that they should be themselves because there's no one else like them. They are unique. I also tell them it's okay to make mistakes. Mistakes help us learn and grow.

   Psalm 139:14 says "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." We are wonderfully made. All different. All unique. All loved by God. God is so creative that he made each of us different. We have his creativity in us. 

   Why should we put so much pressure on ourselves to be perfect? We can never reach perfection. We will fail if we try. God doesn't ask for perfection. He asks for growth. He asks that we trust Jesus as our savior. He asks that we use the gifts he has given us to reflect his glory. Why should be try to be like someone else when God loves us just as we are?

   So, are you wearing a mask? Are you using your gifts to reflect God's glory? How can you use your gifts to reflect God's glory today?

 

We Don't Talk About Feeling Alone: Encanto Series

    We've all felt it at one point or another in our lives: loneliness. One character in Encanto felt loneliness a bit more than others: Bruno. Bruno's gift was that he could see into the future. You can imagine how this would not make him the most popular person as he sometimes had to deliver bad news. In fact, there's a whole song in the movie called "We Don't Talk About Bruno" which talks about how Bruno delivered bad news.

   There's a person in the Bible who reminds me a lot of Bruno. His name is Joseph. Joseph had dreams where he saw the future. A future that was good for him, but not so good for others. Because of these dreams, his family alienated him. In fact, his brothers sold him into slavery because of his dreams.

   Joseph was taken to a new country (Egypt), he didn't know the language, and he didn't believe in their gods. Talk about loneliness! To make matters worse, he was falsely accused and thrown in prison. 

   Like Joseph, Bruno was in a prison as well. He hid in the walls of the house that his family lived in. The reason? He didn't want to give bad news anymore. 

   You may feel like you are in a prison of some sort of your own. You may feel alone. Deuteronomy 31:6 says "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you." This verse reminds us we are never alone. We can have courage because God is always with us. No matter how lonely we feel, God is there. He has a plan. We just need to trust in him.

   Joseph trusted in God, and he was rewarded. He saved Egypt and his whole family from famine. Things worked out for Bruno as well. He realized his family loved him for who he was. 

   So, no matter how lonely you feel, do you remember who you can lean on? When you do feel lonely what can you do to remember you aren't alone?

 

All the Pressure: Encanto Series

    Do you ever feel like you have so much going on in your life that it's too much? Do you ever feel pressure to be perfect all the time? Do you ever feel like showing emotion is weakness? Then you will relate to the song "Surface Pressure" from Encanto.

   This song is sung by Mirabel's older sister Luisa. Luisa's gift is strength. When someone in the village needed something moved, they would go to Luisa. There was a problem though. Luisa was strong physically, but she may have felt like she needed to be strong emotionally as well. She was the "rock" of the family. That is a lot of pressure. What happens to something if you put too much pressure on it? It breaks.

   See, like Luisa, sometimes we put too much on us. We are not perfect. We never were and we never were meant to be. There was only one perfect man and he walked on water. You can't do that. I can't do that. So why do we feel like we must be perfect all the time? 

   Maybe it is because we live in a world where an emphasis is put on success, money, having it all, etc. We feel if we fail, we are letting someone down. But in failing we learn. In failing we grow. In failing we see the need for a perfect savior. 

   Matthew 11:28-30 reminds us of this when it says: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." God wants us to come to him with our problems. He wants us to trust in him. He wants us to confess our sins to him so we can be with him in eternity. God doesn't expect perfection. He expects confession, love, and faith. He then gives us hope. We don't need to stress or feel pressure because God has taken that away with his Son's work on the cross.

   So, what are you stressing about today? How can you remember to trust in God instead of leaning on your own power?

 

 

Waiting On a Miracle: Encanto Series

    One member of the family Madrigal, other than the grandma, does not have a gift. Her name is Mirabel. She feels left out and forgotten. Thus, why she sings "Waiting on a Miracle." She wants a gift. She wants a chance to show others what she can do. Mirabel so wants to help her family and others just so she feels included, like a member of the family. But she feels like it is too late for a miracle. 

   What about you? In the last blog, we talked about how we all have gifts given to us by God. You have a gift, so what am I talking about here? Well, sometimes I feel like we are always looking forward to something that we forget to enjoy each moment. Each day is a gift. Each day is special. Each day we have a choice to use our time for us or for God. 

   Ephesians 5:16 talks about this when it says: "Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." The days are evil, what does that mean? It means that time on earth is short. Things on earth will pass away. Only what we do for eternity will matter in the long run. 

   That means many of the things we think of as problems do not really matter. Does this mean God doesn't care about your problems? No, but it means sometimes we focus on the wrong things. 

   Sometimes we pray for a miracle when there is one right in front of us. Sometimes we miss what God is doing because we want things done our way. We want a quick fix. But God does things in his own time. He does everything for a reason. So maybe rather focusing on the fix we want, we should focus on eternal things. We should focus on God and what he is doing through situations and people.

   Are you focused on your wishes or God's plan? What miracles do you see God doing in your life right now?

 

Using Your Gifts: Encanto Series

    The opening of the movie Encanto is a song called "The Family Madrigal." In the song, Mirabel tells village children about her family. See the Madrigal family is special because most of them have a special power. 

   These powers include healing, strength, the ability to talk to animals, control of the weather, and more. Each member of the family with powers has a job that helps the village thrive. And the village people are grateful for what this family does for them. 

   You may not have a special power like this family, but you do have a gift. Romans 12:6 talks about how we have spiritual gifts. It says: "We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith." God created us all unique and gave us each a different mission field. He gives us gifts to use for that mission and to reflect his glory. 

   Think about it: you are so special to God that he gave you the opportunity to be a part of His story. He gave you unique gifts and a unique mission. Without you, someone may not be blessed. That's not to say that God will not bless that person if you choose not to use your gifts. But it is to say you have been given the opportunity. You are an important part of the body of Christ. You are unique. You are loved. It is amazing to think about.

   So, what are your gifts? Are you using them to reflect God's glory?

 

Tell Them What They Can Do

    Have you ever been asked if you are a religious person? I have. It's a hard question to answer. I think that's because most people think of Christianity as a religion; and, in the eyes of the world, it is. But Christianity is different from any other religion. It is different because we don't just have religion we have relationship.

   Religion means rules and don'ts. It means you have guidelines for what you can and cannot do. And, yes, Christianity has parts of that. Like we should follow the ten commandments which tell us things like don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't lie, etc. But Christianity is mainly about the relationship between you and God.

   God sent Jesus to die on the cross so that he could be with us. When we sin, we become unholy, and God cannot be with anyone unholy. Jesus' blood makes us holy. When we choose to accept him as savior, he becomes the sacrifice needed to make us holy. Now we can have direct access to God. We can pray to him, and he hears us. He also can communicate with us, if we listen. 

   This whole principle reminds me of how in my education courses in college we were taught to have rules that told the children what they could do instead of what they can't. For example, rather than having the rule "don't run" have the rule that you should "walk." Most of us don't like to be told what we shouldn't do. We'd rather be told what we can do. And that's what relationship does. Christianity tells us we can go to God. We should show love to others. We should spread the gospel. Christianity is a relationship more than a religion and I'm so thankful for that.

   So, do you have a relationship with God? What are you thankful for about Christianity?

Take on the Day with the Holy Spirit

    You know, there are many times where I watch something and then it hits me that there is some sort of way to connect it to a spiritual discipline. That happened one day when I was watching an orange juice commercial. 

   The commercial starts with a lady drinking a cup of orange juice. There is a table and many people sitting around it. The lady asks them what is going to happen to her that day. The people go around and tell her exactly what is going to happen at the exact time it will happen; and none of it is good. The lady takes each event in stride. At the end she says, "good thing I had my orange juice."

   Well, that commercial is a lot like us and the Holy Spirit. There have been many days where I feel like almost everything is going wrong. But then I feel a nudge from the Holy Spirit, a God coincidence happens, or a verse or song comes to mind at just the right moment. Without the Spirit, I'm not sure I would make it through days like that. 

   God is a good father. He is three in one for a reason. Jesus came to complete the work on the cross. Then he told the disciples he had to leave but he wouldn't leave us alone. He would send a helper to be with us and guide us. That is the Holy Spirit. While we may not be able to see him, he is there. And it's nice to know that he is there, and we can take on each day with him.

   So, are you taking on each day with the Holy Spirit? How can you grow closer to God so you can feel the Spirit's leading more?

https://youtu.be/x-l-DEsFFGY?si=RNujcfnr3GjQcRBb 

What We All Need

    If I were to ask you the question: what is one thing, and only one thing, that everyone in the world needs, what would you say? You may think logically and say food, water, or air. You may think extravaganza and say a mansion with servants. But the answer is actually very simple: it's love.

   Oh my goodness, she is really saying all we need is love? Yeah, the song is right. Think about it: if someone loves you, they will give you what you need. See how I said what we need, not everything we want. For example, if you are a parent, you will work to give your child food, shelter, clothing, and water. You may even work to give them some of their wants. Because you love them, you provide for their needs.

   If all we need is love, and that's what we as Christians are called to give others, then why aren't people getting what they need? Are we actually spreading the love of Christ or have we lost that? What is our focus? If our focus is on conversion, then we drop off the face of the planet for that person is that love? 

   Love means we show the love of Christ. We lead others to the love of Christ as Savior and Lord. Then we stand beside that person as they grow in Christ. We continue to show them love as we do that. Then those people show that same love to others. 

   So, are you giving others what they need? How can you show love to everyone today?

In the Fire

    I've talked about feeling sukkerpunched before. Well, those times when everything seems to be going wrong or there's a lot of problems or changes can also feel like you are in a fire. Like you are getting burned.

   I've felt that way before. I feel that way now. There's a lot going on in my life right now. There are problems in almost every area of my life. But there is hope. We only need to look at the Bible to see the hope. Story after story tells us about people who had faith and hope in God.

   One specific story about faith in the fire is about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abbendago. They knew it was wrong to worship a graven image. If they chose not to worship it, they could lose their lives. They would be thrown in the furnace. That was the literal fire they were facing. They didn't know what would happen, but they trusted that God would be with them. They had hope that God would save them.

   They chose to follow God even though it was hard. They chose to do what was right even though it would impact their whole lives. Because they did that, God was with them in the fire. He saved them from death because they chose to follow him.

   So, when you are facing the fire what do you do? How can you trust God more in the fire?

https://youtu.be/AeBaS_w67Ak

Don't Settle

    A few years ago, I began the journey of online dating. I was older than most people were when I started dating. I knew it may be possible that I find someone who was following Jesus but wasn't quite what I had in mind for a husband. I wasn't expecting perfection, as no one is perfect, but I was hoping for someone who could walk through life with me and who was following God.

   As I began the journey, I talked with some guys who called themselves spiritual but didn't believe in Jesus as their personal savior. I stopped talking with them fairly quickly as I knew that I needed someone who would follow Christ. Then I talked with some who were believers in Christ, but something still didn't feel right.

   See, I knew that there wasn’t one perfect person out there for everyone. What I was looking for was someone who could lead our family in a biblical way. Anything else was a bonus. The guys I was talking with were Christian and some were even leaders in their churches so I knew they would be good as a husband. But something kept holding me back from agreeing to be their girlfriend.

   Then I met Nate. He believed in Christ and was a humble leader. In no way was Nate perfect, but he was following the same path I was, and I felt equally yoked to him. And, as a bonus, he had many of the same interests I did. 

   He was more than I could have hoped for. Because, for years, I thought something was wrong with me. I thought no one would want me because no one had shown an interest in me. But that was a lie. God wanted me. He wanted me to trust him. He wanted me to grow in him, lean on him, and love him before I could love another the way God loves. 

   He also wanted what is best for me and it was better than what I was expecting. I was ready to settle. When I say settle, I was ready to find a man who was following God. And, yes, that would have been enough and fine. But God had more in store for me. He had a different plan. And it was so much better than settling.

   So, are you where you need to be in your walk with God? How can you trust in his plan more each day?

Slipping Down the Cliff

     Sometimes I feel like Cliff Hanger from the show Between the Lions. I am holding onto the cliff, trying to climb it, but it doesn’t seem like I'm getting that far. Worse, there are times where it feels like I am slipping.

   What I mean is, when I am in a close relationship with God I am holding onto the cliff and climbing just fine. God's showing me which handholds and footholds to use. But when I miss spending time with him in his word or in prayer I begin to slip. I miss a handhold, and it feels like I am falling.

   These are times when life gets busy. You know the times I'm talking about. When you have school, work, activities for you or your family, church, vacations, bills, etc. And time just gets away from you. That's the time the Devil seems to love the most. He loves poking at your hands and feet to try to get you to slip away from God.

   But here's the thing, even though it's not always easy we do have a choice. When we begin to slip, maybe fall back into sin, we can choose to hold on. We can choose to reach up to God's hand that is right there to grab us.

Follow the Spirit's Leading

    Have you ever had a time when you felt the Spirit leading you to do something, but you chose not to do it? I know I have. One of the times that sticks in my brain the most is when I was in sixth grade. I was in a fight with my best friend. We had not been talking for at least three months.

   Then one day I got off the bus to walk home. My friend lived on my street. I felt the Spirit leading me to talk with her. To try to reconnect with her. To ask for forgiveness. But my pride got in the way. She was the one who wronged me. She should be the one to say sorry. She should make the first step toward reconnecting. 

   I didn't talk with her that day. The next day she wasn't on the bus. The cars that were normally at her house were gone. I had known they were moving but I had no idea it would be so soon. The spirit knew. The spirit told me to reconcile with her, but I chose not to listen. Now, later I did try to say sorry, but she was not receptive to it. Who knows, if I had tried to reconcile that day, maybe she would have been my friend again. I felt sorry and ashamed for not listening to the spirits leading.

   Another time I was at a church event. I was running the sound system. I had just turned the lights down for prayer and began playing a prayer playlist. The person up front was praying. Suddenly, I had a vision of someone I hadn't talked to or heard from in over a year. I saw her talking at the microphone in front of everyone. I heard her ask for prayer.

   I'm not going to lie, part of me didn't want to text her even though that's what I felt the Spirit telling me to do. I didn't want to because this was a girl who had been after my boyfriend. A girl who told me she hated me. And she had cut us off when we tried to help her. But I knew I should listen.

   I texted her that I felt the Spirit leading me to pray for her. Then prayed for her to grow in God and that she would be blessed. I heard back from her. She thanked me and asked me to pray for some more specific things and I did. I felt such peace and joy after I did that. And I don't know what me choosing to do that did for that girl, but we are called to follow the Spirit's leading. We may not see the outcome but it's our job to plant the seeds.

   So, are you following the Spirit's leading? How can you grow closer to God so you can know what he wants you to do?

Looking at the Sky

    As I grew in my faith, there were times I would look at the sky during worship. Most people I knew would bow down during worship because they did not feel worthy of the grace they received from God, or some other reason. I began to wonder why I would look up. Then I thought about my spiritual journey. 

   One of my biggest struggles has been being authentic with others. I used to wear a mask and pretend like everything was okay when it wasn’t. In looking to the sky, at God, I was saying, "I trust you. I know you see me. I know you love me for who I am because you made me."

   During these times it's like rain is washing over me. I feel his presence and acceptance. His acceptance of all of me. He loves me just the way I am. Now, he doesn't like my sinful nature. But he does love me enough to wash those sins away. And he does that for you too. It’s amazing to think about how the creator of the universe loves us so much and wants to have a relationship with us. He gave us the gift of worship and we should praise him for all he has done for us.

   So, do you have a specific way you like worshiping God? How can you make a point to praise God each day?

Take a Hike They Said

    Have you ever been hiking? It can be a fun experience depending on the difficulty and distance. Well one year my husband decided he wanted to hike to flat rock at Camp YoliJwa. I told him I'd do it if we did it in the morning so we could see the sunrise and so it was cooler. He agreed and we got my siblings and some of their friends to agree to do it as well. 

   We started out strong. Then we began to go up steep hills. I had done the hike before, but it had been a while. And this time I wasn't in the greatest shape, my allergies were acting up, my knee was in pain, and I had asthma. I had a lot going against me, but I wanted to try to make it. 

   I started to feel my breath becoming ragged, so I stopped. I continued after a bit. Then after a few more minutes I could feel it happening again. I stopped and took off the warmer layer I needed because it was cold. I let someone else take the lead at that point so I could go at a slower pace. It happened one more time after a bit. I sat on a rock this time.

   At that point I could feel a panic attack coming on. We were over 1 mile into a 5-mile hike. I felt like giving up and going back. I felt like I was a burden to the others and especially to my husband who stayed back with me. Then my husband asked how I was feeling. I said I felt like a burden. He said not to worry about the others but worry about myself. He said I was fighting a lot more than he was because he was just fighting being tired. He also said not to let it steal my joy. 

   Those were all the things I needed to hear. I had major fear in my heart of letting others down, of letting myself down. I was so focused on others and what they thought that I wasn't focused on me and my needs. I got back up. I kept walking even if it was slower than I wanted to. Eventually, I became the leader again for a time. Then we made it to flat rock. It was a nice view. 

   The trek back down the mountain was a lot easier. And we had some good conversations along the way. Had I decided to turn back, I would have missed out on the sights of God's creation and some bonding time with other Christians. I would have missed a lot if I would've listened to the fear and doubt. And that's how it is in most instances in life. If we listen to the fear and doubt Satan sends our way we miss out on good things. On the things God has planned for us.

   So what challenges are you facing now? How can you trust God in those challenges? How can you trust God when you are afraid and doubt?

When You Do Everything Right But...

    My husband and I enjoy the sport of archery. One day, after about twelve classes, I was shooting with a different bow. When you are shooting archery, you would think the goal would be to hit the bullseye every time. It is, but it takes a lot of steps to do that. If you have a sight, a tool that helps you aim, then your goal is to get a good grouping. That means you do everything consistently aiming at the middle of the target with your sight. If your sight is off, then you may not hit the bullseye. You shoot a round of three arrows then, if they group well, you move the sight based on where the grouping is.

   I moved my sight this day until I couldn't move it any farther to the right. But my arrows were still going to the right of the target. Different instructors kept coming over to try to help me figure out why they kept going to the right. They adjusted my technique in different ways, but the arrows kept going right. 

Finally, one of the lead instructors came over. She watched what I did. Then she said, "your technique looks good. Let me look at your bow." She looked at the bow and realized that it was the bow that was the problem. It was not meant to be shot that far for one thing. For another, it was a bow that wasn't really meant to have a sight so that made it harder. The instructor went to get me a different bow.

   I was thinking about how that event related to life. Sometimes it can feel like you are doing everything right, but things don't work out. You can show love to others, serve, grow in God by reading the Bible and praying, etc. but sometimes bad things still happen. Your friend still leaves, your job is still a stressor, you are having financial troubles, or whatever the problem is. 

   Now, obviously, no one is perfect but there are times where you just feel like you are doing everything you can to make the situation better but it's still not being fixed. Sometimes it's not you. Sometimes it is a test or a trial. Other times maybe Satan is attacking you. Whatever the reason, take heart. Just because things don't seem to be working out doesn't mean what you are doing isn't good. Keep pressing on and into God. Trust in his perfect plan. Then, one day, you will hit that bullseye.

   So, are you in a test or trial right now? Are you still doing your best to do what's right? If not, what can you do to grow in God and do what is right?

Spiritual Dryness

    Have you ever had a time where you felt like you were just spiritually dry? I mean you know what you believe. You know God is with you. You know he's helped you through hard times. You trust him. But you just don't feel the spirit in your life the way you used to?

   That happened to me after I got married. I'm not blaming my marriage but that's just the time period where I felt it most recently. I began to wonder why I felt that way. I knew Paul had talked about how people who are married focus more on the needs of their spouse and family, but it felt like there was something more there.

   I knew how I felt, and if you've been there, you know how you felt, but what do you do when you feel that way? The first step I took was I prayed. I asked God why I was feeling this way. I was still going to church, doing devotionals, listening to the word, listening to Christian songs, and doing all the things to get fed spiritually but it wasn't working so I didn't understand. That's when I realized I had been going through a season of going through the motions.

   You know when you just stick to the same routine but don't let it change you? When you lose focus of what should have number one priority. That's what happened. I was still doing all the things, but it was becoming a checklist instead of something that was truly digging deep into me, making me a tad uncomfortable, changing, and challenging me. That's a problem. 

   We should always be growing. It just depends on where we get our nutrients from as to if we are growing toward the Son or toward Satan. Instead of going through the motions I began to stop and meditate on each thing I was doing. If I read a verse, I would pause and think about how those words impacted me. If I listened to a song, I tried to let the words penetrate my heart and connect me to the Spirit. I paused, and that's something we all need to do from time to time to ensure we are not just going through the motions. 

   So, have you gone through a season of spiritual dryness? How can you grow in God each day?

A Milkshake Story

   One day we were out and about shopping as a family. It was around the time that we were becoming peckish, so we went to Chick-fil-A to get sustenance. We ordered our food, and my siblings went to find us a place to sit. Unfortunately, there was no place to be found.

   After waiting a bit, my mother found a place to sit so she sat quick. Much to my dismay, she had sat on the booth side. After reminding her that father and her usually sit on the chair side she went to get up. As she did, her milkshake fell to the floor with a crash! 

   We all sat down a bit more subdued than we were before. The food came and our peckishness (hangriness) went away. But we did not converse with one another due to how tense the situation was. 

   As the meal was ending, my sister pulled out her phone and said, "mother, would you like another milkshake?" My brother looked at my sister, pulled out his wallet, and said "I was going to get her one." Mom half smiled but said, as any mother who was a tad perturbed would say, "I don't need one, it is fine." My sister rolled her eyes, "that's not the point. You may not need one, but do you want one?" My brother did not wait for an answer. He got up and ordered her a peppermint milkshake.

   When it arrived, mother smiled. She didn't say it, but we could all tell that that one act of giving her a milkshake made her feel loved.

   It's funny to me when I ask people, "how have you felt loved lately?" People say things like, "someone brought me a snack when I was hungry," "someone wrote me a note," or "someone listened to me." People say little things make them feel loved. Yet, when we do those things for someone, we don't think they are a big deal. But to the person receiving that thing, it is.

   Many times, we think we need to do big things to show others how much we love them. That's not the case. Little things can make a big difference. John 15:12 says, "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." God is a good father who loves us. He gives us what we need. We are commanded to love as he loves. That means doing little things to show others love each day.

   So, are you showing love to others each day? If so, how? If not, how can you get better at showing others love?

 

Assuming

 This story is told with permission. Also, this is not a political post though it may seem like it at first.

   Once a friend told me a story of a time when they were having a party around the time of an election. For the party they would all have to wear crazy hats that everyone brought; but you didn't get to pick the hat you wore. It was chosen randomly, and you had to wear it all day. Then they went around the city to different places to eat and party. The friend was given a "make America great again" hat randomly. He was told he didn't actually have to wear it, but he thought he wanted to participate and that it would be fun. 

   They went out to different restaurants. People would come up to him and either welcome him and say good things about him and Trump or they would come up to him and yell at him and accuse him. At first when people randomly came up to my friend, he laughed and thought it was funny. But eventually, the angry people began to outweigh the welcoming people. And what hit my friend the most is that people wouldn't even come up to have a civilized conversation with him. They would just assume he was a Trump supporter and yell at him. 

   About halfway through the day, he began to feel disheartened. His friends could see it was impacting him. So, when people would come up to him, his friends would get in between him and them. Then they would explain that it was part of a party and for fun. Sometimes people would listen; other times they would continue to be upset. 

   These people didn't know anything about my friend. They didn't know who he was, what he believed, or where he came from. All they knew was he wore a Trump hat, so they assumed he believed in Trump and supported him. 

   Now, I'm sure this could have happened had someone worn a different political slogan hat. But the point that hurt my friend the most was that there was not even an effort for a conversation with him. No one came up to ask him what he believed, they just assumed. And all the negativities got to my friend. If he wasn't a believer and didn't have a joyful deposition, he told me he may have gone home and thought about committing suicide. 

   What has happened to us as a culture? When did what someone wears become more important than the fact that this person is a human being? Why do we choose to berate people because of who they are, what they look like, and what they believe? Whatever happened to having a conversation with someone to get to know them instead of judging them based on surface level things? Do you do these things or are you showing God's love to all no matter who they are, what they wear, and what they believe?

The Pull

    Have you ever felt like the world was pulling at you? Like your flesh wanted something or was focused on something that wasn’t in the Spirit? I know I have. That happens especially when I see some chocolate or yummy looking dessert that I know would be something I shouldn’t have. 

   What about the other way around though? Have you ever felt the spirit pulling at you to do something? I’ve talked about how as we mature in our faith; we end up committing sins of omission rather than commission. In other words, we sin when we don’t do something God is calling us to do rather than choosing to do something that is a blatant sin. Those are the ones that get me now.

   I’ll give you an example. Imagine you are at church one day and your leader says, “now we are going to have a time where we share testimonies of what God has done in your life this week.” Then the microphone is opened for people to go up and share. Suddenly, you feel this tug in your gut. That’s what I call the pull. You may begin to get butterflies. Your heart may beat faster. Your head may feel a bit dizzy. That’s how I feel the Spirit pulling me to do something.

   Now, I’ve felt the pull before, and I have not done anything about it. Usually, when that happens, I feel guilty or like I’ve missed out on doing something. Who knows? If I had done what the pull was calling me to do someone may have had a life-changing moment. But I don’t know that because I didn’t do anything about it. 

   James 4:17 talks about the sin of omission, or not doing what the pull is telling you to do. It says, “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” Knowing the right thing could be not doing one of those blatant sins. But it could also be feeling that calling to do something. It could be God leading you to grow and make a difference in someone else’s walk with Christ. But you won’t know that until you surrender to the pull.

   So, have you ever felt the pull? What happened when you surrendered to the pull? How can you grow in your relationship with God so that the next time you feel the pull you surrender to its leading?

https://youtu.be/rpNRACyUh9E

Wherever I Go

    One day I was at work and one of my coworkers came to give us a break. She also wanted to know when we were all getting together for dinner. Now, this was no easy feat to plan as some of the people had vastly different schedules.

   I, jokingly, said I was insulted because she didn’t mention inviting me earlier. She said she was planning on it, with one caveat. She said the games we were playing there wouldn’t be ones that were "clean." I said I like playing games but I'm sure we can make the fun and clean. She said, "girl you got to leave that bible stuff at home." I replied, "the bible is with me wherever I go."

   I reflected on that conversation. I've been a Christian pretty much my whole life. But there used to be a time where I didn’t necessarily have the Bible hidden in my heart. I didn’t always act like Christ.

   Now I've grown and I've learned how important the Bible is. It is the word of God. He gave it to us for encouragement, for guidance, and because he loves us. I can choose to sit idly by as someone sins or makes choices that could be dangerous. Or, I can choose to say, "I don’t agree with that, but I love you anyway." I don’t have to harp on them. I don’t have to get into an argument. And I definitely don’t have to judge who they are, where they come from, or what they are doing. I can show God's love just by choosing not to engage in the sin and still loving that person.

   But, in order to know what is right, we must know the word of God. That's why we need to get into the word, so it seeps into us. We need to let the words penetrate us, change us, and seep out of us.

   So, is the bible with you wherever you go? How can you know the word and grow in God?

https://youtu.be/SydRzqHUilk

IDK What's Going to Happen

    Lately I've been thinking a lot about the future. I try not to get too far ahead of God but this time it was bordering on worry. No matter how many times I tried to stop, something else would come up. Someone would say something about the future or ask about my future plans. I don’t have any. That made me spiral and worry about if I need to be worrying about the future.

   All that worrying is futile. It's not helping the situation. There's a saying that goes, "never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." I believe God has a plan for my life. I just don’t know what it is yet.

   There is one thing I do know; I know God is with me. He is for me. He loves me. As long as I seek him, I can never be out of his will for my life. He’s got this. He believes in me, when I doubt myself. I guess that was more than one thing, but you get my drift.

   Life isn’t easy and we are promised it wouldn’t be because if we follow Christ, the world will not like us. But there is purpose in the pain. And the pain will only last a little bit. Then we will be with our creator in heaven. That's the future I'm looking forward to. How about you?

https://youtu.be/ZtsOR-5iOPY

Give the Fight to God

    Have you ever had a time when you were going through something difficult? Just something bad happened. Like something that could change the course of your life. That's what happened to me one summer right before I went on vacation.

   This was my first vacation where I wasn't volunteering in years. I was going to South Carolina with my boyfriend to stay at his parents’ house. Honestly, I wasn't that nervous about that fact. But it could have also been due to the fact that I was preoccupied with this problem. We went there and I enjoyed my free time, but the problem was still in the back of my mind. I knew I'd have to face it when I went home.

   Sunday rolled around and we went to church. The pastor said he felt the spirit telling him that someone was there who needed to let something go in order to continue in their purpose for God. Now, I don't like going forward in front of people. Yes, I've preached before but that's different. This is going up and asking for help. I don't like bothering people or being perceived as weak. 

   I felt led to go forward but my brain was fighting my spirit. Eventually my spirit won, and I went up. I bowed at the alter and just poured out my spirit to God. A lady, who was one of their prayer partners, laid her hand on me and asked me what was going on. I filled her in on some of the problem. She prayed over me. She prayed that I would give the fight over to God. I hadn't even told her all the story and she prayed specifics about what was going on. After, I felt peace. The problem was still there but by letting someone in on it when God called me to, I had peace for the first time in a while. 

   So, when problems come up do you follow the leading of the spirit? Are you giving the fights in your life to God?

https://youtu.be/_6R-RqxkYMU

Power at Easter

    What do you think of when you hear the word power? Maybe you think of having something charge like a phone. You may think of someone or something strong like a lion. You may think of politics or money. But is that true power?

   God is the most powerful being ever. He showed his power through miracles. He showed his power through events like creation and plagues. But when it came to how God saved us at first it didn't seem that powerful.

   Looking at the Old Testament we see wonders like parting the red sea, the sun staying still, and walls falling. Jesus came as a baby. That doesn't seem to show that much power, does it? Sure, it was a virgin birth but that isn't that much of a show of power. It is more of a miracle. Amazing yes, but how many people knew that Mary was a virgin? 

   Then Jesus lived a normal life till he was 30. That's when he started performing miracles and teaching but again that didn't seem like much of a show of power. Then he died. 3 days later he rose again. That's powerful.

   But here's the thing, sometimes I think what we think of as powerful is something big, amazing, awe-inspiring, etc. What if power can be in little things? What if power is shown in little moments? Think about Jesus. He is the most powerful person ever alive. He showed his power through miracles both big and small. He touched people with small actions. He showed his love in small things too.

Power can be shown in sacrifice and surrender. We have true power when we give up things. Sounds counterintuitive, doesn't it? Jesus was able to do the greatest thing ever because he surrendered to the Father's will. He chose to sacrifice himself to show true power. 

   How do we get and show power then? You may or may not be able to perform miracles. You may not be able to use a lot of money to do great acts for others. But you can show power by giving yourself to God. You can show power by choosing to sacrifice for others each day, by showing love to others. Power can be shown in the small everyday acts we do.

   So, do you realize that power can be shown in little acts? How can you show power and love to others today?

https://youtu.be/cDYowE8B_q8

You Never Let Go

    One day I was at worship and a song was playing. It was a song I hadn't heard before, but the tune sounded familiar. For some reason the lyrics kept changing in my mind. I didn't know why my brain kept trying to find different lyrics for the song. I tried to focus on the actual song lyrics, but it wouldn't let me be. The problem was I couldn't find the actual words to the song in my brain. It was just a tune.

   I sat down and cleared my mind. It took a bit for the spirit to rest and clear my mind. When it did, I was able to find the words. The song lyrics were "through the calm and through the storm." I knew they were to a different song, but I couldn't figure out the rest of the lyrics for some reason. Finally, after sitting and listening to the spirit for a while I heard, "oh no you never let go."

   It was like a lightbulb went off. I had found the title to the song. The funny thing was I had just gone through an illness, and it took a lot out of me physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. And I was about to go into a work week where I knew I would face some new challenges. It felt like God was telling me that I needed to just stop and listen. You never know what you will hear when you do that. He was reminding me that I need to remember that he is always with me. Even when I'm at my lowest, he is still with me. He never lets go.

   So, have you been listening to the spirit? What do you feel when you do listen to the spirit? How can you grow in God today?

https://youtu.be/ca_oXqNoa0g

We Are Stewards

    In the movie trilogy The Lord of the Rings there is one character who seems to be not very good at his job and a little crazy. Denethor the 2 was the steward of Gondor. His job was to look after the kingdom of Gondor because there was no king. Now, if you've seen the movies, you know that Aragorn, a character in the fellowship, is the rightful king of Gondor. He just isn’t quite ready to take the throne.

   Denethor the 2 had two sons. He favored the one over the other. He ate food while the people in his charge were under siege. He sent his second son, whom he treaded like a slave in some ways, out to face an impossible task. He refused to call for aid for someone to come help his kingdom. When his son came back injured, he didn’t have a doctor help him. He just assumed he was dead. Then, as the orcs entered his kingdom, he attempted to burn himself and his son alive.

   Denethor the 2 was a very selfish man. He wasn’t using the resources he was given to help his people. Perhaps it was because he knew his reign as steward was coming to an end. Whatever the reason, he wasn’t doing his job.

   Now that I've told you all about Denethor's shortcomings you may be tempted to judge him. Before you do that, check yourself. You are a steward as well. Maybe not to a kingdom, but you are a steward, nonetheless. 1 Peter 4:10 says, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms."

   God gives us gifts. In fact, he’s given us everything we own. Because he gave it to us, we don’t own it. We are borrowing it. God gave it to us to steward for the time we are here on earth. We can’t take it with us when we die. We only have it while we are here. Thus, we must treat what we have been given with respect. We must treat it as a gift.

   So, how are you doing with stewarding what God has given you? How can you view everything you own as Gods and remember that daily?

https://youtu.be/UxkivkftpCQ

Penetrating

   One day I was at church during worship. In the past, I had not opened myself up to the Spirit's leading. It could have been because I was worried about how others perceived me or because I was concerned about the things of this world. That day I left all the distractions behind. I opened to the worship.

   Now, I know we are all different and worship in different ways. That's good because that's how God created us, different. Some people dance, others cry out, others just meditate on the words, and much more. But there's one thing we should all have in common during worship. We should allow the word to penetrate us.

   I don't know how you worship or if you've felt the spirit during that time. I hope you have. When I let myself go during worship I feel the words. I feel his words in my heart and my mind. He speaks to us when we listen.

   The Bible doesn't say that the word is dead. It says it is alive and active. It penetrates us. It doesn't just bash into us like a shield. It has a point. And we need to open ourselves to that point. That can be scary.

If you are like me, you like word pictures. Basically, I picture myself on a battlefield blocking things. But here comes something that you need to stop blocking. Oh yes, some things you need to block, namely sin. But this is something God sends to you. And you need to choose to stop blocking. You need to let it hit your chest and go to your heart. But when it hits you, it doesn't hurt. It feels good. You feel peace.

   So, are you allowing God's word to penetrate you? If not, how can you allow it to penetrate you each day?

https://youtu.be/k9NWBwqTQI4

Check Where You are Looking for Happiness

    Have you ever been hoping for someone to be something or do something for you? Maybe you are going through a hard time, and you are hoping someone will see that and help you out or encourage you. Or maybe you are expecting your significant other to show you affection, but they don't do it in the way you were expecting or wanted them to.

   In these times there is something we must do. We must check ourselves. What I mean is check our expectations, motivations, feelings, and thoughts. What are you expecting out of others? Are you expecting too much out of them or expecting them to be something they shouldn't be? What are your motivates for thinking these things? How are these thoughts making you feel? Are these thoughts true and beneficial or do you need to take them captive.

   You also need to check where you are looking for happiness. You may have heard it said that everyone has a God shaped hole in their heart. The problem is people look everywhere except God for things to fill that hole. We expect riches, people, or other things will fill that hole. We expect good things to happen to us. We expect others to do good things for us. But the problem is when we put these expectations on these things or people, we are creating a burden that that person or thing cannot carry or be.

   Your significant other cannot love you completely because they are imperfect. Your boss will not manage every situation in the correct way, or the way you think they should, because they are imperfect. Money will not satisfy your desires. Pleasures will leave you feeling empty. Nothing can satisfy you except one person. 

   God is the only one who can satisfy you. He is the only person who can fill that hole in your heart. If you don't know that or don't believe me, check out the book of Ecclesiastes. It was written by the wisest person, other than Jesus, King Solomon. He searched the world for what would bring him meaning. He found that money, pleasures, work, power, etc. were all meaningless. It didn't satisfy him. It won't satisfy you either. Only God can satisfy.

   So, are you looking for satisfaction in all the wrong places? How can you remember to seek after God every day?

https://youtu.be/rgT9uL_x-tE

Powerless Except For

    Have you ever had a time where you couldn't help someone because you just couldn't. It may have been an instance where they didn't need something physically, you couldn't cheer them up, or you just didn't know what to do for them because maybe they didn't even know what they needed. I've experienced that. It has happened many times but one time it happened within two days there were two instances where I was powerless to help someone I loved.

    The first time was when he didn't feel well. All I could do was give him meds and offer to get him something if he felt he needed it. Then I just sat there and watched as he was in pain. The next day he said he didn't have the greatest day because he was with a childhood friend who was struggling. I didn't know what was said in the conversation, but it was weighing on him. I tried distracting him, but I don't think I was that successful.

  In both situations I was powerless. I wanted to have something I could do, something I could fix. Something I could fight for him. But I couldn't. So, what I did in both situations is I prayed silently. I prayed for healing. I prayed for strength. I prayed for God to move in his life.

   Prayer is powerful. It is always powerful. But it is especially powerful when there's nothing, we can do ourselves. It's the first step we should take instead of the last. It's what we should do in every instance and not just use it as a cop out. You are not powerless because you have the God who created everything on your side. He loves you and created prayer so he could have a relationship with you. Are you conversing with him and asking him to move in your life?

https://youtu.be/DcqWc7QvSs4

A Dangerous, Good Walk

    One of the things I enjoy doing is watching movies. And, yes, I even enjoy romantic comedies. One day I was watching the movie called Bride Wars and I noticed something I hadn’t heard before. In the beginning of the movie Emma and Liv, the main characters, are going for a run/walk in the park. Liv complains that she wants to run with an I Pod. Emma replies with something along the lines of I Pods are for people who are afraid of their own thoughts.

   Later, Liv and Emma’s friendship takes a turn for the worse. Through a course of events, we can see how these characters change. Then one day Emma is running in the park, and we see that she had an I Pod. It seems that Emma was now afraid of her own thoughts, or at least that was the way she put it.

   One day I decided to do something dangerous. I decided to follow Emma’s first advice. I went on a walk without an I Pod, music, or anyone to talk to. Now this was especially dangerous at that time because I had a lot going on. I was a bit nervous to try it, because as an overthinker, it can be very scary to be alone with your thoughts. 

   I went on this walk and tried to clear my head. As I did that, I felt the spirit lead me. I began to recall words from the podcast I had heard earlier that week. I began to have questions pop in my head that were good questions. Those thoughts led me to peace. Because I chose to let the spirit lead me, I didn’t have any dangerous thoughts. I didn’t spiral. I didn’t overthink. And that happened because I trusted God.

   So, when was the last time you chose to spend some time talking with God? How can you follow God’s leading each day?

https://youtu.be/QHoahiRrDMI

Supposed To's

 What's with all the supposed to's?

It feels like it's nothing new.

We are supposed to have money to live comfortably,

But is that what we always see?

We are supposed to be always perfect and on,

But that wears us down to the point where we sing a sad song.

We are supposed to be happy all the time every day,

But that just makes us unreal I need to say.

What's with all the supposed to's?

It seems like there's so much to do.

We are supposed to obey the law,

But how can we do that for the long hall?

We are supposed to love others,

But what if someone doesn't act like a brother?

We are supposed to serve,

But what if you are overworked and on your last nerve?

What's with all the supposed to's?

God loves us no matter what we do.

We should lower our expectations and just be,

That's what God wants from you and me.

He wants us to grow,

And to reap the fruit we sow.

Faith in our work is what will show,

When we just learn to let God and let go.

So, are you focused too much on the supposed to's in life? How can you learn to lean on God and grow in him?

https://youtu.be/cGUaZPbW-s4

Know Your Objective

    One day my brother and I were playing a video game called Star Wars Battlefront 2. In it there is a campaign mode where you have certain objectives you need to complete. We were blazing through the levels till we hit one. And the reason we failed was for a very silly reason.

   We were about midway through the level and doing well. Then we were told to go to the library. We went and when we got there, we didn't know what to do. We just assumed we should destroy the bookcases. That's what we did. No sooner did we do that than we saw the word "defeat" come across the screen. Okay, not wanting to feel any more defeated than we already did, we tried again, and the same thing happened. The third time we actually went into the objective menu and found out we were supposed to defend the bookshelves. We were losing because we didn't know what we were to do.

   It is the same in life. We were all created for a purpose. We all have an objective. We are to reflect God's glory and tell others about him. If we didn't have an objective after being saved, why wouldn't God just take us to heaven after being born again? It's because we are here for a reason. We have a purpose.  Do you know that? Do you know what your objective in this life is?

https://youtu.be/hR8KLWWQLVQ

The Next Chapter

    I am a person who thrives in one-on-one meetings. I can thrive in groups if I'm comfortable and I can thrive on my own and need that to recharge at times but one on ones is where I feel most comfortable. That's how I usually meet with my friends. And that's how I was meeting with a friend from high school and college one day.

   Near the end of this meeting, I asked the question I usually ask my friends: is there anything I can be praying about for you? It was funny because even though it had been a year since we met my friend knew I would ask that question. She replied and then asked me the same question. I asked for prayer because I was falling into the trap of thinking my life was mundane. 

   Now this friend isn't one that just lets things like that rest. She wants to dig deeper, to search for the meaning behind the words we say. She said that I sounded like her sister who asked her the other day if her life has meaning. To this I immediately replied that I know my life has meaning. Then why are you feeling this way? She countered.

   This caused me to pause because I knew that I was feeling this way, but I didn't know why. I dug deep to try to figure out the reason. I spoke the words as the thought came to me, I was impatient for my next chapter of life. I was bored with my life in general. It was the same every day. Get up, get dressed, read my devotional, eat, work, eat, work, home, eat, relax, sleep, and do it all over.

   And there's nothing wrong with that schedule or your schedule you have. But I'm sure you've faced this problem too. You feel bored or like there's something more for you out there and you want it now. It's okay to want things. It's just that we shouldn't let the desire for those things or new chapters take away from the here and now. In looking at my life as mundane or boring I was missing out on little miracles right in front of me. I was missing out on a chapter God was writing in my book.

   Psalm 139:16 says, "Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them." God is writing our stories. He has a plan for each of us. We just need to surrender to his will. We need to be willing to enjoy each chapter of life no matter if we perceive it as hard or mundane because God put it there for a reason.

   So, what chapter are you going through in life right now? How do you feel about that chapter? How can you trust God with each chapter of your life?

https://youtu.be/geR0UBzDpdY

Footprints in the Snow

     As a kid, I enjoyed many activities in the snow. One of them was making footprints in the snow. Now, I was organized even as a child. I tried to make footprints only in one area. Also, I kept a specific area in the yard clear of footprints because I liked seeing snow without them in it, but that’s beside the point.

  Why did I enjoy making footprints? Well, other than enjoying acting like a giant, I liked making an impact on something. Once you put your foot in the snow and took two more steps you could look back and see what your shoe looked like. It was interesting looking at the details that the bottom of my boot made. Then I would race off to make a snowman or go sledding and not think about it much more after that.

   My footprint wouldn’t stay there long though. Inevitably more snow would come, someone else would step there, or the snow would melt. But that took time. 

It’s incredible to think about how temporary things are. One minute I made my impact on the world (literally if there was mud) and the next it was gone. That’s how our lives are too. One minute we are here and the next we are gone. Wow, morbid turn I know right. But it’s the truth. Our legacy will inevitably end and what then?

   What will matter in the long run? Will the house you have, the car you drove, how much money you have matter when you die? No, none of that will matter. What will matter? How can you have a legacy that lasts? Paul talks about this in Colossians 3:1-17. He says we are to put away the things of this world. We are to focus on Godly things such as compassion and love. Those are the things that will matter in heaven. That’s what will make a legacy, not for us but for God. And that’s what we should be focused on.

   So, are you focused on your legacy or on God’s and how you can make a difference for him on earth? How can you make an impact for the kingdom each day?

https://youtu.be/PYPJv0pfI3w

It's Good

To all my readers, I apologize for not posting for a while. For some reason, blogger would not allow me to post anything for some time and I do not know why. I am hoping the problem is fixed. Thank you for continuing to read my blog! 

My car is beginning to rust.

It costs so much to fix that my wallet may bust.

But it’s good.

I’m struggling at my job.

And the stress is so much it’s making my back throb.

But it’s good.

I may not be able to coach soccer.

That’s causing my heart to stir.

But it’s good.

I may not get married when I want.

And that’s making me sad if I’m being blunt.

But it’s good.

Things aren’t going the way I planned.

And I may not understand.

But it’s still good.

You may ask why?

Don’t get me wrong, I still cry.

But even through that, it’s still good.

It’s a really simple reason.

I may not enjoy every season. 

But it’s still good.

God is with me through it all.

He will never let me fall.

That’s why it’s still good.

So, through it all do you know it is still good? How can you trust God more each day?

https://youtu.be/_2G6PlSZxZ4

Let Go and Go Into the Unknown

    For much of my life I have gone to a small church. Then I went to a Bible college and learned a lot about God and theology. Now, because my church is so small, it wasn't always easy to find someone to fill in for preaching. One day someone, somewhat jokingly, asked me if I would preach for two weeks. I said yes and that's how I began being a fill in preacher for that church.

   Usually, when I am asked to preach, I wait a bit to see if I get inspired by God. If I'm meant to preach, something comes to me fairly quickly. Many times, it is something that either I can tell then applies to my life or I see it eventually apply to my life.

   One time I was asked to preach during a time of turmoil in my life. A lot was happening, and it wasn't really good things. Changes were coming and I didn't like change. Then I felt led to preach about someone who had to go into the unknown.

   Abraham and Sarah were asked to leave everything they knew. They were asked to leave their family and inheritance and just go where God showed them. That would make me so scared. I am someone who doesn't like change or comfort. And that's the season I was in as well.

   Then, when I was at church one day, there was a time of prophecy. Someone said their prophecy that God showed them was to let it go. Let go of some things. Let go of comfort. That made me realize that I needed to let go and trust God. I needed to go into the unknown God was asking me to.

   So, are you listening to God? Is God asking you to go into the unknown?

https://youtu.be/mh6NO0pWpYU