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?

In the Night

   Nighttime is a scary time sometimes if you are an overthinker. You know you need rest so you can face the next day, but for some reason your body wakes you up. Doesn't matter whether it's 1 or 4 o'clock, it's not fun. Because you try to get back to sleep but you just toss and turn.

   Did I get everything I need to get done for tomorrow?

   Why does my knee itch so much? Should I get it checked out?

   Is there someone I need to check on who I should be praying for?

   I can't believe how good God is that he would allow.... to happen.

   That last one seems out of place with the others. But when you have big feelings, excitement is included in that. You can be overwhelmed with thoughts and feelings so much so that your mind won't turn off. It doesn’t matter if those thoughts are what we would consider good or bad.

   What do we do then? How do we break the cycle and get the rest we need? I have found that taking time to fix my eyes on God is never a waste of time. This can come in many forms: reading the Bible, reading a book that draws you closer to God, meditating, praying, singing praises to him, writing your thoughts down and combating them with scripture.

   See the Devil will do anything he can to pull you away from God. That includes making you think about all the things you must do. That's why we must change our thinking. We must put on the armor of God and break the cycle.

   So many verses talk about thinking in the Bible that I would be remiss if I didn't point out more than one.

   "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:8

   We are to set our minds on the truth. Many times, when we spiral into darkness we focus on dark thoughts. That's why we must think of what is pure, lovely, and true.

   "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2 

   We hear this one used a lot but how often do we follow it. The word "transform" connotates change. When we accept Christ as our savior, not only should it change our actions but our thinking as well. In the dark, we should be thinking about the light-the will of God.

   'For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." Romans 8:5-6

   Worries tend to make us spiral. Even when good things happen, we tend to think about what could go wrong with them. But we must remember that anything we go through on earth is temporary. While here, we are to do our best to reflect God's glory. That means we spread the Gospel and love others, which is setting our mind on the spirit.

   While all those things may not be easy, and you may not wish to be thinking about them in the darkness of the night, it is important to remember to take our thoughts captive. When we start to overthink, we have a choice. We can continue to think those thoughts, or we can lean on God and remember his truth. He loves us and is with us no matter what we face.

   So, are you thinking of things that are pure and true? How can you transform your mind?

https://youtu.be/qk015E3FLZA

Rememberance

   Some of my friends are like Dory. Dory is a fish who has shirt term memory loss. It is hard for her to remember things that she just learned. We sometimes are like Dory too.
  There are things that happen in our lives that cause us to forget important ideas. We are to have remembrance of these ideals.
  Remembrance is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as: "an act of recalling to mind or a memory of a person, thing, or event." Though, in times of crisis, it’s not always easy to remember.
   When problem after problem comes along, we forget. When the bills are due, but we don't have quite enough to get by, we forget. When that person who brings us down or rubs us the wrong way does it again, we forget. We forget that we are loved. We forget that we are a child of God. We forget that everything on this earth is temporary. We forget to go to Christ with our problems.
   2 Corinthians 4:17-18 says "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." Many of the worries we have now are not going to matter in the long run. The only things that will matter in eternity is knowing Christ as our savior and how we serve others by bringing them to that same good news (now that doesn't mean we earn our salvation but I'm saying we are to spread the good news so others can know Christ as their savior).
   That is what we forget. We forget that God is with us and that we will spend eternity with him. That is what we need to remember when trials come.
   So, are you remembering what God has done for you? How can you spread the good news today?

https://youtu.be/OZPzOtxYnto

 

Hands Up in Battle

    Each day we wake up to a new morning and a new chance to grow in God. We may not know what battles we will face that day, but we know who is on our side as we face those battles. Yet, some battles are harder to face or defeat than others.

   In Exodus 17:8-16 the Israelites are fighting against the Amalekites. Joshua is leading the charge against them. Moses is standing on a hill holding his hands up to God. Now, maybe there's been a time where you had to stay in a certain position for a long time. Your body starts to have some kinks in it, but you keep going. Then your body begins to ache, and you just want to switch positions. That's probably how Moses was feeling. The only problem was, when he put his hands down, the Israelites began to lose the battle. Because of this, Aaron and Hur held up Moses' arms so they would win.

   This battle was in the physical realm, but it was in the spiritual realm where it was won. It emphasizes the fact that God is with them. It emphasizes that God won the battle for them. That's what we must do sometimes. We must be prepared to face our battles with God. And, when the battle draws on, we must remember to raise our hands to God. We must ask for his help and provision.

   So, what battles are you facing? Are you facing them with God or trying to face them on your own?

https://youtu.be/sxXU0kBlh1Q?si=Sdsh0gCZOsKJtswk

On the Rock

 The last nail was hammered into place. Your home is finished. It looks beautiful to you, and you are proud because you made it yourself. You are even more proud because you chose to build your home on solid land. Looking around at your neighbors you see that some of them chose to take the easy way. They did not spend much time on their foundation. Some chose to put their homes on dirt, others chose sand, sand! You shake your head at their choices.

Looking in the sky you see dark clouds. It seems like a storm is on its way. You walk inside your house and build a fire. The storm comes and you feel at peace in your new home. Glancing outside you see your neighbor’s home begins to slant. He chose to build his house on something that was not firm and now he was out trying to fix it, getting soaked. You whisper a quick prayer for him then sit back down in comfort.

A crash of thunder awakens you. You had dozed off. The storm got worse while you were asleep. You go to your window and see that lightning is flashing and the rain is pouring down. Can you really be confident in your handiwork? Will your house stay strong through this storm?

As you ask yourself these questions you look back outside. That’s odd, did you not used to be taller? Looking at the floor you realize that you have begun to sink. How?! Your rock began to turn to sand! How, you do not know but to make matters worse you realize something else. Your house was starting to lean.

With no time to waste, you grab some rope and try to tie your home together. But the sand does not make it easy to move. You try using some of the furniture in your home, you try using spare logs, you try using anything to get your home to stay up. Why had this happened? Had you not planned for any situation?!

Outside your window you see something in the distance. Could it be a boat? Around the boat the sky looked clearer. You see what looks like a person standing at the front of the boat. Suddenly a rush of wind hits you and you hear the words “be still.” What? How can you be still? Your house is beginning to break. You need to fix it quickly before the storm gets worse. Again, the voice comes, “be still.”

Realizing that you probably cannot fix your home anyway, you give it a shot. Letting go of your home, you sit in the middle of it. Your breathing begins to slow down as the storm is around you, as the sand sticks to you. You hear the words “I am with you.” Briefly you open your eyes. No one is there, just the same storm, sand, and broken home. 

Closing your eyes again you hear the word, “sing.” Sing?! Now!? That’s crazy. What would singing do? Well, what have you got to lose? The song “Word of God Speak” by MercyMe comes into your head. You begin to sing, “Word of God speak, Would You pour down like rain, Washing my eyes to see, Your majesty, To be still and know, That You're in this place, Please let me stay and rest, In Your holiness, Word of God speak.”

You lose yourself in the song. You realize that you had taken your eyes off of God, you had praised yourself, you had thought that something was more powerful than your creator. Prayerfully you ask for forgiveness. No sooner do you do that than you realize you don’t feel rain anymore. You open your eyes and see that not only is the rain gone, but your house is fixed, and it is back on solid rock!

It was counterintuitive for you to be still and sing, yet in doing that, God helped you! He fixed everything! He was your rock all along!

So, where are you building your house? How can you become stronger in your relationship with God?

https://youtu.be/FNUri_-LKOk

He Doesn't Make Mistakes

    The movie Mom’s Night Out is one of my mom’s favorite movies. It does a nice job balancing comedy, family fun, and Christian messages. One of the most impactful scenes is when a biker named Bones is talking with Allyson, the main character, and a mom. You can find the clip at the end of this blog post.

   In this clip, Allyson is beating herself up. She does this for much of the movie. She seems to be a bit of a perfectionist. She thinks she isn’t enough. That she isn’t doing enough. I am sure some of you mothers may have felt that way before.

   Bones starts talking about his mother and the impact she made on him. He reminds Allyson about an undeniable fact: God loves you. God loves you no matter what you have done, what you think, what you say, etc. He loves you. It is amazing to think about.

   Then Bones goes on to remind Allyson of another fact: God doesn’t make mistakes. He says: “Let me tell you something, girl. I doubt the Good Lord made a mistake giving your kiddos the mama He did. So you just be you. He'll take care of the rest.” God put you in this place, in this time, in this moment for a reason. We may not always know what that reason is, but we cannot doubt that God is with us and that he doesn’t make mistakes.

   So, do you believe that God is with you and loves you? How can you remind yourself of those facts each day?

Clip: https://youtu.be/K_aY2M5hxyw 

A Tale of Two Thieves

    It is a Friday. A man who people thought would be king, is now walking through the streets carrying a cross on his way to Gethsemane to die. The crowd cries out, spits on him, and yell in anger. 

   Finally, the man arrives at the hill. His body is spread out on the wooden beams. One hand is gripped firmly as a nail is pounded into his flesh. This process is continued with his other hand and his feet. Then the cross is lifted up so that all can see the man. Above the man's head is a sign that says, "This is the King of the Jews."

   Time passes as the crowd watches, waiting for him to die, waiting for some kind of miracle. The soldiers stand waiting to quicken the process to death if needed. The man hears a voice above the din. "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" This came from one of the criminals on the cross. 

   On the other side of him, he hears another voice, "Don't you fear God, since you are under the same sentence? We are getting punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." The man then looked at Jesus, "Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom. 

   Jesus, who was the man on the middle cross replied, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

 

   There were two thieves on the cross. One mocked Jesus and, in his pride, expected Jesus to save himself and him. The other, humbled himself and knew he was getting what he deserved. He asked Jesus to save him. Which thief are you?

Looking through Your Worldview Lense

   I attended Lancaster Bible College for 4 and 1/2 years. While there, there was one topic that was always talked about. During Freshman year I don't think that I was in a single class that did not mention at least one part of this idea of a Worldview.
   Every person has their own Worldview whether they know it or not. Your Worldview is based off of people you know, your life experience, and so much more. You may not know all of the parts of your Worldview but let me give you an example of a situation where your Worldview would come into play.
   Imagine you just had a long day at work/school and you knew you had another meeting where you had to go back to work/school. You knew you needed a break before your meeting so you went out to grab a bite to eat and your favorite beverage. You come back to work/school fairly refreshed from your food but you had some of your beverage left over. You go down the stairs and open the door to work/school and pick up your beverage but your drink falls and spills all over the floor. One of your fellow employees/school chums sees that there is a mess. The employee/school chum helps you clean up the mess.
Now, you may be asking how in the world that situation has to do with your worldview. I'm glad you asked. There are different parts of your Worldview that would impact how you view this situation.
   1. Your view of God-in this situation you could be thinking God hates me because this happened even though I'm in a hurry to get to my meeting. Or, you could be thinking thank you God for sending my fellow employee/school chum to help me clean up my mess. Who knows, maybe because of that spill something good happened. You could have impacted that person, you could have made a new friend, you could influence that person to come to Christ, or you could have avoided another disaster that would happen in the future.
   2. Your view of the world-you could be thinking the world is a horrible place because you lost your drink, you have this meeting, and it just isn't fair that everything happens to you. Or, you could be thinking the world is such a great place because it could have been much worse. I could have fallen down the steps with this drink and gotten hurt, the drink could have gotten all over me, etc.
   3. Your view of people-you could think that you wish another person would come to help. You could also think that you can handle cleaning this up yourself because you don't want to owe this person. Or, you could think that person was so nice to help me clean this up. You could say thank you to that person and strike up a conversation in order to make a new friend.
   How you view God, the world, and people impacts how you act every day. Thus this also goes as far as to say that how people treat you says what their Worldview is like.
   This is what I want you to think about: there is power in perspective. Getting to know others and their Worldview helps you to walk in their shoes. It helps you see who they are and why they do what they do. P.S. worldviews are always changing because we change with experience.
   So, do you know what your Worldview is? Are you trying to understand others through their Worldview?
   John 13:34 and Ecclesiastes 3

The Epic Battles Going on Around Us

   Picture this: there is a man named Al in an elevator waiting to reach the ground floor. What he doesn't know is that up above him there is an epic battle going on. Buzz Lightyear is facing off against his father, Zurg. Buzz aims his laser gun at Zurg and misses. Zurg takes a shot back at Buzz, but Buzz does a kick flip to miss the shot. Finally Zurg gets Buzz to fall on his back. Zurg tells Buzz to give up. Buzz says, "I'll never give up you killed my father." Zurg replies "No, Buzz, I am your father." Buzz cries out, "Noooooo!" Thus ends the epic battle (Toy Story 2).
   What I find interesting about that story is that Al did not know that this epic battle was going on above him. You may laugh at that but let me give you another story.
   You and a friend are walking down the street. You have known this friend for a long time and you know that he/she is not a Christian. You have been trying to help this friend out because you know that he/she has gone through some hard times. Suddenly your friend tells you that he/she does not know why life is worth living. Stunned, you are not sure what to say.
   What you don't know is that above you there is an epic battle going on. An angel is locked in battle with a demon. The demon is so close to getting to your friend but the angel swoops in and blocks the demon's blow with a sword. They continue to battle against one another. Suddenly another angel and demon appear above you. Then more angels and demons come locked in heated battle. There are epic battles going on all around you.
   Many times we talk a lot about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Devil; but we don't talk a lot about the angels and demons. If we believe in the Trinity and Satan then we need to believe in the angels and demons as well. Biblically we see both angels and demons. We know that that Bible is true therefore we must believe in both.
   Am I saying that each of us have a guardian angel? No that cannot be proven biblically. But do we have angels looking out for us? One only has to look at Hebrews 1:14 to find the answer: "Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?" We may not have a guardian angel but we definitely have angels looking out for us. This should bring us comfort because we know that no matter what happens God is looking out for us and he has a plan. We just need to trust him.
   So, do you believe there are epic battles going on around you even if you cannot see them? Do you believe that God has a plan for your life? Will you trust him no matter what happens? 

   Hebrews 1:14, 2 Corinthians 12:4, Ephesians 6:11

Building a Foundation

   My family enjoys playing games. One game we have begun playing is Llamas Unleashed. The goal of this game is to get 7 animals in your field. It is easier said than done though as people can place cards that help them, hinder you, and stop you from placing a card. As I have played it a few times I have discovered that even though the goal is to get 7 animals in your field it is important to build a foundation first.
   What I mean by that is you should place the upgrade (cards that help you) and downgrade (cards that hinder your opponents) first. Why? Because they help you ask the game goes on. They are also a way for you to have your opponent’s get rid of their instant cards (cards that stop you from playing cards). When playing this game, it is important for you to have a plan. 
   In life it is also vital to build a foundation. If you are a Christian and you do not have a firm foundation, then you will most likely fall or not make an impact for the kingdom. We must have a foundation in Christ in order to truly make a difference in this world. To do that we need to be in the Word, pray with God, and be in fellowship with other believers. The Word is what we base our decisions off of. Being in prayer with God gives us a relationship with him. And being in fellowship with others helps us grow and gives us people to lift us up and keep us accountable.
   In this life we will have troubles. When those troubles come up if we do not have a firm foundation in the Lord we will fall. God wants to have a relationship with us. He wants to use us to further His kingdom. That's why he doesn't take us away when we accept him into our hearts. He isn't finished with us yet. God has a purpose for us. If we choose not to build our foundation though, then we will not make as much of an impact for the Lord.
   So, are you building a firm foundation in God? What can you do to make sure you have a foundation in God?
   Image from here.

Do You Believe in Miracles?

I love stories. I enjoy reading them, watching them in videos, and hearing them from people. I don't really know why I enjoy stories so much. Maybe it's because I grew up with people reading them to me. Maybe it's because they take me on new adventures. Or, maybe it is a combination of reasons.
Now that I am a teacher I read many stories to students. The students love hearing the stories. However, I've found that there is one genre of stories that students enjoy hearing a lot: fairy tales. I also like hearing fairy tales. I am talking about the "and they all lived happily ever after" ones not the gross ones. Why is it that we enjoy fairy tales so much?
I think there are a few reasons we enjoy fairy tales. One is the fact that the characters "All live happily ever after." We know that problems happen in the story but we also know it will all turn out alright. Another reason is the stories are not real. We get tired of reality and how nothing seems to go right. The final reason is because there is usually some element of magic in these stories.
Now, again, before you call me a heretic for saying I enjoy these stories because of magic, hear me out. What is the magic in these stories? The magic that happens are things that usually cannot occur in real life. The magic is impossible. We enjoy impossible things. It excites us. It enamors us. It makes us believe that there's something, or someone, more out there.
Well, believe it or not there is magic that occurs in real life. No, we don't have fairies going around granting wishes. What we have is something better: we have God. No, God doesn't work like the magical items or people in fairy tales. Instead, he works things for our good. He does this in everyday things and occurrences. He does this in everyday miracles.
Psalm 77:14 says: "You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples." Think back to Bible times: how many miracles can you point out? There are over 150* miracles just listed in the Bible. Does God still perform miracles today? Maybe not like he did in the bible but he still works miracles. The problem is we tend to not see it. A miracle could be you are really thirsty but you cannot get to a water fountain and you don't have a water bottle. Then someone comes up and gives you a water bottle. That's a miracle! That person had no reason to come up and give you a water bottle and yet, he did!
Now, that's not to say that God doesn't still perform miracles like he did back in Bible times. We hear of amazing stories of people praying for healing for someone and that person is miraculously healed. We hear of stories of many people coming to Christ. That's a miracle! We hear stories of people being saved from very scary situations. Those things that happen are miracles. And, we need to be sure that when these miracles happen, we thank and praise God! He is the one who works things for our good. He is the God of miracles. He's the God of making impossible things possible.
So, do you believe in miracles? Do you praise God when miracles happen? 
* https://www.spiritoflifeag.com/how-many-miracles-are-there-in-the-bible/

Image from here.

Are You Actively Involved?

   I've recently been told I am a "sporty girl." I don't entirely agree with that. I enjoy wearing athletic clothing and playing sports. However, I do not enjoy watching sports. Can I watch a game if it is on? Yes, but I'd rather play sports than watch them. And, if I'm being honest, I don't really enjoy working out or running. Do I work out? Yes, but it's a struggle if I'm not playing a game or a sport while working out.
   Now, you may be wondering, again, what this has to do with God or the Christian faith. I'm glad you asked again. Sometimes Christians have a tendency to just watch. They look at the world and see the sin, they see the hurting, they see what other Christians are doing for the kingdom, or they see things they could be doing themselves and they choose not to join in. You may have heard the quote "life's not a spectator sport." Well, the Christian life isn't a spectator life either.
   James 2:14 says: "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?" James is saying that if we have faith we should show it through our actions. He isn't saying that our works get us saved (which is how some interpret this verse). He is saying that if we believe in Christ we will emulate Christ in our everyday lives. When we see someone who is hurting and feel called to help him we will listen to the call. When we feel led to pray for someone we will do it.
   If we don't show our faith in our actions it does us, others, and the kingdom no good. Being Christian should change our thinking. Being Christian should make us want to help a hurting world. Being Christian should make us want to be more like Christ in our actions, words, and thoughts.
   So, are you actively involved in the Christian faith? How are you working each day to show Christ? 

   Image from here.

Murphy's Law

   This year in 2020 has been an interesting one. Many people thought 2020 would be a great year. They had goals for 2020. They may have wanted to have a certain amount of churches open by that time. Maybe they wanted to be in a certain job or position. No matter what you were hoping for in 2020, with everything that has gone on, I'm sure it hasn't gone the way you were expecting or planning.

   I know 2020 hasn't gone the way I was expecting. I've semi acquainted this year with the year of Murphy's law for myself (anything that can go wrong will go wrong). I have gotten the flu, gotten strep, lost the ability to coach a Jr. High team and a collegiate team team in the spring, had to learn how to do zoom meetings with students, had to learn how to do looms to present things, been quarantined for 3 months, and had to roll with many changes to my workplace to name a few things. I'm sure you have faced some of the same challenges and probably many others. It seems like 2020 has taken a lot from us. It's taken our health, freedom, loved ones, security, jobs, and much more. Many people probably wonder: where is God in all of this? Why would God allow this to happen?
   It's easy to focus on all the negative things that have happened this year. But, what about the good things that have happened? Look back at this year thus far. I challenge you to really think about positive things that have happened this year. For myself I got closer with my co-workers, got to spend time with my family, was able to create many different activities for students, got to relax, spent more time with God, was able to paint and write, was able to support my family in a time of need, and much more. It's funny how quarantine and the different things that have happened this year have actually helped me slow down and build better relationships with those around me. It's also reminded me that even though "normal" life may be hard at times we should be thankful for what we have. We should be thankful because we never know when those things may be taken away. We should be thankful because when those things happen we have someone to lean on. God promises us that he will never leave us or forsake us.
   So, even though 2020 may seem like Murphy's law thus far, will you choose to look for the positive? Will you trust in God and his plan?
Proverbs 3:5-6 and Philippians 4:8

Image from here.

Why Do We Freak Ourselves Out?

   I am an over thinker. I have finally admitted that to myself after many years of trying to deny it. Oh, it's not always bad, sometimes I come up with great blogs or stories by over thinking. But, many times it gets me in trouble.
One day I was at work and I saw a parent of one of my students go in to talk with my boss. I automatically thought through things I may have done wrong. Then I realized I was making myself anxious, which is not good to do when you are teaching children (they tend to pick up on how you are feeling).
   That's when I chose then to ignore what I just saw. I would run myself ragged thinking about what they could be talking about when it wasn't my business in the first place. The only way it would become my business is if the parent or my boss told me. In the end my boss told me that the parent was happy with the progress his/her child made in class. It turned out to be a good thing; but it could have been very bad if I would have made myself sick by worrying about it.
   Many times we worry over things we don't need to. What will I eat? Where will I live? What job should I take? What school should I go to? We are very good at making ourselves anxious over things that God says we don't need to worry about. Matthew 6:25 says: "Therefore I tell you do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?"
   When I was in that situation I was worried about the status of my job. God knows my needs and will provide for them. If I would've lost my job, God would provide for my needs. He cares for everything he created. He cares for each person. He cares for me. He knows my needs and wants. He provides me with what I need so that his plan for my life will come about. I just need to surrender to his will.
   Surrendering is difficult for many of us. We want to have control over our lives. If we try to control our lives then that means we are trying to take care of ourselves. In the end our strength will fail because we cannot go through this life without leaning on God. I don't know about you but I'd rather let God handle my problems and enjoy today because I don't know if I'll get a tomorrow.
   So, do you worry too much? Will you surrender to God's will for your life? What can you do to trust God more? 

   Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Peter 5:7, Matthew 6:25-34

   Image from here.

The Lord Gives and Takes: Job

   When looking at the Bible many people were tested. However, there was one person who was tested to the extreme measure: Job.

   In Job 1 we find out that Job was very rich and followed God. By all accounts Job was what we would consider by today’s standards, a good person. He cared for his servants, possessions, family, and God. Then one day disaster struck: one servant after another came to tell Job bad news. In the end it turned out that Job’s oxen, donkeys, sheep, servants, camels, and children were all taken or dead.

   Could you imagine if all of your possessions were taken from you in one fell swoop? That’s exactly what happened to Job. He had all of his possessions taken. He had his children taken. Many of us would have yelled at God and asked him why this happened. Job said “the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job.1.21).

   Job recognized something that many of us have a hard time understanding. God has given us everything we have. You may say, “well I worked for my money and used it to buy everything I have.” Who gave you your job? Who gave you the talents you have to get that job? That’s right, God gave you those things.

   These days we are going through are not easy. But rather than look at what we lost maybe we need to be like Job? Job lost everything that we consider important on the earth except for his spouse. And, he didn’t even know why it happened! Job had extreme faith in God. He trusted that God was still working for good. He gave thanks to God even in his difficult circumstance.

   1 Thessalonians 5:18 says: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” We are to give thanks in all circumstances. That means when we are offered a job promotion we give thanks. When we lose our job we are to give thanks. When things don't go the way we planned we are to give thanks. When a family member or friend is diagnosed with a serious illness we are to give thanks. We don’t just give thanks in the good, we give thanks in the bad too. We do that because we trust that God has a plan, even if we don’t know what that plan is.

   I encourage you to think about what you lost and what you still have. Think about what God has blessed you with over the years. Thank him for all he has done, is doing, and will do in your life.

   Image from here.

Faith in the Unknown: Noah

   There are many people who have gone through hard times in history. In the Bible, in particular, there are people who had to go through things that required lots of faith. Noah was one of these people.

   In Genesis 6-9 we find the story of Noah. There was wickedness all over the earth. God looked on the earth and saw that evil was all that the people on earth thought about all the time. Could you imagine everyone only thinking evil all the time? Well, that’s the world Noah was living in. He was fighting a spiritual battle by himself. Actually, not by himself, he had God on his side. God saw that and asked Noah to do something that had never been done before.

   You know the rest of the story. Noah built the ark, had 2 of every kind of animal on the ark, stayed on the ark for many days during the flood, and when he got off the ark he built an alter to God. Noah was asked to; in essence, spend many years doing the impossible. He obeyed God in every instruction; and, because of that, he and his family were spared.

   Like Noah, we may feel we are facing an impossible situation right now. The virus is changing our society very quickly. Many stores are closed and many are out of work. We are being asked to stay home so we don’t spread the virus. We don’t know how long it will be this way. Like Noah, we have many unknowns at this point.

   But, from Noah’s story we can see that God does have a plan. We may not know that plan at this point but we know that God works everything for good for those who love him. Romans 8:28 says: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” It is hard to be living this way right now. Many people are unsure of what to expect next as each day brings new challenges.

   I encourage you to remember Noah’s story. Remember how Noah was asked to do something never done before. Remember how in faith he obeyed all of God’s commands. Remember how God works for good for those who love him.

   Image from here.

Don't Doubt

   As a soccer coach I have the experience of not only dealing with my emotions but also the emotions of my players. After a game I may be feeling happy, sad, or angry. But, I have to push aside my feelings and help the girls with their feelings.
   One time my team had just lost a tough game 6-0. All of my girls were down but there was one who just wasn't acting like herself, let's call her Kathy. Kathy came over to get one of the coolers to put on the bus. I asked her, "are you okay?"  She said she was "fine."
   Now, my players know that when I ask that question I expect an honest answer and I will help them if I can. I knew this girl wasn't telling me the whole truth. I pulled her aside and I said, "you know what fine means right? Freaked out, insecure, neurotic, and emotional." She laughed. 

   Then I asked her again, "what's wrong?" She started to cry as she told me about how she felt she didn't play that well and that the team started to yell at each other. I encouraged her and said, "yes we have a lot to work on but give it some time." Then I encouraged her and told her not to doubt her abilities.
   We went back to school and she came over to me. She hugged me and said "thanks for being a great coach." I gave her a look and she said, "what?" I said, "I'm not sure I'm such a great coach." She said "don't doubt yourself."
   I have had a lot of experiences like this. I like to encourage others and make them laugh. But, I have insecurities as well. I doubt my abilities because I listen to the voices in my head that tell me, "you are not good at this. You should have done it this way. You are a failure." I'm sure you've had this happen to you at some point as well.
   That's when I need to look at God's word. He tells me I am beautiful, worthy, and loved. If he knows this and tells me it, why can't I believe it? I think the issue isn't that I don't believe it. It's that I remember at times and forget at times. During the God high times, I am able to help others more and feel confident. Then I begin to slack in my time with God or go through a hard time and I forget who I am to him.
   If God loves us enough to die so he can have a personal relationship with us, why do we doubt the abilities and talents he's given us? It's because the devil reminds us of our shortcomings. It's because we are still sinners and imperfect. But if we stand on the promises of God, then we will remember who we are in God.
   So, do you doubt your abilities? Do you believe God loves you? Will you choose to believe in yourself in God?

   James 1:6 and Matthew 21:21

   Image from here.

Kindergarten Graduation

   Last year I was blessed to be a Kindergarten teacher.  I specifically remember Kindergarten Graduation. The students worked so hard to memorize songs, lines, and verses. They did a phenomenal job!

   I have experienced graduations when I was young as well as when I was old. I do not remember my personal preschool graduation, but I do remember many preschool graduations I helped out with. They are a little different from High School and College graduations. In High School and College students who graduate are looking forward to either College or the real world. Those graduations are a milestone and very serious.

   What is the difference between preschool/kindergarten graduation and High School/College graduation? For one thing, Preschool and Kindergarten students are younger. As stated before, High School and College graduates are going into the real world. But, at Kindergarten graduation I was reminded of another difference.

   In Matthew 18 the disciples went to Jesus and asked him “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Jesus called a child to him and said that unless we become like little children we will not enter the kingdom of heaven. It is difficult for the disciples to understand this lesson. In fact, it is difficult for anyone who has not had interaction with children to understand this.

   At Kindergarten Graduation I was reminded of this lesson. I watched my students put on their caps and gowns, look at their gifts, and talk with excitement about the ceremony. Their eyes lit up with every kind word, hug, and gift they received. Then the ceremony began. The kids sang their hearts out. They had such enthusiasm when they sang; and, if they messed up, they did not care. They just kept singing.

   Children have an innate curiosity about the world around them and faith in those around them. As we grow, we tend to lose our curiosity and faith. We also tend to lose our thankfulness for the things God has given us.

   So, whether you are younger or older, graduating or not I encourage you to remember to have faith like a child. Will you choose to be thankful for what you have been given? Will you be enthusiastic and curious about the world around you?

   Matthew 18:1-5, Jeremiah 29:11, Mark 10:13-16

   Image from here.

Our Salvation is Protection: The Armor of God Series

   "No man is excluded from calling upon God, the gate of salvation is set open unto all men: neither is there any other thing which keepeth us back from entering in, save only our own unbelief" (John Calvin).

   I grew up in the church my whole life. When I was in second grade my Sunday school teacher asked us if anyone wanted to pray "the prayer" to accept Christ. I thought I understood what that meant so I prayed the prayer, but I wasn't sure. When I was going into 4th grade I was at Camp YoliJwa and I prayed to redirect my life to Christ again.

   When I grew up in went to camp YoliJwa again the year before 11th grade. My counselor told me that she used to do drugs. She had other issues too. She got so low that she took pills to kill herself. But, the overdose didn't work. She sat in her room and saw a Bible. She was really mad at God so she threw the Bible. The Bible hit the wall and fell to the ground. My counselor went over and picked it up. A specific verse jumped off the page at her Romans 8:38-39 " For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." She had thought she would never be worthy of anyone, let alone God. She prayed the same prayer I did.

   The helmet was another vital piece of a soldiers armor because it protected the head. Many enemies would go for the head because it was a quick way to defeat the enemy, thus why the helmet was needed.

   In the life of a Christian the helmet of salvation is our knowledge of salvation. We know we are saved but our job isn't done. We are called to go save others by sharing our testimonies. Both my counselor and I prayed the prayer of salvation but our testimonies are not the same. Some people may relate to my testimony more than hers and vise versa. But we both share our testimonies to reach others nonetheless.

   Christians have our story as a tool to help us spread the Gospel. Our testimony is also a defense like the helmet. There are times when we all get really low. But if we know what we believe and why we believe it we can say "Jesus is my lord and he has saved me." That is the knowledge we can rest in and share with others.

   So, will you put on the helmet of salvation if you have not already? Do you find rest in the fact that Jesus has saved you? Will you spread that good news with others? 

   Romans 10:9-10, Matthew 19:25-26, Ephesians 6:10-18
   Image from here. 

Where is Your Focus?

   Have you ever used a digital camera? If you have you know that a camera has many parts that help it to focus. It is important for the camera to be able to focus otherwise the picture isn't clear.
   Our eyes also have many parts that help us focus on things. We choose where we look and what we look past. Try this: pick up a pencil and hold it an arm’s length away right in front of your face. Look at the pencil. The background behind the pencil probably looks blurry. Now look past the pencil at the background. The pencil should have become blurry.
   It's funny how God made our eyes work. We are only able to focus on one thing at a time, either what is in front of us or what is past it. 
   We can relate this to our lives. We can focus on what is closest to us. We have that choice. We can choose to focus on the problems closest to us. Interestingly enough most of the time it is just one little problem that we focus on, just like the pencil was little. Or, we can choose to look past the problem at the big picture. When we look at the big picture our problem comes out of focus and we see it isn't that big at all.
   That's the view that God has. Many people say that Christians saying "everything happens for a reason" is a cop out. They want us to stop saying that because we can't explain why we say it. We just say over and over that God has a plan.
   But, if we think of our problems like that pencil then we can see our problems the way God sees them. None of us know the future. We just know what is happening right now. All we see is the pencil. 
   God is able to see that pencil/problem woven within the big picture. He knows why that problem is important in your life and he's willing to help you with that problem. We just need to ask him for help. If we lean on God then he can help us past those problems. He can help us come to him and grow in him, as long as our focus stays on him instead of our problems.
   So, will you focus on the little problems you have? Will you choose to lean on God during your problems? Will you trust that God has a plan for your life?

   2 Corinthians 4:18, Romans 8:28, Proverbs 3:5-6
   Image from here.