Miracle Child

   About two weeks ago I woke up still pregnant but feeling different. I began to feel some cramps throughout the day but I wasn't sure if it was normal or something to do with my digestion. I continued on with my day. But I did tell my husband that we needed to get certain things done that day because I just had a gut feeling. 

   That night I went to bed later due to a world cup match being on. As I tried to go to sleep, I continued feeling cramps. These continued through the night. I had just downloaded a contraction app that night. Around 3:30 I began timing what was happening and the app said I should go to the hospital. I called my OBGYN and she recommended I come to the hospital as well. I woke my husband up and we left. 

   At the hospital they checked to see where I was at. I had made it to 6 cm before going to the hospital, which was part of my goal. I continued being in active labor for a few more hours. During that time, I had my husband play a playlist I had made for labor. I had purposely chosen Christian music to play because I knew I would need to focus on God during that time. Doctors and nurses would come in and say how they appreciated the music that was playing. It was nice to know that others were inspired by the music too.

   Fast forward to after I finished pushing for thirty minutes and the baby had arrived. He was crying immediately. I said to my husband, "well at least I know he didn't come out blue like I did when I was born." See, I wasn't breathing when I came out so it was a relief to hear him crying. 

   After they had put him on me, and worked on me, one of the doctors came over to me. She said, "based on the music you were listening to, I'm going to assume you believe in miracles." Then she showed us the umbilical cord. There was a knot in it. The doctor said, "there was a knot in your umbilical cord. Your child is a miracle child as he could have had more complications because of this knot but he didn't." 

   I looked at my husband and smiled as much as I could with how tired I was. Since finding out we were pregnant, we had prayed for a few specific things. We prayed the baby would be healthy, that I would be safe during labor, that it wouldn't be too painful, and that we would be home when I went into labor so I wouldn't need to be picked up from work. All of those things were answered. God protected our child from any complications he could have had. He protects us all as well because he cares for all of us. 

   So, are you praying continually for what you want/need within God's will? Are you trusting in God's plan for your life?

Father's Day: Written by My Husband

This post is something I've never done before. It is written by my husband as he just recently became a father.

   I was initially supposed to have this written before I was a father.  But things have changed and our son arrived a week early, just in time for me to have my first Father's day.  

   A Father's job is to provide, protect, support, encourage, discipline, push, fix, lead, teach, and love.  I didn't always know this was the case.  The more my faith grew, the more I understood what a father was.  It's one thing to understand, and another to experience.  

   I look at my newborn son and I am overwhelmed with emotion and a weight of responsibility.  I have been made a steward of this spirit transmuted from my and my wife's flesh.  All I want is for my son to be healthy, happy, and to learn to love the Lord.  Can I do this?  Can I be the bad guy when it's justified?  Can I make the hard choices?  Can I do it all?

   Luckily God has provided earthly examples for me.  And ultimately provided Himself as the perfect example.  God was there for me through it all.  He feverishly pursued me with ferocious and unconditional love.  When I pushed Him away, He was never more than an arms length away.  When I disobeyed, He crushed me and built me back up in the same stroke.  

   He was patience through my stubbornness.  He ran to embrace me when I turned back to Him.  He is never afraid to do for me what is needed.  He only ever continues to mold me into who I was born to be.  He truly knows me.

   If I could just scratch the surface of that, it would be enough for my son.  And ultimately  if I can just be enough of a light to steer him to his true Father, then I will have peace.  

   So happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there who try to carry the world for their families.  If they are too stubborn to let God spot them or carry the burden, at least give them the day off to rest their shoulders.  Let them know how much you respect their work ethic. Let them know that you see them.  And stroke their ego just a bit and tell them that they can do it all, but that doesn't mean they should.  

Soul Ties and Trauma

    There's a shirt that our church has sold in the past. The shirt says, "Your trauma is not my drama." When I first began going to that church and saw the shirt I thought, "that's a bit harsh." Perhaps you thought that as well. Then I began getting to know why the shirt says that and it makes complete sense.

   In the past, I've talked about caring and yet not caring about people. While here on earth, we have a mission to share the good news of the gospel and love God and love others. We love others by acting like Christ and helping them. Sometimes, in helping people, we become attached to them. These are called soul ties.

   Soul ties are attachments to the things of this world. These can be people, places, or things. Some soul ties are good. Most of the time, the ties I have to my husband, family, and friends are good. They lift me up, we point one another to Christ, and we love one another. But there are times where these ties are not good. If a family member got hurt by someone or a situation and I begin to let that bleed into my life where it impacts my feelings and my day so much that I'm not reflecting Christ, that's not a good soul tie. 

   This is what I mean by trauma and soul ties being connected. Traumas are events or experiences that paralyze us emotionally and can also affect us physically (ex. PTSD). Most of us have probably experienced trauma at some point in our lives. This trauma can be carried with us for a long time. I've had friends and family who have gone through unthinkable things, most of the time it was not their choice. I've seen both sides where some people let that trauma impact their lives to the point that they are not living anymore or they try to numb themselves in some way. There's also been people who overcome these traumas because they trust in God. 

   Let's say I had a friend who had something traumatic happen. They tell me about it and I begin to see it impact their daily living. This impacts how I feel and I begin to feel the same way they do. This is why the shirt says, "your trauma is not my drama." It doesn't mean we don't care. It just means that we are going to cut that negative soul tie and not let your event, horrible as it may be, impact our own lives. We will love you and pray for you, but we cannot let your situation bleed into our lives and emotions lest we take on that trauma as well. When we pray, we will ask God to help you. We will ask that you give whatever happened to him and trust that he's taken it from you. This will help you out of the trauma hole and cut the soul tie with what happened so you can move on with your life. That's what God wants for us. He wants to take our burdens and for us to trust in him.

   So, do you have any trauma or soul ties that need to be dealt with? How can you give those to God today?

Marriage At Easter

 There is so much symbolism surrounding the Easter story. Jesus entered the world and was placed in a tree (manger) and he left the world on a tree (the cross). Jesus was the perfect lamb sacrifice for our sins and we don't have to sacrifice animals ever again (praise the Lord)! But one symbol you may not know is about the cup at the Lord's supper. 

Matthew 26:27-28 gives us context for what I'm talking about. It says, "Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.'" Of course, there is the obvious symbolism here of that not really being Jesus' blood. But there's another picture here. According to Ann Voskamp in her book The Broken Way when an engagement was happening back in Bible times, a Jewish Rabbi "said that when a man decided he wanted to marry a woman, his father would pour a cup of wine and pass it down to his son" Next the son would look at the woman, hold the cup out, and say:"this cup is a new covenant in my blood, which I offer to you." 

When I read this, it was a mind blowing moment for me. Jesus didn't just offer us his body as the perfect sacrifice, he also offered us a marriage covenant. He offered to take on the role of protector for all of us. Then he died on the cross for our sins. Jesus is an example of a good husband. He made his covenant with us and then he took action to show us that he meant that covenant. 

As Jesus is the ultimate example of whom we should try to emulate, I have a question for all of us: are we taking action as well? We have a calling while we are on this earth. If we don't know Jesus as our personal savior, then our calling is to accept him as that. Then we grow in him. If we do know him as our personal savior, then our mission is to grow in him and tell others about what he's done for them. These are our action steps as the bride of Christ. The church is his bride and he showed that through the symbol of the cup and his blood. A bride doesn't just sit around waiting for the groom to arrive. She takes action steps and prepares for his coming. That's what we are called to do as well.

So, do you know Jesus as your personal savior? Are you spreading the good news of the gospel? How can you grow closer to him?

Peace in Knowing

   One series of movies and shows that most of my family enjoy watching is Star Wars. A while back they had a show originally on Cartoon Network called Star Wars The Clone Wars. My favorite character in this series was Ahsoka Tano. She was a Padawan who was being trained by her master, Anakin Skywalker. Throughout the whole series I was concerned she would die because she was not in any other Star Wars movies or shows. Then, after season 4 the show was taken off Cartoon Network. 

   For years I did not know what happened in season 5 and 6. But a new show came on Disney called Star Wars Rebels. In this show I got the surprise that Ahsoka was in it! How she survived order 66 or being Anakin's padawan I did not know but she was alive! I was so excited.

   Years later Disney+ came out and had seasons 5 and 6 of the Clone Wars on it. I was excited to watch it to find out more about my favorite character. But I was also comforted. See, when the Clone Wars originally came out, I was always concerned that Ahsoka would die. But now that I had seen Star Wars Rebels, I knew she would live. Because of that I had peace.

   Just like I had peace during scary moments in those shows we can have peace too. We know that no matter what we face on earth God is with us. He has told us how the story will end.

   1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 says: "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord."

   We know Jesus is coming back. He died on the cross for our sins so we can be with him in eternity. That means we do not have to worry about death if we know him as our personal savior. We can have peace in knowing Him.

   So, do you know Jesus as your personal savior? Are you comforted by the fact that you know the end of the story? 

The Love Passage

   Whenever you go to a wedding, which is between Christians, there is one part of the Bible that is usually recited. 1 Corinthians 13 is known as the love passage in the Bible. Why, out of all the passages on love, is this one chosen? Let's delve a little deeper into this passage.
   In the passage verses 1-3 talk about things like people having these great powers. I somewhat picture great prophets like Elijah, Elisha, Samuel, and so on doing all these miracles like healing the sick and creating food out of what seemed like nothing. 
   The verses then say that if these people with these powers don't have love then they have nothing. Think about one of your favorite super heroes. What if that hero did not love others? What if that hero did not care about anyone else? I think that hero would more than likely become a villain. Could that be what happens to those of us who do not love? Think about the villains you know. What happens to most of them because they don't love?

   Verses 4-7 give us a definition of love that is much better than the dictionary, in my opinion. We find what love is and what it is not. Love is patient, kind, rejoices in truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Sounds like a major load to carry, right? Love is not about you, or what you think you can get out of it. Love is about others. When we have choices each day, we should choose love. We know this but do we always do this? When you are driving and cut off by someone will you call them a name or forgive, in love? When you are tired but you promised you would do something for someone do you give into your own needs? Do you choose to love by sacrificing your time, money, etc?
   The last verses (8-13) go back to the beginning of the passage. "Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away" (1 Cor.13.8). Those prophets and heroes will pass away. People may remember their amazing acts of heroism, but most people remember how they acted, who they were, and their character. No matter what powers or gifts you have, if you don't use them to show God's love to others what is the point of being here? 
   That is why love is the greatest of all attributes. If we try to do everything in love then the other character traits we may lack, because of sinful nature, will come. It is just a matter of choice. We must choose to love.
   So, will you choose to be a hero for others or a villain by only doing things for yourself? Will you choose to sacrifice yourself and your possessions to show love to others? Will you choose to love?
   1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Romans 12:9-10, 1 John 4:7

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?

 

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 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?

 

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?

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?

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?

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?

 

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

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

I Can('t) Fix It

 I enjoy asking random questions. My boyfriend ends up being on the receiving end of most of these questions many times. One day I asked him, “if I had a superpower what would it be?” I was expecting something like flying or turning invisible with a thoughtful reason. Instead, he said, “your power would be to fix people.” What he meant by that is I have a tendency to see potential in people and I know how far they could go if they would just do one thing. Or I see people who are hurting, and I want to help them.

I thought about it, and he did have a good answer with good reasons. It showed that he knew my personality and it was unique and creative. But the more I thought about the answer the more I thought that I would not want that power. While it’s true I care for others and want to help them in any way I can, it would be me helping and fixing to my standard. 

My standard is not perfect. I would be biased at times. I would be selfish at times. I would not see the bigger picture. God is the only one who can fix us. He sees our potential. He sees our challenges. He can fix us and them. 

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” God works all things for our good. He knows what we need and what we want. He is a good Father. He gives us what we need. He loves us no matter what.

Now, while we may not be able to fix people there is one power, we do have to help those people: prayer. It’s true that sometimes the answer to our prayer will be no. But God knows our heart. He wants to hear from us. He wants to have a relationship with us. He wants us to communicate with him and to grow in Him. To do that, sometimes the answer is no. Other times the answer is not what you expect. But God, in his infinite knowledge and mercy, chooses to hear you. It’s amazing when you think about it.

So, have you ever thought about what your life would be like if you could fix people? How can you pray for others today? How can you grow in God?

https://youtu.be/SfQpsjTe4F8?si=a8kYfhA3ajj4b7S6

Easter Isn't Easy

    Have you ever thought about how Jesus came to earth? It was in a very unexpected way. Most people assumed the Messiah would come like a powerful king or a mighty military man. But that’s not what happened. And, when you think about it, Jesus came in a way that wasn’t easy.

   Wouldn’t it have been a lot easier to come in the way people expected him to come? To swoop down like a hero, wipe out the enemies of Israel, and rule? But if he did that, he would not be true to one of his characteristics. He came down as a baby, as a human, to show his love for us. He chose the hard path.

   Why do I say that? He could’ve taken the easy path and showed his power to all. He could have taken the easy path and just destroyed all of us when we sinned. He could have taken the easy path and just chose to ignore us because we chose to disobey him. But he chose to become one of us so he could know what it was like to be one of us.

   He chose the hard path of growing up, hitting puberty, learning a trade, facing temptations, and having hard emotions. He chose the hard path of not truly revealing who he was till he was 30. He chose the hard path of explaining hard topics to others, he went against the religious leaders of that day, and walking away from his family to show love to all. He chose the hard path of submitting to the Father, being falsely accused, being beaten, and dying on a cross for all our sins.

   Yes friends, Easter was far from easy. But, because Jesus chose the hard path, he made a way for us. Jesus took the hard part from us. He took our sins and became the perfect sacrifice for us. Then he made it easy for us to choose him. We just need to accept him as our savior, believe he is God, and confess our sins to him. Now, that’s not to say our life suddenly gets easier. But we do get to walk through life with the one who loves us. With the one who knows our pain. With the one who loved us enough to die for us.

   So, have you thanked God lately for what he has done for you? When life gets hard, how can you remember to lean on God?

https://youtu.be/jEbLTSCDN1E

He Lifts Us Up

 The sun has just risen over the African plain. Animals tread across the ground all headed toward one particular rock. They stand waiting to see something special happen. Suddenly a baboon walks up to the top of the rock. He lifts up… a lion cub! The next king of the pride lands has been born!

If you did not guess, I was describing the beginning of an amazing movie: The Lion King. In the beginning of the movie, Simba, the next king, is born. After he is born, he is presented to his people. The way he is presented is by Rafiki lifting him up before them. It is a surreal moment. These animals are looking at the one who will lead them next. 

What does that have to do with Christianity? Well, we are born common. We are born sinners, unholy. God cannot be with anything unholy. Thus, we have a conundrum. Or we did, that is until Jesus died for our sins. 

Jesus became the perfect sacrifice. He died on the cross to take away our sins. In doing that he gave us a choice. We can choose to follow ourselves and keep sinning, or we can ask for forgiveness. We can trust in Jesus as our personal savior. 

If we do that, he lifts us up just as Rafiki lifted Simba up when he was born. When we are born again, Jesus lifts us up. We are now royalty. Wait, where did that come from? Romans 8:16-17 says, “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” When we become born again, we become children of God. Thus, we are royalty. We are heirs with Jesus. Now that brings about good things and some challenges but that’s a blog for another time.

The point is, we are saved. We are royalty. We are in God’s family just by choosing to accept Christ as our savior. It’s mind boggling!

So, are you a part of God’s family? How can you spread the gospel today?

https://youtu.be/wXlxCFzcLV4

Waiting

    Dirt crunches under your feet. The breeze blows across your face as the ocean waves crash in time. Looking to your right, you shield your eyes from the sun as you look into your father's eyes. 

   He smiles at you gently then stops, "wait here, my child, I will be back."

   A slice of fear hits your heart. Where is he going? 

   Before you ask, your father says, "you made a request earlier. I am going to give you what you asked for, but you must wait here."

   You nod reluctantly. He puts his hand on your shoulder, half smiles, and for an instant you think you see pain in his eyes, but it disappears as soon as you blink.

   Father leaves. Where to? You do not know. You just know what you were asked to do. Looking around, you see just how beautiful nature is. Taking a deep breath, you take in the peace you have found here.

   "What are you doing?" A voice asks. Beside you is a man with friends surrounding him. "I am waiting for my father," you reply. He gives you a strange look, "why?" "He told me to wait for him here." The man laughs, "okay, well, do you want to come into the water with us while you are waiting?" That sounds love more fun than just waiting here but your father told you to stay. "I'm okay, I'll just wait for him, thanks." The group leaves and you take a deep breath as peace washes over you again. Waiting.

   "Are you lost?" A woman asks. "No, I am waiting for my father." The woman looks concerned. "Honey, there is no one else here. You are the first person I have seen here all day." You shake your head and begin to point to the direction the group who came earlier went; but when you look, you realize they are not there. "Do you want to come with me? I can help you find your dad and take care of you until we find him." The woman smiles. Did your father leave you? No, he wouldn't do that, would he? "I... I'm okay, I'll stay here." "Suit yourself," she shrugged and walks away. Waiting...

   Before you can let peace wash over you again, an older voice shouts, "a storm is coming! If I were you, I would leave!" No one is there when you look around for a person. Sure enough, when you look in the sky, you see dark clouds. There is a rumble in the distance and a flash of light strikes. Wind begins to blow sand into your eyes. WAITING....

   This is getting dangerous. Where is your father? He would never have left you here if he knew what you were going to go through. You should leave to seek shelter, but your father told you to wait. But if he knew there was a storm, he wouldn't want you to be in it, right? What if he came back and you were not here, would he know where to find you? Should you leave, or wait? WAITING?

   What you don't know, what you can't see, is your father is watching you during the storm. He wants to see if you will trust him and wait. It may not seem like he is there with you, but he never left. No thing that came to you or against you while you were waiting would be able to separate you from your father and his love. He is watching over you and protecting you. So, do you go your own way, or trust him and wait?

   Psalm 40:1, Romas 8:25, Exodus 14:14

https://youtu.be/JHDzIDp7l7A