Cry For Help

For He has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; He has not hidden His face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22:24)

It is with a heavy heart that I wrote today's devotional.  For the better part of my life, I have lived in the great state of Alabama. I am an Auburn graduate, and most of my college friends moved to Birmingham after college.  Many of my friends went to the University of Alabama and this week, one of the biggest rivalries in all of sports couldn't be more insignificant.  

The tornadoes that ripped through the southeast on Tuesday claimed many lives, destroyed entire towns, cities, neighborhoods, homes, buildings, and memories. Sure, we had our share of bad weather in Knoxville, TN, but nothing to the extent of the disaster and destruction the people in Alabama endured.

In watching the news reports and seeing the video footage and photos, it almost seems surreal, but the devastation caused by the tragic storms on Wednesday are sadly a reality for far too many survivors.  All over the southeast, there are stories of a family surviving in one home, and right next door, a family is mourning the loss of a loved one.

I have been struggling for the right words to say.  When someone is suffering, it's almost too easy to say "I'll be praying for you." Are my prayers really going to comfort someone who has lost a loved one and/or everything they own?

When disaster strikes and we lose everything, we must not lose our faith in the process. This is easy for me to say...my family is safe and healthy, my home is still standing, I have clean water and electricity.

Sometimes, the only hope we have left may be God's promises.  God loves His people and while it may be easier to blame Him for a natural disaster like an earthquake, flood, or tornado, He is not capable of doing bad.  He hears His people when they cry out to Him for help.

I pray for the many people that are suffering and hope that God's glory, grace, peace, and provision will be made known to all.

(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding

A man's steps are directed by the Lord.  How can anyone understand his own way?  (Proverbs 20:24)


If you are at all like me, then you like to have an understanding of things.  For instance, at work, I want to be as prepared as I can possibly be prior to a meeting.  I don't like the unknown during a client/prospect presentation or enrollment meeting with a group of employees.  I also enjoy pondering the meaning of life; why things happen the way they do and so forth.  The more I learn about God's ways, the less I truly understand.

Events that take place can be confusing at times.  There are many things that we simply may never understand, others will fall into place and we will be able to look back and see how God worked in certain situations.  The above Proverb assures us not to worry, even if we don't have all of the answers.  We must learn to accept that God knows what He is doing and learn to have complete confidence in Him, even if we don't have a clear understanding of His timing and design.

God's promises are real and they always work together for His good; despite our understanding!  

The Seeker

You will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.  (Deuteronomy 4:29)

Being a creature of habit, I like to keep to my same and familiar routines in the mornings.  Feeling somewhat convicted about not seeking God more by spending time in His Word, I read Luke 11 yesterday morning and, as always, that verse was exactly the one I needed for the day that awaited me. 

To seek God means to pursue Him as the only source of definitive truth and wisdom.  Instead of letting our problems pile up and seeking God out of desperation, how different would our lives be if we sought Him first and foremost in all matters?

To seek God and His way puts us on the path of a life that is blessed and pleasing to Him.

Human Touch

The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has chosen me.  He has commissioned me to encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release od captives, and the freeing of prisoners.  (Isaiah 61:1)

The Easter Sunday service at our church was moving, uplifiting, and inspiring.  It didn't take too long for the great memories to fade as the work week quickly began on Monday and life returned back to it's normal 'routine.'  In an effort to continue building upon the resurrection and what it means to be a believer, I began pondering why God chose to come in the form of His Son in human flesh to this earth. 

I am convinced that in addition to showing us His love for us, it was also God' divine way of proving that He is truly concerned about our human needs.  Jesus walked and lived among us, God in flesh form, and experienced the same temptations, struggles, and triumphs we did.  He never once sinned, but during His time on this earth, came to a much greater understanding of the human condition. 

No other 'god' offers the same love, understanding, and sacrifice that our loving Father freely gives to each one of us through His beloved Son, Jesus Christ.

Canary In A Coalmine

May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.  (2 Thessalonians 3:5)

Recently, in seeking God's wisdom and guidance about a situation, I began to grow tired and frustrated because I just couldn't seem to hear an answer.  In fact, I felt like I was hearing other people's insight, but not God's.  It finally dawned on me that I was neglecting an important aspect of my faith walk by not digging deeper into the Word, hence the reason I was not feeling God's nudge either way. 

God can and will speak His truths into our lives if we allow Him to.  When seeking Him, He will always move us closer to His will and His never ending love.  He always leads us to what is right, never wrong, and His answers to our prayers are clear cut, definitive, and absolute.  

If you think you can truly seek God by only showing up to church on Sundays or just praying your personal wish list, save yourself some time and frustration by incorporating God's Word into your daily routine.

Faithfully

The Lord rewarded me for doing right.  He has seen my innocence.  To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity.  To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the wicked you show yourself hostile.  (2 Samuel 22:25-27) 


Faithfulness is a bride and groom on their wedding day making their vows to each other to remain faithfully committed to each other.  Faithfulness is being committed to always love your children as a parent.  Faithfulness is being dependable to your neighbors and friends.  Faithfulness is giving your very best at work.

Being faithful originated from our Loving Father...time and time again through the ages, He has shown His faithfulness to His people.

There is no substitute for the security in a relationship that stems from faithfulness and there is nothing that builds our confidence and eternal security more than knowing that God will always remain faithful to us!

Can't No Grave Hold My Body Down

"Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here: He has risen!  Remember how He told you, while He was still with you in Galilee: The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again."  (Luke 24:5-8)


Jesus repeatedly revealed His fate, God's master plan to the disciples, but amidst all of the chaos that surrounded His crucifixion, many of the followers were left doubting if He really was the Messiah.  Imagine the sheer joy and excitement that they must have felt when they rolled away the stone from the tomb and His body was not there.  All they found were burial linens and an empty grave.

Jesus appeared to two believers traveling and still downcast and not grasping that their Savior was in there presence, Jesus subtly reminded them of all of the Messianic prophesies and then disappeared.

Is Jesus who He said He was?  Do you believe that He conquered the grave? Where does He fit into your life?   If you have opened your heart to receive His love sacrifice and have accepted Him as your Lord over your life, there is no greater day than Easter...the day that our Savior conquered death.

We may not feel like it every day, but we know with Christ in our lives how our story will end, we will be victorious!!  Rejoice, and praise His holy name!!!!

Hope Falls Down

"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And after He said this He breathed His last. (Luke 23: 46)

Can you recall a time where you were disappointed and felt let down?  You could probably name a few times over the past week or today, even.  Put yourselves into the shoes of the disciples and followers that witnessed Jesus' death first hand.  This group had given up everything to follow Christ and now He was dead?  All of the miracles they witnessed, the lives that had been changed; this was how it ended?  If He really was the Christ, why didn't He send an army of angels to rescue Him from such a cruel and gruesome death?  How did His mother Mary feel? The baby she had loved and raised was now dead and hanging from a cross? Talk about disappointment....

I am certain in the days between Jesus' crucifixion and His resurrection, the confusion, the hurt, the doubt, and disappointment must have been overwhelming for Jesus' followers.  They must have felt like they had bet the farm and lost it all.  When Jesus took His last breath, His followers must have lost the hope they once had, despite Jesus telling them over and over again that He was 'going away to prepare a place for them'. (John 14:2) 

We sometimes overlook the fact that Jesus is always with us when we face disappointment or struggles of our own.  Don't ever let your hope in Him fade away, no matter what it is you are facing.  God will never let you down and He always makes good on His promises.

Home At Last

One of the criminals who was hanging there railed at Him saying, "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"  But the other rebuked him, saying, "Don't you fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?  And we rightly so, for we are getting what we deserve for what we did, but this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom." And Jesus said to him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."  (Luke 23:39-43)

On Good Friday, we reflect on and ponder Jesus' death on the cross that served as the ultimate sacrifice to bring salvation.  There is nothing more important, no act of love, service, or anything else that even comes close to comparing to what our perfect Savior endured for us in His final hours and His death that freed us from our bondage to sin.

The above passage of Scripture from the gospel of Luke moves my soul as it reveals the saving power and loving forgiveness of our Savior.  The criminals that were also being crucified at the same time as Jesus had been issued a death sentence for their wrong doings.  Jesus was tried and crucified despite being perfect and innocent.  One of the criminals realized that it was indeed the Messiah, hanging on the cross beside him, and right at the moment of his acceptance, Jesus forgave him and assured him of his eternal destination.

It's hard to understand God's grace sometimes.  Why do bad things happen to good people?  Why do good things happen to bad people?  I don't know, but God loves His creation and that includes every human being on this planet.  He doesn't want only a select few, He wants all of us to join Him in 'paradise' when we leave this earth.  He sent His son to live a blameless and perfect life on this earth and then offered Him as a love sacrifice, a Lamb of God, to take our place and die for our sins.
He took our place on the cross, and only wants us to give Jesus first place in our lives.

Give It Away

Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair ; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?" Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it.  Therefore Jesus said, "Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. "For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me." (John 12: 3, 7-8)

Being a longtime fan of the sitcom, Seinfeld, one of my favorite episodes was about the BMW that Jerry purchased.  Jerry attended some sort of function and had the car parked valet.  When the car was returned to him, it reaked of some sort of body odor.  After exhausting every possible method to deodorize the BMW, Jerry finally ended up giving the car away to a bum on the street.  The smell must have been bad for him to just give away a BMW and I shared the same sentiment as Judas did in the above passage when Martha anointed Jesus with the expensive perfume.  What a waste! 

What strikes me about this scripture is that Mary could have pulled out some cheap perfume or only used the expensive perfume sparingly, but she understood exactly who Jesus was, the Messiah, and was preparing Him for His burial, even though Judas Iscariot's greed caused him to ridicule her for her loving actions.

Where does Jesus fit into your life?  Are you willing to give it all away for God or are you like the one who skimmed off the top what was rightfully given to expand the Kingdom and take it for your own? Questions to think about on this Holy Thursday...

Lay Your Weapons Down

God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are My followers.  (Matthew 5:11)

This Holy week, as we reflect on what Jesus endured in the hours leading up to His death on the cross, can you think of a time that you suffered for your faith?  I can recall being mocked and ridiculed, having close friends abandon me completely, and have even had threats from loved ones to never bring up matters of faith again if I wanted the relationship to continue.  These were all painful moments that I do not want to rehash, but looking back, it was actually an honor to suffer for Him.

Take encouragement if you are being persecuted for your faith.  There are many other believers that are facing persecution, even death,  just for being followers of Christ.

Persecution helps us to remember and to be grateful for the suffering that Jesus went through to save each one of us.   If you suffer for being a follower of Christ, do you see it as an honor?

Thieves In The Temple

Then Jesus entered the temple area and drove out  all those who were selling and buying in the temple courts...He said to them, "It is written, 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are turning it into a den of robbers!" (Matthew 21: 12,13)

This past Sunday was Palm Sunday and while it's easy to recall Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, it's easy to forget the scenes that disciples and others witnessed as Jesus came storming into the temple grounds.  The temple was to be a place of worship, but when Jesus arrived He saw throngs of vendors and customers that had set up a marketplace instead.  The Messiah was outraged and began turning over tables and setting the livestock free.  I am sure that it was pandemonium as people scrambled to pick up the loose money from the ground and the animals ran away.

God opened my eyes and revealed a new truth to me after reading this passage of Scripture.  If our bodies are "living temples," shouldn't they also be houses of prayer? How much time out of our daily routine is spent in prayer...a few fleeting moments, or even worse, none at all?  I am guilty of both.  There are days when I pray and am focused.  Sadly, there are plenty of times that I breeze through my prayer list and don't take the time to even attempt to listen to what God may be trying to say to me. 

Could you imagine a relationship with someone you supposedly love that is only one-sided?  That must be how our Loving Father views His sheep, myself included, at times. 

I feel that Jesus' words, as He stormed the temple, were also a call to arms for His followers.  He loves us and wants to hear us come to Him in prayer every day.  This week especially, I am going to dig deeper and spend more time in prayer as we approach Easter. 
    

A Love Bizarre

That the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.  (John 17:23)

I had a meeting with a potential client this past week and felt that I showed poorly.  It was a difficult task, as I went into the meeting with only a small amount of information and still had many more questions that I needed to answer before I could possibly provide firm insurance rates for this organization's group benefit program.  Leaving the meeting I felt like a failure, despite my manager telling me that I did an outstanding job.  Have you ever felt that way?  How do we know we are valuable? 

The answer is found at the cross.  My son was playing with the cross that I wear on my neck and it got me thinking about the reality of what Jesus' death by crucifiction really means.  If we weren't valuable to God, He wouldn't have sent His beloved Son to die on the cross to save us. 

If you are ever feeling down or unloved or that you aren't valuable, look no further than the cross and understand that you are worthy and loved!

Anything Is Possible

With God's help we will do mighty things.  (Psalm 60:12)


When I look back on a problem that I have faced or trials that were difficult, I have never felt like there was a single moment that God was not with me every step of the way.  Sometimes despite insurmountable odds, the problems we face may seem too large for us to handle on our own.  The good news is that there is nothing larger than our Father.

While impossible situations make you seem limited and exhaust your strength, they set the stage for God to do the unimaginable-all by using His supernatural power to work miracles,  show His love, offer forgiveness, meet needs and change lives.

Some situations seem impossible, but with God, anything is possible.

God Give Me Strength

In Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.  (1 Chronicles 29:12)

Is there anything in your past such as an emotional scar or bad memories that you still carry around with you like old luggage?   I have many "skeletons in my closet" and the enemy enjoys flooding my thoughts with those bad memories from my past.  You see, I used try to fill the void in my life with other substances and there was no chemical or drug that I could consume that could possibly take Jesus' righteous place in my life. Once I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior, I completely walked away from the dead end path I used to travel on. 

None of us are free from sin, and many times we have a troubled past that evokes bad memories or painful emotions.  The Lord desires to heal each of us from our past and wants us all to completely rely on Him instead of the crutches that many of us used to depend on. 

His Word makes it crystal clear that He wants to be the ONE source of healing, strength, peace, and comfort.  Once we learn to be dependent on our Lord, we can break the dependence we have on other people or things that will never satisfy our deepest Spiritual needs and desires.  Praise God for His mercy and grace!

Follow You, Follow Me

Take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees.  Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.  (Hebrews 12:12-13)


One of the most successful basketball players to ever play the sport at Auburn University is Charles Barkley. He used to have a series of commercials years ago in which he stated, "I am not a role model."  I realized that as much as I would like to give Sir Charles' disclaimer to my two sons at times, the truth is, they are both watching me and modeling their behavior after me.

Sometimes we fashion our behavior after others; the same can also be said about the example we set for those watching and observing us.  The Bible says that the way we live influences others; for better or worse, good or evil, Christ or the enemy.

What kind of example are you setting?  How can your daily life set an example for others to want to know and have a relationship with Jesus?

Best of You

They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings-and with Him will be His called, chosen and faithful followers. (Revelation 17:14)

Ask yourself this very tough question...is Jesus the Lord of everything in your life or only a few things?  My answer would be along the lines of He is the Lord over my some of marriage, some of my parenting, some of my finances, some of my career, some of my relationships; you get the point.  The problem with my answer is that as honest as I am being, Jesus wants to be the Lord over ALL things in my life, and He wants the same for you as well.   

The titles "Lord of lords" and "King of kings" are not just some empty Holy-roller words used to descibe Jesus, but they are appropriate for the One who is the Lord over all things in this universe, time, each and every circumstance and situation.  If you have accepted Him as your personal Lord and Savior, then there is never a single moment the rest of your life that He will not be in complete control making sure that all things come together for your good, in accordance to His perfect will and timing. 

We must learn to let go of the control we so desperately try to manage in every area of our lives and turn it over to the One who really is the Lord of lords and the King of kings!   

Slip Slidin' Away

I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.  (Acts 24:14)

A good friend recently asked me to pray for a family that was suffering the loss of their teenage son, who was killed in a tragic automobile accident on the way to church last Sunday.  Apparently, my friend had been really close with the grieving parents at some point in time and their relationship ended on a bad note over something petty and childish.  Three years have passed and they have not spoken since.  Once my friend learned of the tragic news, she became overwhelmingly guility and regretted not attempting to extend/accept forgiveness for so long.

This really hit me hard and reminded me of how short our time on this earth really is.  We should make the most of our time here, but all too often, we let time slip away from us and we don't follow the path that God intends us to follow.

To live without regrets, we must choose to live in such a way that we do our very best in every task and with every relationship.  We must choose to love and obey God's commands; they weren't written to restrict us, but are there for our protection and to unlock His many blessings.  We must choose to forgive people who have hurt or harmed us freely.  And lastly, we must choose to follow God's will and not our own.

The Seeds of Love

Who with reason despises the day of small things? (Zechariah 4:10)

Let's face it, if you have had any experience in sales, some days are better than others.  Often times, the sales cycle in the employee benefits arena is long and taxing.  You can work on a case for several months to no avail.  Ricky Bobby said it best, "If you ain't first, you're LAST!" Recently, there have been some small signs that look promising...seeds that were planted last year are finally starting to sprout opportunities this year for me and I know just Who to thank.

I believe wholeheartedly that God plants these ever so small seeds.  Too often, we want immediate results or whatever it is that we are facing to come to pass too quickly.  When you find evidence of that small seed that the good Lord has planted, you should rejoice with hope knowing that God has bigger and greater things in store for you. 

God never breaks His promises to us and He always finishes what He starts.  Just think about it..and hold on with hope!! He is preparing to do something great in your life!

Beyond Belief

Then He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and look at my hands.  Put your hand into the wound in My side.  Don't be faithless any longer.  Believe!" "My Lord and my God!" Thomas exclaimed.  Then Jesus told him, "You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me." (John 20:27-29)


I enjoy telling and sharing stories to our son before bedtime.  He has an innocent faith and highly creative imagination, so he believes a lot of the fictional characters and superheroes in my stories are real.   My relationship with Jesus is very real to me as well.  I have never physically seen or heard His voice, but without a shadow of a doubt, I know that He is alive and ever-present in my life.

Based on the exchange between Jesus and Thomas, the strongest faith is based on Spiritual conviction rather than physical proof.  No matter what our stance is, we know that there are spiritual elements that exist in this world in which we cannot see, but we know they are real.

Our faith grows by leaps and bounds when we allow the Holy Spirit to open our senses to recognize His presence at work each day of our lives.

'Faith' is believing in things in which we cannot see.   God promises to bless those who believe in Him with any form of physical evidence.

Time Loves A Hero

Now all the glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.  (Jude 1:24)


Elliott played his first tee-ball game over the weekend and had an absolute blast.  You never know what to expect when you gather a group of three-year olds, but everything went as well as it could have possibly gone.  At this age range, every child has an opportunity at bat, to run the bases, score, and catch balls in the outfield.  Everyone is a winner in tee-ball, but as we grow older, the definition of success, as the world defines it, drastically changes.

Success in the world is all about achievements, winning (or bi-winning if you are Charlie Sheen) and the amount of material possessions you own.  God sees things completely different...success in God's view include: obedience, love, righteousness, salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life.  We fail God when we reject Him.

We should live according to God's definition of success, as the world's success is only temporary and fleeting!

Slow Train

"Not as I will, but as You will." -Jesus (Matthew 26:39)

The above statement was Jesus' final submission to God in the garden of Gethsemane before He was taken captive by a large crowd of armed men who ultimately led Him to His death on the cross after He was brutally beaten, humiliated, and tortured.  

I have a bad habit of selfishly asking God to answer my prayers in the way that I would like them to be answered.  Even when He gives me clear direction, I still do not always obey and follow His will.  Regardless, I truly believe that the content of our prayers is less important to Him rather than our willingness to actually obey Him. 

I can't begin to imagine what Jesus must have felt that night in Gethsemane.  The fear of knowing that His death was close at hand...seeing one of His Twelve disciples betray Him with a kiss and turn Him over to an armed mob.  Yet, He remained faithful and obedient to God's will...even to the point of death.

We may not ever face a life or death decision, but God wants us to come to a place where we trust Him fully and obey Him. 

A Day In The Life

The Lord is both kind and fair; that is why He teaches sinners the right way to live...The Lord shows His faithful followers the way they should live...I continually look to the Lord for help, for He will free my feet from the enemy's net. (Psalms 25:8,12,15)

Being brutally honest about my Spiritual life the past few weeks, I would say that I have been on "automatic pilot" and have just been going through the motions with God.  I have rushed through my daily Bible reading or have been skipping my nightly prayer before I go to sleep at night and probably sound like what my dad used to call, "a broken record," repeating the same prayers and petitions over and over to God when I do pray in the mornings. 

It's when we go through our daily routine without recognizing God's presence in our lives, that we miss out on the peace that He gives to each of us.  Let's face it, there is no "stress-free" job or career out there.  (If there is, someone please let me know!)  Add a family and finances to your worklife and it's easy to become consumed and forget who's really in control.  God is in control.  God is also right there with you on the most mundane days and also the most stressful ones. 

Make the time, if only for just a few moments, before you go to bed to reflect on your day.  Look closely, and you will undoubtedly see that God has been with you every step of the way.  Understanding His presence in our lives helps us to get out of the rut of just 'going through the motions' and helps us to live in His perfect peace and wisdom. 

These Dreams

Through skillful and godly Wisdom is a house (a life, a home, a family) built, and by understanding it is established on a sound and good foundation.  And by knowledge shall its chambers of every area be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. (Proverbs 24:3-4)


Have you ever dreamed of achieving something greater in your life? Recently, I followed one of my dreams and it's taken off remarkably.

Writing the Daily DEVO has made me realize how much I enjoy writing, so this little dream began with the idea of creating a music blog that showcased local artists, had album reviews, interviews, videos, and articles about musicians and bands that a few of my friends and I enjoy. I have always had an interest in music since childhood, but after marriage and two children, my passion for music has taken a backseat to being a husband, father, and provider for my family. I pitched the idea to two of my closest friends who are "music dorks" like me, and we created our music blog, The Showbiz Kids, aptly named after a Steely Dan song. In over three weeks, the page has already been viewed over 1,100 times, which is unbelievable! (Then again, I can't believe that people actually take time to read my writing on this Blog, so for that I am truly grateful!) The Showbiz Kids blog has become a labor of love, in addition to being a wonderful creative outlet for each of us.

God tells us that we are able to do exceedingly above and beyond all we can possibly hope, ask, or think. So, if we are not dreaming big, then we are missing out on the endless possibilities and opportunities that await us.

We all have visions and dreams deep within each of us, and sometimes it requires us to do some soul searching to find them. If you are willing to dig deep and ask for God's help, you can fulfill your dreams with endless possibilities.

Little By Little

My friends, be patient until the Lord returns.  Think of farmers who wait patiently for the spring and summer rains to make their valuable crops grow.  Be patient like those farmers and don't give up.  The Lord will soon be here. (James 5: 7-8)

Well, our house is still standing and we survived the latest visit from my sister-in-law and her two children, both of which are a little older than our oldest son, who turns four this June.  Seeing how much my neice and nephew have grown up is truly remarkable to me.  It seems just like yesterday that they were both babies, wearing diapers and drinking bottles, like our youngest son, who will be eight months old later this week.  I have really learned to enjoy each day more the second time around rather than wishing that our infant son would grow up quicker and reach his next milestone.

When Elliott was a baby, I often found myself wishing that he would be able to crawl, and then walk, and then talk, etc. but looking back, I unknowingly was not patient and missed out on the simple joys of that stage of life.  After all, babies are low maintenece as long as they are able to nap, are fed on a strict schedule, and have clean diapers at all times. 

When we are impatient and wish our present day away, we miss out on many of the blessings that God has in store for us.  Whether it's a young couple counting the days down until their wedding day, a college student eager to graduate and begin work, a co-worker hoping for a promotion; all are wonderful and exciting, but don't forget to slow down and take the time to enjoy each and every day the Lord has given you!

Touched By The Hand of God

Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles He performs for people! (Psalm 66:5)

A co-worker and friend of mine had quite a scare last week when her husband unexpectantly had to be rushed to the ER in the middle of the night with massive chest pains.  Had they not made it to the hospital in the exact timing they did, the outcome would have resulted in certain tradgedy.  The husband was released from the hospital before the weekend and is recovering and back at work again this week, but their medical emergency has completely changed their outlook on life.  Most people, myself included, dread what awaits us in the office after the weekend has ended.  This past week, my co-worker was excited as I had ever seen her about being at work on a Monday morning.

I am a firm believer in God's good works; things we know He has done for us and things we are completely unaware of.  Just ask around or turn on the news and you will learn of terrible things that have happened to people.  This may seem depressing or daunting, but after a closer look, you can begin to see God's hand quietly at work in people's lives every day.  This, of course, includes you and I. 

He is always there and is at work in our lives, even if we don't see it!  Praise God!  

Willing and Able

If God is for us, who can be against us?  Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?  (Romans 8:31)


Looking back on my life on this earth, I have wasted a great deal of time and effort being a "people pleaser" and not necessarily following what God has wanted for me.  The most striking difference in being a "God pleaser" rather than a "people pleaser" is that you don't have to depend on your own futile human efforts to earn favor with God.

Come to think of it, why does it really matter what people think of us?  Our weaknesses and inabilities do not matter to God in the least bit.  With God, there is no hidden agenda, no list of talents and abilities that you need, only your availability.  Simply stated, God is looking for people who are willing and able to yield to His lead.

Let God shape who you are, what your perception is and what path you need to take in your relationships and career.  He always keeps His promise and takes care of His people and will never fail to deliver you from adversity!

The Power of One

With God's help we will do mighty things.  (Psalm 60:12)


Alica gave me a honey-do list on Saturday which included laying some mulch in the front yard around the shrubs and flowers.  Elliott, being the helper that he is, asked if he could help me carry one of the 20 lbs. bags of mulch.  I appreciated his thoughtfulness, but he realized the bag was way too heavy after his first attempt and said that he would "be able to carry it when he grew a little bigger."

How much is this example similar to the problems we attempt to solve on our own without God's assistance?

When you are facing something that seems nearly impossible, remember that our loving Father is mighty and all-powerful and will always be willing to lend you a helping hand.

Soulshine

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.  (Matthew 5:16)

Can you name someone you know-a family member, friend, neighbor, or co-worker, that just lights up a room with their presence?  That person should actually be you or me.  Let me explain....the life characterized by the fruits of the Spirit cannot help but be noticed.  When we have the Spirit dwelling within our souls, it should shine brightly for all to see.

We live in some dark times and what this world needs desperately is to see men and women living their lives as an example to others, breaking the "norm."

How different a place this world would be if people saw more husbands that are committed to their wives and vice versa, parents who were lovingly invloved with their children, businessmen and women who value integrity over self-interests and money.  

Let your soul shine!