Moving

I came to a place that seemed like a fork in the road. But a fork in the road indicates a split in direction or a place of decision. And I don't know if that is truly where I stood. So I weighed my options, but more than that, I let God weigh my heart. And I trusted him to see my motives before I even made a move.

Which direction are you trusting God to move you toward today?

"We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." -Proverbs 16:9

Thirsty

What does it mean to thirst? How many times a day do you think, I’m thirsty then seek to fulfill that basic physical need. What do you drink when you feel thirsty?

What does it look like to spiritually thirst? Jesus makes several references to a spiritual thirst during his ministry; “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6), “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink” (John 7:37). On most occasions, I think of spiritual thirst as a need I take to Christ because he satisfies, he gives, he quenches, he provides.

When I think of God, I try to comprehend His union of the physical with the spiritual so that we might better relate to Him. In doing so, He relates to us in such a basic way that God himself, so holy, so perfect, so divine, would thirst. In John 19:28 Jesus says, “I am thirsty” just before He dies on the cross.

I try to wrap my brain around the fact that the God of the universe sent His son Jesus to this earth as a man, that He would thirst, so that I may thirst no more.

Are you thirsty today?

Time

We all hear the popular clichés, “Give it time” or “Time heals all wounds”. These phrases bear some truth when set against the truth of God’s Word that says there is “a time to heal” (Ecclesiastes 3:3). But what is time, really? Is it an elusive force that winds in and out of our lives? Is it a thief that steals from us? Is it Father Time who cares for us? Is it something we can manipulate to fall back or spring forward? We all have different perceptions of time, but time only has one perception of us; it moves and travels regardless of where we stand or what we do. We all have moments we wish to preserve, and we all have moments we wish to erase.

So what do we do with time? Shall we carpe diem? Shall we concern ourselves with time since the Bible says, “with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:8,9).

My Heroes

Prayer Warriors serve as silent soldiers in unseen battles. They combat the captains of dark armies. They devastate dark horses with their powerful weapons of war. Their prayers light up the night sky like bombs bursting in air.

Praying for love tucked cozy into bed across the hall or across the world. Praying the prayers of faith for babies grown or babies not yet born. Praying for leaders whose decisions affect where we are today, and where we are headed tomorrow. Praying for peace. Praying for God's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Praying for the sick, the poor and the brokenhearted. Praying for shifting shadows to be brought into the light.

These are my heroes. They travel through this life, sometimes radiant with the Spirit, sometimes incognito, touching our lives in ways only heaven can see. Meanwhile the rest of us slumber across the hall or across the world . . .

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for the saints." -Ephesians 6:18

From Troubles to Triumphs

Life seems to have a way of giving us a handful, then leaving us empty-handed...or so the world would say. But I have found a new life. One that gives without taking. It enables me to see the troubles of this life, not for what they are worth, but for what they have the potential to become: triumphs! But it is more than a matter of seeing the glass half empty or half full. It is a matter of placing my trust in Jesus Christ.

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
-Jesus (John 10:10)

Praise-Worthy

Faith gets fueled when God moves behind the scenes. Even though we may only be left with an empty stage, that same stage can still be filled with expectation. It is not until we are stripped of our costumes and our masks, when our self-confidence dwindles, that God shows up. But if our business is just for show, then our egos leave no room for the only One truly deserving of our applause. He alone is praise-worthy.

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

Take Heart

Hard times can produce hard hearts. And dreams can wilt like flowers scorned by the sun. The pressures of this life can drive us to extremes; the loss of a life, the loss of a career, the loss of a hope and a future.

But what if the Author of all life pens that there is still more to the story? Even though there is conflict, there can still be resolution.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." -Jesus Christ (John 16:33)