Bring Him Home

Posted on March 8, 2011 by day1of1

So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. – 1 Corinthians 14:15

Sitting home tonight watching the 25th anniversary concert of Les Miserables on PBS has my mind working in overdrive.  As I have mentioned in the previously posted, “I Dreamed a Dream,” Les Mis is my favorite musical.  If you were to ask me which of the songs are my favorite, I would be hard pressed to provide you with a clear cut answer.  However, I remember one of the songs as having struck a chord with me when I first began listening to the music.

Les Miserables tells the story of Jean Valjean.  At one point late in the story, we find him arriving at a barricade that has been set up by a group of students who have started a revolution against the government.  Valjean, however, is not there because of his political views.  He has discovered that one of the young men, Marius Pontmercy, and his adopted daughter Cossette have fallen in love.  His purpose for joining the rebellion is rather selfish – he is there to protect Marius.  This is made evident in the prayer set to music called Bring Him Home.

Bring Him Home (Click here to listen to the song on YouTube)

God on high, hear my prayer.  In my need, You have always been there.
He is young.  He’s afraid.  Let him rest, heaven blessed.
Bring him home.  Bring him home.  Bring him home.

He’s like the son I might have known, if God had granted me a son.
The summers die one by one.  How soon they fly on and on.
And I am old and will be gone…

Bring him peace.  Bring him joy.  He is young.  He is only a boy.
You can take. You can give.  Let him be.  Let him live.

If I die, let me die, but let him live.
Bring him home.  Bring him home.
Bring him home.

If only our prayers were so simple and sounded so beautiful.  But the more I think about it, that is exactly what they can and should be.  Why do we make such a production out of prayer?  I believe that prayer is something to take seriously and that we should give God our best when we come to Him with our petitions, but it doesn’t have to be Shakespeare in order to be effective.  The song demonstrates this in a magnificent way.  The words are simple.  The message is clear – “God, save this man.  He loves my daughter and will take good care of her as I enter the twilight of my life.”  Valjean doesn’t apologize for what he wants, nor does he tap dance around it.  He asks clearly, demonstrating the faith he has in God’s power and strength.  He offers thanks God for what He has done for him before, and confidently makes his request of God here and now.

As the story goes on, Marius is in fact wounded in the battle, but Valjean quickly comes to his aid.  He carries Marius away from the barricade and back to his home to care for his wounds.  Valjean’s heroism saved the boy’s life.  God’s love, his Blessing, and His strength enabled Valjean to be the hero he needed to be.

What are you praying for?  Who in your life needs to feel the hand of God?  How can God use you to deliver that message or to act on His behalf?  We learn these things when we seek Him out in prayer – speaking our petitions and listening to His calling.  May we find the strength that we need to live every day of our lives immersed in His glory until the day God chooses to bring us home.

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Robins

Posted on February 25, 2011 by day1of1

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. – Deuteronomy 31:8

 
As I sit here in my office on the campus of Concordia University, Ann Arbor, getting a head start on the day’s tasks, I find myself appreciating a tremendous irony.  Today is the last day of classes before our week-long Spring break.  As I gaze out my window, I am watching the 2-3 inches of additional snow fall on our campus which will help to pad our numbers as one of the snowiest Februarys of all-time.  Pretty ironic considering that varmint from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania told us at the beginning of the month that Spring would be early this year (early June perhaps).  So I ask myself: Is it Spring break or actually a break from spring?

 
Trying to maintain a positive outlook, I will refrain from further winter bashing.  In fact, as a Finnish friend regularly informs me, I should celebrate winter because I can be outside basking in the heavenly flakes with no need for insect repellant.  Of course, if I were going to continue to complain I might point out that even insects aren’t stupid enough to subject themselves to these ridiculous conditions, but I am maintaining my positive attitude so I wouldn’t dream of saying such things.  In fact, allow me to focus upon one of the most encouraging signs of the (hopefully) soon-to-be changing season.

 
For as long as I can remember I have been taught that the sighting of the first robin was the sure sign that spring had finally arrived.  Winter and her cold temperature eliminate most of the food supplies, so it makes sense that before the robins will show up, the climate will have to have changed enough to sustain them.  I know what you’re thinking – another brilliant insight.  Next he’ll regale us with stories of how the sun comes up in the East every morning and other obvious facts.  But before you depart back to Facebook to answer more questions about me, let me point out something I learned about robins.

 
Not all robins will migrate south for the winter.  I never realized this until only a few years ago.  In fact, one chilly morning this past January, I pointed out a robin hopping about near the bike rack at my children’s school.  I pointed it out to my kids who faked interest long enough to observe how odd it was to see one despite our certain belief that the robins were all gone.

 
And of course, this got me thinking…

 
The struggles we face in life have a way of lingering like winter weather.  It can be cold, leaving us holed up and waiting for a break that never seems to come.  Our mind tells us that the seasons will change, that warmth and sunshine are coming, but every now and again amidst the chill of winter we need to be reminded of those things.  We need to be reassured that it may take a little longer, but spring is on the way.  That’s where things get tricky.  For many the return of the robin and the signs that accompany it become the important thing.  We put all of our hope into seeking out the signs that we forget to realize the simple truth that the robins are still here.  We may not see them as often.  We may not know exactly where to look.  But they are here because they’ve never left.

 
In our weakness, we sometimes convince ourselves that the love and promises of God are similar to the migration patterns of birds – here for a time and sometimes absent.  However, the words of Deuteronomy 31:8 provide us with a clear and irrefutable promise.  We need never doubt God or His promises to us, nor do we have to wonder when He will arrive.  He is here, always here, leading, directing, and guiding us to the place He has prepared for us while preparing us for it.

 
May you never lose sight of the robins around you as you head toward the warmth and sunshine that is your promised future.  And until then remember, NO BUGS!

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So What Happens Now?

Posted on February 20, 2011 by day1of1

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. – 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

 
One of the first posts that I had ever written was entitled “You Must Love Me.”  Written as a devotional for the website of the school where I was principal, it was one of the first times I looked more closely at a song and a movie that I personally enjoyed to learn why it had struck a chord with me.  The original version is buried somewhere on my hard drive.  A revised version can be found in the archives of this site.  But today I return to “Evita” to explore the thoughts that currently fill my mind.

 
After coming to Buenos Aires, Eva Duarte learned a hard lesson.  She had conned her way into a relationship with a singer that she felt would propel her to stardom.  She was so enamored with her glamorous future that she failed to pay attention to the fact that he was married.  Abandoned miles away from home, Eva contemplates her situation in the words of a song (it is a musical after all), “Another Suitcase in Another Hall.”  Throughout the song, Eva asks the same question over and over again: So what happens now?  The song shows us a vulnerable side of Eva and the beginnings of the process by which that naivety will ultimately disappear.

 
As the story continues, we see a stark change in Eva.  The wide-eyed girl has developed a survivor’s mentality.  She became adept at making decisions which advanced her prospects for fame, fortune and power.  She realized that moving quickly, taking advantage of the opportunities that lie in front of her without emotional attachments provided her the best chance to not only improve her lot, but to prevent others from taking advantage of her.  It wasn’t the kind of life she desired, but she understood that it was necessary to avoid repeating the pain of her past while taking her where she ultimately wanted to be.  So every new relationship became a stepping stone on the path to her dreams.

 
For many, this Machiavellian existence makes sense.  The world tells us to take the bull by the horns and make the most of the opportunities that are presented to us.  But the end will never justify the means.  For Eva, her lifestyle would eventually catch up to her.  Lying on her deathbed, the woman who had made her own opportunities by controlling every angle found herself helpless, weak, and desiring the one thing she denied herself for years: the joy that comes from being loved.  The aspirations that fueled a lifetime of carefully calculated decisions suddenly meant nothing because material things simply have no value when compared to love.

 
1 Corinthians 13 is a common Scripture used often during wedding services.  But in the memories of most, the words begin at verse four with, “Love is patient.  Love is kind…”  By overlooking verses 1-3, we can easily lose sight of the most important aspect – the value and importance of love in our lives.  As we move through life we find ourselves seeking any number of things – money, fame, power, achievements, comfort and the like.  But without love those treasures will lose their luster.  Seek love and know the fullness of the life God has given you.  Ignore it and you’ll find yourself asking the same question that plagued Eva…

 
So what happens now?

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Off Course

Posted on February 12, 2011 by day1of1

The path of the righteous is level; O upright One, you make the way of the righteous smooth. Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. – Isaiah 26:7-8

 
For those who struggle to surrender their lives to God, these are difficult words to accept.  Those people will wonder how it is that simply following God will make their path level and smooth – free of the many troubles that the world can bring.  However, for those of us who know this to be true, we see this demonstrated every day of our lives through the power of God actively working on our behalf.  We don’t control this, nor do we trigger it.  We simply benefit from it through our submission to it.  In fact, the only thing we can do when it comes to altering it would be to lose the blessings that come from God by walking away from His path.

 
Why would we choose to do that?  Lots of reasons I suppose.  For starters, we sometimes get fooled by the enemy who wants to lead us away.  Satan realizes that he doesn’t need to take us miles and miles off course.  Just a slight turn and we begin a process that takes us away from our intended destination.  His trick is to veer us off course in so subtle a way that we don’t even realize we’re headed the wrong way.  By the time we realize that slight variance, we’ve ventured far from our path.

 
Consider this: If a plane’s course is just one degree off from its intended destination, it will be 92 feet off course for every mile it travels.  Now I know you’re thinking – so what?  That’s about the length of a basketball court.  But tell me, when’s the last time you took a one mile flight?  Over time that gap will increase.  In fact, after traveling just 53 miles, the plane is a full mile off course.  On a flight from New York to Los Angeles the plane would be over 46 miles off course.

 
Other times different directions look more appealing or the path may seem less appealing than our alternatives.  There have been many times where I have found myself flying back to Detroit wishing the plane could be diverted to Aruba.  Doing so would be great – warm, sunny beaches are appealing.  However, no job, no home, and no family are less appealing.  We don’t always make the right decisions: we choose to pursue something contrary to God’s will or we choose to ignore the word God is speaking into our lives.  Either way, we make our journey more difficult.

 
We must strive every day to guard our hearts so that we make wise choices regarding our path.  The wisest choice is the simplest choice – to follow God’s plan.  However, the simplest choice is not always the easiest.  I pray that you will miss nothing that God has brought into your life because we know that everything He provides is designed to be a blessing to you.  May your eyes be open and your heart ready to receive every good gift God has in store for you today and for the rest of your life.

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Convicted

Posted on February 2, 2011 by day1of1

By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life. – Psalm 42:8

 
Most of the country has experienced at least a piece of the bad weather that has accompanied this latest version of the storm of the century.  It arrived at my house last night.  As far as accumulations of snow and ice are concerned, Iwas barely affected.  The greater impact was more personal.

 
Around 2:00 a.m., the storm changed from snow to a light freezing rain.  As it fell through the wind-whipped skies, the ice pelted the aluminum awning that covers my bedroom window, turning what had been a tranquil night into one with a constant rhythm of tapping just loud enough to wake me up.  This usually isn’t a problem.  I can roll over and fall back asleep without issue – unless provoked by that accusing nemesis of mine I like to refrer to as my mind.

 
And last night, he got me.

 
Before I was able to go back to sleep my mind began to fill, convicting me of a plethora of things: Jobs that I needed to do around the house, responsibilities at work, bills I need to pay, relationships I’m trying to build and repair.  Now a word like convicted may seem a little strong, but think about it – when was the last time you stayed up at night, unable to sleep because you were so happy about the raise you got at work or the laundry you folded?  That’s what I thought.

 
Our mind convicts us in those nighttime hours when we have little else to do and nowhere else to go.  We need to get up, but it’s the middle of the night.  Are you really going to go into the office to work at 2:00 a.m.?  We need to talk, but unless someone is seriously hurt that’s a bad time to call.  We need to budget, but fatigue and panic are bad foundations for financial decisions (ever wonder why the commercials promoting financial help, tax relief and advance paycheck loans are so prominent during late-night and over-night hours?).

 
Like those commercials, this is totally by design.  Satan is attacking us at the point when he feels we are most vulnerable.  Were it the middle of the day, you would have people to talk to, opportunities to get answers, and other activities to help distract and refocus your thoughts.  But don’t feel special or singled out.  Not only have we all been there, but consider how Satan operated in his dealings with Christ.  Was Jesus surrounded by thousands when Satan came to tempt Him or was He alone in the wilderness?  And returning back to our title, where was Christ’s conviction handed down?  In the courts at high noon where the full eye of the public could watch over the proceedings, or at the high priest’s house in the middle of the night so the conviction could stick because the defendant was forced to stand alone? 

 
Alone with your thoughts can be one of the scariest places you visit, just remember that you aren’t required to live there!  God is with you: no matter what, where, or when.  His promises are good 24/7/365 .  In Him we can fight off the immediate onslaught of fear and worry that the enemy slings at us.  Through prayer we can align our thoughts with His will and release our minds from the grips of fear.  By connecting we can return to the peace promised to all believers and regain our focus to forge ahead in the perfect plan of our perfect God: a plan that overturns our conviction because of the willing sacrifice of Christ.

 
Sleep easy, secure in the safety assured by our Savior!

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Skeptical

Posted on January 31, 2011 by day1of1

Skeptical: (adj)  Inclined to skepticism; having or showing doubt.

  
I am always impressed with words and the connotations they provide.  Take doubt for example.  To say that you doubt something has a negative connotation.  However, if you were to say you were merely skeptical, that would be different.  Skepticism demonstrates a hesitancy to commit where doubt conveys concerns about the person or event of whom the commitment is being asked.  Doubt is threatening because it implies that someone or something else is lacking.  And while skepticism expresses the same idea, it feels different because the onus is placed on the skeptic himself.

 
To that end, many people venture through life expressing their skepticism, assuming that in doing so they can pass up and avoid things that might otherwise be a struggle without taking the time to address the issue or explore it personally to take responsibility for their own involvement.  Maybe they were the cause and are simply trying to walk away.  Maybe they have the solution but for some reason have no interest in sharing.  Either way – a skeptic is born.

 
This isn’t to say that we should blindly run into the burning buildings of our lives.  Our natural senses can be very helpful in protecting us from situations that should be avoided.  The real problem of skepticism comes when it grows into a lifestyle.  If someone quotes you a price and you think you could get it for less, be skeptical.  However, refusing to go shopping because you believe that every salesman in the world is nothing more than a crook trying to rob you is totally different and dangerous.  Skeptics miss out on happy marriages because they’ve never seen one or have so much pain packed into their baggage they think they know better.  Skeptics abandon dreams of financial freedom because they are convinced that society is out to get them.  Skeptics even allow themselves to accept less than what God has promised and provided them because the gift couldn’t possibly be so simple and bring them so much pleasure.  This is unfortunate because this couldn’t be further from the truth.

 
Why are we so skeptical of God?  What is it that makes us think He wants us bound in the chains of stress, poverty, guilt, worry, and loneliness?  Scripture clearly dispels this myth.  Deuteronomy 28:1-14 chronicles the blessings that God desires to shower upon the faithful.  Nowhere in that segment does it speak in a tone that gives us any reason to doubt Him.  Again, we live with our heads on straight, seeking God’s will above all and following it without fail so that we may, in the words of 1 Thessalonians 5: 21, “Test all things; [and] hold fast to what is good.”  What we must understand, however, is that the test is not one we wrote, nor is it one we get to assess.  God has set the rubric in place.  His choices for us are sufficient and will bring us the outcome He desires for us – and how can we do better than that?

 
May the God of all wisdom and peace fill your hearts and minds with both.  Seek out those areas of skepticism in your life that have left you frozen and unable to live a maximized life of blessings and joy, now and forever.

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Connotations

Posted on January 27, 2011 by day1of1

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,  till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;  that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,  but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—  from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. – Ephesians 4:11-16

 
Have you seen “The Social Network,” the movie chronicling the story of Mark Zuckerberg and the creation of Facebook?  It is an interesting film on many levels, but my interest was piqued in the first scene of the film.  Zuckerberg is sitting in a bar with his about to be ex-girlfriend Erica Albright.  The conversation could best be described as painful.  She is trying to make polite conversation and then a point with him.  Conversely, he responds to her in quick, condescending tones that seem to control and belittle.  It may be that he is just wired differently, but we don’t know the character well enough to be certain.  As the conversation deteriorates, the following exchange takes place.

 
Mark Zuckerberg: Come on, you don’t have to study, you don’t have to study. Let’s just talk.
Erica Albright: I can’t.
Mark Zuckerberg: Why?
Erica Albright: Because it is exhausting, dating you is like dating you a stairmaster.

 
In and of itself – that’s a great line.  What a clever way for Erica to capture the moment and gain a modicum of control in the conversation.  Most people watch that scene and think to themselves, “Atta girl!  He had that one coming.”  And to be honest, I don’t disagree.  However, I heard it and found myself experiencing a déjà vu moment as I recognized that I’ve heard that comment before.

 
“Talking to you is exhausting.”   I hadn’t ever realized that until it was brought to my attention, but I guess I find the statement to be true.  My mind is one that struggles to stay in the moment when looking at an issue.  I tend to wander forward, playing out scenarios that may happen two, three, or seventeen steps down the road.  I always considered it a way to be thorough when making a decision.  Others consider it an annoying way of complicating life needlessly. 
Maybe it’s just a spoken word thing, something doesn’t translate into the written word.  Then again maybe not.I remember the first piece of feedback my blogging/devotional writing received…

 
“You are verbose.  Be pithy!”

 
I appreciated the comment.  I realize that some platforms are better short and succinct.  But for others, I felt I was speaking from the heart, sharing my thoughts in ways that were honest and complete.  And if it takes me a while to get there, it doesn’t mean that I can spend an entire hour defining the subtle nuances of the word “the.”

 
I can’t do that – I promise.  Made it 52 minutes and just ran out of ideas…

 
Please understand the purpose behind this isn’t to grouse about criticism.  I welcome the perspectives that other people share with me, especially when the person providing it is someone I respect, whose faith leads them to help me improve.  But it is curious to see how some comments designed to change us are just that – attempts to change us.  And to what end?  To make us more palatable to those people around us?  To make us more like them?  As I see it, there is little value in doing so.  I am who God made me.  For example, I have a memory that traps details lost by many others in the same situation.  I’ve been told that level of recall is creepy – but when that same person wants to find something or to have their story confirmed, the creepiness suddenly turns useful.  I’ve been told I’m verbose, but by stretching out ideas and thoughts, I am blessed with the opportunity to provide myself and others with different perspectives to take from what I say and write.  And besides, I’m not the one responsible for this anyway.

 
As Ephesians 4 reminds us, we were made with specific gifts to be used for specific purposes to further God’s Kingdom.  As He created me, God knew I would be here today.  He knew what I would encounter as I reached this point and He made sure that I had what I was supposed to have to be ready to serve His purposes.  We can place our connotations on the descriptors, but the truth is clear.  God made me this way and I will embrace it.  For those who needed to hear the message, I pray that you will be empowered to develop confidence in yourself, knowing that God knew what He was doing when He created you.  And for those who find my message tiring, I praise Him for the chance to help you rest.

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3 Steps

Posted on January 23, 2011 by day1of1

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. – Colossians 3:12-14

This is one of the most difficult things for many Christians to learn to do.  First of all, we are instructed to live our lives filled with things that come from God.  By our own strength, we can be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, and patient to some degree.  However, to really be able to possess all of these things and to turn to them more often requires help from the Creator – the source from which all of these gifts come.

Next, forgiveness is not natural.  Our human nature drives us toward anger and revenge.  We certainly struggle with patience and bearing with one another – it is far easier and in many ways more personally satisfying to either hold the grudge, seek revenge, or to simply ignore the person or the situation that is causing us strife.  Even if we don’t go that far, we may find ourselves harboring feelings of offense.  This can be even more hurtful; it’s minor, long lasting, and can quickly grow to greater levels of resentment, leading our focus away from our Lord.  Maybe that’s another reason why God forgave us first.  “Forgive as the Lord forgave you” isn’t a guilt trip – it’s another example of God modeling the principles by which He wants us to live.

Finally, God asks us to wrap this all up in a unifying love.  Unity in the world is a short-lived and highly complicated thing.  We put many restrictions and requirements on others before we choose to unite and many unions remain tenuous – never solidifying and becoming the strong alliances that support and uplift in the way that God envisioned.  Why do we limit love?  Yesterday’s sin can set today schedule if we truly forgive.  This isn’t to say that I should allow myself to be victimized repeatedly in the name of forgiveness.  But where there is repentance and a willingness to let the Spirit of the Lord work within us there must also be restoration and maintenance of the relationship as God desires.

This may seem like God is asking a lot of us, but shift your paradigm a bit and you’ll discover this to be well within your capabilities.  God has not only called us to be above the world in this matter, but that He has made it possible for us to do so as well.  Our greatest efforts in these areas will always fall woefully short, but in God there is no failure.  God’s desire is for us to live maximized lives; fulfilling our destinies and receiving every blessing extended from the throne of grace.  He gives us the direction and then guides us along the way.  We are thankful for what He has provided and continue pray diligently that we will not ignore the gifts or the guidance He is giving.

May the Father, whose love for you knows no limits, fill you with each of these three things that they may drive your actions throughout your life.

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Beautiful

Posted on January 17, 2011 by day1of1

The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands. – Psalm 138:8

 
“Mirror, mirror on the wall…”  A classic line from a classic children’s story.  Of course in today’s politically correct world this story would be blasted.  Why must women seek the approval of shallow apparitions trapped inside of mirrors who judge your worth based solely upon your appearance?  Can you see the protests?  Today’s kinder, gentler mirror would reply back with something more accepting, demonstrating the value of the whole person.  But I digress…

 
Most of us don’t need a voice activated mirror to tell us what we see.  Some of us don’t need the mirror at all.  We know what’s there without looking and make decisions that can impact our lives in the short and long term based on our personal knowledge of who we are and what we can do.  Call it humility, insecurity, or ignorance, but more often than not we view ourselves to be far beneath our true capabilities.

 
Why is it that somebody else can look at you and see things that you can’t?  That seems odd.  You would think that we would know ourselves better than anybody else – filled with the knowledge and confidence that we have in our gifts and abilities.  But something happened along the way.  We lost sight of who we are and what God called us to be.  The enemy whispered in our ear, causing us to doubt and fear that God’s promises really weren’t for us.  And so we accepted mediocrity (or less).

 
When you look in the mirror, who do you see?  Is it the person you dreamt it would be when you were growing up?  Is it the person your family and friends expected?  Probably not – but thankfully, those are not the important questions.  The only question you need to ask yourself is this:  Is that the person God created to serve a specific purpose in His Kingdom?  Of course that answer is yes, and because that is true, there is nothing – absolutely nothing that God cannot and will not do to help you accomplish according to His perfect will.  The words to Francesca Battistelli’s song “Beautiful, Beautiful” help to illustrate this truth.

“Don’t know how it is You looked at me,
and saw the person that I could be.
Awakening my heart, breaking through the dark,
Suddenly Your grace…

Like sunlight burning at midnight,
Making my life something so beautiful, beautiful.
Mercy reaching to save me, all that I need
You are so beautiful, beautiful.”

Click Here to hear the song in its entirety (YouTube)

 
The lies of the enemy have convinced us that we can’t do everything we’ve been called and created to do, and he makes the lie easier to believe by leading our flesh away from where we should be.  This is evident in many areas of our lives.  When times get tough, it is easy for us to quit trying – giving up on the chance for something better by settling for something safe.  When times of stress come upon us, we use them as excuses for bad behaviors, ranging from blowing up at somebody, doing something reckless, or just blowing our diet in a carton of Ben & Jerry’s.

 
As I continue my journey, God is reinforcing 3 simple truths.  Number 1:  God loves me more deeply than anybody else can.  Number 2:  I can rely upon Him in every situation.  Number 3:  I don’t need to live in fear because God is going to keep His promises in my life.  We can trust His Word.  We can trust His timing.  We cannot let anyone convince us that what He has promised will not come to fruition.  Align your confession with His will and then just watch God be God.  He will help you.  Remember, in God’s eyes you are beautiful – and you ARE!

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Character Development

Posted on January 9, 2011 by day1of1

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. – 1 John 3:18-23

Have you ever looked at someone and saw something in them that they could not? For over 15 years I have had the opportunity to work with students. As a teacher and professor, I have been blessed with the opportunity to see these young men and women grow and develop academically, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. As I watched this development, I could see patterns emerge and strengths develop that would allow me to clearly see a future to which they were still oblivious. Why does it work that way? Why do others see it before we do? Wouldn’t it make it easier for everyone involved if we just knew what the story was supposed to be so we could get started working on it right away?

Of course, this is just a part of God’s plan for us. Any good story has to take a little time to develop. You have to have a compelling plot, interesting characters, villains to defeat, heroes to inspire, obstacles to overcome, and a few quirky incidents to help bring humor and perspective. To simplify this process would cause us to lose critical elements of the story. The plot would become simple, the leading man or lady would be one-dimensional, and the conclusion would be predictable. That’s a book you wouldn’t read or a film you wouldn’t watch, so why would we want that to be the life we hope to live?

As the author of your life, God knows you completely. Or as John puts it in verse 20, “God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.” He knew who you’d marry. He knew what your occupation would be. He knew where you were going to live. He knew who your best friend would be. He knew when you would be born. He knows when you’ll be returning home. As a believer, you already know this and are thankful that He’s in charge of those major life events. However, we must realize that there is far more to it.

God also knows why you went to the elementary school you attended, what teacher you were supposed to have and what the seating chart would be so you could learn what you needed to from that boy you sat next to in second grade. To us, that feels like one blip of one moment of time from years ago. It’s an insignificant fact; a brief sentence in the novel of our lives. But for the story to be told with accuracy and for the plot to be made complete, the Author must envision, design, and write it in its entirety. We may not see its value upon first glance, but once the connection is made, the significance of that moment will never be forgotten. It is truly a gift of God that His love for us is so great that He will turn chaos into unity, noise into harmony, confusion into certainty as He writes our story. Celebrate this gift as you turn the page and start your next chapter.

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