Part of the Change

You can be encouraged when life is difficult and overwhelming. Struggle is part of the change. If you were plugging along in your comfortable life, convinced that all is well you’d be fooled. More of Him comes in difficulty. Trust!

Yesterday

Yesterday’s difficulties, mistakes or poor decisions don’t have to rule today. It’s a brand new day full of opportunity and new challenges. Don’t let the weight of the past drag you down. Give your regrets to God and trust Him enough to leave them with Him. Each time you take them back for yourself you’re excluding Him from helping and living in the past. He is the God of right now and this is the very time He wants to spend with you.

Jesus Loves Me

Please don’t just read over this one today. Take a minute and seriously think through this statement: Jesus loves me, this I know. It’s pretty easy for you to believe that Jesus loves others but far too often difficult to trust that He loves you. He does, more than you can possibly imagine but unless you know this and trust Him, that love goes unrealized. Don’t believe the lie, take hold of the truth that you are uniquely and especially loved by the one that knows you better than anyone. He died to prove it to you once and lives to show you relentlessly.

Upstream

Swimming against the current is difficult. The flow of this world can be overwhelming as it comes at you with all it has; you’re not loved, you’re all alone, you’re not good enough, you have nothing to offer and so much more. Often it’s tempting to stop swimming and just float along with everyone else but here’s great news, it’s not that deep. Stop swimming and stand up. Take life a step at a time with one foot firmly planted. The further you get the easier it becomes; you get stronger and the surge becomes a trickle. How God thinks about you overtakes the lies you’ve believed and you can give a hand to those still struggling.

God is at Work

You can count on it. Whatever the circumstance, whatever the difficulty, He can and wants to, make something fantastic from it. A life of ease is hardly worth living though that’s too often what we seek. A life without challenge gets old fast. The key is embracing the struggle, challenging ourselves and looking for God in the middle of it all.

Miracle Max

Fourteen years ago one of my all time favorite sons was born. The circumstances leading up to that day caused us to cling to God like never before and every day since Max, you’ve brought us joy, caused our trust in The Lord to remain strong and been such an incredible blessing to everyone that knows you. Thank you for being who you are, thank you for your soft heart and thank you for the love you share so freely.

And Still More

Bob Goff’s “Love Does”

“I used to think I could shape the circumstances around me, but now I know Jesus uses circumstances to shape me.”

What can I learn here Lord, is always a great question to ask no matter the circumstance. There is always more of God to be found in good as well as difficult times.

Good Read

A friend recently gave me the book “Love Does” by Bob Goff. I’m really enjoying reading it. Over the next couple of days I’d like to share a few of Mr. Goff’s thoughts with you and add a comment:

“I used to want to fix people, but now I just want to be with them.”

So often what is broken in us is our hearts. The belief that we are unloved, the result of the rejection we have endured can be overwhelming. The best “fix” is when someone commits to love us, to hang in there even when things are difficult and allows us to learn at God’s pace.

Hope

Lord lead the way for us this week. Help us put the difficulty and failures of last week behind us and take a firm grasp of the promise ahead. Don’t let us miss an opportunity to be You to everyone You place in our path. Give us an extra dose of wisdom and compassion that we would represent You well and the ability to refute the evidence we’re all bombarded with that we are unloved.

Hang in There

I know that a number of you have been going through some pretty rough times lately. You’re in the middle of something you never thought you would have to face and it’s scary. It is going to get better, hang in and don’t give up. Be sure you don’t try to go it alone, lean in close to the Lord and find someone to help you. Things may not work out exactly as you want them to but you’ve been promised that there will be a day when you’ll look back and understand how you and those around you are better. God loves you so very much. You’re in my prayers.