Dancing Around the Truth

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."  - John 14:6

I have two left feet when it comes to dancing. It's a pretty funny sight to see when I get out on the dance floor. You wanna see me jam? Well that ain't happening now or never! But, did you know that if you have the right dance partner, they can make you look like a pro? 


I am guilty of dancing around the truth. Sometimes I'm afraid to tell others about Jesus and salvation because I'm worried what they might think of me. My two left feet get the best of me and I leave God and the truth out of the picture.


Yet God wants us to dance with Him. He will make us look like a pro every single time. He will twirl us, spin us, waltz us etc.


If we dance with Him, we will never dance around His truth. We will not be afraid of proclaiming the word of our Lord and in the process, we will see many come to know Him. 


How would you feel today if someone died not knowing the Lord because you decided to dance around the truth? Don't wait, ask the Lord to help you dance with Him right now.

Addiction: Fact or Fiction

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” - Matthew 19:23

Our internet has been down for a little over a week at home and I've realized how much less stress has been kept out of my life without having to check every little thing when I get home. Not only that, it takes up plenty of time that is wasted on things that really aren't that important.

Now don't get me wrong, I love seeing what everyone is doing on Facebook but there comes a point when it is just completely overwhelming. Or maybe I can say addicting.

There are many things in our lives that become addictions. For you it may be alcohol, looking at things on the internet that are inappropriate, smoking, drugs or a myriad of other things.

But did you know that the Bible talks about addictions as being sins. Even the smallest little thing can become a sin if we desire it more than God.

The rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-30) had this problem. He wanted to know what he had to do to make it to heaven and Jesus told him to give up his riches. Unfortunately his addiction to riches left in a bind and he chose his riches over the kingdom of heaven.

Is there something in your life today that you are choosing over the kingdom of heaven? Take a few minutes to ponder and reflect on this. If so, ask God to take COMPLETE control over your addiction.

God is Bigger Than That!

"For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things." - 1 John 3:20

Oh the life an ant. Imagine crawling around all day, trying to dodge gigantic feet, cars, trucks, tractors, cats, dogs and much more. Being as clumsy as I am, I wouldn't last a millisecond!

Sometimes there are big things in our lives that condemn us. Maybe you are living in sin and can't seem to find a way to conquer it. Perhaps you are struggling with past sins that Jesus told you He already forgave once you gave your life to him.

Whatever may be the case, you have a God who is bigger than anything you could ever imagine. He does not want you to live in constant condemnation, guilt and fear.

He wants you to fall into His open arms. He will catch you. Step out today and let God be bigger than your world.

Bring on the Pain

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:4

I remember the first time I ever felt pain. Call me a crazy little red-head or whatever you prefer but I had a major thirst for adventure when I was a child.

At five years old, I was rambunctious, lively and pretty much fearless. One day I decided I was going to put on some roller skates that were about four sizes to big for me. I thought I was big stuff! Then I thought it would be absolutely dare devilish to roller skate on my neighbor's grass, down hill.

You can only imagine what happened next. If not, here's the scoop. Of course the roller skates took off down the hill, at a speed I couldn't control and I went tumbling to the ground, breaking my fall with my wrist.

At that point it was shear panic and pain. I remember screaming at the top of my lungs. I was usually pretty good at that, so my neighbors told me. Yet, supposedly nothing was broken.

So I decided it would be a good idea to go to my gymnastics class. With one summersault, I had excruciating pain once again and that time it put me in a cast.

We often feel the pains of this world. We fall down, break our arm, sprain our ankle, get a concussion, etc.

But we also feel a different kind of pain when things in our life seem to be spinning out of control.We must remember one thing, this pain will only last for a while. God promises there will be no more pain once we get to heaven.

Are you ready to put your faith in Jesus and remember that the trials you go through here on earth are just a blink of an eye compared to the painless eternity you will spend in heaven?

Trust in the Lord. He will see you through, even in the midst of unexpected trials.

Teach Me Your Way

There are times in life when things weigh heavy on your heart for others. This has been one of those days for me. So today I want to write a little poem prayer. Sometimes it's good to just let God know what you are feeling. Please enjoy the prayer and maybe it will touch you as well.

Lord,

When shadows fill the day
Teach me Your way
When sorrow feels like it's here to stay
Teach me Your way

When waters carry me out to bay
Teach me Your way
When darkness tempts my heart to stray
Teach my Your way

When it comes to the end of the day
Teach me Your way
When I kneel by my bed and pray
Teach me your way

Unfailing Love

"The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love." - Psalms 33:5

It's that time of year when everyone gets all "lovey-dovey." I'm sure there are plenty of girls just wishing and praying to get under the mistletoe with their knight in shining armor. Little kids are "really" loving their parents  because they know if they are naughty, they won't be getting anything but coal in their stockings! The stores are packed with unhappy (yet loving) shoppers, getting their "loving" family and friends gifts to put under the tree.

Yes, love is definitely in the "human" air. We are all in that mood. But, I'd like you to take a deep look into your life for a minute and analyze whether the love you are putting on is real or a show.

Are some of you hurting deeply? Have you been wounded, this year, this month, this day? Are you searching for a love that will fill your heart all year round and not just during the Christmas festivities?

You won't find it in you mother, your neighbor, your best friend or your child. They may be able to give human love but they cannot give unconditional love.

I am reminded of one man who walked on this earth, sinless and in LOVE with humankind. Not the love we think of when we say "I love you" to our family members. The love that He has for us is beyond words; beyond imagination and the greatest thing about it is that it's completely free!

Do you need a touch of love for our Savior Jesus Christ? Do you trust Him to love you today? Are you willing to step away from your hurt and anger and let His unfailing love take over your life today? It's a decision you will never regret and it will make this Christmas season the happiest you've ever had.

A Barren Land Made New

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." - Romans 12:1-2

After taking a little over a week off from writing, I've realized the importance of rejuvenation and renewal.

As I was driving to work this morning, I looked all around me at the barren trees. I thought to myself, "This isn't even winter yet, and everything looks dead!" Then a since of peace came over me as I realized that in just a few months all would be made new with the onset of spring.

This is a mirror image of a human life. We often travel through barren land where everything looks bleak and nothing seems as if it will ever change. We may have lost our job, or lost a loved one. We may have had someone very close to us walk out of our lives or have a child who is choosing to go the wrong path.

I have good news for you. You will soon see the light of day and a renewing peace come over your life if you choose to put your barren land in God's hands. He is ready and willing to take it and make it spring all over again.

Give Him a chance today. He will NEVER fail you!

Separation Anxiety

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  - Romans 8:38-39

Mothers often feel separation anxiety from their children when they drop them off for their first day of kindergarten, watch them off to college, and when they get married. I've always thought it was a little outrageous, but I guess it's because I don't have any children yet. Still,  I find it heartwarming, when a mom cries as she has to let go of her little girl's hand at the school gates or when a mother bursts into chaotic tears at her sons wedding.

We all have different areas of our life where we experience separation anxiety. There are many people in the Bible who probably experienced this as well. Remember Joseph? He was sold into slavery by his own brothers. But his father longed to see his son again. I could go on and on, but I'll get to it!

We may face worldly separation but we do not have to face spiritual separation unless we choose to. Unfortunately many people choose to deny Christ and be separated from Him forever. 

You don't have to make that choice. God wants you to choose him. And once you do, nothing, NOTHING, can separate you from the love of God!

He is in the Fire

"And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It [is] my people: and they shall say, The LORD [is] my God." Zechariah 13:9

My brother is a paramedic and a firefighter. When I think about what he does on a daily basis, I am in awe that he could be so selfless; that he would lay down his life for someone else in need. It almost brings me to tears when I think about it.

We all get caught in the so-called "fire of life" every now and then. We may be having trouble at work or marital problems. Maybe one of our children is choosing to stray away from the Lord. Whatever it is, we must always remember that we are not alone in that fire and the One who is right beside us will not let us burn.

In the Bible, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would not bow down to worship a statue. Because of their godly actions, they were thrown in a fiery furnace and left for dead. Yet, to the dismay of onlookers, they remained unharmed in the flames, for right beside them was a fourth man. King Nebuchadnezzar said in Daniel 3:25, "Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."

God protected the three men in the fire. They had no burns on them, no sign of smoke inhalation and no marks on their bodies.

He will do the same for us when we fall into fiery trials. Sometimes we wonder what God is doing. Just remember, His almighty hand is a work even now. He will bring you through the fire.

Anger + Revenge = Sin

"Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I [am] the Lord." Leviticus 19:18 

I read the stories everyday about people who take other people's lives. It seems like it is getting worse with time. It pretty much makes me sick to my stomach. Today I saw where a man killed three people, a publicist was shot in the chest and then slammed her car into a pole (she later died at a hospital), and a teen boy who was murdered in his own house from a drive by shooting.


The majority of these cases are not random acts of violence but what I believe to be revenge. Anger makes a person do things that no one can possibly understand. What follows that anger is revenge.


Have you ever thought in your mind, "Wow that person is making me so ticked off right now. I'm going to get revenge on them." If you haven't, you must be a saint!


Revenge can easily become sin. Will you allow it to take over your life just because you have bitter feelings towards somebody?


If you let revenge into your heart, it won't take much time before it turns to hatred, and when it does, you won't know who you are anymore.


Instead, why don't we all just take our concerns to the Lord and ask him to ease our minds. It's a easy as ABC for Him.

A Fine Line

There may be someone in the world who can draw a completely straight line. But if I had to take a guess, the majority of us would have to use a ruler. Even then, I'm not so sure my line would end up perfectly straight.

In life there is a fine line drawn by God. There are two sides to that line and no one can stand on the line without falling one way or the other.

One side of the line is full of people who have chosen to put the Lord first and accepted him as their Saviour. The other side is full of many more who have thus far chosen to reject Him.

We can't walk the line like we can a tight rope (probably most of us couldn't even do that anyway). Yet we often think that we can do a little sinning here and a little sinning there and still be on God's side.

I've got news for you folks. You can not continue purposefully sinning and be on the side of the Lord. Yes, we being carnal will still make poor decisions on an everyday basis, but it is the cry of our heart to follow after Him.

Which side of the fine line are you on today? Take a few minutes out of your busy day and ask God to show you.

Carnal Appetites

"For ye are yet carnal: for whereas [there is] among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" 1 Corinthians 3:3

Dictionary.com defines carnal as "pertaining to or characterized by the flesh or the body, its passions and appetites; sensual: carnal pleasures."

I think dictionary man hit it right on the money with that definition. Our carnal nature is all about our flesh and what our flesh desires. 

Have you ever had a big appetite for something and you knew you just had to eat it or die? I've been there lots of times. Half the time I have an appetite for a pastrami sandwich, but for some reason in the south, they are hard to come by. 


When we have an appetite for something, we want it so bad that we will go to all extremes to get it. It's the same with our carnal nature.


Our carnal nature makes us crave the things of this world that seek to destroy us. It may be something as simple as television or something even more serious as lusting after another human being. 


Yet God has the answer to our carnal nature. He asks us to be in the word daily. And if we walk  extremely close with Him everyday, He will protect us from our carnal nature.

Rage in the Real World

A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel." Proverbs 15-18

Being a redhead and fair skinned, I have a tendency to show my true colors when I'm raging mad. I'd say by the way it feels, I'd look the color of a fire engine. If you see me like that, you better get the hose as quick as you can and put me out, because I'm about to blow up in your face.

Isn't it a common occurrence in our lives to show rage at others who don't deserve it? Most of the time we are overlooking the real situation by catering to our own needs. I'm definitely guilty of this on a weekly basis. Are you?

Okay, so it may be funny for a while, but what happens when our rage gets so out of hand that we can't control our emotions or our body? We are all capable of horrific sin. It takes just one second to throw something at somebody or push them down.

Those actions can lead to death, not only for your victim, but also for you. 

I know this is a very touchy subject I'm dealing with today, but we all need to realize what we are capable of. We are no better than the murderer on the five o'clock news. We could easily be in his shoes.

Satan wants us to be so full of rage that we can't think of anything but our needs. He wants us to go "mad." He wants to devour our souls and I'd have to say he's doing an amazing job of it in our world today.

But life can be lived so much better. Jesus is the answer to our anger and rage. He can give us patience and calmness beyond all measure. He is ready right now. Are you?

Fear Not

"And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" Mark 4:40 

I have always been a very fearful person. While growing up I was extremely terrified that someone was going to break into our house at night. I even made my hiding plans, so if the doorknob turned, I would jet out of bed and to safety.

I was also very, very afraid of clowns on stilts and I still am to this day. I know it's silly, but I became terrified of them at a circus when I was five years old. A clown on stilts came up to me and I didn't like that. He bent over to talk to me and I panicked. I wanted to sprint to the other side of the carnival as fast as I could. I turned around to dart off and he started chasing me with his long, fake legs! What kind of crazy clown would chase a poor five-year-old? 


Yes I have been traumatized by that experience and even now I go completely out of my mind when I see one. It took a lot for me to use one as my graphic above!


Oh, and did I almost forget to mention my worst fear in life? BEARS! Yes, that's right, bears. You know those cute little fuzzy things that little kids beg their parents for in the toy stores. Well little kiddies, I hate to break it to you, but those cute cuddly bears are gigantic monsters in real life! 


We all have fears that rage inside of us. Mine are no doubt extremely different from yours. Probably a little immature, but oh well.


Yet, God is wanting to take any fear we have and erase it from our lives. He wants us to trust in Him completely. He is calling all of us and reaching out to hold us in His arms. Let Him take all your fears away. 


Build your faith on the solid rock. If you don't you will sink in the sand.


Photo Credit: Pete Ashton

Proceed with Caution

"Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter [any] thing before God: for God [is] in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few." Ecclesiastes 5:1-2

We've all seen the signs on the highways. CAUTION. Of course my first reaction is what do I need to be cautioned about?


I was driving down the two-lane last night and I saw signs saying, "CAUTION, Road Work Ahead." So me being the most tentative driver in the world, slows to about 25. Thank goodness there was no one around to see frantic little ol' me. I was thinking, there has got to be someone out here working their tail off at this time of night if they have the signs up and reflecting so brightly. But no, there was not a single soul around.


We are like this is in our spiritual lives. We see a CAUTION sign, and wonder "What's over there? I really want to know." As we edge closer and closer, we fall into the trap and when it's all said and done, there is nothing on the other side. 


Why don't we learn our lesson and really STOP when God says caution? Today, decide that His ways are better than our own and make a complete 360 in the road. Spin a tire if you have to. Just run to Him.

Friendship Dos and Donts

"A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray" - Proverbs 13:26

Friendships are extremely important in the eyes of God. He EXPECTS us to make wise choices when we decide who we are going to hang out with.

As a young Christian teenager and in my 20s, I was not always so wise about my choices in friends. I wanted to look cool and roll with the kids who were popular and had style. I wanted to do the things they did even though I knew that God would not approve of half of them.

Little did I know that my choices would affect me for life. We cannot take back our actions. There were plenty of times that I made friendship mistakes that led me down some dark alleys (no, not literally).

Yet, I knew that my Redeemer wanted me to take another road and follow the crowd who would lead me closer and closer to him.

That choice was the best one I have ever made and I will never regret it.

Some of us are still in our teens and 20s. You can pretend that I am if you'd like. It wouldn't hurt my feelings any! But many of us are in our adult lives and we still could easily get tripped up with the wrong friends and be led astray.

Take the hand of the "Stronghold." He will give you the wisdom and the courage to say no. You will never regret it.

Born With a Purpose

"So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." - Genesis 1:27

Each of us are born with a purpose in life. God has given us all different talents that are to be used to glorify His kingdom.

We all remember dreaming about what we were going to be when we "grew up". I always wanted to be a vet until I realized that they had to do surgery on animals and see bloody insides!

As I got older, I went through the professional softball or volleyball player stage, then to the kinesiologist (I think I was more fascinated with the name more than anything else), and then I wound up in journalism school after I felt a strong call on my life from the Lord.

I worked in that field for a few years and then God led me down a completely different path. He was calling me to be a graphic designer. It was exciting, yet scary for me at the same time, but I knew it was what His will was.

We are all made in God's image and we are all born with a purpose beyond what we can imagine. Sometimes God is so creative and He changes our career paths, but we must always remember to follow Him even if we would love to run the other way.

Remember how far that got Jonah! He was thrown into the belly of a big fish because he tried to run away from God.

If you think you are worth nothing, put you chin up and look toward the heavens. Ask the Lord to reveal your purpose to you. No doubt, He will.

Diligence in a Technology Driven World

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." -  2 Timothy 2:15

Electronics rule our worlds. A little text message here, a little Facebook action there. Oh and let's not forget checking our emails from our iPhones every other second. By the way, I'm so glad I don't have one. My Blackberry used to drive me nuts.

I can remember the days when playing outside was the cool thing to do. We would ride bikes, play "Ding Dong Ditch" (not a good idea if you want to survive nowadays), play catch in the street, and run up to the nearest 7-Eleven.

Yet for some reason those days are long gone. It's rare to see kids playing outside because they are too wrapped up in Playstation (whatever number we are on now). They can't even ride their bikes very far because the world we live in is a sinful mess and getting worse everyday.

With all this bombardment, it's hard to stay focused and be diligent workers. I know it's easy for me to get distracted from all the technology around me, but God commands us to be hard workers for His kingdom.

Sometimes (more like most of the time if you want to get technical), we need to put the iPhone away, shut down our computers, and forget about answering 25 text messages. We need to focus on our work and what is important in life.

We won't be able to take our gobs of technology with us to heaven so we might as well get used to living without them.

When Others Drive You Bananas

"The words of a talebearer [are] as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly." Proverbs 26:22

It goes without saying that we all have people in our live that can really crawl under our skin. I can admit it, there are a few in mine! (By the way, if you are my friend, you have no worries. Just don't become my enemy.)

So what do we do when others annoy the living daylight out of us?

Most of us, including myself, decide that would be the perfect time to run and tell someone else that a certain person is driving us bananas or that they are picking on us.

STOP! Let's see what it would look like if we chose to go another route.

Imagine that this same person was still driving you bananas and you chose to do something dramatically opposite of your first instinct. Imagine that you folded your hands for a few seconds and prayed for them.

It would do wonders for you and for them. Maybe we should all try it.

Confusion and Satan's Lies

"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come."- John 16:13

I can't even count the number of times I've been confused about a project at work or about what a friend has said to me. Confusion is a definite recurring theme for many of us.

Yet, it's important that we don't use our confusion as a crutch when it comes to our spiritual lives and sin. With sin there is no confusion. There is a right way and a wrong way to go.

It's so easy for us to do something wrong and say "Well I was just confused."

That, my friends, is a cop-out answer. We both know it. If we were honest with ourselves, we would have to say that we've used it before.

Satan is the master of confusion! He wants to trip us up and make us believe things that are not true. It's his job even if he doesn't get paid cash for it. Even better for him, he wants our souls.

Don't let him win. God is there and there is no confusion with Him. Ask Him to guide you towards the light and far, far away from the dark.

 

Lost and Found

"For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry."
- Luke 15: 24

One of the scariest moments as a child is getting lost in a crowd and not being able to find your parents. It can send a child into complete panic mode, let alone cause the parents to have a heart attack. Most likely, they will run around screaming and yelling for little "Tommy" with a frantic look on their face.

My little brother was notorious for "getting lost" as a child. We often went to the mall and he loved to hide in the clothing racks. It seemed that every time my mom turned around she couldn't find him. It was a game to him, but to my mom, it was shear torture.

It is the same way with God. We run around and hide from him thinking all is fun and games, while he is seeking us out and asking us to come to Him over and over again.

Yet we are like lost sheep who can't find our way in this merry-go-round called life. The reason: we do not see how much we need to be found.

God wants to bring us home. Het is stretching out His arms, asking you to come to Him. We are lost but He has made every effort to find us.

Do you want to continue running from him or do you want to be found? Let the Lord receive you with open arms today. You will never want to look back.

A Boastful Nation

"Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." Proverbs 27:1 

The United States is a pretty boastful nation. We drive our monstrous vehicles, wear the best brand name clothes and shoes, text, talk and play on our cell phones, and live in mansions. Okay, I guess I could have left of the last one.


We are a "thing" society. We want more "things" and when we don't get them, we gripe about it. 


Have you ever thought about the little child in Africa who is sitting in a mud hole right now with nothing to eat but maybe a small bowl of watered down soup. Do you know that many of those same children walk mile after mile, carrying a gasoline jug, everyday to get water for their families. They usually share that same water with disease infested oxen.


And here we are fa la la la la'in around. We've got it all. Or so we think we do.


Why don't you take a minute today and think about the majority of the world who is suffering while we live in a fantasy land. It will change your day. In fact, it will even change your world.

One Last Breath

"Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD." - Psalms 150:6
 
First off, I have to say that I am by no means a Dodger fan (I just liked the visual), but I do love going to baseball games with fans who are just outrageously notorious for screaming and yelling. I always wonder if they realize that the rest of the crowd is probably starring at them wondering what kind of midlife crisis caused them to turn out that way.

I will give them credit for one thing. They are good at using their mouths to speak out about what they believe in and they aren't shy about it.

So why are we?

If we say we love the Lord with all of our heart, why are we fearful to pray in front of our friends? Believe me, I've been guilty of that! Why are we afraid to tell others about the one who saved us and created in us a new spirit?

You can say fear is human nature. But is it really? Isn't it just our own selfish mind getting in the way?

If today was your last day, would you be ashamed to speak the name of Jesus? We never know when God will give us one last breath. It will come. One day you will leave your house and say goodbye to your loved ones for the final time.

Let it be said of you that you used your last breath for the glory of the Lord.

You Can't Hide From Tribulation

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

My words are few and far between today for I am troubled as I know many of my readers are. For some reason the words are hard to come by. But the verse above speaks what is on my heavy heart today, in a light that only the Lord can show.

None of us enjoy tribulation. None of us enjoy sorrow. Yet, we cannot travel through this world without these things entering our lives. None of us are exempt from tribulation.

John 16:33 says "ye SHALL have tribulation." It doesn't say you MIGHT have tribulation or there's a POSSIBILITY of tribulation. It will happen at some point and you can't hide from it.

If we stopped reading there, we would have no hope. But my hope; your hope, is in the next line, "be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

He has overcome the world and he can help you overcome any tribulation in your life. He is knocking at your door today. Will you let him in? His peace is on the other side.

When You Don't Understand, Pray (In Loving Memory of Laken Young)

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. - Matthew 18:20

If you are from Dennis, MS, or the surrounding areas, I'm sure you have all heard about the loss of 16-year-old Laken Young this past weekend.

I personally did not know Laken but I feel as if I did and I have battled with deep sorrow all weekend long because I know of the pain her family and friends are feeling.


I'm sure you've also asked these similar questions. "God why?" " Why did you have to take someone so young and beautiful with their whole life ahead of her?"


Not a one of us understands God's ways no matter how young or old. Therefore this is when we need to get on our knees and pray. Prayer moves mountains and prayer changes things.

Laken was definitely prayed for (by many who knew her and many who did not), and God still chose to take her home. She is no longer suffering. She is no longer having to live in a world of sin, and I can bet you she is rejoicing right now and wishing she could tell all of us down here not to be sad; for she is in the presence of the Lord. 


Yet, that does not mean that those of us on earth are not still hurting. But when we are hurting we need to cry out to Jesus. Ask Him to wrap his loving arms around the Young and Woods' families. Ask Him to move mountains in their lives.


This is the time to give them complete support in prayer and in respect even if you don't know them. God loves a cheerful giver. So give in prayer.

Peace Like a River

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:7

I love the song "I've got peace like a river. I've got peace like a river. I've got peace like a river in my soul!"

Imagine the eclectic ways of a river. It can be so strong, yet can also be so peaceful and calm.I'm choosing to focus on the calm, gentleness of a flowing river on a Saturday afternoon. I can picture kids running along the rocky shoreline, chasing their newly purchased puppy, as mom and dad prepare for a cookout.

There's just nothing like the peace of a river. It can put every bone in our body at ease when we really sit back and take it in.

There is a peace that is greater than a river and which "passeth all understanding." That peace comes when we put our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

I've had people ask me how I can possibly go through situations in my life that bare so much weight. Sometimes I think they are crazy for asking, because the answer is very simple yet very difficult for so many to understand.

My truthful reply, "The Lord did it." His peace that "passeth all understanding" carried me through rough waters. I know He will do it again and again.

Will you decide today to let the Lord fill you with peace like a river? It's an easy question but we must have childlike faith to go the distance with God.

The Word is Our Gift

"Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." - Psalms 119:105

I can't wait until Christmas. It's one of my favorite holidays. I love buying gifts for friends and family and watching them open presents. Of course, I'll have to be a bit honest here. I love receiving gifts too.

About a week after Christmas, when all the new has worn off, we often just go back to our old routine and forget about those AMAZING presents.

Did you ever stop to think that we do the same thing with the Bible. We pick it up one day, really enjoy the amazing words, and then put it away and forget about it.

The Bible says God's word "is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." If we read it everyday, God will show us the way. It won't be foggy, or dark, but bright and light.

Hunger and Thirst After Righteousness

"Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." - Mathew 5:6

If the wells ran dry I'd be in deep trouble (not intended as a pun). I can't live without water, coke, orange juice, etc. (No I don't do coffee). I'm literally a camel when it comes to liquids and I thrive off of them. Sometimes I think I like them more than food, but then again I would die if I didn't have that too!

How often do we REALLY think about food and water as a necessity? Most of the time they are handed to us. We don't think about the cow that "mooed" it's last moo while we are eating our 16 oz steak, or the poor orange being squeezed to death.

Yet in reality, someone or something paid the price for our necessities. It's as simple as that.

Jesus Christ also paid the price for us in a far greater sense. He died on the cross and rose again so that we might have life and have it more abundantly.

Now it is our turn to show the Lord what we are made of. It's time to step out in faith, and hunger and thirst after Him. Only then can we be truly blessed.

Be Still

"Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD." - Psalms 4:4-5

There are just some times in life when all you want to do is pull your hair out and crawl in a hole. Been there; wanted to do that, dare I say plenty of times.

Yet there are some times when God just wants us to "be still and know that he is God." 

Have you ever watched a little child in the grocery store or in the mall. They literally can not sit still. They fidget back and forth and while they think their mom or dad isn't looking, they grab a bag of cookies off the shelf and toss it into the cart. Or maybe they see someone in the store who looks a little funny and scream at the top of their lungs, "Mommy, did you see that funny looking man!"

Of course this is kid stuff but don't we do the same thing? We fidget and can't sit still. We try to help God and when He doesn't answer we may get upset and say hateful words.

Yet all God wants us to do is sit still, be quiet, pray and listen for his still small voice. How will we be able to hear it if we are running at the speed of light?

Ask the Lord to give you a calming spirit today. Trust in Him. He is always there.

Extreme Pain

"For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men." - 2 Corinthians 8:1

There are a few times in my life when I can remember having agonizing "physical" pain; the kind that puts you on the floor screaming for relief.

"Physical" pain is rough of course but have you ever stopped to think about "spiritual" pain?

There are many Bible characters that took "spiritual" pains to levels we can only imagine. Ruth left her homeland, Abraham nearly killed Isaac, Paul was in prison (more than once), Daniel was thrown in a lion's den, just to name a few.

What kind of "spiritual" pain are we taking for the Lord? I'm pretty sure you can't name a time when you were thrown in a lion's den or were on the brink of killing your son.

These may be extreme cases but we need to start getting extreme for the Lord. We need to step out of our shells and take some hits for Him. Forget about "poor lil' me" and really, really become a soldier in the Lord's army.

No pain is greater than that which our Lord suffered on the cross. He was mocked, beaten, bruised and murdered, all to save us from sin.

So what will a little pain hurt? Think today what you can do to stir up a little pain for the Lord and go to the extreme, because He did it for you.

When Trouble Finds You

"You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance."
- Psalm 32:7-8

Stress is probably most of our middle names and if we were telling the truth it may even be our first!

I'm sure we've all had those days when waking up is hard to do (no not breaking up), and once we do the day just seems to unravel in tiny peaces all around us.


We roll over and smash the alarm clock 50 times and realize on that last smash that we are entirely too late for work. As we run out the door, we trip over the dog and then over the cat, who as always, is meowing at the top of her lungs for just one more bite of food.


We get in the car (and if we live in Mississippi we are lucky because there is no traffic), and enjoy an hour long drive (or even longer if you are headed to L.A.).


But once that drive is over it's time to face the chaos of emails, phone calls, notes and items on your desk that just seem to show up out of nowhere.


After work we might rush to the gym for some much needed exercise (that is usually calming), and then we are off to the house to cook, play with the animals, or the kids (for those who are there already), and then finally sit down on the couch. Of course at that very same moment the dog starts scratching on the screen and by the time you get up and sit back down, it's time to go to bed.

And then you do it all over again.

Stress is an everyday thing no matter where you live, how old you are or what kind of car you drive. It will inevitably happen to you. 

But there is an answer for your troubles and His name is Jesus Christ. He wants to walk with you and talk with you all day, even when you feel overwhelmed and don't know what to do.


The next time you feel discouraged or stressed, lift your eyes toward heaven and call out to the Lord. He will surround you with "songs of deliverance."

No Such Thing as the Gray Zone

"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather 
with me, scatters." Luke 11:23

Gray may be one of your favorite colors, but to the Lord, 

there is no such thing as the gray zone. There is black and 

there is white. There is no in between.

It's easy to live on the edge, party a little here and do a 

little of that there. You know, ride the fence for awhile. 

I'm sure if we were all honest with ourselves,we'd say we've 

been in that situation before.

But the Lord tells us we can either be for Him or against Him. 

We are either black or we are white; living in darkness or 

living in light.

We can get as close to the edge as we want and think we are 

still okay. But in God's eyes, we are turned against Him. 

He cannot look upon our sin!

But praise God there is an answer and it is Him! Turn your 

eyes upon Jesus. The black of this world will fade away and 

you can be made white as snow! 

Paid in Full

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. " - Galatians 2:20

Daily life can often crowd our minds. We become so worried about where we want to eat lunch. Hmmm....maybe Taco Bell, Quizno's...no, how about Subway! 

The little things become the dominant force in our lives and decisions are based on feelings. Why is it then that we can not trust, accept and have faith in someone and something that is so simple to understand? Instead we choose to crush Him, step on Him and mock him daily.

Jesus Christ paid in full for all for us. He gave His life so that we might live. He went up on the cross, and came back down, died and rose again, for me! For you!

Chose Him today. The little things fade away.