Blessings.

They’re all around us. We just have to open our eyes. We have to open our hearts.

In the face of a child. In a Southeast Texas sunrise. In our job. At the dinner table on a Tuesday evening.

Blessings. They’re right here.

Count them. Focus on them. Mediate on them. It’s our choice.

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” – Colossians 3:15-17

Sitting in a waiting room this past week a song came on that took me back in time.

Way back.

I got to thinking about my life then. My hopes and my big dreams – how I thought things would turn out. I thought I had a pretty good plan.

But I sit here today smiling. I sit here thinking about an amazing life that God has blessed me with. I sit here thanking a much bigger God for patiently listening to me then, but for gently guiding me in a different direction.

Sometimes we think we know best, but I’m so thankful that God sees a much bigger picture. I’m so thankful that He knows what we need even when we don’t.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

God loves the underdog, and the devil knows it.

The devil preys on our weaknesses. He wants us beat down, run down, and tangled up in a web of lies.

In Sunday School, my friend Brian pointed out that the devil isn’t looking at our strengths. He isn’t dwelling on them. Why? Because time after time after time God uses our weaknesses to do big things.

He uses the impossible to do the impossible.

He used a man with a stutter to lead a nation.

He used a knobby-kneed boy to slay a giant.

He used the shamed.

The blamed.

He used the sick and the weak.

He used the woman at the well.

What’s weak inside of you? What flaw is twisting your confidence up into a ball of shame and lies? What has you so beat down that you think God could never use you?

It’s time to start believing that God can and will do mighty things in spite of our weaknesses – in spite of our flaws. After all, He isn’t weak. He is mighty to save.

The God of Moses and the God of David is still the God of you and the God of me. He is still into miracles and making cool things happen. We just have to move past the doubt and let God do His thing.

We just have to believe.

“26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,[a] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;” 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 (ESV)

Radical.

Obsessed.

Radically obsessed with Jesus. That’s me. It’s not a pie-in-the-sky mentality. My head’s not in the clouds, but it’s certainly looking toward them. Hello – rapture. It’s a real way of life, and it’s a choice.

It’s doesn’t mean you’re goofy.

It doesn’t mean you’re unaware.

It doesn’t mean you’re naive.

It’s not because it’s easy.

It’s because you choose.

You choose to receive and cling to God’s joy.

Bad stuff happens.

Sad stuff happens.

But in the midst of sorrow you can still have the joy of Lord.

I don’t want to live life hanging on by a thread. I want to live life wrapped up in hope and joy and peace.

This world isn’t all sunshine and rainbows – but the end result of living for Jesus is. And that’s the truth.

🎼Even when my light burns low

I can never lose my hope

I’ve been down this road before

Now, I know which way to go

You can try to drag me down

But I’ll be living in the clouds

Everybody has their doubts

But you can’t stop now

You just, you just gotta live🎼

“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

1 Peter 1:8-9

I just opened my Bible app and saw the verse of the day. Man, it’s a powerful one. One of my favorites.

It’s a reminder that God hasn’t changed. It’s a reminder that He can and will do whatever it takes to save you.

He is the same God that raised Lazarus from the dead. He is the same God that parted the Red Sea. He is the same God that rolled the stone away.

He is the same God that that looked at a man that couldn’t walk and said – Get up. Walk away from what’s been holding you down.

And the man got up, y’all.

He can do the same for you. He can help you get up and walk away from whatever you’ve been under.

Abuse

Pornography

Addiction

Anxiety

Depression

Shame

Hurt

God loves you as much as He loved Lazarus. God loves you as much as He loved Moses.

God loves you as much as He loved David.

God loves you as much as He loved Mary.

God. Loves. You.

Now stand up, grab God’s hand, and walk.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

When you become an adult you have to do all these adulty things. One of those things is working with companies that are providing you a service like electricity, cable, water, or trash.

For the last few months we’ve had a few issues with a service provided – miscommunication per say.

Well, when I came home Monday I had reached my level of aggravation. That takes a lot for me. So I told my husband, “Give me the number. I’m calling.”

I walked outside, and God literally stopped me in my tracks. He reminded me that even though I was aggravated it wasn’t really the person on the receiving end of the phone’s fault.

He also reminded me that this Saturday I’m speaking at a Christian Conference, and what if – what if the person I unleashed my sass on happened to be sitting in that conference.

Guys.

We’ve got to be careful. We’ve got to be mindful of our tongue, our tone, and the way we treat others. Whether it be our spouse, our kids, our coworkers, or the cashier at the store – someone’s watching. And someone needs to see a glimpse of Jesus.

You may be that glimpse. Be careful.

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” Ephesians 4:29

Give yourself a break, momma.

You’re doing the thing. You’re making it happen. You’re wrestling laundry, a job, kids, dogs, and so much more.

It’s ok to rest. It’s ok to make a mistake. And it’s ok if you didn’t sweep today.

It’s ok.

The most important thing is that your babies see you praying – they see you slaying. They see you loving, and they see you laughing.

They see you living.

Give yourself a break, momma. God’s got you.

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)

I had something else to post this morning. I even sent it to Deb Navan last night for her to read over; however, I woke up at four this morning on fire and excited to see what God was going to do. I woke up with this urgent question on my heart: What mountain are you still circling?

Greed

Jealousy

Lust

Shame

Guilt

Anxiety

Forgiveness

Hurt

Gluttony

Trust

So many mountains. So little time, y’all. I don’t care how you get past that mountain – climb up, walk around, ride a train – that doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you move past it and get going on the journey that God has placed before you.

It’s time. Stop walking in circles. Stop taking two steps forward and then doubling back because of doubts and what ifs.

God’s bigger than that stinking mountain.

“You have been traveling around this mountain country long enough. Turn northward.” Deuteronomy 2:3

Things don’t always appear as they seem.

Sometimes depression looks like smiles.

Sometimes anxiety sounds like laughs.

Sometimes quiet is not stuck up.

Sometimes a solemn face isn’t rude.

Sometimes lonely is surrounded by friends.

Sometimes a beautiful house isn’t a home.

The truth is we don’t know what masks people are hiding behind. We don’t know what people are going through.

But as Christians we do know what joy is. We do know what kindness is. And we need to spread that stuff around like crazy. No matter the cost.

We have got to stop being selfish. That’s right – I said it, and I’m pointing my finger at myself. We’ve got to get out from underneath what’s going on in our own lives, what our busy schedule is, and how tired we are. We’ve got to step out, seek out, and speak out in love. We’ve got to slow down enough to open our eyes.

We’ve got to help people. We’ve got to love people.

We’ve got to.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. – John 15:12

Germs.

Small but strong. Unforeseen. A minute but mighty life-form that will wreck shop on our mental and physical daily to-do’s like a hurricane in Texas. I’m not making trying to be funny about that either – I’m being so serious.

Preventative care is our biggest defense. There are steps that we can take to help combat the infiltration of these tiny, microscopic pests on our complex, yet sometimes fragile system. But they are steps that we have to physically take.

Washing our hands

And keeping them to ourselves

Covering our mouth when we cough

Taking vitamins

Eating the right food

Not sharing food or drink

Rest

Y’all already know what I’m about to say – isn’t it the same exact way with sin? It starts off tiny and makes its pesky way into our system. Before we know it there’s a full-fledge attack brewing. Once sin is there, once sin has figured out how to break through our shield of defense, it’s way harder to get rid of. Once it’s welcomed itself into its comfortable new home – that pesky little booger is ready to stay and campout for a good while. Maybe even permanently.

But we have preventative strategies to stop sin as well, and boy do they work!

Talking to God

Praying

Praising

Worshipping

Staying in the word

Prayer accountability partners

Intentionality and focus

Guys, instead of going about life all willy-nilly with the common, misconstrued mindset of “it can’t happen to me” I think it’s time we put these preventative strategies into place. It’s time to be proactive instead of reactive when it comes to the things entering into our complex but fragile systems.

It’s time.

Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth And put devious speech far from you. Let your eyes look directly ahead And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Watch the path of your feet And all your ways will be established. Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil.

⁃ Proverbs 4:23-27