The other day I walked out onto my front porch, barefoot nonetheless, and there it was.

There it was – my biggest fear curled up in my rock bed – a big ol’ nasty snake.

Y’all. I don’t do snakes.

I froze, including my breathing. The unwelcome guest sensed my presence and slithered underneath my trashcan. Side note: I’m never taking the trash out again. I already told Frank.

For the rest of the week I was extremely cautious when I walked outside. First of all, I put on my dang shoes. Secondly, I walked out slowly looking up, down, and all around – kind of like a SWAT team member but kind of like a crazy lady. To say the least, I was hyper-aware of my surroundings.

The whole scenario got me thinking. We don’t know when “that” very unwelcome guest is going to decide to show up, but we sure need to be ready. We need to be aware of what’s surrounding us – what’s trying to slowly slither into our lives.

I’m not saying to be paranoid. I’m just saying to be prepared. Be smart. The Bible clearly states to put on the full armor of God so that we will be ready for whatever comes our way.

It’s time to put on our tennis shoes, guys. It’s time to stand our ground.

“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV)

I love funny memes. I love funny catchphrases. I seriously still roll down my window and yell YOLO really loud when I drop my kids off somewhere. What 37-year-old mother of two doesn’t?

“Stay in your own Lane.” Words of wisdom brought to us by cute, vintage t-shirts all across the U.S.A. I totally get it. In fact, the first time I heard it I literally laughed out loud.

However, I’ve made the decision to change it up a bit. I’m gonna go with the following instead – “Stay in God’s Lane.”

Because when we do that, when we stay aligned with God’s word and God’s will, we don’t have time to focus on anything else.

I’m gonna stay in God’s lane, and I’m even going to hand Him the keys.

“You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.” Acts 2:28 (NIV)

🎼So come and empty me

So that it’s you I breathe

I want my life to be

Only Christ in me

So I will fix my eyes

‘Cause you’re my source of life

I need the world to see

That it’s Christ in me🎼

Consumed.

Consumed – when a thought or a thing is absorbing all of our time and energy.

Consumed – when the “what if’s” are stronger than the “who is”.

Consumed – when we allow something to absolutely suck the life out of us.

By fear.

By a lack of trust.

By an obsession.

It’s time to stop worrying about things that we cannot control. God doesn’t need us to fix or manipulate situations for Him. He just needs us to fix our minds on Him.

If we are going to be consumed by something, let’s be consumed by God.

Let’s be consumed by His relentless love.

Let’s be consumed by His unwavering mercy. Let’s be consumed by His amazing grace.

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!” Deuteronomy 30:19

Y’all ever play Frogger growing up – on the Atari?

Yep, I went there.

I don’t have a clue why the very distant memory of watching my older sister crush level after level of that game came into my mind this morning, but it definitely got me thinking.

Just like in a game of Frogger, the enemy is coming for us. The thoughts and things of this world are zooming at us ninety to nothing. We’ve got to be prepared to dodge them. Distractions and temptations are coming at us from all angles, and they are coming fast.

If we are not prepared, if we are not on our toes, then the inevitable is going to happen. We are gonna get caught off guard, slammed into, and maybe even crushed.

Be ready, guys. Every. Single. Day.

Tiffany had a strategy when she was playing, and she was quick. She knew what was coming down the road before it even entered the screen. She knew because she had studied the game. She knew because she had invested time in it.

God has given us a book, a game plan for life, that has everything mapped out for us. He knows what’s coming, and He has allowed us to be privy to that information. We just have to take the time, study, and invest in Him. He has given us a specific strategy to win this game, and He will even take the controller from you – but you have to hand it to Him.

Don’t just sit there and let this world squash you. Hand God the controller.

“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Ephesians 6:10-11 (NIV)

Guys, the other day I had a one hour period of time where I was salty with a capital S.

Deb Navan can testify. Sorry baby sis.

I don’t even know what triggered my foul attitude except that the weather suddenly turned bad, and who likes weary, dreary weather. Not me. When the weather turned bad so did my attitude.

But guess what eventually happened – the clouds shifted, the sun came back out, and there was a rainbow. There was a hope. Beauty.

There was a reminder that even when dark times come, God can shift the elements affecting us, but we have to shift our attitude. That part is solely up to us.

Whatever elements have painted your sky gray today, don’t forget that there is a rainbow of hope right behind the clouds. You just have to wait for the skies to shift.

“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.” Psalm 31:24 (NIV)

Guys, when I was a freshmen in college I vividly remember writing and turning in my very first composition. We all know I love to write, we all know I’m kind of nerdy, and we all know I wanted a good grade.

I came out swinging big time when I wrote the word ‘kinda’ in the very first sentence, or at least I thought. That was back when we still wrote compositions with a pen and notebook paper.

You can imagine the amount of red ink that the professor scratched and circled and underlined all across the top of my paper when he discovered that his student wrote “that” word in a literary composition.

Ouch.

I’m from a small town in Texas, and that’s how I speak. I didn’t think anything was wrong with writing the word ‘kinda’ until it was pointed out to me in blazing, red letters at the top of my C- paper.

C-, guys.

God’s funny, y’all. I’m writing a book. A real book that’s going to be in Barnes & Noble. That’s literally my favorite store on the face of the planet. I am still completely and utterly humbled every time I think about it.

I’ve said all that to say this, God doesn’t care if you are a C- student; He just cares that you’re a willing vessel.

And that’s kinda cool.

“20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable,[a] he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:20-22 (ESV)

Because of Jesus I lack nothing.

And neither do you. It’s time to see yourself as Jesus sees you, and He thinks you’re awesome.

He doesn’t want us to be conceited, but He does want us to be confident in Him. He has given us exactly what we need to be exactly who He needs us to be. We just have to dig deep and unlock our true potential.

How?

It takes time. It takes studying God’s word. It takes a concerted effort of opening the door to your heart and mind every single day. It takes falling in love with Jesus, so that you are able to fall in love with His creation – yourself.

When you fill your mind with God’s truths and allow Him to fully take over your thoughts, you will start to see things through His eyes. You will see a broken but beautiful soul. You will look at what was once a big ol’ heap of ashes and see beauty.

Today I want you to remember these very true words: You are enough because God is enough, and you are His girl.

“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6 (NIV)

Freedom in Christ.

The power that those three words encompass is almost unfathomable.

The part of Christianity that boggles my mind the most is the fact that we still get a choice. The fact that the God of this universe sacrificed His only son on an old wooden cross for me, but still allows me to choose if I’m going to follow Him or not – it’s crazy to my feeble mind.

But this act of true love paints the most beautiful portrait of the freedom that the God of the universe wants us to experience.

As Christians, God is standing before us with outstretched arms. In one hand He holds freedom and in the other hand love. We just have to be brave enough to walk up to Him and take what is ours. In essence, to be free we have to surrender.

The freedom and love that God is offering us is interchangeable. Because He loves us he allows us the freedom to choose. Because of His freedom we are able to truly love.

I’m so thankful for a God that breaks strongholds. Im so thankful for a God that is stronger than any addiction, any sin, any hurt, and any chain that’s trying to hold us down. I’m so thankful for a God that bursts our hearts and lives wide open in the most beautiful way.

I’m thankful for my freedom in Christ. The freedom to choose Him every single day. The freedom to love. The freedom to walk in a way that is pleasing to the very God that created us. It’s our choice, guys. I choose Him.

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:13-14 (NIV)

Jochebed.

The mother of Moses.

She put her baby in a basket and sent him down the Nile River. I wonder what that felt like. I wonder what thoughts were running through her head. I wonder what the other moms thought and said about her. I bet the whole predicament made her absolutely sick to her stomach.

Can you imagine?

She was in a hopeless situation and didn’t see any other way out. She didn’t have a choice. Her love for her son was more important than her love for herself. When a mother is in a desperate situation she will do just about anything to save her child regardless of what anyone else thinks. That’s her baby.

So she did what she had to do to save his life. She put him in a basket. She placed the basket in the river, and she placed her trust in God’s hands.

We know how this story ends. Moses led God’s people out of Egypt, across the Red Sea, and eventually he received the Ten Commandments – because of a praying, believing, fearless, and loving mother.

Thank God for Jochebed. Thank God for her faith. Thank God for her love. And thank God for the compassion that Bithiah (Pharoah’s daughter) showed that sweet, helpless baby floating down the river.

“5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.

6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” Exodus 2:5-6 (KJV)

Sometimes it’s hard to love people through their mistakes. We live in a black and white world. Right and wrong. Mistakes are made in an instant but remembered for a lifetime.

But then I remember.

I remember the countless mistakes that I’ve made. I remember the times that I didn’t fully comprehend the repercussions of what I was doing and the lasting affects that said mistakes would have on others – not just myself.

As a young Christian mistakes were made. As a growing Christian – mistakes are still made. I’m not trying to make an excuse for the fact that we are human and that sin is inevitable – I’m just trying to say we should remember what it feels like to be on the receiving end of grace and how very important that grace is.

When mistakes are made there are inescapable consequences that linger – often for a lifetime. However, I would have to think that those lingering consequences shouldn’t be from other imperfect people’s daily and repetitive persecution of the accused.

We need to remember the grace that Jesus offers day in and day out to us. Over and over. One mistake after another.

Thank You God for grace.

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)