You know what human beings are? Flawed.

Absolutely, undeniably flawed.

That includes me, and that includes you. Throughout daily interactions with other people we often forget this very important fact, which kind of sets us all up for failure.

It’s really easy to hone in on attributes in other people that – let’s just be honest – get on our nerves. We get so hyper focused on the traits that bother us that we overlook the good qualities that are gently tucked away – waiting to be nurtured.

I try to keep in mind that Jesus doesn’t do that with us. He embraces our shortcomings, our quirks, and our drawbacks. He takes them and turns them into something He can use. He makes them beautiful.

The only perfect being is Jesus Christ. No flaws. No sins. No ugly imperfections that stick out like a sore thumb. And if He can look at this imperfect, faulty human being named Daisy and still extend grace and love to me – I feel like it’s my duty as a Christian to do the same to others.

We are all flawed, but thank God for grace.

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 7:12

Our current society is clinging tightly to an all about me mantra, which is exactly the opposite of what Jesus stood for and lived out loud His short 33 years on Earth.

So what does that tell us? What does that say about the choices we should make?

The world says speak your mind. Jesus says woah, wait a minute. Is it true, noble, or beneficial? (Philippians 4:8)

The world says do what makes YOU feel good, and don’t worry about anyone else. In stark contrast, Jesus says love your neighbor first.

(Mark 12:31)

The world says earn more, make more, and spend more. Jesus says nope. Instead, He asks us to give it all away for the glorification of His Kingdom. (Mark 10:21-23)

The world says to do whatever it takes to get to the top – no matter who it hurts or what sins you have to commit. Jesus says I am the way and the truth. Just come to me. I will take you to the top. (John 14:6)

The world tells you to treat your self. Jesus says to serve others. (Galatians 5:13)

When the world is clinging to this self-obsessed way of life, let’s choose to be different. Let’s be obsessed with Jesus. With serving. With loving others. Let’s be the light in a dark world.

Rotten fruit.

If we consume it we will become sick. Likewise, if we feed it to someone else, they too will become sick.

The words we speak to our spouse, our children, our friends, and even our self are the words that will be believed. Words have that much power – especially when they are spoken from a person that plays a foundational role in someone’s life.

It’s hard sometimes, you know? When emotions are flying. When feelings have been hurt. When we feel like there are unmet expectations. Words can unexpectedly spew out, and often times there are no take backs. This is why it’s crucial to have Jesus living within us. He can hold our tongue and calm our spirit before something happens that we will regret for the rest of our lives.

We are accountable for the words we speak. Are our words beneficial, or are they detrimental? It’s never ok to speak ugliness. It’s never ok to speak pettiness. Those things do nothing for you or anyone else.

Thumper spoke volumes when he said, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all.”

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those that listen.” – Ephesians 4:29

Sweet summertime.

Rest

Relax

Recharge

Rejuvenate

Refresh

Reboot

I could keep going and going. It’s taken me a long time to realize how important it is to rest – physically and mentally. That momma guilt starts to set in when I’m not up tending to stuff. There’s something deeply embedded into a woman, a mom, to take care of things. We are born managers of our people. It’s what we do.

But you know what, in the book of Mark Jesus tells his apostles to “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.”

Jesus knew.

And He still knows. He knows we need a moment. He knows we need to unplug and unwind. My prayer for myself and for all of y’all is that this summer we could figure out this whole rest thing. I pray that we could rest in God’s presence, His word, and His hope.

I pray that we will be better for it. I pray that our families will be better for it. And I pray that when August rolls around, we will hit the ground running – willing and ready to embark on another year in the mission field that God has set before us.

“He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” – Psalm 23:3

If you’re fighting what seems to be an unbearable battle today, keep in mind that the person right next to you probably is as well.

We truly don’t know what people are facing from day to day. However, there is something I know without a doubt – God won’t make them face it alone, and He may just want to use me [or you] to love them through the pain. So if we could be:

A little kinder

A little more understanding

A little softer spoken

A little less judgmental

A little more loving

A little more compassionate

Maybe, just maybe, they will make it through the war raging around them. They’ll still be scarred, broken, and forever changed, but they’ll make it.

They’ll make it because – Love.

They’ll make it because – Kindness.

They’ll make it because – God.

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed says the Lord who has compassion on you.” – Isaiah 54:10

Let me fill your social media feed with this good news today ——>

Jesus was sent to turn rejected into:

Restored

Rejuvenated

Refreshed

Revived

Redirected

Resurrected

That’s good news. I don’t know about y’all but I would love to be any of those words today. Rejuvenated sounds pretty amazing after the year Southeast Texas has had.

So get excited, y’all. Get excited because God is in fact working in your life, and He is with you every single day. He wants to bring restoration and refreshing and redirection – let Him.

“Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.” – Acts 3:19-22

Negativity surrounds us. This world is full of it. How can we as Christians combat the daily gloom and doom that’s trying to suck us into a lifestyle of dismal hope and unbelief in all that’s good?

By remembering the word.

By standing on God’s promises.

By seeing the big picture.

By remembering that God in fact wins.

By believing and professing what we know is true and noble and right and perfect.

Sometimes things are going to happen that just downright stink. Some days are going to be harder than others; however, we can’t let the bad days define the good days. We can’t let the bad things define who we are in God.

I know the end of this story, and it’s good. It’s really good. That what I choose to focus on.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” – Philippians 4:8

Only God can bring sustainable peace and comfort. Other things may provide temporary relief, a bandaid per se, but that’s all it is – temporary.

Bandaids don’t stick forever. They become gummy or damp and lose their ability to stay on the wound, which can potentially contaminate our bloodstream – AKA a direct line to our heart.

Infection sets in and just like that we are fighting a much bigger ailment. We are fighting an infirmity that could have been prevented. Humans are stubborn like that. We tend to try and fix things ourselves instead of going straight to the doctor.

So today let’s try and remember that whatever hurt we are trying to cover up – whatever wound we are trying to heal on our own – the one true way to recovery is by exposing it to God. Open up your heart and give Him the ok to come inside and take care of business.

If you want to be healed – if you want the pain and infection to stop taking over – then let God do His job. He is the great physician.

“My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.” ~ Proverbs 4:20-22

Dear God,

Today I pray for healing. Please reveal to me the wounds deep inside of my heart that are in desperate need of your healing touch. I don’t want to just slap on a bandaid and move on. I know that when I do that the pain will only fester. Thank you for your healing power. Amen.

In my neck of the woods the word commute is a common word – a daily endeavor. It’s a way of life.

Every day we make the same journey. We travel the same long, country roads – often pointing toward Interstate 10 – just to get to where we need to be.

Getting to college or work – even the grocery store – is a time consuming task when you live in the country. But let’s face it, it’s a very necessary task if we want an education, if we want to pay our bills, or if we want to eat.

In all honesty most of us chose this way of life because the drive back home after a long and tiring day is worth it. The traffic, the potholes, the price of gas, and every other stressor of the day melt away when our vehicle pulls onto that old, gravel road surrounded by trees. The lake, the deer, the birds – it’s our sanctuary.

When we finally pull into that driveway and we are finally home, nestled into the serene way of life that our soul craves, we know without a doubt that the daily journey is worth it.

Because we are home.

And no matter what it took to get home – we will do it again day in and day out. For the tranquility. For the peace of mind. For the love that surrounds us at home. The commute is a necessity. The journey, though often hard, is the driving force that keeps us going.

Sometimes to get what we want we have to go the distance. To get from point A to point B isn’t always easy. Don’t let the detours, speed bumps, and traffic jams of this life hinder your progress.

How are you going to go the distance for God this week – this month? After a long and weary journey, how are we going to make sure we make it home?

I want to make it home, guys.

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” – Colossians 2:6-7

Something I learned early on as a mother was that the statement “Easy Like Sunday Morning” was a big ol’ lie. Sunday mornings were always frantic, always crazed, and always left me feeling less than.

I came to the realization that I didn’t want my kids to remember Sundays as merely a mad dash to the car in which their mother looked more like a monster than a mom.

Y’all know.

I don’t want my kids to despise Sundays. I want them to look forward to church. So I made a promise to myself a few years back to step up my “mom game” and do whatever it takes to make Sunday mornings go more smoothly.

So I wake up earlier

I play praise and worship music

I keep my mommy attitude in check

I give the kids extra time to wake up

I try and prevent being rushed

We have a simple breakfast

And I stay calm

Doing all that helps this momma keep her sanity. Y’all know the devil wants us running ragged on a Sunday morning. He wants us in so much disarray that we either don’t show up or we show up frazzled and unfocused.

Don’t let him win.

Plan ahead. Stay calm. And don’t go all mommy monster on a Sunday morning. It’s not a fun place to be. I know.

“We wait on the LORD; he is our help and our shield. Indeed, our heart will rejoice in him, because we have placed our trust in his holy name. LORD, may your gracious love be upon us, even as we hope in you.” – Psalm 33:20-22