Don’t apologize for who you were. Just be who you are now. Be better. Be a champion for God.

The devil would love for you to stay fixated on the mistakes of your past.

Don’t you dare.

Jesus was buried so that you could rise up – so that He could wipe your slate clean.

It’s a new day, y’all.

Let the rising of the sun be a reminder that fresh starts happen, and they can be oh so beautiful.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
—2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)

That person that has different beliefs than you – they are a person.

That person that has a different church than you – they are a person.

That person that doesn’t have the same kind of clothes as you – they are a person.

That person that wasn’t raised the same as you – they are a person.

Different vocabulary
Different education
Different town
Different nationality
Just different.

The thing about other people, people that are different than you, is that Jesus died for them, too. Different is good. God made different.

Jesus loves them, too.

Jesus wants them to be saved, too.

It’s time to stop focusing on our differences. Instead, let’s focus on the one true common denominator- and that’s Jesus.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” John 3:16-17 (ESV)

You’re needed.

You’re making a difference.

Somewhere. Someway. Somehow.

For someone.

Don’t ever downplay or diminish your role in this play called life. You play an important part. Don’t doubt it for one second.

You’re not just a mom.
You’re not just a friend.
You’re not just a teacher.
You’re not just a coach.
You’re not just a sister.
You’re not just an aunt.

You are you. You’re needed. You’re making a difference.

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13

You can run from God, but He will never run from you. In the middle of all the shenanigans you’re pulling He will still be there.

Waiting.
Loving.
Hoping.
Knowing.

Immovable.
Unshakable.
Unbreakable.

God doesn’t run. He holds steady.

Hold onto Him.
Cling to Him.

“Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.” Psalm 144:1 (NIV)

Ugly words.

We’ve all been victims of them. We’ve all said them. It’s shameful really, and I’m just as guilty as the next.

It’s human nature, but that’s no excuse. It doesn’t make it ok.

We’ve got to let Jesus be bigger than our mouths. We’ve got to try our absolute best not to be a spreader of ugly words, of ugly labels, of ugly condemnations.

We have to be the person that models that behavior for our kids, our friends, and anyone else we interact with.

Today, let’s make a conscious effort to spread words of affirmation. Let’s spread words of love, hope, and faith.

And if we can’t do that maybe we should just bite our tongue. After all, self-control is a fruit of the spirit.

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21

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