Keep moving forward even if just one step at a time. Life does not have to be a race. There are those who are ahead of you and there are those who are behind. Stay connected to the voice of God. Be willing to extend your hand to the one who follows you and celebrate the one who is ahead. You will get where you are going if you just keep moving in the direction He is calling you.
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14
The world is watching how we walk through life. When we are facing a tough situation where we are challenged and have to step back and take breaks to finish or overcome, others are watching. There could be someone right now who continues to push through a difficult moment or season because they see you still climbing when it’s not easy.
“Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.” Phil 3:17
Be like a flower, survive the rain but use it to grow! -unknown
No matter the difficult season you are walking through, God can still grow you. Don’t put your emotional or spiritual growth on hold waiting for the rain to stop. Some of my biggest growth has taken place while walking through some trying seasons.
Dig deeper into His word, listen for His voice and He will bring you further than you ever thought possible.
“You have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit. You are always on their lips but far from their hearts.” Jeremiah 12:2
A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. Proverbs 17:17
It can be easy to think of all the ones who left when the storm was heavy. Instead make a list of all the ones who have stayed when the sun stopped shining. Those will be the same friends you want when the sun shines again. ❤️ Also never forget that He is always there no matter what you face.
Jay is a runner. He runs off for a multitude of reasons but mainly he runs off when he is afraid. We are always telling him to stay close to us and not run away when he’s scared. We encourage him to talk to us so we can deal with his fear.
Jesus is not telling us not to feel fear but He also doesn’t want us to run away when we experience fear. Is there a circumstance that is causing fear to form in your heart and mind? Are you starting to make your exit plan? Stop! Don’t run away but run to God. He will give you the courage and strength you need to press on.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” 1 Peter 4:9
It was a very sunny day at the apartment complex my dad lived at. I was 10 or 11 and we were visiting him for the weekend and he took us swimming. During the swim a few of our friends who did not live at the complex showed up. My sisters and I were excited to see them. We invited them in with an excited wave. The gate was locked so I got out to let them in. My dad yelled at me to get back in the pool and then proceeded to yell at my friends because according to my dad they didn’t belong there. He said you don’t live here so you can’t swim here. He wouldn’t let them in. I took a quick dive under the water to pretend like I didn’t hear or see any of his outbursts.
This was an odd behavior for my dad because he is actually a very generous man.
I understood that there was a lock on the gate because it was not a pool for anyone who lived outside the apartment complex but what I didn’t understand is why we couldn’t bring them in as friends. We were allowed to let outsiders swim in the pool if they were with us. It seemed simple enough to me.
25 years later I reflect on that memory and realize that ironically it taught me a lot. Recently, we were at the mall. I had the kids at the play area and there was a mini carousel with three seats. A little girl got on and just before her dad put the dollar in the machine he asked me if Jay and Ellie would like to ride. They joyfully accepted and together the three of them had fun. After, we returned the favor by inserting another dollar so that all three could ride again. The little girls dad could have easily said
“No no no. You don’t get to ride. I paid. Not you. You have to pay to ride.” He didn’t do that though. Instead, he opened up the opportunity for my kids to enjoy what was available to share.
I don’t want to live a “us four no more life”. I want to invite others in. I always want to make room for everyone. I want what I have to be a blessing to others.
Who can you be welcoming to?
What gifts do you have that you can use to bless others?
Is there anyone who you have trouble showing hospitality to? How can this change?
When has there been a time when someone has welcomed you with joy?
“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
Do you find yourself tired emotionally and simply burned out in life? You might feel like it’s too hard to keep going? Your life has turned to chaos overnight and while you trust God to see you through, you feel done and there is a lack of hope that God’s promises for you are even true.
In these moments of feeling defeated and maybe even feeling a lack of faith, it is crucial that we run to God and not away from Him. Jesus is calling us to Him. He is calling those of us who feel emotionally drained, physically exhausted, spiritually burned out with a lack of motivation to keep going to Him so that He can give us the rest we so desperately need.
This morning as you find yourself uncertain of the days to come, call out to Jesus. Tell Him how you feel. Cry, yell or stomp your feet. He is not the least bit taken back by how you feel at this moment. Give it all to Him and wait as His love, faithfulness and peace fill your heart and mind.
At the Saint Louis Zoo we mostly enjoyed the dinosaur exhibit and spent a few hours in that exhibit alone. We enjoyed an activity where you dig for dinosaur fossils. Jay was growing frustrated as he could not uncover a fossil. To make things more frustrating for him, Ellie was going around pushing the fossils deeper into the ground because making the challenge more difficult seemed exciting to her. I continued to encourage Jay that there were fossils. It was a promise. My common phrase to Jay was “keep digging!” To which Ellie would respond “never give up!” Guess what? He finally found his fossil and we all celebrated.
Genesis 27:12-33 tells a story of a time when God commands Isaac to remain in the land of his father, Abraham and dig for water. Doesn’t seem like a difficult task but during this time they were facing a famine.
Years prior to this, Abraham dug and defended wells that continued to hold water—and his enemies hated it. When Abraham died, the responsibility of the wells were left forsaken. The Sea People from Caftor stopped up those wells, destroying the benefits that a well brings to a community. Isaac, Abraham’s son, inherited the challenge to bring the wells back to life. Guess what? Like his dad, he too faced opposition from the Philistines. They drove him away from his wells. So, Isaac pointed his community toward the task of re-digging his father’s wells. Once again, the Lord’s promise to prior generations was full-filled. There was water!
In life we will sometimes face one opposition after another while “digging” where God has called us to be.
People will try to stand in the way. There will be individuals and groups who are against us. They won’t fight with us but they will work against us. In a similar way, like the sea people, they will stop up our wells. Will we continue to dig for the promises of God? Will we ignore the ignorance of those against us? Will we stay faithful to God when everyone is telling us to give up and others are standing in our way?
We found a big rock outside. I showed the kids that we can take crayons that are broken, take off the paper and place them on top of the rocks. We put our rock covered in crayons in the sun and are waiting for the heat from the sun to melt the crayons and create a masterpiece.
Have you ever felt like you were sitting out in the hot sun, figuratively speaking? You are not alone! In the sun you can begin to sweat, burn, feel agitated and like giving up and finding a comfortable spot inside where the air is just right.
The kids are currently patiently waiting on their masterpiece. Will you be patient too as God creates a masterpiece in your heart? Don’t walk away just yet! Don’t throw in the towel! Don’t lose faith or give up hope. The sun is beaming down on you and it’s uncomfortable but there is growth taking place. There is beauty being made.
We found a big rock outside. I showed the kids that we can take crayons that are broken, take off the paper and place them on top of the rocks. We put our rock covered in crayons in the sun and are waiting for the heat from the sun to melt the crayons and create a masterpiece.
Have you ever felt like you were sitting out in the hot sun, figuratively speaking? You are not alone! In the sun you can begin to sweat, burn, feel agitated and like giving up and finding a comfortable spot inside where the air is just right.
The kids are currently patiently waiting on their masterpiece. Will you be patient too as God creates a masterpiece in your heart? Don’t walk away just yet! Don’t throw in the towel! Don’t lose faith or give up hope. The sun is beaming down on you and it’s uncomfortable but there is growth taking place. There is beauty being made.
Shine4Him 