Tag: Grace

You Have What It Takes

Today’s reading is John 14.

Chapter 14 in the book of John is probably most well known for verse 6 which is one of the most important verses in the Bible because it tells us there is only one way for forgiveness of our sins and salvation in Heaven which is through Jesus. It is foundational to our belief as a Christian.

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

We are going to focus though on another part of chapter 14. In verse 8 Philip asks Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus’ response includes the following in John 14:9…

“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”

Here is a question for those reading this who have children. Would your children be able to say they’ve seen their Father in Heaven based on the love they see you show and model as a father or mother?

In April I will head to Africa with 9 other dads in partnership with an organization called DadCamp (http://dadcamp.org). DadCamp is passionate about helping fathers become the dads the Bible teaches us we’re called to be because everything changes when a strong, loving father is involved in their child’s life. While there are no perfect dads and myself and the others going will admit we all have a lot of work to do, we are trying to do our best to be the dad God wants us to be and in this trip we will host a few camps in Malawi to hopefully allow God to work through us to inspire other dads to do the same.

One of my favorite books is The Resolution for Men by Stephen and Alex Kendrick with Randy Alcorn. I’ve said before it’s like an instruction manual for fathers and joked that it should be required reading for all dads. There is also a version for women. The book is filled with statements or resolutions to live in certain ways and hold ourselves to the standards God calls us to.
Jesus’ statement of, “Whoever has seen me has seen me has seen the Father,” is so profound because it’s true and our children should also be able to know God and see His love through our actions. We are called to be the best window our kids have into their Heavenly Father’s love. So many people who struggle to believe in God or believe that God loves them unconditionally and wants the best for them is because they have not experienced a loving earthly father (or mother).

The Resolution for Men talks about a few ways we can model our Heavenly Father and give our kids a window into His love and who He is.

One way is through attention. This is so hard nowadays with a workday that doesn’t seem to stop due to calls and texts and the distractions they bring with the constant buzzing of our phones or even the non-work related algorithms of social media which suck us into Facebook, Instagram, and X instead of focusing on our kids and being interested in them. I’ve said before some of my greatest memories were going to every high school basketball game of my hometown with my Dad (especially the day after Christmas spending all day at the holiday tournament which I may have looked forward to more than Christmas), as well as University of Illinois football and basketball games. I try to do my best to do the same with our kids, but know I have a lot of work to do…especially when it comes to putting my phone down!

Another the book mentions is through affection. This is not easy for many of us and especially men. But we need to hug and love on our kids and tell directly them we love them. Yes, kids need discipline but also our love. I know I can do better at showing that through playing and horsing around/wrestling with them. Unfortunately it’s go, go, go….or let’s just chill on the couch and watch a movie (which usually results in me falling asleep!).

The book also discusses affirmation. God the Father modeled this explicitly with Jesus after His baptism in Mark 1:11, “You are my beloved Son, in you I am well pleased.”  Regardless of if our child is young or an adult, have we told them we are proud of them lately? I would like to think I do a decent job on this…especially when they have a good game or do well on a test. I can improve on just telling them I’m proud of them randomly just because of who they are and that they are my son or daughter which helps them know my love and adoration for them is not conditional on their accomplishments. They need to know this because they are going to fail and mess up a lot (like me), and I want them to know that doesn’t change how I feel about them just like it doesn’t change how their Heavenly Father feels about and loves them.

Lastly, The Resolution for Men asks if we are known for loving others? Do our kids see us loving and showing compassion to everyone regardless of their age, race, sex, or social class? Do our kids see us loving our neighbor as ourselves? Jesus modeled the Father’s love by showing mercy and loving the unlovable like the Samaritan women at the well, the adulterous women, touching and healing lepers, and even washing Judas’ feet, just to name a few.

In the end, He showed his unconditional love, mercy, and grace by suffering and dying on the cross for each and every one of us.

As we wrap up today, let us reflect on if we are a shadow of our Heavenly Father the way Jesus modeled.

Ask yourself like I am, what are the one or two things I can work to improve on starting today?

We can do this regardless of our kids’ age(s).

As we say at DadCamp, “You have what it takes!”

 

Thankful – Today and Every Day…

Today’s readings are Daniel 7-9, Psalm 91, and John 19.

Earlier this week our 7-year-old son began asking me questions about questions about Thanksgiving. He was somewhat confused because he realized it wasn’t necessarily a holiday in the Bible or celebrated by only Christians. He was asking who people are really thanking. I explained to him that as Christians we believe all that we have is given to us by God, so we are thanking God for His blessings. For this reason I’ve always loved Thanksgiving and rank it right up there with Christmas and Easter even though it isn’t officially a Christian holiday. As for non-Christians, I was having a hard time explaining it to him because it’s hard for me to even comprehend…I told him I guess they are just thankful. But as believers James 1:17 says it best..

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

And there is no gift we should be more thankful to God for than for Him giving His Son Jesus up on the cross as we read about in John 19. He turned the worst event and biggest injustice in the history of mankind, the only truly innocent man ever who never sinned suffering and dying a horrible death on the cross, into the greatest event in the history of mankind by using it for the forgiveness of each and everyone of our sins. It is truly hard to fathom how thankful we should be on this day and every day for this gift of mercy He gave us.

Jesus said in John 19:30, “It is finished.”

Titus 3:5 says, “he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy…”

Regardless of whatever challenges and hardships we are facing, this is something all Christ followers can reflect on and be thankful for today and every day. Our eternal salvation and life in Heaven is secure not through our doing, but only through His incredible grace on the cross.

 

Love Like Jesus

Today’s readings are Proverbs 24-25, Psalm 41, and 1 Thessalonians 2.

Do you have enemies? I think most of us would likely say we don’t. When I think of an enemy, I usually think of someone who is really out to get me and maybe even is trying to cause me physical harm. However, some may say yes. Possibly it is an ex-significant other or spouse who is really making it difficult to move on and may even to be trying to keep new relationships from happening or trying to strain relationships with your children. Maybe it’s someone who is telling untrue things about you to others which could prevent you from a promotion at work or again is straining other relationships.

What is your posture towards these people when you see them? What are you thinking when you see their social media posts about their life, their family, and their successes? At a minimum you are likely not cheering them on to victories in their life and maybe even are ok with seeing them stumble a little bit. If you are like me, grace and forgiveness is difficult to those who have hurt you and pulling for them to succeed is an even higher bar that is very challenging for me to get to..and maybe even I’m ok with the ball not bouncing their way in full transparency.

The book of Proverbs is very clear though on the posture and behavior we should have towards our enemies…

“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,

and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,

lest the Lord see it and be displeased,

and turn away his anger from him.”

Proverbs 24:17

 This verse says God’s anger turns away from that person when you rejoice in their stumbling and although it doesn’t explicitly state God’s anger turns to you…one can almost infer that. Jesus explicitly warns in Matthew 7:3-5 that it is wrong to find a speck in someone else’s eye because you are ignoring the plank in yours. In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus also talks about a Pharisee who said he was glad he was not like other sinners, including the tax collector near him. The last verse, Luke 18:14 says, “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” How can I love my enemies more? I can start by noticing the grime and yuck of my sin and the grace and forgiveness Jesus has given me when I don’t deserve it.

The next chapter in Proverbs has another verse about our enemies which says we shouldn’t stop at giving them grace and forgiveness.

“If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,

and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,

for your will heap burning coals on his head,

and the Lord will reward you.”

 Proverbs 25:21-22

 Blessing someone who has wronged me is another level of grace and forgiveness which can seem nearly impossible for me to get to. As I reflect though, isn’t that what Jesus did for me?

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8

The Story

Today’s reading is Joshua 5-8, Psalm 14, and Luke 15.

Despite the fact that I like to think that I’m a “good person” (and I have to believe most are like me and think they are), I know I sin if not through actions or word, through thought, probably ever hour of every day. Sin is not in God’s nature whatsoever. It is exactly the opposite of His being and who He is. Today’s readings are a humbling reminder of what God thinks about sin, and yet also a reminder of his grace and love. It is also a reminder of how pleasing it is to Him when we show faith and trust in Him and turn back to Him after we fall away. Obeying Him does not mean immediate gratification like a dog shaking and getting a treat, but a continued path living a life of filled with intentional sin and disobeying Him will surely lead to destruction. And turning back to Him will lead to grace, forgiveness, and ultimate victory through eternal life no matter how far we have fallen away.

Early on in today’s readings we are reminded that God freed the Israelites from slavery and kept His word to lead them to the Promised Land. But, we also learn in Joshua 5:6 He let them wander in the desert for 40 years and did not let the generation He freed go into the Promised Land (including Moses who God thought highly enough to have attend Jesus’ transfiguration in Matthew 17) because “they did not obey the voice of the Lord.” Yet, we see it is pleasing to the Lord and He “rolled away the reproach of Egypt” when the next generation obeys His instructions to Joshua that all the men be circumcised (Joshua 5:9). They keep the Passover, God sends a commander of His army to speak to Joshua (Joshua 5:14), and God instructs Joshua in Joshua 6 how he and his army are to march around Jericho for 6 days quietly and on the 7th day they are to march around the city 7 times. On the 7th time of the 7th day, they are to blow the horns and shout and the walls of Jericho would fall down before God would give them victory in battle. The Israelites could have said to Joshua, “yeah right…these walls are just going to fall when we blow our horn and yell…give me a break?!” However, this time they obeyed, and God gave them victory. What great faith and belief they showed! As promised in Joshua 6, the only family God protects in Jericho is Rahab’s because she helped the Israelite spies in Joshua 2.

As we read on in Joshua 7, we see going against God’s word leads to a path of destruction. God gave specific instructions in the conquering of Jericho that the gold and devoted things be given to the Lord (Joshua 6:18-19). But Achan took some for himself and hid it which was displeasing to God resulting in him being stoned and thus the Lord let Israel first be defeated at Ai before later giving them victory (Joshua 8). We read later in Joshua 8 where Israel turns back to God by building an altar to Him on Mount Ebal just as Moses commanded be done. Joshua honored God by also writing the law of Moses on the stones (Joshua 8:32) and by reading all the words of the law, every single one, to all the people of Israel (Joshua 8:35) which was no doubt pleasing to God.

I love the parallels of our verses each day from the Old Testament, including the Psalms, and the New Testament. Psalm 14 speaks of the corruption of man God sees as He looks down and sin which displeases Him (Psalm 14:2-3), yet promises Jesus’ coming to give salvation in Psalm 14:7. Then, we read in Luke 15 where Jesus tells how God seeks out sinners to give them a chance to repent and turn to Him through the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and of course the amazing story of grace in the story of the prodigal son.

Think of some of your favorite movies and books. What is a common theme in most all of them, especially the ones that really tug on your heart strings? Most all have a story of redemption from someone who has either done wrong in the past or just didn’t have things go their way for a while. Why do you think those stories get to us, and why do we love them so much? Maybe that’s because it’s our story. It’s the story God has laid on all of our hearts because we are all part of God’s story and plan to save us from our sin (Romans 5:8) when we turn to Him. And while we read today how much God hates sin, we see in Luke 15 how much more joy He has when a sinner turns to Him for grace and forgiveness. Do you remember Rahab, the prostitute we mentioned earlier who decided to turn from her sinful ways and help the Israelites? She was not only spared in the destruction of Jericho, but ultimately became part of the bloodline of Jesus (Matthew 1:5)!

Please watch this short video from Spread Truth and pray for God to lay on your heart someone who needs to hear it and know God’s love and that they are part of His greater Story.

https://youtu.be/f0gfIvN9zv4

Here is the children’s version as well.

https://youtu.be/XbrsAF2_BOk

Can I Please Have Your Attention?

Today’s reading as part of our journey through the Bible this year is Exodus 10-12 and Ephesians 2.

Who do you most relate to in the story of the Israelites being enslaved in Egypt and their ultimate departure? Do you relate to Moses who did not think he was capable because of his past sin and lack of confidence in his ability to take on a significant leadership role? Do you relate to Aaron who played a key role in the communication with Pharoah on behalf of the Israelites but who maybe didn’t get the credit his brother Moses did? Or do you relate to the Israelites being enslaved for many years?

Most of us probably would not say we are most like Pharoah. However, we may be more like him than we would like to admit. After the 7th plague..yes 7th…Moses and Aaron went and delivered a message from God to Pharoah in Exodus 10:3 asking, “How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me?” He would either refuse to let the Israelites go like God instructed or he would say he would release them but later change his mind or refuse to let them all go along with their property…even after 7 plagues!

Do you feel like nothing is going your way? Do you like you just keep taking right hook after right hook? If so, I think it should really cause us to pause and reflect on if we are humbling ourselves before God and giving our problem(s) and life to Him. Is it possible that He’s just trying to get our attention?

We must ask ourselves…

  • Am I putting God first in my life?
  • Am I giving my problem(s) to Him in prayer?
  • Do I think my problems are too big for God?
  • Or do I think my problems are too small for God to care?
  • What is God trying to teach me through these challenges?
  • Could He be letting things happen in my life to draw me closer to Him?
  • Could He also be using my challenges for His bigger purpose and glory in ways I might not be aware of yet or even ever will be on this side of eternity?

Ultimately, what God wants is our heart. He wants our faith in Him. He wants us to trust and rely on Him. He wants us to put Him first and humble ourselves before Him so that we cannot brag about anything but Him and His provision and grace.

Ephesians 2:8-9 reads…

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

You Matter

Today’s reading is Luke 1:26-56.

Last week in his “Mike Talks” (https://youtu.be/Rb7RZLu3Xbk), Pastor Mike Baker discusses these exact verses and how Mary found “favor” in the eyes of God as written in Luke 1:28 and Luke 1:30. The Greek word for “favor” is charis. The word charis can also be translated to mean grace. This tells us that just like you and me, Mary was not perfect. She needed a Savior as well, yet God still felt her worthy of a calling to do something for Him and His purpose.

God showed us all charis (grace) when He sent His Son Jesus to be born in a manger on Christmas and ultimately to die on the cross for our sins. Despite our sins and mistakes, just like Mary, He can and will use us for His purpose. What might His purpose for you be? It could be something as simple as being a Dad or Mom or spouse or it might be to be a special friend to someone or to share to Gospel with 1 person who will now get to spend eternity in Heaven because of you. You may not be a celebrity and your name may never have “CEO” by it, but whatever God’s purpose is for you…it is a big deal to God and His story. We should be humbled by His charis and that He would use each of us in that big way. He has entrusted someone or something to you that you may not even realize or think about or know until your last days on Earth.

Former NFL quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow recently discussed he originally thought God’s purpose for him was to be MVP meaning Most Valuable Player. However, he realized God’s actual plan for him was to help another type of MVP, meaning Most Vulnerable People. I love this quote by him..

“I believe each one of us has not only been saved from something, but that we have also been saved for something.”

Tim Tebow

This Christmas, I encourage all of us to remember and be grateful that God showed us His grace when He sent Jesus and as a result He has saved you for something. I would encourage you to reflect on what that might be and if you are not sure yet, trust in Him and have confidence that He will use you for His purpose because you matter and are part of His story.

Why Do ‘Bad’ Things Happen?

Today’s reading is Job 42.

Do you know the story of Job? Job was a wealthy man who loved God, and Satan told God it was only because God was protecting him from bad things. Satan said God had a “hedge” around Job (Job 1:10). Satan was convinced that if bad things happened to Job he would fold and curse God. So, God let Satan take Job’s property and children and strike him with leprosy as we read in Job 1 and Job 2. However, Job stayed strong in his faith, and while he questions why God is doing this, he does not curse God and lose his faith in God as Satan expected. In fact, he continues to put his hope in God.

When I was growing up and even until probably about 10 years ago, I would do something wrong and feel guilty about it and then when something bad happened within a few days or weeks later completely unrelated to the mistake I had made I wondered if it was because of what I had done wrong. Were things not going my way because of that unrelated mistake, and was this a punishment for what I had done? You may have also thought when something bad happened to someone “that’s justice” or “they had it coming to them” because of their past sins. In fact, Job’s so called ‘friends’ named Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar believed these things must have happened because of Job’s mistakes. However, God calls their thinking “folly” in Job 42:8 and says is Job 42:7 they “have not spoken of me what is right.”

God tells us in Romans 8:1 there is “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” I’ve said it before that God is not like a kid with a magnifying glass in the sun burning us who are the ants because we do something He’s not pleased with. We still may face earthly consequences for our actions or God may allow things to play out as a sort of discipline to ultimately draw us closer to Him which is His greatest desire, but we must know the heart of God and that it is not a punishment. This is hard to understand. Isaiah 55:8:9 tells us his ways and thoughts are not only not ours, but they are higher than ours. We won’t figure it out.  However, it is very important we understand Jesus already paid the price for our sins on the cross. In fact, in John 9 Jesus’ disciples ask Him if a blind man walking by is afflicted because of his or his parents’ sins. Jesus replies in John 9:3 by saying it is not because of either of their sins, and he is blind so that the works of God may be seen through Him. When so called bad things happen to good people, our first thought is likely not so God can be glorified through it and them. We know that in John 3:16 Jesus not only says those who believe in Him will have eternal life, but also in John 3:17 that He did not come to condemn the world.

God may let things play out in your life and the lives of others which in our eyes do not seem good like Job. He may even let Satan “win” for a while just like He did when He was crucified and died. For 3 days, Satan thought he was victorious and Jesus’ disciples did too..but then what happened? The Resurrection! We are still celebrating Easter over 2000 years later. As the saying goes, you can’t have a comeback without a setback. We read in Job 42 where God eventually blessed Job with even greater riches than he had prior to all his misfortunes. While I can’t promise you when something bad happens to you that you will see great things happen on this side of eternity, but what I can promise you is if you confess your sins and believe in Jesus’ Resurrection on Easter you will live with Him in Heaven after this life where there will be no pain or problems and everything will be perfect. Until then, we must keep trusting in Him and trusting despite our circumstances His love for us in unconditional and never failing. Let us remember why He came that first Christmas this December and always.

“..but God shows His love for us in that while were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8

Bread Alone?

Today’s reading is Genesis 28:1-22.

This past Friday we were eating spaghetti and our 4-year-old Hudson was complaining he wanted more garlic bread while we continued to tell him he could not have more until he finished his spaghetti he was not eating. As he carried on and continued to beg, in typical ‘bad dad joke’ fashion, I leaned over and said, “Hudson, man cannot live on bread alone.” This is of course in reference to Jesus’ words in Matthew 4:4 and also in the Old Testament Deuteronomy 8:3.

From our reading today we see God come to Jacob in a dream and give him the land He had promised his grandfather Abraham and also confirm that he would have many offspring spread upon the Earth to again fulfill his original promise to Abraham. In addition, God tells Jacob he will be with him wherever he goes (Genesis 28:15). In response, Jacob says he’s on holy ground where the Lord is which he did not know (Genesis 28:16). Finally, he says in Genesis 28:18-22 that since the Lord is with him and had provided food and clothing, he will build a house of the Lord here and give 1/10 of everything back to God.

I find it very interesting that Jacob’s thanksgiving is not really focused on the ground he received or the many offspring, but instead the most basic needs of food and clothing. When I went on a mission trip to New York City a few years ago, many of the homeless people we approached to witness actually witnessed to us by giving thanks and saying God had given them all they really need. I thought they had nothing, but they were satisfied having God. Instead of focusing on what they didn’t have, they were focused on the one thing they really need which they had…Him.

Embarrassingly, many of my thoughts lately have been focused on what more I want, rather than what I already have. It has been said that one cannot feel stress and anxiety at the same time they are in gratitude. I need to be even more thankful for what I already have. And most importantly I must focus on the fact that I cannot survive on “bread alone.” I always have all I really need which is the promise He’ll be with me wherever I go and His life given on the cross to save me.

Team Jesus: No Tryout Needed

Today’s reading is Philippians 3:1-21.

Over the last few years as our kids are getting older, I’ve found that July and August are 2 of my favorite months of the year because we have a break between Summer and Fall activities giving us a lot more family nights at home, as well as weekends. It is also one of my least favorite times of the year because it is when we do tryouts for the baseball and basketball teams I help coach. Trying to be fair to both those kids who played for you last season and to those who only get a few hours to show their skills to determine who should fill an open spot or possibly replace an existing player is really tough to say the least. Many kids and families are going to be disappointed. While facing challenges and disappointments are a part of life that all must learn to deal with at some point it just never feels good when you are partly responsible as a coach helping to make these decisions. It is impossible to make everyone happy. There is so much good that comes out of these teams with new kids and family relationships built, the spiritual development of the kids in our faith-based organization I am a part of, and the improvement on the court and field.  It is so fun to try to help them, make an impact, and see their growth and development. However, we also see a lot of the politics and ugly side come out during tryout time. Parents want to get their child on the best team they feel will win, get their child playing time, and even play a certain position. Is that wrong? Can you blame them with the time and money they are investing in these teams for their child? I know my wife and I want the best fit for our children. Coaches also try to recruit players off of other teams and don’t always handle the situations of how to part ways with a past player for a new player the most gracefully. It’s complicated. It’s tough. No judgement here. We are all human which means we make mistakes and don’t always handle things the best way.

You don’t have to look too far today to see anxiety, depression, and substance abuse are a huge problem today. We are both more connected to everyone on social media and yet more isolated because of it. We see everyone’s highlight-reel 24-7. I don’t know how many championships and MVPs I see posted on Sunday each week and dream vacations and kids’ and professional awards in between (I post them, too). This creates “fear of missing out” or commonly referred to as FOMO. Competition is good in pushing us to get the most out of our God-given talents, but we live in a society where comparison consumes our society. I really like the quote, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Comparison is robbing us of the joy to appreciate the simple moments in life with our own family and our own kids and appreciating their specific God-given talents and abilities.

I love sports and believe they can be used to glorify God. However, what is more important….what our child’s batting average is and how many trophies they win or if they develop into a person who loves Jesus, loves their family, and uses to the maximum whatever gifts God has given them in life now and as an adult (which are likely outside of sports)? We also must realize that what we see on social media is not all that is going on in someone’s life. No one’s life is perfect. They have challenges going on they are not sharing which they are dealing with like sickness, pain, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, relationship, or financial issues. They have problems just like you may be facing . It’s like the family picture who everyone says looks so cute, but you remember the screaming and crying that took place 2 minutes before and after no one knows about. We need to stop thinking someone else’s highlight reel should be our everyday. We forget how blessed we are personally.

In these verses Paul gives us some great takeaways to apply. In Philippians 3:13-14. he tells us to forget what lies behind, the past and to move on to the ultimate goal to the prize of Jesus Christ. We’ve all made mistakes. He’s telling us to forget them. Paul talks about competition a lot and seems to love sports, but he’s telling us to reflect on if earthly trophies which will break and get thrown away are more important or our crown in Heaven from a relationship with Jesus which will last eternity? He tells us in the very first verse of Philippians 3:1 to rejoice in the Lord, not championships.

We all want more. We want our kids to be on the best team and go to the best school. We all want to go on the best vacations, have the best spouse, and have the best job. We all want to belong.  However, Paul tells us in Philippians 3:20..

But our citizenship is in Heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to himself.

There is no FOMO for the most important team we want us and all our children to be on for eternity. No tryout is needed. We don’t have to do any earthly thing to make the team. We are already on it not through our doing, but through His sacrifice and grace given on the cross.  We’ve already made it through faith when we believe and accept Jesus into our heart.

Have you accepted the invite to Team Jesus? Have your children? Are you and your family rejoicing in belonging to the most important team there is? I pray that all the kids and families who did or did not make teams this time of year can find peace and joy in this which is what is most important.

You’re In

Today’s Reading: Ephesians 3:1-21

It’s incredible to think back to how much of my life I have always just tried to fit in.  I wouldn’t be inaccurate in saying that most likely, in all aspects, I have just tried to appear like I have it all together.  As humans, we try our best to fit in; many of us will face this-worldly battle until there is no battle to fight on this side of the earth anymore. Thankfully we know that Jesus says, You’re already in.  We can stop the daily hustle, grind, and race that wakes you up by the alarm and keeps you going until you fall asleep.  I wish and pray that I have this down, but it would not be honest.  There are still times I try to fit in at my job, with my parenting, with friends, in our marriage, and in any other daily interaction that requires my presence.

Give yourself some grace.  Turn every moment of insecurity to Him.  We attempt and try to be the All-Star in all we do. We spend a lot of time trying to live by the rules people set for us. I have now seen days where I’m parenting and forcing the world’s expectations into them at a young age instead of just my love and His promise that takes care of every aspect of life.

None of the rules of life or the attempted All-Star parenting measures up to the power the love of Jesus has for us. If I can teach others and my family, I want to show them how to live in grace like Jesus and to walk in love like Jesus.  I need prayer to be their number one model. Will you pray for me?

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge– that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19