Are you going  THROUGH  something right now? Are you in the midst of something uncomfortable… uneasy… undesirable… and perhaps downright unimaginable…. That has hit you emotionally, mentally, physically, financially, or relationally? And though you are in the throes of “it” right now, you have the resilient faith in knowing that “this place” is not where you are staying and camping out, but you are passing  THROUGH . Well, if you answered yes, then allow the following to encourage you… How did Paul and Silas who were in a dire situation bruised and beaten, falsely accused, chained and imprisoned, find their VICTORY in that midnight hour when things  seemed  the darkest? They began to pray and SING hymns to God. They lifted up their voices and began to  PRAISE THEIR WAY THROUGH  their current circumstance. And as they did the Word of God says in Acts 16:26, “SUDDENLY there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and IMMEDIATELY all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed!” I don’t know about you but I am getting goosebumps because this is the  POWER OF PRAISE IN ACTION!  What once bound them, miraculously came off and they were set free! For you see, Paul and Silas chose to get the High Praises of God on their lips! They  REJOICED  in the face of their terrible circumstances, and at this particular moment in time their praise paved a way for a miracle! You may be in the darkest hour… your midnight hour… feeling the pressures closing in. You may be facing something physically, mentally, emotionally, or relationally that is taxing, hurtful, and wearisome. May I encourage you…  NOW is the time to PRAISE YOUR WAY THROUGH ! When you praise the Lord in the midst of your trial, this is an act of faith. Because your emotions and even the “facts at hand” are telling you one thing. But as you move out of the “facts” and into the realm of faith and trust in God, knowing that His verdict defies all the “facts” then something powerful happens… You will experience His Presence and Peace that His boundless might provides come in like a flood and stand garrison over your heart and mind. For He inhabits the praises of His people, and He brings the VICTORY! Because the battle is not yours, but His! Hallelujah! I have been known to belt out a praise song in the midst of my darkest midnight hour, when all I had and needed to turn to was the Lord. For I needed His intervention… a miracle. And as fears and pressures were so very present, and as I lifted up my voice and began to walk around our home  PRAISING MY WAY  THROUGH …  Not being focused on what I felt, but solely FOCUSED ON HIM… The PRINCE OF PEACE stepped into that situation and firmly established His  Perfect  Peace, calming the storm that was raging within, bringing a Divine resolve, and a settled peace almost instantaneously. Don’t wait another minute. For you have a VICTORY in your mouth! So open that beautiful mouth of yours and belt out a song of praise to Him! Honey, sing it loud and proud! For He inhabits the praises of His people. And you may just be on the verge of your miracle! Glory!  You are greatly loved and adored. Now get your PRAISE on!  And Praise Your Way THROUGH!  💃

“But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.” -Luke 5:16 (NLT) The word retreat means “to move back.” The irony? That’s how you make forward progress. It’s as counterintuitive as the law of diminishing returns—less is more. If you want to make or break a habit, it’s a lot like learning a new dance. My repertoire is pretty limited, but I can  floss  and  churn the butter , and I do a pretty mean  running man . How did I learn those dance moves? I had to break it down and slow it down. Then, and only then, was I able to go faster. Simply put, you cannot hurry habits. You have to retreat in order to advance. Remember Alice in Wonderland? She ran as fast as she could to keep up with the Red Queen, but she didn’t gain any ground. Ever feel like that? “ Here , you see, it takes all the running  you  can do, to keep in the same place,” said the queen. “If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!” How do we get off the merry-go-round that goes faster and faster? You’ve got to get off the grid. How? Here’s a simple idea:  day off, phone off . Next time you read the Gospels, notice how often Jesus withdrew. Jesus was retreating all the time—climbing mountains, walking beaches, sailing across the Sea of Galilee. He even spent forty days in the wilderness. Evidently, the best way to make progress is by retreating with great frequency and intentionality! Jesus operated with a sense of urgency, yet He was unhurried. In the words of Japanese theologian Kōsuke Koyama, He is the “three mile an hour God.” I live by a little formula:  change of pace + change of place = change of perspective . There are moments when we need to pick up the pace because of laziness, but more often than not, we need to slow the pace because of busyness. “If the devil cannot make us bad,” said Corrie ten Boom, “he will make us busy.” Why is it that the Sabbath is the longest of the Ten Commandments? Perhaps because it’s the hardest one to keep! You have to slow down, which is tough to do in a rat race. At the end of every year, Lora and I take a two-day planning retreat. Along with budgeting and calendaring, we review our gratitude journals and set goals for the coming year. We employ a wide variety of techniques to keep us centered, including a word of the year and a verse of the year. You don’t have to go somewhere exotic. It can be a staycation. But you do need to set aside time for a set purpose. In addition to that planning retreat, we try to schedule a silent retreat once a year. With all the white noise these days, we need to do some ear cleansing! Finally, I’d recommend one weekend a year to set goals, review goals, and reverse engineer your goals into daily habits. Get off the grid! www.mark batterson.com.

Who is your enemy? Perhaps you think of Satan or a political leader. Yet, it could be a family member, ex-spouse, neighbor or the person who just cut you off in traffic. Obviously, it’s someone whom you do not love…or even like. However, Jesus tells us we must choose to love our enemies, despite our feelings. In  Matthew 5:43-45 , Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” The word used for love in this passage is the Greek word,  agape,  which literally means “to will the good of another.” James Bryan Smith, author of  The Good and Beautiful Life , says, “When we hate our enemies we betray the God who loves His enemies. Conversely, when we pray for and bless those who curse us, we align ourselves with God and His kingdom. We are doing what Jesus did.” Jesus said, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” ( Matthew 5:48 ESV ). In this passage of Scripture the word “perfect” is not referring to moral flawlessness but instead to spiritual maturity. Unconditional love is the most crucial expression of God’s character in the life of a follower of Jesus Christ. Renee Napier could have easily labeled Eric Smallridge as her enemy. Eric was driving drunk one night, lost control of his car and struck another vehicle, instantly killing Renee’s 20-year-old daughter Meagan and her friend, Lisa. Convicted of DUI manslaughter, Eric was sentenced to 22 years in prison. Despite her pain and grief, Renee turned to Eric in the courtroom and expressed her forgiveness. Eric accepted responsibility for his actions and gave his life to Jesus Christ. Then Renee went the extra mile and got Eric’s sentence reduced in half. Now a free man, Eric and Renee together speak in schools about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol. Your enemies expose your total need for God’s unconditional love, mercy and grace. When you act out of gratitude and take opportunities to bless your enemies, you also may have open doors to share the Gospel with them. As you practice unconditional love, Ray Pritchard of  Keep Believing Ministries  suggests seven ways to bless your enemies: 1.  Greet them . One part of loving your enemies is to greet them graciously when you see them. Sometimes (often, perhaps) you can become quite adept at looking the other way, ducking into a room, crossing the street, or even using Caller ID to keep from greeting those who have hurt you. 2.  Disarm them . That’s what you do when you turn the other cheek or go the second mile. You disarm them by doing the very thing they least expect. 3.  Do good to them.  Doing good means that you do what will promote their healing despite the way they have treated you. You make the first move. You send the e-mail. You pick up the phone. You make the contact. You bridge the gap. 4.  Refuse to speak evil of them . Refuse to think evil thoughts and to speak evil words against those who have wronged you. At some point, you have to stop talking and start forgiving. 5.  Thank God for them . If you believe in the sovereignty of God, you must believe that your enemy is sent to you by God’s design and with God’s approval. Take a picture of your enemy, frame it and place it where you can see it. Thank God for your enemy every time you look at the picture. 6.  Pray for them . What if you dislike the person? Tell that to the Lord. He won’t be surprised. Then say something like, “Lord, I dislike this person, but I ask You to love this person through me because I can’t do it in my own power.” 7.  Ask God to bless them . When faced with someone who has mistreated you, ask God to do for them what you want God to do for you. Think of it this way: The greater the hurt, the greater the potential blessing that will come when you totally forgive and by God’s grace, bless those who curse you.

“We seem to lurch from tragedy to tragedy, shooting to shooting, bombing to bombing. The kids didn’t deserve such a death. Their parents don’t deserve such grief. And we received an all too common reminder: life isn’t fair. When did you learn those words?  It’s not fair.  What deed exposed you to the imbalanced scales of life? Did a car wreck leave you fatherless? Did friends forget you, a teacher ignore you, an adult abuse you? Have you ever prayed the psalmist’s prayer? “O Lord, how long will you look on?” ( Psalm 35:17 ). When did you first ask the question of the prophet, “Why does the way of the wicked prosper?” ( Jeremiah 12:1 ). Why indeed? Why do drug peddlers get rich? Sex offenders get off? Charlatans get elected? Murderers get out? Cheaters get by? Scoundrels get in? Hypocrites get chosen? How long will injustice flourish? God’s answer is direct: Not as long as we might think. Scripture reveals a somber promise: “For has set a day when he will judge the world” ( Acts 17:31 ). He is not sitting idly by. He is not twiddling his thumbs. Every flip of the calendar brings us closer to the day in which God will judge all evil. A Judgment Day has been chosen. The hour is marked and moment reserved. Judgment is not a possibility, but a stark reality. “Judgment Day” is an unpopular term. We dislike the image of a great hour of reckoning. Which is ironic. We disdain judgment but we value justice, yet the second is impossible without the first. One can’t have justice without judgment. For that reason, “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” ( 2 Corinthians 5:10 ). Followers of Christ hold to this promise: Jesus will forever balance the scales of fairness. A day is coming, sooner than we might expect, in which we will see the devil pay for all the evil he has inflicted upon the world. Satan, and all who follow him, will hear the sentence: “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” ( Matthew 25:41 ). Justice will prevail. This promise may not matter to you. For some people, life feels fair and just. If that describes you, count your blessings. There are others, however, who fight a daily battle with anger. They’ve been robbed; evil people have pilfered days they would have had with their loved ones, disease has sapped health from their body. They believe that justice must be served. I’m one of these people. My brother was robbed. Alcoholism heisted the joy out of his life. For two-thirds of his fifty-seven years, he battled the bottle. It cost him his family, finances, and friends. He was not innocent, I get that. He bought the liquor and made the choices. Yet, I am convinced that Satan assigned a special goon squad to tempt him. When they found his weakness, they refused to let up. They took him to the mat and pounded the self-control out of him. I’m ready to see Satan pay for his crimes against my brother. I am looking forward to that moment when I stand next to Dee, our bodies redeemed and souls secure. Together we will see the devil bound and chained and cast into a lake of fire. At that point we will begin to reclaim what the devil took. “For has set a day when he will judge the world” ( Acts 17:31 ). Let this covenant abate the anger you feel at the hurting world. Devastations have wounded every home. Just last week I met with a family whose six-year-old twins were sexually abused by a grandparent. Two nights ago, our neighbors were assaulted and robbed in their own home. One of our church members spent two years in prison for a crime he did not commit. The guilty party went free. He went to jail. It’s not right, it’s not just, it’s not fair that evil prospers. When you wonder if wickedness will go unpunished or injustices will go unaddressed, let this promise gratify your desire for justice. God will have the final word. “God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day” ( Psalm 7:11 ).” ©MaxLucado

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding In all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make your paths straight.” ---TRUST---   First, consider the word Trust. To me...trust has always been a little bit of a scary word. I mean if you’re asking me to trust you...then there is probably a pretty good reason why I might not want to... And if it’s a person who is asking you to trust them...then you what you know of that person...will go a long way in your decision to trust that person. So, the fact that Solomon is asking us to Trust in the Lord makes me wonder...what is it about the Lord that would tempt me to not trust him? But as we read on...it turns out...it’s not the Lord that shouldn’t be trusted... it’s me. There seems to be something about our understanding that is not only different, but in opposition to how God understands. So, the first pearl of wisdom we can gleam from this proverb is... Wise people know who to trust. So perhaps the first thing we can learn from the proverb is... It might be helpful to understand the word for Trust in the Hebrew language has two definitions... The first one is “to rely on or put confidence in” kind of like the way I’m putting my trust in the table to hold my Bible and notes... The second definition on the other hand, which at first glance might seem odd... means “to trip so as to fall down” But when you think about it...this second definition really helps illustrate the tension between what Solomon is saying... He is essentially saying you cannot stay upright by leaning on yourself...and at the same time “fall down” on the Lord. You’re going to have to pick one... Since you’re in church...you probably know which one I’m going to advocate we choose...but just for a moment let’s think about why we might be tempted to lean on our understanding... Maybe we’ve learned something...like we just read a book and we heard something that made us take note... Maybe we’ve had a certain experience, it could be good or bad, but regardless we learned something important from it... Maybe you’ve put in a lot of extra work and now you’re certain your big break is about to come. Maybe it’s not about something we know...maybe it’s about someone we know. Maybe we throw our weight behind someone, or we invest financially or relationally with someone because we think it will lead us to where we want to go... All can be good reasons to lean on our own understanding. The problem with that is when you lean on your own understanding... you’re always going to come up short because you when you orient your life around what you’ve seen...you miss out on what is still as of yet unseen...

Hebrews 11:31 S-859 READ HEBREWS 11:31 It is inevitable that we find our attention sharply arrested by this text. We have seen faith illustrated in remarkable ways by great personalities – Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, the national of Israel leaving Egypt and entering Canaan. Now quite suddenly, quite definitely, with almost startling brutality, “Rahab, the harlot.” Such an amazing statement demands consideration. Those who are most exalted are of no consequence before God unless they have faith. Here is a marvelous picture of the amazing grace of God. In singling her out as a recipient of grace, God makes it clear that He is no respecter of persons. There was nothing whatever in this poor fallen woman to commend her to God. Where sin abounded, grace much more abounded. The emphasis in Hebrews 11:31 is saving faith. She was saved before the spies came into her house. Their arrival only gave the opportunity for her salvation to be seen. READ THE STORY IN JOSHUA 2 AND 6.       Joshua 2:1-21; 6:17, 22-23 I. THE CONDEMNATION A. Rahab was a condemned woman living in a condemned city. God’s commission to Israel was that they utterly destroy Jericho. READ DEUTERONOMY 7:1-6; 12:1-3. It was not a question of whether or not the citizens of Jericho felt condemned, they were condemned – according to the Word of God.         B. Spiritually speaking, everyone in the world already stands condemned before God. READ JOHN 3:18, 36. II. THE NATURE OF SAVING FAITH (Joshua 2:8-11) A. The basis of her faith was that she heard the reports of the work of God. Romans 10:17: “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” READ JOSHUA 2:8-11.         READ JOSHUA 2:9-11: We heard about the Red Sea… defeat of Amorite Kings. When we heard we were terrified. Your Lord is the true God.       B. Saving faith involves our entire soul.          1.Saving faith involves the MIND.         There were certain facts that Rahab knew and believed. Joshua 2:8-11.          She knew that Jehovah was the true God… Israel was His people… He had delivered them from Egypt… she was condemned… her only hope was to fall on the mercy and grace of God.          2.Saving faith involves the EMOTIONS.          The fear of God was in her heart. Joshua 2:11.          One of the obstacles to saving faith is “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Romans 3:18). “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 1:7).         Is fear a proper motive for salvation? Of course it is! Fear of injury, sickness, death, play an important part in all of our decisions.          What is there to be afraid of? Jesus preached about God’s wrath. Jesus even preached about the fires of Hell.          READ MATTHEW 3:7-12; 25:30. REVELATION 21:6-8.          But, it takes more than an enlightened mind and a stirred heart for a sinner to be saved. Rahab’s saving faith also involved her will.        3.Saving Faith involves the WILL.          Because she believed the truth, she acted upon it. She saved the spies and made them promise that when the city was taken she would be spared. The color of the scarlet thread was not chosen by chance. For in the spies’ deliverance with it, and in Rahab’s salvation by it, we find a precious picture of the blood of the cross of Calvary. Its very presence is Rahab’s window reminds us of the sprinkling of Blood of the Passover. III. THE CONFESSION OF HER FAITH-Joshua 2:9-11 Her confession is quite a comprehensive one. She did it at the first opening that she had. She placed her faith in God and renounced the idols of her past life. By placing the scarlet cord in her window, she publicly declared her colors. It is the nature of true faith to immediately declare itself in profession before men. READ ROMAND 10:10: “With the mouth confession is made unto righteousness.” Our confession is inseparable from our faith. Jesus Christ lays the same weight on confession as on believing itself. READ MATTHEW 10:32-33; LUKE 9:26. IV. THE EFFECT OF HER FAITH       Her faith produced fruit to the glory of God. In receiving the spies by faith, she showed that she had a heart for the people of God. READ JAMES 2:25. This doesn’t mean that her good works saved her. It means that her faith was proved by her actions. Nobody is saved by works, or by faith plus works. We are saved by a faith that results in works. The fact that she hid the spies is proof that her faith is real. V. THE REWARDS OF SAVING FAITH         1. Her own escape from terrible judgment. Joshua 6, Rahab was saved as the city burned.         No matter how one may twist scripture, there is a fire in the future. There is a wrath to come (1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9; 2 Thess. 1:7-8)         Rahab and her family escaped the fire because they had saving faith.         2. Rahab actually became part of Israel.         3. She also later became the honored wife of a Prince of Israel – Salmon… the great-great-grandmother of David… included in the genealogy of Jesus. There is a miracle here of the restoration of her worth. She is not called Rahab, the Harlot. She is called Rahab, the wife of Salmon. Her dignity is restored. Rahab’s faith certainly rebukes unbelievers today. She had only a meager amount of information, yet, she believed and was saved. No one in Jericho to encourage her. Today we have an entire Bible, not just fragmented rumor. The message we hear is one of love and salvation, not wrath and condemnation. The experience of Rahab makes it clear that nobody is too bad to be saved, or too ignorant to be saved; but, you can be too late to be saved.

It was morning. The sun peaking over the horizon…whispering its luminescent yellow glow through the trees. The night had been full of a wearisome wrestling. Emotions tattered. Fervor frayed. Logic framed, but confused. Life was now on a limb. In the balance. The in-between. There she lay. Cogency giving way to unconsciousness. In and out. Sleep and sedation. Light conversations leading to silence. Too long now the silence has remained. Moments turning into days. Decisions. Life decisions. Oxygen levels depleted. Hopelessness arising. The best path forward discussed in hushed reserve. Each moment critical. And then. Reflections. Nostalgia. Regret mixed with gladness. A smile and then tears. A journey of life flooding his mind. The triumphs and the tragedies break through the fog. The moment of covenant. The first experience of intimacy. The first cry of their children entering this harsh world. The trips and memories. The tears and the anxieties overwhelming the senses. Trapped in the moment of decision. Being brought back to the present. The stoic silence. The peaceful but perpetual sight. The agony of decision. Oxygen levels low. Pneumonia set in. The sickness attacking an already tired and depleted immunity. Fighting for an answer. Clarity gone. Simplicity flees and ambiguity enters. This is no easy decision. To be in control of tomorrow? To release with one phrase the support…the lifeline…the potential. Oh, the gnawing potential. The possibility of recovery. The statistical juggling taking its effect and the numb reserve taking hold. Still…she lays. Having entrusted herself to him. In sickness and in health…till death do them part. Her life in his hands. He breathes deeply. He gathers his words. He stalls. Everyone watching. Everyone waiting for his directive. He pauses. It’s too much for him to bear. His love lying still before him. Chest rising and falling with the cadence of the machine(s). The beep of measuring devices reminding him of the chaos of the moment. She shouldn’t be here. He shouldn’t bear this decision alone. Life is too valuable. The wait turns into the weight. Bearing down upon him. His eyes closed. He prays for wisdom. He grasps her hand…no response. He longs to feel it tighten into his. He waits. No strength. He cries. Tears flood the room. His shoulders shake with sobs. He rises. Leans over her bedside. His hand finds its way to her face. Her beautiful and delicate face. He strokes her hair. He press his hand on her forehead.  “Open your eyes,”  he says to himself. He looks up. The sun now pouring into their room. He turns his gaze back to her. He embraces her one last time. He looks at the doctor, and remembers her request. He is her steward. He must honor her request. He knows. He knows with certainty that every option has been explored. Every potential has been exhausted. His only decision is her decision.  “Fight until you can fight no more…then let me go home. The decision is not yours, but mine…” , her words echo through his mind. He pauses again. He breathes slow and shallow. He looks at her face. Her sweet face. He looks up at the doctor. Pauses. “It’s time. Take her off the support–the so-called support of life.” Movement. Clicking. Switching. Shifting. Busyness around her bed turns to swirls. Everything is blurred except her lying there. He holds her hand. Beeping. Beeping. Beeping. He squeezes tighter…longing for a response.  “Grip my hand,”  he agonizes in his mind. One last time, he longs for her warmth…for her touch to respond to his. Then. Silence… The dreadful silence. The horrendous quiet. Stillness. He lifts his head. Tears streaming down his cheeks. Hoping. Praying. Longing. Her chest is still. Her hand at rest in his. Her chest doesn’t move. He weeps. The moment freezes. His life flashes before his eyes. Her life flashes before his eyes. Finally he looks up. She is at peace. Her face is radiant and calm. She has passed on. She has gone from life to life. The weight of life. He understands a reality he has never understood before. Heartache and loss. He feels alone. He slumps back in his chair next to her side. His throat is packed. He can hardly swallow. The sharpness of the pain intensifies. His shoulders drop. And then. He remembers something she said to him one morning on a walk. “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”  Psalm 34:18 He breathes deep. He swallows the pain. A new life. A new weight of life begins. This was written to honor all those who have faced death’s scene with someone they love. You are not alone. God is with you. He is near. He will lift your head in love. He will put a new song in your heart. Believe. Trust. Press on. We need you. How Do We Apply This To Everyday Life? Look back… Perhaps you’ve walked down a similar road to the one described above. Perhaps even you faced a situation that wasn’t as clear…even more foggy and information processing and decision making more ambiguous. Perhaps even further you have regret or guilt or anxiety when you think back to this or these moments. If this is you and you are still healing from your experience, please let me encourage you: As a fellow human journeying through life like you, let me first say that I am so sorry. I don’t pretend to understand what you’ve been through, but know that I am sorry you have faced this situation. Truly, I am sorry. As a pastor, let me encourage you with principles from God’s Word: God created all things, He sustains all things, and He is the providential Guide super-intending all things. In other words, like Job–who faced all the world’s suffering and carnage–he nevertheless was always in the hands of His God despite the pain and suffering. Thus, Job could conclude that God did not cause the events he faced, nor did He punish Job by allowing these things to happen to him. Instead, Job came to the realization that the world in which he resides is riddled with sin, and as a result suffering and pain are mixed with delight and joy. Which leads to the second point… Sin entered when the first man and woman chose autonomy over trust. The ground and all creation was cursed, as well as the origination of indwelling sin and humanity’s broken fellowship with God. In other words, the world is broken, humans are broken, and thus existence in a broken world leads to heartache, pain, and ultimately death. However, the final word is not these agonizing experiences. No, the final word is the gospel–good news–of Jesus Christ. He conquered death and offers not only life eternal in fellowship with the Triune God-head, but also present fellowship to those whose trust is in Him. This leads to the next point… Look around… Jesus said,  “…behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:20b. In other words, even though we may not see our Lord, He is with us as a comfort and guide. Therefore, we can enjoy with peaceful contentment those relationships with loved-ones that remain. We can embrace them as we are embraced by our Lord. We are their stewards, which means we have practical life directives in place such as a last will and testament, a last letter written to your spouse or loved ones, medical directives for situations such as life support and the like, as well as direction on where financial, legal, medical, insurance and all business-related information is kept. Leadership continues beyond passing from life-to-life. Look forward… There is a finality to life. As hard and morbid the thought, we all must die. We’re born thinking we’re immortal. This is partly true–our souls will never die–but our bodies must undergo and sustain the effects of the fall. This means, aging, aching, fatigue, sickness, etc., and ultimately death. Therefore, this life is a test…a trial…a seasoning…a taste of the joy–despite circumstances–to come. And so, we can have a faraway gaze toward heaven. We can trust that the pain and heartache have only been a trial preparing us for the sweetness of eternity with our loved-ones and our Lord. We can rest knowing we are not the first to cross the river of death, but in a great company of myriads before us…and so we press on!

“Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is clean, but an abundant harvest is produced by strong oxen.” Proverbs 14:4 When I met my now wife, I knew that she would be the one I would marry–or at least I hoped that she would be :). But, soon after, during the dating and engagement process, I realized the level of commitment was not like anything I had ever faced before. Commitment. It’s hard to describe the level, depth, and scope of commitment I was now considering before marriage. In essence, I was saying  “no”  to every other potential mate (and so was my wife)…I was saying  “no”  to an old life that revolved around doing what I wanted when I wanted…I was saying  “no”  to spending my money a certain way…and on and on. On the other hand, I was saying  “yes”  to companionship built on trust and sacrifice…I was saying  “yes”  to shared memories with one that chose me above all other potential spouses…I was saying  “yes”  to displaying the love of God to a lost world…I was saying  “yes”  to bringing children into this world that would not only look like us, but would image God…I was saying “yes”  to teaching, training, and preparing the next generation to do greater things than my wife or I had ever dreamed…I was saying  “yes”  to confession, authenticity, and selflessness…and on and on. The Problem. The reality is, in many ways…marriage is an  unknown . It’s an unknown in regards to ongoing sexual intimacy. It’s an unknown in regards to having and rearing children. It’s an unknown in regards to relational chemistry. It’s an unknown in regards to seasons one faces. It’s an unknown in regards to sickness, health, tragedies, and triumphs that will be endured. It’s an unknown in regards to in-laws. It’s an unknown in regards to financial struggles. It’s an unknown in regards to fidelity. It’s an unknown in regards to reciprocal companionship. And on and on. These unknowns (and many more) have caused and continue to cause so many to put marriage off or try it on for size over and over. The Reality. Marriage is harder than I ever thought it would be, but in the same breath it’s better than I ever could have imagined. We have traveled the country and have relied upon each other in different and complementary ways. There have been times when I have been weak and my wife strong. Other times, my wife has been weak, and I have been strong. And, as a wonderfully significant blessing, my wife and I have brought three lives into this world and are in the process of preparing them for life. And for the three lives, we have had (and continue to have) the fortitude to educate our children, to make diverse and varied memories with our children, and have established biblical routines and a Christian foundation for our children. There are no guarantees, but we have the privilege of shaping the next generation with each day we have these little lives in our house. However, the unglamorous side of this institution called “family” has been battling a consistent mess pile in the house, in the vehicles, and in rooms. We have lost efficiency in travel and getting ready. We have had to forgo many opportunities of financial advancement, and instead have chosen to sacrifice for our children’s well-being and life-preparation. Moreover, we have had to confess and say,  “I’m sorry.”  We have had to flex, adjust, and walk in the fear of the Lord so that our children would see imperfect parents relying upon a perfect God. The Health of the Family. What we have not tried to do is build a house of cards. In other words, our family does not pretend to be perfect. We don’t shield our kids from everything the world will throw at them. Instead, we have asked for forgiveness, we have (when the children are emotionally and spiritually ready) exposed them to the world. We are honest with each other, and we aim for our lives to look like Christ. In the face of our children’s sibling-spats, fussy-tears, selfish-frustrations, and un-met expectations, we come back to God’s love for us and His sending of His Son to meet and exceed all our expectations and needs. The health of our family is built upon the gospel of Jesus Christ. In essence, it shapes our marriage and our parenting in every way, and puts forth the following logic: “If Christ can sacrifice, forgive, and love me (us) in a certain way, then I can sacrifice, forgive, and love my wife and my children in the same way, depth, and scope as Christ did for me.” Christ’s commitment to me informs and motivates my commitment to my wife, children, and family. The manger of our lives is often not clean, but there has been an abundant harvest to enjoy. May there raise up in this country men and women who will press in to the commitment of a healthy family…a commitment built on imaging and reflecting the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The day had finally arrived. Years. Now, I mean years had gone by…notwithstanding great disappointment. You see, this was a day of miracles. It shouldn’t even have been happened. Not only were the odds stacked against them, but the physical limitations all but dashed every longing of it happening. A decade or so earlier they had met. Some might say it was love at first sight, but really it was two individuals who on the outside seemed like they had it all figured out, but really were young adults crying out for something more. What they really wanted was an escape…a place to flee…or better yet a person who understood them and who could help them cope with the pain that had been a constant companion on their journeys. Years prior, she was forced to face circumstances that no young girl should ever face. She was destined to build a life of perfection. Her heart told her that, at least. And when her world crumbled. When the news came. When she finally faced the reality, she was left with an aching knot in her stomach that never seemed to go away. She did what she thought most people would do…she filled her hours with distraction. And that meant work for her. It was all she could do, and she thought it was enough…at least to help. The financial burden of her family had inadvertently become her burden. Of course, no one wanted it that way, but it happened anyway. Plodding. Bending. Seeking. She traversed her path with dignity. Here was her time of reckoning. Here was her moment of putting away childish things and assuming her new lot in life. All the while, she was breaking. She was longing. She was hoping. Would there be someone who would look beyond her facade of strength and see that she was crying out for love…for help…for empathy…for understanding. Someone who would reach in and believe the best in her. “Would there be…is there anyone…who will love me…someone I can trust…someone who won’t hurt me like everyone else has around me,”  she quietly thought to herself on the night he walked in. He wasn’t supposed to be there that night. His car had broken down. However, he had the tools to fix the problem and he needed a break before he went to class. The journey he had found himself on wasn’t the journey he thought he would be on. No, his ambition had taken him to the other side of the state only to find that others were far better than he had ever hoped to be. It was a crushing defeat that led him to this class, and it was a last-ditch effort that led him to this city. His options had run out when he left home. For so long, he had wanted to be on his own, but now that here he was, and he wondered if he had peaked too early. Was he going to be like every other washout that out-punts his coverage and finds himself slinking back to the protection and care of a safe environment? That wasn’t even an option for him, but the pain of failure still hurt. Deep down, he wondered if his failure would mark him the rest of his life. The reality was, it wasn’t the first time fear had crept up his spine and settled into his thoughts. You see, ever since he was young he had managed this fear. It had happened years ago. He didn’t expect it…couldn’t articulate it…but he felt it just the same. In fact, he wished and even prayed many times that it would simply go away, but it didn’t. Thus, he accepted the hold of anxiety like a prisoner accepts his bars. And so, he walked into a restaurant that he had seen many times before carrying with him a deep-seated and ever-present formidable foe of fear when their eyes met. “She carried herself with dignity,”  he thought to himself. “He holds his shoulder broad,”  she thought to herself. He sat down. She came to his table. He looked at her and listened to her voice ask him what he would like to drink. Minutes quickly turned to moments, and before long they had a conversation in the making. He left that night with a smile and a hope. She left that night with a sigh and a dream. Together they left acknowledging a simple principle that they still laugh at today:  “…at least there is someone like the person I just met in this world worth sharing my life with.” Little did they know that their paths would cross many more times, and ultimately lead to his asking for her hand in marriage. Little did they know that the sickness that nearly took her life would be the reason why the doctor would say she will never be able to carry a child to birth. Little did he know that this woman would love him, care for him, and show him how to let his fear of failure slip away. Little did she know that this man would point her to the One who would satisfy all her longings of trust. The One to whom she would finally surrender her life to and walk as a new creation. Little did they know what life would bring them, but here they were now… The day had arrived. Their journey as individuals that had become a family was now about to become the journey of their first child. There they were. There was all their family around them. There was the moment they thought would never come. The room was still–except for the silent humming of music in the background. She had read all the books. He had attended all the classes with her. They were ready. It all happened so fast. The doctor handing him the scissors. The cutting away of the life’s source that connected mother to child. The tiny figure cringing in confusion as to why he was taken from the comfort of the womb. Her sigh of relief as the sharp pain of birth momentarily subsided. His smile of pride and wonder as he looked at his wife and little baby boy. Her tired smile as she embraced him and began the methodical process of bringing from her body once again the nourishment that would sustain his life. He stood amazed. She lay satisfied. Together, they brought a new life into this world. A new life of expectation. A new life of hope. A miracle and a prayer. And so it is with the birth of a child. Two individuals becoming one. Two lives–in the mystery of God’s creation–bringing to this world one life. O the wonders of life. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.” Genesis 2:24 How Does This Apply To Us Today? Often in life we find ourselves wondering how God might use our current circumstances for good. It’s also hard to see how a seemingly out-of-place puzzle piece fits into the larger–more beautiful–picture. In other words, God uses our circumstances–both triumphs and tragedies–to create a beautiful mosaic comprised of the details of our lives. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 When God invades the heart of a human wandering in life, He supplies not only purpose and perspective, but rebirth. There’s not a human alive who won’t fail you. There’s not a situation in life that doesn’t present some way for you to fail. This is why God sent His Son. It was into the chaos of a trust-breaking-full-of-failure-world that God became the perfect God-man as not only the provision and object of true trust, but also the example of One who never fails. In other words, because we are failed and because we fail, we need Someone who never fails us because He never fails. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 If you’re firmly rooted it doesn’t matter how hard the wind blows. I had a dear friend quote this the other day. His point was like well-driven nails. He understood that life’s challenges can’t ultimately shake the person rooted properly. It forces us all to ask,  “What am I rooting into on this journey of life?”  Weak things produce weak roots. “Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” Colossians 2:6-7 We press on!

The other day, one of my daughters crawled up into my lap and nestled into the side of my chest. She took a deep breath, let it out, and sighed a few times…letting me know she was now at rest. It didn’t take long until she felt my arms wrap around her sweet self and give her a big hug accompanied with an, “ I love you. ” In that moment, my daughter knew she was  loved , because I accepted her into my presence, supported her in my lap, enveloped her in my arms, and spoke words of highest commitment in her ears. So it is with the people of God…humans who seek and find their love from a Father who provides love inexorable. Consider the book of Ruth. When Ruth was leaving Moab and joining Naomi, she was removing more than the comforts of home. As she entered Bethlehem, she arrived an orphan, a widow, and an alien. In a moment, her status in society was destroyed. Her source of income was gone. Her source of protection was removed. Her voice at the gate was silenced. Her only hope was to find refuge in God. Something Boaz took note of and duly honored. “May the Lord reward your work, and may your wages be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” Ruth 2:12 Ruth found protection under the wings of God. While it’s easy to find identity, security, and love in so many things other than God…the reality is, only God gives you true rest. Only He gives you the assurance of acceptance, the arms of protection, and the words of highest commitment:  “…chosen, from the foundation of the world…beloved and eternally cherished.” Only God can give you and me love like that. Amen. We rest in His love.

The die had been cast. The plans had been laid. The end of a brother would soon come. He wasn’t alone in his deceit. His mother was right there with him. Beside him in their concoctions. Her previous assurance of God’s plan once again was not sufficient. She caved. Her will be done. Her hand be forced. Together they will accomplish God’s mission. With precision. With craftiness. With guile. They succeeded. His promised portion realized. His promised birth-right obtained. Now, enjoy the bounty? Now, enjoy the reward? No. Heartache. Betrayal. Grudge. Anger. Revenge. Justice. A brother slighted has become a brother ravenous. His stomach will  not  be satisfied. His thirst will  not  be satiated. Not until his brother, Jacob–the heel grabber–is eliminated. Not until he gets what he deserves. Not until his sleep is eternal and the breath in his nostrils expires. He will die. He must die. A brother offended. A brother’s vengeance. A brother out-of-his-mind. What must this wanted man do? What must a mother say? Flee. Leave. To another country. To your future spouse. With the blessing. With the birthright. He left. He fled. And it was into this context that God appeared to Jacob. He was alone. He was fleeing the wrath and vengeance of his brother, Esau. His journey was set and his destination was secure. To Haran. To the place of Abraham’s people. To the expansion of God’s chosen. Fatigue sets in. Exhaustion ensues. He sleeps. But, he’s not alone. God’s promises will not be thwarted. God’s covenant with His Abraham will not fade nor falter. God does what God does. He appeared to Jacob in a dream. He showed him the ladder and bridge from heaven to earth. Angels. Myriad angels ascending and descending. God standing above saying… “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your descendants. Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Genesis 28:13b-15 To this man? The promise continues to this man? Absurd. Unthinkable. Undeserved. Yes. And much more,  but  for God’s promise. A covenant not made conditional upon this man or his mother’s actions. No. The security and fidelity of the promise is based solely on the character of God. Therefore, God’s promise stands. Period. And so, this fleeing and fearful brother dreams a dream of hope. How does he respond? How would you respond? He doubts. He puts a condition on God. His audacity…stunning. His ostentation…laughable. His presumption…remarkable. “Jacob also made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and give me food to eat and garments to wear, and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God.” Genesis 28:20-21 And so it is with all humans. Conditions, thus constraints. Carelessness, thus confusion. Near-sighted, thus challenged. Nevertheless, God’s will be done…on earth as it is in heaven. This fleeing brother will one day walk with a limp. His pride penetrated. His faith tested. His strength in God assured. His family line expanded. The 12 tribes will arise from him. The Messiah will come from his loins. The promise of God will continue despite him…despite his doubt…despite his deceit…despite his fear. God’s will will be done. Amen. How Does This Apply To Us Today? Take comfort in the fact that God uses broken people to accomplish His unbroken will. Logic: If God can use a broken–sinful man–like Jacob to move His mission in this world, then He can use me–a sinful man or woman. In other words, you’re never too far gone! Let your doubt be turned to trust. Logic: If doubt means I’m forced to consider truth and reality, then pray like the man who requested that his son be healed by Jesus, “ …I do believe; help my unbelief! “. In other words, doubt means you’re human–broken and nearsighted requiring faith–and so you need to transfer your trust from what you can measure to what the Bible has displayed as the object of your salvation–Jesus Christ. Offer God a sacrifice of praise. Logic: If God has provided everything to me, then He deserves everything from me. In other words,  “Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”  Romans 12:1 We press on!