Trusting God in His Timing with our Trials & Temptations

I am always amazed at how God uses different platforms to reach us.  And they all seem to work together at the same time.  Have you ever noticed that what you are studying at church may also be what you are discussing and studying in your small group.  And then all the sudden, it's what you are studying in your Bible Study?  It just puts me in awe that God orchestrates all these things to be studying the same thing at the same time.  Coincidence?  Nope, I don't think so. 

So here I sit in the Book of James.  If you haven't read James, it's towards the back of your Bible.  Only 5 chapters long but full of truths and reminders for all of us.  James is believed to have been the half brother of Jesus and that little tidbit just blows my mind.  So here I am studying James for church small group AND for my Bible Study Fellowship.  That tells me that God really wants me to see and learn something in James.  And in today's world, as we deal with this pandemic, I think God wants all of us, including me, to see His timing is perfect even in all our trials and temptations.

James starts out by telling us we are to "consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance".(James 1:2-3)  I don't know about you but being locked up in my house waiting on God's time is not joy producing.  It's frustrating, it's lonely, it's often times fearful.  But that fear and frustration is not God.  God doesn't fill us with fear.  God can't and doesn't tempt us.  All that fear and temptation comes from the evil one that constantly tries to stir up chaos and shift our eyes off of Jesus.

Part of finding the joy in our trials and temptations is knowing that we can completely trust God in all of it.  His timing is perfect.  His plan can not be derailed.  Sometimes we can see with great clarity the plans God has laid out in front of us.  Other times, we have to walk through the wilderness to get to the clearing in order to see God's plan.  But regardless of how God's plan is revealed to us, we must be patient, be in prayer and be in God's Word so that we can sit in contentment and have joy in the trusting.

As we all sit here in this pandemic, we need to remember that God is still at the center of it all.  God has a purpose and a plan for all of us through this pandemic.  Elisabeth Elliot once said, "I'm convinced that there is nothing that can happen to me in this life that is not precisely designed by a sovereign Lord to give me opportunity to learn to know Him."  God never has a Plan B.  God always knows the plan and God never wavers from the plan.  Often we are so tempted in our trials to walk away from God's plan and work on our own.  But just as James has pointed out, "Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything". (James 1:4)  Part of walking with God in faith is trusting His timing.  We must trust Him through all our trials, including this pandemic.

Part of life includes difficult days.  But it's those difficult days that God is using to mold you into who He wants you to be.  It is in those difficult days that we can have joy because God has a purpose in each difficult moment we experience.  As a friend of mine said in a lecture on James, "there is always a purpose in the test- it is to help us develop true faith". (Carol Ruckart)  God never gives us more than we can handle even though at times we may feel like our cup is running over.  God uses all our hurts, all our trials, all our temptations to grow us and develop our faith.  Nothing is wasted, ever.

"Sometimes the very essence of faith is trusting God in the midst of things He knows good and well we cannot comprehend." (Beth Moore)  And until God's perfect plan is shown to us, we must continue to trust Him.  We must never doubt for He is never unfaithful.  God is always constant, always present, always aware and always doing what is best for His children.  Even in today's pandemic and in each of your homes.

I recently had a conversation with my 20 year old who is preparing to finish up his sophomore year of college.  The light bulb had gone off and he was realizing, in two years, he will be done with school, what will he do?  He was so overwhelmed with the unknowns that he was losing sight of the now.  He was missing the opportunities that God has given him to grow now and to trust.  I reminded him that sometimes we can't see past the weeds, but God can.  And when it is time, God will show you the path that He desires for you to walk.  "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV

Don't allow the trials and temptations of today bog you down so that you can't see the joy in the moments.  Jesus was tempted for 40 days in the desert by Satan.  Jesus trusted God and stood on the promises of God throughout the entire 40 days.  God does not allow Satan to tempt us beyond what we can handle.  God does not allow trials to go wasted.   Don't miss the opportunities for growth that God is giving you through each trial and circumstance.  God is with you through all of it.

"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." James 1:12

Lord, help us to remember that nothing goes unnoticed by You.  You are with us through all our trials and temptations and You have a purpose in each of them.  Keep our eyes on You, Lord, for You know the best plan for our lives.  We praise You Lord for the opportunities for growth of our faith in each trial.  May we trust You with each step knowing that every good and perfect gift comes from You who does not change.  Amen.

Strength

Whenever I see the word strength I always get a picture of an old carnival game.  You know, the one where you have to whack the bulls eye with a sledge hammer so that the bell goes up and determines just how strong you are.  And it's usually the guys with all the muscles that are putting money down on that game.  But what if I told you, you hold that same strength within you?  That same strength without even having to go and hit the target at the carnival to prove it.  Believe it or not, you do.

God gifts his children with armor to fight any battle.  Through the strength that God gives us, we are able to accomplish all things.  I remember one of my friends in Minnesota once told me that when she reads Ephesians 6, she pictures herself putting on each piece of the armor God provides us. 

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes...Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,  and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:11, 14-17

We have strength we don't even realize we have.  And that strength allows us to be courageous and step out in faith.  It helps us to persevere through any challenge or situation.  I can attest to this strength myself.  In moments where I have felt defeated and overwhelmed, I always find that once I lay Jennifer down and let God guide me, the situation doesn't seem so overwhelming and I'm able to focus on what the Spirit is trying to show me.  I wish I would just lay it down from the start instead of trying to do it in my own strength but God is so patient and full of grace, He allows us to come to Him regardless of how we got there.

For example, as many of you have seen me post, I am in leadership with BSF.  I love serving God and I especially love that I'm serving Him using my spiritual gifts.  It makes the serving so much sweeter.  Due to the current situations with this pandemic, all our BSF classes have moved to a virtual platform, Zoom.  Zoom is great once you figure out all it's features and it is a great resource to be able to SEE people when we can't meet together physically.  But trying to get 50 leaders AND help them with the 400 women in our class to get up and running...the task can seem daunting.  Add in the video lectures, sprinkle on top of that videos for our children to view, and then add a few troubleshooting calls from leaders and members, and the behind the scenes work to keep it all flowing for everyone, well, it's overwhelming to say the least.  But even on my busiest day, God gives me the strength to persevere.  God walks with me through each day and reminds me that all the work I'm doing isn't for my glory but for His.  All this behind the scenes work and training is all to further His Kingdom.  It's all to bring people to Jesus where they are, in their homes.  And when I look back at all the successes we have had over the last few weeks, I can see God's fingerprint in all of it.  People are seeing the glory of God during this pandemic.  Jesus is being shared.

When God says he gives us strength, it doesn't necessarily mean physical strength.  Our daily life requires strength to keep moving forward.  We can all agree, life is a marathon.  Life can make us utterly exhausted and discouraged.  But that isn't how God wants us to live.  God desires for us to live in peace, trusting Him and giving Him full access to our lives.  For when we are weak, He is strong.  "He is the God of wholeness and restoration." (Stormie Omartian)

There are so many verses in the Bible on strength.  So many reminders that God gives us what we need to overcome whatever is in front of us.  Isaiah 40:31 reminds us, "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint".

Where are you finding your strength these days?  Just like you, I too often try to find my strength in me and my capabilities.  But that's not what God wants for me or for you.  We need to let God give us the strength and perseverance to finish the task at hand and we need to trust God to know what is best. 

"When we reach the end of our strength, wisdom, and personal resources, we enter into the beginning of his glorious provisions."- Patsy Clairmont.

I invite you to step out in faith and accept the strength that God has provided for you through Him.  Sit in peace knowing that our God is strong enough.  Put on the full armor of God and then live courageously through Him. "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9

Lord, I pray that each of us would turn to You for our strength.  When we wake up each morning, I pray that we would see ourselves putting on the full armor of God so that we can face the day with You.  Help us to not feel overwhelmed when we don't live up to our expectations.  Give us courage to trust You each day knowing that with you, we are stronger, more courageous and filled with Your peace.  Amen

Reliance

Earlier this week, I posted on a book that I read each year to gain my word for the year.  In January, I read it and got my word for 2020.  I am always just so amazed at how God shows us how to live out our word each year.  2020 hasn't gone the way any of us thought it would and when I was gifted this word in January, I thought, huh, well we will see where this takes us.

My 2020 word is Reliance.

Reliance is a noun meaning: dependence on or trust in someone or something.

Dependence or trust.  With our current situation in the world today, I can totally see my word being lived out not just by me but by everyone.  There is no way we can make it through this pandemic without reliance!  And we surely can't make it through it with reliance on ourselves but rather full reliance on God.  We can't make it through life in general without God.

Full reliance on God means that we trust Him with all aspects of our lives.  It means that we know we can't do things in our strength but rather through the strength he gives us through the Holy Spirit.  Proverbs 3:5 tells us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart do not depend on your own understanding." (NLT)

Whatever the circumstances we are given in life, we need to have full reliance on God.  He is perfectly capable of holding onto us through any storm.  Often times, our circumstances can create fear and chaos right to our core.  But in those moments is when we need to trust God and have full reliance on Him to meet our need and hear our cries.  God is never not with us.  God is never jolted off the thrown.  God is completely trustworthy and so we are able to be completely reliant on Him.  Beth Moore once said, "As God's children, we are the recipients of lavish love- a love that motivates us to keep trusting even when we have no idea what God is doing."

We don't have to have all the answers.  We will never get all the answers.  We DO have to trust God, relying completely on Him who has the full picture, the full plan.  And when we are in those moments where we don't see God, we have to trust that He is working upstream for our good.  Romans 8:28 reminds us that  "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose".  There is never a moment that we shouldn't be completely reliant on God.  "Sometimes the very essence of faith is trusting God in the midst of things He knows good and well we cannot comprehend." (Beth Moore)

We are each learning to be reliant on God each day.  There isn't one magic day that you snap your fingers and magically you just rely on God completely.  It's a process.  It's a process because we are constantly growing and learning.  It's a process because God wants us to see we can trust and rely on Him in all ways and at all times.  If there was a magic solution, would we need God?  But if we are obedient and listening to God's commands.  If we are living a life that represents God at the center of it.  If we are truly living out our faith in all God does for us then, then we can walk confidently into complete reliance on God.  And with that complete reliance comes peace and assurance.

God has made promises to us and God never fails.  God never leaves.  God never forgets.  God's promises endure forever.  We, as children of God, must trust those promises.  "God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind.  So God has given us both his promise and his oath.  These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie.  Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can take new courage, for we can hold on to his promise with confidence." Hebrews 6:17-18 NLT

Reliance.  That's my word for this year.  I can see God showing me how to live out this word in my life daily.  Full reliance on God means that I don't try to fix it my way but instead, I give it to God and let Him work all things out for my good.  I'm still learning to be completely reliant.  Giving up full control is hard for this OCD gal, but God is fully capable.  God is trustworthy.  God is full of grace and patient.  So I can allow myself to be completely reliant on Him to walk with me through any and all circumstances of my life.  That is a reason to praise right there!

Lord, help us, and help me to be completely reliant on You.  You want the very best for us so when we feel our world doesn't make sense, remind us that we can trust You.  We do not have to know the big picture but You, Lord, You work out all things for good and so we just need to walk with You knowing that You are always at work for us.  Help us to relinquish our own ways and just "be" with You.  Amen

Quarantine

Every year when I do this challenge, I have the hardest time coming up with the letter Q.  Not this year.  This year it came to me before I even signed up!  We are all living out the letter Q these days.

But I recently saw a post on a friend's Facebook timeline.  Mind you, she didn't write it, it was shared by someone who shared by someone and they shared it too, but how appropriate to today's current situation.  It provides a biblical perspective to our quarantine.  I'll paraphrase it for you...

The Latin root of the word "quarantine" is "forty".  40 is a recurring number in the Bible. 

• The Flood (with Noah and the Ark) lasted 40 days and 40 nights.
• 40 years Moses fled Egypt.
• Moses stayed on Mt Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments for 40 days.
• The exodus to the Promised Land lasted 40 years (The Israelites wandered in the wilderness)
• Jesus fasted in the wilderness for 40 days while he was tempted by Satan.
• 40 days is the average time given for a woman to rest after giving birth.
• Human gestation, the optimum number is 40 weeks.

When all this quarantine started in March, May 1st will represent 40 days.  40 days in our quarantine.  There is a group is theologians that thinks the number 40 represents change.  40 days is a time to prepare a person or people to make a fundamental change.   In the Bible, whenever the number 40 appears, there is a "change".  And during this quarantine, this change, our environment is being cleaned.  Things are growing, air is cleaner due to less traffic, there is less crime and church is still happening in each of our homes.  As the author of the post wrote, "the Earth is at rest for the first time in many years and hearts are truly transforming".  People are still seeking out and turning their hearts to God.

Even more interesting are these little facts:

• We are living in 2020...20+20= 40
• Perfect vision is 2020
• 2020 is a census year and Jesus Christ was born during a census.

When you look at all the numbers, all the facts in the Bible, all of it, it all points to Christ. 

God is at the center of this quarantine.  He knew this was going to happen and has not been surprised.  Only God could quiet an entire world and point all eyes and hearts to Him.  Satan thought he would create chaos But God has brought Jesus into our homes.  

Yes, this quarantine time is frustrating, overwhelming and some days just down right boring.  I totally agree.  My husband still has to work and I find myself just as excited as our dog when he gets home cause it's a human I can talk to!  I get it.  Some days are easier than others.  But even though 2020 hasn't turned out the way we thought it should, has it really been so horrible to have some time out to just "be" in the moment.  Often we get so busy with life that we miss out on moments we need to be present for.  God has stopped the world so that we have an opportunity to be present with Him.  Be present with our families.  Be present to our lives.  

When we get out of this quarantine, what will your "new normal" look like?  Will you go back to the way you used to do things?  Will you pick up right where you left off 40 days ago?  Or will you start a new routine?  Will you be more intentional with your time?  Don't waste what God has given us.  He has gifted us 40 days to look to and trust Him. 40 days to draw closer to Him. 

"Praise the Lord, all nations!  Glorify Him, all peoples!  For great is His faithful love to us; the Lord's faithfulness endures forever.  Hallelujah!"  Psalm 117 (HCSB)

Father, open our eyes to see You in a new way during this 40 days You have gifted us.  Help us to come out of this quarantine stronger through the strength that You have within us.  Lord, I pray that anyone that does not know You would feel a pricking of their heart to spend time with You.  Let us trust You in these 40 days and not be consumed with fear and frustration but instead, rest in Your loving and fully capable arms.  Amen.

Our Perspective

Several years ago when we lived in Savannah, Ga, our pastor challenged us to read the book One Word that will change your life.  If you haven't read this book, here's a little bit of an overview.  Basically, each of us has a word that God wants us to be in tune with.  And as you read through this book, it helps you to focus in on what your word is. And then, once you have been inspired by God with your word, you are supposed to live that word out so that your life will be more purposeful. When Chris and I read it in 2014, it was so that we could get our word for the year.  And since that first time reading it in 2014, my word has evolved each year.  It's amazing how with each new year and new season of life, God gives me a new word to focus on, to live out and to grow me closer to him.

In January of 2014, my word was Perspective.  And I have carried this word along with me over the last several years.  At the time, Chris and I were volunteering at our church in the Lighthouse Ministry and I was in leadership in Bible Study Fellowship.  I knew perspective was my word because it altered the way I viewed things.  I remember fulling hearing God tell me that if my perspective was aligned with Kingdom work, then my perspective would be about loving and serving others and not myself.

Our perspective is important.  How we view things, situations, circumstances, and ourselves all matters.  And if we allow God into our lives, he can help us keep our perspective on growing the Kingdom instead of on our worries or anxieties. In the hustle and bustle of everyday it can be so easy to lose our perspective.  When our world gets caught up in the craziness of the day, we need to slow down and turn our thoughts to God.   And then let God shift our perspective.

One of my favorite stories Jesus shares in the Bible is the story of Peter walking on water.  In Matthew 14:22-31, we see Jesus praying alone on the mountainside.  Later, he sees the boat is already a long way from land and being tossed around by waves and wind.

"Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”" (vs. 25-31)

I can relate to Peter.  We too, step out in faith and then when we take our eyes off of Jesus, we lose perspective and begin to sink.  We  should never take our eyes off of Jesus no matter what the circumstances.  Jesus constantly has his hand out to catch us and bring us back to him, to safety.  But if we lose sight of Him, if we allow our perspective to be one of doom and gloom and fear, we often times feel as if we are drowning.

So in these uncertain days, I have to ask you, what is your perspective today?  Are you feeling overwhelmed by the demands of the day?  Are you allowing your perspective to be skewed by the evil one who loves nothing more than to tempt us and create chaos within our lives?  Or are you allowing God to shape your perspective by spending time with Him and  allowing His eternal perspective to control your thoughts? 

It is so easy to get caught up in the "now" and lose sight of Jesus but don't be like Peter and take your eyes off Jesus.  Step out in full faith and assurance that God is right there in your storm with you.  Allow God to control your thoughts and perspective.  God is constant.  God is always on His thrown.  God is always in control.  God is never surprised.  I challenge you to look upon all the circumstances of your day with gladness, joy, and peace because that is the perspective God wants you to have.  Our perspective matters.  It matters to our families.  It matters to God.  Most importantly, it should matter to you.

Father, I pray that You would give each of us the proper perspective.  Fill our thoughts with those of peace and joy rather than fear and anxiety.  Lord, I ask you to prick the hearts of those who don't have a word that they would read this book and find their word for this year.  It is never too late.  And Lord, we praise You for the way that you never leave us.  Just as you reached out and took Peter's hand, You take our hand daily so that we are able to continue to walk in step and in faith with You.  Amen

News

These days there is news everyday and it appears to be so discouraging most of the time.  We are constantly bombarded with news whether good or bad.  And we have a choice to listen to the news whether good or bad.

Our world is so overcome right now with news of this virus, news of economy woes, news of people losing their jobs and schools closing for the school year.  We hear everyday how we must continue to social distance and we have no idea when our normal world will be accessible again.  Bad news.  Not news any of us want or any of us like.

And then there is good news.  Oh how I can use some of that!!!  Do you realize that God gives us good news everyday if we just open our eyes to it.  God says, "Do Not Fear" 365 times in the Bible. Why?  Because friends, he wants us to not be afraid but to see the good news He can provide.  And God not only supplies us good news, He has a book all about it.  The Bible!  It is full of this good news that God wants us to see. 

And not only do we have God's Word full of good news, God has filled us with moments that He wants us to share with others so that they too will hear the good news.  Our personal faith walks, our testimonies are important for sharing and spreading the gospel.  And there is no better time than now to share that good news, your testimony with others.

Jesus has commanded us in Mark 16:15 HCSB, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation".  He has commissioned us to share the good news.  The good news that God is with us.  That God loves us.  That God wants us to be with Him through eternity.  And most importantly, that God forgives us. 

I saw a quote by Doris Greig, "Those who are not yet in the family of Christ  need us to be his hands, his feet, his eyes, his ears, and his voice to help them find God's love".  We need to share the good news that we have received with those around us.  Ok, so right now, we are kinda stuck in our homes but who can you reach out to?  Who needs a text or an email reminding them of God's love?  Who needs to hear some good news?

We can't afford to sit on the sidelines because Jesus is coming back soon.  The time to be bold and step out in faith is now.  I participate in Bible Study Fellowship and we just finished up our study on Paul and the Acts of the Apostles.  I love the story of Paul.  I love the redemption God gave him when he least expected it.  I love how through that one miraculous moment with God, Paul became on fire for the gospel.  We can all learn something from Paul.  Regardless of his circumstances, his suffering or his unfair judgments, he remained constant and faithful in his trust in God.

Don't waste these days and not share the good news.  Christ has died, Christ is risen and Christ IS coming back.  We all need to hear some good news.  Focus on the good that God provides each of us.  Turn off the news that stirs fear, creates chaos and anxiety and instead spend time with our God who brings you peace.  Share the good news.  Share your testimony.  Be bold and jump in with both feet.  God doesn't expect you to save the people you share with, that's His job.  But he does expect you to plant the seeds of the good news.  Plant the seed and God will do the harvesting.

Father, as we are living a new normal help us to see the news You want us to see.  News that You love us, forgive us and desire us to be with you in eternity.  Lord, I ask that You would stir each of us to be bold and step out in faith just as Paul did.  Help us to trust You and plant the seeds for You to grow.  You bring us good news Lord.  Thank You for the good news of the gospel that we do not need to fear but can sit in the peace You provide.  Amen.

Mountaintops

Our family moved to Tennessee just about four years ago.  When I first came to the state for a visit, I was overwhelmed with the mountains.  They are absolutely stunning.  And I love how you can drive on a highway with chiseled out mountain on either side.  The beauty of the earth, the way the spring water flows from within.  It's just gorgeous when you think about it.  I find beauty in the mountains that surround our little town.  They are so majestic.

Mountains are huge, they are intricate they are often times, overwhelming.  And I'm not necessarily just talking about physical mountains.  The mountains in our lives can often times seem overwhelming.  And have you noticed, with every mountain, there is always a valley.

Moments in life are full of mountaintop experiences and valley walks.  And it takes us, living out our faith everyday to be able to walk through those valleys to get to the mountaintop experiences.  There are so many moments in life that we have to just trust God with the next step so that when we get to that mountain, we are able to climb and embrace the top.  Sometimes we get so caught up in the struggles of the valley that we forget, there is a mountain coming. 

A few years ago, my husband had a medical emergency.  We thought it was a heart attack and it turned out to be a pulmonary embolism.  For several days, while he was in the ER, then admitted to the hospital, and then healing at home, my family walked through the valley.  Some days, it wasn't even a walk, some days we crawled and grabbed at whatever could help us get that next step.  And I remember thinking when all the events at the emergency room were unfolding, I remember thinking, I'm going to lose my husband.  I remember pleading with God.  I remember crying out in such pain and such anquish that my heart just ached and the tears just flowed.  That valley was so hard to walk through.  That moment when my family entered that valley, we could not see the mountain in the distance.  But God.  God, as He has always promised us, was with each of us in that valley so that He could be glorified and bring us out of it on the other side.  He carried each of us when we couldn't see the way right up to the top of that mountain where we could praise and thank God for His sovereignty.  Only God can take you through the darkest and hardest of valley's and bring you to your knees in praise for that mountaintop experience.

There have been so many moments in my life where I couldn't see the mountain to climb to get to the praise, But God knew where to guide me.  We've lost jobs, lost homes, moved across the country, left family, lost family, had medical scares, experienced new medical diagnosis, had fear and failure.  And right alongside each of those valleys, we had job success, new homes, new friends, new bonds with family, healthy medical reports, faith in juggling new medical outlooks and blessings. 

God doesn't give us just valleys, he gives us valleys to force us to turn our eyes upon Him.  Each valley is an opportunity for God to show up big.  There is never a valley without the mountaintop praise.  There is never a moment that is missed by God where He leaves you in the valley. 

Friends, as we are all walking new ways of life these days, losing jobs, worried about bills, trying to homeschool our children, adjusting to working from home, don't lose sight of God.  Yes, this is a valley.  Yes, this is hard.  Yes, this is scary and fills each of us with fear.  But God is with you through all of it!  God is walking with each of you in your homes, through your job loss, with each bill that is due.  God is there.  Don't become so overwhelmed with the valley that you miss the mountain.  That mountain is coming.  I promise you.  There is a day just over the horizon where you will drop to your knees in praise and shout to God.

"With God's power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine."  Ephesians 3:20 NCV

Grab onto that guiding hand.  Drop to your knees in prayer and petition to your loving Father.  Don't let fear win and keep you in that valley.  Get up, dust yourself off and continue the journey.  It is so worth it.  "For nothing will be impossible with God." Luke 1:37 HCSB


Lord, we long for those mountaintop experiences where we can look back and see you in every moment of our lives.  I pray that those who are fearful would turn their eyes upon You.  Carry those that can not walk through the valley right now.  Lord, we need you every moment of our day.  Let us never forget that You work all things for our good and that You deserve all honor, all praise and all the glory.  Amen.