journey onWord with us

Great Expectations can be a slippery slope.  How many times in life have we all seen wonderful plans go awry? It may have been an event that was going to be the best ever … and it wasn’t. Often the culprits in failing our expectations are people … friends, colleagues, and even family. We were certain they would be there for us, help us, or respond in-kind to how we had blessed them.  But time after time, our preconceived expectations were dashed.

In truth, everywhere we turn, my (our) expectations are not met. It happens with my favorite professional football team (constantly).  It happens with church experiences that fall far short and cause emotional conflict. Certainly, Christians and church leaders would never disappoint my spiritual, emotional or “rational” expectations … would they?!  Even in family relationships my hopes have been dashed. My dad’s life veered off course and he died very young, leaving my brother and me to miss a key relationship as we grew into adulthood.  By using personal examples, I was speaking for me and you, because expectations often set us all up for disappointment.

It is easy to say, “My expectations have been dashed many times by others.”  We settle for what amounts to excuses, and we are quick to transfer blame. But the truth is, the responsibility for my greatest disappointments in expectation can be laid right at my own feet.  I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that you feel the same. How many times in life have we let ourselves down? It may have been a selfish action, a critical word, losing a job or simply failing to honor the Lord. We have all had expectations of how we wanted to live life and a vision of how our lives should go. And then, we let ourselves down!

Quite frankly, we all will continue to let ourselves down. But some of my personal reading recently has given me hope in the area of expectations. In so many ways we are all very weak and will never come close to “perfect” on this side of the grave. So, maybe it’s time for me (and you) to have a more balanced view of personal expectations. II Corinthians 12:9-12 gives great counsel from the apostle Paul:

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul pleaded that his thorn would leave him. God’s answer turned the human equation upside down.  Strength doesn’t beget strength.  Embracing our weakness allows God to display His power in and through us – “…for my power is made perfect in (your) weakness.”; “For when I am weak then I am strong.”

Could it be that the key to fulfilled expectations is an unyielding dependence on the Father every single moment of every day? Embracing our weakness and depending on His power is the only way to live. And by the way, when we embrace our weaknesses and fully trust the power of God, something unusual is bound to happen.  We might just start looking at all those who have disappointed us, hurt us and dashed our expectations in a radically different way … With a forgiving and loving heart!

Is there someone in your life that needs forgiving? Don’t delay!

Just a few minutes ago, I was blessed to hear the story of a newer friend of mine. He is a Gideon, and his passion for giving out the Word challenged me. Giving out the Word and witnessing is not for the weak in heart. There is opposition. But I can’t think of a greater ministry.  My friend Bill (Gideon) reminds me of another bold witness. After Paul’s dramatic conversion to Christ, he was radically changed. His life was singularly focused on the good news of Jesus Christ. Paul went through intense persecution, was put in prison, stood trial before the Romans and was accused by the Jews for his religious beliefs. Yet, from my viewpoint, he seemed to never flinch. He knew the Truth! Nothing could deter him from the mission to which our Lord had called him. We all need a good dose of his never flinching faith in a world that desperately needs the Truth.

If you know Christ as your Savior, your hope is rooted in the gospel message, and the core of your life is its truth. I sometimes feel, in this ever-changing world, we have lost the distinctiveness of faith in Christ as the only hope for eternity. To know and love Christ will not always be popular, but it will always honor Him.

One of my all-time favorite readings gives a real picture of the way I view the apostle Paul. As you read the words below, let them penetrate and challenge your heart to have a never flinching faith.  They are the words an African pastor wrote on the night before he was murdered for an unwillingness to renounce his faith. He wrote the following on a scrap of paper …

I am part of the “Fellowship of the Unashamed.” I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I’ve stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of His. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals!

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by His presence, lean by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer and labor by power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up, or burn up till I’ve preached up, prayed up, paid up, stored up, and stayed up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops. And when He comes to get His own, He’ll have no problems recognizing me. My colors will be clear.

Source: “Daily in Christ” daily devotional, Neil Anderson, August 21st entry

Your faith and mine can model that of the African pastor.  My friend Bill reminded me of an unflinching faith tonight. Week after week, he gives out the Word, and the conversations are not always pleasant.  But the Word is the Word! And somehow my friend, like Paul and the African pastor, have learned that giving it all for the Savior, even in the face of rejection, persecution and death, is a worthy cause. Will you say with me…….I will!

In response to the souls and circumstances of the last ten days of my life, the Spirit prompted a return to a very familiar story.  My daily reading took a timely detour to Mark’s account of Jesus calming the storm (Mark 4:35-41).  As i read with fresh eyes and ears, i experienced the fullness of what only God knew i needed — truth to speak into the questions both i and others were asking.  Here is just one of many…

Jesus had just finished a long day of teaching and was, no doubt, exhausted as he gathered with His disciples at the edge of the sea.  “Let us go across to the other side,” Jesus invited.  I think it’s fair to say these words came as a surprise to no one who was with Jesus that day.  After a long day of teaching, the desire to get some space from the crowds must have seemed perfectly understandable.  But I know the whole story, and on the occasion of this particular reading, almost as quickly as i read the words, their weight hit me like never before.  “But Jesus knew about the storm!” I almost blurted out loud.  He was fully human in His exhaustion from the day and desire for quiet and rest.  But He was also fully God in His knowledge of what was coming.  He knew about the storm.

I could go on for paragraphs and pages detailing all that i “discovered” in revisiting the story of Jesus calming the storm.  But there was one truth which captured the eye of my mind and heart more than all the others …  Let us go. 

Let us go … these are the words of Jesus’ invitation to the disciples.  They are only part of the full invitation, but in the context of the souls and circumstances of the last ten days, they became an invitation that stood alone.  Let us go.  I stopped and read them again.  Let us go.  All at once, i left the seaside scene and returned to my “right now.”  Let us go.  They very same words Jesus spoke to the disciples, He speaks to me (and you) in the calm before our storms.  They were words which led the disciples directly into harm’s way, but they were also the guarantee that they would not go there alone.  They are the confident answer to the one who cries out that they are being tempted beyond what they can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13), and they were the words He was speaking to me and to the souls near me in the fierce winds and crashing waves that were threatening to overturn our boat.  Jesus, in the form of the indwelling Spirit of God, goes with us into each temptation and storm.  He does not say “You must go.”  Jesus says, “Let us go.”

I would LOVE to tell the story of everything the Spirit spoke through the repeated reading of this very “familiar” miracle.  It would take pages.  But something strong within me prompts in the direction of this one targeted truth.  Maybe it’s you who needs to hear it … to hear the voice of Jesus, saying “Let us go.”

May those words ring clearly and powerfully in your ear and life.  May you feel the presence of Jesus walking alongside you through this season of trouble or testing.  May you not obey your first instinct to leave Jesus sleeping while you grab a bucket to save yourself … and the others who may be in the boat with you.  He knows your storms and holds the power over them.  He withholds no good thing from us … even when that good is accomplished by fierce winds and crashing waves.

Weariness has long since set in on the American electorate regarding the upcoming election. Almost everyone you know has opinions and would like you to agree with them. There was a vice presidential debate Tuesday night that was entertaining, but likely changed very few already well-established viewpoints. Convincing others how to vote, or how to live is a tough business … so take a moment to examine the word convincing with me.

Convincing another person of anything can be an exercise in futility. Issues which are of incredible importance to me often barely hit the radar screen of others in my world. How could this be when my positions are so valid (at least in my mind)?! In reality, I am comfortable with diversity of thought and appreciate that many come from different life perspectives. But one area of life where I do struggle is in convincing others on issues of faith (which is where life really matters). Because I know God’s Word changes lives, and that applying His truth is the key to a joyful journey, I get discouraged that there is so little passion for a fully devoted life.

In examining a statement by Benjamin Franklin, I began to see more clearly the weakness in my thinking. “People are best convinced by reasons they themselves discover.” I cannot transfer my relationship with Christ to another, nor can you. It is possible for others to see a brand of Christianity in our lives that works, and God can certainly use us to influence others along the way.  But to think that others will be convinced just because they hear someone say words like “prayer works”, or “tithe and trust God to provide”, or “give thanks in everything” is a bit naïve. All the statements are true, but only when a person is personally convinced will they see real change.

Benjamin Franklin told us that individuals are convinced by reasons they personally discover, and life has taught me that I am not the great convincer. So how do we deal with the word convince on critical of issues such as salvation, eternity, and living a life of faith? I passionately want anyone without Christ to accept the Savior. I also want all Christ-followers to enjoy what is available in this life of faith. But I am weak at convincing. For me, the answer is in acknowledging that I have not been created or called to be the great convincer.  My purpose is to reflect my Savior and live a life that points others to Him and His Word. God is the only One who can draw someone to Himself and change a life. But those who have ears that are listening and eyes that are open to His Word will be convinced of the need to change.

If you’re a fully-devoted follower…keep growing in the Word and see God’s blessing!
If you’re in Christ, but hurting…by faith, go to the Word and just trust it!
If you’re in Christ, but drifting…commit by faith to try the Word with a new zeal!
If you’re searching for answers…seek Him through His Word!

Reading, accepting and applying the Word will cause anyone to be convinced on how to live. Look at what Hebrews 4:12 tell us about His Word …  

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. (NLT)

Is there an area of your life that needs some convincing?  And I don’t mean politically. The alive and powerful Word is the place to go for convincing and change. In my earlier years, I spent too much time as a spiritual convincer, and failed. I have now accepted that my role is to simply point others to the place where they can discover what the true Convincer has for them.

But don’t believe me, go to the Word and be convinced!

It was almost thirty years ago on a Saturday evening. We had been out with another family for the day and I was just relaxing after returning home, sitting on the floor in our family room. Our daughter Lindsay was still very young and was writing something on the side of my face. What should have been fun for dad was getting annoying, and it hurt. So with great spiritual insight (yeah, right!), I asked her what she was doing. She was writing “I love you” on my face. Can you imagine how dumb I felt?  Far too often in life we find ourselves making quick decisions, snap judgments and, in a word, failing others and ourselves.

Because of selfishness for my time, I almost missed a memory that I remember vividly to this day … and that I’m sure I will never forget. Can you remember moments with your family, friends or colleagues where you sensed failure? It could have been in what you said, or didn’t say, or even in your reaction. If you are anything like me, it is easy to see where you have failed yourself, others and especially our Father. God has chosen to let us view the failures of some of His most choice servants as we journey through Scripture. Abraham probably never forgot how he failed Sarah by lying. Moses went to the grave never entering the Promised Land because of one failure. David failed morally and Peter denied Christ. I think it is fair to say, that failure will always be a part of our lives. How then should we view our failures without excusing them?

In thinking on this question, two statements come to mind which help me with perspective. I trust they will encourage you as well. In his book Failing Forward, John Maxwell used words from Mother Theresa that I have never forgotten. She said that “failure is the kiss of Jesus.” Her words remind us that we are weak and need grace from our Lord. How must Peter have felt before Jesus restored him? With all of the demands of our families, jobs and sometimes even churches, it is easy to become consumed and eventually wound those that we love. But when the inevitable failure occurs, we are reminded of our weakness and long for His kiss.

Another quote that has stayed with me over the last few years comes from the song “We Fall Down” sung by Mark Lowry. In the song, these words are repeated over and over: “Saints are just sinners who fall down and get up.” It may sound funny to you, but those words are comforting to me. Christ-followers are going to fail. After all, we are sinners. But when we fall down, we get up and keep going. In Scripture, we see some of God’s great servants failing but then move forward in His grace. “Saints are just sinners, who fall down and get up.” Don’t let any failure keep you from getting up and living with joy.

We all have regrets; we have failed and will fail again. However, if we let yesterday hinder us and allow tomorrow to cause us to fear, we lose today. Look at your failures as “the kiss of Jesus.” Always let falling down be an opportunity to get up. And for goodness sakes, when your child writes on your face, don’t get frustrated!

If you are struggling with a sense of failure and need prayer or a word of encouragement, send us a note at journeyonwordwithus@gmail.com, and we will certainly reach out to you.

Have thoughts ever drifted into your mind and scared you? We’d all like to deny the reality of those off-the-wall, angry, or even ugly penetrating thoughts.  The times when we are left questioning, “How could I think such a thing?” When those weak-minded moments occur (and they have, and will), they cause us to: become self-condemning; to evaluate our spirituality; and sometimes even our sanity. We have all been there, and the purpose of this article is not to examine why, but rather to give encouragement in the battle for your mind. Each of us has personal struggles that are self-contained within our thought life that, if not controlled, will burden our souls. Can you accept that God knows all about your mind games, and is very willing and anxious to help?

Considering this battle we all face reminds me of the “prince of preachers,” Charles Spurgeon. He could be considered an earlier version of Billy Graham (or maybe the comparison needs to be the other way around), yet he battled long-term struggles with depression.  I will never forget one of the ways he fought his very real and personal battle. The story goes that Spurgeon would write Scripture verses on the ceiling of his bedroom and use them to overcome his melancholy. Your personal mental assault may not be depression, but it could be anger, guilt, insecurity, addiction, etc.…  For some, the assault may be fleeting and for others deep-seeded. I am here to say, “Take heart!”  God knows, He cares and He wants us to cast our cares on Him.

It is hard to fight an enemy who has outposts in your head.
— Sally Kempton

I don’t know anything about Sally Kempton, but her statement intrigues me. We can all relate to a particular enemy that wants to set up control in our minds. It’s easy to let all that surrounds us invade our mind. And if we allow a mind invasion, there will be consequences. In many ways, it is easier to fight the battles from the outside (circumstances and people). Internal struggles (our thoughts), if not corrected, can have devastating effects. God gives counsel that all believers should meditate on and apply! II Corinthians 10:5(b) says

… and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

Take heart! We can turn any thought toward the will of the Father.

It is rhetorical to say we all battle with issues of the mind. It is absolutely true that Christ-followers have the capacity to make our thoughts obedient to Christ. The challenge is, are we willing to offer those mind invasions back to the Father and trust Him for the results?

Isaiah 26:3 is more than a wish. It is a promise. Believe it!

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

My heart tells me that you (like me) battle unwanted guests that penetrate your mind. My logic tells me that most people just let the errant thoughts run rampant. My emotions tell me that not taking thoughts captive is incredibly dangerous. My Father’s Word tells me that believers can take every thought captive to obey Christ. My question is … will we?

It finally happened for me. A day that all young career minded achievers seek. Last Wednesday I made it to Prosperity!  Oops … I guess I should have told you that my destination was Prosperity, S.C. and not some illusive financial dream. I could not believe there was a town named Prosperity, and I was even more astounded that the GPS took us to a road called Counts Sausage. Needless to say my business partner and I were off the beaten path. Actually Prosperity was a nice town, and we met some wonderful people there. It was amazing to me that my adventure off the beaten path coincided with a study I was doing last week.

We all have our own definition of prosperity. To some it may be the financial bonanza at the end of the rainbow. To others, real prosperity comes in the form of family happiness, work success or a myriad of other personal definitions. Every Christ-follower has a true model for prosperity. During my study last week, the verses of Scripture that coincided with my trip to Prosperity caused me to sincerely evaluate. They are well-known, but not as well applied verses … but when applied, prosperity comes.

The man who followed Moses in leadership was Joshua. He was given a mandate for prosperity. Also in very first chapter and first few verses of the Psalms, there is a prescription for prosperity. It makes sense for any serious follower of Christ to take these truths and seek to apply them. So how do you get to prosperity?

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Joshua 1:8 (ESV)

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
Psalm 1:1-3 (ESV)

There is no question in my mind the “Book of the Law” and the “law of the Lord” mentioned in the above verses are referring to Scripture. Mining the depths of these verses is beyond the scope of one article. But there is an undeniable principle that flows from them. There is a direct correlation between meditation on the Word and prosperity. Over the years, churches have done a good job in challenging believers to read the Word and even memorize it … but have we stopped short of pronouncing God’s challenge to meditate on the Word? Think about it! How much time do you personally spend reading Scripture in comparison to your time of meditation on the same verses? In full disclosure, I have been convicted of the imbalance between my reading and my meditating.

Meditation helps you and I internalize the truth of Scripture. And what we internalize, we are far more likely to apply. And then the result … our lives will be prosperous. God’s definition of prosperity will be the right one for us. None of us can fix yesterday, but we can follow the path to prosperity in Joshua and Psalms, with a firm conviction that it will come.

A GPS device mapped a path to Prosperity, S.C. for my partner and me … and it was a great place! Trust God’s Positioning System (the ultimate GPS) to lead you to an entirely different Prosperity than this life has to offer. One that cannot be manufactured or achieved in our own strength! You see, it is God’s definition of prosperity that matters most, and only He can lead the way (is The Way).

Will you consider taking time to meditate on His precious Word?

I’ll confess to being a bit of a TV junkie.  It’s not a source of pride, but it’s the truth.  The season we find ourselves in now is the “best time” for people such as myself.  There are new shows to get completely invested in, only to watch them not make it to mid-season renewal, and there are favorites that pick up where last season’s cliffhanger finale left off.

With TV and actors on my mind, I sought out a few verses that speak truth no matter what season of life we find ourselves in.  The following verses are from the sermon on the mount.  The words of Jesus in The Message translation from Matthew chapter 6, verses 1-5…

Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding.

When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure—‘playactors’ I call them—treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that’s all they get. When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.

And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?

As a boy and as a man, I’ve been taught the biblical principles found in this passage.  I say “Amen” to everything Jesus is teaching.  And while I believe it’s true of me that I do not major in drama, I have certainly been guilty of being a “playactor” (on many more than one occasion).  In following Jesus, I desire to live and serve humbly, speak softly, love fully, and reject the temptation to “take the stage.”  I desire to know God, reach people, and hear the words “well done, good and faithful servant.”  I do not wish to be handed a shiny trophy for best performance in a leading or supporting role in this life.

Jesus’ words are true for all of us, whether we battle regularly with those temptations or not.  Our little corner of the world is not a stage for us to stand upon.  It’s a field in which we are given the opportunity daily to labor and participate in the work He is doing.  Are you a laborer, or do you just play one on TV?

This morning my reading led me to a sentence about releasing areas of weakness to the Father. What a great, and often ignored, principle. You and I (and almost everyone else) could give a list of tightly held passions, people, addictions and thought patterns we hold close and refuse to release. In a word, we want to control! Let me illustrate.

It was a special day when my daughter learned to ride a bike by herself. Dad was great at holding her upright and running alongside … but letting go was not so easy. Releasing her to ride by herself was a big step for me, because falling was an option. Learning to ride a bike seems like such a small issue now, because there have been far bigger release points along our journey. If you have children, your mind can easily go to a myriad of release points that have been difficult, maybe even gut wrenching, yet needed.  Our struggle is control … or the lack thereof. With my hands on the bike, she was not falling.  But my daughter needed the freedom to ride (or crash) on her own. Today’s thoughts are not about riding bikes or our children, but about releasing our grip on issues we want to control.  The freedom God has designed for us is often wrestled away by our tight grip.

People in your life that you can’t control, a job problem you can’t fix, bitterness and hurt that constantly hounds you, fears that grip you, possessions that are hard to release, habits that you are dying to stop… I am sure you could complete this article with specific “bikes” you are controlling. Our faith teaches that we can give our burdens to the Father and walk boldly in freedom. But if your faith is anything like mine, human frailties and sin often have a tight grip on heartfelt intentions. Releasing our struggles back to the Father needs to be part of our journey experience on a daily basis. Without conscious releasing, there will be constant unneeded burdens. Look at what His Word tells us:

I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.
Psalm 119:45

Is there a bike(s) that you need to release? Your issue is not to free your child, but to free yourself. Verse forty-five speaks the truth that freedom is available. God’s Word also makes it very clear that those who accept His Son by faith can live in joy and peace. Do you find that your strong grip of control is choking your joy and peace?  Maintaining a tight grip on my daughter’s bike kept her from falling, but never gave her the freedom to ride. Holding on to issues that weigh us down will wreck the ride of joy, freedom and peace that He designed for us.

Are you willing to release the bike to Him?  Embrace the release and with eyes of faith look forward to the joy of the resulting ride.  Seek His precepts and ride in freedom! It is amazing that God cares enough for us to bless us with freedom when we are willing to release the grip of control. However, it is absolutely a faith issue to let go of long-held passions, hurts, addictions and thoughts.

On the day I let go of the bike, my daughter began to ride and never looked back. Deep in my spirit I feel there are countless Christ-followers who need to release yesterday and ride with the joy of grace and freedom into tomorrow. And never look back!

What controlling emotions do you need to release?

The truth of Revelation 3:15 has been a sacred echo in my life over the past few weeks.  Everywhere I turn, its commanding words speak from a unique context.

I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! (NLT)

The words are personal and penetrating, but they are not a searchlight intended to pierce a deep and desperate darkness.  They are an at ‘em bomb aimed at the cancers of complacency, contented worldliness, apathy and the prosperity gospel.  They declare themselves as enemies of those who have declared themselves as a neutral country in the ever-present spiritual battle — those who choose the safety and comfort of the supposed sideline.  But the Bible doesn’t speak of a “sideline,” does it?

We are God’s masterpiece, made in His image with specific reasons for being here and things He has authored for us to accomplish.  We chose our own way, but have been bought back with the furious love of a Savior who was brutally beaten and willingly went to the cross.  Jesus thought us more precious than forever being with the Father (and the Father thought us more precious than the life of His only Son).  He left heaven, then submitted Himself to the cup of literal separation from his Father for the final three hours before breathing His last.  That final breath literally rocked the world and tore in two the thick veil that separated us from true communion with God.  Jesus died, but was not defeated by death.  He broke its power forever in rising from the grave, and carried new and endless life with Him as He walked from the tomb.  That life is intended for us — every single one of us.

Have we become so consumed and distracted by the things of this world that we’ve become numb to those inconceivably miraculous truths?  Have we become content with the things of our kingdom?  Have we been meaning to start our day with Him for some time now?  Have our prayers become exclusively for the things we eat and want?

God is in hot pursuit.  No, He is not chasing you down to arrest, convict and punish you for something you’ve done wrong.  He wants all of you.  He wants you engaged in the battle.  He wants to walk with you through tests and trials that will bring you to your knees.  He wants to celebrate with you in the moments of unbridled joy.  He wants to move mountains for you … and be there when you move the mountain (He said you could – Matt. 17:20).  He wants to laugh with you and cry with you — and everything in between.  He wants all of you.

I am in the midst of some “soul searching.”  I’d like to invite you to join me.  Is your life all over the map, or has it settled into a steady routine with too few peaks and valleys?  If you took your temperature right now, what would it read?

God is in “hot” pursuit … but He’ll take cold too.