Month: June 2019

Gal 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good….
It’s been a challenging school year. More so than any I can remember, the focus has been more on trying to build hope and resilience instead of focusing solely (or even mainly) on English. I feel like I’ve spent a lot of time trying to undo damage caused intentionally or otherwise by those who went before me, sometimes unintentionally causing damage myself. It has been more exhausting than any work I’ve done before.
2 Cor 4:1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.
But hope is vitally important, and these young people need to understand that there is good in them, that there is good in the world, that even in the midst of awful, there are rays of goodness present. They need to understand that they will fail, they will screw up, daily, repeatedly—we ALL do—but that those mistakes do not forever define them. They need to know that there is goodness, hope, and potential within them, and that their inability to do English or school well does not brand them as bad people. They need to understand that they have other gifts and strengths, things that I probably am terrible at, and that’s how the world balances. They need to know they are loved, unconditionally, exactly as they are.
2 Thess 3:13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for this vital work You have entrusted me with. Thank You for the reminder, even when I feel more emotionally drained than ever before, that what I do matters, that it makes a difference, even when I can’t perceive it. Renew my spirit, Lord. Help me re-center myself on You. Draw me closer. Amen.
Heb 12:3 Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
Have a blessed day.

Matt 11:28 Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.
This morning I feel old–creaky, cranky, worn out. My body aches. I’m mentally exhausted and physically sleep deprived. I feel like a big ole “whiny behiny,” like I just shouldn’t even bother God today because I know my problems are trivial and temporary. I know I’ll feel better in a few hours or a few days. But I sincerely believe God wants me to come to Him with everything, even my whiny, achy, blah days.
Psalm 30:2 O Lord my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me.
Just like I want my children to come to me, to know they can talk to me about anything and everything, God wants that kind of relationship with me. He doesn’t want me to hold anything back because that is how separation and isolation get a toe-hold. He wants me to bring everything, even the trivial mess that I consider not worth His time. He loves me and wants me to know that I am safe and loved with Him. Always. No matter what is going on. Thank You, Jesus.
Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God….”
Lord, Thank You for this day and for calling me to You when I try to pull away. Thank You for loving me and caring for me, even when I’m feeling achy and whiny and blah. Thank You for reminding me to place ALL my burdens, no matter what size, at Your feet. Thank You for being big enough and loving enough for even the trivial things. Draw me closer. Amen.
Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Have a blessed day.

Matt 14:30 But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, Save me!”
The fact that Jesus rebukes Peter, chides him when he calls for Jesus to save him when he starts sinking, has always bothered me a bit. The encourager in me wants Jesus to be uplifting—“Good try, Peter. You stepped out of the boat. You took a few steps. Now let’s work on your focused concentration on Me.” Chastisement doesn’t quite seem fair. I mean, none of the other disciples even had the courage to get out of the boat. Come on, Jesus. What are You doing?
Matt 14:31 Jesus immediately reached out His hand and took hold of [Peter], saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 
But our precious Savior isn’t concerned about boosting Peter’s ego. He’s not concerned with what the other disciples are doing or not doing. His concern is helping Peter shore up his faith, a faith that he will need to be rock-solid when times get even tougher, which He knows is coming. Yes, Peter has the courage to get out of the boat. Yes, Peter has the courage to walk toward Jesus. But Jesus knew that if Peter had just kept his eyes on Jesus, if he had just moved in Jesus’s strength instead of his own, he would have been able to make it safely to His arms. He needed Peter to understand that lesson, too.
Mark 4:40 “Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?”
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the understanding that You have granted me for this passage. Thank You that Your goal is for us to be so focused on You that we never take our eyes off of You, that we always move in Your power, that we never begin sinking in our doubt. I have made progress on this front, Lord, but I still have so far to go. Help me, Jesus. Draw me closer. Amen.
Matt 14:32 And when they climbed back in the boat, the wind died down.
Have a blessed day.

Matt 14:29 [Jesus] said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.
Last summer I chaperoned a youth trip to a high ropes course with my church. I decided I would give the course a go, but I intentionally went very last because I am incredibly afraid of heights. I went last so that I could take all the time I needed to work through my fears, but if I’m honest, I also went last so I could quit if I couldn’t handle it. And I almost did quit. Climbing up the ladder. To get started. Jesus help me.
Matt 14:30 But when [Peter] saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
So many things helped me during this challenge—watching those ahead of me, talking strategy with the young lady directly in front of me, breathing, praying, persevering, hearing those who care about me cheer me on. At one point, during a particularly daunting obstacle I was traversing, another of our crew was having serious panic issues on an adjacent obstacle. As a body, we cheered for him, gave him advice and encouragement, supported him. I realized during that time that when I was focused on helping him bridge his fear, my own fear subsided. That daunting obstacle I was navigating was kept in better perspective, was significantly less difficult, as I prayed and encouraged him through his obstacle. There is a lesson there. Thank You, Jesus.
Matt 14:31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of [Peter]….
Lord, Thank You for this day and for Your love and encouragement. Thank You for calling us out of the boat. The boat is safe, Lord, but it is only by stepping out of its safety and facing our fears that we learn to trust You, that we grow in our faith. Be with everyone reading this reflection today, Lord. You know what we are facing. You know the obstacles and fears in our lives. Help us to focus on You and to heed Your call to “Come.” Give us all the courage to step out of the boat and walk on the water to You. Draw us closer. Amen.
Matt 14:33 And when they got onto the boat, the wind ceased.
Have a blessed day.

Ezekiel 36:26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.
I am a deeply emotional person. I feel everything—joy, sadness, distress—so very keenly. Approaching the world on behalf of my Savior with a tender, responsive heart is a daunting prospect because if I am rebuffed or rejected or maligned, the sting feels painful, deep, and lasting. 
Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
However, I know without a doubt that trying to protect myself, to dull the sting of worldly rejection, hardens my heart. The callouses of protection can’t let in one thing while dulling another. Either I am vulnerable or I am hardened. There isn’t much in between. And I’m not much use to my Savior if I’m so busy defending myself from the world that I can’t risk being vulnerable for Jesus.
James 4:8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you….purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the truth of Your words. This world can be brutal. It can rip a person to shreds. But You are the antidote. You are the cure. You are the Healer and the healing. And You can use me to shine Your light, but only if I am willing to keep my heart tender, supple, vulnerable. Help me, Lord, to shine Your hope into a weary world so desperately in need. Draw me closer. Amen.
Psalm 119:10 With my whole heart I seek You….
Have a blessed day.

Psalm 94:19 And when I was burdened with worries, You comforted me and made me feel secure. (CEV)
Lord, You know my heart and my mind. You know when anxiety and worry burrow into the foundations of my life. Thank You for reminders through scripture that I am secure in You. You are outside of and bigger than my anxious thoughts, Lord. Help me to turn toward Your light and away from the darkness and chaos of my anxiety, worry, and fear.
Psalm 94:19 When my anxious inner thoughts become overwhelming, Your comfort encourages me. (ISV)
Lord, These anxious inner thoughts can be insidious. Thank You for the shield, the defense of Your love and my faith. Help me to turn a deaf ear on my anxieties so that they are not allowed to grow and multiply. Help me to surround myself with Your word, Your light, Your love. Help me to beat back the darkness of doubt and fear.
Psalm 94:19 When doubts filled my mind, Your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. (NLT)
Lord, Thank You for this day, for the fact that I am not locked into anxiety and fear as I once was, for the knowledge and wisdom to know I need to draw closer to Your presence and Your word when anxiety rears its ugly head. Through You, I am more than a conqueror in this life, Lord. Help me to view everything, including my worries and fears, through the lens of Your power and love. Draw me closer. Amen.
Psalm 94:19 When I am filled with cares, Your comfort brings me joy. (CSB)
Have a blessed day

Matt 11:28 “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
This morning finds me in a weird space after a mostly sleepless night. I’m always grumpy when I can’t sleep. Any problem or issue seems bigger, more intense, less manageable. All of my imperfections and missteps seem infinitely more ridiculous and avoidable “if only” I weren’t such a goober, “if only” I were more careful, “if only” I were a better person.
John 8:12 … “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
But my precious Savior doesn’t care how I landed where I am. He doesn’t interrogate me or lambaste me for my short comings. He doesn’t kick me when I’m down. He says, “Come to Me. Rest in Me. Turn your back on all the noise and negativity, and rest in My light, My love, My goodness.” Thank You, Jesus.
Luke 9:23 … “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me.”
Lord, Thank You for this day and for Your words of hope and rest. Thank You that You don’t waste time with things that aren’t of eternal significance. Thank You for circumventing the vicious inner voice that wants to line up a litany of my failures and punish me with them. Thank You for the hope that only comes from You and the fact that if I allow it, You can use me, too, even with all my flaws. Help me to shine Your light. Always. Draw me closer. Amen.
Matt 4:19 “Come, follow Me,” Jesus said….
Have a blessed day.

Matt 8:24a And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so the boat was being swamped by the waves….
We’ve all been there, in the middle of life’s storms, when it feels like everything is crashing down around us and we might go under any moment. I imagine that’s what the disciples were feeling in this passage. They were in a fierce storm. The boat was being swamped by waves. They were truly afraid for their lives. And Jesus was….sleeping?!?
Matt 8:24b-25 …but [Jesus] was asleep. And they…woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.”
The Lord and Creator of the universe knows all things. Nothing is a surprise to Him. And He was with the disciples during this ordeal. Was He saddened at their level of fear while still in His presence? Did He worry about how they would be able to withstand life’s trials once He returned to the Father? Does He sigh when I metaphorically go through the same wailing and thrashing when I feel adrift and alone in my own boat amidst the storms of life? Jesus, Help me.
Matt 8:26a And He said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?”
Lord, Thank You for this day and for this reminder that You are with me, even in the midst of life’s storms, even when I fear the boat will sink, even when it feels like I am facing battles alone. Thank You that even then I am in the very center of Your kindness, that You are with me, fighting for me, that You love me fiercely, that I am never fighting alone. Instead of giving in to fear and panic, Lord, help me to tap into Your peace, which surpasses all understanding. Draw me closer. Amen.
Matt 8:26b Then He rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
Have a blessed day. 

John 1:14 ”The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory….”
Yesterday when I first came across this verse, I went looking to see what I could find online about God’s glory. A Kenneth Copeland blog post I came across asked: “Why aren’t we seeing more of [God’s glory]?” His reply was that “We haven’t made enough of this glory that indwells us. The more we make of it, the more it will manifest and work in our lives.” This quote has definitely got me thinking.
Romans 8:11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you….
Again, this seems like it should be a HUGE deal. I know the same power that rose Jesus from the grave lives in me. It boggles my mind, and I know I don’t tap into that power nearly enough, but I recognize the intellectual truth of it. I know God’s glory is His goodness. I know His glory is ever-present in my life. Jesus, Help me to wrap my head and heart around the fact that Your glory lives IN me, too. Help me to understand what that means and what it means in and for my life.
John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the this scripture. Thank You that Your Spirit, Your power, and Your glory live in me. Help me to fully understand what that means. Help me to harness Your power and magnify Your glory in all that I do. Help me to shine Your light so that others may see and understand Your deep love. Draw me closer. Amen.
John 17:26 “I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known in order that the love You have for me may be in then….”
Have a blessed day.

John 1:14 So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
When I came across this verse in today’s reading, the astounding and often overlooked truth of it resonated deeply. We have seen God’s glory. We see it daily. How is this not a MUCH bigger deal?
John 1:14 …We have seen His glory….
I can enumerate long lists of where I’ve seen God’s glory: in sun rises over the ocean and sunsets behind misty mountains, in the rosy, dimpled cheeks of a precious newborn babe, in meals lovingly prepared, week after week, by a dear friend, in the love and prayers of countless people, in God’s peace, which surpasses all understanding, especially in the middle of a difficult situation, in just enough light to take the next step and the next and the next, in the assurance that He is with me, holding me, even when I can’t perceive it. I have seen His glory. Thank You, Jesus.
John 1:14 …We have seen His glory….
Lord, Thank You for this day and for bringing this scripture to me this morning. Thank You for the immediate understanding that I HAVE seen Your glory so often in my life. Thank You for revealing Your glory, Your goodness, so readily. Give us eyes to see it more clearly and recognize it more easily every day, and help us to share it with each other. Draw us closer. Amen.
Psalm 46:10 … “Be still, and know that I am God….”
Have a blessed day.