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Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.
“Possible hairline fracture.” With those words, Hawkeye’s AT adventure, which was such an unexpected calling for our family, almost came to a crashing halt. Our trip to our GP gave us, “consistent with possible hairline fracture.” He couldn’t rule it out, but he wanted an orthopedic doc to confirm. Thankfully, the ortho said that while he understood why both docs said “possible,” that was not what he was seeing. He diagnosed a sprain, gave us a brace, and sent us on our way. Thank You, Jesus.
Mark 9:24 … “I believe; help my unbelief!”
My first reaction was to latch on the “possible.” Possible is not definite. I chose hope. After all, this entire adventure was a providential calling. Why would He curtail it now? The GP confirmation of “possible” was a blow. It’s not definitely broken, but it doesn’t look good. That sent me to anger. “Seriously, Lord? We’ve turned our whole lives upside down to make this AT journey happen and THIS is how it’s going to end?!?” That thought was followed quickly by “Somehow, even this is the center of Your kindness. This is NOT what I want, but THY will, not mine.” Help me, Jesus.
Matt 14:31 … “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for Your presence in our lives. Thank You that on the heels of worry, fear, and anger, You brought me quickly back to Yourself, to hope, to the knowledge that even when life doesn’t go the way I want, I am still in the center of Your kindness. Thank You that Hawkeye’s leg is not broken, that their journey is not over. Thank You for the courage to step out of the boat and Your reassurance when I start to sink. Thank You that I am a work in progress, Lord, and that You aren’t finished with me yet. Draw me closer. Amen.
Joshua 1:7 “Be strong and very courageous….”
Have a blessed day.

2 Cor 5:18 God has done all this. He has restored our relationship with Him through Christ, and has given us this ministry of restoring relationships.
When I read this scripture this morning, the idea that God has given us a ministry of restoring relationships really struck me. I think that as Christians, we all understand that we are to tell others of God’s great love, but I think sometimes we overlook the value of restoring human relationships in order to help others see how God desires a restored relationship with us. I know my focus is on trying to shine His light as a beacon of His love. I don’t incorporate restoring relationships as a primary focus. Help me, Jesus.
2 Cor 5:19b …He didn’t hold people’s faults against them, and He has given us this message of restored relationships to tell others.
What might the ministry of restoring relationships look like in my own life? When I see someone who is grumpy or sullen, I try to open a conversation. “You look like you are having a tough day. Everything ok?” Sometimes they won’t open up, but I truly think it makes a difference that someone notices and cares enough to ask. Restoring relationships can even be as easy as asking “How are you today?” or “How’s your day?” and really caring about the answer. If I am open to the possibilities, I think there are myriad opportunities throughout my day to help restore relationships. Thank You, Jesus.
Eph 4:1 …I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for this scripture. Thank You for placing the ministry of restoring relationships in my path and for helping me see that it is within my ability to help do this. Help me to shine Your light always, Lord. Help me to point others to You in all that I say and do. Draw me closer. Amen.
Eph 4:3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Have a blessed day.

Matt 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread….
Lord, You are so gracious and kind. You provide for us daily. Thank You for Your providence and provision. Forgive me that I am having difficulty staying in this present moment with You. Help me to fully trust with my heart and mind that You have got me right now and You will still have me in five minutes, five hours, five days. Help me not to worry about the “what if’s” and to remain fully and gratefully present in this moment.
Matt 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow….
Lord, I know You love us more than we can even wrap our heads around. I know that You are guiding us and guarding us. I know that You can use ALL things for our good and Your glory. Forgive me that even with all that understanding, I still get caught up in the worry and anxiety of what could be. Help me to stay firmly present in the blessings and provision of this moment Lord and not to borrow potential trouble that may not even come to pass. 
Phil 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the myriad ways You provide for us daily. Thank You for watching over us moment by moment. Help me to break these chains of worry and fear, to breathe deeply, to rest in Your strength, and to walk forward in complete trust. Remove the fear of what “could be,” and help me to stay present in Your love and provision, moment by moment. Draw me closer. Amen.
Heb 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus….
Have a blessed day.

Lam 3:22a Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed….
My reading this morning brought me to Lamentations 3:22-26, and my soul immediately recognized the truth of this scripture. If you’ve known me for any length of time, you know I am an incredibly emotional being. I feel EVERYTHING deeply—joy, sorrow, anxiety, peace. There’s nothing halfway about my emotions. Therefore, when things get particularly emotional, the threat of being consumed by those emotions seems incredibly real. But because of the love of my precious Savior, I am not consumed by my emotions or by my circumstances or by anything else. Because of His fierce love, I am more than a conqueror. Thank You, Jesus.
Lam 3:22b-23a …for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning….
This verse put me solidly in mind of the idea of being in the center of God’s kindness. This is not my idea. I heard it in a podcast, but when I heard it, the truth of it struck me so deeply, that it continues to resonate. Those compassions that never fail? Those are the center of His kindness. That great love that keeps me from being consumed? That is the center of His kindness. Thank You, Jesus.
Lam 3:23b …great is Your faithfulness.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for Your fierce love, and for keeping me in the center of Your kindness. Always. Thank You for Your compassion, which never fails, and for renewed hope and fresh mercies every morning. Thank You for reminding me that You love me, You are here with me, You will never leave me. Thank You for the knowledge that I never walk alone, that I am in the very center of Your kindness. Help me to shine Your light as a beacon of hope for others. Draw me closer. Amen.
Lam 3:24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.”
Have a blessed day.

Psalm 127:1a Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. 
This morning finds me plagued with a vague sense of anxiety, of unease, that if I’m brutally honest, is often present. I’d be hard-pressed to tell you specifically what I’m worried about, what I’m anxious about, but I know the feeling, and I know what is going on, even if I don’t know why. 
Psalm 127:1b Unless the LORD protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.
My precious Savior does not want me to live a life riddled with anxiety. He sent me scripture this morning to remind me that if I am striving to live with Him, in Him, and for Him, I have absolutely no need to be anxious. Thank You, Jesus.
1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.
Lord, Thank You for once again redirecting me from my anxious ways. I know worry is not of You or from You. I know it does no good and does nothing to strengthen my faith, and yet I still struggle so with pervasive, futile worry. Help me to keep my eyes solely on You, Lord. Help me to lay all my burdens at Your feet. Cover my with Your amazing grace and transcendent peace. Draw me closer. Amen.
Psalm 55:22 Give your burdens to the LORD, and He will take care of you….
Have a blessed day.

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.