Lord, I don’t know what tomorrow is
Full of fears?
Full of doubts?
Full of questions?
Full of disappointments?
Full of tears?
Lord, I don’t know what tomorrow is
Full of mystery?
Full of surprises?
Full of joy?
Full of anticipation?
Full of excitement?
Lord, I don’t know what tomorrow is
It will be full of love
It will be full of trust
It will be full of adoration
It will be full of hope
It will be full of You
Comfort your people today Lord.
Comfort those who are scared.
Comfort those who doubt.
Comfort those faced with touch choices.
Comfort those who don’t know where to turn.
Comfort those in need.
Comfort those who lack trust.
Comfort those who feel alone.
Comfort those who are confused.
Comfort those who are brokenhearted.
Comfort those who are angry.
Comfort those who are addicted.
Comfort those who don’t know you.
Comfort your people today Lord and let them know you are there.
Isaiah 40:1 says, “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.”
I have been blogging for over a year now and I have been on twitter for about 7 months. I know there is some debate to whether blogs or twitter are actually beneficial, so I wanted to tell you a story. This is one of those stories that show how twitter and blogging can in fact impact people for God’s Glory.
I am friends with Jonathan Pearson on twitter and I read his blog. A few months back Jonathan sent out a tweet that gave a link to a book giveaway on David Norman’s blog. I got the book and then saw David had a twitter account, so I followed him. David (probably one of the most genuine guys I’ve met) and I had some correspondence back and forth and I found out David leads a church in Wichita, Kansas.
I’m sure you are wondering why I am telling you this because this is much different from what I normally write. Well, here it is, about a month ago April, Ethan, and I went to Kansas for a vacation to visit family. April’s mom and dad live about 30 minutes away from Wichita and April’s sister Krissy lives in Wichita.
Krissy is an amazing woman, mother, and sister-in-law. From what Krissy had been telling April, she had been reading my blog and was desiring a deeper relationship with Christ. She wanted to find a church where her family could get plugged in. I told April about David Norman’s church, which happens to be only 5 minutes away from Krissy’s house, and she asked Krissy to go with us on a Sunday.
We walked in and were greeted warmly and it was like we had been there for years. The message was great and when service was over I looked at my wife and Krissy and saw them crying. Krissy told April that she had wanted to go to a church, but was afraid to go, but when April invited her, that fear was defeated. Krissy had just committed her life fully to Christ. She knew God had led her there that day.
I’m not saying that twitter and blogging was the only reason she attended that Sunday. I am saying that the God uses these tools to connect, encourage, and reach people. My sister-in-law is a prime example of that.
Krissy: April, Ethan, and I love you more than we can could ever express with words. We pray for you daily and we are proud of you, but most of all we love you.
Do you have an example how God has used one of these tools to reach someone?
This may sound weird, but I typically wear two shirts. The outer shirt is the “nice” looking one and the “under” shirt is something that I have cut the sleeves off of. I have done this since I was a kid. I’m not sure why, but old habits die hard. I tell you this because I can only remember being upset with April one time since we have been married, and it was over one of these undershirts.
We had been married for a little over a year (6 yrs ago), and I had one undershirt that I loved. At the time it was at least 10 years old, it was ratty, there were all kinds of holes in it, and the material had become nearly transparent. In other words, it still had a lot of life in it. I woke up one morning and ironed my clothes and started looking for my ratty undershirt, but it was no where to be found. I asked April about it, and she fessed up to throwing it away. (4 years later) I was so upset. I loved that shirt, but I didn’t realize how stupid it looked. I should have let it go a long time before that.
Isaiah 43:18 says, “”Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.”
As I think about that ratty undershirt, I can’t help but think of all the ratty undershirts in our lives. I can’t help but think of all the times we have been hurt. I can’t help but think of all the times we have hurt someone else. I can’t help but think about those who haven’t forgiven themselves. I can’t help but think of all the junk we carry with us. I think we need to take all of the ratty undershirts in our lives and throw them away.
Lord, forgive me of the ratty undershirts that I have been carrying and wearing. I wish for you to throw them away.
This past weekend Ethan, April, and I went camping…in his room. We built a fort, ate smores, and we played with glo-sticks. It was an awesome evening because Ethan had so much fun. As the evening got late it became time for bed. We began to shut off all the lights and get ready for bed. Ethan asked if I would sleep all night in his tent and I told him yes. He then asked this question: ”How do I know you will be with me when I am asleep, because I can’t see you then?” My answer was this, “You have to trust that I am going to be here even when you can’t see me, because I love you.”
My answer to Ethan was good enough. He said he trusted me. As I was laying on the floor under the tent, I couldn’t help but be reminded of what God promises to us. Even if we can’t see Him because of certain circumstances in our lives, He is still there. No matter what He is still there.
Take comfort in knowing that God promises to be there, because He loves you.
Yes, that is a picture of me and no it wasn’t a dare, nor was it Halloween. It was 2002 and I actually used to wear that stuff. See the thing is I wasn’t happy with myself. I didn’t want to be me. So what did I do: I changed. I was not raised on a ranch. I was not raised in the wild west. I was from a small town in Southern Ohio. Everything I did was to portray myself as a cowboy. I pretty much looked ridiculous and it’s okay to laugh.
I look back to that brief John-Travoltish time, and it bothers me. It bothers me because I realize that I am not the only person who wasn’t happy with how they were perceived, so they changed. People change who they are because they don’t realize how “wonderfully made” they actually are. They don’t realize that God took the time to create them. Magazines, television, the internet, and society in general, encourage us to change if we don’t like who we are. I understand that some things need changed or worked on, but to try to be someone you aren’t is crazy and you’ll make yourself miserable.
You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Let that sink in.
Don’t be a fake cowboy. Be yourself.
Have you ever tried to be something you’re not?
I had to go to the doctor last week because I had been in some pain for quite some time. Now, I do have a history of kidney stones, but this wasn’t a kidney stone. (if you’ve ever had a stone you would know if you had one immediately) This was for something else, which has since gotten better. Any rate, back to what I wanted to share. When they finally called me back they had me stand on the scales. Now, I had been running and watching what I eat, but for the last few weeks I hadn’t been doing so good. Knowing that I had probably gained some weight what did I do when I stepped onto the scale? I stood on the edge with half of each foot hanging over the side. The nurse caught me and chastised me. She told me she hated when people tried to do things like that.
Proverbs 11:1 says, “The LORD detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him.”
Sometimes we try to manipulate the spiritual scales in our life. We try to hold our feet off the edge of that scale in hopes that it doesn’t look all that bad. We justify that what we are doing is okay. We even begin to believe that we weigh less than we actually do.
I’m pretty certain that the nurse would not have thought I was an idiot if I would have just stepped on the scale the right way. I am also very certain that when we are truthful to everyone, especially ourselves, God will be pleased.
Have you ever tried to manipulate the scales?
Do you feel defeated by the life? Hold fast.
Do you feel like giving up? Hold fast.
Do you feel like everyone is against you? Hold fast.
Do you struggle with addictions? Hold fast.
Do you feel insecure? Hold fast.
Do you have trouble seeing the light at the end of the tunnel? Hold fast.
Do you feel like you don’t deserve love? Hold fast.
Do you feel like you’re at the end of your rope? Hold fast.
Do you feel like no one cares? Hold fast.
Do you feel tired? Hold fast.
Do you feel like no one can relate? Hold fast.
Do think you are alone? Hold fast.
Do you think you are out of options? Hold fast.
Do you feel like your job is getting the best of you? Hold fast.
Do you feel like screaming into your pillow? Hold fast.
Do you feel like your prayers are not being answered? Hold fast.
Do you want things to change? Hold fast.
Deuteronomy 4:4 says, “but all of you who held fast to the LORD your God are still alive today.”
Ethan had been gone for nearly three weeks visiting his grandparents. April and I missed him so much. I never really knew how much I loved the “noise” around the house when he was home. I went into his room early Tuesday morning to check on him and I started to cry because I became so overwhelmed with a sense of God’s love for us. April and I are so blessed as a family and individuals.
Jesus, forgive me for taking things for granted.
What is something that you are blessed with that you need to thank God for?
Note: The above pictures are an illustration, not my actual closet or dresser. I may be goofy, but I know better than taking a picture of my real dresser. (Love you April)
My wife loves me with all of her heart, but sometimes I do things that drive her nuts. We have been married for over 7 years now and there is one thing that I know I do that she cannot stand. What is it? I am a drawer-stuffer. A drawer-stuffer is someone who crams everything into a drawer and closes it. On the outside everything looks okay. (like the picture on the top) But on the inside the drawer is an absolute mess and you can’t find anything. (like the picture on the bottom) Drawer-stuffing is okay, until someone else has to put clothes away, then they find out.
I came across the verse above the other day and I couldn’t help but think about my dresser drawer and our lives. How many of us are walking around and everything appears to be okay on the outside, but on the inside we are nothing but a messy dresser drawer? We are literally stuffing ourselves with things such as pride, insecurity, fears, sexual immorality, jealousy, etc…
I’m telling you from experience that you can act like you have it all together for a while, but eventually someone will see what your dresser drawer looks like. Healing, freedom, liberation, love, and joy all come from having an organized dresser drawer.
Are you a drawer-stuffer?
