Tag Archive | encouragement

Stuck? 5 Steps to Get 4×4 Traction for Your Life!

STUCK

STUCK

Have you ever gotten stuck?

I have.

I once owned an old Chevy truck. My favorite thing to do was to jump into the old beater, drive it out into our un-mowed field, and blow donuts. Imagine a 350 4-Barrel engine wound right up, screaming through an exhaust that’s full of holes. Goldenrod and mud flying through the air. Me bouncing all over the seat with a big, stupid grin on my face. Good times. Great stress relief.

(I know, I’m a bit of a redneck.)

Well, one day I was having so much fun that I slid right into a mud bog. I buried the truck so deep in the mud, right up to the axles, that it took me most of the rest of the day to get it unstuck. Please take 1:42 to watch this video:

STUCK!

If you’re anything like me, you’ll be cheering for this guy by the time it’s over.

Have you ever gotten STUCK in life?

I have.

It’s no fun. But I’ve landed in a sticky spot before, and wondered, “How am I EVER going to get out of this?” I didn’t see any hope of getting out of the predicament I was in. I had to make some tough choices. These are some of the lessons I’ve learned.

1)  Do not get out of the driver’s seat.

If I was stuck in that river, sitting in the cab of that truck, I might have bailed out. Just swam to shore.

Nobody would blame him for saying, “The heck with it! I’m too stuck. There’s just no getting out of it.”

And I’m sure you’ve been there. Sometimes it’s easier to throw our hands up and say, “Look, I’ve got an overwhelming amount of excuses. Who could blame me for quitting?” But is that really what you want, to start a pattern of quitting when life gets tough? Who’s going to make that movie? I’d rather hang in there, take control of my own life, and do something. Anything.

But don’t think I’m telling you to “go it alone” and that “it’s all on you”. It’s not. In fact, here’s “29 Reasons to Hope” that will point you to the One who you can count on to show you the next step when you’re stuck.

So, if you’re already stuck, what do you do next?

2) Back up and try another approach.

In this case, the driver wisely saw that his efforts weren’t going anywhere. Trying the same exact thing any longer would only have dug him in deeper. So what did he do? He backed up a few feet, to the point of his last steering decision, and took another approach.

Where did you go wrong? Is it possible for you to back and correct the wrong turn? If you can, then do it.

Sometimes you can’t go back. Something broke. You’re immobilized. You just can’t move yourself.

If that is the case, you need to bring more resources to bear. That’s why I’m careful in my life to make sure I’m connected to people who can pull me out of a rut when I need it. Not just anyone can truly help you when you’re stuck. That person has to be un-stuck. They have to have traction of their own so they can pull you out. They need to be healthy enough to give you help that actually helps you out of the hole.

Valuable friendships with trustworthy friends don’t just happen by accident. That’s why my wife and I are super-intentional about developing those relationships. We might not need them today. But we might tomorrow. You never know.

Read More about developing those types of friendships: Why I Go To Church Part 1

3) Drop the hammer!

Often what gets us un-stuck is focused forward motion. Effort!

Sometimes when things don’t go our way we get frustrated. We start believing the lie that life will always be this way. We’ll always be dealing with these same problems. Things will never change. I’ve got news for you. That’s not true! Every day we get to make choices that effect the outcome of our future. That’s the beauty of free will. So don’t get lulled into believing that things will always be the same.

Take a look at this inspiring video of soccer player Lionel Messi. It doesn’t matter whether he’s slide-tackled, fouled or cheap-shotted. This guy never stops moving forward, no matter what gets in his way.

What would that kind of intensity do for you?

Maybe it’s time to charge forward toward your goal with renewed focus. Speaking of renewal…

4) Keep those wheels turning.

If you’ve been stuck for any length of time, you might be just about of fuel. I know you’re exhausted. If you’re out of gas, maybe it’s time to refuel.

Take a minute to read this post about refueling. And if you’re often feeling empty, maybe you need to consider switching up your routine. If you feel like all you do is work, you never get any rest, and the days just blur together, then this post about work and rest is for you.

Once you learn how to refuel on a regular basis, you will find that you get stuck less often. And when you do break traction, you will have the resources on hand to get un-stuck.

5) Don’t forget to celebrate!

My favorite part of this video is the very end. The guy holding the camera lets out a “Woo hoo!”

Hey. With what you’ve been through, don’t forget to celebrate when you climb up out of that hole. Take some time to thank a friend who helped you out when you were stuck. Let them know you’ll be there for them when they’re in the same spot.

For me, that also means thanking God for giving me the fuel and the traction I needed, for not leaving me stuck. I’m not under any illusions about my limitations. I am joyfully dependent on Him. I know I need Him to walk me through every single situation that life finds me in. And He does. He’s always there for me.

Keep these 5 steps in mind the next time you’re stuck. And let me in on the celebration when you climb up out of that hole!

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Know someone who’s stuck? Share this post with them.

Ever Taste God?

Taste is the most intimate sense.

Think about that for a minute.

  • You can see someone from a long way off.
  • Once someone is within shouting range, you can hear them.
  • Sometimes you can smell someone before you can even touch them.
  • In order to touch someone, they need to be within an arm’s reach.

In Scripture we’re told to, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8)

We’re of course not talking about tasting God with our physical tongue. Instead, what we get to do is experience Him in very real ways. Through Jesus Christ we have direct access to the presence of God. What was impossible before Christ’s sacrifice is now made open to us. Every believer, made clean and acceptable by Christ, is invited into the presence of God.

We are invited to experience, even “taste”, who God is and what He desires to do in our lives.

Question:  Are you close enough to “taste” God?

  • Have you been looking at God from a distance, wondering what He is like?
  • Do you hear God occasionally, but long to experience more of who He is?
  • Does that aroma of God permeate your senses as you enter into His presence?
  • Are you drawing close enough to your Heavenly Father to experience His touch?
  • How would “tasting” God change your life?

I suspect that the closer you get to God, the closer you’ll want to get.

One caution: Don’t stay at the level you’re at today. Move forward. Move closer. As you take steps toward Him, you’ll be surprised to find God covering more ground than you are.

Here are a few posts that will help you “taste” God:

  1. Why I’m Reading Less of the Bible
  2. How You Can Read Less of the Bible
  3. Stop, Drop and Fast: When you HAVE to hear from God

To follow my blog, just enter your email address on the top right of the page

and click “subscribe”. Thanks! – Joe

Feel Like a Failure? Here’s 5 Helps

Keep Moving Forward

Keep Moving Forward

While staying up late to write this post, Kelcy (my wife) asked me, “What’cha writing?”

“A blog post on feeling like a failure.” I replied.

Her immediate response? “You’re not (a failure).”

“I know” I assured her. “That’s why I’m writing it.”

Even now, after 15 years of her assuring and reassuring me, she is still aware that I need the occasional reminder that I am not, in fact, a failure.

When I tell people I’ve felt like a failure before, they often say, “Come on, you? You’re such a positive guy. You’ve always got a smile on you face. How could you think that you’re a failure?”

It’s easy. After suffering one setback after another (I’ll save you the sob story), I let my negative circumstances get me down. I had believed the lie that each setback was a failure, and that I, somehow was and always would be a failure.

I’ve learned a lot since then.

Here’s 5 helps for when you’re feeling like a failure:

1) What you do is not who you are.

You are not the job you lost. You are not your failed business. You are not your last relationship. You are you.

So who are you?

Chances are, if you can’t answer that question apart from “I (insert verb)” then you’re identifying with what you do rather than who you truly are. We’re human beings, not human doings, remember? The truth is that, rather than tying our identity to the things we do, or even to other people, we should begin establishing our identity as God defines it.

He tells us we’re created in His own image. That’s right. He created you, and He doesn’t create junk. The living God, who created everything from nothing, created you with all of your unique traits. He loves who He created you to be. So if you’ve spent too much of your life drawing your identity from sources other than the Source, I suggest you take steps toward discovering who you truly are.

To help you discover who you are, I highly recommend two books by Neil T. Anderson:

Victory Over The Darkness by Neil T. Anderson

Victory Over The Darkness by Neil T. Anderson

Victory Over The Darkness  

Who I Am in Christ by Neil T. Anderson

Who I Am in Christ by Neil T. Anderson

Who I Am in Christ

These books will take you on an in-depth journey of experiencing who God designed you to be.

2) Experience is an expensive education.

Everybody makes mistakes. Some of those mistakes are monumental. They’re costly. But even though we’d never go back and make them over again, we can still squeeze a great deal of value out of them.

If you are willing to learn from your mistakes, you can benefit from them. Consider this: Many of the mistakes you have made in the past can inform your future decisions. I tell people that the number of mistakes I’ve made, and what they’ve taught me, is part of why I’m writing now. At this point in my life, I have amassed a wealth of mistakes. I’ve paid dearly for each and every one of them. Don’t think for a second that I’m going to forget the sting of pain that came with each one. And don’t think that I’m going to make the same mistake twice.

This book by John Maxwell helped me turn the page on a difficult chapter in my life. After years of ups and downs, I sincerely thought I had failed beyond repair. This book helped me begin moving out of despair and into a newfound hope. It helped me begin to leverage my mistakes as a valuable set of resources.

Failing Forward by John Maxwell

Failing Forward by John Maxwell

Failing Forward

3) Failure isn’t final. (unless you let it be)

There are two ways you can make failure final.

  1. You make the same mistake over and over again, never learning or improving.
  2. You quit.

If you’d rather live to fight another day rather than resign to the finality of failure, you’ve got to do two things.

  • Learn from your mistakes. You’ve paid your tuition, now show up for class. The difference between the wise person and the fool is that the wise person learns from their mistakes. “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” (Proverbs 27:12) How do you see danger coming? You remember the last time you were in that situation, and you adjust your response! Learn from life, and life will get better as you go.
  • Keep moving forward. You do not get to quit. Sorry. I just won’t let you off the hook. Sure, you have been hurt. I understand your pain is real. I would never minimize the suffering you have experienced as a result of failures in your life. But that does not mean your life is over. Keep moving forward. Do NOT stop. You’ve got too much to lose by throwing in the towel. Need some inspiration? Take a look at this post. Watch the video of soccer player Lionel Messi. He’s a true inspiration.

4) God has a plan for you that’s good.

God once said to Israel, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'” (Jeremiah 29:11) Today we can be just as assured that God works for our good. In fact, He even sent His Son to this world to give His own life for us. Then He sent his Holy Spirit to fill His followers. That’s right, the God of all creation values you, and your future, so much that He spared no expense to reconcile you to Himself. He wants you to experience all of the good He has designed you for, and He has moved heaven and earth to make that a reality.

If you don’t believe that, I’m sorry. I’m sure you have good reasons to believe otherwise. I myself have questioned, once or twice, whether or not God’s plan for my life was really good. In the middle of painful circumstances, it’s easy to question God. Is He good? Is he just? If so, how could he allow bad things to enter my life?

  • Sometimes we fail by making bad decisions, and we suffer the consequences.
  • Sometimes other people fail us, and we pay those consequences too.
  • Sometimes failure is just part of living in a world that’s fallen and broken.

Regardless of their source, there is no failure that God can’t redeem.

5) Even a devastating loss can lead to a great comeback.

Did you go see that movie this Summer about that guy who had a nice life, and then it gradually got better and better? No? Me either. It sounded boring and predictable.

Every story worth telling involves a comeback. God is in the business of writing those stories.

  • God anoints a shepherd boy as king. He faces opposition on his way to the throne. Then, after fighting for years to take what God had given him, he rules as king over a period of expansion and security. Then he blows it. He sleeps with another man’s wife, then has her husband killed to cover it up. But then he realizes he’s made a mess of his life. He hangs on through the consequences, and turns his life back around. Generations later, Jesus Christ is born through his blood line. I’d say David’s life, although interrupted by his and others’ failures, turned out to leave a lasting legacy.

That’s just one example. Those are stories I read over and over again. I wouldn’t be surprised if He’s in the process of writing a comeback story with your life right now.

Just imagine what your life could look like if you let God have the last say with your failures. It’s a process. It takes time. But if you discover who you really are, learn from your mistakes and keep moving forward, you’ll discover that His plan for you is good. Considering all you’ve been through, that would be a great comeback story.

For more encouragement:

11 Years Ago Today

Remembering September 11

Remembering September 11

It was a crisp, clear Tuesday morning. My girls, then ages 2 and 3 months, were at home with Kelcy. If anything, it was my favorite type of morning. Sunny and comfortable, this kind of weather always makes me optimistic. I could not have imagined how the day would turn out.

I was at work at New Life. At the time I was a Staff pastor there, responsible for a number of things including Children’s Ministry and Young Adults. The building was in the final stages of the remodeling project we had undertaken when we moved in. Painters lined the main hallway, making the sheetrock smooth and presentable.

Then we heard there was something happening. We weren’t sure what. An accident? A plane crash?

The TVs in the lounge area were turned on. We watched in bewilderment as we tried to wrap our brains around what we saw. I gathered the workers. “There’s something happening. You might want to come watch.” Work stopped. Life stopped. Our breath itself nearly stopped. We counted up who we knew that was anywhere near NYC. Phone lines lit up as all experienced the urge to connect with loved ones.

Then, before we could even regain our bearings, we had to respond. What was next? What could we do? How could we help our community make sense of this senseless act of violence?

We did what we know how to do. We gathered together, worshiped and prayed. In the midst of unimaginable tragedy, we pointed people to the hope of eternity, and the immediate help available from the Lord.

Today, I’m taking some time to pray for those families who were forever impacted by the events of that day. I have been able to move forward with my life and loved ones intact. Please join me in lifting up those who were not as fortunate, who are hurting today, still living with the pain of loss. Pray that the God of all comfort will be especially close to them.

“3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Please take a moment and pray for those who are hurting. Then make it a point to encourage them. It may be the most tangible way God works through you today.

For more hope and encouragement:

Alanna’s Story – A Labor of Love

Alanna Underwood and Family

Alanna Underwood and Family

Today I get to share a story in progress. God has been moving in and through the life of our dear friend, Alanna, who Kelcy and I befriended while at Asbury. When I heard a bit of her story, I knew I wanted to share it with everyone I know.

Who Am I?

by Alanna Underwood

“You want me to what?”  I’m perfectly happy to teach a classroom full of children, or throw a tea party for a group of little girls.  I’m even eager to share my heart with a room full of people staring at me.  But administration of adults?  I’m sorry, Lord, but I don’t have that gift.

I knew that God had laid on my heart the vision to get a crisis pregnancy center started in our area.  Being a spontaneous visionary, I leapt at this idea and began scrounging for support from friends and churches.   I told the Lord that I would be willing to serve in whatever capacity He called me to in this ministry.  Really, I was hoping it would be counseling the pregnant women.  I’d even be happy scrubbing the toilets compared to what He ended up asking me to do.  Lead it.  Put together a committee.  Draw up the by-laws.  Organize the fund-raising.  I held to my promise, but panic began to find permanent residence in my heart.

One morning I was reading the account of Moses at the burning bush.  The Lord called him to do something he had tried to do before and failed at:  deliver the people of Israel from Egypt.  Moses, petrified in his own personal sense of inadequacy, blurted out, “Who am I?”  In other words, “What are you looking at me for?  I don’t have that gift!”  Curiously, God never answered his question directly.  He never told Moses who Moses was.  Instead, He said, “I Am Who I Am.”  In other words, “Moses, it doesn’t matter who you are.  It only matters who I am.  You’re right—you can’t do this, but I CAN.”

Who am I, Lord?

I felt somewhat encouraged by this, but still afraid.  Later the same day, I was reading a novel about a woman who God called to minister to women in crisis pregnancies.  In terror, she responded, “Who am I, Lord?” and the answer she received was, “It doesn’t matter who you are.”  God tends to repeat Himself when He wants my attention.

Later, He sent me another message from Isaiah:  “Who are you, that you fear mortal men…that you forget the Lord your maker who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the Earth, that you live in constant terror everyday… (Is 51:12-13) I didn’t even have the right to be afraid.  Did my fear fly in God’s face, challenging Him with the accusation that He was incapable of pulling this off?  Am I so small that my fear insults God’s greatness?

Our every effort at getting the ministry started ultimately failed.

Although I was still reluctant, I struggled and strived for the next two years to put this ministry together.  I put together the committee, drew up the by-laws, and asked people for money.  We got a little bit, but nothing ever solidified.  Our every effort at getting the ministry started ultimately failed.  Finally, members of our committee dropped out or moved away, until there were only two people left—and I was one of them.  I felt the weight of the entire ministry on my shoulders.  I was almost constantly sick or burdened with anxiety.

Again, God came to me and said, “Alanna, you’re doing this is in the arm of the flesh.  Stop working at this.  Sit back and let me do it in the arm of the Lord.”  For the next year, I sat back and did nothing.  The weight slipped off my shoulders.  The anxiety left my gut.  And God seemed to do nothing.  I wished He would just forget about the whole thing and let me off the hook.

Just a couple of months ago I got the news.  A mobile ultrasound unit is heading toward our county to help women with crisis pregnancies.  They need a place to receive clients.  A couple of weeks ago, the Lord gave me the idea of joining with an already existing ministry, who has a vision for reaching the whole family through a family center.  Including pregnant women in the family outreach just makes sense.  Better yet, I wouldn’t have to put together the board.  I wouldn’t have to draw up the by-laws.  And today I received a phone call from an organization that wants to help us out financially.

God provided…

Entirely without my help, God provided the ultrasound machine, board, support, and community contacts to make this happen.  I was thrilled, but also humbled in a disgruntled sort of way.  “God, you’re not going to use me AT ALL?  You’re going to do the entire thing yourself? But then I won’t get any of the credit.”

God gently rebuked me, and then reminded me of Moses standing at the bush, saying, “Who am I, Lord?”  God doesn’t need me to make His plan work.  Without Him I am nothing and can do nothing.  In Him, I have infinite value and can do all things through Christ.  The power, strength, and resources all come from Him.  Consequently, He gets all the credit.  Isn’t that what He wants?  Isn’t that what we want?

So will the pregnancy center finally get started this way?  Honestly, I don’t know.  We still need land.  We still need a building.  We still need more volunteers and monthly support.  Sharing all of these great potential beginnings for our ministry is a tremendous risk to my pride.  What if God doesn’t come through?  What if I’m misunderstanding His leading me to do something crazy and so far outside of my natural abilities?  What will people think of me if I fail again?  Who will they think I am?

It doesn’t matter.  I’m not here to glorify who I am.  I’m here to glorify the Great I AM.

To keep up with Alanna, and read more of her inspiring writing,

go to her blog, Break My Chains.

Your Words Can Help the Heavy-Hearted

“Anxiety weighs down the heart,
but a kind word cheers it up.” (Proverbs 12:25)

Has your heart ever been weighed down? Mine has.

Stress and worry have a way of piling up quickly.

That’s one of the reasons I surround myself with positive people. I need encouragement on a regular basis. The most genuinely positive people I know are Christians. Why? It’s because their hope comes from an eternal perspective.
Christians are great encouragers because their hope is not placed in a cause, a set of circumstances, or everything working out smoothly. Their hope is placed solely in the God who loves them, cares for them, and even died for them.

Knowing that our Father in Heaven is in control of every ultimate outcome gives us peace and confidence. Knowing He loves and cares for us gives us joy. That joy can then overflow from our heart, through our mouths, and into the lives of those who are weighed down with anxiety.

So today, set your sights on your Father in Heaven. Draw strength and joy from your relationship with Him. You never know who He’ll put in your path. It may be your turn to offer a kind word and cheer up someone with a heavy heart.

Telling God about your Porn Habit

Help begins here.

If you’ve struggled with porn, you’re not alone. Many see nothing wrong with it, thinking that it’s harmless. You know better. Your conscience tells you it’s wrong. You sense the negative effects of consuming the “fast food” of sex, a far cry from the meaningful fulfillment God intended for the marriage relationship.

Now the question becomes, “What do I do about this?” Many people discover that, once they’ve decided to make a change, they don’t know where to begin. You make a commitment to never look at porn again, but then you do it again shortly. Panic sets in. “How do I get out of this? I’ve been looking for so long, and I’ve tried to stop so many times, but I always go back.”

The Psalmist gave us a great starting point to begin winning the battle of secret sin:

16 Come and hear, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.
17 I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;
19 but God has surely listened
and has heard my prayer.
20 Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me!

 He calls all who respect God to listen. This is his story of how he cried out to God from a desperate place. If he held onto sin, he’s convinced that God would not have listened. So he must have made a decision in his heart to align his thoughts with God’s, to redefine what He was seeking and pursuing. He came to God in desperation, but wasn’t rejected. He didn’t get called stupid or worthless. He found God ready to answer and love him. Now he is joyful because of how God has answered his prayer.
  • Is that your decision today?
  • Are you ready to make a break from porn?
  • Are you ready to seek forgiveness, cleansing and purity from Him?

All you have to do is ask.

I know. It sounds too simple. Forgiveness, cleansing and purity, just for the asking? It’s outrageous. But do not be confused. The lavish price was paid by our savior when He, the pure One, was nailed to a cross. Then the victory for our future was won when He was brought back from the dead.

Maybe there is one more thing you have to do.

Believe. Agree with God that it’s time to walk in a new direction, away from sin and toward a new hope. Agree that God’s word is true. In it He says,

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

If you’re in your right mind, you know you’ve sinned. The good news is that if you confess it to God, He’s ready and waiting to forgive you.

  • Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could experience forgiveness?
  • What would it be like to be purified right now?

Want to find out? Pray with me:

“Father, I know I’ve been full of sin. I’m so sick of getting sucked into this trap, and I want out. I’m asking you to forgive me because of what Jesus has done for me on the cross. Thank you for His sacrifice for me, for Him laying down His pure life in exchange for mine. Come purify my heart, and empower me to live a new life tomorrow. Amen”

Read the Whole Series:

  1. Porn by the Numbers
  2. Why Porn is Killing You
  3. Telling God about your Porn Habit
  4. Telling your Spouse about your Porn Habit
  5. Telling your Trusted Friend about your Porn Habit
  6. How to Get Help: Quitting Porn for Good

63 Seconds of Unstoppable Movitation

If this doesn’t inspire you to blast through barriers, you might want to check for a pulse.

Has life unfairly dropped a heavy load in your path? Join the club. If this man can overcome the loss of a leg, and still compete, I’m sure you can find a way out of the wreckage and into recovery. Just take it one step forward at a a time.

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

What’s stopping you from moving forward?

Life Without Worry

Jesus used small words that were easy for simple people like me to understand.

Life Without Worry

Life Without Worry

Matthew 6:34 is a perfect example:

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

I wish these words were more convoluted, more complicated. They’re not. They’s just straight-forward, simple words that I cannot possibly dodge. As is often the case with Jesus’ words, they smack me right between the eyes. If I didn’t know the One who spoke them, and His heart, they might even offend me. Let’s face it, they often do.

“Therefore…”

Go back and read Matthew 6:25-34. Whenever we see a “therefore” in Scripture, we have to stop and ask what it’s “there for”. That’s old and cheesy. I know. But it’s true. That said, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus presented a revolutionary new way of life that would someday soon become attainable for His followers. Being God who became man, He knew exactly what made us tick. He knew all of our anxieties, our fears and our worries, and He addressed them here. Instead of fretting about how we will make it through each day, Jesus asks us to make an exchange, giving up our useless efforts.

The summary of His words are…

“…do not worry about tomorrow,”

Why should we worry about what hasn’t happened yet? We cannot control it! Sure, we have to be responsible, doing our best to with what we’ve been entrusted with. Beyond that, however, we cannot control the future. Jesus, being both finite and infinite at once, knew of what He spoke. He never advocated irresponsibility, telling us to throw up our hands and say, “Well, what can I do? I might as well just sit here and do nothing.” Instead, He recommended trust in the One who holds the future in His hands.

I’d like to ask you these questions about your life:

  • How much time and energy do you spend worrying about the future?

For me, it’s more than I’d care to admit. Be honest. What does it look like for you?

  • What would happen today if you could replace all of your worries with trust of your Father in Heaven?

I would feel 20 pounds lighter, like a burden had been lifted off of my shoulders. It would dramatically improve the quality of my life. I know this, yet I find the temptation to worry about tomorrow a daily, moment-by-moment choice. I am growing in this discipline of constantly choosing Jesus’ “new and living way”, but I’ve got a long way to go. That’s why I’m glad His Word is in written form. I can go back to it again and again.

  • How often are Jesus’ words offending you?

I would suggest that if they’re not, you’re not paying attention. His words were, and still are, revolutionary. Perhaps it’s time to pause, to reflect on Jesus’ life-disturbing, life-giving words. Start by picking a Gospel, maybe even a reading plan, then make your way through it one phrase, one verse at a time, contemplating what the Savior of the world is saying about life, death, and the resurrection power He promises.

If you do, you’ll be able to live a life without worry, lust, hate, and all the other things that bog you down.

The 8 Most Inspiring Minutes of Your Day

Think you’ve got problems?

Nick is here to tell you, “You do not need a miracle. You are a miracle…”