Happy Friday

Hide and Seek

By Micca Campbell

"But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul." Deuteronomy 4:29 (NIV)

During my childhood, one of my most memorable times was during the long, hot days of summer. Each evening, the neighborhood kids and I went outside after dinner for one last game. At dusk, we would meet at the dead-end street to play "Hide and Seek."

This was a very serious game. The goal was to hide from your seeker until it was safe to run for home base without being seen and tagged out. That is why we played under the cover of twilight. The darkness kept you concealed as you dashed from object to object until you finally made it to home base - unseen and untagged by the pursuer.

I especially loved the memories of when I was young enough to still enjoy the game, but old enough to know how to keep from being found.

It was my dad who first introduced me to Hide and Seek. Although, my father and I played the game with different rules.

When Dad hid, he would leave clues on purpose so I could find him. Sometimes, I would spy his wiggling toes sticking out from under the living room curtains. Others times, I noticed a lampshade sitting atop a very large stand in the shape of his body. Or I'd hear noises coming from behind the couch.

For my dad and me, the game was not about staying hidden. It was about developing our relationship.

Our reunion brought joy and laughter. Mostly, it taught me that whenever I needed my dad, he could always be found.

The same is true with our heavenly Father. He is not playing a game of chance - that we may or may not find Him. No. God wants to be found, and He leaves clues about His presence everywhere we look.

Today's key verse assures us that we will find God if we seek Him with our heart and soul. "But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul." (Deut. 4:29)

When do we seek Him? God's Word tells us to seek Him while He can be found. We should seek God immediately.

How do we seek Him? With diligence, through prayer, in His Word, and with our whole hearts.

He will be found in the beauty of creation and within the pages of His Word. As we seek God, we will discover His will, His plans, and His blessings in new found strength as we face adversity, and in the comfort of His presence as we communicate with Him in prayer.

God isn't playing Hide and Seek with us. He longs to be found by those who earnestly seek Him. The Lord is ready and waiting to reveal Himself to you in such wonderful ways that it will leave you longing for more. It's an adventure you don't want to miss. Ready, set, seek!

Dear Lord, I long to see You in my daily life. Reveal Yourself to me as I seek in times of sorrow and in times of joy. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Happy Thursday

Don't Kick the Anthill

Lysa TerKeurst

"The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception." Proverbs 14:8 (NIV)

I stood at the dirt mound watching ants. They were busy. I was not.

The afternoon had been slow for me. Several of my friends had been invited to the community pool. Another friend was at camp for the week. Even my last resort, the pigtailed aggravation that lived in the apartment below, was busy. "She's napping," her mom had informed me.

I walked away thinking, She's six years old. Only two years younger than me and she still takes naps? That's the awfullest thing a mom could do to her child. And this is the awfullest afternoon ever.

I sat on the swing of the little playground behind our apartment complex. I scuffed the toes of my red sneakers, making lines in the dirt as I moved slowly back and forth. If a child could have died from boredom, I felt quite terminal at that moment.

Then I spotted the anthill.

I walked over and stood there. Just about the time I was thinking about how lucky all those ants were to have so many friends, I heard a scratchy little voice call out to me.

"I bet you won't stick your foot through that anthill." Pigtail girl had woken up from her afternoon slumber. And for heaven's sake I would not, could not, be shamed by a girl who still took naps.

I knew in my mind I shouldn't kick the anthill. I knew in my heart I shouldn't kick the anthill. And I knew deep down in my soul I shouldn't kick the anthill. Every part of me knew I should walk away from the anthill.

But some silly part of my mouth betrayed me.

"Yes I will!" I declared as I kicked my foot into the middle of ant Hades.

It didn't take long to feel as if someone had lit 1,000 needles on fire and stabbed me mercilessly.

Since that day I haven't kicked an anthill. At least not in the literal sense.

But I have gotten myself into situations where I invited trouble into my life that just didn't need to be there. Especially in the area of saying yes to something I absolutely should say no to.

I will know in my mind I should say no. I will know in my heart I should say no. I will know deep down in my soul I should say no.

But then my mouth will betray me, "Yes, of course I will do that."

And then?

The sting of the three D's comes ...

Dread — As I write yet another thing on my schedule, I feel the weight of overload.

Disappointment — In order to make this happen, I will disappoint someone.

Drama — Dread and disappointment will ratchet my emotions to a tipping point. A tipping point that's not healthy for me or those with whom I do life.

Here's what I'm trying to preach to myself: Just because I can do something doesn't mean I should do it.

I kicked the anthill that day for three reasons ... I thought it proved I was something. I thought it would impress nap girl. And I didn't think through the cost beforehand.

Proverbs 14:8 says, "The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways." As a little girl on the playground, I was neither wise nor prudent. Thankfully I know now that God's wisdom is readily available.

I've learned that if I pause before making an impulsive choice, and ask God what to do, He will answer. In fact, He's given me some questions to ask myself that help me determine whether something is an assignment from Him or an anthill that will get me into trouble.

Before saying yes to one more thing on my schedule, I ask myself:

Am I trying to prove something?

Am I trying to impress someone?

Have I thought through the cost of saying yes?

It's not bad to say yes to opportunities. But we really should give thought to our ways and consider whether this is an assignment or an anthill.

Take the assignment if it's yours. But don't kick the anthills.

Dear Lord, I'm asking for Your guidance as I discern assignments from anthills. Thank You for Your direction. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Happy Wednesday

What Were You Thinking?

Samantha Evilsizer

"Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Haven't his envoys come to you only to explore and spy out the country and overthrow it?" 1 Chronicles 19:3b (NIV)

A sepia tint covers the photograph of her sunscreen-lathered face at the beach. This same coloring alters the picture he took of the dinner he made last night, and discolors their new puppy in the snapshot of him snoozing at the foot of the bed.

Everywhere I look—Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr—photographs are edited with a yellowish-brown filter to create a vintage look. I appreciate the artistry of it, but what happened to the bright vivid colors? Why does faded yellow get to layer itself over the clear blue eyes of a sweet child, making her appear like someone she's not? Or discolor the true pinks and oranges of a fabulous sunset, giving it a different appearance than it truly has?

I've used the sepia filter when editing photographs. But I'm ready to see things as they really are. Not just with photographs, but in real life.

For far too long I've colored things based on my fancies, moods or ideas, just like the men in 1 Chronicles 19 did. You see, King David, being kind, sent out a group of his men to console another king whose father had just died. But when the king's men saw David's group approaching, they assumed the worst.

In verse 3 we get a snapshot of their conversation with their king: "Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Haven't his envoys come to you only to explore and spy out the country and overthrow it?" (1 Chronicles 19:3b NIV).

Their suspicion and assumptions about David's intentions led them to treat David's men poorly, which started a war between the two countries ... all because these soldiers colored David in an unfair and incorrect light.

If I'm honest, I can do this quite easily myself.

When my husband says he prefers broccoli to carrots, I've read between the lines and inferred he means I can't cook yummy carrots. I'm no Julia Child, so this perceived jab adds to my insecurity. My assumptions lead my emotions, and before I know it, I've cooked up an internal battle between fact and fiction. Rather than suspecting my husband's words contain a hidden meaning, I'm learning to take them at face value.

It can happen beyond our home too. When we hear of a friend's party—that we aren't invited to—it can be easy to conclude they don't really like us. We pull away from our friend, causing a rift. It may be tempting to talk about the suspected snub with other friends who weren't invited either, causing more division. But the truth is, an intimate dinner party is just that, intimate: small and reserved for a few. Instead of coloring the lack of an invitation with malicious intent, it'd be best to step back and see the bigger picture of a smaller gathering.

Layering life with thoughts that discolor other's true intentions is easy to do.

But only God knows what a person is thinking. If we want to know, we have to ask for clarity and set aside the thoughts our imaginations conjure up (2 Corinthians 10:5). Instead of being easily offended, we can overlook another's actions and offer a way to create harmony (Proverbs 19:11).

Negative assumptions almost always lead to war: either with others, or within ourselves. Let's commit to believing the best, before assuming the worst. And see through a different filter: the truth of God's Word. That's true blue (not yellow!).

Dear Lord, please help me not infer more than what is said. And if I have questions, please give me the words to ask for clarity. So in all things, You will be lifted high. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Happy Tuesday

Resurrection Life

Wendy Blight

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20 (NIV)

I grew up in a family that lacked patience. It was a running joke in my maternal family: "The Capkas have no patience." I accepted it as normal and continued the tradition in my own family.

The problem is, it made for a very unhappy home. I had a short fuse with my husband and our kids. I often spoke words I regretted the moment they left my lips. Tempers flared between my daughter and me, and I saw her following in my footsteps, believing the lie I believed: we have no patience.

But as I studied my Bible, I began to understand the truth about my impatience. I didn't have to accept the fact that it ran in my family. You see, Galatians 2:20 tells us when we surrender our lives to Christ, the way we were dies and is replaced by the way He calls us to be. God changes us from the inside out! His Word tells us our old (dead) ways are gone and the new (alive) ways can take over!

Transformation comes. Because Christ lives in me, I do have patience. I don't have to be that impatient mom who spews out unkind words when things don't go my way. Even though I was raised in a family where I learned an impatient attitude, I have within me God's power to hold my tongue, to think before I speak, to speak truth in love. It's the very same power that raised Lazarus from the dead and parted the Red Sea. That's the power that lives in you and me!

I call it "Resurrection Life."

The reality of Christ living in me—Resurrection Life—first changed my heart and then my home.

If you have believed similar lies about who you are, hear these words and never forget them:

Resurrection Life means...

You are unconditionally loved.

You are completely forgiven.

You are fully redeemed.

You are a new creation.

You are totally transformed from the inside out.

This Holy Spirit transformation is real. God's Word tells us that we are "more than conquerors" through Christ who loves us (Romans 8:37). Our new "living" self conquers our old "dead" self.

So where we used to join in the gossip, now we turn the conversation around. Where we used to lie to get out of a commitment, now we just say, "No." Where we used to lose our temper and speak unkind words, now we stop, listen and then speak truth in love. Where we, though married, used to harmlessly flirt with other men, we now set boundaries with other men that are honoring to our husbands.

Psalm 139 tells us we are "fearfully and wonderfully made." Sin corrupted that creation, but the good news is that Jesus' work on the cross returns to us the power to live in the fullness of how we were originally made. Free from sin.

Walk confidently in the newness of Resurrection Life!

Father, thank You that Christ lives in me! May I know deep in my heart that I am a new creation, transformed from the inside out. Help me to live in the fullness of the incredible gift of the indwelling power of Your Holy Spirit. I pray this in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Daily Smile:
Did you hear that Netscape is moving to Tel-Aviv, Israel? 

They're going to rename themself "Netan-Yahoo"

Happy Monday

LIGHTHOUSE

One of the strongest images of standing strong in a storm is the lighthouse. In the era before radar, satellite navigation and GPS systems, lighthouses were vital to protect ships from crashing onto rocks, shoals and shores. Building lighthouses can be considered one of man’s most noble endeavors. Since the beginning of seafaring, families and friends have lit bonfires at night to guide sailors home.

George Bernard Shaw said, “I can think of no other edifice constructed by man as altruistic as a lighthouse. They were built only to serve.”

And evangelist D.L. Moody commented, “Lighthouses don't fire cannons to call attention to their shining—they just shine.”                            

Jesus used this imagery of light to describe our role in His kingdom. We are the light of the world, He said, after claiming Himself to be the true light. Therefore we function much like a lighthouse, both internally and externally.

The first aspect of a lighthouse is the internal function of generating light. Early lighthouses used a literal fire that had to be constantly fed and watched. Later electric lights were utilized and ultimately laser lights. But this light still has to be internally projected. So we too as followers of Jesus project internal light, the outer expression of the inner life under the control of the Holy Spirit. 

The other aspect of a modern lighthouse is that it also is an external reflector. Over the years of improvements, revolving lenses have been developed to reflect that internally generated light further into the darkness. As the moon reflects the light of the sun, so we reflect the light of the Son in a world of darkness. 

And finally, lighthouses remind us of God’s love. Like the bright shining beam of a lighthouse, His love reaches out…piercing through the darkness of any storm. 

RESPONSE
Today I will be a lighthouse for Jesus, projecting His inner light and reflecting His light externally. 

PRAYER
Lord, may Your love and Your light pierce the darkness of the world around me as I stand strong and faithful for You today like a lighthouse.

I Stand Amazed in the Presence

1. I stand amazed in the presence 
 of Jesus the Nazarene, 
 and wonder how he could love me,  
 a sinner, condemned, unclean. 
Refrain:
 How marvelous! How wonderful! 
 And my song shall ever be:
 How marvelous! How wonderful 
 is my Savior's love for me! 

2. For me it was in the garden 
 he prayed: "Not my will, but thine." 
 He had no tears for his own griefs, 
 but sweat-drops of blood for mine. 
 (Refrain) 

3. In pity angels beheld him, 
 and came from the world of light 
 to comfort him in the sorrows 
 he bore for my soul that night. 
 (Refrain) 

4. He took my sins and my sorrows, 
 he made them his very own; 
 he bore the burden to Calvary, 
 and suffered and died alone. 
 (Refrain) 

5. When with the ransomed in glory 
 his face I at last shall see, 
 'twill be my joy through the ages 
 to sing of his love for me. 
 (Refrain) 

Daily Smile:
Three men were discussing at a bar about coincidences. The first man said, " my wife was reading a "tale of two cities" and she gave birth to twins"

"That’s funny", the second man remarked, "my wife was reading 'the three musketeers' and she gave birth to triplets"
The third man shouted, "Good God, I have to rush home!"

When asked what the problem was, he exclaimed, " When I left the house, my wife was reading Ali baba and the forty Thieves"!!!

Happy Sunday

When You're Angry at God

Micca Campbell

"LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me." Psalms 30:2 (NIV)

As I waited for my husband to return from surgery, I began to worry. It was taking longer than the doctor had said it would. Since over 80% of my husband's body had been burned during the house fire, I feared the surgery would be too much for him.

My worst fears were confirmed when the doctor walked into the waiting room, still in his surgical clothes, and knelt down beside my chair. My heart began to pound as he explained that my husband had gone into cardiac arrest and though they were trying everything they could to resuscitate, they feared they had lost him. Immediately, I cried out for God to save him.

I still remember my desperate plea: God, I realize if my husband lives he most likely won't keep his arms. I understand what that means. He'll never hold me again or play ball with our son. But I don't care, God. Please let him live!

As the clock ticked down, there was no response. After some time, it finally hit me: he had already left me.

After the funeral was over and the people were gone, I realized I was alone, a new mother, and a 21-year-old widow. I was very angry God had allowed for things to turn out this way.

One desperate night, when the pain was more than I could stand, I cried out, Why, God? Why did You take him away from me? Oh, God. I need to know, why!

Have you ever been angry with God?

We've all made requests to God that didn't turn out like we had hoped. When that happens, it's easy to become confused about Him. We start to wonder if He heard us or just said "No" to our prayer. What we are certain of is the anger we feel toward the Lord's ways.

It's important to express our upset emotions to the Lord. But we have to view our circumstances through the lens of God's grace: everything He does is without fault and is always right. Look at Psalm 30:2, "LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me." Rather than ignoring our pain or not sharing our anger with God (which is silly because He already knows), we should confess our anger and seek His healing.

When I was completely honest with God that night, what happened next took me by surprise: God showed up!

I can only explain it like this. Just as a mother runs to her screaming child, God, the Father, ran to me—His child. I didn't see Him with my eyes or touch Him with my hands, but I knew He was with me. It comforted me. This encounter with God became a turning point in my healing. I realized God understood my frailties and feelings ... and He was big enough to handle them.

If you're angry with God, tell Him. Lay your heart open before God. Acknowledge that even while you don't understand what's happened, you trust He can make everything work out.

It took me a while to see how my circumstances could be used for God's glory and my good. I didn't get my husband back, but I did get a closer relationship with God. A few years later, I re-married, had two more beautiful children, and began a ministry of comfort. God also healed my heart from the pain of loss and the scars anger left.

I'm glad I was honest with God when I cried out in anger to Him. You will be too.

Dear Lord, there is so much hurt and anger inside of me. I'm tired of living this way. I'm giving it to You to heal my hurt. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Happy Saturday

Saying Yes to God

Lysa TerKeurst

"Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel ..." Ephesians 6:19 (NIV)

Have you ever had one of those amazing thoughts of something you want to do? Your heart beats wildly for a few minutes—or even a few days—and you think to yourself, I'm going to do this!

But then the reasons you can't start coming. They suit up, start marching, and aim their weapons of discouragement right at your heart. In the end, that amazing thought becomes a fleeting thought.

And you think to yourself, yeah, it was a dumb idea. Then, as quickly as the stir of passion started, it fades. Too many of us live in the depressing, washed-out shades of a thousand faded passions that might have been.

Because we're afraid.

We'd rather stay safe and under the radar than go big and possibly flop.

But every now and then someone rare comes along. They would rather die than say, "I wish I would have ..." Instead, they grit their teeth, lift their raw souls to God, and scream above all the naysayers, "I will! With God, I will!"

That's my pastor.

I have never seen someone so willing to FEARLESSLY make known the mystery of the gospel. He walks, talks, eats, sleeps, and breathes Ephesians 6:19, "Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel ..."

My pastor had a crazy thought fly into his brain to do an old-school revival for 12 nights in a row. A revival that wouldn't be about one church and one preacher, but would be about THE CHURCH with many preachers. One that would be all about getting the hope of Jesus to the masses.

It was a good idea. But it was a crazy idea. What about the expense? What if it burned out the staff? Would people really show up for all 12 nights? So many questions begged the idea to just fade away.

But my pastor didn't let it fade. He didn't let it die. He ignited it. Not because he didn't feel the pull of fear, but rather because he pressed into God and chose to be unafraid.

This crazy thought turned into an amazing reality—a full-blown revival. Twelve straight nights. Twelve amazing messages. Twelve passionate preachers. One awe-inspiring purpose—to fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.

My husband and I had the privilege to attend much of this revival in person. And though I'm a woman of many words, I can't possibly begin to describe what God did.

There was an igniting of souls that happened and extended all across the globe. People came to know Jesus. People got baptized. People found hope again. And people saw what can happen when one person dares to say, "I'm going to say yes to God's wild invitation. I'm going to do this!"

You may be thinking, my yes can't affect others like this. I don't have that kind of influence. But we cannot even begin to understand the plans God has for us. There is always a far-reaching ripple effect when a woman says yes to God. We don't have to see the spread of the influence to know it's there. The power of saying yes to God is beyond anything we could ever imagine.

Dear Lord, thank You for the examples of great men and women You have placed in our lives. May we humble ourselves as we learn from their courage to say yes to Your call. Give me the strength and courage necessary to take that next step in Your will for me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Happy Friday

Hello Readers,
     Well I was surprised when I checked the blog Thursday night, Thursday's Devotional had not been posted... In my haste Wednesday night, I failed to set the post time to 12:30AM, it was set to post at 9:57PM...
     Friday's Devotional was set to post at 10PM... That has been corrected...
Happy Reading,
Richard 

Our Heart's Desire

 Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him. - Psalm 126:5-6

 "Prayer is not preparation for doing the work of God; prayer is the work of God."  I wrote this down and have given it a good deal of thought.  prayerful thought! thank you, Lord!

The apostle Paul prayed, "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved" (Romans 10:1). Paul's heart desire led him to pray.

Perhaps you know someone you would like to see come to salvation in Christ. One of the first steps you can take in bringing that desire to reality is to pray. However, there's more to prayer than walking into God's office and dropping a memo into His in-basket. The context of Paul's prayer is that it grew out of a deep inner longing. In Romans 9:2, Paul said of his desire for his people's salvation: "I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart."

Most of us don't have much trouble coming to God with a heart full of deep personal concerns--work, finances, relationships. But are we just as burdened for others? Does their salvation weigh as heavily on our minds and hearts as the material things we think we need?

How can we get the same kind of heart as the apostle Paul? The only way I know is to spend time with Jesus Christ, who was moved with compassion toward people. When Jesus looked at the city of Jerusalem, He wept. The closer we walk with Christ in our life of daily discipleship, the deeper our desires will grow in prayer for others.

Prayer
     Lord, as I spend time with You in prayer, give me a heart like Yours for the lost. Amen.

Prayer is sharing our hearts with God, not just reciting a list of people and things for Him to bless. 

Daily Smile:

A guy drove to the beach and parked his car close to the water's edge - not realizing it was Low Tide - then he went for a long hike up into the mountains. During his excursion, High Tide came and then receded - completely submersing his car for a period of time in the process. When he finally returned to his car - he became very concerned when he found out that he had Tuna in his Mercury!

Happy Thursday

Walking in the Word

I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being. - Ephesians 3:16

A recent magazine article dealt with our society's growing trend of making celebrities of people involved in criminal or immoral activity. But it really isn't anything new.

Consider life in the time of the prophet Micah. The Bible tells us the land was filled with idolatry, covetousness, oppression, and contempt for the Word of God. The spiritual and political leaders abused their power, leading the people down the path of destruction. There were also false prophets who enjoyed celebrity status as they said that nothing would come of all the evil in their society (see Micah 2:6).

Micah stepped forward with a clear warning from God. Judgment was coming for all who defied the Lord. He also gave a word of comfort to the faithful people of God. Micah 2:12 records God's promise of restoration: "I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob; I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture; the place will throng with people."

How we need to give this word of mercy to hurting and helpless people! I have a friend who went through a time of deep disappointment and hurt. She could hardly hold up her head when she walked. At her lowest point, a friend began praying with her and sharing the Scriptures. Weeks passed, and the Word and prayer began to have their effect. She emerged from her ordeal revived in spirit, with a new sparkle in her eye.

Do you know someone who needs comfort--prayer and a thought from the Word of God? Just like Micah, God can use you to speak boldly and compassionately in His name.

Prayer

Lord, give me a mouth that speaks "only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs." (from Ephesians 4:29) Amen.

To Ponder

No matter how dark our circumstances, God's Word can light our way. 

Daily Smile:

Tech Support: "I need you to right-click on the Open Desktop." 

Customer: "Ok." 

Tech Support: "Did you get a pop-up menu?"Customer: "No." 

Tech Support: "Ok. Right click again. Do you see a pop-up menu?" 

Customer: "No." 

Tech Support: "Ok, sir. Can you tell me what you have done up until this point?" 

Customer: "Sure, you told me to write 'click' and I wrote click'."

Happy Wednesday

Afraid to Turn the Next Corner

Lysa TerKeurst

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8 (ESV)

You know how some people love the thrill of being surprised? They love surprise parties. They would love to show up at work one day and be told they are actually going on a surprise vacation and be whisked from their desk to paradise in just a few hours.

They would love to have one of those makeover shows pop up at their house with a film crew and be told they're getting a whole new wardrobe.

Surprises feel thrilling to them. Like the thrill some people get when a roller coaster ride they thought was over suddenly takes off again and starts doing upside down loops. They throw their hands in the air and embrace the thrill of the unknown.

They call that fun.

I don't.

I love a good birthday party. But I don't want it to be surprised.

I love a good vacation. But I don't want it to be planned for me.

I love winning stuff and would freely accept a gift certificate for a new wardrobe. But I don't want anyone to pick out the clothes for me.

I like (not love) a roller coaster. I don't mind when it finally crests the lift hill and then careens downward like the bottom just fell out of the world. But I don't want it to take unexpected twists and turns.

This dislike of surprises can usually be managed with all the things I mentioned.

My friends know not to throw me a surprise party. No one is looking to give me a surprise vacation or new wardrobe. And before getting on a roller coaster, I thoroughly check it out and know its patterned route.

But life is different.

Life twists and turns and throws loops into those places we think will be flat and smooth. Because that's what life does. Sometimes it all just catches us off guard.

And at the end of the day, I guess that's why I don't like to be surprised. I can't stand to get caught off guard. It makes me feel exposed and afraid.

But slowly, I'm learning God can bring good out of feeling exposed and afraid.

That vulnerable place reminds us we have needs beyond what we can manage by ourselves. It reminds us we need God. Desperately. Completely.

And into that gap between what we can manage on our own and what we can't, that's right where faith steps in and has the opportunity to find deep roots. Roots that dig down and break up previously unearthed places within us.

Our faith doesn't just need to grow big, it needs to grow deep. Yes, we need deep faith roots.

I want to have faith like the believer that Jeremiah describes as, "... a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit" (Jeremiah 17:8).

Deep roots anchor us when surprises blow like strong, unruly winds.

Deep roots hold us steady during the storm that didn't show up on the radar.

Deep roots find nourishment when the surface gets awfully dry.

Deep roots allow for growth not previously possible.

Deep roots yield rich fruit.

So, I'm learning to not be so afraid of what might be around the next corner. Even if it does catch me off guard. I close my eyes and whisper ... "deeper still."

Dear Lord, deep roots of faith–that's what I need to grow today. Help me to trust in You above all else. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Daily Smile:

An honest man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman hit the roof, and the horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection.

As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger-printed, and photographed, and then placed in a holding cell.
After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'What Would Jesus Do?' bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car!"

In The News:

The Christian Post

Wednesday, Jul 10, 2013

Coalition Gathers at Capitol Hill to Argue for Military Religious Liberty Amendment

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  (Photo: The Christian Post)
  Ron Crews, Ch. (Col.) USAR (Ret.), executive director for the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, speaks in favor of a Religious Liberty Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) at the House Triangle in Washington, DC on July 9, 2013.

By Michael Gryboski

July 10, 2013|5:31 am

WASHINGTON – A coalition of conservative groups, activists, and Congressmen gathered Tuesday to advocate for an amendment to defense legislation that would secure religious liberty for military personnel.

The group held a press conference in favor of a Religious Liberty Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).  Those present at the House Triangle who spoke included Rep. John Fleming (R-La.), who sponsored the amendment; Ron Crews, Ch. (Col.) USAR (Ret.), executive director for the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty; and Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Jerry Boykin, executive vice president of the Family Research Council.

Tony Perkins, president of the FRC and one of the speakers, told The Christian Post that his organization's involvement in this effort stemmed from personal experience.  "It goes back to when I was disinvited to speak at the Andrews Air Force Base because of my religious beliefs on marriage," said Perkins.
"Then we started getting reports as we spoke out on that, those incidents of intolerance, we began to get calls from other members of the military."

Perkins also told CP that he felt the amendment to the NDAA had the chance to be passed, even with the stated opposition from the White House.

"I think it has a very good chance," said Perkins, who added that the censorship of religious expression is "not speculation" and "not theoretical," but "very real."

Groups supporting the amendment who were present at the conference included the Center for Security Policy, Judicial Watch, and the Media Research Center.

FRC passed out a report titled "A Clear and Present Danger: The Threat to Religious Liberty in the Military," which contained a list of alleged incidents of religious discrimination largely aimed at Christians in the United States Armed Forces.  These incidents included the Army removing a cross from a chapel in January, the Air Force removing "God" from a unit's logo, and the Walter Reed Medical Center banning Bibles in September 2011.

As the press conference was getting started, an individual passed out a two-sided handout that was meant to be a rebuttal to the FRC's "alarmism" on the topic.  It drew from two online articles written in response to the FRC report, one by the Military Association of Atheists & Freethinkers and another by the Forum on the Military Chaplaincy.

Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Jerry Boykin, executive vice president of FRC, explained in a statement the purpose of the press conference and its support for the amendment to the NDAA.  "We must do all we can to ensure that our servicemembers have the right to practice the very freedoms that they risk their lives to defend," said Boykin.

"We will encourage legislation to protect the religious liberty of military members, and we will do all we can to inform the American public about the attacks on religious liberty in the military."

Crews, himself an experienced chaplain and presently a chaplain endorser, told those at the House Triangle that the amendment will provide "real clear directions" on religious liberty matters in the military.

"We believe that those who are wearing the uniform, those who are putting their lives on the line to protect the religious liberties of all Americans should not themselves have to give up those religious liberties that they are willing to die for," said Crews.

While speakers at the conference voiced their support for the NDAA amendment and spoke of concern about religious freedom in the military, others were more critical.  Simon Brown, communications associate for the Americans United for Separation of Church and State, recently argued that religious conservatives are "crying wolf" over the issue of religious liberty in the military.

In a May entry on Americans United's blog "Wall of Separation," Brown wrote that the claims of religious discrimination are exaggerated and based off of bad information.  "The military may be looking to curb aggressive and inappropriate proselytizing, and rightfully so," wrote Brown.

"But at this moment, there is no evidence to suggest that simply expressing one's religious beliefs would lead to any sort of punishment."

If any religious bias exists, argued Dr. James Parco in a position paper for the secular group the Center for Inquiry, it is in favor of Fundamentalist Christianity.  "In light of increasing religious fundamentalism within the ranks, coupled with a lack of social and political will to affect change, the cultural reticence to hold commanders accountable for inappropriate behavior remains an obstacle," wrote Parco.

Rep. Fleming's Religious Liberty Amendment has a companion amendment being sponsored by Senator Mike Lee of Utah. Both amendments have passed their respective Armed Services Committees.

Source URL : http://www.christianpost.com/news/coalition-gathers-at-capitol-hill-to-argue-for-military-religious-liberty-amendment-99699/ 

 

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