Michael K. Reynolds's Blog
January 10, 2021
How To Untie That Knot In Your Stomach
Worried? Concerned? Things not going your way?
Is your stomach knotted up by the roller coaster of life? These days, who can blame you? There is so much uncertainty, bad news abounds, relationships are strained and depression is rampant in our society.
So we find ourselves in bed at night, staring up at the fan spinning in the shadows of our room and wondering: “How will I ever get through this?”
Despairing.
How will the bills get paid? What if I’m the one they choose to lay off? How will I meet payroll this week? Can this marriage be salvaged? Will my kids be okay? What will the doctor’s tests say?
And then we drink full measures of hopelessness, the freely poured cocktail of the tormentor of our soul.
How do we dig out of this hole? How do we untie this knot in our stomach?
The answer lies in a Bible story many of us learned as children in Sunday School but somehow forgot as adults.
It’s the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These were the three young men in ancient Babylon who were thrown into a blazing furnace because they refused to renounce their sole fidelity to God.
Their response to the most dire of circumstances is a model for us in our times of duress:
Surrendering Our Circumstances To God
The three men were given the opportunity to avoid the pain of their circumstances. All they needed to do was to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar and his idols. Instead, they answered with boldness:
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.
Daniel 3:16-17
Although we often fool ourselves in believing we’re the framers of our own destiny, the reality is ultimately we can’t control our circumstances.
But we can choose our response.
If we have a knot in our stomach, we need to treat it as a warning signal of an under-reliance on God. A questioning of His plan for our life. We need to remove our clammy hands from the driving wheel and trust our circumstances with Him.
Keeping Circumstances In Perspective
The amazing part of this story of these three men of God is what comes next. Not only did they trust God for the results of their actions, but they went further by acknowledging that in the big picture their circumstances didn’t matter!
But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Daniel 3:18
They weren’t looking for an exchange of favors with God. Some type of Quid Pro Quo. The three men pledged devotion to Him regardless of the outcome.
When we focus on the greatness of God, our troubles become insignificant. Fixing our eyes on Jesus fixes our anxiety.
Embrace The Blessings
So many of us pray for relief from our problems and pain. And we’re encouraged by Scripture to do so. However; we must not be so obsessed with fleeing hardship that we end up tossing away the rose with the thorns.
Here’s what happened as a result of the stand these three men made in the name of God:
Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.
Daniel 3:28
The mighty king of Babylon was able to see God glorified through their faith. They provided a great testimony to not only him, but to an entire nation.
Few things express faith more powerfully than quiet confidence in God through the midst of great storms.
How do you respond to the high winds of life? Panic? Depression? Or do people marvel at your faith?
We must not be discouraged by the challenges of life, but instead be lifted by God’s presence through all challenges.
The ultimate reward for each of us during difficult circumstances is our return to closeness with God. It’s in our poverty of circumstances when we are best reminded we are not in control, when we are most attune to God’s teaching and when we are most open to His shaping of our character.
As Believers, ours is a life of victory. We know how the story ends. Which means worry is the greatest of lies.
In difficult times, our prayer should not only be for deliverance, but also for a heart of celebration. For the optimist expects clouds to have a silver lining, but the faithful one simply celebrates the maker of the clouds.
It isn’t easy. In fact it’s the great struggle of our faith.
But once we learn to appreciate the gift of life’s challenges, there remain no obstacles, no great burdens and all that is before us, are roads paved with joy.
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December 10, 2020
The Bear That Ate Your Marriage
For those of us who are married, our most important ministry is also the closest to home.
We can feed the poor like Mother Theresa, preach like Billy Graham and write more Christian chart toppers than Third Day, but if we haven’t been faithful in the little things of ministering to the one God gave us, we’ve missed our main calling.
Marriage is the Alpha and the Omega of the Bible. It’s the first and the last.
There aren’t too many verses between page one and the marriage of Adam and Eve. And if you flip to the back of your Bible you’ll see it merrily concludes with the marriage of Christ to His church.
It’s no wonder an institution so important to God would be under continual attack by culture, laziness, selfishness and lust. The enemy wants to make a mockery of matrimony because if you break this bond, the damage reverberates for many generations.
The biggest lie we fall prey to is that the enemy is our hiking partner. Instead, we must always beware the bear.
To avoid waking up to warm breath coming out of a moist muzzle, we need to keep our marriage survival skills in tip top shape. Here are some critical bear proof strategies for our marriages:
Study the Map
There is no greater guide to a healthy marriage than the one provided through Scripture. Studies show that couples who study the Word and pray together have radically improved odds of enjoying a vibrant, lasting marriage. Joining a Bible study with other couples will not only help you realize this benefit, but it will also provide encouragement, shared wisdom and accountability. Make this a priority in your marriage and you’ll take your relationship to the highest elevations.
Stick Together
Your strength is togetherness. The danger comes from isolation where you are at the greatest risk of bear attacks. Many marriages suffer from the “drift,” that slow pull that results in separate lives. Oneness takes an intentional, unrelenting effort. It means scheduling time together, prioritizing intimacy and always supporting each other even in times of dwindling supplies and bad weather.
Pack Light
When you’ve got a predator lurking in the shadows you need to always be on the alert and prepared for action. The last thing you need is to have your backpack loaded up with marital unforgiveness. Be willing to let the little things go and to have the courage to resolve the larger issues when they first come to light. The Bible teaches us to never let the sun set on our anger with each another and this is a discipline that will pay great dividends.
Never Get Off Of The Trail
Don’t take your eyes off of the prize. When you start chasing the rabbits of the world such as money, careers and possessions you’ll quickly find yourself off the trail and in the weeds. Always keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and follow the path of righteousness.
Don’t Feed The Bears
Any backpacker worth the dirt they tread upon knows you don’t park your sleeping bag next to where you clean the fish. In Genesis, when Joseph was lured by Potiphar’s wife, he didn’t hang around to demonstrate his superior willpower, he fled the scene. Shakespeare’s great comedic character Falstaff was spot on when he said, “Discretion is the greatest part of valor.” Never put yourself in a situation where you’re attracting danger. Never allow yourself to fall victim to pornography, emotional affairs or addictions. Create boundaries for yourself in your marriage which won’t allow you to get anywhere near the bears.
Keep The Fire Burning
Don’t allow your relationship to ever lose its warmth. Keep stoking the fire with date nights, vibrant conversation, creativity, laughter and renewed energy. In the busyness of our lives it’s too easy for the flames to die down to complacency and for the chill to set in. If you want to keep the bears at bay, and be a beacon of light for other marriages, you’ll invest much of your time in gathering kindling and chopping wood.
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The post The Bear That Ate Your Marriage first appeared on Michael K Reynolds.
November 18, 2020
The Easiest Way To Thank God
A spirit of contentment is one of the purest expressions of gratitude we can give God for all He provides.
So what’s with all of the long faces?
The answer is we are part of a culture that celebrates discontentment.
We package it in consumer friendly names like ambition, drive and even inspirational ones like purpose-filled.
Everywhere images flood telling us what we need: a smoother ride, a flatter tummy, a dream vacation, a better spouse. We’re always looking into the mirror or over our shoulder, in the chance we just might be missing out.
There is nothing wrong with the pursuit of dreams, a longing to grow or a yearning to reach farther.
That is, unless it is fueled by a contempt for what we have today.
We already live in the land of milk and honey, the gift of God to his people. The fact we choose to speed by it all with our windows up and tinted is our choice, and one that leads to disappointment and ultimately depression.
It’s no wonder we are so dissatisfied. Feeling run down. Dispirited. Because we’ve fallen prey to the belief that too much is not enough.
The glass isn’t half empty or half full, it’s overflowing. The blessings of each and every day are so prevalent in our lives they could never be numbered.
Being rich in spirit has nothing to do with material wealth. Whether we are poor, rich or in between we each have an equal capacity for contentment.
The happiest people, the strongest marriages and families; they all have learned and practice the secret of contentment.
As it’s been said, it’s not about having what we want, it’s about wanting what we have. And it’s in the attitude of celebration that we honor and glorify the Giver of all gifts.
So, let us drink joyfully from the chalice of today. Thanking God has never been so easy.
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October 24, 2020
A Difficult Bend In The Road
Ten years ago I stared into the eyes of the one of the darkest periods of my life.
It was the perfect storm of financial, career and family crisis. It had been years in the making. An enemy lurking on the horizon.
Many issues that had been delayed, postponed and dealt with for too long with eyes closed hoping they would go away rose to the forefront and demanded to be confronted.
The skies were falling and the bleakness of hopelessness was as thick as coastal fog.
“Could this really be happening to us? Why do things seem so unfair?”
Praise God…at the time, our family and friends came to us with hearts of rescue with outstretched hands. They walked with us through the thorny pathways.
But, the pain was real. The sleepless nights. The pressing from all around.
What our family didn’t know at the time was these difficult waters were to be one of the most wonderful, transformational times of our lives. We were being prepared by a loving Father for blessings beyond belief.
A deeper reliance on God. The joy of humility. A love of contentment. Freedom from issues of bondage. A profound compassion for others, a softening of our hearts. A closeness of family we had never fully experienced.
We had thought all hope was lost. What we didn’t know is it was merely a difficult bend in the road.
And just as was the case with those well-meaning friends of Job, those close to us showered us with advice, suggestions for corrections, reasons for our challenges and suffering.
They loved us so much they wanted us to be fixed right away.
What they didn’t know was it was merely a difficult bend in the road.
We listened to their advice and those of so many others. We prayed through their suggestions including some which were of the world. But always when we did, we heard an affirming voice, “Trust me and do it My way.”
Many years removed, and standing from the ledge looking back on the path below, it’s a beautiful spectacle from this perspective. The perfection of God’s plan in the lives of my family is so clear and amazing.
“Trust me and do it My way.”
What we thought was a disaster…was merely a difficult bend in the road.
We needed to stay the course. Hunker down. Hear His voice and keep the faith. From this viewpoint it’s so clear to see the mistakes that would have been made if we had strayed far, jumped off our chosen path.
Yes…there were many lessons. Many corrections. But even in the depth of despair, the voice was clear.
“Trust me and do it My way.”
Are you in that place now? Does life seem unfair, impossible and hope is no where to be seen? Maybe you do have to make serious changes. Radical departures from how you’ve been approaching things. You may be tempted to abandon the faithful life.
But, instead seek God in all you do because He has your answers.
Because, it may be you’re just encountering a difficult bend in the road.
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September 22, 2020
What Has God Done For You Lately?
What has God done for you lately? What has God done for me lately?
Have you ever realized that many of our complaints today are about things we once fervently prayed for in the past? Our answered prayers have become today’s whine.
I have. And I am ashamed.
For instance.
PAST PRAYER: Lord, please help us buy this house.
TODAY’S WHINE: A house that has dropped fifty percent in value with the market crash took ten years to recover its value.
TRUTH: This precious home gave our family shelter from the storms for many years and it’s worth WAY more than when we bought it.
PAST PRAYER: Help me start a business of my own.
TODAY’S WHINE: Why do I have to work so late on these projects?
TRUTH: The business has provided for my family for more than twenty years.
PAST PRAYER: Please help me land a book publishing contract.
TODAY’S WHINE: Seemingly impossible writing deadlines.
TRUTH: Many other writers would do anything to have my “problems”.
PAST PRAYER: Please help me buy a car that will last a long time.
TODAY’S WHINE: I drive a car that is twelve years old.
TRUTH: This amazing car has been mostly trouble-free for twelve years.
PAST PRAYER: Lord, please keep these babies healthy.
TODAY’S WHINE: Kids in college are expensive!
TRUTH: They have been one of the great joys of my life.
PAST PRAYER: Lord, please encourage this precious woman to say “Yes”.
TODAY’S WHINE: A wife who questions some of my plans.
TRUTH: What bothers me most is she’s RIGHT. My bride is my most trusted adviser.
So the better question is this: Why does God do ANYTHING for me lately?
There are SO many others who have so much less than I do, and bear it with a smile.
Paul wrote it beautifully when he shared:
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.
But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
1 Tim 6: 6-10
Piercing myself with many griefs? I am guilty as charged. Father, please forgive me. Give me a thankful heart for every breath I breathe.
What about you? What has God done for you lately?
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August 8, 2020
The Healing Power Of Rain
I fought the lawn and the lawn won.
This is a popular refrain of mine each year as I engage in my annually recurring epic battle of man versus blade in my yard.
If you really want to see my beloved wife do a full eye roll, you merely need to ask her about my lawn.
“Oh dear, don’t get me started,” you might hear her say.
The challenge is that our lawn and sprinkler system was never installed properly. There are bumps and uneven spots in the ground which means some areas get more water than others. On top of this, despite every effort known to mankind, the sprinklers never fully blanket the entire yard. You make an adjustment and it solves one brown spot while creating another.
The only true fix would be to completely tear up the yard and start over again, something which is really not an option for us.
Because of this I spend many of my spare moments in the backyard with the garden hose in my hand trying to chase away the brown spots and patches that are so prevalent, especially during our high desert summers which commonly range in the 90’s and 100’s.
I admit I am passionate…perhaps even compulsive…about the “greening” of life, the vibrant expression of happiness expressed by a well coiffured and verdant lawn. For me, there is great joy in sitting on my back porch and enjoying the “green frosting” of a healthy yard.
But it’s an incredible drain of time, energy and emotion. And there are ALWAYS brown spots.
Which is all background for sharing with you God’s sweet, precious lesson awaiting me the other morning. The day before we had a most uncommon day for our region–a full, steady flow of rain. Even that morning it was still misty and moist in the air.
As I sat in the backyard, reveling in the musty smells of the recent rainfall, I noticed a glorious site–a perfectly green and healthy lawn.
It was an instant reminder of how much greater God’s ways are than my own.
A year ago, I spent so many days laboring to patch the brown spots of my own life, the garden hose in one hand, a look of fear and frustration expressed in my forehead.
This year, God has me in such a precious time of being in His Word, re-centering my life around His plans for me and my family.
I’ve been renewed by the healing power of His rain in every aspect of my day. And it has me thirsting for more, the living waters of His presence.
Are you feeling dry? Wishing for more in your life?
Perhaps all that is needed is a little rain.
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July 17, 2020
Breathe
Living life at the speed of sound? Experiencing the full tug of the merry-go-round as your fingers lose their grip?
Do you believe if you could only go a little faster, find a little more time, lift a little harder or stretch a little farther…it will all work out? Really? How is that working for you?
Here’s a simple piece of advice:
Breathe.
Did you know God provides us with about 17,280 breaths each day? For the most part we need each and every one of them. They are a gift we often take for granted, among so many we receive daily.
But we’re not talking about that kind of breathing.
We’re talking about the eternally uplifting, never disappointing and always dependable type of breathing.
Breathe.
It’s the kind of breathing that is optional. We choose to breathe. How?
Taking a moment to look at things from an eternal perspective. Making peace with God. Praying. Reading our Bible. Spending quiet time in His presence. Centering our thoughts around those things which truly matter.
Have you forgotten to breathe? Could this be why your shoulders are wearying from the weight of the world?
There is power in this breathing. It is how all of the earth was formed.
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
Psalm 33:6
Don’t even know how to breathe? Where to start? Everything is just too much of a mess and beyond repair? No need to worry. A help line is already available to us, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week…promised to us by Jesus himself.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
John 14:15-31
The Greek word pneuma translated as Spirit so often in the Bible also means wind and breath. It is our breath of life, more essential than oxygen itself.
When we are deprived of our time with God focusing on our spiritual nature we become weakened. Confused. Disoriented.
Haven’t the strength to pray? It’s not necessary.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
Rom 8:26
Think spending time in the Bible is merely about being obedient? Fulfilling a tedious task? Think again. There is power in the Word. It’s a breath of fresh air.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Tim 3:16-17
It’s the air we need. The air we breathe. Because we are not of this world.
in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Rom 8:4
All of the answers we seek. Just a breath away.
For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
1 Cor. 2:11
Wisdom abounding. Relief awaiting. The sweet joy of contentment at our finger tips.
Breathe.
It’s like a deep, full breath of crisp mountain air from atop the highest peak. It’s refreshing. Invigorating. An incredible soul massage. Hitting the daily reset button in the presence of our Maker.
So breathe. Maybe not 17,280 times. Perhaps just a few times in your day. Or at least once.
Even better. How about right now?
Breathe.
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June 9, 2020
How An Idiot Almost Died On Mount Whitney
It’s the tallest peak in the Continental United States at 14,505 feet and the trail to the summit offers a spectacular ascent through Sierra Nevada grandeur.
Majestic granite cathedrals rise to the sky as you traverse through scenery alternating with fern-strewn pathways and monstrous boulders scattered just as marbles shot by God’s fingers.
I was on assignment, working an outdoor story for the newspaper I was writing for at the time. My friends and I woke at 3 a.m. to set out early after only arriving at our motel room the night before at midnight.
It didn’t matter. We were all as fit as mountain goats and wanted to throw our youth at the Behemoth that stood in the way of our triumph.
Everything started off so wonderfully. We were merrily set upon our plan and reveling in our own strength, passing others with arrogance as if they were merely broken tree branches and sagebrush in the way.
That is, until I started to slowly fall behind the herd, the limping antelope, as a mysterious lion approached in the distance.
It turns out 50 percent of the human race are susceptible to altitude sickness and most don’t discover this until they reach 12,000 feet.
Nearly precisely at this point of the journey I discovered I was part of the unfortunate few. Not only was I among those who suffer from altitude sickness…but I was one of those who get it bad.
Altitude sickness is literally a swelling of the brain…nothing to be taken lightly, and by the time I was 1,000 feet short of the summit, I was reduced to traveling ten feet at time, looking like a drunk sailor after an extended shore leave.
My head pulsed. I was chilled. My breathing was heavy. My vision blurred. But…I pressed on. Because I had something to prove.
By the time I got to the top, I was so nauseous I merely took one look to the left and then one glance to the right…and said, “I’m good.”
Little did I know how close I was to dying on that mountain. It was only later I learned I was perhaps moments away from suffering a fatal high altitude cerebral edema.
But there was one thing I learned right away at the peak. Reversing the errors of my ways was glorious.
Even after only descending 500 feet, I began to feel much better. Then after another 2,000 feet, my headache faded and I was springing back to life. By the time I had descended 4,000 feet below I was born again and was literally RUNNING down the hill.
It was a poor choice. For the mere bragging right of getting what I wanted at the moment, I risked the opportunity to ever have met my eventual wife, to forego the joy brought on by my future children.
Yet, despite my stupidity, the trip down the mountain provided the ultimate example of God’s forgiveness. No matter how idiotic I can be, and how stubbornly I press onward along the wrong path, healing is just a matter of admitting my mistake, and changing my course.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve got lost in the weeds of many poor choices in my life. Yet through it all, the exhilaration of God’s incredible, inexplicable forgiveness was always there for me.
Are you in a place you shouldn’t be, heading on a course you know isn’t for you?
It’s never too late to make things right. To feel the revitalizing power of reconciliation with God. It is like being born again. Feeling whole, clean and healthy.
There is no mountain He can’t bring you safely down from, there is no healing beyond the strength of His hands.
Forgiveness and a new, life-filled trail awaits you. Are you ready to ask for it?
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May 2, 2020
Do Christians Belong In A Zoo?
Did you know you’re being watched?
Your every move. Your every word. Whether you like it or not you’re being measured, scrutinized and analyzed. They are looking for evidence, something…anything to condemn you as a hypocrite and discredit all you believe.
If you are a Christian you live in a zoo.
What you eat. What you drink. How you treat your spouse and kids. How you spend your time and money. Are you happy or are you sad?
You are a source of tremendous curiosity. After all you are an oddity, something to behold.
Can a family really give ten percent of their money and still pay their bills? Can a man be faithful to his wife and not be bored? Would somebody really give up their Sunday mornings and still have a life? Could somebody surrender their life to God and still be free?
They will poke at you. Prod at you. Try to get you to curse, or get drunk or join in the gossip. Your witness is so fragile, so easily destroyed.
How will you respond? With anger? Will you hide in the shadows? Deny who you are? Try to get out of the spotlight and just blend in?
Or will they see someone flawed? Broken. Forgiven and willing to forgive.
When they look into your eyes will they see the bruising of the world has worn you down and left you defeated? Or will they see a joy which confounds all understanding? A spirit drawn from an unyielding strength?
Because, if you are a Christian you live in a zoo.
For God has made you delightfully unique for all of the world to see His glory shine through you. Different shapes, sizes, colors, talents and circumstances, but infinitely loved all the same.
They want to observe and know. Is there something special about your life or is it as empty as theirs? Do you have the answer to the deep yearning in their hearts?
For you are a living testimony. An example of the power of God to transform and renew in magnificent ways. A walking, breathing miracle.
And when they come to watch, will you be willing to share God’s precious work in your life with openness, humility and authenticity? Will you greet their curiosity with hospitality, grace and kindness?
Because, if you are a Christian you live in a zoo.
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April 25, 2020
The Evangelism Secret Of William Shakespeare
All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
Thus spake the melancholy Jaques in As You Like It, which began one of literature’s most famous monologues in one of William Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies.
In his speech exploring the seven stages of life from infancy to old age Jacques continues his words until he arrives at his bleak description of how it all ends:
Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.
As Believers, we know the “last scene” is not “sans everything” but instead is one of glory and eternal celebration. But, how do we share this with a world so hostile to the Truth?
Is it with a more powerful sound system? Brighter costumes? More elaborate stages?
No. We often complicate evangelism into some impossible task, either requiring supreme gifting or deep theological expertise.
When it’s actually quite simple. All we need to do is remove our masks and stop acting.
All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
Except for those living in the Truth.
This mad, mad world of greed, debauchery, corruption and the rampant worshiping of idols provides all of the contrast we would ever need to really stand out. To share our faith we don’t have to scream louder, pound tables or juggle flaming torches on rhinestone bejeweled unicycles.
We just need to be REAL. Living God’s will for us openly, quietly and without shame or compromise.
…make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
1 Thess 4:11b-12
As Bruce Wilkinson once shared, none of this means we’re better, it means we’re different.
Blessed. With both victories and challenges. And it’s in our times of difficulty when the beacon of our faith will shine brightest. Because, we’ll be expected to stumble, to fall and to don our mask again.
But hear this. Few things express faith more powerfully than quiet confidence in God through the midst of great storms.
Truth speaks for itself. If we’re willing to live it, embrace it, and trust in it during all times.
Quietly. Humbly. Yet for all of the world to see.
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