Eric Suddoth's Blog, page 40

Dance

[image error]The other evening I was talking with some friends and the question arose, “If you found out you were dying would you have done today differently?” People mentioned not working or going a shopping spree to buy a little happy, or taking time to tell friends and family how much they meant to them. We are told to live everyday like it’s our last, yet we never do. Sadly we have obligations so blowing off work isn’t an option and dwindling your savings account on a once in a lifetime purchase isn’t always feasible, but why don’t we tell our loved ones our true feelings? Why do we assume they know? Why not just say it anyways even if they do know?

It’s a little awkward going into Hallmark greeting card mode with our hearts on our sleeve. It’s that vulnerability of spilling our guts that if something happened in the next minute I want you to know how much you mean to me. It doesn’t have to be a romantic confession on unrequited love, but a heartening truth that you mean the world to me. When’s the last time you opened yourself to that kind of heart exposing bonding? Or let’s make it easier, when’s the last time you complimented someone for no other reason than just to compliment them?

It’s sad, we are not guaranteed the car ride home, I’m not even guaranteed time to finish this post. We are not guaranteed our next breath, yet we waste our breaths on useless words and conceal our true feelings like an asthma attack would happen if we spoke words of life to another. You can break through that barrier. You can. If not, you can live your life assuming while they are assuming something else.

Earlier tonight I went to a wedding. I witnessed this loving pair of individuals end as two separate people and begin new as one married couple. I then watched their excitement in the reception surrounded by their loved ones. It was a party just for them. To celebrate! It’s like they were living this one day as though it was their last with smiles and tears, goofy dance moves and belly laughs. They waved farewell to the life of singleness and buried that old life. Then they danced.

When’s the last time you danced with loved ones just because you were thrilled to have them by your side? Sadly, I don’t see us dancing everyday. I usually don’t see us dancing very often.

May we dance not just on special occasions, but may we live in a way that everyday is an occasion to dance. For everyday is a day we get to live together in community. It may not be your wedding day, but it’s still a day in which you should celebrate.

You may not get another one tomorrow.

I don’t usually ask for any follow through, but this time I am. Tell someone how amazing they are. Tell a friend you changed my life when you befriended me. Tell a co worker that you mean more to me than a means for a paycheck. Tell someone that you may think you are just one person in this world, but to me, to me you mean the world.

If we are vulnerable with our love by giving love and grace freely, who knows, it may surprise you when they turn it back to you.

May you always remember you are incredibly, deeply, sacrificially loved beyond what you could ever fathom. He loves you so much! If that’s not a reason to dance, well, I don’t know what is. But if you don’t want to dance alone, grab someone and tell them the reason you are dancing. They may not know how much they are loved as well.

Peace

Example

[image error]I like examples. In school when the teacher said to read a chapter and be ready to discuss it, I hated it. My mind may have been able to read the words, but I never fully understood the concepts until I witnessed an example. Whether it be math, science, or accounting, I needed to see a problem and how it was resolved before I could grasp the underlying context. My mind is still very visual. Many times when people are reading a passage out loud I have to close my eyes to concentrate on the words being said. I know people who can read an instructional book and put together a chair or change a flat tire, but I need to see steps, examine a diagram or watch a video before I can do most new things.

I feel many people are like me. People like examples.

So in your life what example are you living?

When people watch your life, and it’s true that people are watching, what example are you living? Does your life show a solution to a problem or is your life just words being said with no proof through your actions? The saying is true that you got to walk the walk if you talk the talk. Whatever walk you are walking or talk you are talking tomorrow is a new day to start fresh. We are all living examples of something. The question once again is what example are you living. Or a new question, what example do you want to live?

Every day we are faced with a decision. Live a good example or live a bad example. It’s your decision which example you show.

May we choose to live in a way that shows clarity and understanding, love and compassion, respect and goodwill. May we live in such a way that those who observe our actions will walk away with some comprehension of our faith. May our examples point only to Him.

Race

[image error]Ready. Set. Go. In honor of the Kentucky Derby there was a 5k race that I volunteered at this morning. The steeplechase course was wet and muddy. Some runners ran without any hesitation even though their feet were sloshing around in their shoes. Others were more careful, not worrying about speed, but searching for the dry path to run and walk. I watched as the group of runners who were concerned with the puddles of mud were easily overtaken by runners who just ran through the water without any concern. The slow and steady tortoise doesn’t always win the race.

As a kid I was never the fastest. When we had races in annual school field days or in the gym I would never win, but I would never lose either. I was always in the middle of the pact. Winning wasn’t the top priority because I knew I wasn’t the fastest. My goal was always just to finish. To cross the finish line. To say I did it. As years went on, after college, I would run and people would say I was fast. But did I really get faster or did the majority of adults stop running? I continued to run at my steady pace, but as my friends started becoming couch potatoes, it was easy to appear fast. My pace didn’t change, but theirs did. They may have stopped running, but life’s race continues.

So what race are you running?

Are you racing beside the Jones’s, trying to keep up with their towers of secret debt? Are you climbing the ladder of promotions, crawling over anyone who gets in your way? Are you hiking through the wilderness of envy, where green eyes and green thumbs grow rampant? Or are you spinning madly in your hamster wheel of being good enough – trying to find an ounce of self worth, a race against yourself? A race that is hard win.

It seems like with life’s races our main focus is the other runners. Not the race itself. This life shouldn’t be a daily competition of who’s the fastest, richest, prettiest, smartest, fittest, nicest. We shouldn’t compare ourselves to others best, because their best may be a fraudulent show. It’s easy to glam up your life – to hide the skeletons in locked closets or sweep up the messy past under an impressive ornate rug. It’s harder to show your real fully exposed self. But the thing is, we are all messy people with a messy life in need of a Fixer who can and will make things right.

Sometimes when we run life’s race, we don’t run to Him, but from Him. We think that we can hide our true intentions from Him. We believe we can outsmart the Wise One. We foolishly think that we can dart from His reaches. But He’s always within reach, if we know it or not.

May we run life’s race not as a competition of 1 against all but more like a team. We need the strengths of others when we are not feeling strong. We need the wisdom of others when we are not feeling sure. We need the friendship of others when we are feeling alone.

You can run the race alone and win, but how sad the victory party will be. Or you can run life’s race with a party, then every moment will be a celebration. Not just the finish line.

So, ready. Set. Go forth and run the race Christ is calling you to run. If you run with Him you will realize you are never alone. He will be with you always and most likely you will have a “cloud of witnesses” beside you, encouraging you, cheering you, praising you, lifting you up when you fall and carrying you when you cannot move. We are in this race together. I’m not going to win it, so if you want to run with me, I’ll be here – somewhere in the middle.

Peace

A Line in the Sand

[image error]First times are….many people probably have the same answer. Scary. It’s not like the feeling of being deathly afraid, but more of the uncertainty of the unknown. First dates cause butterflies of nervousness thinking that this could be the one. First days at a new school causes knots of easiness wondering if you’ll meet a bully or your new lifelong best friend. There are plenty firsts: births, plane rides, interviews, jobs, jumping off the high dive, singing in front of a crowd and the list could go on. These firsts could bring a chill of dread or a smile of accomplishment depending on the side of the line you are on. The about too’s or the have done’s. Ask any first time pregnant woman if they are nervous about their delivery date and they will probably shake their head nervously. Yet, ask them moments after the delivery and the fear passes as they snuggle their newborn. It’s funny how quickly fear fades like a morning fog once you’ve defeated it, yet it seems like a strong killer storm while you are in it.

Yesterday was my official first book reading. Doubt was whispering my name all day with what if’s and cannot’s. Yet now a day later, I wonder why I let that fear even have a second of my thought process. One second is one second too long when doubts are concerned. Because that one second can slowly stroll through every nook and cranny in your head, heart and soul and start to breed into a minute, an hour, a day or a lifetime. It’s sad how much power we give to our doubts, when God defeated death. If He can raise the dead, He is surely able to handle and defeat our doubts. But why do we not think that? Why is there a line in the sand where we tell God you can only come this far?

It’s funny really, we draw a line in the soft, pliable sand and tell God we got this, as He traced His finger in the Earth and carved out canyons, formed the oceans trenches, and created the cavernous playgrounds under earth. Who are we to tell God, I got this? Yet, we do it time and again without saying a word and giving Him a second thought. I heard someone say today, “Fear is a liar.” Yes, fear clings to our doubts and echoes the lies until we believe them to be gospel. Yet when we are believing the lies we cannot hear the real Good News or the true Gospel that tells us to “be strong and courageous” or “do not be afraid” or “anything is possible.” When we believe fear’s lies we cannot see any ray of hope in the shadowed valleys. Yet God is always there radiating His goodness and love, shining brighter than a billion stars.

May we open our eyes to see His Light. May we open our ears to hear His truth. May we open our hearts to believe His words because unlike fear, God is never a liar. Let’s erase the lines in the sand and allow God to do His mysterious ways through us. You may realize His ways are better than your wildest dreams.

Peace

Boat

[image error]Are you waiting for a miracle? Are you hoping for a miracle? Are you believing in a miracle? Why is it that anytime someone mentions miracles it always seems passive? Like all we do is lay around like hopeful frogs on a log until a gust of wind stirs the holy waters? Is our faith that passive?

The Holy Spirit is fully alive. Yet, sadly, we in America seldom tap into the power that Christ says is in us? Did we miss the boat? Are we missing something? And if we are missing that power, what else are we missing?

Is our cookie-cutter faith of worship songs and bible studies the type of faith that Jesus wants? Or are we just like the Pharisees knowing the right scripture verses to recite when a trial comes?

I hear stories of miracles exploding in Africa and Asia and it leaves me to wonder, what do they have that I don’t? Is it because they daily plea to God to give them their daily bread? Is my faith that I say is in God, really faith I have in myself? Am I an idol to myself?

I don’t know the answer. I wish I knew. I wish I could call on the name of Jesus to heal a sick love one or give half my sandwich to someone and watch it multiply. As I sit here and write this post my heart sinks because once again it seems that even though I say I have faith, doubt wins. Doubt convinces me that miracles can’t happen here like they do in other places. Doubt tells me that I must be in the wrong and so I lose my closeness to God. Doubt whispers so convincingly sometimes that it feels like a breath of heaven telling me the answer is no.

But what if the doubt is wrong?

I don’t recall a story in the New Testament when Paul tried to do something in Jesus’s name and failed? I don’t remember hearing the stories of Peter saying, “well, I tried,” and just walking away from a cripple on the side of the road. I don’t remember Jesus standing before a crowd and saying, “Nope, I’m not feeling it today. Let’s see if we can feel the spirit more tomorrow in Samaria.”

If Christ says we can do anything in His name, He means it.

Let us all believe it. Let’s cast out the doubts that it’s not possible. Let’s throw away the memories of past prayers that seemed to go no where. Let’s dive into the waters of endless possibilities and get on the boat! Who knows where it will sail to, but with just a little bit of faith anything is possible.

If a mustard seed of faith is needed, Spirit, give me just a tiny bit.

I’m ready to see your miracles.

I’m ready to see your miracles.

I’m ready.

I’m ready.

I’m ready.

Let’s be a little more active and much less passive. God didn’t tell us to go if we felt like it.

Peace

Serenity

[image error]April 15th – The tax deadline – passed last week. The hectic, chaotic, breakneck-fast-pace ended with a feeling of serenity last Tuesday morning. Don’t get me wrong, we are still busy working on all the extensions and other work put on the back burner during tax season. But Tuesday morning was nice – the calm after the storm. A thought hit me this evening as I was getting ready to leave work and change into my gym clothes. What if the moments we count ourselves blessed are actually the moments we overlook God the most? When everything is going good, when life is sunny with blue skies, when obstacles are a distant memory. What if we merely confuse our times of blessings for a lukewarm weather front of faith? Isn’t it better to be hot or cold, not the dreaded constant, invariable, stagnant plateau of Faith.

I heard Francis Chan say these words about a decade ago and they still bring a chill to my soul every time I recount them, I’m paraphrasing here, “If you can go a day without any struggles you should count the day wasted. Christ died so we could have the great comforter -the Holy Spirit – and when you lay your head on your pillow and notice you didn’t need his council, you should think of the day as a waste.”

I don’t know about you, but days when life is great, those are days I love. I love it when I wake up not stressed to the nth power. I love it when I don’t have to fret about what fire I’m going to need to put out. I love it when I feel like I can breathe a sigh, not because of relief but just because I wanted to breathe. But then I think, was I close to God on the good days? Was I talking to him throughout the day for a source of strength when I already felt strong enough on my own merit? Was I singing praises to him to find an eternal joy that this world cannot fathom because I was content with a smile I wore from a joke I heard on the radio. Did I even feel his loving touch in this blessed moment? Or did I confuse his tenderness with the peace of a lukewarm day?

I know God gives peace. I know God gives serenity. I know God can give us the best days and we can call it a blessing. But I sometimes wonder do we call it a blessing because God provided it or because we think we deserved it?

I don’t like climbing life’s mountains. They are scary, rough and painful, but the ones I have scaled I wouldn’t trade them. They taught me life’s lessons that a bible study couldn’t touch. They etched words on my heart that tattoos could never match.  They may have given me wounds, but my battle scars were mended by a Victor’s hand. Yes, the walls and obstacles may be overwhelming, but His Love is overwhelming as well. I would rather be consumed with His avalanche of grace than wading in a safe lukewarm pond.

May we see the moments of blessings as blessings from Him. May we lean closer to him as we stroll along the peaceful river. May that serenity cause us to draw closer to Him and not to ourself. It’s easy to overlook God in the peaceful moments. It’s easy to tune out a faith whisper when you are not searching. May we always search for the moments God is in…you will find He is in all of them.

Peace

Black Saturday

[image error]I had never heard what today is called.  I know there is Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Holy Friday and Easter Sunday, but I never knew what Saturday was called.

Holy Saturday, the Great Sabbath, Joyous Saturday, Easter Eve, but the best name I found is Black Saturday.

We often hear the stories of the Bible of this week for Jesus.  The triumphal entry on Sunday; the teaching, last supper, and betrayal on Thursday; the heart wrenching, painstakingly death Christ suffered on Friday and the glorious resurrection on Sunday.  But what happened on Saturday?  If you were one of his followers, his believers, his family and friends, what would you be doing today, a day after His death?

I sometimes wonder why this was left out of the Bible?  Did the writers think that this was the saddest day for all humanity?  Did they not want to remember what they were feeling?  Did they not want to recall the thoughts they were having?  This day, unlike any other is completely void of Jesus.  At least on Good Friday they still had maybe a little hope that he wasn’t really going to die.  Then on Sunday they were amazed that he was back.  But Saturday?  On Saturday there was probably no hope of Jesus being their savior.  

I wonder if they congregated together in one persons home and grieved together or did they feel betrayed for trusting in a liar and needed to be alone?  

I can picture Mary crying at the dining room table as her friends are trying to force her to eat something to keep her strength as James, Jesus’ doubting brother, mocks Jesus.  “Mom, I’ve been telling you for years that Jesus is a loser but you couldn’t see it.  Do you see it now?  Quit crying because he lied to you for 30 years.”  I can see the women hushing James, but inwardly agreeing with him.  I can see Mary setting emotionless, eyes dry from not have anymore tears to cry.

I can see Mary Magdalene still standing or sitting at the foot of the cross crying because she felt his healing.  She felt the power of his words.  I can see her trying to convince herself, “He healed me, right?  There is no other explanation, but he was something special, but was he not what I thought he was?  Was I just a pawn in his game of finding a weakling?  Once again, I’m left alone.  Once again, I’m left abandoned.  How many more times do I have to feel betrayed?”

What about Peter who said he loved Jesus enough to die, yet ran to the safe confines of denial.  “God!  What happened!  Oh, I’m so, so, sorry!  I deserve to die just like Judas!”

I can picture a few of the disciples organizing a plan to attack the guards who just killed their friend.  

I can see a few of them walking back to their families with their tail between their legs discussing picking up the family fisherman business.  “So, your coming back home to beg for your old job back, are you son?”

This Saturday must have been the blackest Saturday of all times.  All the certainty they had before was gone like a candle being sniffed out in the wind.  All the faith from seeing the dead rise is now a swirling mess of confusion.  All the hope of a blessed future was dashed with bleakness on this black Saturday.

No matter how bad Jesus sacrifice was on Friday, and I’m not undermining his sacrifice that I am eternally thankful for, but He knew in his death He would overcome.  He knew that death had no power.  He knew the wounds he wore paid a price greater than anyone could ever pay.  He knew that he would rise again.  He knew.

On Saturday, the world didn’t know.  That is why I believe Saturday after his death and before his resurrection is the saddest, bleakest, darkest, most depressing, most painful, the biggest letdown, the day with the largest gaping wound.  As he was defeating death for our sake, taking  our sin, wearing our shame, burdening himself with our afflictions, he was taking the keys of Hell and showing death once and for all who was God.  He did this while the rest of the world mourned.  Just as they were in their deepest low, Jesus was in his deepest low.  Being separated from God.  

This is why I think the Bible left out this day.  Because no one wanted to recall that Black Saturday.  No one wanted to write what they were feeling.  No one wanted to relive the worst day in history.  They wanted to fast forward to Easter Sunday when everything was made right.

May we reflect today on the sacrifice.  May we rejoice that He did that for each of us.  Even while we were still sinners, Christ died for me and you and everyone.

May we hold to the comfort on this Black Saturday that even though the world didn’t know, He knew He held the victory.  He knew!

Peace

Palm

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Palm Sunday. Can you picture Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey and a colt? Do you see the crowds praising him, following him, adoring him, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heavens!” As Jesus rode into town the people waved their palm branches as a sign of victory. To give honor to Jesus. To announce that he was something special. How often do we wave our own symbolic palm branches at church on Sunday’s? Singing our songs of praise, just as they did. How often do we shout praises to God when life is going good? Telling others how good God is. How powerful He is. We bless Him because we have our economic security. We praise Him for the gratuities we receive through family, friends, health and possessions. We adore Him because life is just so good!

But it took less than a week for these same people to throw their palm branches down. To silent their praises. Instead of waving their branches, they raised their fists in anger. Instead of crying “Hosanna!” They screamed “Crucify!” Instead of adoring Christ as a hero, they denounced him as a common criminal. How quickly things can change in one week. How quickly people can turn.

How quickly we too can turn.

You could have went to church singing praises to God and yet disrespected His child who waited on you at lunch. It’s often said that restaurants hate the Sunday crowds, not because we are kind and loving, but because we act entitled and hypocritical. How sad how quickly we lay our palm branches down from announcing “Hosanna” from our pews to picking up the soldiers hammer in the church parking lot.

But in hurting those around us, we not only hurt them, but we hurt God. He sees all we do. He sees how we treat one another with negative Facebook posts, disgruntled road rage, rude comments in the grocery line, backstabbing at work, and backhanded comments to our loved ones. How quickly we all lay down our palm branches and pick up the crucifying hammer to pierce Christ’s palm with the nails.

You may think you haven’t swung the hammer. You may say you are blameless from striking the nail through His hand. You may think, but we often think wrong. We all have held the hammer. It’s just sad how often we grasp the hammer and slam the nail. We love God when life is great but curse Him when life gets rocky. As if God is only God during the good moments of life.

We need to praise Him in all circumstances. It’s during the hard moments when we need to praise Him more. Not to change our circumstances as if thinking, “If I sing this song, God you will change this in my life.” No, it’s more like, “I will praise my God because He is worthy to be praised. I may have hit rock bottom, but God is still God of my highs and my lows. He is with me on my mountaintop and He is beside me in the valley. He is my healer when I am healthy and He is my comforter when I am sick. He is my sustainer when I have plenty and He is my provider when I have nothing. He is my all in my all and He is my all in my nothing.”

May we wave our palm branches in all circumstances, all trials, all over comings, all difficulties, all pleasantries, all blessings, all curses, all good times, all bad times, all seasons of growth, all periods of drought, at signs of life and at moments of death. He deserves praise at all times.

We all mess up. When you throw your branches down to pick up the hammer to pierce his palm, you can lay down your hammer as well and pickup the palm branches. It’s your choice how you want to live and be remembered. A palm is in both.

Peace

Wish

[image error]I fell asleep pretty early for me tonight, but awoke in the middle of the night. As I was tossing around, trying to find the perfect sleeping spot a thought popped into my head. What do you hope to get out of God? Have you thought about it?

Do you throw all your problems onto God to handle, like He’s your servant. As if His intended purpose was to arrive at beckon call anytime we ring the bell to say we have a prayer request?

Or do you tell God how to solve your issues in life, like He’s a genie with unlimited wishes. As if His reason for existence is merely to do as we command?

Do you demand for Him to love you when you feel discouraged? Do you frankly wait for His mercies when life gets rough? Do you take and take and take because He’s God and He has everything?

If I’m truly honest with myself I can say I have pitched my tent in this camp, and what is worse, I can recite scripture to backup my belief. God is love and He wants to care for me. God is merciful and loves to shower me with blessings. God is creator who has unlimited resources unlike myself. God, you are awesome, so give me more.

Yet, it hit me – I’m using God like a rich best friend. Let’s go to the expensive restaurant since you’re paying the bill. Let’s ride in your vehicle that costs more than my house. Let’s shop for a new outfit since you’re going to put it on your credit card anyways. My friendship should be payment enough.

My accepting of You as my Lord and Savior should be payment enough. But is it?

Should I go to God accepting His love as if I deserve it? Because I don’t deserve it. Should I kneel before God accepting His peace as if I deserve it? Because I don’t deserve it. Should I speak to my God like a best friend who is on an even ground as I am because I deserve it? Because I don’t deserve it?

Here is where the line in the sand is. Humility. Knowing God is more than I am. Knowing that He is everything and I am nothing. Knowing that I should be His slave without any benefits, His servant and cleanup my own mess, His court jester for His amusement, His guard ready to die to protect Him, His sacrifice. Yet, God does the unthinkable. He does what none of us would do and give grace freely – no strings attached. He elevates us from being a slave, to being His adopted child. He restores from a life of servanthood to being co-heirs. He finds joy in giving us joy. He guards the defenseless. He sacrificed for us so we would know Him. Do I deserve it? No.

Do I long for it. Yes.

God wants us to come to Him. He wants us to throw all our burdens onto His strong shoulders and walk victoriously beside Him. He created us to honor Him. So, yes, He wants us to come to Him. He loves to love us. Just remember humility. Remember who sits on the throne. Remember He is God and we are not.

Remember to bow in reverence. He may say, “Arise my child, you are dearly loved.” But may we always know our place. I am less and He is more.

Do I deserve Him? No. But thankfully He sees beyond what I deserve and loves me anyway.

What do I hope to get out of God?

I hope He feels worthy with creating me.

I hope I make Him smile.

That is enough for me.

Dry Bones

[image error]The long torturous hours of tax season is hitting its peak. Long days, turn into long nights and then repeat, repeat and repeat. It is easy to feel overwhelmed when the light at the end of the tunnel feels more like a speeding train about to run you over than a welcoming ray of hope. It’s so easy to get discouraged when you can’t see any progress. I wonder if this is how the builders of the Great Wall of China or the Great Pyramids felt? It is believed that the Great Pyramids took 20 to 30 years. And the longest segment of the Great Wall is believed to have taken 200 years. Can you imagine that? Working on one project day in and day out for a majority of your adulthood in Egypt. Then consider working on the Great Wall in China and then your children and their children and possibly their children working on the same Wall. To work so hard and never see the finish product. At least with most of our jobs, agendas, deadlines there is an end date in sight. Not an elusive finish line you cannot see. It may be hard the next week and a half, but it’s only a week and a half, not 30 years. I should cling to the hope that even though I’m tired, God’s can take dry bones and give them life.

I love that analogy. When I think of dry bones, I picture crypts of dusty bones with spiderwebs covering every part of them. It’s hard to see life in a pile of lifeless bones, and I wonder if that is what God sees when He looks at us. We may be alive, but on the inside we are just a pile of dead, dry bones, worn and tired by life. It is so reassuring that throughout the Scriptures no one ever had an easy life without any hardship or pain. If you flip through the pages you will read accounts after accounts of people crying out to God for help, protection, mercy, peace, grace, love, hope, stability, freedom, and provision. When God’s people cried out, they were heard. They may not have received exactly what they were praying for, but God showed up and provided what they needed. He saw their dry bones and breathed His life giving breath into their hearts to continue on. He still does that. If God can cause a valley of dry bones to form an army, He can stir life into our dry hearts.

A song that keeps resonating to me is Here Again by Elevation Worship. The bridge at the end of the song is an anthem of my heart to God’s ears.

Not for a minute

Was I forsaken

The Lord is in this place

The Lord is in this place

Come Holy Spirit

Dry bones awaken

The Lord is in this place

The Lord is in this place

You may feel tired, beaten, worn out, defeated, but remember you were never forsaken. You may feel left for dead, but you are not. He is always beside you. You may feel lost and in the dark, but He is there waiting with you. You may feel worthless like a pile of dry bones, but I can hear God saying, “Worthless? Worthless? I don’t create worthless creations, I create priceless masterpieces. You are a stunning creation! You are My beloved! Never call yourself worthless, my child. Never.”

May God breath into your hearts. May He stir the coals in your soul to have a passionate fire burn for Him. May you realize you are fearfully and wonderfully made. May you sense you are loved to death, for Christ loved you enough to die for you. So, take a deep breath, dust off your dry bones and start afresh tomorrow. God’s mercies are new every morning…you just have to find them. If you look, you’ll find them.

Peace