Would you rather…..run fast…..or run far?
Have your paycheck go fast….or go far?
Vacation fast….or far?

We have choices to make every day.  And each choice has consequences.
If you run too fast, you might not be able to run very far.
If you spend your paycheck fast, there will be nothing left to go far.
And vacation!?!?  We don’t even need to debate a fast vs far vacation!  🙂

This discussion begins with an African proverb:
If you want to go fast, go alone; but if you want to go far, go together.

Now let’s apply it to our spiritual lives:
Your walk with Jesus….alone?  or together?
You can’t go far if you won’t go together.

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing…” Hebrews 10:24,25

1932 = Gasoline cost 18¢ a gallon!  It was a very good year for more than just gas prices though!  My mom was born on April 26, 1932!  Happy 90th birthday to my amazing Mom!

To the one who juggled raising 5 children plus the countless friends and neighbors who were always welcome at our house as well as a long list of pets and cars and activities and parents and schools and LOTS of groceries and laundry:  THANK YOU!!!
And to the one who continues to give and give and give!  Need a roll of pink wrapping paper?  Yep!  Mom has one!  A bag of toilet paper rolls?  Sure!  And countless seashells? Ohhhhh yes!  THANK YOU for teaching us to always be ready!

But most of all, thank you for introducing us to Jesus!  God has used your faithful devotion to the Lord to change our lives and the lives of many others!  Sitting next to Mary C at church while she sang in her soprano vibrato was always awkward, especially as teenagers, but we watched you model the love and patient kindness of Jesus!  THANK YOU!!!

This priceless, timeless gift is for you!

“The Lord bless you

and keep you;

the Lord make His face shine on you

and be gracious to you;

the Lord turn His face toward you

and give you peace.”  Numbers 6:24-26

How do you know when you need a good old fashioned childhood TimeOut?

I have a saying:  As goes my purse….so goes my life!  I know when I have had “enough” when I can’t find my keys in the mountain of random receipts, tissues, lip glosses, pens, etc. haphazardly tossed in my purse.

My friend says the cleanliness of her car is her indicator.

What is your barometer?
How do you know when God is calling you to slow down?

And most importantly, what do you do about it?

Sure, I can dump my purse out and start over…..but deep in my heart I know something much more important is out of order.

Deep breath.

Deep prayer.

Deep sleep.

Deep meditation.

Repeat.

Repeat.

Repeat.

“The Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.”  Habakkuk 2:20

True story?!?!

Aren’t all – or hopefully most – of the stories you tell TRUE stories!?When was the last time you started a story with, “This is a lie!” ???

Hold on a second…we may not tell lies to others…but what kind of stories are you telling yourself!?  Do they all begin with, “True story”!?  Are you speaking truth and life through your thoughts?  Do you build yourself up in what you say and think to YOU?

These Bible verses hold true for when we are speaking to others… beginning with ourselves!

“Speak the truth in love” Ephesians 4:15
“For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”  Luke 6:45
“Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”  Matthew 22:37 (emphasis added)

A quick internet search these days produces extraordinary results….literally millions of results in under 1 second!

Google “God” = over 3 BILLION results in 0.55 seconds!
“Love” = over 12 BILLION results in 0:58 seconds!
“Grace” = over 1 BILLION results in 0.63 seconds!
Anything we want to know is literally right at our fingertips!

Everything except what God wants us to know….God speaks to us through time spent in His Word, time spent with other believers, and time spent in prayer.  Not a speed round.  An intentional relationship.  Over time.  

Can you tune the world out long enough to hear His gentle whisper?

“The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” I Kings 19:11-12

Sweet babies
Cute toddlers
Awesome big kids
Wonderful teens
Confident young adults
Devoted parents
Wise middle agers
Happy retirees
Super hero seniors

Which age group description made you smile?
For which one did you nod in agreement?
Which one are you?
And your loved ones?

All of life is precious, isn’t it?
God sure does think so! We are made in His holy image!

“So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.”  Genesis 1:27

There!  I said it! 
I admit I can’t do this thing called, “Life” on my own….I need you.
More than your help, I need you to be who God created you to be.
And I will strive to be who God created me to be.
A variety of strengths and differences….together we can be complete as the Body of Christ.

And then we all can do this thing called, “Life in Christ” together! 🙂

“From Him (Jesus) the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”  Ephesians 4:16  

It’s pretty amazing! I can walk keeping in step with my 3 (!) year old grandson and my 1 year old granddaughter and yet I can also keep in step with my (? year old) husband! How do I do it?

I listen

I watch

I wait

And I humble myself when I move too fast!

I think this is what God has in mind when He lovingly calls us to heed His Holy Spirit for our own good and for God’s glory!

“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:25

It’s hard to find perfect darkness in the night sky.  Stars and street lights shine right through or cast their glow.

Our electricity was just out for almost 24 hours.  Pitch black in the house.  Except not really.  Once my eyes adjusted I could see light and shadows and find my way.

This world may seem dark.  It may feel dark.  Situations are real.  Struggles and heartache are painful.  The darkness seeeeeeems to be winning.

But God!

“The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”  John 1:5

Struggling?
Suffering?
Holding on for dear life?

Psalm 13 is a beautiful and honest sequence of emotions unfolded before the Lord.He knows what you are thinking….He knows how you are feeling….and He loves you right where you are.  So why hide from the ONLY ONE who can ULTIMATELY protect you wherever you are?

“How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?….Look on me and answer, Lord my God…I trust in your unfailing love”

Psalm 13:1,3,5