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I remember when I was in 8th grade at a Christian camp and the leader gave each of us a cup. She said to slant our cup to where we were in our faith. Several years later when I was 16, I became a Christian, believing and choosing to follow Jesus. So, several years before as an 8th grader, I had no idea what the leader was talking about .

I remember feeling a little guilty and confused, like I should know where I am and what she means.

As the years have gone by, I have seen how sometimes we can feel pressured to know exactly how we’re doing in our walk, our faith. To be able to summarize where we are at different days or times in our lives.

Some self-reflection is good. But, sometimes it’s just too much. Jesus asked his disciples, Who do you say that I am? He wanted to know, Do you believe? Will you follow me? Will you give up everything for me? Will you love your enemy? Will you clean the inside of your cup, your heart, first? Will you put me before all else?

But, I haven’t seen him ask, “What level is your walk with me on now?”

Believing in Jesus is black and white. We choose to believe or we don’t. He gives us each a choice because He loves us, but at the end of the day, we are responsible for our choice.

Jesus offered a way to be with Him now and forever when we choose him, believing He died on the cross for our sins and overcame them by rising on that third day.

But our faith journey is the part that is a progression. As humans we are so bent on emotion and sometimes our ups and downs make us “feel” like we are not as close with God one day, and closer with God another day.

That we’re really trusting in the Lord one day, but not another.

That we have it all together one week, but not the next.

That one season we have everything in order, but another one we’re falling apart, wondering how the Lord is viewing us now.

Friends, the beautiful thing is that God. Does. Not. Change. EVER. His love for us doesn’t change, who He is doesn’t change.

So, when we’re scrambling to figure out how the Lord perceives us, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

Let’s not base our relationship with Jesus on how we are on a particular day, but on the Almighty, the Sovereign God, the Everlasting, who is, and who was, and who is to come. Rev. 1:8

Lay it down.

Let go of the never-ending treadmill of trying to be accepted by the Lord. All you have to do is choose Jesus and then seek Him with all your heart to be with Him.

He’ll make the way. All the rest will come naturally as you pour your heart into seeking him, one moment at a time.

Don’t compare yourself to others. God made you to be you for a reason. He wants you as you are, to come to Him, and then He will make your heart more like His.

So, today, instead of asking, What level are you on in your faith?, I’ll ask instead, Do you know Jesus? Do you know He loves you? Do you know he stands at the door, waiting for You? To knock, to reach out, to tell Jesus you need Him. To believe that He gave his all, His very life, for you, so you could be forgiven because of His great love for YOU.

But he didn’t stop at laying down His life–with His great power and great love, He rose high, so you could have a life that doesn’t stop here, but goes on into eternity with the Lord if you choose to believe and follow Him. What a gift.

Thank you, Lord, for offering us a way to be with you now and forever through Jesus. I pray the Holy Spirit would speak to each person who reads this and that you would meet them right where they are and connect with them. Thank you for your great love for each of us, and making a way to be with you through giving your life on the cross for us and rising on that third day. We are forever grateful. We love you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Jesus (Matthew 7)

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13

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My dad is showing some signs of waking up. His numbers are really good, so we’re continuing to pray that when he wakes up, the peace of God would guard his mind and heart in Christ Jesus, that he would remain calm, that he could breathe on his own so he could get the ventilator out, that he can keep breathing on his own and make a full recovery. In Jesus’ name, amen. This song has been one I’ve been singing and praying to the Lord for my dad…

I wanted to ask you if you would be praying for my dad. He’s been in the ICU for seven weeks bc of COVID. He’s 76, normally really healthy, a runner, and such a strong person. He had to go on a ventilator about a week ago and they’re starting to wean him off of it over the next few days. My big prayer is that he responds really well, that the peace of Jesus covers his heart and mind so he is calm, that he can breathe well on his own, and for the Lord Jesus to fully heal him. Thank you so much for praying- it means the world.

“To you, Lord, I call; You are my Rock…Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place. Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trust in him and he helps me.” Psalm 28

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This seems so simple – to pray for our kids when they’re struggling. But, it can be easy to get lost in their worries and ride the wings of anxiety instead of bringing it to the Lord. 

Last year about this time, my daughter had been feeling anxious. It happens several times a year – the morning, full of stomach aches and clinging to me. She pushes through, goes to school, and usually shares that she had a great day. 

But, the next morning it happens again. It goes in phases. She’s such a joyful, happy kid, but then the anxiousness will hit her.

When I found myself absorbing it, I made sure to get up early the next morning – I made a cup of (strong) coffee and prayed. 

So simple, yet so easy to become too busy to do. To pine after solutions when we need to bring it to the Lord. 

There are definitely practical things we can do to help our kids when they struggle, but let’s not forget to talk to the Lord about it. 

I sat in our sunroom, praying for our sweet girl. At 6:15, I heard little footsteps. She said, “Mommy, can I sit with you.” I told her I was in the middle of praying for her – what perfect timing. 

So, we snuggled close in my tiny chair and prayed together.

Afterward, she told me instead of having 20 butterflies in her stomach, she only had three now. 

I shared three verses I had read that morning that I felt were for her.

In her struggles, I’m glad she knows I’m praying for her and that the Lord is with her. 

When we are filled with anxiety about our children, remember that Jesus tells us to ALWAYS pray and NEVER give up. There is ALWAYS hope. When we are overwhelmed, take rest in the Lord. 

Jesus, please be with our children right now. I lift up those who have minds filled with anxious thoughts. Would you please fill their hearts and minds with you instead. Help them release worry and replace it with your peace, your joy, your hope. Please give our kids great and strong friendships. We ask for wisdom with how to lead our kids and how to encourage them to be strong, while still comforting them. I pray each of our children would look to you. Jesus, please help them look to you. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Here are the three verses I mentioned earlier:

“When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?” Psalm 56:3-4

“God will go before me.” Psalm 59:10

“O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.” Psalm 59:17

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My kids made this sign to celebrate today and the change that Martin Luther King Jr. made. Below that is a picture I took a few years ago of his words from 1963, which spoke so much life and hope into despair years ago, and still do today.

In the spirit of unity, hope, and Jesus, I would love to pray together…

Lord, I thank you for Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream that we would see people for the “the content of their character” over all else, and that the “jangling discords of our nation” would be transformed into a “beautiful symphony of brotherhood”.

In a time where it seems like so much has gone awry, Lord, bring us to that “beautiful symphony of brotherhood” that honors you. Lord, you said in 1 Samuel 16:7 that “The Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Lord, we confess times we haven’t looked at the heart. Jesus, would you give us all hearts to see how you see? Lord, would we care more about the heart of a person than all else? Would you bring people together in your name, as we lay down discord, pride, disagreement, and come together in peace, selflessness, kindness?

Oh, Lord, would you move in a mighty way? You say that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed that we can move mountains and that nothing will be impossible for us.

Lord, we ask you to move mountains in our world, our country, our hearts. Jesus, we pray there would be great change in our world by the power of your Name.

God, would you bring peace to our nation?

We pray that you would change hostility to selflessness. 

We pray you would change anger to kindness. 

We pray you would change pride to humility. 

Would you move us to let go of anger, social media arguing, name-calling, and hatred?

Instead,

would we see Jesus in others?

would they see Jesus in us?

would we love as you loved us? 

would we be lights for our world, our nation, our community, our family, our children?

Lord, would you be our center, our strength, so when we feel weak, helpless, not enough, that we would remember we are enough in You, our Rock, our Deliverer?
We thank you that out of a mountain of despair, there is indeed a stone of hope. You are our Rock, our Deliverer, our greatest Hope.

We can always, always have hope in You. With You, all indeed will be well.
In Jesus’ name, amen.

“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.” Psalm 46

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I drove up to a store with my daughter five minutes before it opened. We were in a rush that day so we got there early.

But when it was time to open, the store was still locked. The employee pulled into the parking lot late, and walked toward the store. I asked her if she was opening now, and she said pretty rudely that she wouldn’t open for a while.

I was frustrated, but I stopped myself. My daughter and I talked about how maybe the woman had had a rough morning. How you never know what people are going through. Then, we prayed for her (I don’t always react that way!).

No, it doesn’t give people the right to act any way they want. But, it does make me want to pause and consider that we have no clue what that person is going through and to ask ourselves, Is it better to respond rudely, or to respond with blessing?

These kind of moments are impactful to our children. They notice.

My dad, my hero, has been in the ICU for a month now after getting Covid. He’s one of the strongest people I know. But, it’s been rough. I’m praying Jesus’ healing hand on him and for others going through this. 

Some people don’t know what I’m going through right now, but I’m sure I’ve had shorter reactions and been more emotional than normal. 

Years ago when I was 29-weeks pregnant, my husband had to go on a short work trip while my mom was visiting. The doctors said it was fine since I wasn’t due for a while. But after he flew out, I went into labor. He had three cancelled flights trying to make it back to me before my emergency C-section at 7:20pm. He finally got on a flight, but at 7:20pm while the flight attendant was asking him if he wanted Biscoff cookies, I was having our triplets. She had no idea.

We just don’t know what’s happening in others’ lives when we come across them. 

You’ve had your own times when your heart was bursting within, but people didn’t know what you were going through, and maybe your words came out shorter than normal.

I know it doesn’t mean that people can act any way they want, and I know that some people are rude no matter what they’re going through. But, as Jesus followers, we are called to repay with blessing. 

It doesn’t mean that will be our first instinct, but as we pray, the Holy Spirit will move in a powerful way and change our hearts so they become more like His. 

That is one way to make change for the Lord, one moment at a time.

Oh, Lord, we confess times we have responded with anger, bitterness, and rudeness before compassion. Please forgive us. Would you move our hearts to care about what you care about? Would you move our hearts and our children’s hearts to pray for others before retaliating? Would you give us the self-control Jesus had, the compassion Jesus had, the love Jesus had, even when people were against him. May we be lights that point straight to you, Jesus. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, 

But the  one who is patient calms a quarrel.” Proverbs 15:18

^“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” 1 Peter 3:9

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