I discovered early in my walk with the Lord what He called me to, well us.. Christians… This does not mean that I always did it, or suddenly became perfect as I grew, but I always understood. In the words of every Disney kid’s favorite bunny, “If you can’t say nothing nice, don’t say nothing at all.” and that’s all fine, because Jesus said so.. I guess the problem is if you can’t say it, what do you do with it? “I said, “I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence. I was mute and silent; I held my peace to no avail, and my distress grew worse. My heart became hot within me. As I mused, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue, “oh lord make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am” Psalm 39: 1-4 Basically David is saying I’ve got to be careful to keep my mouth shut, may even have to tie it up some days when I am around certain people… but when I do.. and God I did… I was quiet and kept calm no matter what… I promise God, I just felt worse after that. You live in my heart, I know you felt how mad it was, the longer I sat the worse it got, Lord. Help me to know that life is short, my days are numbered, and this is all temporary. I stored it all, too. You can call it a bucket full of ‘things I’m glad I didn’t say out loud’ but really all it becomes is a pot of unspilled ingredients to grow an uneasy heart and bitterness. That’s what I call it anyway; David just called it a hot heart. But what do we do with it? What does it mean when you spare words that would hurt someone else but end up hurting you? Surely that’s not what God meant, huh? You learn. I learned. You learn that loving Jesus isn’t always easy and living like him never is. Do I think God’s intention is for us to squeeze bad things so they don’t hurt others at our expense? Of course not, but I do think that until we can learn to hold a thorn with an open palm we’re going to hurt. That’s the lesson here: Don’t say it but don’t store it either. Keep what is painful out of the path of your enemy but let it go too. We claim we want a life a freedom, but we clench our fists around everything Satan hands us, even without realizing it. You only think you’ve won when he gives you a nasty thought that you keep to yourself. I’ve felt that victory more than I care to publicly profess here tonight, but I’ve also felt the pain of all of those unsaid things months later when they accumulate to max capacity. It’s why we come to be pushed across that thin line of ‘I can’t take no more, God’ over something crazy like someone taking the last snack, but left the empty box. Now while I agree that is borderline emergent when you need a bedtime snack, should it really put you in the floor in tears? Has it before? Don’t you see how sneaky that is? Satan smiles at things like that because even though he isn’t celebrating a big victory that day, he is able to walk away satisfied because he knows one is coming. He doesn’t mind waiting on it. We want to control everything, certainly the way we react and respond, but why we feel the need to hold on to all that stuff is beyond me. I can laugh about it now, but I had this one thing that I had just harbored for an embarrassing amount of time and literally almost an entire year passed and it just fell out of my mouth so fast. I had even forgotten it was in there, but in the right moment, under the right amount of pressure it made its way out of the metaphorical bucket. I tell you that only because I want to tell you this. It’s a lie. That thing that Satan is poking you to say, it’s wrong now, and it will still be wrong six months down the road when you still have it in your heart… and here’s why: Go grab a pen and a piece of paper; write this down; sticky it to your Bible, your bathroom mirror and your heart because it is the single most best statement and problem solver that you could ever need: God handles everything. I don’t know how something so simple can be so hard sometimes but it is. He’s handled it, He’s handling it, He will handle it. I promise. Trusting God hurts. Losing control hurts… but you know what? Trusting in yourself? hurts… and trying to be in control of yourself? that hurts too. Realizing I could hurt in the presence of God, or just hurt alone was a complete game changer for me. I hope it makes your choice easier too. So much love, #Mercychristfollowerofchristproblemschristianbloggerjesusheisgood #GodTruthTeachMeGuidemeHopeitrustinYou #ChristLightInthewordMadeNewTrustUnfailingLovegracemercyshame #HiswillbrokenpiecesGodreligiontruthMessandmercy #Messandmercy #messandmercythegreatiamgodis #GodTiredMercyReligiousRest #GodTiredMercyAngerReligiousRevengeRest #religionreligiousGod #Messandmercymessandmercywordshehealsbrokenessbrokentrustfaith #bible

“It’s just always something here, you know” I wanted to join the church Sunday. Our whole family was together and we were ready to make an already established commitment public and official or whatever ‘moving your letter’ really means. We wanted to belong, and about 30 minutes before time to leave, all 5 kids dressed, all fifty toes in shoes, the whole nine, and I go out to my car to grab my makeup bag and my doors are locked. My keys are in the ignition, and we do not have a spare. First the dishwasher broke, then the roof needed to be replaced, but while we were waiting on that estimate, the plumbing messed up, and we still needed the roof… then I manage to pull a water faucet out of the ground just trying to turn the water on because the pool needed water. Because the pool’s water was low, it messed the pump up- replaced the pump to find out it wasn’t the pump, it was the electricity to our second building. Somethings wrong with the hot water heater, after we finally got the water back on because we had to turn it off to fix that faucet… and did I mention we had five kids? I just wanted to join the church. Spoiler alert: we didn’t make it to service. We spent the next 4+ hours trying to get my keys out of my car and while I wish I could tell you I did it while raising a hallelujah, it looked much more like me sitting on top of my car’s sunroof with a very messed up clothes hanger and an ugly cry. It seems like every time one good things happen, two others go bad. I even had spoiled milk in my coffee this week that doesn’t expire until the 21st! I mean, does that happen to anyone else or is it just me? but I didn’t show up to pout; I showed up to encourage. I read that Satan wouldn’t bother you unless he wasn’t threatened by what God is fixing to do with you. Maybe that’s true, maybe it’s not… but I know God, and I have experienced Satan and I want to sum up what I know about both. We have as much access to God as we choose to, and satan wants with everything for us to believe that God is not who He says He is. Ephesians 4:23 says, “and give no opportunity to the devil.” There are always going to be bad days and with those comes opportunity. Satan wants us to blame God or doubt him, to be too busy for Him or too tired, to pray but not believe, or to know of Gods power but not have faith in it. I cried every time something broke or quit… and I even cried harder the times I tore it up myself, but I never asked God why, I never got mad, and I never doubted His provision. I’ve learned that God wastes nothing. Sometimes I’ve felt too tired to read, and most times I would read anyway; I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you some I didn’t… but on the days I skipped God, He didn’t skip me. Instead He made provision for what I missed and purposed it to remind me how on-time He is in everything. Like He knew and had planned on me skipping that day of reading because He knew the next day I’d need that exact verse at that exact time more than the day before. It’s why God is God, and it’s why we can have confidence that if He can plan His timing around our humanity and still manage to be on time, He’s got everything else figured out too. Can I give you a bit of advice? My single most effective way to battle Satan? Test yourself. If you feel like you can’t do this anymore; what does God say? If you feel like this may never end; what does God say? If you feel like you’re not worth it, and nobody likes you; what does God say? If you feel like you will never be out of debt, you’ll never get a job, you could never afford to go to school; what does God say? Don’t give Satan opportunity, and don’t give God doubt. Maybe Satan knew I wanted to unite with something that would only make me more dangerous to him and he won that battle… and there will be more battles, but there will also be more Sundays. God is faithful: “The Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one” 2 Thessalonians 3:3 God is powerful: “For NOTHING is impossible with God” Luke 1:37 God is sovereign: “Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the Lord, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other” Deuteronomy 4:39 God will provide: “and my God will supply EVERY need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:19 and God has a promise: “In Him we have obtained an inheritance having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1: 11-15 God, I’m sorry we skip you sometimes. We fail you and take you for granted, but you never leave. You’re always waiting and in a way that makes it feel like it was always a part of your plan that we fall of course. You know we hurt, and we feel like sometimes that it is always something. Our stuff breaks, our marriages fail, and sometimes our bank balance is as low as our spirit, but you are sovereign. Help us to feel you even when we can’t see you, and to trust you even when we doubt ourselves. Give us the power to give no opportunity to the devil because in your strength that choice is ultimately ours to make. Thank you God for your faithfulness, Thank you, God, for you. Amen xoxo

A few weeks ago, after applying lipstick to her lips, my daughter Gracie added a little to her eye. She wanted to look pretty for Sunday night church. Looking through my pictures tonight and seeing this one brings me heartache and joy all at the same time. She had no idea how bad that lipgloss was going to hurt her eye. She made that decision with full confidence that it was the right one, only to find out afterwards it wasn’t… and it didn’t get better after a few minutes.. it kept hurting… for days… which had to have felt like years to a 4 year who’s world ends when she can’t have brownies for breakfast. I’ve made so many mistakes. Mistakes that didn’t go away over night, mistakes that I was sure were right until I knew they weren’t, mistakes that caused a lot of pain, some not just for myself. It hurts. We’re all hurting. Maybe it’s something you’ve done; maybe it’s something someone’s done to you. Maybe it’s a bunch of things all piling up and you’re not in physical pain but you’re also not completely sure you’re not drowning either. Gosh, I get it. Some of my favorite verses of the Bible are from Romans 7. Paul claims, almost sounding frustrated, the things he wants to avoid, he does… and the things he wants to do.. he doesn’t. Sin is frustrating like that. Even after God rescues us, sin still tries to hold us down. Satan gives us permission to live the lives we want and promises us, with no authority, that it will be fine when we do. Now do I think Satan convinced my baby girl to put that lipstick in her eye? Of course not. But I know it looked a lot like it does in our lives today. She cried. It festered. and it didn’t immediately go away, but then it did. It’s like we live in a styrofoam cup.. and Satan pokes the smallest, most unnoticeable hole in the bottom of our cup and no matter what we do, no matter what we get, no matter how many times were right… we never top off… we’re always drained.. tired.. hurting… The chapter ends with “so then I am myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to sin” That’s chapter 7 of Romans… but then comes chapter 8. I’m only going to share with you one verse and it’s the first one. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1 WOW. Let me say it to you in a down to earth way, if I may. I want to obey God, I want to get it right, but trying to fight all the bad stuff in me, I also feel like a slave to sin. BUT BECAUSE OF THIS now there is no condemnation for the ones who love Jesus. why? Because of Jesus, Himself. He has given us a life and set us free from having to get it all right.. and from going to hell if we don’t. God gives grace. I remembered when God gave me my mission… my ministry. I thought surely He had it wrong or I had heard it wrong one. God, People aren’t going to listen to me. God, you don’t understand, I don’t even like people that much…like I’m scared of them. God, no. I knew how far I fell from Glory, how far I still fall. I knew I had a past. I knew I still had so much growing to do before I tried to lead anybody in anything, much less through something like the Bible, but that is condemnation. I was still trying to live in the world I had been set free from. When we accept Christ we trade condemnation for conviction. Condemnation: the action of condemning someone to punishment, sentencing Conviction: a formal declaration of guilt. Guilt is a feeling, guilty is a sentencing and there is such a difference, one that Satan wants to remain hidden. A dear friend of mine told me a few days ago, after a tough week, “Katie, you put way to much pressure on yourself to be perfect” And I do. I want to please God so so bad that when I do something stupid it feels devastating. I’ve been so upset with myself over the last week that tonight I found myself right here in these pages, right back to these two chapters to remind myself that God gives grace. Know your Bible. Know what is of God and what is of Satan, and know where you can run to expose the lies and replace them with truths. God isn’t mad at me, and He is not upset with you either. He sees your hurting, he hears your heart, and He blames you none. Her eye looks horrible, but look at her smile. Sin festers, but God brings life. Mistakes bring tears, but mistakes we learn from bring Glory. Bring Glory, #Mercychristfollowerofchristproblemschristianbloggerjesusheisgood #GodTruthTeachMeGuidemeHopeitrustinYou #ChristLightInthewordMadeNewTrustUnfailingLovegracemercyshame #GodTiredMercyReligiousRest #GodTiredMercyAngerReligiousRevengeRest #religionreligiousGod #Messandmercymessandmercywordshehealsbrokenessbrokentrustfaith #bible

From the age of teenie tiny, we fall down and we want something done. A kiss from Mama or a band-aide. If it’s a super duper ouchie we want both. As adults, band-aids look different, kisses do not have magic anymore, and we want bigger answers. A month or so ago now, my sister and I were shopping in a store and I heard a baby scream Mama. It touched me because it was a voice I recognized. It was a voice I was created to respond to. It was my daughter’s, but she wasn’t crying for me. I’ve tried to put this experience into perspective because I truly believe that there is a purpose in all pain, but the message is a shattering kind of conviction. I never realized until I was able to bottle that particular feeling, the perspective (on a significantly smaller scale) what a day must feel like for God. How many times have I fallen and cried for something else while my creator watched in the background? When we have a problem, we want an immediate solution and sometimes there is just not one. Some things are and always will be out of our control. The first chapter of Job tells of this blameless man that is well respected and wealthy. He had an abundance of children and even more joy… and Satan steps on the scene. The Lord asks where he had been and he said, “oh you know, around. Here and there.” God brags on Job and Satan says basically of course he adores you; you’ve given him no reason not to. The guy has everything. Right then God gave Satan permission to access all that Job had, His only request being he spare Job, himself. God had just bragged on Job minutes before He allowed catastrophe in his life. Satan struck his livelihood, his home, and his children in a few short sweeps and Job responded in a way that most of us do not. “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped.” Job 1:20 As mothers- we understand the defense of entangling emotions that exist when any anomaly touches our children, especially one like this. Why is it not just as easy for Christians to understand God’s pain as His children, as we,  we reach for other things and other people not God? Just yesterday, a tiny piece of paper was laid in my lap to make me aware, but it hurt… and instead of pausing to hear God speak through that moment, I picked up my phone and called my husband instead. My first instinct was to run into the arms of my husband, and not into the hands of my God. This is a tiny example of something that we do on a much larger scale maybe as often as daily. We fill ourselves with all sorts of things when we are hurting. Sometimes we fill our arms with the love of our children while some of us fill our plates. Some of us fill online shopping carts (me), and others fill ourselves with words and opinions. Some of us hand our broken hearts to man after man, just praying this will be the one that makes it all better, and so on and so on and the cycle never breaks. Meanwhile the Lord takes a subtle but near position in our background while we cry out for things that offer comfort but no healing. Even the right things in the wrong order are bad things. Your children cannot be the single reason for your joy; it creates too much pressure on them and their little souls. Your husband cannot be your only foundation; the Bible says a cord of THREE strands is not quickly broken, not two. and carbs? the good ones can make any rough day manageable but I’ve never had a roll heal me. God is our source of life. He breathes this concepts all throughout scripture in both the old and new testament. Sometimes children die, husbands leave, and rolls burn. Jesus was, is, and will always be. Jesus is the guarantee. It’s not always fair, but it is biblical. We were created to hear One voice, but we are constantly listening to many. We were created in the image of God, to pull strength from God, and to stay safe with God and instead we create ourselves to mirror images from the latest issue of Cosmopolitan, we find strength in encouragement from things not our Bible, and we build walls around our hearts and lives to protect us without realizing the very walls we build to keep us safe are the very ones suffocating us. God granted Satan permission to pursue Job’s things, but He also limited him. He said go after all he has but do not touch him. Satan will always have the a desire to devour; its his business. What he will not always have is God’s permission to allow it. The agony that Job felt came from many different causes, but it all started with Satan. It always does. We’ve got to learn to stop blaming people for our pain. It may feel like they are the source, but really they’re just the stimulus. Satan always wants to act in a way that will make us blame God instead of use Him for comfort. That’s why it feels so good to run to something else. God will not always act like we think He would and should. Some problems really never have a solution, but I do believe they all have a revelation. I had to think about it, pray over it. God, if I cannot have an answer to why this is… what can I have? and He whispered “a revelation” Google revealed the definition of Revelation as a divine disclosure or the action of making new or secret information known. ehhhh, that was good, but God, what else, a little louder please… “look harder” Revelation originates from the Latin word revelare which means to lay bare. Tears. Job had everything taken away and he tore his clothes, shaved his head, and worshiped. Bare and thankful. Just because God is not responsible, does not mean that He is not aware. No matter what the source of pain, it has to pass through the loving and wise hands of God before it can touch us, and God? In the end, the access of our lives to Satan that causes us pain is not ever to gratify the devil but to glorify our God. Since the cross, pain brought freedom, and since that is the gospel, I’m sure that concept hasn’t stopped. In the words of Lisa Harper, “I don’t know why God allows us to suffer, but I do know that He makes Himself accessible when we ache.” Our grief is God’s investment in our calling- there are whispers in your period of waiting. The rescue isn’t any less of a love story just because it takes place in the wilderness. Our stories unravel into a real-time witness of the transforming power of Christ. That testimony, then, is used as yet another catalyst for the Gospel- making death only good news for all who would be saved by it. Make Hard Things Matter, #Mercychristfollowerofchristproblemschristianbloggerjesusheisgood #GodTruthTeachMeGuidemeHopeitrustinYou #ChristLightInthewordMadeNewTrustUnfailingLovegracemercyshame #HiswillbrokenpiecesGodreligiontruthMessandmercy #messandmercythegreatiamgodis #GodTiredMercyReligiousRest #GodTiredMercyAngerReligiousRevengeRest #religionreligiousGod #Messandmercymessandmercywordshehealsbrokenessbrokentrustfaith #bible

Read Genesis Chapter 16; Chapter 17: 15-21 Early in chapter 12, God made Abraham a promise- your offspring will be more than the stars. Chapter 16 starts verse 1: his wife had bore him no children. This was ten years after being promised a son and 15 years before the birth of Isaac. Have you ever been worn out waiting for God to reveal a blessing? Did you wait 25 years? Sarah grows weary and begins to make some plans of her own. I wish this were not familiar to me but it is. Customs then said it was okay to give a female servant to your husband for the purpose of children. She had been unable to conceive and so she just knew God must have meant she would have children another way. She gave her maid to Abraham and Hagar, the servant, conceived. Hagar gave birth to a baby boy and Sarah created something also; heartache, for more than just her. This is inevitable when we take over for God, when we try to help Him. Most all of you would agree with the statement ‘God knows best’. Now why we don’t act like we agree with that? I wish I knew. We are broken, just like Sarah. Our desire for the perfect family wells inside of us all; we are women. It is why we take that picture 12 times to get it just right before we share it. It is why we run around in the mornings frantic- baby, do not get that on your shirt; baby, those shoes are not on the right feet; baby, it is 90 degrees outside, you cannot wear that today. Pay attention to the details, anybody else step over toys and a dirty cup for three days straight and then find out someone is coming over and scramble to get it all at least somewhat together? We could rationalize these behaviors ten million ways but it all comes down to pride.. to appearances. God knows best. He also knows worst because he knows everything. He does not mind that three day old chocolate milk that your neighbor may find the grossest, but He does mind your heart. I am learning that the wait is usually for no other reason than for ourselves. Looking ready and being ready are not the same. Switching that baby’s shoes to the ‘right way’ made her look ready. Cleaning that house for the messes to be out of the way made it look ready. That picture you took 12 times made it look like you didn’t just tell your kids to look at that camera and smiles or no candy. What we look like and what we are not the same. Everyone else sees what is put together and God sees the pieces. If only we had not set our own standard so high; if only we were not so dependent on ourselves- maybe we wouldn’t be so much like Sarah. Maybe we could grow into our blessings rather than pushing over them, always looking for the next put-together thing. I put together a hot wheels track for my son last week. It took my brother-in-law and I hours. My son squirmed and whined the entire time, but because, as a parent, I made him wait- he was able to enjoy it fully. Had I thrown it together enough to just make it look ready- it would have all came crashing down half way through the track. Some present, right? God’s plans for us are the same. If God says wait, He is making time to connect part A to part B. If He says not yet, He is working on the safety features that protect us. If He says no, He does not mean maybe if I did this… We look at tomorrow and He looks at forever. Sarah couldn’t wait and the impatience gave birth to Egypt. The rushed blessing, Ishmael, still fights the chosen one, Isaac and Israel, to this day. Chapter 17 tells Abraham My promise is still coming because Jesus’ plan is ordained, but that does not erase our interventions. We’ve got to learn to quit demanding what we are not ready for so we do not live in pieces, but instead peace. God didn’t need Sarah’s help and He also does not need ours. Let God be God. Just another taste of Bible School; a lesson we can all learn from. If you haven’t signed up and think this is something you may need, you can join here Don’t want to do it all on the computer? Want to get your pages dirty? Have yourself a helping of the hard copy Adult Bible School Downloadable Digital Copy Love you guys,

Read Genesis Chapter 16; Chapter 17: 15-21 Early in chapter 12, God made Abraham a promise- your offspring will be more than the stars. Chapter 16 starts verse 1: his wife had bore him no children. This was ten years after being promised a son and 15 years before the birth of Isaac. Have you ever been worn out waiting for God to reveal a blessing? Did you wait 25 years? Sarah grows weary and begins to make some plans of her own. I wish this were not familiar to me but it is. Customs then said it was okay to give a female servant to your husband for the purpose of children. She had been unable to conceive and so she just knew God must have meant she would have children another way. She gave her maid to Abraham and Hagar, the servant, conceived. Hagar gave birth to a baby boy and Sarah created something also; heartache, for more than just her. This is inevitable when we take over for God, when we try to help Him. Most all of you would agree with the statement ‘God knows best’. Now why we don’t act like we agree with that? I wish I knew. We are broken, just like Sarah. Our desire for the perfect family wells inside of us all; we are women. It is why we take that picture 12 times to get it just right before we share it. It is why we run around in the mornings frantic- baby, do not get that on your shirt; baby, those shoes are not on the right feet; baby, it is 90 degrees outside, you cannot wear that today. Pay attention to the details, anybody else step over toys and a dirty cup for three days straight and then find out someone is coming over and scramble to get it all at least somewhat together? We could rationalize these behaviors ten million ways but it all comes down to pride.. to appearances. God knows best. He also knows worst because he knows everything. He does not mind that three day old chocolate milk that your neighbor may find the grossest, but He does mind your heart. I am learning that the wait is usually for no other reason than for ourselves. Looking ready and being ready are not the same. Switching that baby’s shoes to the ‘right way’ made her look ready. Cleaning that house for the messes to be out of the way made it look ready. That picture you took 12 times made it look like you didn’t just tell your kids to look at that camera and smiles or no candy. What we look like and what we are not the same. Everyone else sees what is put together and God sees the pieces. If only we had not set our own standard so high; if only we were not so dependent on ourselves- maybe we wouldn’t be so much like Sarah. Maybe we could grow into our blessings rather than pushing over them, always looking for the next put-together thing. I put together a hot wheels track for my son last week. It took my brother-in-law and I hours. My son squirmed and whined the entire time, but because, as a parent, I made him wait- he was able to enjoy it fully. Had I thrown it together enough to just make it look ready- it would have all came crashing down half way through the track. Some present, right? God’s plans for us are the same. If God says wait, He is making time to connect part A to part B. If He says not yet, He is working on the safety features that protect us. If He says no, He does not mean maybe if I did this… We look at tomorrow and He looks at forever. Sarah couldn’t wait and the impatience gave birth to Egypt. The rushed blessing, Ishmael, still fights the chosen one, Isaac and Israel, to this day. Chapter 17 tells Abraham My promise is still coming because Jesus’ plan is ordained, but that does not erase our interventions. We’ve got to learn to quit demanding what we are not ready for so we do not live in pieces, but instead peace. God didn’t need Sarah’s help and He also does not need ours. Let God be God. Just another taste of Bible School; a lesson we can all learn from. If you haven’t signed up and think this is something you may need, you can join here Don’t want to do it all on the computer? Want to get your pages dirty? Have yourself a helping of the hard copy Adult Bible School Downloadable Digital Copy Love you guys,

Happy Saturday, Friends! If you haven’t joined Adult Bible School and are still considering it, I wanted to share an excerpt to show you guys what it’s about. Three days of scripture reading and breakdown by yours truly, and on day four we review a character. After getting the scoop on Martha and the feel of Bible School, you decide you may want to join? Join Free HERE online through Monday only or to put your fingers and highlighters on it yourself with this here Adult Bible School Downloadable Digital Copy Let’s take a look! Meet Martha. Read Luke 10: 38-42 and re-read John 11:17-45. The most applicable verse to the character of Martha is shown in Luke 10:40. “but Martha was distracted by all of the preparations that had to be made. She came to Him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work for myself? Tell her to help me.” Mary is the older sister of Lazarus and Mary. This probably set her at a predisposition to ‘care’ about the order of things, but Martha’s greatest flaw was worrying about the details, something I’m sure all of us are guilty of. We get caught up in the details. So did Martha. When I think about Martha, I always go to the story in Luke. I see myself shuffling around my house trying to get things ready for company or for a dinner, and if you’ve ever been to myself or know my family, this is basically a joke in and of itself… but I try. I’ve also been guilty of Martha’s attitude of why aren’t y’all helping. Martha gets so preoccupied getting the appearance together, that she forgets about the company, and while this is often true of anything we try to organize event wise… how does this apply to our hearts? The Lord laid a conviction on my heart not terribly long ago. He told me “it doesn’t matter, be me.” I’ll explain. We are all surrounded with difficult relationships. I truly believe that we’ve all got ‘that’ person in our lives. He or she is no more guilty than you and I, but it doesn’t feel this way to us. I get in these situations that admittedly, I probably stir up myself… and then I want to run to God and say DO YOU NOT SEE THIS? I want to demand things from Him like Martha, only seeing the surface. God, do something, but He had a different answer for me. “Katie, I don’t care what the situation, warranted or not, be Me.” Y’all. For me, this took me and the 90’s bracelet W.W.J.D to a new level. Someone lied on you. Don’t defend yourself; what would Jesus do? You were deliberately hurt by someone and now they need something from you? Don’t take the opportunity to stick your tongue out at them and wave your fingers by your ears (literally felt like this before); what would Jesus do? This one is a hard one. You’re given (by Satan) the perfect opportunity to plead your case, or even tell people just how bad so-and-so did you. Don’t. What would Jesus do? And so to the best of my human ability, I tried to give the Lord what He asked of me. I’ve fallen short, of course. I can say with certainty I will again, however, when I had reached a suitable place of obedience… God gave me more. “Now mean it.” I wish my keyboard allowed emojis; I could give you a few. I was blown down because I thought I was making great efforts and strides in my previous instructions. There will always be more with Jesus, but He will never ask too much. I think that’s why I was given a step and a heavy amount of time to re-route myself in His directions… He gave me so many miles to walk that way before calling out my next turn. My own personal GPS. “Follow the words I say, and when it’s time I will tell you when to turn so you don’t get lost. If you pay close enough attention, I’ll also re-route you if you do.” Here is the Martha in this. I was paying attention to the details of the task, instead of the task itself. God never called us to look like Christians. He called us to be them. It was better of me to look like I was trying to live the life I was called to, but what about actually meaning it? God wants our hearts. If we can fully give Him our hearts, through them, He will rebuild our lives. That is the goal. Jesus is the Goal. “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed- or indeed only one. Mary has chose what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” That verse, put in this perspective, is fire, ladies. God says I am all that matters. Sitting at My feet and hearing what I say, learning what I say, is the single most right choice we can make in our lives. I worry about friendships where I live, for my babies, I want them included. I fear them not being. God says I’m worried and upset, but choose My feet over friendships. I get upset when I hear things louder than I hear God’s truths. God says it doesn’t matter, I do. I get worried about the details of my past, things real to me and things real to others about me, and God says You made the right choice. Satan will certainly try to steal your joy, but the choice you’ve made, you will always have. It’s all you’ll ever need. There are so many little details in our lives we want to clean up, that we want to make better, and y’all we wear ourselves out for appearances. This results in us being too tired for the Lord. We’re doing all the things, going all the places, and when we make it to our beds to say our prayers… we have the nerve to ask God to do something when we’ve taken no initiative to read anything. God has already spoken. He still speaks… but we’re too tired or too busy to read it. Maybe I just don’t understand it, The Bible, I can’t. When you pursue God and His word with all of your heart, with your plans and intentions set aside, He will absolutely reveal Himself to you. I promise. The problem is, we approach God with our problems, like Martha, and we also come with answers. God do you see her? Tell her to help me. God do you see how they treat me; make them stop. God, do you see how bad we’re struggling in our marriage; fix my husband. God, my dad will not quit drinking, make him go to rehab. God doesn’t need our help running the universe; He only needs our cooperation. Few things are needed, in fact only one. Give Him your heart. Not the one you post on facebook, the real one without all of the fake details. That is the one He can fix. If we are going to get real with God, We’ve got to get real with ourselves. XOXO, #ChristLightInthewordMadeNewTrustUnfailingLovegracemercyshame #GodTiredMercyAngerReligiousRevengeRest #Mercychristfollowerofchristproblemschristianbloggerjesusheisgood

“Furthermore, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those evil-doers, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by His spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh- though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more. circumcised on the eight day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, A Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee, as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.” Philippians 3:1-6 Trying not too get to historical, I want to quickly explain some history before we get to the meat of this. Paul is saying look, I’m reminding you because this is important. “Dogs” is a word the Jews would use for the gentiles.. Paul says be careful around these people..these evil doers. They think heaven is for the law abiding citizens and to get there.. if you’re not Jewish.. you first have to become a Jew before you can become a Christian. You have to be circumcised. Paul says this is mutilation. Skipping some words we will revisit, Paul said I’ll tell you why it’s wrong. If anybody has the right to think who they are and what they do will get you to heaven, it’s me guys. I am the circumcised stock of Israel. I’m family with the first king of Israel and I’m Hebrew. I was a Pharisee, the very best sect of people devoted to the law, an active fighter against Judaism, and by the law- I’m perfect. Now back to the middle.. even though who I am and what I do looks good by the books.. it means nothing. The true circumcision is what we Christians are because we serve God by his spirit and not in our doings. The real christian knows that external worship and good deeds that these people push in the church may be good things but they are not sanctifying things. Only through Jesus, because of Jesus, by Jesus in us, are we saved- not the things we do ourselves. As great as the law is, the new covenant says it’s nothing without faith. The real christian rejoices in Christ, not in circumstances or situations but in the Lord. To abide in joy means you really believe God’s got this; He is in full control and that control is for your own good.. and we’re relieved that He’s in control because Lord knows we couldn’t do a good job on our own. The real Christian has no confidence in the flesh. You don’t trust you to get you to heaven. Things aren’t good because you’ve been good. They’re good because JESUS is good and THAT’S a safe confidence to keep you warm at night. Even after I was saved, after I had spent countless hours with Jesus, with His word, with Him in prayer, serving Him… there were times that I did not understand some things. Why am I having such a hard time? Why did you tell me to do this if you weren’t going to see it through? What happened to blessed is she who believed? Hello God, I believe… where’s my blessed. For a time I thought that kingdom work brought some kind of reward.. I was waiting and waiting and the package never showed up on my doorstep. Blessings do not always come with bows. The package did come… 2000 years ago. God was testing my faith. Not for His knowledge, but for my own. I needed to see where I stood. Believing was the first step, but there was much more to do. I had to learn what it was like to be the real Christian, not the one that was dressed up in her new life with a mini ministry but the broken girl. The undressed, real, raw version. There is boldness in broken. I had to learn confidence in Christ. I started looking for all of the things God was teaching me about myself as He pulled me through so many different seasons instead of asking Him why. I began to thank Him for new opportunities to trust Him differently as the color of those seasons changed. I learned to stand up in all my messy and just pour it all out there because even if it didn’t feel okay, it certainly was, because there is purpose in every single step, even those that throw you to the floor. Y’all please please know that it is not who you are but what you are. It’s not what you’ve done or haven’t done, it’s what you do next, and it’s never what you do by yourself, but what He does with you that brings the bows. Hugs and Tuesdays, #bible

Im one of those have-to-have it all tucked away kind-of girls. I wish I werent; I hate that about myself, but I just am. I would bet I am one of the messiest organized people you have ever crossed paths with. Starting an unexpected new season in my life, things have been a little more shaken up than normal and so have my nerves. Ive looked through next months calendar 100 times, and will do it again. Have any of yall been just worn out by planning, twisting, forcing all the right pieces in what feels like a too small puzzle? I had my life planned perfectly, even more calculated than the color coded blocks of my over-sized planner. I didnt grow up the best. I never wanted for anything, but my home life certainly could have stood some major adjustments. Without details, I had planned a different life, something different than I had. I had this idea of what my perfect life would look like. I would be married, cute house, cuter kids, lots of friends with also cute kids that would play on a well landscaped lawn on Saturdays when I had a day off from my perfect job. There would be a dog, okay two dogs, and basically always sunshine. Dont ask me how the perfect grass got watered in this dream without rain because I havent thought that through. All things are full of exhaustion; a man can not complete it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear filled with hearing; What has been is what will be and what has been done is what will be done.. and there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:8-9 Im getting to the point, hang in there. Apply just a little context here, and were moving on. Under the sun is a theme in this book of the bible, and has nothing to do with the weather. Under the sun means the world we can see; a materialistic world with no eternal perspective. NOW, imagine me, sitting here, looking at this calendar book of mine with these colored up pages that represent little of what I had planned on. In blue and red, I have marked my second husbands work days. My first marriage failed. My new (because we just bought it) not new house needs unexpected repairs. While my kids are cute, they represent multiple colors on my book- all five of them, Dads house this day, moms house that one, a holiday here for this kid, oh and yay! Looks like we have them all for that one. Purple is the color of my daughters dance class. Yellow is my step-daughters church program. I have few friends in a not-so-new but certainly not home town, no baby play dates, and I feel like I have more jobs than I do socks right now. My dog is well kind of perfect, but my lawn is full of leaves all from the storms that blow in when the sun hides. Two completely different pictures, right? But then theres this: But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I counted everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ Philippians 3:7-8 There was a time that I had what I wanted, what I had planned. I married a guy that gave me the parade proposal, had two beautiful children, built a home that even had good grass because, well, sod. All of my new town girls liked all my Instagram pictures and commented things on my Facebook posts, there was a potential for friendships and play dates. There was no dog, but there was more than that missing from the puzzle. It was so sunny, yall. I had that life under the sun and I was weary. Like the man in Ecclesiastes, I could not complete it, could not be satisfied. It was like I tried and tried to get this or do that and it was still so empty. And why? because it was so bright. It was a life full of things I could see for now, and one with none of the things I could feel forever. Now I have absolutely no idea why the life I planned unraveled into the life I live in. I dont. Maybe had I stepped out of a life in the sun and into the kingdom, things would have been different. That is not for me to say, but I know that girl with all of those big and bright plans was meant to be scorched by that heat that her own sun packed- and I am so so grateful she was burned down just as she was. Its one of those beauty from ashes kind-of thing. God often uses our brokenness to reveal His beauty. And gosh is He beautiful, are His renovations beautiful. You see, when I lost all of those things, I was left with the One person Ive always had but never knew. I came to Jesus because basically there was nothing else. I would lose all over again, knowing what there was to gain in having nothing and everything all at the same time. Paul said in Philippians 3 verses 7 and 8, look I count it all gone. I dont even care. Everything else under the sun is garbage because EVERYTHING else is less when compared to the infinite value of Jesus. Paul is right. I love those red and navy dots. They provide for my family when they are present in those dated squares, and when theyre not that means I get to enjoy my husband wrapped up in bed with me if only for one night before the next red dot appears. I love all 100 of those little baby fingers and toes with every piece of me, together all at once or separate, on the holidays or not. My new-not new home will free up some time for me to pursue my passion for spreading the word and for that, me and my daughter danced in the rain that fell from my closet ceiling last week when it rained. I have very very few friends in my home-but-not home town, but they are literally some of the very best, and those leaves? I love them. Watching them fall to the ground, I am so full of hope because I know that, like me, those dead leaves will get a second chance and then a third and so on, to revive themselves when this season is over because with Jesus, you dont run out of chances; you dont run out of love. Sunny days are beautiful. The things you can see are beautiful but trust me when I tell you with tears in my eyes that there is nothing absolutely nothing more precious than what you cannot see, but can always feel. The question never concerns the presence of God. He is always there. The question is whether or not God matters. The very biggest hugs, #bible

I’m one of those ‘have-to-have’ it all tucked away kind-of girls. I wish I weren’t; I hate that about myself, but I just am. I would bet I am one of the messiest organized people you have ever crossed paths with. Starting an unexpected new season in my life, things have been a little more shaken up than normal and so have my nerves. I’ve looked through next month’s calendar 100 times, and will do it again. Have any of y’all been just worn out by planning, twisting, forcing all the right pieces in what feels like a too small puzzle? I had my life planned perfectly, even more calculated than the color coded blocks of my over-sized planner. I didn’t grow up the best. I never wanted for anything, but my home life certainly could have stood some major adjustments. Without details, I had planned a different life, something different than I had. I had this idea of what my perfect life would look like. I would be married, cute house, cuter kids, lots of friends with also cute kids that would play on a well landscaped lawn on Saturdays when I had a day off from my perfect job. There would be a dog, okay two dogs, and basically always sunshine. Don’t ask me how the perfect grass got watered in this dream without rain because I haven’t thought that through. “All things are full of exhaustion; a man can not complete it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear filled with hearing; What has been is what will be and what has been done is what will be done….. and there is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:8-9 I’m getting to the point, hang in there. Apply just a little context here, and we’re moving on. Under the sun is a theme in this book of the bible, and has nothing to do with the weather. Under the sun means the world we can see; a materialistic world with no eternal perspective. NOW, imagine me, sitting here, looking at this calendar book of mine with these colored up pages that represent little of what I had planned on. In blue and red, I have marked my second husband’s work days. My first marriage failed. My new (because we just bought it) not new house needs unexpected repairs. While my kids are cute, they represent multiple colors on my book- all five of them, Dad’s house this day, mom’s house that one, a holiday here for this kid, oh and yay! Looks like we have them all for that one. Purple is the color of my daughter’s dance class. Yellow is my step-daughters church program. I have few friends in a not-so-new but certainly not home town, no baby play dates, and I feel like I have more jobs than I do socks right now. My dog is well… kind of perfect, but my lawn is full of leaves all from the storms that blow in when the sun hides. Two completely different pictures, right? But then there’s this: “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I counted everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” Philippians 3:7-8 There was a time that I had what I wanted, what I had planned. I married a guy that gave me the parade proposal, had two beautiful children, built a home that even had good grass because, well, sod. All of my new town girls liked all my Instagram pictures and commented things on my Facebook posts, there was a potential for friendships and play dates. There was no dog, but there was more than that missing from the puzzle. It was so sunny, y’all. I had that life under the sun and I was weary. Like the man in Ecclesiastes, I could not complete it, could not be satisfied. It was like I tried and tried to get this or do that and it was still so empty. And why? because it was so bright. It was a life full of things I could see for now, and one with none of the things I could feel forever. Now I have absolutely no idea why the life I planned unraveled into the life I live in. I don’t. Maybe had I stepped out of a life in the sun and into the kingdom, things would have been different. That is not for me to say, but I know that girl with all of those big and bright plans was meant to be scorched by that heat that her own sun packed- and I am so so grateful she was burned down just as she was. It’s one of those beauty from ashes kind-of thing. God often uses our brokenness to reveal His beauty. And gosh is He beautiful, are His renovations beautiful. You see, when I lost all of those things, I was left with the One person Ive always had but never knew. I came to Jesus because basically there was nothing else. I would lose all over again, knowing what there was to gain in having nothing and everything all at the same time. Paul said in Philippians 3 verses 7 and 8, look I count it all gone. I don’t even care. Everything else “under the sun” is garbage because EVERYTHING else is less when compared to the infinite value of Jesus. Paul is right. I love those red and navy dots. They provide for my family when they are present in those dated squares, and when they’re not that means I get to enjoy my husband wrapped up in bed with me if only for one night before the next red dot appears. I love all 100 of those little baby fingers and toes with every piece of me, together all at once or separate, on the holidays or not. My new-not new home will free up some time for me to pursue my passion for spreading the word and for that, me and my daughter danced in the rain that fell from my closet ceiling last week when it rained. I have very very few friends in my home-but-not home town, but they are literally some of the very best, and those leaves? I love them. Watching them fall to the ground, I am so full of hope because I know that, like me, those dead leaves will get a second chance and then a third and so on, to revive themselves when this season is over because with Jesus, you don’t run out of chances; you don’t run out of love. Sunny days are beautiful. The things you can see are beautiful but trust me when I tell you with tears in my eyes that there is nothing absolutely nothing more precious than what you cannot see, but can always feel. The question never concerns the presence of God. He is always there. The question is whether or not God matters. The very biggest hugs, #bible

“and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ. the righteousness from God depends on faith. that i may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings becoming like him in his death. that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect but i press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus had made me his own. ” Philippians 3:9-12 I’ve read this scripture. Re-read this scripture. Then read it again. I’ve studied it to try and find something applicable because it’s been my experience that it’s what helps my readers the most. I’m sorry, tonight I do not have a fancy story, but the context of this passage is greater than anything I could possibly say. What do you think about when you hear the word righteousness? royalty? a man in a red velvet cloak and an unattractive beard, maybe? I don’t know but righteousness is simply put as a way of life that is all about doing the right thing. Paul is saying I can’t do everything right myself, not even if I follow all of the rules. In fact the only way I can be perfect is through faith (complete trust and confidence in something) in Jesus. And faith is a contingent thing- that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share his sufferings becoming like Him in His death. to know: to not just recognize God. to know is defined as a developed relationship through meeting and spending time with someone. power: gosh power is so much y’all. Power is the ability to do; it’s the capacity to direct or influence behavior; it is a right to authority; its literal physical strength. that we may share in suffering: share is a part or portion of a larger amount. God is big. He is strong. He is perfect, compassionate, Almighty authority, ultimate perfection and to know Him is to share in all of those good things, really know Him- not recognized by a parable you heard in Sunday service or a the familiar picture of a textiled mosaic of the glass church window, but to know know Him because you have, in very physcial form, met and spent time with him. He shares all of His glory, all of these wonderful things, and in return we too must share- just a piece of the greater, actually the greatest, suffering that has already been endured. But we’re selfish- with our time, with our hearts. Our expectations are big and our efforts minimal. We’re too busy or too tired. We make excuse after excuse about the lack of investment in our relationship with Jesus. but gosh do I love paul. He goes on to say I’m going to do whatever it takes to be saved from my self. I know I’m not perfect, I know I never will be… but I’m going to keep moving forward, everyday, making it the best I can, making perfection my own because God? He has made me His own. I just have to believe Paul was one of Jesus’s favorites, my husband swears it was Peter. >insert eye roll< but Paul never had a good life guys. He literally struggled his entire time as a Christian. In acts 20 Paul is talking to people and says y’all know how I’ve lived- serving the lord with humility, and tears, and trials. I didn’t shrink down to telling you anything because it was uncomfortable, I taught you publicly- fully. I’m fixing to go to Jerusalem because that is what God asked. All I know about this journey is what God has told me and that is that it will be full of hard times and imprisonment, but I don’t care. My life means nothing to me. All I want is that I may finish my course, my ministry and purpose, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. That’s it. That’s all I want. Sometimes, often, we obscure what the gospel is. Jesus is eternal safety in temporary trial. Jesus is love and He is correction, He is captivating and captive all at the same time, and we just want to pick Him apart, keep the convenient pieces. We want His protection but not the things that place us in positions requiring us to be protected. We want Him to love us without consequence, and we’re even in awe of Him, of all that He is, and yet we still don’t want the responsibility that comes with that kind of adoration. We don’t want to be held down to a life of restrictions- we’re so worried about what we will have to give up to follow Jesus.. and so we set Him aside. We make him just a resource when we “need” it. God isn’t the generator for when the power goes out, He is the literal power. He’s all of those things in that definition and we take it for-granted. It breaks my heart. The Lord had prepared Paul for what I would call some of the worst vacations ever. Visit here, but you’re going to jail. Visit over here too, but you will be beat to blood. When you recover let’s walk over there, but be quiet because they are already looking to kill you. And Paul said yes every time. And He doesn’t even ask that of you and I. All he asks is Believe in me, believe that you can trust me, believe that I will take care of you. Know me. Develop a relationship with me. I know sometimes it will be hard but the best news is you will only have a small portion of the pain because for every thing you do wrong, big or small, I have already suffered for. That promise. I am love. Captivating. Compassionate. Perfection. Perfector. Safety. Forever. I was, I am, and I will be- always. Let us press on every day to pour just a little more of ourselves out- Give just a little. Then a little more. Sit your phone down. Turn your TV off. Set aside an extra circular and let’s show up for Him because He saved us. Saves us every day. I want nothing more in this life than to be unraveled. Spun out of myself and into my purpose, trusting will full confidence that even if it’s through my own tears- God will make something beautiful out of my life…. and something pretty out of yours too. Let us receive our portion and fall into our place. Hugs, #bible

“But how are we supposed to just change? you know, after God?” Well, a day at a time, of course, but I try and think of it like this: what if, for that one day, a new christian was following your example? Would you be more conscience, then, of your behavior? “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.  For many of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set of earthly things.  But our citizenship is in heaven and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious bod, by the power that enable him even to subject all things to himself.” Philippians 3:17-21 and what if I’m the example? what if you are? no one is perfect here, so we’re not pointing fingers. but Paul is saying here, “be careful- these people- they’re enemies of the cross, even those that are dressed to appear otherwise.” What he is saying is that these people are destructive, self-serving, and even find a sense of pride in the very same things that one should be ashamed of. The guy that brags about the number of girls he has slept with; the girl that thinks it’s cool that she can out drink the boys. Paul is saying be careful and Jesus flat says no. “Do not love the world or the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world- the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride in life- is not of God but of world.” 1st John 2:15-16 you cannot love both. There are some Christians that believe that since God is forgiveness, our souls can be saved and it just doesn’t matter what our bodies do; they’re wrong. There are also Christians that believe that worldliness is limited to external behavior- you know, the people we hang out with, the places we go, the activities we enjoy and partake in, and y’all…. they’re also wrong. Arguably even more wrong, even though that isn’t a thing, because they’re just dressing up the ugly underneath. Wordliness begins in the heart and is characterized by three attitudes: 1- desires of the flesh, preoccupation of gratifying physical desires 2- desire of the eyes, craving and accumulating things; idolizing materialism, even if on the inside and 3- pride of life- an obsession of status and importance. The serpent tempted Eve with these things. (see genesis 3:6) The devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness with these things. (see matthew 4:1-11) and you better bet Satan is enticing you in these very same ways. Even unintentionally, we’re so worried with our busy week that our minds wander on Sunday morning when the preacher speaks a sermon our hearts desperately need. We’re so preoccupied with planning our children’s activities, trying to maneuver how we can possibly shuffle all of these things into one elf-sized day, that we make no room for intentional prayer, maybe not even prayer at all. I’ve been guilty. And then all those activities that we’ve spilled over our calendars are leaking down the sides of what’s left of a mother when Thursday rolls around, and let’s be honest- there’s no time, certainly no energy, left for intimate time with Jesus and His word. Satan is sifting through our lives, our schedules, and uncovering all of our leaks, our frailties and he is not only finding our holes, y’all, he is expanding them in a way that allows flaw to pour when flaw before, was just a trickle here and there. As people of this world, we prioritize this world. Again, I’m not blaming because Lord knows I am not perfect either.. Not perfect, but blameless. “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and blameless in his sight.” Ephesians 1:4 but this perfect? your own personalized portion of unperfect blamelessness… only comes from Jesus. “who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” philippians 3:21 Earlier in verse 18 of the text is says “I tell you with tears in my eyes.” Paul cried. Paul, the same man that was beaten on many occasions without a tear. Paul, the man that overcome so many obstacles quite literally running for his life so many times, again, without a tear. Paul, the man that sang praises to God while locked in a first century prison…. yet he cries for this people. Why? Because Paul knows that while all of this circumstance he has endured is temporary- a life of sin and unrepentance is not. We cannot be both. Our conduct must match our citizenship and our character turn away from our culture. what if, for that one day, a new christian was following your example? Or maybe I should ask it this way: What if you knew Jesus were coming tomorrow? What would you change first? Your shoes or your heart? It’s never going to be about things, about people, about status- when that day comes it’s only and always going to be about Him, your heart and how it knows Jesus. Hugs, #bible