Good morning and happy Friday. The first full week of a new year has passed. How do you feel? How was yesterday ? Do you think you could take the days report card to God and have Him sign it for ya? Yeah me either. I've been in a few conversations here lately about how hard it is to do good. How hard it is to follow Jesus. How I know I need God in my life but I don't think I can do it. What's the common denominator in all that? "I". We forget so easily, and I admire those who don't, that God is here with us in the moment all the time. I know we forget because of the report card we don't want Him to sign. If we lived in His presence, we wouldn't have a thing to worry about. But here's the good news; you ready for this ? He forgives you. That simple. He wants you doing everything for Him. But when you stumble and fall, and the world is laughing at you, He's picking you up and helping you get back on track. He loves you that much. So no, the report card isn't too good today. But a loving Father is there to sign it anyway because His son's blood made it clean again for Him to see. Let Jesus be the one who stands in your place. He's died for the right to do so. And He has a perfect report card. Stay in the shadow of His wings and live everyday for Him the best you can. Give Him all the glory and all the praise and it will much easier to stay focused on your "school" work. Let God have your card today and sign His name to it as your Father. In love always. <><

Good morning or afternoon depending on where you are today and happy Thursday. Time, seems to be one of our most valuable commodities. It's a rare thing. Not much of it around; or at least not enough for most of us. Who invented time? We can't blame God for it. He has all the time one could ever imagine. How much time do we give away you think ? It's what it's for really, is to give it away. How much do you keep for yourself? It's not a bad thing until you run out with none to give when it's needed by someone you love. I'm a waster of time. I waste a lot of time as my wife who will read this can attest to. The problem I have is I'm not giving my time to the ones I should be. My wife and family obviously, but what about friends and people in need. And then most importantly how much am I giving to God ? Of all the things we can give Him, our time is one of the most valuable. Time in His word. Time in prayer and time in listening to our Father guide us. I'm sorry for wasting time. I hope to do this better. We're all a work in progress. Surround yourself with like minded Christ following people and spend time with God and fellowship with family and friends. Use you time wisely. In love always. <><

Good morning and happy Wednesday. I was watching my little dog nuzzle and paw and work pretty hard at getting his blanket just right before he laid down in it. Working that hard just to get comfortable, crazy. How many times has your sleep been bad because you couldn't get comfortable. And it's not the comfort we need, it's the rest. But to get to the rest we have to be comfortable. A song that comes to mind says we "yearn for peace and rest". Why? We sleep all night. Took a nap during the day. We should be plenty rested. But I bet your not. I know I'm not. Is it because I can't get comfortable? Is it because I let life take over instead of letting it go? And I don't mean let it go as in being irresponsible. And just what is rest really? We don't know how to find quiet time from the world. We don't know how to take that time to find comfort in who and what we are. We don't know how to use that to help us find rest. So my suggestion is this; find that place where you know God has met you before and stand there in His presence. This is the place we all walk away from and have no idea why. Shut the world off and listen to Him speak over you, the words of His peace and there you will find rest. The kind of rest you have never had before. Only God can give us true rest. We need that rest more than we know. We kid ourselves that we're ok we got it under control, In this day of instant gratification, we don't how to be patient. It takes a little work to get the blanket just right to find that rest we so desire and so desperately need. In love always. <><

Good morning and happy Tuesday. So we all know the story of Mary. We hear it this time year around Christmas. But what about Joseph? What about the man named Joseph?The angel of the Lord came to Mary one time. He came to Joseph four times. Joseph had a very big role in the bringing up of Jesus. He had a huge test of faith in continuing on with Mary. How would it go over today if a man's promised wife was to come to him and say she was pregnant with someone else's child? It wouldn't be so hard to believe in this day and time as it was back then. But it was a big deal to be betrothed to someone and to be carrying a child. There was a lot that Joseph had to endure. We really don't hear much about Joseph in this whole story. And I think that's why I'm so drawn to it. He was a man really working behind-the-scenes. I've never heard of the hail Joseph Or heard a prayer to him at all. And I think that's just the way it should be; doing the very best you can do when God calls you to do it. Never making a big to do. Simply being faithful and steadfast in what God calls you to do. Today I would simply ask that you just be still and know that He is God. He has great plans for you and your life, and they may not be the headliner of the big show. But they may be just as important as anything that's in the marquee lights. Keep the faith and follow God's plan. In love always. <><

Good morning and happy Monday. Darkness; the absence of light. By itself darkness doesn't exist. At at least in the sense that you can't make darkness darker or less dark. That can only be done by using light. Either by adding it or taking some away. Darkness is at the mercy of the light. Did you know that the human eye can see a single candle flicker from nearly thirty miles away? Light has power. Jesus came into the darkness of this world and gave it light. He has given us that light by dwelling within us. Just like a candle can be seen from so far away, your light of Jesus can be seen as well. Jesus said that no one lights a candle and hides it under a basket. It is to be set out to light the room. We have been called to shine our light. And now, more than ever, is the best time to do so. The world is losing light and becoming darker. We have have the power of Jesus within us to change that. Let your light shine in the world of a loved one or friend or stranger today. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. In love always. <><