When I was flying recently, I realized something about unexpected disruptions during my travels and just as it is with flights, so often it is in life. When we step back and look at it, we’re just in a series of multiple stops, layovers and delays. Sometimes we are blessed and get nonstop comfort plus seating and sometimes we’re in economy, squeezed in tight with everyone else but the cool thing about it is, the travels are only temporary, while life is lived at the destinations until your next travel is booked again.

I’m happy to help you plan for the next leg of your journey and adventure, but let’s do it together because many journeys begin by realizing we’re in a transition and can be tough to get through not only in and of themselves, but especially when we don’t have others along for accountability.

Many times, transitions look like storms. They come on suddenly, slow you down, keep you waiting, and make you unsure of what’s next. But here are a few truths that can help you through those times:

● We know our destination and we know eventually, even if not “today” we’ll make it to our next stop.

● We aren’t going back to our last or original starting point and there’d be no reason to try to rebook to go there.

● You’re further along now than when you left the last stop.

● Someone is obligated to get you to your next connection if you don’t interfere with the plan.

● Your fare was already paid and guarantees that you will finish the course

● Your storm actually comes with perks if you stick around long enough to see them show up. Essentials/blessings such as meals, lodging, credits and future plans

When we’re in transition we need to learn to give ourselves a break. We are moving from old to new. We are participating in a changeover: going from the last good “season” to the next good “season” with some adjustments, preparation, learning and scaling along the way. You have to be ok not knowing everything especially when you’re just starting out..

We’ll often procrastinate or avoid taking steps to move forward because we don’t want to appear incompetent or unsure of ourselves. But I heard it said once: “Forget what we don’t know and go after the new; to set small accomplishments of newness for yourself to engage interest and that will lead to curiosity, that leads to an awe and wonder about what’s new and to come.”

New can be daunting, but it can also be rewarding, fulfilling and just what you need to come into your next. But how do we know when things are changing? You can start by asking these questions:

● Are you progressing and need to make improvements from your current state?

● Is something failing, and you need to make refinements?

● Are you going in a new direction altogether?

● Are you achieving but unfulfilled?

● Are you aware of the season you are walking into?

● Is what’s in front of you no longer viable?

● Are you being forced to move on?

● Is your NEXT happening naturally?

The key in changing amidst these questions, is not to take off too fast, blow a tire, and end up having to keep stopping. It’s slow and steady, yet uncertain during these times of tension. Seasons change and year 10 isn’t year 0. I saw it written to allow yourself to be a beginner at things. No one starts off as “excellent” day 1. Brene Brown: Atlas of the heart puts it like this…

● Ambiguity invites learning.

· Complexity forces focus and attentiveness.

· Different feelings can coexist at the same time - you aren’t weird or unstable, you’re learning and discovering.

· Curiosity may seem counterintuitive, but it creates an atmosphere where learning can occur.

· Acknowledging uncertainty can be a function of grounded confidence and even humility, when used to reach out can provide engagement to find your way.

· Bittersweet feelings are an indicator and this is your pivot point.

· The last piece is then to reflect, discover the wisdom, and lessons learned over previous disappointments.

If we refuse to walk ourselves through that process, we end up moving toward nostalgia instead. Then rumination, followed by depression, and finally a mental breakdown.

We experience bittersweet feelings when we are leaving where we were and entering into what is next. It’s a paradox of both happiness and sadness. It’s like watching children grow, leaving a job, divorce/relationship ending, graduating, letting go of friendships or things that aren’t working, moving, death, retirement, or even coming home from vacation.

When we’re being too transactional during these types of seasons, we miss necessary turns and get stuck. We miss the fork in the road and end up off course and out of alignment. We must remember, life is seasonal, and we should be embracing the evolution of life. If not, we end up holding people and situations hostage, and we lose the purpose and intention of where we are. We drag ourselves into situations that are limiting and debilitating because we refuse to let go.

So instead, we should learn to recognize, appreciate and celebrate ours and others' seasonal capacity because it’s a time to shift and making shifts can be difficult all around.

You can’t keep spending time trying to reconcile the past, but realize when change is upon us, a choice has to be made, and once we make a decision to go toward our new life, the old one becomes null and void. Instead we should begin to pivot with reflection and then positive change takes hold of us. At that point the questions become, do we want it? Is it worth it? Am I being methodical or irrational? Thoughtful or emotional?

New seasons are “free” seasons because you’re not tied to this or that. The old has been done away with and we usher in the new. You can become anything during this time, but the idea is to become more and more of who you were already meant to be by developing a plan, evaluating the plan, and waiting for the harvest as you sow. It takes preparation, comfortability, and even a period where there’s no fruit, but hold the line, harvest is on the way. Cultivate, till, and build your wisdom, knowledge and understanding and what yourself be refined and unique.

If you don’t let go while these new changes are occurring, you risk destroying your next season. This is a time to be enlightened, eyes opened. But also wondering at the same time

what’s the how, compared to others, how will it function, play out, and why you? Why not someone else? Others must be better qualified than you? Better equipped?

This is a dilemma, a wilderness. A place to finally meet up with God to initiate an encounter. There will be an urge to rush, move, pass, or go around, but we must abide and remain to get all of what we need for our NEXT to operate properly.

I hear you though, Coach, how does this work practically? How do we still get things accomplished during this time?

1. We gain clarity and understanding. This looks like reflection and meditation (journaling), asking good questions and getting answers between you and God, for the details and strategies for your life.

2. We need to know how we’re traversing through the transition by measuring our journey. And that means metric evaluation- how are you doing? How will I know I’m on the other side? What goals do I have and what are my steps to get there?

3. Hone your desires God has put in you - get training, get equipped, and align your heart with His. Seek to renew and change you mind from what’s hindering you, and look for new connections, mentors, relationships that will help you fill the gap in this transitional season.

4. Be in awe, be curious, and be interested enough to deep dive into your assignments and tasks that align to propel you to your NEXT.

5. Finally, affirm the journey. Believe what’s yours and what’s for you and that’s it just for you. Prepare and be ready while acting accordingly to the season you’re in. Move forward in perseverance, capitalize on the freedom in this moment, and maximize and develop your capacity to gear up for what’s coming up next.

The becoming process is usually accompanied by pain - the pain of the stretch, so don’t get worried when it begins to hurt because it will. You’ll be asked by life to sink, swim or ask for help, but the choice is ours.

● We can sink and die and never worry about growing again.

● We can swim tirelessly, get exhausted, and eventually faint from weariness

● Or you can ask for help and keep making transitions season to season.

BE true to who you are made to be. Remain in your disciplines that work the process forward. Remember that straying from the proposed cycle of things, or the "way," will have you remaining where you are, in a perpetual holding pattern. So whatever you do, DON’T get stuck.

In my early years of being a single mom, I was constantly worried about finances. The rental house I was living in had a big oak tree in the backyard. One morning I was looking out my window into the backyard and I saw a squirrel collecting some acorns. Because I grew up in the country this was not an uncommon site for me to see. But the next morning when I saw not one but two squirrels out my window, I started to take notice. This went on for days. Every morning when I woke up, I’d go check on the squirrels; some days I’d count as many as five squirrels collecting acorns all under this one oak tree. Finally, one day I said, “Where are all these acorns coming from!” The second I said that God immediately reminded me of this passage in the bible:

God was giving me a real-life example of provision. In my case it wasn’t birds but squirrels! And God was saying to me if I can provide acorns for all these squirrels; I can also provide for you! I read and reread that passage in Luke every time I started worrying about paying my bills. It gave me great peace and comfort during those early years of single living.

When I found myself faced with needing a full time job, I was overwhelmed to say the least.  I had been a stay-at-home mom off and on for over ten years and without a college education I felt my options were very limited. Yet God was preparing me for that moment well before I knew I would one day need certain job skills. Working part-time and learning the new construction world in our family-owned, side business was the perfect segway to becoming a realtor. But could I do this? I had to pass a test, I had to be aggressive (or so I thought) and all my doubts and fears crept in. Even some of my friends told me I didn’t have the right personality for the job. But with God all things are possible. I’ll soon start my 18th year in real estate – I was even able to move from Michigan to North Carolina with this career. God knew it was a perfect job for me and a perfect transition job when I moved from state to state. 

For well over a year I’ve been worrying knowing I didn’t have enough money to retire anytime soon. My small group had just began reading Mark Batterson‘s “The Circle Maker.” In his book, Mark challenges the reader to pray BIG. God wants to answer the Big prayers so that He may be glorified. I had to ask myself “What was my big prayer? I’m a realtor and I heard fellow realtors talk about buying investment property. I always wanted to do that. But how could I? I’m single and I only have my straight commission income. I am totally on my own when it comes to finances. But am I? Hasn’t God provided all my needs? Remembering His past provisions when I was going through the divorce, starting with my first job into my single life, and as I relocated to another state.

So fast forward to this new challenge – retirement and the prompting to pray BIG and buy an investment property. The prayer/faith journey does get a little easier when you have put your faith in God, and you have seen His provisions many times before.

So, one week before my 59th birthday, I signed a contract to buy a new house and on what would have been my 36th wedding anniversary, tenants signed a lease on what was now my rental property. I truly felt God was saying to me you’re never too old to start something new. And I couldn’t help but feel the “God Hug” moment in the timing of when the lease was signed.

There are always going to be circumstances that could rob us of our joy. Life is full of twists and turns. In my case a divorce, a move to a new state basically without a job and not knowing anyone. In fact, in the middle of writing this I’m faced with a new financial challenge and the issue has not yet been resolved. These situations have reminded me: God is in control – He wants us to pray BIG and trust in Him. And He WILL supply all our needs! (Philippians 4:19).

Now Go Collect Your Acorns!

One of my closest Christian friends frequently sends me Christian based videos on Instagram and I can remember one that really shifted my heart. The lady said something like this “a heart monitor goes up and down and when it flatlines, we’re dead”. As Christians, our lives still are not smooth, instead they are like a heart monitor. So many of us, including me, wish to have a life of smooth sailing, but that isn’t natural nor biblical. Some of us may think that when you become a Christian your life is absolutely perfect and you will have no issues now that you have Jesus, but that is a lie. Did Jesus have smooth sailing in His ministry and throughout His life? Was He not persecuted? Did people not mock Him? Did He not lose friends and become separated from many people?

When I was growing up, I looked up to Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana.  I would sing her song “The Climb” at the top of my lungs when life was hard.

There's always gonna be another mountain

I'm always gonna

wanna make it move

Always gonna be an

uphill battle

Sometimes I'm gonna

have to lose

Ain't about how

fast I get there

Ain't about what's waiting

on the other side

It's the climb…

The struggles I'm facing

The chances I'm taking

Sometimes might knock

me down, but

No, I'm not breaking

God’s word says that in this life we are going to face trials and tribulations (John 16:33). This world is full of sin and godlessness. The god of this world is Satan and until Jesus comes again, we have to go through it as we are called. God doesn’t just say we are going to face issues and to deal with them. Instead, He says take heart, I have conquered the world! In other words, God is saying “hey don’t worry, you are not alone in this, I defeated death so whatever you are going through I will defeat that too”.  All God calls you to do now is to live through Him, while you face those hard, impossible days. Be reminded that God makes each of our hearts to beat in a rhythm that extends up and down. In the valley, He is with us. On the mountain top, He is with us. As we walk each day with God, He is our fuel to ignite each of us and our callings. Let Him fill you, and see what happens (Psalm 139).                  

As a single mom of two babies, my days are not always easy, and most of the time they are pretty difficult. Yet, with God I can do it and He always lightens the load and makes light of situations. I can say I get my humor not only from my dad, but also my Heavenly Father. The nice thing about parenting is I can sometimes (most of the time) experience all four seasons in one week.

Spring (new life, renewing, refreshing)

Maverick picked me a flower, kissed his sister on the cheek, said to me “thank you, Honey”

Summer (hot, bursting, exhausting)

Refusal to nap (Maverick), a full on blow out by Everbe, lost count of the # of baths, entire puff container dumped on the floor

Fall (harvest, abundance, change)

“Here sissy” as he shares a toy, “me help” as he piles in a little more than 3 cups of flour for the cookies, smiles on smiles from Everbe

Winter (cold, mean, dangerous, icy)

No sharing: “No sissy mine”, teething child bites my leg (Everbe…), random cold, another booboo.

I have a one-year-old and a two year old, so you can assume the messes I have to clean up on a daily basis and the diaper changes. Thank God my two year old is potty trained, but let me tell you it took a whole village. There are days where I have to yell at my two year old to stop throwing balls in the house, or continuously tell him to quit smacking his sister over the head with a toy. The moments aren’t always pretty, but that's where God comes in. He makes the picture pretty awesome. He makes the ride enjoyable, for sure.

I don’t know what season of life you are in, but if you are struggling in the valley, I want to remind you that God sees you and He cares for you. He will give you everything that you need, if you put your trust in Him.

If trust is hard for you, then I am right there with you. Trust is difficult for me because it has been broken so many times by people in my life. This in turn has affected my ability to trust others. Since I didn’t know Jesus when I was young the way that I do now, I previously put my trust in relationships, specifically in guys I was dating and they eventually broke my trust, leaving me heart broken. But when God led me out of the brokenness, I learned to trust Him even more. Each step of faith is a gain of trust in God. God teaches us to trust Him through the storms we go through in life.

I will never forget the time I was driving in a really bad storm with my two children in the back seat. It literally felt like a tornado was going to hit. The trees were blowing fiercely in the wind, the rain was flooding the road, I could barely see through my windshield. It was raining so hard. I remember looking in my rearview mirror at my children. The two of them were sound asleep like nothing was happening. This immediately reminded me of the fierce storm the disciples faced all the while Jesus was asleep on the boat with no worry in the world. The storm was happening, but it wasn’t shaking my kids awake nor was it shaking Jesus awake. Jesus trusted His father that He was safe, and my kids clearly trusted me and my driving through that storm because neither of them woke up. This is a reflection of how God wants us to trust him. Regardless of what your circumstances are, we must trust that God’s plans are good, that He has great things to give us in the midst of life’s adventures. Now, I am not by any means encouraging you to sleep through the storms, hoping God is just going to do it all. That is not what we are called to do. Faith without works is dead (James 2:26). We have to do the work God calls us to do, not just trust that it's all in His hands. God gives you the blueprint, but you have to build it. You can’t just sit there and expect what God has for you will happen. You have to play a part in this.

Maybe you aren’t facing any storms and instead you are just cruising down a nice smooth road. Well enjoy that road, but you better still be preparing for the storm. Just like Noah and the ark. God gave him the vision to build the ark even when the storm was nowhere in sight. How would you respond to God if He told you to build a boat, but the weatherman told you there was a drought? There was no rain in Noah’s sight, but Noah obeyed God and built the ark. The vision to build was there, but the storm wasn’t. Noah didn’t build based on circumstances, He built based on faith. Noah trusted God regardless of what the world said around him. Noah worked and prepared while there was no storm in sight so when it came time for the storm, Noah was prepared and ready to face it. Whether you are in a storm, or one is on its way, don’t run and hide, prepare and seek God to guide you through it. Reach out in faith and thank Him for the great plans He has for your life and start following His lead today.

False Advertising

Growing up watching Disney princesses, I learned at a very young age that almost every princess was rescued by their prince charming. Cinderella was rescued from harsh treatment by her evil stepsisters. Repunzel was rescued from a sheltered life with her imposter  mother. Sleeping beauty was cursed and could only be saved by her true love. These damsels in distress were dealing with real issues, yet these stories claim that a handsome man will lead them to a better life. When my Prince Charming turned out to be a great disappointment and I found myself trapped in an unenchanted relationship, someone much greater rescued me. Not a prince, but a King! In fact, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, my Redeemer, the One and only Son of God, rescued me. He didn’t ride in on a white Stallion or have a horse drawn carriage, He was there all the time. Waiting to save me when I was ready to receive. Now I know to be rescued, you must first accept the help offered by the rescuer. Nothing changes until you allow Him to change you.

I gave my life to Jesus in high school; I got baptized in August of 2019; I went to church every weekend; I was around crowds of Christians. But I have to say, these works are great, but they will not protect you from temptation, lies of the enemy, Satan’s traps, distractions, etc. I was missing the most important part: true devotion to my One and only God. I was partially devoted to God; I did devotionals and prayed only at times of real need. There was a disconnect; something was missing. I was living with one foot in the world and the other in the Kingdom. This way of life does not bear good fruit. God calls us to live fully for Him and according to the purpose He has planned for us. Paul encourages us that we must be in the spirit and of one mind, meaning we cannot live in two separate, opposing worlds.

Pit of Despair

It was four years ago when my life began to take a wrong turn. I was completing my undergraduate degree. I lost my grandma at the very end of 2019 and soon after Covid spread throughout the entire world. At this same time, I met a man who seemed like a great person to get to know. Everything on the outside looked great. It wasn’t until we were later into dating that I learned the inside of him was dark and broken. I wanted him so desperately to know Jesus. I had convinced myself that “this is my mission field, I can help lead him to God”. I spent two years trying to change him only to end up exhausted and empty.

During that time, his life began to impact mine. I have heard it said before that the people you are closest to are the ones you begin to imitate. That proved true as I was putting God aside and trying to please the one who was hurting me instead. There was this dark and depressing weight on him that I lived with daily. I felt stuck and did not see a way out. His weight became mine too. I kept trying to meet his needs and help him. I can vividly remember one night when he was drinking and yelling at me. He mocked and laughed at me for my faith. I took the baby into the bedroom and laid with him crying out to God to save us from this horrible mess. Thankfully I was strong enough to know that I could not live this way because I knew who God was and who God says I am. I knew God heard me and He showed me a way to be free from the lies of the people who Satan used to trap me.

Proverbs is the book of wisdom that I needed throughout this difficult season. I leaned into God’s word and acted on it. When an argument would arise, instead to responding with what I knew to be right, I would gently speak and not feed into creating an argument. A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (Proverbs 15:1). I knew that putting my energy into defending myself would just add more weight and strife. I remembered that I wasn’t fighting against this man, I was fighting against the demonic forces behind him. So In the midst of the chaos, my eyes turned to Jesus. Every problem, persecution, disaster, offense, I counted it all as joy.  Turning to God

 I knew that God didn’t want me in this situation, but I put myself in it and went out of line with God. I was tempted for so long to go astray, until I couldn’t bear in any longer. Things continued to get worse to the point that I had to leave with my son and my daughter who I was pregnant with at the time.

God provided me a way out through my obedience. He opened doors for me to stay with family until I could find my own place. He led me to join Freedom group during this storm. The storm was happening, but God was equipping me through the storm. I didn’t know where I would go or what would happen next. The season I was stepping into was like stepping into the wilderness. It was a large forest with trees surrounding me except one narrow path that was lit. God’s light is what led me through. I didn’t know where God was leading me, but I knew He was leading me out of the darkness and down a path few choose to follow.

In this season, I related my story so much to the story of the Israelites. For more than four hundred years, the Israelites were slaves under the rule of Egypt. They were stuck, poorly treated, and without rights. Yet, God still loved them, they were His people. For so long, the Israelites bore the pain until God sent a deliverer. God spoke to Moses through a burning bush, to rescue them from slavery.

Accepting the Rescuer

God had full control and ability to rescue them, but the Israelites had to accept the rescuer. They were in the wilderness for a long time, so long that the Israelites questioned God and would have rather went back to Egypt where it was “comfortable”. For me, I experienced this very same thing. When I settled into my wilderness, I sometimes longed to be comfortable, which meant going back to what felt “normal”. Like the Israelites, I had been living in pain and torment for so long that living outside of that environment felt incomplete. It took relying fully on God, filling my voids with a true relationship with Him, and looking ahead not behind.

God rescued the Israelites in the midst of their pain and suffering. God did the same for me and He will do it as many times again. He will do the same for you. Today I will call it a long detour because now I can say with confidence that God has led me out of that darkness and into the light of His plan for me. Yet, I know this won’t be the last trial I endure. Because of what He has brought me through in the past, I will be equipped and ready to stand for the next one with the full armor of God. This trial led to having two healthy and beautiful babies. It surely is not easy being a single mom, raising up two sweet babes in Christ, and finishing my Master’s degree. Yet, I can stand today on His firm foundation and say it was and is all to Jesus that I continue strong. God stretched my faith and taught me what it was like to have little for seven months. After seven months, God trusted me with much and blessed me with the opportunity to move into a home for my children and I. God knows exactly what we need at all times. If it wasn’t for facing the trials, my faith would never grow or be stretched. God let me bear it until I no longer could, just like the Israelites. I was truly rescued from the pit of darkness.

When I read scripture, it’s just like I’m reading a story until I make the story my life. This is why Jesus made His story personal to us (He died for us!) so that we can apply it to our lives. His words do not get activated until we accept them by faith. As we are entering into the season of Spring, I often think about all the new life that will come. As a biologist in training, I love all things green, which is what drew me to this particular scripture. Do you enjoy gardening? I love to plant fruits and vegetables each year, but without the help of my grandfather I likely would not have much success.

As a young child, my grandpa was the first to teach me how to garden. He plans well in advance for his planting and sows multiple seeds of the same kind, ensuring that the harvest will be plentiful. Given the years of practice, he has become very successful at yielding crops. It's amazing to see how a tiny seed has the ability to grow into a delicious fruit or vegetable, but this takes a lot of work to see the end product! Plants have needs that must be met if they are going to grow into what they were designed to be, much like we as people do. Even when the seeds I plant do not grow, my grandpa always has extra plants ready to give to me. This reminds me of the way our Heavenly Father works. The Lord does not want us to fail nor go without. He makes a way for us as long as we let Him in. A plant begins as a seed, yet can grow into a beautiful and unique masterpiece.

I love how God speaks to us through His creation. Upon researching the strongest plant, I found myself in awe of how God can teach us with our own eyes. Bamboo is the fastest-growing woody plant in the world. It is a hearty plant that can tolerate extreme weather conditions like drought and low temperatures. While bamboo is commonly found in tropical regions, it can grow just about anywhere! Beware, when bamboo is planted, it spreads quickly! When I learned about the characteristics of bamboo, I thought about how we as Christians are called to a similar role. We must be hearty enough to withstand the pressures of the world. God’s strength enables us to grow wherever we are planted and call others near as we spread across God’s creation.

The Lord is telling us here to make room for more; make room for what He is calling you to and who He is leading you to love. Be like bamboo, let’s be people who cover the earth for Jesus, bringing light to the lost and broken world.

Jesus speaks in Mark 4 about the trajectory of the life of a seed, which we can translate to our own lives. There are four different places the seed can end up and this ultimately determines its life course. The seeds fell along a path, the rocks, the thorns, and some on good soil. Each place where the seeds fell reveal a specific lesson in faith. The seeds that fell along a path reveal missed purpose. The seeds that fell on the rocks teach us foundation. The seeds that fell on thorns remind us to be strong in faith, declaring Christ Jesus as our Savior. Finally, the seeds that fell on good soil and multiplied remind us of God’s fruitfulness in our faithfulness.

Staying on Purpose

Some seeds fall on the path and are eaten up immediately by birds. You see these seeds were meant for a purpose, but something else took them. Much like our lives, God has a purpose for all of us, but we have to plant these seeds in us within good soil for it to grow and become a part of our life. If we don’t live out that purpose, we won’t bear the fruit of it. The plans and opportunities that God had for me will be left for someone else to take, just like the birds on the path. Sometimes we are afraid to obey the calls of God, like when He says “I am calling you to move to a different state and begin a ministry”. Many people may respond to this and say, “well, if He wants me to do it, it will just happen. It’s in God’s hands”. But we fail to acknowledge that what is in God’s hands is for us to do. We have to act on faith by grabbing the seeds on the path and putting them to work in our lives.

His Foundation: Dig Deep

The seeds that fell on rocky places grew fast, but were scorched. Everyone loves a good worship song, but a band isn’t what supports our faith. Full immersion in Jesus gives us the deep nutrients and rich foundation for growth. If we are simply centered on attending services, worship and repeat, we are missing the message. God wants a deep-rooted relationship with us, and not just on the weekends for service. He wants to be in every part of our lives. Even in the mundane, He wants to be there.

Have you lost count of how many times you sang “itsy bitsy spider” to your toddler today? Well I did, but guess who didn’t…God, because I invite Him into those spaces. Bring God into all those areas of your life. If we don’t go all in for Christ Jesus, our roots will not grow deep. The Lord has to be our foundation if we want to live the life He calls us to.

Fully Armored: Christ as Your Savior

The seeds that fell on the thorns started to grow, but got choked (attacked and strangled) by the thorns. What was hidden and protected close to the ground grew, but once it was exposed to the world, it was assaulted and couldn't grow anymore. Once it raised its head with life, the thorns squelched its growth. As we grow deeper in our faith, we make our faith life more public. We are called to go out into the world and declare the message of God’s love to others. God’s light in us is contagious, this is why we are called to be the light of the world, so we go out and draw more people near! For some of us, maybe we are new to this walk and are afraid to really go all in. Perhaps, you are still keeping quiet about your faith to those around you in fear of thorns. What will they think or how will they view you now that your life has completely changed? You don’t want to be seen as the new “Jesus freak” or the “not fun friend”. Well I have news for you: those people that say those things to you need you.

In a similar way, how many of us are not bringing the light out because we still have things we are wrestling with. Maybe you are still trying to hide some things in the darkness? Either of these conditions make you vulnerable to thorns. Fear will hold you back from living fully for the Lord. God sees you; bring these burdens to Him and He will lighten you.

Thrive: Expect Multiplication

Finally, this is where Jesus calls us to remain, on good soil. When we are planted and remain in good soil, something miraculous happens. The seeds that fell on good soil sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that continued to multiply. God’s plan for us is to prosper right? We shouldn’t be surprised by this outcome when we are applying His word to our lives. The key to multiplication is the foundation. When Christ Jesus is our foundation, the plans He has for us prospers. Your faith will continue to bear good fruit as you continue to be planted in good soil.

Plant vs. Human

As I was studying these verses, I thought again about the strongest plant on earth… bamboo. It made me want to strive to carry out some of its qualities. I want to be firmly planted in good soil, not requiring to be uprooted when life hits me. As trouble comes, I want to continue to reach the light and extend outward, bearing crop after crop for the Kingdom of God. Bamboo does not require replanting after harvesting. Can you imagine having a life that continued to spring up blessing after blessing, all the while remaining in the same place? That is available to you too, as long as you remain in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Bamboo like our Christian faith is considered by some to be an invasive plant by human standards. However, spiritually, this is a beautiful representation of how we should grow! Bamboo is hearty and grows despite its environmental pressure. It grows toward the light beaming down into the canopy. Grow in the light of what God has for you. As we discover our purpose, dig deep roots of faith, and armor ourselves with Word of God, we will thrive and multiply. If bamboo can do it, so can you! The journey of faith is much like the journey of a bamboo. Growth is a continuous process, not an end goal. So, make room for more; continue reaching, spreading, and expanding, then you will see how far you will grow.

It had taken my family nearly a year to find the perfect home, and in that time, I switched schools twice.  6th grade was my last year at my tiny, 400-student, preschool -8th grade catholic school. I had attended that school my whole life and knew nearly everyone, including the staff.  I knew 6th grade was my last year there.  I also knew we would have to live in an apartment for a while until we finally found a permanent home.  Due to this, I had to move schools.  I went from a small catholic school to a big public school and just like that almost everything in my life became new.

On the morning of my first day in 7th grade, I was barely nervous. I was actually very excited.  I had a fresh clean start to build on.  However, once I got onto the bus, the two emotions I had felt that morning reversed.  When I stepped inside the building, I very much remember thinking, “I am a speck of dust compared to this amount of people.”

I pulled myself through because I knew I couldn’t let this new and exciting beginning for me go to waste.  I would have to make the most of these days.

The first step I took to make friends was to communicate with the people around me.  I’d say or ask little things, like asking about the class or genuinely complimenting them.  I would also talk with the people at my table.

The second step I took was about myself.  I noticed that people with closed body language gave off an “I don’t want to talk to you or anyone” impression. I had to be approachable so, I carried myself with open body language instead of being closed off and distant.  I also joined school activities, such as a cringy musical that got me several friends to wave “hi” to in the halls.  I would always make sure I was happy or positive about things.  It honestly made me feel good about myself and helped build up some confidence when talking to others. It also gave a friendly impression.

Being kind was the biggest help.  It was almost like a super power.  As I was in that school, I would hear people say ugly things about each other even in front of their faces, and they all would laugh or add to it.  There would always be swears and insults thrown at each other everywhere I went, and I would rarely hear a compliment or see any action of kindness to others.  So, when I would complement someone or help them out, sometimes they’d become my friend. 

For example, I told one girl her shirt looked cool.  She came up to me and told me she thought people would make fun of it because it was merch from a Youtuber.  We continued the conversation from there and became friends that sat together at lunch for a while.  People around me took notice of my kindness and that became my reputation.  People prefer kind people over mean people, you can count on that.

By the middle of the year, I had a whole friend group and knew nearly everyone in my classes.  However, in January, my family finally found the perfect house, but it was in a different school district, so I had to switch schools again!  Mid-February was my first day and it wasn’t as bad as the last.  However, it was still a challenge.  People had established friends and knew everybody.  I didn’t know anyone, but when some people asked me if I wanted to sit with them, I accepted every time.  It took a few tries to find one I’d fit in. I started out with some people but later found out that they didn’t really share the same interests with me.

I had tried to make more friends during that time, but the people in my classes didn’t work out as friends with me.  They had their own friends and wanted no more.

The next year [this year], I started 8th grade and tried making friends again.  I had no success until on the last period of the first day I saw a girl at a table in my art class alone.  Earlier she had complimented my clothes and she was the only person who seemed like a nice, kind person.  I sat down with her, and we became friends instantly.  Then I became friends with another girl who I would sit with at lunch, all because she overheard me ask one of the few people, I knew the previous year if I could sit with her.  Shortly after, we met and invited more people we saw.  It was so much easier with another person.  Now, we have a whole group of friends and I love them all so much!

From my experiences of making friends when going to a new school, it is a challenge.  However, it is a challenge with great results and if the result received isn’t something good, then it’s always alright to try other people for better friendships.  Be known as someone who is approachable and kind.  Be sure to talk with others, join activities to meet others and have fun, compliment others genuinely, and care for people found alone.  Most importantly, remember to be yourself too and you will be successful in all your new beginnings.

Like many men I failed to ask for directions – and lost my way. My personal story is not one with a “Saul on the road to Damascus” moment, but rather one containing a series of moments. Initially these moments were leading me progressively away from the Lord, as a wandering sheep. But later I appreciated moments of rescue and of guidance from an ever-faithful Savior, my merciful Shepherd. I was lost, and then I was found.

I was born in New York City into a middle-class family. I was the oldest of 3 boys raised in Roselle, New Jersey by a father who worked in the steel industry and a mother who worked as a nurse.

My family was Roman Catholic, as was my church, as was my school. I was blessed to be introduced to the Lord at a young age. Yet it was also at a young age I developed an addiction, not to alcohol, or drugs, or sex, but to success. Success in the classroom where I achieved straight A’s. Success in the pool where I earned local, regional, and even international accomplishments as a competitive swimmer. I even found success on my grade school stage and was invited to try out for a Broadway show (which my parents declined). By age 10 or 12 success became not only my goal, but my idol. To me went the glory.

Dad and the family relocated to the mecca of steel, Pittsburgh, where I began my high school years. I learned more about the Lord through Catholic church (St Sebastian’s) and Catholic school (North Catholic). My prayers at that time were unsurprisingly petitions for success. I asked for success in 3 specific areas: academics, athletics, and romance. My addiction for the first was fed by the North Catholic class ranking system which was posted quarterly on a first-floor bulletin board – of course I had to be #1. The athletic request transitioned to the stage where I earned the leading male role in musical productions and first place in the school talent show - portraying the police officer character in the Village People! For a skinny red-haired freckled-faced boy with a Prince Valiant haircut (or Prince Farquaad for you Shrek fans) the romance request was a completely different story. I graduated as class valedictorian. To me went the glory.

My undergraduate years were spent at the University of Notre Dame. I consider myself blessed and remain grateful for those 4 years. The campus was beautiful, the education tremendous, the friendships meaningful. Another 4 years of learning about the Lord through Catholic church and Catholic school. Looking back now I realize I knew so very much about God without really knowing Him, personally. I had yet to develop a personal relationship. He was in my head but not my heart. I suspect that is precisely what the enemy wanted. I had “true religion” (the spirituality, never owned those jeans) but not “true faith.” Summa cum laude, phi beta kappa fed that success addiction. To me went the glory.

St. Louis became my home for the next 8 years. I went to the Washington University School of Medicine specifically to train under a world-renowned pediatric plastic surgeon who was famous for repairing faces of children with congenital abnormalities.

He was the subject of a Nova television program, a true artist. I wanted to be the best (of course) so I chose to train with the best. Had I prayed for guidance about that life choice? Of course not. I had it all under control. But my lack of any semblance of artistic talent forced me to detour off that path. I transitioned to neurology after meeting faculty who were the best and the brightest. I married a classmate. Had I prayed for guidance about that life choice? Of course not. I graduated second in my class (darn that Brian Armstrong!), completed my residency as a “brain doctor” as chief resident. To me went the glory.

I had no idea I was lost. I had wandered from my faith. The Lord knew I needed someone, and he gave me Teddy. My classmate Budianto Batanghari (“Teddy”) was my roommate and friend, and a passionate evangelical Christian. He forced me to view my faith through a different lens. We had many late-night intense conversations about salvation and the Lord. Seeds were planted. My direction had yet to change.

I returned to Pittsburgh, started to raise a family, and built a successful headache practice at AGH. My professional career trajectory had me recruited to UPMC where I developed an academic headache training program. During those years I returned to the stage. My speaking skills earned me recognition, and I advanced to regional, national, and international venues. The pay was amazing, the hotels posh, the limousine and airline travel first class. I worked with famous celebrities and helped with their migraine stories. Scotty Pippin, Marcia Cross, Troy Aikman, Monica Seles. I was successful by worldly measures, seduced by prestige and applause. To me went the glory. But there were casualties.

My family – divorce. My faith – empty.

I realized now I was living a lie. The enemy had me. Sometimes he lies by calling you bad, as defined by your past failures, that you are not worth saving. Sometimes he lies by calling you good, as defined by your past successes, that you don’t need saving. That was my trap. I truly believed I could do it all on my own.

If not for the Father’s mercy and grace, I would still be lost in that lie. He met me right where I was, knowing the way to this neurologist’s heart was through his brain. The Lord knew just what I needed – and he gave me Christine.

Like Teddy she had a palpable passion for Jesus, and she loved the Lord with such depth and conviction it was captivating. As with Teddy we had many late-night intense conversations about salvation and the Lord. Only she was much better looking than Teddy - so the conversations went on even longer. We married, worked on blending a family, and joined Memorial Park presbyterian church where we became involved in children’s ministry. I was making changes but remained incompletely persuaded. There the Lord knew I needed an “aha” moment, and he gave me Bruce Bickel. During a message on salvation I finally “got it,” that one had to be perfect to approach the throne, and that the only path to that perfection was through Jesus.

Following Christine’s lead we moved to Victory Family Church. The Lord knew exactly what I then needed – faith coaches – and he gave me John Nuzzo. There we attended “faith school” through small groups (Freedom group, Faith-Life training). As a lifelong student and scholar this fed me through my brain and spirit. We were water baptized. We received our prayer languages (it would take hours to describe how a neurologist handled that one). I was introduced to media lessons of Keith Moore which resonated within me. I eventually had a “Bob on the road to Florida” moment when my dear Christine had us study The Believer’s Authority from Andrew Wommack. To my wife I give so much credit, and to Him the glory!

His faithfulness did not end there. The Lord knew exactly what I needed next was faith brothers, faith teammates – and he gave me Jay Simon. This man eventually became my best friend, whose wonderful son married my amazing daughter. Our families became one. Jay invited me to a “small group” known as POPS, where I was blessed by the teachings of Ajibola Okerayi and Kishore Vellody and by the fellowship of many brothers in Christ. Jay also led me to a “big group” known as the Big C. Each group continues to meet regularly, and I wholeheartedly recommend them both to any man who seeking faith brothers to share your walk with Christ.

So, I now journey on, with my incredible wife and family, with my faith coaches, with my faith brothers. Recently I read a quote from Rabbi Abraham Heschel that I find appropriate, “The ultimate gift of life is to pass from appreciation to gratitude.” I am so very grateful for my worldly blessings and achievements – but now the glory goes to Him!

Romans 11:36 - For everything comes from Him, exists by His power, and is intended for His glory – my favorite verse.

I am so very grateful for the blessings of those people the Lord inserted into my story – among them Teddy Batanghari, Christine Kaniecki and Jay Simon. I am ultimately so very grateful for the Good Shepherd who found this wandering sheep and altered my journey by leading me home. To Him goes all the glory!

“...Take care of my sheep” (John 21:16)

Before you dive too deep into this writing, I must highlight one incredibly important detail. We are ALL teachers. Every single person on a daily basis act in a way that shows others how to be– mothers, fathers, grandparents, siblings, co-workers, bus drivers, construction workers, servers, volunteers. The list goes on. Literally every single person on this earth is a teacher, even when they think they are not. As you read this writing, please keep this in mind. Even though I wrote it with a heavy emphasis on my vocation as a teacher, the writing is not by any means intending to separate someone with a teacher job title from anyone else. A teacher is so much more than a job title. It is a way of being. My hope is that those reading this writing can see themselves in its words and feel God’s encouragement, empowerment, and love throughout.

So many people wander through this life desperately searching for answers that never come and grow weary trying to figure out what exactly God plans for their lives. I was blessed enough to have my career planted within my heart during my first year of college. To this day, I still do not know how I came to the decision that I was to change my college program from book editor to teacher. Once the thought was in my mind, however, I followed that plan for the next five years of undergrad and into my current sixth year of teaching at a school that I love calling my work home. I can now say with complete confidence that my vocational platform is as a seventh grade reading teacher. It’s clear as day that God put that seed into my heart all those years ago while I was in college and placed me in this position to sow into His children.

As Christians, it is our duty and honor to help take care of those around us, because they are close to God’s heart. In John 21, Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him.

After each affirmative answer, Jesus gives Peter one vitally important commands through slight variations: “...feed My lambs” (John 21:15) “...take care of My sheep” (John 21:16) “feed My sheep” (John 21:17)

 Jesus does not ask for a handwritten note from Peter with pretty words declaring his love or even a hug. He asks for something selfless; take care of my children. As teachers, we are placed in the position to literally look after and take care of children for seven or more hours each day. We are in the prime position to do exactly what Jesus commanded Peter to do in the verses above; feed and take care of His sheep.

Like the shepherd Jesus describes in the Parable of the Lost Sheep in Matthew 18:12-14, we are meant to leave the ninety-nine sheep to find the one that has wandered away. Once that one sheep is found, we are to “rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away!” (Matthew 18:13) It’s not that we do not care for the other ninety-nine sheep. In teaching, there are so many students that we need to reach out a hand and pull back out of the darkness of their isolation. These students think that they are unnoticed, unloved even unneeded. In reality, each one of our students have within them a beautiful light that shines out of them. If nourished, this light can engulf a room in its brilliance. First, the child has to feel safe and that their thoughts, words, and actions matter. We, as teachers, can create that space where the students feel like they are the one sheep in the flock of one hundred.

Children are the greatest in the kingdom.  Jesus tells His disciples this Himself in Matthew 18:4.  He says “...Anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Children have such a joy for life, an awareness of the unseen things around them that adults have long grown out of noticing. This innocence is to be cherished and kept within our children for as long as possible. Unfortunately, the sin of the world comes upon their young selves far too soon and begins to taint the sweetness that God birthed them with. This sin that drags children into the darkness is what Jesus warns of when he tells his disciples that “..anyone who welcomes a child like this on My behalf is welcoming Me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trust in Me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea (Matthew 18:5-6). He loves His children. What parent would not willingly, and without a second thought, protect his or her child by even sacrificing their own lives first? As teachers, we have been trained in scenario after scenario of the way we are to act in situations where student lives are threatened. The most intense of these is the scenario of an active shooter. I would be hard pressed to find a fellow teacher who would not step in front of a bullet to protect their students’ lives. What about the unseen threats, though? What about the bullying, isolation, self-doubt, and loneliness that sneak up on children every day? Those struggles all have people on the other end feeding negativity, doubt, and sadness into the child. These people better be on the lookout for millstones and large bodies of saltwater. Acting as shepherds, teachers do their best to feed as much love, positivity, and kindness as possible into these students during each school day’s interactions. Surely some of that goodness can offset the negativity and give the student a path toward the light that they are meant to live in. If I can help my students retain some of their childlike innocence for even a little longer, I am helping them walk in the way that God planned for them all along, cocooned away from the harshness of the world.

Sooner or later, the wolves will come after the sheep. Being a predator, the wolves stalk the sheep, hoping to pick one off from the flock to devour. The shepherd is there to protect the sheep from this ever happening, keeping any harm at bay that might befall the sheep. Before David was a king but rather a quiet shepherd boy tending to his father’s flock in Bethlehem, he went to bring his brothers food in King Saul’s camp of the Israelite army as they fought the Philistines. Seeing how the Philistine champion, Goliath, came out every morning and evening to taunt the Israelites and ‘‘defy the armies of the living God’’ (1 Samuel 17:26), David was enraged at the pagan’s boldness that he viewed as offending God himself. David volunteered to fight the giant. King Saul questioned David’s ability to fight the giant without dying because David was young and not experienced in battle. David’s reply to King Saul was clear and to the point:

‘‘I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats’’ he said. ‘‘When a Lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!’’ (1 Samuel 17:34-37)

David did indeed defeat Goliath, with something as simple as a stone and a slingshot. He didn’t need a fancy sword or shiny armor to defeat the enemy that was coming against the Israelite army. All David needed was his fervent belief in God’s protection, the courage and bravery that comes from that unceasing belief that God will always protect His children, and the willingness to step out in faith. Like David, teachers must walk with the confidence of David. We stand guard over our students, protecting them from the things that we ourselves have the power to take care of on our end. The rest that we can not do ourselves, we lay at God’s feet and trust Him to look after. No wolves, lions, or bears will get to a single one of our lambs on our watch, or God’s watch, for that matter.

Being a teacher is not a career filled with lollipops, colorful whiteboard markers, and gold stars. There are days that wear you down and make you feel defeated. In those rough water days, it is important to remind yourself why you are there: for the children. You are to “work” willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the LORD rather than for people (Colossians 3:23). Doing all things as if it were for God Himself changes the entire outlook of every situation you are in. Would you look at God and tell him that you just were not feeling like being nice to that child today or that working agreeably with a coworker was beyond your abilities that period?

Viewing each thought you have and action you take for the day as something for God himself puts everything into perspective. Was getting upset over a pencil on the floor overreacting? Probably. Does it make you a horrible person? No. Can you repent and come to God for forgiveness and ask Him for a new outlook? Absolutely. He is a good, good God. He knows that we as humans have faults. There is not anything wrong with that. He is here to join with you to help you see the world through His eyes instead of your own.

 You, my dear teacher, can then act more willingly and easily as His hands and feet and even mouth. You can be His vessel on earth to give love and encouragement to His children in human form. The significance of this cannot be overlooked. We as teachers are on the frontlines of the battle of biblical faith vs worldly influences. We must be intentional with loving our students, making them feel seen and heard, allowing them to have a voice in this world that so often tamps them down. We are lifting them up to Him, to His light, and toward the path that He has laid out for His children. With the right encouragement, these sweet children will bear fruit that causes a ripple effect throughout the entire kingdom of God. I can only imagine one day in Heaven meeting the precious people that I unknowingly touched by simply following His will for me and my vocation. Will you be there as well seeing the harvest from your lifetime of sowing.

 One of my favorite things to do is to jump into my car and drive “destination unknown.” The absence of a plan leaves thrilling possibilities wide open to wherever the Holy Spirit guides me. I have stumbled upon small town festivals, unexplored hiking trails, quirky stores and even quirkier people. I have even discovered my fair share of amazing homemade ice cream parlors. I look at all these surprises as given to me directly by the hands of God.

My friend Robb does not share in my enthusiasm for the unknown. The first time I invited him to go on one of these adventures he asked, “Where are we going?” I looked at him quizzically, “You know that sort of defeats the whole “destination unknown” premise, right?” We compromised and created some potential distant destination. This gave us at least a direction to calm his maddened soul. Although it took away some of the excitement, we still had giddy expectancy, (okay, at least I did), of everything that we could discover enroute. Wouldn’t applying this same attitude in life change how we experience our journey here on Earth?

We can get mired in our “to-do” list. Obligations, work, projects, and operating the family taxi service leaves us frazzled. We overlook the intricate details of our journey. When we focus on all that life throws at us and live in survive-the-present or plan-for-the-future modes, we miss what God is orchestrating in our right now.

I wonder how often God wants to interrupt my plan to say, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19 . How many refreshing streams have I missed focused on my wasteland? God is always working around us, for us, through us and with us. He gives us gifts and uses us to gift others

in the constant flow of His love and care. In our busyness, it is easy to miss receiving and giving these treasures.

Jesus was a “destination unknown” kind of guy. The disciples learned Jesus' nature and ways through a walk of unpredictability with Him. He longs to walk that revelatory path with us, too.

What would happen if we woke up every day open to what He is orchestrating and prayed “I can't wait to see what you're going to do today! How do you want me to be part of it? Please keep my eyes open for your opportunities as well as your blessings.”

This prayer has led me through my days with a sense of peace and purpose. It's been so much more powerful than a meager, "Please help me get through today." Task-oriented prayers leave me in a check-the-box mode--not open to the wisdom, solutions, blessings, and creativity that I could have access to. Our God is a creative, wise and loving God. Since I am created in His image then I, too, have access to these traits of my Father. When I focus on tasks, I find myself closed to the gifts that would flow from His Spirit to mine.

 What if we opened up our schedule to Him to establish a few steps that were not on our to do list?

My open-handed project last week was to pray before I made my (always too ambitious) schedule for the week. Afterwards, I offered it to Him with the caveat, “Unless you have something better.” My week played out poles apart from how it looked on paper; but I didn’t have to get bent out of shape over each change. I was confident, “He’s got it.” It was an immediate relief and He soon proved Himself faithful.

Tuesday I was supposed to pick my boss up before work at the car detailer by my house. I remembered this only as I got off the exit for work. I texted and called him to say I would be late. No response. A feeling deep within prodded me to stop at work before speeding in the opposite direction to the detailer. At first, frankly, I thought it was my selfish desire for coffee. As I pondered more deeply, I knew it was more. When I pulled into my office parking lot, sure enough, my boss’s car was there. He had also forgotten. While he grabbed his keys and coat, I grabbed a cup of coffee for the ride.

Normally by this point in the story I would have beaten myself and my boss up for forgetting. Due to my open-ended schedule, though, there was no blame needed, no bad feelings, no beating and no guilt. We were able to arrive at the detailer in a good mood and set the tone for a good day. And I had coffee. Not only did I not step into the drama and emotional turmoil, but I was also able to see how useless and negative they usually are.

I challenge you to pray open-hearted prayers throughout your day. Look for His invitations into what He is doing; His fingerprints are all over your day. Let's face it, we can go into any day with a big list of plans, and they can derail in a moment. A destination unknown mindset can turn our focus to Him over the seemingly shattered plans and bring us peace in our storms.

As for Robb and my little adventure, we both were blessed by being open. Once beyond the city limits, we turned onto a side road that caressed the top of a ridge with views of delightful farm vistas with the backdrop of layer upon layer of distant mountains. After many miles of this beauty, we found a major road again and discovered a huge candy store staffed by two chatty high school boys with definite opinions on favorite homemade ice cream flavors. Their recommendations did not disappoint. We stopped for a gorgeous hike at a state park down the road and then stumbled into a tiny local’s place nearby where they were enjoying a football game potluck and they invited us to join in, no pot, all luck. Enroute home we drove for an hour entertained by the deep, ever-changing hues of a multi-colored sunset.

I encourage you to not be so tied to the activities of life that you relinquish the moments He wants to love on you. Don't miss the quirky stores, the waterfalls, and the ice cream parlors of life as you barrel thorough with your mindset to check off your list. Don't miss the roadside attractions, chance meetings, and sunsets that God's trying to gift you.

Take joy in the destination unknown!

Fifth Issue - January 2022

 There it was again on my Facebook page, an advert announcing an immersive exhibition of Van Gogh works coming to Pittsburgh in September. Van Gogh was a 19th century European artist who created over 2,000 works of art during his lifetime. While he lived, his work was unappreciated, and he battled with poverty and depression. His difficult life ended tragically by suicide at age 37.  Today, his artwork alongside Picasso, DaVinci and Michelangelo are among the most expensive masterpieces in existence. Their art pieces are valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars and are visited by countless tourists every year. None of these, however, compared to one largely uncelebrated, unsung work. Humans, like you and me, are the masterpieces above any other masterpieces.

There is nothing created by man that compares to God’s masterpiece. He made everyone unique yet so similar as reflected in our genetic make-up; about 99% of all humans DNA is the same, only 1% is responsible our individual differences, truly amazing!

As fearfully and wonderfully made workmanship of God, it is important that we acknowledge what makes us outstanding and extraordinary. Science has revealed an immense amount of information about our structural make up and how our parts work. Our bodies are made up of multiple systems. The brain, heart, lungs, liver and kidneys are organs vital for life. All five work automatically. Can you imagine a scenario where you control your heartbeat or your breathing?  You may fall asleep and forget to breathe or you may get distracted and forget to keep your heart beating. Fortunately, our Father covered all bases. These vital organs are not just automated; they also work continuously from birth until death in an individual, unique body.

The Maker’s ingenuity in crafting us is revealed in all parts of our body including the blood, the life sustaining substance flowing through a perfectly engineered machine. It is part of our bodies’ amazing self-healing capabilities. Whenever the skin is broken, multiple processes designed to heal are triggered. The blood clotting system attempts to plug the wound.  The immune system sends soldiers to kill off any bacteria that gets into the body. The blood vessels in the area shrink to reduce blood loss, and multiple chemicals and proteins are sent to the area to facilitate healing by striving to support the inherent system and not impede the processes. 

In addition to self-healing, the human body self-cleans, self-regulates heating, cooling, hydration, defends itself, and even self-entertains. What an amazing and marvelous work our Father in heaven has created! Let us always praise Him for we are his creation and he made us very well.

PRESERVING THE MASTERPIECE

To maintain health, it is vital that we work with and not against our bodies. While the extraordinarily crafted human body is quite resilient, it can be vulnerable to disease.  Even from conception, many factors influence an unborn child directly and indirectly through the mother. Physical factors like infection, alcohol and nicotine are known to increase the risk of health problems for the unborn child. Mental and emotional stresses during pregnancy can also cause problems for the baby’s developing brain.  Although we develop resistance to many illnesses over time, our bodies remain vulnerable to infections throughout our entire lives.

Though we are fearfully and wonderfully made, our body, mind, and spirit should be nourished and cherished. To achieve this, good information and knowledge is essential. Misinformation, which has become more pervasive in today’s world, will negatively affect our understanding and ultimately our decision-making.

As Christians, we study the bible for spiritual nourishment and growth, but we can learn more. It tells us about first century Christians whose lifestyles were quite different from ours. In John 4:3, Jesus left Judea and returned to Galilee. This may not mean much to us, but the distance is at least 90 miles. Covering that distance would take about 30 hours of walking nonstop on a very hilly terrain. Apart from walking long, arduous distances, Jesus along with His disciples relied mostly on their physical strength. They used grinding stones to make flour from wheat, turned grapes into wine with their feet, and had to use basic unsophisticated tools for most things. It was a communal society so social isolation, a current risk factor for heart disease, was rare. Their mental and emotional health was guided by their faith. The word of God taught them how to think, love, care, speak, and, most importantly, to have the right relationship with God. Today, the Word is still our source for spiritual health and wellbeing and has helped many with their mental health. 

It is wise to listen to medical and other professionals caring for the physical body and mind. For instance, most people have had a knife cut from cutting vegetables or opening a can. Typically, we run water continuously over the wound to stop the bleeding. This washes away the proteins and chemicals for healing, delaying the healing process. This is an example of unintentionally going against how our body was designed to work. The key to blood clotting and healing of a clean wound is stillness to the area, using a bandage, stitches, or staples. Nature does the rest.  Large or dirty wounds need professional intervention to achieve the stillness healing requires. Following our own intuition on first aid can be counterproductive.

Many factors can influence the Maker’s masterpiece either negatively or positively. These include beliefs, stress, food, physical activity, social life, and environment.  It is important to seek and have the correct information in order to make good choices and live a healthy optimal life. Stress can motivate or demoralize; Food can nourish or make us overweight; Socializing with the wrong people creates bad manners; even the Christian faith, when misunderstood (understanding of God and His word is lacking), can cause intense fear of eternal judgement and damnation. This spiritual distress has been linked to increased risk of ill health. Adequate knowledge in all these areas provide us with understanding and wisdom to better care for ourselves and others.

You are fearfully and wonderful made!  Like a Van Gogh, you are wonderful in complexity and individuality.  Take a moment to appreciate God’s craftsmanship and realize we are created by God in His image to bring him pleasure. Praising him for His wonderful or marvelous creation and caring for His masterpiece, body mind and spirit, should be a daily practice.

 There is no greater peace or freedom than that which comes from a personal experience with God.  It leaves a lasting fire in your heart that is impossible to extinguish.  Maybe yours is the day you got saved, water baptized, raised your hands in worship, or received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  Perhaps you may not have partaken in some or all of those things yet.  For many Christians, their greatest experience with the Father is the day they receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. 

What many don’t realize is that there is so much more God has for us; and it’s sad to say, we don’t go on to receive it.  Whether it is a lack of regard or an absence of knowledge, we still have a part to play in order to live in the kingdom of God and receive all that He has for us.  We get to choose the depth of relationship we want to have with Him, through understanding and yielding to His word.

Receiving from God is not a spiritual lottery.  Some people may think that if enough prayers get thrown up in the air maybe one will reach God and perhaps catch Him in the right mood.  The fact is, the Bible instructs us in several places that “the just shall live by faith”.  If we don’t hear the heart of God correctly, we might mistakenly believe that the commandment is to “live God’s way, or else”, when really He is saying “walk with me every day, in every area of your life, because I love you.”  Living by faith isn’t about doing good deeds so you don’t anger God, it’s about realizing that every step we take toward Him brings our hearts closer together.  The more revelation we receive of His love, the less we want things in our life that keep us away from Him, sin for example. 

Sin comes between us and God.  It can cause us to turn away from God and bring shame and feelings of condemnation into our lives, further separating us from Him.  But this is not God’s plan for our lives!

As we learn to walk and develop a relationship with Him, we grow in faith and confidence of who He is, and who we are in Him.  Confidence that He is for us, His word is real, and His love for us is great.  God wants to be a part of our lives every day and not just a bystander, afterthought, or unattainable omnipotent being.  He wants to show up for us in the little things as well as the overwhelming times.  He loves us so much that He sent His son Jesus, not just to pay the price for our sin, but to bridge the gap between God and man, giving anyone who receives the Son access to the throne, and relationship with the Father once again (Hebrews 4:16). 

God is a loving Father, and He wants all His children cared for and blessed.  So much so that it is beyond what we can think or even imagine (Ephesians 3:20).  Ephesians 2:8 says that we are “saved by grace through faith.”  Grace is the free gift of God’s power and love available through the accomplished work of Jesus Christ, while faith is the response of humbling ourselves to His word and promises above what see, think and feel. 

We enter in a realm of pride if we exalt something above God’s word, whether it is our ability, the lack there of, anything we raise above Him in our heart, or even thinking we are unworthy of Him.   God has already wrought victory for everything He is going to do through the accomplished work of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:20).  His victory is complete and Jesus took back all authority on earth from the devil.  Then the Lord did something amazing!

God put all things under Jesus’ feet and He passed that authority and power onto us.  We became joint heirs with Christ in the Kingdom of God and empowered as ambassadors on this earth until Christ’s return (Romans 8:17, 2 Corinthians 5:20).  Now, it is our responsibility to be the reflection of God’s love and the face of Jesus in this life.  In order for this to happen, we must begin to seek God and take the steps of faith He sets in front of us in order to grow spiritually. 

James 4:6-8 tells us that God resists the proud and gives more grace to the humble. 

We exercise our faith through Bible humility and it’s our job to do the spiritual workout.  We humble ourselves by submitting to God’s word and instruction, setting it above our circumstances and feelings, thus resisting the devil.  In doing this it causes the devil to flee and draws us closer to God. 

We are transformed by the renewing of our minds to the Word of God (Romans 12:2).  Exercising faith doesn’t deny reality; it changes it by “calling those things that be not as though they are” (Romans 4:17).  We acquire God’s promises in His word through the development of patience via perseverance through our tests of faith.  We apply the word to our lives in prayer by claiming His promises that we know through His word, using the authority He has given us by speaking those words over our circumstances and thanking Him for the victory until we see it come to pass (Philippians 4:6, Philemon 1:6).  Just like physical exercise submits our body to a strenuous activity that we must press through with our muscles to get stronger, so must we exercise our spirit in order to grow stronger spiritually. 

We all start with the same measure of faith (Romans 12:3), have different gifts and callings, but we are all called to grow in the Lord.  He is so good and merciful, never allowing more to befall us than what we can handle (1 Corinthians 10:13) and never asks us to earn His love or blessings…they are free gifts.  Gifts to His children!

I submit to you, there is no greater feeling than when God shows up in your life.  It starts with salvation, and the more we grow, the more amazing our encounters with God become.  The closer we get to Him, the less we want to be apart from Him.  Experiencing the love and power of God causes the world to look a little smaller.  Every step toward Him is a longer stride toward peace, freedom and blessing (Philippians 4:7).  The things that seemed so difficult before become easier, the chains that bind us begin to fall away with less effort, and the relationship we have with Him spills over into all of those around us. 

True Kingdom living is being an avenue for the blessings of God to pour through you into all those around you.  I encourage you with all my heart, take the steps of faith God is calling you to take, and see what happens when God shows up (Matthew 6:33).