“Run your race” These were the words I heard as I was early one morning in that half awake space before getting up. “Run your Race” the words rang clear. Run my Race? I wondered, Lord am I walking when I should be running? Early morning words have been one way the Lord speaks to my heart, and each time it fills me with expectation. Have you ever had an encounter with the Lord like this? If so, you know how sweet His words are and the wisdom that comes as result of heeding His words in your life. Maybe your encounter looks a bit different than mine as you find yourself lost in a worship song, a walk in the woods, wherever your encounter, you can be sure it will always bring the promise of His presence, His power and His provision to keep you moving into everything He has for you.

 "A week later, my mother greeted me with excitement as I walked in the house for a weekend visit with my family: 'Look at these books I found! As I glanced over to the pile of books my mom had stacked on the table my eyes encountered the title “Run the Race you were Born to Win” by Christine Caine and my heart skipped a beat. The phrase echoed the very words God had spoken to me just a week earlier. I knew instantly that this book held something important for me. “Give me that book I exclaimed!” I think I want to take it with me when I leave this weekend! Have you heard of it, my mom asked? No, I replied but the Lord spoke these words to my heart, and I know that there is something that the Lord wants to show me. An encounter. Oh, how detailed our heavenly Father is in leading us along the path that he’s paved for us ahead of time. All of sudden His presence was tangible; His power was on display and his provision was about to be revealed.

When we read this scripture, we see that, you and I are the branches that are called to be connected to Jesus the vine. Daily Encounter keeps you present with HIM. To dive a little deeper into the moments of the season that brought those sweet words one morning, I had been navigating some significant decisions and feeling called to ministry. I worked at a local college and was considering furthering my education. Looking back now, I realize how significant this encounter was in shaping the steps that would follow. Little did I know I would go on to Run right into ministry school, turning away from the planned-out course of further education with a predictable path, job etc. and would lean into the words of my creator, Run your Race.

Encountering your heavenly Father daily is so critical to living a life in step with him. A verse in the Bible that depicts a man who also had a plan for his life but with one encounter was ushered into the presence of God which changed his entire purpose, is Peter. In Matthew, Jesus says to Peter a fisherman “Come, follow me,” “and I will send you out to fish for people.”  Just like Peter, just like myself, God wants to speak something so sweet and specific to you. I didn’t realize at the time that God was preparing me for a new direction. What seemed like a chance encounter—a simple book title—became a divine confirmation. It wasn’t just about the job or career path; it was about stepping into a new season of purpose and ministry. God knew my heart, and He provided the encouragement I needed through that simple phrase: "Run your race." A daily Encounter is the pathway to experiencing His presence in your life.

If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior then this promise of power is for you! Jesus said in Acts, that we would be filled with His spirit. Another Scripture puts it this way, you and I are the temple of the Holy Spirit. God literally dwells within us, where you go, he goes. Think about this for a moment, you have a built-in opportunity for encounter with the Lord every. Single. Day, moment, hour, second. So often, we hear of the miraculous encounters, but can I encourage you God wants to show up and show off for you in the very minute and mundane things of your day-to-day life. When you’re afraid, God says I am your comforter, come to me. When you are weary, He says, “I will give you rest, come to me. God is constantly inviting us into daily encounter with him through every feeling, circumstance and situation you may face. Daily Encounter allows us to draw on HIS Power, we literally get to draw on the same power that rose Jesus from the dead to help us in our everyday life. Remember, when I said I felt my heart skip a beat, the power of God showed up when I locked eyes with that book and unknown to me at the time, it became the provision he had set before me.

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19. ) Yes, that’s right, God will provide for every single one of your needs when you Encounter Him. Another scripture speaks of a similar promise out of

Matthew, 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. YES, added, better yet multiplied. Our God is a God of multiplication, with provision already prepared for every day of your life. As simple as that little book by Christine Caine was, it was God’s provision in my life to give me light upon light for the continuous encounter he wanted to have with me as I pursued his plan for my life. 

Above, I shared that prior to stumbling across this book, I was navigating some really tough stuff. Decisions that would ultimately alter the course and outcome of my life. Can I tell you,  God is so good. His goodness is ever running after you, chasing you down to have an encounter with you just like he did me? That book was a blessing and a catalyst to the next season God had for my life. I ultimately went on to pursue Bible school, made incredible friendships, found my purpose, met my husband and the story is still being written.

ONE word from God, one Daily encounter with him can change your life forever. Whether it is in the magnificent miraculous experiences, healings, signs and wonders; or in the small significant moments of everyday life, we serve a God, a Father, a friend that sticks closer than a brother who wants to Encounter you and I in our each and every day. When was the last time you had an encounter? One of the simplest ways to make space for an encounter is to start with 5 minutes of quite time or prayer before you start your day. My prayer is that this story has stirred your faith to position yourself to encounter HIM as you move forward in the beautiful plans and purpose he has for your life, for surely He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. His presence, power and provision are always available to you. He is ready to meet you in the most ordinary moments of your life. Whether through a conversation, a book, or a quiet time of reflection, raise your expectation and get ready for an Encounter with the King.

Have you ever just missed the mark? Perhaps you missed a deadline at work, maybe you skipped out on school, maybe you said something  unkind to your spouse, your child, your friends or a family member? Because we are imperfect people living in an imperfect world, you have probably missed it in life a few more times than you would like to admit. Left with a looming feeling of failure, you ask yourself, why can’t I just get it right? Feeling rejected, cast out, alone and often without it hope, we pick up the pieces, only to turn the corner and miss it again. I want to encourage you that if you can relate, you are in the right place.  When we mess up, when we fail, the enemy whispers you’ll always be like that, you’ll never get better, do you really think you have what it takes for that (you fill in the blank)? While the worldly voices whirl around us, there’s a still small voice that if you’ll just get quiet enough to listen, will transform how you see yourself, your failures and a way forward.

When we read this verse out of Romans, it tells us that this problem of missing the mark happens to all of us.  This is great news!  We aren’t alone, because we all fall short.

A few months after I got married, I found myself talking to my husband in a way that wasn’t loving, patient, kind. All the things I stood at the altar and promised to be. I enjoy keeping things tidy around the house and was learning just a few months in that my husband and I were a little different in our standards for a neat home.  I knew I needed to change my attitude and treat my husband well and serve him regardless of the way he was or wasn’t keeping my standards for our organized living.  That’s when I realized I had missed the mark. I had the best of intentions on coming into marriage of always speaking kindly, serving my husband and loving him well. But with just a few things out of place and somehow, so quickly I fell short of my good intentions and the promises I made not 3 months earlier. What seemed like a small failure, could truly have become significant if this pattern in our marriage had continued. Had I not recognized it and desired to move away from it, I would have set a tone that would have made our  relationship no longer loving and joyous. 

We live in a world that is quick to point fingers, place labels and attempt to keep us defined by our failures.  But in Christ Jesus we have the hope of His promise that He came not to condemn the world, not to point fingers, but to give life and life abundant.  That is what God desires for me in my marriage and what He desires for you in whatever mess up you find yourself in. 

What if there was a way to walk boldly out of your failure and into your future? We don’t have to stay stuck in our  yesterday.  In fact, the Bible tells us through the words of the apostle Paul that it is not wise to look back  .

 What I love about  reading scripture is that it is filled with people that have fallen short and missed the mark just like you and me. These historical heroes, through a life of faith, overcame (or found a future brighter than their past) every single time.

When we walk by Faith, Failure is never the end of our story.

One of the most beautiful stories of failure in the bible surrounds the life of Peter. Peter was determined to be a devoted disciple to Jesus. When you read the gospels, Peter seems to be in awe of everything Jesus did, sticking close by His side careful to do all He commanded.  Matthew Chapter 26 is the beginning of what would be felt as a major failure in Peters life. To paint the picture of the scene, we have Jesus speaking to His disciples, telling them that each one of them will deny him. Peter quick to his commitment to Jesus, says:

 What a remarkable interaction we see unfolding between Peter and Jesus. We have Jesus, the Son of God, the creator of the universe, the one who knows all things telling Peter, “Peter you are going to deny me.” Then, there is Peter, putting up a fight even to the point of declaring death, claiming his allegiance to Jesus. When I read this passage, I consider how often we can find ourselves doing the very same thing before God. It might sound something like this,: “God I promise I won’t talk like that again.” Or “Lord you won’t ever find me acting like this.” Even “Jesus if you said it I believe it.”

You and I, like Peter find ourselves believing that failure is far from our life. The gospel of Matthew goes on to show that just as Jesus said, Peter would deny Jesus, however Jesus would never deny him. There is always another chance when walking with God. Each of the gospels go on to share that after Jesus went on to death, burial and resurrection, He appeared to Peter specifically and restored Peter to the point of leading the New Testament church. What encouragement we can take from this story, knowing that when we fail, Jesus is waiting to show Himself strong and giving us fresh vision and purpose for our future.

With God, we can see the way forward  even in failure.

A second example we see of failure in life is in the life of Paul, once known as Saul. We get a glimpse into the lengthy failure Paul once lived in  Acts 9:

Take a moment to think about this, the Apostle Paul, who went on to be in prison and in chains for preaching the good news of Jesus was once persecuting the very faith he had come to receive. When we think of failure, this would be pretty high on the list of missing the mark. The passage goes on to say:

Arise, what a powerful statement from Jesus, on the heels of Paul literally killing Christians. Jesus said to Paul, “Get up and I will show you the way forward.”  Then, Jesus went on to give him specific direction for his next steps forward to lead him to the place God designed for him. We can be encouraged that even in our greatest failure, Jesus has new vision He wants to give us new spaces and places He designed for us to occupy. No matter what the correction looks like or how impossible the situation seems, you can know and be confident that when you walk with Jesus, He is always standing ready to lead you to your next assignment in life.

There is Fruit attached to Failure when you will walk in Faith.

The final story that assures us of an abundant life despite our failures is the account of Abraham, the Father of Faith. Abraham’s faith is one of the most significant themes of the Old Testament, so much so that generations upon generations later we are still talking about it. Abraham’s trust in God was admirable to say the least. God gave Abraham a beautiful promise that if he would trust and obey God that He would multiply his descendants and make him a father of many nations. Abraham began to reason how this could be possible. Because Abraham was about 100 years of age and his wife Sarah was 90.  They could not imagine how it would be possible. As he and Sarah continued to think about it, they decided to take matters into their own hands. If you go on to read in Genesis you’ll see that Abraham actually ends up having a child through one of their servants. Both he and Sarah deemed God’s promise to be impossible for them and decided to make it happen by their own strength.

Have you ever tried to produce something in your own way, your own strength outside the guidelines, outside of the directions? This is what Abraham did except the God of the universe gave the promise and fully intended to make it happen in a supernatural way. Abraham, missed the mark. When Abraham and Sarah decided to let their own reasoning overcome the promise God gave them, they failed. How beautiful a life with the creator is in that even when we fail, His promise still stands. God fulfilled His promise to Abraham despite his unbelief and failure. What an amazing reminder for us that even if we fail, God’s promise still stands.

So, have you missed the mark? Have you sinned and fallen short? Have you been counted out because you’ve failed one to many times. If so, then I have good news, Jesus says “Come to me and I will make you BRAND NEW.” Yes, that’s right when you walk with God you get to have a new start every time. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. When we walk by faith, we can’t always SEE what is around the corner, that’s why it’s called FAITH. What we can see and what we can focus our eyes on is the author of our Faith and the redeemer of our failure, Jesus Christ. If you don’t know Jesus, I want to invite you into a relationship with him today. Jesus wants to walk with you, He wants to show you the way forward and take you into the beautiful future He has planned for you. The Bible says if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord, you will be saved. Don’t let failure be the final word in your life, call on Jesus today. As it is written in 2 Corinthians 5:17, anyone in Christ is a NEW creation, the old has past and the new has come. Your way forward is bright, and your failures can’t touch the future God has for you.

Do you remember the first time you downloaded Instagram onto your phone? How many of you can recall a time when Instagram, Facebook or one of the mainstream social media apps didn’t exist on your phone? If you’re anything like me you’ve probably added and deleted Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok or one of several apps that gives us a small window into the world of people who have become our mentors and teachers. Maybe you’ve never thought of Instagram as your mentor, but we’d be naïve to think that the people we choose don’t significantly impact and inform our very next steps.  Lets talk statistics for a moment. A study done showed that Millennials (those born from 1981-1996) spend an average of 2 ½ hours per day on social media. I don’t’ know about you but if we’re honest I’ve found myself there and I’m sure you know people who far exceed this. If that’s not enough, another study showed that the next generation of teenagers spend anywhere from 7-8 hours of time on social media each day. Each Day. Now don’t get me wrong, Social media has an incredible purpose to connect, inform and bridge gaps to bring people of all walks of life together in one space. Open your Instagram, your facebook, your tik tok, How many people are you following? Why did you choose to follow them? Most importantly, where are these people leading you? These are all questions I began to ask myself as the Lord began to stir my heart and remind me that in our social media obsessed world, that Jesus is the ultimate Follow.

Make a U-turn! Have you ever heard this blaring from your GPS as you frantically try to avoid going down a one way street! No? Just me? Thank goodness for the GPS. At just a click of a button you can input your destination and a voice will give you step by step instructions on every turn it takes to get there, you simply just follow it. As silly as it may sound, just like the voice of the GPS, our social media is filled with voices that are telling us every next step, thought, move, idea and even destination you need to arrive at. Even more, some of us have hundreds, maybe even thousands of voices we follow on any given day. While our GPS blares a warning when we make a wrong turn or go down the wrong path, our social media subtlety takes us along hundreds of paths with no warning of when we might get off into a ditch or down a one way street with no easy way back. While it may not be something we think about often, it begs some attention that those we follow significantly influence the next thought, the next desire, the next turn we want to take. I love what the bible says:

How Narrow and specific are those that you follow? Do you follow just anyone or any subject that piques your interest or are you selective about who you choose to follow after? I encourage you, take a few moments and go through your list of those you follow? Are they leading you toward life? Or are they leading you down a path of destruction? It may seem harmless and effortless to hit that follow button but the implications of following people who may not even know where they are going themselves can lead us down a path that we never intended to be on.

As I take inventory of those I follow in my own life on my own social media, it’s clear that we tend to follow after those we want to be most like, those that add value, those that encourage the dreams and visions of our hearts to take shape in our lives I’ll never forget it, I was in college at the time, right around the time of finals and the busyness of the holiday season with the pressure of performance of exams was surrounding me. Turning to my social media to drown out the noise in my free time I began scrolling through video after video, picture after picture of those I followed. Those couple months leading up to the holidays I began to fill my time with more social media, less reading, less podcasts or messages and more voices. I became stagnant, depressed and anxious about all the things I was facing. Have you ever felt this way? Overloaded and overwhelmed by the tasks and commitments that need attending to. In that moment the Lord spoke something so sweet to my heart that quieted all the noise . Sarah, your heart will race in step with the world, it will slow with my peace, stay in step with me”. Stay in step with me, in that moment the Lord called out that I was in step with the world. I love what Paul says in Galatians about the Fruits of the Spirit that are available to us  when we walk with Jesus.

The reality is that who we follow determines the type of Fruit we produce in our life. When we are rooted in the world we produce the fruit of the world that looks much like the scene I just shared. Worry, depression, anxiety becomes our reality and we begin to lose ourselves while following the voices of so many others. But when we follow after Jesus, PEACE becomes our portion and we can begin to see each of the fruits of the spirit produced in our life.

So How can we begin to follow after the one who is most worthy of our follow? I want to encourage you with an acronym I read in a book that I hope will stick with you and further propel you into following after Jesus at a greater level. It’s called Lets get REAL. Read the word. The Bible says in Genesis that “In the beginning was the word and the word was with him and the word was HIM. The Word is Jesus himself, it is the mind, thoughts and desires of God for your life. Read his word. Encounter the Author. Jesus is the Author of Life and He wants an encounter with YOU. Make space in your day for him. Choose to pick up your Bible in the morning instead of your phone. Attend Church. Gathering with a Body of Believers is crucial to following after Jesus, we must get into the presence of his people and surround ourselves with those we want to look like. L, Let others Know. Jesus said it this way “Go into all the world and share the good news” Share your faith, encourage others, make room in your profile to share how following Jesus is influencing your life.

Who are you following? Where are they headed and where are you headed with them? My prayer and hope for you is that as we have taken time to dive into this idea of the power of who we follow that you have had some fresh revelation and a bit of inspiration to take a look at who you are following. You know Jesus said “I am the Way, the Truth and The Life” I don’t know about you but I want to experience the fullness of LIFE as we go into 2024. In a world obsessed with Social media, we get to choose who we will follow, who will influence our next step , and ultimately who will help shape the life we live, and friend, Jesus is and always will be the Ultimate follow.

Have you ever picked up a puzzle at the store, with a picture pretty enough to frame, only to find out it had 2,000 pieces to assemble before it would look like the picture? Putting together a 2,000 piece puzzle takes some time and a whole lot of patience as you work to piece together the same colors and find the perfect fit for each piece. Life sometimes can be like that, we have a picture for where we want to go, what we want to be, who we want to do it alongside but there are many pieces to put in place before you get there. We take each piece and see if it fits, only to get frustrated when it doesn’t. If you think of a puzzle, most often the majority of the puzzle is all one color, blue piece, after blue piece after blue and you finally have the sky put together. Sometime it feels that way in life, putting together the same piece, same routines, same season, same struggles, same everything wondering if putting the pieces together will ever get you  closer to the full picture. You and I were created by God to constantly be looking for the next piece of the puzzle, to always be reaching for more and growing. Moving to the next, eager to see what’s around the corner is wired into us and if we aren’t careful, we’ll get our focus on the destination and lose the beauty of what’s taking place in the very moment we are in.  

“Don’t get in a hurry for what I want to do” I heard these words after leaving a meeting I had led earlier that evening. It was a great turnout; I could feel the grace of God all over it and naturally I was excited and expectant, reaching for more. I was ready to shove the next piece of the puzzle into place, when the Lord gently whispered to my heart, “don’t be in a hurry.” So many times, in my walk with God I’ve been constantly reminded that I live on His clock and not my own. I don’t know if you are like me, always excited for what’s next, the next relationship, the next friendship, the next adventure, you name it, I’m ready for the next piece of the puzzle. I think we all can say that sometimes it’s so easy to soak in the sweet precious moments of life, while others we are trying to escape the present to get on to what is waiting for us in the future. While the future is full and bright for you and I, this present moment has a purpose. If we’ll stay humble, be patient in the process and choose to grow, we can experience life to the full and Enjoy this ride, called Life.

Grow through the slow

When I began to write this article, my heart for each reader was to encourage you that there is a choice to enjoy your every day Life. Good things take time to GROW. When we hear the word growth, we might have a negative connotation associated with it, but I want to encourage you, what if growth was the GAIN and had the true potential to produce the most joy in your every day life. If you listen to any speakers or books on growth, you might hear that God is more concerned about growing you than He is in giving you what you want. If God is concerned about growth, shouldn’t you and I be, also? What we often forget is that God has a view and a vantage point of our life, that we won’t ever have. The Bible tells us that the Lord formed us in our mother’s womb and wove every detail of our life together. Not only that, he promises to walk with you into all he’s planned and purposed for you. It’s worth noting when what we might view as bringing the most joy to our life, could truly end up being a burden or hurting us in the big picture, if the timing isn’t right to receive it. I’ve heard it said that however much fruit you have in your life, you have to have the roots that goes just as deep. Growth is perhaps one of the greatest gifts we get in the seemingly slowest seasons of our lives, because roots are being built to hold what the future has for us.

This scripture out of Isaiah is one of the most powerful promises that you and I can receive as a child of God. This scripture tells us that those who WAIT on the Lord, will be strengthened, will run towards the things He has and won’t be tired or weary, but strong and able. I love this verse, it’s a beautiful promise that captures all three parts of this process of building our puzzle. As we’ve walked through life with humility, patience and growth, this scripture brings full circle what you and I can expect as we live these out while building the puzzle God has set before us. In the New Testament, there’s a man that so beautifully embodies these 3 concepts and the results of his life are something you and I can learn from. The Apostle Paul was pressed on many sides, often missing pieces of his puzzle, unable to see what was next, sitting in a jail cell living the same piece day after day after day. In Philippians 4:11-12 however, we see that he’s found great gain in his process as he writes:

When I study the life of Paul, I am amazed at his response to the circumstances he was living, what joy he kept throughout his ride. My prayer for you is that you leave this article with a small piece that might help connect your puzzle as you carry on through this journey of life, with great joy for the vision the Lord has given you and contentment for the place He has you in right now.

This present moment is a precious piece that is here today and gone tomorrow, only lasting a little while.  Take pleasure in today as you allow the Lord of your life puzzle to fit together every moment until He has made your life picture  pretty enough to frame.

Will I ever find a relationship or love like this again? This thought trailed through my head almost 7 years ago when I ended a relationship with a man I thought I’d share life with. How many of us go through life and relationships and have found ourselves questioning, will I ever ____? You fill in the blank. I was on a fast track to run with the world and knew very little about faith or God or even what real relationship looked like. It was truly at the end of a natural relationship that I was rescued into the most loving relationship I’d ever know, one with my Heavenly Father.

Wow! What an incredible song of testimony we find in Psalm 18. I read this verse with tears welled up in my eyes as I literally experienced the goodness of God as my rescuer and support as the psalm says.

I grew up in church but soon fell away in my teenage years and found my way into my first real relationship in college. Everything looked and sounded great on the outside, but what I would have given to be led by the still small voice during this time, would have saved me so much heartache and pain. What looked good on the outside soon turned terribly abusive and I found myself in a relationship that was taking everything from me, leading me down a road of depression. You often hear that when you hit rock bottom there is nowhere to go but up, how true this is and what amazing plans the Lord had to take me higher and further than I could have ever imagined.

After ending my relationship, I was in a dark place. I began to slip into a mindset that was void of hope for my future. Feeling lonely, depressed and unsure what my next move was. I had been in this relationship for 4 years and at one time believed it was going to end in marriage. I was in a place of questioning what I wanted, what I believed and what I valued. I was seeking and searching for more and in the search, my Savior found me. I gave my life to Jesus and was truly placed into a spacious place set on fire for HIM, to share His goodness with everyone.

When I got ahold of God’s word and began surrounding myself with people who were also in pursuit of Him my life began to change. I remembered a message I listened to that talked about what happens when you begin to follow the Lord and how in 6 months you won’t recognize your life, truly this is what happened. My life began to accelerate, and I began to experience the goodness and favor of following after the Lord. This took place in every area of my life from my Relationships to my finances to the opportunities that were before me. Suddenly all of these seemingly divine connections were made, the people and opportunities I had been hungry for were at my feet. When I started walking with the Lord, the things of the world became less desirable and I began to hunger for everything God had. It was proving to be the greatest things I had ever known, more than I could of ever asked, thought of or imagined.

I’ve now been walking Eight years with the Lord and have had the privilege to lead many to the same One who rescued me. I’m living out a true redemption story, the Lord has been so faithful and brought me into a relationship to do life alongside a man who loves the Lord. I have had the privilege to step into full time ministry, where I get to minister and encourage people as they walk through the hurt and depression that I once lived. Most importantly, I’ve found relationship with the living God. Maybe you find yourself in a similar place as I did just a few years ago, I want to encourage you because He sees you and is reaching out His hand to lift you too, into a spacious place.

I love the amplified version of Colossians 1:13-14, when I gave my life to Jesus and was rescued I didn’t at the time understand the depth of what that meant for my life and the life God had planned for me. Colossians so clearly tells us that when we are rescued into relationship with Jesus that our sins are forgiven, that we have redemption In Jesus and from the penalty of sin. What does this mean and why is it significant for you and I to understand? For you and I to enter into the fullness of a relationship with Jesus, we must understand that we have been forgiven of our sins once and for all. Our salvation rests in what we do with the person of Jesus, who carried our sins, was nailed to a cross, died, buried and rose again for you and I to have new life, and be rescued into relationship with him.

Galatians 1:4 tells us Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.

If you’ve received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then you have been rescued from this evil world in which we live. What awesomenews this is for you and I and everyone who finds rescue in relationship with Him. If you find yourself reading this and you’re not sure if you’ve been rescued into new life, the Bible says anyone who confesses with their mouth and believes in their heart that Jesus is Lord, will be saved. Make that your prayer today. Your life will never be the same and you will be rescued into the most loving relationship you’ll ever know earth side and heaven bound one day.

Our rescue brings about great reward, one, that we should be called children of God. When I try to comprehend the goodness and love of God that He would call me His daughter, His very own child, I am just overwhelmed. Think about your parents, your mom and your dadand as their child, what did you have access too? I imagine, many of us lived in their home, ate their food, were taken care of protected and provided for. Just as the role of our natural mother and Father is to provide for us, so it is a promise from our heavenly Father. When we were rescued into relationship, Jesus had some rewards waiting for you and I. Some we will get to experience here in the natural realm and others we are promised are waiting for us in heaven, when we meet our Father face to face.

Did you know that there are over 130 “In Him” or In Christ scriptures to be found throughout the bible. Anywhere you see In Christ, read this as your reward, In Him your reward is peace, prosperity, freedom, health, wholeness, redemption, just to name a few. Open your bible now and find your rewards that are hidden away in His word for you.

There was a time when I planned my own way, what I would do, what I would be, how I would get there and when it would all happen. Perhaps one of the greatest rewards of a relationship with Jesus is that he directs your steps, He shows you the way, The bible says His word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. I’m sure like myself, you’ve seen and have many testimonies of the Lord directing your steps, leading you, delivering you, rescuing you as you stay in step with Him. What a great gift we have when you are in relationship with the One who created the very ground you walk on, who breathed life into your very soul. Once you and I have been rescued, Jesus commissions us on a mission of rescuing. The Gospel of Jesus is one that the whole world needs to hear. Who in your world needs to hear about Jesus? Each and every one of us are called to represent Jesus in every area of influence we’ve been given.

Many are ripe and ready for rescue, you and I are Jesus in skin and many need rescued into relationship, my prayer is that we’ll all reach out a hand to those who are far from Him

Where are we going? How far away is it? What are we going to do when we get there? As a little girl I can remember jumping in my dad’s truck to head off into something fun. I’ve always been a woman of many words and a terrible co-pilot. How graceful my dad was with me growing up, always full of questions, never content to just ride shot gun without input but always bright eyed and ready to receive the fun my dad had in store for us.  It’s funny looking back, I wonder what my dad thought when I was full of questions, he always knew where we were going and what he had planned and he was so patient with me, content to just ride in the truck with me.

Did you know that you have a heavenly Father that just wants to ride in the car with you? He has the map, He has the manual, He’s got the itinerary planned, and He says to you, won’t you just come along with me, it’s going to be a lot of fun.

I love Luke 15:17-18 in the Voice Translation. It captures the desire of our Heavenly Father so beautifully. God wants us to come to him like children, bright eyed and ready to receive, otherwise He says, we won’t be able to receive at all. I don’t know about you, but when I read those letters in red, it stops me for a moment, “If I don’t receive like a child, I won’t be able to enter it at all”? I want to encourage you, that this exhortation in red letters, the very words of Jesus should stop you. Not out of fear or hesitation but to remind you that Jesus wants you to receive all He has for you. Everything that is offered through relationship with him He wants for you, but to receive this, you must have bright eyes and an eager heart, like a child.

This scripture tells us what Faith is. You can think of Faith like a title deed. Faith is the title deed, Faith is the evidence of what you have even before you ever see it with your eyes, it’s yours.

How does Faith come? The Bible tells us that the word of God is the foundation for our faith. The bible is truly one long love letter from our Heavenly Father to us. Throughout His word, God has outlined promises to us that when we believe what He says in his word and receive and apply it in our life we are walking by Faith, and this pleases the heart of God. Think of child-like faith as something as simple as a parent promising a child a trip to get ice cream. The child receives what the parent has said and has no doubt that they will be getting ice cream. A few hours go by and the child has ice cream running down their hand and all over them, they have received the promise. Just like in our natural relationships, Faith is believing in what God has spoken to you through His written word and receiving it as yours.

Have you ever seen a child playing outside or experience a new thing? What incredible awe, excitement and wonder they are filled with over some of the most seemingly small things. They claim things to be their own even before they know what it is or what it’s for, this is childlike Faith, to receive what has been given so freely. To receive like a child, this is your heavenly Father’s desire for you.

“You are only responsible for stepping in the next Footstep of Jesus.” Wow, that statement from Pastor Judah Smith, brings so much Freedom to my heart and life. You mean, I don’t have to know what’s next? I don’t have to have the roadmap or the details. Pastor Judah Smith unpacks this remarkable topic of exercising childlike faith in a sermon called “The Secret of Desperation, which I highly recommend.

When I was growing up, the winter months came with a significant amount of snow in our area. While I probably should have had my winter boots on, I wanted to wear the pretty heels or flats and didn’t want to bother with changing into boots. I remember when we would get home my dad would cut across the yard and make a B line for the house through the snow. I never wanted to walk around to the sidewalk, so I followed right along. My dad’s boots would make big footprints in the snow, this was great for my little heels to follow in, so my feet didn’t sink into the mountain of snow, He paved the way for me. Did you know your heavenly Father paves the way for you? The bible tells us He goes before us, He’s ordered our steps, He walks in front of you and leaves an outline of the next step for you. Just like the outline of my dad’s shoe I stepped right into it, I didn’t question it, I just followed along like a child, I followed in the footsteps of my Father.

“We are all just broken kids who need to be loved and accepted” another remarkable statement from Pastor Judah Smith’s message. You and I are a lot more like a child than maybe we’d like to admit. It’s interesting that the two things that qualify us to come before our heavenly Father, our brokenness and our childlike faith are what Judah points out here. Children are dependent, they need love, encouragement and acceptance. We all need all those things too and when we are dependent on God and open our hearts like a child, you and I can receive the fullness of a relationship with our Heavenly Father and receive every good and perfect thing He so freely wants to give to his children.

A new year, a fresh start, how we all long to meet the list of goals we expectantly outline for ourselves to achieve in the new year. We chase after the things that can bring something new and fresh and a feeling of a new beginning. We start a new hobby reaching for something interesting and fresh to fill our cup. We open up a new cookbook with the hope of fostering a new plan for health. How interesting it is, that year after year we are set on a path to seek for the new, the untapped, to start on a blank slate as if new beginnings were wired into our very being. While New beginnings are most exciting, they often bring with them uncertainties, fears and a process we all must pursue as we enter the start of something new.

 “I want to apply for this new job” my husband’s voice echoed initiating our most recent new beginning. A job opening had come up and a friend of his reached out to suggest he consider applying. With one day left, he frantically hurried to get his resume in as the deadline was approaching. The job had been passed onto Zach from a friend at work that encouraged him to submit his resume. At the time Zach had been working long hours and our relational life was surely longing for a new beginning. We had no plans to seek out another job. He was happy with his current position, but the hours had greatly extended as the company was in full start up mode.  This new opportunity seemed to come right on time.  Days had gone by when finally, Zach received a call for his first interview. The New beginning was about to start. Was I ready for this? We had planned he would be at his current job for longer than this, that’s why we moved here, that’s where the Lord had led us, would we be moving on to something new? While excitement filled my heart, the uncertainties of the unknown quickly followed.

The Lord had whispered to my heart two months prior. In that time, I thought that word was for me, for some new things I was taking on and had no idea that the magnitude of the “new” God had for us far exceeded my little bubble as it always does. One interview, two interviews, three interviews ensued, and it became clear that we quite possibly were being led into new and greater territory. As the reality of a new position for us increased, my prayer time also increased.  How interesting it is that we long for the new but cling to the familiar thinking that our man-made timelines, plans and ideas for ourselves are something better to adhere too.

“This is going to be such a great move for us,” Zach so excitedly would tell me. We were in the middle of the waiting and thoughts flooded my mind about what this new beginning would usher in. Was this the right move or were we making our own way? My prayers were Lord if this is what you have for us lead us though the door, but if not, please shut it quickly. While I was in my prayer closet, I was surprised that Zach was so peacefully watching a new episode of his favorite show. It’s funny now, but in the waiting, I wanted him seeking and praying as fervently as I was, but what I didn’t know is that the Lord was leading my husband in a peace that surpassed all understanding with a witness that this was the way we were to go. The peace he experienced soon transferred to me and I began to embrace what I was beginning to see that God had prepared for us, oh how He has things for us far beyond anything we could even ask, think or imagine.  

Finally, the day came when Zach so excitedly shared “I got an offer” as he burst through the door that evening after work. “That’s awesome” I replied!! God had led us here a year prior to buy a home to start our married life and had so faithfully opened this next door that appeared to be a tremendous blessing.  Not a few weeks later, we joyfully stepped into our new beginning, stepping into new halls, new relationships and new levels of what God had been preparing for us all along.

 It’s incredible how God has provided confirmation after confirmation from Zach’s leaders and coworkers attending our church too the literal favor on his relationships not even one month in. When God has opened a door, no man can shut it and what’s behind it is greater than anything that’s behind you.  

What new beginnings are you navigating? I’m sure, like ours your new beginning has come with many questions and fewer answers, and I want to encourage you that you aren’t alone in navigating your new beginning. The Bible tells us Man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps” Some things you can be sure of when navigating new beginnings with the Lord is He will provide peace, move you to prayer to press in, and ultimately provide provision to pursue it. What I love most about our walk with the Lord and the intersection of New beginnings is that when we walk with Christ He is our new beginning. 

This passage outlines one of the most beautiful promises of the bible, the promise of New Beginnings. How many times have you slipped up in your life and longed for a new start. Or perhaps the day before didn’t go the way you planned, maybe that job didn’t come like ours did. I have good news, when you walk with God, every day is a New Beginning for you. Lamentations says it this way:

This verse is just one of the many promises that fill the scriptures, with words that strike hope in our hearts for fresh and new things. This scripture serves as the foundation for how we can experience the new in every area of our lives. Is there something new coming your way, step in, step out and seek HIM. The process and the navigation may be present, but His presence will be greater, and He will only lead you to new and beautiful beginnings.

“Now to HIM who is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we could ask, think or imagine. ~ Ephesians 3:20

The man God had waiting for me was not my idea, but something so exceedingly greater than I could truly ask think or imagine. I often wonder what would have happened if I would have clung so tightly to my thoughts and my ways, I could have missed the greatest blessing God had for me. Like so many of us do I had envisioned my dreams and future coming to life, outlining what I thought I wanted, looking and observing and waiting for it to cross my path. I set expectations for myself, my life and parameters for the person I would share a future with. I sat with God pen to paper hours on end pouring out my heart and desires, anxiously waiting to hear His voice and to see the promise come to pass. “Acceleration, I’m going to accelerate some things in your life. Things that could take years in your hands, can take seconds in mine”.

The Lord gave me this word two years before one manifestation of it would come to pass and set me on a path of pursuing complete surrender to His plan. At the time I was completing my second year of ministry school and God had been doing a transforming work in my heart revealing to me the places and spaces He had for me to occupy. In that time, I allowed God to continue to develop me in all the ways that I needed to be while allowing myself to sit with Him in all the question marks I had in my life. What would be next, could pastoring be in my future? Who will I do it alongside, will I ever meet a man that could walk with the same passion and pursuit that I had for the future God was showing me. Questions would come and in the quiet times of my day I would tell the Lord, I want Your best, Lord I want Your plan, I want what You have. I truly desired God’s best in not just one arena of my life, but I longed for His best in every area and for correction if I was leaning into anything less.

“You are going to end up here one day” were the words my Husband shared with me months after meeting. The story attached to these words is one that only Zach can share in full but so significant to the story God was weaving together. Zach grew up in Kentucky, moved onto the military and landed back in his hometown to pursue life and work. Zach had been sent to Pittsburgh, PA on a work trip and was taking the day to explore the city. While enjoying the day and taking in all the Pittsburgh sights, Zach heard those words, “you are going to end up here one day.” Confused, he said What!? And shook it off but knew in his heart, these words were from God. Zach had been exploring his faith and walking with God for a little over 2 years and been pursuing purpose while leaning into people and mentorship throughout his weeks. A year went by, and Zach had been experiencing some struggles in his workplace that had him considering moving on. One evening, Zach was scrolling on social media through open positions in his field and stumbled on a logo that was far from familiar. Zach recognized the logo of the company he had visited a year prior in the Pittsburgh area and felt compelled to apply. Zach accepted a position in the Pittsburgh area in October of 2018 and not long after started seeking a church and further opportunities for growth. Zach was on the path God had prepared, little did either of us know all that God had waiting.

Zach connected to Victory Family Church and was soon after accepted into the ministry program there where our paths crossed one evening, between the end of my day and the beginning his. A Pastor had invited me to lead alongside in some of the evening classes. Initially I was very surprised and honored to be extended the opportunity. Several months prior I had been wrestling with switching into the evening program but chose to stay rooted in the program I began. When I was invited into that space two desires of my heart were fulfilled. What I couldn’t see at this time was that this invitation would be pivotal for the connection God was orchestrating.

Zach was very outgoing, funny and talkative and absolutely the one you want to have with you when you need someone to lighten the mood. There was a boldness about him, and he wasted no time getting into conversation with me about the deep things of life. Zach seemed very familiar, but initially, I was taken back by how quickly he was seeking to get to know me and my life in just one conversation. We joke around now, but for several weeks I wasn’t so sure about entering into anything beyond friendship and the list of hesitations continued to grow. I questioned things like how much older he was then I, and really started to zoom in on all the things I could see and hear. It took some intentionality to really submit my hesitations and fears before the Lord and truly walk out what I believed about His word and walking by Faith. Weeks went by and Zach and I had numerous opportunities for interaction, passing each other in the same halls and sharing the same spaces. Zach was persistent, He sought me out, engaged me in conversation and pursued me in a way I hadn’t experienced before.

I began to spend some time in prayer and the more I listened for the voice of God and learned about Zach and things of his heart, I began to open mine. My prayer became, “God if Zach is who you have for me, help me to take steps forward, but if He’s not, please close the door quickly.” Zach continued to pursue and before I knew it, the Lord led us into friendship and a relationship that would reveal the love of God in my life in a way I’d never experienced before. The waiting met the promise on May 23rd when Zach and I said, “I do”. Zach and I have been married for a little over one year now, and as I look back, I so clearly see the handiwork of God in orchestrating the places, spaces and specific season Zach and I would meet. More than anything a posture toward purpose set me on a path to be able to receive God’s promises in my life. In sharing just a few takeaways from the space between my waiting and harvest season that I hope will encourage and help you in yours, would be these:

· Pursue Purpose. God see’s you, He knows the desires of your heart and He knows how to bring a person alongside you that will not only meet your every need but bring a peace and joy that only Heaven can. The Bible tells us He knit us together in our mother’s womb, he knows the hairs on our head and every plan, purpose and relationship that is right for you. We only see half the picture, we can see the outside of people, we can hear their heart, have knowledge about their lifestyle but truly God see’s the hearts of people and knows what to bring into your life and when you are ready to receive it. I am so grateful God didn’t bring Zach a second too early or a second too late, he came right on time.

· God’s promise will bring Peace. God is preparing things behind the scenes. The scripture tells us, man plans his own way, but the Lord directs his steps. When God is directing your steps, you can have peace that you are going in the right direction. God directed every step of allowing that relationship to form in my life. From the time God spoke to my heart to the word that settled in Zach’s that would lead him states away for our lives to merge. God directed every step. Truly leaning into and inviting God into this relationship allowed me to take steps toward the future He had for me. Allow God to direct your steps, allow God to lead you and guide you into every good, pleasing and perfect thing He has for you. You may be struggling and have question marks in your life, like I did mine. Can I encourage you God has the answers, He created the path you're walking on and knows where it’s going, Pursue Him, He will not let you down.

· God will use People to provide confirmation. If I didn’t believe it before, it was so evident that God used people over and over to provide clarity and confirmation for our connection. I think back to the Pastor who invited me into the space that God would use to bring Zach and I together. What I thought was an opportunity to grow in my ministry skills and capacity, God saw as the platform to form the greatest relationship of my life. God used a person I trusted and respected to help me take a step into a place where He could provide. What a joy it’s been to see the fruit of what God brought together with Zach and me. I often still find myself thinking about how miraculous it is that the One who hung the moon and stars, looked at me and knew exactly what I needed in a person to share life with. What I’ve come to depend on as I continue to walk with God is that his word truly never comes back void, that all of His promises really are YES and AMEN. Every good thing He has laid out for you to line up with Him and walk in it.

“Seek First the Kingdom of God and His Righteous and ALL these things will be added to you. ~ Matthew 6:33

When I met Zach, some precious things were added to my life. What are you seeking after? If you are seeking after a Relationship instead of God, a job instead of God, an opportunity, instead of God? I’d encourage you to course correct. The scripture tells us seek HIM first and all these things will be added to you. The remarkable thing with God is that when you are seeking, when you are stepping, you don’t have to know the way, you just have to know the Waymaker. The man God had waiting for me, truly wasn’t my idea and wasn’t in my time. It’s funny how often we seek to take the steering wheel of life into our own hands. Planning out the dreams of our heart, making decisions and expectations about what our lives will look like and the timing it all must occur and holding tightly until we see it come to pass. We read scriptures that promise us His ways are higher, His thoughts are higher, and we rest in these while still seemingly striving after what we believe is best for our lives. The journey to my harvest season and meeting my husband was one that will forever speak of God’s faithfulness in my life and has allowed me to take my hands off some things so God can fully take them into His. My prayer for you is that in the space between what you are waiting on and hoping for that you would seek God and trust him knowing that your harvest season is surely on its way and the waiting is worth every bit of walking in the fullness of what God has for YOU!