Romans 13:1-5 “All of you must obey those who rule over you. There are no authorities except the ones God has chosen. Those who now rule have been chosen by God. 2 Wo whoeve opposes the authorities opposes leaders whom God has appointed. Those who do that will be judged. 3If you do what is right, you won’t need to be afraid of your rulers. But watch out if you do what is wrong! You don’t want to be afraid of those in authority, do you? Then do what is right, and you will be praised. 4 The one in authority serves God for your good. But if you do wrong, watch out! Rulers don’t carry a sword for no reason at all. They serve God. And God is carry8ing out his anger through them. The ruler punishes anyone who does wrong. 5 You must obey the authorities. Then you will not be punished. You must also obey them because you know it is right.”

We seem to be living in a time and culture that wants to buck the authorities placed over them. All the way from the White House to the church house. This passage of scriptures is very clear in how we are to conduct ourselves. We are to obey those God has put over us. The only time this is to be ignored is if it directly opposes God’s Holy Word! We are not told to like what is done or said, but we are told to obey it!

This goes against the culture of today. People everyone want to decide how and what they will and will not do, based on their likes and dislikes. If they do not respect or like the person over them they try to go around or are just blatantly rebellious. We as the body of Christ should already know that anyone placed in a position of authority from your office all the way up the ladder to the White House had been put there by God himself. God is Sovereign over every detail of our lives. We seem to forget that and decide to pick and choose what we will and will not obey.

We also forget that when we attend a church and participate in activities there, we still need to obey whoever it is. They have been put in the position they are in by God, from your Pastor to Sunday School teachers to Music leaders and so on. We certainly should in these cases be willing to set aside our personal preferences to obey what we have been told to do or not to do. Again, if it violates scripture, you need to leave the church anyway! But if you are in a God fearing, Jesus preaching church that obeys the word, that listens to the word and the word is preached in truth, then you need to obey the guidelines set forth in whatever way they are set forth.

If it is something as small as do not eat or drink in the sanctuary, then don’t! It is that simple. If you are told not to wear something that seems less modest than it should be, then for one day a week on Sunday, don’t!
It does not tell us to like it, it tells us to do it and when we do and especially if we do it with the right attitude it pleases God. And don’t we all want to please God and not be a distraction to those around us?

I want to please God in all I do. What I say, how I say it, what I do and how I do it. Where I go or don’t go. What I look at or don’t look at. God is always watching always listening, He is everywhere at all times. Someone jokingly said to me the other day that sometimes they forget God is always present listening and watching. Listen, I myself am guilty of the same thing. But as I read and pray and continue to walk in faith and grow in my spiritual body I desire more and more to please him and I am more and more aware of his presence with me at all times.

As the body of Christ shouldn’t we set the example and be the first to do the right thing? Shouldn’t we be willing to set self aside and our desires aside for the good of the body? These are just some things to think about. I believe Jesus is coming soon and I want to be found living my best self for Him. I love him so much and I am so very thankful for each new day, breath in my lungs, hands, and feet that work and eyes that see. I am so very thankful for the price He paid for my sin and rebellion, I am so very thankful that He called me and I am his child. I want to live as though it could be today!

Blessing to you as you walk out your faith each day. I pray that the choices you make will be in line with the scriptures just as I pray it for myself and that you will truly be the salt and light you are called to be!

“Brethren, If a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” (Galatians 6:1)

How often do we as Christian’s get up on our high horse when we see or hear of a fellow believer who has fallen into a sin of some sort. So often there is an immediate judgment that is passed down by us, maybe even a bit of gossip spread about. Maybe because we ourselves do not struggle with that particular sin we think we are immune to falling ourselves. And instead of reaching out in genuine love and gentleness, we make the decision to speak harshly about and to this person thinking we may somehow jog their conscience and make them turn from their wicked ways.

Unfortunately, that can sometimes have the opposite effect on them. Often times when you go at someone in a harsh, my way or the highway attitude, it turns them even more in the wrong direction. They figure what difference does it make I am already a bad person, so who cares. I have seen it all too often. Love was not extended and harsh words were spoken, the result was a soul floundering in sin and feeling dejected and alone.

No one stops to think how they would want to be treated if the shoe were on the other foot. The eye-opening thing is, it is on the other foot. We are all sinners, we have been since the moment of conception. God sees sin as just that sin. We like to grade sin according to our own moral thermometer, and I agree there are some sins that seem so much more horrible than others, especially a sin against us. When in reality our own sin should make us sick and others sin should move us to compassion and love and a desire to gently bring that person back into right fellowship, letting them know that they are valued and loved. Even if discipline is needed it can be done in love, with a good intention. God will discipline us himself when we are in need, but he does it in such a way as to not completely crush us but to bring us closer to him and it does not last forever. All the while he is loving us and caring for us.

When our children do wrong, we don’t cast them away; instead, we talk to them about the wrong, explain the right way to behave and model it for them, and sometimes give them some form of discipline, all while still loving them and being gentle so as not cause them to much pain or make them feel like utter failures.(at least we should do it this way) It seems to me that people these days seem to be major hotheads, people are caught doing something wrong and suddenly they are put on the altar of public speculation and roasted.

You can read in the Bible about different peoples sin and you think, really? How could you? Well, read on my friend I promise you will find yourself somewhere in those pages and then you will not be so puffed up and proud!
I would rather be guilty of loving someone in spite of their sin than judging them and making them feel alone and rejected. You can love someone regardless of what they are doing, it is a choice.

The sin that my dad committed against me I hated, however, I loved my dad. I prayed for him, I still did kind things for him. Was it easy? No! Was it worth it? Yes! He was wrong and he knew it, I did not have to cram it down his throat for him to understand that he was in sin and the things he was doing were wrong, even as an unbeliever, he understood he was wrong, but did not care. How much more for someone who is a born-again believer. If someone is truly born-again, then when they find themselves in some sort of sin, they already know they are wrong. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us, so if we are in sin then the Spirit in us will draw us away from the sin because our fleshly desires are waring against our spiritual self, but if we do not heed the warnings and we refuse to listen, then the choice has been made to continue in our sin.

We read in (Proverbs 15:1-2) “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.”

We should all practice giving soft words to others. We should all think before we speak, and unless we are completely sinless,(which we are not) we should hold off on the harsh judgments and harsh attack of an individual who may have fallen into sin. Choose love, the word tells us: LOVE NEVER FAILS! (1 Corinthians 13:8)

I choose to be a lover…will you join me!

As I am reading through the Bible, I am struck multiple times at the Lord’s faithfulness. Especially his promises. When God makes a promise to us it stands period! All the responsibility rests on God. He promised to help Moses bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt and he did just that. Even in their rebellion, he kept them in the desert providing all they had need of. He promised Abraham that his descendants would outnumber the stars in the sky and they do. Noah and his family were saved from the flood and to this day God’s rainbow shows itself in the sky after rain and God remembers that he said he would never flood the entire earth again, and he has not.

All throughout scripture we see that God keeps his word even when others do not. The Bible is full of liars, cheaters, murders, adulterers etc. You name it, it happened. We are not different today than those who have gone before us. Where would we be if God had not kept his word to his people?
Sometimes they had to wait a very long time for the promise to come to pass, but it did not change anything. At God’s perfect timing it all happened just how he intended it to.

We have been promised that Jesus will return for us. His word tells us that there is a day when the last person to be saved will come into the family of God. We certainly do not know the hour or the day, but God does. Knowing that God keeps his word should make us people living expectantly. Awaiting his return at any time. Yes, it has been said for thousands of years that he will return and he has not (yet,) but we can follow along in scripture and see that the times and seasons are begging for it. Prophecies are being fulfilled every day.

(Hebrews 9:28) “So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

(Corinthians 15:52 ) “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” Any goosebumps yet:)

Every day we read or hear about another war, another earthquake, floods, famine, droughts, nation against nation. Everything is affected all the way to our economy, travel etc. We are to be paying attention to these things knowing that the hour is coming and we will see him in the clouds. Isn’t that exciting my friends, just think about it, your doing your everyday things and suddenly you are seeing Jesus face to face. So we ought to live holy lives, fully surrendered to the Lord. We need to be salt and light to those around us. Our lives should reflect the inner working of the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the spirit that we are told the believers should display when walking in relationship and communion with the Lord. (Galatians 5:22-23) “But the fruits of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.”
So, as you wait on this promise that Jesus made to us how are you living? Are you watching what is going on around you? Are you living life with the fruits of the Spirit evident in your daily life? Are you reading the Word daily taking to heart the things you read and allowing them to shape you and mold you? Are you living with expectancy? Are you living a surrendered life to the Lord? Are your conversations clean? What are you putting before your eyes, do you allow them to look at whatever they want? Are you kind? Do you love well? Are you gentle? What about self-control? These are questions we should all ask ourselves. Even typing them I am asking myself if these fruits are evident in my own life and if they are not which ones need my attention and surrender?

God will keep his word…those who belong to him will either see him in death or we will be caught away when the sky parts and he returns. Either way, it will be an awesome day! Looking at the one who died for me and you, our faith suddenly sight! I am reminded of this old hymn, maybe you know it.

“Some bright morning when this life is over I’ll fly away. To that home on God’s celestial shore, I’ll fly away.

I’ll fly away, oh glory, I’ll fly away in the morning. When I die, Hallelujah by and by, I’ll fly away.

When the shadows of this life have gone, I’ll fly away. Like a bird from these prison walls, I’ll fly away.

I’ll fly away, oh glory, I’ll fly away in the morning. When I die, Hallelujah by and by, I’ll fly away.

Oh, how glad and happy when we meet, I’ll fly away. No more cold iron shackles on my feet, I’ll fly away.

I’ll fly away, oh glory, I’ll fly away in the morning. When I die, Hallelujah by and by, I’ll fly away.

Just a few more weary days and then, I’ll fly away. To a land where joys will never end, I’ll fly away. I’ll fly away, oh glory, I’ll fly away in the morning. When I die, Hallelujah by and by, I’ll fly away.

I pray you are ready, waiting with expectancy to see Jesus. I pray that the fruits of the Spirit are evident in your life. He is coming…oh what a day!

We as God’s people are to love “all” people. It does not and should not matter their skin tone, the financial status, saved or unsaved, gay, straight, unsure, whatever, hard-headed, hard-hearted we are called to love. This verse is short and to the point and it says this: “And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also” (1John 4:21) That doesn’t mean your biological brother, it means anyone outside of yourself!

It sounds so easy yet daily we read news stories that tell us it is hard to do.
So often we think there are ways around loving people. Can’t we just like them and move on? Not according to the nine words above we cannot. Loving someone and caring about their soul is not the same as agreeing with bad choice or lifestyle. It isn’t judgmental about people who may not be as financially secure as you, thinking you know the reasons for it and it must just be laziness or something of the sort.

God says “we must” love people. There is not a choice in it. We are to hate sin, period. In ourselves and others. We as Christian’s are to love what God loves and hate what God hates. For example, I can love a thief while I hate the theft that he committed. It sounds easy, right? But we are lousy at carrying it out. We weigh people on scales of our own making and that is wrong.

Our world is never going to be perfect at least not until Jesus is ruling and reigning. Shouldn’t we until he returns practice what he told us to do? Shouldn’t Christian’s be the example that others follow? So often I see and hear about Christian’s thinking it is okay to hate someone because of their color or sexual orientation or something else. It is sad and hurts my heart, and then I think about how our Lord must feel when we behave so badly.

The next time you think it is okay to hate someone remember this verse. (Romans 5:8) “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Do you see it? He did not wait for us to stop sinning, we cannot. He loved us while we were yet sinners. So much so that God sent his only son to die in mine and your place. His love for us had nothing to do with our goodness or worthiness, just his.

I want to love as Christ loved, I want to hate sin first in myself and then in this world however it is done. We are never ever justified in our hatred of another. In verse 20 of that same chapter, we read these words: “If a man says I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

I choose love! Why? Because He first loved me, and he continues to love me even though I sin. Yes, even born again believers sin. We should never be a lifestyle of sin, but we often times fail in one way or another, yet God’s love for us remains strong and steadfast. I know I can never fully love as Christ loved me, but until he calls me home or returns, I am sure gonna try my best! Will you join me? I hope so 🙂

Rest is God’s idea. As we read the creation story we read about all the things God created and when he had finished his work he rested. Genesis 2:7 “Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because, on that day, He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished.”

I will be honest just sitting and doing very little to nothing can be hard for me. I seem to have the ability to look about and find one hundred things I should or could be doing. I almost feel some guilt about not having an agenda, something to do. My heart says don’t do that, but my head says yes you need to. Sometimes I win the battle with my mind and at other times not so much.

We read again in Matthew 11:28-30 ” Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Mark 6:31 “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

There are times when we need physical rest and mental rest. God is able to give us both of those. There is nothing wrong with staying home and really just relaxing, taking time to get a reset. Today is a partial day of rest for me, I have not done much. A load of laundry that just finished drying, cooking our breakfast while listening to my choir songs, taking a walk, reading my Bible and writing in my journal, all while wearing my very comfy clothes. Trust me, I did not want to do the laundry, but yesterday was too busy, so today it was! My sweet husband who works so hard all week is asleep beside me in the chair. It is cold outside and starting to drizzle a little, the perfect day for rest.

I am going to purpose to enjoy my rest more, do it more often than not and hopefully not feel too guilty for it. I know both my body and my mind need time to regroup. My heart needs to focus more on the Lord and less on stuff.
Unfortunately, stuff can occupy our minds and hearts to the point that we forget to pray, read and just spend time in quiet communion with the Lord.
It was never the Lord’s design for his people to be rushing about always on the move, gaining more stuff to occupy their time and finances and oft times become the idles in their lives.

I am going to purpose to take time for rest. I am going to focus my time getting this temple that I live in healthier, in an even closer relationship with my Lord, reading his word, praying and gaining wisdom. This world will tell you if you do not do enough stuff then you are lazy, but I beg to differ. If rest was good enough for the God who created it all, it is good enough for me and you.

Take a rest, sit quietly alone with the Lord. Hang out at home doing nothing just breathing, being thankful for the time, enjoying this time you have right where you are! When we are rested we make better decisions, we feel better and so on…try it, you will like it! Oh and leave the guilt out of it!

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk.”

Not only did God create man literally from the dust, but we who are born from a woman are handcrafted inside our mother’s womb by the loving hands of God, but this is even going further than that, we who call him Christ have been his from the beginning. He chose us long before we chose him. We are the work of his hands, and we are created to do good works. Not good works that keep us saved as many believe, but good works that he decided we would do a long time ago, good works that come from the overflow of hearts that are filled with his Holy Spirit.

There is a constant work being done inside of us that regenerates and sanctifies us along the way. Our nature and our actions are being molded and shaped by the hands of God himself. He is the constant presence in our lives that turn us this way and that way. His is the will that moves us ever closer to himself. Like a writer of a novel, God writes the pages of our lives and when the final stroke of the pen is finished, the work complete, our time here on this earth will end.

All our days are numbered, (Job 14:5) every heartbeat recorded in God’s book of life. Even when we misstep, it is within the bounds that God has allowed. His loving handprints are all over the believer’s life. We are God’s masterpiece. He lovingly pours himself into us, His sweet Holy Spirit teaches and directs us. We are renewed at every turn. The new man that begins inside of us at the time of our salvation is made for good works. His desire is for the things of God. Those desires move and direct this new creation in Christ in the areas of service that God has designed for them.

Some people think that if you do enough good things in life you will get into heaven or that God will overlook your sin. Not so my friend, we cannot do enough good to make up for the sin in us. We are dead in our trespasses and sin without Jesus saving us. Others think that you must do good works in order to keep yourself saved. Again, not so! We do not save ourselves and we cannot keep ourselves saved, it is all the work of God. (Ephesians 2:9) That is really the crux of this verse. God does the creating, God does the regenerating, God does the sanctifying, God directs our good works. It is all about God. The only boasting we can do is … to boast in all that God has done. It isn’t about us…really. (1 Corinthians 1:31)

I am so thankful to God for saving my soul. For continually working inside of me, moving me ever toward the cross and that final stroke of the pen.
If I were left to write my own story I would never get it done. I would get too weighted down with the storyline to move forward. All the small intricate details would be too much. And let’s face it if I were writing it I would most likely give me only good things, I would leave out the hard places, the painful places, the messy stuff. It would be filled with a bunch of fluff and nonsense for sure. But God writes it from the infinite depths of his wisdom and grace, giving me enough of everything to create in me a new heart and make me look and live more like his son, my savior Jesus Christ. His workmanship, His good works…perfect!

This year our church was given a chart to go by so that we could read as one body through the Bible in a year in chronological order and I am very excited about it. To read it in the order of the events I hope will give me an even greater understanding of the word. No matter how many times we read God’s words we cannot say we understand it all completely. There are times when I can read a passage for the 1000th time and suddenly a light bulb turns on and I see it in an even greater light. God gives us the understanding we need as we seek to know him and as we continue to read his word which is living and active. It has the power to change us.

Read (Genesis 1:1-31)

Anyway, as I was reading through the first few chapters of Genesis which I have done many times the words “and God said,” jumped out at me and I started thinking about those three words. When God says anything you can bank on it! His word is the final word on everything! God who has always been and will always be, God had already determined in himself that he would create this earth, that he would give it light and darkness, that he would put vegetation on it, animals, birds, fish, people, everything. Whatever God said is what took place. There was nothing random about any of it. That still holds true today. So many people want to think that random things happen and that God is unaware of the plight of people and our world, but that simply is not so. God allows what he allows when he allows it for his own reason and purpose.

I find peace in that knowing that everything I or we experience on this earth is given by the divine hand of God. It does not matter if it is death, illness, catastrophes, whatever happens, God has allowed it to happen. God’s ways are not our ways, we think we have a handle on all that he is doing and why he would do it, but it comes from a human perspective and what we see as fair and right. God is infinite in his wisdom, we cannot even begin to fathom his reasons for anything. The very fact that God said he would send his own son to die for the sins of the world is amazing to me. God said…I will send…and he did!

If you are walking through some difficulty or even if you are in a season of blessings it is because God said it would be this way. God has determined your steps a long time ago,( Proverbs 16:9), he is already where you are and where you are going. God said…I will never leave you. (Deuteronomy 31:6) When I am going through a hard season of life and I even find it hard to pray I take comfort in knowing that God is with me. I may not feel him near, but I know he is. He says he is with the broken-hearted. (Psalm 34:18)

So, as I was reading how God made everything, I was made to feel even more secure by remembering that God (has said) that he will see me through until the end. (Psalm 23:4) Every day of my life has been planned and made perfect by the God that made the moon and stars and told them where to be. I can rest in knowing if God said it…it is good!

I pray that as you walk through this life that you will rest and feel comforted by the fact that God is with you. You are never alone and whatever God has said in your life is always for your good and his glory, even if it does not feel that way at the time. (Romans 8:28)

I was sitting here this morning thinking about the coming year, 2019, wow it is hard to believe that another year is gone and we are staring down a new year. I am so very thankful for all of the Lord’s provision over this past year. I am thankful for the laughter, the hugs, the hurt, and even the loss that has happened over this past year. Every moment has made me move closer to the Lord Jesus, every part of me needed him this past year. There were some hurts that I could not have walked through had it not been for Jesus. Every time I needed him he was there, constant and faithful seeing me through. His sweet Holy Spirit teaching me things that I did not know and grounding in things that I had been learning.

God was always with me, not one time did I face anything alone. He was in the great moments full of fun and laughter and he was in the heartbreaking moments that were full of tears. Whenever I felt lonely or even scared, I knew my God was near. The moments when he seemed to wait to help or answer made my faith move. Sometimes my faith took a small step backward until my heart remembered that he has always shown up exactly when I needed him, not a moment too soon or too late, it just felt like it was too late to me. Sometimes growth feels like a stretching until we might break, doesn’t it?

Time and life have not changed as Solomon said there is nothing new under the sun, men work, eat, sleep, laugh, make war, hurt, love and so on…we just have different means to do it all. (Ecclesiastes 1:9 ) And with everything that is done the Lord God Almighty is moving and working and having his way in it all. Nothing happens without the Lord’s having already planned it. God is Sovereign over it all, the good, the bad, the ugly is all filtered through his loving hands. If it were not we would not be able to stand it, his mercy and grace are in effect even at the most tragic of moments.

So, as I look forward to 2019 I am excited to see all that the Lord will do. I want to know him more, worship and praise him better. I want to live each day like tomorrow is my last day on earth. I want every moment to count for his kingdom, and oh how I wish he would come back this next year! I realize that getting closer, living nearer his nail pierced feet comes with a price, sometimes a big price. It will make me sacrifice more, love deeper, and maybe even cry harder. I do not know what the future holds, but I am certain of the one holding it. I trust in his unfailing love and his forgiveness without end. I have never walked through anything in this life that Jesus was not with me and did not help me. I can trust his constant presence in my life and the lives of those I love. And let’s face it sometimes it is easier to trust him with us and not trust him with those we love. We do not want them to have to endure any hurt or pain, do we? God knows that and he is just as able to do for them as he does for you. He will grow them at the pace they can follow in the ways he knows is best. So in his hands is the perfect place to leave them!

Jesus is the Way Maker, the Promise Keeper, and our Light. He is all this and so much more. If it were not for him we would be overrun by the worries and hurts of this life. There would not be enough laughter and love to cover them all. But because of Jesus, this life is bearable, even enjoyable and full of his great mercy and love. Ours is a faith walk, we put our hope in him and he does not disappoint.

And as I always try to do I want to leave you with some scriptures to help you on your way, maybe strengthen your faith, but most assuredly guide you to the one who can, who will and who does all that we need and want.
I do not know what this next year holds for you, but I do know the one who holds it and I trust him…will you?

Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave or forsake you.”

Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Psalm 5:11 “But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.”

Psalm 34:19 “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.”

Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 May God himself, the God of peace sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.”

And lastly:

Psalm 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; our rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Now that is full of great promises…hold fast to them and may your faith and love for our Lord and Savior grow from day to day. Thank him for what has passed and look forward with anticipation to all that he has for you in the coming year!

Happy New Year!

Yesterday I was driving down my street and as I often do I glanced in the rearview mirror, wow, was I so glad I did. Before I had turned down my street I had not seen anything but blue sky, which in itself is beautiful, but when I looked in my rearview mirror I saw a beautiful pinkish yellow sky just peeking above the tree line, the bare branches of the trees appeared black, but it was such a beautiful sight that I slowed down to really drink in the view. Had I not looked back I would have missed this awesome display of God’s handiwork.

In life, the only time I think it is good to look back in our rearview mirror’s of life is to see the faithfulness of God. So often at the moment of crisis or illness, we have trouble seeing God at work, tracing his hand in a situation, but later we can look back and often see very clearly that he was there working all the time and even trace his hand. As I looked and saw this masterpiece in the sky it reminded me of all the times God has brought me through, how over the years in varying circumstances he has been there faithful, working it all out for my good.

Much of it at the time did not feel so good, much of it was painful and confusing. Often times I even felt alone, but I can clearly see those times when I thought I was alone and God had abandoned me that he was there, keeping me, holding me, helping me, teaching me and always loving me. God’s ways are so much higher than ours and just because they do not make sense to us, we can sometimes feel as though he is not there, beside us moving and doing, but he is.

As I look in the rearview mirror of my life I am thankful for the hard placed God has brought me through. I am thankful for those times when I felt as though just waking up would be too much for the day, yet finding the strength to press on anyway. That strength came from the Holy Spirit. He gave me just what I needed for the day I would face. I see it now. I can even feel it.

God is so good, better than we even know and if he had not been doing, working, loving and helping I would not be here now typing this out, but he was and is and it gives me courage for tomorrow knowing and remembering all that he has done in my life and the lives of those I love. I can also look in scripture and see so many times where his followers felt frustrated or afraid or alone and how God showed up and did what God does and that is his best for us.

I hope you will take the time today to look back, check out the view in your rearview mirror. Remember all those times when God brought you through because he did or you would not be reading this. And if that is not enough here are a few scriptures to help you out.

Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he [is] God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 “But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep [you] from evil.”

1 Corinthians 1:9 “God [is] faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Psalm 33:4 “For the word of the Lord [is] right; and all his works [are done] in truth.”

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”

2 Timothy 2:13 “If we are faithless, he remains faithful–for he cannot deny himself.”

Sometimes the best views can only be seen by looking back..