~ Henry Neufeld

18He said, “What is God’s kingdom like? To what can I compare it?” 19It is like a mustard seed which someone plants in his garden. It grew and became a tree and the birds in the sky came and perched on its branches.    Luke 13:18-19 (HN)

We like to get things fast. We like to see the connections and to know just how we got whatever we got. This desire for “instant gratification” is often an accusation of the older generation of the younger, or of our various preachers or moral leaders of this generation as opposed to all generations. But really, it’s just a human thing. We all like it. I preach patience, but all too often I practice impatience. If I manage to appear patient, be assured that it’s only by the grace of God! If I don’t appear patient, well, I’m human.

I have even thought that Adam and Eve may have failed precisely on the point of timing. Many times we ask why God would make a perfect garden and yet place in it a tree that was poisonous not just to those who might eat it, but to all their descendants, to an entire species. But perhaps the tree represents something necessary, and that knowledge of good and evil was something that would have to come sometime, but in God’s timing. That would explain the tree being there, but being forbidden. Adam and Eve couldn’t wait. I could be wrong on this, but it’s intriguing.

But whether it started with Adam and Eve or not, it certainly is pervasive. Waiting, trusting, receiving without knowing—all these things really get on our last nerve! But God tends to work with greater subtlety.

We encounter this problem in evangelism. Someone shares their faith with a friend or neighbor, and gets no response. What happens? They get impatient, even desperate. Who can I get to persuade them? Why are they so slow? Surely they understand the importance.

But God says that the kingdom works like a tiny seed. You plant it. It grows. It becomes something much more than you thought when you did the planting. But for many of us this isn’t good enough. God should get in there and fix things now, while I’m watching. And somewhere in there we might even be thinking, “. . . and I should get the credit.”

Seed sowing is a principle of God’s kingdom. It means that God uses things that don’t look like much to accomplish things that are really quite incredible. That means that we will often not be able to get the connections, see the work go on, or account for the credit due to the various workers involved.

The same is true in your own life. The gospel is trying to grow inside you and transform you. You may wish that you had patience right now, so that you could accept this sowing principle in your heart, but God is likely to grow you up slowly. God is not a God of instant gratification.

What seeds is God nurturing in your heart?

Though it tarries, wait for it!”      Habakkuk 2:1 (HN)

19Now then, brethren, we have boldness to go into the holiest place through the blood of Jesus, 20which he placed as a living way through the curtain, not previously available, which is his flesh. 21Jesus is also a great priest over the household of God. 22So let’s come with true hearts and full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled clean from bad conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.               Hebrews 10:19-22 (my translation)

~ Henry Neufeld

Sometimes we miss one of the most obvious facts about salvation, because it is something we live with all the time. No, I’m not talking about sin, though that is a critical point. I’m talking about the fact that we are so limited and ignorant. We could know nothing about God unless he chose to reveal it to us. There is no way that we could reach God, unless he chose to make a way.

You may recall something about infinity from math classes. Infinity minus any finite number equals what? Infinity. Infinity plus any finite number equals what? Yep, infinity again! Basically there is the widest gap possible between us and God, and we have no way of getting to God.

People often look at the tabernacle and later the temple as symbols of God’s presence with his people. And that’s not entirely wrong. But there is another set of symbolism involved. The structure of the tabernacle showed the separation between the holiness of God and the people. First we have the outer courtyard. There only priests and people coming to offer sacrifice could come. Then there is a veil, and another chamber. Here only the priests could enter. Then there is another veil, and the most holy place. There only the high priest entered one time each year.

Each veil served to illustrate how far God’s people were separated from their God, while at the same time pointing toward the possibility of coming in closer.

What Jesus did in becoming one of us was to empty himself of that infinity (Phil. 2:5-11) and show us the way. He bridged the greatest gap that can possibly exist. He made it possible for us to approach God. And he didn’t do it half way. He made it possible for us to approach boldly.

In our families, our communities, and our churches, we regularly face gaps. People are different. Some of us are annoying! Some of us are so perfect we can’t imagine how annoying we are! Often we think that reconciliation and forgiveness is not possible. The gap is just too big.

But always remember this: The biggest possible gap has already been crossed. When God emptied himself and became a human being, he showed us that there is no difference too great, no depth too low, no height so unreachable, no distance too great, that God’s grace wasn’t sufficient to manage to open a way. The grace may not be easy—it cost Jesus his life. But it is sufficiently powerful.

Remember: We worship a God who opens the way, no matter how impossible it looks to us.

19God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not counting their transgressions against them, and he has given to us the ministry of reconciliation.                2 Corinthians 5:19 (my translation)

Speak up for those who have no voice,
for the justice of all who are dispossessed.
Speak up, judge righteously,
and defend the cause of the oppressed and needy.    Proverbs 31:2, 8-9 (HCSB)

Proverbs 31 is a usual source text for sermons on Mother’s Day. But I would be willing to make a non-money wager that these verses I’ve sited here are not the verses usually read.

Proverbs is a book of wisdom credited to have been written by King Solomon (and friends) for future generations. It has a “list” feel to me as if the writer is jotting down all the points he has learned in his life and passing them on. I can flip to any chapter and find something to write down on my own list to memorize and pass on.

Then I get to Proverbs 31 and I have had it “preached at me” so many times that it is difficult to read. That is until it was read to me on my wedding day, almost 13 years ago by my new mother-in-law. She didn’t read at me so much as she read it to her son. In that moment, in front of all those people, I realized that I was becoming a “Proverbs 31 Woman” not because of what I could do to make it happen but because of what God was doing in me. And then this year, I read and reread the first nine verses of Proverbs 31.

In the time of the writer of Proverbs, women had no voice. Women were frequently lost their home and starved when their father or husband was killed and they were left with no male family member to care for them. If a woman was found in the company of a man, not her relative, she was frequently judged a harlot and was stoned (Remember the set-up scenario the Pharisees did with the woman ‘caught’ in adultery?) Women had no rights.

King Lemuel’s mother taught him that he must stand up “for those who have no voice”. He must care for the women not only in his family but for all who are oppressed and needy. Then the writing goes into describing the virtues of those he would be defending; calling to his attention the many things he might have overlooked.

Proverbs 31:10-31 is a wonderful litany of the many opportunities that God puts into my path to serve Him and others. Is it just for women? No. But I throw open my arms to accept these many ways that God can be glorified through me because if I find myself in these verses – it is by God’s own strength, grace, giftings, and talents that I am.

It was wonderful to hear the voices of my children across hundreds of miles yesterday. It was wonderful to sit and have dinner with husband (a meal I didn’t cook!) and receive a bouquet of lilies. But as I heard the loving words it was accepting them because of what God had done in my life that was the best part of all! It was knowing how far He has brought me and continues to bring me that makes each day an adventure and a blessing!

Be quiet while I speak, then say what you will.
I will be responsible for what happens to me.
God may kill me, but still I will trust him and offer my defense.    Job 13:13-15 (CEV)

Jesus then asked his twelve disciples if they were going to leave him. Simon Peter answered, “Lord, there is no one else that we can go to! Your words give eternal life. We have faith in you, and we are sure that you are God’s Holy One.” John 6:67-69 (CEV)

The end of another week. Has it been “good”? How would you define “good”? Maybe it hasn’t been so “good”. Maybe it has been a mixture. Most weeks are.

Job had a bad week. Lost his children, his livelihood, and ended up with sores all over his body. If that wasn’t bad enough, he had three friends who thought they were going to show him the error of his ways, explaining why all this had happened to him. Real helpful!

Jesus and his disciples had had “mixed week”. In John’s gospel, Jesus had fed five thousand people and then walked on water in the middle of a storm. His disciples had seen the glory of God manifested in Jesus. But look out! Here comes the Church leadership with their questions and opinions, trying to keep Jesus in their proper place, somewhere below them. Many disciples had left, deciding that following Jesus was too hard. I can relate to that.

In 2002 and 2004 I was on a mission trip to Hungary. I was ministering to people, to children, sharing the Good News of Jesus. During both of these trips, my young son discovered that his cancer had reoccurred. He was in the United States and I was in Hungary. The first time it happened I was understandably upset. He was with his older sister and I knew in my mind that the few days passing until we returned would not alter any treatment options. But I wanted to hug him and hold him. The second time, I was angry. How could God allow this to happen again? And while I was out doing His work??!! (By the way, I think it was just as hard on Henry who was at home with our son, feeling equally as helpless for different reasons and had to notify me of the events.) I went through a “crisis” of faith, wondering if being a disciple was really worth the price.

I came to the same conclusion as Peter. And as Job. Life here on earth isn’t easy but that life without God would be so much harder. It would be life without hope. For me, if I did not have the assurance of Jesus, His love and care in my life; if I did not have the assurance of an eternal life, the Hope of something better, I would give up. Jesus is God. I trust Him. Even though I am flawed and imperfect, Jesus makes it possible for me to have this relationship with my Holy LORD. I will praise Him any way.

Let’s take time this weekend and turn to Psalm 136 and remember what God has done and continues to do.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.    Psalm 136:1 (NIV)

My heart is steady, God; my heart is steady.
I will sing and praise you.
Wake up, my soul.
Wake up, harp and lyre!
I will wake up the dawn.
Lord, I will praise you among the nations;
I will sing songs of praise about you to all the nations.
Your great love reaches to the skies, your truth to the clouds.
God, you are supreme above the skies.
Let your glory be over all the earth. Psalm 57:1-3, 7-11 (NCV)

This may seem like a rather long Scripture passage. How long have you worried or struggled about something? Would you like to get past that obstacle? Then dig in!

In Nehemiah 8, Ezra the priest stood and read God’s word from daybreak to noon (six hours!). And the people STOOD the whole time! When will we get that serious about God?

When I am struggling, gasping for air in a situation, it is not time to sit down and rest. It is time to let go and step closer to my LORD. Don’t hold on tighter to my burden but take my burden – on my knees – to Jesus and LET HIM HAVE IT! What will holding on do to change the course of events? Nothing! So let it go to the One who has the power and the wisdom to resolve the situation. I may not be able to see a change in the situation but if I push in closer to God; spend more time with Him, I will be changed!

The psalmist says, “Help me, LORD! Help me! Let me hide behind you until the trouble passes.” Paul said that in his weakness, he becomes strong because of God (2 Corinthians 12). And then the psalmist grabs hold of what he/she knows from his/her past experience with God and let’s the praise just flow! Many times I have weakly begun to speak or sing my praises, not sure if I really believed them or even meant them. But the words themselves have power to remind me and get my mind and heart on constructive thoughts instead of whirling over and over and around and around on destructive, going-nowhere thoughts.

“I will sing and praise you to everyone, LORD! You are wider and higher and deeper than I can see or understand!” Paul said in Ephesians 3 that it was his prayer that we would continue to discover the depth and width and height of God’s love. I don’t get it – yet. But it is wonderful when another layer of God’s love is revealed.

For 10 years I walked a difficult road. Many days it was all I could do to put one foot in front of the other. God was the Faithful One. Even when I did not lift my eyes up and see Him – He was there. When all I could do was worry and cry, it was Jesus’ Hand on my shoulder or taking my hand to lead me through the boulders and potholes that littered the path I was on. God never gave up on me. I am so very grateful. It’s time to praise my LORD again!

Indescribable by Chris Tomlin

WARNING: Toes may be stepped on during this devotion.

I have shared in this devotion several times the study tool of reading a Proverb every day since there are 31 Proverbs and that makes it easy to read the Proverb that corresponds with the number of the day of the month. Every time I have done it I have wished I could miss Day 6. There isn’t much that can be said to avoid this list of things that God HATES and DETESTS. That is strong language!

Haughty eyes. Pride. P-R-I-D-E. Got any? Whenever I put my way in front of God’s way, that is haughty and arrogant. Any time I look down my nose at another one of God’s children, considering myself as “better” in some way, any way, that is pride. God says, “Come spend time with Me” and I say, “I want to watch TV”, that’s doing things my way instead of His way. It is one of the ways of telling God that I know best about my time, my talents, my life.

Lying tongue. “little white lie”. “I just didn’t offer the information.” If I feel uncomfortable saying or not saying because I know it isn’t really the truth, it’s a lie. And you know where the hardest place for me to be truthful has been? In the workplace. I’m not talking about falsifying documents or even doing something that the world would consider illegal. I am talking about those “dumb” rules that offices and workplaces have about taking personal phone calls or carrying your cell phone during work hours. The rules that are almost seen as an accepted game to get around the boss’ rigid way of doing things. It’s still lying, isn’t it?!

Hands that kill the innocent. Most of us may think we will never be faced with killing someone. I have spoke to military personnel and police officers and they tell me it is an experience that you never forget. No matter the circumstances, you carry that burden with you for the rest of your life. But most of us will be faced with the opportunity to “kill” someone with our words. That was a characteristic of who I was before Jesus came into my life. I could cut someone down to mouse-size with my words. I had a wicked tongue! The tongue is a deadly weapon that can destroy a person’s spirit. As a parent, using words that humiliate a child (like stupid, dumb, ignorant, fat, ugly) leave scars that forever change a child.

A heart that plots evil. It may be easy to blame evil on satan but too often it is our own flesh that desires to “get even”. Jesus taught us as He laid on the cross with nails drilling through His body to always give forgiveness and love. Anger and bitterness that is allowed to fester and multiply in my heart will taint my entire life as I “dream” about how someone who has wronged me will be repaid. Jesus shows me how to keep my heart clean.

Feet that race to do wrong. The time in my life when I seem to gravitate toward choices that were not pleasing to God was when I spent time among the pleasures of this world. I was drinking and watching disgusting movies and TV shows. I was friends with people who brought cussing to an art form. I chose to live in this atmosphere and it wasn’t easy to change directions. I had to chose to make different friends. I had to chose to not watch things that were a temptation to me. And I stopped drinking altogether. Now I am not opposed to drinking wine at dinner or a beer with your pizza – but for me – I can’t do that because I won’t stop with just one beer.

A false witness that pours out lies. What is the difference between this and a lying tongue? To me it has to do specifically with giving false information about what God has done in my life. It is mis-representing God. He doesn’t need any embellishment. God is great enough just the way He is. If my life with Jesus has been blessed without addictions or a life of crime, characterized as a steady walk – then that is the story I need to share, no more or less.

A person who sows discord in a family. This “discord” could be found in a family, a church, or any group. The source of the discord needs to be identified and lovingly – shown the door until they can make the commitment to cease and desist. I know of two churches and countless families who have been destroyed because of one person or a handful of people do not know how to live without speaking and working strife into everyone they are around. It is not easy but Jesus warned how the “yeast of the Pharisees” would destroy (Matthew 6:5-12). Paul, too, spoke about the yeast and the destruction of the immoral person in a fellowship of Believers (1 Corinthians 5). I find it troubling to “expel” someone from a fellowship or family but it is more troubling to allow an entire family or fellowship to be destroyed by a “seed of discord”.

I don’t have a song to end with today. I have only a desire to bend my knees and bow my head as I seek the LORD’S wisdom in all of these areas. It is a passage that I will take with me as I continue to spend time in Jesus’ classroom.

Jesus answered,”Surely you have read in the Scriptures: When God made the world, ‘he made them male and female.’ [Genesis 1:27] And God said, ‘So a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one body.’ [Genesis 2:24] So there are not two, but one. God has joined the two together, so no one should separate them.”        Matthew 19:3-6 (CEV)

I am no expert on marriage, whether from a theological or sociological viewpoint. I have had some experience from a life-lived view. And I have spent a fair amount of time praying and studying about what God has and has not said about marriage. I have learned to keep going back to Jesus’ classroom to listen more about subjects that trouble me and areas that I need more from Him. Marriage is one of those. Marriage is not easy. I need all of Jesus’ help I can get!

Out of the 57 years of my life, I have been married 31 years. I was divorced after 19 years of marriage. I am now remarried and have been so for over 12 years. I have learned from my mistakes. I do not want to make those again. And while I have no doubt that I will, at best, make plenty of “new” mistakes, I pray daily and humbly for God’s Presence in our marriage to guide us in His wisdom and with His extravagant love and forgiveness.

A “Covenant marriage” is an essential. To me this means, that God and Henry and I entered into an agreement together. God will be the head of our house. It is God that we both seek first in prayer. No item is too “small”. It can be the “little things” like making time to talk to each other or pray together that can grow into a huge wall that separates and destroys. It is this covenant that also takes the pressure off that we in our frail humaness have to make this work. Henry and I have had times in our marriage when I thought “Uh-oh, what can I say to fix this? I don’t understand him!” and God has intervened and we have had an extra-ordinary conversation when suddenly our words become clear.

God can bring you through days of great trial. I’m not going to go into details because I believe many who are reading this have their own stories of great trials and discussing which trial is greater is not only silly but irrelevant. It is a personal experience and can only be quantified personally. I will say that there were days of grief and many days of putting one foot in front of the other with no end to the difficult path that we were walking when Henry and I were so depleted individually that we had nothing left to offer each other. It was God who had the strength to reach out and draw both of us in and kept us going.

There are no shortcuts and marriage must be in your Top 3 Priorities. Here are the Top 3 Priorities in my life. They have been the Top 3 for the last 13 years and they will not change.

1. My personal relationship with God
2. My mission that I have been called to do by God for His Kingdom
3. My relationship with my husband, Henry

You can ask Henry, but he will tell you that he is OK to play #3 behind God. The reality is that when I am where God wants me to be in the first two, my marriage is also where it needs to be because Jesus has been teaching me about things in my life that will make my relationship with Henry – better than “good”. And where are my children and grandchildren? Right after Henry. Whether my children are grown or infants, if I do not put time and effort into my relationship with God and my relationship with my spouse, then I will not be successful with my children. I speak from personal experience. Children need to learn at an early age that their mother and father spend time with God and it is important. They need to see their parents pray and study with Jesus. They need to know where their parents turn for answers and what it means to make a commitment. Children need to see their mother hold their father as a priority in her life. And that their father holds their mother in high esteem and respect.

Jesus goes on to say in Matthew 19 that divorce came about in the days of Moses because our “hearts were hard”. That is still true today. Divorce is a part of our fallen world. A marriage succeeds because all three parties in the covenant commit to keep their promises. God is faithful and will always keep His part and is willing to help us keep ours. It’s the other two parties who decide their “way” or their “pride” is more important. In my life and in the lives of those whom I know who have gone through divorce, one or both parties fall away from their commitment to each other and their commitment to God and decide not to put in the hard work it would take to reconstruct the covenant. There are no shortcuts and we can’t be lazy in our intentions.

As I read back over this devotion, I can read phrases that may seem harsh. I don’t mean to be judgmental and I certainly do not have all the answers or even now have a perfect marriage. I have a covenant marriage and I would pray that for everyone who is or wants to be married. It is a glorious gift to know that God, all-powerful, all-loving is a party in our marriage. It’s the best wedding gift I have every received.

The Wedding Song Written and Sung by Paul Stookey (1969)

Then Peter responded, “Can anyone withhold water and prevent these people from being baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.           Acts 10:44-48 (HCSB, my emphasis)

Lectionary texts: Acts 10:44-48, Psalm 98, 1 John 5:1-6, John 15:9-17

I think there are going to be many of us astounded when we get to heaven and see everyone that is there. We may be surprised because:

“I never heard Uncle Tommy talk about Jesus.” It’s a sad thing if Uncle Tommy never took opportunities to share what Jesus had done in his life. He missed extraordinary blessings. But it doesn’t mean that Jesus wasn’t his Savior or that Jesus didn’t work in his life.

“Well, I grew up with Sarah and we went to church together all our lives and she never did go forward at any altar call.” Just because I walk forward during an altar call doesn’t make me a Disciple of Jesus any more than living in a garage makes me a car. It is what happens in my heart that matters.

Father God wants all His children to come home to heaven and live with Him forever. Think of your own children and grandchildren, those that you love so much. What would you do to clear a path, a way, for them to come home? “If you who are evil give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give to His children?” (Matthew 7:11) That doesn’t mean God will compromise His standard or His holiness, it means that He will not be constrained by words and man’s doctrines but only by the state of His child’s heart. And He is the only judge of that.

And so I must ask God’s Holy Spirit to examine my heart and convict me if I in any way “withhold” or “prevent” people from drawing near to God. Convict me, Holy Spirit, if I speak any critical or judgmental words that drive people away from the Father.

Did I come to God clean and perfect? NO. God is still convicting and cleansing me from my sins.

Is the fellowship to which I belong perfect? NO. I attend there so it must not be perfect! Jesus said He came to heal and restore. The fellowship should be like a hospital that takes in the hurt and the beaten. We are to be nurses who are the hands and feet of the Great Physician. It is the Physician who determines my sin and how I am to be healed from that sin. He welcomes me while I am still sick (Romans 5:8). Do I welcome sinners into the fellowship? Do I allow the Physician to diagnosis and heal or do I try to shine a bright light on another person’s wounds so they won’t notice mine?

Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds.
His right hand has won a mighty victory; his holy arm has shown his saving power!…
Let the rivers clap their hands in glee!
Let the hills sing out their songs of joy before the Lord.
For the Lord is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with fairness.     Psalm 98:1, 8-9 (NLT)

Let us meditate and remember who God is and what He has done and has promised to do. Let us also meditate and remember who we are and what God has (and has not) called us to do.

 Come to Me sung by Kari Jobe

Jesus went out to the people. He met His disciples on mountains, on the road, in their homes, and all points in between. He did not expect them to come to Him inside a church. Here in this passage today is arguably Jesus’ greatest teaching and He is doing it on the side of a mountain, not in a building made by man. He is in His sanctuary because the “anointed place” is wherever He is.

I am spending a lot of time this week in thanksgiving because I am remembering that it was about this time 12 years ago that God laid it on my heart to start writing down some of the devotions that He was speaking to me. Three other co-workers and I tried to meet in the morning before office hours to pray and bring God into our day first. We were under a great deal of stress in our jobs and we knew that starting the day with God was the way to start the day! Not very long after that I left that job but decided that I was being given an opportunity to lift those whom I had left behind by sending them a devotion every morning. It began with about 15 people and grew by word of mouth until today – I truly have no idea how many hundreds of people join together in the morning to spend some time with God. It is God who has been faithfully meeting every morning with a good word to share!

Some mornings I have started to write and it just doesn’t come together and then I know that word was for me and not to share. Once in a while (like Wednesday) God will take me back to something He said a year or so ago that I need to hear again and consider again. It’s fun to look back on devotions from 8 or 10 years ago and see how God has faithfully and patiently been growing me up!

If we will take 10 minutes and turn off our phones and go to a quiet place, we will find Jesus there waiting to meet with us every time. Before long, 10 minutes won’t be enough. Time with Him is a time of restoration and refreshing. It is a time to lay down burdens that were never mine to carry. They are the burdens who have no answers in my limited mind and abilities. Giving them to Jesus is placing them in hands that know great pain and great power. Giving them to Jesus is giving that which is precious to me to the One who loves greater and more tenderly than I do.

So if you have received a devotion that blessed you or some time in the future receive a devotion that touches your heart – changing you – healing you – bringing you up and encouraging you – give thanks that Jesus is faithful and knows your needs and sent you that word from His heart. God isn’t constrained by my imperfect transcribing. He reaches out and takes your hand, His child, and leads you into that place prepared just for you and Him. His love is never divided among His children but multiplied among His children. Take time and give thanks because Jesus is faithful!

On My Knees by Michael Ochs & David & Nicole Mullen, sung by Nicole C. Mullen

I know many (myself included) who have been blessed to read and meditate on a Proverb each day. There are 31 Proverbs so it seems a good fit to read one each day. Give it try this summer which means you will read each Proverb three times over the months. I am willing to say that without a doubt you will learn something new each time you read that same Proverb.

The writer of Proverbs says at the beginning that the purpose in the book is to gain wisdom and discipline and understanding so as to lead a life that is just (Proverbs 1:1-7). It is foolish to reject wise teachings and yet how often we cross our arms and declare that we don’t need help and we can do it ourselves! Just how has that been working out for you? Yes, not so well for me either.

My husband and I have entered into a new ‘season’ in our lives and it is wisdom that we are asking from God more than any other request. We ask it for everyone that we lift in prayer. Whether the initial request is for financial relief or physical healing or relationships, it is wisdom from God that directs in right paths and right words and a right heart. Wisdom is seeing beyond my human abilities. It is asking God to give His knowledge to me regarding a situation and then following that knowledge even if I do not understand what I see with my eyes or know with my own mind. Yes, it is directly linked to my faith and trust in God. It may cause me to pause and ask, “Has God ever let me down?”.

I have a notebook that I write down prayers and answers and some of my conversations with God. It helps me to write it down. It can clarify my emotions and bring in God’s voice more distinctly. I love to read back over some pages three months, six months, even a year later. I see God’s ways and His answers that I may not have known when I was in the thick of the situation.

Whether it is following a specific Scripture plan, writing in my notebook, using the Christmas cards I received to pray for people, God uses many ways and many things to build our relationship. He wants our time together to remain fresh and our time together to be something that I looked forward with anticipation. It is not a repetitive ritual that I can do with little thought. It is a vital part of my moment-to-moment life! It truly is Life and Breath to me.

Take time to get quiet and just allow God to “download” His wisdom and love into your life today.

Let It Rain by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater, sung by Michael W. Smith