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Brick By Brick
Who doesn't love a good construction analogy? We've all seen captivating time-lapse videos of buildings rising from the ground up, each brick or beam carefully placed, and every detail considered. That's how God works in our lives—with precision, purpose, and a master plan.
Construction projects sure do take you on a journey, don't they? One day, you're standing in an empty field or a run-down house, dreaming of what could be. The next, you're driving the first stake into the ground or swinging that sledgehammer through the first wall.
It's exhilarating. It's daunting. It makes you feel alive.
When God first lays a calling on your heart, it's a lot like that empty lot or dilapidated house. You survey the land and think, "How can anything beautiful come from this?"
Broken Yet Beloved
As many of you know, I struggle with joint hyper-mobility, fibromyalgia, and chronic back issues. Some days, the pain and fatigue are almost unbearable, leaving me feeling isolated, frustrated, and even depressed. Recently, I've been experiencing a particularly bad flareup, and I've found myself lying in bed for hours on end, watching the world around me hurry by while I wrestled with feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.
I'm sure many of you can relate, whether you're battling a chronic illness, dealing with a difficult situation, or simply feeling overwhelmed by life's challenges. During these times, we feel like nothing more than a "bruised reed" or a "smoldering wick," ready to break or be snuffed out at any moment.
The Sea of Forgetfulness
I've been pondering a beautiful truth from God's Word that has filled my heart with immense gratitude and joy. It's found in Micah 7:19 (KJV), which says, "He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea."
Isn't that an incredible promise? When we accept Jesus as our Savior, God takes our sins—every single one of them—and hurls them into the depths of the sea. This is often referred to as the sea of forgetfulness, a place where our sins are forever out of reach, unable to affect our salvation or standing before God.
Bouncy Castles and Boundless Grace
Three days have passed since our Community Family Fun Day, and I'm still in awe of God's faithfulness. Despite my lingering illness, back pain, and barely-there voice, the Lord blessed our event in ways I never imagined possible.
The day dawned with perfect weather—a true miracle in Wales! As I stepped out into the crisp morning air, I felt a surge of energy I hadn't experienced in weeks. Though I was far from feeling my best, the Lord granted me strength to not only endure but actually enjoy the entire day.
The turnout wasn't as large as it could have been, but it was greater than we had anticipated for our first community-wide event. Families from all over the community came to join in the festivities. Children's laughter filled the air as they bounced on inflatables, played games, and picked prizes. Parents relaxed and chatted, forging new friendships and strengthening existing ones.
Grounded in Faith
Jason has always loved his coffee, but lately, he's become a bit of a coffee nerd. I suppose that's not the nicest way to put it, but it's true. In the past, he was content with a simple pour-over method - put a filter in the pour-over, add the coffee grounds, pour hot water over the top, and add a splash of milk. Easy peasy. But not anymore.
Now, Jason insists on a much more detailed process to get the perfect cup of coffee. It starts with measuring the coffee beans and then misting them with water. Next, he grinds the beans to a specific coarseness. Then, he heats the water to a precise temperature (not too hot, not too cold). Finally, he pours the water over the grounds in timed increments, 100g at a time. It's like a science experiment!
Helpless But Hopeful
At the time of this writing, it is three days before our biggest community event of the year. I’ve been planning and preparing for weeks, hoping to iron out every wrinkle so the day will run smoothly and successfully. But you know what the Bible says about man's plans, right?
About a week and a half ago, my back decided to throw one of its fits. This wasn't its everyday pinch, sting, and ache. This was lying flat in the bed for an entire week! Yup, a whole week where I couldn't work on the mountain of things that needed to be done. Oh, how helpless and frustrated I felt.
After a visit with my osteopath, I finally started feeling some relief and could start pecking away at a chore here and there as long as I took long rest and stretch breaks in between.
Tightrope Trusting
As I was doing my Optimize Your Day routine this morning, I looked out my office window and saw a large bird land on the overhead power line. This power line isn't very taught, and the wind was blowing pretty hard. The bird tried to steady itself, but it was a comical sight. Its tail feathers were pointing and flexing, and its wings would occasionally shoot out to steady itself. It was like watching a tightrope walker trying to keep their balance or a child trying to swing for the first time.
This lasted several seconds until the bird finally gave up and flew off. As I watched this, I couldn't help but think about how often I feel like that bird.
Reaping a Harvest of Joy
Today, I want to talk about something that's been on my mind lately: the power of our thoughts. When I start my day off with negative thoughts and complaints, it sets the tone for the rest of the day. I find myself getting easily frustrated, angry, and bitter. On the other hand, when I start my day with positive thoughts and gratitude, it's amazing how much better my day goes. (This is one of the main reasons I created the Optimize Your Day program!)
Galatians 6:7 says, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." In other words, what we put out into the world, we will eventually receive back.
Looking Up When Life Weighs You Down
One of my favorite things to do here in Wales is visit old castles. There’s just something about the history and architecture that fascinates me. But as much as I love exploring these ancient structures, I always end up with a pain in my neck the next day.
When you're walking around a castle, you're constantly looking up. You're admiring the tall towers, the intricate carvings, and the beautiful stained glass windows. But, after a while, all that looking up can take a toll on your neck (especially if you already have neck issues).
Life can be the same way. We want to be positive and keep looking up, but sometimes, circumstances causes such a pain in the neck that we find our gaze slipping down to the depths of despair. Our “eyes fail with looking upward.”
Houdini Strikes Again
We've finally had some nice weather here in Wales, and Tess and I have been taking full advantage of it. We were outside enjoying the sunshine the other day when I heard a soft whimper. I looked up to see Tess standing on the opposite side of the fence, crying to get back in. Despite our best efforts to secure the fencing, that little booger had found a way out again!
Honestly, I was frustrated with her. She knows she's not supposed to go outside the fence, yet she continues finding ways to escape. But as I watched her standing there, whimpering and looking at me with those big, brown eyes, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of compassion.