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Beyond the Fog

Lessons from the Bridge

Duncan Rawlinson / Foter.com / CC BY-NC

 

Over the years, I’ve traveled upstate to visit my sister and her family hundreds of times. The best is when there’s no traffic and the sun is lighting the way. That’s when I can relax and enjoy the beautiful mountains in all their splendor.

Of course, the sun isn’t always shining. That’s just part of life.

One of my most harrowing drives upstate was during a nasty rain storm a few years back!  There I was carefully trying to navigate the wet road and desperately trying to stay in my lane as other cars splashed by me on the New York State Thruway. Then I got to the infamous Tappan Zee Bridge that extends for miles and miles over the Hudson River. On a clear day, I enjoy glancing around and seeing the pretty scenery which reminds me of my trip to Alaska.

On this day though, the fog was so thick that I couldn’t see the other end of the bridge ahead of me nor the mountains and water around me. All I could see was the bumper of the car directly in front of me and the occasional car to my left that was battling the fog on the southbound lanes of the bridge. My mind started playing tricks on me, and I started to worry that the other end of the bridge might have somehow disappeared and that I might be driving right into an abyss. The only thing I could do was focus on the car I was now following for dear life. I had to trust that the driver knew where he was going and that neither he nor the cars in front of him would suddenly slam on their brakes and cause an accident.

In that moment, I had to choose to stop thinking about what I couldn’t see up ahead or about the storm that I was literally in the middle of. I had to focus on what I could see in front of me and I had to trust that God would safely lead me to the other side of the bridge so I could get to my family. Thankfully, I did make it across the bridge and eventually to my sister’s house! But the lessons I learned during that trip have stuck with me.

Many times when we’re in a storm, we can’t see things clearly. The road looks so long or too dark. Sometimes it feels like we’re going to fall into some great, big pit before we ever reach our destination. The future looks so bleak and uncertain.

It’s precisely in those storms that we have to lean and trust in God all the more!  He’s the Good Shepherd who goes ahead of us leading us and guiding us to safe pasture. He’s the one that can see the other side of the bridge even when we can’t. In fact, He’s the one that is holding us up all along the way!

If the road looks foggy and unclear to you right now and you’re in danger of losing hope and faith that you’ll ever make it to the other side of your bridge, I’d like to encourage you to call out to Jesus!  He wants to walk with you every step of the way. He really is always just a prayer away!

Hang in there, my Friend! Hear God’s Word for you today, “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.” (Isaiah 42:16)

So keep praying, reading your Bible, and listening to all that God is saying.  And be sure to stay connected to your local church. Before you know it, you’ll be safely on the other side of your bridge!

Did this post encourage you? Feel free to leave a comment below.

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No Peeking

Lessons from Baking

MissionControl / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

 

I finally started exploring the world of baking. To my amazement, I actually like it!  I thought it would be stressful because I’m the type that doesn’t like following recipes or waiting for water to boil, but it’s actually rather relaxing.

I’ve always been intimidated by the oven so before I baked my first set of brownies ever, I had fun watching videos online to see how the pros do it. I also read an article about oven settings.  Both times I read the tips, these lines jumped out at me:

“While your food is baking, try not to open the door too often to check for done-ness.  Every time you open the oven door to see if your food is cooked, your oven temperature will drop and extend the cooking time.”

I was happy that the disclaimer was there and even happier to think there must be other impatient, novice chefs out there like me. But there was something about those simple instructions that got me thinking about my prayer life and times that I have gotten impatient while waiting on God.

At times in my life, I have been like an anxious baker opening the oven door to check if my “treats” were ready. In my eagerness to find out the status of my treats, I didn’t realize that I could actually be interrupting the work that God was doing and delaying the process even more!

What about you?  Have you ever prayed for a situation, said that you’ve left it in God’s hands and then done something that was the equivalent of opening the oven door to peek if the “goodies” were ready?  Were you then discouraged to find out that you had to wait even longer?

If your answer is yes, then I invite you to join me in heeding the advice to keep the oven door closed until God says it’s time to open it and enjoy dessert!

God works in seasons. He isn’t in a rush. As His Word declares, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

 

 

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What do You Crave?

Lessons Learned from Junk Food

loop_oh / Foter.com / CC BY-ND

 

Yes, I admit it. I can be a chip-aholic! Everyone who knows me knows better than to leave me unattended by an open bag of chips. Salty, crunchy chips don’t stand a chance next to me.  They will be gone within minutes. Ok, seconds!

I have my standard chips that I like but sometimes I get the craving for a different variety so the hunt begins.  That’s when I will walk to two or three stores just to find the exact kind of chips I’m looking for. I know it sounds crazy, but I’m sure some of you would do the same for your favorite snack food or coffee.

So one evening I was on a mission to find a particular type of chips. No others would do. After I had gone to multiple stores, I finally found the ones I was looking for. I remember being thrilled that the search was over and that in just a few short moments I would be enjoying my snack.

But along with rejoicing, I remember having this thought, “Wow, what if I searched for Jesus, the way I searched for these chips.” Ouch!

What if we all sought His presence that way?  What if we would let nothing stop us, nothing distract, nothing hold us back from seeking after the Bread of Life and the Living Water? What if we were a little more desperate to spend time with Him daily? What if our day wasn’t complete unless we made time to pray to Him and to listen to Him?

God lavishes His love on us and in return He asks us to love Him with all of our heart, soul and mind. That can sound like a tall order, and yet when we think about His goodness and mercy and grace and faithfulness, how can we respond in any other way?

If your relationship with Jesus has cooled down lately, I pray that the fire in your heart would be reignited!  Let’s be sure our eyes are focused on Jesus and let’s crave the only One who truly satisfies!

If you would like to learn more about Jesus, please visit the Info for New Believers/Seekers page or visit http://peacewithgod.jesus.net/

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Sweet Surrender

Lessons from the Outdoor Pool

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One of my most favorite things to do when I’m in the water is to simply lean back and float. There is just something so delightful about being able to let go and relax and to feel the water gently taking me wherever it pleases.

On my last trip to Florida, I had the pleasure of swimming in this gorgeous outdoor heated pool overlooking the ocean!  It sure did feel like a bit of paradise to me!  On my final morning there, I was one of only two people in the pool for quite a while so it became my own private oasis. As I floated in the water, I just blocked out everything except for the sun shining over me, the bright blue sky covering me, the palm trees swaying all around me and the warm water carrying me. It’s in those moments that I don’t feel a care in the world. I can just Be Still.

It’s in those moments that I also feel like I’m truly in the palm of God’s hand. I am reminded of what true surrender feels like. As I glided in the water, I kept thinking how important it is for me to be this relaxed in my everyday life!

Does that sound too impossible?  What if we lived every moment as if we truly believed that God is in control?  What if we walked in peace remembering that God is Faithful and He is there with us in good times and bad? What if we could go through our days confident that He knows the way, He knows the next step and His good plan for us will unfold in His perfect timing?

What if we simply leaned back and trusted Him in every circumstance? Wow, I’m taking a deep breathe even as I write this.

The Bible tells us to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Did you catch that? We’re not supposed to fuss around and get frustrated trying to figure everything out. We are to lean on Jesus and trust that He knows what He is doing. I know, it’s easier to say than do but it will help you keep your peace and joy.

So the next time you start feeling nervous, frightened, frustrated or anxious about the situations in your life, try to take a moment and lean back and surrender those thoughts, plans or worries to God. He can handle them!

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