Deep Thoughts & Little Happenings – Page 6 – I looked, and I thought about it; I saw, and I learned this lesson. Proverbs 24:32

December 10, 2020December 9, 2020

The Joy Challenge: Loving Well

Today’s Scripture Passage:

John 14:15-21

Key Verse:

“If you love me, obey my commandments. John 14:15 (NLT)

And here we are at Step Three: Loving God and loving others.

Let me just say right off the bat, I don’t love well. I want to. It’s a great desire of mine and something I’ve prayed for the ability to do well for the better part of my adult life.

As a child, I found it easy to love the people in my life. They loved me and we lived our lives thinking the same things were right or wrong, etc..

It was only as I grew up and encountered people who thought differently, lived differently, and criticized my choices that I began to realize love is about more than a feeling.

Loving God means living my life choosing to do what He says is right.

I can’t love others apart from God.
I can’t even love God without His help.

God is love. Period. There is no qualifier here. Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:7-8 (NLT)

If we want to love well…
we must grasp the truth that God is love and our ability to love comes from Him.

Jesus told us how to love: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:12-13 (NLT)

Yes, He literally died to save our souls from eternal separation from God, but I don’t think this is the only way to lay down one’s life for another.

The minutes of our days add up to our life. How we spend those minutes reflects who it is we’re living to please.

Now, before you spiral headlong down a rabbit hole of panic, let’s look at Jesus’ life choices to gain a deeper understanding of how to know the way to love others. Not loving them from a formula but as individuals.

Jesus didn’t do for the people what they wanted Him to do.

He did what the Father told Him to do.

Only the Father knows what people really need… When we choose to do what He says is right, we love both God and others well.

Everyone, including the disciples, thought Jesus was there to conquer Rome. Nope! He did something even better. He conquered Sin and Death. Woot! Woot!

So, how do we know what God’s next right thing is for us to do?

He gave us two gifts for that very purpose.

Holy Spirit and the Holy Scriptures.

Jesus living in us and God’s written word.

Holy Spirit helps us understand what we read in God’s word.
Holy Spirit helps us remember what we read so we can choose God’s way for us.

Misunderstanding what we read will cause us to apply God’s word from our own perspective.

Forgetting what we’ve read in God’s word will leave us following our own way instead of God’s.

God’s word transforms the way we think.
God’s word makes it possible for us to know what He wants, and agree what He wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed.

When we truly agree with God, we choose to do what He says is right and good. That’s when we are living each moment of our lives loving well!

LORD, we’re so thankful to be citizens of Your Kingdom. We’re thank You for the privilege of being your representative in the foreign land we live in now. Help us to grow in our relationship with You, so we will represent You well. Give us compassion and courage and teach us to love those around us as You love them. We want to love as citizens of Heavens and not citizens of this world!

Digging Deeper:

John 15:30-16:17, Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:15 & Hebrews 12:2-4

If you have not yet met Jesus, you can meet Him today. He created you. He loves you. He wants you to be a part of His family. I encourage you to step into the life He created you to live. You will still have the troubles of this world, but you will no longer be facing them alone. I’m praying for you! https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

December 3, 2020January 8, 2021

The Joy Challenge: Casting Off

Today’s Scripture Passage:

I Peter 5:6-11

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:6-8 (NLT)

Last week we looked at Step One of The Joy Challenge: Thanksgiving and Praise.

Today we’re going to dig deeper into Step Two of the Joy Challenge: Cast all your cares on Jesus.

God’s word is filled with warnings about worry, anxiety, fretting, burdens, troubles, and the cares of this world. Why?

He knows those things not only weigh us down, but they will gradually consume our every thought. They grow bigger and bigger, and heavier and heavier, until they conceal His presence and goodness in our lives.

In today’s Scripture, Peter reminds us to

(1) be humble,

(2) give God all our worries and cares, and

(3) stay alert.

The order of these verses is important!

We may tell God about our troubles, but we won’t give them to Him unless we’re humble. My Grandma used to say, “Take it to the LORD and leave it there.” It takes humility to leave our worries and care with Jesus. It takes trust.

We have to believe God cares about us before we’ll give our worries and cares to Him.

Worries and cares endanger us because they distract us. We have an enemy. He wants to destroy our lives. He wants to rob us of anything good God has for us. We need to get rid of the distractions and stay alert!

Our enemy cannot take our salvation, but we can lose the joy of our salvation. We lose our joy when we allow the cares of this world to consume our lives. I’ve experienced that loss of joy, and like King David in Psalm 51, I had to ask the LORD to restore to me the joy of His salvation. He retored my joy; He’ll restore yours too! All you have to do is ask.

Digging Deeper:

Nahum 1:7, Matthew 6:31-34, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 13:18-23, Ephesians 6:10-18, Philippians 4:6-7

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

November 26, 2020January 8, 2021

The Joy Challenge: Thanksgiving and Praise

Today’s Scripture Passage:

Psalm 100

Key Verse:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation. Psalm 100:4-5 (NLT)

Last week I included a Joy Challenge at the end of the post.

While working on Step One of The Joy Challenge, I gained a deeper understanding of just how important it is to return to the foundation of my faith on a continuous loop.

Continuously returning to a place of being filled up with the joy that comes from pausing to delight in who God is. Purposely remembering all He has already done for me. Looking for evidence of the good things He is currently doing in my life. An intentional refocusing of my attention from all other relationships and every circumstance. Stilling in His presence and letting go of everything swirling through my mind and smothering my soul. Returning to a place of wonder and delight in the One who has saved me. Remembering the attributes and benefits which first caught my attention.

I get it! This is not new information. But somewhere along the way, I’ve unintentionally allowed myself to skim through the thanksgiving and praise portion of my time with the LORD. Yes, I was reading my Bible. Yes, I was seeking a word of direction from Him. But, if I’m honest, both of those are more about me. I was there to receive. Neither was about being there just to enjoy the together time. I was slowly allowing the cares of this world to dim my delight in HIM and just being in His presence.

Today’s verses are great reminders of how we’re to ENTER into His presence. ENTER is an action word. It requires intention.

Today’s verses also remind us we’re not to go into His presence empty handed. We’re to enter with THANKSGIVING and PRAISE. How appropriate it is the LORD has brought us to this place of remembering these truths today – Thanksgiving Day 2020!

It’s important for us to remember those things He has done for us, to call them by name, and carry our thanks with us when we ENTER His presence. There are so many things to be thankful for, if we’ll just turn our eyes from the cares of this world to see them.

Genuine thanksgiving leads to praise. Everything the LORD does for us and everything He gives to us reveals more of who He is. His gifts reveal His attributes. And the more we see of Him, the easier it is to recognize His gifts. His presence becomes tangible and His love evident. We can then ENTER His presence with praises for who He is. Igniting our love for Him and finding our joy restored as we ENTER His presence with THANKSGIVING and PRAISE.

Here’s a piano and lyric link to an old hymn with wonderful lyrics appropriate for Step One in The Joy Challenge. Hymn: Turn your eyes upon Jesus (hymnal.net)

Here’s a YouTube video to the same hymn . Hillsong – Turn your eyes upon Jesus (HD with lyrics) (Best Worship Song to Jesus) – YouTube

Digging Deeper:

Psalm 37: 1-7 & Psalm 46:1-11,

November 19, 2020November 18, 2020

I Want To Find Joy!

Key Verse:

As pressure and stress bear down on me,
I find joy in your commands. Psalm 119:143 (NLT)

I prefer the loop trails over the out and back trails. I like encountering something different all the way around instead of the same thing from the opposite direction.

In life, I sometimes find myself returning to some of the same places from a different direction. Places where pressure and stress are bearing down on me.

I scramble through my days trying to stay ahead of them (pressure and stress). I stay busy in hopes of distracting myself from their presence.

I ignore them or pretend they’re not there. I fret and stew and hold onto emotions in fear of shattering into a million pieces.

I wrestle with situations beyond my control and struggle over how any of what’s going on in the world around me can be good and right when it feels so wrong and hurts so bad.

I brace against the passive agressive inuendos others serve on the self-righteous platters of their own understanding.

What I know and what I feel are in conflict and create unbearable pressure and stress. They build and hover around the periphery of my consciousness. Ever encroaching on and pushing against the force field of my faith.

I didn’t even know I had returned to a place of pressure and stress until I recently received Psalm 119:143 as my verse of the day. Wow! There it was! Like a sign post on the side of the trail reminding me there’s no camping beyond this elevation.

PRESSURE:
1. continuous physical force exerted on or against an object by something in contact with it.
2. the use of persuasion, influence, or intimidation to make someone do something.
Bing Definition

Stress:
pressure or tension exerted on a material object.
Bing Definition

Ezra wrote Psalm 119 for the people of Israel. Not to encourage them to pretend pressure and stress weren’t bearing down on them. Nope! He was acknowledging the pressure and stress WHILE reminding them how to find joy right there in the middle of it.

The first half of the verse caught my attention and helped me see where I was. The second half of the verse brought renewed hope. It was like the promise of fresh, sweet water after a long, hot hike.

Right there in that moment, I told the LORD I wanted to exchange the joy of His commands for the pressure and stress bearing down on me.

If you’re like me, it’s helpful to read and remember the LORD’s commands, so here they are…

And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Deuteronomy 6:5-6 (NLT)

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40 (NLT)

These commands are consistent in both the Old and New Testatment. Commands given for the purpose of bringing joy to every Jesus-follower.

I’m so thankful the LORD grabbed my attention with His word. Thankful for the reminder that loving Him and others is where we find joy!

Wondering how it’s possible to love God and love people without pressure and stress bearing down on you? Jesus has given every Jesus-follower our own personal Helper. His name is Holy Spirit, and He comes bearing an amazing fruit. This fruit has nine characteristics, and each characteristic makes it possible for us to love God and others well.

Joy Challenge: This does not have to take a lot of time, but it needs to be time spent without distractions; time spent giving the LORD our full and undivided attention.

1-Be still with the LORD. Spend time reading His word (the Bible) and talking to Him (praying). Learn of Him and from Him. Tell Him what you love about Him, and thank Him for the good things He has done for you and given to you.

2-Cast all your cares on Jesus. (Imagine standing on the seashore throwing shells into the ocean. Each shell represents a person or situation you’ve been carrying around. Now imagine the ocean is the LORD’s arms.)

3-Prayerfully and intentionally practice sharing Holy Spirit fruit with others. Be sure to take notice which characteristic you struggle to share with which person. Expect Holy Spirit to help you learn to love well.

I’d love you to commit to joining me in this challenge. Leave your name in the comments section as a way of letting me know. Or share this post with someone and invite them to join you in the challenge.

Digging Deeper:

Psalm 46:10, John 14: 15-21, Galatians 5:22-25, James 1:17 & 1 Peter 5:7

November 12, 2020November 11, 2020

Finding Our Way Through the Fog of Loss

Show me the right path, O Lord;
    point out the road for me to follow.
Lead me by your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God who saves me.
    All day long I put my hope in you.

Psalm 25:4-5 (NLT)

Today is the seven month anniversary of Daddy’s death. Yesterday was his birthday. Two days ago, George’s brother lost his battle with Covid-19, and his wife is still in the hospital fighting the same battle.

But death is not the only way we experience loss and grief. In fact, every person in the world has experienced varying degrees of loss and grief this year. We’ve all experienced the loss of “normal” living in some way or another.

Loss of jobs, homes, lifestyles.

Loss of health, plans, dreams, traditions, the familiar.

Loss of the basic ability to come and go without possibly endangering ourselves or those around us.

Every loss hurts.

I cannot measure your pain by my pain, nor can you measure my pain by yours. It doesn’t matter how similar our loss may be. No two of us are alike, and we experience grief as uniquely as we are created. We all respond to loss, pain, and grief differently and in varying amounts of time.

Grief will not go away just because we want it to or because others tell us it’s time.

Nor is grief diminished just because we expect the loss.

I’ve heard of the “fog of grief” after a loss, but I’ve actually come to appreciate the fog. It created a blessed narrowing of my vision. An obscuring of all but the next step I needed to take. A blurring of everything outside of the immediate. Leaving me to live in the moment. Allowing me to see and savor what is precious in the present.

That’s why I chose today’s verse. That’s why George and I raced over to Long Park a couple of weeks ago after we woke to a foggy neighborhood. I wanted pictures. I wanted to capture and share a tiny glimpse of the hope and love I’ve discovered during my fog of grief. Fog has become a picture of the all encompassing comfort the LORD gives His children during our days of grief.

One other thing…

Just as fog muffles sound, the fog of grief will muffle the noise of the often well-meaning yet carelessly spoken words of others.

Everyone enjoys a fitting reply;
it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!
The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking;
Proverbs 15:23 & 28a (NLT)

Whatever loss you’re walking through right now. Whatever the pain you’re experiencing. May you find your hope in Jesus. May you feel His presence and love for you in a tangible way today. May His light penetrate the fog of grief surrounding you and help you see each next step. May His blessing of fog protect and comfort you until the light of His love burns it off and reveals all the beauty of living He still has in store for you.

Taken by George at Tunnel Parking Overlook on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park – October 2, 2020

I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!
Psalm 121:1-2 (NLT)

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Jesus – John 16:33 (NLT)

November 5, 2020November 4, 2020

I See, You See…

Today’s Scripture Passage:

Matthew 16:13-28

Key Verse:

Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” Matthew 16:23 (NLT)

George and I were enjoying a ride on one of our neighborhood’s bike paths when I spied what I decided to call Tree Coral. I insisted we stop so George could take pictures.

I’ve since learned they are “Chicken of the Woods” mushrooms. Yes, they’re mushrooms. And yes, they supposedly taste like chicken. If you’d like to learn more about them, there’s a link in the Fun Facts section at the bottom.

George didn’t have his camera, but he took these with his phone.

I was so delighted with the beauty of my “Tree Coral” I could hardly wait to share it. I sent a message and a pic to my mom and a friend as soon as we got home. I was totally surprised by their replies.

“I know this is probably a fungus, but it is beautiful! For some reason it made me think of sin.”
Momma

“It looks much better in your pic than on the front of my log house!! I will deem it house barnacle in TN, lol.”
Kim

Wow! Talk about different perspectives!

No, I haven’t changed my mind about the beauty of what we saw that day, but those mushrooms sure have given me food for thought. No pun intended!

In today’s Scriptures passage, the same Peter who says, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God” is the one who tells Jesus He’s wrong about His coming death and resurrection. Peter actually says to Jesus, “This would never happen to you.”

Look at what Jesus said in response. “You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.“

God has used His word and mushrooms to help me understand something very simple and profound…

My perspective will impact my ability to see, trust, and follow Jesus.

We see mushrooms on every hike! They come in a multitude of shapes, sizes, colors, and locations. They’re beautiful and fascinating! And now, they’re reminders to check my perspective.

Fun Facts:

Here’s a link about the “Chicken of the Woods” mushrooms. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laetiporus

October 29, 2020October 29, 2020

Tripping on the Trail

Key Verse:

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)

Something I’ve discovered while hiking is how impossible it is to take pictures and enjoy the beauty around me WHILE watching where I walk.

One example, Fern Hollow Loop Trail was riddled with rocks and roots hidden under layers of leaves.

We had to keep our eyes on the trail or risk a fall.

BUT

We had to stop to see all the opportunities surrounding us.

The pictures below give you a tiny glimpse of all we would’ve missed if we didn’t pause along the way. We experienced beauty and history and people. There was so much more we experienced together, but there’s not enough space or time to share it all here.

Our hikes have all taken longer than the trail guides tell us they will. Why? Because we do so much stopping along the way. We take hundreds of pictures on every hike. There is so much to see and enjoy. There are so many people to speak to along the way.

Every trail finds us caught between the need to keep moving forward and our ability to experience each opportunity we encounter along the way.

I’ve mulled this over a lot. I’ve struggled with the contradiction of it.

I will never get anywhere if I just stop moving, but I will miss so much if I don’t ever stop.

I’m coming to realize there’s a life altering lesson here. A lesson I suspect will transform my understanding of the daily application of what it means to follow Jesus.

His word is very clear about our need to keep our eyes on Him. But He’s also clear about us being aware of our surroundings. How do we do both?

Jesus never went off mission. He came to seek and save the lost, but He was always willing to be interrupted along the way. Read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and take note of all the times He stopped what He was doing or where He was going and interacted with people on a personal basis. There was nothing distracted or generic about those interactions!

I must learn from the LORD by reading and studying His word, the Bible. I must spend time communicating with Him in prayer. But, I must also act on what I learn from Him and of Him. I must allow Him to renew my mind and transform the way I think. I must also practice living what I learn.

So, as scary as it feels, I’m asking the LORD to point out any misconceptions I have about what it means to follow Jesus and walk by His Spirit. I have no idea what this request is going to bring, but I do know…I’m desperate for Jesus to help me unlearn my own ways of thinking and doing, so I can learn to live my life according to His ways of thinking and doing.

I want to keep my eyes on Jesus and follow Him closely. I also want to grab with both hands every opportunity He has for me. To live alert to Him and others. To live with and love Him and others well.

I know following Jesus requires me to move when He moves and stay when He stays. Easy to say (or write). I’m wondering where I’m holding back. I’m wondering what I’m missing because of my own understanding of what it looks like to live my life following Jesus. Living free of any preconceived ideas of what it means to follow Him.

I’m convinced Jesus is wooing me to a place of deeper understanding. I’m equally convinced He’s prepared opportunities of unspeakable joy for me (and you) if we’re brave enough to follow Him into new, uncharted, and unknown places.

Doing one without neglecting the other. Pausing and moving. Being still long enough to hear His instructions, but also acting on them immediately. Learning and living with diligence and discipline. Staying close and going out into the world all at once.

Digging Deeper:

Psalm 46:10, Proverbs 3:5-6, John 16:5-15, Romans 12:2, Galatians 5:25, Hebrews 12:2

Word’s I’ve been hearing the LORD whisper as I’ve struggled to learn this lesson, “Trust I’m able to teach you, Barbara. Be humble. Be moldable. Learn from me. Allow me to take the lead. I’ll show you My way for you, give you joy in the relationships I’ve given you, and use the opportunities I have for you to bring blessing to you and others.”

October 22, 2020October 22, 2020

Growing Through the Hard Places, Wicked Winds, and Broken Places

Today’s Scripture Passage:

Jeremiah 29:4-14

Key Verse:

If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. Jeremiah 29:13 (NLT)

I’ve always been fascinated by trees. It doesn’t matter the season. Full of leaves, bare, green or decked in an array of colors. Trees are beautiful. They grow in all sorts of climates and terrain. Their differences are beyond numbering (for me anyway).

Trails are a great place to see trees and witness just how tenacious they are when it comes to living.

Lost Mountain Trail in Sky Meadow State Park – September 15, 2020

Trees are unbelievably persistent in their efforts to reach the light and water they need to live.

Thornberry Loop Trail in Manassas National Battlefield Park – September 27, 2020

Some are clinging to the soil, others reaching into the water.

Fern Hollow Loop in Bull Run Mountain Natural Area Preserve – October 9, 2020

Some have faced destructive disease or pestilence.

Stoney Man to Little Stoney Man Loop Trail in Shenandoah National Park – October 15, 2020

Some twist and turn their way toward sunlight while others push their way through and around huge rocks.

Thornberry Loop Trail in Manassas National Battlefield

Each of these trees are a beautiful example of how I can be spiritually healthy no matter my circumstances or location. First, I must remember:

Jesus is the Light.

Jesus is the Living Water.

Just as trees need water and light, I need Jesus. He’s the Light and the Water I need. He’s the Giver of life to all of us!

In today’s scriptures, Jeremiah is talking to the people of Israel about how they are to live in bondage to Babylon under the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar. He was a cruel king and there was nothing wonderful about being taken from their homes and made to live in this foreign land under his rule. They were facing adversity!

The promise in verse 13 requires participation. We’re to look for the LORD wholeheartedly. Not for a little bit or halfheartedly. We’re to be as tenacious in looking for the LORD as a tree is in seeking water and light.

What’s the promise for those who wholeheartedly look for the LORD? We will find Him. It’s the old testament equivalent to what Jesus said, “Seek and you will find.”

I think these trees perfectly illustrate the wholehearted looking for described in these verses. They persevere in their search for water and light. They know they need both to live and they don’t let anything stop them from finding the light and water they need.

So, although this is not a new verse for me, it has me evaluating my life. I’m asking some tough questions of myself and I invite you to ask them of yourself as well.

—What do I spend my time and energy trying to find? Am I wholeheartedly looking for Jesus?

—Who or what am I expecting to sustain me through the difficult times of my life? Am I placing unreal expectations on someone in hopes they’ll give me what only Jesus can give?

—Am I making excuses for not following Jesus and His ways? Am I blaming my locality? My circumstance? Others? Am I pointing to the adversities meant to strengthen me as a reason for not living the abundant life I’m created to live? Do I compromise and miss out on all the benefits?

—When the struggle gets intense, do I turn to Jesus, cast my cares on Him, and allow Him to help me through the struggle? Or do I turn to the distraction of busy-ness, eating, exercise, mind-numbing entertainment, or something else to make me feel better or give me the illusion of control?

—Do I see and acknowledge the beauty emerging from my struggle? Am I learning to release my worries and receive His peace? Am I growing in the joy of living and trusting Jesus through it all?

Digging Deeper:

John 1:1-5, John 10:10, Romans 5:3-5, Philippians 3:7-16, James 1:2-4

October 15, 2020October 15, 2020

I Was Just Trying To Help!

Today’s Scripture Passage:

Matthew 7:1-5

Key Verse:

How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Matthew 7:4 (NLT)

I started paying extra attention to the numbers of downed trees on the trails after reading these verses in Matthew.

Notice how these trees are cut at both sides of the trail’s edge to create a passageway.

Pictures taken by George on the Bull Run Mountain Fern Hollow Loop Trail – October 9, 2020

These were left uncut and create an obstacle course.

Picture taken by George on the Hawksbill Gap Loop Trail – October 2, 2020

Jesus was talking to the people about what happens when we try to help others before letting Him remove the log of sin from our own eye.

Jesus created a vivid word picture of terrible pain, struggle, and abuse with His words!

Read the key verse again…

How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?

This verse is what prompted me to take the following picture during a hike on the Thornberry House Loop Trail. I wanted to “see” what it would be like to have a log protruding from my eye. I set my camera on the cut end of the log and snapped the picture.

Imagine with me…

This log is lodged in your eye. It’s protruding outward. Imagine the pain. Notice how little you can see. Consider the damage you inflict on everyone around you.

Sin fills our vision and hinders our ability to see and follow Jesus.

Sin creates division and distance between us and others.

Sin grows when left unchecked.

Every relationship is affected when we have a log of sin painfully embedded in our eye.

Digging Deeper:

Psalm 51:7-13, Psalm 139: 23-24, Luke 11:34-36, John 3:17-21, Romans 12:1-5, Galatians 5:14-15 & 24-26, James 1:13-15 James 4:17, 1 John 1:9, 1 John 5:17,

October 8, 2020October 8, 2020

Pressing On in Adversity with No Comparison!

Today’s Scripture Passage:

Colossians 1:3-20

Key Verse:

We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, Colossians 1:11 (NLT)

George and I hiked the Hawksbill Loop Trail last Friday. It’s not overly long and the elevation changes are not extreme, but plenty of challenge for us. We’d been walking a while when we came upon a sign I’d not seen posted on any of our previous hikes.

Have you every wondered about the “why” behind an instruction? Well, we didn’t have to go much further up the trail before we understood the reason for this sign.

The path ahead was all rocks!

I had to pick my way across a rock only surface. It was the only way forward. The rocks rose up the mountain to my left, and the rocks dropped down the mountain to my right.

I was about halfway across the first portion of the 300 yard “Off-trail use prohibited” section when I began to realize the precariousness of my position.

The reality of what could happen if I lost my footing flashed through my mind.

I’ll state the obvious; we didn’t fall.

In fact, we even enjoyed a bit of silly fun as we pressed on toward the summit.

It’s a Hollow Tree!
Or is it a Holy Tree?
Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.

The rewards for our efforts and perseverance were great.

Not only did we enjoy some beautiful views, but completing the trail brought with it an unbelievable sense of satisfaction and confidence.

View from Bird’s Nest just a half mile below the Summit

Okay, let’s switch gears a minute and take a look at our friends’ hike.

They hiked the Dark Hollow and Rose River Loop Trail the Monday before our Friday hike. It’s another SNP trail, but it’s a MUCH more difficult trail to hike. It’s twice as long, and the elevation changes are three times those of the trail we hiked.

Kim wrote, “It was misty and foggy going in, and the name, Dark Hollow Falls, made it even more fun.”

Kim honestly shared the hardship of traversing the wet, slippery, and very steep downhill trail to the falls. Her desire for it to be over grew as her strength and stamina was challenged.

She and Jeff enjoyed being together and seeing the beauty of multiple waterfalls up close and personal.

**Pictures taken and story shared by Kim Barker after she and Jeff hiked the**
**SNP Dark Hollow & Rose River Loop Trail on September 28, 2020**

As Kim and I emailed one another about our hikes, I kept thinking about the differences in us and in the paths we hiked. The more I thought about it, the more I felt the LORD pressing me to understand, learn, and apply those lessons to my daily walk with Him and others. So here are some of the things I learned…

My path will be different than yours; your path will be different than mine.

The length will vary according to the number of days the LORD gives us.

We’ll meet different people and may even walk with some of the same people more than once in a lifetime.

The pains and heartaches we endure may be similar, but they will impact, influence and inspire us differently.

Our challenges will most definitely be more than we can handle alone; each will require us to trust Jesus. Trust Him to equip us with everything we need and lead us safely to our trail’s end.

We can be sure we’ll grow weary. We may even consider giving up, but

When we press on…

Our trust in Jesus grows as we witness His faithfulness all along the way.

We learn to recognize His presence and His goodness right smack dab in the middle of the hardest places of our lives.

We gain strength, stamina, and steadfastness of spirit.

We learn to be gracious with ourselves and others.

We understand and we acknowledge our unique personalities and physical characteristics create different places of struggle for each of us, even when facing similar circumstances.

We genuinely celebrate the accomplishments and success of others.

And, we tell the story of the trail we’ve traveled with Jesus. We encourage others to be Jesus-followers too; no matter where He leads them and without looking back.

Digging Deeper:

Matthew 11:28-30, Ephesians 2:1-10, Philippians 3:13-15