Above It All – Day 9

Above It All – Day 9

Romans 15:4 states, “everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”

Let’s take a moment to refresh ourselves on the events of Matthew 14:22-33:

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.

When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Now, let’s apply the Romans 12:2 approach to this passage.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

1. Look Out – Search the pattern of this world!

How were all the disciples responding to the storm and to seeing Jesus on the water? They believed that he was a ghost, and they cried out in fear. Isn’t this the natural response to something like this? The pattern of the world is to see the worst case scenario, and to focus on it. Fear can overwhelm us so much that we totally miss the cool stuff. In this case, it was the fact that Jesus was walking on water!

2. Look In – Search your thoughts (and Peter’s thoughts)!

How would you respond if you were there? You were being blow and tossed about by the sea, and you looked out to see someone or something walking on the water. Would you respond like the rest of the world, or would you recognize him as someone who could save you?

Peter might have responded with fear initially, but he definitely didn’t once he knew it was Jesus! Would you have asked to come out on the water? Would you have stepped out of the boat? Or, would you have been like the rest of the disciples in the boat and been content with staying in what you knew could float?

We really don’t have to think too hard to relate to Peter and his sinking moment. He became distracted and took his eyes off of Jesus. Have you ever done that? You stepped out in faith and even though Jesus gave you permission to do it, you began to doubt whether you could. Then, you began to sink from the weight and burden of the moment…

3. Look Up – Search for Jesus!

Once Peter began to sink, he cried out for Jesus. I don’t know if you noticed, but the scripture says that Jesus immediately reached out and caught him. He will do the same for us! Jesus is always above the circumstances that we seem to be sinking in. He always has authority over the real-life drama that beats against us. In each of life’s battles, all we have to do is cry out to Him.

We will Fear Less when we search for Jesus more, and align our minds to see Him above it all!

Challenge: Today, take your toughest issue and apply the Romans 12:2 approach to it! Let the truth reign supreme in your thought life. “Fear is a liar!”

A Practical Approach – Day 8

A Practical Approach – Day 8

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.

Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.

When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (‭Matthew‬ ‭14‬:‭22-33‬ NIV)

In Matthew’s account of this event, to whom do you most relate? Are you the disciples who are afraid because they saw a ghost? Are you Peter and excited about getting out on the water with Jesus? Do you relate to Peter when he sank, because he got caught up in the wind and the waves? Or, do you relate to Jesus and feel as though you are on top of things?

Let’s take a practical approach to surveying the situations in our life and how we handle our fear, pride, and shame, so that we can align our minds to the mind of Christ. Let’s take the Romans 12:2 approach! “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

The Romans 12:2 approach is to look out, look in and look up.

Look Out – We are to no longer conform to the pattern of this world. We should survey how the world would handle fear, pride and shame, and stay away! Remember, we have the same natural tendencies as everyone else. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)

Look In – Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. In order for our minds to be renewed, we need to know what we think now. Step back from whatever it is you are facing and ask, “What am I thinking?” In addition, when we are searching a passage of scripture, ask how is the main character responding in the situation and would I respond that way, too. Once you have evaluated the way you are thinking, you must move towards Jesus and how He thinks.

Look Up – You will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. Once we have surveyed how the world thinks and how we think, we must ask the most important question, “What does Jesus say, do, and think?!” We must look to Jesus for answers, and take every thought captive in His name. Remembering that He is the truth!

Often times we ridicule Peter for letting the wind and waves get the best of Him. But, we forget that he took a step to face his fears, and it was actually a step in the right direction. It was a step towards Jesus!

Challenge: Evaluate Matthew 14:22-33 using the Romans 12:2 approach. Look out, look in, and look up regarding how fear is handled in this specific Biblical narrative. Tomorrow, we will break it down together…

Be Specific! – Day 7

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. (‭Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭1-4, 6-11‬ NIV)

The best way to combat a lie is with the truth!

God’s word is truth, and Ephesians 6:17 states that the word of God is the sword of the Spirit. It is the offensive weapon we use in spiritual combat. With His word we fight the lies of the tempter, the devil!

Jesus used specific scriptures for combating specific lies. Now that we have acknowledged our identity and assessed our insecurities, we can begin to align our minds with specific scriptures that contradict specific lies.

One area where I have struggled in life is with being afraid that I might upset others. It is in my nature and probably part of my nurturing to want to please others. I want to be liked!

I found out pretty early in ministry that you cannot please everyone, though. It is impossible! Actually, some people feel it is their God-given task to oppose whatever you try to do, even if it is a great idea. Maybe they figure this is how they can be a blessing.  Maybe this is just God keeping me humble… 🙂

Needless to say, it was necessary for me to find some scriptures to help fortify my resolve to follow God’s lead and not to always feel like I had please everyone. One of the first verses God gave me was Galatians 1:10. Paul wrote the following, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Because of God’s word I now realize, and continually remind myself, that my priority is obedience to Christ, and not pleasing man! That gives me peace of mind when making tough decisions in ministry.

You see, when you know the truth, the truth will set you free (John 8:32)! And….if the son sets you free, you are free indeed (John 8:36).

Challenge: Continue to assess your insecurities. Look up one specific scripture that will help with a specific insecurity, write it on a piece of paper, and carry it with you throughout the day. Let it be a constant reminder of the truth that frees you…

Assess Your Insecurities – Day 6

Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”

So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. (‭Luke‬ ‭5‬:‭18-25‬ NIV)

Fear, pride, and shame fuel the insecurities that can paralyze us, but greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. The enemy is a liar, and he makes it his priority to keep us down. He comes only to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus came that we would have life and more abundantly.

In previous devotionals, we have focused on the importance of acknowledging our identity, and now we must assess our insecurities. You have to know what is out of alignment before you can calibrate things properly. So, we must know what insecurities we possess before we can align our minds.

Based out of Luke 5:18-25, here are 4 Steps to Assessing Your Insecurities:

1. Request – We need to request at least 4 friends and/or prayer warriors to carry us to Jesus in prayer with the same faith and persistence as the friends of the paralyzed man. We must ask them to pray for Jesus to specifically address the real issues in our lives. You will notice that Jesus didn’t just heal the man of his physical disability. He also addressed his spiritual infirmity. He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

2. Reveal – Ask Jesus to reveal your insecurities! If we are not aware of our insecurities, how can we work on them? Have you ever noticed that it is so much easier to point out other people’s issues than it is to recognize your own. This is why it is so important for us to pray that God will reveal our insecurities to us.

The following are a few possible questions to ask of Jesus:
a. What fear is holding me back?
b. What am I trying to control?
c. What shame is paralyzing me?

3. Repent – It’s time to be honest with yourself and with the Lord. As Jesus reveals your insecurities, take time to repent of the sins associated with them! 1 John 1:8-9 says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” There is freedom that comes with confession!

4. Respond – Jesus told the paralyzed man to take up his mat and go home. As you have gone through the process of assessing your insecurities, did the Lord reveal to you anything that you need to do? Do you need to call someone? Do you need to face a fear? What burden does He want you to lay down? Is there anything that you are physically being asked to follow through on? If so, step out in response to Jesus!

Challenge: Leave it to Jesus to reveal your insecurities, but you must request, repent, and respond.  Take time to follow through with the 4 Steps to Assessing Your Insecurities!  Don’t allow the enemy to keep you down any longer…

Burden Less is Best! – Day 5

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2 NIV)

People have discussions over whether the mind is body or soul. Perhaps the answer is yes! The brain is body, but the mind is soul. Just like the heart that pumps blood is body, but the heart that pumps passion is soul. Why is this important? Because, God calls us to present our bodies as living sacrifices, but it takes a transformed soul (mind) to do that.

The soul is what wills us to obey God’s will. There is a battle that is occurring in the mind, and the enemy is fighting to paralyze us from living life to the fullest. If the devil can rob us of energy and empowerment, then he can rob others of salvation. He can dim the light which draws all men unto Jesus.

We must align our minds to the mind of Christ!

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. (II Corinthians 10:3-5 NKJV)

Fear, pride and shame are three invisible forces that are continually preying against our minds, and weighing us down. They are lies (arguments) that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God.

1. Fear says, “I don’t trust God!”
2. Pride says, “I don’t need God!”
3. Shame says, “I don’t believe God!”

In the battlefield of the mind, we have to take the thoughts that are not of Him as prisoners of war. They must be kicked out of the land we possess. This is our inheritance, because we are children of the deliverer. Our Father sent His only Son to conquer sin and death! Then, He sent His Holy Spirit to empower us to overcome this enemy in our lives. The less we think like the rest of the world, the brighter our light will shine before men.

Listen…Burden Less is best! And, the only way to be burden free is to take Jesus up on His offer.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NLT)

When our burden is light, we will shine like a light in this dark world!

Challenge: Take Jesus up on His offer! Sit quietly and in your mind ask Jesus to take your burdens from you. Be specific about your issues with fear, pride and shame…

Roots of Insecurities – Day 4

Read Judges 6:1-16

[The Israelites had been oppressed, robbed, and raided by the Midianites for seven years, but the Lord heard their cries and was going to free them. Gideon was preparing his wheat in a hidden place.]

When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”

“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”

The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”

The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.” (‭Judges‬ ‭6‬:‭12-16 NIV)

Wow! The Lord called Gideon a “mighty warrior,” and his response sounds so much like my thought life. “Excuse me, Lord, but have you seen all that has happened?” “Excuse me, Lord, but I’m not smart enough, big enough, brave enough, or good-looking enough!” “You must be talking to someone else…”

We all fall prey to mistaken identities! Welcome to the land of insecurities. Actually, welcome to humanity!

An insecurity is defined as “uncertainty or anxiety about oneself,” and there are three roots of insecurities in this passage that I want to point out: nurture, nature, and names.

1. Nurture – “Why has all this happened to us?” Nurture has to do with how you were raised or generational issues that have been passed along through the years. If you were abandoned by your parents, then you are dealing with an insecurity in relationships that has been passed to you by the circumstances that were out of your control. This doesn’t give us the right to play “the victim.” However, we need to be aware of this root as we move forward to find freedom in Jesus!

2. Nature – “I am the least in my family.“ You are born with certain talents, looks, personality traits, etc. with which you had no choice or control. It is how you were created. This shouldn’t be a problem, but we love to compare and start a wish list of all the things others have that we don’t. Or, we overcompensate by constantly bragging about or highlighting our good characteristics or achievements.

3. Names – “My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” Names are the labels, stereotypes, etc. that people place on us, or that we stick to ourselves. All it takes is one person calling you weak, stupid, or good for nothing and it becomes rooted in your thought life. Before long, you believe it so much that you allow it to define you. If you don’t believe me, just ask the adults that have become exactly what they were called as children raised in a dysfunctional households.

The good thing about roots is that they can be pulled up! The key point in this encounter between Gideon and the Lord is that “the Lord is with you.” He repeated it on a personal level, “I will be with you.” Remember, it doesn’t matter how you were raised, what your talents or looks are, or what labels you may wear. The Lord is with you, and you are who God says you are!

Challenge: Take some time to pray about leaving the past in the past, and ask God to be with you moving forward. Ask Him to liberate you from uncertainty or anxiety about yourself!

Acknowledge Your Identity! – Day 3

The game of comparisons is such a dangerous game to play! We spend too much time on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snap Chat, and other forms of media reading the highlight reels of other peoples’ lives. We incessantly post our best in hopes that someone will notice us with a like, retweet, emoji, or reply. In some ways, this has become the way to measure worth and, by all accounts, it is worthless!

You see, it doesn’t matter what anyone says, texts, posts, or tweets about you, or even what you think, feel, or say about yourself. The only thing that matters is what God, the Great I AM…the true Judge, Creator, and Sustainer of Life, says about you.

Wait..are you telling me that it doesn’t matter how many people read this blog? Whew…that’s a relief! 🙂

I am who the Great I AM says I am!

So, who does He say I am? I am so glad you asked. The following four truths are not all-encompassing or mega-profound; however, they are a great starting point for aligning our mind to our Father’s perspective of His children.

1. I am created by Him, like Him, for Him!

​​​By Him – “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…” (‭Jeremiah‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ NIV)

​​​Like Him – So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female He created them. (‭Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭27‬ NIV)

​​​For Him – You are judging by appearances. If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do. (‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭7‬ NIV)

​​2. I am chosen, but must chose!

For it is by grace (His choice) you have been saved, through faith (our choice)—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭8-9‬ NIV)
​​
3. I am called on purpose, for a purpose!

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬ NIV)
​​
4. I am best in community with other believers!

[Let us not give] up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭25‬ NIV)

When we know who we are, it makes it so much easier to know who we are not! We can stop comparing ourselves to those around us. You can always find someone who is worse off than you, and you can always find someone who has it better than you. However, God just wants you to be you, and me to be me! You have to acknowledge your identity. This is the first step to aligning your mind!

Challenge:
Repeat the following out loud, and test yourself later to see what you remember:
I am who the Great I am says I am!
Then, who does He say I am?
1. I am created by Him, like Him, for Him!
2. I am chosen, but must chose!
3. I am called on purpose for a purpose!
4. I am best in community!

Choose Your Guide – Day 2

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit… But we have the mind of Christ. (‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭14-16‬ NIV)

Every journey begins with the first step. In the Burden Less Process, we will start by stepping into acknowledging our identity, move to assessing our insecurities, and arrive at aligning our minds. Let’s face it, though! Not everyone is ready to begin the journey, because they have not surrendered to the One who can guide them.

When I go into a dangerous land, I am comforted when I have an experienced guide. It needs to be someone who has “been there, done that, and got the t-shirt!” This person needs to know the language, the culture, the people, the terrain, etc. In addition, the price for such a guide should be reasonable!

The best guide for this jungle we call “life” was spoken of by the author of Hebrews, when he said, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” (‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭15 NIV)

Jesus can sympathize with us, because He went before us and won! In addition, the price is more than reasonable. It is paid in full! I choose to believe the One who healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, raised the dead to life, walked on water, fed the 5000 with two fish and five loaves of bread, cleansed those who had leprosy, and predicted his death, burial, and resurrection and it ALL came true! I choose to follow Him.

The Apostle Thomas said to Jesus, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭5‬ NIV)

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭6-7‬ NIV)

Remember, Jesus did not, does not, and will not have an identity crisis! He knows exactly who He is and He is continually trying to reveal Himself to us as the Way.

So, before we take the first step by acknowledging our identity, we need to recognize His identity. We must be ready to follow the Leader, and be willing to stick it out no matter how rough the terrain will get!

Challenge: If you are a follower of Jesus, spend the day praying for others to surrender to Him, and ask God to help you prepare for this journey of aligning your mind with the mind of Christ!

If you haven’t surrendered your life to Jesus, now is the right time. Admit to the Father that you have sinned and fallen short, repent of your sins and ask God to forgive you, and confess Jesus as Savior and Lord of your life!

Identity Crisis! – Day 1

Take a moment to read Exodus 3:1-15. Vs. 4-6 – When the Lord saw that he (Moses) had gone over to look, God called to him from within the [burning] bush, “Moses! Moses!”

And, Moses said, “Here am I.” “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. Vs. 10-11 – So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

Have you ever noticed that God has no problem with His identity? Throughout scripture, God is quick to tell the authors, prophets, and kings who He is and what He is capable of accomplishing. If He were human, it would be perceived as bragging and/or prideful. However, He is God and He simply does not have an identity crisis! He knows who He is and He knows who we are…

When you track the life of Jesus and His ministry, you will find that He doesn’t have an identity crisis, either. There are seven specific “I am” statements in the gospel according to the apostle John, and then an eighth one that requires the reader to understand a little Jewish history to comprehend it. He states in John 8:58, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” This declaration is concise and to the point. Every person, within earshot, knew exactly what He was claiming. That is why they picked up stones to stone him.

Jesus was referring back to the conversation between Moses and the LORD at the burning bush. Moses asked God, what if they ask me your name, “Then what should I tell them?”  God said to Moses, in verse 14, “I AM WHO I AM.  This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.”

As you piece together each teaching of Jesus, it is clear to the reader that He claimed to be the I AM sent to be a perfect sacrifice for all our sins.  Jesus knew exactly who He was!

On the flip side of things, have you ever noticed that most people struggle with their identities on a daily basis? In Exodus 3:11, Moses starts by saying, “Who am I?” That pretty much covers the whole plight of man. We are continually trying to figure out who we are and why we are living on this planet.

Well, in order for us to overcome our insecurities, it is necessary for us to know our identity. When we realize that we are no accident, and that God was intentional about creating us, then we can move along the path to finding freedom to live life to the fullest!

Christ died for us, because God loved us whole-heartily; therefore, He must see something in us that we aren’t always capable of seeing. The truth of the matter is….it doesn’t matter what anyone else says about me. It doesn’t even matter what I think about myself.

I am who the Great I AM says I am!

Challenge: Think on who God is? Search the scriptures and ask Him, “Who am I?”

Align Your Mind – Intro

Back in the day, I would fish with my Granddad on the Swan Creek in Tennessee. Swan Creek is a spring-fed waterway, so it is cold as ice and clear as crystal. I remember how beautiful the rushing water was under our flat-bottom boat, as we would float for miles in search of any type of fish that would fall prey to our bait. Not only were there great memories of me catching more fish than my brother and Granddad, I can also recall how you could look at the bottom and see every single rock, fish, crawdad, and sunken treasure.

The depth was deceptive, though! Actually, it was deceptive only to me and my brother. My Granddad was older, wiser, and he had enough of me catching more fish, so he told me to jump out of the boat and pull us to shore. Little did I know that the water, which looked to be knee deep, was actually over my head. That made for a chilling lesson, but a good laugh! A lesson that I hope to teach my son one day.

My fishing days, albeit short lived, paint a lovely picture of what I want to do with this blog over the next few weeks. The focus is on four C’s: content, clarity, connection, and challenge. I want the content to be deep enough that we are swimming and not wading, and clear enough that we can still see straight to the bottom. In addition, it needs to connect with our lives in such a way that it seems as cold spring water waking us up to the truth. Finally, I want it to have enough of a challenge that we have to paddle and kick to stay afloat for the sake of growing stronger, but not so challenging that we find ourselves gasping for air and never able to recover.

I promise you that I am not oblivious to the fact that the topic of insecurities can be bone chilling; however, we will not conquer something if we are not willing to hit it head on. Sometimes you have to quit putting your toe in the water, and feeling the topic out. In this area of life, we need to jump in and learn to swim. Acknowledging our identity and assessing our insecurities could actually be like taking a swim in the clean and clear water of the Swan Creek. After you grow acclimated to the temperatures and the depth, you have a blast splashing around in it. It is liberating. It is freedom!

And, “it is for freedom that Christ has set us free…” But freedom will require an alignment.

It’s time to align your mind!