Our church is doing a sermon series by Andy Stanley called “What Makes You Happy” and our lifegroup is diving a little deeper into it through discussion. I love this prayer that Andy shared that he says daily to declare his absolute dependence on God for provision, not on his ability to make money, save money, or generate income. To me, it’s an incredible reminder that sometimes one prayer can change everything. But no matter what, prayer always changes us.  

“Lord, help me recognize today how totally dependent on you I am, for provision, protection, and my security.Help me to live in the moment, and not let fears rob me of the joy of living.
Help me to take an honest appraisal of myself.
To live live without regret or guilt.
Help me to be generous in my relationships, to extend grace when it is undeserved [ just like you do to me].
Help me hold on to what is pure, moral & ethical.
Help me to be reconciled to all, to make choices that reconcile, and not divide.
Help me God to sow happiness as a farmer would, knowing it is not accessible immediately, but knowing that you will water and grow this seed today.”

I love this reminder that the power of prayer is in the One who hears it, NOT the one who says it. It takes the pressure off of us thinking that we have to have the perfect and most eloquent words, doesn’t it? Our prayers, as awkward as they may seem at times, do matter and make a difference. So let’s keep praying. And let’s choose to let go of how inadequate we think our prayers may seem at times or how weak we feel when we pray. Prayer connects us to an all-powerful God who is in full control of every detail/outcome. If you and I are praying about it, we can be certain God is working on it. 

I believe in the power of prayer. And what I’m learning is that prayer really changes us. It has a way of transforming our hearts. I would love to pray for you. If there is something specific you’d like prayer for, please comment below or send me a message. It’s been my experience that we can think about asking others for prayer, but ultimately decide we don’t want to be a burden. God didn’t design us to do life alone. We have to be willing to be vulnerable and transparent. And yes, it can be a little uncomfortable. But in doing so, we let those close to us encourage us, pray for us, and support us in times when we need it most. It’s actually a blessing, NOT a burden, to pray for others and walk alongside them as they go down a path they were never intended to walk alone.

Never is a pretty strong word, isn’t it? It means not under any condition, not ever, at no time. It means you and I can be certain of this..

God NEVER sends is into a situation alone.

He goes before us.

He stands beside us.

And He walks behind us.  

He’s asking you and I to set aside our fears and to be confident. Knowing that whatever situation we find ourselves in at the present moment, God is with us.

Is fear getting the best of you in some area of your life right now? Fear is trying to pull me away from truth in a situation I’m in right now and I’m thankful for this reminder that I’m not alone. God is NEVER not with me. And He’s NEVER not with you.

How we choose to look at things makes a difference and shapes our days and our reality, doesn’t it? Our perspective can cause us to count our blessings or add up our troubles.  

I love this picture because it’s a reminder that you and I can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different. Do you see a weed or a wish? Do you see difficulty in every opportunity or opportunity in every difficulty? Could you benefit from a tiny shift in your perspective and start seeing something so familiar to you in a completely new light? A change in your perspective may mean everything or it may mean nothing, but you’ll never know until you decide to step back and look at it from another angle.

It’s all good.  

We’re fine.  

No worries.  

We’re doing great.

The kids are excelling.

I love my job. It’s such a great fit.

Everything seems to feel like it’s in balance.  

Things just seem to be falling into place. 

We live for moments when we can say phrases like this and really mean them, don’t we?

But what about the times when we’re anything but stress free? When life throws us another curve ball that leaves us in disbelief? We can question everything during these times and forget that there’s something important for us down these difficult roads, too. If nothing else, the challenges spark a greater appreciation for the moments when we seem to be on cruise control heading down easy street, don’t they? 

For me, hurdles to overcome are also an incredible reminder of my need for God. Trying times have a way of bringing me to my knees. It requires surrendering and trusting that God is working out every detail. That He is faithful. That His promises are truth.  

It’s been my experience that those who’ve been tested deeply are the very people that God uses greatly. There’s a purpose in our pain, frustrations, stress, doubts, fears, brokenness, etc. If we want to be used greatly by God (and I do), we can expect to be tested. We just can’t forget that these times of testing are what makes our testimony so powerful.

For many of us, myself included, patience tends to run in short supply. Yet it’s something we’re always in desperate need of, isn’t it? If we’re honest, things just don’t always unfold in the timeframe we desire. And waiting is often the hardest part. We can get discouraged and anxious about what’s next and lose hope pretty quickly if we’re not careful.

What if you and I chose to believe that there is a purpose in our waiting? That perhaps, God is using this season of waiting to prepare you and I for something greater. We can’t be content with where we are when we are zeroed in on where we’re not. This quickly steals us of our own joy.  

We can start to believe that our purpose is waiting for us in the next phase, when in fact there is a purpose for us in the present… right now. God wants to equip us for what’s next. And that’s going to require patience on our part. There’s just no way around it. The strength of patience hangs on our capacity to believe that God is up to something good for us in all of our delays and detours. He wants us to grow, mature, and make the most out of where we have in front of us today.

What an interesting perspective on worry that definitely struck a chord with this worrier this morning. Effective immediately, let’s stop putting down payments on problems we may never have. Why do we worry when we know it doesn’t change outcomes or lead to any miraculous results? Ever. I wish I really knew the answer to this question, but I don’t. Worry can often become our default in trying times, can’t it? So we have to be intentional about swapping worry out with trust, faith, hope, and truth.  

I ❤️ this reminder…

We are not too old.

It’s not too late.

We haven’t missed our chance.  

Sure, we could have done it 20 years ago.

But that was then.

And this is now.

And the present time is perfect.

Make a difference.

Make a change.

Reignite your passions.

Plant your “trees.”

What option do you find yourself choosing most in any given moment?

Option 1: Stepping forward into growth

Option 2: Stepping back into safety

If you and I really want to live our best life it’s going to require getting uncomfortable. For some of us, myself included, that word alone can make us cringe. I can talk myself into taking a step forward into growth and just as quickly talk myself out of it. Can you relate? Sometimes I am my own worst enemy. What we tell ourselves has the potential to impact which option we choose, doesn’t it.

Some days it’s going to get messy. Stepping forward into growth rarely comes with a detailed road map for the journey. Rather, i’s usually full of uncertainty. Well, I take that back. There is one thing we can count on when we step forward into growth. Everything will not go according to plan. And there will be times when we feel like we are being pruned and broken down. But stepping forward into growth is where each of us will bear the best fruit and discover our purpose.

Is there a certain area of your life where you feel like you’ve been stepping back into safety? Are you willing to ask yourself why you’re refusing to take a step forward? If so, what are the reasons saying about your beliefs? What would it take for you to choose option 1 instead of option 2? Check out my answers to these questions in the comment section below.

Do you ever feel like you’re kind of a natural when it comes to getting in your way? It’s not anything I’m proud to be good at, but I’ve pretty much nailed it over the years. I’m a “doer” and I love making a list and getting stuff done so that I can check the box or run my highlighter over the tasks I wrote down. Let’s face it. A to-do list feels best when it’s done, right? It’s kind of like we’re saying to ourselves, “Look at me and all that I accomplished on my own today.”  

But what about those things, those situations, those outcomes you and I are desperately hoping and praying for that simply can’t be placed on a list and crossed off no matter how much action we try to take or how hard we insist on attempting to control the outcome? A lesson I’ve had to learn over and over again, and that I am in the midst of working through once again, is that we need to give God room to show himself faithful. And one of the most challenging things I’ve found in walking this out is that we must decrease and God must increase. In other words, we need to get out of our own way, so that God can show us THE way. We must remember that His way is guaranteed to lead to a more beautiful destination/outcome than our way. More of God and less of us. I know this can be a tough pill to swallow, especially for us “doers” who find great joy in seeing what we can do more of to make a difference.  God wants to use our circumstances to change as from the inside out. But He can’t do that critical inside work without our willingness and commitment to let go. He is faithful and He wants to show us this over and over and over again if we would just free up some space for Him.