He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will not be shaken. -Psalm 62:6 (HCSB)

Recently, the regular staff I’d listen to on a local Christian music station abruptly changed. The people who I’d listen to and not even think twice about disappearing were now gone. They were replaced by new staff, who were nice in their own right, but were different.

And recently, many cherished friends and coworkers (many who were fellow true believers) either went on to other jobs, or were dismissed. It left gaping holes for all of us, putting a beam of light on the giant question marks ahead in the road.

And, of course, we have loved ones who have passed…people we’ve known our entire lives. And they, too, leave holes in our hearts and minds.

The common theme here is the discomfort of change. We like comfort, especially with those with whom we can build each other up and enjoy this walk in life. And sometimes change makes us very uncomfortable.

But, because our Father knows best for all of us, we can trust that His plans for those who’ve moved on are good, just as His plans for us left behind are also good. He weaves an amazing tapestry with the threads of our lives. There’s no saying our threads won’t come together again, in amazing and unexpected ways according to His design.

The constant of this world is change. But our higher constant to always hold onto is our Father, and His promises. We hold fast to them, and can weather any storm through Him. Hold on, true believer. Great things and plans lie ahead. Don’t let the valleys or rocky paths under your feet distract you from the great things He plans for you ahead.

One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. -Psalm 27:4 (NIV)

Today, I and many other agents attend the passing of one of our own. While we do mourn because we wish the deceased would continue journeying with us, we have supreme comfort and peace knowing where she went.

As true believers, we know that this Christmas season holds a far deeper significance than gifts or decorations or even time with friends and family. It’s about our belief in faith that God packaged His infinite power into a mortal bundle–an infant–to grow up among us and to eventually be killed by us…to be sacrificed…so that we may partake of His free gift: forgiveness of our sins, making a way for us to be forever in His presence when we pass on from this world.

We’re pilgrims and travelers who are just passing through this world to the next. We also know that Jesus is the only bridge from this world to the next, and that only belief in Him and His works lowers the bridge for us. To know that our passage has been secured ahead of us is comforting to remember as we get scraped and scarred during our journey.

I didn’t know the deceased personally, but one thing I did know about her was the only thing that mattered: that she believed in who Jesus was, and what He did. Because of that, we know that she now resides–free of all infirmity–in the most desirable place, which is in the house of the Lord for all eternity, in His presence.

Each time the Christmas season rolls around, those of us who have lost a loved one will feel it in our hearts, but time will give us the healing, comfort, and perspective to know that they’ve accepted the greatest gift the world will ever know.

If our pilgrimage on this earth were a book, we can say we don’t know what will happen on this page or the next, but it’s an amazing comfort to know how our story ends: rejoining our loved ones, where there is no more sorrow and no more pain…only eternal bliss in the presence of the Lord.

You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer. -Job 14:5 (NLT)

Twenty years ago, around Easter of 1995, I was driving down the freeway one night on the way home, about 65 mph (104.6 kph). The freeway was empty, except for an SUV parked on the shoulder…and a man standing outside of it in the shadows.

As I approached the SUV, I noticed the man made a throwing motion. Next thing I knew, something had crashed through my windshield and would smash me in the face. In that instant, I turned my head slightly to the right, and the object smashed my left jaw. Glass and blood were everywhere…in my mouth, eyelashes, and all over the interior of the car.

I rolled down the car window and blasted the radio to keep myself from blacking out, and managed to eventually drive home and recover. The object was a large chunk of concrete, which probably would’ve killed me if I hadn’t turned my head.

A few months later in the same year, I was sideswiped when I was about to get out of my car, which had overheated on the freeway. My car was totaled, and to this day, my knee has never been the same.

Twenty years later, in December 2015, I was visiting family in the hospital, but security stopped me and other visitors from leaving the lobby to get to our cars. It turns out that someone was shooting people in the back of the hospital, so no one could come in or out. A few minutes later, security did let a few of us go to our cars, so I headed home.

Some would say that I am really lucky, or cheated death, or avoided death, but as believers, we know we have nothing to do with determining our time of death. And we also know that there is no such thing as luck.

God knows exactly when it’s our time to go. We don’t ever need to worry about how and when we will leave this earth, but instead take comfort in knowing that He does, and that if we believe in His Son and His saving work for us on the cross, that we will pass on from this world into the eternal ecstasy of His presence.

Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. -Micah 7:8 (NIV)

For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity. -Proverbs 24:16 (NASB)

This agent lives in Houston, Texas, USA. And if you’ve even been in Houston for even a week, you know that its streets are riddled with potholes and cracks. I don’t know how many times I’ve had to have my car’s alignment redone after driving over a pothole big enough to swallow a football.

The other thing you see all over Houston: construction sites. Because the roads are so bad, they are constantly being repaired.

That kind of reminds me of my life…there are some stretches of smooth road, but more often than not, there are jarring bumps and drops all over the place.

So if I had a sign that honestly portrayed the story of my life, it would be: Under Construction.

We all hit serious bumps. We all fall and crash sometime, whether the roads we take serve up unpredicted circumstances, or we hit the curb because we weren’t keeping our eyes on the road…keeping our eyes on the Lord.

Well, fellow traveler, take heart. No matter how many bumps and crashes and times we stray off the intended path, God is waiting for us to return to the path He has planned for us. There might even be some bumps along the way, which He’ll use to keep us sharp and alert, ever improving us.

So, never mind whether you’re in the ditch. Don’t believe the condemning lies and judgment put upon you by others (and maybe even yourself!). Dust yourself off and get back on God’s road and path for your life.

Pardon the dust. There’s a lot of construction going on. God’s building something wonderful out of your and your life for His glory!

…lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding… -Psalm 148:8 (NIV)

Lightning is a very powerful phenomenon in our world, instilling awe and fear and fascination in humankind for millennia.

It would be easy to think that lightning strikes are random, but very specific conditions drive why and where lightning strikes.

The number one condition that must be met, however, is that not a single bolt or chain or string of lightning ever takes place without God first allowing and directing its path.

Even lightning waits for God.

Before you strike…

God made such powerful forces as lightning…and He made you, too. And you are a powerful creation and force of God, best directed by Him for maximum effectiveness.

Perhaps you’re in the midst of a turbulent storm, charged up with anxious energy, just waiting to be discharged to your next destination…anxious to take the next step in your life.

But take heart that God is working out everything in His time for your best good. He has plans to prosper you and not to harm you, but you need to flourish in your current station first to His glory. He will make a way when there seems to be no way, as He has done over and over for His people.

But you have to dare to surrender. Surrender all: the dreams, desires, and even life He gave to you. Trust Him as did Abraham and Joseph, and He will fulfill your life and dreams manyfold, according to His will and timing.

Be bold and live and walk and talk in the truth. God wants you to be truly like Jesus, not a shrinking violet! The more you do this, the more aligned you will become with what God wants for your life…the more you will realize you weren’t walking quite the way He intended you to in the first place.

Pray persistently and without ceasing. Believe in that for which you pray. Trust in the One who is the Creator and Lord of all. As His saints and forefathers before us, we honor and glorify Him in choosing faith in Him and His plans over doubt and worry when there is no earthly reason to believe!

Hang in there. He is getting you charged up for a reason!

And just watch and see, my sibling in Christ, that God will take your God-given dreams and life and make them blossom like you could never imagine. It is then that God will tell his lightning bolt: It is time to strike!

Today’s soundtrack

Chris Tomlin’s “Indescribable” celebrates our God, who, among other things, tells every lightning bolt where it should go.

…a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. -Isaiah 61:3

Sometimes you feel like you’ve done it all. You’ve prayed. You’ve turned the other cheek. You’ve endured. Now you feel like you’ve been crushed into dust…just ashes.

Sometimes, the best thing to do is to go limp. Let your Father carry you in His arms. Just take a deep breath, and breathe out. Just melt.

Our Heavenly Father has more than enough strength to hold you and every single one of His children at the same time! Don’t doubt for a second that He can comfort you not just through His Word, but through His strength.

But did you know that certain kinds of volcanic ash, over time, can yield some of the richest soils from which beautiful flora bloom? While He’s comforting you, He’s arranging your life to the best it can be.

Find a quiet place, even for a few minutes, and pray to Him. Ask Him to be that big comfy chair you can lie across like a limp rag doll. Close your eyes and breathe deeply and slowly, and whisper Jesus’ name, and He will comfort you like no other.

Rise refreshed, true believer. God knows your pain and your struggle, and sometimes, you have to call time out to let your Heavenly Father comfort and recharge you like no one else can. The very ashes around you are the beginnings of fertile grounds for your next chapter. God is on your side.

Today’s soundtrack

Casting Crown’s “Just Be Held” exhorts us to trust in what God’s doing with our lives, and to let Him comfort us while we wait.

Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? -Psalm 77:7 (NIV)

Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. -Psalm 30:5 (NLT)

You’re so through. You’re spent. You’re trapped. Life has chewed you up and spit you out.

You can’t do this any more.

I want to tell you right now: it is never over till God says it’s over. Jesus is about to save you. Again. Read on.

Back in seemingly simpler times (in retrospect), when you came to Jesus and He pulled you from your pit, your life did indeed turn around, didn’t it? There were great highs, and you could feel Jesus working in your life.

But then, you made some more mistakes. Maybe serious ones. Ones you thought God could not forgive. Maybe you thought He’s forsaken you. You might ask how you could ever arrived here after being saved?

Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” -Psalm 77:10-12 (NIV)

Over and over, God’s chosen people goofed…sometimes big time. And yet, every time, God would make a way for them.

When you think back again of all the works He has done for His people in the bible, and what He has done for their descendants today–including you!–your ember of faith starts to glow more brightly. When you think about how He saved you over and over–even before you accepted Him–so you could reach this point now–it fills your aching, broken heart with awe.

And when you remember that it is when we are at rock bottom, and can go no lower, that God is there with us. Jesus will pull us out of the miry pit once more and hold us in His arms.

Rock bottom is where you have finally decreased to nothing, because you have struggled so much in your own strength. And now, when your will and strength are out of the way, Christ will increase in your life. Surrender once more and let His love and strength wash over you and float you out of that pit.

We can glorify the Lord with a modicum of faith, the size of a mustard seed. And that tiny little glimmer KNOWS that God traverses this valley with us, and that this valley was within His will and allowance for reasons we cannot comprehend. That tiny glimmer also KNOWS God has some amazing plans for us as He helps us out of this valley all the way to the mountaintop. That tiny glimmer KNOWS we will look back and thank Him once more for carrying us and strengthening us without us knowing it.

You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. -Psalm 77:14 (NIV)

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” -Matthew 14:31 (NIV)

Get ready, my hurting sibling in Christ. Jesus is about to rescue you, because rock bottom is the best foundation upon which the Lord will perform yet another of His turnaround miracles. Watch and see.

Today’s soundtrack

“Lift Up Your Face” by Third Day reminds us to lift up our faces, because salvation is on its way!

In quietness and confidence shall be your strength. -Isaiah 30:15 (NASB)

The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. -Exodus 14:14 (NIV)

There’s something I always must remind myself of when I get very worn, frazzled, or utterly smashed by circumstances: God’s got this. He’s always got this.

When you’re an emotional wreck or just reduced to a pile on the floor, call on Jesus. Trust in Jesus. He will pick you up and carry you. He will make a way when there seems to be no way.

There’s a lightness and freedom He gives you through surrendering your circumstances to Him. I’ve learned that surrendering all, including our dreams, is how we truly show God we trust Him. That we’re all in, not piecemealing our faith.

Part of our suffering comes from wanting to control our circumstances…to make them how we think they’d be better…to make others we are hurting do the right thing…to undo past wrongs or pains. In truth, though, God can use all these things for a greater good and purpose we cannot fathom.

So, as believers, we have the amazing bestowed privilege and love of an omnipotent savior who can and will work out all things for those who love him.

Take it by the moment. Trust Him with this moment. Then trust Him with the hour, then day, then week. You’ll see His track record is flawless, just as His Word shows.

Sibling in Christ, pray your burdens and circumstances and dreams and life to Jesus. He will make amazing things out of a surrendered life, far beyond what we can ever expect, dream, or imagine.

You can then possess a peace and quiet confidence and strength given by Him. And you can continue upright in a faithful, obedient walk as He plans your steps before you.

Truly, He’s got this.

Today’s soundtrack

MercyMe’s “Word of God Speak” puts letting Him drive to song.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. -Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)

Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. -1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭21-22‬ (NIV)

For we walk by faith, not by sight. -2 Corinthians 5:7 (NJKV)

“Well, at least I have/can _______ even though I don’t have/can’t _______.”

Aren’t you tired of telling yourself and others “at least” this or that is going right, despite other things that are going wrong? Do you feel like it’s wrong to aspire for more? That maybe that means you’re not grateful for what you’ve got?

I often fall into that trap…to actually chastize myself when I desire more in my life. I would stop myself and think that I was put here in this path to do what I can do with what I’ve been given.

But that’s the trick, because I’m only thinking with my own flesh brain, even though my heart is believing that there is more. And it’s right. We are children of a God who created all things…is greater than all things…and even puts dreams into our hearts that are unattainable–without Him.

Remember Abraham?

Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. -Genesis 18:14

Abram and Sarai could’ve said “at least.” But even though their brains were skeptical of what God promised, their hearts led them to follow in faith.

Abram and Sarai had no reason to think they could have a child. Sarai was too old. But God put dreams of fatherhood and countless children in Abram’s heart…He dubbed Abram “Abraham,” Sarai “Sarah,” and in His perfect will and timing, made those dreams come true. Sarah bore Isaac, and Abraham became the progenitor of countless children.

We may not be of this world, but it sure is easy to forget that when circumstances wear you down and narrow your focus.

We were not put here to live a life of resignation. God didn’t send His Son, His very Word, to become flesh and die as a ransom for our sins, for us to walk in dejection and despair, with painted smiles on our faces. No.

We were made in God’s image. We were made to follow His Son’s walk. We were made to sing His praises in our walk. Our walk is of hope and faith…of greater things the world doesn’t understand.

How can we do that if we live in an “at least” mindset?

God has plans for you. If He has put a dream in your heart for a life beyond what you understand now, believe in it, because that dream He gave you can fuel and inspire you to keep going. That dream is instrumental in His plans to further your life, which is part of His larger plan.

And as odd as it sounds, surrender your dream back to Him in faith and obedience, so He will get the glory when that dream comes true. Pray without ceasing. Confess and repent of the doubt so He can forgive you and lighten your self-imposed burden…so you can run the race light once more, each step and day that much closer to answered prayers and dreams come true.

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. -Psalm 34:17-18

There’s a reason why the theme of so much devotional writing is comfort: We live in a fallen world, and the sin nature in ourselves and others can make life very difficult…and sometimes just too much to bear.

…at least on our own. Consider the following:

At first Peter didn’t consider the wind and the waves at all; he simply recognized his Lord, stepped out, and ‘walked on the water.’ Then he began to take those things around him into account, and instantly, down he went. The things surrounding you are real, but when you look at them you are immediately overwhelmed. Let your actual circumstances be what they may, but keep recognizing Jesus, maintaining complete reliance upon Him. -Oswald Chambers, from My Utmost for His Highest.

There is a reality greater than what you can touch and see and feel…the layers of spiritual richness we can easily see when things are going well. But when the going gets tough, how quickly we can forget it, losing touch with our spiritual senses. We’re back to just our flesh senses, and they can lie and deceive us relentlessly, pulling us into a downward spiral of self-pity, condemnation, doubt, and despair.

When you hit that slippery slope, you’re looking ever more at yourself. And the enemy is whispering in your ear that you are doing the right thing.

There are two things happening here: The harsh reality of your situation, and the perceived reality through your senses. And as rocky and blustery as it all is, the Lord is your footing beneath it all. He shines down on you with His sun, and cleanses you with His rain. And through it all, He whispers to you, if you listen: Trust Me, I will carry you through this, as I have so many times before.

Remember what the Lord had Joshua tell the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land:

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. -Deuteronomy 31:8

Today’s soundtrack

Chris Tomlin’s “I Will Follow” is our faithfulness to the Lord set to music, to follow where He leads us, no matter what.