May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Psalm 1:1-3
Blessed is the one
who does
not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or
sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of
the Lord,
and who
meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by
streams of water,
which
yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever
they do prospers.
Do I thrive or survive?
Have you noticed spring’s signature color? The
bright one that signals an awakening of the trees. I’m not sure I can describe the
vibrant shade of green and do it justice., but I'll try. The bright, light yellow-green shimmered
in the spring breeze as if golden sunshine water colored the leaves. Can you picture it?
When I traveled with Maggie to South Carolina,
the mountains glowed with the green of spring, as the limbs reached to the sky
and invited sunlight into their veins. Even along the cuts in hills that lined
the roads, trees sprouted and waved as life flowed through their roots.
Those beautiful trees thrived.
Although many of the trees we witnessed with
their delicate pops of green were young, they have the opportunity to grow into
maturity. Which makes me wonder: Will they thrive or merely survive?
As a believer, Jesus gives me a choice. Will my
soul thrive or will I just survive? Casting Crowns sings a song and asks if we
want to live an ordinary life or thrive and live the life God intends for us. God
plants dreams in our hearts, He gives us the opportunity to make the world a
better place, and He offers salvation and a plan to live an amazing life in
eternity. Thrive or survive? I want to thrive.
Meditate on His word, seek His guidance and learn
to thrive.
Luke 24:45-49
Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He
told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise
from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins
will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You
are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father
has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power
from on high.”
I’m a little late to the game.
A couple of months ago, my daughter and grandson asked me if
I had watched The Chosen, a television series depicting the life of
Jesus and the disciples. They told me how much they enjoyed it, so I tuned in.
I soon discovered I’d been missing out on one of the best portrayals of the
Bible I’d seen. The show closely follows scripture and reveals the lives of the
men and women who followed Jesus as well as the ones who denied him as the
Messiah.
To see them and relate to them left me wanting more of Jesus
and His experience with people. Although I read about them in the Bible, seeing the actors portray the disciples and give credence to their faith, and yes,
their confusion at times, makes the stories I’ve heard for sixty years more believable.
Matthew, the tax collector, portrayed as anxious and intelligent, writes
everything Jesus says down on parchment. Peter is emotional and ready to fight
for Jesus, while Thomas questions everything, and John keeps a cool head.
Mary Magdalene’s heart shines after Jesus heals her and forgives her.
I don’t usually enjoy television that tries to portray the
Bible, but The Chosen, so far, has captured the scripture and portrayed
the men and women as believable.
I’m sharing this because in my heart, Jesus is as real as
you and me. To see Him portrayed on the screen as a kind, caring man who bears the
ultimate burden has increased my faith. We all know God moves in mysterious
ways, and for me it has been through diving into my Bible as I watch The
Chosen, checking references and moments against scripture. Because I long
to grow in my faith every day, I’m open to opportunities for the Holy Spirit to
fill me. Did I mention the grandson who loves this show is thirteen? A
teenager. And that makes my heart sing. I’m so glad I can share this with him.
This isn’t an endorsement for the show, but rather one more
way I’ve found to connect to scripture. Maybe it’s for you, maybe it’s not, but
I urge you to continue to find what does make you want to read God’s word and
talk to Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you delve into His word and
seek His truth.
Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do
not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you
wherever you go.
Playing a sport as a youngster is not for the faint of
heart.
I opened my calendar and spread their schedules in front of
me. Grandchildren in track, baseball, and softball filled the pages, not to
mention Tim’s schedule as a Red’s usher and my author obligations.
We’ve watched our children and grandchildren compete in sports for years. Tim and I even coached our own kids.
I enjoy all kinds of sports, especially when the grands are
participating. Watching Eli throw the discus and shotput was a new experience.
I love his attitude. He’s brand new to the sport and willing to learn. He wants
to do his best. Zeke, in his baseball, has grown by leaps and bounds and this
year, the coach is tapping into his potential. Again, he has a great attitude,
he wants to learn and do his best. Ella Cate, in softball, is the same as are
Max and Aiden in basketball and track and Dylan in tennis. All of these young
folks have approached their sport with an attitude of courage and a
determination to be strong in their sport. They each want to enjoy the game,
but also learn and grow. They know their parents and grandparents are there cheering
them on and encouraging them to do their best.
When God tapped Joshua to take over for Moses, Joshua stepped
up and told the people what would happen next. God reminded him, “As I was
with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor
forsake you.” (Joshua 1:5) Several times, God reminded Joshua to be strong
and have courage. And he did.
Just as we encourage and support our grandkids in their
sports, God reminds us to be strong and have courage as we serve Him. That may
require learning something new, spending time in His word or on our knees in prayer.
God’s courage goes before me as I serve Him and minister to others. He gives me
the strength and courage to do the things I hesitate to do on my own. I’m
thankful for God’s love and encouragement.
Take heart, and be strong and courageous.
