Day 23--God puts you back on track.

“I had been slacking in my classes all of freshman year…not slacking to where I’d get anywhere lower than what my parents would expect...but slacking compared to years past when I would get 100's on every assignment.  Instead I’d settle for 80's and 70's.  I would always tell myself some excuse, like "Oh, the classes are just harder than I’m used to." But God showed me that I had the potential to get the grades that I had been used to in years past.  He did that not by failing me, but by letting me taste the grades that I had gotten before again, and that has put me back in the track that I had strayed from.”  --Cade K.

It's not always easy to stay on track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0YjSIkfkbU

Believe me when I say that God has good things in store for you.  He uses His word and our lives every day to show you He will be faithful to His promises.  But sometimes other things get in the way.  School.  Friends.  Relationships.  Work.  Food.  Money.  Clothes.  Fear.  Pride.  And the list goes on and on and on and on!!    

“You were running a good race.  Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?  That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.” Galatians 5:7-8

Whatever circumstances might be getting in your way, God’s truth does not change.  His will for your life, His love for you, His goodness is unwavering.  Time and time again God will bring you back to where He wants you to be.

Is there an area in your life where you’ve gotten a little off track?  No time like the present to ask God to help you get back on it!  Father God, I know that even though the things around me in my life are constantly changing, your love for me does not.  Help me, God, to find your will again.  Help me to trust in your love to keep me there.  Amen. 

Day 22--God wants you to be free.

“Being a Christian is freeing. Free from the rules, free to experience the joy of Christ’s spirit; and being in Christ spirit, He cleans you up. Christ is calling for you to come to Him, broken and full of evil. Calling you to get to know Him, and love Him. That’s all. Then as you walk in His embrace and Spirit, you begin to find yourself not doing the things you once did, and loving those who you once couldn’t. Not because you took it upon yourself to be a better person, but because of what Christ has done in you.” –Kevin L.

Sin weighs you down.  There are always consequences, even when they don’t pop up right away.  God is offering you a better way.  He knows you will be tempted.  He knows you’re not perfect.  But He wants you to feel the freedom of living with Christ in your life and living according to His will.

 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2

Do you still have to go to school and drive the speed limit and eat your vegetables?  Yes.  You’re not that free.  J  But the kind of freedom God is offering you does something more than all these external rules can do for you.  It frees you up on the inside.  It takes the weight of sin and puts it on Christ’s back instead of your own.  It makes room for joy, for peace, for hope.  It’s the best kind of freedom there is.

Is something in your life weighing you down today?  Have you made some choices you wish you could un-choose?  Give those things up to God today.  Ask for His forgiveness and guidance that you may live in the freedom of His love.

Day 21--God wants you to step up.

"I went to Discipleship-Now with my youth group. During that weekend, God spoke to me like never before. He really made himself real to me.  It really helped me see his powerful love that God has cast upon us!  Not just the sermons, but the songs really moved me as well. Praising God really made me feel His presence!  The theme of D-Now was Step Up. The three sermons were all about how Daniel and his three friends chose to make a difference & step up for God.  Overall, D-Now let me know how much we need God and his love & encouragement in our lives. Just the other day we were doing a family devotion and this one verse stuck out to me…Luke 11:9. "Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you." The past couple of days I have used it in certain circumstances.  I am learning to be more confident and bold in asking and trusting God to answer. Ever since D-Now I have been praying to Him and in God's word more often." –Bryce R.

Step it up, guys. 

No, not like that.  Like this…

“For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” 2 Timothy 1:7

If there’s one thing the enemy cannot overcome it’s this.  Be Bold.  Like a team of 1980’s step aerobic instructors we are unstoppable with the power of Christ behind us.  God has been, God is and God will be faithful.  His spirit is one of confidence, that even in uncertain times, we can trust in Him. 

Chances are you will encounter a lot today that’s going to shake your confidence.  Gossip, grades, criticism, money, body image.  There’s a lot of junk in the world.  But God can overcome all of it.  He’s waiting, with a spirit of love and power, for you to step up and join Him.  In prayer, in praise, in character, in action…be bold today.    

God, help me today to be confident in you.  When everyone and everything else makes me feel uncertain help me to remember your promises that I can always trust in you.  Help me to be bold today in following you and sharing your love with others.  Amen. 

Day 20--God wants you to be quiet.

“It's amazing how a seemingly "easy/calm" day quickly turns into a very busy day. But it’s also amazing to see how God makes it very evident that you need to slow down, too.”  --Renee J.

Make a quick count of the number of phones, TV’s, computers, IPODs, video game consoles and tablets that your family owns.  In our house there are 14 such devices and only two of us are older than 7!!  Now add all the time you spend running errands, in school and attending extracurricular activities, etc. on top of all that.  Do you know what that adds up to?  A whole lot of noise!!  Spirit-impeding noise.

It’s not that your homework and housework and relationships aren’t important.  But even Jesus took a rest.  After preaching and teaching to thousands he and the disciples went up on a mountain to pray.  We all need a time out every once in a while to reconnect with God.

“This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength” Isaiah 30:15

Has your phone recently stopped working?  The cable gone out?  Does it seem like all of your friends have plans on a Friday night and you don’t?  Maybe these aren’t unlucky happenings.  Maybe it’s God nudging you for a little quiet time.  Don't worry about what you may be missing out on and choose to listen for God instead.  

 

Find 15 minutes today to turn off your phone, TV, homework, etc. and just be with God.  Try that every day this week.  Next week try for 20 minutes or 30!     

Day 19--God's heart is with the lonely.

“Ever since I found out how my Aunt Jackie died, I've been more aware of those who want to hurt themselves because they feel alone and out of place. Sitting with someone who's alone at lunch or in class says more about your character than any other action.  …You may be certainly judged. Overall, if you let the judgment get the better of you, you're the weaker one. Branch out, and turn over a new leaf today, and be a son of God shedding light to his kingdom.” –Kody K.

When Jesus ministered on this earth He didn’t spend a lot of time with the “right” people.  Instead He dined with the sinners, the misfits and the prostitutes.  This didn’t make a whole lot of the religious leaders very happy.  But while everyone else may have just been looking at them from the outside, God saw their hearts.  He knew that’s where He needed to be. 

 “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40

God calls us to be courageous and love on His people.  It’s not always going to be the popular, easy thing for you to do.  But it is the right thing.  We have to see people as God sees them, as His creation, precious and dear. 

Is there someone you know that might need a little care today?  A little company?  A little encouragement?  Pray with me….Lord, your word assures me that you will be with me today, that you will not leave me, not forsake me.  Give me the courage to do what is right today.  Help me to see a heart that may be breaking, God, and to bring your healing power to it.  Amen.   

Day 18--God plays in the band.

“God did something great for me in my life not too long ago. He gave me the ability last semester to be a first part mellophone. He got me through the marching season even when I really wanted to stop and quit. He gave me strength that I didn't know I had.” –McKinley Z.

Did you know you can praise God with a mellophone?  Or a tuba?  Or a ballet slipper or a soccer ball?  Or a paintbrush?  Friend, whatever the talent is, glorify the God that put it there by doing your best at it!

“As the rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth; It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10-11

God has a purpose for you and so we must be purposeful about whatever it is we are doing.  Any talent big or small….we serve God best when we do our best.  There is no end to what He can do in and through you, no measure to how He might use your gifts to bless others. 

God, I praise you today for the talents you’ve given me.  Help me, Lord, to keep trying even when I think I’ve had enough.  Let these gifts be a blessing to others.  Let them glorify you always. 

Day 17--God builds up.

"You can tell who the strong women are. They are the ones you see building one another up instead of tearing each other down.”  --Laura H.sn't care about numbers. Yes, He knows the number of hairs on our head, but He doesn't keep a record of our wrongs. He forgives us every time we run from Him - and then some. He loves us through all of our screw ups - and then some. He knows all of our past - and then all of our future. So why do I let the numbers that stress me out overwhelm me, when our Father who could count up all of our wrongs doesn't keep track? Y'all, God is good.

This goes for the men out there, too.  The girls aren’t the only ones driving each other nuts with gossip and trash talk and criticism!  The temptation to be better than the person next to you is everywhere.  It doesn’t matter if your issue is appearance, grades in school, athletic performance, a promotion at work or anything else…we’ve all attempted to make ourselves feel better at one time or another by making the person next to us feel worse.  Believe me when I say this isn’t what God wants for you.   

“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:13 

God knows you’re not perfect, but that doesn’t mean He doesn’t want something better for you.  He gives us each other for good, for support, to make us better people.  Not to tear each other down.  If you’re in a relationship or friendship where there’s more tearing than building it might be time to let that relationship go.

 

Maybe you’re the one doing the criticizing.  Maybe you’re the one receiving it.  Look for the people in your life that make you better.  Pray about how God can help you be that person for someone else. 

Day 16--God guides your parents, too.

“I had been a stay at home Mom for eight years with four kids.  My husband died suddenly and I was left to figure out how to support us.  I needed a job that had the same schedule as my kids because I couldn’t afford day care.  I decided to go to work in the school district which would allow me summers off with the kids.  I was trying to figure out if this was the right job and while sitting at a stop sign, this warm, fuzzy feeling came over me and suddenly everything around me was so clear and bright.  At that moment, I realized that I had said a prayer asking God to please tell me what to do and to reassure me that this was right.  He did!  I knew immediately what to do and a peace came over me that I will never forget.  So many positive things came from that job and I know that when I ask for help, He will answer.  You just have to pay attention and don’t overlook His response.”  --Lisa L.

Ever thought about what it’s like to be a parent?  Probably not.  It’s too hard to figure out what you’re supposed to be doing as a teen!  And, frankly, sometimes you just don’t get along with the people telling you what to do all the time.  What you need to know is that the same God who loves you, guides you and wants to be a part of your life is with your parents, too.

“Children are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him.” Psalm 127:3

You are a precious gift to your parents, entrusted to them with great blessing and great responsibility.  It’s not always easy to be the kid.  It’s definitely not always easy to be the parent.  Sometimes……eek!....we even make mistakes.  But God’s got enough grace and enough mercy for all of us.  He’s working in your parents’ hearts right now just the same as He’s working in yours.  Don’t ever forget how much they love you. 

Do you have a great relationship with your parents?  Praise God for that right now!  Is there something about your relationship you’d like to change?  Pray about that today.  Pray that God would continue to be with your parents and guide them just as He is guiding you today.

Day 15--God loves your flaws.

“God doesn't call us to be perfect, in fact He knows we can't be. Trying to be ‘good enough’ for God is exactly what Jesus came to do away with. But every day we are, or at least I am, constantly worrying about messing up and making God mad. Instead of focusing on being perfect Christians, God calls us to love him, get to know Him, and walk in His spirit.” –Kevin L.

Trying to be a perfect person is a waste of time for two reasons.  First, it’s not possible.  Second, when we spend all of our time looking inward we miss all the work God needs us to do in the world outside of us.  When followers asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was He said to love God first.  The second most important was to love others. 

 

“Oh Lord, you have searched me and know me…I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”  Psalm 139:1,14

 

God’s works are wonderful indeed and you are one of them!  He can do amazing things through you when we focus on Him and serve others.  Flaws and all.

 

Does something about you seem less than perfect?  Pray about that today.  Hand it over to God and ask Him to help you to focus on His will for you instead. 

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Day 14--God makes you strong.

“I lost a friend that was really close to me. This actually brought me close to God because I found that in my time of sadness and confusion God could comfort and help me make sense of it all. Leaning on Him helped and still helps me have the strength to deal with my friends’ death and other obstacles that I face.” –Olivia V.

Have you ever had a really, really, really bad cold?  So bad that you could not imagine ever feeling better?  But then your mom gave you some medicine and slowly you started to improve.  Life throws stuff like that at us all the time.  Some things are so hard that we can’t imagine ever getting through them.

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." - Isaiah 41:10

When something difficult happens to you, you have two choices.  Run toward God or run away.  Running toward God means leaning on Him to help you understand, help you overcome, help you be stronger.  With a single hand, God takes your sadness, fear and worry and turns it into strength and hope. 

Are you running away from God for any reason today?  Is there something going on in your life that you need His strength for?  God is your God.  Pray those things over to Him right now.  Choose to be strong in Him.      

Day 13--God's word is better than a 1992 preteen novel.

I loved what my sweet friend Amanda wrote yesterday on God's word so much that I wanted to piggyback on it a little. 

When I was in 7th grade I had a boyfriend named Matt.  Our relationship spanned an impressive 5 months, 3 of which were over the summer.  Now, in 1992--before the age of cell phones and Facebook--you didn't talk much outside of school.  A phone call to your significant other's house might mean that you'd have to talk to whatever adult picked up the phone first.  EEK!  So I basically went the entire summer without talking to Matt.  As the new school year approached I really started to stress out about our relationship.  Would we still be together in 8th grade?  About then I started to read a preteen book some supermodel who was also a spy and there was skiing and lots of action and I don't really remember the title, but I do remember that the two love interests in the story were named Matt and Kelly.  It was a sign!!  If you had asked me then which book was more valuable, the Bible or this awesome novel, I clearly would have gone with the awesome novel.  (Again, I still don't remember the awesome novel's name.)

You see, I really, really love reading the Bible, but I didn't always.  I thought the language was funny and it was a little boring and, frankly, no answers came to me magically when I read it.  I didn't see it as much more than a text book.  I had taken God out of it.

Do you want to know the name of the guy I ended up marrying?  Kevin.  Not Matt.  Maybe reading that book was meant to be some sort of a sign, but it sure was a short-lived one.  God's word doesn't work like that. 

It's full of history, but it isn't just a text book. 
It's full of answers, but they come to us by grace, not magic.
It was written a long time ago, but its message is timeless.

The Bible is all these things because God is alive in it.  It does what no other book in history has ever been able to do.  It stands alone and eternal. 

Read the Bible today.  If you don't know where to start, try starting with the book of Matthew, the beginning of the New Testament.  But don't leave God out of it.  Pray for Him to be a part of what you're reading.  Chances are you're not going to forget the name of it in 22 years. 

XOXO--Kelly

Day 12--God's word is alive!

“If I had to pick one moment in my entire high school and middle school career that I was undeniably aware of God's presence, I would choose one specific Junior High Bible study. We were discussing he question, "why does God give wisdom to the wise?", and I remember answering with an analogy about why we give cars to teenagers and not toddlers. The exact lesson wasn't what stuck with me through these past years, but it was the appearance of knowledge and an explanation of Scripture that was most memorable. It is very easy to say you "felt" something during prayer, adoration, or even mass, but we have to remind ourselves that feelings are our own responses to God's presence and consists of us limiting Him to something so human. My experience with an explanation felt like I wasn't just experiencing a fleeting emotion but was getting just a little bit closer to the Truth that is our Lord.”  –Amanda F.

Scripture.  It isn’t just for the back of letter jackets and pretty wall hangings.  It is God’s word.  We need it….ALL of it…to understand Him better and His will for our lives. 

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”  Hebrews 4:12

And the greatest thing about the Bible is that the more time you spend in it the more you get back out of it.  You can actually hear God talking to you through the passages.  His word truly is alive!!

Even if reading isn’t your most favorite thing, try to spend a little time with the Bible today.  Pray that God would continue to show you more about who He is and how much He loves you. 

Day 11--God wants to be your BFF.

“During middle school I didn't have many friends or people that I felt wanted to be around me. I decided to give God a try and give Him all my worries. After I started going to church and trusting God I began to be happier.” –Emma H.

There is not a person on the planet that hasn’t felt loneliness at one time or another.  Even the most popular person in school, at work, in the neighborhood has felt it.  Did you know it’s possible to feel lonely even when you’re surrounded by people?  The fact is that people, even at their best, will fail us at one time or another.  BUT—here’s the good news!—God does not.  A relationship with God is everlasting and never-failing. 

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54:10

If God was standing in front of you right now He’d probably suggest that the two of you go to Claire’s and buy an awesome necklace set like this.

 

And then He’d never, never, never take it off.  Ever.

People change and things change.  God’s love for you does not.  Make your relationship with Him #1 and let His peace fill your heart.

Lord, I praise you today for the friends you’ve put in my life.  I ask for help with those relationships that are struggling and that you would help me to forgive the ones that have fallen apart.  Help me to make my relationship with you the most important one in my life, God, so that I can know your peace.  Amen. 

Day 10--God's an action kind of guy.

"God has worked in my life by putting me in situations where He allows me to spread His word and live out my Christian faith.  God has given me the opportunity to go on mission trips and summer camps where I could go spend a few days really getting to know Him and once I leave, I leave a changed person and renewed."  –Hunter D.

Does it please God when you read the Bible?  Absolutely.  Go to church?  You bet.  Pray?  Of course!  But I believe nothing pleases God more than when you put the good stuff that comes out of the things into action.  Don’t just talk the talk...walk the walk!  After Jesus rose from the dead, and before He ascended into heaven, He told the disciples… 

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” Matthew 28:19

In other words, go!  Do!  In the name of Jesus Christ get out there! 

We can give God the opportunity to change the world through us and change our hearts in the process when we are willing to act on His behalf.  Even if it’s just sitting with the lonely kid at lunch or donating a can of food to a food drive, get out there and be Christ to the world. 

What kind of action can you take today to spread God’s love at your school?  At your workplace?  In your neighborhood? In your home? 

Day 9--God rides the bus.

“In sixth grade, these boys on my bus used to make fun of me and physically hurt my friend. My friend has a mental disability, and he believed them when they told him he would get in trouble if he told an adult. The teachers did nothing, so I asked God to let my friend feel safe on the bus. The next day, the bus services randomly decided the boy who hit him the most, the one who the other boys followed, needed to be harnessed to his seat. My friend never got hit again.” –Allie F.

We can all probably think of a time when we’ve asked God for something.  Sometimes He answers us in the way we might expect.  Other times it comes in a completely different form.  But rest assured….God is with you whether you're on the bus or in the library and He listens to you!  Always!! 

“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear to dull to hear.”  Isaiah 59:1

God wants to be active in your life, and there’s no better way for Him to do that than for you to talk to Him.  Take the concerns of your day to Him.  Ask Him for help.  Ask Him for guidance.  Ask Him for comfort.

Is there something you need to talk to God about today?  He’s ready and listening.  

Day 8--God thinks swimming is important.

“Another time God moved me in my life was my very first mission trip to Helena, Arkansas where I befriended many children and taught them how to swim. It's always a beautiful thing to be a role model to those who are in need of someone to look up to. Fulfilling and evangelizing for God's kingdom really packs a punch for me and is very powerful. Those little kids are little wonders and I know that the time I took out to help them and let them learn from me really affected the kids.” –Kody K.

God thinks swimming is important.  And reading and basketball and fishing and babysitting and jump-roping and playing dolls and every other way you might be interacting with someone younger than you.  If you think being a role model is up to the all star athletes and movie stars then you are wrong!

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12

Paul was encouraging Timothy here to stay strong in his ministry despite his relatively young age.  God calls you to do powerful and meaningful things everyday no matter how old you are.  There’s always someone looking for a person to look up to.  Imagine what our world would be like if it was good they saw when they looked up!

Think about the young people in your life today.  How are you being a positive role model for them?  How can you continue to do that?  It’s an important job.  Take it seriously! 

Day 7--God cares about your family.

“Every year me and my cousins get together for a cousins camp, or what we like to call it a, "Kousins Kamp" because most of our names begin with a K! Clever right? Haha.  Well it gets better every year to me. I'm not that close with my cousins, but each year I become more comfortable around them and I'm able to open up more. I felt like God maybe shed some of his righteousness on me to be closer to my relatives. It's something really small, but I do love the little wonders God provides for me.” –Kody K.

If you’ve ever been on a family vacation, eaten dinner together or shared a bathroom, chances are you think your family is nuts.  Like these people….who really love their cats….

 

From the beginning of man we’ve been driving each other crazy! Ever read the story of Joseph?  His brothers threw him in a pit and left him there!  But God’s plan for that family didn’t stop there.  Joseph, against all odds, rose to a position of great importance and used his power to save his family during a great famine.

“God send me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant of earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.”  Genesis 45:7

Good or bad, nutso or normal, God’s plan for your life includes your family.  Even at our worst and weirdest, God is working for us, never against us. 

Is there someone in your family you need to reach out to today?  Maybe it’s a parent you had an argument with.  Maybe it’s a sibling you haven’t been able to spend time with lately.  Maybe it’s a grandparent that would love a card or letter or phone call from you.  What can you do to shed a little of God’s love on your family?        

Day 6--God wins.

“Last year, the week after my sweet Grandpa passed away, I saw an angel.  The angel was the referee at a school soccer game that I was at.  He was the spitting image of my grandpa…except he was running.  J  He had the same face and belly.  Even the same knees.  The fact that he was running made me smile because I realized that Grandpa can run in heaven.  Today, as I was driving home from the barn, I was thinking about Grandpa and how he was such a special person in my life.  I looked over to see another angel!  I smiled to see Grandpa’s face in the car next to mine, but cried because it made me miss his face so much more.  He was such a special person to everyone who had the privilege of knowing him and I can’t wait until I get to see him again someday.”  --Marin A.

God’s word promises us that when we believe in Him and accept Jesus as our Savior we will be given eternal life.  Do you know what that means?  God wins!  Every time.  Not even death can keep His blessings from us. 

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord!”  1 Cor 15:55-57 

By our own power, a lot of things in this life will overcome us.  The friends we thought we could count on, the loved one that passed away, the test we failed.  But by Christ’s power we know that the things of this world—not sadness, not grief, not defeat—are the end.  Praise God for being the ultimate victor!

Lord, help me today to remember that my faith in you can help me to overcome anything.  And that even in death, you cannot lose.  Amen.   

Day 5--God comforts

"3 years ago, my do Lily died. I was devastated. This was the most sadness I've felt in my life. But not long after her death, God put a cute blackish/brown dog into my life, and we named him Tramp. I know God put him in my life, because I haven't been as sad as I used to be. I still miss Lily...a lot. But loving Tramp makes me feel a lot better.” - Justus N.

Life is such a precious gift in any package.  Whether we are saying good bye to a pet or a loved one, the emptiness just plain stinks. 

“Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted.”  Matthew 5:4

The world isn’t a perfect place and death is part of life.  But God’s plan is bigger than the world.  God’s word promises us that there will never be grief where there isn’t also God’s love to comfort us.

 

Praise God today for the ways He provides comfort to you and don’t be afraid to take your sadness to Him no matter how big or how small. 

Day 4--God can handle your doubt.

“My walk with God has always been a tricky one…Once, I was in a car wreck; I felt a hand pull my head back to prevent it from slamming into the dash board.  I then realized that even though we are put in adverse conditions and ask God, “how could you do this to me?” we must remember that he will ALWAYS show mercy, love, and protection toward all of his children.” –Sydney A.

Doubt is a part of life.  When Adam and Eve took their first bite of the apple in the Garden of Eden, God knew what He would be up against.  The enemy is everywhere looking for ways to pull us away from our relationship with God.

 But God is up to the challenge. 

There is no road you can go down so long, so dark and so treacherous that the love and mercy of God cannot reach you.

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 8:38-39

Pray about the things that are filling you with doubt today.  Don’t be afraid to admit them to God.  He’s up to it.  And He’s not going to let you go. 

Day 3--God hangs out in the middle of the road.

“I was driving around near the Chick-fil-a and I was kind of down, I don't remember what for. As I was at an intersection a man came up to my window asking for money for some sort of drug addict rehabilitation center. Although I could only give one dollar, what he was doing was less asking for money as preaching to me from the middle of a highway. He said some much needed words that lifted my spirits.”  --Drew D.

Sometimes we find God in the most unexpected places.  Like next to us at a traffic light. 

True dat and moo.

God uses everyone and everything and everywhere to reach His people.  That’s how powerful and amazing His love for us is.  You might be totally lost in your own thoughts.  No one else may know what’s going on in your heart or your head.  But God knows.  And His word reminds us He is never more than a breath away from us. 

“Come near to God and He will come near to you.”  James 4:8   

Do you need to reach for God today?  Or know someone who does?  God is always close by.  He will always reach back.

Day 2--God is my compass.

“God has had a tremendous impact on who I have become and how I live life in high school.  If I didn’t have God with me I’m sure I wouldn’t have the same great friends as I do now.  I wouldn’t have a great relationship with my parents, and I would have gotten into a lot of trouble.  Having God with me has kept my life on track.”  --Kirby K.

Every day is full of choices, from what clothes we put on in the morning to what TV show we watch at night.  Sometimes the choices are easy.  “Of course I’ll have another bowl of Frosted Flakes!”  Some not so much.  “My friend wants me to do what?  Go where?  Hang out with who?” 

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.  Psalm 119:105

There’s no greater guide than God.  He is the ultimate compass.  His love for us surrounds us where we are (“my feet”) and gives us direction for where we need to go (“my path”).

Make God a part of ALL of your choices today, from the smallest to the biggest.  Invite the Holy Spirit to guide you in everything you do.  You won’t be sorry. 

Day 1--God is here.

It's Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, a time to reflect on Christ's sacrifice and get ready for the promise of Easter.  It's one of those seasons in the church where there's all sorts of symbolism everywhere and sometimes we remember the reason behind it.  Maybe you're new to the faith and have no idea what is going on.  Maybe you have been going to church your entire life and still have no idea what is going on!  Either way, there is no time like this time, friends, to remember that God is here. 

"For the Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost." Luke 19:10

Not a one of us is perfect.  Not a single one.  But Christ's sacrifice on the cross wasn't because of our own worthiness.  It was because of His!!  And that's how God continues to operate.

For the next 39 days of Lent some amazing people will be sharing their stories about how God has moved in their lives.  My prayer is that these will serve as daily reminders that in your life--and every life--God is here and He's ain't going anywhere!  Maybe you know someone that needs to hear a little bit about who God is, too.  Please pass this along.  You might be the only one willing to!  As a bonus gift for checking in we'll also include this awesome picture of unicorns watching dolphins jump in front of the moon.  What could be more uplifting than that??!!  :) 



Dear God, as we enter into the season of Lent help us to remember how much you love us, how very close you are to us each day, how your love is for everyone.  I thank you for everyone who will be sharing their story over the next several weeks and pray that you would use their words to touch many.  Amen.