“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s Rethink Church Photo-A-Day word is spring. What does the word spring bring to your mind? Spring makes me think of newness. Spring brings flowers, new growth, and change.

Today’s 2nd photo shows a beautiful flower blooming. However, prior to that flower blooming there had to be a time of pollen-filled puddles. Pollen is an aggravation as it covers our vehicles and porches with a yellow dusting. Pollen is a nuisance as it aggravates our sinuses. However, without pollen, there would be no beautiful flowers. We have to endure a time of hardship dealing with pollen to be able to enjoy the beauty of flowers.

Likewise, life is filled with pollen filled puddles and times of difficulty. However, on the other side of difficulty is a bouquet of beautiful blessings.

Dear God, Thank You for spring and all the newness it brings. Although pollen is an aggravation, I will allow the yellow-stained puddles to remind me of the new and beautiful things You bring. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬-‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s Rethink Church Photo-A-Day word is deep. Do you know how deep the love of Christ is for you? Do you truly grasp the fullness of God?

I think we know in our heads what the Bible tells us of the love of Christ, but we don’t always grasp the fullness of God. Or, do we get caught up in our busy schedules and forget just how wide, long, high, and deep God loves us?

Today’s featured photo by Ray White is of a hole in the sand. Can you tell how deep it is? I can’t tell at first glance. Unless you were there when the photo was taken or experienced the digging of the hole, you can’t tell the depth. You and I have to experience God’s overwhelming love to grasp His fullness. Spend some time today recalling moments that you have truly grasped and experienced just how wide, long, high, and deep God’s love is for you, and give Him praise.

Dear God, Thank you for Your wide, long, high, and deep love. I praise You for loving me so much that You gave the life of Your son for me to have eternal life. There is no greater love and for that I am eternally thankful. May my words and actions reflect Your deep love. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” ‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s Rethink Photo-A-Day word is celebrate. My word for the year is relish. Click here to read my blog post about my word of the year.

Today I encourage you to relish and celebrate the big and the small. Today I chose to share with you photos I took at our church “camp” night. It was an enjoyable time of food and fellowship. It was a perfect gift from above that I relish.

God gives us moments to celebrate every single day. What can you celebrate today? What moments are you relishing?

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for the gift of today. May I relish each moment and celebrate each gift. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s Photo-A-Day word is test. Did you always know all the answers on tests in school? Could you predict what the end result of your test would be before you received the grade? I am guessing the answer to both those questions is no. The same principle applies to our everyday lives. You and I cannot see what awaits us at the end of tests and trials. We don’t know what is around the corner or at the end of the tunnel.

So what do we do? We present our requests to God, we trust God, and He sends us peace. Even in the middle of trials, we can count on the promise of peace.

Dear God, Help me to feel Your presence as I endure times of testing. May I hold on to Your promise and trust that Your peace will come. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s Photo-A-Day word is wilderness. As you can see in the pictures I chose, I have 2 thoughts about the word wilderness.

First, a wilderness can be barren and mangled with many twists and turns. Often there is no clear path. If you look closely at the top picture there is a lantern hanging on one of the limbs. To me, that represents the light of Christ among a place of confusion.

Secondly, I have come to learn that when I am in a wilderness, God grows beautiful fruit for His glory. Prior to His ministry here on earth, “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Are you in a wilderness today? Are you caught up in a tangled mess? Look for the light of Christ among the chaos. Watch for ways God is growing fruit in you.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for making a way in the wilderness. Thank you for making new things in and through me! In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Today we kick off the Rethink Church Photo-A-Day challenge. The challenge is to post a picture that represents the word of the day to you. Julie, Ray, and I will write an explanation of the picture we post and we would love for you to either post your pic under our post or tag #waterwalkers in your post. Click here to watch a video of Julie and I explaining the Photo-A-Day challenge.

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This picture of fire represents the word consume to me. A fire envelops and consumes all that is around it. As we enter this season of Lent I want to be consumed by the Holy Spirit.

Click here to read more about Lent.

Click here for some meaningful ways to observe Lent.

Dear God, May I be consumed by Your loving presence throughout this Lenten season. May Your presence be reflected in my words and actions. In Jesus’ name. Amen.