This picture I took last night as I was finishing up a late night run where I could find light. One of my favorite songs played, Oceans by Hillsong United. This has been my go to song for Water Walking for years. Our mission field can seem scary and overwhelming, whether we are called overseas or called in our communities. Even though I have been encouraging us all to be mission minded, I haven’t been very mission minded myself. In the last few weeks I have been waiting on test results and the next step from my Doctor. Life seemed to stand still for me. Thankfully I received some good news this week and I am working towards a plan with my Doctor.

Last night was a God Wink for me in that even when God takes us down paths We didn’t think our feet could wonder, we need to keep the faith. Jesus is always there to reach out to us, just like He did for Peter; “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matt‬ ‭14:31‬ ‭NIV‬‬. Especially in our trials, God can use us for missions. We can be mission minded in allowing God to use us when life is difficult. We are not alone in this mission field. We have a strong community of believers.

Are you feeling stuck today? Are you consumed with your present situation? Don’t let doubt take over, keep the faith! Let’s take a moment to worship with Hillsong United!

Patience means the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. If you notice in this verse from Romans 12:12 NIV, patience is sandwiched between hope and prayer; “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Last Tuesday Deborah talked on spiritual disciplines and prayer was one of those disciplines. When you are short on patience, do you go to the Lord in prayer?

Patience otherwise known as forbearance is also a fruit of the spirit; “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Gal‬ ‭5:22-23‬ ‭NIV‬. Just like eating real fruit, the fruits of the spirit should be a daily spiritual discipline. On this Transformation Tips Tuesday, I encourage us all to write down at least one of the fruits that we will work on this week through our spiritual disciplines. Which one would you choose to work on?

I can imagine these flowers pictured here have taken several years to grow into the beauty they hold today. Imagine the beauty we can hold when we choose to work on our patience or any of the other eight fruits. Will you remember to sandwich your patience between hope and prayer? Let’s all go and be transformed in God’s beauty today.

If you read yesterdays blog, you know we went to Clemson with our son. One of the speakers said something that really stood out to me. “They got accepted, they belong here”. Wow! Can you flip that and imagine God saying that to each one of us? Now let’s read Jeremiah 17:7 NIV; “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” Have you asked Jesus to live in your heart and for the forgiveness of your sins? ‬Good news, we’ve already been accepted. We belong with Christ Jesus. The answer was yes before we even asked. We have a Godly confidence when we put our faith and trust in Him.

Look at this photo taken by Ray White. What do you see? I see two sets of flip flops. I imagine they belong to a couple who are walking the beach. For me taking my shoes off is an indication I am feeling comfortable. It may also indicate confidence. Yesterday in church we sang the song Holy Ground. Below is the piano tracks with lyrics, arranged by Russell Mauldin. On this Mindset Monday, I encourage us to open that song, take off our shoes, close our eyes, and really worship. Thank God, for we have been accepted and belong in Him. Now let’s go in confidence today!

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This past week we had the joy of experiencing Clemson orientation with our son. There were signs on the light poles with different sayings. This sign pictured below got my attention; savor this season. I am sure they are referring to living in the moment over the next 4 years of college life. For me personally I thought about savoring all seasons. In Philippians 4:4 NIV we are instructed to Rejoice always; “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

In the song Find Your Joy, the lyrics sing; “Rejoice again, find your joy in Him”. On this Spiritual Sunday I encourage us to find our joy as we rejoice in God’s presence. Even through seasons of trials we can rejoice. We can savor the season by finding Joy in Him.

Click Here to worship with Bryan and Katie Torwalt. Will you make the choice today to rejoice always? To live in the moment? And to savor this season?

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God us like our gentle giant. It is His joy that gives us strength. He is also our rock and fortress in time of need. He can fight for us and hold us within His loving arms in the same breath. Where do you look for joy in time of need? In Nehemiah 8:10 NIV we don’t have to look because it lives within us; “Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.””

I look at this photo by Ray and see strong tree branches with no clearing in sight. I can imagine our fortress with God to have a barricade like this one. One so strong and deep that nothing can cross. Where do you run to in time of need? In Psalms 18:1-2 NIV we don’t have to run, we can simply look up and speak His name; “I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

On this Finish Friday who or what battle are you fighting? What tactics is the Satan scheming to take your attention off your joy, strength, rock, and refuge? Ask God to deliver you. While you wait, find Joy in a strength only a loving, Heavenly Father and gentle giant can offer.

These three crosses sit creek side at Pawleys Island South. When I saw them last Friday it was a God wink for me that God was listening. In Jeremiah 29:12 NIV; “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” If you watched my See you Saturday video from a few weeks ago, I shared that I have been going through something. During my walking on the beach I was hoping to feel peace by putting my toes in the sand and breathing in the salty air. I was overwhelmed by God’s peace at the site of these crosses.

On this Thankful Thursday, I am so thankful to have a God that listens. We may not have answers or a plan in place, but we can rest knowing our Heavenly Father listens and cares for us. Before going to the doctor on Tuesday, I was blessed with hearing a song for the very first time. It is called Sound Mind by Bryan and Katie Torwalt. Some of the lyrics sing; “A sound mind for the spirit of fear. A sound mind so that I can see clearly. A sound mind, your spirit is here.”

Click here to Worship! May we all receive the gift of God’s peace and sound mind today!