Yesterday I experienced something that I have been mentally praying and preparing for over the last three months. There is something different when praying on the battleground for yourself verses praying on the battleground for others. The scripture verse that was presented to me in a morning devotion came from Joshua 1:9 NIV; “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.””

In this song, Wherever You Lead by Kristene Dimarco, our Christian walk really doesn’t promise us comfort or beautiful beach fronts. Sometimes the direction is swampy like the marsh and clouded with muddy waters. In these lyrics I am reminded that I want to follow God the second I hear him call me no matter what circumstance surrounds me;

Wherever You go
Wherever You lead
That’s where I’ll go
That’s where I’ll be
The moment You call
The second You speak
That’s when I’ll go
Step out and believe

I am reminded of the Disciples, committing to follow Jesus, wherever He goes; “As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”” Luke‬ ‭9:57‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Look at this photo by Ray White. You see, there isn’t a clear path. On this Water Walking Wednesday what will you choose the second you hear God speak? Will you be like a disciple? A courageous follower? Or will you be afraid and discouraged? God is waiting patiently for us to put our complete trust in Him. We can respond by Living for Today, taking one step of faith at a time.

I enjoy reading different translations of scripture. This past week I was introduced to TPT, “The Passion Translation”. When I read this verse from Proverbs 4:25 TPT, I understood it with a new mindset; “Set your gaze on the path before you. With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead, ignore life’s distractions.”

I have been meditating on “fixed purpose”. What do you think that means? The translation I commonly use is NIV, “New International Versión” and it translates as; “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.” Fixed is defined as, not fluctuating or varying. While purpose is defined as, the reason for which something is done or created.

If we look at this photo by Ray White, we known this must be a bush or a tree. God created it with a purpose, just like he created each of us for a purpose. Through God’s word we gain wisdom. It is our guide to maneuvering through Life. No matter what task is at hand, it is already fixed in place by are omnipotent God. He chose you for this task. God knows and understands there will be distractions. Will you go confidently today with the mindset that God chose you for a fixed purpose?

Everyday the tide rises and falls. The time may vary each day since the ocean tide follows the moon. The waves crash the shore more times than we can count. Depending on the tide and the wind, those waves may look differently. Even with those slight variances, the ocean remains the same. Just like the ocean, our creator, Jesus Christ never changes. We read in Hebrews‬ ‭13:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬; “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

As we gaze at this beautiful image captured by Ray White, we can almost feel the waves ticking our toes. On this Finish Friday let’s not forget how big our God is. Let’s not forget that not matter what changes life brings, God will never waiver. Will you walk confidently along God’s shoreline today with unwavering faith?

We have a lot to be thankful for on this Thankful Thursday. This picture below is of my family and our Pastor. Last Sunday my mom joined our church at Herbert Memorial United Methodist. It has been a long journey for my mom since my Dad passed away of cancer almost two years ago. Mom has adopted a saying for her self; “Not all who wander are lost”. In other words my mom wasn’t lost from God or family but lost in trying to figure out her new normal and where to put roots.

In this scripture from Ephesians, as a body of Christ Jesus, we are held together and support one another. Through the outpouring of God’s love, we help one other to love, serve, and grow in Christ Jesus. Fellowship is vital part of nurturing our relationships. We are thankful that we have the opportunity to worship together. In 2020 we learned to appreciate fellowship as most of us were not able to gather due to COVID. I encourage us all to not forget that season and to always be thankful for opportunities to fellowship and worship together with our brothers and sisters in God’s house.

“From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Ephesians‬ ‭4:16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In this photo by Ray White, God paints a beautiful picture. The sky reflecting on the water reminds me how we are made in God’s image. It reminds me that God pays attention to every little detail. Not one thing has been left undone. I consider Philippians 1:6 NIV to be my life verse; “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

If God completed the earth in 7 days, we can be confident he can complete his work in us throughout our lifetime and beyond. He continues it on even through the legacies we leave. On this Water Walking Wednesday I encourage us all to be confident and keep persevering. The current path may seem long but God will finish what He started in each of us.

Will you look for God winks and opportunities that God is presenting to you today to carry you through?