Last night I listened to a Steven Furtick Podcast titled, “The Other Hand”. As I listened I reflected on my word of the year for 2021, refine. The other hand is the sin in our lives. The bad habits or faults that are revealed behind closed doors. To refine is to remove impurities or unwanted elements. This fire pit pictured here is full of sticks waiting to be burned. We all have sticks called sin that needs to be refined in the fire.

In this verse from Psalm 73:26 NIV we can be thankful for the parts of us that fail; “My flesh and heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever”. On this Thankful Thursday, I am thankful that God continues to refine me. I am thankful that He is my strength and my portion forever.

You can listen to The Other Hand by clicking this link!

We tend to compartmentalize our faith. We give God our plans for His final approval. We make things more difficult than what they need to be. Just like this picture divided up into 4 sections, we have everything where we think it needs to be.

Picture this 3 mile trail that winds around East Bay. Although it is not straight, it is a continuous path with a start and a finish. Part of being a Water Walker is to trust, submit, and start.

1. Trust God even when we don’t understand or see what comes after the first step.

2. Submit our plans, not for final approval but for full surrender.

3. Start moving forward by asking God to lead us in the path we should go.

The start might be messy. The middle might be nerve-racking, and the finish might look different than we had planned. Will you trust, submit, and start in what God has for you today?

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Prov‬ ‭3:5-6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

One Sunday after church I took this photo of these lilies. It is such a beautiful image to watch the flowers transform through the different seasons. At this particular point these lilies were at their peak in full bloom. Like most flowers they eventually wither, only to return more beautiful and plentiful the following year.

My life verse is Philippians 1:16 NIV; “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.” We too change throughout the seasons of life. Sometimes we grow more beautifully and sometimes we allow ourselves to wither. Either way Christ Jesus is continually working on each of us.

On this Transformation Tips Tuesday let’s reflect what season we are in. Are we allowing a good work to be done or are we stagnant? Are we feeling confident or defeated? As faithful stewards let’s go in prayer with open hearts, minds, and hands for what God wants to do in us.

In church yesterday Pastor Charles said when we rest and reset, we reclaim a proper perspective on our lives. Hopefully we all found time this past weekend to rest so that we can reset for the week ahead.

When I see this basketball hoop, I see a challenge. We can choose to let our challenges get the best of us. Or we can choose to reclaim that perspective and take on our challenges with God’s help.

I love this verse from Psalms. It encourages me to open my eyes to the blessings God has for me instead of focusing on my challenges. On this Mindset Monday let’s position ourselves for the blessing. Dribble the ball and shoot for the best! To dribble is to take the ball forward. Will you move forward in what God has in store for you today?

“Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see— how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him.” Psalm‬ ‭34:8‬ ‭MSG‬‬

“At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split” Matt‬ ‭27:51‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The veil being torn symbolizes you and I having a direct connection with Jesus. In this song, “I Say Yes” by Kim Walker-Smith she sings about having an encounter with God. Some of the lyrics sing; “I want an encounter, a real encounter. I say yes to your love. I say yes to your freedom. I say yes to your heart and all of your healing. Your ways are higher. Lord, I surrender. I come to you just as I am”.

I encourage you to listen and worship to the song; https://youtu.be/nPVTbKo-LTI

This is a picture of a cross mounted above our church doors. It is one of many crosses throughout the church. A cross like this one symbolizes that Jesus is alive. All barriers, including the veil have been broken.

As we go to our places of worship, let’s go seeking an encounter. Surrender anything that would compromise that encounter as you enter into His presence.

Yesterday I took advantage of the plentiful rain Tropical Storm Elsa provided and transferred grass to some needed areas so that I could make a new flower bed. I now have a blank canvas to plant. It’s a reminder of how God’s mercies are new every morning, making room each day for new landscaping.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lam‬ ‭3:22-23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today I plan to finish strong with some raking, planting, and pine straw. In this song; Look What You’ve Done by Tasha Layton some of the lyrics sing, “Standing in your presence Lord, I can feel you digging all my roots up. I feel you healing all my wounds up”. On this Finish Friday, let’s ask for God’s help in digging up our old ugly roots and ask God to heal us with His compassion that never fails.

This beautiful image of three roses, one perfectly centered and in full bloom between two closed rose buds reminded me of Jesus alive between two sinners on the cross. Although that day on the cross was so horrific, something very beautiful came from it, Jesus’s unconditional love for us.

We read in Hebrews 12:2 that the Joy was set before Him. On this Thankful Thursday I am thankful for the sacrificial love also known as Agape love that Christ Jesus showed us by dying on the cross for you and I.

How can we in turn love Jesus with Agape love? One way is sacrificing our time to sit with Him in prayer and devotion. The dishes can wait, the yard can wait, whatever it is on your to do list can wait. I encourage each of us to not give our leftovers but rather, Agape love each and every day.

“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”