Just a Transparent Thought

Here recently there has been a big stir, a funk if you will, surrounding our president’s latest decision regarding same sex marriage. This post, which has nothing to do with the content, is just my transparent thoughts on paper…. Well blog. I may have a few standing with me and few more that will attack me. I am now okay with that.

The very first time I heard the word “homosexual” was with the actor, Rock Hudson, dying from AIDs, this new disease to which a frenzy was created. I can remember parents running to schools and snatching their kids out because of children who contracted this scary disease by way of blood transfusion. It seemed that even the smallest baby had done something to catch this “gay disease.”  People became instant doctors and judges when it came to who had and why they had AIDs. It was a sad time for this country.

What I also saw was an enormous amount picketing, screaming, judgmental, holier than thou Bible beaters that hid behind the name Christians. Funny that I always said to myself, “Self, remind me to never be one of them.” I had tolerance for those who were sick; those who America had assumed had started this epidemic, the homosexual community. I wasn’t that old (nice try) but I knew I did not want to be part of a people who only had hatred dripping from their lips. It was “homo this” and “gay that.” Let’s not mention the multitude of abortion clinics blown up or at least the women who were pushed into having abortions because they would rather be in the clinic than with the poison spewing folks outside the doors calling them baby killers and announcing that they and the clinic workers inside were ALL going to Hell. I began to think that maybe people with money and high positions in the church could change not only your departure time from this earth but also your destination, thank God they can’t!

I said all that to say, here is my standing ground on this subject. I DO believe that most are born “that way”, but not the “way” they are thinking. I believe there is a spirit that is assigned to some of us to make us completely miserable with life and relationships until we come to the conclusion that we are a certain way, accept it and then live what I call the death style. It’s not enough to accept that you are attracted to the same sex as you, it’s not enough speak it out loud; this spirit is not doing its job unless we are walking this out. I call this a death style for one reason, God is against it. If my Father is against the lifestyle, then so am I.

Please notice that I did not say I am against the people who live this style of life, and neither is He. He loves them regardless. He is not pleased, He does not like what they have chosen, and because of that He has given them over to their sin, much like a parent does a wayward child, BUT GOD does NOT hate the person!! There is a saying that goes, Hate the SIN, love the SINNER. So many in the Church, including my pre-saved and newly saved self, have gotten the two mixed up and even put their own spin on things. They have begun to hate other SINNERS while loving their own SIN.

This is what I feel the Church needs to begin to cry out for forgiveness. We have turned a generation of people against us, not because of the things we do like Jesus, which He has said would get us persecuted, but because we have poured more hate on these lost souls more than the world has. And now the world has begun to embrace them in an effort to keep them bound! What are we doing about it? Sitting on the sidelines drawing in the sand, when we have no idea what it was Jesus was even drawing, and it’s in the wrong context! We need begin loving each other first, because if we can’t love each other, how will we love anyone else? Once we get that, we need to be reaching out into the very places we have frowned upon and judged to snatch our brother and sisters out of there. And for those that decide to stay or run back, we need to show them love as well.

Listen, I have friends and family members who are homosexual. There is NO way I will turn my back on them! I support them to the fullest! What I do NOT support is their way of life, for no other reason than when they die, that’s it! I will never see them again! I can’t stand to think of that. I do not support what God does not support, but the people living that way or doing that thing, I will continue to love based on the fact that while I was yet a sinner, in the deep thick blackness of my sin, Christ died for me. Not because he was told to, not because he knew he had to, not because it was the only way to save me, but because he loved me!

Know this; my love will not stop flowing with those living this style of life on my page and in my life. I will not turn my back on them and there is NO way I will abandon them! That does NOT make me tolerant or accepting, it makes me obedient to His command for us all. To love my neighbors. Will you do the same?

Now here is a couple of housekeeping items, as they are often called. I do not accept profanity from anyone. If you disagree with this post, message me. Know that I operate with discernment and Proverbs 26:4-5 guides when it comes to answering or not. Also know if you are living this lifestyle and choose to copy and paste this blog to spew out poison against me, I, like my Lord and Savior, will NOT be moved! And I STILL love you! This is not to force or scare you into a relationship with Christ, it’s not to condemn you or to point fingers. It is merely to say I love you as Christ loves you and I am so sorry for what the imposter pew dwellers and surface Christians have done and said! Jesus is NOT like that! He loves you just as you are; He also loves you enough to want more for you!!  

Transparent Requirement

Transparent Requirement!

“With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Micah 6:6-8 (ESV)

I am a very hard headed person. I don’t like a lot of requirements and rules placed on me. The world would call me a “free spirit” if I let them! I can remember a time when I was in 6^th or 7^th grade right after Christmas break (that’s what it was called before Mr. Political Correctness and Ms. Offense had a baby called Tolerance, but that’s for another time) and my mom said I could not take my new fangled toys to school. Well this was a time when I was trying to fit in and even though I had friends, I wanted to be in the “in” crowd. And what was in was my new Rubik’s Cube. Hold on, did I just give my age away? Anyhow, I was determined to sneak that thing to school at all costs! So on the morning of leaving for school, I secured a place for it in my blue crochet purse and put stuff on top, even though the purse was very thin. I just knew I was in the clear! Then it happened…. My mom had the nerve to ask me what was in my purse! Remember that I said at all cost, okay? So in my however old I was voice I boldly grabbed my purse tighter and said, “Nothing Mommy.” Yeah, I lied. What happened next is somewhat unclear except for the whooping I incurred by the hands of my father! I can say that I went to school without my awesome Rubik’s Cube, not that I needed to really say that for all the 80’s kids, right? But the rule was so simple yet so complex at the same time. Don’t take ANYTHING to school. Period. But for a child hungry for status at school, that is so hard…. We forgot that didn’t we parents?

God is the same. His commands are so simple. Do not cheat, obey your parents, Do not put other things in the place of God, love your neighbor, etc. Yet we fail at them all the time. Why is that? Why can we figure out what an atom is, write a constitution and laws, CEO corporations but simple commands from the One that gave us the ability to do these complex things, we can’t follow? I will tell you why. It’s because we are human. That’s not an excuse or permission; it’s just how we are. But that also is not a go ahead to stay that way.  We are created in His image and that alone calls us to greater. My brother in Christ, JCrum, has a song that goes “We are called for greater, we are called for more.” We need to remember that when we fall at following His commands for our life. Where are you falling with His directions?

Lord, thank you for Your awesome provision and direction You have for my life. You know so much more about me than I do and You can see so much more than I can. Teach me to trust Your ways, Lord and follow Your instructions from day to day! In Jesus name. Amen!

Transparent Vision

And he brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. Gen 15:5


When I was about 10 or so, I had to go to the eye doctor because I was squinting and not doing so hot in school. It was then that the doctor revealed to my mom and dad what I had kept a secret for a couple of years.... I couldn't see very far. The result? I had to get glasses. I hated that but I have a confession to make. I loved getting the glasses because the lady that would slip the glasses on me did so gently that it made my head tickle.... and I loved the smell of anything clinical! What I didn't know was that my world as I knew it was about to change. The years after, I went through fierce bullying, teasing, losing glasses because I wouldn't wear them in school, punishments, whoopings and lost interest from boys. If someone would have told me beforehand that all that was gonna happen, I might have skipped that appointment! What I didn't understand was that my eyes were better. I could see the board and whatever else was not right in front of me, but because of what I heard I could only see the bad.


At my church, we meet for prayer starting at 4:30 in the morning and go until 7, sometimes 8am! I have been going per my commitment everyday this month, whether it's for 2 hours or 30 minutes. What I am realizing is that I can still feel His presence! Well yesterday morning, something was said that I had a hard time grasping much less swallowing. There was a number, a cap, put on how many to reach and for us to record each one to keep count. The vision I instantly saw was a picture of David sending a scribe to count how many fighting men he had because he was bored. Now while I still don't agree with the number box God was put into, I feel what was being said. In God's Word, we are the ones who go out into the fields because God says the "harvest is ready." Not when we feel like it, not when we get ready or think there is a big need like say, shootings and other violence. No, we are to get out into the fields when it's quiet, when there is no action, when God says to. why? Because He is setting up His righteous army, us, and when we are in place HE will move! He tells us this! His Word says it right in black and white! And why does He share this with worms like us? Because "without vision, the people perish." If we don't know what a leader, boss, pastor.... president is doing, we tend to lose interest and die away. God made this picture crystal clear to me! He is positioning us for something much greater and He is using our circumstances to move us into position! Case in point, Kuczo (Emperor's New Groove) is freaking out about crossing a shabby bridge. He finally gets halfway there and is met by an opponent. He is so busy fighting not to fall and fussing at Patcha (sp) that he doesn't realize he is across the bridge already! His fear and anger were used to move him over to the other side!! (Scoff) How crazy is that?! James does tell us that faith brings about endurance! 


Let's reflect this week on the past circumstances that have led to greater faith which has led to us doing the RADICAL things God would have do if we weren't limited in the first place by shallow faith! Let's pray! God, thank you thank you thank you for loving me past what I can see! And for seeing what I can't and trusting me with Your vision! I just pray you would remind me when I am suffering that it's training for the better things to come! In Jesus name. Amen!

Transparent View!

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. —Psalm 16:11

Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich. —Proverbs 21:17

This has been for me a season of being in need. How did Paul put it in Philippians 4? I am definitely in want. But that is according to my flesh. My flesh says I don't have enough, and I have been listening. My flesh says I need more, and I have been agreeing. 

Have you ever had a day when you got like, teenage dramatic needy? Where you just "had to have something?" It could be a bill paid, some money for food or gas, etc, all you knew was you just had to have it! I have been on that path most of my life now. Even as a surrendered child of God, a lot of my focus was on His hands instead of His face. This wasn't even in my radar to look up, even though I had heard that saying many times before!

There is a story that was told many times over when I was a little girl. The story of the greedy dog and the lake is correct for us so much more today! The story goes, there was a dog that was walking in a small town and he found a bone in his journey home. The dog carried the bone hurriedly to his owner’s house so that he could bury it in the back yard. While on his way home, he had to cross a small pool of water. He slowly crossed so as not to drop his bone in this very small pool of water and while going across, he glanced down only to see there was another dog under the water with what seemed to be an even bigger bone than what he had in his mouth! The dog finally crossed the pool of water and after shaking off the water, he started to head home. Taking only a few steps, he began to think of the other dog and his bone and decided that he wanted that bone too. He turned back and faced the dog in the water, to which he growled and growled, prowled back and forth and finally after seeing that his attempts were not scaring away the other dog, he barked. 

Now those who know that story know that is truly how it ends. For a child, this is a most peculiar way of ending a story because it brings about questions for them. What happened when he barked? Did the other dog drop his bone and run away? Did the dog get the other bone too? I can still here those types of questions being asked. But the truth of the matter is that I didn't understand that story for years! It took quite a while for me to understand that the other dog in the water was the dog's very own reflection in the water! How powerful is that in my adult financial life! If only I would look at what I have (my bone) instead of what I don't, I would be so much better off!

A revelation I had this week and I want to challenge you to meditate on is this, a child who is in need of something first looks at the parents hands to see if they have what it is they need. It is only when they pick the child up or stoop down that the child has a chance to look them in the face to see a loving and understanding face. Let's finish this week and start next week by looking towards the Father's face, shall we? Matthew 6:33 (my life verse) tells us to seek HIM first and all His righteousness, and everything else will be provided. When we seek His Kingdom, we are seeking Him, His will for us and it's only then can we see where His eyes are telling us to go for what He has for us. We are so busy looking at His hands (how He can provide for us or how we NEED Him to provide) that we are forgetting what comes first! Let's put it back into perspective together! Let's pray!

Father, forgive my constant prayers of what do You have for me. I should be asking what I can do for You as well as thanking You for what I already have. I should be focused on Who You are because that is when I can trust what You will do for me! To be honest Lord, that's hard to do! Help me to do that this week. Help me to seek Your Kingdom and all its righteousness and leave the rest, my needs, up to You to take care of! In Jesus name, Amen!

Transparent Slap

"For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
(Esther 4:14 ESV)


Esther chapter four has always, it seems, been quoted when someone is going through a hard time and needs to be reminded that they can do something when they think they cannot. "....And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 ESV) This is the THIRD sentence in this fourteenth verse. The first two somehow seem to get lost in translation, so to speak. " For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish....” (Esther 4:14 ESV) Did you catch it? Did it seem less like a motivational speech to you yet? Here, let's travel back. Esther was raised by her uncle Mordecai after her parents deaths. He was a Jewish leader and well known in the providence they lived in. Anytime there was a need, anytime there was injustice or a time to cry out, the community tore their clothes and put ashes on themselves. It was traditional, which means everyone who lived even as an alien within their community and even the surrounding towns would know that this is what was done when despair took place. Fast forward to verse 4 where Esther was told about her uncle's condition, the state he was in, and pay attention to what she does. "She sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them."  She then sent her eunuch to find out what was wrong. Is it becoming more clear yet? She had been in this community of bourgeois for so long that she had forgotten what it was like to be in need, to be in pain, to cry out. The very things, I am sure, she had done prior to being snatched from her comfort zone and even for possibly days or weeks after being handed the opportunity to be the next queen! She forgot!! She got embarrassed for him because he even went as far as the king's gate wailing in his ol dirty sackcloth with ashes covering him like he had just been mud wrestling without the water! How embarrassing for her, the poor thing!

It was in that instant that she did exactly what a court in line for a high position might do. She tried to cover over the issue with gifts. And when he didn't accept what she gave him, only then did she try to get to the root of the crying. She sent her eunuch to see what was wrong with him. When Mordecai sent the answer to what was wrong along with instructions, she sent back this even more indignant answer, "All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.” (Esther 4:11 ESV) Do you believe that! The man that raised her, the man that had to be there for her through all of her childish antics, teen rebellion, he trained her, he loved her, he clothed and fed her and she tells him she can't because some silly rule not to disturb the king until he calls for you?! The nerve! Or was it the doubt? I just noticed the similarities between her and Vashti right before Vashti was ejected.

Vashti was beautiful and her king wanted to show her off, not good for feminists, to his nobles and other guests. Esther was beautiful and godly and Mordecai wanted her to use the position God put her in to speak to the king. Ever worked somewhere and had a friend come in asking for your discount? Yeah. But Esther had become afraid of the worldly traditions she was taught while the care of Hathach. So much so that she was willing to forget what she knew about God and save herself. What comes next is a slap back into reality that rings in my head differently now.

Mordecai has gotten the message back, the answer he was waiting for back from Esther, except it isn't the answer he was waiting to hear. She tells him she just can't because of an edict that has been in place since before she came, and added that everyone knew this! Mordecai's reply to her was harsh but so graceful that you can't help but to receive it and soak it in, just like God's discipline to those He loves.

"Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14 ESV) His words wreak havoc on her soul and send conviction soaring like a hand sent from Texas to slap sense into someone. Pebble level? He says how dare you think you are above reproach and will saved from this sentence! You can keep quiet if you want to, you can think about it and argue with God if you want to but while you do that He will save us in another way, but you and yours will die. How do you know this isn't the reason He sent you there?" Wow! Now that was just me paraphrasing and picturing his conversation with us now, but it is what was meant. And her response tells me that. she changes her tune and sends word for them to fast and pray for her and if she dies then she dies. But even that drips of the remnants of doubt.

What's my point you ask? Let me simplify. God has given me the Spirit of discernment something fierce! Ever since I could remember, I have been able to "see" what people wanted to be hidden from everyone. Their hurts, their pain, their anger and hatred, the abuse they have endured or inflicted on others. I never really understood it but back then I was used by the liar to expose and make fun of those which I could "see." I wasn't in Christ, I didn't even know who He was other than He was on a cross. Now that I am counted as a friend, He shows me these things for a more powerful purpose! So that I can go into their hurting world and bring them the only Light they need. Sounds good right? The only issue is, I wasn't doing that. I would "see" people's true hurts and just say a comfortable prayer as I walked along, or drove by. That was NOT His purpose for me! I am supposed to reach my hand out, go into their dark corners and speak His love! In the movie based on Esther, One Night With The King, the ending has always been my all time fave because all you see Esther doing is walking into "dark territory" and then collapse. It's as if the fight with doubt had weighed heavy on her and the realization that she had just done the unthinkable overpowered her. Now of course that's not the real story but isn't that how we can feel after battling with our doubt and arguing with God?

My point of all this long winded storyline? I am now seeing that God has so much more for us to do. Yes He wants us going into the world preaching the Gospel. But why do some of us stop there? Why do others stop at saying, "Yes, I will pray for you?" and not just pray WITH them? We are called for such a time as this! Not to talk, not to wish, not to have meetings, but to act. Let's "awake o' sleeper" and walk into the Harvest, not just talk about it! Don't let the message get more harsh than that from God.

Let's pray. Father, I ask forgiveness for not being more direct, more bold, more like the perfect example in Your Son, Jesus. Help me to walk more and talk  less God. send to me the people that You have ordained for me to help and minister to. Thank You that I don't have to ask for strength or wisdom in this aspect Lord, it is already given! Thank You for the passion You place in us Lord, help us to keep that passionate fire for You, Jesus, going strong! In Jesus name, Amen!

Transparent P.U.S.H.

"pray without ceasing," 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Just Do It. Such a simple statement that we all see and picture a bubble like check mark when we see it. But what are we supposed to "Just Do?" When I looked it up on Google, I came up with a couple of different statements. One basically says Nike wanted a good way to say, "Don't talk about it, be about it." The other was that the executives were trying to come up with a catchy slogan and this one was on a post it. I wonder who wrote it and if they got a percentage of the profits from it. Probably not! It reminds me of the time I was in a meeting and my idea was heard and shot down, only to come back up by someone else the next meeting and it was accepted. Talk about needing some time to pray! 

Have you ever been in need of something and it seemed like you were praying for quite some time with no relief in sight? I have. I have been praying for awhile now for a vehicle. Not just any vehicle, but for a specific vehicle. A vehicle from God. You see a few years ago, I surrendered my life to Christ and in doing so, among the promise of eternal life (which in and of itself is alone awesome) God told me He would give me a car. Not lead me to one to buy or provide money for me to rent one or even other's cars to use, all of which He has done while I wait to procure mine from Him..... in other words, pray. I have had a couple of vehicles since that promise, long term rental and a car bought for me. Both are gone, the rental turned in after having an accident and spent much money (not all my money) and the other died (engine problems). I should have taken the Nike stance point and just did it.... pray that is. 

Prayer, I don't think is never meant to be a blah blah blah, Amen type of thing. Although there are certain prayers I have learned and am still learning is that when God promises something to us, He doesn't put a date on it. He just says, "pray without ceasing," and as we are obedient, He will answer. That doesn't mean don't move at all! No, that means to continue with what He has already having you do (Matthew 6:33) and while we are doing that very thing He commanded, pray in the midst of it. I can see that I need a car. God can see that I need a car, yet while I am in need of my own, I am blessed with using my mother's vehicle. It gets frustrating because of the work that is needed to be done and the pit less gas tank her truck seems to have, but nevertheless I am thankful.... and I continue to pray. I pray for her vehicle, that it would continue to hold up, I pray that mine would come soon, I pray for the resources to fix up her car and pour endless amounts of gas in the guzzler called a gas tank, and I pray for mine to hurry up and get here! Then I begin to see that sharing a car with my mother allows me to pray for her as well. I pray when she is in the car, when I can see her mood is not the best or the enemy has been on her back. Mostly I pray when she is sleeping in the car, because that is often, that God would intervene. I'm even sometimes venting about things, including her sometimes in the car. She thinks I'm just not social but it's just I'm being more social with God... especially when she is complaining. But nevertheless, besides my own sanctuary room, the truck is where I most convene with God!

To cease is to put an end to, to stop, to discontinue. Prayer without ceasing is to continue to pray, regardless of how you feel, regardless of how things looks, regardless of what the doctor says, regardless of the utilities being off, the refrigerator being empty, the bills coming in or the spouse or child going out. CONTINUE praying, pray WITHOUT ceasing! When you most feel the pressure, pray. When you feel like things are going your way, pray. It doesn't matter if, like Paul, you are without or have plenty, pray without ceasing! You never know what God will reveal in the pit or on the pedestal!

Father, thank You for being the ear we can cry to! Thank You for being the Provider and Portion we need. Lord while we are in the need, You comfort until You supply. David says in Psalm 65:13 that in the valley we will have plenty and I thank You that it is so true. We know that You hear us because Your Word says You do and we know that those who believe and request in Jesus name receive, so thank You in advance! Give us courage to pray without ceasing while we wait for You to answer those requests. In Jesus name, Amen

Transparent Journey

“Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate to hell is wide and the road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it." Matthew 7:13

This journey called life is full of ups and downs. It can be uplifting and full of awesome markers such as birth, graduations, weddings, celebrations, promotions and just plain laughter. It can also be full of heart breakers such as death, divorce, suspension or termination, back stabbing and the like. Then there seems to be the mediocre. The ups and downs of emotion: joy, happiness, love, laughter, depression, hatred, loneliness, etc. This is the journey we call life and there is no way to jump off the train without getting hurt or dying (attempted or successful suicide) as well as there is no way to bear it all without the Conductor of our lives to reassure us of the bumps and bruises we may get when we are pushed, forced or fall down. 

The verse today speaks so much to me. I picture this very narrow but worn path met with distractions, vines in the way, hanging limbs that look as they may fall at any time and a dusty, sometimes uncomfortable road leading to the Way, the Truth and the Life; Jesus. But in all actuality He is the reason that path is worn. He walked that path centuries ago to pave the way for us, to make it a little bit easier to see this very small, very narrow path. The three years of His ministry was marked with ups (deliverances, miracles, little children, converts) and downs (death, denial, lies, ignorance of his own disciples, abuse, slander and eventually his own brutal death). But the miracle of His story, of his life on Earth is that it didn't stop there! He rose again 3 days later!!! That can be the truth for us as we who continue to walk, stumble and even fall on this very narrow path, we too can take heed and rise as well. The point is not that you have fallen; the point is that God loves you regardless and you can raise back up as Jesus did as a Holy Example!

The opposite of the narrow path is that wide, very traveled path that everyone who does not care to be careful, all those that have traveled the road that is less comfortable and those who don't know there is another road are content to walk on. The road is made in such a way that many can fit on it at a time. It's made to be more comfortable and there is less bumping into folks, less stepping on shoes, less chance to ruffle someone's feathers on the journey. Who wouldn't want this path? I walked this path for 38 years. It was comfortable, it had tents in case I wanted to rest or give up for a while. There were pit stops to sit and drink, mingle and even meet up with desirable people. What it didn't have is Jesus. I could tell there was something missing. Even when I was young. I tried talking to this God I had heard about from different churches but couldn't seem to yell loud enough over the crowds of people walking with me, and I certainly couldn't hear what He was saying to me. That became irritating and I would eventually say, "Oh never mind!" each time I tried to start this conversation. All the while the only thing He was saying was, "I love you, beloved child. Come walk with me." But that wide road looked so much more comfortable than the narrow one He was walking with those few worn, tired looking, sometimes carried people. I didn’t want to leave this road and lose my place on the road to "success" just to go over and see what He was saying to me!

What road are you on? Little do we know, the wide road has its bumps as well. Those bumps are messages sent from the One who longs to walk beside us on the narrow road. It's His way of saying, "Come to me and I will give you rest." We are so busy walking that we don't realize we need rest. We don't realize we are more tired looking than the few on the narrow path. They just don't seem to be having fun and He has to carry them sometimes! We never have to be carried on the wide road, do we? Or maybe it's that we have no one to carry us and so we just keep moving. Aren’t you tired of walking? Don't you desire rest? His arms are waiting. Walk the path of Jesus and get that rest you need! Its okay that you fall, He will catch you. He won't condemn your fall. He will only brush off the dirt and either carries you or set you back on the path, depending on the pain from that fall.

Have you been on the narrow path and gave up because you couldn't "see" God from where you were? There is a popular poem called Footprints that says on the times you only see one set of footprints, those times when you don't feel Him near, it's because He is carrying you. I like to say when I can't feel Him or He seems far away, He is preparing my table in the midst of my enemies! But I forget that and want to look to the right and the left and that's when I lose my footing. Come back to Him. His arms never get tired of being wide open for you. Walk, run, and jog.... come to Him. After all, Jesus walked this road initially and paved the way for us. He made it and He was on earth as flesh just like us, why can't we?

Jesus, thank you for marking this hard to walk road for us. Thank you for not stopping at dying for us but also rising again with all power to then give us that same power in you. This road is hard to stay on. It seems to be filled with distractions to trip us up and knock us down. Those on the wide road have their eyes always on us waiting for us to trip and fall. Give us strength to continue this journey and show them the way to walk it victoriously. In Jesus name, Amen!