Looked Over and Forgotten

Their smiles melted my heart. The warmth of their hands moved my soul.

Our first full day of ministry began with a visit to a sugar cane village. Abject poverty, malnourished children, and of course – because we’re in the Dominican Republic – a baseball field. The eyes of the children opened wide as they saw our bus pull into their village. We all quickly broke out into games, throwing Frisbees and kicking a ball around. The males in our group became horses, carrying one, two, and even three kids on our backs, all the while running around like the kids we once were.

As I sat with a young girl and spoke to her about Christ, I stepped through my evangecube, an educational tool that is used for visually sharing the gospel. I was surprised at how well versed she was with who Jesus is and how He sacrificed Himself for our sins. I then began thinking about why this child of God lives in an environment in which she has to make do without shoes.

In the afternoon, we visited a living facility for the elderly. Whereas the village of children made me take a step back, the living facility wrecked my heart. To say it’s a facility is a misnomer. It’s a one-story building with rooms with beds. It’s a home to a forgotten generation of individuals, each beautiful and longing for validation, wanted to be reminded they are people too and not simply someone else’s burden.

The thoughts were overwhelming. The “Why’s” were without end.

At both places I got lost in my own mind, my thoughts cascading over what it is we need to do to fix the problem. But how do you fix poverty? How do you fix generations of inequity? How do you fix the influence of Satan in the thieves and the policy makers, both whom prey on the weak in their own way?

I don’t have an answer to that. My mind loves if-then process flows that lead to clean and neat solutions. Perhaps that’s why I’m so exhausted after dwelling on a systematic problem for which there may not exist an answer.

What I do know is that for those living in darkness, light is most important. For those living in loneliness, nothing is greater than love.

Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12), and God is love (1 John 4:8). God reminded me today that my mission was not to solve the problems of the boys and girls at La Balsa village. It was not to provide a permanent solution to the women and men at La Esperanza home. My mission, the task to which God appointed me, was to love.

Love in the form of a smile. Love in the form of a hug. Love in the sharing of His good news. Love in the form of piggybacks and high fives and coloring books. Love in the form of serving soda with cookies and pushing a wheelchair and praying over someone.

These people I met today are overlooked and they have been forgotten, but not by God. Rather, it is we who have conveniently tucked them away into the unseen and marginalized them so that our lives may be a little easier.

I believe God has a plan for us all, but I struggle greatly in trying to understand God’s plan for these people; people who love Him and praise His name yet have their days filled with wanting, emptiness, and pain. Although it’s God’s privilege to conceal His plan from us (Proverbs 25:2), I think maybe His plan for them is actually quite simple: to help us grow in our faith.

I came to the Dominican Republic expecting to serve people, but today I found beautiful people ministering to me. People who have little about which to be happy, but still have a joy in their heart; a joy given to them by God.

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” – Matthew 5:5

Something Crazy?

Ever have one of those moments after doing something that leaves you questioning your sanity?

I’ve been on the fence about taking a next step in my faith journey, a step that would mean a significant time and financial commitment. For several months now I’ve been wrestling with the idea, going back and forth as to why I should or shouldn’t do it. Today, it all came to a head. I felt God nudge shove me and say, “Just do it already!” So I did.

This evening, I submitted an application for the TrinityQuest program at Trinity College. My goal is to learn more about God’s Word and, along the way, earn a degree I can use to transition out of corporate life and into a vocation of ministry.

In the application process, I was asked to submit a brief biography explaining how I came to accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and why I want to attend Trinity. 750 words can be considered brief, right?

Below is a copy of the essay I submitted.

Hello. My name is child of the one true King.

Yes, I know that is a blatant rip-off of a Matthew West song, but it also happens to be true.

Over forty years ago, I, as an infant, was baptized by my God-parents and welcomed into the Catholic Church. I was raised in an “attend church every so often” household, one where God was present but not necessarily made a priority.

I attended Catholic school from Kindergarten through high school, doing my Catholic duty along the way. Altar boy, lector, Eucharistic minister, peer minister, Christian leader: I was happy to fill my extra-curricular time with work and activities related to my Catholic upbringing.

As teens tend to do, I drifted away from church in college. The pace and workload of university life, coupled with giving into the indulgences of living in New Orleans – I attended Tulane university – lead me to exclude God from my life. I became a stereotypical Christmas and Easter Catholic, and that is where I stayed for the better part of 15 years.

During that decade and a half, I was married, had two children, eventually failed as a husband, and saw my marriage come to an end. I faced the darkest moments of my life, moments that found me chasing comfort at the bottom of a bottle and in the beds of strangers. Yet although I felt alone, I knew in my heart I was not alone. I knew through it all, God was calling me to course correct. He was calling me back into His love, His grace, and His protection.

One Sunday morning, I felt His voice stronger than ever. “Go to Mass. I need you there.” I randomly and reluctantly attended Mass at the nearest Catholic Church, and on that day I was introduced to the new Youth Minister that had just been hired. She convinced me to step up and volunteer in the youth ministry program, and it was that experience that started me on a path of redemption.

I would meet someone new, a woman who would challenge me to be a better person and a man of God. This woman would end up becoming my wife, and we would struggle at first to celebrate our faith together, she having been raised Baptist and I having been raised Catholic. Through God’s will, we were introduced to Relevant Church in Tampa. I would say through coincidence, but I’ve come to learn that coincidence is just God showing off.

For the two of us, we were not facing a crisis of faith so much as a crisis of church. At Relevant, we found the spiritual home we’d been seeking, and it’s been truly transformational for the both of us. We’ve taken part in growth groups that have allowed us to do life with others in our church community, and to truly grow our understanding of His Word. We’ve volunteered on our First Impressions team, happily greeting on Sunday mornings, and welcoming experienced and first time visitors alike with warm smiles and firm handshakes. And in the spring of 2013, my wife and I renewed our commitment to God by being baptized as adults.

It was during one of our growth groups, at a time when we were studying the book Greater by Pastor Steven Furtick, that I felt God compel me to move. I felt His calling in a way I hadn’t before, and I knew God was telling me to move in a direction of ministry. God blessed me with the talent of writing, and rather than continue to bury that talent out of fear, I’ve chosen to invest that talent in His Word by ministering to others through both my actions and my blog.

I know I still have a long way to go in my faith journey, but it’s a walk I take with a new found yearning to learn more about the loving direction God provides us through Scripture. It is for this reason I would like to attend Trinity College. I want to continue to grow in Christ and move on the path God has called me to take.

I am a child of the one true King, and I want to learn, grow, and Kingdom-build here on earth for His love and His glory.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

 

Build On The Pain

The screams were deafening. The shredding of human tissue insufferable. Body parts washed in lactic acid produced a symphony of sharp, burning pain.

And this was just my biceps.

If there is anything that merits the title of grueling, starting a new exercise regiment at the gym after a few years decade hiatus is one of them. Still, that’s where I find myself this week as my wife and I bit the bullet and signed up for membership at the Health & Wellness Center at Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel.

I know what you’re thinking. A gym at the hospital? I was a bit skeptical at first, too, but the facility is state of the art, and the staff has been nothing short of exceptional. Besides, I’m glad I’m in the same physical structure as an ER just in case I go crazy and push myself too hard.

But the moral of this story is starting over. I will admit it’s been easier, psychologically speaking, mostly because I’m on a bit of a ‘new thing’ high. Lee and I have been waking up early to make 5:30 AM classes (Body Flow kicked my butt, BTW), and we’re motivating each other to start every morning with a fitness routine. But the toll on my body has been tough. Aches, pains, soreness; I know they’re all good and normal for someone like me starting out again, but I look forward to the day months from now when I laugh at myself for having been such a wimp.

It turns out that as I kicked off this workout week, my friend Rick Christensen wrote an excellent blog post titled Spiritual Bench Press. It got me to thinking about my recent faith journey, and how five years ago I was a spiritual couch potato in need of working on my faith. Although I always revert to my caveat, “I didn’t have a crisis of faith so much as a crisis of church,” I was very much failing to act like a Christian.

But just as I hope to do so with my physical fitness, I am able to look back now and see how far I’ve come in my spiritual journey. I can see how much stronger I am as a Christ follower, working out my soul by reading the Word and acting on His behalf. I’m not perfect, far from it. I struggle daily with the pitfalls and temptations of life. But I am very proud to see I’m closer to where I want to be than I was this time five short years ago.

And it’s not a destination you reach. It’s a lifelong journey of lifting the weight of your burdens and placing them at God’s feet. It’s a perennial run away from the enemy and towards the light He had provided for us. It’s feeding on the nutrition found in the Bible, the words of life that nourish us from day to day.

The best part is there’s no soreness to deal with or fatigue after a good spiritual workout (i.e. doing good for others). Instead, it’s a feeling of reward that can only be described as exhilarating.

I may never reach my goal weight. My BMI may remain plotted on the ‘unhealthy’ side of the chart. I may forever struggle to do curls with 20 lb dumbbells (seriously …. my upper body strength is so lame), but as long as I keep my spiritual wellness at the top of my priority list, I know I’ll be fine. Besides, God doesn’t care if His soldiers are a little soft around the edges.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” –Hebrews 12:1

It’s Good to be Boring

I had a medical procedure done this morning, one that left me in bit of an anesthesia hangover for the better part of the day. Routine and painless, it was over in 15 minutes. The worst part, however, was the anxiety leading up to today.

I will say everything came back negative, meaning we were able to rule out the ‘something else’ concern that prompted me to go see the doctor in the first place, so yay God for that. And yay God for the opportunity to have the procedure done at a facility close to home, with really friendly staff. And yay God for my medical insurance and my flexible spending account. I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult life is for those who are sick and lacking the means for treatment.

Which gets me to the point of my blog. As I was going through the check-in process, a nurse asked me a series of questions from a checklist. Asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes? No, no, no. Heart condition, shortness of breath, history of cancer? No, no, nope. This went on across two pages. The only interesting fact I provided was a case of MRSA back in 2002.

In looking at the check-in forms, there was nothing but a series of check boxes all marked in the negative. No, zero, zilch.

How boring, I thought. How wonderful, I quickly realized.

In addition to the blessing of resources God has provided to allow me to ensure my health, He’s also given me the amazing gift of having lived a relatively healthy life. Sure, I’ve had issues on and off with my stomach, had a nerve problem in my shoulder last summer, a migraine here and there; but for the most part, my life has been A-OK.

By comparison, my friend Courtney wrote an amazing piece for Huff Post about a young woman’s struggle with mast cell disease. The subject of the article, Brynn Duncan, lives a life in and out of hospitals. She’s constantly at a doctor’s office. A day of pleasure and comfort is the exception to rules of her life. Brynn’s medical records must read like an encyclopedia. Volume and volume of hospital admissions, tests, screenings, etc. Her every day can be a struggle, and my heart breaks for her and others like her who are battling and surviving with all that they do.

I think about my nearly-blank admission check-list and thank God there’s nothing interesting to find on it. I thank God for the blessing that is a boring medical history. May it stay boring for many years to come.

“Lord, your discipline is good, for it leads to life and health. 

You restore my health and allow me to live!” -Isaish 38:16 (NLT)

TOMA

Quick. Name five brands of soft drink. Name five car manufacturers. What are your favorite movie theaters? What chain restaurants do you prefer to frequent?

In marketing, top of mind awareness (TOMA) can be a powerful thing. If you consistently present your product as the one to have, chances are that presence will translate into increased sales over time. This is specifically true when it comes to impulse purchases. How many times have you been in line at the grocery store and the thought crosses your mind: “I need gum”? Do you have a brand you always go to? Do you reach for the Dentyne because it “helps keep your teeth clean“? Are you a Jimmy buffet fan and always go for the Juicy Fruit?

 

 

So much of what we do is determined on that on which we’re focused, and top of mind awareness contributes to that focus. As a dad, my kids occupy a lot of my TOMA. As a husband, I try to make it a point to not make decisions in a vacuum. My partnership with my wife occupies a lot of my TOMA.

As a Christ follower, it’s personally disheartening that I so often allow God to drop on the list of things about which I am focused. Work, kids, weekend plans, household chores, sports schedules, what I’m going to have for dinner: sometimes the awareness of my mind is anywhere but on God. It’s as if I sometimes have Christian amnesia. I can be totally focused and honed in on my relationship with God when I am in church, but at 1:00 on Thursday when I get cut off in traffic on my way back from lunch, I am standing on my horn and yelling obscenities to a complete stranger. It’s not so much hypocrisy as it is a lack of focus – a lack of self discipline – on keeping God at the forefront of my life.

In Spanish, the word ‘tomar’ means take. When you instruct someone to take something, the conjugation becomes toma. “Toma esto = Take this.”

As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it, for this is my body.” – Mark 14:22 NLT

Jesus told us He is with us always. God sent us the Holy Spirit to be with us always. God’s grace and mercy is ours for the having, so long as we’re willing to receive it. So long as we’re able to focus on Him.

Whatever the circumstance, whatever the time, whatever the situation, the best thing we can do is keep God at the top of our awareness. When we start with Him, we can live in the confidence that is God’s love.

The Principal and the Preacher

A week ago I attended the graduation of my wife’s nephew. Headland High School (Alabama) honored the graduating class of 2014, and it was an excellent ceremony.

There were speeches by the salutatorian and both co-valedictorians. All were filled with hopeful, encouraging words as well as their fair share of Bible verses. It was very refreshing to see all three young men so well rooted in their faith, and not at all embarrassed to proclaim to their classmates their love for Christ. As a Christian, it was inspiring.

The assistant principal of the school also addressed the body of graduates. His address, by comparison, left me scratching my head for a couple of reasons. I’ll start with the secular one.

The AP mentioned to the graduates, “Some of you are leaders and some of you are followers.” He proceeded to spell out the qualities of leaders and followers, and their respective roles in our society. What bothered me about his message is that, in my opinion, it further promoted a problem that is rampant in our nation as a whole. Class-ism.

We live and operate in an environment in which the gap between the haves and the have-nots is ever increasing. The phrase ‘class warfare’ is thrown around flippantly and over used, but there is truth to the concept. You against him. Us versus them. It’s a zero-sum game and you better get yours. That is the sad environment so many of us experience on a daily basis, and it’s not the message we should be communicating to our graduates given they’re the ones best positioned to fix the problem. The reality is we all possess leadership qualities. We all possess the ability – and need – to be followers as well. Times and circumstances dictate when we flex our active muscles versus those when we’re better suited being a bit passive.

What needed to be communicated to the hundred plus young adults receiving their diploma last week is they all have the ability to succeed and excel. They are all capable of reaching their proverbial mountain top. Sometimes it will require them to lead the way. Other times it will mean following someone else’s example. Most importantly, if they approached it from a perspective of collaboration – working together as peers, as a community, as brothers and sisters – instead of a point of view based on competition, the end result could indeed be world changing.

But that’s not what left me wincing in discomfort.

I mentioned earlier how proud I was to hear the young graduates fold a message of faith into their respective speeches. By comparison, I recoiled when I heard the assistant principal reference God in his. He mentioned how the graduates were called to live good Christian lives (I’m paraphrasing), and he threw in a couple of Bible verses himself.

I graduated from a Catholic high school, so seeing faculty reference scripture in an address to students was my norm. But to see a staff member of a public high school, an employee of the county, intertwine his personal religious beliefs into a school function – in a venue called The Civic Center, no less – was appalling.

Now, I understand the address was made in the heart of the Bible belt. I understand why the parents and other relatives in the audience applauded the speech. Personally, I thought the message itself was inspiring. Nevertheless, it was still grossly inappropriate, and here’s why. At the risk of being overly-hyperbolic, I would say torches and pitchforks would have been wielded had the assistant principal of Headland High School began his speech with the words, “As it says in the Qur’an…” Imagine if halfway through his address, he would have exclaimed, “Praise Allah!”

….or Buddha

….or Para-Brahman

….or Jobu

My point is, there’s no room for an individual’s religious beliefs when he or she is acting as an agent or representative of the government. The Establishment Clause in the First Amendment not only provides us all freedom of religion, but it also guarantees us as individuals freedom from religion in the context of government representatives. This point has been argued ad nauseam, most recently in relation to Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney.

I am not sure many Christians, myself included, would be very comfortable if the assistant principle of our kids’ school referenced a deity other than our own. We owe the same courtesy and respect to all audiences of public events.

We all have vastly differing faiths and beliefs, but in the end, we are one society.

That Was Easy

I had a conversation with my boss today. It revolved around impending budget cuts and how we need to ensure we’re showing, with quantifiable metrics, the value we provide to our organization. I’m in project management, so outside of metrics like completion dates or project budget, a lot of the value I provide is in making the jobs of others involved a little bit easier. I take ownership of administriva tasks. This document needs to be completed. That form needs to be submitted. Etcetera, etcetera.

As much as I can’t stand the over-use/misuse of the word in today’s workplace lexicon, my role is really one of collaboration. I team and partner with my peers to ensure projects are successfully implemented. I work with developers, program managers, architects, system administrators. In many ways, I am the common thread in the mosaic of what can be a cumbersome process.

Like most other corporate IT settings, our environment is fast-paced. We’re often acting on the knee-jerk reactions of upper management. We’re often asked to do more with less. We’re given new responsibilities and no additional resources. Executives call for new strategic initiatives, all the while forgetting we’re still struggling to implement the new initiatives they gave us last year. In the end, I can’t point to a number to show the value I provide. I can’t compare one project to the next in terms of, “Well, I had 47% less emails for this effort than the other one.” I guess there is some objective measure that can be used, but nothing that currently exists today.

The measure I use – informally – are the email and instant messages I receive from my peers. The notes of, “Thank you” or “I appreciate you taking care of this item for me” or “Your team makes it so much easier for us.” Responses like these make my workdays tolerable, and to a certain extent provide the only real satisfaction I get from what it is I do for a living.

In my faith journey, I’ve always struggled with the concept of ministry in the workplace. How can I be a reflection of Christ’s love at work? With as much stress and nonsense that we have to deal with – not to mention some of the most utterly clueless individuals I’ve ever known – I think it comes down to a quote one of my peers uses in his email footer: Be kinder than necessary.

If left to my own devices, I could be the king of sarcasm and the sultan of snark. I’ve read way too many flaming emails, and I’m guilty of having composed a few of my own. Yet nothing is really accomplished by putting someone down or ripping them a new one (especially when done with an audience (think Reply All)). Instead, I try to be the guy that asks for assistance and not mandates deliverables. I try to thank people individually for their contributions. I like being light-hearted and jovial on conference calls given I feel people are more effective at work when they have a smile on their face.

Be kinder than necessary. It really is that easy.

 

 

 

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As an aside, I struggled to confirm the exact source of the quote, “Be kinder than necessary.” In researching the quote, I came across this explanation by blogger David Perkins. It’s seems to make the most sense given the many differing attributions found when doing a Google search on the quote. In a little twist of fate, I stumbled across the website be-kinder.com when looking for an image to use for my post. What did I find there? Only a picture of my boss’s, boss’s, boss’s, boss’s, boss’s, boss holding bumper sticker that reads Be Kinder Than Necessary. Oh the irony.

 

 

 

Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam

It’s How You Choose To Look At Your Life

I saw a meme recently. It said something to the effect of, “Nothing makes you clean your house like a friend calling and saying he’ll be over in 10 minutes.” Lee and I are hosting our growth group on Wednesday night, and we’ve been in full cleaning mode since the workday ended.

Normally, this would be a gripe session about an aching back, tired muscles, and dry, cracked hands. But before I started cleaning, I took my wife’s advice by grabbing my mp3 player and listening to a sermon from Elevation Church. Now, I know it may sound strange to fill my time by listening to someone preach, but if you’ve never heard Steven Furtick preach, you’re missing out. This sermon, however, was delivered by Steven’s wife Holly, and it helped me remember to keep things in perspective.

Instead of being pissed about how dirty the grout gets, I should be thankful for the tile floors that decorate the house. Instead of getting furious at the cats that shed all over the place and leave nice, regurgitated ‘presents’ on my lanai, I should be thankful for the companionship they provide and the calm, soothing effect they have on my wife (she’ll be the first to tell you there is no better therapist than those with claws). Instead of fretting about having the house look perfect, I should be focused on the opportunity to invite my friends over and share in continued fellowship with them.

My favorite band Sister Hazel has a song called Change Your Mind. Before he performs it, lead singer Ken Block reminds the crowd that, “It’s not your life. It’s how you choose to look at your life.” All you have to do is change your mind.

So when you’re feeling stressed, change your mind. When you think you can’t, change your mind. When you feel alone, remember that He is always there for you. You just need to change the way you’re looking at your situation.

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” –Philippians 4:8 

Lucky 13

Thirteen years ago today, my son Daniel came into this world. It’s been an interesting journey, watching him grow from being a little boy into the young man he is today. Although he is my second child, there is something wholly unique about having a son (in much the same way the relationship I share with my daughter is wholly unique).

With Danny, I see so much I want for him in terms of providing the right guidance in his life. With all apologies for the stereotypes, there’s a sense of recklessness towards which the male species tends to gravitate, and when I look at my son, one of my first thoughts is to ensure his is a restrained recklessness. My other thought is to ensure that his dependence is not on me or his mother, but rather on God.

I used to fill my thoughts with regards to my son with things like where will he go to college or what type of person will he marry or will he be successful in his career. I used to fall back on the cliché of, “as long as he’s healthy and happy.” That is still true for the most part. Bet when it comes to my kids, so long as they are right with God, everything else will fall into place.

Specific to my son, I understand it’s my responsibility to lead by example. If I want my son to be a man of God, then I need to be one first and foremost. I’ve written before about my faith journey and how much I’ve grown spiritually in the last five years. I am confident that I am setting a good example for Daniel, and I pray that he views me as a role model when it comes to having a relationship in and with Christ.

Thirteen is a milestone for kids. I don’t know if it’s as big for girls as it is for boys – I think girls have their eyes set on fifteen or sixteen, depending on the culture in which they’re raised – but I remember turning thirteen as being a big deal for me. Teenager. No longer a ‘little kid’. Rather an adolescent on the path to manhood. Being thirteen was a fun age for me, and I pray it’s equally filled with excellent memories for my son.

The number 13 gets a bad rap in terms of luck and superstition. I’m sure that won’t be the case for my little young man.

Happy birthday, Danny.

 

 

 

As Luck Would Have It

There are few things in life about which I consider myself an expert. In fact, when I think about it, I can’t think of one thing I feel comfortable applying the label of expert for myself.

This leads me to the thought of being the best or greatest at something. I’m a good dad, but hardly the best dad ever. I like to think I’m a talented writer, but by no means am I a great writer. Wherever I am in life, I know there is so much further I need to go – light years if you will –  before I attain greatness or being the best.

I can, however, sit here and proclaim I am the luckiest man in the world. In a world of pain and suffering, I feel I’ve avoided that in most of my 41 years on earth. Where I’ve had friends pass on from Cancer, I’ve never faced a diagnosis of terminal illness. Where I’ve had friends bury their children, I have two beautiful and healthy kids. Where I see pain and suffering in the lives of others, I acknowledge that God has spared me so much of that.

Luckiest man in the world.

That being said, I know I still – hopefully – have a lot of life yet to live. And I know that my luck is not indefinite. I know bad things may/can/will happen in the future.

I’m reminded of the time my brother went through an arduous eighteen month period. It was a time in which he lost his job, saw both his in-laws pass away, one very unexpectedly, and had his son born ten weeks premature. It was a whirlwind inside a vortex trapped in a hurricane. Yet through it all, his faith never wavered. He never lashed out at God, and he continued to lay it all at God’s feet. I was amazed at the spiritual composure by brother displayed. Years later, in one of the first fellowship groups in which I’d participate through my church, I’d tell that story about my brother and say, “I wish I had that kind of faith.”

Be mindful of what you wish for.

Now, I’m not saying I have rock-solid faith. I fail every day as a Christ follower, and I live with doubts and questions and a desire for better understanding of God’s plan for me. Still, I’ve grown so much in the last five years, and I can say I see now how it is my brother was able to trust God in his time of turmoil. I haven’t had that turmoil in my life. Yet if and when something horrible should happen, I know I am prepared to face it. That’s not to say it won’t be painful or devastating. But it is a season through which we must endure to get to where He wants us to be.

The truth is, we’re all incredibly lucky. Lucky we have a God who loves us unconditionally. Lucky that through his grace and forgiveness, we’re restored after we’ve wandered away from Him. Lucky that regardless of the storms that come and go in our lives, His radiance shines eternal.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  –Matthew 11:28-30