Life Happens!
No one is exempt from life’s challenges. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogantwhen I saw the prosperity of the wicked.(Psalm 73:2-3) Life happens. Really? Life happens? What does that really mean? Life. Happens. Over the years I have witnessed one crisis after another. With crisis comes devastation. Losses of every kind. Brutality. Hatred. Illnesses. Financial turmoil. Marriages that fail. Shootings. Riots. Pain. And, war. Life happens in every nook and cranny of our existence. No one is exempt from life’s challenges. Many ask: Does God care? Is he aware of the horrific happenings in our lives? Does he not hear our cries for help? Will God not provide comfort? Solutions? Help? Grace? We find it tougher to hang on by the second. The strength it takes to grip our rope of hope is beginning to take its toll. The fatigue feels overwhelming. Weariness has set in for the time being. Emptiness has taken its place in the mind. Loneliness is burdensome. Eyes fill with tears. Anger takes the stage. Guilt pulls into the station. Our souls long for calm in our turbulent storms. Conflicts beat their continual rhythm of frustration. Exhaustion sets in as thinking about adversity become increasingly annoying. Is there any hope for the restless mind that’s constantly on a journey of painful memories, sleepless nights, and fear of what will happen next? GRACE, where are you? Please take your place so the soul can rest, memories will not be so daunting, days are not so long, nights can be met with quality sleep, and fears can dissipate into oblivion. Where is that place to rest? When will we be able to catch a breath and catch up with every emotion journeying through our minds? Is there a sanctuary where we can go to be free to express our hurts? Do we have that one friend who will listen – who can be trusted and who is faithful? Asaph was a music director in the big choir of Israel. He was opining over his life (Psalm 73:1-28). He compared the ways of those who lived godlessly with the way he had been living his life. He wondered if he may have lived his life in vain. He said that the wicked are carefree and live a trouble-free life; yet, his life was banged around with trouble and strife. Asaph didn’t stay in his pity party for long. His connection with God helped him grasp the difficulties of life. Asaph’s sanctuary moment with God reminded him that in life, good and bad happens even to the ones who live honorably. He also remembered that while wicked people may possess an abundance of stuff, apparently live carefree lives, and outwardly seem they have it all together, they will face a day of reckoning. God will hold them accountable for living up to his standard. Life really does happen to all of us. It isn’t always good. Bad things happen to people whose lives are honorable in every way. God, however, is always there for us. Jesus promised us that we can come to him anytime we need him and he will provide exactly what we need. Decisions to adjust one’s life based on bad stuff that has happened or is happening can cost one a great deal. The cost may be a job. Marriage. Financial hardship. Friends. And, a plethora of other things. However, when one sets out on a course to change one’s life for the betterment of him/herself, then it is imperative that one is willing to accept the challenges from those who disagree. The key is to allow God to lead and be willing to be patient. Life happens. It isn’t always good. Life happens. It isn’t always bad. Life happens, and it zaps one’s energy. Life happens, and it fills one with joy. Life happens, and it is totally devastating. Life happens and brings unforgettably good experiences. No matter what is happening in life, God is always on the scene. God is always aware. God is always working out the details to get us where we need to be. God is always providing resources. God is always leading us to be renewed, refreshed and revived. Seeing God in the intricacies of life will enable each of us to be better, feel better, and live better. Life happens, but God is always God! My flesh and my heart may fail,but God is the strength of my heartand my portion forever.(Psalm 73:26). About the author: Brian is preaching minister at Central Church in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. He is passionate about preaching the grace of God, the Lordship of Jesus and the indwelling Spirit. Most of all, he believes in preaching Jesus and blogging about practical things that will help believers remain under God’s guidance.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 33:4-5
The word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. —Psalm 33:4-5 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God is faithful. We can trust God to keep his promises, and his purposes for us are always for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28-29). How do we know? The sunrise each morning is a reminder that the Father of heaven and earth is at work keeping his universe in working order through Jesus (Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3). Since it is true in nature, it can be true in the spiritual realm as well. Greet each sunrise as a reminder of God’s faithfulness and that Jesus, who came to earth as Immanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23; John 1:1-18), is holding us, our hopes, our futures, and our world together. My Prayer… O Magnificent and Majestic Creator, I greet today as your gift and a reminder of your faithfulness. Each day the sun rises, I anticipate the day you honor your promise to send your Son back to bring us home to you in the dawning of glory. Please give me a keen sense of your faithful presence today as I await this great day expectantly. I pray this through him, Jesus, the one in whom all your promises find their fulfillment, and every amen is spoken (2 Corinthians 1:20-22). All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Little Things, Big Differences
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, During My ministry on earth, I talked about how important a person’s heart is (Mark 7:1-23 is just one example.). The Jewish religious leaders had made all sorts of rules to be sure the people of God kept themselves ritually clean. Matthew and Mark placed My words about the importance of the heart right before the events you read about today. This sequence can help you see a key point I made with My life. While My earthly ministry was focused primarily on Jews, “the lost sheep of Israel” (Matthew 15:24), I reached out to all kinds of people who were normally considered “unclean” by many of My fellow Jews. Tyre and Sidon were places where old enemies of the Jewish people lived. My very presence there, especially with My ministry to these non-Jews, was very shocking. Then I traveled back to Decapolis or “the area of the Ten Cities,” another largely non-Jewish area on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. I blessed, taught, and healed in this region just as I did in Tyre and Sidon. The focus of My work was once again on people’s hearts. Were they open and receptive? Were they seeking after God? Did they long for grace? My focus was not on race, nationality, or ethnicity. I was willing to help, bless, and be with people many of My fellow Jews considered “unclean”! This background is very important for you to know when you read the following story of the woman from Syrophoenicia. My words are a little distorted by your translations because you can’t hear the subtle nuance of one letter. The little “i” in Greek makes a big difference and turns the word for a dog (kunaron) into the word for a puppy (kunarion) and changes My words from an ugly ethnic slur into an invitation for faith. So often people of different races use slurs to dismiss the value of another person. I used a play on words similar to a racial slur to invite the woman from Syrophoenicia to display both her wit and her faith. She was desperate and wanted help. She came expecting to be called a strange and mangy dog — the way many Jews would have referred to her and she would have referred to them. However, I took the term and softened it to mean puppy or lap dog — something that was often considered a part of the family. She instantly seized on this play on words. Instead of taking offense, she responded showing her heart: “O yes, Jesus, you are right. But in a family, the little puppies eat the crumbs that fall from the table!” She wasn’t just prostrating herself before Me; she came with her heart bowed down to receive My grace and help for her daughter! She got it! I wasn’t pushing her away, but inviting her in close if her faith could see through the fog of racial and cultural separation and suspicion. Thankfully, she did! She displayed incredible faith because she was determined to have My powerful grace change her daughter’s condition. After My resurrection, I sent My disciples to share My message and My grace with every nation of the world and every ethnic group on the planet. But even during My earthly ministry that was primarily for the people of Israel, you can find many non-Jews brought to My table of grace and mercy. All of these people, Jews and non-Jews, had to do something if they were going to follow Me. They had to repent — change their hearts, minds, and behavior about how to live, and believe that I came from the Father to bring them life. So let Me ask you this important question as you read My story today: What would keep you from following Me? A supposed racial slur? A hard command? The challenge to change your cultural views? An unwillingness to leave your racial prejudice behind? As hard as My call to give up yourself and follow Me may seem, realize underneath it lays My great tenderness and love for you. I want you to be like the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman: “whole and healthy”! Verses to Live While each person must surrender his or her heart to Me in faith, I want you to notice two things in the following two events Mark tells in the verses below. First, someone who loves a person in need tries to get that person to Me. Faith becomes the key to unlocking God’s grace in the life of that other person! The woman in this story comes at a great social risk and gets My help for her daughter. In the second event, a group of friends brought a person with deep needs to Me and begged Me to help. Without their urgency and their voice, the man with deep needs would not have had his hurts disclosed and his needs made known. What a wonderful example of a mother with courage and faith! What great friends of determination and faith! Second, notice that the Father’s love, the love that My actions demonstrate, is shared freely with all — man and woman, young and old, Jew and Gentile, regardless of region, culture, or nationality. My love is available for all, but there will be times when you will need to help someone who feels helpless and alone to find her or his way to Me! From there [by the Sea of Galilee] Jesus and His followers traveled to the region of Tyre and Sidon on the Mediterranean coast. He hoped to slip unnoticed into a house, but people discovered His presence. Shortly after He arrived, a woman whose daughter was filled with an unclean spirit heard that He was there, so she came directly to Him and prostrated herself at His feet. The woman was not a Jew, but a Syrophoenician (a Greek) by birth. All the same, she came to Jesus and
05 Feb 2026
Walking with God should cause us to live as children of the light which consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth. Our lives should please the Lord. Again, the Holy Spirit will help us avoid the fruitless deeds Paul alludes to in verse 11 and 12 of Ephesians 5:8-14 and Galatians 5:19-21. May we reflect godliness and His Spirit minister to us and others around us.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 18:1-2
I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. —Psalm 18:1-2 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We sing it, and we say it in our public prayers: “Father, God, we love you.” But notice the beginning phrase of our verse very carefully. “I love you, O LORD…” Even in public, community worship, we are taught the importance of a personal expression of love to God. When is the last time you told the Creator of the universe, “I love you! I love you, O Lord my strength.” My Prayer… Father in heaven, I love you. I love you because you are more than worthy of my love. I love you because you have first loved me. I love you because you sent your son to be my big brother and friend,* who paid the price for my adoption into your family. I love you because of your faithfulness. I love you because you have permitted me in your grace to love you. In the name of Jesus, my brother and friend, I love you and thank you, and cannot wait to see you face-to-face and tell you, with all of my heart, “I love you!” Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Don’t Make Holy Days Harmful!
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, Having lived among you, I know the challenges and temptations of human flesh (Hebrews 4:15). Something that troubles Me, however, is how the devil can get good, decent, God-loving people so worked up over religious rules that they actually turn the Father’s gift of rest into an excuse to beat people up with religious traditions. Your desire to honor Us — Father, Son, and Spirit — is praiseworthy. However, if you distort that desire to honor Us so that you can make yourself look more holy, your desire can become despicably hurtful. Too much of My earthly ministry was spent dealing with critics who did not think I honored the Sabbath. They wasted precious time debating Me and trying to trap Me — time that could have been used blessing people whose needs were largely forgotten and neglected by them and their religious leaders. Sadly, this kind of thing is sometimes true in your own day. Please don’t turn holy days and special buildings into an excuse for neglecting people and bringing harm to those I have made in My image. Verses to Live The Father gave you the concept of Sabbath to bless you, to bless those who work for you, to bless those who work with you, and to bless your neighbors. He wanted to bless you with a respite from your normal activities and commitments. He wanted you to be nourished by time with family and friends who share your faith. He wanted this to be a time for you to be restored by sacred grace — for you to have true shalom. To distort this Sabbath principle into a legalistic set of rules that prevent helping your brother and sister in need or that place unreasonable burdens or restrictions on them actually brings harm and does evil. So take warning from the two events from My life in the verses below. Notice especially My questions in bold below. The answer to those questions is obvious from what I did for the man with the deformed hand! One Sabbath Day, some Pharisees confronted Jesus again. This time, they saw the disciples picking some grain as they walked through the fields. The disciples would de-husk the grain by rubbing the kernels in their hands, and then they would eat it raw. Pharisees: Don’t You know the sacred law says You can’t harvest and mill grain on the Sabbath Day — the day on which all work is forbidden? Why do You think You can ignore the sacred law? Jesus: Speaking of the sacred law, haven’t you ever read about the time when David and his companions were hungry? Don’t you remember how he went into the house of God and took the sacred bread of the presence — which, you may recall, only the priests were lawfully permitted to eat? Remember that he not only ate it, but he also gave it to his companions? Likewise, the Son of Man has authority over the Sabbath. On another Sabbath, Jesus entered the synagogue and taught there. In the congregation was a man who had a deformed right hand. The religious scholars and Pharisees watched Jesus; they suspected that He might try to perform a healing on that day, which they would use as evidence to convict Him of Sabbath-breaking. Jesus knew about their plan, and He told the man with the deformed hand to come and stand in front of everyone. The man did so. Then Jesus spoke directly to the religious scholars and Pharisees. Jesus: Here’s a question for you: On the Sabbath Day, is it lawful to do good or to do harm? Is it lawful to save life or to destroy it? He turned His gaze to each of them, one at a time. Then He spoke to the man. Jesus: Stretch your hand out. As the man did, his deformed hand was made normal again. This made the Pharisees and religious scholars furious. They began discussing together what they would do to Jesus. (Luke 6:1-11) Response in Prayer O Father, help me honor You and the gift of sabbath rest that You have given to me. Help me to do good, not harm, on all days — especially on days that I set aside as holy days given especially to family, faith, and fellowship with those who love You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2026, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
04 Feb 2026
Walking with the Holy Spirit entails daily surrender. Constantly depending on Him for help and direction. He determines the standards by which we live and empowers us. The desire to live for God continuously will put the desire to sin in check. The Holy Spirit also ministers to us and communicates what God is saying. Galatians 5:24-26.
The ARC of Grace
What does grace really look like in real life? Isolated. Alone. Forbidden. Labeled. Diseased. Terminal. Forsaken. Forgotten. Desperate. For a variety of skin conditions thought to possibly be leprosy, the Torah had clear instructions. These instructions were for the safety of the many – especially the community and the family. For the one with this disease, life was nearly unbearable if a cure wasn’t quickly found and restoration to normal life wasn’t quickly accomplished. Living outside the city gates, wearing clothing (rags of desperation) showing they were diseased and outcast, crying out their warning to others who came nearby, life was barely human (Leviticus 13:1-46). This, then, is the background of our story told by Mark: Jesus: It’s time we went somewhere else – the next village, maybe – so I can tell more people the good news about the kingdom of God. After all, that’s the reason I’m here. So He traveled to the next village and the one after that, throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and casting out unclean spirits. A leper walked right up to Jesus, dropped to his knees, and begged Him for help. Leper: If You want to, You can make me clean. Jesus was powerfully moved. He reached out and actually touched the leper. Jesus: I do want to. Be clean. And at that very moment, the disease left him; the leper was cleansed and made whole once again. Jesus sent him away, but first He warned him strongly. Jesus: Don’t tell anybody how this happened. Just go and show yourself to the priest so that he can certify you’re clean. Perform the ceremony prescribed by Moses as proof of your cleansing, and then you may return home. (Mark 1:37-44 The Voice) Grace is what happens in this story. Grace is what Jesus gives this man. Grace! We talk about it freely. We depend upon it completely. We love to believe we’ve received it. And, I fear much like Jesus’ brother Jude warned (Jude 1:4), we have abused and distorted it frequently. So I wonder, have we taught much about how Jesus shared grace frequently and calls on us to do the same? Over the last few years as I have immersed myself in the story of Jesus in the gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – I’ve noticed a pattern repeating itself in the interactions of Jesus with people he helps. I like to call this the ARC of grace: Acceptance Relationship Community Jesus has a mission to accomplish and he has set out on this mission (Mark 1:35-39). Yet this man with leprosy approaches Jesus as he walks along the road – something the man is forbidden by the Torah to do. What does Jesus do? What does grace look like in this situation? The ARC of grace begins with acceptance. Jesus sees the man, hears his cry, knows from his garments what his desperate condition is and Jesus accepts the man right where he is and as he is. Jesus had every right – maybe even a social obligation – to keep on moving past the man and stick with his mission agenda. Yet the Lord paused and fully accepted the man into his presence and heard his request. Notice that Jesus directly responds to the man’s request: “If you want to, you can make me clean.” “I do want to…” (Mark 1:40-41). Jesus didn’t give the man platitudes. The Lord didn’t avoid the conversation. The Teacher didn’t give him a lesson on the requirements of the Torah. The Son of Man didn’t throw him some money and keep moving on his way, keeping a safe distance. Jesus listened to the man’s request and validated that request with the words and actions of his response. Jesus gave this man afflicted with leprosy grace – the grace of acceptance. Yet the ARC of grace doesn’t end with verbal, social, and physical acceptance. Gracious acceptance leads to relationship – personal relationship. Before Jesus heals the man with his verbal command, Jesus does the most humanizing thing possible in this moment. “Jesus was powerfully moved. He reached out and actually touched the leper” (Mark 1:41). Jesus shares this man’s uncleanness and enters into a deep, personal, relationship of grace. While it is hard for us to imagine the depth of this move from Jesus, I have seen it demonstrated. More than twenty years ago, when AIDS was deeply feared, drugs were just being tried to combat HIV, and the few hospitals that really treated AIDS patients kept them in dedicated wards for AIDS patients. Visitors were few and fear was high. There was a young man in his twenties in the last stages of the disease. The young man had long before expressed deep regret for his IV drug use that led to his infection and turned his life around. He had been reading the Bible again and taking communion each week with one of the men at church who had said this young man desperately needed a visit from church leaders. This young man had lesions all over his frail stick of a body. His breathing, even in the oxygen tent, was heavily labored. Human touch was forbidden. I went there with an elder in my church who was immunosuppressed and should have been the last person to do what he did. Yet as we offered this young man communion and prayer, this elder unzipped the tent, gave this young man the Body and Blood of Jesus, called him brother, placed his hands on this young man’s chest and prayed over him to know that his church family and his Father in heaven loved him. Tears flowed. Grace made sure relationship was experienced. The words of the prayer were powerful, but the young man said that what meant most was that this was the first skin to skin contact he had received from anyone but a nurse in months. This young man lived less than two more
Whom Shall I Fear?
What are you so worried about? David begins Psalm 27 with these words: “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?” Those words are worth repeating: “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?” Maybe we should read them again, this time out loud! “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?” David had his enemies. He had his foes. He had those who would betray and forsake him. He had those who wanted to do him harm. Yet he could say, “Whom shall I fear? Of whom shall I be afraid?” We have our enemies. We have our foes. We have those who have betrayed us, forsaken us, or who are about to. We have those who would do us harm. So we ask, “Whom shall I fear? Of whom shall I be afraid?” David’s response would be, “No one! If the Lord is your light and your salvation and the Lord is the stronghold of your life, then you have nothing to fear. No matter whom the enemy is, no matter what foe you come against, you have no reason to be afraid.” So, why do I fear? Why do I allow myself to get worked-up and whacked-out and worn-down? If “the Lord is my light and my salvation” and if “the Lord is the stronghold of my life,” then what is keeping me from living courageously and confidently and fearlessly? I forget. I forget the promise! “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?” I forget that no foe has a chance against my Lord. I forget that there is no enemy who can come close to overcoming the stronghold of the Lord. I forget that God is strong enough, powerful enough, wise enough, loving enough, resourceful enough, and is determined to protect me from anything or anyone that may try to harm me. When life gets dark, I forget that He is my light. When I am in the midst of battle, I forget that He is my salvation. When I feel weak and weary and worn-down, I forget that He is my stronghold. I forget, so I must learn to remind myself that “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?” When others are afraid, or discouraged, or weary, or near defeat, I must remember to remind them, “The Lord is your light and your salvation – whom shall you fear? The Lord is the stronghold of your life – of whom shall you be afraid?” So, just in case that description fits you, I remind you, “The Lord is your light and your salvation – whom shall you fear? The Lord is the stronghold of your life – of whom shall you be afraid?” Through His servant, David, God is speaking to us. “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?” If I try not to forget that this week, and if I try to remind others this week, and if you will do the same, by the end of the week, maybe we will be able to say what David said at the end of the Psalm, “I am confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” We have our message. Now, let’s live it. For a powerful promise of God related to this theme and displayed graphically, check out the following Heartlight Scripture graphic:http://www.heartlight.org/powerpoint/2205.html About the author: Tom Norvell is the author of “A Norvell Note” — Thoughts and reflections on God, life, people, and living as a follower of Jesus. He has ministered with followers of Jesus for four decades and loves Jesus, his family, and those seeking Jesus, passionately.
Facing Evaluations
How can I survive this with my fear of layoffs? It takes a lot of courage, to put things in God’s hands,To give ourselves completely, our lives, our hopes, our plans.To follow where God leads us and make His will our own.But all it takes is foolishness, to go the way alone! (Betsey Kline, “Trusting God”) Many of you have been or will be evaluated by someone. You feel anxious. You work to prepare a report that accurately reflects what you do. On the day of the meeting you pay more attention to the way you dress in order to look professional. You may even practice saying several of your statements out loud. For most, your fears were greatly exaggerated. The evaluation went well. For a few, your fears were accurate and there are disappointments to be faced and dealt with. Being evaluated can be a genuinely frightening experience. I know because I am evaluated regularly. My supervisor is kind and gracious but she has high expectations for me and the churches I serve. But truthfully, the real evaluation doesn’t come at work. The real evaluation comes within our relationship and our service to God. All of us answer to God. How are we doing? Paul wrote a letter to a young minister named Timothy and in the midst of the letter provided evaluation standards to be measured by: If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters, Timothy, you will be a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed. Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers. Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them (1 Timothy 4:6-13 nlt). Paul gives Timothy nine standards worthy of evaluation: Explain these things to the brothers and sisters. Be a worthy servant of Christ who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed. Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas. Train yourself to be godly. Work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God. Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. Don’t let anyone think less of you. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. Focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them. I don’t know about you but measured by those standards, I definitely come up short. Here is the lesson though. Paul did not write to point out our shortcomings. Paul illustrated the standards we are to strive for and to point out, we are not alone in our journey. God is with us in the midst successes, failures, good evaluations and not so good evaluations. A few years ago, I copied the following poem: It takes a lot of courage, to put things in God’s hands,To give ourselves completely, our lives, our hopes, our plans.To follow where God leads us and make His will our own.But all it takes is foolishness, to go the way alone! You already demonstrate great courage by putting your life in God’s hands. In so many ways, you give yourself completely: your life, your hopes, your plans. Good evaluation or bad, you are called to follow where God leads and make His will your own. Finally … You are not foolish because you are never, ever alone. There are many who love you, pray for you and support you. There are others who are greatly impacted by your life and ministry. There are more in the future who will be impacted by you. Finally, God called you, continues to strengthen and encourage you, and always walks with you. To give ourselves completely, our lives, our hopes, our plans. To follow where God leads us and make His will our own. But all it takes is foolishness, to go the way alone! After writing this, I confess to still feeling anxious about evaluations. After knowing God’s standards, feeling God’s grace and receiving God’s promise to always be walking beside me, I am no longer afraid. About the author: Larry Davies is a used-car salesman turned preacher. He serves at Timberlake UMC, and is the author of several books and the online devotional site Sowing Seeds of Faith.