On Monday evening Tami and I were able to attend the Texas Rangers game against the Houston Astros. Earlier in the day I was not really excited about going to the game because I had been out for some work event every night for the previous week. I remember telling Tami that I just wanted to go home and curl up in my recliner and do nothing. Our six-year-old nephew, Jackson, and his dad were going to the game with us, though, so I knew once we got ourselves going it would be a fun evening. Jackson loves baseball and I could see the excitement in his eyes as we were getting ready to leave.
The Rangers played an amazing game and ended up winning 12-0 with Derek Holland pitching a complete game shut-out. As fun as it was to see that part of the game, the real highlight came from the Rangers’ Alex Rios. He plays right field for the Rangers, and last night he did something that only two other players have done this year in baseball. There have been 2,340 games played this year, and only three players have accomplished this great feat. Alex Rios hit for the cycle, which means that he hit a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game. So if I had backed out of going to the game that day I would have missed out on seeing something that very rarely happens in baseball.
That got me thinking about going to church. There are mornings that people wake up and they are tired because of a long week and they know how hectic the coming week is going to be. It’s not that they don’t want to be in church, but they are fighting fatigue and the busyness of life. Let me encourage you today by the lesson I learned while sitting at the baseball game. Once I got there I had a great time and enjoyed every minute of it. I was able to see a little boy who had the greatest night because he watched the Rangers win. In fact, not only did they win, but they won big. I had the opportunity for some quality friendship time, which always brings a smile to my face, and last of all I saw a feat that I’ve never seen in person at a baseball game before.
Remember these things the next time you are struggling with going to church because of everything happening in life. You are going to worship the God who loves you and has a plan for your life. You are going to be with people who love you and want to encourage you in your spiritual journey. You are going to hear the Word preached in a way that will challenge and inspire you to keep pressing on. And you will see God do things in the lives of people that only He can do.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Looking for Love
The Bible teaches us in I John 4:8 that we are to show love to those we come into contact with on a daily basis. In fact, it says that if we don’t show love, then we can’t know who God is because God is love. I’m blessed in my life because I see that verse displayed on a daily basis. I never cease to be amazed by the outpouring of love I see from people around me through actions, words, emails, and many other ways. They serve as a constant reminder of how I am to respond to others because Christ is my Savior.
We have three dogs, and each of these dogs has its own way of showing that it loves you. Duke will just come and lay on my lap when I’m sitting down and relaxing at the end of the day. He is content to just lay there because he wants to be with me. Lilly is the one you find ready to play if you show any inkling that you want some activity. She will chase down anything you throw, get in the pool, or just follow you wherever you go inside the house. Tula is the funny one because she gets in bed and wants to have contact while sleeping. I’m not into that contact stuff because it gets too hot, but if you move to get her off of you she will readjust to get close to you again. I’m really blessed because she likes that contact with Tami much more than with me! All three of these dogs love us and are so excited just to have us around. It doesn’t matter if we’ve had a rough day, if we forgot to put food in their bowls before going to work, or even if we scolded them for doing something they shouldn’t have done. The moment we call them or show an interest in them, they are right there by our sides because they want us to love on them.
That’s how we as the church are to react to each other and to the world. We should ask ourselves: What can I do today to show God’s love? That’s what we’re commanded to do as a part of His family. Who are the people that I can offer to help, send an encouraging word, or maybe forgive because they’ve hurt me? This is not the easy way; if we did it the easy way, we would walk away from relationships or look for ways to hurt those who have hurt us. Let’s not follow the way we’d do it, but let’s follow the pattern set by Christ.
We have three dogs, and each of these dogs has its own way of showing that it loves you. Duke will just come and lay on my lap when I’m sitting down and relaxing at the end of the day. He is content to just lay there because he wants to be with me. Lilly is the one you find ready to play if you show any inkling that you want some activity. She will chase down anything you throw, get in the pool, or just follow you wherever you go inside the house. Tula is the funny one because she gets in bed and wants to have contact while sleeping. I’m not into that contact stuff because it gets too hot, but if you move to get her off of you she will readjust to get close to you again. I’m really blessed because she likes that contact with Tami much more than with me! All three of these dogs love us and are so excited just to have us around. It doesn’t matter if we’ve had a rough day, if we forgot to put food in their bowls before going to work, or even if we scolded them for doing something they shouldn’t have done. The moment we call them or show an interest in them, they are right there by our sides because they want us to love on them.
That’s how we as the church are to react to each other and to the world. We should ask ourselves: What can I do today to show God’s love? That’s what we’re commanded to do as a part of His family. Who are the people that I can offer to help, send an encouraging word, or maybe forgive because they’ve hurt me? This is not the easy way; if we did it the easy way, we would walk away from relationships or look for ways to hurt those who have hurt us. Let’s not follow the way we’d do it, but let’s follow the pattern set by Christ.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
How Could I Not Remember?
Last month, Tami and I went to spend a few days with family in Arizona. One afternoon, while we were outside in the pool enjoying the 108-degree day, I was eating a snack and felt a part of a tooth chip off. I was surprised and started getting depressed thinking that this must be what happens as a person gets older. You’re having a good time laughing and eating a snack one minute, then a part of your tooth chips off the next. I told Tami what had happened and started worrying about eating. The good news is that I didn’t stop eating but enjoyed every meal and snack I ate while gone, but I knew that I needed to get to the dentist as soon as we returned home to get the problem fixed.
Last week I went to the dentist to go through the normal cleaning and find out about my chipped tooth. As the dental hygienist was putting on my bib, one of the more humiliating things about going to the dentist, I explained to her about my tooth that had a chip in it. She began looking at my records and noticed that I’d had a problem back in 2008 with the same thing happening. I was shocked because I didn’t remember that event, but she assured me it was right there in my records. In fact, she said it was tooth number 24, and when she asked me to point to the tooth, sure enough—it was the same tooth. She told me that it had been chipped and they filled it so this was nothing new. I sat in that chair during the rest of my appointment trying to remember the day I had a chip on that tooth repaired at the dentist office, and here I sit a week later with no recollection of that event ever happening in my life.
Thinking about that incident it felt like the Holy Spirit was trying to teach me a lesson about God’s forgiveness. So often we can get caught in the trap of letting past failures or sins hinder us from moving on with God. We become fearful that God will bring up the sin again as a reminder that He has something on us if we don’t walk the line. Yet, the Bible promises us that when God forgives us of our sins and failures, they are totally gone from His memory. I don’t know about you, but that’s hard for me to imagine because I remember a lot of my sins and failures. Then the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and assured me that just as I couldn’t remember ever chipping and having that tooth filled five years ago, God doesn’t remember any past sins or failures even from yesterday if I live under the forgiving power of Jesus Christ. We are reassured of this by the promise that, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).
Don’t allow your past to dictate what God wants to do with your life in the future. Just as I couldn’t remember a chipped tooth, we all need to remember that when God forgives, He forgets.
Last week I went to the dentist to go through the normal cleaning and find out about my chipped tooth. As the dental hygienist was putting on my bib, one of the more humiliating things about going to the dentist, I explained to her about my tooth that had a chip in it. She began looking at my records and noticed that I’d had a problem back in 2008 with the same thing happening. I was shocked because I didn’t remember that event, but she assured me it was right there in my records. In fact, she said it was tooth number 24, and when she asked me to point to the tooth, sure enough—it was the same tooth. She told me that it had been chipped and they filled it so this was nothing new. I sat in that chair during the rest of my appointment trying to remember the day I had a chip on that tooth repaired at the dentist office, and here I sit a week later with no recollection of that event ever happening in my life.
Thinking about that incident it felt like the Holy Spirit was trying to teach me a lesson about God’s forgiveness. So often we can get caught in the trap of letting past failures or sins hinder us from moving on with God. We become fearful that God will bring up the sin again as a reminder that He has something on us if we don’t walk the line. Yet, the Bible promises us that when God forgives us of our sins and failures, they are totally gone from His memory. I don’t know about you, but that’s hard for me to imagine because I remember a lot of my sins and failures. Then the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and assured me that just as I couldn’t remember ever chipping and having that tooth filled five years ago, God doesn’t remember any past sins or failures even from yesterday if I live under the forgiving power of Jesus Christ. We are reassured of this by the promise that, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).
Don’t allow your past to dictate what God wants to do with your life in the future. Just as I couldn’t remember a chipped tooth, we all need to remember that when God forgives, He forgets.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
I've Got a Strong Right Arm!
As you know I try to work out at least three days a week to keep myself in decent shape. Mondays are my least favorite day to work out because I have my kick boxing class these days, which is the class where I’m pushed the hardest to perform. Not that I don’t enjoy kick boxing, but it hurts my shin every time I kick the bag… (I’m a wimp!). So I went to class on Monday and found myself feeling a little relieved when we had a fill-in instructor. I knew the class would push me but it wouldn’t be like most Mondays where I count the minutes to completion. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy the normal instructor, but I was ready for an easier workout because it had been such a busy day.
The class began and it was your typical warm up. Running, frog jumps, push-ups, burpees (no, it has nothing to do with belching…lol), lunges, and the list goes on. After the warm up we have 30 minutes of boxing and kick boxing routines. Things were progressing normally with the class doing the routines when I noticed that the instructor had put on boxing mitts and was going around having everyone in the class hit the mitts for a period of time. This is probably my favorite part of boxing class! I was at the end so it would be a long time before he got to me, but it gave me something to look forward to. When he finally arrived to me I remember setting up and telling myself to hit them hard. One of the sounds I love to hear is the pop of the mitt when you hit it square and hard! As I was hitting, the pops were getting louder, and it made me want to hit them even harder. When he was doing my 10 second count down I increased my drive with every punch. When I finished he complimented me and said I had a really strong right hand. I felt so good to hear those words of encouragement and warn you readers to watch my right! (Ha ha.) As class was wrapping up he made his way over to me and again complimented me and said that it felt like I was going to break his hand. I just laughed and thanked him for the compliment and walked out feeling like Mohammad Ali. I know I would be taken apart if I ever got into the boxing ring with a real boxer, but that instructor created an excitement in me that has me counting down the minutes until my next workout.
I love how Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote words that excited and encouraged the church. He offered them words that created excitement in going out into the world and making a difference in the life of someone. He also encouraged them to encourage each other. Who is that person that you can encourage in life today? What simple words will give someone the drive to say, “I’m ready to face today’s challenges because someone spoke words of life into me.” Never forget Paul’s encouraging words to the church found in I Thessalonians 5: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
The class began and it was your typical warm up. Running, frog jumps, push-ups, burpees (no, it has nothing to do with belching…lol), lunges, and the list goes on. After the warm up we have 30 minutes of boxing and kick boxing routines. Things were progressing normally with the class doing the routines when I noticed that the instructor had put on boxing mitts and was going around having everyone in the class hit the mitts for a period of time. This is probably my favorite part of boxing class! I was at the end so it would be a long time before he got to me, but it gave me something to look forward to. When he finally arrived to me I remember setting up and telling myself to hit them hard. One of the sounds I love to hear is the pop of the mitt when you hit it square and hard! As I was hitting, the pops were getting louder, and it made me want to hit them even harder. When he was doing my 10 second count down I increased my drive with every punch. When I finished he complimented me and said I had a really strong right hand. I felt so good to hear those words of encouragement and warn you readers to watch my right! (Ha ha.) As class was wrapping up he made his way over to me and again complimented me and said that it felt like I was going to break his hand. I just laughed and thanked him for the compliment and walked out feeling like Mohammad Ali. I know I would be taken apart if I ever got into the boxing ring with a real boxer, but that instructor created an excitement in me that has me counting down the minutes until my next workout.
I love how Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote words that excited and encouraged the church. He offered them words that created excitement in going out into the world and making a difference in the life of someone. He also encouraged them to encourage each other. Who is that person that you can encourage in life today? What simple words will give someone the drive to say, “I’m ready to face today’s challenges because someone spoke words of life into me.” Never forget Paul’s encouraging words to the church found in I Thessalonians 5: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Don't Just Look Outside
Tami and I decided that we needed a short vacation after she finished a long business trip, and if there’s one thing you can guarantee, it’s that the Bullards always have stories when vacation ends. Well, this vacation does not disappoint. On our way to our final destination, Phoenix, we decided to take a quick side trip to a place we’d never been before. We both enjoy sightseeing and discovering new areas that could lead to a longer stay in the future.
Having never been to this area, I went to the best place I know of to book a hotel room: the internet. In doing my search I ended up choosing a hotel that has a very recognizable name but is not your mega expensive hotel. It had a three-star rating and I figured that we’d only be in the room to sleep and change clothes between activities, so that would be plenty nice. Upon arriving at the hotel I can say that I was pleased with the outside appearance and even walking into the lobby I felt like I had made the right choice. Unfortunately, that’s as far as the feeling of satisfaction was going to go. When we got on the elevator, I became concerned because I could tell the staff had not spent a lot of time keeping it clean. Then walking down the hall I could see wrappers, trash, and a carpet that looked like it hadn’t been vacuumed in days. With my anxiety quickly rising I reached our room and things were not looking any better. I opened the door and my heart sank. I turned to Tami and told her that I’d messed up. Our room was a mess. Carpet with crumbs all over it, disgusting stains, dirty sheets on the bed, walls that looked like they hosted in-room dodge ball tournaments, and to cap it all off we tried to look out the window but it was so dirty that it apparently hadn’t been washed in years. I’ve been in a lot of rooms in my day, including several in third world countries, and this was by far the worst room I had ever entered. I quickly called the front desk to inform them that we could not stay at this hotel. I’ll have to continue my story next week, but let me share with you lessons learned up to this point.
Just because the hotel carried a name that was very recognizable didn’t mean that the hotel was going to be clean. Similarly, just because I was raised in a family that has the reputation of following after Christ doesn’t mean that my life is in order with Christ. The hotel management was responsible for holding the hotel to a high standard just like it’s my decision to live my life in a way that is pleasing to Christ. I can’t be afraid to make the changes to keep my life fresh and on the path God has designed for me. Left unattended, my life will eventually become a spiritual mess. Just as I made the choice not to stay one minute longer in that hotel than I had to, I can also make the choice that I won’t allow my life to go down paths that would hinder my walk with Christ.
What did we do next??? When I called the front desk, I was told our room was guaranteed and no refunds could be given even though we were unhappy with the cleanliness and upkeep of the room. I thought it best to go to the source I used to book the room, so I called and was thrilled to discover that I would have a 45-minute wait for a representative. After a few minutes Tami and I decided that I would keep the call going while we went to a nearby restaurant for dinner. On the elevator ride down I lost the call….ugh! When I called back the wait time had increased to 55 minutes. No big deal, we’d put the phone on speaker and just wait for someone to come on. Finally we heard a voice and I was able to voice my complaint and ask how I could get out of the hotel. I was informed that only the hotel could release me from the room so I’d have to talk to them. After a few minutes of debating I knew I was getting nowhere, so I called the hotel back and asked to speak with a manager. This game of phone ping pong went on for the next two hours and I was still no closer to getting a refund than I was when I began calling. We did check out and moved to another hotel, sure that the money was lost.
The next morning, I again called the third party and I got hold of someone who actually knew what they were doing. They went through my file and were frustrated to find no notes of my previous calls even though it showed I’d called. They assured me that I was not required to stay in a hotel that was unclean. It took about an hour, but in the end I was assured that I would receive a full refund by the end of the day. So, after about 4 ½ hours of being on the phone it looked like things were going to work out. And sure enough, later that afternoon I received an email verifying that the full refund was being returned to our account.
So, what did this experience teach me? First, let Tami book the rooms…lol (just kidding). I believe I had done my research and even the reviews painted the hotel out to be a nice place, so I don’t think I could have done anything different there. What I did learn is that when something is wrong I need to stay calm so that Tami feels assured that everything is going to be fine. I learned that nothing that happens is worth losing my joy and testimony. This was the first night of our vacation, and I determined that whatever happened was not going to ruin my vacation. I believe I treated every person I spoke with respectfully, and even though I disagreed with things they were saying, I discussed those issues in a calm, business-like way. Sitting on the phone was very frustrating and it would have been easy to take it out on the person who answered my call, but that would only make me look like a jerk and cause them to not want to be as helpful. Last of all, stay the course and don’t give up. A couple of times I felt like saying, “Forget it, let’s just lose the money because this is such a hassle,” but I didn’t because I knew we were right. I stayed the course and finally got hold of the right person who knew exactly what needed to be done. Tell me this isn’t the life we live daily in a world of sin. The good news is that Christ has come to set us free from the bondage of having to respond like the world, and we can respond in a new way that brings peace to us and lets our light shine to those we meet. Keep trusting the Lord no matter the circumstances and watch how he will use those circumstances to create growth in your life and impact others for His glory at the same time.
Having never been to this area, I went to the best place I know of to book a hotel room: the internet. In doing my search I ended up choosing a hotel that has a very recognizable name but is not your mega expensive hotel. It had a three-star rating and I figured that we’d only be in the room to sleep and change clothes between activities, so that would be plenty nice. Upon arriving at the hotel I can say that I was pleased with the outside appearance and even walking into the lobby I felt like I had made the right choice. Unfortunately, that’s as far as the feeling of satisfaction was going to go. When we got on the elevator, I became concerned because I could tell the staff had not spent a lot of time keeping it clean. Then walking down the hall I could see wrappers, trash, and a carpet that looked like it hadn’t been vacuumed in days. With my anxiety quickly rising I reached our room and things were not looking any better. I opened the door and my heart sank. I turned to Tami and told her that I’d messed up. Our room was a mess. Carpet with crumbs all over it, disgusting stains, dirty sheets on the bed, walls that looked like they hosted in-room dodge ball tournaments, and to cap it all off we tried to look out the window but it was so dirty that it apparently hadn’t been washed in years. I’ve been in a lot of rooms in my day, including several in third world countries, and this was by far the worst room I had ever entered. I quickly called the front desk to inform them that we could not stay at this hotel. I’ll have to continue my story next week, but let me share with you lessons learned up to this point.
Just because the hotel carried a name that was very recognizable didn’t mean that the hotel was going to be clean. Similarly, just because I was raised in a family that has the reputation of following after Christ doesn’t mean that my life is in order with Christ. The hotel management was responsible for holding the hotel to a high standard just like it’s my decision to live my life in a way that is pleasing to Christ. I can’t be afraid to make the changes to keep my life fresh and on the path God has designed for me. Left unattended, my life will eventually become a spiritual mess. Just as I made the choice not to stay one minute longer in that hotel than I had to, I can also make the choice that I won’t allow my life to go down paths that would hinder my walk with Christ.
What did we do next??? When I called the front desk, I was told our room was guaranteed and no refunds could be given even though we were unhappy with the cleanliness and upkeep of the room. I thought it best to go to the source I used to book the room, so I called and was thrilled to discover that I would have a 45-minute wait for a representative. After a few minutes Tami and I decided that I would keep the call going while we went to a nearby restaurant for dinner. On the elevator ride down I lost the call….ugh! When I called back the wait time had increased to 55 minutes. No big deal, we’d put the phone on speaker and just wait for someone to come on. Finally we heard a voice and I was able to voice my complaint and ask how I could get out of the hotel. I was informed that only the hotel could release me from the room so I’d have to talk to them. After a few minutes of debating I knew I was getting nowhere, so I called the hotel back and asked to speak with a manager. This game of phone ping pong went on for the next two hours and I was still no closer to getting a refund than I was when I began calling. We did check out and moved to another hotel, sure that the money was lost.
The next morning, I again called the third party and I got hold of someone who actually knew what they were doing. They went through my file and were frustrated to find no notes of my previous calls even though it showed I’d called. They assured me that I was not required to stay in a hotel that was unclean. It took about an hour, but in the end I was assured that I would receive a full refund by the end of the day. So, after about 4 ½ hours of being on the phone it looked like things were going to work out. And sure enough, later that afternoon I received an email verifying that the full refund was being returned to our account.
So, what did this experience teach me? First, let Tami book the rooms…lol (just kidding). I believe I had done my research and even the reviews painted the hotel out to be a nice place, so I don’t think I could have done anything different there. What I did learn is that when something is wrong I need to stay calm so that Tami feels assured that everything is going to be fine. I learned that nothing that happens is worth losing my joy and testimony. This was the first night of our vacation, and I determined that whatever happened was not going to ruin my vacation. I believe I treated every person I spoke with respectfully, and even though I disagreed with things they were saying, I discussed those issues in a calm, business-like way. Sitting on the phone was very frustrating and it would have been easy to take it out on the person who answered my call, but that would only make me look like a jerk and cause them to not want to be as helpful. Last of all, stay the course and don’t give up. A couple of times I felt like saying, “Forget it, let’s just lose the money because this is such a hassle,” but I didn’t because I knew we were right. I stayed the course and finally got hold of the right person who knew exactly what needed to be done. Tell me this isn’t the life we live daily in a world of sin. The good news is that Christ has come to set us free from the bondage of having to respond like the world, and we can respond in a new way that brings peace to us and lets our light shine to those we meet. Keep trusting the Lord no matter the circumstances and watch how he will use those circumstances to create growth in your life and impact others for His glory at the same time.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Don't Just Build Sand Castles
In I Thessalonians 5:11 the Bible says, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” As we find our summer coming to an end I’m getting really excited about the things that God has in store for ALC in the months to come. As we move forward, I challenge you to remember that we are instructed to encourage and build each other up. One of my favorite places to go, in case you didn’t know, is the beach. I love listening to the water, watching people, and just relaxing. When people-watching you will always find a few who are building things out of the sand. I’ve seen sand castles, forts, a person…whatever you imagine. If a person is talented enough, then it can be built. Just as you have those who love to create works of art in the sand, you have that person that’s sitting on the sidelines just waiting for the right moment to plow through and destroy what’s been created. I’ve seen children in tears because a brother (more often than not) destroyed the masterpiece that was just created.
Paul teaches the church the importance of encouraging one another in our journey with Christ. I can’t tell you how many times I have had somebody offer an encouraging word or a testimony of what God is doing and it builds my faith and encourages me to want to do more for Christ. I want to encourage you to share what God is teaching you with others and offer them words of encouragement. If someone has done something to bless you, then encourage them to keep doing what they are doing. If you know of someone that is going through a tough time, we need to build them up and encourage them so they will know that they are not on this journey alone. Too often, our human nature wants us to look for the bad in others or in circumstances, like the one who wants to destroy that sand castle. Don’t be that type of person but instead let everything you do fulfill what Paul was teaching.
Paul teaches the church the importance of encouraging one another in our journey with Christ. I can’t tell you how many times I have had somebody offer an encouraging word or a testimony of what God is doing and it builds my faith and encourages me to want to do more for Christ. I want to encourage you to share what God is teaching you with others and offer them words of encouragement. If someone has done something to bless you, then encourage them to keep doing what they are doing. If you know of someone that is going through a tough time, we need to build them up and encourage them so they will know that they are not on this journey alone. Too often, our human nature wants us to look for the bad in others or in circumstances, like the one who wants to destroy that sand castle. Don’t be that type of person but instead let everything you do fulfill what Paul was teaching.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Maintaining the Lawn
When Tami and I returned from our trip to South Bend a little over a week ago we were greeted by two days of rain here in the Dallas area. It’s such a rare thing to find it raining in Texas during the summer months. I was thankful for the rain, but the problem I faced was a lawn that hadn’t been cut in over a week. It rained Sunday, Monday, and even on and off on Tuesday. My schedule didn’t allow me the opportunity to get out on Wednesday or Thursday to mow, so when Friday came I knew I had no choice. The good news is the lawn looks great—because of the heat and rain it is in the best shape I’ve seen this far into summer. The bad news is the lawn looks great—because of perfect growing conditions it is exploding with healthy growth. A project that normally would take less than an hour turned into a three-hour project because the grass had grown so much.
Have you ever realized the importance of the daily maintenance of your spiritual life? While it may not seem like a lot because you’re only spending a few minutes in the Bible, or just a short time in prayer, those moments are required to keep your spiritual life vibrant and alive. What I’ve discovered is the world is constantly telling me to live a life that doesn’t line up with the values I desire for my life. I hear every possible reason why I should be able to do whatever I want as long as I’m not hurting anyone else, but that just doesn’t work if I’m going to be complete in Christ. My life, left unattended, will see out of control growth that requires a lot of hard work to get back in balance. I’m thankful today because my yard is back in balance and looking good. I’m also thankful that because of the time I spent in prayer and Bible study my spiritual life is in balance with God’s plan for me. That doesn’t mean an unwanted weed will never pop up or some other issue will never appear, but they are easily removed or corrected because the rest of my life is in order.
We are all in this together and I encourage you to take the time to allow your life to be cultivated daily by the Holy Spirit. Not only will you be blessed but so will everyone who comes across your path.
Have you ever realized the importance of the daily maintenance of your spiritual life? While it may not seem like a lot because you’re only spending a few minutes in the Bible, or just a short time in prayer, those moments are required to keep your spiritual life vibrant and alive. What I’ve discovered is the world is constantly telling me to live a life that doesn’t line up with the values I desire for my life. I hear every possible reason why I should be able to do whatever I want as long as I’m not hurting anyone else, but that just doesn’t work if I’m going to be complete in Christ. My life, left unattended, will see out of control growth that requires a lot of hard work to get back in balance. I’m thankful today because my yard is back in balance and looking good. I’m also thankful that because of the time I spent in prayer and Bible study my spiritual life is in balance with God’s plan for me. That doesn’t mean an unwanted weed will never pop up or some other issue will never appear, but they are easily removed or corrected because the rest of my life is in order.
We are all in this together and I encourage you to take the time to allow your life to be cultivated daily by the Holy Spirit. Not only will you be blessed but so will everyone who comes across your path.
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