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What’s the rush?

Do you ever feel rushed? Whether it’s by deadlines at work or the demands of life? It could be pressure you feel from family or friends, or your desire to please them. Maybe it’s your own doing where you put demands on yourself and make yourself anxious in the process. I believe the temptation is great to always feel busier than you actually are and more rushed than you should be. I see it everyday while driving (and I have to admit I sometimes fall into this trap while driving as well).

May you be encouraged by this brief word today: SLOW DOWN!

God never intended for us to be rushed, being rushed is really being anxious and often there is an absence of peace when we feel this way. We need to cast our cares upon the Lord, we need to slow down and breathe. Set all of life’s demands in the Lord’s hands and receive his peace. Trust God and rest in his love for you and his care for your life and your needs. Receive his peace in Jesus name! Let me say it again, “Peace be with you!”

Rest, relax, trust God and be filled with his peace and joy! You will not only be a happier person to be around, you yourself will be happier!

Blessings,

John

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What do you do when you don’t know what to do?

What do you do when you don’t know what to do?

HAHA That is a funny question! And yet at the same time it is a very serious and real question for all of us at different times in our lives. So what do YOU do?

I know I’ve done many different things but the most rewarding thing I’ve done is this:

Turn to God! Now this looks very different at different times and seasons in my life. There are times I am broken before God with tears but without words. There are other times I am simply still, I get alone in his presence and just “Be” (kind of like king David in Psalm 46:10), “Be still and know that I am God.” And at other times when I don’t know what to do I just start thanking and praising God for who he is and what he’s already done. I thank him and praise him for his goodness and faithfulness to me and for how I know that he knows what I’m suppose to do.

See, he has the answer and when we learn to draw near to him in our uncertainty he often reveals to us the direction in which we should go. As we acknowledge him he will give us his peace and he will lead us by that peace as well. So, when you don’t know what to do turn to the one who knows all, receive his comfort and peace and allow him to lead you so you can confidently make those needed decisions with peace and assurance. (For more on this read 2 Chronicles 20, Proverbs 3:5-6, Isaiah 30:21, Jeremiah 29:11-13, Philippians 4:6-7, Colossians 3:15)

Blessings my friend,

John

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Trusting God’s Timing

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7

You don’t have to make it happen, God will just make it happen! 

Yes we are called to be faithful, obedient, good stewards and excellent in all that we do, but we are not called to force things, promote ourselves or worry. We are called to humbly serve and watch God promote us, take care of us and lift us up at the appointed time.

It’s easy to get caught up in wanting things to happen overnight, we live in a culture that is saturated with selfishness and a feeling of entitlement that says, “I should get what I want and I should’ve had it yesterday!” Resist this narcissistic influence of our culture and boldly humble yourself before your God. He will lift you up, he will exalt you in due time and it will be worth the wait, because it’s in the waiting that he is developing you and preparing you to have greater influence both far and wide!

Be encouraged and keep serving the Lord with joy and humility, it’s all going to be worth it my friends! Give him your worry and concern about your bills, needs, health, relationships, dreams and destiny. He loves you and he is working on your behalf even when you can’t see it.

Be encouraged!

-John

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3 Keys To Growth

I think we all want to grow whether it’s to become better spouses, better parents or greater leaders and influencers in the world around us. Some of us really want to grow in our faith while others are struggling financially and need to see a growth in their income. Wherever you may be today you are reading this because you want to grow and I have written this to help you do just that! Here are 3 keys to help you see the growth you want to see in your life:

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Breakthrough is Coming!

A little over a year ago we were visiting Florida looking into the position at Heritage and vacationing with my parents in Orlando and Sebastian. While we were all in their pool Josiah slipped off the bottom step in the pool and went under! We didn’t see it and it was so silent that we didn’t hear it either. We were all talking in the pool when my mom pointed in terror towards his direction and screamed. I turned and froze, for a moment it was as if I was paralyzed in fear and disbelief. I saw my son underwater motionless!

I broke free and ran to him immediately picking him up, I was so relieved to hear him cough and never so happy to hear him cry. It scared us all that in just 20-30 seconds something so scary could happen and someone so special to us could have been gone! Well, ever since this event Josiah has been terrified of water (and I can understand why).

Shortly after this happened we took him to swim lessons and let’s just say those lessons took a year off my life (not really but I think you get my drift). He screamed and cried everyday for the entire 30 minutes of the lesson – it was exhausting! Time to time Emily and I would try to encourage him to practice with us or move past his fear and try to swim over this past year but with no success. He would only go waist deep into the ocean and cling to us or the walls of the pool.

Well, this week we tried again (this time without us being around). We put both Josiah and Micah in swim lessons dropping them off in the water with their instructors. As we walked out of sight we continued to hear Josiah scream and cry. We could hear and see him but he couldn’t hear or see us. We heard him cry for 30 minutes straight but then something amazing happened…he stopped!

We listened and heard nothing we looked and we saw something simply beautiful, Josiah was learning how to swim in his instructors arms smiling and laughing! I was almost in disbelief! Yes, I had been praying for a long time that God would break the spirit of fear over my son. Yes, I was believing he would learn how to swim and have fun doing it! But it happened at an unexpected moment and brought my wife and I so much joy, comfort and peace! Josiah had a blast all week and was sad for his swim lessons to end. This my friends was a BREAKTHROUGH!

I say all that to say this: Keep praying, keep persisting and keep believing! Your breakthrough is closer than you think and may just happen at a moment you don’t expect!

Blessings,

John

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” Isaiah 60:1