Live and love well out of the love we receive from Christ.
I noticed this cottonwood tree at Zion National Park earlier this summer. When I looked closer, there was no soil under the tree itself! It had been washed away by seasonal floods, but the tree’s stout roots grew deep into the ground to support it.
Continue reading “Rooted in Jesus {The Source of Our Strengths}”
Have you ever noticed that fear comes alive in the middle of the night? When I wake up at 2 a.m. my thoughts more easily spin out of control and my fears become bigger and more believable. It’s a struggle to get back to sleep.
Recently I did a marathon of errands. I usually have a list of errands to do in a trip, so I can be more efficient. As I drove down the road and stopped into Target, a variety of thankfulnesses came to mind: “Thank You for the errands I can get done. Thank You I can walk. Thank You for money to buy groceries. Thank You for clean water.” These are all little, everyday things in my life. But they would not be so little if I didn’t have them! With this burst of thankfulness came a burst of energy. My day is full of good gifts! 
{Home is the starting place for lived-out-love, a place where the needs of the whole person are cared for. This post explores spiritual care.}
Jesus is our Shepherd, and we are his sheep. Thinking of our relationships this way sets the tone for spiritual care and relationships within our home. Seeing ourselves as “fellow sheep” would be helpful for any people living together under the same roof! Knowing Jesus as the Shepherd puts our relationships into perspective. When we have a growing relationship with Jesus and trust him to work in others’ lives, it is humbling, hope-giving, and freeing for our relationships with one another.
God is the Source of all good things! All things are from Him, through Him, and to Him (Rom 11:36). And prayer is how we stay connected to Him throughout our days. He is the One who causes the tree to bear fruit or turn colors; the tree does not try hard to do this. Similarly, when we stay close to God in dependence, He accomplishes things in our lives.
Continue reading “Prayer is Dependence”
