“When John Kavanaugh, the noted and famous ethicist, went to Calcutta, he was seeking Mother Teresa … and more. He went for three months to work at ‘the house of the dying’ to find out how best he could spend the rest of his life.

When he met Mother Teresa, he asked her to pray for him. ‘What do you want me to pray for?’ she replied. He then uttered the request he had carried thousands of miles: ‘Clarity. Pray that I have clarity.’

‘No,’ Mother Teresa answered, ‘I will not do that.’ When he asked her why, she said, ‘Clarity is the last thing you are clinging to and must let go of.’ When Kavanaugh said that she always seemed to have clarity, the very kind of clarity he was looking for, Mother Teresa laughed and said: ‘I have never had clarity; what I have always had is trust. So I will pray that you trust God.’”

I’ve always thought it would be nice for God to lay out my next five years in a detailed plan complete with charts and graphs. I’d at least like to know where I will be then.

But God’s reply is, “Trust me. Take the next step and trust me. I’ll show you the second step after you take the first.”

We often miss the next steps because we’re unwilling to obey what we already know and take that first step of surrender and obedience. Until then, we will be stuck. More knowledge won’t replace putting into practice what we’ve learned up to this point.

I’m all for the next Bible study and the latest teaching, but it’s pointless unless it becomes more than head knowledge that fails to affect my daily life or change my behavior.

It all starts with trust. I believe God enough to take Him at His word and do what He says. Then He promises to lead me to the next step. It all begins with a “Yes, Lord. What was the question?”

“We have proved the power of Jesus’ blood for daily cleansing; we have proved the power of his divine Spirit for daily teaching, guidance, and sanctification; and now we want no other rock to build upon, than that which we have built upon; we desire no other hope, nor even to dream of any other, but that hope which you have set before us in the gospel, to which hope we have fled for refuge, and which hope we still have, as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.

You know with what heartiness, and depths of truthfulness, we can say, ‘Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.’ We again declare that all our hope is centered in the atoning sacrifice, and in the risen savior, who has gone into the glory as the testimony of our justification, and of our acceptance in him.

Amen” (Charles Spurgeon).

Just a note that the actual prayer has nothing to do with Halloween or anything spooky. It was a beautiful prayer that I ended up posting on a day that just so happened to be Halloween. Pure coincidence.

I am currently on vacation, so this post will be brief. Plus, my trusty old iPad is currently sitting at 13% battery.

I’m thankful for every opportunity to get away for a few days and experience new things along with revisiting some old memories.

The last time I was in Chattanooga, I was much younger. I frankly don’t remember much, but maybe the next day or two will jog those dormant memories.

So far, I’ve walked a lot and eaten a lot. I’ve taken a few pictures that I hope will jog further memories down the road.

Right now, I’m very thankful for my life. Every day and every breath is a blessing and a gift.

More to come later on my vacation— hopefully.

“‘It isn’t Narnia, you know,’ sobbed Lucy. ‘It’s you. We shan’t meet you there. And how can we live, never meeting you?’

‘But you shall meet me, dear one,’ said Aslan.

‘Are—are you there too, Sir?’ said Edmund.

‘I am,’ said Aslan. ‘But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there’” (C. S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader).

I’ve heard about a new Narnia adaptation coming from Netflix. I’ve heard a few things that make me less than hopeful, but I hope they get this one thing right. Aslan is a type of Christ. He’s not just a magical lion who can talk. He’s the son of the Emperor.

I know it’s not an allegory per se, but fits. Jesus is the Lion of Judah, and Aslan is the lion from Narnia. That’s one of many reasons why I have read and loved the Narnia books for so long.

Please, Netflix, don’t mess this one up.

“‘If you want to claim credit, claim it for God.’ What you say about yourself means nothing in God’s work. It’s what God says about you that makes the difference” (2 Cor. 10:17-18, The Message).

Sometimes, we can be our own worst critic. It’s amazing how we speak to ourselves in a way that we would never tolerate coming from someone else. But somehow it’s acceptable to be abusive to yourself.

What ultimately matters is what God says about you. That’s why it’s vital to have daily time in the Word of God so God can speak a better word over you than you speak to yourself. God’s words trump any words from anybody else — even you.

What does God say about you. He says you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Chosen. Loved. Redeemed. God’s masterpiece. Beloved. There are so many other words to discover if you will only open up your Bible and start reading.

Let God’s voice be the first thing you hear in the morning when you wake up and the last thing at night before your head hits the pillow. His is the voice of truth.

I’ve heard that you should hold on to earthly things loosely — with open hands. After all, nothing lasts on this side of eternity. Money, possessions, relationships, positions. All of it can vanish like the mist in the morning. As Job famously said, the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

I do believe that whatever God takes away is almost always replaced with something better. Sometimes, it’s a gift from God’s hand. Sometimes, it’s God Himself and His comforting presence. Either way, nothing lost is ever wasted or in vain. In God’s economy, everything works toward an eternal purpose that is good and right.

Think of it this way. Everything in life is a gift. Some gifts are for a season. Some are for longer. The point is not to treasure and worship the gifts but the Giver of the gifts. He is worthy of worship when He gives the gift. He is worthy of worship when He withholds the gift. He is worthy of worship when He takes the gift away. He alone is our treasure above all treasures.