I saw this t-shirt at Spencer’s in the mall and I knew that one day it would be mine. No, this was not in 1989. This was a few weeks ago. In 2019.

Normally, I don’t buy from Spencer’s. They have some questionable items, so I typically avoid that store (for me personally). But this time, my curiosity got the better of me.

I love the message. You are special just the way you are. The Bible says that God loves you just the way you are. I’m thankful because I haven’t always been my best self.

I believe that means that no matter where you are, you can always come home to God. The door is always open. Jesus said that if anyone comes to Him in faith, He will never cast them out.

That’s the hope I cling to every single day. God loves me as I am but His love is making me better. No, not better. New. He’s making me new. Brand new.

It’s not a license for me to live anyway I want and to presume on God’s grace. It’s to compel me to want to live for God and to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus.

I miss Mister Rogers. He was indeed truly special.

This may win the award for best church sign ever.

It certainly gets my vote.

That’s what I’ve tried to do here with these posts. I may not have spelled out my autobiography, but I’ve thrown out little glimpses of who I am, my joys and fears, wins and losses, in the hopes that at least one person will recognize his or her own story in mine.

That’s what a good song or book or movie does for me. I find people I can relate to and I see a bit of my own story played out.

I believe the more I live out my place in God’s story the more my story will be compelling to others and the more others will find glimpses of their own story in mine.

Better yet, I hope they see Jesus in my story and find Him supremely compelling.

“How can we embrace poverty as a way to God when everyone around us wants to become rich? Poverty has many forms. We have to ask ourselves: ‘What is my poverty?’ Is it lack of money, lack of emotional stability, lack of a loving partner, lack of security, lack of safety, lack of self-confidence? Each human being has a place of poverty. That’s the place where God wants to dwell! ‘How blessed are the poor,’ Jesus says (Matthew 5:3). This means that our blessing is hidden in our poverty.

We are so inclined to cover up our poverty and ignore it that we often miss the opportunity to discover God, who dwells in it. Let’s dare to see our poverty as the land where our treasure is hidden” (Henri Nouwen).

I think of what the Apostle Paul said when he spoke of boasting in weakness because that’s where God’s strength is made perfect.

If you look at social media (for the most part), you see the opposite. You see people who cover up any hint of weakness and carefully edit their lives to give the illusion of the perfect marriage, family, career, and life.

Sometimes, it almost becomes a competition as to who’s life is more “perfect” than anyone else’s.

But in God’s economy, strength lies in weakness and riches lie in embracing poverty. That’s what Jesus meant when He said, “Blessed are the poor.”

How rich are those who realize their complete dependence on God for everything and know that at every moment they have– and are– nothing without God. Blessed are those.

I think I want to be real. I mean I want to be all that God meant for me to be when He made me.

I know it’s a process. Sometimes, it’s not a pleasant one. Those sharp edges have to be smoothed out somehow. But the final result is always worth the pain and discomfort.

When God is closely at work in your life and on you, chiseling away and sculpting, it’s impossible for you not to get closer to Him and to His heart.

Trust God’s process over the current pain, lean into all that you know of God, and let Him have His way with you.

It will be more than worth it.

“As a result of this many of His disciples abandoned Him, and no longer walked with Him. So Jesus said to the twelve [disciples], ‘You do not want to leave too, do you?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You [alone] have the words of eternal life [you are our only hope]'” (John 6:66-68), Amplified Bible).

Lately, I’ve been hearing and reading about a number of high profile Christian leaders and artists who are publicly denouncing their faith. In a way, it hurts my heart. Some of these have been people that I respected and looked up to.

I’m reminded that maybe I need to stop putting these people on a pedestal. Maybe we as believers need to stop deifying our Christian celebrities. They are just as broken and messed up as the rest of us.

Also, I remember times when I was tempted to give up on my own faith, when the situation didn’t seem to be working out like I wanted and I didn’t see how God could come through.

That’s when the words of Peter ring in my ears.

Where else will I go to find the peace that passes all understanding? Where else can I find security and purpose? What other god out there has promised to never leave or forsake me?

I echo the words of Peter (in a rare moment when he wasn’t sticking his foot in his mouth) when he said, “You [alone] have the words of eternal life [you are our only hope].”

Jesus is my only hope. I literally have nowhere else to go. If I decide that Jesus isn’t for me, I have nothing else.

My prayer is that those who have walked away will turn back. I pray their story will be like the prodigal’s when he came to himself and realized what he had with his father.

I know that in the end, it is not my firm grip on Jesus that will sustain me but His firm grip on me. His love, not mine, is what saves me.

Oh, c’mon. You know it’s funny.

Just yes.

“People are fond of saying God knows my heart. Especially the religious partially obedient half committed people. God does know our hearts, but He means something very different by it. 

He means that our choosing to do or choosing not to do what He says reveals what’s IN our heart. Our hearts are revealed by the choices we make. If you find that your heart isn’t right you can ask Him, and He will give you a right one” (Brother Greg).

FYI, this is a different Greg, in case you were wondering. But he speaks truth.

Jesus said it a little differently. He said we show our love for God by how we obey what He says. Those actions don’t save us, but they are a demonstration of a saving faith at work.

May we all have a heart that yearns and delights to do the will of the Father.

• 

Slow down. Stop the glorification of busy and actually make time for your life. It seems like busyness is one of the few socially acceptable addictions that are not only tolerated but celebrated by many.

God says, “Be still and know that I am God.”

That’s a good place to start.