For all those out there who feel “less than” or “not enough,” this one’s for you.

For those who feel not up to the day’s tasks and challenges that lay before them, this is for you.

These words are a reminder that God is enough, and if God is in you, with you, and for you, then you are enough.

“. . . so when the weary who never feel like they are enough, Lord,
the exhausted women, the tired mothers, the burnt-out men,
when they look in the mirrors at the end of the day & are about at the end of their ropes, let them just get to the beginning of You and hear it like sweet relief:
“You have enough of Him & courage to do this hard thing.
You have enough of Him & strength to not give up.
You have enough of Him & love to keep on giving.
You have enough of Him & peace to know that you are carried.
You have enough of Him *to rest.*
You have enough of Him — and He is enough.
You are enough — because the great I AM is in you & with you & *for you.*”
*He is enough* — and that is enough (Ann Voskamp).”

#HonestPrayersForRealPeople

Well, today had an interesting twist.

I noticed all day how much my right wrist was hurting. I couldn’t for the life of me remember doing anything like falling down or running into any door frames that would cause a wrist injury.

I survived the day and decided to go to the Walk-in Clinic to rule out anything being broken. I figured maybe it might be sprained.

Turns out I have carpal tunnel. Who knew?

At this moment, my wrist is in a brace and I have prescription-strength Ibuprofen to help me heal, plus doctor’s orders to rest my right wrist. So I’m guessing I’ll be left-handed for a few days.

If that’s the worst thing that happens to me, it’s still a good day.

I saw a church sign a few years back that read “Pobody is nerfect.” That appealed to my wacky sense of fun, but it also stuck with me as a reminder.

Truly, nobody is perfect.

It seems like a Captain Obvious statement that everyone should get but few of us really seem to apply it.

A lot of us have really high standards for ourselves in regard to jobs and relationships and life in general. That’s all well and good.

But what’s not all well and good is that quite a few of us don’t allow ourselves to be human and make mistakes and fail from time to time.

Or in my case, it’s easy after one screwup to throw in the proverbial towel and give up the day as a lost cause.

One mistake or failure doesn’t mean the end of the world. As Winston Churchill once famously said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.”

That means that failing doesn’t make you a failure. You can fail forward as you learn and grow from your mistakes and bad decisions.

What constitutes failure is quitting and not trying anymore. Or worse yet, not to try at all in the first place.

I’ve learned that the best thing you can do is to give yourself grace as well as give it to others. Give yourself room to fall and fail and learn and grow. Learn to love yourself as you are and not an idealized version of you that doesn’t exist except in filtered photographs and carefully edited social media posts.

Remember, God loves you as you are and not as you should be. He loves you with a love that won’t settle for anything less than perfection — His perfection, not yours. And He’s making you just like Him in His own way and in His own time.

After all, pobody is nerfect.

I love the Ryman Auditorium. I love its history, starting off as a church and morphing into a music venue where so many legends and great artists have played.

I saw Patty Griffin at the Ryman back in 2013 for her American Kid tour. Tonight, I got the chance to see her again (with Lori McKenna as her opening act).

It was magical. Two of my favorite singer-songwriters on one stage.

I heard a lot of my old favorites as well as new songs that I will probably grow to love equally with time. Both artists define what it means to turn songwriting into a craft.

Besides, anything at the Ryman is automatically better. There’s an aura to that auditorium that is unique to that place.

I hope to get the chance to see many more shows there (including hopefully Patty Griffin again at some point).

In the mean time, I think some sleep might be in order. Good night to all of you out there in webland.

In Matthew 19, Jesus told the disciples that with God, all things are possible.

I heard a sermon a few years back where the pastor made the comment that what seems impossible to us isn’t even remotely difficult for God.

Whatever you’re facing, remember that the same God made a valley of dry bones into a living, breathing army.

This same God spoke life into a dead servant girl with the words “Talitha cum” — “Little girl, I say to you, get up.”

This same God brought Lazarus back from the dead after being in the tomb for 4 days.

This same God raised Jesus from the grave on Easter Sunday.

Is there anything too difficult for God?

Relax, He’s got this.

I personally can relate much better to the maxim that the early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

I myself much prefer cheese to worms.

How dumb would it be to jump off a train because it went through a tunnel and your world got dark for a bit?

Most people know that there’s a light at the end of a train tunnel. Literally. They know if they only sit still for a bit, they will soon be back out into the open blue skies and fresh air.

Maybe if you could see the end to your own metaphorical dark tunnel, you might not be as anxious to bail on the Great Engineer. And by you, I mean all of us, including me at times.

The key to any suffering is knowing that it will end. I’ve found I can endure a lot more if I know for sure that it has an expiration date. Like for those who’s untenable job situation gets better when they turn in that two week notice.

Trust that God knows what He’s doing. Trust that all things like suffering, pain, loss, and evil have an expiration date and an end, but things like God’s mercy, love, and grace are unending.

This Engineer won’t steer you wrong. Ever.

When I am worried and anxious, I will trust in You.

When I am scared and unsure, I will trust in You.

When I’m weary and worn, I will trust in You.

When I am lonely and forsaken, I will trust in You.

When I am happy and content, I will trust in You.

When I am besieged with a million thoughts all at once, I will trust in You.

When I can’t see or feel you, I will trust in You.

When I am at peace with the world, I will trust in You.

No matter what the circumstance or the situation, I will trust in You.

Amen.

I’m taking time to be intentional about thankfulness. It’s easy in the middle of a stressful and trying week to focus only on the negatives, but the power of peace and joy comes through gratitude. Sometimes, gratitude is what unlocks the miracle of seeing God in your circumstances.

1. I’m thankful that it’s Friday. I survived another week intact.
2. I’m thankful for the quarterly Friends of the Library sale where I can browse to my heart’s content (which in this case meant from about 5:15 until 5:30 when the sale ended for the day.
3. I’m thankful for Taco Bell which really hit the spot tonight. I know it’s not the finest dining (and it’s not really even true Mexican), but it is cheap and dependable and good.
4. I’m thankful for the nap I already know I’ll be taking tomorrow at some point.
5. I’m thankful for salvation and for the God whom I routinely take for granted but who never takes me for granted.

There are probably more that I could add, but I’ll end it with one more:

6. I’m thankful for a comfy bed where I will soon be getting a good night’s rest.

I think it was Frederick Buechner who said that because of the resurrection, the worst thing is never the last thing.

If you’re in a rough patch or a dark place, you are not alone and this is not the end of your story.

It may feel like it will never end or change or get better. It may feel like forever.

You might feel alone from others and even at times from God.

What you think and what you feel can lie to you sometimes, so you need to go with what you know, which is that God’s promises always trump your feelings of doubt and loneliness.

Elisabeth Elliot said that God’s story never ends with ashes. It never ends in defeat and sorrow. Weeping may last for a night, but joy is coming with the morning sunrise.