Life is annoying. Not all the time, but there are moments when your plans and expectations are replaced with more pressing needs or unexpected distractions. These times can quickly steal your joy and affect other areas of your life.

We can not isolate ourselves from annoyances, and in the bigger picture, they are often quite insignificant. At any moment, we know that there are people facing much more difficult problems, who would gladly swap places with us. Still, like the proverbial stone in the shoe, the cumulative aggravation can drain our energy and draw us away from what really matters.

Recently, I planned a day for some creative activity. I intentionally adjusted my schedule to allow for activities that recreate my spirit and help me feel renewed. The night before, I discovered a small problem with one of my prescriptions, but I was thankful it would only require a phone call and a quick trip to the pharmacy.

I chose to be proactive, caring for this small disturbance at the start of the day so that I could get it out of the way quickly. Seven hours later, the situation was resolved. My original plans were lost. I felt some satisfaction that I was able to navigate all of the minutiae the problem required, but I could not deny the annoyance of losing the better part of a day to something that seemed it should be easily resolved.

The problem with annoyances is, unchecked, they affect our attitudes. This amplifies other small interruptions and increases our focus on negativity. We lose awareness of our blessings, and we begin to share our inner feelings with others, passing on our frustration and often wounding others. Our attitude becomes infectious, contaminating our environment and the hearts of those we love.

The prophet Nehemiah said, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” (8:10) The power to live a victorious life begins with spiritual joy. When we allow the issues of life to steal that joy, we sacrifice our strength as well, and we live from a place of frustration and defeat rather than blessing and victory.

I would love to tell you that I responded to my challenging day with a Spirit-filled attitude of joy. Instead, I allowed my emotions to rule the day and I can only imagine what I missed in the process. I know that I surrendered my creativity, gave room for unnecessary anxiety, and sowed seeds of negativity that I needed to uproot. Ultimately, I created more challenges for myself, and more work to repair the brokenness I created.

It would be easy to claim, “I am only human,” but I have within me the power to choose, to take a different path. While I could not change my circumstances, I could change myself in the midst of those circumstances. There were countless things to be thankful for, but my thankfulness was lost to frustration. This power is not uniquely mine. It belongs to us all.

Choosing joy is not always easy, but it is worth the effort. Pausing in the midst life’s annoyances gives us room to center ourselves on what really matters. Instead of attempting to force our agenda on life, we can respond to life with a sacred attitude, one that celebrates the sacramental nature of life, of ourselves, and of others. A simple change in mindset results in an entirely different experience.

So today, I invite you to learn along with me from my mistake. I encourage you to pause long enough to see life as it truly is, a blessing entrusted to us by God. As the annoyances come, train yourself to increase your joy, not because of the challenges, but in the face of them. Choose a different path, and find strength in the joy you receive. Every second of life is a treasure. We cannot hold onto the time, but we can decide where we will invest it, and that investment will determine the return we receive. Together, let’s choose joy and strength, trading our worry for wonder and our frustration for faith.

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Worry, it affects us all at various times in our lives. Some experience it more than others, and its impact varies from person to person, but in every case, worry steals from us. It steals our joy, our energy, and our peace. The worst part is worry has no power to make any impact on our future situation. It only changes our present.

The late Corrie ten Boom said, “Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength – carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strengths.”

During vacation, there was a sign just outside of my bedroom that read, “Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.” At first, I thought it belonged inside the bedroom, to be seen as you began the day, but as the days passed, I realized it was in the perfect spot, serving as a reminder before sleep that whatever worries consumed the day were already lost time, and carrying them to bed was only a prescription for lost rest. God willing, tomorrow would come, and no amount of worry would change the day in any way.

It was a powerful reminder for me each night. I tend to default to more worry than I wish I did. It is an area of growth I continue to pursue in prayer and action. That simple, wooden sign became a reminder for my evening prayers to relinquish tomorrow into the hands of God so that I could enjoy a peaceful rest and embrace a deeper trust in God to be greet me in the morning with all I needed for the day ahead. No matter what awaited me, fretting over it would not prepare me to overcome, it would only weaken my ability to meet the challenges in the strength of my faith.

The Bible repeatedly declares, and illustrates, the call to release our anxiety and place our trust in God. It is too easy to envision the negative possibilities that may arise, but far more powerful to contemplate the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit in us, and in our future. God is not surprised by the circumstances in our lives, nor is God fretting over the solutions to possible problems. God is the answer to those problems. If God is not worried, and the Spirit dwells in us, we are more than able to face whatever life brings our way.

Often, during funerals, I quote selected verses from John 14. One of the most powerful points Jesus makes is in the words, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” These are deeply comforting words, but they were not spoken just for time of mourning. The peace of Christ is a promise for every moment in our lives. The very peace that sustained Jesus in the midst of everything he faced, is lovingly given to us so that we are not captive to fear, anxiety, and worry. With his help, we can be anxious for nothing.

God’s track record in our lives is perfect. When we look back at the things that once consumed us with worry, we can see the many times we came through. What we thought would be our undoing, is now a testimony of another victory in Jesus. The journey may not have been easy, but the result is no less affirming. God is faithful.

I would love to tell you that the sign I came to love changed everything, that I no longer worry and live in Christ’s perfect peace. I still have a long way to go, but that nightly inspiration was another reminder, another God-sign, inviting me to remember that when I worry, I am not to be anxious. Instead, I am invited to share my concern with the Savior and trust my future to him.

Today, is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday, but here you are. The possibilities are before you. Yes, the possibility of difficulties exist, but so do the possibilities of blessing. The potential for suffering is present, but so is the potential for joy. Best of all, whatever comes our way, we are not alone, nor are were meant to face it alone. The power of almighty God is with us.

So, let’s embrace this day. Let’s savor all the beauty it has as we allow our souls to be at peace with the very peace of Christ. Our worry will not help us, but God will. Above all, let’s not try to carry two days at once. We need our strength for today, not today and tomorrow. When we find anxiety creeping into our thoughts, we can turn our worry into a prompt for prayer,. As we pray, we can release our worry into the hands of God, and we can receive divine strength for moment we are in. God will guard our hearts, and the peace that passes all understanding will be given to us. It is a holy, and wonderful, trade, and it is ours for the asking.

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The past year was such a season in our lives. Unexpected challenges arose in a steady stream, sometimes coming in multiples. As each one neared its end, I found myself believing, hoping, that the season was over, yet there was still more to come. Many important things, including my writing and this blog, were shelved as my energy and attention were focused on what was happening in our lives.

There were difficulties, but there were also numerous blessings. We were reminded again and again that God had his hand upon us, and that we would make it though. I needed several reminders from my wife along the way that our track record of coming through our difficulties with God’s help was one hundred percent. Even so, keeping close to God was challenging at times, and my own relationship with God suffered at some points. I knew that God was the Strong Tower I was meant to run to and be saved, but exhaustion from what felt like perpetually treading water, and my fears about the future, often weakened my spiritual resolve, and my spiritual disciplines occasionally suffered.

Recently, God reminded me of his faithfulness in the past, and I drew strength and resolve from those victories. I realized that my focus was off and I needed to make an adjustment. Just as my annual eye exam often yields a new set of glasses so I can see clearly, I needed the Holy Spirit to assess and adjust my spiritual lens to sharpen that focus as well. I could not sacrifice what was most meaningful and necessary because I was busy, fearful, and tired. In fact, those very realities mean that I needed even greater focus on what mattered most.

Jesus never sugarcoated our reality. In John 16:33, he says it succinctly and clearly, “In this life you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world.” These were words I needed to hear and apply to my life. Troubles would be a part of life, but my focus was never meant to be on the difficulties, but on the One who overcame the world, so that I could overcome by obstacles. My focus was meant to be on Christ, and Christ alone.

All this, brings me to today. There are still battles to be fought, fears to subdue, and victories to be won. A season of rest may be on the horizon, or the stream of challenges may still continue. Either way, my focus is on the One who will lead me through. It is time to write and blog again. It is time to laugh and savor life. It is time I am given to be with God, and to become who God is making me to be.

Thank you for your patience as I wandered through my desert. I look forward to our continued conversation here at the cafe. I pray that, if you are going through your own challenging seasons, you will focus on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Don’t let another day go by, trading your joy for worry, or exchanging your peace for confusion. Give your attention to the One who overcame for your sake, and who makes you to be an overcomer in every circumstance!

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Fear is a daunting adversary. It can be debilitating at times, numbing us to the truth and eroding our confidence. One of my favorite books is Frank Herbert’s Dune. In it, the lead character is taught an important truth that he must revisit on his way to fulfill his destiny. The simple, yet profound, truth is, “Fear is a mind-killer.” Fear can kill our ability to think clearly. It can sabotage our vision, and consume our energy. Fear is a potent enemy to our destiny.

The Apostle Paul wrote to his young protégé Timothy, “For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7) Fear does not come from God, it is an attack upon our faith, and our future. That knowledge gives us a tremendous starting point to undermine the grip of fear in our lives.

Not only is God not the source of fear, the promise is that God gives us the tools to stand in victory in the face of our fears. God provides us with a powerful Spirit, his Spirit. We are also given the ability to think and act from a place of love; knowing that we are loved and that we are able to act in love. Our rooted place in God also yields clarity and soundness in the way we think. God is deeply invested in seeing that we are not overcome by fear, but that we overcome fear by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Consider just a few of the other biblical reference to victory over fear:

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” – Psalm 23:4

“The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?” – Psalm 27:1

“The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.” – Psalm 118:6

“Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” – 1 Chronicles 28:20

“So do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10

There are many more references, but the message is clear, God wants us to be free from fear because of our faith in him, and because we know God is with us. God did not bring us to where we are and give us a grand vision for the future only to abandon us. Despite our circumstances, we are in the hand of God.

When I was in undergrad, a group of us would meet on Sunday nights to sing praises to God, to listen to the word of God, and to be in prayer. It was a very difficult season for me, with many fears to face. Two of the choruses we sang profoundly inspired me. I found myself singing them frequently throughout the week. The first was a musical rendering of Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans for good to give to you a future and a hope.” The other was based upon Psalm 121:3, “He will not let you fall. He is never weary and he will not let you fall.”

God has good plans for us and God will not let us fall. Fear is based in the unknown, but we are known and we belong to a known God. Confronting our fears is not easy and it frequently requires us to keep moving forward, even when it feels like we cannot take another step. It is in those moments when we find it hard to breathe and our knees shake that we must encourage ourselves in the Spirit and take hold of the power, love, and sound mind God gives us. Then, when we come through, we will emerge with a testimony, a witness to the love and faithfulness of God.

As we embrace God’s vision for our lives, may we be strong and courageous!

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Do you ever feel like you are facing  obstacles with walls so tall and strong you cannot get past them? In spite of the oft-quoted promise that, “God will never give you more than you can handle,” the truth is that we frequently face things that are greater than we can handle on our own, but not bigger than the God who loves us, and wants to lead us to victory.

Many of us grew up believing that we were supposed to be self-made, and that life was about giving it our all. If things got really bad, we asked God for help, but then went on to do our best to overcome our circumstances. Apparently, God’s help was to make us better at what we were already trying to do.

What if God’s plan in those difficult moments was not to make us a little better or stronger than we were before? What if the bigger agenda was to invite us deeper in our relationship with him and to lean into God more? What if God’s goal was to move us away from our efforts to be independent and instead, allow us to be more dependent on him?

Yesterday’s sermon was based on the story of Joshua, and the victory at Jericho, found in Joshua 6 (listen to the message here http://cortlandumc.net/January_12-_2014.mp3). As I worked through the preparation for the message, I couldn’t help but think of how difficult it must have been to accept God’s plan for victory. Marching around the city with priests and trumpets is not much of a military strategy. Faced with an imposing obstacle, God did not ask Joshua to try harder, nor was the answer in better military planning. God’s divine solution was to march around the city in worship for a week, and then shout for victory on the last day. Unexpected, but as it turns out, quite effective.

In the book of Isaiah, God tells us, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.” (55:8) God’s perspective is not our perspective. There is no trembling in heaven as God confers with the angelic host to come up with a response to the problem we are facing. There is no question in the heavenly throne room of who is, and will remain, victorious. God does not lose, and never plays to tie. God is the victor, and shares that victory with us.

Rather than trying harder, or focusing on our weaknesses, we are encouraged to press into the love of God and to trust him for the plans for victory. Instead of focusing on the walls before us, we worship the One who can break down the walls in a moment, and send us on to victory. The triumph at Jericho did not come from weapons, it came from worship. The answer can be found there in our circumstances as well.

This is not a passive response, where we sit back and wait for God to do something. Instead, we actively worship God and we activate our faith. We seek God for wisdom and insight, stretching our faith to meet that divine direction. Then, when it is time, we put feet to our faith, doing what God asks us to do, even if it means seven days of walking around a city.

As we trust in the Lord, leaning not on our own understanding, and as we put our faith into action, we discover that, by the grace of God, we are more than conquerors.

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I have a list of experiences I regret. Actions and choices that seemed to fulfill at the time led to personal pain, and often had a significant negative impact on the people around me. There are words that were better unspoken, choices that were tremendously unhealthy, and actions that were based in great selfishness.

Like many others I know, I frequently commented on how I wish I made better decisions, often pondering the, “If I had it to do over again…” thoughts. Certainly, I can see many ways I could have made better choices, but I see those options because of what I learned by making the wrong choice. In fact, it is these very painful experienced that shaped me into the person I am and demonstrated the immense, transforming love of God.

The Apostle Paul, writing to the Ephesian Christians, said he prayed that they would, “know the love of Christ that surpassed knowledge.” (Eph. 3:19) What a powerful and important prayer that was, for it is one thing to know about the love of God, but is something quite different to experience the greatness of that love. Far beyond knowledge is the awesome gift of God’s gracious, forgiving, and transforming love!

Too often, I try to fix the broken places in my life which leads to even greater feelings of frustration and regret. Maybe you can relate to those feelings. What I really need is not another round of trying to work harder. I need to experience God’s healing grace that renews the wounded, broken places of my life and frees me for the new life that lies ahead. Instead of lamenting my past failures, I can allow God to help me leverage them to shape my future.

All of the guilt, regret and sorrow we can muster will never change the past and will only hold us captive where are. The touch of the gracious love of God will free us from the bonds of our history and the present and prepare us for a future of destiny. God does not want to hold us captive to the sin and mistakes of our past. Instead, we were meant to see the door that is now opened to a redeemed and renewed life in Christ.

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Early this morning, while I was still up wrestling with the symptoms of a sinus infection I am fighting, I made a decision to jump into the middle of the river. No, I am not planning on literally getting wet, but figuratively, I am in up to my neck and it feels great!

Since my second year of college, I wanted to write. I would occasionally toy with the idea, read a few books and scribble a few words, then the words of high school teachers and my own inner monologue would begin to remind me of what I could not do well, and I would lose heart. I enjoyed writing my term papers, newsletter articles and for a season, wrote a regular inspirational column for our college paper, but I could not see myself as a writer.

Recently, I gave myself permission to write and to fail, but to enjoy a passion I believe God put within me. It started with some poetry, then the first pages of this blog, and this morning, I made the decision to jump into the NaNoWriMo. So everyone understands, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. The goal is to write a 50,000 word novel between November 1st and November 30th, and yes, I am starting 11 days late, but I want to try.

Too often, we are afraid to take risks. Something deep within us wants to step out in faith and experience more, but our fear encourages us to settle where we are and let go of our dreams. That does not sound much like the abundant life Jesus promised and it does not reflect the heart of someone who claims the words, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Walking with God is all about taking risks and believing all things are possible.

Sure, there are numerous excuses that range from “I don’t have the talent, resources, or time” to “Why set myself up to fail, when I can succeed at what I am already doing,” but are those the words we want to listen to? Sometimes, our words sound very believable, but they lack the music of faith that stretches us to be all that we were meant to be in Christ.

When I was in one of my interviews for the ordination process, I was asked what I do to keep my mind sharpened. I told the team that I made a commitment when I finished seminary to read a book every week. My schedule was full during my education and I was able to maintain that amount of reading, so why stop when the formal training was over?

One of the interviewers suggested that since I might not make 52 books in a year, maybe I should set my goal for twelve. That way, I would always achieve my goal and I would feel better about myself. While I understood the sentiment, my response was simple: aiming for twelve and achieving it, was still not as successful or enjoyable as aiming for 52 and reading 40. It was safer, but not better.

What would you do, if you believed God is with you and you could not fail? What passion is burning deep within you waiting for you to embrace the risk and take the first step? Even if you do not make your goal, wouldn’t it be worth trying?

God made you unique and put dreams inside you. Maybe, now is the time to trust God and take the first steps toward achieving those dreams. It could be that you begin with some small actions and build momentum or, like me this morning, you may just decide to dive right into the middle of a flowing stream and enjoy the ride. What I know is that I have a smile on my face and I am having fun. I am following a dream and that brings joy. I may not finish, but I’ll still be glad I tried and now, I only have 49,210 words to go.

Whatever your dream, let me encourage you to; “Come on in! The water’s fine and it is fun! Best of all, God is here!” Be blessed as you walk by faith today.

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Recently, I sat with another pastor who I just met. We were sharing ministry stories, especially discussing our favorite authors and resources. The conversation moved to our sources of inspiration and we began to talk about what motivates us, not only for ministry, but for living the Christian life.

My new friend told me of someone he knew. This person had been through the fire in many ways and certainly had reason to be depressed and discouraged, yet I heard how infectious his joy was and about the impact his happiness had on others. My colleague said to me, “How many pastors do you know, who in their 40’s and 50’s became bitter because of the many wounds they took in ministry? Yet, here is a man who had every reason to feel bitter and he was full of the joy of Christ instead.”

Since that conversation, I continue to reflect on where real happiness comes from. Too many times it seems we connect our happiness with someone or something else. A challenge comes along and we become unhappy. Someone hurts us or speaks against us and we lose our joy. An unexpected event comes along and we throw away our happiness, exchanging it for fear, frustration and anger. Because we tie our happiness to changing and transitory things, our joy is tossed to and fro by every little wave that comes along.

Jesus said, “In this life you will have trouble.” (John 16:33) We should not be surprised by obstacles and opposition, nor should we lose heart in the face of these challenges. Rather, we should hold fast to Christ, celebrate his presence and believe in where his Spirit is leading us, for he also said, “take heart. I have overcome the world.” When our happiness is connected to God, the One who is the same yesterday, today and forever, our joy can be God’s joy and it can remain unwavering in the face of adversity.

One of my favorite verses comes from Psalm 34:19, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” What an amazing promise! It does not deny the reality of our human struggle, but reminds us that, in spite of our challenges, our hope is in the Lord. We may feel overwhelmed, but God is not. There is no terror or timidity in heaven today, no question of what to do. God is seated on the throne and speaking forth the creation of life.

What, then, does it take to be happy? Our answer is found, not in external things, but in an unwavering trust in the Lord of Life. We do not look to our circumstances to determine our attitude. We do not look to the opinions of others to determine the state of our soul. We look to Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our faith. With our soul at rest in him, we can find unspeakable joy.

Life is too short to be unhappy, especially when the joy of the Lord can be our strength. May our faith rise up and give us joy today as we hold fast to God and know that, in him, we will not be moved.

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I struggled with this for years and still have to bring these thoughts under control. I convinced myself that once I graduated from college, I would feel secure in my position and ready to lead. Following graduation, I revised the plan with a new necessary accomplishment. However, no matter what stage I completed, those feelings never completely took hold. It was not until a good friend encouraged me to look at what I was doing, that I realized that lasting feelings were not ever going to be the result of an accomplishment. Life would always offer challenges and there would always be something waiting in the future with the false promise of secure feelings. My answer was not in my accomplishments, but my attitude.

That is not always easy to hear. We like to believe that our feelings and perspectives are the result of the actions of others or situation we are in. These may influence us, but ultimately, our experience will be shaped by our beliefs and our attitudes.

There is a wonderful story in the book of Acts. The Apostle Paul and Silas are imprisoned for stirring up trouble. It seems that their preaching about Jesus made some people quite upset and the disturbance landed them in jail. This was not just a night in a cell with the promise of, “leave town and don’t come back.” The morning held the real possibility of torture and maybe even death.

Locked in their cell and guarded by the jailer they faced a challenging night. Who could blame them for fear and concern, maybe even a little anger at the people or God for allowing this to happen? This was unfair and not likely what they were expecting. It was exactly the type of situation that leads to discouragement and depression. Yet, that was not their choice. Here, in the face of danger and death, they were singing.

Paul and Silas made a decision. They put their trust in God and lifted their eyes to a bigger picture than their circumstances, to a God who was larger than anything they faced. They allowed their spirits to take the lead and so, looking squarely at their dark reality, they chose to believe, to sing, and to praise in their prison.

The result was not only their spiritual freedom, but their physical freedom as well, and the blessings did not stop there. This witness to their faith changed the lives of others in prison with them, including the guard. Their willingness to rejoice in their unpleasant circumstances changed lives, and continues to do the same as their story is told 2000 years later.

We face prisons of many kinds in life. Some are made with concrete and bars, while others we fashion brick by brick within our minds and spirits. In those confining moments and seasons, we can lament our circumstances, bemoan our misfortune and give up on our future, but there is another choice. We can decide, like Paul and Silas, to offer our praise in spite of our circumstances. We can declare God’s goodness and his divine possibilities in the face of pain and fear. We can believe with action in the presence of the temptation to doubt. We can praise in our prison.

When we release our faith in these moments, cell doors open, we find freedom and the people around us get changed. I once heard a youth speaker say, “People are waiting on the other side of your obedience.” Maybe, they are also waiting on the other side of our praise. May we find the strength in God to praise in our prison and break free in our faith.

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This is the classic question that arises when we face seasons and situations of great need. The recent effects of the hurricane on the east coast of the United States, have raised this question again for many of us. What can we do that will make a difference in the face of great devastation and suffering?

It is not just hurricanes that cause us to wonder about what we have to offer. It can be the plight of children in the world, the scope of human starvation and lack of clean drinking water. The question arises when we consider those suffering with sickness and pain, with brokenness and grief, and with wounded pasts and frightening futures. What can one person, or a group of people do in the face of such things?

I often hear the question asked in two very different ways. The first, puts the emphasis on “I.” What do I have to offer? How can I possibly make a difference? The question is forged in a belief that the problem is too big and our resources too small. Sometimes, the distance of the problem makes it seem even more removed from our lives. We say, “what can I do,” silently answer, “nothing,” and go on with our lives.

The other form this question takes comes with an emphasis on “do.” In this response, we believe that may actually have something to offer, some way to make a difference. We are not looking at our lack, but at the possibility to use even the little we have to make a difference. Add to this pebble of faith, the trust that God can multiply our little, and a passionate belief that even “little-ol-me” can change the world begins to surface.

You may remember the story of Jesus when he stopped to feed the 5000. Jesus was teaching and a huge crowd gathered to hear his wisdom. Recognizing it was getting late, he instructed the disciples to feed the crowd, which was huge in their eyes. The Scripture says there were about 5000, plus women and children. Yet, in the face of this multitude, Jesus looked at twelve men and said, “feed them.”

The disciples were dumbfounded. What could they do? They didn’t have the resources. The task was just too great. But then, Jesus steps in to guide them. He asks what food they have and they bring forward the bread and fish one boy brought to eat. Jesus prays a blessing over the gifts and sends them out to distribute the meal. In the end, everyone is fed and there are twelve baskets full left over.

The disciples learned a simple, yet profound principle that day. Jesus can take our little and make it much. Sometimes, that happens from the accumulation of many people’s “little” and sometimes it is the result of the miraculous power of God. Either way, with Christ, we can all make a difference. We can share our resources, our talents and our insight. We can support others who are doing hands on work. We can do many things, the greatest of which may begin with our willingness to pray.

We can ask God to help others, to heal brokenness and to solve enormous problems. We can then ask what part we are to play in that process, how can we be partners with God in making a difference. We may be the one who gives up the bread and fish, or one of those who helps to bless them, or even one who takes the gifts to those who need it. Through prayer and our willingness to respond to God’s call upon our lives, we can make a difference.

There is a quote from R.A. Torey written in the front of my Bible. I often turn to it when faced with an enormous need. It reads:

“Pray for great things,
 Expect great things,
 Work for great things,
 but, above all, Pray!”

Below those words is this simple prayer that I pray for all of us today, “Lord, help me make a difference today that is utterly disproportionate to who I am.” May it be so.

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