Thursday - "Beyond Expectations"

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9

As my friends can tell you, I am a Walt Disney World fanatic. My family and I visit the theme park every chance we get. In fact, I actually wanted to become a Disney Cast Member (employee) while I was going to college. Why are we so Disney-centric as a family? Actually the answer is pretty simple.

They exceed our expectations.

Every trip we take to Disney is always better than we think it will be. The Cast Members are kinder, the streets are cleaner, the hotel room is bigger, the food is tastier, the park hours are longer, and the fireworks are prettier. No matter what we talk about or think about as a family before the trip, the parks continually go above and beyond what we dream up.

God does the same thing with us. No matter how good we think life could possibly be, God is ready to exceed our expectations. Every time. Our Creator has planned incredibly amazing experiences, deep and meaningful relationships, and a fulfilling life. You may be telling yourself...great, but how do I get these things?

That's related to what we talked about yesterday in Jeremiah 29:11. God has a plan for your life. He will reveal those things to you in His time...but be assured that His plan is perfect...the timing, the elements, and the reward. Stay obedient to God, keep dreaming. searching, and live a life that God can bless... you can't imagine the great things God has planned for you!

Blessings,
Pastor Brian

Wednesday - "Headlights"

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

If you've ever driven through the Rocky Mountains, you know that sometimes the roads that circle a mountain can be a bit treacherous...especially at night. Being from Florida, I had never experienced signs that said "Rock Slide Probability" or "Ram Crossing" before and I really didn't know what to expect as we drove through the Continental Divide on the way to Aspen, CO. At times, the road (which had one lane each way) would merge into one lane for BOTH directions...and that scared me to death! With every dark turn, I fully expected to see a pair of headlights pointed directly at us...ready to take us both down off the mountain.

I made it to Aspen.

I didn't know the road at all, I wasn't used to it, and I even doubted if I'd survive it. The dark of night made that drive from Vail to Aspen that much more scary...and I wondered if I would ever reach my destination. The headlights on the car only extended about 10 feet in front of me...just enough to see an upcoming road sign or the occasional guard rail...but not as far as I'd like to see.

As I reflected on this morning's verse, I thought about that night of uncertainty. Sometimes life is dark. We don't really know if we're going to make it. This morning's scripture verse says that you will.

God has a plan for your life. He doesn't always reveal the entire thing at one time....We don't always understand how every turn and twist in the road of life has a faith-building purpose. When we dream, sometimes all we get are headlights. We can see just far out enough to know that what is right in front of us is OK. Then we can move on to the next turn...the next dream...the next step.

The fear of what's coming should never stop you from thanking God for what is right in front of you. Sometimes that's all that we're allowed to see. As long as we're on this journey, let's trust that God will get us to where we need to go safely...that the plan He has is perfect... We may not always understand the plan, but we need to keep the faith that once we get there, we will be closer to our God-potential.

Blessings,
Pastor Brian

"Light" - Tuesday's Devotional

Psalm 27:1

"The Lord is my light and my salvation—

so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger,
so why should I tremble?"

Growing up, my mother used to fight change. Everything in the house was the same...from the meals we ate...to the clothes we all wore... everything pretty much stayed routine. There was only one exception to the rule: The living room furniture. About every three weeks, mom would get it in her head to change where everything in the living room was placed. Couches moved...chairs were taken out or added in...tables shifted. You never knew when you came home from school what you were going to find in the front room...

This was great until the one morning you woke up in the wee hours to go to the bathroom...and forgot everything had been changed. Ouch! It never failed that I would crack my toe on a chair leg or part of the sofa... They were all familiar objects... I would have been able to navigate through...but it was too dark.

I believe that many of our fears fall into the same category. We know what we're facing...we know we could make it through it...but darkness obscures our vision. What kind of darkness? We feel defeated, depressed, deflated, demoralized, demoted, or destroyed. I mean, we know we should be able to overcome whatever is in our way...but that darkness, that lingering darkness of self-doubt hovers over the issue like an insurmountable cloud. I know how you feel. No matter what you may tell yourself...that darkness just keeps us from seeing how things really are under God's control.

Feeling like you've been walking around in the dark lately?

That's not the life that God has for you. God is light. Look at today's verse "The Lord is my light..." He is a revealer. A healer. God wants to show you the way through all of those things that you woke up worrying about this morning. God knows the way through heartache...He can shine His light on the midnight of worry...He will navigate you around what stands in the way of your joy.

This morning...I want you to remember one thing...God is in charge of today. You aren't. Better than that...you don't have to be. He is brighter than the brightest star and as close as your heartbeat. You don't have to wander around in the darkness anymore....wondering what you might run into...God knows the whole floor plan and will reveal exactly the way to go... just follow His light.

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian