Choose this day whom you will serve…

January 1st really is just a day, like any other day. But there’s something beautiful about a fresh start. Whether it’s the start of a new year, a new month, a new job, a day… or even a moment. The opportunity to start fresh is so appealing. But when we’re looking at our lives… how do we determine where to start? We start with what we value.

I want to tell you guys the story of Robert Smalls. And underdog that highlights that our God is God of all, even God of the underdog.

Robert Smalls was born to a house slave in Beaufort, North Carolina in 1839. At the beginning of the US civil war, he was assigned to work on a confederate supply ship. Robert paid careful attention to how the ship was operated and when he had it figured out, he and the rest of the slave crew took over the ship in the middle of the night and

Let’s talk about the church in Laodicea. But first, let me explain something about my life.

I homeschool my kids. We have a rhythm to our days, and our mornings start with worship, Word and prayer. Worshipping and studying the Bible with kids is many things. I would describe it as beautiful, fulfilling, hopeful, necessary, frustrating, maddening, confusing, perplexing…

She’s “got it all together.” 

How do you know she’s got it all together?  Her Instagram feed is like magazine quality.  Photo after photo shows the perfect smile, sparkling house and, thanks to the carefully chosen photo preset, a completely cohesive color scheme.  Her follower count sits at just over 2 million, and it appears that everything she touches turns to gold.

What is the Meaning of my Life?

It seems in life that the more things change, the more they stay the same.  That may be a cliche statement, but it’s also true.  I clearly remember myself as a child questioning the meaning of life.  Searching the scripture for answers, looking in nature, my interests and my talents.

As you begin reading, you may wonder how this is going to turn into an article about knowing who I am in Christ.  About knowing who YOU are in Christ.  But let’s get to it.

The truth is, I just can’t trust my slippers anymore.  But why wouldn’t I trust my slippers?  What could possibly have gone so wrong with something designed solely for comfort??

A lot.

I was in the house on a cold, dry evening, making dinner.  While wearing my slippers, obviously.

My boys came running to the door to get me to come outside and take a look at something.  Now, if you live on a farm and you have boys, you will know that if they’re excited to show me something outside, there’s a good possibility that that something is disgusting, and they were just trying to gross me out.  And that’s 100% what was happening on this particular evening.

God is invisible.  No one in human history has ever seen him.  Well, anyone except Jesus.  Today, I want to introduce you to Jesus.  Today we’re going to answer the question “Who is Jesus and why is he important?”

There’s a battle waging for our minds and for the minds of the coming generation.  It’s a battle of truth vs. lies.  But the good news is that there is a way to choose and believe truth.

“Why don’t the stickers stay on her?”

The maker spoke softly.  “Because she has decided that what I think of her is more important than what they think.  The stickers only stick if you let them. – You Are Special, Max Lucado