For several days in a row, as I have driven back and forth on one particular road, an indecisive squirrel has been standing like a statue while facing my fast approaching vehicle. My comment to this little bushy-tailed creature has been the same on each occasion, "You better move it, Mr. Squirrel! Make a decision or it will be made for you." (I really am nicer than this statement sounds, I promise!) It's just that this squirrel needs to make a decision and act on it!

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As I thought about this living scenario, I couldn't help but also coorelate it with the way I make decisions, big and small. I hate to admit it, but I have some squirrel-ish-like tendencies at my core. When I know the right thing to do, why do I waver like my furry friend? What I'm beginning to understand about this "middle-the-road-picture" is that not deciding, really is deciding. The result of my back-and-forth mentality is that I either miss out on an opportunity altogether or I make an unnecessary mess of things.

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God loves to give wisdom, but He also expects us to act on it. Hear His word on this:

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But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man expect to receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man unstable in all his ways. James 1:5-8

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God's word speaks. If we have been given wisdom from the Lord either from His word, or from a sermon, or from godly counsel, and we are not following through with it because of fear or doubt, then guess what? We are not obeying him. And because of disobedience, natural consequences will follow.

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When we hear from the Lord, let's trust Him wholeheartedly in what He is telling us to do. Then, let's not waste time by getting stuck in a self-induced wavering mode. Overthinking is under-trusting. If He has spoken, then obey Him. Let's MOVE out of the middle of the road and then scurry along in faithful obedience to God's next kingdom adventure.

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I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.  Psalm 32:8

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As some of you know, I frequent Panama City Beach with my husband Mac as he does orthopedic ER work at a hospital in the city. Poor me, right? While he fixes ankles, hips, and knees, I get to sit and look at the beach (from my condo; no thanks for the sand), and write things like... this post.

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I also take beach walks to clear my head, and then to fill it up again with the next "wise thought" so I can impart it to whomever chooses to listen.*

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And then, sometimes on these walks, I stop and talk to other beach sitters or walkers. Being an introvert, this will always be a harder thing for me than pushing my pen across a page, or clicking keys on the computer. I really do like people. Actually, I love people! Especially one at a time.

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Yesterday I was walking and thinking, and thinking and walking, and I was very content with just me, myself, and I... then God entered in. I recognized the feeling; today was a day to share ...Him...with someone.

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"Oh boy! With who?," I nervously asked God. I wasn't sure what lucky man or woman was going to get to hear me say a "Word" but somehow, whenever the Lord nudges me to speak up, he then faithfully directs my steps to the right person.

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So, I started walking and praying, and praying and walking...

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Not too long after that, I saw a man with one of those treasure-hunter-contraptions; he was waving it back and forth across the white sand.

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"Is this the one, God?"

"Yes, go."

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So I leisurely strolled up to this older fellow. He was wearing a thick sweatshirt, worn out jeans, and baseball cap as it was a Florida-type-of-cold-day. The treasure-hunting-device was beeping decisively. I said, "Find something?"

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"Yep, it's in here somewhere," he said. After about 30 seconds of shuffling the sand, a rusty old bottle cap was uncovered. He put it in his pocket explaining to me that even things like this, considering their age, might be worth something.

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"Oh really, how interesting to know," I replied.

"Where are you from?" I asked.

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"Michigan," he responded. (He looked like he was from Michigan. Not sure what Michigan-people really look like, but if I had to guess, it would be like the weathered snowbird who was standing in front of me.)

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"Ah, here for warmth! I get it! Nothing like sunshine in the midst of winter!" I said. Then I asked, "Do you do this much?," sincerely wanting to know more about his treasure hunts.

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"Yep," he said, "This is my third day here, and I've already found 37 cents, 2 rings, and a cross."

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"Oh wow!" I said. "That's awesome. A cross! I love that." I then said to myself, "OK, a cross...he found a cross...there's your segue."

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So, I took a breath, said a prayer, and asked, "Do you know what the cross means?"

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A little bewildered at the question, because, as you know, that's not an everyday "how's the weather type question," he quizzically said, "No, tell me."

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And for the next minute, we had a conversation. I can't recall exactly all I said, but it was from the heart. I know I told him that God loved him, and I also know that the age-old-timeless-Truth found in John 3:16 was spoken: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

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He said, "Yes, I believe that! I am a Christian. I am a Catholic Christian."

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I smiled and simply said, "Yay! That's great to know!" We spoke for a moment longer, and nodded at each other with a quiet agreement and a good-bye. As I walked away, with hopeful confidence that he knew Jesus as his Savior, I said, "God's Spirit lives in you." And that was that.

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I kept walking on, and praying much, asking the Lord to use my meager jumbled words to do his mighty life-giving work. I prayed that when this friendly older Michigan man got back to his sunny beachside condo, he would relook at the rusty bottle cap, the 37cents, the 2 rings, but most of all the cross--and then take hold of the age-old timeless Truth of this treasure that he uncovered in the sand.

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*Check out other beachside writing, and subscribe to the Daily Prayers on www.RespitefortheWeary.com

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I chose a word for 2022...better yet, a word actually chose me. After seeing it, hearing it, and randomly thinking on it at different times prior to the New Year, "faith" was no doubt the word for me.

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Hmmm....my first thought was, "Well, now that's a big, broad word to grasp?"

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And then these questions:

"What does God want me to learn about faith?"

"How does one really 'walk by faith, not by sight' (2 Corinthians 5:7)."

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With listening to the bible chronologically so far this year, and then combining it with my word for 2022, I've discovered some things about faith from the biblical characters I've encountered thus far:

Faith is...knowing that you are created and that you have a purpose on this earth (Adam and Eve).

Faith is...offering a gift to God with reverence (Abel) rather than with "rote-ness" (Cain).

Faith is...walking with God, day in, day out (Enoch).

Faith is...obeying God even when it seems crazy (Noah).

Faith is...believing God even in the depths of despair (Job).

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Oh wow, I'm only 2 weeks into listening to the bible, and I've been given so much to think about already! What are the next 351 days going to bring?

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What is faith?

Faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen. For by it the people of old gained approval. Hebrews 11:1-2

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I believe God was personally and powerfully present in the lives of these "people of old."  I believe he molded Adam and Eve, he smiled on Abel, he disciplined Cain, he walked with Enoch, he directed Noah, and he had compassion on Job. Likewise, he is present in my faith-walk and yours.

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I want to mimic all the faith-qualities of these biblical heroes. With God's spirit in me, grooming me and growing me, I can.

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Let's choose to walk with God this year. We may not be able to see him, but through the pages of his living book, we can certainly know him.

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On January 1st, I started listening to Genesis chapter 1 with the goal being to follow along the storyline of the whole bible throughout 2022. In doing so, I'm also trying to have a "take-away" each day.

When I got to the encounter between the serpent and Eve (with Adam too) in Genesis 3, I asked this question to myself:

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"Who are you going to listen to?"

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Just like Adam and Eve, we have one of two options.

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One, we can listen to our Maker, who is the God that created everything good and perfect and beautiful. He is in all and through all. He is the author of light and life and love. He is all wise and knows the inner workings of each one of us. He is holy. He is glorious. And amazingly, he offers his glory to us!

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Or two, we can listen to the enemy of our Maker. In Genesis 3, he is the serpent in the garden who is more crafty than any other beast of the field. Elsewhere in the bible he is referred to as the deceiver, the accuser, and the father of lies. He lied to Adam and Eve back then and he lies to us every day. He twists God's truth. He tempts us with lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16).

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Sadly, Adam and Eve pushed away God's clear direction and gave into the serpent's deceiving words, and therefore, we have this ongoing wrestle today.

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But the good news is this, our Savior Jesus has come! We have his living word and we have his abiding Spirit!

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With the Helper, we can wisely discern and powerfully overcome the tactics of our enemy.

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In 2022, how about we choose to be in the word of God?

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His word will guide and direct us. His word will help decipher truth from lies. His word is our greatest weapon as we walk in this fallen world.

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Who am I going to listen to this year? Who are you going to listen to?

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Each one of us has one of two options.

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Maker of heaven and earth, God of glory, Holy One, Author of Love, Giver of Life, help us to listen to YOU!

Over this final week of 2021, a thought has come to my mind more than once. I've asked myself, (or maybe the Lord has asked me):

"Chris, what are you going to do to help push back the darkness in 2022?"

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This is a good question for all who claim Christ as Lord and Savior; for he has called each of us to be his Light bearers.

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Here is one place that I am excited to share the Good News:

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A wonderful ministry called Girls Living for God wants to use a bible study I wrote called Picture Scripture. This seven-week study uncovers seven biblical images in order to teach and encourage its readers in God's word. In this case, the participants will be teenage girls. The word of God is the beacon of light in their culture's darkness and my prayer is that these young ladies would learn it, trust it, and cling to it not only in their younger years, but all their lives.

Will you join me in this endeavor?

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If you would like to make a year end donation to help fund this project please do so at this link: http://GL4G.com/partner

Once on the donation site, check these boxes: "Dedicate this gift" and then "Picture Scripture"

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Thank you in advance and with sincere gratefulness.

Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. Psalm 145:4

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Today, in this festive time of the year, the cornucopia is often the choice item that makes its way onto the center of our kitchen or dining room tables. This decorative piece symbolizes both "abundance" as well as a "bountiful harvest", which then leads to much gratitude as we count our many blessings.

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With this visual in mind, I couldn't help but compare it to an on-line devotional series that I am currently reading, (see www.soulsistersministry.com). Over the past month, many women have willingly shared why they have been "Thankful in All Circumstances" this year. To say this series has been powerful is an understatement. Just like the differing harvest fruits and vegetables that are attractively placed in a cornucopia, these unique posts have become a beautiful collection of living testimonies bound together in the love of Christ.

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Here are some of the fruits on display:

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Acknowledging that age brings wisdom

Recognizing the little things, the daily things

Believing that God keeps his promises

Experiencing the love of Jesus in extreme sadness

Receiving forgiveness in a relationship

Recognizing we are made in God's image

Choosing to embrace all of life's moments

Choosing life and birthing redemption

Rejoicing in a God-given relationship

Giving thanks for answered prayers, both small and big

Choosing a thankful heart no matter the trial

Celebrating healing of body and soul

Choosing to grow in difficult times

Resting in God's plan, past, present, and future.

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These Soul Sisters of mine have made my intangible Thanksgiving centerpiece become very real and alive in my heart. What a bountiful display of blessing upon blessing! (And the series is not over yet!)  If I were to add to this cornucopia of thankful hearts, I would have to say my fruit would be entitled:

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Embracing life-change.

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What about you? What are you thankful for this year? What has God done for you in even a difficult circumstance? Take a moment before the Lord and ask him to reveal one thing to you and then thank him for it. Allow this blessing to be the seed of gratitude that has the potential to bear much fruit; may each one of us be full to overflowing with an array of colorful praise.

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‍Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving... For the Lord is a great God... Psalm 95:2-3

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