I Choose Today...

I Choose Today to See Through God’s Lens

My husband and I recently finished some projects for my office. One of the projects is a soundproofing wall panel. It turned out beautifully, but there is a flaw—an imperfection. The flaw isn’t visible unless it is viewed from a certain angle. Now that I know it’s there, the flaw is all I see. Even though the flaw is obvious to me, not one other person who has seen the end result has noticed it. It’s the same with our own flaws: I’m too tall, too big, don’t speak well, not creative, don’t have any talents, not smart enough, good enough, or quick-thinking enough. Sound familiar? Or maybe the flaws you see in yourself are different. When you look at yourself, those flaws are all you see—you cannot seem to unsee them. When we continue to focus on our flaws, we end up putting limits on our lives, our effectiveness, and our uniqueness. We see others differently—we notice their talents, beauty, and abilities and compare them to our own flaws. We get stuck in this cycle. Even though, as the co-creator of the wall panel, I can see all the flaws, the panel hasn’t lost its usefulness or intent. Same

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I Choose Today to Reflect

The beginning of a new year sparks excitement – fresh opportunities, challenges, adventures, and resolutions waiting to unfold. You might be thinking, “I don’t like making New Year’s resolutions; I always end up breaking them.” That sentiment resonates with me too. Until last year, I shared the same perspective on resolutions; they felt like setting myself up for failure amid life’s inevitable challenges. Then, a challenge from a church member, to fall deeper in love with God, altered my mindset. I resolved to deepen my connection with God, a resolution that changed my world. My journey led me to fall even deeper in love with God’s Word – a craving that drove me to explore its depths. I discovered that His Word is His breath, His very essence. My understanding of God’s nature deepened, revealing His genuine love, mercy, grace, and being the ultimate source of hope. Most profoundly, I developed a deeper personal relationship with God – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The joy of knowing they delight in me transformed my perspective. Words can’t capture the impact of this resolution on my life. As I gear up for 2024, my resolutions include fervent prayer, living

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I Choose Today to change my clothes…

God’s Word is FULL of practical principles for living everyday life. In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, God illustrates how we are to receive and treat others with whom we come in contact. Paul instructs, “Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” How counter-culture are these instructions? Where being offensive, offended, and hostile are all the rage (no pun intended), God instructs us once again to go against the grain and do the unexpected: Make allowances for one another; In this text, “make allowances for one another” means being understanding and forgiving of each other’s faults, shortcomings, or mistakes. It suggests a willingness to be patient and considerate, recognizing that nobody is perfect and that people may occasionally err or fall short of expectations. It encourages giving forgiveness, grace, and mercy to one another. Forgive: In the context of the text, “forgive” means to pardon or let go

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