I Choose Today...

I Choose Today to see Beyond My Problems

We all have problems, right? Some days, waking up to them feels overwhelming, making us want to stay in bed, hiding under the blankets, hoping they vanish. I’ve realized that the real issue isn’t my problems themselves but how I view them. A perfect illustration of this perspective is found in 2 Kings 6:15-17 (NLT): “When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha. “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.” The servant saw only the problem, feeling trapped with no solution in sight. In contrast, Elisha saw his problems through the lens of God’s provision and protection, trusting in God’s ability to solve them. Often, we lack the eyes to see God’s power at work amidst our problems; we see only the challenges.

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I Choose Today to be Led Through the Wilderness

What is holding you back from stepping out in faith into your calling? Is it fear of failing? Inadequacy? Uncertainty? Fear of the unknown obstacles, giants, or hills that need to be battled? I have felt all these things. I have also stepped out in faith and, trial after trial, I wondered if I would have been happier or better if I would have just stayed where I was. At least I knew what to expect. But one of the things that I have learned is that when I have stepped out in faith and walked through the wilderness, that is when I learn the most. God did that for the Israelites when they left Egypt: “He brought us out from there in order to bring us in, to give us the land which He had sworn to [give] our fathers.’” Deuteronomy 6:23 AMP God brought them out of oppression, slavery, and captivity and into the wilderness in order to get them prepared for the promised land. “The Lord your God will drive out those nations to make room for you. But He will do it little by little. You won’t be allowed to get rid of them all at

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I Choose Today to Trust my Rock

Today, like every other day, I received a verse of the day from my Bible app. Today’s verse is: “Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.” (Isaiah 26:4 NLT). But today isn’t just like every other day for me and my family. This verse holds intense significance because I learned firsthand that I can trust—rely on, lean on, confidently hope in—the Lord. He is my Rock when life throws curveballs meant to knock me off my feet. You see, 30 years ago today, my little boy met Jesus face to face. This happened without notice, no precursor. One day he was with us, and the next day he was not. That was a definite curveball, and it nearly took me down. I was devastated. I cried in anguish and mourned so deeply that I didn’t know if I would survive the loss. My heart was ripped into pieces. But God helped me mend the pieces of my heart back together. I leaned on Him so heavily that only a powerfully strong God could withstand the weight of my leaning. Yet, He never let go. He was my Rock. It was a defining moment in

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I Choose Today to Trust in God’s Plan

Let me ask you a very hard question: Have you ever been disappointed with God? Jesus? Did you ever expect something from God and felt He didn’t meet your expectation? Back in the time of Jesus, many were disappointed because Jesus didn’t live up to their expectation of what the Messiah was going to do for them. The Jewish community expected the Messiah to rescue them from Roman rule and oppression and become King of the Jews (Read Mark 15). So when Jesus died on the cross, even His closest followers were disappointed. Was what He said about Himself and God even true? What now? Were they supposed to continue looking for the Messiah, the one who is going to rescue them? What they were thinking about was the here and now; solving today’s problems. If Jesus was only there to help in their present need, what would happen to future generations? To the people who were not Jews? After all, they were the ones who labeled Him King of the Jews. But God and Jesus had something bigger in mind; something that would last forever, for whosoever will call on the name of the Lord! Their plan was for

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I Choose Today to Wait

There is purpose in the waiting; there is purpose in the pain. There is an expression “it will be worth the wait.” Well, God ALWAYS shows us that His timing is worth the wait. The account of what happened when Lazarus dies (falls asleep) (John 11:1-44) shows us so much about Jesus and the power He has over death. He wanted to illustrate a point; He wanted to show the people (of the time and all those since) that He alone has the power and was sent to conquer death. It showed His divinity. But He also showed His humanity and love by having compassion for His friends’ pain. Which by weeping with them, showing compassion for them, comforting them, He illustrated how He would do the same for us. He was showing us how He responds to our pain. It seems to me that it is easy for us to understand that Jesus conquered death and that He is compassionate and understands our pain. But the waiting? We don’t get it. Am I on target or am I the only one who has a hard time understanding it? Just as Jesus was illustrating a point of His power over

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