How does he rate in your life?

Jesus doesn’t demand that we exclude much from our lives. He just longs to be a big part of what we have going on.

Check it out. How do you ensure it’s about Jesus gets the glory?

The topics we cover and the teachings accumulate and I begin to wonder how much of a change a guy can really make.

After I suppress my whining and negativity, I put what I read and experience into perspective. They’re goals, not rigid performance grades.

Looking toward being a better follower of Jesus gives me something fresh to think about and to aspire to in some capacity.

My goal is to be a street evangelist, but it’s been a long, long time since I approached a total stranger.

What kind of Christian do you hope to be as you grow in your walk with Christ?

As a model, look at the words of John Wesley, a famed evangelist and founder of Methodism:

“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can.”

Lofty?

Not really.

It’s about setting the bar kind of high so you can look up.

I once heard that God isn’t looking so much for our ability as He is our availability.

Lord, please help me make myself available to you and sort out the pressures and priorities of my life.

Although a stick could smack against a rock here and there, it usually just floats and made its way – carried by the water.

I sought that peace amid pressures and uncertainity.

Today, the calm waters appear more often. But I think God wants me to trust in His grace no matter what’s happening. He’ll carry me, see me through.

Sometimes in faith, and sometimes just for a reprieve, I think about the strength I can find in Jesus. A great illustration of that is an uplifting Bryan Duncan song, “Strollin’ on the Water.” It’s about that invitation – to let go, step into the deep and enjoy the company of Jesus – regardless of the conditions.

In the lyrics, Jesus says:

“…Take a breath of fresh air
Feel the mist on your toes
Look where we are!”

All around me, people I know lack jobs, cope with mental illness, lose faith in their marriages, and despair over grueling circumstances. One friend’s father has one of the worst forms of cancer.

I don’t know how any of them could cope without Jesus.

Although I don’t check in with Jesus as much as I should, I find myself thinking about him, admiring him, loving Him.

And when things do get rough – when I’m in over my head and feel like I can’t even breathe – I rush toward Him. He’s not hard to find. He’s the awesome guy who even commands the seas:

“Then he got to his feet and rebuked the wind and the waters and there was a great calm. The men were filled with astonishment and kept saying, ‘Whatever sort of man is this – why, even the wind and the waves do what he tells them!’ ”
- Matthew 8:23-27

When do you reach for His hand?

Life's storm's can look menacing until...

...until I picture myself out there with Him.

Scientists amaze me with their knowledge and discoveries. But like some scientists, many people grow frustrated when they can’t prove something exists. Therefore, it must not be real, right? Wrong. We can’t see gravity, but we respect its presence. We can’t see God, but we still have faith in Him. He’s more real to us than He needs to be – in that soft, still voice we hear in our minds and in our hearts, in an embrace of a friend or a stranger, in nature, in circumstances and in His Word.

Can’t see Jesus? Set aside your pride and His presence will be clear enough.