Graduate Level Courses

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January 24
After a sermon yesterday, I realized I was smack in the middle of a "Master's" level course.
The Master, Jesus!
The minister gently explained if you find yourself dwelling on the negative, you are lacking in your faith.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

My head was spinning and my heart receiving the truth of his message. Confessing my lack of faith and inability to think BIG, which means think God, I jotted down these revelations in my notebook and stepped forth into Sunday professing change.
I had also proposed to avoid phone calls and emails on this day, but eleven contacts later through phone and emails trepidation, which Webster's defines as a nervous or fearful feeling of uncertain agitation had set in an overtaken my day. I don't think my faith, which the minister explained could move mountains, could have swept away a dust bunny on my floor.

The familiar words of Jesus revealing his impending departure from earth to the disciples in John 16:33 come to mind...
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

In that first sentence lies the key to peace and faith. It cannot be found within ourselves, but in Jesus. So we rise up another day, realizing there are lessons to be learned as life is lived. There will be moments of joy, gusts full of grief, and a land mine of questions in between, but we are not expected to face any of them alone.

PT God, you are our god, and we will always love you! We will seek You in the morning and learn to walk in your ways, and pray that step by step you will lead us and guide us to follow You all of our days. In Jesus' Name, Amen

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