{Bouquet | Day 27 of 31}

Ready? Go.

One of my favorite things is a bouquet of wildflowers. I love that I live in a city where there are fields of them in a few local parks. Julia and I love to stroll down the gravel path counting butterflies. It winds back through the field, and there are wildflowers as far as the eye can see. On a breezy day, the flowers rustle in the wind, bending this way and swaying that way. It makes me smile. Sometimes, I stare, captivated by the beauty.

It reminds me of Matthew 6. This entire chapter of Scripture is beautiful and straight from the mouth of Jesus. I would love to leave the whole of it here for you to read, but I will let you grab your scriptures and read it there. Let's just settle on this:

"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met." (Matthew 6:30-33, The Message)

We don't have to worry. We don't have to fuss. We don't have to strive. God is making beautiful things out of us and doing wonderful things for us. Perhaps, we can take our cue from the wildflowers, bending this way and swaying that way as He sings over us with His perfect love and never-ending grace.

Stop.

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{Confront | Day 26 of 31}

Ready? Go.

"I don't like confrontation," she said. I don't like it either! The word by definition implies hostility.  But, what about conflict? Conflict (or disagreement)  is an expected part of human relationships. We can't all agree on everything one hundred percent of the time. That's fair, right? It's certainly not something we should stir up (see Proverbs 6:14, 19; 10:12; 15:18; 16:28; 29:22). When it comes, though, we ought to address it.

Disagreement doesn't have to disintegrate into a confrontation. Conflict can be handled well through honest, gracious conversation. But, I don't know if we've done that well in the church. Here are a few things I try to remember in the midst of conflict.

Words matter. Use them wisely. Carefully. Perhaps, even sparingly. Listen first. Then respond. If there is a gap to be filled in, ask a question before making an unfair assumption. Always, always extend grace and mercy. 1 Corinthians 13. Always.

Stop.

{Sign | Day 25 of 31}

Ready? Go.

Last summer, my family and I had a big decision to make. It was a big deal to us -- we were deciding whether to stay at our church or not. We'd been invited to join a leadership team at a 2-year-old church plant. We toiled over the decision. There were prayers, fasting, conversations. I asked God to make it undeniably clear if this was a yes. I needed a sign. Have you ever been there? In hindsight, I wonder if perhaps I shouldn't have been more precise in my prayers. You know, like Gideon in Judges 6.

We truly thought we got it right. But after only a few months in, it seemed painfully clear that we didn't. Or, at least, it wasn't the best yes. My family is still sorting through the fragmented pieces and jagged edges left from that season trying to make sense of it. We're trusting God to fill in the gaps and smooth the rough edges. And, He will.

But, I can't help but wonder how I missed it?  Why did I miss it? Nevermind that. I suppose the important thing is that I am confident I am never beyond His reach. And, I am never out of His sight. And nothing is beyond being used for His purpose and His glory.  And so, it's been a Psalm 139 kind of season. He goes before. He comes behind. He hems me in. I'm grateful He works all things for good.

Stop.

{Global | Day 24 of 31}

Ready? Go.

Go into all the world. Preach the gospel. (Mark 16:15)

The gospel reaches. It was never meant to stop reaching until the day of Christ's return. I love that.  God had a plan for salvation and redemption before the foundations of the world that would span history. It's unchanging and powerful. For all people. In all the world.

We have the best news ever told. It's the most beautiful story. What if we started telling it again?

Stop.

{Blowout | Day 23 of 31}

Ready? Go.

My trusty dictionary gave me inspiration for this prompt. The definition explains a blowout as the "sudden rupture or malfunction of a part...due to pressure." Maybe your mind's eye sees an automobile spin out of control after a tire blowout. Or, if you're a parent, you may be remembering a time the diaper failed and a blowout ruined your dinner along with your favorite shirt. Gross. But, spiritually speaking, have you ever been in a spot where you felt like you might blowout? You know, where your heart feels overwhelmed and can't bear the weight of one more struggle.  When you feel exhausted, but life keeps pressing in. Yeah, me too.

In those moments, though, you find sweet grace. In those moments, you learn something about being pressed but not crushed (2 Corinthians 4:8). I love how the psalmist put it. "When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; He brought me into a spacious place." Yes! A spacious place where I can breathe in His grace and rest in His unfailing love. With my heart in His very capable hands, it's safe.

STOP.