From August 8th’s Jesus Calling devotional
“I speak to you from deepest heaven. You hear Me in the depths of your being. Deep calls unto deep. You are blessed to hear Me so directly. Never take this privilege for granted. The best response is a heart overflowing with gratitude. I am training you to cultivate a thankful mindset. This is like building your house on a firm rock, where life’s storms cannot shake you. as you learn these lessons, you are to teach them to others. I will open up the way before you, one step at a time.”

Since some very humbling, life-changing, God-sustaining moments this past two years, I’ve felt a genuine sense of responsibility to not only build my house on a solid foundation, but truly “teach” others what it is like to do so. It sure isn’t easy!

The human side prefers to crawl under the covers and hide from pain, hardship, fear and confusion. Yet in ducking from the light, we lose the goodness of life’s blessings God promises us. There are too many amazing moments to miss! Too many smiles to blindly pass by! Too many times we can feel the awesome presence of God with us to hide!

So, though I am still building brick by brick each day (even when it seems I cannot lift a tiny grain of sand), I will continue to call The Light into the shadows of this world with thankfulness in hopes of teaching others just as He asks of me.

“Joy unspeakable, faith unsinkable, love unstoppable, anything is possible. Just to know You and to make You known, we lift Your name on high. Shine like the light, make darkness and hide….We were made to thrive!”
(Thrive by Casting Crowns)