“All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger. Roots entrench themselves and branches grow” (James Clear, Atomic Habits).

Habits are powerful. When those habits are filled with and fueled by grace, their impact can be profound. Jesus does not merely model these habits for us, but also equips us with the grace needed for these habits to take root and flourish in our lives. These are the Habits of His Grace, and today we see in Jesus the patience we long for him to see in us.

“All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger. Roots entrench themselves and branches grow” (James Clear, Atomic Habits).

Habits are powerful. When those habits are filled with and fueled by grace, their impact can be profound. Jesus does not merely model these habits for us, but also equips us with the grace needed for these habits to take root and flourish in our lives. These are the Habits of His Grace, and today we see in Jesus the compassion we long for him to see in us.

“All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger. Roots entrench themselves and branches grow” (James Clear, Atomic Habits).

Habits are powerful. When those habits are filled with and fueled by grace, their impact can be profound. Jesus does not merely model these habits for us, but also equips us with the grace needed for these habits to take root and flourish in our lives. These are the Habits of His Grace, and today we see in Jesus the determination we long for him to see in us.

“All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger. Roots entrench themselves and branches grow” (James Clear, Atomic Habits).

Habits are powerful. When those habits are filled with and fueled by grace, their impact can be profound. Jesus does not merely model these habits for us, but also equips us with the grace needed for these habits to take root and flourish in our lives. These are the Habits of His Grace, and today we see in Jesus the faithfulness we long for him to see in us.

We’re not always so good at distinguishing between wants and needs. We are quite good even at convincing ourselves that a want is really a need. If we aren’t careful, that same mindset can begin to affect how we view Jesus and his role in our lives. Does Jesus exist merely to provide for what I want, or is he truly the Savior that I need? Jesus’ Transfiguration provides us with the answer.

We’re not always so good at distinguishing between wants and needs. We are quite good even at convincing ourselves that a want is really a need. If we aren’t careful, that same mindset can begin to affect how we view Jesus and his role in our lives. Does Jesus exist merely to provide for what I want, or is he truly the Savior that I need?

What do others think of us? Do we have a good reputation? Is our name respected? It may very well be, but not even a good name is enough to guarantee that we’ll be OK when life isn’t.

At least not OUR good name, that is. HIS, on the other hand, makes all the difference.

It would be more than enough for God to breathe life into us through hearing and believing his Word. That alone is priceless. But that wasn’t good enough for God. He went a step further and provided us with the privilege of prayer, the opportunity to speak to him about what is on our hearts. And he listens. He always listens.

Being OK when life isn’t? That involves bouncing back to prayer.

Our identity is solidified as we bounce back to the Word and to our baptism. They are our anchor when it comes to being OK when life isn’t. One would expect that the more confident we are with our own identity, the more confident we would be in witnessing to others. So why is witnessing still such a challenge, and more importantly, how do we overcome it?

2020 was a tough year, but is there any guarantee that 2021 will be any better? No, there isn't. Is there a way though, that we can turn a setback into a comeback? Can we bounce back from last year? We can, if we bounce back to our baptism.