Today is day 264 of the year 2022. You’ve woken up to 264 days of this year of life so far. How fast has this gone by? How much living do you have to show for these days you have been given? Are you where you thought you would be?

We’re coming into a new season now. Summer is over and Fall is well on it’s way. This change of season doesn’t typically stir within us a new resolve to try harder, but instead a settling in. Yes, that’s what Fall is. We put on cozy sweaters and we turn everything into some version of pumpkin, and we settle in. Settle in to “it is what it is”. Settle in to “maybe next year it will be different for me.” Hey, if it hasn’t happened already this year, then it’s probably not going to happen, right?

WRONG. Actually really, really, really wrong.

You have 101 days left in this year. Do you have any idea what God could do with one hundred and one days? No, no you don’t. You don’t have a clue all he could do, wants to do, is ready to do. So how about we stop settling-in with our pumpkin spice and assumptions that the rest of this year is going to be a whole lot more of the same, and partner with the Almighty in final one-o-one.

Yes, this is Mission One-O-One. A partnership with an unstoppable God, declaring we’re not stopping on this year either. The final one hundred and one days shall be seized, savored, and successful!

Our scripture for today is Isaiah 43: 18-19 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

Do you believe God is about to make a way where there has been no way before? Do you believe a breakthrough is just ahead?

At this moment, hold the very thing you’ve been struggling with in the forefront of your mind. There’s likely a goal, a relationship or a situation that you’ve been working on this year and it just doesn’t seem to be improving. You’re frustrated because all of your efforts seem to be for not. Honestly, you don’t have a whole lot to show for the 264 days that have passed this year.

You welcomed this new year of life with hope this would change, but today’s reality doesn’t measure up with what you hoped for. What is it? An area of your life you started making progress on, now you’ve fallen back again. A relationship that is nearly hopeless. That habit you can’t seem to break. The situation you’re stuck in. Go ahead and be honest, single it out. Which goal, relationship or situation hasn’t worked so far this year? Yes, that one. Think of it now.

Now we will read that same scripture, Isaiah 43: 18-19 from the Message translation:

“Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history.

Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand new.”

God wants you to know he is about to do something BRAND NEW. It’s coming. Say that with me … it’s coming. It’s coming. It’s coming. He is about to do something brand new.

And you ‘settling in’ for the rest of the year will not position you in alignment with this brand new thing God is making possible!

It may not have worked before. You may not have seen any progress in the past. You may be feeling hopeless and tired from unsuccessful efforts, but it’s coming. These final 101 days have the potential of being greater than anything you’ve experienced so far.

So what does this scripture say? “Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history.” Just because the door was locked last time doesn’t mean it will be locked this time. Give it another try. Just because the answer was no before, doesn’t mean you should give up asking. Ask again. You may have tried and failed, but TRY AGAIN.

Do you ever feel like no matter what you do, you’re just kinda bumping along through life? You’re doing good for a bit, then bump. You get back on your feet, then bump. Each bump sends you in the other direction. A little too far this way, bump. Move on, then a little too far the other way, bump. And you know, the next bump is coming. The truth is, you don’t really know what you’re doing, you’re just bumping along.

Do you understand why you’re bumping? Because God has guardrails set up to protect his girl! God, in all of his wisdom, knew you wouldn’t always get it right, so he has placed guardrails all along the path he has for you. All he asks is that you keep moving forward. He never required you to do it perfectly. His guardrails have been strategically placed to guide you along the way.

Proverbs 3: 5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

This doesn’t say, “figure out exactly how to do it, then make it perfect”. It doesn’t say, “it’s all up to you to get from where you are to where you’re supposed to go.” It certainly doesn’t promise it’s going to be easy or without bumps.

You’re not supposed to know exactly how to do this. You’re not supposed to know how to accomplish that 5 year plan. In fact, if you think you know, God says DON’T COUNT ON IT! That’s what “lean not on your own understanding” means. Don’t count on what you know and how you think you’re supposed to do this. Trust God through every bump. These bumps up against the guardrails are God’s way of guiding you.

Making your paths straight doesn’t mean making them perfect, it means showing you the right path and making it possible to stay on that path. It means bumping along, but moving forward.

Honey, are you still moving forward, or have you allowed all these bumps against the guardrails to discourage you? You might be looking at others thinking they’ve got it all figured out while you’re a holy hot mess with one bump after another, but I promise you, every single one of us that are still trying are still bumping! But you know what, because we haven’t given up, God is allowing every bump up against his protective guardrails to propel us forward on the path he has for us.

Paul wrote in Philippians 3: 12-14 MSG ” I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.”

This is a man with a past of being on a tragically wrong path. This is a man who pursued Christians for their head! And now, God has put him on the right path with guardrails to protect him from falling off too far one way or the other, and he is moving onward. Paul’s simple obedience to move onward created nearly half of the New Testament. Some of my favorite books of the Bible are credited to Paul; Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Timothy …”

All of this goodness from a man who was once on the wrong path, saved by the amazing grace of Jesus and set on a new path, then bumped his way right along simply taking the next step.

Now, what in the world could God do with a girl like you? What could God do in your life if you too would decide you’re off and running and not turning back? Where could God take you if you received the bumps in life as divine guardrails to redirect you, instead of discouraging proof that you’re not good enough?

Do you need God to get up in the middle of a situation in your life and fight for you? Do you need him to swoop in and rescue you? Do you need him to intervene? Now maybe you don’t really WANT him to, but my guess is, Sis, you NEED him to.

Did you know this is exactly what he wants to do for you today? In fact, he has been fighting for you, he is rescuing you, and he is ready to intervene again at this moment … will you invite him into the middle?

Psalm 91: 1-2 “You who sit down in God’s presence, spend the night in His shadow, Say this: “GOD, you’re my refuge. I trust in you and I’m safe!”

Hey, just in case you missed it, that’s YOU! You are sitting in God’s presence. You just spent the night protected in His shadow! He’s right here with you at this moment to guide you. This scripture says if that’s you, if you’re the one sitting in God’s presence and spending the night in His shadow (and it is you), then say this “God, you’re my refuge. I trust in you and I’m safe!”

Will you say that right now? God, you’re my refuge. I trust in you and I’m safe.

Psalm 91 goes on to give us the image of God as our protector. Reading from the Message translation:

“He rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you— under them you’re perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm. Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day, Not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon. You’ll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance. Yes, because GOD is your refuge, Evil can’t get close to you, harm can’t get through the door. He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go. If you stumble, they’ll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling. You’ll walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path. “If you’ll hold on to me for dear life,” says GOD, “I’ll get you out of any trouble. I’ll give you the best of care if you’ll only get to know and trust me. Call me and I’ll answer, be at your side in bad times; I’ll rescue you, then throw you a party.”

I encourage you to google the Message translation of Pslam 91 and read the entire thing, taking each word to heart.

There are hidden traps set by your enemy trying to hold you back, God is rescuing you. Little things have been placed in your way to detour you from the big, beautiful, amazing life God has planned for you. Distractions, temptations, addictions, bad habits, excuses. Can you see these things in your life for what they really are?

God’s arms are stretched over you protecting you from harm. His angels are by your side every where you go and their job is to catch you when you stumble and keep you from falling. Don’t you understand that’s why you’re still up today … because the mighty warriors of heaven are fighting for you!

If you’re in trouble, girl you better hold on to God for dear life. He will give you the best care, but it’s up to you to get to know and trust him.

To get a full visual of what God is trying to tell us here, imagine someone trying to break up a fight. We’ve all witnessed that scene, whether in person or in a movie. There’s trouble brewing between two people, it escalates and a fight breaks out. Then here comes a third person to intervene. This person positions themselves right in the middle and separates the two. They play the hero, protecting the weak, putting themselves in harms way to break up the fight. Can you see that image in your mind? Study it. See the details.

And isn’t this the perfect picture of what our Jesus does for us? He intervenes in our struggles in life and shields us. The hero who jumps right in the middle and stretches out his arms to protect. Oh yes,

Have you been trying, yet not succeeding? Have you been giving your best effort and not receiving your best results? Are you frustrated with the process? Disappointed in your progress? Disheartened by your position? Worried about what will happen next?

What do you do now? What you do now can be best guided by the examples of Jesus’ disciples found in Mark 6: 45-51.

“Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified.

Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down.”

The wind dying down in your life sounds pretty darn good right about now, doesn’t it? All your worry being calmed, woah, that would be delightful, right? Okay, this one is for you!

The disciples were out on a boat in the middle of the night. They were trying to row to shore but there was a wild head wind and they were going nowhere.

Oh there you go, that’s how you feel. Rowing and going nowhere. Caught in the middle of a storm. See why I chose this story?

Jesus was sitting up on a mountainside, watching them out on the lake where he saw them struggling and he began walking out to them.

Now don’t miss this, Jesus was watching their struggle. He had positioned himself high to see them. Jesus is now positioned high with the Father, and he sees you my sister. He sees your struggle. He understands your frustration. He knows you’re growing tired. He knows you’re questioning. He knows every thought you have entertained and scenario you have considered.

He has seen it all. His eye is always on you. You have never been in this alone. Never.

As he saw their struggle, he walked out on the water towards them but verse 48 says “He was ABOUT TO PASS BY THEM.” Did you get that? He saw their struggle because he was watching them. He walked out towards them, but he was going to pass them by. He was going to just walk by them. Wait what?

Can Jesus be near you and just walk on by you? Maybe that’s exactly how you feel. He was here, but he didn’t do anything for you.

Why would Jesus walk out to the disciples in their struggle with the intention of just walking by? I wonder if Jesus was just checking. He was just positioning himself to be nearby.

Remember when the kids were babies, and you would just walk by their room as they became restless. You would stand by the door to watch them, to be near them? Yeah, that’s what Jesus was doing.

Right now, Jesus is walking towards you. He has seen your struggle. He has positioned himself near you. His presence is with you. Knowing this should bring us great comfort, but the truth is sometimes we miss it. We miss that Jesus is in the storm with us. We miss that he has his eye ever on us. We even mistake his presence for punishment. We fear condemnation, so we hide.

Why is it we think if Jesus really knew my doubt, if he knew my sin, if he knew my thoughts, he wouldn’t come near me. Girl listen to me, he knew every jacked up choice you would ever make before you ever made it, and it was all on his mind when he hung on that cross. He took it all on so you wouldn’t have to pay the penalty for your sin. He took it all on so you wouldn’t have to hide in your shame today.

This has already been lifted from you. There’s no condemnation in Christ Jesus. None.

Let’s talk about all you have coming up. All you’re preparing for. All you have to do to get ready for what is next. Whew, the weight of what’s ahead and all it will require of you is almost overwhelming isn’t it?

Y’ALL, NEXT WEEK HAS BEEN EXHAUSTING!

Is that the way you feel? You’re exhausted just thinking about what you have to do on a day that hasn’t even gotten here yet. You’re dreading things that don’t even apply to today. You’ve overwhelmed with tasks you can do absolutely nothing about this week, and you’re already exhausted by a pile of crap that hasn’t even been crapped yet.

Why does next week feel like it’s already been more than you can handle? Because, Sis, you’re not supposed to be in next week, you’re supposed to be right here. Every time you run ahead and imagine how hard future events are going to be, you just make it harder for yourself here now.

Jesus sat his disciples down and taught them how to pray. Matthew 6: 9-11 “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread…”

Bread was a staple in the Jewish diet. Bread signified provisions from the Lord. Remember when God caused bread to rain down from the Heavens upon the Israelites in the wilderness? Yes, God is telling us to seek him for our daily provisions of every thing we need, and trust he will provide for this day, just as he did for the Israelites.

But when we don’t see what we already have, and when we begin to worry about what may happen next, we lose all joy and peace here where we have been fully provided for.

Let me tell you a little story. We brought our daughters home from a Mexican orphanage when they were 5 and 6. Here in our home they had an abundance of everything they could possibly want or need. The first night in our home, they would go to the refrigerator and just stare at all the food. They would close the door, wait a second, then open it again with sheer delight all over again to see the food was still there. Then they would go to the pantry. Open the door and squeal over all the food, close the door and wait. Open the door and squeal again.

We began to quickly notice at each meal, the girls would leave a large portion of food still on their plate. Sometimes we would even notice they were really enjoying what they were eating, but they would almost seemingly force themselves to stop eating early. They would not clean their plate, and they would quickly be hungry again after each meal.

A few weeks into their new life in our home, a strange odor came from the girls’ room. The odor grew more noticeable each day. It was coming from their closet. There, hidden in the back of their closet, was a stockpile of leftover food from days and weeks before. Although they knew they were loved in their new family, they questioned our ability to provide for them, so they held back a little of what they had in case the day came when there was no food.

And isn’t this an image of us? We know God loves us, but sometimes we hold back a little just in case he doesn’t provide. We worry and fret over tomorrow, even though it’s completely evident that he provided for today. And this fear causes us to not fully enjoy what we have now, because we’re living in the demands of a tomorrow that hasn’t yet arrived, questioning our provider of his ability to provide.

This is why next week has been exhausting for you. You’re forgetting all you have today; worried about energy, help, time and resources you think you’re going to need next.

When has God not gotten you through? When has he not provided exactly what you needed for your day? When have you ever not survived before? Never. That has never happened.

Those images you see that make you wish your life were more like theirs … oh honey, their grass isn’t greener, they’re using a filter. The girl from high school that’s reverse aging, maybe she was just born with it … maybe it’s a filter.

We’re looking through filters and seeing things in distorted ways. And I’m not just talking about Instagram. I’m talking about YOU. Your view of who you are in this world has been distorted by a filter. A filter the enemy has put on you that makes you believe you are something different than who God created you to be. A filter that makes you see yourself as one thing, while God says you are another.

Remember my friend Tasha I told you about on Monday? The mugshots of a woman whose life had been wrecked with addiction, finding herself in 3 jails in 3 weeks, a mental hospital, and losing custody of her children. Then, she had an encounter with God in that jail cell. An encounter that would cause her to call out to the Lord for help, and she unknowingly activated pure power in the spirit realm. Her whole world has radically changed. She has been set free from addiction, she has regained her freedom and her children, and now walks in her purpose of helping lead others out of addiction.

Don’t you know this is God’s plan for every one of his children caught in the snares of the enemy? Don’t you know his intent is to turn the tables and use every attack on one as a means to set thousands free? Can you believe that is his plan in motion for you and your loved ones who have been attacked? Can you believe his direct intent is a relentless pursuit that brings eternal freedom?

Here’s where God worked change in Tasha’s heart and mind … he changed her filter. He changed how she saw herself. For 20 years, all she had known was running, hiding, using, blaming, and total dysfunction. She was not dysfunctional. There was no flaw in her creation, the flaw was in the way she saw herself.

Then God changed all of that. He healed her. He restored her. He set her on a path of passion and purpose. In her written testimony she says, “I no longer identify with being a drug addict, inmate or unfit mother.” GOD CHANGED HOW SHE SAW HERSELF. Her complete identity had been wrapped up in her addiction, her failures, and her struggles. But I assure you of this, God never saw her as anything other than his precious and prized masterpiece whom he created for his purposes.

And sweet sister, wherever you are, whatever you’ve been through, whatever you may be facing at this very moment, God sees nothing other than exactly who he created you to be. Now he wants to change your identity and lift the filter the enemy has placed on you.

The enemy says you are what you have done. God says you are what Christ has done. You are not condemned, you are forgiven. You are not too far gone, you are fully saved. The moment you receive God’s filter and see yourself for who he says you are, you will no longer identify with all the enemy has tried to lay on you.

When God’s Spirit dwells within you, you’re no longer just a girl who struggles to stay on the right path. You’re supernaturally guided. You’re overflowing from within of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. This is what his Spirit develops in you, now start seeing yourself as that girl. That girl who no longer identifies with who you used to be, but who has been made new through the power of God.

The enemy’s filter portrays you to be a woman who is powerless to bad habits, a woman who is stuck in old patterns and hopeless to ever change. The enemy’s filter makes you a victim. But remember what Romans 8:37 says about you. It says you are “more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus.” God’s filter says you have tapped ...

My husband and I have been on a binge lately watching the reality show ALONE. Unlike most reality shows, it’s true reality. 10 people dropped off in separate points within the absolute wilderness of places like Vancouver Island or Patagonia. They are left there to survive all alone, to film and document their own journey, and the last one remaining wins.

It’s a great show to watch while you’re on a juice cleanse because guess what, they’re hungry too. Watching them eat snails and rats isn’t overly appetizing so it serves us well. But I’m learning so much watching this show. I’m learning the secrets of building fire, the value of your shelter, and all the ways to catch fish. But one thing was said by David in season 2 that I just can’t stop thinking about. As he shared his camp with the bear family, as he foraged and hunted for his daily food, as he built a fire to survive the night, he said, “I know the hand of God is over me. I know it is. And I know if he removed his hand, I would feel it instantly.”

Honey, do you realize the hand of God is over you? Do you understand it is him giving you shelter today? It is him providing your food. It is him strengthening you. It is him keeping your mind sane. It is him allowing you to sleep. It is him waking you up. This is all a result of God’s hand over your life.

Envision that now. The hand of God stretched out over you, personally, individually directed toward you and over every detail concerning you. All that is working, all that is now possible, all that has come together, all you are being shielded from, all that is good, that is all a direct result of God’s hand over your life. Everything comes from his hand.

Now imagine for a moment his hand being removed. We can’t because that’s never a reality we’ve faced. And let me tell you, that is something we will never face. God’s hand will be over you all the days of your life. You can rest in that.

But Sis, while we rest in it, let’s not take it for granted. Let’s not overlook his hand. Let’s not grow puffed up and believe we have because we have done. Honey, anything you have done is only because you have been enabled to do! Any gifts of talents you have originated in the hand of God. The credit goes to the hand of God.

What if we could receive a compliment or praise of our own job well done with a humble and genuine, “Thank you so much, God’s hand is over my life.” Wow, write that down. Practice that.

The Hebrew word for hand is “yad”. It also means a source of power and strength. So when God’s hand is over your life, his power is directed toward you. His strength is outstretched toward you.

Deuteronomy 26:8 “So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders.”

The Israelites knew it was the hand of God that was over them because they saw it. They saw the plagues that convinced Pharaoh to set them free. They saw the pillar of cloud that led them by day, and then a pillar of fire at night. They saw the Red Sea part and stand on it’s end, creating a dry path for them to walk through and escape the enemies which pursued them. They saw the manna that rained down from heaven every day to give them food to eat in the wilderness. No doubt, great terror in the plagues, great signs with the pillars of cloud and fire leading them, and wonders with all the provision every step of the way.

But after so many days of God’s continual hand over their lives, they grew accustom to the signs and wonders. They began taking it for granted and even complaining about it.

And isn’t that us? We’ve always woke up to the sun rising, so we’re not only no longer impressed by it, but we complain about it. No, not morning yet!

God has good plans for your life, and no matter how far you have strayed, no matter how long you have delayed, he has not forgotten his plans for you. Not even for a second has he ever said, “oh, now she’s gone too far, I can’t bring her back.” Never has he looked at your reality and said, “I can’t work with this, it’s just too much.” The thought has never crossed his mind to give up on you. EVER!

He is constantly thinking of you, working for you, and going before you. Wherever you are today, God has already been here. None of this is a surprise or shock to him. He’s moved heaven and earth to have provisions here for you in this place where you find yourself today.

That all sounds good, but do you believe it? Or have you dismissed yourself from God’s love and care? Have the taunting pokes of the enemy convinced you God is busy taking care of other things and you have to handle this on your own? Have the whispered lies of Satan and his demons told you good plans are for good people, and you’re just not that good, so there are no good plans for your future.

I have a scripture for you today that you will never forget. It’s so powerful it could radically change the trajectory of your life if you will receive it. The Lord says to you, his precious daughter in Isaiah 49:16 “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”

Reminders of you are on the palms of God’s hands. Now we have the benefit of knowing the New Testament, of knowing the hands which took the nails on a cross for us. The palms that bare the reminder of the sacrifice for you and I. But when God spoke these words to his people, it was nearly 700 years before Jesus. So, what is God telling them?

First, Jesus had already been planned. The plan of sacrifice and forgiveness was already in motion. The way was already being made, even then. God knew exactly what he was doing, remember he is omnipresent, which means he is not limited by time and space as we are. God was there speaking to Zion, he was Jesus hanging on the cross with his nail scarred hands, and he is here speaking to you and I this morning. All places, at all times, limited by nothing. He’s always known the end from the beginning, and when he spoke these words to Zion, he spoke these words to you. “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”

This came in response to God’s people questioning if the Lord had forsaken and forgotten them. And he essentially says, “I have tattooed you on my hand, I will never forget.”

In ancient times, a slave would bare the brand mark of his master, but God is turning all of this and saying, “I, your master, bear the mark of YOU on my hand. I am forever reminded of YOU.” This is what he chose. He chose to never, ever be able to forget you.

And not just your name, but YOU. The ALL of you. This means your hopes and your dreams, your struggles and your triumphs, your doubts and your fears, your potential and your promise, it’s all inscribed on the hand of God. Not just your name, your whole being. He knows what you’re going through, he knows what you’re struggling with, he knows the questions you ask and the doubts you battle, and he says, “YOU, ALL of you, are right here in my hands.”

You are written on the powerful hands that created the heavens and the earth, so think about this, there is nothing that those hands, which bare the whole of you, cannot do. There is nothing those hands, which you are engraved on, cannot accomplish. Nothing they cannot overcome. Nothing they cannot move. Nothing they cannot contain. Those powerful hands are where you are!

I don’t have any tattoos because I’ve never seen anything that was just so beautiful that I thought I had to have that on ...

Why does God allow the struggle? Why the continual battle, when he could end every conflict with one word? Boom. It could all be over. It could literally disappear just like that. But it doesn’t because he doesn’t. Why is that?

Imagine for one moment the story of Joseph. Imagine it reads like this: Joseph had 11 brothers. Oh how they all loved each other, worked together so well, and never once had a bad day. Their father, Jacob, equally loved all of his sons and there was never conflict in their family. Every day was like a holiday with all of them together.

Borrrrr-innnnnggggg. Nobody would know that story. It would have never been written, it would have never been read, and it would have never had an impact on a single one of us.

Yet, isn’t that the story we want? We want the perfect marriage with our forever best friend, a cute little house that’s always tidy and somehow much bigger on the inside with all it’s big, bright, open rooms, and our 2.5 kids playing in a yard with a white picket fence and grass that’s always green and never needs to be mowed, oh and a lovely dog that never barks, sheds, or digs in the yard. And some tulips … put tulips in the yard. Wait, rocking chairs on the porch … and ferns. Hang ferns too.

Yip, that’s the story. That’s what life is supposed to be. When we get there, we know we have arrived.

Says who? Some 1950’s commercial trying to sell you a cake mix? Some Dick and Jane book you read in Elementary? Well, I read a different book where life seems to go a little different.

In the book I read, there’s a boy named Joseph with 11 brothers who absolutely hated him because his father favored him. There was continual conflict within this family, to the point the brothers took Joseph out one day to kill him, and ended up selling him for 20 pieces of silver. Then Joseph spent 13 years in prison.

That’s the story that made it into the book. So tell me again why you expected your story to be delightfully pleasant 100% of the time?

We have a real enemy in this life, and that enemy looks to stir up trouble, ruin good plans, and bring harm to every single one of us. He does a pretty darn good job with all of that, but even more, we’ve unknowingly partnered with him and stir up trouble ourselves. We step in and completely ruin good plans. We show up and we bring the harm. Every single one of us do it. We do it with our greed, our jealousy, our competitive nature, and our sinful desire to be on top. For us to be on top, others have to be on bottom, so we start knocking people down and justifying why we should be chosen, why we should be favored, why we should get more.

Oh you don’t do that?

Why did she get that new car when you’re still having to drive your hunk of junk? How come they get to live over there while you’re stuck living here? Why can’t your butt look like that in those leggings off the TikTok? You bought them too and it’s unfair you don’t look the same. Now what’s up with that? You’re on the same dang diet, he loses 20 pounds and you gain 3? You work at the same company doing the same job, and they make more money than you? Whatttttttt?

Maybe you’re not competitive, but does it make you shrink back a little? You look around at all they are and all they do with all they have, and it makes you feel less. It makes you feel a little less whole, a little less chosen, a little less called. You start telling yourself a story of being not good enough, always over-looked, weak, stuck and overwhelmed. Recognize that story? Have you been telling yourself that one?

And the enemy sits back and twiddles his thumbs because you just did his job for him. His objective was to sideline you from living the life you were created to live, and dang his intended harm wasn’t even necessary to take you out...

The enemy has counted you out. He’s sure you’re giving up this time. You won’t get up again. You won’t push through. The darkness will close in.

But girl, get yourself on up today and disappoint the devil! Oh he had crappy plans for this day, but you’re not buying them. He had intended harm coming your way, but you’ve gone and called on the power of God that takes all that harm and uses it for good.

BaBam! That’s what you just did!

Your feet hit the floor and you’re responding to God’s call instead of the devil’s attack. Today, GOD IS CALLING YOU TO BE GREATER. To be greater than the things happening to you. To be greater than your circumstances. To be a greater vessel for his power, and to be a greater disappointment to the enemy. God has been preparing you for a bigger purpose and next level of living, and my sister it’s time to step into it. You can’t stay where you are when God has called you to be greater.

What will you need to be greater? Everything you already have.

What will you need to do to be greater? Everything you can do.

How many times do we miss the answer to our prayers because the answers seem too ordinary? We’re looking for the magical and mysterious answer when God is saying, “here’s 5 rocks … throw them!”

What if it’s really that simple? Seriously, what if you don’t need to buy a single thing off the Amazon to make this work, it’s a matter of throwing the rocks you have. Using what’s here. Doing what you can do. Seeing the power in what God has already provided.

Time and time again, we already have what we need to break through whatever is holding us back, but we miss it because we believe big problems require big solutions. Understand this, big problems require a big God. And look what you already have!

“Hey Johnny, tell her what’s behind that curtain.”

“Well Bob, there’s one great, big, all knowing, all powerful God here for her! But wait, there’s more. This great big powerful God is also on her side! He is for her, not against her! All she has to do is show up!”

JACKPOT BABY!!!!! You just received the answer to your problems.

Deuteronomy 20:4 says “For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”

Let me tell you, if you didn’t wake up this morning preparing for battle, you darn well should have.

You are in a war. Every day of your life there’s a battle over your potential and your purpose. Every day obstacles are put in your way to detour you from the plan for your life. 1 Peter 5:8 “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

Yes, he’s looking for a life to ruin, a purpose to crush, a heart to trouble, a mind to worry, a dream to spoil, a home to wreck, a family to destroy. He’s looking for a fight to pick, confidence to poke at, doubt to raise, and fear to stir. That is how the enemy attacks. This is how he stops you in your tracks. This is how he steals your God-given potential and causes you to settle for less than you were created for.

Look around, Sis. The roaring lion has been stalking you. He is on the prowl. He is your enemy. Your potential to rise above your problems and become a light bearer of hope and promise is his target. The last thing the devil wants is for you to get through this and come out stronger!

Go ahead and disappoint the devil today! Crush his hopes that you’re giving up here. Shock the crap out of him with your resolve to show up even when you don’t feel like it and start throwing some darn stones!

Yes, right where you’ve been told you’re not good enough … right where you know you are the total underdog and severely outmatched &#...