Perfection. We live in a society that strives for it, pays for procedures to get closer to it, offers self-help books and workouts that help us strive towards it, and we have editing software to touch up photos to fake it or products that promise to magically deliver it, but the problem is that this perfection is imaginary. Thankfully, we can strive with joy for another perfection that is real, true and attainable through Jesus.

When we hear the words "war", "famine", "persecution", and like, our natural inclination is to put up our defenses. To start planning. Or to figure a way out. But Jesus told his disciples there was a better way to react. They were to prepare themselves to go against their natural inclinations and not defend themselves, but let Him do it through them by their testimony.

Diligently pursuing God will always increase our faith, but it will also lead today us to everything our heart and soul desires.

In a world that is shaking and moving under our feet every day, how can live unshaken? Psalm 15 is a good place to lean into truth and recenter our lives so we can stay unshakable.

A sustaining joy food or lives when we willingly allow the excitement of being led by God and living in His presence to move us along through every thing we do.

What are you stumbling over? Un-dealt-with sin is like an obstacle we leave right where we take our daily steps. Just like laundry or toys that clutter a path in a room, unresolved sin can clutter our decisions pathways, our daily routes, and even our ability to walk in joy.

God does for us what we can't do or change on our own. He has the power to step into each of our lives, meet us uniquely where we need him to, work in amazing ways, and He is not limited by time, space, resources, energy, or even other people. This understanding of God is a firm anchor for peace.

"Bless the Lord, all you his hosts, you who serve Him, doing His will." Psalm 103:21. Accessing God's power is a simple, yet as difficult, as releasing our independence and living in service to our God and King through obedience and following His will.

We often feel like we need to posture ourselves properly to pray, but in waiting for pockets of clarity to connect with God we miss out on experiencing God's presence in our turmoil and the peace he can bring in to those places.

Expectations change our behavior and how we pay attention. If we expect the ordinary, we will get the ordinary. If we expect God we will see God.