We train our dogs how to behave when life throws them distractions. As they mature, it's incredible how they can stay focused and depend on us no matter what they encounter. The great news is you and I can have the same focus and dependence when we position ourselves under the care and leadership of Jesus, our Shepherd.

No matter how realistic our goals are. No matter how prepared our plans are. No matter how solid our dog is. We will encounter trouble. The same is true in life. No matter how right we do our best to live our lives, we will encounter trouble. It's inevitable. However, trouble isn't the victor. It doesn't have to consume us or be our focus. Jesus promises and proves He's bigger than our trouble. He's the Victor.

Sometimes, we find ourselves asking, "How did we get here?" If we're honest, our first response usually isn't self-reflection. Instead, we find ourselves blaming, frustrated and maybe even angry. However, when we step back and take a breath, we'll discover the answer is pretty clear. The amazing news is no matter where we find ourselves when we identify "here," we're never too far away from the path we want to be on; the path that'll take us to our target destination.

Are you stuck in your life or your dog training? Are you unwilling to learn from other people? When did you last connect with your community to learn or equip? Are you following methods for the right reasons? When was the last you reflected on why you do what you do?

Sometimes we're too distracted to listen to God's voice. Sometimes we're too lazy. Sometimes we're stuck in sin and believing lies. Sometimes we simply ignore God's voice. God is calling. Are you listening? Like dogs off-leash, we have the choice to listen to our Master's (God's) voice and recall.

Just like a pup learns from the older dogs in the pack, we can learn from the generations before us. Whether we are stuck or just curious, we must humble ourselves, ask questions, take notes and observe.

We're going to make mistakes. Our dogs are going to make mistakes. The people around us are going to make mistakes. And accidents happen. These realities don't permit anyone to live recklessly, but they remind us of the power, beauty and gift of grace.

History is anything behind us, whether minutes or years. We'd all say we have good history and bad history. No matter how broken we find our history, Jesus offers us the gift of restoration and the opportunity to run to a future we couldn't earn for ourselves.

Teaching a dog to be steady is a key part of training. Unfortunately, we can struggle to practice what we preach in this area of our lives. When we skip or cheat being steady, we miss out.

If we're wondering why we aren't reaching our desired outcomes in our lives or our dog's training, inconsistency is likely the culprit. Similarly, we may consistently be doing the wrong things, which produces the wrong or even bad fruit. We can all agree that healthy consistency matters.