Today, I'm struck with...

First day of school

New outfits, book bags, hairstyles, and surprisingly, little fussing

New apprehensions...

...and opportunities

The picture is framed against the same old garage.  My 3 girls lines up in order.

And I'm struck with...

How beautiful they are (they look like their Mom)
How much they've grown
How fast the time has gone by


Then my nephew emerges from across the way.
Walking to his first day of high school with his best friend - his steps powered by a transplanted heart that he received when he was a baby, his smile straight from his dad, and a goofiness that makes my day (every day).  And I am struck with just how much of a blessing it is to see him walk to school.

I pray they know the fullness of the God who loves them.
Who gives them big dreams.
Who wraps His arms of grace around them...

I pray that He might slow them down a little bit in their growing up...
And I pray they grow up to be all that God would have them be...

I know that inevitably I will be distracted by world events, politics, drama at church from folks who should know better, and my own stupidity and selfishness...

But today, I'm struck with the fact...

God is good


Peace,
Jon

Beyond Me

“It’s beyond me…”

How many times when faced with seemingly impossible circumstances have we thrown up our arms and made that statement?

Face those circumstances as a group and we can easily change the statement to the plural – “it’s beyond us”

There is no humanly possible way we are going to be able to pull this off, make this change, restore this relationship, or move that mountain.

This is a great place to be in.

Seriously.

To get to the life that is “beyond us”, we’ve got to get beyond us.

Ephesians 3:20 (New International Version)

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

Ephesians 3:20 (Amplified Bible)

Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]—

How many times have we limited what God can do in our lives because we only ask Him to help us do what we can do on our own?

How many times have we simply not asked, because we have such a myopic view of the power and glory of God?

Everything that is “beyond us” is right in God’s wheelhouse.

Committing to live a life that is “beyond us” means not only knowing that God is “infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams”…

But living like we know He is

selves of everything that’s unique and glorious in our faith – having God live his life in ours