I’m always impressed with God and the way He works. As I was ending my journaling this morning and asking Jesus what He wanted me to know from Him for today? (I was wanting to ask specifically about the workshop I’m to do in a couple weeks), He simply gave me the insight I was wanting. Over the past three weeks I’d determined what part of the book, I Give You Authority, was the right portion to use. What I didn’t know was the best way to process it with the group. This is what Jesus provided for me. Thank You Jesus!

A few days ago in my devotions I was reading in the little book of Amos about anger. In it, Joyce Meyer had written an insert regarding her anger towards God for many years and then her anger towards Satan because of her own many years of childhood abuse. She then tells how she eventually turned that anger over to God. Over time He helped her to use that energy which had been given to anger and turn it into a passion for helping others overcome their own obstacles hindering their walk with God. I earmarked the page in my bible knowing I’d want to reference back to it with our Mending the Soul men. Well, today we are tackling the topic of the abuser. It is a perfect place to read Joyce’s message. We can lose a good deal of our lives by funneling energy into something that only ends up costing us more.

These are hard lessons to work through in life, but they are so important if we are to use our past as a lesson for other’s growth. God is wanting to help us get to this point in our recovery. He is so patient and kind, yet relentless in His pursuit of us and guiding us into a greater fullness of Him. Thank You Jesus!

Well, I did something this morning that I may start doing more often–forgetting! When I finished my devotions (which is when I routinely write this blog) I immediately started reading through a chapter in the book: I Give You Authority. I going to be giving a workshop on it later this month and I wanted to take the time and reread some of the material I will use. From there I went outside to do some early spraying for weeds. I got all of this done and was checking my phone when I realized I’d never taken the time to write this morning’s blog. My apologies. One of the things about a journey continuing is the consequence of the body’s decline–at least at my age that is true!

My daughter in Oklahoma is a children’s pastor. She is preparing a sermon on Psalms 91 and wanted my opinion regarding the chapter’s content and how it applies to children of abuse? It talks of God’s protection/deliverance. What does this message mean for children who are being abused? Where is God then? What does this chapter mean for ones like me?

I read the chapter asking The Holy Spirit to provide His insight. As I did read it I was immediately reminded that this chapter wasn’t written for children. It is written for adults who choose to “dwell in the secret place of the Most High” as stated in vs. 1 of the chapter. When God gave man choice, unfortunately this means choice to abuse for his/her pleasure and the destruction of children’s innocence. He can also choose to dwell in the secret place which the chapter addresses. There is scripture Jesus gives in Matthew 18:6 stating the consequence of an adult who chooses to abuse a child and where he will dwell.

There is much more I could add here. I’ve lived the days when I thought God had abandoned me and that message comes often when working with victims of abuse. However, helping them stay the course, God does provide love and clarity to this most ugly sin. God is so GOOD!

I’m not sure what a group of women talk about when they are idly together, but a group of men will often times be talking through their achy muscles, torn ligaments, etc. Then, this topic leads to all of the things they did to cause this or that they’re not sure what may have done it. All of this to ask, why if we are so able to talk about our physical aches and pains are we not able to talk about our spiritual ones?

The topic of last night’s Celebrate Recovery lesson was RELAPSE. It is a great lesson and it has a good deal of excellent advice for all of us to prevent relapsing. As we gathered into our small group time we were to answer the question, “what are some of the tools you have developed in your recovery to prevent relapse?” The responses were often around recognizing how much self-centeredness had to be addressed, pride was a big topic and recognizing the lies in our heads saying the self-destructive things Satan wants us to believe as truths. A hallmark of recovery and relapse prevention is daily accountability–confession to one another–recognizing the temptation when it enters the mind and confessing it right then to your accountability person. This habit is so underused and underdeveloped. And, the men said, the reason is pride. It is so hard to humble oneself and tell another that the temptation is back. It is easy to talk about physical things, that is safe; however, spiritual things is a completely different topic.

This has been a huge one for me and it will likely remain that way until “death do us part”. Swallowing Pride is always a factor in accountability, but in so doing we find that healing comes. It all goes back to James 5:16–“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

Today as I began to journal I was nudged to reflect on God’s goodness. As I asked Him what He wanted me to know for today I was reminded that His nudges are not to be considered choices. When God nudges He wants us to respond right then to the nudge. Sometimes the nudge is a restraint and more often for me it is a step to take. No matter what the nudge is, God was reminding me this morning that His nudge is His command. My response to it is to obey. I had journaled prior to this that I wanted to be a fully dedicated disciple for Him. It was then that He gave me this message.

As I began my devotional reading following the journaling, its focus was entirely on full obedience to God by faith. It was easy to tie this message to the one just given to me. So often when God nudges I question the nudge rather than take it on faith and immediately obey. God is driving home a critical message for which I want to take to heart.

PS–Yesterday’s time with the young man was a good meeting. He and his girlfriend are working it out so they can meet with Kathy and me and hopefully come to Celebrate Recovery together. God is so GOOD!

35 years ago today Kathy and I got the call that our baby we were adopting was born. We were to pick her up the next day from the hospital. Today we rejoice in the gift God gave to us!

This morning a young man is coming to talk with me. He has visited with me one other time so I have a fairly good idea what he is wanting to talk about. Often I wish the ugliness of sin didn’t need to be so deceptive and so attractive, however, Satan doesn’t care what he needs to do to deter man from God. He bars nothing. So, today, I will approach this conversation with the full armor of God in tact. I will do my best to allow the Holy Spirit speak His Truths through me. This young man needs to know he is a child of God no matter what the struggle is. God makes no mistakes in who He creates. The lies Satan wants us to believe which man creates are simply lies. Living for Jesus may seem confusing, but the rewards of doing so are never known until we take the steps of living for Him each and every day. Pray with me please for this young man.

Today has an early start as I am going to work with a team of teachers for the day. They are creating a structure to give additional help this coming year to struggling students. This is one of my most favorite topics so I rejoice that a group of teachers is wanting to take a day of their summer to do this!

Why does God love us (me)? It is easy to see multiple reasons why He wouldn’t just as the book Hosea says. Yet, as the book ends God still loves His people. He continues to give a way out of their sinful decisions and a pathway leading back to Him. In reality none of this is about us, it is all about God and Who He Is. Do you know that each one of us is “the apple of His eye”? I feel like a proud boy just writing this. Do I deserve this? Well, no. But, is it true–Yes, not because of what I’ve done, but because of Who God Is! Reflect on this and rejoice in this throughout this day. We are the apple of God’s eye!

Even though there has been a good deal of caution given about rocket fireworks and our dry condition, someone started a fire close to us last night. It fortunately didn’t destroy any homes, but it did burn an old vineyard which hadn’t been tended for 10 or so years–about 10 acres. It deterred from our family’s events so everyone was watching the flames in the night sky hoping they stayed in the field and didn’t jump any further. They did not–praise God!

We are such a fortunate country and we are the lucky ones who get to benefit from the blessings within it. But, we like every other country God has blessed, have turned to our own selves as though the blessings are results of us rather than God. As though, it is our strength, our minds, our decisions which will carry it forward and solve any problems we face. It is troubling, so troubling to see this mindset growing. II Chronicles 7:14 tells us, “If my people who are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” It is arrogant of man to think we control the powers of the universe replacing the very God who created it. I pray for us to awaken again to Almighty God, turn our attention to Him, confess our arrogance and humble ourselves. God is merciful and will forgive if we take our step of recognizing our sinful part.

Join me on my knees as we take these steps outlined for us.

LET FREEDOM RING! It is Independence Day and what I want to say is Thank You God! We are such a blessed nation. It is right to not only praise God in this day, but to go to church to do so. It is not often that the 4th comes about on Sunday so it seems doubly important to Thank God and do so within our churches which stand up for Jesus!

The freedom of a country is one thing, yet, the freedom of the soul through salvation is totally another. It you have been bound by sin, the bondage of sinful actions of self and/or the sinful actions done to you–there is FREEDOM for you! The Lord Jesus Christ has gifted you and me eternal FREEDOM through His death on the cross and resurrection from the grave! Invite Him into your heart and life and surrender your will to Him. There is no greater freedom than this! No matter what state your country is in, this personal freedom is available for you. I lived a long time before I knew this freedom Christ gives us. He so wants us to join Him and His promises are true! I know this for a fact. Praise God!

Today’s journey takes us back home. It is early and Kathy is struggling to get out of bed. In fact it is no struggle–she’s still in! The wedding yesterday was one of the most celebratory ones I’ve ever attended. It was such a remarkable time with friends and getting to know the groom’s family was equally friendly.

I don’t have much to say today except God is always with us and the One we can always trust and rely upon. How fortunate we are!

We are in Kingston, WA for today’s wedding which will take place this afternoon. As we walked into the hotel yesterday afternoon upon our arrival, there stood the bride and groom to be. We haven’t seen one another since the start of the pandemic so it was a moment of celebration ahead of today’s wedding. Later in the evening we ran into two of the bride’s brothers and their families. All of them were students of mine at one point in their earlier years–my earlier ones too!

Yesterday as Kathy and I were in our room once we had checked in I got a call from one of our Celebrate Recovery gals at home. She was distraught. Her high school son had just informed her he was stepping away from Jesus because he was bisexual and he couldn’t participate in this and follow Jesus. After she had cried and calmed down she was ready to talk with him. I offered to talk with and listen to him this next week if he is willing.

The bible is clear in what is sin. The church and our present society has done a real number on this topic of homosexuality. I know because I’ve lived in the midst of this struggle all of my life. A struggle is not a sin. A sin is stepping into the struggle and engaging in it. I’ve struggled with gay thinking and kept it hidden my entire life and I thought I was stained so deeply because of this struggle I could only get into heaven if I did enough for Jesus to outweigh the sin. I had to keep it a secret! Let our society say what it will, sin is still sin but our church must understand that the struggle is not the sin. We love all sinners for none of us is without sin. God help us as we face the issues of today.