Charisa Stories

Author: Dave Burchett

  • Considering Christianity? What Is The Most Important Question To Explore?

    I know people who are considering whether putting their faith in the message of Jesus Christ is legitimate. I went through that same journey years ago. I had many doubts then but, to be honest, they often focused on the wrong issues. My uncertainty centered around people who brazenly wore the label of Christian but their actions showed little or nothing worthy of my commitment to their message. I had not done an intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually honest dive into the most important question.

    Is Jesus who he said he is?

    I wrote a book titled When Bad Christians Happen to Good People where I explored behaviors of people claiming to be followers that did not represent the message of Jesus. The proposed title of the book was “Don’t Reject Christ Because of Christians”.

    I got caught up on that worthless detour. Because of the influence of a few followers of Jesus who gracefully and lovingly influenced me I made the decision to explore the validity of the Gospel. I realized that when I reach the end of my journey I cannot claim the failure of others as my excuse for a life of sin and selfishness. The danger is that part one is true. There are many disappointing and even despicable humans who claimed faith but failed. Ranting on others does not excuse my rejection of God’s salvation offer if it is true.

    If the presence of the God is real there is another presence that needs consideration. A spiritual battle exists between God and Satan. The enemy would direct your focus toward those claiming and failing their faith as a very effective plan to deter you from examining the truth of the Gospel.

    Each of us, according to Scripture, is offered the gift of forgiveness. Is that true? Again, this was the important question I decided to pursue.

    Is Jesus Christ who he said he is?

    Examine the claims of Jesus with an open heart and mind. Read the Gospel of John and ask for the Spirit of God to reveal truth to you.

    I find it fascinating that Jesus answered the Apostle known as “Doubting Thomas” with this response.

    Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. (John 14:6, NLT)

    The path to salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus was proclaimed throughout the Bible. Did Jesus conquer death? Did His death and resurrection pay for my sins? I examined the impact of Jesus on His culture. It was the message of Christ that gave value to women, children, the poor, and the ignored. That is often overlooked but it is remarkable how one teacher can change what had been an unchangeable world. And Jesus introduced a trait that was unheard of as a positive in that culture.

    Humility.

    Jesus also taught that some would claim to be His followers who were not in any way known to Him. Those counterfeiters get lumped in with true followers and cause strife.

    Please, please don’t focus on Christians who fail. Focus on Christ. Did he succeed?

    Following Jesus changed everything in my journey. I would not be a good and loving family member or friend if I did not share that with you. I know my heart. I know the crossroads I came to in different seasons of my life and how God gracefully and lovingly rescued me over and over. This is where my journey has come after focusing on the message of Jesus and not on the failing of people.

    Is Jesus who he said he is? That is the question we all must address.

    With all of my heart I say yes.

  • Could Bella Add Some Good Content To My Book Stay?

    I often joke that I have been discipled by my dogs! Some accuse me of being “dogmatic” in my beliefs. The truth is God can teach us in so many ways. I have learned from Scripture, church community, good Biblical teaching, and serving others. But I have also learned from God’s creation and especially my canine companions. My book Stay: Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace was written about two precious rescued Labs.

    Joni and I had to say goodbye to both Hannah and Maggie. We weren’t sure if we could find another dog like those two.
    Through an unexpected God connection we found another canine companion with a heart just as big as Hannah and Maggie but contained somehow in a much smaller body. Bella is a 15 pound Cavapoo with a giant personality that entertains, makes you smile, and warms your heart.
    I was wondering recently what Bella’s contribution might be if there was a rewrite of Stay. Here is the first draft.

    Sometimes I wish that churchgoers would adopt some canine characteristics of Bella. Her love is unconditional. She has yet to meet a person she didn’t wish to greet with joy.

    Bella is forgiving. You can disappoint by leaving her behind or not having a moment to play when she desires it. Bella instantly forgives and forgets when you return to her.

    Bella doesn’t spend all of her time with a clique of familiar faces. She greets everyone in her path whether she’s met them before or not.

    Bella’s early discipleship lesson is one that both Hannah and Maggie showed me but this little girl takes to a new level.

    Live in the moment!

    Bella is so good at this gift! She doesn’t waste one second pouting about missing a walk yesterday or getting fed late this morning. And she has zero anxiety that tomorrow’s schedule might not be perfect. She is ALL IN the moment! What’s the lesson here for believers?

    Satan wants us to live in regret of the past and fear of the future, preventing us from contentment and living in the moment with God and those we love.

    I began to learn that part of being content on the journey with Jesus is simply trusting Him one day at a time. You can’t live in regret of the past. It is forgiven. You can’t live in fear of the future. It is in God’s hands. Without regret or fear you are free to live in the moment.

    Jesus proclaimed that exact message in the Gospel of Matthew.

    “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” (Matthew 6:25-26)

    That is so true. Jesus continued to teach His early followers.

    “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. (Matthew 6:31-34)

    First discipleship reminder from Bella? Live in the moment, seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and the rest will take care of itself. I pray that will be my mindset for my remaining days.

    Live in the moment.

    Bella lives that every day. She can be sleeping soundly when a door opens. She springs up and bounces ready to play. What a picture of spontaneity and joy! She is living completely and freely in the moment. She may have been tired but unexpectedly she has a chance to play with her friend. The message conveyed by her eyes and body language was clear: “Let’s do this!”

    That is my desire as I live out my Jesus journey. I don’t want to dwell on the past. It is gracefully forgiven. I can’t be anxious about my future because my hope is in God. So I want to embrace each day with joy and anticipation of God’s amazing grace.
    Let’s do this!


  • How To Answer When Fear Knocks On The Door

    The world is a mess. For the record, it has been this way since the fall of man. But I digress. Social media creates fear and crushes hope. That emotional tidal wave can effect followers of Jesus if we don’t recognize the danger of losing our faith focus.

    David was described as a man after God’s own heart. Yet he dealt with fear and anxiety with transparency and trust.

    Psalm 27 addresses a major issue. Where do we find hope in a seemingly hopeless world? How can we address the fears that confront us consistently? 

    In the Psalm David is being pursued and he believes an attack on his life is imminent. He states his hope without ignoring the danger of his current situation. Instead of downplaying his trouble he looks through a different lens. Yep. Things are a dangerous mess. Yep. I could be attacked at any moment. He starts Psalm 27 with the things he needs to remember as he confronts a deadly threat.

    1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—
        whom shall I fear?
    The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
        of whom shall I be afraid?

    God is my light in the darkness. God is my salvation and eternal hope. God is my strength when I am weak. Wow. Believing those truths alone will make a difference when fear rises up in my heart. But let’s be honest here. No doubt that intellectual knowledge is encouraging but how can we live out those truths when danger and fear are lurking? Let’s look at an amazing statement from the Psalmist.

    3 Though an army besiege me,
        my heart will not fear;
    though war break out against me,
        even then I will be confident.

    Wait? What? 

    If war breaks out against me even then I will be confident? That is not the circumstance that gives me confidence in my journey. 

    How can he possibly be confident? I found it fascinating that the Hebrew word for confident translates literally to “I will trust”. David’s confidence was not in his own strength. He was trusting God and that gave him the confidence to be unafraid. 

    Again, that is a comforting intellectual concept. God is my light. My salvation. My strength. I trust Him. I still need a plan to implement those truths. How do you trust God when danger is all around you? David’s plan is simple and instructive for us today.

    He wanted to be present with the Lord.

    My natural tendency would likely be to agonize over the circumstances. Instead David chooses, and it is a choice, to make God his priority in uncertain and difficult times.

    My first instinct would be to desperately pray for protection. That God would remove me from this situation. But what did David want first and foremost?

    4 One thing I ask from the Lord,
        this only do I seek:
    that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
        all the days of my life,
    to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
        and to seek him in his temple.

    He wanted, more that anything else, to be in the presence of the Lord. 

    Author Max Lucado wrote, “The presence of fear does not mean you have no faith. Fear visits everyone. But make your fear a visitor and not a resident.”

    You do that by seeking God’s presence and peace. God wants His children to commune with Him. He wants us to learn more about who He is. Then we need to bring those things we learn about God’s character into fellowship with Him in honest prayer and reflection. Knowledge alone often falls short. Knowledge combined with intimate fellowship with the Lord is a game changer. 

    Now more than ever that we need to place the truths of Psalm 27 in our hearts. David’s words remind us that even in the difficult times we can persevere because our God has perfect timing and the perfect plan. There is no need to panic and force our plans to fix the problem. We can have confidence that if we turn to God for strength and wisdom we will know what our part in the solutions is. 

    There is a famous saying that fits this Psalm of David.

    Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered. No one was there.

    When we trust God and seek His presence I believe that can be true. When we feel fear rising up we need to remember God is our light, our salvation, and our strength. The next time fear knocks on the door gather up those truths and have faith answer. It makes a powerful difference.

  • God Is With Us To The Finish Line

    One of my favorite Olympic memories involves a runner who was the last to cross the finish line. Derek Redmond was an elite athlete who had a chance to bring home a medal in 1992 as Great Britain’s 400-meter representative. After an ­injury-plagued career, Redmond seemed ready to leave a lasting legacy at the Barcelona Games. He had recorded the fastest time in the first heat and won his ­quarter-final race.

    Redmond started well in the semifinal, but about 150 meters into the race his hamstring snapped, and he collapsed in agony.

    Medical personnel rushed to his aid, but Redmond waved them off. He struggled to his feet and began to hobble around the track. He was going to finish the race.

    Cheers rang out for the actual winner of the race, but then the crowd of ­sixty-five thousand in the stadium began to comprehend the drama unfolding of a solitary figure limping in agony toward the finish. The spectators rose as one to encourage the courageous athlete. Another official offered help and was brushed away. Suddenly, a man broke through security and ran onto the track.

    It was Derek Redmond’s father. Derek heard a familiar voice and recognized this helper. He buried his face in his father’s chest and sobbed.

    Jim Redmond told his son that he was loved and didn’t have to do this. But Derek set his eyes toward the finish and simply said, “Yes, I do.”

    His father replied, “Then we will finish this together.”

    Leaning on his father’s shoulder, Derek Redmond limped to the finish line. Near the end Jim let his son go so he could cross the finish line on his own. A standing ovation greeted Redmond. The Olympic records state that Derek Redmond did not finish, because he received help. I would argue that no Olympian has ever finished better than Derek Redmond. He refused to let adversity keep him from the prize of finishing the race. Not winning. Finishing. That is such a beautiful image of how our earthly race often looks. I suspect that many who achieve heavenly standing ovations will finish with a limp and with eyes focused solely on Jesus.

    That is how I see my race that Paul describes so beautifully.

    Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:13-14)

    There is one huge difference in this story and our journey with God. Derek’s father had to join him on the track. Our Father God is with us every step of the way. We don’t always feel that or believe that to be true.

    It is true.

    I can make it to life’s finish line no matter how that final lap looks. When I fall or am hurt again, I know that I can bury my face in the comforting chest of Abba Father and we will ­finish together. And I can joyfully receive the amazing heavenly prize granted through the finished work of Jesus.

    Thank you Lord! We can do this!

  • Is Questioning God Helpful For Spiritual Growth?

    This past week I taught a lesson at my church on the minor prophet Habakkuk. He lived in Judah just before the Babylonian destruction of that country around 605 B.C. The role of Habakkuk as a prophet was completely unique because it appears he did not speak to the people. Instead he spoke directly to God with some honest and uncomfortable questions. Two-thirds of the book outlines that back and forth dialogue. Habakkuk has been described by some as the “man who scolded God”. Not sure I would want that to be my ministry distinctive but his interaction is transparent and instructive for believers today.

    The book of Habakkuk has been very helpful to me in processing how to deal with the evil that is happening in our world. Habakkuk saw violence and injustice happening all around him and He was asking God why He was allowing this to happen. God didn’t shoot him down for asking those questions. God didn’t respond in anger. He didn’t tell Habakkuk to be quiet. He didn’t discipline his prophet for his amazingly direct questioning.

    God answered him with a simple response.

    He had a plan.

    Habakkuk’s first interaction with God was titled Habakkuk’s complaint. His questions were courageous and unsettling for me to read.

    How long, O Lord, must I call for help?
        But you do not listen!
    “Violence is everywhere!” I cry,
        but you do not come to save.
    3 Must I forever see these evil deeds?
        Why must I watch all this misery?
    Wherever I look,
        I see destruction and violence.
    I am surrounded by people
        who love to argue and fight.     (Habakkuk 1:2-4)

    We often question what God is doing. Why does He seem to ignore the evil in the world? Yet God’s interaction with Habakkuk demonstrated that He is always present. God is Sovereign. He knows what the future holds. I have witnessed how the Holy Spirit can use challenging events of life in positive ways. God allows us to go through storms to make us stronger. Hard times cause us to wake up to our spiritual need and turn to Him. We don’t know why things happen. The one thing we do know throughout these challenging seasons is that He loves us. Jesus died and paid for our sins on the Cross. Why would the Father allow such a sacrifice and then simply turn away? I believe that God has a plan that gives us hope in Him. A lack of trust and patience can lead to anxiety instead of peace.

    The answer that Habakkuk received was not what he had hoped to hear. Yes, God was judging the leaders of Judah for their sin and corruption. But He was allowing the evil Babylonians to invade, conquer, and punish His unfaithful followers. God sometimes uses ungodly people for godly purposes. Habakkuk absorbed God’s response and offered a second complaint but with more acknowledgement of who He believed his God to be.

    2 O Lord my God, my Holy One, you who are eternal—
        surely you do not plan to wipe us out?
    O Lord, our Rock, you have sent these Babylonians to correct us,
        to punish us for our many sins.
    13 But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil.
        Will you wink at their treachery? (Habakkuk 1:12-13    )

    At the end of his second round of questioning Habakkuk had an interesting response.

    2 I will climb up to my watchtower
        and stand at my guardpost.
    There I will wait to see what the Lord says
        and how he will answer my complaint.     (Habakkuk 2:1)

    Habakkuk realized he needed to focus on God and patiently wait for His response. We often question God but patiently waiting for His timing and response is hard. How often do we willingly accept the answers we receive? Our way is often not the best way and our short term desires can lead to a bad outcome.

    This is the verse in God’s response that was a game-changer for Habakkuk and still is for us today. You can make a solid argument that Habakkuk 2:4 changed the world!

    “Look at the proud!
        They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked.
        But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.

    This thought is quoted in Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38, and Romans 1:17,

    Martin Luther was struggling with his faith a mere 510 years ago. He was overwhelmed by the weight of his sin. He spent years trying to find out what he needed to do for God to grant him righteousness. In 1515 Martin Luther read Romans 1:17. A phrase in the verse struck his heart in a way he had never experienced before.

    “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” (Romans 1:17)

    This was the moment of awakening for Luther. He wrote this.

    “Paul is not talking about the righteousness by which God Himself is righteous, but a righteousness that God gives freely by His grace to people who don’t have righteousness of their own.” Luther now understood that righteousness didn’t come from what he could do. It came as a undeserved gift of love and grace.

    Martin Luther said, “When I discovered that, I was born again of the Holy Ghost. And the doors of paradise swung open, and I walked through.”

    The impact of this prophet is profound. He believed that God had a plan. He believed that God was his hope. And this praise in Chapter 3 shows that no matter what circumstances he would face his hope, joy, and strength was in the God of his salvation.

    17 Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
        and there are no grapes on the vines;
    even though the olive crop fails,
        and the fields lie empty and barren;
    even though the flocks die in the fields,
        and the cattle barns are empty,
    18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
        I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
    19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
        He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
        able to tread upon the heights.

    Here are a few takeaways from this amazing book.

    • It is okay to ask questions of God. He knows your heart.
    • God’s ways are not our ways. Trust in His ways.
    • The world may feel chaotic and frightening but remember that God is sovereign and in control.
    • My job is not understanding how God’s plan will work. My job is to trust Him.
    • Our hope and peace are not tied to our circumstances. Those come from God.
    • God’s timing is perfect. Be patient.

    This quote from Henri Nouwen beautifully sums up the need to live out of faith no matter our circumstances.

    “Our life is full of brokenness – broken relationships, broken promises, broken expectations. How can we live with that brokenness without becoming bitter and resentful except by returning again and again to God’s faithful presence in our lives.”



  • For Years I Fought A Battle That’s Already Won

    I love the worship atmosphere at my church, Waterbrook Bible Fellowship in Wylie, Texas. Some mornings the songs and spirit impact my heart in unexpected ways. Recently a familiar song from Shane and Shane titled “You’ve Already Won” nearly floored me. The lyrics summarized my decades long struggle where I felt like I had to do more for Jesus or I would not receive His love, forgiveness, and eternal security.

    I grew up in legalism. We were taught accurately that you are saved by grace. And then it went doctrinally South. We were taught that sanctification came through grit and not grace. You had to work extra hard to stay in good standing with God. And if you sinned and didn’t immediately repent your salvation might (probably would) be compromised. So I served God out of anxiety instead of confidence and trust.

    I was wrongly convinced that to grow in my faith I had to do more. Try harder. Pray more. Read the Bible more. Have more devotional time. All of those things are good when properly utilized. But there is a problem if self-effort is your sanctification strategy. Our self-righteous busyness does not please God. It is our faith that pleases and glorifies Him.

    We are saved by grace and we grow more like Jesus by abiding in His grace.

    The lyrics of this song penetrated my heart as I remembered my years of unproductive self-effort.

    There’s peace that outlasts darkness
    Hope that’s in the blood
    There’s future grace that’s mine today
    That Jesus Christ has won
    So I can face tomorrow
    For tomorrow’s in Your hands
    All I need You will provide
    Just like You always have

    If I believe that Jesus is Lord then today, tomorrow, and the rest of my days are covered by God’s plan and infinite love. God is sovereign. The one thing I can control is trusting Him.

    But here is the game-changer I finally understood in my faith journey. Everything was given to me at the moment I put my trust in Jesus as my Savior and Lord. Everything.

    I felt that spiritual growth and change can only happen when you work hard for God. 

    The truth is that a dramatic change already happened at the moment you make your faith commitment to follow Jesus. Let’s just hit the highlights. Your sins (past, present, and future) are forgiven. You have a new identity in Christ Jesus. You are literally a new creation with rewritten spiritual DNA. You have the imputed righteousness of Christ. God sees you as righteous because of your relationship with Jesus. That’s it. Nothing you have done or ever will do earns that righteousness. You are adopted as a child of God. You have the constant presence and power of the Holy Spirit indwelling in you. There is no condemnation in Christ. His unconditional love is not based on your behavior. You have guaranteed eternal security when you genuinely put your trust in Jesus. All of these incredible gifts of grace were granted at the moment you decided to follow Jesus.

    Peter described the magnitude of that salvation moment in 2 Peter, chapter 1.

    “May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises…”

    You have everything you need to grow in Christ at the moment you put your faith in Him. You don’t achieve bonus spiritual gifts by personal achievements. I spent so long looking for the keys to growing my faith until I finally realized I had the keys in my pocket from day one.
    This chorus from “You’ve Already Won”overwhelmed me.

    I’m fighting a battle
    You’ve already won
    No matter what comes my way
    I will overcome
    I don’t know what You’re doing
    But I know what You’ve done
    I’m fighting a battle
    You’ve already won

    For years and years and years I fought a battle that had already been won with the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus. I was changed completely when I trusted Christ. Instead of feeling shame when I fall short I now see a different picture. 

    I see Jesus putting His arm around me and explaining that I have been changed. That I don’t have to grit my teeth and try harder to win favor and please Him.

    I think that is why Jesus can say this in the Gospel of Matthew.

    “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, NLT)

    That is my prayer for today. To let Jesus teach me with gentleness. To learn from His humility. And to find rest in Him. 

    Serving God is no longer out of anxiety but out of gratitude for the gift of grace. I don’t have to work my way into His favor like I used to believe. I am already there because of Jesus.

    Did I mention that the battle is already won? Thank you Lord!

  • How To Quieten The Negative Voices In Your Head

    I turn the volume way up every time Lauren Daigle’s song “You Say” plays. The lyrics perfectly describe the battle that most of us fight to believe that what God says about us is true. Here is a sample of her powerful lyrics.

    I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I’m not enough
    Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up
    Am I more than just the sum of every high and every low?
    Remind me once again just who I am, because I need to know…

    I wrote about this topic in my book Stay: Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace.

    I am drawn to wounded and dysfunctional people like a moth to light. When I hear their stories, I see a familiar pattern. They tend to believe that all the old junk in their lives is still true about them in God’s eyes. Too many followers of Jesus cannot believe they are a new and holy creation.

    Recently I saw a T-shirt with this message: “Even if the voices in my head aren’t real they do have some good ideas”.

    I got an initial chuckle out of that one. But then I thought, Wait! The voices in my head rarely have good ideas.

    I suspect that is true for some of you as well. Sadly, the voices in our heads are real, formidable foes, voices that were programmed from childhood. Negative comments from parents, teachers, coaches, siblings, friends, fellow Christians, and assorted others have laid down deeply grooved tracks in my self-image soundtrack mix. Favorite cuts like these are always cued and ready to be played.

    “You will never change.”
    “What were you thinking?”
    “I can’t believe you did that again.”
    “What is wrong with you?”
    “I am so disappointed in you.”

    And the number one accusation on my personal Top 10 countdown . . .

    “How could you be so stupid?”

    When you mess up, the voices begin. And then your own voice joins the chorus. “It is true. I am not worthy. I am not enough. I am stupid. I don’t deserve to be loved.”

    When you face disappointment, rejection, failure, loss, and trials, self-incriminating remarks flood your mind.

    Why wasn’t I a better (pick one) spouse/friend/brother/sister/relative?”
    “If I had done (insert action), this would not have happened.”
    “Why didn’t I (insert missed opportunity) when I had the chance?”
    “Why did I (pick one or more) work too much/travel too much/whatever too much when I should have been there?”

    If I may lean on my sports background here, Satan calls the all-out blitz when people of faith go through seasons of trial and doubt. He delights in accusing and trying to rock the very foundation of your faith. Satan is, always has been, and always will be a liar. You have learned to never trust a liar at work or in other relationships. How much more should we pray to recognize and reject the lies that Satan attacks us with during adversity?

    There is another voice. It is much softer and requires more effort to hear. It is not a voice of shame. It is a voice of hope, love, acceptance, forgiveness, and grace. You have to slow way down and be quiet to hear this voice. That is the loving voice of God and His word.

    Lauren Daigle’s lyrics describe this voice poetically.

    You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing
    You say I am strong when I think I am weak
    You say I am held when I am falling short
    When I don’t belong, oh You say that I am Yours
    And I believe, oh I believe
    What You say of me
    I believe

    All of us hear those voices from the enemy. The voices from bad experiences in our past may require counseling to help erase them. But for the everyday challenges of the journey, I have learned that the voice we tend to hear first in the spiritual battle is the loud one. Step back, be still, and listen for the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit.

    Our God is a God of forgiveness. We need to fix our eyes on Jesus. Don’t lose heart. Don’t allow the enemy to keep you from leaning on God for comfort because of your shame. That is not from the Lord.

    In John we read this amazing promise.

    But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.(John 1:12, NLT)

    Don’t believe the lies. You are a child of God. Beloved. As Lauren Daigle sings this truth I pray that we will believe it today.

    The only thing that matters now is everything You think of me
    In You I find my worth, in You I find my identity,

    It is true. I believe!

    Excerpts taken from Stay: Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace