Last time I checked in with you, I was in the middle of realizing (learning again, experiencing again, living out again) the difference between relying on New stuff for satisfaction versus the continued joy and satisfaction of pursuing (daily) being Renewed by the Holy Spirit - God's hands.

For me, it was never intentional to buy new stuff so I could 'be happy' -- it just kind of crept up on me in the middle of moving into a new home. I don't know anyone who would disagree that moving is a chore, to say the least. The upside, however, is the result - the shedding off of the old space and living in a new space and filling in some of those new spaces with new stuff. That's the fun part. But if you aren't careful, you can get more wrapped up in the stuff than the actual blessing of being able to do what you're doing... moving into an actual home -- roof over your head, shelter... get it? No one is guaranteed this stuff... it's a real blessing from God. Just look at the number of people on this planet who don't live in their own home - much less, have shelter over their heads.

You'll never find true, satisfying joy without God. And you can't experience God without His Son, Jesus Christ. Being blessed by Jesus isn't about castles, cash and Cadillacs... money, mansions and Mercedes...it's about the unwarranted mercy He gives us, the renewing of our hearts and minds to become more like Him... and in turn, our experiencing this wonderful transformation by touching the lives of those around us (and to the ends of the earth) and spreading His love and sharing His Good News! It's not a burden, it's a privilege. God didn't have to sacrifice His Son for us. But He did. As a result, we have the opportunity to experience peace that surpasses our understanding during all the tests and trials on this side of eternity - and - the promise of living our eternal lives along side of our Savior in the presence of our Creator on the other side.

"I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." - John 14:5-7

So, realizing all this led me to some soul searching. The shiny new things around me are nice - but my soul still hungers for something with more substance. This searching led me to Proverbs 3 which is about Trusting in the Lord. I humbly suggest you read it (again, maybe) ... it's good stuff, satisfying stuff - the real, and only deal... It's the Word of God.

Here's a copy of the New Living Translation of Proverbs 3 for you to read, for your convenience::

Proverbs 3 

My child, never forget the things I have taught you.
    Store my commands in your heart.
² If you do this, you will live many years,
    and your life will be satisfying.
³ Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!
    Tie them around your neck as a reminder.
    Write them deep within your heart.
⁴ Then you will find favor with both God and people,
    and you will earn a good reputation.

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
⁶ Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take.

⁷ Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
    Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
⁸ Then you will have healing for your body
    and strength for your bones.

⁹ Honor the Lord with your wealth
    and with the best part of everything you produce.
¹⁰ Then he will fill your barns with grain,
    and your vats will overflow with good wine.

¹¹ My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline,
    and don’t be upset when he corrects you.
¹² For the Lord corrects those he loves,
    just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.

¹³ Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,
    the one who gains understanding.
¹⁴ For wisdom is more profitable than silver,
    and her wages are better than gold.
¹⁵ Wisdom is more precious than rubies;
    nothing you desire can compare with her.
¹⁶ She offers you long life in her right hand,
    and riches and honor in her left.
¹⁷ She will guide you down delightful paths;
    all her ways are satisfying.
¹⁸ Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
    happy are those who hold her tightly.

¹⁹ By wisdom the Lord founded the earth;
    by understanding he created the heavens.
²⁰ By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth,
    and the dew settles beneath the night sky.

²¹ My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment.
    Hang on to them,
²² for they will refresh your soul.
    They are like jewels on a necklace.
²³ They keep you safe on your way,
    and your feet will not stumble.
²⁴ You can go to bed without fear;
    you will lie down and sleep soundly.
²⁵ You need not be afraid of sudden disaster
    or the destruction that comes upon the wicked,
²⁶ for the Lord is your security.
    He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.

²⁷ Do not withhold good from those who deserve it
    when it’s in your power to help them.
²⁸ If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say,
    “Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.”

²⁹ Don’t plot harm against your neighbor,
    for those who live nearby trust you.
³⁰ Don’t pick a fight without reason,
    when no one has done you harm.

³¹ Don’t envy violent people
    or copy their ways.
³² Such wicked people are detestable to the Lord,
    but he offers his friendship to the godly.

³³ The Lord curses the house of the wicked,
    but he blesses the home of the upright.

³⁴ The Lord mocks the mockers
    but is gracious to the humble.

³⁵ The wise inherit honor,
    but fools are put to shame!

New.

Most of us like new things. Even the word itself - New - offers a sense of anticipation and excitement. That said, whenever something new comes along, changes typically come along for the ride. Ironically, most of us don't like change.

There's been several changes and new things added to my life since my last blog post. For starters, you're reading my new blog complete with a new layout; so, there's that.

I have a new co-host on the morning show which also means some new equipment in the studio and a new morning show experience for our listeners.

My wife and I just bought a new home, which has brought about all kinds of changes; here's just a few: the new yard to maintain; new living spaces to fit our existing stuff into; a few new items we've needed to purchase to make our new home relatively complete; new noises in the night for our pets and us to get used to and a couple of changes to get acquainted with on our new routes to work.

As truly grateful as I am for all these new blessing in my life, I have also been all too human at dealing with some of the (many) uncomfortable changes that have come along as a result.

New Blog = making the time to design a new layout, which has led to the decision to re-commit to blogging on a more consistent basis -- I mean, if I took the time to design a new blog, I might as well keep it up to date, right? Now I'll need to change some times within my weekly routine.

New Morning Show and New Co-Host = getting used to another person arriving to the studio as early as I do, another voice, another pair of hands and sharing the controls while trying to keep the inevitable mishaps to a minimum until we grow accustomed to the new format. This change is actually fun. Believe it or not, though, it actually requires a lot more focus and 'brain-work' than being solo, which is quite tiring and leaves us both a bit spent after the show. We'll get used to it sooner or later.

New Home =  contacting all of our creditors and changing all of our billing information which led to dealing with those creditors that did not (for whatever reason) change our billing information - that was fun; prioritizing a long list of tweaks and home renovations; reassuring our boys a bit too often that their lives indeed have not ended because we've moved across town... reassuring ourselves that our lives will, in fact, eventually settle down since we've moved across town.... You get the idea. Lot's of changes. Really, I could literally go on and on with the multitude of changes - but - I'll spare you.

Here's my point: Our lives are in constant flux. New is typically exciting, fun and anticipated. Change is typically frustrating, tiring and not fun. But, with change comes growth. And if your life is committed to following Christ, this growth is for our good.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. - Romans 8:28

I have a confession... despite all these wonderful new things, I've been a bit stressed with all the changes. I realize that God doesn't promise us never-ending comfort, but He does promise us a peace that surpasses our own understanding. And that is comforting, especially when we're tossing around in the chaos of change. And there's the rub - I've been guilty of focusing more on all the new shiny things, unwisely anticipating ooey-gooey comfort from them - which has also kept me focused more on all the uncomfortable changes surrounding all the new shiny things, which hasn't afforded me much time to focus on the heavenly things -- which means I haven't allowed myself to experience the peace that God has for me. That makes for a moody Lloyd. I don't know anyone who enjoys moody people. And between you and me, I prefer for people to enjoy when I'm around. -- just sayin'.

As fun and exciting as the recent new stuff in my life is at the moment - there's nothing comparable or more satisfying than the growth and peace eternally gained from being changed by the hands of God - being renewed, being made more Christ-like.

To be aware of that peace and to experience the pure joy of pursuing personal Godly change requires our constant focus that's humanly impossible to maintain without Jesus Christ. In Him, and only in Him, do we have hope, peace and grace - the essentials for successfully walking by faith and not being blinded by the shiny things that strongly compete for our attention. A new flat screen tv, even a new home is fun...nice even - but they fall way short of having an on-going and growing personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Sure, I like new stuff -- but -- to say I'm moody and not enjoyable to be around when I allow shiny new things to steal my focus away from my awareness of, and my pursuit of being renewed by the hands of God is truly an understatement. The only new things that matter is our minds, bodies and souls. In my book... New vs. Renewed? Renewed wins.

Can I get an Amen?

I liked it. Alot.

This weekend, Lea Ann made me spaghetti squash - my first time trying it. I liked it. Alot. We mixed in some olive oil, onions, garlic, grilled chicken and a little parmesan cheese on it... great in place of regular pasta! This eating healthier thing is not only paying off on the scales... but it's really fun exploring a whole new world of great food. Just sayin' ...

A few favorite memories...

As summer starts winding down, I can't help but to remember the excitement I'd be feeling about now while preparing to go share the Gospel and the love of Christ on a mission trip. This summer, I'll actually be heading to Arizona to celebrate with my parents their 50th Wedding Anniversary. It will be good to see my family, yet, there's a part of me that will be missing the mission field and the children. Hopefully, I'll have the opportunity to embark on another trip next year.

Until then, I watch some of my favorite memories on this planet...

Thorns

In my last post "Let Go. Let God. - What?" regarding trials and struggles endured while watching loved ones live their lives with no apparent desire to know Christ, I shared a bit of the painful challenges my family and I have been living through for the past two years or so. And, we're not totally out of the woods yet; it's an ongoing trial complete with good days, bad days, disappointments and hopes. For me, living by faith and not by sight can be easier said than done at times. 

I think of how Paul -the guy who wrote a lot of the New Testament- in Romans, tells us how although he knows the right thing to do, he is yet bewildered that he continues to do the wrong thing. The flesh is weak, the Spirit is strong; living by faith was a battle then, and it remains so today.

After sharing this on-going trial in more depth with my pastor, I was encouraged to view things from a different perspective. I was reminded of Paul's thorn in his flesh. It is never revealed to us exactly what this 'thorn' was. However, we know it was causing a lot of pain for Paul and he prayed many times for God to remove it. Paul couldn't understand why he had to deal with this; it was serving no purpose. Or was it? In 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, Paul writes...

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. (NIV)

God answered Paul's prayer, but not in the way he may have wanted. Paul was instructed from God, that His grace was sufficient enough to endure his painful torment. This also indicates that Paul's suffering was no reason for him to stop proclaiming the Gospel. In fact, from that point on, Paul's new perspective prompted him to do the exact opposite. Paul's faith in God's grace drove him to a humble boldness that motivated him to witness to those around him God's glory and power in his weakness. Talk about turning lemons into lemonade...

As believers, Jesus warns us that we will all face torments of the enemy in one way or another. We are promised great things with Christ in Heaven, not here on earth. But, while here on earth, God's sufficient grace will (and does) provide a peace that surpasses all understanding regardless of what the enemy torments us with - a peace that non believers can't experience. When (not if) things around us seem hopeless, we still have the hope of Christ within us whether we feel it or not. I tell you the truth, that I have this peace when I remind myself of God's promises instead of obsessing on the messes around me. I hope you know this same peace is available to you too.

God's word is a gift to us. It's found in the Holy Bible. You either believe His word is total garbage, or total truth. There is no in between. I believe it's total truth. God's word is as relevant today as it was when it was first written. God's word goes out to us all and does not return void...

Isaiah 55:10-13 -- “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands! Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These events will bring great honor to the Lord’s name; they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love.”

If you're living in a situation that seems unreasonable, painful, angering, frustrating, ridiculously hopeless... you're not alone. I know your pain. More importantly, God knows your pain. God knew Paul's pain and He instructed him that His grace was more than enough to deal with anything the enemy could torment him with... seems crazy. But that's the love and power of God - crazy.

You can't hold on to God's promises unless you know what they are. So read His word daily. Allow His peace and grace to sustain you from this point all the way to the finish line. You just might find that your experience is for the benefit of others to come to know Christ. And that's what we're ultimately here for - to spread the Good News and teach others to do the same regardless of any thorn we may endure.

Let Go. Let God. - What?

It's been too long since I've updated my blog. There's been plenty to be shared but I've been a bit distracted to say the least. By way of explanation (not an excuse); for the better part of two years or so, my family and I have been on a tumultuous journey. One of drug abuse, thefts, lies, anger, sadness and about every other consequence of drug addiction that one can imagine would rip apart a family dynamic. The enemy was having a field day wreaking havoc with our emotions and our psyches... and my faith.

This isn't to say that I withdrew from God, although at times I did question His ways and I did withdraw from many things into a cozy but dark cocoon of isolated despair. There were days I tried handling my family's problems head on. There were days when I spent much of it on my knees praying. There were days I just got in bed and pulled the covers over me. There were days when I just wanted to run away. My faith was being shaken, stretched and challenged, more so than the average day (one might say). I grew wearisome dealing with thoughts that I didn't anymore have any good thing to contribute to my radio show, my church family, my friends, at home, this blog - anything. For the latter part of 2011 and much of 2012, it was all I could do to just make myself get out of bed and go to work. The enemy was kicking my butt while my family was in turmoil.

By God's grace, despite my surroundings and state-of-mind, I grew tired of being exhausted, emotionally drained and having my faith beat up. Scripture encourages not to grow tired of doing the good thing (Note: Galatians 6:9). I think that's in there because we tend to do just that - grow tired of doing the good thing. Especially when things around us get crazy bad. Trying to convince blind eyes that Jesus provides clear vision was like standing on a street corner, jumping and screaming frantically trying to stop a car accident from happening. Nothing I said, nothing I did, nothing I tried was working.

I believe that one of the most painful things - if not the most painful thing - for Christians, is watching a loved one or close friend live without any desire to know Christ. Watching from the sidelines as their lives are tossed from one drama to the next, listening to excuses and denials with no ear in return to hear the truth. Last year during a Sunday school class and another time while on a mission trip to Ethiopia, I had the opportunity to ask my class mates and team mates if they had anyone in their family who didn't know Christ. Every hand went up... every hand. This, to me, was alarming and sort of comforting at the same time. It was alarming because I had no idea that the vast majority of us (believers) live with someone who doesn't know Christ. It was sort of comforting because I realized that this wasn't just the case in my family. I don't exactly know why I found comfort in that - but maybe it had something to do with my realizing I am not the one who can save people; so maybe, I should stop trying.

It's terribly painful and frightening to know that many of our loved ones are risking an eternal life without Christ. Having a personal relationship with Jesus doesn't mean having a life without drama (far from it) - but it does mean there's hope and it means there's a peace (of mind and soul) that surpasses any comprehension (Note: Philippians 4:7). A hope that provides grace that sustains the believer regardless of what the world throws at them. For a non-believer, this hope and peace isn't there. Their hope is placed in anything and everything but God; i.e... sex, drugs, work - whatever.

After I finally had enough of trying to fix my family, it was then I remembered where hope and peace was. I remembered that there is, only, one who can fix anything. I got on my knees and into my bible. Ironically enough, when friends share with me their struggles, I'll often ask them how their prayer life is and how their bible reading is going. So here I was, smack in the middle of the worst struggle I can remember, asking God where He was.

When I say, "by God's grace" - I mean that because of His merciful, unwarranted patience and love for me, I'm able to realize that I can't save people, that's His job. By reaching out to my Sunday school group and other brothers and sisters in Christ, I was reminded that our job (as believers) is to love people - even our troubled family members - like Jesus. Forgive them like we are forgiven. Pray for them unceasingly - even if you're tired of praying or think you've prayed the same prayer and God's tired of hearing it (He isn't). We are to, boldly not brashly, share the Good News and teach others to do the same. The rest is God's job. This sounds easy enough but I tend to try and fix things, then, ask God to help out when I can't. I tend to question God's timing when I don't think He's been listening. And there's the problem... I tend to live by sight and feeling, not by faith.

Brothers and sisters in Christ would tell me, "Let go. Let God." - What does that even mean? I might have the answer, bear with me. For most of those months I've been telling you about, I was too preoccupied with my own feelings of failure to tirelessly continue doing the job Jesus asks His followers to do. We don't deserve the blessings, patience and promises that God freely offers us through Christ - but He wants us to have them anyway. We'll never be able to pay God back for His allowing His only Son to pay our price for every sin we commit. Maybe some of those loved ones among us who don't know Christ are scared to turn to Him. Maybe they're too lost in their feelings of guilt and failure to trust God's love and accept His gracious promises, because they know they don't deserve it. The truth of that is the beauty of the Good News, isn't it... (?)

This is why it's vital that we believers continue walking by faith - because we never know when we're being watched. We never know when an unbeliever receives a bit of truth just by our example. If we're too focused with our own feelings, how can we possibly share our faith with anyone, let alone those we love who desperately need to hear it?

Today, the drugs are gone, the stealing has stopped and things have settled down. There is still much to be done, but my point is, much is being done - thanks to God, not me. I wish I could tell you that all our family troubles are gone and life is a bowl of fresh peaches. I can't. But I can tell you that since I started focusing on the heavenly things and not the worldly things that surround me, my peace has returned and my hope is being restored. Surely this is having a wonderful effect on my faith. There are some promising things going on within my family, even though there are still days I wish God would hurry them along. But what's the saying? God's not always in a hurry, but He's always on time.

The scary truth is that it's too easy, if we aren't diligently careful, to slip into the chaotic world around us and start feeling all those terrible feelings again. When we do this, it's hard, if not impossible, to experience the peace and grace of God. And without that, we begin to question God and lose sight of His promises.

How do you deal with things when they go crazy bad? How do you cope with a loved one (or loved ones) that don't know Christ? If you're like me, and you tend to freak out, maybe my story will help you. Stop trusting your feelings and start walking in your faith. When you feel the world around you dragging you down and you're growing tired and weary, remember that God is in control, He loves you and He has wonderful things in store for you. Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Walking by faith, not by sight. Trusting God and know He's prospering you whether you're feeling it or not. Maybe that's what "Let Go. Let God." means. Ya think?

Four things I learned last week

(1) The more humble I become, the more aware I am of how much more humble I must become.

(2) Reading the Holy Bible cures doubt; the 11th chapter of Hebrews is a great starting point.

(3) Two attributes of a great husband: Leads responsibly; Loves unconditionally.

(4) Lays ‘Sweet Onion’ potato chips are mighty good.

This Week's... 'Four things I learned last week'...

(1) The more flexible I am, the better work I do.

(2) Grandma enjoys making me a lemon pie as much, if not more, than I enjoy eating it.

(3) There’s no shortage of talent, only shortage of talent being used to its fullest potential.

(4) I’m still capable of assembling some things where some assembly is or may be required.

No room for hate IN love

Hate is a really strong word. Strong dislike, detest, can’t stand, etc… It is what it is. Bad.

I used to say, “I hate people that do…such and such”…

Since becoming a follower of Christ, I’ve learned to say, “I hate… such and such … that people do”. You know, hate the sin, not the sinner. That may be a step in the right direction, but if not careful, it can be a weak caveat from learning to love….really love, like God loves us.

I’m learning (and struggling with) not hating at all. As I pray for God to work with me on this, I’m finding out the vast difference in what I thought love was, versus, what His idea of real Love, IS.

No one said that being a Christian was going to be easy. But real love frees us from debilitating resentment and life-draining bitterness. Not easy, but way more peaceful and satisfying.

Our Father and Creator’s idea – strike that – His embodiment of love is perfect. Pure. Holy. That much I know. Because He doesn’t hate me; He has always loved me. Wow.

My life is living proof of His grace and an ongoing example of His patient and faithful love for me.

I want to be like Him. With His gracious gift of prayer and my faithful obedience, I can be. I will be.

1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

He did. He does. He did.

He didn't have to create anything at all, much less we humans. But He did.

He didn't have to instill right from wrong in our hearts. But He did.

He didn't have to give us a way to communicate with Him. But He did.

He doesn't have to extend to us gracious mercy and patience. But He does.

He didn't have to love us so much to become man for the sole purpose of dying - so that we may live with Him forever.

But He does;

and, He did.

The Gospel Message in 11 Minutes

Outstanding. Simple. Beautiful. Watch. Share. Save. One of the best ways to spend 11 minutes yourself and with those you love.

The Most Important Victory of All ...

Today, the 2012 Summer Olympics officially begins in London, UK. As we unite to root for our respective teams and watch the wonderful spectacle of sportsmanship and the pinnacle of competition from some of the best athletes around the world, remember the most important victory of all has already been won.

The Olympic Torch will burn brightly, for 17 days. We, as believers in Jesus Christ, have a light that burns brighter, eternally. Praise God!

Enjoy the games...

Hear Kathy Ireland's Testimony...

Kathy Ireland - I Am Second

Prayer Warriors vs Prayer Worriers

Are you a Prayer Warrior or a Prayer Worrier?

This is a question I've had to recently ask myself after having a conversation at church with a sister in Christ. We both are coping with the disappointments and struggles some of our loved ones are dealing with due to their destructive behaviors and addictions and the trouble(s) it's causing not only them but within our families. So it's encouraging to gain wisdom and encourage one another with prayer and simply sharing our heart-breaking stories with one another. When a brother or sister in Christ is with you, urging you to stand strong and continue praying...well, it's just awesome, despite troubling circumstances. Amen.

During this conversation, my friend was offering a bit of encouragement and used the phrase: "Make sure you're a Prayer Warrior and don't be a Prayer Worrier". My friend had lots of great advice that morning, but that phrase stuck with me.

The phrase, Be a Prayer Warrior, not a Prayer Worrier, immediately struck me in two ways: First, as a quasi-blog writer I thought, 'what a great subject to write about on my blog' (little did I realize then, how much soul-searching I'd go through before getting to the point of writing about this); and secondly, 'UGH. The realization hit me... 'I often lose the battle of being a Prayer Warrior because of my tendency to worry - especially after praying' ... Ouch! It's true. I pray with the sincerest requests and intentions, but then I tend to continue dwelling and worrying about my circumstances rather than trust God to answer my prayer(s). I'm guilty of being a Prayer worrier. Sigh.

Can you identify with some of these rationalizations to worry? like ... I want everyone to like everything about me at all times. Since I know this isn't reality - I worry about how to fix it. (see the problem?) I'd have better luck jumping up a waterfall.

Or, what about this one? ... I trust God, but it's not easy for me to trust people. So I pray for God to help me with that, but I'm not seeing His results fast enough to meet my expectations. (see the problem?) So, I end up trying to do the work myself that I asked God to do for me. Well that isn't working either, so what do I do? Worry. I'm a praying worrier.

I'm reminded of some wise words my uncle shared with me, " God isn't always in a hurry, but He is always on time." Amen! God is ALWAYS, on time.

And what about this rationalization? ... The other day (more likely, just a few moments ago) - I did something I know I shouldn't have done. Now I bet God is mad at me because I sinned. Now He's going to punish me and not hear my prayer(s) ... I guess I should let God 'cool off' before I pray and apologize because right now, I'm not worthy to pray. Yikes! So, what do I do? I worry.  (um, see the problem?) As if we are ever worthy enough to pray... but that's a subject to blog about on another day.

There's no end to the supply of rationalizations and lies the enemy exploits in our own minds to convince us not to pray so we'll worry about God's unhappiness with us and wonder why pray at all? These and other matters of worry are all lies that so many of us submit to, making us prayer worriers. See how a prayer worrier's mind works? See the enemy's lies and the problems being a prayer worrier creates? It's hard to see God's blessings and hand at work when we're blinded by the sin of worry.

Yes, it's sinful to worry. Think about it... Here we are, Christians, supposedly setting Christ-like examples, shining our lights in this dark, sin-filled world; yet... when we worry, aren't we really suggesting to others (much less ourselves) that "yeh, we pray, but our God probably won't answer our prayer anyway" ? What a dishonor worry is to our precious and gracious Lord. We're displaying disbelief in Christ when we worry. This isn't a small sin.

The Holy Bible is loaded with encouragement and instruction not to worry. For instance; in the book of Matthew, chapter six (6) and in Luke 12, we're told not to worry about what we will eat, what we will wear, where we will sleep - we're even told not to worry about tomorrow because today has enough to deal with. The world worries about these things.

Luke 12:25, "And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life's span?"

We're children of God, we are in the world, but not of this world. Life is tough and things will make us uneasy, but, we are not to worry! We are to be Prayer Warriors, not prayer worriers.

Jesus tells us the Father loves us so much that He feeds the birds and waters the flowers (without our help, by the way) - so how much more valuable are we? God knows everything we need, and want. Jesus told us not to worry, but seek His Father's Kingdom and these things will be added to you. - Luke 12:31.

So how do we stop worrying? How do we remain or become true Prayer Warriors without falling into the trap of being prayer worriers?

Short answer: We totally submit to God.

But, we are fragile. We're weak. Impatient. We love Jesus, but... It's the 'but' that makes us prayer worriers and keeps us from being Prayer Warriors. I trust God, but... I know God says to do this, but... I know the right thing to do, but... BUT is the beginning of the lie of worry. One of the enemy's favorite words is 'but'. Flee worry and embrace our Lord with praise, worship and confident prayer.

If you can relate to any of this, I invite you to join me in the fight to become a true Prayer Warrior. Proverbs 3:5 tells us to "trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding". What an awesome piece of instruction! It frees us from depending on ourselves and reminds us of the wonderful love and peace of mind that God offers all His children. We can't avoid trials in this life, however, we can grow in Christ through them. We can become more Christ-like through hard times. And we can live abundant lives in Christ regardless of our circumstances. We can and should be Prayer Warriors!

So as I begin to focus on becoming a Prayer Warrior, I will continue praying in good times and bad. I will continue praising God through each storm. I will heed Paul's instruction and encouragement found in Philippians 4:6-7; "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Worrying is in the mind. When we worry, our minds open to allow Satan to exploit our weaknesses and fill us with his lies. This isn't good. We must trust God and submit to Him fully and be Prayer Warriors. If we don't, we remain prayer worriers. Think about it, it's impossible to be a prayer worrier when one is filled with the peace of God that surpasses all comprehension along with a heart and mind guarded by that peace in Christ Jesus. That's GREAT NEWS!

Would you join me in the pursuit of becoming a real Prayer Warrior? If so, I invite you to leave your thoughts, your comments, concerns and praise reports. I invite you and I to be fellow Prayer Warriors!