Do you remember those brightly coloured shape sorting toys where each shape had a hole that it fitted into? I clearly remember the frustration of my kids when they tried unsuccessfully to hammer a rectangle shape into a round hole. One child in particular would declare that the toy ” wasn’t working”. When she managed to get the shape into correct hole, the toy was suddenly fixed!

We all have a God created shape.Not just the physical shape but so much more. The way we think, respond to stimuli, the way we speak, show emotion, figure things out. The way we see ourselves and the world around us, the way we handle obstacles and challenges. The way we communicate, stand up for ourselves, process information, react to offences. These are just some of the many things that shape us.

There is a very interesting test that categorises our personalities into 9 different types. These can be mixed with other numbers. This is quite accurate but it cannot be 100% so. We are each created in the image of God, unique and completely loved by Him. We cannot be defined by a number on a man made test.

Whatever our personalities, characteristics or unique quirks- there is one sure thing: You are the only You that God created. Your “you-ness” is as unique as your DNA.

If you are trying to squeeze yourself into a space or type that you were not designed for, take a step back and remember this : in order for a square peg to fit into a round hole, the corners would be the first bits that would have to be removed. Thereafter, possibly the flat sides. By the time it fits , it will have to closely resemble a round shape or be cut into a much smaller square which will get into the hole but will not fit it properly.

The message here is clear- what are you taking off of who you are to fit into a place where you were never designed to be? Or a circle friends that you were never meant to be a part of? How long will it be until you realise that you cannot function properly without those unique and discarded parts of YOU? What sacrifice are you prepared to make to be someone other than You?

Masquerading as a character is fine for a moment or two but to make it a lifestyle will be exhausting even if you believe the lie you’ve created. Truth has a funny way of catching up to us no matter how hard we try to deny it. Its in your every cell. You can run as far and as fast as you like but you will never get away from your real identity or from the One who created it.

Find where you are meant to be. Search for the people who will love and accept the you with all your parts intact. Do not compromise when it comes to authenticity. Clean out the closet of things/ideals/friends that do not belong in your life. Be brutal and make clean breaks – then breathe deeply and begin this new year with new goals, walking paths that were specially designed for your feet and in the company of the right people who will inspire you to be the best version of YOU- everything intact!

Yet you, Lord, are our Father.
    We are the clay, YOU are the potter;
    we are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8

For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made. Psalm 139:13-14

For we are His WORKMANSHIP [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus….Ephesians 2:10

We literally race through life to get to the finished line – do we forget that the finished line is actually death?

We want to strive for success, money, happiness, best this, most impressive that. We race and race to get to what we think the outside world will applaud or what will scratch the itch.

The question I asked myself today is this , “ When last did I really STOP and savor a moment”? When last did I actually remove myself from the treadmill we live to run on, and smell, breathe, exist for or in a moment? I don’t mean quickly stop, take a photo, Instagram it or say a few nice words about it and move on while trying to balance everything we have to worry about in that moment with a split second of what’s ‘nice’ around us. I mean a complete sealing off a moment where what happened before, what’s happening during or what will happen afterwards is not taking space in my thinking and stealing from the moment that’s been given to me to simply enjoy. I mean a moment where I can fully enjoy what God Himself has presented before me for the sole purpose of my pleasure.

A few days ago we had a magnificent storm in Johannesburg. The puddles were plentiful and deep, the sound of the rolling thunder was powerful and the smell! Oh my gosh – the smell of a highveld storm is pure, raw and heady!

In that moment as I breathed it in (through my window), for a moment I considered going out and jumping every puddle that I could see. What stopped me though was the fear of judgement and name calling. Isn’t it sad that we are so restricted from pure pleasure by the fear of what other people will say and throw at us?

Taking time out – which by the way, Jesus Himself did often, is not a crime! We berate ourselves if we take time out to refresh and reboot our weary souls as if it makes us look weak and ineffective. If we’re not doing that, we lie about our time out because who knows what other people will say about us? What if somebody actually calls us lazy or God forbid childish or immature in the case of my puddle jumping ?

Why do we strive so much for outside affirmation from people that in the bigger scheme of things are so unimportant and do not control our destiny?

What if those moments are really a gift wrapped moment from a Father who wants you to take sheer pleasure in His gift and enjoy that which He has set before you- the proverbial table that He has laid out for you as described in Psalm 23?

I really believe that it’s time to stop and literally smell the roses, the thunderstorms, wiggle our toes in the sand, jump in the puddles, laugh and dance like there is nobody watching, live like there is nobody judging. Spend quality time with your loved ones – they appreciate that so much more than what you can buy them with the money you make on the treadmill. After all, we have one life that God has given us to live in abundance – not strife, exhaustion and a medal at the end of if we finish with what the world calls success and achievement. When that final moment comes- will we be counting our pennies or the cost we paid to accumulate them?

“You teach me the way of life. In your presence is total celebration. Beautiful things are always in your right hand.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭16:11‬ ‭CEB‬‬

Going into any place or situation where things are done in a slightly different way to what’s familiar to us often makes us uncomfortable or perhaps even judgemental. Churches and other places of worship can make us feel that discomfort strongly. I’ve sat in churches that did everything differently from worship to preaching to lighting. The smell was different, and the choir looked and sounded so different. I have to admit that it made me feel as though it was a completedly different faith. From my perspective, my church and it’s ways seemed far superior to those of the other church.

I grew up in the Methodist church and got used to the ministers wearing robes, communion in the front on our knees and a choir singing ancient hymns to the chords of the very big organ being pumped in the front of the church. The wooden pews were hard and uncomfortable and made every shift or movement echo throughout the whole church. You either sat very still and hardly breathed or you had the whole congregation turning to frown at you. On one occasion my sister and I found something amusing and our attempt at stifling our giggles caused the (very) old minister to stop and wait for us to gain control over ourselves as the pew creaked along with our laughter. Not our finest moment🤪!

I’m now past my half century mark and sometimes I still balk at very formal or traditional churches. The ‘religion’ driven institutions can make me squirm and even get me comparing them to my home church.

I have reached a point where I have to acknowledge how limited my thinking really is. If God is who He says He is, surely He is operational in many places that are not exactly the same as the one where I worship. In fact many of them are so completedly different from my church that the only recognizable thing is that they recognise Jesus as the Son of God ( the very same God that I love and worship – surprise 😏) and that they believe in the trinity of Father,Son and Holy Spirit. That’s it – nothing else is even remotely the same.

What is that’s ok with God ? What if He sees the hearts and intentions of these other worshippers and declares them as righteous as He declares me to be all because of Christ and not in any way because of their ways of worshiping Him?

I’ve come to realize that I can recognize my God in an unfamiliar place of worship only if my heart is open to doing so. I also have to acknowledge that He recognizes me in that same place. Him and I are still Father and daughter no matter what House of Worship we are in- albeit a totally different and unfamiliar one!

I married into a very formal and somewhat unfamiliar denomination of Christianity and I had to accept a lot of traditions that seemed strange to me. We had never paid much attention to the various saints and the only physical demonstration of our faith was holy communion. The church of my husbands family where we got married is ground in traditions and cultures that are still confusing to me, however I can see the beauty in them.

We now attend a very untraditional church where there is not much focus on the ancient habits and cultures of some other churches.

Years ago I was praying and asking God about all the different traditions in the various churches and if He was OK with them.

God showed me a Christmas tree with all of the fancy decorations and tinsel on it . I believe I heard Him saying that every denomination puts its decorations on the tree – their own traditions and cultures- and He sees each one. What He looks at though is the tree itself. If it’s a healthy tree then He’s happy no matter what it’s adorned with. If it’s an unhealthy tree covered up in bright traditions but rotten underneath,it’s a problem.

I was looking at the decorations and not the tree . God sees the tree beneath the decorations .

From time to time I still visit churches that are different to mine but now I try to remember that my Father is still my Father in His house,even if the House looks different. I’ve realized that as long as He is present it’s all good. And He is. Wherever there are hearts that are crying out to Him, He is there amongst them. Whether they are holding a crucifix, a Bible or just clutching their chests, He hears. If the music is coming from a traditional organ and the congregation is singing from a hymnal, if a single robed individual is chanting in the front of the church, and even if the whole church is singing with arms raised high above their heads and dancing to a worship band, He hears. Whether it’s on our knees or standing up,with head bowed or looking up, He hears. It’s so easy to pay attention to the physical demonstrations of faith, but God looks for the spiritual demonstrations that are often hidden from our judgemental view.

Keep your eyes fixed on the God of the House. If it’s the same God, you’re in familiar company. Worship Him as you do at home and don’t look to see the differences – seek what’s familiar and focus on that.

Be the healthy tree!

“You can tell each tree by its fruit.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:20‬ ‭NIRV‬‬

“Look at the obvious fruit of their lives and ministries, and then you’ll know whether they are true or false.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:20‬ ‭TPT‬‬

“But GOD told Samuel, “Looks aren’t everything. Don’t be impressed with his looks and stature. I’ve already eliminated him. GOD judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; GOD looks into the heart.””
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭16:7‬ ‭MSG‬‬

I hear the Lord saying, “I will stay close to you, instructing and guiding you along the pathway for your life. I will advise you along the way and lead you forth with my eyes as your guide. So don’t make it difficult; don’t be stubborn when I take you where you’ve not been before. Don’t make me tug you and pull you along. Just come with me!”” Psalm 32:8-9

With both my girls all grown up and living far away now I am beyond the days of toddler tantrums-thank you Lord!

I’ve seen some spectacular displays of willfulness in my own children and in other people’s children. I’ve often stood quite transfixed at the amount of passion and determination that goes into performing the perfect and most memorable tantrum! Alexia in particular could seriously nail it and went on to become a top drama student in her school days – no surprise there!

I’m sure many of you who have witnessed these amazing outbursts in children have seen one thing that seems to play out in every tantrum. As soon as the person who is the target of the performance is no longer engaged or even paying any attention, the show is over!

I’ve often seen a child lie face down on the floor kicking and screaming with every bit of strength they can muster up, only to take a peek and see nobody is watching, stand up and carry on behaving normally! The show only goes on as long as there is an audience.

This made me think of two things :-

Firstly – who is the audience you’re hoping to capture? Are you going all out and giving your very best performance for the boss? Perhaps it’s for your social circle. It might even be for your church. There are sadly many performers in churches today who do all they can to look the part, only needing the final touch of a polished gold halo floating over their heads to complete the picture of spiritual perfection and holiness.

In the workplace it’s often the one with performance and approval addiction that seems to get all the applause.

At schools there is always that one who relentlessly has their hand up to catch the attention of the teacher and to win the coveted title of FAVOURITE. (I know – we all hated that one 😂)

We strive for approval and feast on the scraps of it thrown down to us from the table where the “important” people sit.

I believe it’s time to look up beyond the people – in the work place, in the churches, in the government, in schools and in every sphere of life, and look higher. Cast your sight on God. Seek His approval . Do your very best for Him and not for any human being. Trust me – if it’s good enough for the God of Heaven it will be more than good enough for any person down below.

My second thought is this :- who are we trusting- ourselves or God? We can only see as far as the end of our noses yet we truly believe that in our limited vision, we know better than God who sees with unlimited vision!

A child only sees what they want right now. Whether it be toys, sandpits or friends they are being pulled away from – they want what will give them pleasure RIGHT NOW.

Picture a parent holding their little one’s hand and walking away from the desired object. The child has the other hand stretched out towards what they want, face is scrunched up looking back and the wails are deafening . Does that ring a bell perhaps? That could be you! I know it’s me more often than I would like to admit. I know what I want and I want it now! Here’s God walking us away from that, not because He’s a killjoy but because what’s ahead is far better than what’s behind. Do we take a chance and trust Him? Do we allow Him to lead us, maybe even skipping alongside Him and looking ahead with a childlike anticipation of His goodness?

I wonder where He wants to take you today? What lies ahead for you if you surrender all your precious toys, your hopes and dreams that you’ve nurtured for so long. Perhaps there’s a beautiful gift just waiting to be opened. The Giver of Life is longing to surprise you, to fill your life with good things that go way beyond anything you could ever dream up or desire for yourself. It starts with you walking in step with Him and believing that He knows best.

It starts with surrender.

“If you, imperfect as you are, know how to lovingly take care of your children and give them what’s best, how much more ready is your heavenly Father to give wonderful gifts to those who ask him?””

Matthew 7:11 TPT

“But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not obey me. So I let them go their stubborn ways and do whatever they wanted.”

Psalms 81:11-12

“So now wrap your heart tightly around the hope that lives within us, knowing that God always keeps his promises!”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:23‬ ‭TPT‬‬

A great blessing sometimes requires a journey that is terrifying and unfamiliar. The blessing that we know awaits us on the other side of the fear looks so wonderful from where we stand but we sometimes feel that the risk of the journey to get there far outweighs the prize on the other side .

When we know the promise, when we’ve heard the whisper of good things to come and experienced the anticipation of what lies ahead but look to the journey between here and there, we can loose sight of what we KNOW is waiting for us beyond the difficulty of getting there .

How many times have you given up a promise of blessing because of the fear of the journey?

It’s so easy to forget that if God has shown you the Promised Land, He will take the journey with you to get there.

I remember when I was in primary school, we used to sing the song “I’ll never walk alone”. That’s what we often forget though – as soon as we come down from the excitement of the promise and look to the circumstances that must be overcome, the arduous journey that we need to take, we suddenly shrug our shoulders and walk away before the journey has even begun!

If you could see into Gods realm of understanding, I believe you would see a mighty realm of angels standing guard over you and pushing back those terrors that seem to be swallowing up the possibility of your promise.

If you look for the giants you will see only the giants but if you look for the blessings, that’s what you will see regardless of what it costs to get there.

When the Israelites approached the Promised land they sent spies in to check it out before they all went in and set up home there.

Some saw giants and obstacles and declared that however nice it was, they just didn’t have the muscle to get to what God had promised. They forgot WHO had made the promise!

Others went in, noticed the giants but focused on the blessings laid out FOR them in spite of the giants.

Both groups saw the same land but their focus was different .

I have faced blessings many times that just seemed too hard to get to and I’m sad to say, I missed out on some because of fear.

My daughter is facing a huge blessing at the moment that requires a tremendous amount of courage to get to right now. I am so proud of her for taking on the hard stuff to get to the good stuff.

Nelson Mandela said this :

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

What promise are you seeing across the shark infested waters that you’d love to get to but are too afraid to go for because of what it will take to get there?

Face the fear, then look up and take the hand extended to you from the One that will walk alongside you all the way to your Promised Land.

Perhaps those giants are just cardboard cutouts that will fall down and become the protection for your feet on the stony ground as you walk over them on your way to your God ordained Promised Land.

“

“Caleb calmed down the crowd and said, “Let’s go and take the land. I KNOW WE CAN DO IT!” But the other men replied, “Those people are much too strong for us.” Then they started spreading rumors and saying, “We won’t be able to grow anything in that soil. And THE PEOPLE ARE LIKE GIANTS.”
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭13:30-32‬ ‭CEVDCI‬‬

“In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.”

Psalm 94:19

“You won’t need to worry about dangers at night or arrows during the day.

God will command his angels to protect you wherever you go.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91:5, 11‬ ‭CEVDCI‬‬

A while ago I bought some sunflower seedlings to plant in the garden . They didn’t grow as I’d hoped and looked half dead within 2 weeks . After a month we moved them to another spot and although they improved slightly, not much really happened. We tried a third location and within 2 weeks they had flowered and grown more than a few inches in height . I was so excited and watched them daily to see if they would continue to flourish. In my mind I think I had an idea that I would have a mini sunflower field not unlike that of Vincent Van Gogh’s! As you can no doubt guess, that didn’t happen. After a few days the flowers wilted, the stems went brown and that was the end of my yellow fantasy!

Our own creations and ideas may sprout forth with oomph and energy growing quickly and fruitfully before our very eyes. The idea is great, the execution of the idea goes smoothly and the result is so perfect that we cannot help but pat ourselves on the back and marvel at how clever we are!

How wonderful if it all continues to grow and flourish. How terrible though if it doesn’t. If instead of continuing on an upward path of success, it crashes and burns like my beloved sunflower but instead of costing a few rands, it has cost us our entire savings or retirement fund.

This is a more drastic picture of what happens when we build without consulting the Chief Builder. I’m quite sure nobody would attempt to build a house based on a quick child’s drawing on a piece of paper: in much the same way we go about our many plans without examining every angle before proceeding to break ground.

There is One who is all- knowledgeable, all-wise, who knows every end from every beginning. This same One who put each star in the sky knows of each hair on your head and sees your future as clearly as He sees your past.

If this One is available and willing to lead you through each decision knowing all that you do not know, why on earth would you insist on doing it alone ?

I would be a fool to walk blindfolded into a forest. That’s what walking without the One is like. Trying to do everything with the pride that only a fool is dominated by is the same as walking with a scarf tied around my eyes into an unfamiliar place and hoping to find my way out at the other end.

Luckily you have a choice. Choose wisely who advises you, who you consult and who walks with you on your journey. The rest will follow .

““You refused to listen to any of this, and now I am really angry. These god-making businesses of yours are your doom.”

Jeremiah 25:7

“If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.”

Proverbs 29:18 MSG

“But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.”

Matthew 6:33 AMP

When I look at Gods track record in my past, it’s illogical to not trust him in my present“

Dharius Daniels

A few years ago we traveled from Florida to Atlanta in a rental car with a rented Garmin GPS device. What should have been a 6-hour journey took 13 hours. I cannot tell you how’s many “reroutings” we took as Doris kept on changing her mind on where we should go. We did many U-Turns, drove up many dead ends, and suffered much frustration that night!

Because we had no knowledge of the route, we trusted Doris to lead us along the best route to get to our desired destination.

God may follow us into a season from behind, walk in front of us, leading us into a season or walk beside us into a season. Whichever one it is, His grace ALWAYS goes before us into the season.

We cannot allow the circumstances of a season to determine the outcome. If God is sovereign then He alone has that authority.

When a season is dark and scary, He lights up the way.

When we willingly and stubbornly walk into a season without His blessing, we also allow forces that do not have our best interests at heart to have a say in that season. But remember, having a say is not having sovereignty. God alone has that.

When a season comes upon us that we didn’t ask for or didn’t have any say in, His favor is what we call upon. His grace is what covers us and wisdom that we have from Him will lead us.

The question is: who did you authorize to rule over your life, the outcomes, and the journey? Who are you listening to? The Sovereign One who speaks quietly or the ankle- nipping enemy who squeals and frightens you with his noise?

Ultimately, God has the final word. He IS the beginning and the end. He was AT the beginning and He will be at the end. His word is ever true, always relevant, and totally accurate. The compass that He gives us will always lead to life but the compass that we set for ourselves is tampered with and will always misdirect us and take us on a journey that has a lot of pit stops, rerouting, confusion and dead ends.

Think of that voice that speaks from our GPS- Doris- saying, “make a UTurn “ or “rerouting”…

How frustrating to be ever traveling but never arriving at your destination.

Take the controls away from Doris ( or yourself ) and hand them back to God. Chuck out that second hand, faulty and inaccurate GPS and tune into the voice of wisdom . Allow your steps to be directed by the Life-giver and not by the Grim Reaper who comes to steal, kill, and destroy your life, your dreams, and livelihood.

Be “rerouted” onto the best pathway for your life. Skip the short cuts that always become long detours. Get on track, the right track … today !

“The Scriptures say, “If you hear his voice TODAY don’t be stubborn like those who rebelled.””

Hebrews 3:15 CEVDCI

“The Lord says, “I will guide you along the BEST pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”

Psalms 32:8-9 NLT

“The holy LORD God of Israel had told all of you, “I will keep you safe IF you turn back to me and calm down. I will make you strong IF you quietly trust me.” Then you stubbornly said, “No! We will safely escape on speedy horses.” But those who chase you will be even faster.”

Isaiah 30:15-16 CEVUK

“A thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect —life in its fullness until you overflow!”

John 10:10

Blessings that God planned for us in this season will come to us perfectly and fully as they were purposed to come. What God has stored up for us is not like our plans that have to be postponed due to current circumstances. We will receive them as He designed for us to receive them down to the last detail, in the exact time they were designed to be given.

How wonderful it is to be favored by a Father who isn’t influenced or delayed by the world’s situations but who holds the world in His hand and stands in authority over everything that we stand under. His perfect will for us prevails despite what we see, hear, or experience. This in itself stands as a testimony of His love for us to a world that trusts only in itself and it’s own abilities.

God’s favor over me is eternal and His will for me is perfect. It was designed long before any hold-ups occurred and will stand firm long after. That’s what hope is, that’s where our faith is rooted – in His sovereignty, never in our own power. Get that concept and you will see the lens of your vision change dramatically!

When we understand that what we see is so completedly limited and yet God sees fully what is hidden from us, we can do nothing else but submit our plans and dreams to Him. How stupid to make plans for a future that we have little or no control over without first surrendering those plans to Him! There is nothing wrong with planning – that’s a wise thing to do, but to think that you can control every outcome and circumstance? That’s stupidity at its finest!

Keep in touch with the Creator. Brainstorm with Him and see that endless flow of blessing quench and refresh you as you plan with wisdom, sow with insight and reap with an abundance that will surprise not only you but those many “self-made”doubters around you.

Before you do anything, put your trust totally in God and not in yourself. Then every plan you make will succeed.”

“Go ahead and make all the plans you want, but it’s the Lord who will ultimately direct your steps.

Proverbs 16:1, 3 TPT

“I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.”

Jeremiah 29:11 GNT

“Within your heart you can make plans for your future, but the Lord chooses the steps you take to get there.”

Proverbs 16:9 TPT

Areas that have the power to keep us captive sometimes seem so wonderful when we are window shopping.

The sugar coating of bondage tastes so sweet.

Dark corners that we hide in feel so safe.

Lies that we listen to sound so convincing.

Habits that we indulge in bring so much pleasure.

Egypt in the rearview mirror of the Israelites looked completely different from how it looked when they were enslaved there.

We often, like the Israelites, long for the familiarity of our own personal Egypt. What lies beyond the pretty face of bondage is not only ugly but deadly. It limits us from our full potential and from receiving the blessings waiting for us. Bondage often holds us with soft fluffy handcuffs and a warm and cozy straight jacket, but handcuffs and straight jackets were never meant to bring freedom but to keep us small and restrained.

We convince ourselves that if it looks good, tastes good, and makes us feel good then it is good: beware of the lie – read between the lines. If you look closely you might see things like

Captivity

Control

Addiction

Financial ruin

Moral decay

Fear

Hopelessness

Lies

Isolation

Broken families

Anxiety

Depression

Do you really want to deal with one or all of those because you didn’t want to say “no” to things that you thought you could taste but not consume?

Be careful – read the small print and look for the colorful flashing signs. Green and red. Pick your color carefully.

God gives you the ability to choose freedom and then to LEAVE your jail cell. Make sure that if you choose to do so, you slam that door shut behind you as you run for your life out of your area of captivity. You cannot leave any option open to return to your cell.

Each time you go back it’s harder to leave and the space inside feels more and more familiar.

Don’t make the mistake of believing the same stuff that has proved time and time again to be a lie – it’s like returning to an abusive relationship over and over again.

Be done with your “groundhog day” for once and for all and listen carefully – you might just hear the roar of Heaven’s applause as you finally choose LIFE!

The world is in a new state of crisis. We have never before been in a situation like this one and hopefully never will be again. We might be looking up or even out of our front gate for the first time in months.

Things look very different and perhaps scary as we confront this new way of living. Everybody looks like a criminal with masks covering their faces. Smiles cannot be seen and facial expressions are unreadable. Communication is difficult as masks mute voices and nuances.

Masks have gone from basic medical gear to all sorts of fashion statements. I see branded face coverings in all sorts of colors and styles. Many people have different masks for different outfits. We wear our masks as easily as we wear our shoes. We now have a very real thing that we can hide behind!

We have become slaves to fear. Our conversations all come back to the C word. Our hands are wrinkled and dry from endless squirts of hand sanitizer and our world is governed by new rules and new realities.

This folks is not a time for racial, religious, political or idealistic cliques. We cannot afford to turn this pandemic into a new attack against each other. This is a time for human beings of all kinds to join hands and heal together.

It is a time to put aside our grievances and differences, to stand as one race – the human race – and rebuild our world, our economies and our livelihoods.

It is also a time to clean out the attic of harbored anger, hatred , inherited prejudices and harmful attitudes. We cannot build a new existence based on old principles.

We cannot form camps and label various groups as enemies and expect to have harmony and healing.

Who do you hate? Who do you believe is your worst enemy? Who has hurt you and who have you held grudges against that were never your grudges to hold? What grievances have you inherited through bloodlines? We will never heal and restore our world if we take our familiar relics of prejudice with us.

Who of you ever moved into a new home and brought your black refuse bags filled with discarded rubbish from your old house?

Leave behind whatever old junk belongs in the past and let’s walk forward into a new reality untethered and uncluttered. Let’s embrace one another with grace and acceptance, understanding that we are different but we are also so alike at the same time, kind of like the movie title “The same kind of different as me “!

I want the post COVID world to be better than the pre COVID world . Allow God to do what only He can do and do what He enables you to do . Walk forward without holding onto the harmful familiarities of yesterday.

This virus that came to steal, kill and destroy is only as successful as its allowed to be .

So today this is my bottom line – Choose LIFE! Live LIFE and embrace LIFE….it’s the only weapon worth holding onto!

“Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12:20-26‬ ‭NLT‬‬