His Marvelous Light

Telling about the excellent qualities of God

recent posts

  • Look Up

    Look Up

    If you are a Christian and read the New Testament, then I’m sure you’ve heard the story of the woman who bled for 12 years.

    “And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.”

    “Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.’” Luke 43-44, 47-48 NIV

    I have read the story many times, especially since it appears in multiple gospels. I have heard her story preached, taught, and explained, and I have heard from multiple sources just how difficult it truly would have been in her time. 

    But it wasn’t until I saw the story play out on the television show The Chosen that it finally connected with me. When she was down on the ground after her healing, there I was, too. And there was almost every woman that I know at one point in time. On her knees, there we were-ashamed, tired, lost, broken.

    Why did it take me so long to see myself and others that I love in her story? Probably because we’ve been fortunate enough to have it be “not that bad.” But the constant, everyday little pressures of being a perfect wife, a perfect mother, a perfect friend, a perfect daughter, a perfect sister, a perfect employee, etc., add up. 

    Carrying the weight of the world will force even the strongest person to their knees eventually. 

    But Jesus didn’t just heal her. He told her to go in peace.

    “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

    I spent the first 25 years of my life without this peace and over a decade learning how to find and keep it. 

    Before his peace, I used to hold on to the illusion that I had complete control over my life. I would plan and prep, then work my hardest to make things happen. I assumed that with control came peace. But it was exhausting, feeling like everything rested solely on me. One day off and I’d lose momentum. One wrong move, and it could all be lost. 

    I looked to anything and everything else to fill that void and longing for rest- once I got married, once I earned my therapist licensure, once we were settled in our new town, once my husband became his own boss, etc. But it never came. There was just another “once” waiting for me.

    But in my mid-twenties, I was metaphorically knocked to the ground by an event that I didn’t see coming. And from it, I eventually realized that there is no such thing as true control in life. Yes, we can control our effort and our attitude, but the outcomes we strive for, no matter how hard we try, are never guaranteed. 

    It wasn’t until I stopped trying to force things to go my way and stopped trying to control the results that I found peace. I began to understand that all I had to do was trust in and follow the one who created it all, who had the plan, and who was truly in control. 

    It was his peace that allowed me to shed the weight of the world and get up. His peace allows me to put one foot in front of the other and walk through the chaos and uncertainty of life. It allows me to keep moving forward, even when I don’t understand why, and be who he created me to be and do what he called me to do. I don’t need to know the outcomes once I gave it my best effort, because he is guarding me. That kind of faith will heal almost any ailment of the heart or mind. 

    In the show, Jesus bent down and simply said, “My daughter, look up.”

    And even though those last two words aren’t specifically in Scripture, they show us how to get this peace. It’s not by looking down and worrying about your next steps and how you are going to do this in your own strength. And it’s not by looking around you, seeing how other people are doing it. It is by keeping your eyes on him.

    It doesn’t have to be a 12-year battle with a debilitating condition for us to be worthy of Jesus’ words and the peace that he offers. But if you don’t accept that Jesus is what you’re actually looking for, you’ll keep asking yourself “what else is there?” and you will always be chasing “the next thing.” You will continue to seek security in power, possessions, and/or popularity. And you’ll never feel fulfilled or satisfied. His peace frees you from these heavy chains that most of us don’t even realize we are wearing.

    When our eyes are fixed on and our hearts hold hope in worldly things, we will always get knocked down. But when we look up, we might fall from time to time, but nothing has the power to keep us there.

  • Come Up For Air

    Come Up For Air

    Staring out into the Atlantic Ocean, a whale jumps out of the water. Immediately, everyone gasps at the beautiful scene. I ask my husband, “Isn’t it crazy that whales live in the water but cannot breathe in it?” His response is, “Yeah. I’ve never thought of that.”

    And then it clicks for me. That’s how we are, too. 

    We live in a world that we weren’t meant for. It cannot sustain us. And if we stay submerged for too long, it will crush us. 

    The only way to survive is to come up for air. 

    As Christians, we live IN the world, but we are not OF this world. That can seem like a ridiculous statement…until it clicks. 

    “Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” Genesis‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

    What gave us life was God’s breath. So, it would only make sense that in order to stay alive- the kind of life worth living at least- we would continually need His breath. 

    But then, how do we go about getting it?

    “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭ESV.‬‬

    We get His breath through His Word. The Bible teaches us how to live in a world that was not meant to support us. 

    I’ve been fortunate to lead Bible studies at my church for the last few years. And it’s an even more beautiful scene to watch these women, of all ages and from different backgrounds, come up for air. 

    For some (including me), it was our first time breaching the surface and filling our lungs with as much as possible. We couldn’t get enough and didn’t want to stop or go back underwater for fear of losing our progress. 

    For others, it had been a long time since they’d inhaled fresh air. They had almost forgotten what it felt like when their lungs were filled up again.

    And for a few, they had already realized just how vital it was to come up for air on a regular basis. And they were ready to seize any opportunity to return to the surface. 

    We were placed in this inhospitable environment, and we cannot stay out of the water by keeping our noise in the Bible or never stepping foot outside the church. Spoiler alert: the world will even find you there. 

    But there is no need to panic as the water cascades and submerges you as you’re pulled back under. 

    Upon further research into how whales survive underwater, it’s essential to realize that they don’t try to change who they are to fit into their unnatural aquatic environment.

    They don’t develop gills like the other non-mammal animals around them. Unlike us, which store oxygen predominately in our lungs, they have a much larger capacity to store oxygen in their blood and muscles. They keep their breath stowed all throughout their bodies.

    That’s what we need to do with the Word. We can’t just take it in, a little here and a little there, and expect to survive underwater for extended periods. 

    We need it to make up our entire being. We must build up the stores in our blood so it can run through our heads and hearts. We need to stockpile it in our muscles so it becomes our automatic response.

    We must prioritize memorizing, studying, singing, meditating on, and reading the Bible.

    All this to say, if you’ve been feeling like you’re struggling to breathe as the world closes in around you, when’s the last time you’ve “come up for air”?

  • Faith Like Abraham

    Faith Like Abraham

    Abraham (from the Old Testament) is known for his courageous faith.

     
    “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬


    His confidence in God allowed him to go when he didn’t know where he was going, what he would face along the way, or even what it would be like once he got there. He left everything he knew-family, location, comfort- to follow God’s guidance. 

    And he didn’t need specifics.

    Not to be too dramatic, but it seems to me like Abraham would have made a fantastic coach’s spouse. 

    I came to faith because of this lifestyle. After years of drowning in instability and uncertainty, I decided I needed something dependable to cling to. I needed a foundation that could hold me up while it felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. 

    When I first started in this lifestyle, I needed to know all the details. I tried it my way for longer than I’d like to admit. I thought that if I could just know all the stops along our journey, how long we’d be at each for, as well as the hiccups that we’d face while at each stop, then I could be confident in our choices, in this lifestyle, and that my sacrifices wouldn’t be in vain. 

    But I have learned that knowing every little thing doesn’t mean that you are standing on solid ground. It just means you have control problems. 

    Circumstances of life in general, but especially life in the sports industry, make it crystal clear that there really is no such thing as control.

    On multiple occasions, God tells Abraham to do something new but doesn’t provide all the details. But because Abraham knew the One instructing him, he did not need the specifics to get going. 

    He just focused on the fact that the path he was going down would be far better than anything he could envision for himself. His life was built on a foundation of faith in God. So, Abraham could go out into the unknown, taking risks and making sacrifices, because he knew the outcome in God’s hand would be far better than if he held tight with his.

     
    “For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

     
    Within the last decade, I have given Abraham’s approach a try. Honestly, my hands got so tired from being tightly clenched, I only gave it an attempt because I couldn’t hold onto anything any longer.

    Like Abraham, I started focusing on who I knew God to be: good, just, caring, loving, and most importantly, someone who wanted to give me more than I could even dream up.

    And I stopped fixating on the where, when, and how. I trusted that closed doors meant there was something better waiting, setbacks and rejections were protection, and the yeses would contain the best inheritances worth the difficulties. 

    And to my surprise and delight, I was freed up from that weight of the world on my shoulders. So, not only was I finally standing on a solid foundation, but my legs were no longer shaking, and my hands were no longer tired.

    Just like Abraham, I don’t always get it right. He tried to take matters back into his hands a couple of times when he became impatient. And I have, too. But this lifestyle is only manageable if you don’t let circumstances weigh you down. Instead, put your trust in God, not your own abilities, coach’s winning record, or the decision-making of those in power.
     
    Hold tightly to the promise but loosely to the details. Have faith like Abraham.

    *originally posted on Friday Night Wives blog*

  • Hold Loosely to Expectations

    Hold Loosely to Expectations

    I’m a big believer in not wishing to change the past. What I’ve been through has made me who I am today. I genuinely believe failure is, hands down, a better teacher than success if you let it be.

    So, if given the opportunity, I wouldn’t go back to tell my younger self not to do x, y, or z, or to warn about an upcoming heartbreak.

    But I would tell myself to hold loosely to expectations. 

    That’s what messes people up the most- more than the outcome, which usually isn’t as bad as we make it out to be. But when held up against our expectations, our reality can seem devastating, disappointing, or hopeless.

    I am the picture of unmet expectations, and realizing I could never possibly know what’s best if I don’t keep an open mind. 

    For big picture items, I have met my expectations- I am married to a wonderful man with healthy, happy children. But I am in part-time ministry (for free) instead of the Licensed Independent Clinician I went to school to become certified as. 

    I left my hometown (which was something I desperately tried to avoid) two months after getting married. I then followed my husband wherever his job took us, committing to locations before I had even been there. And I now live in a location I quite literally said ‘never’ to.

    18-year-old me would be pretty disappointed in my current situation.

    But my reality far exceeds anything my younger self could have imagined. She didn’t know what she didn’t know- and that was a lot.

    One of the most important things she never would have realized is that the journey to get to the current reality was like walking through a refining fire. It’s not something you’d choose to do, but on the other side is a much better version. 

    So, if you find yourself disappointed or discouraged about where you are in life, take time to honestly evaluate if it’s about the outcomes or your unmet expectations. 

    Our expectations cannot only hold us back. They can also stifle others’ growth or be a dark cloud over our relationships. 

    I have done my share of disappointing, as well as being disappointed, because expectations and the reality of a person didn’t match, and vice versa.

    Ted Lasso is up there as one of my favorite shows of all time. It could be partly because my husband is a coach, so I know the sports industry world and lifestyle from a first-hand perspective. 

    But I think it’s more about the lessons the show tries to convey in a light-hearted and honest way. My favorite scene is when Ted talks about never understanding why other men always underestimated him. 

    He explains one of his life’s mottos in a quote that sums up how to stop holding on so tightly to your expectations, whether for your life or for another person.

    “Be curious, not judgmental.”

    It’s harder to be disappointed, upset, or resentful when you’re so curious. Curious to see how it’s going to turn out. Curious to see what different way things go. Curious to see who this person shows themself to be. 

    I am not telling you just to sit back and let life unfold around you. Take that next step, make that next move, or engage with that person. 

    But hold loosely to expectations. Be open to it going a different way than you thought. You don’t know what you don’t know, and that could be a lot. 

  • Call Them By Name

    Call Them By Name

    One of my greatest lessons in how to be more like Jesus came when I was in graduate school. It was a multi-part divine plan that came together from sources that had no intention of teaching me this lesson, but ended up giving me the greatest gift: perspective. Which, in turn, has allowed me to give it away to others as I continue to walk this path of spiritual discipleship. 

    At the start of my Abnormal Psych class during my first year in grad school for Social Work, my teacher passed out a sheet of paper listing all kinds of people, labeled by the bad actions they’d committed. She asked us to circle the ones that we didn’t think we’d be able to work with as a therapist. 

    I was SO sure of some of the people. There were all kinds of people on that list, but I only circled things like rapist, prostitute, drug dealer, and murderer. I wasn’t a practicing Christian at the time. I believed in God and Jesus, and thought that was all that was required of me. Even still, I found myself believing that I wouldn’t be able to see past and work with the types of people who could break one of the 10 Commandments. 

    Honestly, I wouldn’t even expect these people to seek treatment, so why would it matter whether I was actually willing or able to help them? 

    The assignment really made me think about the kinds of people we’d be working with. But, in the moment, I completely missed the point of it. It wasn’t for me to categorize who and what behaviors I would eventually specialize in helping. It was to bring my biases and judgments to the surface and address them before meeting with patients. 

    And since God loved me enough not to let me miss this fundamental lesson, he gave me another opportunity to learn it.

    Not too long after that class, I had my first meeting with my new internship supervisor. I didn’t ask for a specific area because I wasn’t sure which specialization I wanted to pursue. I figured I’d leave it up to chance and see where I was placed. Little did I know, it wasn’t up to “chance”; God was directing my steps. 

    I was put into a Dual Diagnosis treatment center. I even had to Google what it was because I had no experience with it. It’s for clients who have both a mental health diagnosis, as well as some type of addiction, AND are court-mandated to therapy as part of their sentencing. I’m pretty sure God has a sense of humor, because all the people I’d be working with were all the people that I circled on my sheet. 

    My internship supervisor sat me down during that meeting and said, “I’m not going to let you look at their charts. I’m not going to tell you who did what or why they are in here. We have a rapist, an arsonist, a murderer, a prostitute, a few drug dealers, and many more who have done bad things. But I want you to see them as people before you learn the label society has placed upon them.” 

    Honestly, the first thing that came to my mind was Jesus (even though that wasn’t her intention at all). All I could think about was that is exactly what Jesus would do, and not like that bracelet people used to wear (WWJD). But for real. He didn’t see people for what they did. 

    I probably should have been a lot more intimidated by these clients, but for some reason, I was not. I didn’t know it then, but I was surrounded by the peace of God that surpasses human understanding. I was where he put me, following his direction, even if he had to trick me into doing it. I learned to call them by name, not their diagnosis, crime, or label. 

    “Now this is what the Lord says, the one who created you, Jacob, and the one who formed you, Israel. “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1

    Jesus met people where they were. And when they weren’t perfect, he didn’t shame them. He connected with them, showed them he truly cared, and then offered them a better way.  That’s precisely what I got to experience that semester. I got to witness countless people flourish because they were seen and encouraged, not judged and condemned. 

    That’s how I spent the entirety of my career as a therapist, too. I got to witness so many “lost causes” brought back from the brink of desolation. And it has guided my approach as a Christian since actively seeking to know the God who gave me this gift of my journey. 

    I can’t take credit for any of this. The Holy Spirit prompted me, and God used what he knew would work to get me to move in the direction he desired. And Jesus served as the ultimate example. The only thing I can take credit for is responding to the nudgings and taking the next step, even though I had no idea where it was taking me and why it would be important. 

    I have learned that all he wants and needs from his children is a willing and open heart.

  • Why I Have Any Faith At All

    Why I Have Any Faith At All

    As we sat casually on the couch together, my oldest asked me why I felt the need to teach the Bible and share my faith with others. He was asking out of curiosity because he was watching as I persisted to lead while a very vocal minority pushed back, questioning my character, integrity, and ability. He wanted to know why I’d continue doing something when it was obviously hurting and frustrating me. 

    At that moment, it occurred to me that I had shared my testimony with so many but not with one of the most important people to me. Part of that was because he was too young, and I wanted to shield him from any difficulties I had to walk through. But it was time I told him- partly because he will be 13 soon, and I am watching him grow out of being my little boy and into a young man. But more so because he was the reason that I had any amount of faith at all.

    I explained to him that once upon a time, I believed that I got by on my intelligence, work ethic, and good decision-making skills. I am sure he could relate because he is a mini-me. 

    I existed to check off boxes:

    • Graduate high school.
    • Attend college.
    • Meet a boy.
    • Get multiple degrees.
    • Marry that boy.
    • And finally, start a family.

    I lived in a reality where success was defined by worldly things, and the belief that if you worked hard to earn them, that’s how you’d find happiness. It wasn’t enough to get good grades; you needed all As in honors classes. It wasn’t enough to graduate from college; you needed to get at least one more degree afterward. It wasn’t enough to get a job; you needed a title to go with it (doctor, lawyer, financial adviser, etc). 

    Fourteen years ago, his father and I wanted to start a family. We were young, healthy, and financially and emotionally ready as we’d ever be. 

    But there was a moment when the illusion of that way of life was taken from me. In an instant, I realized that a favorable outcome was never a guarantee, no matter how good I was or how hard I worked. I had a miscarriage. Something I didn’t even truly have a concept of until I was on the phone with the hospital.

    After that, I could no longer move forward, thinking that I was in control and that it was all up to me to be successful and make things happen. 

    One statement from someone else going through a similar situation opened my eyes to a different way of living: “In life, when people face setbacks or hardships, they choose one of two things: fear or faith. And we choose faith.” 

    So, I decided to give this “faith” thing a chance. Slowly but surely, I learned who God was and just how much Jesus loved me. I got to know the Holy Spirit and how he had been working in my life since I first accepted Jesus (but soon left him behind, thinking the narrow way wasn’t a better way).

    Instead of my own strength, I leaned on Jesus. Instead of my own understanding, I leaned on God. Instead of shutting down and being bitter from my heartbreak, I leaned on my church and its community.

    The very first thing that confirmed that I had picked the right “thing” was a positive pregnancy test six months after that first. What gave me the reassurance and confidence to keep going down this road of faith over fear was an ultrasound of a little baby boy. 

    When we tried to do things our own way, we didn’t know that my husband would essentially lose his job and that we would have to move right after that initial due date. Fear would have convinced me to stay put and miss out on the life we’ve lived and loved.

    It was him. He was the initial reason that I knew God had a higher perspective and bigger, better plans for my life. My son may be the reason I have wrinkles, gray hair, tired eyes, and zero patience. But he is also the reason I have any faith at all. And I have found that true happiness comes from sharing this faith with others.

    And I keep going because I could potentially say that “one statement” that opens other people’s eyes to this different way of living.

  • Fruits of the Spirit

    Fruits of the Spirit

    When I first came to faith, the Bible intimidated me. I saw it as this thick book filled with ancient rules and stories of people who would be next to impossible to relate to. Instead of reading it as a whole, I would pick and choose which parts were for me. I clung to isolated verses that I thought would be helpful for where I was in my journey. You know, the ones that are positive and easy to endorse. 

    One of the most popular ones was in Galatians. 

    “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

    I tried my hardest to have the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit. Most of those characteristics didn’t come naturally to me, most especially patience, gentleness, and self-control. But I had just assumed that I’d automatically become a better person once I accepted Jesus; no effort was required on my part. 

    When I decided to live my life based on Jesus and his teachings, I honestly thought I would instantly start sprouting the nine fruits with ease and abundance. 

    When that did not happen, I thought maybe if I had a daily reminder, then that’s how I’d grow those fruits. So I put the words on a bracelet and wore it every day. After a while, when that didn’t work, I went as far as debating getting them tattooed on my wrist so there was no excuse. 

    Since nothing was growing at the speed at which I wanted, I believed it was because I was not trying hard enough, or maybe it just wasn’t in me at all. Luckily, I had many trusted sources and mentors explain to me repeatedly (until it finally sank in) that I couldn’t accomplish any of this in my own strength. Just like any relationship, I needed to spend time with God and get to know Him deeply to grow in His characteristics. 

    I realized that approaching the Bible in pieces made it about me. What can I learn? What does it want to teach me? What did I find useful today? And while that’s not a bad thing because it is the best place to look for guidance and advice, that’s not the way the Bible was meant to be read. 

    It’s about God and His character, not me and mine. It’s 66 books that together tell a much larger story about God’s love for us and our desperate need for a Savior. 

    So, I started spending time fully in God’s Word every day. Instead of picking and choosing the verses that I thought were encouraging or catchy, I started trusting that all of it mattered. Unlike salvation, which is given to us all once when we accept the gift of Jesus’ sacrifice, spiritual growth is a daily practice that needs to be done from my heart. 

    And when I eventually came to Galatians, I realized that right before the verse I almost permanently seared into my skin were verses that explained how not to behave, and a critical detail was highlighted. It’s the works of the flesh versus the fruits of the Spirit.

    I wasn’t exhibiting those characteristics, because I was never meant to be the one to produce the change. So, I stopped trying to force it in my own strength. 

    After some time of studying God’s Word in its entirety, I realized that I was completely missing the right source for my strength and nourishment. So, I stopped being so focused on my outward expression and was able to get out of my own way. I started to concentrate on who God was. And I also looked to Jesus’ time on earth as an example.

    I could finally see His unfailing love play out in the full story of the Bible. I was soaking up the knowledge and desire to be more like who He made me to be. The characteristics of God were on full display throughout the Old Testament. And I was given the perfect example of how to be throughout the New Testament from Jesus’ life. And when I reached the level of overflow within me, I began sprouting those gifts He promised, with the help of the Holy Spirit.

    The more you spend time with Him, in His word, and around others who have a heart for Him, and reflect on all that He’sdone for you through Jesus and other blessings in your life, the more the fruit just starts crowding out the works.

    When you plug Him into your heart, He eventually changes your habits. 

  • His Marvelous Light

    His Marvelous Light

    “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9

    Darkness doesn’t always appear to be troublesome. We need it in order to sleep. Without the reset, we’d get rundown real quick. But if you continue to live in darkness, you will get lost. You will be confused, not being able to understand your surroundings. And it’s in those times that you need the help of others to guide you out. 

    My goal in sharing my stories is to help anyone that finds themselves in the dark. However, I am not the light source. I am only reading the metaphorical map that is the Bible and aiming the metaphorical lamp that is the Holy Spirit for those who need help illuminating their path until they are ready to step out fully into His marvelous light.

    I met God on a field. My husband is a college coach, so it was on an athletic field, not a field for planting, where my tiny seed of faith started to grow. I didn’t know what was happening at the moment. All I knew was that I stepped onto that field in the bright daylight filled with joy, hope, and the illusion that my hard work and plans were coming together. And I left that field surrounded by total darkness, lost, confused, and gut-wrenchingly devastated. I could no longer believe the lie that I was in control of my destiny. 

    Don’t get me wrong, I had heard about him before that. I even thought I knew who he was and that I had already done all I needed to be a follower. I accepted the gift of his son’s sacrifice on my behalf. I took that gift and put it in my metaphorical trophy case, where it started slowly collecting dust.

    But it turns out God wanted more than that. He wanted a relationship with me, an ongoing dependency marked by radical obedience. He wanted me to spend time with him daily, getting to know and love him for who he truly was, not what I had heard or assumed. He wanted my heart and to give me everything he had planned for my life. He wanted to develop me into who He had created me to be- his special person.

    He had tried to meet me before that day, but I was too busy, too distracted, and too comfortable. I didn’t need or want to hear from him.

    What happened on that field completely humbled me. There was no denying that I had no actual control over my future. I didn’t have the best plan or the power to bring it to fruition. And I could no longer ignore him. So, I stepped out of the darkness and into His marvelous light. And that light started to break open my tiny seed.

    His light caused the seed to sprout through offshoots here and there. His light started to shine as I read books to encourage faith, watched church sermons online, and recited prayers and petitions of Saints that knew my pain. The more I learned about God and Jesus, the more I wanted to know. Those small offshoots grew into large branches once I became more comfortable stepping further into the light- in-person church on Sundays, small group once a week, and reading the Bible in a year plan. 

    But it wasn’t until I finally and fully accepted the Bible as living and active, relative and necessary to my life, that my tree developed deep roots. The full power of His light washed over me once I started studying the Bible with others and on my own. I began to understand His character and deep love for me, which nourished my tree to thrive. I started to serve in my local church and figure out my spiritual gifts and His calling on my life. I produced fruit and watched as others tasted of God’s goodness from my output. 

    And 15 years later, a large tree with strong branches, deep roots, and a bounty of fruit has come from that tiny seed.

    Matthew 13: 31-32 says, “He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.’” 

    Since that day on the field, I have worked tirelessly to know God and study his Word. I have spent so much time growing in my relationship with Jesus. Just like how plants depend on light to induce the growing cycle and allow for healthy development, so do we. 

    And now that my roots are established firmly, and my branches are producing fruit in excess, I know that I have been chosen to tell of His excellent qualities and share my faith journey in hopes it will help and encourage others in theirs. 

    My suffering on the field that day was not in vain because it is where I decided to take God’s extended hand and let Him lead me with His light instead of charging off into the darkness alone. He had been patiently waiting a long time for me to finally realize my need for His guidance, no longer reliant on my own abilities. You see, it wasn’t what I was doing that made the difference. It was that I was doing it in the rays of His light. He called me out. 

    My seed had to crack for His light to penetrate and for my faith to grow into the strong, deeply rooted tree it is today.

    And the best thing about others taking fruit from my tree is that within that fruit are more seeds, just waiting to be planted. I want to spread more gospel seeds of truth, providing the time, space, insight, and guidance to anyone who wants to take it and plant a seed themselves. And they have refuge while waiting for their tiny sprouts to emerge, like the birds at the mustard tree.

    So, if you’re ready, go ahead and step into His marvelous light.