A Moment of Hope

by Marilynn Chadwick The Proverbs 31:10 "woman of valor" is kind, and she teaches others to be kind. But we must also consider the kindness of God. Because until we get that one right, we'll never walk in true freedom. Throughout history, we have seen how women (and all people, for that matter) have done terrible things to themselves and to each other when their view of God is off. We have a good role model in the woman of valor in Proverbs 31. Her wholehearted devotion to God was not from terror, but rather from a reverential awe that filled her with confidence. Such strong faith was the reason she could face her future with hope—and why she could "laugh at the days to come" (Proverbs 31:25 NIV). She knew God intimately. She had experienced him as loving, merciful, and kind. So she was able to lead and teach others with this same kindness: "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue" (Proverbs 31:26 ESV). The Hebrew word chesed, translated "kindness" in this verse, is used throughout the Old Testament to describe God. Chesed, often translated "loving-kindness," includes other aspects of God's character, such as his love and mercy. There's hardly an English equivalent that captures all that is wrapped up in chesed. Scholars agree that chesed is one of the most important words in the entire Old Testament. For not only is it central to God's character, it's also tied to his covenant with his people. As one scholar put it, "the covenant may be thought of as the relationship through which chesed flows." A covenant is sort of like a contract, only more relational and more binding. God's covenant was his way of guaranteeing his undying love and his unbreakable promises. In short, the covenant was proof of God's loving-kindness. "'With everlasting kindness [chesed], I will have compassion on you,' says the Lord your Redeemer" (Isaiah 54:8 NIV). The Lord is good and "his love [chesed] endures forever" (Psalm 107:1 NIV). Christians believe that when Jesus came to earth, his death and resurrection marked the beginning of a new kind of covenant. Through the shedding of his blood, God provided forgiveness of our sins and a free gift of grace for all who would accept it. If this method of salvation sounds too easy, think of all it cost God. What good news it is that Jesus now gives this invitation of salvation by grace to exhausted women—and all weary souls everywhere: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:28-29 NIV). Loving-kindness seems to be a lost virtue in today's world. Sadly, it's missing from many of the discussions about what it means to be a woman today. Chesed actually adds to a woman's strength, instead of making her weak, as some would have us believe. We must not forget that chesed is how God treats us as women. Even when the culture is cruel, or the devil is on his rampage, or when women treat themselves and each other poorly, God covers us with his chesed. Our Kindness Under Fire series is adapted from Woman of Valor by Marilynn Chadwick. Click here for more inspiration or to order a copy of Woman of Valor.

by Marilynn Chadwick I will readily admit I love superhero movies. Today's superhero movies have given us quite a rush of female superheroines splashed across our screen—a far cry from the helpless damsel in distress of years past. Perhaps these fit, strong females will provide our daughters with better role models and higher self-esteem? Better think again. Just when we suspected these hard-hitting heroines were saving us from our outdated images of women, this new breed of female superhero might be making things worse. A recent study shows that instead of giving women healthier views about themselves—and especially about their body images—the new superheroines may be doing just the opposite. Researchers are concerned about the impact of powerful females who have perfect bodies and perform impossible tasks (defeating bad guys and saving the world—all while wearing sexy costumes and spiked heels). Instead of feeling empowered, women who watched these superhero images reported a dramatic drop in self-esteem and dissatisfaction with their own body images and physical appearances. Thus, while the roles for women have evolved from the helpless victim to mighty protector, these superheroines may be undermining rather than improving women's perceptions of themselves and their bodies. There seems to be no end to the pressure upon women today to be perfect, much of it self-imposed. Social media has only fueled this flame. Women now have the added challenge of keeping up with the unrealistic digital world of their social media friends. No wonder the major emotion people report while on social media is envy. At their very core, I believe women are wrestling with a spiritual problem. Which takes us right back to the most important task we have on earth—one that is foundational to becoming a woman of valor: training our heart to hear God's voice. Let's not lose sight of the fact that it was her "fear of the Lord" that was central to the character of our Proverbs 31 woman of valor. Her deep faith in the Lord energized her life. That's why our foundation must be built on the solid rock of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Our Kindness Under Fire series is adapted from Woman of Valor by Marilynn Chadwick. Click here for more inspiration or to order a copy of Woman of Valor.

by Marilynn Chadwick You'd think women would have learned by now that sometimes we can be our own worst enemies. For example, the torturous custom of foot binding, which plagued China's women for over a thousand years, was perpetuated by women. Originally a symbol of female wealth and refinement, foot binding eventually became a symbol of beauty. The smaller the foot—with a three-inch foot being the ideal—the better chance the woman had of getting married. In order to fit into the tiny lotus shoes, women had to literally suffer the breaking of bones in their feet, beginning when they were toddlers. They kept their feet bound for life. Though now illegal, foot binding survived for a thousand years because of women's emotional investment in the practice. Or think back to the corsets worn by women in the 1800s in Europe and America. Women in the Victorian era prized unnaturally tiny waists. So they subjected themselves and their daughters to the painfully binding contraptions, which had to be tightly laced at the back. Over time, their ribs were displaced, and their lungs and other organs were compressed against the spine or shoved down into the lower abdomen. This made it hard to breathe, so ladies sometimes fainted. Thus, the "feminine swoon" also became popular. Here's what one newspaper columnist wrote about wearing a corset: "It is difficult to imagine a slavery more senseless, cruel or far-reaching in its injurious consequences than that imposed by fashion on civilized womanhood during the last generation. The tight lacing required by the wasp waist has produced generations of invalids." But we are not exempt. Today's women are tormented by the harshly thin, female-driven supermodel body image. Eating disorders are skyrocketing. Young girls in America are now dieting by as early as age ten. Perhaps you've heard of the "thigh gap." Ask your teenage daughter, because she probably has. ABC news did a report on the alarming trend among high-school-aged girls, perpetuated by Internet images. Standing up straight with feet together and knees touching, teens (and women) want to see gaps between their thighs even if they know it takes poor nutrition habits and over-exercising to get there. When asked the reason for thigh gaps, a panel of young women admitted it was a status symbol—further proof that skinny frames are their ideal measure of beauty. Oddly, it is women—not their boyfriends or husbands—who pressure each other to strive for dangerously thin bodies. Anorexia and bulimia, once confined to mostly young women, are now showing up in two other groups: young girls and older women. Anorexia has reached epidemic proportions among middle-aged women. Eating disorders now have the highest fatality rate of any mental illness. Women are literally starving themselves to death to become thin. The loving kindness of our Mighty God can set women free from their self-imposed prison. At its core, this prison is the work of the devil. Remember, "the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work" (1 John 3:8 NIV). Our Kindness Under Fire series is adapted from Woman of Valor by Marilynn Chadwick. Click here for more inspiration or to order a copy of Woman of Valor.

by Marilynn Chadwick I still marvel when I think about how God gave women the added privilege of being life-givers and co-creators of the entire human race. Eve was the first woman. Her name literally means "mother of all the living" (Genesis 3:20). I love Eve's response after giving birth to the first human ever born to a woman: "Look, I have created a new human, with the help of the Eternal" (Genesis 4:1 VOICE). Another translation puts it this way: "I produced a man" (Gen 4:1 TLV). We're not only able to bear children, but also to nurture them. What's more, we have the ability to nurture others who are not necessarily our own children. We see that played out in the life of Deborah, the prophet, judge, and "mother in Israel" (Judges 5:7). Throughout Scripture, we find examples of this beautiful nurturer and warrior combination that God has mysteriously woven into the heart of a woman. But the Bible warns us of the "enmity," or hostility, between Satan and the woman after the Fall (Genesis 3:15). It makes sense, then, that the devil would try to lure the woman away from God's original design, twisting her ezer strength into a rock—not of support, but of hardness. Distorting her courage into brazen ambition. And if he can derail her nurturer side—killing the kindness in a woman's heart—he will have unleashed a creature who is destructive to her family, to the culture around her, and ultimately to herself. The hostility between Satan and women has played out again and again on the stage of human history. Wherever we see women being mistreated, we can be sure the devil is lurking behind the scenes, manipulating others to cause women harm. In the past, and even today in some parts of the world, women have been regarded as property, beasts of burden, or worse, as slaves. They've been caricatured as weak, overly emotional, or unintelligent. Beaten down, ignored, and oppressed, women are vulnerable to the same tactics the enemy has used for centuries. And when the devil can't get someone else to oppress the woman, he downloads lies that destroy her from within. This disarms her ability to nurture others. When a woman believes the enemy's lies, not only are those around her at risk, but she will eventually harm her own soul. That's why kindness begins when we first receive the kindness of God for ourselves. Only then do we have kindness to share with those around us. That's why it's vital that women learn to balance our nurturer and warrior roles. When we do that, the people around us flourish. Our Kindness Under Fire series is adapted from Woman of Valor by Marilynn Chadwick. Click here for more inspiration or to order a copy of Woman of Valor.

by Marilynn Chadwick A woman of valor who can find?...The teaching of kindness is on her tongue (Proverbs 31:10,26 JPS). Disney got it right. The scariest villains are often women. Think about it. Cinderella's wicked stepmother overworked the poor girl and locked her in an attic before she was finally rescued by her handsome prince. The evil Maleficent cast her jealous spell on Sleeping Beauty. Snow White battled a wicked queen who was envious of her beauty. And don't forget Cruella De Vil [cruel devil] who kidnapped an entire litter of Dalmatian puppies, intending to use their fur to make into coats. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, whose famed fairy tales actually had to be sanitized before they were suitable for children, were said to have portrayed a few mothers as villains. But the public outcry against mothers mistreating their own children forced the Grimm brothers to recast the mothers as evil stepmothers instead. When I was a small child, the wicked woman that terrified me most—hands down—was the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. Years later, I can still hear that green-faced, old witch cackling, "My Little Pretty" as she taunts her captive, Dorothy. A woman devoid of what Shakespeare called "the milk of human kindness" is a fearsome creature—especially to a child. Maybe that's because as children, we instinctively open our hearts to women. From birth, we're trained to look to our mothers for nurture and protection. Kindness is central to the Proverbs 31 "virtuous women," better translated, "woman of valor." "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue" (Proverbs 31:26 ESV). A woman of valor is not only kind; she "teaches others to be kind" (verse 26 ICB). The simple dictionary definition of kindness points to words such as "gentle or considerate." But the Bible gives kindness a much stronger meaning. Kindness is listed among the fruit of the Holy Spirit that are present in the life of a believer (Galatians 5:22). The Greek word chrestos, translated "kindness," is described as a "grace that pervades one's whole nature" and is the opposite of harshness or severity. Christ's yoke, or what he asks us to do, is chrestos, having nothing harsh or galling about it (Matthew 11:30). Looking at the full portrait of the Proverbs 31 woman, we see that her kindness only adds to her strength. She is both leader and teacher. She speaks words of wise instruction to her family and others. But her leadership is always wrapped in kindness. God created women to be strong and kind—part warrior and part nurturer. From Creation, he designed the woman to be the helper, or ezer—a source of rock-like support for her husband (Genesis 2:18). God equipped us with courage and strength. But he has added to that strength by making us capable of being kind and sharing that kindness with those around us. Our Kindness Under Fire series is adapted from Woman of Valor by Marilynn Chadwick. Click here for more inspiration or to order a copy of Woman of Valor.

by David Chadwick Kindness. It is a word that our modern society seems to undervalue and it is a "missing in action" concept in the Christian world. This week, my exhortation has been to reclaim kindness. We have talked about remembering how important kindness is, we have talked about how to reclaim it, how to increase a life of kindness and show it to others. Today, I want to call all of us to action to live out kindness from this moment forward. Kindness does not come naturally. It has to be remembered, reclaimed, increased, demonstrated to all, and lived out every day. Unfortunately, in this broken world, human nature is driven to take care of ourselves first and sometimes no one else at all. Some of us will expand care beyond ourselves and into our family, but the majority of natural instinct is to take care of self and to self-protect. But when Jesus invades a heart, kindness MUST follow. After all, it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). It may be as simple as this truth: Grow closer to Jesus and more kindness will flow in and through you. Jesus is the epitome of kindness and displayed it throughout his life here on earth. He always saw people through the eyes of kindness knowing they were like sheep without a shepherd. When we encounter the love and kindness of Jesus, it must flow through us to others. To whom do you need to show kindness today? Someone in your family? Maybe it's to a friend? Someone in your workplace? Maybe even to an enemy? As we wrap up, I would challenge you with this question: If kindness is not in your life as a follower of Jesus, can you honestly say that your life is in him?

by David Chadwick Do you know what I think gives the best illustration of kindness in the entire Bible? The story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. It is one of my favorite accounts in all of Scripture. Let's look at it together. If you know biblical history, you know that the Samaritans were derided by the Jews in Jesus's day. They were absolutely hated. Despised even. They were considered the half-breeds of society. When the Jews were in captivity in Babylon, many Jews married Gentiles who had been imported into the land. These unions produced the Samaritans, called such because of where they lived (Samaria). Jews had terribly racist attitudes toward the Samaritans and it permeated their entire culture. Yet in this story of the Good Samaritan, a man was beaten by brigands and left for dead on the side for the road. Here is what makes this story so incredible. It was not a priest or a Levite - the professional religious people - who were the heroes of this story. The hero was a Samaritan! The one who was most despised in those days was the one who ended up caring for the broken man on the side of the road. The Samaritan man not only stopped to help the battered and bruised individual, he put him up in a room and offered to pay for all of the expenses that would be incurred in the future. This man understood the kindness of the Lord! He was the hero of the story. Kindness, it transcends human divisions and schisms. It loves outside of human prejudice. It sees ALL people as individuals created in God's image. Be kind! To whom? Everyone! All in this world are your neighbors. Yes, even those who hate you and have hurt you. And even your enemies! Let God's kindness evaporate all of your prejudice as you realize how much he has loved you in spite of your mess. You will begin to see everyone around you as people created in his image. Intended to be used for his glory. As you love one another, you are actually loving Jesus! Think about that, as you are kind to those around you.

by David Chadwick I want to urge all of us toward kindness during these times. Remember it. Reclaim it. And then today's tip: increase it! If you want to increase the weight you are lifting at the gym, what do you have to do? You have to add a little more each day. Over time, you will be able to lift heavier and heavier weights. The same holds true with kindness. Practice increasing in kindness a little each day and watch what happens. Begin by thinking about the ways that people have been kind to you. As you do, kindness will grow in your heart! Then think about the unmerited favor that someone has given you. In doing this, you will desire to give unmerited favor to others. How about an undeserved gift? Have you ever been given one? I remember when I was in seminary and I found out that someone had anonymously paid for my last year of education. To this day, I have no idea who it was! But it was a surprise display of kindness that allowed me to enter my first church completely debt free so I could fully focus on ministry. There is truly nothing like an anonymous financial gift to display kindness to someone else. List as many illustrations as you can from your personal life of times when kindness was shown to you. After you make your list, you must first remember to thank God first. After all, he was behind all of these displays of kindness. Once you have your list, I want you to think about a few ways to show this same kindness to someone else this week! Financially. Verbally. With a simple smile. A gift. Your presence. Let your increasing kindness multiply and, as you move into next week, try to think of more ways to give it away. Over time, your kindness muscles will grow stronger and stronger! Remember, if you follow Jesus, kindness is not optional. Ephesians 4:32 says, "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." This is the gospel in action.

by David Chadwick How do we reclaim kindness? A term that is missing in action both in secular culture and among Christ followers. I strongly believe we are in times where those of us who profess Jesus as Lord must exercise kindness. But how? Our world is so hostile and volatile. What do we even do? I'm glad you asked. We must begin with observing the nature and character of God. God demonstrates his kindness to all of creation (Psalm 145:9). In fact, many theologians refer to his kindness as "common grace," which means that even the wicked get to experience some of it. Those who rebel against the Lord still get to breathe his air, eat his food, and enjoy all of his goodness in this world. Remember, as I mentioned to you yesterday, it is also the kindness of the Lord that brings people into repentance (Romans 2:4). While we were still sinners - enemies of God - Jesus still came and died for us (Romans 5:8). This is the most profound belief of the Christian faith. The God of creation chose to come down to the squalor of this earth in human form to provide a way back to him. To this day, there has never been a more majestic display of love than this - seeing God come down to fight for a restoration of the relationship that was broken because of sin! The kindness that God displayed in his quest to restore creation back to its original intent should draw those of us who profess faith in Jesus to a life of holiness and godliness. It should make us want to repent of anything that we know God hates. Spend some time thinking today about God's kindness to you. He did not give you what you deserve - an eternity in hell! Rather, because he is rich in grace, mercy and kindness, he chose to forgive you of your sins and offer you the gift of eternal life! Thank him for this rich kindness. Both today and forevermore.

by David Chadwick I believe kindness is one of the things that is missing in action in today's society. Where has it gone? Generally speaking, kindness is defined as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. If you were to look around, I bet you would agree with me that these traits are hard to come by right now. Biblically speaking, kindness is also a fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Jesus expects it to be present in the lives of his followers. God's definition of kindness runs far deeper than any cultural understanding. Micah 6:8 says we are to "love kindness." Zechariah 7:9 says to "show kindness and mercy to one another." Colossians 3:12 says we should "put on kindness." 1 Corinthians 13:4 says that "love is patient and kind." Jesus said in Matthew 24:12 that the evidence of the end times will be that the love of many will grow cold. Can you see this happening? It is becoming increasingly common in our world to see the heart of humanity growing increasingly cold. But in the kingdom of heaven, kindness is not merely a "feel good" emotion. The deep kindness of the Lord provokes a willingness to serve others - yes, even those who are ungrateful and difficult. Kindness gives us the power to do hard things. In fact, Romans 2:4 says that it is God's kindness that leads us to repentance. Think for a moment about the magnitude of power behind the kindness of the Lord! His kindness is so incredible that it is powerful enough to provoke lasting change in our lives! I want this week to serve as a kindness check for all of us. Begin to check your hearts and examine yourselves to see where kindness may be lost, where your hearts may be growing cold. Then, I want to encourage all of us to reclaim kindness as a normal part of the vocabulary for Christ followers. Kindness should not be an afterthought. It should not be a missing in action trait of Christians. We should exercise kindness as a regular, daily part of our lives. Let's start tomorrow by learning how to reclaim kindness!

by David Chadwick Substance abuse is the final topic we are going to look at in our series "From the Cross." It is usually thought of as people's misuse of things like alcohol, drugs, and pornography. But I would argue that there are a multitude of "substances" that can be abused. For today's purposes, I am defining substance abuse as the misuse of any worldly pleasure in order to cope and be able to function from day to day. Substance abuse is a lot like idolatry. People can have addictions to all sorts of things: power, money, shopping, success, the need to be liked by others, gambling, smartphones, and even food. Notice the word "substance." It is something that gives you a rush or something you need to get through your day. A substance gives you identity and meaning. It is the worship of something in creation that takes the place of the Creator. So how do you gain victory over "substance" abuse? What is the answer to this problem? First, recognize that the substance you crave is an idol and call it as such. Confess it. Own it. Acknowledge it. This puts you back in your rightful place under the Lordship of Jesus as you acknowledge that a created object has taken the rightful place that only your Creator should have! When you admit something, that is the first step in healing. Secondly, hate what the addiction to this substance has done to your life. It has controlled you. It has mastered your will. Third, and this one is key, you must replace your love for whatever substance has a hold on you with a greater love. In my opinion and experience, the only love I know that is stronger than a substance is the love, grace, and mercy of Jesus. We must come face to face with his love. Jesus did not give us hell that we deserved, which is his mercy. But instead, he gives us eternity in heaven and so many blessings that we don't deserve, which is his grace. As you contemplate the wonderful cross, you pour contempt on your pride. Your desire to please Jesus becomes greater than your desire for any addiction, false gods, substances, or idols. An encounter with Jesus will crush your contemptuous rebellion against God and his authority in your life. If you follow Jesus, you are now a worshipper of the one, true God. Jesus now holds the seat of honor and authority in your life. You are called to seek first his kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33). Your flesh and the lusts of your earthly passions have been crucified (Galatians 2:2). You are now free to love Jesus and others with all that is in you! This is God's will for your life!

by David Chadwick We are looking at the many strongholds that have come from the cross after our local church congregation confessed different hurts and sins during the Easter season. Control is today's topic. Control is the delusion that we are in charge of our lives. It leaves people with an illusion of power that they were never meant to have. Only God is in control! The irony of control is that so often the most controlling people are actually the least self-controlled. They spend all of their emotional energy trying to control everything around them and neglect the only Biblical instruction to control, which is the call to have self-control (Galatians 5:23). In order to speak accurately about this topic of control, we must first realize that we are called to make wise decisions in accordance with God's Word. Throughout Scripture, God calls us to live with wisdom, knowledge, and discernment. As followers of Jesus, we should desire to be faithful unto the Lord in every area of our lives! Regardless of our efforts to be faithful and responsible, how much do we really control? I love this saying: Man proposes, God disposes. Or like Proverbs 16:9 says, "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." God is the one who ultimately brings about results. He has the overreaching providence to work out his plans for his world (Genesis 50:20). Everything that happens is always moving God's ultimate plan toward what is needed for our good and for his glory (Romans 8:28). As God said to Job at the end of his ordeals, he says to us, "Where were you when I created the world?" At the end of the day, we must simply do the best we can. I used to tell my kids, "Do your best and give God the rest." We should make good decisions and live as responsibly as possible, but we must trust God with the outcome! Only God controls everything. He is the only one who oversees the world. That is the essence of faith. We know that he will never forsake his children. God has a plan. He oversees his plan. We must trust him in his plan. Release everything to him. We are called to obey him and then trust him. In the end, we must remain confident that he alone is in control and our lives belong to him! This truly is the pathway to freedom.

by David Chadwick "Fear" was written down multiple times by people at our Service of Darkness this past Easter. Because of how many times it was addressed, I wanted to cover it a second time in this series. Fear. This is the foreboding feeling that something bad may happen. Did you know that God frequently tells us not to fear in the Bible? "Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows" (Matthew 10:31). "Fear not, for I am with you…" (Isaiah 43:5). "Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed…" (Joshua 1:9). "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God…" (Isaiah 41:10). So many examples in Scripture of being told not to fear. And yet this is a crippling, common emotion that too many people choose to embrace and let dictate their entire lives! It is one of the first negative emotions introduced to mankind after the Fall in Genesis 3. After sinning, Adam responded to the Lord God by saying, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself." The building blocks of Adam's guilt created a house of shame in which fear walked right in! Stop for a moment and remember God's original intent. He originally intended for creation to be orderly and peaceful, an environment where fear could not exist. Before sin entered the world, Adam and Eve perfectly trusted God in all things and lived in shalom - perfect peace and wholeness! After eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they essentially declared themselves to be God and fear entered the world. The antidote for fear is God's presence. His presence allows us to live both surrendered to and arrested by tremendous faith! Repeatedly in God's Word, faithful people are adjured, "Do not be afraid, for God is with you." When Jesus ascended to heaven, he promised that he would be with his children forever, until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). This means he promised to leave his presence indwelling in the hearts of all who believe in him! The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in the hearts of anyone who professes faith in Jesus (Romans 8:11). Fear must flee. The eternal God of this universe in Jesus faces all your problems with you. Why fear?

by David Chadwick Shame is the negative feeling of worthlessness. It fuels thoughts like, "I am of no value. I am worthless. I am a bad person. I will never amount to anything." First, let's take note of the difference between guilt and shame. Guilt, yesterday's topic, believes, "I have done something wrong." Shame believes, "I AM wrong." If guilt wants to plague you because of your actions, shame wants to destroy your entire identity. You could even think of it like this: guilt provides the building blocks with which shame can build the house. Once you find yourself living in shame, you will find that depression, despair, anxiety and so many other strongholds can walk right through the door and reside in your heart! Shame is one of the first negative emotions mentioned in the Bible (Genesis 3:7). It came right after Adam's and Eve's fall. They felt guilty, but that quickly turned to shame as they became aware of their nakedness and felt the urgent need to cover themselves with animal skins. Did you know that "covered up" is actually the Hebrew word for atonement? Before the concept of atonement was fully realized, they killed an animal and used its skin to cover themselves, foreshadowing the need for the shedding of blood for the remission of sins (Hebrews 9:22). I find it absolutely fascinating that long before Jesus ever came into this world, Adam and Eve immediately felt the need for atonement following their act of sin. Jesus came and shed his blood, not only to forgive your sins, but also to give you a new identity. His life, death and resurrection came to heal not only our actions and behaviors, but our entire personhood! His salvation covers both sins of omission and commission. The evil things that we do intentionally and the good things we fail to do. Jesus can release you from all shame, making you a brand new person. He adopts you into his family, where you become an inheritor of all he owns. Upon salvation, his perfect blood now pulsates through your royal veins! Your inheritance is now to live in HIS house, his dwelling place, forever. He is preparing that place for you right now for eternity. Shame wants you to forget this truth! Its purpose is to cripple your life. Satan uses shame to render you ineffective for ministry and to keep you shackled to your former life and ways. Jesus came to set us free (Galatians 5:1). He wants to crush the enemy's lies (John 8:44) so that we are fully able to give our lives away (Mark 10:45). Dear friends, don't live in shame. Walk in your new identity, new purpose, new hope! It's the only way to live! It's the only path to freedom.

by David Chadwick Guilt is a stronghold that many people bring to the foot of the cross. Guilt is the stomach churning feeling that you have done something wrong. Christian apologists deduce that this negative emotion is one of the main emotions that helps to prove the existence of God. In order for there to be guilt, there must be a moral law within a human being that he or she thinks has been broken. "Conscience" is another word people use to describe this tension that exists between guilt and innocence. And everyone worldwide possesses this conscience at some level or another. Paul actually talks about moral law in Romans 1 in the context of the existence of God. Paul emphasizes that where there is a moral law - decisive commitments to what is right and wrong - there must be a moral law giver, God himself. Guilt comes as a result of the Fall in Genesis 3. No guilt existed in the Garden of Eden pre-Genesis 3. Adam and Eve operated in perfect union with God. They always obeyed God and followed his will. They were instructed to eat from the tree of life, but to stay away from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God warned Adam and Eve that if they ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they would be deviating from God's moral law. Adam's and Eve's intentional, willful, and sinful decision to eat of this tree sent mankind on a terrible trajectory bent toward making decisions based on personal desires and will rather than God's will. At that moment, all of humanity assumed the responsibility for determining what was good and evil. This is a responsibility we were never supposed to have! Adam's and Eve's decision took them away from the true life that God originally offered them. Because of this, God said they would surely die - both physically and spiritually. Guilt is one of the strongest evidences of the spiritual death that entered our world through sin. Without Jesus, mankind lives under permanent condemnation, especially from the devil. Even for Christ followers, Satan loves to taunt us with jeers that God could never love someone like us. He reminds us repeatedly of how worthless we are for rebelling against God and leaves us soaking in one thing: guilt. How can we untangle ourselves from this guilt? Go to Jesus! He came to earth to pay for our sins, but also to eradicate and eliminate guilt from our hearts. Jesus absorbed all of our guilt on the cross. We are now forever forgiven! Did you know there is now NO condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)? Jesus washes your sins away and will never come back and remind you of them. When you feel guilt and condemnation as a follower of Jesus, it's never coming from Jesus! It's from the enemy. When guilt tries to sneak up on you, use it to your advantage. Let it drive you to the cross where your guilt is replaced by Jesus's grace. And be set free!

by David Chadwick Selfishness is engrained in the heart of every human being. We are all selfish in one way or another. Isn't selfishness at the heart of all sin? A bent toward self. A desire to want what we want when we want it. What happened in Genesis 3, when Adam and Eve rebelled against God and his authority, was rooted in selfishness. I tend to think selfishness and pride are synonymous. A need to be #1. Always needing to be right. A belief that the world revolves around me. It is a mindset that leads to destruction! The solution to selfishness is this: You must be born again (John 3:3). That is what Jesus said so clearly. You are incapable of experiencing the bounty and beauty of the kingdom of God unless you have been born again. Your selfishness must die and be crucified on the cross with Jesus. Then, and only then, can you be raised to a new life that commands a pursuit of living a life that is bent toward serving Jesus and others. It is a supernatural event. It's something that only the Holy Spirit can do. But it CAN be done. It really IS possible. The journey toward SELFLESSNESS is a process. Remember, dying on the cross took several days. Sometimes we forget that everything is not a quick fix. But as we daily choose to die to self and daily choose to live for Christ, our self becomes weaker and Jesus becomes stronger in us. Selfishness dies and serving rises! That's what Paul meant when he said in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that when we are in Christ, we are a new creation. This means we have been born again in the Spirit! The old has passed away. It's dead. Crucified with Jesus on the cross. And the new has come! Jesus's resurrection life is now inside of us and has made us new. This new life changes our hearts, gives us a new vision for God's kingdom, and invites us to play a significant role in his story as a new creation! God's antidote to selfishness is being born again! And when the entire created order has been born again, the kingdom of God will have come back to earth from heaven! It will happen one day! Begin to prepare yourself now for the new heavens and the new earth by ridding your life of selfishness! From selfish to servant. Free from self to serve. That is the result of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

by David Chadwick Broken marriages are plaguing people both inside and outside of the church. Divorce statistics are staggering, even among those who call themselves Christians. There is no greater pain in the hearts of Christians than a marriage that falls apart. No one walks down the aisle on their wedding day and thinks to themselves, "One day, we will end up divorced." Most every couple truly believes that they will remain together "until death do us part." Unfortunately, we live in a broken world with broken people who have broken wills and desires. Divorce, though hated by God (Malachi 2:16), is an unfortunate reality in our world. Let me see if I can tenderly share some reminders for those of you who have experienced a broken marriage. First, let me quickly interject here that your first step in being able to move forward after a divorce is to remember that while God hates divorce, he does not hate divorcees. He loves you deeply! In fact, the Bible calls us to rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15). God is a God of compassion and I can promise you that he hurts with you and for you in your pain! As do I! Secondly, please know that divorce is not the unpardonable sin. God knew it would happen in this broken world. His loving, forgiving grace is available to all. Remember that because of Jesus, God sees you as a new creation. He puts your past in the past. He draws near and heals the brokenhearted, binds the wounds of those who are hurting, and gives new hope to all who trust in him. Third, learn what you need to learn from your divorce. What did you do wrong? What could you have done better? Then, as you are walking out some of the pain from your own loss, find a way to give your life away. Healing will come as you give your life away (Isaiah 58:10). Maybe you will even figure out a way to take what you have learned and help others walking through divorce (2 Corinthians 1:4). Finally, learn what it takes to "divorce proof" your marriage. How? State your vows to one another regularly. Spend time together. Become one another's best friend. When you do, you'll find that while it is easy to leave your spouse, it's impossible to leave your best friend. In fact, the divorce statistics for couples who practice these disciplines is practically nil! Remember, God brought you together. Work hard to stay together! And as many of you have heard me say, always keep the back door locked from the outside!

by David Chadwick One of the greatest heartaches that I hear from congregants is concern for their wayward children. Many people have prodigal sons and daughters who either don't know Jesus or have run far from God. Parents fear for their children's eternal salvation. A wandering child who has rejected the faith leaves a believing parent in so much angst. If this is your story, what should you do? First, keep believing! Keep praying for the salvation of your prodigal son or daughter! There is something extraordinarily powerful about a parent's prayers for a child. Remember, you are connected to them by a covenant. 1 Corinthians 7:14 speaks to the mysterious grace that comes to a home with a believing spouse. Because of your faith in Jesus, you should have every expectation that God is chasing down your children as much as you long for them to be chased down. As I have jokingly said from time to time to those wandering in the faith, "If you have a praying and believing mom, you might as well go ahead and give up. You're toast! You can either choose to believe in Jesus now or it will inevitably happen down the road." Secondly, keep modeling your faith to your children. Let them know how important Jesus is to you in both your words and actions. It could be that you send them a Bible verse from time to time or let them know you are praying for them. Or it may be that you let them see how you serve others or give your money or life away. It could even come through a warm cup of coffee you share with them when possible. I always say that faith is more often caught than taught, especially by children. Let them see Jesus in and through you. Finally, don't give up. Remember what Yogi Berra said, "It's not over til it's over." Your job is to keep scattering seeds of faith. Keep praying. Keep persevering. Keep modeling your faith to them. And keep believing that one day Jesus will arrest their hearts so you can spend eternity with them. After all, you're in sales and God's in management. Trust him with the outcome and in the meantime, keep practicing the art of faith! After all, faith is the atmosphere of heaven! And true faith always leads to freedom.

by David Chadwick No one knows the future except God. He controls all (Psalm 24:1). The earth is the Lord's and the fullness of it all! Genesis 1:1 reminds us that with one word, he created the world and began to write his story! And one day he will end his story (Revelation 22). One day, all of time will be fulfilled and God will make his new heaven and new earth, a home without sin or blemish. This is God's world. He created it. He controls it. He knows everything…including the future! Uncertainty of the future is another sin pattern that hangs people up. Many in our congregation nailed this to the cross right before Easter, 2025. I believe Jesus knew this would be hard for people, which is why he taught his disciples to pray like this, "Give us today our daily bread." He knew that there was no point in worrying about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34). Tomorrow would have enough worries of its own and wisdom would call us to simply ask the Lord to meet us day by day. We must trust God for all that we may need today. He will provide it! He promised that he would! Developing this confidence in the Lord and learning how to trust him with our future should leave us confident in the most uncertain circumstances… yes, even death! Some psychological analysts have estimated that 90% of all problems are rooted in fear, especially the fear of death. But death holds no power in the life of a believer in Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:55-58). When our lives are in Christ, what happens to him happens to us! Because he died and was raised to a new life, we, too, will be raised to a new life! As someone once said, "We don't know what the future holds, but we do know who holds the future." Our lives are in the Father's hands. He holds every second of our lives in his majestic, celestial hands. In him alone we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). Therefore, we need to fear nothing…especially the future! Now enjoy today to the full!

by David Chadwick Personal offense. The inability to forgive someone who has hurt you. This hangup can keep people in shackles for a lifetime! The first step in breaking free from personal offense is to recognize that it is going to happen in life. We live in a broken world with broken people. Inevitably, we will step on each other's toes. Only when we truly come to grips with the reality that we owe a billion dollar debt because of our sins can we freely forgive the debt of someone who has hurt us. To escape the prison of bitterness is the ultimate prison break. Bitterness not only defiles you, but those around you. It contaminates relationships and robs you of purity. See Hebrews 12:16, which says, "It's ultimately for YOUR benefit to forgive! So how does this look? What steps need to be taken to forgive? You may need to practice forgiveness over and over again toward the person or persons who have hurt or betrayed you. Usually, forgiveness is not a one time practice. Can you understand more why Jesus taught Peter to forgive 70 times 7? It is because it often takes a repetitive, daily outpouring of God's grace on you toward the person who has hurt you. Take a moment. Picture your offender or the offensive situation. I know this can be really painful, but pause for a moment and try. Now, picture Jesus. The nails through his hands. The crown of thorns on his head. The mockery toward him. The pain he endured. Now take the grace that he showed you and imagine pouring it out on your offender. Over time, bitterness will become weaker and eventually abate! Finally, remind yourself that Jesus forgave his offenders from the cross (Luke 23:34). While he was dying for our sins, preparing to take his last breath, he chose to forgive those who had placed him on the cross. Yes, it's very hard to forgive those who have hurt us, but it is possible through the power of the Holy Spirit. You can't do it in your own strength, which is what makes it all the more powerful. We must allow Jesus to forgive through us! The One who forgave his offenders now resides in those of us who believe. Let his supernatural, forgiving power flow through you! Walk in freedom, no longer chained by bitterness. Live as Jesus has called you to live! And finally be set free. After all, forgiveness is primarily for your benefit!

by David Chadwick Family conflict is our next burden that was brought up and laid at the foot of the cross. Few live this life without it! It could be with a sibling, an absent or abusive dad, a controlling mom, a crazy cousin, or a demanding aunt or uncle. So, how do we handle this? First, realize that family conflict has been going on since the beginning of time. Right after the Fall in Genesis 3, do you remember what happened? A family conflict! Cain hated his brother so much that he murdered him. For starters, you can count your blessings that your situation has not resulted in death! Now keep reading the rest of Genesis. Conflict between Ishmael and Isaac, a brawl between Jacob and Esau, and then between Jacob and his sons. How about Joseph with his brothers? More conflict! And that is just in the book of Genesis! If you keep reading through Exodus, you'll see Moses's tension with his brother Aaron, at times his sister Miriam, and even with his wife! This is not a new problem, so don't be surprised! Second, you must recognize that family conflict is rooted in sin. The Bible says that the heart is deceitful above all (Jeremiah 17:9). As much as possible, live at peace with one another (Romans 12:18), but realize that sometimes sin patterns keep that from happening. You don't get to pick your family like you do your friends. While you can't control others, you can control yourself and you can determine how you are going to interact with and respond to unhealthy people. It's okay to distance yourself from sinful dynamics that are detrimental to your own health or the health of your family. It's fine to distance yourself from destructive people. For instance, if a family member is an addict, you may need to examine yourself to see if you are being manipulated to remain codependent with them at the expense of your own health. Sometimes in unhealthy familial dynamics, the healthy individual ends up carrying the burden and weight of the situation. You become the problem when you're trying to solve the problem! You must guard yourself against that! In all things, you must choose love. Even when it feels someone is an enemy, remember that Jesus calls us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). Before coming into the faith, we, too, were enemies of God and while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:1-11). You can never go wrong when you operate in love. Just make sure your love is not being manipulated for someone else's gain, which only leaves you in more pain. Today's Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove the effects of family conflict and replace it with LOVE (1 Corinthians 13) and CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD (Proverbs 14:26).

by David Chadwick Health issues are another thing that many people in our church brought up to lay at the foot of the cross last Easter. This is such a big and nagging problem. We have found ourselves living in a world that is full of sickness and brokenness. We all have only one body that is given to us on this side of eternity. We are one person with three parts: body, soul, and spirit. We must care for all three parts of our being as we live in this broken world. I believe care for the temple is one of the most overlooked and under taught topics in the western church. If we believe in Jesus, we must hunger after shalom, which means wholeness or peace, in every area, including physical health. Nagging physical problems are very prevalent in our society. Joint pain, inflammation, brain fog, coughs, colds, and so forth. In facing ailments, we must first recognize that God has designed our bodies to be incredibly resilient and to be able to heal themselves if we give them the proper context to do so. So, practically speaking, give your bodies the best opportunity to heal. Look at what you are eating and drinking. Are you eating real foods or food-like products? Are you drinking enough water or consuming nothing but sodas and alcohol? Are you staying away from foods that cause inflammation? Then, make sure you are moving your bodies. Find ways to get your heart rate up, to stretch, and to strengthen yourself. Some of the "experts" I have read say that 20-30 minutes of walking per day can go a long way in keeping the body healthy. After taking inventory of your rhythms, we must all realize that sooner or later, each one of us will die. The statistics are concrete. 1 out of 1 person will die! So you must walk confidently in Christ, believing that your sins are forever forgiven and death holds no power over you. Paul said that to live is Christ and to die is gain. You will conquer death and walk in victory if your life is in Christ and Christ is in you! You will live in a perfect resurrection body, forever healed, and forever glorifying your Savior. So you should never fear death (1 Corinthians 15)! Now, live in peace. Pursue shalom. Enjoy every second with family and friends. Live every moment in Christ, the lover of your soul. Forgive quickly. Love deeply. Then, as this body ages and becomes weaker, you will simply find yourself looking forward to your eternal resurrection body! Today's Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove fear of health issues and replace it with SHALOM…wholeness for my health (John 14:27).

by David Chadwick Financial problems are another real angst in people's lives. I would say that financial problems are typically what I would call a fruit issue more than a root issue. Usually the problems arise because of something going on at a deeper heart level. It could be worry, bad stewardship, lack of personal responsibility and discipline, fear, laziness, or just a pure attack from the enemy. Whatever the root issue is, debt and financial tensions can really overwhelm the human heart! Did you know that financial problems are mentioned in the Bible—especially in the book of Proverbs? Clearly God knew that we would need guidance in this area. As a side note, if financial management is something that you are struggling with, I would strongly encourage you to seek out people who are trained to help in this area. Our church offers this kind of financial help through one of our elders, Michael Ballard. I know many other churches who offer this as well. Here are a few practical tips. First, you must be aggressive in budgeting and self-control. List your income and assets. Then your debts. Be really honest with yourself. After that, create a plan to get rid of debt and start to build up savings. You may have to downsize some areas of your life like unnecessary shopping or dining out. You must determine not to let debt be your God! Secondly, giving helps! The tithe has been found to be an enemy of debt and financial mismanagement. Malachi 3:8-10 and Luke 6:48 seem to suggest that generosity opens the windows of heaven for GOD to supply you with his abundance as you attack the debt problems in your life. As my wife loves to say, "Sow a seed to your need!" Something happens when you sacrifice in your greatest place of pain. Surrender always paves the way for salvation and miracles. Here is the bottom line: God wants to be God in your life. When you feel a desire to be generous, God doesn't want you to first ask the god of debt if you are allowed to be generous. Be persistent and remain committed to kill the god of debt in your life. It really can be done! We have seen it! It may take time, energy, and discipline but the end result of being out of debt makes the fight so worth it! Today's Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove financial problems and replace it with ABUNDANCE to be able to freely give to those around me (Proverbs 11:24).

by David Chadwick Unresolved anger is our seventh burden that was laid at the foot of the cross during our Service of Darkness at Moments of Hope Church. This is a big one. Hurts and pains over the years can pile up and greatly impact the human heart. When things happen in our past that aren't yet solved or resolved, they can haunt us. So what do we do? For me, I have learned that I must begin with the fact that God allowed or permitted the pain to come to me. He is bigger than my circumstances! Even Satan in Job 1 had to ask permission from God to attack Job, who was God's special servant. Satan is a creature. God is the creator. Nothing can happen outside of God's control and perfectly ordained plan. Look at Luke 22. The same truth applies. Satan had to ask Jesus for permission to sift Peter like wheat. And Jesus granted it. This can be a hard truth to grapple with, but if you sit in it long enough, I believe you will find solace that there is a sovereign hand forming and shaping each step of the story for our good and God's glory. God's providence rules all. So, with painful memories and unresolved hurt, I often ask Jesus things like, "Why did you permit this? What are you trying to show me? What do I need to learn? How do you want to conform me more to your image and likeness?" I go on to look for areas of confession and repentance. I may ask him, "Do I need to confess arrogance or pride? Are there places in my life that need to be submitted to you once again?" Then I seek to search my heart for times in my life when I may have hurt others the way that I am feeling hurt. I become reminded of when Jesus flooded my heart with his undeserved grace and mercy to heal my sins. Then I try to extend that same grace and mercy to others. Finally, I try to see the good that's come out of the situation or hurt. And then thank God for it all. Healing grace, over time, helps heal unresolved anger. Did you know that only one consonant, the letter "d" separates anger from danger? As we learn to release our anger to God, we become enveloped by the love and safety of the Father. For the sake of our eternal souls, we must release all of our pain and unresolved anger into the hands of our loving, gracious, kind, and merciful and good Daddy in heaven. Today's Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove the danger of unresolved anger and replace it with the safety of FORGIVENESS (Matthew 6:14).

by David Chadwick Stress is one of the most common emotions mentioned in our society. Everyone seems so stressed out these days. Our modern society runs at a pace that often feels frantic, chaotic, and overly busy. The pressures of life pile and pile until people feel paralyzed by the weight of the world. They come at us from all directions: job, finances, family, and friends, etc. Let me share with you one of the statements that has guided me through so many stresses over the years: God is God and I am not and most of my problems come when I get those two things confused. In fact, Twila Paris sang a song back in the 90s called "God is in Control." I would encourage you to go listen to it and remind yourself of this truth! Only when you truly understand the sovereignty of God can you fully release the stress in your life. He really is in control. Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still, and know that I am God." This is step one. Hush. Be still. Quiet yourself. And really pause and KNOW that God is God. Not only is this verse true, but all of the verses in Scripture are active and alive and available to you today (Hebrews 4:12). God loves you and is in complete control of HIS world. Why start to worry now? Memorize Scripture so that when the stresses of life come, which they inevitably will, you can repeat back to yourself what is true as dark thoughts begin to creep into your mind. Finally, cast all of your cares back onto Jesus! 1 Peter 5:7 says that we are to cast our cares on the Lord because he cares for us. Then, contemplate the cross. It's the most compelling evidence of God's love. When stressful thoughts try to invade your mind, identify them, take them captive and make them obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). After that, you must cast any stress back onto Jesus's strong, mighty, sovereign shoulders. Remind him that he promised to carry all of these burdens for you (Matthew 11:28-30). And then pause and feel the weight come off of you as the peace that surpasses understanding guards your heart and mind. You are meant to have a load that is easy and a burden that is light. He is the one who promises to carry all of our problems! Today's Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove my stress and replace it with PEACE (Colossians 3:15). ___________ For more insight on today's topic check out Moving Beyond Anxiety by David Chadwick. In his book, David shares 12 ways you can overcome life's fears and worries—all of which come straight from Scripture. Order or download your free PDF by clicking here.

by David Chadwick Depression. Feeling of despondency and dejection. Hopelessness and despair. What causes depression? Many factors. Usually it comes from a severe disappointment in life. Things like a painful rejection from a spouse, getting fired from a job, the death of someone you love. Generally, the severity of the pain in depression is commensurate with the loss. In other words, the greater the loss, usually the greater the pain. The perfect storm of depression often leads people to wrestling with self-image and asking the question, "What's wrong with me?" A great biblical example of this is Elijah. He had just conquered 400 godless prophets on top of Mt. Carmel. Elijah had great expectation that the Israelites would take this monumental victory and lead a righteous rebellion to overthrow the evil King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. But the people did not rise up to finish the conquest and in turn, Jezebel put out a declarative order to have Elijah killed within 24 hours. Elijah went from expecting to see a royal overthrow by the people of Israel only to find out that his neck was in a royal noose. So, he fled. Elijah ran and ran for miles and hours until he finally collapsed under a broom tree where he begged God to take him home. He wanted God to take him out of his misery. Friends, this is true depression. God, in his grace, began to restore Elijah by putting him to sleep, awakening him to feed him, giving him water, putting him back to sleep and then commissioning him back into his calling as a prophet of God. Notice God cared first for his body, then his soul (1 Kings 18,19). There are times when we shouldn't over spiritualize cures for depression. Sleep, eating right, lots of water, and more sleep can greatly help depression. But especially don't forget the last step…God called Elijah to get back to work. Read and reread Isaiah 58:10. If you're depressed, go serve the poor. Give them food. Hand out hope. Give someone a blessing. Watch as your depression lifts like the noonday sun. There are so many people out there who are worse off than you are. GO and give your life away and watch as you become free! It's a promise of God's Word. Today's Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove depression and replace it with HOPE (James 4:10). And find a place where I can go serve someone else in need. And give them HOPE! ____________ For more insight on today's topic check out Moving Beyond Anxiety by David Chadwick. In his book, David shares 12 ways you can overcome life's fears and worries—all of which come straight from Scripture. Order or download your free PDF by clicking here.

by David Chadwick Pride is today's sin that some of our congregation brought forward to lay at the foot of the cross last April during our Easter Service of Darkness. Pride is the belief that we are the master of our own destiny. It is the belief that we know better than God. The most important verse in the Bible about pride may be Proverbs 16:18 which says, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." Sin is sin, but THE major sin of all may be human pride. It is what caused Adam and Eve to rebel against God. Pride caused the devil to become the devil (Isaiah 14:13-14). It is the one sin that is unforgivable and will send you straight to hell. Pride is the ultimate dismissal of grace because it makes you think that you can earn your salvation through your own good works and human efforts. Pride keeps you from seeing your own sin and receiving the grace of Jesus because you never think you need it. The antidote to pride is humility. A teachable spirit. Where I know God is God and I am not and most of my problems come when I am not discerning the difference between the two extremes. So, how do you know if you've conquered pride once you lay it before Jesus at the foot of the wonderful cross? Generally, you'll have great thanksgiving in your heart. You will look around you and recognize that only God could have established such a beautiful creation. We are the ones who have messed it up. It's our sin that has contributed to a less than perfect order. You'll find yourself surrendered and aware that it is an absolute privilege to be a part of God's story and to be able to experience the gifts that exist in his creation even in the midst of sin and brokenness. Your perspective changes when pride is broken. You will begin to love to worship the Lord. You will be glad for every opportunity you have to sit at his feet, to gather with other believers, to pray, to worship corporately with other believers in the house of the Lord (Psalm 122:1-2). You will love to sing to him and praise him for creating you, giving you life, and awakening you to salvation! You will begin to see that all of life is a gift. Eternal life is a gift. When this happens, you will know that pride has been eliminated from your life! Today's Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove pride and replace it with HUMILITY (James 4:10).

by David Chadwick If the definition of anxiety is the belief that something bad MAY happen to you, then fear is the belief that something bad WILL happen to you. Today's topic is fear. It's another stronghold that plagues this broken world. The same studies about anxiety apply to fear as well. 90% of all fears will never actually happen to you. Fear is a worthless emotion. According to the Bible, it's an evil spirit as well. Paul says that God did not give us a spirit of fear or timidity (2 Timothy 1:7). As a side note, some fear is valuable. The Bible encourages us to exercise fear of the Lord! A healthy fear can also lead you to prepare for or avoid potentially destructive situations. It can prompt you to make sure you have enough food and water before a storm comes. It can lead you to be cautious against things like robbery. This can be good. But relentless, demonic fears about things that will most likely never happen will rob your life of joy, peace, and meaning. And paralyze your soul. The Bible's one continual antidote to fear is God's presence. Only as you abide in his presence can you truly know that he is with you, in you, guiding you, fighting for you, and protecting you in every situation. Spend some time meditating in verses like Deuteronomy 3:22, Joshua 1:9, Psalm 23, Matthew 28:18-20, 2 Thessalonians 3:16, and Hebrews 13:5-6. There are well over 100 times in the Bible where God commands his people to "Fear not." Peace comes into our hearts when we know that HE controls everything in the universe and our fears are robbing us of shalom, wholeness and peace. The bottom line question is this: What is your mind set on? Things above or things below. Are you focused on the size of your giant or the size of your God? Are you constantly thinking about the size of your mountain or walking in faith for your mountain to move? There are only two options. Either God is in control of everything - every atom, every second, every day, every month, every year, or he is not. Either you trust him like a child or you are full of fear. Which one is it? Today's Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove fear and replace it with COURAGE (Joshua 1:9). _________________ For more insight on the topics of fear and anxiety, check out Moving Beyond Anxiety by David Chadwick. In his book, David shares 12 ways you can overcome life's fears and worries—all of which come straight from Scripture. Order or download your free PDF by clicking here.

by David Marilynn Chadwick Anxiety is today's stronghold. The definition of anxiety is "apprehension, tension, or uneasiness, often stemming from the anticipation of danger, whether real or perceived." It's like a wire attached to a battery that slowly but surely drains all of the energy out of a person. Did you know there are studies that have been done that show that 90% of all of our worries NEVER end up happening. While anxiety feels very real to the person experiencing it, the anxious situation almost never happens and it ends up sucking the life out of the person who is experiencing it. Anxiety is mentioned throughout the Bible, and not positively. Jesus addressed it in Matthew 6:19-34, Paul did in Philippians 4:4-6, and Peter did in 2 Peter 5:7. Clearly, they knew this was a problem in our sin-infested world. So, what did they suggest in these passages of Scripture? Well, Jesus encouraged us to look at creation. Consider how God cares for the birds and grass. HOW MUCH MORE will he care for his children? The crown of his creation! Jesus encouraged childlike faith and a deep trust that our Daddy in heaven will care for us no matter what. Then, Paul said to turn our cares into prayers. He said to take our anxieties, worries, and cares to God in prayer. We are not to worry about anything! He said that if we don't pray, we forfeit a lot of peace and we begin to carry needless burdens. Peter said to cast all of our cares on Jesus's huge, broad, celestial shoulders. Did you know that the word "cast" here in the Greek is the same word Jesus used to cast out a demon? It's a word of great force! Peter urged us to forcibly hurl our cares on Jesus because he cares for us! Do you know how much Jesus loves you? I mean do you really, really know? He wants to carry your burden so you don't have to. He promises this to his children! Anxiety is a thief. It steals peace, joy, energy, and purpose. Anxiety looks at the size of Goliath instead of the size of our God. It focuses on the size of a mountain instead of the One who created the mountain. It gives power to the impossibility instead of believing that nothing is impossible for God (Luke 1:37). Check your anxiety levels. If they are high, develop faith! Trust your Creator. Seek first his Kingdom and everything else in life falls into place (Matthew 6:33). Faith is the antidote to anxiety. How strong is your faith? Today's Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove anxiety and replace it with FAITH that can move mountains (Hebrews 11:1). _________________ For more insight on the topic of anxiety, check out Moving Beyond Anxiety by David Chadwick. In his book, David shares 12 ways you can overcome life's fears and worries—all of which come straight from Scripture. Order or download your free PDF by clicking here.

by David Chadwick One of the things I love to do at our church is to invite people to come to the altar and place their burdens, hurts, hangups, and sins at the foot of the cross. The wonderful cross. This series is going to be very special and deeply personal. Over the next couple of weeks, we are going to look at the top 20 things that people wrote down on notecards at our Service of Darkness this past April. These are real anguishes that people inside of our local church anonymously laid at the foot of the cross during some of our ministry times. As you read along, I pray that God brings healing to some of the real needs that people are facing right now. I also pray that he will not only remove your sin or pain, but that he will replace it with something good! Let's start with doubt. There is good doubt and bad doubt. Good doubt provokes people to find answers. Someone once said that good doubt can be the ants in the pants of faith. It motivates you to find meaning where you have questions, which, in turn, builds your faith. Look at Thomas as an example of good doubt in John 20. After Jesus's death, his heart was filled with doubt. He ran from his community of faith. When he finally returned to be with the other disciples, he heard the news that Jesus had returned in resurrection glory, but he continued to walk in good doubt. He said that unless he could touch Jesus's nail-pierced hands and sword-stabbed side, he wouldn't believe it. But when Jesus appeared to him, the text says that Thomas immediately believed. His doubt finally led him to belief! And there's no evidence he ever touched Jesus's wounds. But bad doubt is a crippling tactic of the enemy. It lingers. It leads you into a pit where you never seek and never find answers. It makes you question God, his existence, the promises in his Word, the veracity of Scripture, or this really big one…his goodness. When Satan can get you to question the goodness of God, despair enters. Ultimately, it leads to unbelief, something that Jesus rebuked repeatedly throughout Scripture. He knew that a cemented unbelief always leads to a hardening of heart, a blaspheming of the Spirit, and an eternity in hell. James 1:6-8 says that doubt without answers is like someone caught in a wave, being tossed to and fro. So how do you overcome not only doubt but all of the issues we will look at in this series? First, you must totally commit your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing confidently that you are not your own but bought with a price by the blood of Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:20). Secondly, you must choose to believe. Jesus said to Thomas, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29). Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:7, "Blessed are those who walk by faith and not by sight." Could it be that the greatest antidote to doubt is the childlike willingness to believe all God's promises without having seen them? A willingness to take him at his word and know that his promises are true? A desire to use faith to conquer doubt? Yes, these are the ones who will truly be blessed. Today's Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove doubt and replace it with BELIEF in the Lord Jesus, that I might be saved (Acts 16:31)!

by Marilynn Chadwick I'm always watching for signs of God at work. Looking for insights from his Word. Watching closely for his "fingerprints." I often ask God to open my eyes so I may see him more clearly. I am convinced that abiding in Christ's Presence holds the answer to life's problems. So why do I sometimes race around looking everywhere else for solutions? My commitment to abide in Christ has been made stronger by recent conversations with friends. Each confided they were overwhelmed by the same problem. Anxiety. They were consumed with worry about frightening events in the news. Admittedly, the world can be a scary place right now. Wars and rumors of wars abound. Random acts of violence hit close to home. Persecution of Christians is at an all-time high. Some say it's the most dangerous time in history to believe in Jesus. It has always been dangerous to follow God. The Bible is full of examples of believers facing persecution. John the Baptist met a gruesome death at the hands of the evil ruler Herod. John had confronted Herod on his adulterous relationship with Herodias, his brother's wife. Herod wanted to kill John but feared the crowd. Look at what happened next: But at Herod's birthday celebration, he got his chance. Herodias's daughter provided the entertainment, dancing for the guests. She swept Herod away. In his drunken enthusiasm, he promised her on oath anything she wanted. Already coached by her mother, she was ready: "Give me, served up on a platter, the head of John the Baptizer." That sobered the king up fast. Unwilling to lose face with his guests, he did it—ordered John's head cut off and presented to the girl on a platter. She in turn gave it to her mother (Matthew 14:6-12 MSG). Notice the reaction of Jesus to the death of his dearly loved cousin. The Bible tells us he went away by himself to be alone with God. Though he was God Incarnate, Jesus was fully human. We must assume he needed time to process the tragedy, to pour out his heart, to be healed and strengthened by his heavenly Father. But while on the way, he is intercepted by a crowd of needy and hurting people. Moved with compassion, he heals their sick and even performs a miracle of feeding the 5000. I'm sure Jesus was exhilarated. But notice: He still needed time alone with God. As soon as the meal was finished, he insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the people. With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night. Matthew 14:22,23 MSG Jesus withdrew to pray, to heal, to grieve, to seek renewed strength. To abide. If Jesus needed to be alone with his heavenly Father when walking through a valley, how much more do we?

by Marilynn Chadwick Consider the miracle of speech. Our voice sets us apart from the animals. It allows us to communicate with each other. It connects us to God. A voice is a powerful tool. I believe our most important task is to train ourselves to hear God's voice. Jesus gives us a beautiful description of his role as the "good shepherd." He proves his love by "laying down his life for his sheep" (John 10:11). What a stark contrast with the "hired hand." This false shepherd cares only for himself—when he sees a wolf coming, he cuts and runs to save himself leaving the sheep defenseless. Whose voice is most familiar to you? I can easily recognize my husband David's voice. When he calls, he doesn't have to identify himself. My sensitivity to his voice comes from our relationship. So it is with Jesus. If we are one of his followers, we recognize his voice. "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27 NIV). Listening to the right voice can be the difference between life and death. Ponder God's sober warning to the children of Israel: "This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings, and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him..." (Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NIV). So many voices compete for our attention. We can tune our hearts to hear God's voice by spending time in his Word (Romans 10:17). Here are a few tips on how I sharpen my hearing: I carve out time in the morning for God's Word and prayer. It's my priority. I call this my "morning launch." I also have a favorite spot for my quiet time. I often use a Bible reading plan along with my Study Bible, journal, and prayer list. I try to pray "without ceasing," sometimes while folding clothes, driving across town, or on an afternoon walk. Praying throughout the day keeps my connection with God flowing and sharpens my hearing. It also helps me keep watch for answers! I hope you, too, will learn to sharpen your hearing of God's voice. Learn about his nature and character. Train yourself to get close enough to him to understand how he would lead you.

by Marilynn Chadwick Have you discovered that every voice in your head is not from God? The enemy of our soul often tries to sneak in his lies, sometimes disguised as our own voice. So how do we recognize when it's really God speaking to us? Jesus tells us, "My sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me" (John 10:27). Your most important job is to train your heart to hear God's voice. Get to know him. Spend time with him. When David calls, I easily recognize his voice—because I spend a lot of time with him. God has given us the Holy Spirit to help us discern truth from lies. Among other descriptions of the Holy Spirit, he is called the "Spirit of truth." It's worth repeating. Not all voices are from God and not all spirits are the Holy Spirit. That's why we need a "Spiritual Spam Filter." God has provided us with several guardrails to bring clarity to our hearing: The Word of God; the inner witness of the Holy Spirit; the character of God as revealed in Scripture; the testimonies of other believers, both now and throughout the ages. Before Jesus went to the cross, he encouraged his disciples to eagerly anticipate the "Spirit of truth" that would soon come their way (John 16:13). "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you" (John 16:7). This same Helper, Jesus promised, was "the Spirit of truth" who would guide them (and us) into "all truth" (John 16:13). "The Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you" (John 14:26 AMP). Did you catch that? Jesus said the Holy Spirit will even help us remember what he has spoken to us. Good news as we are learning to discern the voice of God!

by Marilynn Chadwick "What do I do when God seems silent?" The question came from a good friend and a sincere follower of Jesus. We were on a weekend retreat where I had just delivered a message about learning to hear God's voice. Her question hit a chord. How do we handle those times when we have prayed and prayed? Perhaps we have even sensed God's promise to fulfill a hope or dream. But the answer is so slow in coming. I thought back to my own time of what I call "wait training." In our early years of marriage, David and I had looked forward to the day we'd have children. Imagine our dismay when hopes for a baby stretched into six months, a year, two years, and eventually four years—forty-eight straight months—of drugs, surgeries, tests, and more tests. And still no baby. We eventually had our daughter and two sons. But the years of waiting proved to be a good time to seek God and to wait on him. Strength came as I rested in the Lord, studied his Word, held fast to his promises...day after day after day. I learned what Jesus meant when he encouraged believers to "abide" in him (John 15:5). I also found surprising comfort as I stepped out of my own pain to serve others. I discovered that if I would give my life away to help someone who was hurting worse than I was, a mysterious joy would spring forth. By seeking God and serving him wholeheartedly, I learned that times of waiting can give birth to a larger purpose. Turns out not getting what we want when we want it may be one of the best tools to sharpen our hearing of God's voice. We may also discover that our seasons of waiting—those times we thought were barren—can become our most fruitful.

by Marilynn Chadwick God is always speaking. The question is, "Will you listen?" It's a question I ask myself every day. Will I take the time to listen in our busy, noisy world? I have discovered that if you truly commit to listening to God, amazing things can happen. David and I have shared over four decades of marriage and ministry (I once vowed that I'd never become a Christian, and most definitely, I would never marry a minister. Funny how things turn out, isn't it?). Along the way, we have discovered that listening to God is not just about hearing his voice. It's also about doing his will. My life, I realized one day, was either a "so what?" or a "so that!" If listening to God took me no further than my own little world, then so what? The point of hearing his voice is so that I'll do his will. So, I told God that I would give my whole heart to listening to him. And I committed to pray, starting with my own family right at home, but with an eye for the needs of God's larger world. What happens when you begin to take seriously the call to listen to God's voice? That's when the adventure begins! You could end up traveling to genocide torn regions in Africa as David and I did. Or you might come face to face with the needs of your neighbor next door. You just might meet people and go to places you never knew existed—starting within your own community. Everyone's journey will look different. You can read more about my experiences in Sometimes He Whispers, Sometimes He Roars: Learning to Hear the Voice of God. The book started out as simply a memoir of my own adventures in prayer. But friends kept urging me to add some practical content to this journey—some footsteps— so others could follow along. I firmly believe that if you will listen to God daily and watch for him at work right where you are, your ordinary days will no longer feel ordinary.

by Marilynn Chadwick Not getting what you want when you want it may be one of the best training tactics for sharpening your prayers. Notice I didn't say not getting what you want at all. I find that people are more easily able to dismiss their heart's desire altogether than to wait for it. It is easier to give up in defeat and walk away from a dream than to stand on God's promise, clinging to the hope God has placed in your heart. That's why waiting on God is such an incredible test of faith—I refer to this time in my life as "wait training." When my husband and I endured many grueling years of infertility, I fed myself on the promises of God's Word about healing—too many to count—day after day, month after month. During those days of waiting, I learned to hear God's whispers of encouragement and trust his character. In short, I learned the secret of what the apostle John calls "abiding in Christ" (John 15:7). The lessons during those days of weakness and waiting trained me to hear God's voice. I learned to stay yoked to him through faith, rest, and humility when my own strength fell short. Humility is a constant companion when you are desperately waiting for something. Dependency on God makes you realize just how small you really are. Strangely, I found that it brought freedom. It also gives strength in the spiritual battles that come daily. The apostle Paul discovered this same aspect of God's grace during his own times of trial. He had pleaded with God to take away what the Bible calls a "thorn in the flesh," some weakness or affliction that Paul said tormented him. But the Lord comforted Paul with these words, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Paul eventually got to the point that he welcomed weakness and hardship and could even say, "When I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). As a wise friend once remarked after weathering multiple family tragedies, her faith still strong, "Control is just an illusion." And despite all my tools, tips, personal disciplines, and strategies for prayer, I keep learning the same lesson—some of God's most amazing work occurs when I am flattened by life. What does that have to do with our power in prayer? Just this—our times of weakness don't repel God or wreck our prayers. In fact, God's grace shines brightest through our broken places. If you have crash landed into the end of your own strength and have nothing to bring to God but your broken places, give thanks. For you just may discover that his strength really does work best when you are weak. Like Paul, you may experience your greatest spiritual victories. This time of brokenness could be the most valuable thing you bring to your personal journey in prayer. You may be on the brink of seeing your mess become your miracle. For it's when we are broken that we're most likely to hear God's whispers and experience his greatest power.

by Marilynn Chadwick I echo nineteenth-century, Yale-educated scholar and theologian R.A. Torrey when he said, "There is a devil. That's why we pray." And if you ask me why it's important to bring order and discipline to our lives for the purpose of prayer, I would add, "Because we are in a spiritual war." The Bible admonishes us to live daily as sober-minded and watchful, because "the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8 ESV). Anyone with combat experience will tell you that alertness and preparation, along with mindfulness to details, can make the difference in victory or defeat, life or death. Our oldest son attended a military academy in Virginia for one year after high school to play for their top-ranked prep basketball team. He and his teammates banked on the fact that though it was sure to be tough, this experience would help them become bigger, faster, quicker, and stronger ball players. The school's success in launching Division One college players spoke for itself. But life at a military academy is not what you'd call fun. Our son would never tell you he liked being in full dress, at attention, and ready to march by 6 A.M. Nor did he enjoy the strict discipline and freakish attention to detail. His shoes had to be lined up to an exact inch from the wall. The sink could have no toothpaste traces, and his bed had to be made with absolutely no wrinkles—all before the sun came up. Some cadets even slept on top of the already made beds, and threw an extra blanket over them at night, rather than face an imperfectly made bed, subsequent demerits, and the hours of marching around the "bull ring" that were sure to follow. Oh, and did I mention the "buzz cuts?" At the year's end, our son headed off to fulfill his dream of playing Division One college basketball. Other cadets headed for West Point or the Naval Academy, and eventually to combat. Over its one-hundred-plus year history, the school has sent scores of young men off to fight, and some to die, defending our nation's freedom. A sign on their campus wall prominently displays this Revolutionary War quote, "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance." The Bible encourages us to be similarly vigilant in guarding our spiritual freedom. We are told to always be alert and to "pray without ceasing." Yet life moves at such a fast pace—sometimes we forget to guard that line of communication with God. A person who decides to follow Christ will face struggles with the world, the devil, and our own human nature or what the Bible calls "the flesh." Paul knew that the battle had to be fought on all sides. Our human body is still earthbound and subject to all kinds of desires and propensities to get off track. We must take charge of it, so it doesn't control us. I've discovered that some of my toughest spiritual battles have been the battles with myself. That's why the Bible teaches that self-discipline is important to the believer who wants to win at spiritual war. "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful," the writer of Hebrews tells us. "Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:11 NIV). As someone wisely said, "Peace, like war, must be waged."

by Marilynn Chadwick There are some spiritual battles that leave us so weak that we must lean on the help of a few good friends. It was one of those times for the paralytic in Luke 5. We don't know the man's ailment or all he had suffered. We do know he was helpless and unable to get to Jesus by himself. A few friends carried him on a mat to see the Master. Their way was blocked by the crowds. So, they ingeniously climbed on the roof, hauled up their sick buddy, cut a hole in the roof, and lowered him through the tiles—right in front of Jesus! Instead of rebuking them, Jesus (perhaps with a smile), commended their faith. Right then and there, he healed their friend. Let's reflect on this remarkable scenario: "And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven" (Luke 5:17-20 NIV). Notice that Jesus saw the faith of the sick man's friends. He forgave the man's sins and healed his infirmity! I wonder what it was about the faith of a few friends that ignited this miracle. Their persistence? Their audacity? Their willingness to step outside the customary bounds? Or just maybe it was their love for their dear friend. I like to think that these guys had suffered with their buddy. Prayed for him. Refused to give up on him. They did whatever it took to get him to Jesus. Ultimately, they believed in the power of Jesus to set their friend free. These guys were true intercessors. I once had a friend who wrestled with a cruel and long-standing addiction. Complicated by a history of childhood abuse and a host of serious medical problems, she reached the point of exhaustion and hopelessness. She even considered ending her life. And then, in stepped a few good friends. Together, they did battle to find a place of recovery for my friend and the means to get there. Grace and mercy in action. And how they did pray! I watched this little team of friends demonstrate the power of persistent prayer and loving action. They "carved a hole in the roof" to place their friend at the feet of Jesus. Isn't this our calling as believers? It was Jesus himself who reminded us that there is no greater love than to lay down our life for our friends. We are called to be vessels of the same mercy we've received from the Lord. I'll leave you with my favorite definition of mercy: "Mercy is the willingness to enter the chaos of another person's life." Lord, make us willing to become your vessels of mercy.

by Marilynn Chadwick I once saw an old Tarzan movie in which the ape man was peering at a droplet of water through a microscope. The instrument had been brought to Africa by Jane's father, Professor Porter. Tarzan was quite shaken to see that the water he drank daily was teeming with all kinds of organisms, invisible to the naked eye. Similarly, the Bible reveals that our spiritual atmosphere is filled with unseen enemies—the source of our spiritual battles. "For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12 NLT). I wonder how we'd react if we could catch a glimpse of the spirits in the invisible heavenly places. Like Tarzan, I imagine we'd be shocked. The Bible doesn't spend a lot of time describing this spiritual realm. It does, however, give us instructions on how to do battle. We're given a detailed list of spiritual armor in Ephesians 6:10-20. One of my personal favorite battle tactics is found in James 4:7 (NET): "Submit to God…resist the devil and he will flee from you." But one of the most powerful weapons to deal with the powers of darkness is the weapon of praise. Praising the Lord, while also giving thanks, fights our enemy in ways we don't fully understand. Yet this tactic is surprisingly powerful, so it's worth emphasizing. I have an 80-year-old friend who has been a powerful Bible teacher for over 50 years. She recently shared with me that she considers praise to be the strongest weapon in her prayer arsenal. The New Testament is filled with stories which illustrate the power of praise. We see Paul and Silas singing and praising God in a Philippian jail—their chains fell off, the jailer accepted Jesus, and his whole family became believers (Acts 16:22-34). The Old Testament, too, tells stories of praise and its mighty power. King Jehosophat and the people of Israel were being attacked by their enemies. Defeat looked certain, but Jehosophat sought the Lord. "After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: 'Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!' At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves" (2 Chronicles 20:21-22). Perhaps you're facing a fierce spiritual battle. You've resisted, and prayed, and fought the good fight. But you're exhausted. Why not take a lesson from King Jehosophat? This may be your strategic moment to simply thank God and praise him for his goodness. Let him fight this battle. Rest in his power—even if you don't fully understand. Remember how the devil and his minions hate praise. So, if you can just stand firm and continue to praise and thank God in the middle of your trouble, I believe you will ultimately see the devil flee. After all, he is allergic to praise.

by Marilynn Chadwick Continued from Friday… Elijah was known as a man who listened to God. Repeatedly in the Bible, we read that "the word of the Lord came to Elijah." He saw miracle after miracle as he stepped out in obedience to God's voice. Elijah has plenty to teach us about how to pray during a time of crisis. The prophet had faced his own personal battle with terror. After an enormous fight of faith in which he defeated a demonized mob of over four-hundred prophets of Baal, Elijah was the target of a death threat by the wicked Queen Jezebel. Elijah's deliverance came as he ultimately learned to hear God, not in the earthquake, wind, or fire, but in a gentle whisper. After the turmoil and fear that followed the shocking terror attack on 9/11, I was desperate to listen to God, too. Not in the fiery drama in the world around us, but rather in "the still, small voice" of the heart. Somehow, I just knew that if God were to give me instructions about how to pray, it would not be in the first voice—the tumultuous roar I heard in my head, with its temptation to panic—but rather in the second voice, a voice of calm. I had seen a statue of the prophet Elijah when visiting Israel years earlier. The sinewy, fireball of a man looked more warrior than prophet. After praying for God to bring drought as judgment upon faithless Israel, he gave a whipping to the evil mob of 400 pagan prophets in his own "Super Bowl of faith." The feisty prophet then climbed to a mountain-top to pray for rain—and ran the distance of a full marathon to beat Ahab back to Jezreel in time to await the downpour (you can read the full story in 1 Kings 18:22-40). Yet, after all that, when faced with retaliatory death threats from Ahab's wicked wife, Queen Jezebel, Elijah had a serious meltdown. "Terrified," we're told in 1 Kings 19:3, Elijah "ran for his life." This self-described zealot for God, the steely, iron-man-triathlete of faith had exhausted himself into what we would call today a clinical depression. "I am ready to die," he told God. He felt alone and utterly defeated—as broken down as the rest of Israel. But herein lies the secret: When Elijah broke, he knew where to run. Elijah ran to Mount Horeb—the place where he knew he would encounter God. And what did God do? Fed him, put him to sleep, fed him again. Only after this period of intensive rest and refueling did the Lord speak to Elijah. This time, God was not in the earthquake, wind or fire, but rather in a gentle whisper. And in this intimate conversation—humbled yet renewed after his time of utter brokenness—Elijah saw a new side of God, and probably a new side of himself. Though fervent in faith and mighty in strength, Elijah had discovered the full extent of God's great love for him during his time of greatest weakness. When you break, where do you run? It's during these times of absolute breaking that we become most receptive to God's voice.

by Marilynn Chadwick Precision is important in spiritual as well as earthly battles. A turning point in World War II weapon technology was the development of precision bombing. Through a somewhat crude forerunner of the Global Positioning System (GPS), precision bombing enabled the United States to focus on bombing German military sites, and especially artillery arsenals, decreasing the civilian casualties. I once heard the story of a young WWII bomber pilot who wrote to his family, "I consider myself a pacifist. Nothing in me wants to harm the German people. But when I remember Hitler and the horror inflicted by the Nazis, I am compelled to destroy the evil." Precision bombing allowed our fighter pilots in WWII to focus their attack on the enemy and, as much as possible, avoid the innocent. After the shocking events of September 11, 2001, I began reading from 1st Peter, a letter addressed to early Christians who were facing great danger and persecution. Peter shares survival secrets for what to do when times look darkest. "The end of all things is near," he writes. Therefore be "self-controlled and alert" so that you can pray (1 Peter 4:7, GNT). His encouragement was not to have passion or power as a starting point, but rather self-control and alertness. In order for prayer to be as powerful as the Bible promises, it needs to include precision, skill, and discipline. I envisioned a brain surgeon enduring years of education, training, and practice to develop the necessary precision to operate in the delicate minefields of the mind—knowing just where to cut. I was eager to learn more about just how and where to precisely focus my prayers. In the quiet of my car that day as the events of 9/11 swirled around us, I purposed then and there that I would begin to pray with more practice and precision. And although I wasn't a soldier, I decided to sign up for my own version of a tour of duty, to be available to God in prayer. Not just for my own needs and worries, but for the worries of the world. And since I hadn't a clue as to what this should look like, I asked God to guide me. But how could I hear the voice of God amidst all the chaos and turmoil in my head after the terrorist attacks? I continued to search the pages of the Bible. There I discovered a prayer mentor in the prophet Elijah. Elijah is described in the book of James as "a person just like us" (James 5:17). Yet Elijah "prayed earnestly" that it wouldn't rain for three-and-a-half years and it didn't. Then he reversed his prayer, praying for rain—and "the heavens gave rain." His prayers had impact on an entire nation. The prayers of even one righteous person, James tells us, are "powerful and effective." The Bible teaches us that no one is "perfectly righteous." Let's remind ourselves of the only solid footing for prayer—the righteousness that comes by faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22, 23). This understanding is crucial to our confidence in prayer. To be continued on Monday…

by Marilynn Chadwick Thomas Edison tried unsuccessfully over ten thousand times before his final breakthrough invention of the electric light bulb. The Wright brothers experienced hundreds of crashes before their breakthrough in flight. And countless scientists performed endless experiments before breakthroughs in DNA research. Breakthroughs in any endeavor require perseverance. Especially in the spiritual realm, when we seem to crash headlong into a formidable yet unseen enemy again and again. If we want to experience power in our prayers, we can learn a lesson from the Psalmist and warrior-king David. Years earlier, he had conquered the Philistine giant Goliath. But here he is again, facing the Philistine army not far from the very site of his famous face-to-face encounter with the giant. This time, the Philistines waged their attack in the Valley of Rephaim, which means "the valley of giants" or "the valley of trouble." Though a seasoned warrior, David pauses to pray, asking God for his marching orders. So, David asked God, "Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The Lord replied, "Yes, go ahead. I will hand them over to you." So David and his troops went up to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. "God did it!" David exclaimed. "He used me to burst through my enemies like a raging flood!" So they named that place Baal-perazim, which means "the Lord who bursts through" (1 Chronicles 14:10, 11 NLT). The Philistines abandoned their gods and fled. However, they soon returned to raid the valley one more time. Even with the memory of the first victory still fresh in his mind, David prays to the Lord and listens for his strategy: Once again David asked God what to do. "Do not attack them straight on," God replied. "Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees. When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, go out and attack! That will be the signal that God is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army." So David did what God commanded, and they struck down the Philistine army all the way from Gibeon to Gezer. David's fame spread everywhere, and the Lord caused all the nations to fear David (1 Chronicles 14:14-17). Good thing David was listening carefully, for God's strategy this time required a very different response. I'm reminded of the Lion Aslan's comment to Lucy in C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia series: "Things never happen the same way twice." God may act very differently than we experienced in our last challenge. Persevere in your battle, my friend. Pray to God for guidance. Then, listen carefully for his instructions. Pause and really listen. You might be surprised at his answer. Then obey immediately. Seek God every time, before every battle. Approach him for wisdom daily. Humility is the mark of a good soldier. And remember, he rarely does things the same way twice. I pray that your "Valley of Trouble" becomes the very place where you encounter Jesus, your "Lord of the Breakthrough."

by Marilynn Chadwick I've always loved sports—so it naturally follows that I love athletes. I am married to a former basketball player and mother to a volleyball player, a basketball player, and a swimmer. There is much to be learned about our spiritual life from observing the personal discipline of athletes. The Apostle Paul must have loved sports, too. He likens the hard work of training for a sport to his own life of faith. "I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step," he writes. "I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should so that after preaching to others, I will not be disqualified for the prize" (1 Corinthians 9:26 NLT). Instead of "discipline," some translations use the word "buffet," a word which means "to treat roughly." The word buffet came even more alive for me one summer when I watched our youngest son along with hundreds of highly ranked swimmers compete in their national championship meet. After the grueling hours of practice, these athletes were "buff" in every way. Finely chiseled muscles bore witness to hours in the pool, hours with weights, hours of running, all for the love of the sport. With a body builder, the goal is a muscular body. But for a swimmer, the body is simply a tool to use for the sport. Their sculpted physique is not for show—rather it enables these athletes to swim incredibly fast. Sports provide a great metaphor for the training necessary to develop the habit of continual and effectual prayer. It's not that prayer itself is always hard. Often, it's like breathing. But to stay alert, mindful, available to listen—this kind of prayer can be hard in our fast-paced world. And getting up early to carve out time to read God's Word and pray takes discipline and commitment. Persistence in prayer when we are in pain, when all we can see with our "natural" eyes looks hopeless, and when answers are slow in coming can be grinding. No wonder Paul tells the church in Colossae about his friend, Epaphras. Paul told them that behind the scenes, this guy was continually "laboring" in prayer for them (Colossians 4:12,13). The Greek word for "labor" is agonizomai, from which we get "agony." For a swimmer, practice can be repetitious, exhausting, even agonizing. There are competitions when athletes feel stuck. There seems to be no progress—personal times don't budge. But then there are breakthrough races when times are shattered, records broken. These are the rewards for all the work and daily practices. Why do swimmers train, and train, and train some more? Simply for the love of the race. I hope you will develop such a love for God's Word and an expectancy of answered prayer that it's worth it to train day after day. You may not see immediate answers, but God has promised to reward your faithfulness. Remember—God is "a rewarder of those who earnestly seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). I truly believe there are mountain-moving answers and breakthrough races of faith in store if you put your whole heart into prayer.

by Marilynn Chadwick How often do you take time to really listen to God? Many of us blow through our days without thinking about God. Even our alone times are filled with so much noise that it can be hard to hear his voice above the fray. It was the seventeenth century theologian Francois Fenelon who said, "How rare it is to find a soul still enough to hear God speak." I believe that training my heart to hear (and obey) God's voice is my most important task on earth. No doubt it has the most eternal impact. Maybe you've discovered that listening for God's voice is not always easy. Every voice you hear in your head is not from God. We pick up signals from the world, our flesh, and even our enemy, the devil. The Bible tells us he can disguise himself as "an angel of light." Personally, I find the devil sometimes speaks with a Southern accent sounding remarkably like me! Because we live in such a busy, noisy world, we must be determined to get quiet long enough to hear God's voice—especially his whispers. That's why I periodically need to refresh my "spiritual listening skills." I'll share a few practical tips I've discovered along the way. Start with Scripture. God's Word is filled with ways to strengthen your power in prayer. Over the years, I have seen amazing answers to prayer. I've learned from experience that God can be trusted to speak to me through the pages of Scripture. It's no wonder God's Word is called the "sword of the spirit." It is also referred to as being "living and active" (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12). I find it helps to have teammates, fellow seekers to provide encouragement and accountability. This helps me stay on task and remain wholehearted in my call to pray. It helps to add a bit of structure to my commitment to seek God. Getting started can be simple: Pick out a special place for prayer. A favorite chair, a corner of your study, your back porch. Wherever you feel close to God. This is your spot. Carve out early time for prayer. My time alone with God is my first hour and sets the tone for the rest of my day. I like to call this my "power hour." Gather your tools: A Bible, a notebook or journal, maybe a favorite devotional. Begin now to talk to God and tell him that you want to learn to hear his voice more clearly. You might not notice much at first, but I can assure you. If you are serious about seeking God wholeheartedly, the rewards will come. Ask God who is on his heart—pray he will prompt you to pray for people, places, and situations you may not have considered. Expect to be surprised at the doors he opens. Above all, be intentional. Make prayer your top priority. Make it your goal to pray throughout the day—keep a running conversation with your heavenly Father. The Lord gives us a promise: "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13).

by Marilynn Chadwick We are living in turbulent times. The Middle East has erupted into a rapidly escalating war between Israel and Iran. No one can predict the full impact of this explosive conflict. Russia and Ukraine remain locked in their ongoing battle. Wars and rumors of wars abound. Strange weather patterns threaten many, as do virulent diseases and disasters. Our streets and cities grow more violent. Jesus told his disciples that these and other signs would point to his imminent return (Matthew 24). The Doctrine of Imminence refers to the belief that the return of Jesus Christ (the Rapture) is possible at any moment. It emphasizes a constant state of readiness and expectancy among believers as they live in anticipation of Christ's soon return. If you read the New Testament with this doctrine in mind, you'll notice every author believed Jesus's return was imminent, yet there is no hint of panic. For example, the apostle Peter writes, "The end of all things is near. Therefore, be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms" (1 Peter 4:7-10 NIV). But notice this: When the "end of all things is near," Peter doesn't warn us to flee, panic, or shelter in place. The very first thing Peter instructs when the end is near is to pray. Peter also urges us to love others fervently, to be hospitable, and to use our gifts to serve others and penetrate darkness with light. He reminds us to "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (1 Peter 3:15). During Peter's day and throughout church history, many have sensed the return of Jesus could happen at any moment. Whether we believe Jesus's return is soon or years in coming, we can learn from Martin Luther's strong admonition: "Preach [and live] like Jesus was crucified yesterday, rose from the dead today, and is coming back tomorrow." How do we pray? And more specifically, how should we live as we wait for Jesus's return? The Bible gives us our marching orders. As we wait for Jesus's return, we must remain attached to Jesus and keep the "oil in our lamp," which represents being continually filled with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 25:1-13). We are to faithfully serve the least and the lost while we wait for our soon coming king (Matthew 25: 24-40). Above all, we must always be on the lookout. Jesus exhorts us, "Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour" (Matthew 25:13). If you thought the time was short, would you hustle to share the Gospel? How would your investment of time, talents, and treasures be different if you thought Jesus's return was imminent? Remember, prayer precedes everything else. Jesus reminds us to "pray earnestly to the Lord of the Harvest. The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few" (Luke 10:2 ESV). Why not start today with this simple prayer, "Lord, send me."

by Marilynn Chadwick All three of our now grown children especially looked forward to the end of our Day Off, which they referred to as "Family Home Night." These were weekly times of shared togetherness at the close of Sabbath and included special movies, family prayers, Bible stories, and make-your-own-pizzas. The movies we selected didn't always have a spiritual message, but they helped reinforce a value or character quality such as perseverance, compassion, kindness, or courage. Our family movies often launched spontaneous times of talking, sharing, laughing, and dreaming. The kids seemed to take this time to heart. Early on, we decided Family Home Night was not a "friend-sleepover night," but no one seemed to mind. They grew to eagerly anticipate the much-needed space set aside for rest and time with just our family. They felt renewed by the safe haven of home. Refreshed, they were ready to reenter the fray. I have found that Sabbath and giving space to share stories seem to go together. This was especially evident during our mission trips to other cultures. There, life moves at a slower pace. There, we forget our to-do list and welcome the unexpected. This is often the case in places where war or suffering have torn the people and their land. I remember the young Rwandan mother, a survivor of the horrific genocide. She shared her story of pain after our worship service together. I was amazed by her courage and strength. She said, "It is good to know you have not forgotten us." We kept in touch for years, but it was Sabbath-keeping that opened the door for our shared stories and friendship. Sabbath goes against the grain of a world that is too busy to care. Sabbath is life in slower motion. For this reason, Sabbath lends itself to sharing our stories, fears, burdens, testimonies, hopes and dreams. We were not created to experience Sabbath in isolation. I wonder if biblical Sabbath-keeping could become a powerful counter-cultural strategy in a world which thirsts for freedom from overwork, idolatry, and isolation. In a world that desperately needs shalom. A few questions to get you thinking. You may want to experiment until you find the rhythm of rest that works best for you or your family. How often does your family take a day off where you don't do work, housework, or yard work? Describe the perfect day off. Where would you go and with whom? Is there a nearby park or hiking trail you enjoy? What activities do you and your family enjoy at home together? What activities do you enjoy doing alone? Would you invite a friend to join you in the activity? What are some good movies or books you could reserve for your weekly "Day Off?" Are there special treats you could plan ahead? Ideas: Make your own pizza; popcorn with sea salt and coconut oil, drizzled with dark chocolate. Think of fun snacks that don't require much preparation. Are you one who enjoys cooking or is "Door Dash" your new best friend? How can you plan a special meal ahead of time that you or your family would enjoy on your day off? What gets in the way of taking a day off each week? Conflicting job schedules, family members with different routines, kids' sports? Are there changes that would help? What are creative ways you or your family could read the Bible and pray together on your day off—maybe over a cup of specialty coffee in a nearby park or quiet setting? What is your most significant "takeaway" from the teachings on Sabbath? Is there one change you can make today to begin to enjoy God's gift of rest?

by Marilynn Chadwick In addition to "not working" on the Sabbath, the observant Jew also practices "not worrying." Seriously. How does one "not worry?" Is that even possible? A friend coined this snappy little acronym: W.O.R.R.Y: Worry Only Robs Rest from You It's true. Worrying is exhausting. I realize as believers in Jesus, we're not obligated to keep Sabbath according to any particular formula or law. But a true confession. After some honest reflection, I've come to realize that worry actually drains my energy and robs my inner peace way more than work does. Worry (translated as "I really, really care") seems logical, even useful. I have plenty of excuses for why I worry: "I just have a vivid imagination." "I have lots to do." "There are so many people I care about." Worry just comes with the territory, right? No. Not if we look at what the Bible says. I've been reflecting lately on Paul's words about worry: "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything." Next, he says to "tell God what you need and thank Him for what he has already done" (Phil 4:6, 7 NLT). These are training tips from a guy in prison who was always in danger of getting killed. But look at the amazing promise in verse 8: "Then God's peace, which is greater than the human mind can understand, will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Wow. Prayer sounds like a much better use of my energy than worrying. I wonder if turning my "cares into prayers" (in the words of Charles Spurgeon) might be one way to stop this pesky Sabbath thief at the door? Not worrying on the Sabbath—or any other day for that matter—now that's new territory! I truly want to learn to walk more solidly in my faith and drive out worry. But old habits die hard, so I'll have to be patient with myself. Maybe you'd like to share some useful tips for how you deal with worry. Remember, we're all in this together. Let's encourage each other as we learn how to rest worry free.

by Marilynn Chadwick It's been said that Americans are the only people who worship our work, work at our play, and play at our worship. Maybe that's why keeping Sabbath is so hard. Many of us enjoy feeling productive, and taking a day off seems to slow us down. The word Sabbath, or sabat in Hebrew, means "to cease, desist, rest." Put another way, Sabbath simply means to stop working. The very first use of sabat, translated "rest," in the Bible is in Genesis 2:2-3 NIV: "By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." Sabbath can be described as taking one day each week to rest from our work. Work six days and rest one, a rhythm which follows God's pattern as Creator. Work and rest are holy. Both are an example of what it means to be created in the image of God. So what are some practical ways to embrace rest and resist overworking? Perhaps we can learn a few tips on Sabbath-keeping from observant Jews. Worship, rest, family time, taking a walk, and reading are among the activities considered good Sabbath practices by the faithful Jew. What is not good on the Sabbath can be summed up in three words: "work, commerce [shopping and spending], and worry." During their trek through the desert, God instructed the children of Israel to gather manna for six days and rest on the seventh, a type of training ground for later Sabbath-keeping (Exodus 16:5). Even before Moses received the Ten Commandments, God was training the Israelites in rhythms of rest. When God gave Moses the law, he reminded Moses of how he brought the Israelites out of slavery. "Slaves cannot take a day off; free people can," writes theologian Dorothy Bass. In her book "Keeping Sabbath, Practicing Our Faith," she sounds a wake-up call for Christians to return to the practice of Sabbath-keeping. Sabbath rest is a weekly testimony against the perpetual grind of a slave's work, she adds. It gives us a picture of who God is and what it means to be created in his image. God's fourth commandment, "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy," points us back to Creation (Exodus 20:8 NIV). More words are used to explain this one than any of the other nine, so Sabbath-keeping must be important to God. Sabbath makes space for nurturing our families, our church, and our communities. Sabbath-keeping helps us care for our souls in an age when many are desperately thirsty for inner peace. Rest from our work is also a theological theme woven throughout the Bible. It describes the liberating life of grace for the believer who has found true rest in Christ's salvation. Perhaps St. Augustine could have been hinting at our need for Sabbath rest when he made this famous statement in his Confessions: "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you."

by Marilynn Chadwick I am reminded of the time David and I were invited to teach a marriage seminar to a large gathering of young couples. Wanting to focus on real life issues, we each made a separate list of our "Top Ten Marriage Tips." However, we decided not to reveal the results of our lists to one another until the moment we actually presented the message to our audience. It was fun to compare the different habits, practices, and insights we each felt had strengthened our marriage—right in front of our listeners. When it came time to "reveal" our top marriage tip, it turns out David and I had both chosen the same "Number One Marriage Tip." It was simply this: Take one day off together every week. In other words, "Keep your Sabbath." Ironically, this was the very same advice our first ministry-couple mentors had shared with us way back when we were newlyweds. We took their advice to heart and over 45 years later, we still take our day off together each week. If you factor it over our 45-plus years of marriage and ministry, that's about 2,000 Sabbaths! Sabbath-keeping obviously looks different for our family since ministers typically work on Sunday, the day when many Christians celebrate Sabbath. Our Day Off is Friday. While we don't adhere to a rigid set of rules, we have landed on some practices which make this day special, fun, even holy. We look forward to our weekly ritual of enjoying our favorite coffee. Parked in a quiet setting surrounded by nature, we share thoughts about our week and read through a few Bible passages. Often, we highlight and journal our specific prayer needs or play worship music. We sometimes laugh and cry about the joys and sorrows of family and ministry. Long walks are a favorite, along with Netflix and special snacks reserved just for Day Off. It's more about the regularity of Sabbath than any specific ritual. But God seems so very present on those sacred, sanctified, set apart days. Our weekly Day Off is more than just time away from work— it is a "want to," not a "have to." A gift of grace. These times build fresh hope and healing. Our weekly Sabbath has provided life-giving boundaries to the rigors of ministry and gives creative space for our marriage and children to flourish. Like many today, our lives are very busy. Ministry comes with unexpected demands and emergencies. But most often, we're able to keep our Sabbath calm and free from work. We believe our family and church have benefitted from our commitment to this God-ordained, ancient practice. What are some ways you can begin to create a rhythm of rest into your own lifestyle?

by Marilynn Chadwick Are you feeling tired today? Maybe you worked late, slept poorly, tried to juggle too many tasks, attempted to solve too many problems, took on too much responsibility for everything and everybody around you. It seems you're not alone. America is a nation obsessed with rest—or the lack of it. At my children's high school one year, teachers sent home a disturbing article about sleep deprived teenagers. Researchers are telling us that people now fantasize about sleep! It seems the average person is very, very tired. You may be working harder, running faster, accomplishing more and more… but who's watching out for your soul? "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 NIV I've been drawn to Jesus's promise of rest after observing some very "exhausted souls" lately. Exhaustion can manifest itself as anxiety, depression, illness, addiction, or even self-destructive behaviors. This has left me thinking. Why are so many people crashing and burning? What would happen if we revived the spiritual practice of Sabbath-keeping? I wonder if Sabbath—in whatever ways we choose to practice it—might help set us free from the weight of unhealthy expectations and lessen the anxieties of fast-paced living? Since the time of ancient Israel, Sabbath-keeping has been a life-giving gift of God. Sabbath was meant to refresh our relationship with God and one another. For the next several days, we'll explore the biblical and practical foundations of Sabbath-keeping. How does this once-a-week gift of rest bring peace to those who embrace it? How is Sabbath woven into God's covenant with Israel? What significance does it have for Christians today? We'll also explore some practical ways we can experience the rest of Sabbath in a busy, noisy world.