The Fruitful Laborer

"Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor" (John 4:37-38).

It's hard to be the sower when the reaper gets all the glory if you're viewing your life through human eyes. Our earthly world magnifies reapers while ignoring the sowers hidden in the limelight shadows. Who values the unseen planter that brings forth the prosperous harvest another person gathers? Jesus does and His extravagant plans for your heavenly rewards far exceed any earthly bonus!

This Labor Day weekend I'm reminded that God's work never ceases, nor should we His workers. Do you dread working for the King of Kings or realize it is a privilege that God helps you with? As the Holy Spirit tames our wrong motives and anoints our work we become useful vessels and fruitful laborers. He enables us to be holy as He is holy to an increasingly decadent and depraved world. Sharing the gospel requires daily seed scattering of words and deeds, and praying that God would bring forth new life in dead souls.

This is no time to slumber! Scriptures warns us, "Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you" Revelation 3:2-3.

Which Jesus are you sharing with the world? The one who makes life easy and condones their sinfulness, or the One who died for their sins and beckons them to turn from evil and walk with Him? Pray for a sweet boldness from Christ to share the truth, not a watered down gospel that has no power to change anything. Then you will be fruitful laborers that honor His holy name with a bountiful harvest of souls that He gathers in. "Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor" (John 4:37-38).

Your fellow herald for Jesus,

Mary

A Leap of Faith

“Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith” (Mark 4:40)?

Praying for others to know Jesus as their Savior is easier than talking about it with them. At least it is for me. I often feel crippled like Moses did when God asked him to speak to the Pharaoh. In his fear Moses replied, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue…please send someone else to do it” (Exodus 4:10-13). The same problem that held Moses back also stifles my voice. Our faith is in our limited humanness instead of our Almighty and powerful God.

For over a year I’ve prayed about sharing the salvation message of Christ with a neighbor. God has given me such a love for her. She is a practicing Hindu yet her occasional comments suggest she is intrigued by my Christian faith. We don’t see each other often. Our busy lives keep us apart. But the Holy Spirit created an opportunity for us to meet for dinner recently. No husbands, no children, and no distractions. The time was right, but would I take the leap of faith?

Before dinner I asked God to anoint our time and help me lovingly speak the truth. I didn’t want to approach our conversation with a self-righteous attitude, or put her on the defense. At times I thought the moment had passed me by, and then it happened. As she shared her beliefs it became evident that she wasn’t sure if heaven or hell was her fate one day. In a calm voice I asked, “If you could be sure today you would enter heaven when you died, would you want to know that?” Enthusiastically she replied, “Sure, who wouldn’t want that!”

In that little restaurant I told my friend that Jesus loves her, died for her sins, and that if she believes in Him she will be saved. While I’d love to report that she placed her trust In Christ alone she did say that sometimes she prays to Jesus. He is one of many gods in her life, but a seed was planted in our sharing over dinner. We committed to gather again, and she is considering attending church with me soon. It’s a start and I praise God for giving me the courage to trust in His equipping.

What is holding you back from sharing your faith with others? Are you scared you’re delivery won’t be perfect? It’s okay to fumble through it. God is the One who saves souls, not us. He simply asks that we share the Gospel then watch the Holy Spirit work. Ask Him to help you take that leap of faith. “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith” (Mark 4:40)?

Your fellow sojourner and herald for Christ,

Mary

One at a Time

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance” (Psalm 33:12).

Meandering around our front yard, I am still collecting remnants of fireworks from last week’s cul-de-sac celebration. The fourth of July was extra special this year not because of the festivities we shared with our neighbors, but because I realized how incredibly blessed we are in America beyond anything we deserve. God’s touch is everywhere.

In our household there are many things to be thankful for: my nephew’s safe return from his service in Iraq, our family’s good health, and the gift of employment to name a few. But it was more than these things. As I scanned the faces of the children dancing with sparklers as their fathers sent fireworks towards heaven while mothers snapped photos, I was touched by the diversity on our street. This is what so many have fought for, the freedom to be who we are even if it is very different from the folks beside us.

Most of us gathered that warm July night were not from Raleigh. We came from different states and countries with varying creeds and contrasting races. Yet we seek many common things like a better life for ourselves and our families. With all the social and economic challenges we are facing in America today we can still be grateful the Lord has allowed freedom to reign, even though so many have ignored God completely. Jesus has been merciful in our sinfulness as our nation fights this ever raging war to drown the voice of Christianity forever.

Sitting in the back of our pickup truck beside my husband that night, I felt a sense of urgency to pray for our country to turn our hearts and lives to Jesus. As a nation begins to fear and honor the Lord and submit to His authority, the people will be healed in their spirit. After all, what is a nation but a collection of individuals? God has revealed His love to America time and time again through His only Son Jesus Christ. While some have accepted this gift of salvation and restored fellowship with God, so many more are blinded.

My prayer for salvation is broad sweeping for our country, but God has convicted to me to stay on my knees and intercede for individuals. One-by-one a revolution can take place as spirits are cleansed and renewed by Jesus. We won’t desire to take up arms aimed at our enemies when that day comes. Instead, we’ll lift our hands to heaven with shouts of joy and praises for our long suffering King who prompted others to pray we’d become His child! Then we can declare with gladness, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance” (Psalm 33:12).

Your fellow sojourner,

Mary

Glory Bound

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1).

Last Friday a close friend lost her nine-month battle with cancer. While we knew the end was inevitable, none of us expected it that particular day. She’d had a good week; I was looking forward to seeing her on Saturday. Two weeks earlier I’d booked a flight to New York where a planned gathering with our mutual girlfriends was scheduled for that afternoon. But it was not to be. The night before my flight the news we’d been dreading came calling. She’d had a seizure and never woke up. Her soul was glory bound.

This was my first experience helping a seriously ill friend prepare for heaven. In the weeks leading up to her departure I held nothing back with regard to spiritual matters. Praise God His Spirit prepared me and prompted me to share what He placed on my heart! While there have been moments of weeping these last few days, I’m filled with great peace because she is with her Lord and Savior.

In the home of one of our girlfriends we assembled to share photos, stories, laughter and tears over the loss of our friend. What a blessing to have these special relationships that were formed in our childhood years. Of the twelve of us she was the first to die, and yet I know she is more alive now than she has ever been. She’s seen God! How I wish I could get her commentary on that meeting, but one day that sweet conversation will take place.

Before leaving my friends to return to my family, one of the girls asked me to lead the group in prayer. Standing side-by-side hand-in-hand we offered praise to the Father for His glorious abundant blessings. We thanked Him for mercifully taking our friend peacefully and with dignity. Those who witnessed her death saw no suffering. She is now healed and whole in heaven, and we grieve with hope of the reunion we’ll have with her there. This separation is only temporary.

As we slowly resume our daily routines now that her funeral has passed, I smile as I see Jesus at work. We watched a loved one die, but in reality we have learned how to really live. Grace abounds, forgiveness is more easily granted, broken relationships are healing, and people are examining their faith walk. It’s all good and it’s all because of God.

For those who have believed in salvation by Christ alone, we are gifted by His Holy Spirit to display His love and glory. In Him our earthly life takes on new meaning and we find joy even in sorrow. What a privilege to be used by Jesus to offer true and lasting hope to a hurting world as we invite others to join the glory bound. “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1).

Your fellow sojourner,

Mary

Tell Jesus Thank You

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

It was an “out of the boat” moment; one I had been praying for. But when it arrived I almost let it pass out of fear. Stepping forward in faith is often much easier to talk about than live out, especially when others are watching you. My first reaction, when talking to a dying friend long distance as a mutual friend placed her cell phone on speaker, was to play it safe; not rock the boat of anyone’s spiritual convictions. After all, who am I to cast judgment on her faith? It’s not polite to seek assurance of her salvation, is what my mind was saying. But isn’t that what real love does? Shouldn’t I share the truth of Christ’s penalty for our sins so those who believe this will be guaranteed a place in heaven with Him? Now or never had arrived and I had a choice to make.

The call with my friend was pre-arranged the day before. My friend is losing her ability to speak and write. She’s dying of brain cancer. Knowing friends would be visiting her on Wednesday, the time was set for me to call one of the women’s cell phone. After a restless night with little sleep, I felt a strong urging to pray with her on the phone. Hours before the call I said, “Lord, you calmed the raging seas when you walked on water. Surely you can calm the storm that rages in my girlfriend’s head, even for a little while”. Simple as that prayer was, it carried a big request. My friend had not been able to make complete sentences for a week. In my hour of need I was asking for a miracle—the ability for her to understand me and me to understand her.

When I dialed the number I had no idea what I would find on the other end. Each day brings many changes in my friend’s condition. The cancer is spreading rapidly. My girlfriend, whose cell number I was calling, had offered to be the mediator as she held up her phone on speaker. A third girlfriend introduced herself, so now there were four of us connected. Nervously I said hello to my dying friend. To my delight a beautiful exchange of words took place between us. I was able to tell her I loved her and she replied in kind. What joy! But God told me I wasn’t done yet.

In an instant, I asked if it would be alright if I prayed with her. She muffled “yes” along with my girlfriend’s utterance of “go for it, Mare” setting the stage. Fumbling at first, I felt the Holy Spirit guiding me out of my comfort zone. Suddenly I was speaking as He directed. Recently my friend had slyly interjected into a sentence that she would put in a good word for me. This statement came on the heels of her latest MRI results—the tumor was growing and time was running out. I did not initially understand what she meant. Then it hit me. She was offering to put in a good word for me when she went to heaven.

There was no time to waste. Jesus had given me this chance to share Scriptures with her, and to tell her something precious. “When you get to heaven tell Jesus I said thank you”. As the cell phone owner began to speak she couldn’t contain her excitement. She hadn’t seen our sick friend so lucid and able to complete a sentence until this exchange. Praise God for this moment! He’d taken my trembling spirit and walked beside me that day. I felt as if I were really in that hospital room hundreds of miles away.

In this season of grief I am learning from death how to really live. I want to have more moments like Peter did—scared but willing to step out of the boat into the raging water where only complete dependency on Christ can uphold me. As I make this journey, I am comforted by the reality that God wants to bring glory to His name through all who are willing to trust and obey. What a treasure to be able to share with my friends that for all who love Jesus the best is yet to come. I’m still telling God “thank you” for this story, and for the gift of eternal life. Are you? “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

Your fellow sojourner,

Mary

What do you need, Lord?

“Then the King (Jesus) will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).

So many needs, so many blessings, all intertwined this month. My senses are functioning on high alert. Is this a sign of my spiritual maturity? I doubt it. Although much wisdom has been imparted much more needs to be put into practice. Until the day I can serve God as consistently as breathing, without analyzing why I should or should not act on the opportunities He presents, I remain stunted in my spiritual growth. November finds me mindful of a soft voice growing louder as I fight to smother the fear His response will bring to my question, “What do you need, Lord?” As always, He provides ample opportunities to be a blessing or a curse.

For me, there has been a recent surge in the need to feed others physically and spiritually. Sometimes I am prompted to prepare and serve the food, other times to donate money toward this fight against hunger. No matter what the method I have felt the Spirit at work in the details, and I am in awe. Jesus has asked His followers to join the battle against a greater starvation overtaking the world; the war to feed malnourished souls. If I’ll step forward in obedience He promises to arm me well, and faithfully He does. While many occasions to engage in such work come to memory, three are most vivid.

The first occurred one November Saturday. I frequently cook food that area churches serve to the homeless on the streets of downtown Raleigh. Jon and I longed to join the volunteers, but travel and work schedules previously interfered. At last the calendar cooperated with our wishes. While carefully shopping for the casserole ingredients I was delegated to bake the Holy Spirit whispered, “Mary, don’t skimp. Buy the best. Shop as if you are serving this to Jesus.” Reality check! Do I view the disadvantaged as people who should be happy with second best; life’s scraps? Or do I see them as jewels in the crown I will one day place before my King? Who am I serving?

Needless to say, I asked God to fill my cart with only the choicest ingredients for that casserole, and baked it with Jesus in mind. As we stood side-by-side serving the homeless that crisp autumn day, I was overcome with emotion. There were hundreds in line waiting for their warm meal. I had the good fortune of being assigned to the dessert table, where I could offer people a choice. How brightly their faces beamed when their selection was placed on their plate. Many praised God along with us, and suddenly it occurred to me that I am serving Jesus today. These are my fellow siblings in Christ! We are bound by the same living Spirit of God. Nothing separates us. We are one body.

The second occasion to serve the Lord happened this week. Jon and I hosted four International and two American students from North Carolina State University for Thanksgiving dinner. We did not know if all of them where Christians, but it didn’t matter. I approached the meal preparations with the same gusto as if God were joining us for supper. In my mind He was! I was excited to show them the love of Christ regardless of their beliefs. Who knows what God can do through the kindness of a stranger? I want to be used this way, so I am learning to pray to be more in tune to His calling.

The third chance surfaced yesterday. I was meeting my girlfriend at a coffee shop prior to my book signing event. Her cheerful voice greeted me when I entered the store as she proceeded to tell me she’d just bought the gentleman in the corner breakfast. He was homeless, and looked like he had lived on the streets for many years. Struck by her generosity, I turned to ask the man if he would like something else since I was buying myself a cup of hot chocolate. He sheepishly looked at me; then politely gave me his order. Handing him his food I blessed him. In my heart I was longing to do more, just not so publicly.

When my girlfriend went to the restroom God gave me a chance to respond as He lovingly said, “Go give him $20 discretely so only my eyes and ears can witness. Do not seek applause from anyone.” Resisting the temptation to waffle, I got up and handed the man the cash without uttering a word to my girlfriend. I only mention it now as a reminder to myself that one of the most important questions I need to be asking daily is, “What do you need, Lord?” Obedience is paramount. Perhaps you will agree. “Then the King (Jesus) will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).

Your fellow sojourner,

Mary

A Modern Day Forerunner

John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert. Make straight the way for the Lord” (John 1:23).

In Bible Study Fellowship we are studying the gospel of John this year. Before the Apostle John introduces readers to the Messiah he writes of John the Baptist, the one who points the people to Jesus. As I read the first chapter of the book of John, I was challenged by the reality that John the Baptist never denied Christ was coming, but rather denied he himself was the Christ when questioned by the Jewish priests, Levites and Pharisees. How often have my words and deeds failed to mirror those of John the Baptist? Even once is too much; this thought makes me sad. But God is igniting a new fire in me as I study this passage of Scripture. While John the Baptist directed people to the first coming of Christ, I (along with all believers) am commanded to share the news of Christ’s second coming. We are all modern day forerunners.

As a Christian, have you ever thought of yourself as one who is used by God to make straight the path to heaven? Or are you complacent in your own salvation assurance choosing instead to leave the work of evangelism to someone else? It is a very easy trap to fall into as life provides a myriad of excuses for each of us to claim as reasonable evidence as to why we are not sharing what the gospel offers. We justify our silence and validate the voice that lies when it tells us our faith in Christ alone is too narrow-minded, what others believe is none of our business, or we don’t feel “gifted” in this area of ministry. We have convinced ourselves that God selects a few special souls to share the message that judgment day is drawing near, and He does not need us to reach the masses of unbelievers on earth. We have forgotten we are no different than John the Baptist. We are His forerunners.

How do I know this? Because the last recorded words of Jesus in the Bible were the great commission to His disciples. As He anointed the twelve before He ascended into heaven, He still anoints His followers with His Holy Spirit today. The mission has not changed. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). Two things stand out to me as I read those words of my Lord and Savior—go and tell and I will be with you wherever you are. Jesus did not command me to soak in all the abundant life He has to offer and hoard it for myself. He has asked me to share His amazing love with others, so I may share in my Master’s joy when another sinner joins God’s family.

John the Baptist provided a wonderful example for me to emulate. He wasn’t concerned about how people reacted to his appearance, his actions or his words. John’s focus was always on leading others to repentance and salvation in the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. John was humble of heart and strong in spirit, for he left the results of his proclamations to God. He knew his place in God’s great plan for mankind’s redemption. John was not their Messiah. His only responsibility was to ready their hearts to receive Jesus. John was not appointed to lord over the people, but anointed to point the people to their Lord.

In over two thousand years the commission has not changed. Let us be those voices of light and life crying out in the spiritual wilderness of society so that others may believe. Jesus is coming back. Don’t you find it exciting to be one of His forerunners? I do! Pray with me to respond as John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert. Make straight the way for the Lord” (John 1:23).
Your fellow sojourner,

Mary

A Case of Mistaken Identity

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (I John 4:1).

It happened just this week. I was mistaken for someone I wasn’t. What turned out to be something of a compliment for me was utterly embarrassing for a rambunctious teenage boy. Imagine the scene if you will. The sun is setting after a warm summer day while our community pool is brimming with excitement. A large group of teenage boys and girls are playfully teasing each other as their chaperones watch from their lounge chairs. Doing my best to remain inconspicuous, I carefully dodge their flailing arms and make my way to the opposite end of the pool. One-by-one they begin their reluctant exit out of the water as the chaperones inform them it’s time to go home. Feeling safe I let my guard down; stretching my body out to swim my daily laps. That’s when it happened. My stroke was interrupted by a sudden splash and a tidal wave engulfed my head. “Where did that come from?” I wondered.

Rubbing the water from my eyes, I turned my head to find I was face-to-face with a boy of fifteen. Both of us stunned he broke the silence by saying, “I thought you were Carrie!” It was obvious he’d mistaken me for one of the girls in the group; someone he was trying to flirt with. Fumbling over his words of apology, he was immediately summoned out of the pool. His chaperone could not say “I’m sorry” enough. Once I got over the initial shock I laughed in reply, “Well, I guess it’s nice to be mistaken for a teenager every now and then.” I didn’t have the nerve to reveal my true age, but it didn’t need to be said. While my hair and figure might have allowed me to pass for one of those fifteen-year-old girls, my face wouldn’t. That young man made a hasty decision to jump into the water based on an illusion. He didn’t take time to study all the facts, and now regretted his actions.

This innocent case of mistaken identity got me to thinking, “How many times do we all jump into something based on misinformation?” We become involved in relationships, activities, even churches based on feelings or appearances. Our rationale is to tell ourselves that this thing must be right for us because it looks and feels good. While this makes for some uncomfortable or miserable everyday life experiences, it can have deadly consequences when it applies to our spiritual lives. We can mistake the lie of a message laced with humanism for the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. After all, deceptive messages are clothed in spiritual garb, and are very tempting to our sinful nature.

For most people it’s much easier to listen to preaching about the love and blessings of God, than the wrath and separation from Him our sin has caused. We often seek a relationship with God for what He can give us (in the form of material gifts or answered prayers), instead of acknowledging our need for forgiveness and salvation. Many are following the wrong voice—one that tells them there is no hell, and therefore no need for repentance. We are all assumed to be children of God by the nature of our physical births, and sin is not viewed as an offense to our Creator.

If that were true, then why did Jesus have to die? If sin is not offensive to the Father, then why did it only take the sin of Adam and Eve to condemn the whole human race? Make no mistake, sin deeply offends God. God is not present where sin abounds, He can’t be. His holiness will not share the throne where sin reigns. This is why Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, and the Lord’s presence. When Jesus hung on the cross with all the sins that every person had ever committed, and would ever commit, the Father turned away from Jesus. A beautiful holy God cannot reside in the ugly presence of sin.

This is good news! Because my sin was washed from the Father’s memory by the Son’s blood, I am now mistaken for Jesus. Sometimes it’s hard to take that all in while I’m still struggling with my old sin nature, but praise God He does not give up on me! Like all believers I can rest assured that one day I will join Him in heaven, and be holy as He is holy. Until that day, won’t you join me in heeding the words of Almighty God? Do not be so quick to jump into the pool of deception following what appears to be your Savior. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a discerning heart and mind, so you may obey the true Shepherd’s voice. “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (I John 4:1).
Your fellow sojourner,

Mary

Whom Shall I Send?

This was previously posted on my web site http://extravagantlife.net/site/ in January 2009.

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I, send me” (Isaiah 6:8)!

Have you reached the edge of the road you’ve been traveling on for awhile, and find you’re staring straight into the precipice; wondering what’s next? Me too! Perhaps you’re asking yourself the same question confronting me, “Do I back away from the cliff, turn around and revisit the road most familiar to me, or do I allow God to give me wings to fly miraculously off this secure turf into the wild headwinds?” This is where I’m perched in January, 2009. But how I arrived here was no accident. I was led by a voice so powerful it consumed all my inner critics shouting, “You’re not equipped for this. Don’t do it!”

In the last six months, my life has been accelerating at a pace faster than I can contain; pushing me to either render control of the steering wheel to God, or give up on my calling altogether. The tempter visits me when I’m tired and weak, whispering ever so softly that I shouldn’t press on because I lack the self-discipline, and knowledge, to complete the work before me. It’s scary here outside my comfort zone and area of expertise, but it’s exactly where the greatest adventure lives; the place where I trust God to intervene. For you see, it is His voice I’m following into a new career.

Where has He brought me? Into the public forum where I share my private life, at least parts of it. With the publishing of my book My Heart’s Desire: A Journey Toward Finding Extravagant Love came great excitement coupled with intense fear. I wanted to halt the publication, terrified of my self-inflicted invasion of privacy as my story was about to go global. I feared the reaction from readers absorbing personal experiences my writing revealed. It’s one thing to share intimate life details with loved ones and quite another to let the information soar over an internet blog, and through a paperback book, for strangers to digest.

With so much hesitancy, why am I willing to jump off this emotionally safe cliff I’ve so cleverly fabricated, in my own mind, into the great beyond with all its uncertainty? Because I made a promise to go forward when I heard Jesus calling me, and I know His power will sustain me; not my own. It’s an incredible feeling, standing at the crossroads, knowing the scenery is about to change because of the direction I’m headed. It requires faith to leap into the air trusting God will keep me aloft. But I love Him and want to go wherever He takes me because He’s given me the courage to do so.

How about you? Is God calling you out into uncharted territory for His service? It doesn’t have to be a big project such as writing a book or launching a speaking career. Jesus may need you to walk across the street and offer words of comfort to a hurting neighbor. What about mending a broken relationship with a friend or family member needing your forgiveness? Is Jesus asking you to serve in your church mentoring program, Sunday school class, or some obscure ministry that no one notices but God smiles upon? If He asked you to go on a mission trip, would you go? God loves us regardless of our response to His call to action. But what a shame it would be to miss the joy of witnessing Christ work through us if only we’d accepted His call instead of saying, “Sorry God, all circuits are busy.”

As I venture into this new world of writing and speaking, the Holy Spirit reminds me this is God’s glory road I’m traveling, and I need to take inventory. Whose name is on the street signs that point passersby in the right direction, mine or God’s? Am I making much of my own accomplishments, or His grace that makes all I do possible and successful? My prayer is to be a faithful conduit of God’s love, as I share the glorious things He’s doing in my life. Am I scared? Sometimes, but I’m more afraid of living with the regret of having said no to Him and yes to my insecurities. Can you relate?

If so, do not fear fellow believers in Christ. You are not without a guide, or a roadmap. As you pray to the Holy Trinity they will make the path of every winding turn clear, and provide directions through your daily Bible study. When you receive an answer, test every voice you hear against God’s Word so you may have soul peace and confirmation; proclaiming to others as you leave the curb embarking on God’s glory road trip, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I, send me” (Isaiah 6:8)!
Hope to see you at an intersection soon!

Your fellow sojourner,

Mary