Faith Over Fear

I recently listened to a message by Andy Stanley. In this message he talks about Jesus calming the storm. This is an event that is recorded by Mark but told by Peter.

"But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water."

Can you imagine the fear the disciples felt at this point? They were helpless to do anything about the storm. They were at the storm's mercy (or so they thought).

But heres's the thing, the disciples were not alone. Jesus was in the boat with them. Peter tells Mark, "Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion (I love that detail).

Even after all they had seen Jesus do, their fear took over. Peter said they woke him up, shouting, "Teacher, don't you care that we're going to drown?" (An interesting point here is that they called him "Teacher" which indicates they did not truly see Him as their Savior...yet).

Jesus woke up and rebukes the wind and said to the waves, "Silence! Be still!"

Suddenly there was great calm.

I love what He did and didn't do next. He didn't reprimand the disciples for their lack of faith. He didn't yell at them. He asked them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (And knowing Jesus the way I do, I hear Him saying it in a loving and concerned voice).

Peter says that he and the disciples were absolutely terrified. They said, "Who is this man? Even the wind and waves obey Him."

Andy Stanley shares the following points from this passage: Fear and faith are 2 sides of the same coin. At that point the disciples put their faith in the storm. They couldn't see past the storm to see that Jesus, the one in charge of the storm, was in their boat with them.

How does this apply to us? Well, will we put our faith in a global pandemic? Are we trusting this global pandemic to determine our destiny? Have we placed our confidence in a virus?

Sounds ridiculous, I know. But if we are focused on the virus, constantly questioning and trying to figure out what will happen, then we are putting our faith in the virus. If we are allowing this virus to chart our course then we have put our faith in it.

Jesus is asking us, "Why are you trusting in the storm (virus)? Why not trust Me instead?"

Jesus is in our boat. I absolutely believe that. I have to remind myself of that often. But I do believe it.

Let that TRUTH wash over you today. He is in your boat. He will never leave you or forsake you. Fix your eyes on Him.

#OneWord2020: CONNECT

As I sit at my desk in the pre-dawn moments of the very first day of the new year and the new decade I ponder the past, the present and the future. That's what new years are for, right?

A blank page
A new start
365 days of wonder all wrapped neatly into 12 months

Two years ago I stopped setting New Year's Resolutions (I mean the only one I can remember setting and keeping for an extended period of time was to recycle) and started choosing a word, just one word that would carry me through the year and be my intentional focus.

I have been amazed at how each year I don't have to search a list or ask people or research at all what my #OneWord will be. Each year, since 2018, my word has found me.

My #OneWord2018 was RESOLVE. I was doing a Bible study on the book of Daniel and these words jumped off the page:

BUT DANIEL RESOLVED

I knew in that moment that my word for the year was going to be RESOLVE. In 2018 I needed to be steadfast in the decisions I made, the work I did and the battles I fought. I needed to resolve to be strong no matter what. 

My #OneWord2019 was PRESENT. And as with RESOLVE, it found me. I was at a time in my life (in the middle of my first full year as a principal) when I needed to focus on being present. When that word chose me, there was a time of grief at all the moments I had missed because I was not present. I was either too busy ruminating about mistakes in the past, too concerned with the to-do list of the present or too worried about what the future held. Even when in the moment of a conversation with a friend or family member I would find myself pondering what I was going to say and not give them the gift of my full attention. Do you know how much you miss when you are not present in each moment? 

After having a full year with the word RESOLVE and not focusing on it as much as I should, I knew I needed to do a better job with PRESENT. So I put screensavers on my phone and my Apple watch to remind me. I created a Pinterest board with all kinds of quotes on being present. A good friend and colleague surprised me with this amazing bracelet and I wore it almost every single day to be that constant reminder: "Suzie, be present in THIS moment."

As 2019 came to a close I was surprised at how easily my #OneWord2020 came to me; it basically landed in my lap. 

CONNECT

This word came to be me not only through books I was reading but in just doing every day life, in being observant, in watching how others connect or don't connect.

I just finished reading #KidsTheseDays by @JodyCarrington. She says so much about connection and the dangerous repercussions we are facing due to the tidal wave of disconnection.

"We are wired for connection." 

Dr. Jody Carrington

Feelings of isolation, loneliness, and a complete disconnection from others is causing so many problems in our society today. It's not the guns. It's not even the technology. It's not the busyness. It's the disconnection. Connecting can and will heal so much. Connecting can and will change the path others are on, like one raindrop falling into another one. The two become one and the path they travel becomes so different than their original path.

This will be my focus 2020. I want to purposefully connect or reconnect with people. I want to be purposeful to help others connect or reconnect.

I hope you will join me on my journey. I hope to document my growth through blogs and tweets. This will help hold me accountable.

One final word: I am so thankful for the connections I have made this year through Twitter and Voxer. Being a part of #4OCFPLN has completely changed the trajectory of my journey.

Connect.
Reconnect.
Let's go!