Your Rescue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYR0xP1j4PY&list=RDgYR0xP1j4PY&start_radio=1&t=0

Rescue ~ Lauren Daigle

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

~ Psalm 91:14-16 NIV

In Lord of the Rings: Two Towers at the battle for Helm's Deep, the soldiers are exhausted. They’ve been fighting all night with no hope of help or rescue in sight. But as dawn breaks, Theoden calls on the king to ride out to meet the battle. On horseback, spurred on only by hope, the men charge out into the think of their enemy. Surrounded on every side, it appears as though their courage has gained them nothing. But look! There, on the hilltop, they see him: Gandalf. With victory in his hand and an army by his side, he charges down in light and glory to defeat the dark enemy and win the battle.

That’s a great battle scene because of the triumphant ending. But in real life, our battles aren’t won in a tidy two- to four-hour timeframe. Most last weeks, months, or years. If the king’s soldiers were ready to give up after just a few hours, how can we be expected to hold on to hope for months or years? Because we have someone greater than Gandalf. We have the King of kings and the Lord of lords and He holds charge over the angel armies. He’s fighting for you in the heavenlies, even when you can’t see it.

Lauren Daigle’s “Rescue” says:

I will send out an army to find you in the middle of the darkest night. It’s true. I will rescue you.

I will never stop marching to reach you in the middle of the hardest fight. It’s true. I will rescue you.

Whether you’re facing the darkness of night or the exhaustion of the hardest fight, you can bet your King, Father God, has already dispatched His angels to fight for you. And you can know that He’s standing and fighting with you.

Don’t give up, oh son, oh daughter. The Lord promises: I will protect him and be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him. I will rescue him.

©Heather Potts 2020

How Do You Eat an Elephant?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM46ME7pAoU

One Step at a Time ~ Psalty

The LORD directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way? ~ Proverbs 20:24 NLT

A little girl overheard her mother say, “Doing that is like trying to eat an elephant!” Later that day, while playing at the park, the little girl asked a man, “How do you eat an elephant?” The man didn’t want to deal with it, so he walked away. The girl asked a few more people, but none would answer her. Finally, she asked an older couple sitting on a bench. The couple looked at each with a knowing smile. Then the husband said to the little girl, “We’ve always found it’s best to eat an elephant one bite at a time.”

Surrounded by faculty and staff at Tuesday’s in-service, I felt a bit overwhelmed for all the changes and needs this coming year brings. Even though the administration has done an excellent job of preparing and coaching everyone through the plans for this year, the task still seems a bit daunting. At the same time, I have several friends who are looking to make huge changes in their lives.

In each of our lives, we will face mountains that seem as impossible to climb as eating an elephant whole. We may try to ignore the mountain or find a way around it. We might even back way up to get a good running start. But try as we might, we’ll never be able to make it in a single leap. Unfortunately, the only way to conquer the mountain is to take it one step at a time. Your progress may feel slow at first. You may even slip or slide back a few times. But keep going and you’ll get there.

Regardless of the particulars of your mountain, it’s still just an elephant you’re trying to eat. And, as the little girl learned, the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.

©Heather Potts 2020

Always Be Joyful

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=US1-R-R9lYQ&list=RDUS1-R-R9lYQ&start_radio=1

Run Devil Run ~ CROWDER

Always be joyful because you belong to the Lord. I will say it again. Be joyful! ~ Philippians 4:4 NIRV

I was so delighted to see the photo of Savannah's baptism pop up in my Google memories from last year. It was a good day. Savannah had been asking to be baptized for a while. When the opportunity presented itself, Savannah met with church leadership and they agreed she was ready. For her baptism, Savannah could have a family member help to baptize her. She picked me. I was so honored to be part of her special moment!

These days feel so far from that moment in time, where everything seemed perfect. Now, when the world is in constant chaos, it can seem hard to find reasons to celebrate. But as Philippians 4:4 reminds us, because we belong to the Lord, we can always be full of joy.

Often times, people—myself included—confuse joy with happiness. Happiness is based on happenings: external events that happen to us. Whereas joy is something that happens within us, because of our relationship with Jesus. Pastor and author Rick Warren said joy is "the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation."

Every day, we can choose peace and joy. Or we can join the world's chaos and agree with everything that's wrong. Today, take a moment to practice joy. Spend some time praising God for what He has done, is doing, and will do in and through your life. Make the decision to be joyful, always.

©Heather Potts 2020