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Taking a leap… exhilarating and terrifying all at once. You can even see it in some of the synonyms for leap --- bound, hurtle, soar and rise!

No one wants to be hurtled over a cliff with the hope you can catch the adjacent mountain side. But soar off a cliff --- having wings to fly to the next destination… now, who doesn’t long for that!

The truth is most of the time those leaps of faith involve both a hurtling and a soaring, hence exhilarating and terrifying. When a choice is made to change directions, faith is involved… faith is being certain of that which we cannot see and sure of what we hope for. Okay, that’s the Biblical definition. If we were honest our jump is full of the Biblical definition and doubt, apprehension, second-guessing and paralyzing fear of “What have I done?”

Not to be overly simplistic but in my own life there are three reasons fear robs the freeing aspect of leaping… the part that says, “I’m all in and my faith will sustain this forward momentum”.

First, our natural instinct is to look backward, in the past. Think of Lot’s wife... she hurtled herself out of the city, but she didn’t soar. For those not familiar with the story, she actually became an incredibly odd pillar of salt because she looked back. She desired to return to what was. This is the complete opposite of soaring. Victims of abuse, at times, can even long to return to their abuser because it is the known, and they minimize the abuse. Isn’t it true? We often tend to romanticize and glamorize the past, especially when our insecurities and doubts overtake us. Leading to the second reason we don’t leap…

We’ve chosen to not be PRESENT in the here and now. We’ve been given a gift when we awake and still have breath --- it’s called TODAY! Do we recognize the blessing of the here and now? And how ironic that the moment in which we stand has a dual meaning --- PRESENT --- it’s a gift for the here and now. Don’t fall asleep to what is right in front of you; don’t let it pass you by without a glance. How you view the present will affect whether you have the courage and vision to leap into the unknown. Choose wisely to view the HERE AND NOW in panoramic vision.           

Lastly, don’t we struggle to trust the process. We live in a society of instant gratification. Amnesia occurs so quickly when we forget that all good things take time, hard work, and often crisis moments. Think about it… even an award-winning novel doesn’t become acclaimed without a solid crisis. Consciously, recognize that the leap will not automatically place you where you want to be… it’s just the starting point to a great big adventure.

For those who share my faith, let’s also ask ourselves if we trust who’s on the other side when we fling ourselves over the cliff. Envision a child on the side of a pool and her daddy awaiting within the pool for the jump. How quickly the child leaps will demonstrate her trust in the father whose arms are outstretched and ready to catch. Where is her mindset focused? On her own frailties, weaknesses, and fear or on the sufficiency, ability, and reliability of her father? Do we trust our Heavenly Father’s encouragement to soar and be confident that His arms will be there waiting?

Don’t misunderstand. I’m all for analyzing the costs/benefits, weighing pros/cons, giving it some time to marinate. However, don’t wait too long to experience the wind on your face, the sheer joy of freedom, and the exhilaration of soaring! Go ahead! Take the Leap!

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Decision-making can involve a period of self-imposed, excruciating waiting and painstaking pondering of the choices. Being an Enneagram 9, I flip flop like a fish freshly reeled in onto the boat deck. Working with people, I’m convinced I’m not the only one who struggles “to get it right” when approached with that ever-perplexing fork in the road.

Some of you are impulsive and make choices on a whim and live with the consequences. And some of you look only at what could go wrong --- allowing the risk analysis to take the lead in your planning. Others of you choose to do what you deem “right” even though your heart leads differently. And what about those of you who desire uniqueness above all else --- your soul cries out for your decisions to be varied from the status quo.

If you are human, then you have had to grapple with seeking clarity while making decisions no matter your personality type. Here are some stumbling blocks you may have run into during your journey to determining the next step.

Procrastination is a postponing of a decision in the hopes the decision will ultimately be made for you. You use all your delaying tactics --- weighing the pros and cons, awaiting a sign or a season of least resistance, complete menial tasks that suddenly have become urgent, take a poll among your family, friends and acquaintances (you can never have too much input – said no one!) Procrastination often is unnecessary and impedes forward movement. Become curious about your procrastination – “Why are you putting off a decision?”

Nothing exhausts us more or shuts down creativity like perfectionism. Perfectionism can lead to paralysis or a constantly seeking for better – a life without discontent. There is nothing inherently wrong with wanting to do something right or improve upon. Perfectionism becomes a problem when the focus is on the impossible feat of being perfect – without fault, errors, or wrong turns. Some of our best inventions have come to fruition through a series of failures.

Waffling is the result of procrastination and perfectionism. It’s the inability to reach a concrete conclusion and stay the course when the doubts rush in. Basically, waffling leads to idleness which leads to no decision being clearly made. Wafflers need to be aware of the emotional toll such a deliberation takes upon the soul and mind. I can personally attest to this. Another name for this is second-guessing, and it does us no favors!

A myriad of options in our society can be a detriment to the process of decision-making. In an article, “Too Many Choices” the American Psychological Association quotes Barry Schwartz (PhD and Swarthmore College psychologist and author of The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less) --- “But there’s a point where all of this choice starts to be not only unproductive, but counterproductive – a source of pain, regret, worry about missed opportunities and unrealistically high expectations.” Bottom line – narrowing your choices can streamline the decision-making process.

Often another source of angst in our determination is to decide between two things. Do you want cake or ice cream? But couldn’t it be both, and? Why can’t we have both cake and ice cream? Sometimes we are attempting to make a decision based upon this or that when it should be the both, and decision.

As we navigate all these stumbling blocks in our path to clarity, keep in mind their goal is to sabotage and prevent us from moving forward. Even my non-decisive ‘9’ knows that clarity often is confirmed once the decision is made. That is where clarity, once disguised, becomes evident in the freedom, peace and confidence experienced after making that initial step, that very 1st decision to move forward.

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Green thumb? I am not! I tend to cause a slow, agonizing death to any living plant in my home. However, there are a few simple gardening principles that even a failed gardener can understand. First, the specific seed you plant will produce the kind of vegetable, fruit, etc. you are planting. In other words, you can’t plant a cucumber seed and hope for an apple tree. Obvious though it may seem, how often have we sown a seed and believed it would create something else? For example, a greed seed was planted, and the belief was that it would make us more generous. Or the concept of work harder than others and then you will reap identity and self-worth. We’ve all at times attempted to defy this principle of reaping what we sow.

Second, do not allow weeds to grow with your plants, thereby, starving your desired plants from much needed nutrients. Some weeds are quite stunning and appear harmless, however, underneath they suck the lifeline from the soil. Likewise, many times we allow counterfeit fruit to grow in the garden of our minds, robbing us of the benefits of the true, authentic fruit from the Spirit. 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” – Galatians 5:22-23

Read below for a short explanation of the fruit that brings hope, abundance, and contentment along with their potential counterfeits.

Fruit of Love --- Contrary to public opinion, love is not warm, fuzzy feelings that come and go on a whim. Love does well for, sacrifices for, and advocates for another. Love does not initiate based upon emotion, but upon action!

Counterfeit fruit is Lust --- Lust desires and seeks to seize no matter the cost to the other person. Lust is consumed with the basic hunger for another and is never satisfied. However, lust towards one can be fleeting --- coming and going based upon the attraction, emotion, or craving.

Fruit of Joy --- Tony Evans said it best --- “Joy consists of internal stability in spite of external circumstances.” Joy allows the holder to reside with both grief and hope, recognizing both bring growth and purpose. Thankfulness accompanies JOY by reminding us through the valleys of life that there are always reasons to be grateful if we have eyes to see!

Counterfeit fruit is Happiness --- Happiness is seeking for an external object, event, or person to bring gladness. Therefore, it is temporal and is a direct result of circumstances. Never should it be our end goal because it is often out of our hands.

Fruit of Peace --- Again, not dependent upon circumstances; contentment that all is well with our soul even when the world swirls out of control. Liken this to the eye of a storm --- where within the center there is calm, even though the storm violently circles the eye.

Counterfeit fruit is Control --- Control leads to the false belief that circumstances can always be manipulated, designed, and managed to the desired outcome. It’s a futile attempt to be masters of our own ship, forgetting that hurricanes can wreck all kinds of disaster upon the best commandeered ship.

Fruit of Patience --- Waiting… like a farmer who tends to the garden despite no proof of the future harvest to unfold in the coming months. In the waiting, roots grow deep and drink from the nutrients of the soil in order to be able to handle the abundance of fruit to come. 

Counterfeit fruit is Slothfulness --- Choosing inaction and blindly believing that no action is needed. In this state, we become numb, apathetic, and resentful of others. 

Fruit of Kindness --- Kindness is a state of being that comes from an inward determination to treat others with dignity, worth, and love. As Brene Brown states, “Clear is kind, Unclear is unkind”. A disposition, nurtured by the Creator Himself within; speaking love, compassion, and generosity into our innermost being so we overflow into others.

Counterfeit fruit is Nice --- Being nice, is an attempt to display an outward behavior that will cause acceptable and desired outcome in the actions of others. A method to focus on appeasing others and falsify on the surface that all is well. 

Fruit of Goodness --- Goodness is being filled with pure motives toward our actions; choosing to conduct ourselves in a way that benefits others and brings glory to our Creator. 

Counterfeit fruit is Self-Righteous --- Promoting self as the standard for moral character; raising self-up to appear superior to others. The focus is self rather than others.

Fruit of Faithfulness --- Remaining committed to a relationship, purpose, or ideology even when circumstances attempt to derail. Think of synonyms like steadfast, loyal, reliable and authentic. 

Counterfeit fruit is Co-Dependency ---When we are co-dependent, we heavily rely on another in order to fill an emptiness or need within us. Often, we struggle to know identity separate from the other; the dependence has produced an unhealthy cycle.

Fruit of Gentleness --- The Golden Rule in a nutshell --- Treat others the way we want to be treated! Those with gentleness, have nurtured humbleness of spirit that doesn’t need to be right as much as present with a bowl full of mercy, grace and love.

Counterfeit fruit is People Pleasing --- Their fruit looks pleasing on the surface because it has all the appearance of putting others first. However, it comes at a cost to the self we were created to be. We were, each one, created to stand out with all our uniqueness. 

Fruit of Self-Control --- Self-Control is the ability to sacrifice good for better and better for best. Delayed gratification lived out on a regular basis.

Counterfeit fruit is Self-Idolation --- Succumbing to every whim in an attempt to satiate our emotions, desires, and dreams.

Therefore…

Let us be very careful to plant the proper fruits in the garden of our souls! 

The authentic fruit of the Spirit are divinely gifted and lead to deep contentment within our soul, a refining of our purpose, and mission to serve others.

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“You see the gospel is the good news because the bad news is without hope. And I can’t help but wonder: If we really considered how bad the bad news is, and how good the good news of Jesus is…”

---When Strivings Cease by Ruth Chou Simons

The good news came after the suffering, pain, and death. Let’s take these moments together to remember and relate to the days leading up to the crucifixion.

Have you ever considered all of the human emotions, thoughts, and burdens that must have been present the week leading up to Christ’s crucifixion and then resurrection? According to Christianity.com (article by Danielle Bernock), the Latin word for Passion is “suffering and enduring”, however, she goes on to define passion as originally meaning “A willingness to suffer for what you love.” Incredible! Isn’t this quite profoundly what Christ did? He subjected Himself to the suffering because of His deep love for His creation – US! Walk with me through His last days before His physical death.

The Last Supper

Can you imagine what suffering our Savior must have endured as He sat and partook of a meal with His disciples and commemorated what was about to occur; despite, the knowledge that these men He loved would betray, deny and abandon Him. The arguments that ensued about who was greater among the disciples must have appeared completely trivial and petty in light of the redemptive mission that was only hours away. This had to be immensely heartbreaking to Christ who witnessed their ignorance to the gravity of the situation.

To not be taken seriously or misunderstood

Prayer in the Garden

As Christ poured out His grief to the Father, His disciples slept! He once again had to make a conscious decision and surrender to the willingness to suffer excruciating pain for those He loved and desired to give new life. The sorrow was so great that Luke defines it as “…and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” How alone He must have felt!

To feel alone, figuratively and literally

Betrayal

Christ then endured the brutal betrayal of one of His own as they came to arrest Him. Can you imagine looking into the eyes of one you love dearly only to see betrayal and loss of hope?!

To be betrayed by one you love

The Arrest

And then all chaos erupts as an ear is cut off by a rogue disciple attempting to fight the inevitable. Christ upends their desire to rage physical war by healing the severed ear. Christ is arrested and His disoriented disciples flee! Although divinely He had chosen to surrender Himself because of love for each of us, I’m curious whether His human element held doubt in this moment as the storm brewing in the heavenly realms, as well as earthly, conspired against Him.

To doubt the purpose due to abandonment

The Trials

Christ stood before the chief priests, Pilate, and Herod while people threw insults and lies about Him. The King of Kings was mocked and ridiculed and for the most part remained silent, selectively choosing when to speak. There was no real defense given on His part as He was keenly aware of His purpose, which was only hours away from reality. But still… the accusations had to cut to the core of His being.

To be ridiculed and mocked by your enemies

The Crucifixion

And then horrors of horror, to be nailed to a cross because of the purpose clearly etched in His DNA --- to save and redeem! With this in mind, He willingly surrendered His life for each of us. He could have had a different response (think more like the whip in the temple on steroids) humbling His accusers and murderers, but God had swung into action with a plan to give us hope, redemption, and new life in abundance.

To succumb to the purpose although fully able to end it

The Sin

All these years, there’s been this belief that Christ, who had no sin, took all our sin upon Himself as He endured the cross. And I believe this to be true, but recently, an epiphany has woven itself through my mind and soul. Could it be that the pain, outside of the obvious physical torture upon Him, was centered around, not the sin itself, but the ramifications of the sin on each of our lives? Could it be the anguish that permeated His being in His death was watching the effects of our sin unfold in our lives? Did His pain, at least in part, result from being able to see into the future how sin would ravage our lives, seeking  to destroy His beautiful creation? Didn’t He long to set each of us free from the destructive aftermath of sin in our lives --- wasn’t this His motivation?

Death, loss, suffering, agony, a tomb, buried… it is finished!

But God! Resurrection!

But God, all along, had a plot twist that led to a surprise climax.

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen!” --- Luke 24:5-6

Life, Hope, Joy, and Celebration!

And just like that, grief was replaced with hope, death with life, and despair with redemption! New life had erupted onto the scene and life would never be the same!

Thankful the story did not end at the cross, but instead the pages continued, culminating in the resurrection of our Lord! New life is right around the corner with a decision to follow Your Creator and Redeemer! Choose abundant life!

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Let’s return to a concept previously discussed --- the philosophy that each of us has spent enormous amounts of time and energy accumulating layers of protection around our true self – the one our Creator designed. These often were beneficial and worked to a degree as a child, however, we are no longer children. These layers tend to self-sabotage forward momentum for each of us. We are struck by the stark reality that we need to spend the rest of our days peeling away these coverings, one by one, to once again reveal who we were created to be --- our one authentic self.

Insulation from the hurt of existing has been one layer adorned to protect me over the years. At one point, I’m sure it was able to do just that, at least to a degree. But life has a way of calling our bluff, and hence, the realization that we are not well as much as we attempt to convince the world we are. In my life, this protective covering took many forms --- stuffing emotions, numbing hurt, setting emotion to the side, and holding others at arm’s length. In this space, life could continue to function… until it didn’t.

Life began to affect me! And as a nine on the Enneagram, this is something we fear and attempt at all costs to avoid. I rebelled by intensifying my before mentioned coping mechanisms, but they began to backfire --- causing more heartache and “being affected”. Peeling away the layers that have become comfortable and familiar has been a humbling experience, but also full of hope, liberation, and peace!

Transformation takes time, intentionality, willingness to “Metamorph”, and energy! It’s essential --- a shedding of the old and an entering to the new reality. Look for a moment at a snake shedding their skin… Do you know they can shed their skin 4-12 times a year (according to Iowa DNR)? And do you know why? Because their skin does not grow with them --- it would inhibit growth without the shedding! Also, the skin may have picked up harmful parasites that need to be discarded. Again according to Iowa DNR, this can take days to a couple weeks! In other words, transformation is not a quick process. Read those five sentences again. Do you see the rich parallel for your own life? We need to continuously shed that which is preventing growth and the habits that seek to destroy.

If you practice Lent, may you utilize the season of March 2nd – April 14th as a time for transformation (you can utilize my e-book as a tool for assistance in this endeavor). If you do not practice Lent, may you carve out space in the near future to address the areas in your life that need transformation? What have you been clinging to that no longer fits and is full of harmful ramifications? Strip yourself of these, but don’t worry! You won’t be naked for long because our Abba has a way of putting on the new stuff that gives life! To me it’s the principle of fasting and indulging --- taking off or doing without in order to put on in abundance that which is life-giving!

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The principle of putting off in order to put on is a great one for transformational purposes in the New Year 2022. Surprisingly, to some, this is a biblical principle. When God requests removal from our lives, something of sustenance and purpose follows to put on.

The putting off is a catalyst to growth and abundance through removing something of demise and replacing with something better, healthier and more rewarding. If we only put off, it may only lead to behavior modification; we adjust a specific action. However, If not replaced with something, our transformation which is from the inside out will be stifled. Thereby, making it easier to be lured back to our old patterns.

Transformation leads to fulfillment --- the intended goal for our life by our Creator. He doesn’t just want our actions to change since that tends to be short-lived and sporadic. He is aiming for a heart change where we are remade from the inside out. The heart expands and seizes the transformation, thereby, dramatically affecting the way we live our everyday behaviors!

The word transform comes from the word metamorph which is what a caterpillar experiences when it enters the cocoon as one being and comes out a completely different, yet stunningly beautiful creation, a butterfly. Transformation is so much more than modifying a behavior --- it is the start of a new being as our minds and hearts are transformed fulfilling our Savior’s purpose in our lives with abundance and its intended goal.

How can we choose this New Year to not just change our behavior but be transformed?

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The songs of the season and the retelling of all the Christmas stories of past are reflector lights guiding us with their principles and lessons. Please humor me as I highlight the emphasis of just a few.

The Grinch, in just a few phrases, taught us that the spirit of Christmas is so much more than gifts. “How could it be so? It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes or bags… Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store… Maybe Christmas… perhaps… means a little bit more!”  Oh, the brilliance of those words calling from the past! 

“Fall on your knees; O hear the Angel voices!” beckons us to reverence and awe of Immanuel --- God with us! When do we allow ourselves the opportunity to claim this holy space of adoration for the one and only eternal gift?

How can we ignore that Santa’s eyes twinkled with merriment the Night Before Christmas as he bestowed presents with such a giving heart. How it stands in stark contrast to our hustle and bustle to find the right gifts that will soon be forgotten. We discover a call to the simple act of giving without expectation.

Joy to the World reminds us to repeat the sounding voice of joy and thankfulness. Joy comes even in the midst of chaos, hurt and disappointment if we have eyes to see. Think of celebrating its presence with gusto as Clark Griswold did --- “JOY TO THE WORLD”. And then await the glorious response of HOPE!

Rudolph the Reindeer reminds us of the importance of being kind, treating others the way we would like to be treated. Why? Because those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

“Jingle Bells, Jingle bells, Jingle all the way”.  Music, song and dance create pure joy and fun in my life. Recently, I confessed that when my desire for music wanes, I know the enemy is at work. To which my daughter promptly replied, “So basically you are saying when your life isn’t a musical, the enemy is attacking”. Yep, pretty much!

And who can forget Tiny Tim in Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, who valiantly proclaimed, “God bless us, every one!” Christ did come for ALL! Each of us has to be willing to open the gift freely given, but it is for each of us. There it is nestled under your tree with your name on it. Go ahead and open it!

The Gift of the Magi reflects the spirit of selfless giving through self-sacrifice. How could it be that they experienced such joy and thankfulness when they could no longer use their gifts? Could it be they understood and embraced the authentic spirit and meaning of the season?

“Silent Night! Holy Night! All is calm, and all is bright!” The blessed ramifications of seeking the sacred are so evident. Your soul cannot afford not to create this space. For connection with your Creator and Savior is paramount to everything else in your life.

And Linus from a Peanuts Christmas reminds all of us of the reason we celebrate the season:

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this (shall be) a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (taken from  Luke 2:8-14)

And then Linus turns and says, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown”.

Christmas should never ever lose its Message of Good News to all who have ears to hear and a willingness to accept this free gift!

Merry Christmas!

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Give thanks! Why? First and foremost, the words from our precious Lord are clear that giving thanks is critical to our active faith. Second, gratefulness changes our perspective, the lenses of how we view the world. Third, it lifts our spirits, transforming us from the inside out. These are all closely related but slightly different.

All through Scripture, the admonition to give thanks is prevalent. Praise is closely related to giving thanks. We are recognizing and identifying what our spirit is thankful for and lifting up and acknowledging what our Redeemer is doing and Who He is! Whether it is in the Psalms where David mixes his despair with praise, the Lord’s Prayer modeled by our Messiah, or Paul’s letters to the multiple churches, the theme is consistent in the practice of gratefulness and praise. Our Creator knew that there was something quite powerful in this simple act of faith.

Don’t misunderstand! This action rarely changes your circumstances, but it does transform your perspective, displaying insight you could not view without the act of giving thanks. When you walk into a dark house all looks eerie and threatening. However, as you begin to light up the house with a flip of the switch, the rooms are illuminated; casting a proper perspective upon what was moments before quite frightening. Nothing truly changed except perspective. The light provided a lens for us to view life more clearly. This is the perspective that a grateful heart experiences once acted upon!

Our mindset is transformed which in return lifts our moods. We can be experiencing a period of depression or despair, but thanksgiving enters the situation. Our mindset shifts quite remarkably, thereby, altering our mood. When practicing the art of being grateful, one cannot settle in the land of dismay and remain. The cloud of despair is lifted as our soul sings and rises with giving thanks and praise to our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer!

Once again, God Almighty designed a principle to live by that once adhered to provides the sustenance to hold steady and stay the course! Embrace this life-altering principle; add to your daily practice and watch faith grow, perspective shift, and joy return!

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What can we learn from the changing of the leaves and their release from the branches that have held them in place for two seasons? There is so much to gain as we reflect upon this process. Could it be that our Creator has set into motion the seasonal transitions to be an ongoing symbol of the beauty in each season and the necessity to embrace their correlating meaning and purpose? 

This season I am clinging to the idea of givenness, release, and abundant mentality (phrase coined by Ann Voskamp from The Broken Way). These colorful, vibrant leaves give so much during autumn. They are a masterpiece of beauty as they dazzle us with their miraculous hues, mesmerizing us by the ability to change so drastically and brilliantly! They give us joy in the simple act of beholding their loveliness! And then they are released from the branches that once held them so securely. However, even in their given nature, there is life --- there is abundance for the future!

Interestingly, Britannica.com, describes the importance of the falling of the leaves. The leaves are unable to sustain the brutal conditions of winter which in return would cause the growth of the tree to be stifled and eventually to die if they were to remain on the branches. Without healthy foliage, there would not be photosynthesis which feeds the tree. The very act of the tree giving the leafage is a necessary action of self-protection.

Wow! Can you perceive where I am going with this analogy? Oh, it is so rich!

And add a further description from Britannica that the effects of summer often cause the leaves to become insect eaten, diseased or damaged. They go on to say “Dropping them gives the plant a fresh start in the spring.” Oh yes, the plot thickens for the correlation with our own lives…

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”

Isaiah 43:18-19

Life has a way of wearing us down to the point we hold so tightly to the very things that are killing us because our minds are set on scarcity and control.

• Don’t let go… we might need that!

• It’s too painful to release that person!

• Hold on stubbornly to some semblance of control.

• You’re asking too much! That’s the way I cope!

And the excuses of why we can’t let go could go on and on, but the bottom line is we don’t trust that it is best. What if we could learn the lesson of the leaves well? What if it became our mantra?

The act of releasing brings forth Fresh Starts and Abundance!

In the very act of its givenness, the tree is fortified and is granted new life --- an abundance that is displayed in the spring season. What about us? As we hand over the very things that have deceived us and are actually killing us, we are blessed with abundant life! As we live given…  releasing that which our precious Lord identifies as “things” that are robbing us of the best life... we find more than we knew existed. It is the great paradox --- the more we trust and release and let go; the more joy, contentment, and abundant life follows!

Disney sometimes gets it right, cue Frozen’s “Let it go”. Seriously, release and take a deep breath, watching what our Creator is able to develop in our lives when we willingly give over what is no longer needed and is detrimental to our life. An existence that is overflowing with abundant bounty as we allow ourselves to be stripped of the vices and sins holding us back and succumb to His ways and His grace that is patiently waiting.

Think on it; let’s marinate our thoughts on it, and allow ourselves to be changed by this abundant mentality!

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I’ve done quite a bit of reflection concerning the word pride. If you are like me, you grew up being taught pride comes before the fall and considering the serious offense of thinking more of yourself than you ought. Simultaneously, you clung to the words of a loved one, “I am proud of you”, as a lifeline. What an oxymoron --- pride is good, pride is bad.

“I just want you to be proud of me.” How many of us have uttered these vulnerable words throughout life? And how many times have you heard it from your children, co-workers, friends, and family? Consequently, what do we mean when we say “I am proud of you”?

Often that phrase is attached to certain behavior, and at times particular character traits. It carries feelings of worth, being seen as productive and capable, praise for a job well done, and recognizes achievement. In and of itself, we greatly appreciate when others notice us --- it can provide motivation, joy, and satisfaction to name a few. 

But what if deep down, we feel inadequate, unworthy, inferior, “not enough”? Then even if someone says, “I am proud of you”, we will believe it to be a lie, insincere, and untrue. We believe we have to do more, succeed more, and be recognized more in order for us to meet the criteria for someone to be proud of us. We become addicted to chasing down more approval. Seeking for others to be proud of us leads to continually doing to attain that ever elusive pride --- always shifting and unsatisfying.

I can’t recollect any scripture where our Lord said He was proud of us. Could it be because He knew it would rob us of lasting peace and freedom? It’s fleeting due to circumstances and what we do and don’t do --- how we excel or fail --- rather than on

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So I’d like to challenge you with a task I’ve taken on. Let’s eliminate, or at the very least reduce, the phrase “I am proud of you” and replace it with phrases that each and every one of us needs to hear. The words that our Creator and Savior so generously lavished upon each of us, and may we have ears to hear them:

I love, accept, and forgive you!

I value you as a masterpiece created with great purpose!

You have meaning and are relevant in the present!

Your past sins and failures do not define you!

You are not a mistake!

When we are able to see ourselves and others as God’s masterpiece --- faults, strengths, failures, giftedness all lumped together in a mosaic of beauty --- the result?…

Oh, the blessed freedom of body, mind, and soul!

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