At Dad’s University, we are gearing for a big Fall of changed lives. The power to change a life, a family, a neighborhood, a community, a state, a nation lies in our hands. Take 3 minutes and watch the video. Get a 3 min video update here.Talking The Positive: Facing the Endless Challenge
Psalm 84:5 -7 adapted – What a joy is waiting for those who draw strength from the LORD and have set their minds on a journey to God’s heart and home. When their path takes them through a Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of fresh springs. After the pain and dryness, a season of blessing and rain will cover with favored love, hope, and faith. Strength will be stronger and you will appear before God’s heart and home a new person.
Life presents endless challenge. Many of those blips cause tears and tears. A tear drips and a tear scars. After a while, the scars become calloused and drudge ensues. Even a wet tear won’t soften the stiff heart torn by trauma.
A wise mentor once looked at me in a troublesome time. The prior year seemed to give no growth in our joint business endeavors. With years of experience, he looked at me and said, “Phil, you will find you have grown the most in the hardest times.” He was concerned more about my growth than $ performance. The $ performance would come. And it did come.
Other partners have not been so kind. Focus on greed and immediate gains leads many to live in the calloused world of paining others. It becomes more and more the American environment of discompassionate, inconsiderate, legalistic work and life.
In the coffee shop, my head was drooped over the study of Psalm 90,91, and 92. Really, personal time was all I wanted. From across the corner, a most painful look kept staring at me. The woman was obviously in deep distress. She was frozen and immoveable.
With a breath of prayer, I relinquished my personal time and said a quick prayer, “Father if there is a word of encouragement I can give, enable me. I really want to wallow in my own pain for a moment, but I sense You have another on this path this morning and wish me to be available.”
As I lifted my head, she looked directly at me and asked what I was studying. In conversation, she opened her journey and talked about her divorce, deep depression, hermitage for the last two years, and hope she could find a new life.
“I would just like to find peace.”
The pain was immense. In Psalm 90 there is a prayer that a season of blessing would come as tall as a season of pain was deep, that the season of blessing would be as long as the season of loss. She found some relief in that prayer and after 30 minutes, she left for the next assignment of her day and I finished my study.
A fresh spring of joy welled up in me. A joy I had not felt for some time bubbled in my soul. The surprising result of drying the tears of a stranger and speaking positive, faith-life was healing waters for me. God touches us in the valley.
The Father promises that we prosper in strength, faith, hope, love, courage, joy, goodness, and contented living when we focus on making the journey to His heart and home. Regardless of the “others”, we receive refreshing spring waters from under and rain waters from over of courage and blessing. We will be overtaken and encased in His touch.
Let’s Pray: Father, it is Your Heart and Home to which I journey. Keep me on the sure-footed path. When pain pummels, keep me on the sure-footed path. When tears stream from my face, keep me on the sure-footed path. When tears rip away tender flesh, keep me on the sure-footed path. Cause the fresh spring waters to bubble up from underneath when I can see no way forward. Cause the refreshing rains to pour over me when I have lived in heat and hurt for a season. Stir faith in me. Let me look to You and not to circumstance.
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