To Know and To Do (A Good Prayer for 2013)

Twenty-twelve was an incredible year. We watched our country democratically elect a president, got to witness American athletes win gold after gold in the olympics, saw yet another iPhone hit the market and even got to see Taylor Swift release another CD. Based on these observations: ’twas a good year.

On the other hand, most of us watched out televisions stunned and helpless as the news rolled out that a man had walked into an elementary school and had murdered dozens of children. For weeks and even now, the world groped for an answer to the question of “why?” This summer my neighborhood was sent reeling we learned that a little girl had gone missing. We cried when they found her small body. Political lines were drawn, and acts of good will were forgone. A theater shooting left us speechless. A hurricane powerless.

If I were to look at these accounts, twenty-twelve was not a good year for America. For the human race.

During a time of upheaval in the Old Testament, preceding a great war, and during the reign of a distraught and unhealthy king, there were a large band of men that gathered to lay siege to their broken society of Israel. Their nation was in disarray, their values and leadership were unfocused on God. And so, as the Bible came to call them, the “Mighty Men of David” gathered around to take hold, and to bring about a new reality in their kingdom.

There were thousands of them, and the Bible says that the weakest was as worthy as a hundred men, the greatest, a thousand. These men, in the face of chaos and a fractured society, weren’t wallowing. They didn’t complain on blogs, or sit around campfires and sulk. Instead, they gathered. Instead, they decided to fight the better of fights.

The Bible mentions one group of men that catches my eye every time. They were called the “men of Isschar.” And unlike the other groups of men, numbering tens of thousands, this group measured smaller. While most the groups were warriors, wielding sword and spear, this group is not mentioned in that way. There were a special group, it seems to me.

The only thing we read of the Sons of Isschar is this:

“…Of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their kinsmen were at their command.” – 1Chronicles 12:32

No, these weren’t ordinary men at all.

As I look at twenty-thirteen, there is a hope but also a conviction I have for the days to come. Our society is wrought with adversity, and while many things could aide in the help of our people, the only real hope is our dear Jesus. Our world needs a fresh hope, a new heart, and an eternity of grace to stand firm on. It needs less self-help books. It needs more peace that passes understanding. It needs less Jersey Shore. It needs more dinners with friends and laughter. It needs less money. It needs more charity.

I am inviting you to pray the prayer I’m praying for twenty-thirteen: that God would grant me wisdom and a “knowledge of the times”. That I would have deep understanding of the world, and that then I would have the will from God to do what needs to be done. I don’t think I am being overdramatic when I say the world needs a new set of men and women of Isschar.

Here’s to the new year. May we lay hold of our family and our year in a new way. May God grant us wisdom. May we know what needs to be done. And may we have His will to do it.

Amen.

What About Your Money?

I think televangelists are onto something.

Before you stop reading this post, let me explain.

They talk a lot about “give, and God will give you more,” “be faithful, and God will give you blessing,” “bless, and be blessed.”

…To which you internally shudder, because we know that sometimes there is a skewing here of “give to our foundation and God will (__________).” “Send us a check and you will (________).” Your red flag is a-wavin’ at this point. You know something is amiss.

There are some of these TV titans that have been found to be a fraud. (Think Tammy Fay Baker’s streaming make-up confessional). I have heard first-hand stories of people taken advantage of by these skewed systems. It angers me to think that our God was misrepresented in this way. And yet…

I think the televangelists are onto something.

In the last 6 months God has been radically leading Jon and I to give more of our money. It started with a Compassion Child in October, then a giving campaign in December, then a re-evaluating of our giving in January. Each time, we stepped up to the plate with prayer, expectancy, and lots and lots of hope. And each time, God knocked it out of the park. We gave faithfully, God truly and overwhelmingly has given us so much more.

Rewind 2 years. Jon and I were knee deep in his current job-loss. We had just closed on a new home two weeks prior, acquired two tiny puppies and now our largest form of income was gone. Gone. To say that our home was filled with anxieties, constant bickering about finances, and troubled hearts would be an understatement. Satan had a hay-day in our marriage as we fought desperately to sort through our finances ourselves.

Slowly, we began forming a new budget. It took months, maybe over a year for us to adjust to the budget. We spent less. We talked a lot about our budget. We re-evaluated. Re-did the math. And said no to countless things. I remember that Christmas being one of the hardest I can ever remember. Everything felt tight. Hard. Pressed. Sometimes hopeless.

See but here’s the thing about really difficult times. While you are muscling through it, doing the best you can, God is working in your life. Unbeknownst to us, God had been molding us into better stewards. What felt like a pressure cooker was actually a refinement process, and Jon and I came out looking better. Way better. Beautiful even.

And then came the fun part. Now that God could trust you with much, he asked for sacrifice. Just because you are ready to steward much does not mean that God will give you much. Not without faith on your part first. And so, he gave us opportunities to give. 

Mind you, we could have not given. We could have gotten cold feet. We could have put it off for another time. Made excuses about how it’s not in the budget. It’s just not a good time. Next time. The guy next to me has way more money. He should do the giving. We can’t now. It’s just too much.

If we had bowed out, I don’t think we would have seen Him do what he’s done in our lives.

Instead, we moved in faith. And God, in His amazing graces, has given us more. MUCH more.

Here we sit, with more in security then we have ever had, a sounder budget than ever, and folks, hear me on this: a peace. More peace than I can explain. Our home is stable and confident, and quietly waiting for God to make the next request of faith. As a friend of mine says, you can’t out-give God.

The challenge now, beloved, it in your hands. I would ask yourself these questions:

• First: Are you trustworthy?

God is obsessed with people who can be diligent in even the littlest of things. Can you be be trusted with your tiny budget? What are you doing with that money from your part-time job? Do you steward your money? Or does your money run you? If all of these things are sounding foriegn: have faith. God is able to make you into an incredible steward.

• Are you ready to step out?

There is no greater adventure then joining God in giving. The key to stepping out is doing it in sound faith. Stepping out may look like reading this post and then immediately giving $300 to a homeless guy. More than likely, however, God is asking you to join Him through prayer, and petition Him to see where He would like you to step out. If you have a spouse, do it together. If you have kids, invite them in the process. Then, when you feel you understand God’s leading – make the choice.

The choice to step out will be met with confidence. Not the other way around.

• Enjoy God’s movement and reload for the next step.

I can honestly say I’m itching for God to ask Jon and I to do something more with our finances. So much so that it may be time to join Him again in prayer, and ask Him where we should trust Him next. It’s so exciting, I swear it’s somewhat addictive.

May God grant you peace if you are in the middle of financial crisis. May you trust Him as He molds you into a steward. And may you trust Him ever more with larger and larger acts of faith. Enjoy the ride!

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. – Luke 6:38

Illuminate

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9, NKJV).

What makes you light up?

I ask because I don’t just think this is a feel-good question. I ask because I think that it’s important. More important than we know. So, what makes you light up? Come alive? Feel alive? Stay alive? Radiate life?

What makes you illuminate?

Frederick Buechner writes The place God calls you to is where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet. In one of my favorite books John Eldredge writes that God is calling you wherever you come alive. I would say that God is calling you to the places where you light up.

We live in a world full of dark things. There is no end to the news reels of bad news. People feel more lost and alone then they have in any time during human history. Families are broken faster than they are created. They work endless jobs with aimless ends. The weekends prove to be a let-down for the hope they had stored up all week. People are tired. Or Wandering. Or alone. Or afraid. Or just a little dead on the inside. There’s enough of that in the world.

But what if you found that thing that God made you to do? And what if you lived in that realm of “gladness”? And what if you let God do what God does best – through you?

John in the first chapter of his self-titled book writes that in Christ is light, and that the world did not comprehend it. It may be that the world didn’t comprehend the light… it sure did make a statement though. One thing you can say about the light of the world: He cannot be ignored.

The world needs more people that light up. More people that live in the places of their deepest gladness, the places where they come alive. There’s a deep hunger, as Buechner writes, and that hunger will never be satisfied as long as people who are born to shine keep that amazing light veiled.

So what about you? What’s your deep gladness? What makes you come alive? Where do you illuminate?

Here’s to a day full of you letting God’s light shine through you. I promise you will meet a deep need just by showing up.

Letters To A 20-Something. Love, An Almost 30-Something

In two weeks I will clip my third decade on this earth. While grade school and high school were fun, I have to say that this last decade has outdone the other two by leaps and bounds. Your 20’s are special. So special. First loves. First college classes. First jobs. Not to mention the possibility of meeting your spouse, taking on a new adventure, running a marathon, starting a non-profit. The great thing about your 20’s is that the sea is as wide open as your imagination. But possibly, that’s why it’s so frightening too.

And so, I’ve decided to write a letter to a 20-Something. In hopes that you will glean even more than I did in this fabulous time of life.

Move a Bit.
I think the #1 thing a young adult can do is move. AWAY. I think it’s really healthy to stretch your legs, hug mom and dad, and go live in another state for a while. In doing this, you realize so much of who you are away from the patterns that have been your life for 18+ years. Go to school out-of-state. Get a summer job in another state. Get a full-time job in another state. While I think that family is irreplaceable, I also think that autonomy in your 20’s is a must. I traveled a ton during college and after, and would live away from home for every internship I had. Those experiences are like gold to me. So much growth in such a short amount of time.

Find Your Sage.
Youth in today’s culture is overrated. We value young people on a level we never have in human history. The problem here, is that the people who truly hold wisdom, life experiences, and knowledge are underrated. The Bible is very clear about the role that mentors play in our lives. Older women leading younger ones, older men showing the young men the ropes. So, here’s my advice. Find someone you would want to be like in 10 years. Do you like their marriage? Their character? Their poise? Their career? Then ask them to walk with you in life for a couple of years. Ask lots of questions. Listen more than you talk. Understand as much as you can. Glean as much as you can. I promise you that my favorite lessons from my 20’s came from those 5 steps ahead of me, not from my peers.

Make A List.
I tell all of the 20-Somethings from my young adult ministry this, and they are probably tired of hearing it, but… make a list! And by that, I mean, make a list of all the attributes you would like your spouse to have. I tell everyone I know to make a list, and to get specific. Really specific. If you’re a follower of Jesus, your list should have on it that you are equally yoked. That you both desire God on the same level. Do you want them to be funny? Respectful towards waitresses? Do you want them to be tender-hearted? Head-strong? Like the music you like?

Being specific will help you identify quality men and women when they enter your life. But more importantly, it will help you easily identify losers when they enter your life. You won’t waste time or your precious heart on people that don’t measure up. I seriously can’t overemphasize this. Make a list! Get specific!

Steer Clear of Idiocy.
I heard once a not-so-great piece of advice from an older person about your 20’s. “Your 20’s are just like your teens, except you can drink!”. How poignant that statement is. In a lot of ways, your early 20’s are just like your teens, except for you are given endless amounts of freedom, and endless amounts of ways to be idiotic. Have fun, don’t be a pharisee, but truly, avoid the idiotic. Don’t sleep with that guy. I know you have the freedom to now, but don’t. Don’t let alcohol be the thing you decide to have in access. Don’t get involved with the wrong crowd. The one that only uses their freedom to get themselves into some kind of slavery. Steer clear of that stuff. I promise you – you can have unbelievable amounts of fun without that. More fun in fact. And you will fill your life and heart with things that matter, things of substance and avoid a lot of drama and heart ache.

Step Out.
In your 20’s you have loads of insecurities. You think everyone is paying attention to you, everyone is seeing if you will succeed or not, everyone is waiting with bated breath to see if you will make it. Ok. Here’s the deal. They’re not. Looking back, I can honestly say no one was watching me to see how I would do. That being said, now’s the time to step out BIG. In a way where you could possibly fail. Go for that job. Try-out for that thing. Make that move to Nashville. The great thing about your 20’s is that if you do fail, it really doesn’t affect you in huge ways. You’re family isn’t at stake. You don’t have mouths to feed (maybe your own, but you can figure that out – you’re smart!) You don’t have a house payment yet. So, if you mess up… it will hurt a bit, but not much. And you will learn how to fail gracefully. A trait I am still learning and hope to learn more about in my 30’s. So, do it. Go for it. Fail, and fail big. I promise you, no one is watching!

Gain Discipline.
This is something that I started to learn about much more in my late 20’s. My early 20’s I spent in the chaos of no schedules, rhythms or  disciplines. Which, honestly I think is ok for a while. But by your late 20’s, you should come to value discipline. Getting into the word daily (something I still struggle with), working out regularly, sleeping on a schedule. If you want to be a musician, make sure practice is a discipline for you. If you want to be a college proff, understand the significance of regulating your studying. The older you get, the more discipline will work in your favor. You’ll do more in less time, and have time to spend with your family and leisure. So, start small, and work up to it. Read your Bible for 5 minutes a day at a specific time. Wake up at a certain hour, even if it’s later than you would hope. Regulate your exercise, discipline yourself to focus and work within specified hours. Find your rhythm. I promise you, your mind and body will thank you later.

Start Liking You, And Enjoying God.
One of my favorite books of all time is The Search for Significance by Robert S. McGee.  The books entire premise is about finding your significance in God. It’s clear, powerful, and life changing. Understanding my identity in Christ is seriously irreplaceable. I’m secure, safe, loved and significant. No matter what job I have, where I live, how much money I make or don’t make, no matter how great people think I am, or how lame they think I am – my significance to God is unchanging. It’s like a license for unadulterated confidence. So, make it a priority: over the next decade, understand more and more the way God views you. Start liking you, and enjoying God.

My final piece of advice would be to relax. This is such an adventurous time for you. Enjoy it. Soak it up. Go on road trips. Have late night talks about life and God. Enjoy each season, I promise you that even the crappy seasons have so many lessons within them. Live big, and live well. Until next time,

An Almost 30-Something

A Tale of Two Brothers

Every family has a party boy.

Or girl.

Picture your family for a moment. Your brothers, sisters, cousins, nephews, nieces. I bet you can name at least a couple that have went off the deep end. Drugs. Alcohol. Maybe they had a baby at 16. Maybe they never held down a job. Maybe they stole, from other family members if need be, to pay for their lifestyle.

The family may have never said it, but behind the silence when their name came up at holiday gatherings was a general knowing. They’re a train-wreck. And we all know it.

The thing about party-boys and wild-child-girls, is that their degeneracy is out there flying like a flag in the wind. Or rather, dirty laundry in the wind. Every one can see it. Everyone can smell it.

For the majority of us, however, have a depravity that looks good to the world.

A woman manipulates co-wrokers and family members to get ahead in life. And get ahead she does. A dad zones-out in front of the television to escape the stress of his day – he can run a multi-million dollar corporation but he can’t figure out how to talk to his wife. A 30-something has a glass of wine to deal. Or two. It’s after work, in the quiet of their home, and it’s the only thing that eases the loneliness. A mom is a control freak. She runs PTA and local fundraisers, but at home her husband and kids know all to well that if momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.

Maybe you’re a worrier.
Or you fake your way through life.
Maybe you take roles in your church to feel important.
Maybe you eat to deal.
Maybe you work longer hours.

We all have our tendencies that come – not from God, but from an inward force the Bible calls our flesh. Which sounds totally gross. Flesh. Everything we were before we met Him. Not just our choices, good or bad, and not just our sins – but our very selves.

The Younger Brother
Every family has a party boy. We’ll call this one Prod. Prod asks his father for cash. Not just that, but Prod asks for the cash that he would have gotten if and when his father died. I don’t know about you, but I can’t really picture going to my father and asking for the money he would give me when he died. I have a feeling that would put a damper on our relationship.

But Prod does. He goes, asks for the money and leaves. He never calls. Never writes. As far as his family knows, maybe he’s dead. That’s how far off the deep end this guy goes.

While he’s away, he spends money on hookers. Lots of them. He picks up the bar tab. And then hits up another bar. He tries one drug. Then another. He buys things he can’t afford, and soon everyone knows who he is – the guy who picks up bar tabs. He parties. And parties hard, until every twenty-dollar bill is gone.

While sobering up he tries to get part time work, but he can’t pay rent. He goes to his so-called friends for cash, but they’ve moved on to another guy with a nice suit. He goes from eating steak to ramen, and pretty soon his cupboards are bare, and collections are calling his cell phone that’s about to be turned off.

He loses his apartment, and sleeps on a couch for a month, until the friend with the couch kicks him out. He goes to a shelter, to eat. He sleeps in the streets. Pan handles.

At some point, Prod has an awakening inside, and decides that even if his dad is forever angry with him – going home is better than the cold, hard cement. And so he goes home.

The Older Brother
Every family has the do-gooder. We’ll call this one John. When Prod left the house, it was John who consoled his mom, and picked up extra chores around the house. Realizing the opportunity to please his dad even more, John worked, hard to be a good son. The best son. He managed his dad’s second business, took over the laborious parts of the yard work, and did all he could to earn affection from his dad.

The Dad, and the Party
The crazy part about this story is not how different the sons are, but how equally the father would and does lavish gifts of love. See, a party is thrown for the kid who messed up. A big party with lots of food, drink and dancing. A really, really happy party.

John, however, is miffed. What, no party for him? No lavish drink? He was the son who did right. Who done good. Who stood by…

What the dad says here speaks to every human being who tries to “flesh” their way through life to get what they want, or what they need:

My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. – Luke 15:31-32

Regardless of do-right, or do-wrong, it would seem that neither affect the father’s affection. My Son – you are always with me… everything I have is yours.

Pointless Wrap-Sheets
The tale of two brothers isn’t just about the Prodigal. It’s not really about the older son either. The real star of the show is the Father.

Here the Dad looks at two sets of flesh – one a do-gooder who internally still finds himself wanting, and a party-boy, whose want leads him down a dark path. Both sons grossly misunderstand their Dad. And because of that, try to do their life their way, to get needs met in their fashion.

Can you see yourself in this story yet?

Are you the son or daughter who has wandered far from home? Who has tried desperately to fill a need and a void with worldly affections?

Or are you the elder son or daughter? Whose self-motivated ways are less notable, but no less destructive?

One may look dirtier but they are both the remnants of a broken soul. God doesn’t care about your wrap sheet. Even if you do.

And then we have the Dad. Who in a heart-beat would throw you a party. Who would dress you in fine clothes. Give you a ring. A giant bear-hug. Give you his everything.

May you understand the words of your Daddy God today – that do-gooders and party-boys alike, may approach the throne of grace with confidence. Knowing that their Father is the Father who says:

“You are always with me – everything I have is yours.“

Who You Are When No One Is Looking

I love Britney Spears.

So judge me. I truly could care less – because I love Britney Spears. I love her dancing, I love her songs, and I have seen her in concert twice. She’s uh-mazing. Growing up I seriously wanted to be Britney. She was a sweet home-town girl who made it big and still had her Southern accent. She was a Christian girl when I met her – sweet, beautiful and talented.

…And then Brit left her mic on backstage one show.

I think we all remember. F-bombs were dropped and gossip spewed out about her production team and crew, and suddenly, my image of Brit shifted from years prior.

And then she shaved her head… So you know, it didn’t get better after that.

But I was thinking about it today: everyone is someone backstage.

We all snicker at the tabloids when someone’s diet pills are exposed in the latest edition of People or when we discover that so-and-so blew up at some posh restaurant’s waiter for getting their beverage order wrong. But the reality is – normal people like you and I don’t have a camera following us into our weaker moments.

No one sees you pick your nose. Or hears what you say to drivers in holiday parking lots. No one sticks their head through your kitchen window to see the mess that sat there for two weeks. Or how you treat your children at that ungodly hour on Saturday morning. Or your spouse. No one sees your internet trail, or how often your read your Bible. No one knows what your give or don’t give to the poor.

So, who are you when no one is looking? Who are you backstage?

And, reflecting on that – how would you treat people differently?

I don’t think the main point of my post is to remind us to brush up who we are behind closed doors. I think my hope is to remind us to give some slack to the people who have recently been exposed. To give out what God gives us. Relentless, undeserved grace.

Give grace to the frustrated mom in the grocery line. Give help to the neighbor who’s wife just left him. Give rides to the man with the DUI.

Casting stones is easy for us, and will always be a temptation. But Jesus reminds us – if you think you’re flawless backstage, go ahead – pass judgement. Otherwise, we’d be wise to forgive and show the compassion that’s been given to us.

May you receive God’s acceptance and grace for the nose-picking side of you, and may you offer it to others this holiday season.

Never Losing Luster

I’ve seen The Phantom of the Opera 4 times.

The first time I was overwhelmed by the beauty, the sound, the music and lights. I cried through almost every song – not out of sadness but out of awe. When Christine sang the theme to the Phantom and hit the high C at the end… I was at a loss for words. And then the chandelier. For those of you who haven’t seen it I won’t spoil it. But gosh. It’s a great show.

The second time I saw it was special as well.

And the third.

By the fourth time, I was still into it… but the luster was fading. Christine was just as beautiful. The Phantom just as haunting and terrible. The sets just as large and glittering… the high C pitch perfect. Nothing changed in the show. It was still wonderful. 

But my mind wandered to my day. To my to-do list. To my checkbook. Mid-show.

Sometimes I wonder if it’s like that for us with the miracles of God. The resurrection. The girl raised from the dead. The transfiguration. We read about it, and maybe the first time it brings tears to our eyes. We are in awe. Overwhelmed. It’s the high C that takes our breath away.

But then we sit through a few Easter services. Hear a few sermons. And suddenly… God raising from the tomb loses it’s luster.

When Red Rocks Church started it was myself, 3 pastors, 3 pastors wives and I swear – 5 other people. And I loved it. Every service awoke my heart in a way only Christ could do. 6 months in dozens of people were calling the church home. The church did unbelievable things with small amounts of resources – bought a family with no car a van, did work for flood relief, sent some ladies to South Africa. A year in we doubled in size. The next year we doubled again. By year three we were at 1,000. By year four 2,000.

It was miraculous to watch and be a part of. Awe inspiring. Unbelievable.

But like all miracles, the awe can lose it’s luster if we are not careful.

Maybe that’s the reason why Jesus tells us that we have forsaken our first love. He wants us to remember that first time. That first time we saw the miracle. Watched Him move. Saw the growth. Watched the show.

Don’t forget the first time, God says. It’s important.

God’s done miraculous things in your life has He not? “We have seen radical things today,” says the gospel of Luke. If so, then see them again with fresh eyes. Remember His graces with a new look. And return to the first time He overwhelmed you with His glory.

May His miracles never lose their luster. May you always remember His faithfulness with the joy you had the first time, and may His mercies truly be made new to you everyday.

How To Prioritize Your Life (In 10 Minutes or Less)

You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

-Psalm 139:2-6

Ok.

It’s morning. Today I will: 1.) get my transcripts sent off, 2.) buy dog food, 3.) buy that special face wash across town, 4.) sign us up for new homeowners insurance, 5.) clean the house, 6.) take the dogs to the dog park, 7.) decide the direction for the Young Adults Retreat, 8.) eat, 9.) Clean the bathrooms, 10.)…

Sometimes I look at my life and believe it to be directionless. Like, there’s a lot of stuff I could do but I have no idea which ones are most important or why. I’ve read articles in Marie Claire about prioritizing… I’ve read books about prioritizing. How it’s all just small stuff and I don’t need to sweat it. But I’m still sweating. Anyone? Or is it just me?

There are so many things I could do in life. On a day off. Throughout a week. There are so many goals I could be shooting for. But which ones?

I’m coming from the camp that believes that there’s a best thing or a best way. I would like to do it that way, please!

Sunday at Red Rocks Church, my pastor and boss Shawn talked about reading God’s word first. Sheepishly, I realized I do not read my bible daily for myself. I study it for a lot of reasons, but definitely not daily. And definitely not for my life direction. I know. I know. I should know better right?

So the last two days I’ve just been consuming His word in small portions when I wake and after work. And I re-realized something I learned a long time ago. That when I read His word, He prioritizes for me. The pressure is suddenly off, friend! I haven’t fretted or worried an once about what I should be doing or how. I’ve just read, journaled, prayed a bit, and let Him add everything else. He tells us, that if we seek Him first, He adds the rest (Matthew6:33)! What a relief! What a blessing!

So what about you? Are you overwhelmed with a decision? Anxious about the paths you’re choosing? Go wrap yourself up in a blanket of His word, and let it shine the light on your next step.