STAY THE COURSE

Anticipate Better Days

I write these blogs, aka love notes, to share what I believe to be a good way of being in right relationships and developing into our best selves from a Christian perspective. I talk about personal stuff and the experiences of others, sharing funny stories and quotes—all with a slant to inspire positive change. Do I have all the answers? Certainly not…I am with the Apostle Paul when he declared in Philippians 3:13-14, “I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.”

What I do know is that life can be short and we should be living joyfully, doing the things we love and being comfortable saying “no” to the things we don’t want to do. Now, when things are going well in our lives—good health, money in the bank, great rapport with the people around us, decent job, basking in retirement—we are on a roll and living large. Then the tide turns, stuff happens and everything goes out of whack. This is when we have to stay on course and not take our eyes off Christ! The Spirit that lives in us and shines when life is good is the same when life is rough.

With the fall season upon us, the days will be shorter with cooler temperatures. Yet, we can look forward to the beautiful foliage, new TV shows, regular football season, and holidays that most people enjoy. So, if you are in the middle of a dark season, do not let anything throw you off your path of shining a light as you anticipate better days. I have experienced times when it was difficult to rise above the tide especially when God seemed far away and not answering prayers, but I do not let that deter me. I would sometimes laugh out loud as I remember my own words of taking deep breaths and would even re-read a particular blog and take action. You too can get back to your center despite the chaos around you by staying focused on Christ and not the problem! Joyce Meyer puts it this way, “The more you trust Jesus and keep your eyes focused on Him, the more life you’ll have. Trusting God brings life. Believing brings rest. So stop trying to figure everything out, and let God be God in your life.” Enough said, stay on course!