Day 1

We are looking forward to what the Lord has and are excited to see how things will unfold. It is funny because this process reminds me of when I used to play with dominoes as a child and put them in rows where, after pushing over the first domino, it was a matter of time until one by one, each of them would fall over in sequence, until the last one fell. The only difference is that this set of dominoes goes in slow motion. Each day that goes by brings different conversations, a myriad of feelings, and so many new possibilities. So we thank each of you for being spectators of our lives and praying for the Lord to be in charge of where the next domino falls. I always hated when one of the dominoes fell wrong and would stop the chain of events that were about to take place. My prayer is that the Lord is the only one who has the opportunity to interrupt or change what will happen next in this game of life dominoes.

Tomorrow is our last day before we begin making some decisions about our immediate future. Wow! I wonder in what direction this domino will fall!

If you feel at times like i do, that things are moving too slowly and the answers are just not coming quickly enough, here is the scripture that the Lord has pointed out to me and maybe it will encourage you as well. It is in His time that all things become possible. In our time, we only cause confusion, pain, and unneeded destruction.

1 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Day 2

We are packing boxes, selling furniture on Craig’s list, and beginning to say our good byes to Virginia. It is funny to have such anticipation for the unknown. We have many friends, family and even people we have no clue who they are, encouraging us and telling us that God has something great just around the corner. Yes, it is frustrating to not know what is going on and yet, it is also freeing. In a very real way, Melissa and I have done everything we know to seek the Lord and hear from Him.

• We have taken special nights and weekends to just pray, worship, talk, and seek God.
• We have our devotional together on a daily basis and try to regularly hear the heart beat of God.
• We have removed things from our lives that may bring distraction.
• I have fasted on many occasions to show the Lord that I am serious about these prayers.
• We have sought council from trusted friends and Foursquare leadership.
• We have included our children into these times of prayer and seeking God.
• We have told the Lord that we are available to whatever He has.

The reason I share all of this is to be transparent with you. I hope that in these writings you get to see the physical decisions and miracles that happen, but also how the heart pumps during these times. On too many occasions I have heard people tell others to trust God without the proper warning of the war of doubt and faith that will go on inside of their mind. This war is very real, however, if you will diligently stay focused on the Lord and not the screaming storm then you will have the chance to see God do His miracles.

This next portion is an excerpt from a teaching I taught many years ago…

Keeping Our Eyes Focused on Jesus

Matthew 14:22-33
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.
23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,
24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.
26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
33 Then those who were in the boat worshipped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”


1. No Matter what we are facing we must not take our eyes off of Jesus.
What are some things that you may face?

• Finances
• Health
• Relationship
• Having to move your church
• Ministry

2. Miracles will happen when we keep our eyes on Jesus
Peter did walk on water


3. We must obey even if it does not make sense
What if Jesus told you to step out of the boat? Would you do it?


4. We must not hold on to our life or we will have doubt and fear
The only reason Peter fell was because he was scared of the wind and the waves


5. We will always trust Jesus if we keep him as the all powerful
Throughout our world people will worship that which is the most powerful

If it was the Sun… they worship the sun
If it was money… they worship money
If it is a position… they worship the position
If it is their Lord…they will worship their Lord

Day 3

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

We have spent a lot of time over the last year, and especially in these two weeks of our faith countdown, speaking of faith and hope. However, the Bible is very clear that the greatest of all of these is love. This is what my heart is choosing to focus on today. Faith and hope have been very important stabilizers for our family over this last season of life. We are thankful to the Lord for these pillars to lean on that produced peace in some very stormy times. But the treasure at the end of this journey of ours has everything to do with this word that creates so many different responses in people--LOVE. First and foremost, we are thankful for the love that God has shown us. We are so undeserving of His consistent compassion and grace. He truly loves us as His children in spite of who we are and what we do.

I know that we are only human and our love is incomplete and has flaws. If you have not discovered that humans are flawed in this way, then get ready for the scariest ride of your life! However, flaws, wrong attitudes, mistakes and all, it is this love we share that drives us back into each other’s arms. It is this gift of love that reminds us that the Lord has placed a small understanding of who He is right inside of our home.

In conclusion, we still have no idea of what tomorrow holds for us and as far as I am concerned the Lord can do whatever He wants with that. But here is what I do know. There is a lot of love shared in my home- right here and right now. So even if we end up living in the craziest of situations, my main prayer is that love will always be at the center of our goals.

Day 4

Today has been a good day in so many ways and at the same time difficult because we are letting time tick by and still we wait. We don’t even get to wait in silence. We wait in the gloomy rain! A lot of our everyday lives will begin to shift very soon and we will start packing, giving our notices at work and preparing our hearts and mind for the unknown. Melissa and I keep referring to the scriptures that speak of Abraham and Sarah and their journeys. In Abraham’s journey they also were asked by the Lord to move their family to unknown destination with the promise of God’s blessing. I can honestly say that I have never sought the Lord so intently over any decision I have made in my life and it still feels that there are no answers. There is actually an answer and it is a simple one—“Listen and wait!”

Proverbs 8:33-35
Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not ignore it.

Blessed is the man who listens to me,
watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorway.

For whoever finds me finds life
and receives favor from the LORD.

Day 5

“We live by faith, not by sight.”
2 Corinthians 5:7

Melissa and I have spent the day asking each other, “What does this scripture mean?” and “How do we apply this to our lives?” Typically, we (Melissa and I) make decisions by praying and asking the Lord to help give us wisdom, taking a look at all the details in front of us and then, by processing that information, we make the best decision our human wisdom can come up with. This may seem like a good way to make decisions, but is it really walking in faith?


The more that I have thought about this question I come to the conclusion that faith has more to do with how you handle what is in front of you at this moment than what is going to happen next. Walking in faith and not by sight means that I must stop looking around and allow the situations and painful things of life to form ungodly attitudes or emotions, as it is those very feelings that will stop me from taking that next step that God has asked of me. One of the examples that came to my mind was the story of the prophets out of 1 Kings 18 that were hidden in caves away from King Ahab and Jezebel. They were being hidden away as part of God’s remnant and as God is talking to Elijah, He tells him that he has set aside a number of people who have not bowed to Baal, and part of this number were the 100 prophets that were being hidden in caves. Well, I can’t help but wonder if these prophets actually felt so lucky and loved. Did they understand that God had placed them there and now were they excited about having to sleep on the rocks and hide for their lives? Did they know that in another cave not so far away that the creator of the universe was bragging about them and was proud of them? I would put money on the fact that many of them were scared and felt like God abandoned them. They just watched so many of their fellow prophets be put to death and now they have been ushered off to a cave to wait. In truth, they don’t even know what they are waiting for! King Ahab may rule for the next 50 years and the cave might not only be their new home, but their last home. These men had the choice to either face this situation and decide to trust in a God that seemed so far away, or join the crowd of faithless men and woman that ran around in fear. Praise the Lord they chose to give us an example of walking by faith and not by sight.


Have you done much cave dwelling? Or, should I say, have you found yourself stuck in places where you feel like you are standing still, awaiting for the Lord to give you direction? Maybe you are there by mistake and God has a different place that you were supposed to reside. Or maybe… just maybe…God has placed you there. Maybe, He is even in another cave not too far away excitedly bragging about you and your faithfulness.

Day 6

As my day is coming to a close and I am wondering what to write about and what amazing insights I have received today-- I am at a loss of what to write. In all actuality it has not been a profound day of faith, but it has been a day full of enjoying the little things in life. We spent times with good friends, went to a mall and walked around and shopped a little, ate at Panda Express, bought my boys each a new shirt, and am now sitting on the couch eating ice cream with Melissa asleep on my lap. Maybe I am clueless to what tomorrow will hold, but today was full of enjoyment and fun. I thank the Lord for the little things. They make life worth living. Did I mention that my ice cream was very good?

If you are dealing with the heaviness of life and have not taken a break from thinking so deep and hard about what you can’t control— I challenge you to take a day and just enjoy the good things that are surrounding you everyday. Believe me when I say that I understand how important big decisions can be and the process of making those decisions needs to be taken seriously and with much prayer. However, if you don’t stop to enjoy the little things in life then you are waiting to live life. We do not know if we actually will have a tomorrow. Take the time to enjoy your today!

James 4:13-17 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

Day 7

We only have one week left and I would like to say that Melissa and I are as solid as a rock in our faith and emotions and that we have no doubts—but I can’t. It is a difficult process when you decide to trust the Lord with your life. Thinking to our past, I know that we have been in many positions where we had to trust the Lord. Why is it that it is so difficult to trust Him--especially when He has been so faithful in our lives up to this point?

The blog for today will hopefully give you an honest look into the hearts and questions of two people who are trying to be where the Lord wants them. We know that He wants us to move and that our time in Virginia is coming to a close. It is the writing on the next page of our story that seems to be difficult to grasp or comprehend.

Here is what we know!

1. We value our family and want to either be close to them or have the ability to see them more regularly.

2. It is important to us that Melissa does not work so much and can be home to keep all of our lives in order.

3. We both feel that senior pastoring a church may be that next step…. (Only God knows!)

4. We want the kids to be in good schools. Adam is going into Sr. High and Noah is going into Jr. High. We would love for them to be able to stay at the same schools as to allow them to develop friends and get prepared for college.

5. We have enjoyed learning how to slow down and be a family and do not want to lose this new lifestyle of having time to enjoy each other and grow together.

Here is what we feel! (These emotions may seem contradictory, but in all truth, our emotions change moment by moment and day by day.)

1. We are excited to see what doors the Lord will open

2. We feel frustrated that we have not heard anything with true clarity

3. We are nervous that we are going to make a wrong decision

4. We are experiencing a sense of freedom as we seek the Lord daily and trust in His guidance. I do not remember a time in our married lives where Melissa and I have sought the Lord as diligently as we have during this season of our lives.

5. We feel thankful for all the blessings that are sitting right in front of us (each other, wonderful kids, great friends, jobs, a good church)

6. We are hoping and praying that God will take all the details that we care about and place us exactly where He sees fit.

I am not sure if this type of writing actually helps you as the reader or if it is just therapeutic for my mind and soul. However, when I started writing every day, I felt that the Lord wanted to use our experiences for this 19-day countdown to encourage others by displaying the raw, at times emotional, faith that we are attempting to walk in. If you are reading this and you have come to the conclusion that Melissa and I are human and at times seem lost in our faith or what I like to call “spiritually schizophrenic”—you have evaluated us correctly. I have never been so aware of how broken my trust in God is as I am today. As much as this should make me sad and question my own sanity, I find that the more I realize that I am broken and need God, the more He is willing to bring comfort.


Philippians 4:4-9
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.


This is the scripture that I choose to focus on today. I long for the peace of God to cut through my anxiousness and doubts and focus my mind on what is excellent and praiseworthy. I pray for you today, my friend, that the God of peace will truly guide you and comfort you.

God Bless

Day 8

“Hey Dad, did you know that silent and listen are spelled the same way?” Noah Dahir


I have always known that my children say some profound things and this particular thing Noah said did not mean much to me until I woke up last night dreaming about it. One of my biggest questions to the Lord during this season of life has to do with His silence. Why does it seem that days will go by without any direction from the Lord? It is in these times that the quietness becomes so daunting and life begins to feel like a ghost town. Yes, there are friends that check on us, and people in our lives that show concern; however, the only fix for this silence is the voice of God. He doesn’t need to say much. I just need to know that He is still there and what next step I should take.

When I dreamt about this conversation I felt that the Lord wanted me to see that it was Him speaking through my son. It wasn’t just one of those random conversations that my son plucked out of the air and spoke. The Lord wanted me to know that the silent times have great importance. For without these moments when the air is stilled and the distraction of extra noise is at bay, I would not have the ability to listen to the still small voice of God. During this last season, it has been easy to see the fingerprints of God on our life and I am thankful for Him leaving us small breadcrumbs reminding us that He is around, but I only have few recollections of hearing from Him directly. It does seem that He has been silent. Like a host that has invited you into the house, and although He is taking care of every need you might have, your true hope is to be able to sit down and have a one-on-one conversation with this person who has invited you to stay at their manor.

I am trying to be patient, endure the silence, and put my focus on listening to the Lord. This is not easy and yet I know that if I just focus on living for Him moment by moment, when He does speak, His voice will be so loud and clear that I will not have to wonder whose voice it was or what He was saying. It is against the backdrop of silence that the chirping of even the smallest cricket seems to be amplified through a megaphone.


1 Kings 19:11-13
The Lord said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

day 9

Some years ago a young man looking for work approached a foreman of a logging crew and asked him for a job. “It depends,” replied the foreman. “Let’s see you take this one down.” The young man stepped forward and skillfully felled a great tree. The foreman was impressed and exclaimed, “You can start on Monday!” Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday rolled by. Thursday afternoon the foreman approached the young man and said, “ You can pick up your pay check on the way out today.” Startled, the young man asked, I thought you paid on Fridays.” “Normally we do,” answered the foreman, “but we’re letting you go today because you’ve fallen behind. Our daily charts show that you’ve dropped from the first place on Monday to last place on Wednesday.” But I ‘m a hard worker,” the young man objected. “I arrive first, leave last, and I’ve even worked through my coffee breaks!” The foreman, sensing the boy’s integrity, thought for a minute and then asked, “Have you been sharpening your axe?” The young man replied, “Well, no sir. I’ve been working too hard to take the time.”

This story is one that I believe can apply to each one of us!
• As a Christian
• A boss
• A father
• A mother
• A husband
• A wife
• A son
• An employee
• A friend

We must continue to grow and sharpen who we are or we will find that what we do becomes dull.

Ways To Sharpen Who We Are!
1. Never Stop Learning

2. Never Stop Serving

3. Never Stop Seeking

4. Never Stop Focusing On Character

“In the end of it all- it is our character and integrity that will speak louder than any word we say!”

Day 9 has been a day of focusing on staying sharp and keeping focus. I pray that the Lord will always bring things into my life to sharpen me and keep me equipped and prepared to face any situation He brings into my life.

Day 10

Today, I write to you about the word possibility.

pos·si·bil·i·ty
n. pl. pos·si·bil·i·ties
1. The fact or state of being possible.
2. Something that is possible.
3. possibilities Potentiality for favorable or interesting results: The idea has great possibilities.

Mark 9:21-24
He replied, “Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can. “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

I thank the Lord for this scripture. Jesus sees this man’s unbelief and encourages him to believe in the impossible. Then after challenging him, He turns and heals the man’s son. He doesn’t wait for his faith to grow or for the man to jump through the correct hoops. He loves this man and his family in spite of doubts that were obviously present. There have been many times through this season of life where I have stopped and said things like, “Lord help us, if you can!” He then tells me things like, “If I can! Anything is possible for a man who believes.” I will bet that you know what my response has been. “Lord, please help my unbelief!”

I am standing here today as a testament to the amazing love and care that our Lord has for anyone who calls out to Him. If you have found yourself in a place that seems hopeless and dark, Jesus is only a call away. He will take what seems like an impossible situation and bring about possibilities. He knows of your broken and wandering faith and loves you still.

There may be some of you who are reading and would say that you have tried this, and yet, the darkness never went away. I have felt like this myself on some days. However, it is also on those days that I am so occupied and entranced by the darkness that my gaze never really shifted to looking to the Lord. The belief that is needed to walk through difficult valleys will not be found in your own strength. It comes from the Lord Himself. Stop staring at the black hole in your life and take time to focus your gaze on the Lord. You will find that He has amazing possibilities for you and your future.

Day 11

As Melissa and I have prayed about our future, we have found it has been easy to become so focused on what might happen tomorrow that all of the things we are thankful for today do not get the proper attention. To trust the Lord means that we hand the reigns over to Him and wherever He guides us, stops us, or brings us, is met with excitement and anticipation. Tonight in a meeting I was leading, there was a woman who prayed for us as a family, and prayed that we would get excited and look to God with anticipation for the things to come. As she prayed, I felt convicted because, instead of looking to the future with enthusiasm, I have been holding my breath waiting to breathe when God moves us forward. This is not contentment! I hope that, beginning right here and now, I can start breathing and stop holding my breath as if God is not big enough to take care of the Dahir family.

Melissa and I spoke about the idea of contentment and decided to write down a list of some of the things that have brought us joy over the last year of living in Virginia.


Kristopher
• I have enjoyed the color green. It is amazing how green everything is
• The slower pace of life
• That there are very few fences
• Being able to cut out many unneeded activities in life

Melissa
• The college town atmosphere and how everyone is one, we are all Virginia Tech Hokie fans and we stick together.
• Chick-Fil-A
• Living in a neighborhood where people are always out and about walking their dogs and hanging around outside.
• Friendliness of strangers

Adam
• Weather (Melissa does not agree ☺)
• The church and youth group and the relationships built
• Getting Exodus (our doggy)
• Fresh start for life

Noah
• School--Good teachers and fun
• Football--good coaches and players
• That it snows!
• More family time
• We have new friends

Our Prayer
Dear Lord,
Please teach us how to be content and trust you for our future. Forgive us for the times that our lingering doubts and lack of faith distract us from the thrill of the adventure that you have set before us. We once again give you the reigns of our lives and ask you to guide us wherever you want us.

Thank you Lord,

Amen

Day 12

I have been praying about what to write on for Day 12 and I was taken back to a devotional that Melissa had sent me from one of her web sites she likes to read. It spoke about the idea that in many of the older movies they always had an intermission. The devotional points out what would had happened if these movies would had stopped at the intermission and did not complete the story? There would be many lives unfulfilled, many loves that were never found, and many wounds never healed. It was in the second half of the story that all the lessons learned in the first half came together and created a beautiful picture in the end. Melissa and I have had many great years of marriage and have learned a multitude of lessons along the way. We are believing with all of our hearts that the Lord will take the accomplishments, the failures, and the lessons learned to make the second half of our story come together and glorify Him even more than anything we were able to be a part of before our intermission. The following part of this writing is an excerpt out of the devotional called Intermission written by Sharon Jaynes.

“I don't know what you're facing today. Perhaps your life has taken you to an unexpected place. Perhaps, like Moses, you've made a poor decision that resulted in you running from God and from man. Perhaps like Elijah, you've allowed someone's threats to put fear in your heart and you're in hiding. Perhaps like Jonah, you've obeyed God, but feel duped because your obedience didn't bring the results you'd hoped for. Perhaps like Samuel, you're depressed because someone you oversee (a child, for example) didn't turn out like you had hoped. With your dreams burning in the background, perhaps you've stood on the hillside with fist raised in the air making declarations to God. If you see yourself on the screen, can I encourage you sit down, take a deep breath, stretch, and regroup. The story's not over yet. Perhaps you're just at an intermission. As someone once said, we shouldn't put a period where God put a comma.” Girlfriends_in_God@crosswalkmail.com


So whatever it is you are facing, remember that what you see today doesn't have to be the end of the story. The Lord is always waiting for you and I to surrender. There is a hope and a future because of His redemptive love. His version of "happily ever after" is way better than any director's cut!

Day 13

How do you react in a crisis? Or, to ask an even more revealing question, how do you react in the minor irritations of everyday life? The answer is not a matter of what you say you believe. It's a matter of your familiarity, even intimacy, with your Father. As much as we say that He is trustworthy and true, our tower of strength and our shield, those are only words until they are tested. And in this world, they are tested often.

have you ever known Christians who believe the right things about God but who panic at every difficulty? It's hard to believe that someone's belief in the sovereignty and faithfulness of God are more than skin deep when his panic sets in. The truth of our relationship with God comes out when the heat is on. We discover whether we really trust Him or not when we're put in a position of having to trust Him. A belief in God's providence mean little until one lacks essentials, and a belief in God's strength means little until one is completely helpless. Then the truth comes out.

Those who have not put their trust in the Refuge, who ignore Him and go their own way, are wicked, according to the Bible. That may seem harsh, but that's the true assessment of the human rebellion. And those who do not really trust Him will be brought down by every calamity. Those who do trust Him can't be brought down by anything--even death.

So where do you stand? Do you have a shallow belief in God's faithfulness, applying His promises to others' situations but not to your own? We are called to live in a different dimension than we once lived in. We must know who our Fortress is. We are not to become strong; we are to find our strength in Him. We must let His peace speak louder to us than our trials do. God stands firm when everything else moves. Can you?

This is the devotion from Chris Tiegreen, titled Unshakeable. As Melissa and I read his writings this morning, we were reminded of the importance of staying close to the heart of God in order to successfully follow Him and stay strong during this season. We are facing many large decisions that require us to seek the Lord regularly to renew our faith. We are actively seeking Him as individuals and as a married couple in hopes to see our trust in God and His promises to sink into the core of our being and not just on a surface level.

I think the funniest thing about being unsure about tomorrow and wanting some sense of direction is that there truly is not one of us who have any idea of what tomorrow will hold. If your world has began crumbling then take a moment to ask the Lord to plant his faith deep inside your heart and not just on the outside where others can see.

Day 14

I had the great pleasure of loafing on the couch today and watched a Harrison Ford movie called "Clear and Present Danger." OK—for those who know me—I did fall asleep during part of it, but there was a part of the movie that encouraged my heart today. In the movie there were men that were left behind and Harrison Ford and the other general were going into the enemy's lands to get their men out. Harrison Ford turned and asked the general, “Where are the men?” The general quickly answered him in a protective and determined voice and said (paraphrased), “They are not just any men. They are MY men!” Then they did amazing feats of running, jumping and shooting and saved the men. As I watched this part of the movie, I was encouraged because the Lord calls us His own. He loves us and wants to protect us so much that He gave His very life to save us out of our mess. Harrison Ford may show us what feats a man might go through to protect the people he cares about, and yet, there is only one story in all of history that expresses the love our God has for us-- the story of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

When Melissa and I left Las Vegas to come to Virginia, we knew that this was just the beginning of the path the Lord would use to create health and strength in our marriage, family, and in our personal lives. He has put amazing people in our lives every step of the way, placed us in a church that had something special for each member of our family, helped us find the perfect home, good jobs, good friends, and a whole lot of great memories. With all of these wonderful things that He has done in the last year, why is it that, at times, the thought of tomorrow is overwhelming? I wish my brain wasn’t so broken! He has called me his own and cares more about where my family lives, works, and plants roots than I do. I could imagine God having a conversation about us and telling that second party, “They are not just children, they are MY children!” It helps my heart and brain so much to know that I belong to my God and He has taken interest in my life. Which also means He has taken care of every day of my life and I just need to be obedient to Him.

Matthew 6:30-33
Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Day 15

On this day, there has been no particular leading from the Lord in one way or the other. Today, I enjoyed my wife by taking her out on a date, enjoyed my children, and enjoyed the town the Lord placed me in by participating in a racquetball tournament. None of these things may seem like faith issues or spiritual insights that are worthy to put into writing, but I beg to differ. One of the things that I have learned about faith and living for God is that there are some days where His fingerprints seem to be on everything I come in contact with and then on other days the voice of God seems very quiet. However, those quiet days do not mean that it is time to get lost in the silence and make decisions based upon fear. Instead, it is time to stay focused and enjoy the blessings that are sitting in your everyday life.

Now I look at this and wonder what does this have to do with God speaking to us about our future? The conclusion to which I have arrived is that my future is going to be filled with many normal days of building a strong marriage, encouraging my children, and taking part in the lives of our community. I would go far as to say that if you want to test a man’s faith, then you would do well to watch and study him when God is at His quietest. It is those moments of solitude where true faith is not only built, but has an opportunity to shine.

Has God been quiet today? If He has, it does not mean that He has left you to your own demise. Perhaps it means He is taking a moment to examine what is going on inside of your heart. Will you let Him?

Day 16

This morning, Melissa and I awoke to the after-effects of a crazy Virginia storm. I got up, dressed and walked downstairs (where my closet is) to get my shoes. As I stepped onto the basement carpet with socks on my feet, I found that our bottom floor was soaked in at least two inches of water. Our basement and garage had flooded and what a mess! Now, to be honest, I was clueless on what to write about for Day 16 of Faith. All I could think of was what a pain in the backside this is going to be to get all this cleaned up. So I asked Melissa what she thought I should write on and she reminded of the story of Noah, or Evan Almighty (the Holllywood Noah!) who was asked to build an ark because the flood was coming. It seemed like a ridiculous request at that point, because who really hears from God to do something so crazy, right? Then as we related these stories to our own lives, we begin to believe that God is maybe up to His old way of doing things again. We both feel that our time in Virginia is coming to a close but we do not know where are going once we leave. However, we do know that we need to pack and we need to get ready. So, like Noah, we have been packing and looking to the horizon to see what the next step will be in this crazy journey we call life. Anyone feel any raindrops?

Lord,

Please help us trust you even though we do not know the next step. Scripture is full of stories of how you asked people to step out and make life-altering decisions before the path for that decision was clear. We commit to your love for us and we ask that you give us an extra dose of strength and faith to make it through this season.

Amen

Day 17

Today, I am reminded of the feeling that takes place before you go on a roller coaster ride. You are strapped in, committed and even excited about the journey ahead. You look at the person next to you, in my case that is Melissa, and give them a smile to say that you know it is all going to be OK, but, if we die in the next two minutes--know that I love you. Then you feel and hear the clicks of the roller coaster as you start going higher and higher. Each of those clicks represents a couple of things. It represents how fast and furious the ride is going to be and it also tells us that the ride is about to start. Both of these messages then cause your stomach to flutter and your heart rate to rise because there is no turning back. You will either enjoy whatever is to come or close your eyes and hope it goes away.

As you all know it is “Day 17” and the countdown continues. We are very thankful for what the Lord is doing right here today and are also excited about what tomorrow holds. Like the roller coaster illustration, Melissa and I are locked in and committed to this journey from the Lord. Each of the days that go by is a click on the ride of life and soon it will be time to open our eyes and hearts to wherever the tracks, which have been laid out for us from the beginning of time, will take us. We have received many words of encouragement from our friends and family and we thank you so much for your prayers.

So, for now, the Lord seems to be saying,

“Hold on to your seat and get ready for the ride of your life!”

Proverbs 5:21

For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths.

Day 18

Originally I had something else that I wrote for today that looked a bit more like a devotional and I was ready to put the finishing touches on it and send it to you. As I took some time in worship I feel that the Lord has something else to say to me and to anyone that wants to hear. This is the worship song that the Holy Spirit led me too and it is the theme song for “Day 18”.

Awesome in this Place
Dave Billington

As I come into Your presence
Past the gates of praise
Into Your sanctuary
'Till we're standing face to face
I look upon Your countenance
I see the fullness of your grace
I can only bow down and say

You are awesome in this place Mighty God
You are awesome in this place Abba Father
You are worthy of all praise
To You our lives we raise
You are awesome in this place Mighty God

As I was playing this song and singing to the Lord I felt that God was asking me to be content with just Him. Is my God awesome enough by Himself that there is not a job, a person, or a material item that could possibly fulfill my life like Him?

My heart longs to be at this place while my mind feels like a million miles away.

Here is my response to the Lord…

As I come into your presence
With my doubts and disgrace
Into your sanctuary
Where I try to hide my face
You look upon my countenance
And give the fullness of your grace
So I will bow down and say

Thank you for your love Mighty God
Thank you for your grace Abba Father
You are worthy of all praise
To You our lives we raise
You are awesome in this place Mighty God

Day 19

There are some of you who read this that know Melissa and myself very well and maybe a few of you that have never met us. We have been married for almost 16 years, have two boys that are getting ready to go into Jr. High and High School and have been on a sabbatical from pastoring a church for the last year and a half or so. I am currently working at the wonderful church called, The Bridge Foursquare Church, and substitute teaching and Melissa is working at Virginia Tech and Starbucks. The Lord has used these jobs and the people in them to give us encouragement and love us during this great time of pause in our lives. It is now time for Melissa and I to hear from God and make some large decisions about life. We feel very strongly that it is possibly time for us to step back into the pulpit and are taking the next 19 days to hear from the lord and make our decisions. I am sharing this with you, because on my blog, for the next 19 days I want to write to you about what the Lord is doing and how we are walking this path of trusting in the Holy Spirit to guide us. I feel that putting this out to you as the reader creates an accountability for me to stay focused on trusting in God , will help you as you face big decisions in life, and will allow God to be glorified for what He is about to do.

You may ask, “Why is it important to have an answer in 19 days?” There are many details to our life that has pointed our decision making to the end of May—you will just have to trust me when I say it is time to make a decision and we long to hear from God. Please be praying for these 19 days and let’s all together sit back and be amazed as the Lord takes the unknown and brings clarity and hope.

This morning began by Melissa and I having our devotions. Our devotion today was titled Why Not? , and was based out of Psalm 9:10.

“Those who know your name will trust in you,

for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

This devotional was pretty much about trusting God and quit trying to come up with all of our plan B’s. I don’t want to settle for plan B! I want plan A! Plan A represents us being exactly where the Lord has placed in doing exactly what He has asked of us. It is funny because I was having a hard day yesterday in that I was trying to form all of my different plans. It took my wife to stop and me and remind me to trust God. I encourage you to do the same in whatever situation you are facing. God knows exactly what He is doing and today, Day 19, I feel encouraged. I can’t wait to see what Day 18 will hold for us!

Pay Attention!

Hebrews 2:1-4
1. We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3. how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

When I was a kid in school it was always very difficult to stay focused and to pay attention to what was being said. It seemed that even the best topic had a limited ability to keep me from wandering and begin dreaming of the things I wanted to be doing instead of sitting in that class room. It is now 20 to 30 years later and I am finding the same problem occurs on a daily basis. The Lord is longing for my attention and focus but I keep taking my eyes off of Him and dreaming about what I would rather be doing. The older I get the more I also spend time day dreaming about my past and thinking about things that should had been changed and lessons that have been learned. I wish that I was not so easily distracted. This scripture out of Hebrews is a great reminder to me to pay attention.

There are too many people that are falling into a daze, only to find when they wake up they have been adrift for some time. May this not be! Jesus came to give us life. He has brought salvation for you and me at a great cost.

Ways to Pay Attention
1. Slap Yourself- Put yourself in situations that will force you to fall on your knees and ask the Lord for help.
2. Exercise- Yes, I am talking about physical exercise as well as exercising our faith. Both our bodies and our faith will become sluggish if we do not keep them active.
3. Worship- Being in God’s presence is like dumping a bucket of cold water on life. The Holy Spirit will keep us alert and focused.
4. Search God’s Word- Read it daily! Allow Him to speak into your life through the amazing power of His word. It is like getting an electric shock. I need one of those on a daily basis.

Lord,
Please help me pay attention to you and what you are doing. I keep looking around at the chaos, pain, despair, and brokenness and it seems to put me in a trance. Then while in this trance I begin drifting. There are too many important things in my daily life that need attention for me to begin drifting. Please protect my marriage. Help me raise my children. Give me the faith to keep giving- even when finances are scary. Show me how to be there for my friends—especially those who are struggling. Thank you Lord for loving me though I lose my focus so easily.

Love your boy!