Perseverance

What does this word "perseverance" mean? Does it mean that you run until you get tired? That you stand only until your feet hurt? That you hold up that responsibility only long enough to outlast the guy next to you?

Let me introduce you to Scrat, a fictional, saber toothed squirrel, who finds his life purpose in chasing after this nut. No matter what problems come his way and want to eat him, mame him or chase him, he does not lose his desire or hope in attaining the goal of capturing and eating the nut. Scrat is a wonderful picture of perseverance.



per⋅se⋅ver⋅ance  [pur-suh-veer-uhns]
steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.

Perseverance does not even begin until your feet are sore, your back is hurting, the rope is cutting through your hand, and the load just seems impossible to carry. I think the closest understanding I have ever seen to what true perseverance looks like was found in watching one of my friends walk through a debilitating disease. Even though it was full of pain and promises of death, she stepped out of bed each day and played the role of wife and mother. Yes, there were some days where getting out of bed for took a little longer than the day before. But she pushed through, lifted her face to God for strength, and persevered through her day. I have always liked the verse out of Ephesians 6 that tells us to stand firm, and when you have done all that you can do to stand and are getting tired of standing, then stand some more. Jesus gave us a great example to follow. No matter what he faced while on this earth He would go to his Father, our God, for strength, wisdom and perspective. When He was about to face His most difficult challenge, the cross, He submitted His life to the will of the Father and asked for strength.

Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:4

So many times I get to the place where I want to panic due to my weakness and lack of faith. It is like holding your breath under water. At first you feel confident and everything seems easy. But as time passes and it doesn’t seem that a breath of fresh air is on its way, our minds try to take over and tell us to panic. It is in these moments that I challenge you and encourage you to close your eyes and allow your faith in the promises of God to take over rather than the emotions that are telling you to be afraid and freak out.

This scripture also helps us answer what I have found to be the toughest questions. The questions of “Why me?”, and “Why did God allow this to happen?”. We are made complete by being broken and reassembled. It is a difficult process to fully grasp and or appreciate, but in all of my reading of scripture, experiences in life, and time spent with the Lord, I have found that perseverance is the equation to completeness. This does not mean that we have a God that is sitting there watching us, just dreaming up ways to sabotage our plans so we can learn to push through. It means that we live in a broken world and the Lord will use everything that comes your way to break you down and teach you how to trust in Him. For it is in that trust that completeness and godly maturity is found.

Dear Lord, please give us the strength to be strong and courageous as we face each obstacle that this life throws our way. Like the definition of perseverance states, please help us not quit when we are discouraged, but to take that time to dig deep and submit our lives once again to you. In that hour where we want to run and hide, please help us run and hide in your arms, as it is the only place we will find hope, acceptance, and strength. Amen

Remember that God Loves You Anyway

“All of those reasons that pop into your head of why God could not possibly love you are valid. We do not deserve the love that He is offering. However, He is still offering it! He loves you anyway. He is looking beyond what you look like right now. He doesn’t just see you as something broken, tarnished, and falling apart. He sees what you will look like once he is able to piece you back together and fill you with His love and purpose.” (Step by Step, June 19, 2009)

When all else fails and the question that is stuck in your head is, “How can anyone love me?”, be reminded that God does. He doesn’t love you because you are perfect, or said the right thing, or did the right thing, or finished that project, or got an A+, or have somehow conquered your most recent vice. He loves you simply because you are His. He chose you and gave His life to assure that nothing could steal you away. The only way that He will lose that which He has purchased at such a great cost is due to the freedom that has been granted to that which has been purchased. You have the freedom to walk away. For me personally, I think this is the worst part of the deal-- and yet, the most important. At times I wish the Lord would allow me to sign my life over to give up my will and my freedom of choice. Then I could serve Him and not get lost in temptations, fear and selfishness.

This is also important to remember as you walk through this life
There are people out there that will let you down and hurt you. At times the wounds that are created can be so painful that even breathing is difficult. However, just like God loves you in spite of yourself, He also loves that person that has done a terrible thing in hurting you. To be completely honest, I am very excited to know that God loves me no matter what I do, but I do not always like that God loves others in the same way. I am embarrassed to share this hidden and selfish part of me. There are times that I would like to see the Lord bring retribution on those who have let me down or wounded me. These thoughts immediately cause me to realize that there is so much more that God has to do in my life. I need to get out of the way of myself and my own wounds and pray that the Lord will show His love and forgiveness to each of His children- even the ones that have not always acted like I think they should.

I am so grateful that the Lord loves me in my broken state and it should bring a smile to your face that He loves you just the same. Run to the Lord and allow Him to guide, shape and transform your life. He has a great plan for you.

These lyrics are a wonderful reminder that God’s love is not based up on what we have done but what he has done. Thank God for what He has done!

What If --Jadon Lavik
What if I climbed that mountain, what if I swam to that shore
What if every battle was victorious then would you love me more
Would you love me more
What if I were everyone’s first choice, what if I went farther than before
What if I stood high above the rest than would you love me more
Would you love me more

You say I belong to you apart from the things I do
You say I belong to you I’m in awe of why you do
Why you do, why you do, I’m in awe of you, ooh

What if I ignored the hand that fed me, what if I forgot to confess
What if I stumbled down that mountain then would you love me less
Lord would you love me less

What if I were everyones last choice what if I mixed in with the rest
What if I failed what I passed before then would you love me less

Lord would you would you love me less, oh no oh no oh no

You say I belong to you apart from the things I do
You say I belong to you I’m in awe of why you do
You do you do you do

What have I done to deserve your son sent to die for me
What can I give I want to live give me eyes to see
In a world that keeps changin’ there’s one thing that I know is true
Your love is stayin’ there’s nothing else I’ll hold onto

You say I belong to you apart from the things I do
You say I belong to you I’m in awe of why you do
Why you do

You say I belong to you apart from the things I do
You say I belong to you I’m in awe of why you do
I’m in awe of you I’m in awe of you

The way you love me, the way you do
The way you do , the way you love me, you love me , you love me
The way you do the way you do the way you love me,
the way you love you love you love

Remember that God Paid Your Ransom

"There will be many moments along the journey where you will be tempted to stop and look at all the reasons that you are not worthy of allowing God to bring great blessings. It is one of the wages of war from the enemy of your soul to remind you of your failures and shortcomings. It is essential that each and every time you begin to feel that you are out of place and should be rummaging through the junk yard instead of enjoying God’s “five star service,” that you remember how Jesus came to this earth and paid your debt. You can raise your head high and look people in the eye with confidence. This is not because you have found a way [on your own] to overcome. The freedom and purpose that people will read in your eyes is a direct result of the price that Jesus paid for each and every one of us." (Step by Step 6/19/09)


Imagine that you live back in 50 AD. You were once a free man, but through a few bad decisions and some unexpected life turns, you are now a slave. You wear chains on your wrists, ankles, and one attached to a ring around your neck. Every day of your life is spent remembering the bad decisions and dreaming about what would had happened if you had opened “Door B” instead of “Door A” and made better decisions. Though the chains are heavy and painful, you wear them as if they are a part of who you are, as it is your belief that you have somehow earned them through the mistakes of the past. That is, until today. Today, your life has been interrupted with the chance to be challenged and changed forever. A new master has shown up and has paid for your debt; however, this master is different. This Master wants to take the chains off of your neck, arms, and feet and set you free. This Master has only one job for you. Instead of slave labor, this new Master requires that you show the same love you have been shown to those who surround you and for you to tell others about this new Master.

So, now you have a choice... What will you do? Will you live like a free man? Will you show others the love that was shown you? Or will you take the chains that have been removed from around your neck, arms and feet and put them back on?

I know that it sounds crazy to think that anyone would even entertain the idea of re-chaining themselves to a life of slavery. And yet, this is what happens to Christian men and women on a daily basis. Jesus has set them free and they no longer have to carry their past debts, but like an earned trophy, they take their freedom and set it aside to wear the familiar bonds of slavery.

Listen! Jesus came to this earth and died to set you free. All of the mistakes of your past, from the smallest of missteps to the most gruesome atrocities, have been paid for. QUIT WEARING YOUR CHAINS!

Luke 4:16-21
He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them,
"Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

Remember that God Has A Great Plan

"Trusting is so much easier if you

will just close your eyes!"

"To be honest, it is the thought of the future that has been the source of much of my turmoil. There are things of the past that have pain and hurt, but most of those wounds are healing quite well. There are situations I face daily that have the potential to create some difficult moments, and yet, the Lord seems to continually guide me through and equip me to handle those obstacles. But looking down the unknown hallway sometimes feels like I am in a scary movie and I just don’t know what is going to happen. Why is it that my mind always wants to revert to the memory of a scary movie where there is something dark and terrible wanting to eat my flesh instead of the idea that God has such a great plan? The end of the hallway is a definite unknown but the character and heart of God for is unchanging and is full of goodness. There is no need to fear!" (Step by Step 6/19/09)

Here is what I do on those days when my eyes become transfixed on the worries of tomorrow instead of God’s faithful promises.

1. Read His Word

It is sad that so few people lean on God’s handbook for this life. People feel comfortable running to so many different sources to try and attain wisdom for tomorrow and find every excuse in the book as to the reason they do not read God’s book. I personally believe that most people don’t run to the Word of God as often as they should is that it requires something of them instead of allowing them to feel sorry for ourselves. You see, scripture does not try to make sense of our problems. Scripture works on our heart and helps us look at our lives differently. It causes us to change, then, because we have changed we look at life’s issues differently.

2. Begin to Worship

This may sound like a strange thing to do and yet it is where I go when life is too heavy for me to carry. I wish that I could compare myself to Paul when he rejoices about his suffering, but I cannot. Usually when life is difficult, I run to the Lord to worship Him. Many times it is with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. He then finds a way to calm my heart and helps me to begin to trust in Him and His plan once more.

3. Surrender My Feelings and Fears Through Prayer

Not only does God want to hear from you, but when you take the time to have relationship with your maker you will find personal wholeness. The more time you spend with the Lord, the more you will trust Him and understand His role in your life. To love the Lord means to daily lay down your feelings, your rights, your ambitions, your goals, your everything. The laying down of these things will help you remember who is the Master and who is the child. The most confusing times in my life have come from me forgetting that the Lord is the one in charge and I am not.

4. Speak Out Loud My Fears

It is very important that you find someone to talk to. I have found that I confide in my best friend, my wife. She gets to hear of my sadness, my jealousies, my anger issues, and my disappointments. She gets to hear about my fears. There are times that this is difficult for me to do, but I thank the Lord to have a trusted friend for me to share with. If I try to keep my fears inside, they seem to mix with my imagination and grow into a beast that haunts my present day life. Usually after I speak my fears out loud and shed light on them, they shrink and lose the power to control me.

5. Find Something Positive to Do

This final step is very important. You must not sit around and focus on fears. Take that energy and find something positive to do. No matter what has happened or is happening in your life, we still have a responsibility to show the love of Christ to a broken and hurting world. Get out there and love someone for Jesus. I know it is the last thing you want to do when life is in turmoil. It feels much better to curl up in a fetal position and suck your thumb than to go and help anyone or care about someone else. Scripture commands us to love those around us. It does not say to love those around you only when your life is going perfect and you are happy with all of the circumstances of relationships, finances, and emotions. We love others simply because Christ loved us first.

I hope these practical steps out of my own life help you. The Lord is not waiting to find a reason to smite you. He has a great plan and has already put many of the pieces together to bring His blessings into your life. So close your eyes. Quit looking around and making decisions about God and His strength based upon what you see. Trust God with your life based upon His promises and unchanging love.

Remember that God Is Always With You

“There are days that go by where it seems God is hiding from me or has possibly left the planet. Then I press in and play the spiritual game of hide and seek and begin to see that God’s fingerprints are on everything and that He has been with me everywhere I have gone. He has been there the whole time-- loving me, holding me, strengthening me, caring for me. I am never alone!” (Step by Step 6/19/09)

This week I have began to walk through a study of the life of Joshua. Moses is dead and now Joshua is left to lead God’s people into the Promised Land.

Joshua 1:1-5

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: 2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

After the Lord tells Joshua what He expects of him, He then gives Joshua the formula to complete what has been asked. I am sure that with Moses’ death that Joshua had many feelings of fear and confusion, and more questions than answers to be found. For example: After all of the miracles that took place why did you let Moses die? Did Moses mess up and now, if I mess up, are you going to replace me? Who am I to lead these people? Has someone made a mistake? Have you made a mistake?

OK. There is no guarantee that Joshua had any of these questions. But I am 100% sure that these would be the type of thoughts that were flying through my mind and causing me to doubt and question God, His ways, and if He really understood what was going on.

In this next part of the dialogue from the Lord to Joshua it almost seems that the Lord is answering Joshua’s questions before they are spoken. If Joshua was not going to deal with doubt, fear, discouragement, and insecurity, then this portion of the conversation would had been unnecessary.

Joshua 1:6-9

6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Word’s to live by in order to succeed and be prosperous…
1. Be Strong

2. Be Courageous

3. Be Careful to Obey

4. Meditate on God’s Word

5. Do Not Be Terrified

6. Do Not Be Discouraged

7. GOD IS WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO!!!

Dear Lord,

Thank you for your promise to always be there no matter what I am facing. I ask for you to fill me with a faith and determination to not only read of your provision but to live it. Help me be strong and courageous. Please forgive me for my doubts and fears and allow me to be an example of a mighty warrior for you.

I love you- AMEN

Forget About Chasing the Perishable

"I want it all, Daddy and I want it now!"

“It is crazy to watch our society try to function in a world where they can’t just go and buy everything their hearts desire. If you take a moment to look around you will see fathers who rationalize working too much to provide their child with unneeded toys and a house that is too large to keep clean without a maid. You will see mothers talk themselves into giving away precious memories that will never be able to return again in order to have the newest items. Marriages that can’t grow because no one is taking the time needed to invest intimately, and a world that is crumbling around us as they look for something that will last. Everything this world offers is temporary and it is high time we start putting our energy and precious commodities into things that are eternal.” (Step by Step 6/19/09)

2 Corinthians 4:18

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

This is not a very easy scripture to follow when it seems every commercial, billboard ad and store we drive by is telling us to give our lives in able to have as many possessions as possible. Please hear me! Most possessions that people buy are not the problem. There is nothing inherently evil about your big screen TV. However, there is something quite sinful about what we are willing to sacrifice to get these things that we “need” and allowing our possessions to distract us from the Lord and His kingdom. The next time you are about to make that purchase or decide that you really have a “need," stop and take a look at what it is going to really cost. I am not referring to the money. I am referring to the time spent away from those we say we love to pay for this purchase, the faith problems that arrive when we take our eyes off of Christ, and the energy spent keeping up with the rat race of new technology, bigger homes, and items to entertain our brains.

Last month, the boys and I had a garage sale where we were able to sell, and pretty much give away, ¼ of our belongings. We then took the rest of our worldly belongings and placed them in a trailer that is being driven across the country to our new residence in Reno, NV. There are a few nice pieces of furniture on board, a wonderfully huge BBQ, clothing, a couple of televisions and then boxes full of the most important items we have. The contents of these boxes are truly the only things that we care about. They are the pictures of our families and friends, love notes from when Melissa and I first started dating, home videos of our boys from when they first began walking and talking, and pictures drawn by our children that say “I love u momi and dadi”. As Melissa and I locked the trailer and drove away, knowing that we would not see our accumulation of stuff for a week, our biggest concern was for our precious memories.

This world is in one of the strangest financial crunches of our lifetime and there are many people looking for hope and searching for answers. Let’s be a witness for our surrounding spectators of godly wisdom and an eternal perspective. This would mean that we invest most of our time and energy into the more important things in this life, such as a daily walk with our Lord and Savior, building strong marriages that will survive the storms that may come, growing children who replicate this style of living and know the God we profess to serve, developing genuine friendships that are built on honesty and trust, and being available to serve the Lord and His purposes when He brings a person or a need across your path.

Forget Titles That Define You

"This has been one of the biggest lessons that I am learning during this season of life. Since I was a child, there have been many titles given to me, and adjectives used to describe what other people see in me--some of them positive and some of them negative, some of them unfair and some of them earned, some that are honoring and some that are embarrassing. I am learning that no matter what titles are wrapped around my neck, the only voice that I need to listen to, when it is time to begin defining who I am, is the voice of the Lord. He has called me precious and more importantly, He has called me His own." (Step by Step 6/19/09)


If I were to ask you who you were and what are you made of, the first thing you would probably do is start telling me things you have done in the past, habits you partake in on a regular basis, and probably a few titles that you wear like a badge to proclaim to the world around you just who you are. I am writing this to tell you that none of those things tell me who you are. Who you are has to do with the thing inside of you that makes you tick. That secret that was spoken between God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit about the purpose they created you for, and what special features they would give to you.

WHO AM I???

When you slow down enough to ponder about this all delicate question, "Who am I?", do you think of God and what He has made you to be? Or do you think only of your failures and your achievements, allowing the world to create a name, rank and serial number that was never yours to carry? This world has no way to look into the depths of your heart and see what is waiting to bloom; and so it truly has no authority to name and label you. But God looks beyond your crap, beyond your personal achievements, beyond what you see in the mirror, and looks into the seeds that He knows are waiting to grow. He knows they are there because He placed them there. He created you with that purpose in mind.

Imagine making bread. If we stopped in the middle of making bread and truly thought that the process was finished, we would most likely decide to throw it out and title it a waste because it is messy, gooey and has no real use. That is until you let it rise and fall and then place it in the oven. Then when that is all done and it is finished… mmmmm good! Fresh bread that not only smells great, but brings a comforting smile to my face with each bite I take. I love fresh bread and have to say compliments to the chef for not stopping in the middle of the process to name and judge the food that was being prepared.

We are all still in the process of becoming that which God has planned from the beginning of time. The next time you are asked who you are, or are looking in the mirror and deciding what label you are going to place around your neck, ask the Lord what He sees. You will find that He sees a child who has been fearfully and wonderfully made in His image. He loves you and simply wants you to know that you are His.

Jeremiah 1:4-5 The word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."