Lord, teach me to dance

Lord, teach me to dance when the only music in the world has to come from my own soul. Teach me to be a joyful noise when no other can be found. Teach me to have a melody and a song in my heart even before I can find the lyrics to the soundtrack of my life. Teach me to hum along gleefully even when the words are slow to come.

Teach me above all that no matter my struggle or my circumstance that negativity never creates a song. Therefore, it should never become the tune of our lives because we were meant to dance.

"You came that we may have life and have it more abundantly."

When I can do no other, I am "standing on the promises of God."

Today Stands Alone

Lord, teach me to let each day stand alone. Let me have a spirit that is free, allowing you to "nourish and renew" me day by day. Teach me to evaluate my days in terms of 24 hrs only. It's either this day was good or this day I could have done more with. I could have chosen to be happier, I could have been friendlier, kinder, and gentler. I could have reflected you more. However, the important thing to remember is that you always forgive us for "the ways in which we fall short of your glory" and all we must to do please you is to live the subsequent days as a brand new start, another opportunity to bring something good into this world, a little piece of you as it is worked through us. But whatever happens in my days, Lord, do not allow me to think this day was only okay because it was better than yesterday or not as bad as tomorrow will probably be.

I know my purpose here is to "love you with all my heart, soul, and mind and to love my neighbor as my self." I confess that I do not know your specific purpose for my life, but I think it is important not to search so longingly for it that we fail to enjoy what is good beneath the heavens, always reflecting your light in our lives and showing heaven to our fellow man in as much as we understand it.

As Christians, we were not meant for lives characterized by worry or regret. We are here to make our Father proud, and that task is so easy. Only with God is your effort more important than the results so get up every day and fight. Fight to be the best version of yourself you can be. Make it your goal each night to rest your head on your pillow and say, "Today I did the best I could with what I had to work with. Tomorrow I might be better or I might be worse but nothing will diminish today...for it was good. It stands alone, except for what part God allowed me to play in it.

God allows you to contribute to his projects anyway in which you choose. You can bring your paralyzing worry and regret, which makes you believe you have nothing good to offer your Father in his work, or you bring your love and your joy and "cover over a multitude of sins." What you have to offer today is not based on your yesterday or your tomorrow. Let today stand alone. You will be amazed with what God can do with a single day that you do not pollute with negativity.

Most of all, do not afraid to enjoy today for fear of what tomorrow will bring. Tomorrow will not get worse because you enjoyed today, but you might find that your spirit has more strength with which to fight.

road of life under construction

the road of my life is totally under construction. i was on my way to graduate this morning and the road leading me there was being worked on. the going was slow and there was nothing but a mess everywhere i looked. its as though following graduation nothing in my life will be certain. i'm struggling right now. i'm trying to hard to feel led by God right now but i just don't know what he wants for my life. i'm not totally in the dark. i know i was created to serve him and to love others with all that i am. i guess i just don't know what i'm meant to do in a more specific sense. Lord, teach me to find peace, solace, and stability when i can't see your path for my life laid out before me. teach me to be patient and have faith strong enough to know that you will provide me with a way to stand up under any burden that i face, that you will light my path in order to see what you want me to, and that it's impossible for me to get off track far enough to do damage you can't repair. Lord, "teach me to walk by faith when i cannot see [and] to stay right here in the light" (Jeremy Camp, Stay) Truth: the road of my life is taking me slowly along and its seems to be nothing more than a mess. Greater truth: God is getting me right where I need to be a little everyday. God can navigate the broken road. there's grace along the way; God's grace is always sufficient.