One of the things that we as humans tend to do, is hide our emotions. In hiding our emotions we never expose who we truly are. The thing about God is that he not only sees who we are, but he knows us at our core. And even though he knows us and all our flaws and screw ups, he still love us. Isn't that amazing?

God loves us so much that he came in the flesh as a sacrifice and laid down his life for our sins. You see, that is what the good shepherd does. Prior to this point of the text, the Bible talks about hirelings, those who are get paid to tend to the sheep. The thing about hirelings is they had no vested interest in the sheep. Since there was no attachment to the sheep, when thieves and robbers came, hirelings would not stick around to save the sheep, the would run. So when we get to verse 14, Jesus distinguishes himself as a good shepherd, one that will risk it all for his sheep.

When it comes down to it, I do not know too many people that would willing lay their life down for you, even when you've messed up and done them wrong. The Lord, Jesus Christ, made a choice to lay down his life before you messed up, before you strayed away, and before you knew who he was, that is how much he loves you!

Lets talk...How have you seen God as the Good Shepherd in your life?

​"Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert" Isaiah 43:18-19 (KJV)

Happy New Year everyone, welcome to the first blog of 2019! Ah! Don't you love a new year? The new year often gives us new opportunities to make significant changes in our lives. So today let's talk a little about that opportunity.

The thing we must understand about opportunity is that it is nothing more than an idea when you do not feed it, and allow it to grow into something more. Think about the people who set a resolution to lose weight; you can't lose weight if you leave it as an idea. You have to put in the work; you have to go to the gym, you have to change your eating, you have to be better. 

When we read the scripture in Isaiah, God is telling Israel, I want to do something new inside of you, but you have to change. Letting God do something new in us requires that we let go of our past. We have to get rid of our past ways of thinking and move forward into what he has for us. The thing I love about this passage is that although God told them to forget their past, he also said take a moment and reflect on what I brought you out of. In other words yes it is okay to reflect on your past for a moment, but do not stay there.

Much like the children of Israel, I believe that in 2019 God wants to do some new things in us, but we have to let him. Our old mindset can't go into the new territory For us to move forward we have to let go of the things holding us hostage. 

We all have a past, we all have a yesterday, but we can not allow our yesterday to keep you from a beautiful tomorrow. God does not require you to map your tomorrow out, all he asks you to do is trust in him. So can we let go and trust him today? I know it might not seem easy, it might not always make sense, but when you let go and truly trust the plans God has for you, I believe that greater is coming.

Let's talk, what new things is God trying to do in you in 2019? I encourage you not to miss it! Let's stop focusing on the place that held us captive and let's move forward in 2019!