God doesn’t wait for us to be unbreakable to use us. He shines through us because of the cracks. His power shows up right in the middle of our mess, our brokenness, our own inability to super glue our lives back together.

And that means I can stop trying to be “Beth, the perfectly put-together Christian girl.”

Truth is, I don’t want to be her anyway. She sounds exhausted and weary.

If I’m really honest, I think I want to be “Beth, the broken lamp.”

If I’m honest I have a really hard time sitting still.  I love to ‘do’ and to feel like I’ve made a difference with the time in my day.  I try hard to fill up every second with intentional conversations, accomplishing kingdom goals, or planning for what’s next.  I really struggle to stop, sit, and rest knowing all that is still to do, or all that could be done. 

Not too long ago I found myself running on fumes, and because of the life-giving support of some godly friendships around me, my heart was lifted and my arms were held up so that I could be obedient to God’s call on my life.  That’s what a good friend does.  She ‘lifts up your arms’ by encouraging you and speaking truth to you, knowing that God has more for you.  She understands that sometimes you need her as much as she needs you, and in those battle seasons, she’s ready to stand with you, supporting you in your desire to be obedient to His call on your life.

Perhaps God sent His angelic messengers to these shepherds because He knew they wouldn’t miss Him. 

The people in Bethlehem were so BUSY, and many of them were even doing good things, but because they were so busy it would have been easy for them to miss a grand display or to pass it off as something less important. In contrast, the shepherds would have been hungry to hear from him. These shepherds were laser focused and amazed when the angels appeared to them, because these shepherds were positioned to Savor the Wonder around them.

If we want to be like those four friends in Mark 2, friend….it means we have to move. We have to make space. We have to be willing to tear the roof off if that’s what it takes to get someone to Jesus.

And to do that, we’ve got to keep our eyes on Him. Not on our seat, our preferences, or our routines—but on Jesus.

What if we lived with the same kind of passion and urgency that we had for the biggest days of our lives? What if we saw every interaction—at work, at the grocery store, in the car line—as an opportunity to share God’s love? What if we saw Valentine’s Day as a way to showcase the greatest love of all with everyone we encountered.

I don’t want to be a girl that whines and complains to those around me about what I don’t have, or what I think I need, but instead I want to be the girl that immediately takes my needs to the Lord in prayer, trusting and believing He’s got me covered and has a plan to take care of me…and I bet you want to be that girl, too.

Sometimes I think we buy into the belief that when we live right within God’s purpose and plan for our lives we will be protected from the hard things in life. Can I share some truth with you this morning?  That’s never actually ever promised in scripture.  Jesus didn’t ever promise us that life would be easy, or that He would protect us and save us from experiencing hard things.   In fact, sometimes, I believe, that he uses these hard times, these refining times, these crushing times, to mold us and make us into the leader he wants us to be. 

I wonder…are you searching for Hope or needing Joy today?  Do you feel forgotten or pushed aside, or maybe you’re just wondering where Jesus is in the midst of your situation? If so, are you seeking Him with all of your heart, today? 

I believe God has a plan for all of us that is much bigger and better than we could ever imagine, but often His plans often require that we have courage to be obedient and step forward in faith.  Imagine if we all stopped being fearful, but rather chose to walk courageously as we embraced all of the ways He has called us to reach this world.

Are you allowing your heart to be split by all the things this world is throwing at you, or are you fixated and completely focused on the great love that only comes from Jesus?  Valentine’s Day can be a really hard day if we’re looking for someone to fill up our ‘love tank’ because only God offers the kind of love that is steadfast, unchanging, and always available.  

Jesus didn’t choose Peter to follow Him because Peter was perfect.  He didn’t choose him because he never made a mistake, or never messed up.  He didn’t choose Peter because needed a rock to cling to when life got hard.  He chose Peter because he wanted Peter.

How on earth could a group of Jesus-followers not notice someone in the back who was desperate for what Jesus had to offer.  How could these people not have noticed someone who was doing everything they could to see Jesus, frantic to experience the same grace, mercy, and love that He had freely given to them?  Or maybe was it that they did notice, and just weren’t interested in risking comfort to actually care.

If I’m honest, I know how they could overlook him, because it’s the same reason I sometimes ‘overlook’ the people around me…..they were afraid. Because sometimes I’m afraid. 

Perhaps the reason we don’t see God move more often isn’t because he’s not able or unwilling, perhaps it’s because we’re not consistently, fervently praying and asking him to move. Maybe the reason I’m not seeing God do the things I wish he would is actually because I’m not committed enough to ask him for them.  Matthew 17:20 tells us that “if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains”….maybe we’re not seeing mountains moved because we don’t have the faith we need to pray and ask God to move them.

Peter stood in a room that felt just like the one where Talitha died, but this time, he wasn’t the overwhelmed disciple watching from the sidelines. He was the man who had walked with Jesus, fallen hard, been restored, and now carried the Spirit’s power.

He didn’t let the memory paralyze him. He let the flashback fuel him.

Maybe, just maybe, the problem was not that the disciples couldn’t see a solution to this problem….maybe the problem is that the disciples COULD see the solution, and remembered the amount of work it required of them to see the miracle.

Before we check our text messages or our emails, before we throw that first load into the washing machine, before we even grab that cup of coffee or climb out of bed, let’s take a minute to fall to our knees and talk to Jesus.

It’s not most important that Peter walked on the water to Jesus. What’s not important is who got out the boat, but what is important is who got in it with them.

Are you chasing Jesus like your life depends on it? Are you desperate for time spent at the feet of your Savior? Are you looking for extra ways to spend your time with Him?