One of my favorite movies to watch at Christmas time is It’s a Wonderful Life. There’s a scene where the main character finally breaks under all of life’s pressures, disappointments and broken dreams – all unrelated to his actions. He begins to have an attiTUDE with a capital “A”. He complains about everything, which causes him to contemplate suicide. Then after seeing what the world would be like if he never existed, he starts to be grateful for the very same things he was complaining about only hours earlier. His life circumstances hadn’t change one bit, but being grateful defeated that bad attitude.
This is why Scripture tells us to give thanks in all circumstances. Scripture never promises us a rose garden life by following Jesus. It does promise that as we focus on all the wonderful things Jesus has brought into our lives, we can defeat those bad days, even those caused by others.
There is a song we used to sing in service growing up called Count Your Blessings. It goes, Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your blessings, see what God hath done! Count your blessings, name them one by one; And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly, And you will keep singing as the days go by.
You and I are not God, nor the Savior. So, let your God lift your soul through remembering all the things going right in your life. Let your God be God. He’ll help get rid of the attiTUDE through gratitude.
S“E”t Free Nowww

One of the lowest moments, I believe, Jesus ever experienced was in the garden of Gethsemane. Would He go to the cross for which He was destined? He struggled alone as His friends lay asleep. He was so alone. His entire life had been lived in constant communication with His Dad. They literally talked over everything; and yet, now the lines were down. He was completely alone. So alone in fact that He sweat blood. I can only imagine the high He felt after the cross and through the grave when those lines were up and running again with the Father.
It’s been said that you can’t have the highs without first experiencing the lows. You don’t really know what feeling full is without having felt being hungry. There was no resurrection without death. There’s no testimony without a test.
We must first see our need for Jesus and then transfer our trust to Him, which for almost all of us occurs during challenges, often severe ones. (Hebrews 12:7-11) It is as we see Jesus work in our life that we can now be a witness, one who has experienced Jesus firsthand.
Choose to trust Jesus, even during the low moments. The highs are coming and oh what a story you’ll be able to tell when they come!
“S”et Free Nowww

It’s not who I am, but whose I am that counts when it comes to the believer’s security. It isn’t what I do that determines who I am, but what someone else did for me that gives me solid ground on which to stand.
Therefore, the more you know about whose you are the more secure you’ll feel at any point in time. And who’s the who in the whose? Jesus. It is through faith in Jesus and what He did, not in ourselves and what we do, that gives us the right to become secure children of God.
So the more we know from head knowledge put into life experience about Jesus and what He did for us, the more secure we’ll feel despite any difficult circumstances we might face. Jesus is a Rock on which to stand during life’s storms; but, if what you know about Him stays in your head, you’re on pretty shaky ground.
So who’s the who in the whose to you and how well do you know Him?
“S”et Free Nowww

The first comic strip pane shows a dad driving to work. The next one shows him recounting his blessings: his fantastic job, awesome wife, wonderful kids, beautiful home, close friends, etc. The next frame has him thinking and then blurting out, “I WANT MORE!!”
I read this after just having to slow down because of the rain, which allowed me to not feel guilty for not being outside doing something! Where I live it’s a very fast paced world. It’s seems I’m always reaching for more, especially of Jesus.
This mindset is stressful and is based in a lie. Jesus came to give us eternal life that starts the moment of transferring our trust to Him, not when we die. Colossians 2:9 states that we are complete in Christ. I have everything I need to be at peace and experience life right now, not later.
Will our more ever truly satisfy us so that we will not still want more even after we get what we think we want? It doesn’t and leads to the taking of our drugs of choice. Let Jesus give you the truths you need to appreciate today, so you can let whatever comes tomorrow stay in tomorrow.
S“E”t Free Nowww

Good seed + good soil = good fruit. Bad seed + good soil = bad fruit. Good seed + bad soil = no fruit. Only one equation produces the kind of life you’re looking for, the first one.
Jesus is the good seed. Good soil is a heart that’s ready to listen to and follow that Seed through loving obedience. This combination, through the Spirit’s power, produces character qualities that not only last for eternity, but also will bring the true love, significance and security that you seek.
Keep in mind, you plant seed one way or another: Jesus or the other guy. It’s your choice. How do you want your life to turn out? Today, as you listen to Jesus in Scripture, choose to exercise the truth by faith Spirit empowered to produce the kind of fruit worth eating. Go ahead. Taste and see that the Lord is good!
Set Fre“E” Nowww