Losing My Life

     Typically on Easter, my focus is on celebrating Jesus' victory over death and our salvation that resulted from it. This year, however, I have been struck by the darkness before the resurrection. Now more than ever I identify with what the disciples experienced in the wake of Jesus' death. Although Jesus had prophesied many times about His resurrection, when the time finally came for His death on a cross the disciples had forgotten all about what He said.      I can imagine exactly how His followers felt. The waves of fear, sadness, confusion, and hopelessness hitting their hearts all at once like a tsunami. I'm sure they were doubting their faith and wondering if the last three years of their lives had been a waste. Asking each other, how could we have gotten it so wrong? What will happen to us? How can we go back to our lives as they were?        With the difficulties I personally am facing in this season of life, I too find my...

     For a couple weeks now the Lord has been pressing this message on my heart. He revealed a flaw in my thinking I hadn't noticed. You see, when hard times come it's in my nature to duck and cover. I go into "survival mode" and I get tunnel vision. I only focus on getting through what's in front of me alive. But in doing so, not only do I miss a lot of opportunities, but I give in to the voice of fear in my life.     I know I don't speak only for myself when I say that God wants to us in our "every day lives." Not only at church or on a special mission trip, but in the trenches of the grocery store, the gym, work, etc. It is His will that every soul is saved and He wants us to go out into the world and win those hearts for Him. But when I put myself in survival mode, I block out all the opportunities God lays before me. When I numb myself with the routine of each passing day, week, and month, I miss out on sharing the one thing of eternal importa...