You may know that I have been asked by Zondervan to write a book about our church and our journey. It will be called DANGEROUS CHURCH. The deadline for the finished manuscript is next month, so I have carved out this week to work hard on getting it finished.
It’s interesting how God always shows me a picture of something to help me understand. It's even more interesting that usually those pictures come at exactly the moment I need them.
Yesterday I was sitting, writing, and almost daydreaming watching a little girl in pink goggles swimming in a pool. She would swim and poke her head up and look, and swim, poke her head up and look. In her frantic search, she wasn’t really enjoying the swim. I watched her do this for what must have been 5 minutes. The last time she came out of the water she saw who she was trying to find: her daddy. I’m so grateful I was sitting close enough to hear her conversation, because it spoke so much to my heart.
She said, “Oh daddy, there you are. What are you doing?" I looked at this dad with camo hat on, probably mid 40’s, kind of perched on a rock next to the pool, just watching his daughter. As she was so frantically looking, he was so calm. She was confused and he was in control. He replied to her, “I am just here watching you”.
It gave me such a cool picture of God, that this little story will be in a chapter where I talk about Elijah, who ran panicked and confused to the point he didn’t want to carry on. The entire time Elijah ran God was there, watching, loving, protecting, and even feeding him.
I think so many of us are like that little girl. We spend so much time looking for God that we miss out on simply enjoying life and really living the abundant life.
The little girl got out of the pool, kissed her dad on the cheek and jumped back in the water. Only this time she was totally enjoying the swim. She now had confidence and freedom knowing that her dad was watching her.
I think we can live life that way, with a God awareness. The verse that God brought to me heart as I watched this scene unfold is in Hebrews 13:5. It says, “never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” Using the word never twice is a double emphatic. In our language it would read “never, ever, ever, ever, will I leave you!"
Maybe today as we go through life, we can have this God awareness, that He is just there for us, with us, and nothing will make Him love us less.
I hope all of us can live knowing our Father in heaven is watching, smiling, and wanting us to enjoy this life.
Have a great day.
John
Anyone can view this Susan Phillips | March 26th Thank you soooo much Pastor John for how much you sacrifice for Living Hope and for that perfect word that you so willingly stop and share with us, that comes right from the heart of our loving father. I never got to know my earthly father and it has always been hard for me to see God as my daddy. You have helped me sooooooo much to see Him, in that way. May God bless you abundently today, and always...... |
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Rhonda | March 25th John, this really hit me hard right now. Here I am, relatively alone, w/o support from my siblings. Trying to settle my beloved Mom's financial affairs. Everyone wants thier share and there is little left. I have been so stressed that my hair is now falling out and I am feeling very low, not normal for my usual hyper, energetic self. I tell myself that I am not alone and that God is walking right beside me through all of this and that this drama will end soon. I will recover from this too. I know I will. God has brought me through so much, I would be lost w/o his never-ending love and grace in my life. He brings me peace when I think I can no longer handle another conversation with yet another collection ageny , etc. |
Gordon Hewitt | March 22nd That is nice . Yes so often we forget that God is always there for us and is always Watching if We remember that he is watching us and we belive in Him and share that Walk that we have the Strength to Move on with him in Our lives . AS Myself growing up without A father, I did not know that i always had a father there who was watching and taking care of me , if i knew this how much more Confident i would Have been knowing my father is always there for me And others . I fill Watched over, by Our Father. Thanks John very nice to Remember things like that . Thank You :) |
Tony | March 20th Hey, can we read a draft copy, or installments like they used to do in the olden days? |
Travis Freeman | March 20th wow John that is is so so so so true. Bless ya |
Janette Weaver Long | March 19th My eyes well up every time I think so peacefully at the idea of God loving me, the real me, the whole me, I still have such a hard time knowing that no matter what, God is there, God Loves me.....ME? ME! All I do, all I am, my heart swells and I get the most peaceful feeling. I never would have imagined he could love and accept me like this. Its baffling, amazing. There will never be another feeling like this. I thank you God, and you Pastor John and Living Hope for being the Dangerous Church that you are, so many need you and the way that God uses Living Hope and all of us to know this love! |
Heidi | March 19th Just reading this brings tears to my eyes, Sometimes I lose sight of the fact GOD is there and always will be... Thank you for the reminder... |
Tony | March 19th I remember just prior to becoming a Christian, thinking how I needed God just to have my 'get into heaven' card. Afterwards (and slowly) you learn that He can make such a difference in your life here on earth. I'm still working on it, sometimes sticking my head out of the chaos to search for Him. He's always there waiting (and probably lovingly wondering why it keeps taking so long). |
Emily | March 19th I must have needed to read this because I am now crying, it really ministered to me and reminded me that I do not have to be frantic to know where HE is but instead have that confidence in my heart that HE is there. Thank you John! |
Ronda | March 19th That truely made my heart smile!!!!!!!!! |
Marvin | March 19th Great post and so very true. Reminds me of an old song. "He was there all the time" |
Kay Fehrs | March 19th Amazing story...it really hit home for me.I am a very visual person and this story helps to put things in perspective by relating something we can't necessarily see into something that we CAN see. I do at times stress and not take time to enjoy life or not listen to what God is trying to tell me. It was a wonderful reminder that He IS there no matter what and He loves me....thank you for sharing John! |
Tanya Arthur | March 19th There are no words to describe what a blessing Living Hope has been to my family and I have no doubt to many others. Gods vessel is the faith of those who are lead to carry out his will, instead of thier own. God speaks to you, you listen, then he speaks to many others through you. And through you many lives and communities have been touched, changed, and saved. Living Hope is a growing family, a family we are proud to a be part of. Any way we can support this new journey, and the many to come, is truely an honor to both Elizabeth and I. Along with all aspects of your life, God had his hands in this book of yours. He will guide you, as he always does. Thank you ssooo very much, for being the connected man you are. Tanya |
Brandi Martin | March 18th That made me smile! :) |
Lisa | March 18th Too long between blogs...it's like when you first started to blog. I miss the regular ones. Good stuff in here, per the norm...I love how simple examples like that are so relatable!!! Thanks, bro. *hugs* |
LeAnn Wakefield | March 18th I am single, 66 yrs old, been a part of Living hope for almost 4 yrs now. I am so lonely at times and often forget how God is caring for me watchfully as 1Peter 5:7 tells me, so your story really blessed my heart and reminded me of that wonderful fact. It made me cry. Thank you for being God's vessel. Love in Christ, LeAnn Wakefield |
 Echo B | March 18th WOW. That story totally brought tears to my eyes. What an incredible picture of God's love. When I read what you wrote here: "We spend so much time looking for God that we miss out on simply enjoying life and really living the abundant life." I had a lightbulb moment. You totally just brought home what God has been trying to show me this past week. Incredible. Your book is going to be awesome. I am really just so excited for you and can't stop thinking about how many more people are going to be touched by the story of Living Hope, your authenticity and most of all the truth of God's power and love at work. It is going to make a huge impact. Thanks for everything you sacrifice to bring us God's Word and teach us how to be disciples of Jesus Christ. It matters more than you know. |
adam shetler | March 18th john what a great thought and god will never leave us and god loves you and me and he love his church and he will never leave his church |
