How to Avoid the Land Mines

I want to thank so many of you for the sweet comments and emails you sent me on last Sunday’s post.  It made me wonder why I don’t do Sunday faith posts more often?  I will definitely be doing them this month, and I may try to do them more in the future. :). Y’all are so precious to me!

Well, it is Day 9 of the #31daychallenge, and y’all, this discipline stuff is HARD!  My family has been camping at Mammoth Cave National Park, and we have NO WIFI where our tent is set up.  Like, we are REALLY roughing it, y’all!  ha!

But the little convenient store down the road has wifi, so I am sitting on my computer at a picnic table so I can write today’s post.  Sania Louise is taking a nap with daddy, and the boys are spending some money at the souvenir shop, so we’re all good!  {wink}

Last week, I talked about how FAITH IS HARD.  And I have prayed that even though having faith can be hard, that we would all realize that it is worth it.  And I talked about how spending time in prayer, reading the Bible, and fellowshipping with other believers can help us in our faith journey as we encourage one another. 

 

Because LIFE IS HARD, and we need God to help us navigate it, especially since he wants and knows what is best for us, just like you want what is best for your own children. 

I have shared this story with my boys many times…

Pretend you are in the army, and you are getting ready to walk across a very long field that is full of land mines that will explode and blow you to bits as soon as you step on them.  (yep.  I tell it like it is.). :)

But then, a Sergeant comes along and tells you that he has a map of the field and knows exactly where every single explosive is and can get you safely across the field. 

You have two choices…Let the Sergeant lead you across the field with them map, or go by yourself.  What would you do?

I ask my boys, “Would you just take your chances and try to go across the field on your own?  Would you say, “No thanks, Sergeant, I got this!  And then think he was trying to be bossy? ”

“Of course not!  That’s crazy!”  my boys would say.

Yes, it is crazy. 

Well, trying to walk through life without God is just as crazy.  There are certain things in this life that can cause you damage. It can damage your heart.  It can steal your joy.  It can break relationships.   God wants to help us avoid those land mines.  

 

My favorite part of the verse above is the second half…”You will seek me and find me when you seek me WITH ALL YOUR HEART.”

WITH ALL OUR HEARTS!

My prayer for us this week is to listen to God as we spend time in prayer and bible study.  I mean really listen.  You may not hear God’s audible voice, I never have, but I hear him speaking to my heart all the time.  

He is telling us what to avoid in life so that we can have “life and have it more abundantly.”  God’s word is the map, and he speaks to us through it.  Listen to him as he lovingly leads you forward. 

God will share with us how we are supposed to live.  How we are supposed to act.  Maybe we need to forgive someone that has hurt us in the past?  Maybe we need to reach out to a neighbor or co-worker and ask them to church?  Maybe we need to be more gentle in the way we talk to our spouses?  Maybe we need to trust God to take care of our wayward children?

What has God been speaking to you lately?  I am praying that you and I both will listen and obey. 

Thank you again for letting me share my heart with you!!