I didn’t realize it, but I was in need of a great humbling. After a difficult week, I did what any average American women would do, and loaded my kids up for McDonald’s. I wouldn’t have to prepare at least one meal, and I completely planned on, and relished the thought of, sitting in my booth alone and mindlessly taking the time to breathe. McDonald’s was a fairly busy place. As I watched the kids play, I couldn’t help but also watch the coming and going of others. I’m pretty sure I was privy to someone’s blind date gone wrong, or maybe the worst job interview I’ve ever seen. Who knows?

And then there was Abigail.

I believe one of the misnomers about depression is that we anticipate a depressed person to always be in a sad or anxious mood. But it is more or less that seasons of depression are woven throughout one’s life; that to the level one might feel happiness, in a moment, they can feel the same in sorrow. So the depressed person can seem like the life of the party, just not perpetually. There are bouts of depression and anxiety caused by circumstances beyond our control. Sometimes it comes after great milestones, even joyous ones, like the birth of a baby. Other times it may come from the grief and loss of a beloved, the death of a dream or aspiration, the loss of ability. What seems small to one can paralyze another for there is intimately more going on than meets the eye.

However, we must be careful that while we tell others about OUR love for them, we are not negating the fact that, really, it’s about how much God loves them. He loves them more than we can even fathom. Is it not true for ourselves? We love others because Christ first loved us. (1 John 4:19) Christ came and showed us what it means to love. God proved His love by sacrificing His son on the cross.

If we find our hearts are wavering, our trust incomplete, our confidence diminished, we must cling to the Word, specifically the character and promises of God, until they are solidified in our hearts and minds—an impenetrable fortress against the devil.

Yet, we cannot rest in what we feel. We rest in what we are sure of from the word of God. We cannot trust in what we see. We can only rest in what we know from the Word of God. I cannot trust in my own vain works. I can only rest in the works of a perfect Savior. It is a blessing to rest in this way because my trust is in someone I have access to, someone I know—Jesus. And His Friendship is worth it all.

Part of our problem is, we don’t think of Jesus as a man with piercings. No, Jesus bears the ultimate body piercings, and they have a richer and more meaningful message to broadcast; they show the depths of God’s love for us and provision for our sin. Jesus, with his piercings honors his Father. It is his statement of love and the consequences of sin- his message rings loud and clear. How far was he willing to go? He followed completely willing, even to the point of death. His marks are the proof of how much pain and discomfort he was willing to endure, not just his physical sufferings, but the weight of all the world’s sin, and the entire wrath of God the Father. This, all, to reconcile us to himself. We who are unworthy and unfaithful, who, too often trample under foot that which is holy.

Before there can be something beautiful, something has to die.

Jesus, of course, is our ultimate example. He raises from the dead in both a spiritual sense and a literal, bodily sense. Every part of our lives; our resources, talents, health, anything of which we have authority, and everything that we have cultivated, ALL, are to be used for the glory of God and the transmission of the gospel. To die, we must deal honestly with ourselves. But the idea of dying to ourselves does not need to be complicated or scary. We die to ourselves every time we simply say, “yes,” to the Lord. How would our lives change if we resolved in our hearts to say “yes”, the next time the Holy Spirit gave unction? What would happen if we were to remain available and look for the places we were being called to serve? What is the next, “yes” you will say to the Lord?

The sin of slander is to be taken seriously in the life of a Christian because all people are created to be image bearers of God. When we tear down others we devalue them, and by proxy vandalize God’s reputation. Slander causes very real, sometimes long lasting damage to ourselves and others. It is stealing the good name of another. Slander destroys relationships with our neighbors and separates close friends. It is discouraging and confusing, and derails the mission of the church, it disrupts our worship, and makes our offering unacceptable.

Thanksgiving, then, is an expression of worship, the natural outpouring of praise from a soul who realizes that while they deserve death-they have been given life. Thanksgiving helps us to remember our faith and protects us from wandering away from God. In view of the work of Christ on the cross, humility and thankfulness are the foundations for joy… and no amount of hardship, pain or suffering can steal from it. Our gratitude is pleasing to God because it is the proper response to His Mercy, our thankfulness shows our adoration.

Let’s celebrate the fact that we are growing even when it may look as though we have stalled. If at some point you fail at a goal, remember your worth is not in your productivity or efforts. Your worldly successes and failures do not define who you are in the eyes of God. Rest in God’s grace and know you are wholly loved.

In and of itself, rightly dividing the Word of God is a weighty task that can take a substantial amount of time.

Practicing unity in an age of diversity is never easy, yet we are called to be peacemakers in this fallen world to very imperfect people.

Too many of us are working from a clear deficit of rest on a regular basis. We often lead with work and rest only when we feel we’ve earned it or, worse, when others feel it’s warranted. It would change the way we live if our mindset was to initially choose to rest, as we are able, before engaging in a substantial season of work. This would naturally set us up to engage from a stronger position, renewed strength, and fresh perspective.

Taking the time to dwell on scripture and the attributes of God helps us to cement the ideas and concepts of character and virtue that we need within our own heart. Yet, even when God’s Word is clear we are a people who easily forget. Taking the time and patience to critically think about the things of God is a discipline that must be practiced.