Here’s the thing. Some days, our spiritual taste buds might not be working. But its important we don’t stop tasting anyway. Even when prayer and devotions are not enjoyable, or not instantly meaningful, they still nourish us. And they still taste worlds better than any other book, movie, or social media feed we could be consuming – we just might not know it right away. When we struggle to focus, or feel rushed, we still need to take time to feed our souls. The taste will come.

I am willing to bet there are spiritually, physically and emotionally weary people in your community that you can help or encourage in the grocery store, on the roadside or walking down your street. Step out in faith and lend a helping hand. Who knows how God will use your brief encounter to impact someone's life for eternity!

In Acts 2:42 it says that the church was devoted to the apostles teaching, to fellowship, to eating with one another and to prayer. Believe it or not, the fellowship of believers was kind of a big deal to the early church and I believe it's a big deal to God. God desires his people to regularly come together in relationship, companionship, gratitude, worship and mutual encouragement in Christ.

Our greater need is always spiritual. God is not concerned with the things we often are. In fact, He says not to worry about earthly things, like what we will eat or drink or wear (Matthew 6). God is most concerned about the eternal.

We can use the perspective gained while on the mountaintop to help us through the trials of the valley but the mountaintop is not where we live. Enjoy the mountaintop! Learn from it and appreciate the perspective it gives you, but remember it’s in the valley that we live and grow.

God’s power is there for me. I don’t need to be discontent. God’s power is there for me. I don’t need to be stressed about the people in my life. God’s power is there for me. I don’t need to worry where I should direct my time and energy. If I ask Him, God will tell me.

My prayer has been that God would remind me of this early and often as I go about my day and that I would not be quick to forget God’s goodness toward me all of my days.

If we continuously try to set up our lives in such a way with no risks, no room for failure and no fears - we are also setting up our lives for no faith! We don’t “need” God when we don’t have things to fear or we don’t need to rely on Him.

Our Heavenly Father, Creator of all things, could have made his home on any mountain or in any beautiful setting he desired. Instead, he loved us so much more that he decided to make his home in the hearts of his people. Wow! His love for us is so much greater than any other created thing and so should our love for one another be!

But, the Bible clearly states that the rain falls on the evil and the good. If you follow wisdom, then your odds in life are better- and that’s logical. The Bible is actually very logical. What earthly benefit is it follow God? He is with you. Through highs and lows, even to the end of time. He guides.

We can’t live for God without God. We can’t put ourselves in auto-drive mode, and call it good. Our need for God’s help is obvious in the cross. We might be able to land that trick perfectly off that new rail, but we can’t truly perform up to God’s standard of perfection with our whole life. We know this because Jesus had to die. His death proves our flaws and brokenness – but it also proves His love that He would die WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS (Romans 5:8).

Regularly taking a moment to pause, praise and give thanks may seem insignificant, but I am convinced that our habits are constantly forming us into the people we are becoming. If you're like me and you tend to get caught up in the busyness of the day, take a moment now and ask God to grow in you a heart of constant gratitude! He hears your prayers and desires to help you!

As we follow Jesus, putting in the work now and making the hard decisions to choose Him, we grow in our love for Him. When we reach eternity having lived in pursuit of pleasing Him, we have the joy of offering up our work, not as a means of salvation, but as a means of worship, at Jesus’s feet. The hard work now leads to greater joy later.

In other words, no matter what you find yourself doing: all things you do, in word and deed, provide opportunity to worship and glorify God. Whether you’re changing a diaper, standing in front of a sink with dirty dishes, sending emails at your office job, or chatting with a neighbor - opportunities are plenty!

Have you ever found yourself in a state of frantic anxiety trying to figure out how to fix a difficult situation? I think we all have at some point. I wonder if we should take some advice from Moses and remember who God is and what he has done. Not only has he parted the red sea he has conquered sin, satan and death on our behalf. If you find yourself in an impossible situation, cry out to God! He is mighty to save! He loves you deeply and he won’t leave you to fend for yourself. You need only to trust in Him, stand firm and be still.

WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS, God sent His Son. God did not send His Son when we were clean of the puke. He did not send His Son when we got our act together. God meets us in our mess and cleans up our mess by the blood of Christ because just as River can't clean up himself, neither can we. Why does God clean up our mess? Because just as one might say it's a mother's nature to love their child, love actually is God's nature! He is the only one capable of perfect love.

That itself is the heart of why we do camp. At Loon Mountain Ministry, one of our values is "Sharing the good news of Jesus through word and deed in relationships and shared common experiences." We get to share Christ with these kids, and others at the mountain, through the shared common experience of skiing and snowboarding. That is pretty awesome! Jesus wants to be apart of and shared with every faucet of our lives.

The truth that I often need reminded of is that there are rules worth aligning myself with... Gods rule. It's only with His rule and reign in my life that I can grow and mature. This is true freedom- growing into what God has intended you to be for His glory and your good!

Our shared love for Jesus should unite us no matter how we vote, what music we like or what translation of the Bible we read. In Philippians 2 we see the apostle Paul's joy wasn't in ones team dominance, it was in one loves unity. Mom always said Philippians 2 was Jesus’ Christmas list. Let's give Him what he wants and by the power of the Spirit love one another.

Jesus method of grace is not sweeping her sin under the rug. He clearly commands her to not go on sinning. His method of truth is not fear driven. He does not shame her. Instead he extends grace, which powerfully leads her to the truth. Do you believe that God's grace is more powerful than the fear of consequences? Do you believe that the Truth is what will ultimately set you free? As Christians, I pray the Holy Spirit helps shape our hearts and minds to be a people that rightly reflect Gods character... Full of Grace and Truth.