“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

On April 20, 1999 the perception of safety and security in our nation’s school system changed forever. That was the day of the Columbine High School tragedy. Twelve students and one teacher were killed in a rampage that forever altered the Denver area, and perhaps, too, the nation. On that day, I was working only about 15 miles away from the school. Of course, I responded with shock, disbelief, sadness, and even anger at those responsible.


In the wake of the tragic event, an outpouring of love and support grew into the Columbine Memorial, opened in 2007 in nearby Clement Park. The Ring of Remembrance is buffered by the Wall of Healing. Designed into the pavement is an intricate ribbon bearing the words, Never Forgotten. Every year, the media mark the anniversary, now by visiting the site and revisiting that sad day in our memories. It’s been 11 years since Columbine.

Last weekend, my son’s baseball team played a tournament at Clement Park. As we arrived and began settling in, we noticed we were playing on the Dave Sanders Memorial Field. Sanders was the teacher killed, but also noted for his bravery during the attacks, his sacrifice in saving the lives of many students and his kindhearted approach to life and the school whose students he loved. Standing at that field, with its commemorative bricks all around us, we certainly felt a sense that there is so much more to life than the game we were about to watch.

We had a couple hours between games, so we decided to take the walk up to the Memorial, located atop a steep hill west of the fields. It was a very sobering experience, to say the least. With some of the kids with us, we trekked up, pausing to take in the quietness and beauty of the vast array of columbine flowers planted along the path. The columbine is the state flower of Colorado.

As we made our way around the memorial, one thing really stood out – many of the 13 memorial plaques, one for each of those killed that day, referenced Scripture and talked about that person’s relationship with the Lord. Through my streaming tears, I felt a sense of peace come over me. Knowing that the Lord was present and with each of those individuals, even in the midst of unspeakable circumstances, truly reinforced that we are never alone. My tears turned to sobs when I read the last words of Rachel Joy Scott. When asked if she believed in God, she boldly answered, “you know I do!” What a faith declaration.

As we made our way out and began walking back down to resume the tournament, the words to the song “Kindness” by Chris Tomlin just roared in my head.

And it's Your beauty, Lord

That makes us stand in silence

And Your love, Your love, is better than life

How very true! I had stood in silence looking at those plaques, marveling at how intimately many of those killed knew the Lord. Knowing that did bring out beauty in the middle of this tragedy. Afterward, I found myself replaying Rachel’s words, “you know I do!” If I were staring death square in the face, would I have such courage?

As numerous thoughts, words and ideas swirled about in my head and heart, I began to cling to this. That our God is bigger than we can ever imagine, and yet, He is with us in every single moment of our lives. He can name stars and galaxies we don’t even know exist, and he knows every hair on our heads. And while people question how He could let this happen or where was He when it did, I say He is right there. He was on that table outside the cafeteria with Rachel Scott when her life was taken, and he was with every single person that day at Columbine. He is with me in every moment – good or bad – and He shares in both my joy and my pain. And His forgiving love is the kindness that makes me stand in awe, knowing that while I don’t deserve it, it is by His grace and mercy that I received it and that, is better than life. Yes, never forget.

http://www.last.fm/music/Chris+Tomlin/_/Kindness

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped...

...My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.” Psalm 28:7


I have just returned from a beach vacation and my hope is that the lessons I learned there, like the memories made, will stay with me as I go on with life. The place we stayed at is located on the northern end of the island, on the edge of the usual development, hotels, and crowds. Because of the location, I have the luxury of solitude, something that is often lacking in my everyday life. That solitude has led to some amazing time with the Lord.

I usually walk on the beach every morning I’m there. My route happens to mean taking a right turn out of the condo. The route I like is about 3 miles round trip. It’s very secluded and I get lost in thoughts and hardly remember the walk most days. I love that about this stretch of beach. The time I spend in reflection, praise and prayer helps me to stay focused on the priority of Him, His purpose and plan and less on the distractions that typically lead me to sadness, stress and separation.

One day, I took a left instead of a right. This took me towards the crowds, the noise, the busyness of the other end of the beach. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that, a lot of people really enjoy the interaction and I believe those interactions can lead to moments of opportunity to share God’s message. But, it also means I’m not spending that time reflecting or praising because I am too distracted by everything going on around me.

For a few days since I took that route, I’ve been thinking. And I think that God is using that to teach me something. That every day I am faced with distractions and choices. What I choose and what I allow myself to be distracted by all impact my ability to stay centered and focused on Him. Keeping that commitment to spending time with Him before embarking on the day’s activities make a huge difference on the choices I make and the impact the distractions will have. I’ll be honest, my time with Him isn’t always the first thing I do when I get up. But, I am working on making time at some point in the morning – time in a devotional book I’m reading, time with some of the numerous email devotions I receive each day, a message on a podcast, or (my favorite) reading or listening to the Scripture on CD in the car. I find that if I spend time doing any of these, my day is better, my choices more in line with His and my stress level is lower.

While the tan lines from the vacation at the beach may fade, my prayer is that the focus gained will not. I long for that connection that is found in those moments of solitude when it is just me and my Lord.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life...

...what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Matthew 6:25-27

I know several people who are facing incredible life trials. Some of them health, some financial, some relationship-based. The individual issues may vary, and there are definitely reasons for concern in each person’s struggle. But, some of them are facing these burdens without a true relationship with Jesus Christ, while some of them are walking with the Lord. This is where the similarities end. For those in relationship with Jesus, there is a hope, a strength, a comfort that this life is not the end and these trials will not define us. This life and its challenges will fall away in eternity with a joy that is impossible for us to even remotely imagine in this life. For those who are not in relationship with Jesus, I’m pained and saddened to watch the struggles they face dictate their daily existence. These trials become an immovable burden and their very being becomes centered around the challenges of life. It is incredibly difficult to watch and my heart breaks for them.

Having Christ in our heart means our circumstances do not dictate our outlook. We can face life with a joy that is not of this world. One of the toughest trials our family faced was the loss of a job – in one day half of our income slipped away. What could have been a devastating blow became a window of opportunity that has radically changed us. From that, God lined up a path that only He could orchestrate. And now, we are able to fulfill a life purpose that is having an incredible impact on the next generation. We are only at the beginning, too. It’s exciting to think about the possibilities that God has in store for this journey. Becoming a surrendered, willing servant is the key.

Trusting that we need not worry and that God provides for us all that we need is what I have to cling to during our trials. That can be tough to do, I know. The day to day challenges of life have a tendency to wear on us, especially when we are in the midst of trying times. However, as tough as it may be, this is not what Jesus tells us. Throughout Scripture, we are reminded that we should not fear. While I may stumble at times with this concept, I am gently reminded to turn to Him. And I know that when I walk with the Lord through my trials, He is glorified and I come out ahead in the end.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

I am spending a week at the beach and loving it. This place is truly special to me and is the place where I feel most connected to the Lord. Last year, it was where I poured out my heart to Him and He answered with a specific direction for my life.


Yesterday morning I was up to take my morning walk on the beach. I always approach it with some level of expectancy because it’s generally pretty secluded and I can lose myself in praise and prayer while traveling north toward Caladesi Island State Park in north Clearwater Beach.

I found myself captured by the creatures along the low tide shoreline, many of whom were frantically trying to scurry themselves back into the Gulf of Mexico. Only a foot or two from the water, they scratched and clawed their way towards the bubbling waves that would take them back to the safety of the water. And then, I watched the birds. Those little, fast-moving opportunistic critters moving along the water’s edge searching for food. They ebbed and flowed with the tide, carefully avoiding getting in the water.

The contrast really jumped out at me. Isn’t that how I approach the Lord sometimes? Aren’t there times when I am desperately clinging to Him, seeking Him and longing to be completely immersed in Him? And yet, aren’t there other times when I think I can skim along the edge and get just close enough to get by without truly diving in and trusting fully? Those thoughts captivated me while I traveled the water’s edge. Thinking about those creatures whose every action is geared at just getting back to the safety and comfort of total surrender to the water of life made me long for that mindset. The birds reminded me of how often I think I can tiptoe just close enough that I think I’m relying on Him when, in fact, I think I’ve got it all under control. Thinking about that gripped my heart and convicted me that I need to make every effort to by more like the animals who knew they were nothing outside of full immersion into the water. I am nothing without full immersion, full surrender to the Lord.

And then, something very interesting occurred. As I trekked along watching this scene play out along the shore and in my mind, I encountered a couple walking the opposite direction. Every so often they would stop and I noticed the man would stoop down and toss something in the water. The closer I got to them, I realized he was picking up those desperate creatures and gently returning them to the safety of the Gulf. That really struck a chord in my heart. That couple was going along and whenever they could, they stopped to redirect the course of one of those creatures, literally breathing life back in them with their effort. As Christians, aren’t we fortunate to have people in our lives who help redirect us and bring us back closer to God just when we need it? People who travel along and step in when you are most desperate and help us find our way back to the beauty of total immersion in the Lord.

I finished my walk with a spring in my step. As I did, the words of this passage in Matthew’s Gospel filled my heart. “Come to me,” Jesus said. Come and unload your burdens. We can be just like the shoreline creatures, when the weight of the shell they live in becomes heavy after they are removed from their protector. We become loaded down with the troubles of life when we try to carry them ourselves. Then Jesus says, “come to me” and offers sweet relief. God paints such a beautiful picture for us in simple, every day things. If we’re willing to be open to the message, He will speak in ways that will keep our focus just where it ought to be.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

...And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7


Our family received news today that no family wants to hear. The kind of news that takes the wind out of your sails and, if you’re not careful, can cause you to question God. As soon as I received the news, I immediately prayed, asking God to remove this burden. To reach down and touch our beloved with the healing that only He can provide. We need a miracle. A God-sized miracle. So, that’s what I prayed for.

As I drove home tonight, I was thinking more about this situation and talking to Him about my feelings about it, my lack of understanding for the circumstance and my human desire to want it to go away, regardless of His bigger plan. As I thought about this, I felt gentle reminder in my spirit that He is with us, even in this hardship. That He has given us a weapon in the fight. The power of prayer and the powerful name of Jesus. Perhaps His plan is to remove this burden. I don’t know that it isn’t, it's too soon to tell. But, if it isn’t, what is that going to mean for the faith of our family?

Well, for me, I am clinging to the truths that I know from His Word. That He loves us – including my stricken family member. That we are not alone, even in the depths of life-threatening circumstances. That this life is not the end for us. The Bible tells us that we will face trials in this life. But, knowing that we never face those trials alone gives me a focus and purpose that is beyond the circumstance.

In a recent Bible study course, we were asked to write a prayer that focuses on Him and not our circumstances. Here’s what I wrote. “Lord, I praise you. That you would choose to love me, despite my brokenness. And that you would send your Son to a death meant for me, to pardon my debt, is beyond anything I could ever deserve. And yet, you freely offered it to me to simply receive. For that, I praise you. In ALL my circumstances.” I just thumbed back to this prayer in my notes because it reminds me that praise isn’t limited to the good times. It is in all times.

The song, “I Will Rise,” by Chris Tomlin got me through a time of personal trial and potential life-threatening crisis. The words are perfect for this, and any other situation that is beyond our human comprehension.

There's a peace I've come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an anchor for my soul
I can say "It is well"

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

There's a day that's drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

And I hear the voice of many angels sing,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
And I hear the cry of every longing heart,
"Worthy is the Lamb"

And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise