"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10 NIV

Despite the misery of fall allergies, I can't help but be enthralled by the beauty of the season. The flawless blue sky constrasted against the golden and russet leaves bathed in the glow of warm sunshine; the rustling sound as the wind moves through the leaves and then casts them swirling to the ground; they seem to me as unique expressions of God's creative handiwork. Each season has its own peculiar beauty, but none captures my imagination like autumn.

As I gaze out at the vivid colors and brilliant sunshine, I think of the love that God has invested into his creation. He could have made the planet merely functional, given it only the requirements necessary to sustain life. But he took it beyond that and made it full of mystery, majesty and beauty.

Then he placed humankind on it and instructed us to care for and enjoy this work of God's own hands. We were the crowning achievement of his creation. What a humbling realization that God himself invested the same lavish love and thought into you and me.

We are his workmanship, created not just to fill space and mark time, but to accomplish God's purposes through the gift of this life he has given us. We were placed on this planet, not to amass wealth and material success, but to live meaningful lives that reflect the love of God. Each day we spend breathing should be an act of worship, giving glory to the Creator who gave us breath.

"Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me." Psalm 103:2 NLT

"Count your blessings, name them one by one.
Count your blessings, see what God has done.
Count your blessings, name them one by one.
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done."

When the burdens and struggles of life pile up in front of us and block our vision, it's easy to lose sight of the lessons of the past. When we add up the blessings God has given us and remember the times he has shown himself faithful, suddenly we have a new vista in front of us.

The challenges we face sometimes seem insurmountable. But we do not face them alone. When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, he sends his Spirit to live inside us. Whatever we face, he faces with us. Sometimes he is called The Counselor, and other times The Comfortor.

These times of uncertainty test our faith and have the potential to build our character. If only our emotions didn't tangle us up and short-circuit our memories. When we feel overwhelmed by the mountain of troubles staring us in the face, we need to drop to our knees in prayer. And when we see God's work in our lives, we need to make record of it and retrieve it like a weapon to face the next onslaught of trials.

Is there something in your life that looms like Mt. Everest in your path? Praise the Lord for his past faithfulness, and ask him for the strength and wisdom to navigate the rocky terrain.

If you would like someone to pray for you, please reply to rebekahsjubilee@yahoo.com and I will come alongside you in pryaer. If you do not wish to share details, simply request prayer and God will know what your needs are. You are not alone.

"So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Matthew 10:31 NIV

Have you ever had that sinking feeling as the terrible awareness hit that you weren't good enough? That you were unwanted? Or unloved? That you failed again at something important. You feel sick and want to curl up in a ball and cry yourself to sleep. We've all had them. And the memory remains even after we think we've moved on.

Somewhere in the human psyche lingers the question of worth. Maybe we failed because we don't deserve to succeed. Maybe no one loves us because we aren't worthy to be loved. We just aren't good enough. Perhaps no other issue has the ability to incapacitate us as effectively. Given full reign, the demon of worthlessness can deprive us of every joy we desire.

How do we combat these debilitating feelings? First of all, we need to confront the truth. The things that have been done to us by others, or the things that just happened in life, sent us an untrue message. We interpreted these negative experiences as reflections of our value. But our worth is not defined by the external events that shape our lives. Our worth is given to us by the Creator of Life, and nothing can take it away from us.

Jesus warned his disciples that they would face persecution, betrayal, and want. But he also told them that there was no need for fear. They were loved.

God sees the little sparrow when it falls; and you are worth more to him than many sparrows.

"The disciples went and woke him, saying, 'Lord, save us! We're going to drown!'

He replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

The men were amazed and asked, 'What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!'" Matthew 8:25-27 NIV

The disciples witnessed first-hand as Jesus healed a wide assortment of illnesses and cast out demons. Were they dense? Did they have short-term memory loss? Why didn't they know who he was and believe that he could rescue them from this storm?

But before we criticize the disciples too harshly, let's pause and look in the mirror. How many times have I witnessed God working in my own life? How many storms has he safely carried me through? And yet I feel afraid. The winds and the waves in my life look so strong and I feel so weak. I forget who he is. I forget what he can do.

When the disciples begin to panic, Jesus looks at them and ask, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Our fear reveals that at the core level, we're failing to trust God. Fear cannot live in the presence of trust. The only remedy to our fear is to place our trust completely in God.

Of course, he won't always command the winds and waves to calm down. Sometimes God lets the storm rage and guides our little boat safely to shore. Either way, we can find calm in our hearts if we would only remember who he is and trust him with our lives.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27 NIV

Sometimes the future looms in front of me with ominous gray shadows that fill me with fear. There are so many problems lurking out there in the great unknown, some in the more immediate future and others lingering in the distance. All of them remain unsolved mysteries: how will they be resolved? My mind races but finds no solutions. What am I going to do?

Of course I've prayed about it. But I'm sure I'm not the only one to feel a tight knot of anxiety in the pit of the stomach even after a sincere prayer. I know that God already has a solution in mind, and I know that he will lead me to it at the right time--but waiting patiently for it is the difficult part.

Jesus said he would give us his peace. Not the kind of peace the world offers. Why is it that I keep looking for that kind of peace--the kind that comes from financial security and a five-year plan? The peace Jesus offers isn't dependent on my situation or shaken by the unknown. If I only claimed his peace, I wouldn't feel troubled or afraid.

Why then do I allow myself to feel so anxious and frightened? Why do I lay awake at night worrying when I know that my life rests safely in the palm of the Master's hand? I have access to a peace that defies all the odds. I just need to claim it.

"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." Ephesians 3:20 NLT

How good is your imagination? Personally, I can think up some pretty good plans for the Lord. However, the usual respnse to my submitted request is a firm, "No." If he can do even more than I could ask for, why is it that he so often denies my requests?

We love to quote Matthew 19:26, "With God all things are possible." So what's the deal? Why is it that we live with such a constant flood of disappointment?

The answer lies with one word: Purpose. God is not limited in his resources. But often our requests don't line up with his purpose, which is why our proposals are so often declined. The things we ask for might be rooted in motives not honoring to God; or the timing may not be right just yet.

God's "mighty power at work within us" can accomlish great things. And a job promotion or nice house might be part of that plan, but they might not. The key question is why are we asking for these things? To satisfy our greed? To give us a sense of security? Or so that we can use these opportunities and resources to reach out to those who need to know the love of God?

God can do so much more than we can imagine! It is often we who limit his ability to work through us. But God's resources are unlimited! If we can make it our life's purpose to glorify him, there's no telling what he will do with us!

"Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world's eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful." I Corinthians 1:26-27 NLT

Perhaps one of the most effective tools our enemy uses to prevent us from completing God's plans is that of Discouragement. He whispers that we are ill-equipped and unsuited to the task, inadequate and bound to be unsuccessful. And well aware of our own shortcomings and failings, we suspect the truth of the matter and bow our heads in resignation.

We compare ourselves to those who seem to have it all together. They walk with heads held confidently, poised, always speaking the right words without hesitation or doubt. These are the people God calls to his service. Not people like me.

Then it hit me: God uses frail vessels because that's all he has at his disposal. Or more precisely, God uses frail vessels because he has chosen human beings for his service, and every last one of us are fragile jars of clay. Even those who appear to be fine pottery.

In II Corinthians 4:7, Paul states: "We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile jars of clay containing this great treasure." He admits that each of us are nothing more than fragil clay jars--bound to be flawed and inadequate. I Corinthians 6 explains that this is part of God's plan: that he chose to use weak and foolish human beings, despite our inabilities, in order to prove his own power.

So don't be discouraged. We don't need to be perfect to complete God's work; we only need to be obedient.