The biblical encouragement to stand firm, hold fast, and press on draws our eye to the pull we feel between the world we are in and the world we belong to.

I’m leading myself to do what needs to be done to get where I want to be.

Compassion is deeply connected to the divine nature of Jesus. When we agree to connect and carry the suffering that wasn’t assigned to us, we are aligning our fingers and palms to the scars on his hands. There is no greater love than this.

I issued myself a challenge to see what putting pressure on my endurance would do. Run thirty miles in thirty days. Would I quit? Tempting. Would I be injured? There was that time I dropped a yard timber on my foot. By the grace of God alone, would I finish? Yes. I did.

We have walked away from the shadow of our memories towards the substance of wholeness and freedom.

God does not accuse. God encourages. If you hear accusations in your mind, in your feed, in community, or coming out of your own mouth, it may be an opinion. It may be a lie from the Enemy. It is not inspired by Jesus.

Our life with God will require more than what our personality can offer us. When we learn and grow, then our personality isn’t a prison, but a beautiful library.