“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11
“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
“He must become greater; I must become less.”
John 3:30
(This photo was taken in July of 2021 at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)
“And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”
Luke 9:23-24
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Galatians 2:20
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.“
Romans 12:1-2
(This photo was taken in May of 2020 at the High Falls in Tettegouche State Park in northern Minnesota)
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[a] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”[b]
Romans 1:16-17
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.”
1 Peter 3:15-18
(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:1-2
“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”
Ezekiel 36:25-27
(This photo was taken in May of 2020 at Palisade Head along the North Shore of Lake Superior)
“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”
James 4:1-3
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”
James 4:7-10
(This photo was taken in July of 2019 at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)
No matter what is happening…no matter what has gone wrong in your eyes…our God has promised to never leave you and never to abandon you, so don’t turn away from Him…don’t ignore Him…seek Him because He is waiting to hear from you always…even in the midst of the storm. Amen.
Praise You In This Storm by Casting Crowns
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
1 Peter 5:6-9
(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)
“I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
nor will you let your faithful[a] one see decay.
11 You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
Psalm 16:7-11
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield[a] and the horn[b] of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Psalm 18:2
(This photo was taken in March of 2018 while traveling in southern New Mexico)
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
James 4:7
“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”
Mark 8:34-35
(This photo was taken in April of 2020 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
The post below was originally posted in January of 2020…my how the world has changed since January…we need courage to do the right things now more than ever…we need to trust in the Lord. Amen.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9
To move forward without knowing the outcome…to admit we don’t know the answers…to be patient…to share and be vulnerable with another person. It takes courage to be humble…to surrender your plans for God’s plan…it takes courage to live the life that God has intended for you…and the best part is…a relationship with Jesus Christ will give you the courage to seek His will when you trust in Him. Amen.
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.”
1 Corinthians 16:13-14
(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands)
Originally posted in November of 2018…
Nothing is to big, to complex. Nothing is to powerful. Nothing is to difficult to solve. When we believe in Jesus Christ and trust Him with our everything, everyday we know that God will guide our way through anything we encounter in life. It may not be the way we would do it on our own, but that is the point, on our own we would get stuck…stopped, without resolution. No matter what it is you are facing, no matter what battle is knocking you down…get back up and surrender the issue to God. That doesn’t mean you stop doing things or stop living, it means you do your best according to God’s word to live by the Fruits of the Spirit and let God take care of the rest. May we all take steps to surrender everything, anything to the Lord. Amen.
“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:13
(This photo was taken in August of 2016 near Arches National Park in Utah)
Take Your Faith With You 