Growing up I loved to play games.  As good as I was playing hide and seek, I was not very good at playing the game Clue. 1

You remember Miss Scarlet?  I seemed to never guess the solution first. Did the clues point to Colonel Mustard? Mrs. Peacock? Or, Professor Plum?  Who committed the crime?  Where?  How?

It was all a mystery to me. 

Sometimes I’d guess the right person in the wrong place.  Or, I’d suspect the wrong person when I thought I had it all figured out.  Too often I’d rush to judgment hoping to solve the mystery.

Hide and seek was always one of my favorite games.  Small and skinny I fit in small places.  Somewhat reckless I hod where others wouldn’t. I was almost never found.

Sometimes it seems like God plays hide and seek with us.

Sometimes God seems so elusive.  God seems to come close, but then, so quickly, God seems farther away.  Farther away, and hard to find.

And, sometimes I feel so spiritually alive, but then, so quickly, it all seems to fade.

Have you ever experienced that?

Fortunately, we’re not alone.  Abraham, Moses and David come to mind immediately.  We’re not alone. 1

Life is filled with uncertainties.

Those uncertainties can weigh us down.

Those uncertainties lead many to denial, self-destructive choices, or self-reliance. 

I am finding that faith in God sets me free from my natural inclinations to hide in denial, self-destruct in shame or wallow in my loneliness and the arrogance of self-reliance.

This song by a young woman known as Lights lifts my faith.  I hope it helps you too.

Lights’ Lions

Worry is a giant all of us face at one time or another.

When I face giants I find it helpful to shield myself from the lies the giant bellows.

Hear our four verses of six words to help you focus on God as you stand your ground while battling the giant of worry:

- Be anxious for nothing, but…pray [Philippians 4:6-7]
– Cast your burden on the Lord… [Psalm 55:22]
– Call upon me in the day of trouble… [Psalm 50:12]
– Casting all your care upon him… [1 Peter 5:7]

Fighting the Giant of Worry

If we’re gonna defeat the giant of worry we’ll need to focus our attention on the giant. You and I will need a system of priorities.

My first priority — well, at least I want to keep it in focus as my first priority — is my faith in God and my relationship with God.

Fight the giant of worry, hold onto God and God “will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.” 1

Worry seems almost human.  Ever notice how often Worry wants to have a conversation with you?

Jesus Christ challenged his listeners not to give into the lies that Worry screams.

Jesus said, Don’t “worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear… Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?“

When life is beating you senseless and you wanna sigh, cry or die you might say “No! I’m not feeling valuable at all!”

My friend Rev. Rachel Morey of Brooklyn Mosaic United Methodist Church emailed me today. 1  Rachel is one of those people with a warm smile and a quiet magnetism that is the antithesis of some televangelists.

Rachel is also a representative of the Minnesota Interfaith Open Forum.

Rachel’s email had me thinking about how I connect with my own faith.

My Faith

I have opinions, beliefs, faith statements and values all of which have been influenced by family, friends, like-minded people and other-minded people.

Peace Is Vulnerable

If you asked me, “Are you a fear-filled person?”, I would respond no.  On the other hand there are subtle ways on a daily basis that fear sneaks into my mind, heart and soul.  This week in fact I realize that my fears arose and my personal peace was compromised when:

- When I expect Amy to be available to answer my phone calls, and she wasn’t for hours.
- When I’m driving & speeding and a police car with it’s lights on races up behind me.
- When I have to talk to someone and ask for a donation to TreeHouse.
- We had a three-hour outdoor activity planned for hundreds and the weather forecast was sixty-one degree and rainy.

Dan Heisman one of my favorite authors wrote, “The #1 chess guideline [is] keep all your pieces safe! (And consider taking opponent’s pieces that are not safe). You must make all your decisions before you touch a piece…”

Choose wisely.

BUT What If You Feel Like A Pawn Someone Else Controls?

You were hoping for happiness, but you’re feeling like you don’t know what moves to make.

You were hoping to deal with change in your life, but you’ve been dealt a bad hand.