Something I Wrote Just For You!

I wrote this poem to my dad when I was away at Liberty University for my first tumultuous year of college. It is dated 9-15-88. I remember I mailed it to him, and he called me when he received it. He told me he liked it very much and that he would always keep it. Not much more was said about it then - or ever. I guess I had hoped for a profound moment between us, but could not figure out how to contrive that moment apart from my poem that was - to me - an outstretched hand.My dad was a man of few words. He lived his sentiments, and welcomed all of us into the warmth of the moments he gave us wordlessly.

I found the poem neatly folded in his wallet the day he died. Profound moment given and deeply received.

Here is what I wrote:

Daddy,
Tell me that you love me, no matter what I do,
Tell me that you'll be there when I come running home to you.

Hold my hand and talk with me; I miss you very much.
Sometimes, Dad, this little girl just needs her father's touch.

When did I become to old to sit on Daddy's lap?
And cuddle up beside you when you took a little nap?

Simple tears no longer fall for losing in a game,
but the eyes that held those tears are very much the same.

Daddy, you're my strength to stand when placed before the crowd.
I'll do and be the very best to make my father proud.

To disappoint my daddy is a pain I could not bear.
In everything I do I see my father standing there.

Yesterday I viewed the world on Daddy's shoulders high,
And I fell asleep contently to your tender lullaby.

God gave to me so very much when He placed me in your care.
I know that I am loved and that my daddy's always there.

I'll always be your little girl. I love you Daddy so.
I couldn't ask for better, and I wanted you to know.

Much Love,
Laura Jean

Regret.

I'm up early this morning. Earlier than usual. Bad dream. A bad dream for me is one where I am in the midst of people that I used to know, love, and do life with - and I am trying to undo what I have already done. The scenarios are never the same. The people are. People are forever, you know?

Heartache grips me when I wake up and realize I live the struggle of that dream in reality. What's done is done, and I cannot make it any different. Wow. Who wants to live in that mess, right? Not me; not by the power of God in me. I run to Jesus. He is my source of life and hope and redemption. "Talk to me, Daddy, " I say to Him at 4:00a.m. "Wash over this regret with the wisdom of your Word." He pulls up in the chair next to me, and lets me cry while I fumble for my glasses and His book of Truth. Yeah - that's the way I see it. Call me crazy, I'm good with it.
I Corinthians 15:1-11 is my scheduled reading for today with my Vintage egroup babes - www.vintagetruth.com I'm thinkin' of them. Praying for them. What a gift to do life with women seeking Jesus. I begin to read.

"Now brothers and SISTERS" - Stop. Think. Because my heart is arrested just here. I am the member of a family, one that loves me, hopes for me. The apostle Paul, my brother - You God, my Daddy.

"I want to remind you of the gospel" - By it I am rescued from who I once was.

Please don't stop, Lord. I need more. Please wrap me up in more truth. Tears. Why do you want to remind me of the gospel this morning?

"I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise you have believed in vain." - Heart adjustment. Hold firmly to what is now - not what was then. I stand because I was rescued. I am not there anymore. But, Jesus - what do I do with the memories I carry? I hold them in full view, and I still hurt.

"By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise you have believed in vain". That I was rescued by Jesus from the life I lived for myself is the gospel. If it were not for that realization, - if it were not for the freedom to fall far from you - how would you have influenced my love? In this painful moment of realization - you were waiting all along to love me and receive my love.

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas (Peter), and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.. " Did anyone believe that they had been with Jesus? Did they live diffferently because of it? I mean, were these people, like me who made bad choices - and were known by those choices - and then changed the way they made every choice from JesusMeetingMoment on...? and so then exemplified the TRUTH of the Gospel? .... sigh. oh my Jesus. please tell me more. Thank you for continuing through Paul.

"...and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born." - what does he mean? i hear a familiar inward ache.

"For I am the least of the apostles, and do not even deserve to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God." Regret. There it is. This is my ache, Jesus. My brother - the apostle Paul knows my ache of regret. In this moment does he see the face of those he could have loved and chose to hurt instead. Does he see the choices that he made for himself - out of pride - out of lust - greed - envy - empty soul hunger apart from you, God? He does, doesn't he? Does he dream of holding Stephen's coat while he watched him being stoned, and wish he could change that day? He does, Lord, doesn't he? What does my brother, Paul do with such pain? Tell me what does he do with the heartache? Does it ever go away?

"By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them - yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me." - No it does not go away. This is the grace of God to him realized - and by it - He lives through you. This regret, Jesus - is my understanding of your grace. This regret, Jesus, is the reason that I will not forsake you ever again - and by YOUR GRACE that washes over REGRET with wisdom - I will embrace the gospel that is your story in my dreams, and your story in my NOW reality. By it I live differently forever. I have been forgiven much, and by this forgiveness - I love you, withmyheartmysoulmymindandlstrength in this life so much. Thank you for wrapping me up in this comfort today. I will walk in it. I will stand on it. I will hold firmly to the Word you have preached right. to. me.

Regret is a harsh teacher. Jesus is not. My favorite truth. It is the gospel to me. Praying it for my children, my egroup babes, for myself, for you. Today is a new day. Faithful Jesus.

study methods.

There are so many ways to study the Bible! I was introduced to Bible Study by Kay Arthur. Two friends of mine - Jamie and Angie George - gave me a book, Lord Heal My Hurts, after my divorce in 1996. Even though my friends had to return to their home in Tennessee, Kay Arthur remained with me through the pages of her book, and as I'm sure Jamie and Angie prayed - she and the Spirit of God sat there with me in my tiny apartment and walked me through how to hear God speak off the pages of His book. From that point on - there was no turning back.

These two study methods that I am sharing with you, my friend, here are easy, and yet oh so heart challenging. The first study method is active reading. We engage our mind and pen with paper to think through what God is teaching us. And with this study - as with any Bible study - the context of the passage we have read is critical to understanding God's message. Be careful not to lift a verse and assume its meaning without careful consideration of all the information that God has given to surround that verse. Like, "Now in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall also have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work. It will be to you a day for blowing trumpets." Numbers 29:1 Don't get out your calendar and buy a horn, okay? This direction specific direction was given to Israel. However, if we study this passage and God's directions to His people there are some AMAAAZING truths to be realized about our God - about His revelation of Jesus - about His heart for all His people. So, we can't disregard this passage - but rather study it further to see exactly what God is revealing to us about Himself .

The second study method is a bit more involved. You may want to study a character, an event, a topic, a chapter, a book - whatever you are drawn to understand you will not be disappointed as you seek to know God - His character - better. This is a study that involves cross referencing and using the concordance in your study Bible. You do have a study Bible right? Best tool I own! Invest in a good one; one that allows you to cross-reference and contains a concordance will be a huge help to your learning journey. I hope this is a help to you. I'm praying it is! Truly - it is only the personal study time that I have spent with God that has changed my life. Sermons and songs are great - but nothing can compare to the awareness that God is meeting us right where we are - speaking to us - heart to heart - and giving us understanding. CRAZY faithfulness that grows my faith! No one - no circumstance - can take our intimate learning moments with Jesus from us - ever. AND that will make - and HAS made - all the difference.

BIBLE STUDY

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things from your law.” Psalm 119:18

~ Ask God to Teach you about Himself ~

Reading the Bible

1. Read the passage several times.

2. Be still and think about the verse(s) that you have just read.

a. Have you heard or read this before? In what context?

b. Is there another Scripture you have heard or read that is similar? Can you find it? What is the context of this passage? Do these passages connect? If so, how?

c. What stands out to you from this passage (word, phrase, action, person)? Why?

3. As you read the passage again, possibly aloud this time, ask yourself some questions about the passage. Is there:

a. A sin to confess?

b. A promise to claim?

c. An attitude to change?

d. A command to obey?

e. An example to follow? A positive one to imitate or a negative one to avoid?

f. A prayer to pray?

g. An error to avoid?

h. A truth to believe?

i. Something to praise God for?

4. Write out what you have understood from your time of meditation.

5. Write out how you will apply to your life the truth you now understand from this passage.

Studying Your Bible

1. Read with purpose (to know a character, a truth, a promise, a topic, a theme, chapter study, word study).

2. Observe the obvious (FACTS: type of book, author, audience, people mentioned, places, repeated words, events.

3. Identify the context (words, phrases, and sentences surrounding a particular word, phrase, or sentence).

4. Consider details (contrasts, comparisons, terms of conclusion, expressions of time, the culture).

5. Deal with the text objectively (let the text speak for itself).

6. Cross-reference (biblestudytools.com).

7. Compare translations. (crosswalk.com).

8. Write down what you learn from each passage you study.

What does it all mean?

1. Context is king in interpretation; it rules.

2. Be careful not to violate the general theme of the book you are studying.

3. Look for the author’s intended meaning of the passage.

4. Check to be sure your conclusions are in accordance or agreement with what the author said in other books of his writing.

5. Make sure your conclusions do not violate other Biblical truths. Scripture will never contradict Scripture.

Application

1. Pray for insight on how to apply the passage of Scripture you have studied.

2. Write out the your personal application plan: Based on: _____________ I am going to:_______________.

3. How will you evaluate your life change?

Sex Education

This morning I read some information about sex education in the public schools that I'd like to pass along to you. (Parental Rights and Sex Education) Please take time to read the article by Robert George and Melissa Moschella. Basically the focus of this article and the Parental Rights Amendment is to ensure that our children learn about sex how and when we as parents say.

While I understand and appreciate the intent of this article and amendment, our rights to teach our children about sex are not being infringed upon. We are well aware that the public schools will teach a sex education curriculum, and the kids with whom our children will interact will teach another sex education curriculum - and the media another. Music, books, magazine covers in the check out line at the grocery, television shows, commercials for crying out loud - the Super Bowl half time show! We cannot escape the sexual billboards all around us.

This educational main stream does not alarm me - in the least. It does not make me want to home school my children, or put them in a private school. My husband and I rest in the Word God has given us for where our children are learning math, reading, language, and truths about the world that God has clearly addressed in His Word - loud and clear. This article and amendment - and all the other information that I can keep up with - makes me more aware of the curriculum that we will teach right here in our own home. Our children will learn of these sexual issues - yes, even the dicey ones - from their mom and dad. Menstruation, ejaculation, masturbation - all the "ations" - WE will teach them. Because ultimately, mom (or dad if you're a dad reading this - thanks, by the way!), your kids will learn it ALLLL anyway.

Power to the God seekin' parent who takes these lessons by the tail WITH God's Word. "Hello, serpent - you have met your match!" Not with your bare hand! With the Word of God. What we do - and will continue to do with our children and their Christian education at home, is teach them what GOD SAYS in light of what the world will continue to teach them all of their lives. THE WORD of GOD over our heart, our mind, our flesh - for all of our lives; that's sanctification baby.

So what does our teaching look like? Ok. Glad you're interested. And please share with me what you do, too! Facebook me! Email me! I'd love it! Our teachable moments are never exactly like this but - this is an outline for all of our conversation objectives.

For example: Here is what the world is teaching you___________ Why the world is teaching you this__________ Here is what God says______________ Why He is teaching you this _______________ Tell me what you think about what the world says - what God says -, what you can do as a follower of Christ with what God is teaching you about the world and what His Word says...AND what can do TOGETHER to live this out.

I always explain how I am living out whatever truth we are learning. I am not immune to sin - to the lure of it. I want my kids to get that I am with them as a Christ follower. I am made out of the same stuff they are, but my heart - at 41 - is sold out that Jesus is who He said He was, and I refuse to live for anything or anyone - including myself - but Him. Looping our children in with us in the learning and growing is pretty critical, I think. I am not above them at the feet of Jesus, I am with them. And so I ask them - grow with me. Grow with us.

We are so, so blessed as parents that we GET to teach them God's Word over their lives. They are learning what it means to be in the world, but not of it - for His purposes. Why do we doubt the power of God's Word? You don't, do you? Let's not!!! Jesus didn't doubt it. John 17! Jesus didn't pray that God would take his disciples out of the world - but that God would sanctify them, set them apart, by HIS WORD. To me - that heart sanctification is stronger than any amendment that could ever be written. The question is, do we believe God will answer THAT prayer? Think about it...THAT prayer, the one Jesus prayed...the petitions of the Son of God!!! How amazing we get to hear that prayer and know it! He didn't pray JUST for his disciples either. "I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word." John 17:20 THAT prayer is for you - for me - for my children - for yours. WOW! Thank you, Jesus.

I believe God will do what Jesus asked. And I will align myself under everything Jesus said to do so that I do not exclude us from that blessing. John 15!

I'll let you go for now. Thanks for thinking about this with me, but I do want to be clear so you don't think I'm gonna just sit back and say or do nothing as far as signing or voting or anything I can do within my power. I am taking a stand on this issue. Like anything our government imposes or tries to impose that contradict the Word of God, we voice our position. However, I will continue to live by faith - not in what this government does or can do to influence my children toward or away from God -but by faith in the One who holds the heart of the king, and the heart of my babes.

"If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." John 15:7

I'm asking. I'm asking for my children what Jesus asked the Father for His. "Sanctify them in your truth. Your Word is truth." John 17:17

Memorize that one, Mama Bear, Papa Bear. And pray it often.

Wait for WHAT?

Can you picture the Garden of Eden? Can you just imagine what that must have been like? The part that I love about that thought is that Adam was there in the midst of it having no expectations of more or less. Not that He didn't sense that there was more, but - hold with me here - he had no idea of any other life but the one that God gave him RIGHT THERE.

The Bible says in Genesis 2:18 "The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Wow. Look who is calling the shots as far as what man needs. It is God! He said that man shouldn't be alone. He saw the need of man and designed it for him specifically, and MET IT for him - beyond what he could have asked for or imagined. Nice, huh? YEAH she is! You go Eve! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this about our God!!! The Designer designed the need - for Him to meet the need. (Wow! Insert the Gospel here!!!) And ONLY HIS design would do. "I WILL MAKE..." Those words are so YUMMY to me!!! my heart just latches on to them and sings out to our Creator! Seriously! I'm sitting here goin', "Match maker, Match maker make me a match - find me a find - catch me a catch." I know it's a Fiddler on the Roof tune- but I don't know any music for "...This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman for she was taken out of man." Genesis 2:25 I bet Adam sang it out. I so bet he did! I bet he was leaping and dancing and worshiping God for what He alone had done. And I bet Eve loved every minute of it. She must have laughed and rejoiced with him, because he delighted in her so much. First party ever!

Have you seen the X Factor? You know when the contestants find out they're going to the next round? Have you seen their reactions? Something has just been given to them that they have longed for in their entirety and it is now theirs! Small comparison to where I'm reaching in my understanding - because Adam didn't even know what to long for. The woman must have been more magnificent to his eyes - and hands - his ears, his heart - than he could have ever realized anything to be. What would he have known otherwise? What could he have compared to the sound and touch, the sway and curve of a woman? What could he have imagined that would envelop his heart, his mind, his very flesh? God knew. God knew full well. And God gave her to him. SHUTUPILOVETHISSOMMUCHICOULD DIIIIIE!

calming. calming down...it's just so, so Very Good. You know?

But what does that have to do with you or me? I WANT TO BE LIKE THAT! (shouting again - sorry!) I'm so passionate in this! You with me? I see this man Adam (he looks like my husband. Nice.)... living in expectancy of nothing before his only God - but living out his created purpose before God - dependent on God for what life is and looks like - and MANOHMAN! I WANT TO BE LIKE THAT!!! I want to wait on God for God. What He has in store today - what He knows I realize is an ache, and that IN that ache - for however long it lasts unmet - because, seriously - who knows how long Adam tiptoedthroughthetulips alone, right? In that waiting, longing, ache I - WE - can glorify God. YES! even in the waitng. I want to seek Him and Him only without an expectation of what I think is a need. Because I may just be longing for heaven, ya know? I feel "it". I feel that draw toward something GOD put in me to seek Him for. Even if it's to seek Him for the eradication of that "IT" that longing? I don't know...yet.

Am I making sense here? Do you know what I'm talking about? You feel it, too? Check this: "But for Adam no suitable helper was found." vs. 20. He was naming the animals. He was doing good work God gave him to do - and he felt it. That ache for something that was still - of God- in Him to long for. What is that in you and I? If you're married - then you know it's not a mate. Maybe it's a better marriage. God is good at making marriages. Yessss DADDY, He's good! If you are not married, - well, it could be marriage you are longing for. However, I would not lock into the idea that it is marriage you are missing right now. If we are truly going to seek God for His design - His purpose for us - then we are not sketching out what the "suitable helper" looks like, be it shaped, in our mind, - as a husband, wife, job, child, home, car, education - et cetera, et cetera, et cetera....- Whatever it is we are longing for - we shouldn't be designing it for our God. And by "WE", I mean we who love Him, and we who acknowledge that He is Creator. You with me here? We are the designed thing... seeking Him. WITHOUT EXPECTATION of the part that fits into our place in the story of "no suitable helper was found".

I love that God patiently grows my faith in Him. He is my Creator. Today - I embrace Him in that knowledge with new understanding - without expectation.

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him." I Corinthians 2:9

Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about!!!

Public Vs Parochial Vs Homeschool.

I'm not for any of it. I am for the Word of God over our lives. Stop rolling your eyes! Lol! I see you. One environment does not ensure your desire for your child. Of that I am most positive. I'll stake my life on it, that's how sure I am. You wanna know HOW I know?

Figure 1.1. That's me. Not a great picture, but if Glamour hasn't hounded me yet, I think I can be pretty secure in the fact that no picture will matter at this juncture. I grew up in a Christian home, and I attended a Christian school from the time I was in fourth grade until the day I graduated. Those environments, although infused with godly influences, did not impact my heart. At the age of 18, I walked far from God, and at the age of 20, I actually thought I would never look back.

Figure 2.1 That's my hot husband. He also grew up in a Christian home, and his parents were heavily involved in ministry. Unlike me, he attended a public school. Neither environments impressed his heart toward God. Like me, he made choices that took him further from God than he ever thought he would go.

Figure 3.1 Adam and Eve. They were home schooled. Right smack dab in the perfection of home and POWERFUL Parental guidance, they were educated. And what happened? They fell. And great was their fall.

Consider well your own environments, where you have learned, loved, and been led - in whatever you believe. You would be figure 1.2, 2.2, or 3.2. respectively. Whatever lessons your heart has embraced in this life - the environment is just details. Now - don't get me wrong. God chooses His environments very carefully, because in each TRUTH is posted boldly on the "white board", and from there it can be learned, practiced, and lived out. No one is a teacher like our God, and where we learn is a classroom He has set up - called us to - and instructed in with His eye on us. I'm not makin' that up either. From the garden, to the wilderness, to a mountain, a promised land, Egypt, and then back again to Canaan, until Babylon. Ahhh Babylon. Yes, God chose where His people would learn to choose Him, where they would learn what it meant to be loved by Him, to love Him back, and serve Him out of that love. Environment is just a workbook for the lessons of the heart.

So what should you choose for your babes? Who can tell anyone that, but God? I know what I'd pick for your children, but that doesn't make it right. I most certainly would not have told Abraham on the way up that mountain that it was right to sacrifice His child. And if he said, "God told him too", I would have thought he was out of his ever livin', God fearin' mind! God did tell Him too. We can read that Word in Genesis 22. Our God instructed His people through His Word, and HE STILL DOES. My husband and I go to Him daily, before the crack of dawn, seeking God's Word over our lives - in our lives - for His light THROUGH our lives. We are two cracked pots that's for sure - but we know who our Redeemer is - and HE will not fail us - nor will he fail our babes.

And "hearing from God", my friends, is not something that goes on in my head - or my husband's head - apart from His Word. Like, "Okay here is what I think God is saying we should do: we need to put our kids in the public school. God said so." God has spoken off the pages of The Bible, and THAT WORD - was all that needed to be said for he and I to know that GOD would grow us and keep us for Himself in this foreign land. What that looks like under your roof, and under my roof, in your city and my city, will look similar in one way only - we will seek Him. See, if I follow you, or if you follow me in what living for God specifically looks like - who is our God? So if you wanna know what Scripture my husband and I were led to and landed on, and are clinging to daily, and clinging to every fall when our babes board a bus that drives them into an influence that we pray THEY influence - and we as well with them...INHALE... I'm not gonna tell ya. That would spoil what God has in store for you! Your own eye to eye - heart to heart - with your KING! Sheweee that's an amazing privilege!

Be encouraged. His Word is "a lamp to your feet and a light to your path". He's holding it out there for us. We can't miss Him. Light is loud and clear.

more fish.

A loooong time ago - like before wrinkle defense cream was even a glimmer 'round my eyes, I was in a church presentation of the Passion of Christ. I got to play one in a multitude (about 30 on our church platform) who was fed by Jesus on a hillside. The story is told in Mark 8 and also John 6). The multitude and I didn't have any lines, but what we had to do was talk amongst ourselves as we pretended to be served by the disciples. My mom later asked me what I said when I was acting out this scene. I told her I just kept saying, "More fish! More fish over here, please." She laughed. Hard. Which was the reaction I wanted. That's not actually what I said, but if I did have a line - that's what I would have been shouting. Jesus fed the people and they were satisfied. I thought it would be funny to yell out for more. You know - to be the greedy guy. Cuz who would want to be "THAT guy"??? Which reminds me - Wes Aarum did a message on "Don't Be That Guy" at www.thechapel.com. Great message! Flannel graph and all. Check it out if you have time...Time. I know. Anyway - so as not to waste yours, I''ll hurry up here.

The memory struck a chord with me as I read John 6 the other day. Thousands of people followed Jesus to hear him teach. Thousands of hungry people. And this part cracks me up - cuz I can almost see Jesus laugh to Himself at the humor in this question posed to Philip. "Where can we buy something for these people to eat?" Can you imagine? EVEN IF a market were just around the hill, would there be enough to feed them all? Would there be enough money to buy for all? This was Philip's concern, too - not that the people were hungry - but the cost and the responsibility of that hunger. Jesus knew it - and probably couldn't wait to show Him the truth of what He could provide. The people ate and were satisfied. The leftovers were overflowing from baskets.

The next day - like any crowd that witnessed a miracle of food just happening - the mob followed him. He got to the other side of the lake much faster than they did - like "POOF" and He was there, and they were amazed. But he did not address their inquiries about how and when he traveled, He went much deeper in their seeking issue. "You are looking for me, not because you saw signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you."

So - there I am. I'm literally transported from my couch to this crowd being tenderly corrected. I'm the guy chasing Jesus yelling, "More fish. More fish over here please." I am chasing Him across the lake or where ever I know He is going to be, because I know what He can do. He can give me what I need. He can give me what I am convinced is a need, but deep down - is a WANT. Chasing Jesus. One of my friends from the crowd yells out what I'm thinking, "What must we do to do the work God requires?" - Thanks, Buddy! Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent." - Wow. That shut me up. But someone else wanted to know more. "What sign will you give that we may SEE it and believe you? What will you do?" -

Seriously! I'm thinkin' he just fed all of you! Was that not enough? People! And then I remember. I have been so blessed. I have eaten and been satisfied in so many ways - left overs in overflowing baskets. Do I not STILL doubt Him, too. - Shutmeupagain. Reading on...

Jesus said, "Very truly I tell you, (paraphrased - I'm shootin' you straight, People!) it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that God sent down from heaven and gives life to the world."

A hungry guy (or two) - who totally reminds me of ME in that play I was in - spoke up, "Sir, always give us this bread ."

He's thinkin' what you're thinkin' - or at least what I am thinkin' ...Bread from heaven - YES! I'll take that free gift! no more $3.49 for whole grain! I want that miracle! I'll believe that magic is possible from the guy who fed all of us just yesterday!

Then Jesus said something that rocks me to the core, "I AM the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still do not believe."

Wow. What do you suppose hungry guy did with that? I bet he walked away - hungry. You wanna know why I think that??? Because in verse 41 of this chapter it says, "At this the Jews there began to grumble because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."

They missed it. They missed soul satisfying truth. Jesus wasn't talking about never starving, He was talking about what every good daddy cares about most - His children's heart. Everything else is just details.

My heart hunger can be satisfied if I will just believe that Jesus is the Bread of LIFE.

Do I get that? I want to. I'm trying to. Just this morning I was chasing after Jesus for a myriad of things going on today. He didn't shove me away. He let me ramble on and on and on with my concerns - like He always does. And then I remembered. This is Jesus. He is the bread of Life. So I sat still with Him for a bit, just still, believing, until I heard my daughter's alarm go off.

"I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."John 8:51

Satisfied. Overflowing.