Friend,

Not to long ago, I was speaking at an elementary school to kids in kindergarten all the way through the 8th grade. Not exactly an easy span of ages to communicate to.

There was this one young girl sitting on the front row that seemed to be listening to every word I said. She was blonde, perhaps no taller than three-and-a-half feet. She eagerly raised her hand when I asked for volunteers from the audience, so I chose her and asked her to come forward.

This girl must have been in the first or second grade. She smiled from ear to ear, proud to be chosen to stand in front of the audience full of her peers. Upon getting to the front I had her remove her shoes. Then I took a box of tacks and poured them all over the stage. She gasped as she looked down on them, knowing that I may ask her to do something that could really hurt. Her face expressed what her mind was thinking: Wait…I thought this was going be fun… why did I volunteer for this…

Standing on the other side of the tack-filled floor, I asked her to walk to me. She glanced up at me with a perplexed look that stated, are you kidding!?! I asked her, “What is the matter? Are the tacks scaring you?” She replied quickly with a vigorous head nod, yes! So I blindfolded her and said, “Okay, now you can’t see the tacks… so walk to me.” She froze.

I then walked around the tacks and put my hands on her shoulders and said, “I’ll help you get the other side, follow my instructions…take two steps to the right…one step over your shoes…one step to the left…phew… you made it!”

My point was that we must “Walk by faith and not by sight” as 2 Corinthians 5:7 says. There may be some real “tacky” situations we get ourselves into, but with God’s leading we can make it through. It requires trust. It requires dependence. It requires tender feet and a tender soul.

At times in my faith I have often hesitated: Wait…I thought this was going be fun… why did I volunteer for this… Right when I’m about to quit, God comes close. My point may not have been completely clear to the energetic, bustling room. But if anything, I got it… and the girl may have as well. We must live by faith to feel the weight of the hand of our Savior on our shoulders. Be comforted, weary soul. He is near.

In closing, it was so good to see so many of you at the pasta dinner on Sunday. I was so blessed by the donations of food you brought, the way you helped get the meal done (and cleaned up), and to watch you all enjoy some good fellowship! Thank you for what you did to make that a special evening. We will do it again … soon!

See you on Sunday as we continue our series on the “7 Cries from the Cross.” Invite someone to Church; the message of the cross is life-changing!
(Remember Daylight Savings Time begins this Sunday morning so be sure to set your clocks AHEAD one hour.)

You are Loved,

Josh.