Even If i Walk Alone

Instructing and encouraging you to live your life as a disciple of Jesus

commitment

Your Best Year Ever, Part II

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In Part I of “Your Best Year Ever” we discussed how the most important thing you can do in the coming year is to spend consistent time in God’s presence each day. Most have probably heard this advice before, but many struggle in determining what to do during the time they set aside. I want to share a few of my own habits (and new commitments) in hopes they will be helpful for you or at least inspire some new ideas for your own time with God.

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Remember the time set aside for Christ should be all about Him. It’s easy to consume the time praying for all your needs and desires, but that means it’s all about you. You are the follower, not the followed. When you become God, it can become all about you. Until then, let’s focus on Jesus.
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Your Best Year Ever, Part I

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As this year draws to a close, I am excited to see what might unfold in the next. The danger is we approach next year without a plan. If we don’t determine how we will endeavor to draw closer to Christ and to better reflect His love, odds are we will accomplish neither. There are plenty of articles out there dealing with setting New Year’s resolutions. I don’t want to talk about resolutions you may or may not keep past February. I want to discuss reorienting your life around Jesus not just today but for the rest of your life.

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Have you taken time to put any thought into this? If you want to be a disciple of Jesus, you must continually learn more about Him and live your life in a way that looks just like Him. This year can be the year you quit pretending and finally make the leap of committing fully to Jesus.
[Read more…] about Your Best Year Ever, Part I

Love the Lord

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I read a quote from the wife of A.W. Tozer that has haunted me for months. I don’t really know what to do with it, as the words evoke such strong and diverse emotions within my soul. After Mr. Tozer passed away and his wife remarried a man named Leonard Odam, she said, “Aiden loved Jesus, but Leonard loves me.” I am at once excited about A.W.’s devotion to Christ, that He was unashamed to love Jesus more than his wife, but at the same time find it sad perhaps his wife (Ada) did not feel loved by her husband.

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While I can’t know everything that happened in their life and marriage that led up to her statement, it does make me wonder if perhaps she desired love from her husband more than she desired to love God. While I intend no disrespect and admit I do not and cannot know her heart, it makes me reflect on my own life and marriage.
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Devotion

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I’m a big fan of determining a theme for the upcoming year. One of my favorite themes from a few years ago was, “Consume less; contribute more.” Orienting my life around that mantra led to many positive changes that have endured to the present. As I contemplated my theme for 2016, I admit I was at a bit of a loss.

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Several unexpected turns over the past year left me feeling a bit uncertain of what future direction I should pursue. As I stood in the shower praying last week (I’m convinced all great revelation occurs in a warm shower!), my 2016 theme became very clear to me. It’s not a phrase or a mantra, but rather a single word: devotion.
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The Unmaking

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Nichole Nordeman had written some amazing lyrics over the years, and one of her latest songs, “The Unmaking”, is no exception. While the entire song makes one do some serious soul searching, one simple line in the song sticks with me more than any other. It says, “Had to lose myself/To find out who You are”. It’s a recurring theme in my life these days.

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To truly know God, we have to empty ourselves of everything that is not God. This is both daunting and uncomfortable. It has caused me to confront things in my life I would rather have left undisturbed. But my ultimate goal remains to know God fully and to be utterly consumed by Him. This requires a bit of unmaking. It means I have to lose myself to find out who He is.
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