Psalm 91:1, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." He who dwells-takes residence, lives, rests in the shelter-safety, comfort, protection what is it to dwell in the secret place? -Psalm 91:9, "If you make the Most High your dwelling..." -intentional, dilibertate, action -acceptance of God's grace -Loving God, calling on upon Him (vs. 14, "Because He loves me..He will call upon me...") "Dwelling" involves making it a priority to be in the shelter of the Most High, by making it a priority to love Him and call upon Him. "Dwelling" requires some activity. It isn't simply resting in the knowledge of salvation, or even in the plan of salvation. It is an active rest: one that involves diliberate, intentional intimacy with God. Colossians 3:3, "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." -We are given access to the "secret place of the Most High" through Christ. Look at some of the things that aren't found there: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language... -Look at some of the things that are found there: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, bearing others burdens, forgiveness, love, peace of God, thankfulness, dwelling in God's word, singing psalms, hymns, and spirtual songs. simple application: Am I actively resting in God's presence by intentionally, diliberately seeking intimacy with God?

Shannon returned home yesterday! It was so great to see her again. I can now go back to being a fully functioning adult. Anyway, welcome home love.

We were privileged to meet Alicia Britt Chole at our District Council, through which we were put in contact with her book, "Anonymous: Jesus' hidden years...and yours." Our Pastor began a study, loosely based on the materiel and ideas found in that book, and it was an amazing 40 minutes. Let me share some highlights: -The iceberg principle: 10% is visible above the surface, 90% invisible (making it indestructible) -It's the hidden parts of life that will make your life either destructible or indestructible Jesus Pattern Day 1- Holy Birth- followed by hidden days Day 8- Dedication- followed by hidden months Year 2- Wise Men visit- followed by hidden years Year 12-Temple Visit- followed by hidden years Year 30-Baptism- followed by 40 hidden days Jesus began his public ministry with God's love and approval. That approval existed before Jesus did any saving, healing, redeeming. God was pleased with Jesus because of what he did in hidden times. He was preparing himself all throughout the hidden, secret times of his life in order to be ready when the time was right for his life to take a very public role. simple application: Can God be pleased and approve of me in the secret places of my life? Are we actively seeking to develop ourselves in the hidden place, or short-cutting the moments meant to be spent growing, learning, and preparing for what God has in store for our lives?

Shannon has been in Georgia now since last Thursday, visiting her family, and I'm realizing just how pathetic I am without her. I can't sleep at night, I'm eating way too much fast food, I'm bored out of my mind, and I'm basically barely functioning in general. And I've got another week of this still ahead of me! Hopefully I can make it.

Yesterday we got a call from Georgia (home for Shannon) that her great-grandmother, everyone calls her "Big Mama", was desperately needing prayer because she was very near the end. So, we made the necessary arrangements and Shannon boarded a plane yesterday to be able to spend some time with her before she passes. As of right now, I don't have any updates, other than that she is doing much better-but still very serious. I was struck by the fact that Shannon has never lost a close family member before, and, when I think of it, my grandfather passing away a few years ago was a first for me as well. Surprisingly, it never gets any easier losing loved ones, even when they've lived a long fruitful life. I'm reminded every time I feel the pain of losing a loved one just how broken humanity is apart from God. It's almost like our pain is humanity's way of shouting out the truth at the center of life-that we weren't created to experience this! Even our bodies know, at some level, the original plan of creation. We might get better at dealing with death, but we were never really supposed to experience it, and I think that's why it's always a shock. If anything, death reminds us of our broken nature. It tells us that our existence needs fixing, and death is just a glimpse and symptom of the separation of humanity from God. I can only hope in the fact that Christ came to bring that redemption, and make us fully alive in God! So, in the next few days while we wait, we'll be reminding ourselves of that hope, and hopefully be able to find the peace he promises while we trust in him. Pray for Shannon and her family.

Let’s imagine that we’re invincible and pretend to not feel the vicious attacks of tongue and indifference. Let’s communicate our apathy with the ease of simply giving up. Why don’t we just ignore the issues completely and then throw ourselves to something else entirely? The sticks and stones hurt for reasons of otherwise unreachable reality: the sting of life is one that bruises while it blesses, hurts while it heals, and loathes while it loves. True emptiness cannot be found in humanity as long as that humanity still has breath, no matter how dispensable the condition might seem. A connection is always made, from an unconscious need to belong, to something with the power to fulfill the most basic of life’s functions: interconnectedness. The treasure of the heart is always being spent on something, whether eternal or temporal, consequential or insignificant, even real or imagined. Feelings of betrayal and complete isolation are considerable maneuvers meant to usurp the ability of humanity to know the joy of inviting a major blessing into life: relationships that encourage, strengthen, and sustain. Here’s the truth: humanity will connect to something because it is bound by its very nature to do so, and if it isn’t getting meaningful connections with other people, and even God, it will ultimately secure those needs through other things. Simple application: Are you giving yourself to building meaningful relationships with others, or are you content to fill the void with “stuff”?