WHAT IS YOUR FOUNDATION BUILT ON?

Hey Commissioners,

I pray you are living out your purpose and being a good steward of your time. Its been quite awhile since I've written anything but I felt like I wanted to just write something short and sweet as an encouragement to you and myself as well. Back in my Middle school days, writing use to get me through the tough times in my life. It was my way of escaping my reality by creating tales of how I wish life could have been at that time. I credit my writing then to my incredible imagination. Like, I could write a book and I actually did back in my teen years (never published it though). Now I barely have time to read a book. Such is life...I said this was about being encouraging right so let me get to it.

Today, I was working on some very important things and midway through, I just wanted to throw in the towel, grab my phone, and play games to distract me from doing what I know I needed to be doing. Its so hard at times to persevere under trial sometimes and it’s ok to want to experience things that don't involve struggle. But the truth is, doing hard things and pushing pass your limitations builds strength and perseverance (Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him--James 1:12). Think about athletes for a moment, they live a pretty disciplined life (especially the highly successful ones). They do what they don't necessarily want to do (train all day no matter the weather or how they “feel”) in order to reach that level of greatness that they are pursuing. You see, they set a goal and pursue it. What are you doing to reach your goals? Don’t give yourself any excuses—just do it. God will help you. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11

From personal experience, my success comes by being obedient to God. See, I can work my brain until I can't anymore but I will won't get the result I want if I'm going against what God has said. But when you are walking in the will of God, HIS will will come to pass, no matter what it looks like. Think about the wind for a minute. When it's very windy and you're headed in the direction of the wind, it propels you forward. But have you tried walking against the force of the wind? It will break you, ok! This analogy makes sense to me because windy weather is often accompanied by storms. These storms often come to uproot those things that are not standing on solid ground. Living in Florida, you see it all the time, Hurricane and tropical storms force winds will come and pull trees from its roots, roofs off houses, and flatten entire communities. But then there are those houses who stand firm and even when the wind blows, it is not shaken. Those are the houses that's built from a strong foundation. Are you able to stand firm when the winds of life starts blowing in your direction? Will you allow the wind to propel you forward into your destiny or will you let it uproot you from your foundation?

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:24-27

What I've come to realize is that your foundation is what makes you strong. A person who has built their house on the rock (dependent on Christ) will usually make it through the worst of times while someone whose foundation is built on sand (which has no foundation to support), when the winds and waves comes, it will flatten. This is why It is important that we are rooted in Christ--he is the chief cornerstone. He is our source of strength when we seem to have nothing left to give. You can lean on him and count on him to see you through.

Today, I am here to encourage you that as long as you get your strength from the Lord, you will be alright. He is our strength in weakness and our anchor when the storms are ravaging all around us. By yourself, it will be impossible to make it, but with God, you will overcome. So that thing you don't want to do because its hard or you feel like all hell has risen up against you because you dare to make something of yourself, keep pushing, keep praying, keep believing, and most importantly, keep working! Remember, faith without works is dead (James 2:26). You're not just anybody, you are a child of God and though the wind may blow and the storms may come, remember you are a rock and you cannot be moved.

And remember that so far, you have survived 100% of your bad days and if he did it before, he will do it again!

May the peace of God be with you. Numbers 6:24-26