When Spiritual Warfare Strikes

I found myself in a dark field, in the middle of the night, yet I was not alone.

Although I could sense the presence of other people scattered throughout the field, I could not see them clearly since the only light was coming from a few slivers of moonbeams that danced across the acres. Then I looked up, and saw a figure hovering near me, as my eyes strained to try to make sense of what I was seeing. 

This figure, along with all the others roaming throughout the barren field, seemed to be shaped in the silhouettes of army soldiers, exuding the odorless scent of control and power. Suddenly somewhere deep in my soul, I felt an overwhelming sense of danger, so thick it was almost as if I could reach out and touch it, although I had no idea what danger lurked in this unknown place.

Before I could comprehend what was going on, I felt my weak body being thrown to the ground with great force, landing hard on my back as my head hit the cold dirt. One of the silhouette figures then pressed its weight on top of me, pinning me firmly to the ground with my arms crossed across my chest, prohibiting me from fighting back or trying to defend myself. 

I could feel the hatred spewing from their spirit, and the presence of evil dripping from the empty face that I could not see. I could hear the wails of the other people in the field, and my mind was encompassed with fear and confusion about what was happening. Then in the midst of this heart ripping struggle,  I had a divine revelation, as if God's voice were echoing through the air, but only I could hear Him.

I became acutely aware to the depths of my soul that God's Words were my only hope. My only lifeline. I knew His promises would protect me. I knew His Words held power over evil. I knew His Sovereignty was my only chance in this battle against unseen forces.

As could only happen in the context of the imaginary dream world, where anything is possible, my body instantly shrunk down to the size of a pencil. I wriggled out of the evil one's grip and slung myself onto the pages of an open Bible that just happened to be lying in the tall grasses beside me.

I then reached over and grabbed a handful of pages by the corner with both hands, and began to roll with all my might; tearing the holy pages from the creases of the Book, and wrapping myself tightly into the pages of God's Word, as if I were a caterpillar entombing itself in a cocoon.  

Instantly, the faceless enemies retreated in fear. My spirit felt the evil leap from my presence, and I was freed from its weight upon me.  Then suddenly, all was quiet. My heart was beating quickly and my breathing was labored, and although I was shaken up, I was left unharmed.

And then -  I abruptly awoke from the deep slumber that had been holding me captive in this nightmare.

As I lay there, staring out at the pitch black darkness of 3:00am, my mind raced in every direction. My thoughts stumbled over each other, with each one trying to be the first to figure out what had just occurred.  Although I knew I was safe and sound in my own warm bed, with my husband sleeping quietly beside me, my heart felt ravaged by this battle between good and evil that I had just experienced in the deepest recesses of my mind.

In that fragile moment with God, as my dreams still hung in the quietness of the air, I could do nothing else  --but pray. I spent the entire next hour in deep conversation with Jesus. Then as if a lightbulb burst on in my head, it suddently became clear that myself, and my entire family, had been engaged in a fierce battle of spiritual warfare. The past year seemed as if one blow after another kept coming, but we had merely attributed it all to 'life', instead of giving credit, where credit was due. 

So during this quiet time with Jesus, when the house was silent and it was just me and Him, all the fears and hurts and longings of my heart overflowed onto His feet like never before, and amid my pleas for His forgiveness and mercy and compassion, I felt a sense of freedom overtake my spirit. 

It was a freedom I had not felt in a long time. A peace that had been escaping me for months as my mind struggled with negative emotions that had kept my heart trapped. As I allowed my mind to be engulfed with God's love, I was overcome with gratefulness.  I could not help but ask Him ....why?  Why would He would care so much about me? Why do I matter? Why would He go to such lengths to get my attention, and to rescue me from this invisible battle, not only in the dream world, but in the reality of my life? Why did He die for me? Why does He love His children so much?  Why were we worth it?

The only answer - a love that we cannot comprehend, from a Father who will fight to the death for us. In fact, He already did.

I believe with all my heart that God was showing me through my most subconscious dream-induced thoughts, that I had been living as an oppressed woman lately, fighting a battle that I was slowly losing. I had been trudging through each day, unknowingly carrying the weight of the enemy's oppression, because I had given Him a foothold in my life by not guarding my heart from the enemy's tactics. In Proverbs 4:23 we are instructed to "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life." (NLT).... and I now fully understand the importance of this command.

You see, I have been harboring anger and resentment for an adversity in my life, and although I know God commands us to choose faith over feelings, I was completely unaware of the toll my emotions had taken on my spirit. Therefore, over a period of time, a wall had been erected, blocking my view of what God wanted to do in my life and in the lives of those I love.

I had temporarily and inadvertently allowed the frustrations to become my focus, instead of the life saving promises of my Bible. So although my physical body was not actually at war with the unseen enemy as it was in my dream, my spiritual body was -and the time came for God to pry away the life robbing grip that the devil was trying to have around my throat. The time came for God to remind me that He does not leave His beloved ones to fight the battle alone.

Friends, this may be a lot for you to digest today, and I will admit, I hesitated about sharing my dream with you, for fear that you may question my mental faculties, or maybe wonder if I need serious professional help. But I deeply believe that when God speaks to our hearts this profoundly,  regardless of what method He uses to make His voice known, that it is not meant to be kept a secret.  So even at the risk of ridicule or being called a religious fanatic, I felt called to share this with all who would listen.

God blessed me with a glimpse of the unseen spiritual battle that takes place every day in our spirits. A battle that is waged against us by the prince of this world, through the adversities, circumstances and heartaches that we endure. A battle that we are hopeless to win, unless we wrap ourselves in the promises and truths scrolled onto every single page of God's Word. 

I will never again merely treasure my Bible as a possession that I often take for granted. Instead, I will treasure the Words within it as my lifeline,  and my only hope for fighting this battle against the one who wants to destroy us from the inside out.

Ephesians 6:12 says "For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." (NLT) 

There is a battle going on for your mind and your heart, even if you have a hard time grasping the reality of spiritual warfare. You don't have to believe in spiritual warfare, for the enemy to wage war on your life. In fact, he'd rather you not believe in it, because that makes his battle much easier. But when it strikes, and it will, know that you have the power within you, and at your fingertips, to fight it.
 
Maybe you have felt an unrest in your life lately, as I had.  Maybe you have felt oppressed and distant from God, but haven't been able to pry yourself free from negative memories or emotions holding your heart captive. Maybe you have been feeling confused and alone, but unsure what steps to take to make things better.  Maybe your unwillingness to let go of anger, or unforgiveness, is building a wall that you can no longer see over.

Maybe you have accidentally, gradually and unknowingly given the devil a foothold in your heart.
 
Sweet sister, you can be set free today. Surrender to God whatever it is that is weighing your heart down, and pray for spiritual freedom. If you ask you will receive, and the battle will be won - until tomorrow. 
The war continues, but the Prince of Peace will always have victory. And freedom is ours for the taking.

Isaiah 43:1-3a   Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. (NLT)

God Is Better Than The Secret Service

I am an avid reader of the Jesus Calling devotion book, written by Sarah Young. I love the way it is written, as if God were speaking directly to the reader, in modern day terms. But more importantly, I love the way  God uses it as a way to speak truth to my heart, each and every day.

Yesterday's devotion became especially meaningful, for reasons I'll tell you in a moment, but look over the words of that devotion below:

January 31
I am your strength and shield.  I plan out each day and have it ready for you, long before you arise from bed. I also provide the strength you need each step of the way. Instead of assessing your energy level and wondering about what's on the road ahead, concentrate on staying in touch with Me.  My Power flows freely into you through our open communication. Refuse to waste energy worrying, and you will have strength to spare.

Whenever you start to feel afraid, remember that I am your Shield.  But unlike inanimate armor, I am always alert and active. My Presence watches over you continually, protecting you from both known and unknown dangers. Entrust yourself to My watchcare, which is the best security system available.  I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.

Yesterday morning as I read this devotion, the words "protecting you from known and unknown danger" seemed to stand out. I didn't really understand why it struck a chord in my heart, but I silently thanked God for His protection, and took comfort in knowing that God was watching over me.

This morning my mother called, still a little shaken up from the events that had occurred last night. You see, about a week ago, she had taken her car to the shop to get her brakes checked and repaired. She waited several hours for the work to be done, and then went on her way - completely unaware of any danger.

Last night while driving, her car began making some odd noises and she felt it running differently, as if the tires were flat. She was alarmed, but fortunately had arrived at her destination. She parked the car and was perplexed when all the tires were full of air. She then asked an acquaintance (who just happened to be a car mechanic) if he would mind taking a look at it.

This friend started the car and planned to take it for a quick spin around the block to assess the noise, until he immediately became aware that there were no working brakes whatsoever. Apparently the person who had worked on her car the week prior, had inadvertently neglected to tighten up the bolts, and after a week of driving, the bolts had loosened up so much that they actually had fallen off and out of the car. The vehicle was completely void of any way to stop.

When my mom heard this, she gasped and shuddered at the thought of the tragedy that could   have occurred.  She had been driving around completely unaware that serious danger was lurking - but just as the devotion said, God was alert and active, and He knew what was on the road ahead, even though she did not have a clue.

Do you think it was a coincidence that her brakes stopped working the exact moment that she pulled into the parking place, shortly after having pulled off of a  fast busy interstate, driving through several busy intersections, and pulling into a parking lot where many people and cars were on the move? Of course not!  Do you think it was coincidence that a friend/car mechanic just happened to be at the same place she was? Of course not!

Both of these situations were huge, unmistakable, undeniable God-incidences.  God had put a shield around her car and protected her from harm, in addition to all the innocent people that could have been in danger as well.

Now I can understand why those words jumped off the page into my spirit yesterday. It was because today, God wanted to me remind me, my mother, and maybe even you....  that He is always watching over us,  even when we don't know we need protection.

He knows what danger lurks. He knows what the next day will bring. And He knows how to handle whatever that may be. What great comfort it brings to be reminded that God knows our needs, even before we do.

Are you facing a situation today that has caused fear to enter your heart?  Do you ever wonder if God is really looking out for you?  Would you like for me to pray for you, as you tuck the verses below into your heart and allow God to bring you peace?  If so, just leave a quick comment on my blog.

Or has God protected you or a loved one in a special way that left you speechless and praising Him? Has there ever been a time when you became aware of "what could have been" if God had not intervened? If so, consider leaving a comment as well. We would all be encouraged by hearing about your God-incidences.

Whatever situations we find ourselves in today, let's refuse to waste energy worrying. Let's spend our energies praising God for the known and unknown dangers that He is protecting us from, and concentrating on staying in touch with Him instead.

After all, who could ask for better secret service protection than from God Himself?  

Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

Matthew 6:34  So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Psalm 56:3-4 But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised.
I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?

Genesis 28:15 What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.”

Artist At Work

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (NLT)

It started out as a simple school assignment, but turned into something much more, in more ways than one.

My son Michael's 7th grade Social Studies teacher assigned her students the task of making a pyramid. There were no specific criteria given about how tall, how big, or what type of materials needed to be used. She simply encouraged the students to use their imagination.

When my son told me about the project, I immediately put on my crafty-mom hat, and started thinking about how much foam core board I would need to cut three triangles and hot glue them together in the form of a pyramid. But when Michael told his daddy about it, the project took on a whole new twist.

Before I knew it, we were all at Lowe's shopping for lumber and nails.

Lumber and nails?  I said to my husband, as if he had forgotten, "Ummmm, honey, it's a 7th grade project." He smiled and simply replied, "I know."

You see, I only had a vision of how much sawdust was going to be strewn into my house during this new found project, and I certainly didn't understand how a few 2x4's could be turned into a pyramid.

But my husband had a clear mental vision of what could be, and we just had to trust him.

Being a builder at heart and by trade, his mind could see the amazing end result before the building process ever began, even though my mind could not grasp it.

He and my son spent hours in the cold garage, measuring and sawing boards, and nailing the wooden pieces together. Step by step, a pyramid began to evolve, as we anxiously awaited for my husband's vision to become visible to the rest of us - and when it did, I have to say,  it was amazing.

Here is the finished product after my son painted it with spray paint.

Now that it was finished, I could see my husband's vision with great clarity, and we all celebrated the 'A' that was surely in my son's academic future.  But then something else amazing happened.

You see, my heart had felt burdened lately with concerns about the future; questioning why God is allowing certain hardships, and wondering what good could possibly come out of them. So as I marveled at this work of art crafted by the hands of my husband and son, God softly whispered to my heart, and said "Tracie, this is exactly how I am working in your life right now."

This gentle whisper, which my heart so desperately needed to hear, helped me to remember that God has a vision for all of us - a vision that we may not be able to see, much less understand, but one that is more wonderful than we can even comprehend.

God can already see what the future holds for each of us. Since the beginning of time, He has had a plan, and His Word assures us, in Jeremiah 29:11 and numerous other verses, that those plans are wonderful.

Wonderful plans for a future, and a hope. Plans not to harm us, but to help us prosper. Plans to bring us joy and peace. Plans to draw us closer to Him, and increase our reliance on Him alone.

In the same way that my husband had a clear mental picture of what he planned to build, God has a clear vision of what He is building in our lives.  We just have to trust that He knows best, and let Him work.

If you are struggling today, with people or circumstances or worry, will you trust that God has a plan? Will you trust that The Artist is at work in your life, even if you cannot imagine or "see" what He is building?

Although I may not always understand His ways, especially during times of trial, I can take comfort in knowing that God has a clear vision of each masterpiece He is creating. What peace it brings to know that even though I cannot see what is to come, our Creator and Builder of life, can.

And I have no doubt, that when it is finished, it will be amazing, in more ways than one.

Found, Healed, Delivered

I had heard His voice loud and clear.

It happened as I was sitting in the sanctuary many years ago, head bowed in fervent prayer, basking in the glow of the forgiveness that God has just poured all over my heart.

I was just one woman in a crowd of many women attending the seminar that morning. One woman trying to keep my emotions intact as I felt God moving deeply in my soul through the words of the speaker.

Suddenly His voice echoed so loudly, that my eyes burst open and I glanced around to see if anyone else had heard it. Since I didn't see any commotion, and no other women were appearing confused, dismayed or frantically gazing upwards with a look of "who said that!?" on their face, I determined that I was, indeed, the only one who had heard Him. It was a divine message, meant for me alone.

He simply said, "Tracie, Go... and share". (interpretation: "tell your testimony") My immediate answer was "Of course, God! Whatever you say! When can I start?"

NOT! Instead, I quickly and adamantly said "No God. Absolutely, without a shadow of doubt... NO". In fact, I got into a bit of an argument with God, wondering if He was confused and just didn't realize who He was talking to. Not only did I have no intention of "going", I had less intention of "sharing". I was convinced that God had made a mistake in calling me, a broken soul, to serve Him, a holy Savior.

But of course, God does not make mistakes. He simply knew my future, and my purpose, long before I did. He knew that His mercy and grace could wash away my sin, but only my obedience could truly heal my soul.

That was the summer of 2000. It was a day that turned my life upside down, as I tried to grasp the reality that God not only forgave me for my sins, and loved me despite them, but that He had a plan to use my past for my purpose. His purpose.

My obedience did not happen overnight. But little by little, step by step, faith encounter by faith encounter, God softened my heart to see and believe that His ways, and His plans, were better than my own.

With each baby step, I learned to trust God more, and eventually let Him replace my shame, with His grace and healing, from the inside out. My obedience to follow Him, and be transparent with others about how He had changed my life, opened the door for my heart to finally be restored.

A few years later, at another seminar, I had another God encounter. The praise and worship leader was singing the song "It Is Well", and I could feel the Holy Spirit hovering all around us. Then God spoke again, loud and clear, yet more gentle and confident. This time, He simply said "Tracie... it is well."

And I smiled, with a tear of joy trickling from my eye, and said "Yes sweet Jesus, it is well with my soul."

Shame and guilt no longer had any power over me, because God's love had become the presiding power over my life. I was no longer that broken, throw away person as I mentioned in today's Proverbs 31 Devotion. I realized I was loved by a Holy God. And so are you.

Do you believe that you are loved by God, despite the sin in your past or present? Do you believe that all it takes to be forgiven, is to ask God for it? Are you willing to forgive yourself, and let go of your hurts?

Are you ready to be free from shame and guilt, and embrace a new you that is filled with the Holy Spirit instead? Are you ready for God to have power over your life?

Do you want to be healed from the inside out?

Dear Jesus, you know the sins of my past, and the things I struggle with right now. I ask for your forgiveness, for everything. Wash me clean, make me whole again. Restore my soul. I want to be found by you. Help me to forgive myself, and protect my heart when negative thoughts and emotions threaten to steal the peace that You provide. Speak to me Lord, in a way I will understand. I long for healing and restoration and to be delivered from shame and guilt. Help me to have an awareness of Your voice, and to listen intently when you are speaking. Show me how you can bring glory out of something that the devil meant for evil. I trust you Lord, and I surrender all to you. I commit to obeying You when you call, even if You call me to do something that seems beyond my capabilities, and out of my comfort zone. I believe that my obedience, even if it's hard at first, will lead to blessing. Today, Lord, I surrender my life to You. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer today, will you leave a comment, and share with us how God has touched your heart today? We are definitely not alone in our need for forgiveness, redemption and restoration, yet there is power in knowing that we are not alone in our insecurities and our struggles and our heartfelt need to be healed.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Allow it to be a day that turns your life upside down - for the glory of God. If you are willing, God will deliver you from your sin, and turn your past into your purpose too - a purpose that is uniquely yours and divinely orchestrated - intended to bring you freedom and joy that you never thought imaginable.

Then you can sing that old song with a new twist... "Found, healed, delivered... I'm Yours!"


*If you have not asked Jesus to be your personal Savior, click here for some information that can help you make that important decision and take the first step towards true healing. DO YOU KNOW JESUS?

Depleted

Have you ever felt depleted?  For the past few weeks, that would describe me. 

I have simply felt depleted... empty... alone... without direction... needing focus... tired of problems... tired of the same ol' stuff to face everyday... frustrated with waiting to see God's purpose in pain... wanting more.

Spiritually depleted. Emotionally depleted.  Physically depleted.  Can you relate?

To compound the problem,  I have also been feeling guilty for feeling depleted. After all, hasn't God blessed me in so many ways? Shouldn't I maintain that unshakable joy that the Bible promises? Shouldn't I be stronger in my faith when adversity strikes?  Is God ashamed of me for the way I am feeling, after everything He has done for me? 

But despite how I should be feeling, I had to admit to myself, and to God, that my heart felt empty.  I desperately longed for what I once had - a passion for Jesus that fueled my every thought, every action, and every behavior. But somewhere amidst the tsunami of problems that have flooded into my life lately, my unshakable joy and passion got swept out with the current.

So lately, I have been on a quest to find it, and God has been gently leading the way, pricking my heart with reminders of His love, and touching my soul with gentle reassurances that He is still there, with open arms.

For example, my sweet friend Wendy Pope wrote an article in the P31 Woman Magazine this month which discussed how she had recently experienced a down time in her faith, and one day God led her to the words of King David in Psalm 13:3, 'Restore the sparkle to my eye or I will die.'  (NLT)

When my eyes fell upon this verse, my heart leapt.  It was as if the light bulb came on in my head, and I realized that what had been missing, was my sparkle! I had allowed the problems of life to drown out the voice of my Savior, and as a result, my sparkle for Jesus and life had become dull, rusty and unnoticeable. I have been praying each day every since, that God would restore the sparkle to my eye.

Then last weekend, on a very last minute decision, I decided to start a new bible study at my church. I went with anticipation, hoping that God would have a word for me... and discovered that He actually had three.

Space. For. Grace

As I watched Beth Moore enthusiastically begin our study of James, her words pierced my soul.  She explained that when problems were pounding our hearts, God's purpose was not to leave us broken and empty, but to create a space for His grace.

These three words sunk deep into my heart as I realized that while the devil was trying to create an emptiness in my heart through the circumstances of my life, God was creating a perfect space that could be filled up with holy grace that would bring back my sparkle.

Suddenly - I felt the feeling of depletion fade away. I felt full... of Him.  I felt fidgety with enthusiasm.  I even felt a little sparkle begin welling up in my heart, flickering with excitement at the thought of dancing in the dark again. Friends, it was the best feeling I have had in a long time. I felt fueled to begin again, with a fresh attitude, a new sparkle, an appreciation for how God works, and a zest to do all He is calling me to do. Even if it means swimming against the current with every ounce of my being.

As a smile crept across my face, I felt confident that God was smiling too. 

A new year doesn't always bring a new attitude or great joy. These things only come through prayer, and a commitment to pray for God to keep us full, even in the middle of a tsunami.

If you have been feeling depleted lately, I encourage you to tuck Psalm 13:3 into your heart. Tape it on your fridge or bathroom mirror, or put it on your car dash, but no matter what you do, allow it to begin seeping into that space in your heart which has been left gaping open by hurt or adversity, and then ask God to fill that empty space, with His grace.

In the words of Beth Moore, the only thing that is supposed to be empty.... is the tomb.

Making Some New Year's "Adjustments"

The practice of new year's resolutions dates back over 3000 years to the Babylonians, and is still going strong today. When a new year rolls around, millions of people feel an obligation, if not pressure from society, to make a few resolutions, all the while knowing that they will probably be unsuccessful in the end - again.

If it's such a vicious cycle, why do we keep doing it year after year? Why do constantly make resolutions, only to fail the majority of the time? The truth is that making resolutions seems to bring hope and possibility for a change in certain areas of our lives that we feel is much needed and wanted. We feel a sense of empowerment about a fresh start and a new beginning..... until reality sinks in and meeting our goals gets harder and harder.

The definition of insanity is to continue doing the same things over and over, and expecting different results. If this is true, making resolutions every year could potentially make us all insane!

This can be the year to break the insanity cycle, by focusing on making positive adjustments one little step at a time, rather than life altering resolutions that may never be met.

resolution: a solution, accommodation, or settling of a problem, controversy, etc.

adjustment: harmony achieved by modification or change of a position

Hmmmm.. would you rather start out the year thinking about all your problems or shortcomings and what you must do to resolve them, or thinking about meaningful things that could benefit from a little tweaking to bring more harmony into your heart and life?

Anyone can make a resolution to lose weight, stop smoking, exercise daily or be more frugal or financially responsible; yet, only those who are willing to take an inward look at themselves will have the courage to tackle the challenge of making outward life "adjustments".

Adjustments, that if given the right focus, can have huge impact on our spiritual and physical well-being.

1 Timothy 4:8  "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." (NIV)

This verse is not saying that we should not care about our physical state, but that we should care about our spiritual state more.  1 Corinthians 6:19-20 reminds us that our bodies are God's temples, and we should treat them accordingly. However, Timothy encourages us to find a balance between making physical goals which affect God's temple,  and spiritual goals which affect our heart for God.

New Year's "adjustments" can be determined by simply asking ourselves a few questions about areas of our life that may be in need of an adjustment, and then being honest enough to admit the answers. 

We can consider things such as our attitude, our faith walk, how we treat others, our willingness to forgive, how we handle conflict, and the setting of daily priorities.  We may need to look at how much time we spend with God, and whether or not we typically seek God's wisdom and direction about decisions in our life, or if we turn to other people for advice instead.

Regardless of what type of goals we set - whether they are adjustments, or resolutions - we need to pray about them, making sure that the motivation behind every goal is fueled by knowing that the desired change will be pleasing and glorifying to God.

When we make positive adjustments on the inside, the adjustments we desire to see on the outside may become a reality as well. Inward change always drives outward change.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever. (The Message)

So what "adjustments" might God be calling you to make in 2012?