I gave him a kiss as he walked in the door, and he leaned back to look at me, “What’s up around here lately? Something’s definitely different.” I hadn’t dared mention it, because I was pretty sure it wouldn’t stick. I hesitated, “What do you mean?” “Everything seems better like a weight’s been lifted.” And I smiled because I knew I was free.

Goodness in the face of badness gets people's attention. It makes people stop and notice that your response wasn't measured in wrong, even though it would have been justified. I was a little wide-eyed when I first read Proverbs 25:21-22, where it says when we give good to our enemies, it's like we're pouring coals of fire on their heads.

If we've chosen to slide, we can also choose to put on the brakes. We can choose to turn, to adjust what we're doing, and change the direction we're going. Jesus knew that Peter would slide and He gently encouraged him.

It’s so easy to want to escape pain and problems. It’s normal for our spirit to feel pressed when trouble comes. Problems strain at destroying our trust in God. It’s normal. Even Jesus’ soul was troubled in the days leading up to the cross.

Have you ever felt like Lazarus? Dead + buried for 4 days, when Jesus says, “Lazarus, come out!” Man, what a day! He literally brought Lazarus back to life. What would you think if you saw this happen? Maybe we have a hard time imagining this actually happening. But Jesus does the same thing for us, when we believe. He raises us from the dead, He resurrects our lives.

God doesn’t speak to me. It’s easy to think this when we’re spinning. We feel alone + afraid. Maybe we’re trying to control our emotions, but past traumas have a way of dragging us under. And we’re trying to stop, but it’s hard. It’s hard to stop ourselves from going back to old patterns.

My eyes cast down, the ground I see

For 18 years, was home to me

That day the same, as all before

Until He offered so much more