Dear Future Me,

Dear Future Me,

I just returned home hours ago from the CTK Doxa Seattle mission trip,  June 2012.  I don't know when you'll need to read this, it might be 20 years, 20 months, 20 days or 20 hours.  Knowing you, you'll need to read this many times.  Because I know that you have a mind like a spaghetti strainer and forget things really, really easy.  So I'm writing this letter to you expecting that the amazing glory of this experience will fade in your mind like an old glow stick.  I'm sharp as a pencil now, but pencils grow dull.   Let's face it Future Me, you've forgotten things that I thought you would never forget.  I'm not slamming you, just telling the truth.  And if I want to live in authentic community with others, you and I first need to be real with one another.  It might sound like I'm calling you a forgetful knucklehead, but that's mostly because I am. Future Me, these are the things that I want you to remember from the Doxa Seattle mission trip.

• When you lose your courage to speak to somebody outside of your comfort zone or be present with somebody who is hurting, remember Dana who rolled his wheel chair up to the people at the Bread of Life homeless shelter and just started talking to them.  Remember he did that also at the block party, striking up a conversation with the man who's life had been tragic and hard.  Remember that if Dana had worries about being judged, rejected or self conscious pity they did not stop him.  I know you, Future Me, you chicken out faster than a Colonel Sanders KFC order to go.  You stop extending yourself and want to hang around people who are like you.  Extend yourself dude, leave your comfort zone, rejection is a fine price to pay for the times when you can be present to somebody who can use even a small show of interest, prayer or listening.
• Future Me, please always remember Josh scrubbing the nastiest grime from the floor of the Operation Night Watch kitchen on his hands and knees.  More importantly remember him singing a worship song while doing that menial, dirty, lowly work.  You see, Future Me, you have a tendency to not want to get your hands dirty or stoop for work that you might think is "below you".  I'm not calling you proud-- oh... wait... I am calling you proud.  Future Me, remember that any work can be made meaningful when you add worship.  Remember how super thankful Medium Ben was who worked at ONW, that our simple acts of service, cleaning, sorting socks, organizing a food pantry was a huge blessing to him.  Future Me, you tend to always want to cook up grand schemes, you think big, you like to make complex strategies.  And that is good to a degree.  But don't forget the power of the small, the simple, the straightforward.  Let Josh also be a reminder of how critical a worshipful attitude can be to transforming the menial task into the meaningful task.
• I know you all too well Future Me, like the back of my hand, and you tend to feel sorry for yourself when you get the sniffles or your allergies are acting up or your back is sore. And then you use that as an excuse.  So you need to remember Helen who was such an amazing trooper on the Seattle Mission Trip.  Remember her joy, her long work hours, her faithfulness despite  health problems that would likely make you wither.   
• This is not a "Rip on Future Me" session, because I'm thankful for how God made you, but sometimes you shy away from learning new skills and trades.  So remember  students who learned how to put up siding, sheet rock, roofing, tiling, painting.   Don't forget the satisfaction and joy they got from a job well done.  Also use that as a reminder of the awesome capacity that high school students have to make an impact on a neighborhood, church, and city.  Future Me, if I even get a sniff of you discounting their ability to work like banshees I'm gonna come over there and poke you in the eye.  Knock it off.  Remember how hard they worked.  Also remember the staff of the Compass Center, Senior Center, Dispatch Center, Hammond House for abused women, Operation Sack Lunch, all of the downtown urban ministries who RAVED about how incredible the students were.  Remember, Future Me, that these students did far more as a community than you could ever have done by yourself.  They are ministers as much you.  And sometimes more.
• And while we're at it, don't forget how powerfully the students were able to minister to themselves.  Future Me, don't think that you're "all that and a bag of chips", believing that all of the ministry has to be done by you.  That's your pride that stinks worse than the boys' basement sleeping room on day 7 and the toilet that overflowed Saturday morning as we were trying to leave! Remember Taylor W.  who prayed over me, Justin and Stevie.  Remember Faith who prayed for people at the homeless shelters, who prayed for the whole mission group during family times.  Remember  Lindsey and Ainsley who you saw repeatedly caring for the people around them and giving comfort.  Remember Taryn who used her gift of encouragement and to speak positive truth into people's lives.    Don't forget Drew who led worship times that were some of the most intense and powerful encounters of God in my life.    You see, Future Me, you sometimes think that you have to have your fingers in all of the pies in order for there to be fruit.  But the most sacred, holy, impacting times on this mission trip were the times when I was on the sidelines and the students were doing the ministry.
• Future Me, when you feel intimidated by serving before groups of people remember the grace of Taylor M. who sang to the abused and battered women at the Hammond House.  Remember that God gave you gifts to use like everyday dishes, not fine china only to be used on special occasions.  Future Me, don't hide your gifts away, use them!  Sometimes you even forget that God has given you gifts.  For the same reason, also remember McKenzie who played the piano and sang "Unending Love" on the last Family night.   Remember her courage to  leave her comfort zone and be a part of the Lord working to bless. God wants to use you also, so don't put your light under a bushel.  And I also don't want to hear some smart aleck remark from you, Future Me, about not even having a bushel.  Or knowing what one is.  You know what I'm driving at, so just stop the sass.  
• Future me, you often forget that incredible ministry victories come on the heals of intense planning and hard work.  Don't forget the hundreds of hours that Dibo and Christine put into this mission trip to make it hugely successful.  In case you think that you'll just snap your fingers and have a mind-blowing experience like Ballard 2012 any time you want, remember their focus, dedication, long range planning, agonizing, debate, discussion, check lists, countless emails, phone calls, meetings.  Remember that the pump of this mission trip was first primed and fueled by their blood, sweat and tears.  Also think about the incredible dedication of Paul and Gina Diaz at Ballard Church.  They have poured their lives into that church plant to love Ballard and to grow God's kingdom.  Future Me, I know you'd rather win a ministry lottery and see God's kingdom grow more by luck than work, it betrays a lazy streak in you.  But serving the King of Kings is very difficult and a long, long road.  Remember that as I was driving home from Seattle to Bellingham how I said to myself over and over, "This was worth it! All of the hard work was worth it!!"  Remember.
• Future me, sometimes you forget how powerfully the Lord can work to change somebody's heart and life.  Don't forget John and Tamara.
• I don't want you to forget the sacrificial service of Elyssa.  Remember how she served in the midst of very difficult circumstances, truly throwing in the the "widow's mite".  Future Me, let me be frank, because you often like to give only when it is easy or doesn't truly cost you much. Remember.
• Future Me, remember that if there are times when you can't make a huge commitment, that being faithful in a smaller commitment can be powerful too.  Remember Leigha, Gordon, Shannon, Chelsea, Tori, Ryan B., Ian, Ethan, Chris, Elyssa, Nate, Sarah, and John, who came for different parts of the trip.  Remember how thankful I felt for their pulling on the oars with us, for fresh legs.  Future Me, you may need to be fresh legs to somebody else, so don't forget that value.  Don't forget the super helpful planning and preparation that Hannah did leading up to the trip.
• Remember the leadership of Ryan H, that as a student he made huge efforts to not just be along for the ride, but to take initiative for building community and being on mission.  Remember his dedication to finishing a job and doing the job well.  Because, let's face it Future Me, you like to start projects but you're not the best at finishing.  Not even second best.  You're not even on the podium.  Remember how Ryan begged to be able to complete the bathroom tiling in the parsonage, how he trained other people to help him finish, how he focused until the job was done.  When you're tempted to do something half-way, or leave it for "tomorrow" to complete, just remember.
• Remember Sam and Jeremiah who I never heard complain, who served faithfully, who gave us an awesome display of true brotherly love and care for one another.  Future Me, don't forget how huge they were on this trip.
• When there is a job that's very unpleasant, I want you to remember Tapi.  Remember when he cleaned out the apartment of the deceased resident at the Operation Night Watch senior center? Remember?  In so many ways that project was difficult, but Tapi did that job and blessed the staff at the center.  Future me, you sometimes want to leave the difficult jobs for other people.  But you're missing out on golden opportunities to serve. Sometimes the worst jobs have the biggest impact.
• Future Me, think of Aly and Anna and remember the power of friendship.  Friendships don't happen with a snap of the finger, but with time invested.  Remember also Sam and Lavonte, that despite some bumps in the road their friendship endured. If you want good friends, Future Me,  then be a good friend.
• Future Me, remember the dedication of Stevie and Justin, they finished their seasons in CTK Student Life amazingly well.  They could have had short-timer's syndrome, cruised to the end, checked out early, but instead they gave an enormous effort and push right until the finish line.  When you get senioritis, remember these two guys.  They ran strong and finished strong.
• Remember the dedication of Heather and Nathan and other students who walked up to a group of kids playing soccer to invite them to the Block Party.  Remember their initial hesitation that they overcame with their desire to serve.  
• Remember the picture of Kai praying for the homeless man at the shelter.  Remember how huge your son's heart is.  Future Me, remember the pride that I had when Kai completed the tool shed roof.   Sometimes you underestimate him.  Sometimes your little frustrations about him not picking up his room or cleaning up his dishes overtake what an amazing kid he really is.  Don't forget.
• Remember Vicki and Brandi, their awesome dedication behind the scenes cooking for us.  Remember their humble and joyful service.  Don't forget the power of working together as a full team with all of members being vital and successful, not just the people up front.
• Future Me, when you waiver or doubt that youth ministry is important work and valued by students, remember the family time where we did leader appreciation.  Remember how the entire room of students shot their hands up all at once when asked if anybody wanted to say how Nikki had impacted their lives.  The. Whole. Room.    Remember when students begged and pleaded to be able to speak about Nikki's influence and blessing.  Remember Monique and Rosie's song to the Wonderful Christine too!  Remember Monique's tears when thinking about the impact of youth ministry in her life.  
• Spencer needs to be remembered for his mentoring and coaching, his huge heart and passion for worship, and his connection with students.  Remember how he jumped in feet first to Doxa, full immersion.  Because from time to time, Future Me, you'll want to just dip your little toe in, and don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about.  I know you.
• Future me, also remember the really  fun times that we had on this trip: Gas Works park, bonfire at Golden Palace beach, dub step dance room, signing the floors down stairs, ripping out the walls, "Hello Seattle" dance at the end of the block party, telling stupid puns, Beluga!,  coffee at Vivace's.
• Don't forget all of the other students and leaders I forgot and didn't mention in this letter.   (I know, I'm ragging on you for being forgetful, but I'm beyond tired and exhausted right now.) Just go back to the Facebook Page for the Seattle Mission Trip to remember them and pray for them.  Here's the link in case you've forgotten where to find it.  
• Don't forget the importance of a daily, vital relationship with Jesus, of community, of living on mission.  
• Future me, you also tend to forget the importance of prayer and the  awesome sovereign grace of God that exceeds all that we ask or think.  Don't forget the students whose eternal lives were changed on this trip by Jesus, the rain that held off for the block party, the divine appointments, the amazing worship times when the Holy Spirit showed up in power and just flattened everybody and literally blessed the snot out of us.  All of this is for Jesus, for his glory, in his name.  Do. Not. Forget.

Future Me, I know that there is going to be a time where youth ministry is going to seem too difficult, too frustrating, too fruitless, too much work, too much stress, too much drama.  But I'm writing this letter to now just to tell you to remember that it is all worth it.  Being in Christ, in community and on mission is worth it.  Do not forget Seattle Missions 2012.  Don't forget to bring Ballard to Bellingham.

Warm regards,

Present Me, Satisfied and Filled Up Me, Thankful Me, Grateful Me, Blown Away Me, Awe Struck Me, In Love with Jesus Me,  Brian Steele.

Fear of Man, Fear of God, and the Volume of Nostrils

I believe that knowing the amount of air in a human nostril will greatly impact your life.  Indulge me for a geeky exercise that I think has deep spiritual consequences. Warning: this is definitely going to at first seem entirely irrelevant and probably very dull to most people except the likes of those that collect Lord of the Rings figurines[1].  But I'm guaranteeing a payoff at the end of this so hang in there!  Or, if you insist, you can skip down to the Relevant Part.

The Technical Geeky Part
Let's say that the shape of a nose approximates a cone, wider at the base, narrowing upward.  So the nostril volume (V)  = 1/3 pi*R^2*H.

R= radius
H= height

OK, so perhaps it's not exactly conical, but if you get technical on me then it will interrupt the flow of this blog post. If you really insist a nose cavity is more cylindrical then use V=pi*R^2*H, I won't argue too much. If you're a math teacher or somebody who casts their own LOTR lead figurines and wants to argue the nose is a truncated cone, then here's the formula, but I've got much better things to do, as you can see.

I measured my nostril opening from the outside[2] and found it to be .5" wide (the diameter), so the radius, R=0.25".

The height, measured from the opening along the outside[2], to where my nose bone[3] starts is 0.75", so
H= .75"

Plugging these into V = 1/3 pi*R^2*H

V= .049 cubic inches of air can fit into one nostril.

That is .000802 liter, or .000212 gallons, or .027 fl oz, or .000848 qt of air fitting in one nostril.

That's a pretty small amount of air that can fit in one nostril.  Or, to put it in a more tangible measure, about 2493.7 nostrils of air would fit into one 2 litter bottle of Mt. Dew.[4]

The Spiritual and Highly Relevant Part to Your Life
Congrats if you've waded through what seemed to be completely irrelevant and definitely very boring nostril geometry.  Because here is the spiritual implication:

The Bible says that man is just a disappearing vapor, a wisp, a breath:

What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. (James 4:14; ESV)

And yet how much time, energy, attention is consumed by the fear of man?  How many decisions do we daily make because we're afraid of what somebody will think, afraid of what they might do, concerned of how they might react?  What percentage of our thought life is wasted in needless fear of others?  Too many times I've done something I shouldn't have because of a "fear of man" issue, or didn't do something I should have.

But Isaiah 2:22 sums it up so well and speaks to the heart (or nose!) of the issue:

      Stop regarding man
      in whose nostrils is breath,
      for of what account is he? (ESV)

A life governed by the fear of man is a small life, constricted, imprisoned.  In a sense you're allowing your god to be somebody with a nostril that only holds .000212 gallons of air.  But more to the point, the entire life of the man or woman who you are fearing is only fleeting like a vapor, a small puff of breath on a cold day.

For of what account is the co-worker that lords over you? The friend that mocks you?  The clique that shuns you?  The neighbor that spites you?  Not even a tenth of a cubic inch of air fills his or her nostrils!!  And yet so often we tremble in fear of man.

Proverbs 29:25 argues the case:

      The fear of man lays a snare,
      but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe. (ESV) 

Now read Isaiah 2:10-22 and ask yourself who is the one we truly should fear, revere and hold in awe?  Whose opinion should we be entirely concerned with?  Who should cause us to tremble? Who should govern our lives? Shape our every decision? Give motive to guide our every step?

      10 Enter into the rock
      and hide in the dust
                  from before the terror of the LORD,
      and from the splendor of his majesty.
            11       The haughty looks of man shall be brought low,
      and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled,
                  and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
            12       For the LORD of hosts has a day
      against all that is proud and lofty,
      against all that is lifted up—and it shall be brought low;
            13       against all the cedars of Lebanon,
      lofty and lifted up;
      and against all the oaks of Bashan;
            14       against all the lofty mountains,
      and against all the uplifted hills;
            15       against every high tower,
      and against every fortified wall;
            16       against all the ships of Tarshish,
      and against all the beautiful craft.
            17       And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled,
      and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low,
      and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
            18       And the idols shall utterly pass away.
            19       And people shall enter the caves of the rocks
      and the holes of the ground,
                  from before the terror of the LORD,
      and from the splendor of his majesty,
      when he rises to terrify the earth.
            20       In that day mankind will cast away
      their idols of silver and their idols of gold,
                  which they made for themselves to worship,

            21       to enter the caverns of the rocks

                  from before the terror of the LORD,
      and from the splendor of his majesty,
      when he rises to terrify the earth.
            22       Stop regarding man
      in whose nostrils is breath,
      for of what account is he? (ESV)

Don't let your life be ruled with fear by any man.  Rather, let every decision, every step, every thought be governed with reverent awe and fear of the Almighty God.  The splendor of His majesty that terrifies fallen man is matched by the depth of His love that redeems him.  God wants to redeem us that we might live our daily lives in humble worship and fear of Him alone.

The next time you find yourself trembling or motivated by fear of any person, look intently at their nose, then remember that they are just as fleeting as the .000848 quart of air exhaled from their nostril.


-----------------------
Footnotes:
[1] OK, I don't have an actual collection of Lord of the Rings figurines, but I definitely have a mental shelf in my head with them all lined up, from the shortest hobbit to the tallest Ent.

[2]  Let me be clear on this point, lest I be accused of a pick.

[3] Not the nose bone of my birth.  I had a nose job in high school because of a deviated septum.  TMI?  Probably, but isn't this whole nostril exercise TMI?

[4] Kai, my son, had another clever solution to the nostril volume dilemma and suggested starting with a known volume of water in a cup, then pouring water into your nose until it filled up.  Sounds pretty good. Anybody want to give it a go?

Why numbers do actually matter.

One way to get out of a mental rut is to take a piece of common conventional wisdom and think of a counter wisdom. The exercise often generates insight into leadership or new ways for approaching old problems. For example, we hear this conventional wisdom "it's not about numbers", too often said after a disappointing turn out for a ministry event, bible study, camp, or concert where big numbers were expected. I understand the motive and thought behind this, but let's see where will it lead us if we take the contrary stance. What if "it IS about the numbers"?

It is about the numbers because:

1) When numbering people, each number has a unique face and soul created by God and for His glory. He numbers the hair on our heads because we matter to Him.

2) A big expenditure with little result is often poor stewardship. The saying, "if only one person was saved, then it was worth it" might be used as a cover for ineffective ministry. Expand it out, why not spend $1M to save one person, wouldn't that be worth it? What about $1B to save one person? Wouldn't that be worth it? Not if those same resources could be better stewarded and thousands of people could be saved by having a better organized and executed plan.

3) Numbers mattered to the Master who entrusted the talents to his servants and expected a return on the investment. The servants who doubled their money through risk and work were praised. The servant who buried his talent in the ground and returned the money was not let off the hook because "numbers don't matter." Matthew 25:14-30.

4) I am a number, and I matter to God. I am one of 7 billion, and yet I matter. And so do the other 699,999,999,999.

5) Jesus said, go into all the nations (plural!) making disciples (plural!). If the disciples only went to one nation and made one disciple would they have been obedient to the great commission? Would that have stood up to the Lord had they packed it in after going into a few nations and made a handful of disciples? Matthew 28:16-20.

6) Honesty in our transactions matter to the Most High. Proverbs 20:23 always blows me away, "The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him. (NIV84)". The Almighty paid attention to the accuracy of a scale when one peasant sold a sack of grain to another thousands of years ago. Numbers matter to God in the daily economy of our lives, in our taxes, paying parking tickets, giving fair value in return for value, paying for what should be paid for. In our generosity toward God and others numbers matter!!

7) I'm glad that numbers do matter to God because otherwise the church would have stopped growing centuries ago, the gospel would have died on the vine, and I would not be among a multitude of billions who worship the Lamb of God, who died to take away ALL my sins (plural!!!) and the sins of the world.

Try it out. Take a tired old piece of conventional wisdom, turn it upside down, shake it like a pair of pants and see what coins fall out of the pockets. And let us know what you find.

2 Chronicles 11:13-17 Strength flows from strong spiritual leadership

In 2 Chronicles 11:13-17 we see that strength flows from strong spiritual leadership.

After division of the kingdom of Israel, the Levitical priests flocked to Jerusalem in support of the new king Rehoboam, Solomon's son, reigning over Judah.They left their own lands at great personal sacrifice (vs 13-14).

Spiritual leadership always involves sacrifice of time, resources, hours in prayer, study, service. The priests could have stayed on their lands, abandoned the priesthood altogether, and just enjoyed that great milk and honey, eating grapes the size of basketballs. But they esteemed the worship of God to be more valuable than the stuff of this world. This sacrifice served as an example to people of the nation who set their hearts to seek the Lord (vs 16). The spiritual devotion of the Levites inspired a kingdom wide determination to seek God. The result was a strengthening of the people as a whole (vs 17) and security. The Levitical obedience to God's word was the source of strength and blessing to the entire kingdom of Judah.

To what degree is the blessing of people under our leadership dependent on our personal spiritual obedience and sacrifices in following Jesus? This is a very sobering question. It is answered by Jesus in John 15:1-11. He says that we cannot produce fruit if we are not attached to the vine. But when we are attached to Jesus, abiding in him, we will bear much fruit! This is true both in our personal lives and in our ministry.

Strength flows from strong spiritual leadership.

"The Lord be With You"

What can be a trite, rote, traditional religious statement (followed by the response "and with you") is one of the most profound messages of grace in the Bible: The Lord be With You. God is with us. The holy righteous God is with sinful but redeemed people. God is with us. He is the reason and source of our strength and courage but so much more. Why?
1) "God is with us" means that God is for us, the way a Dad is for his child. Jesus is for us as our advocate, his blood pleads for us, Jesus died for us, his righteousness is credited for our own. His life was taken in exchange for ours. Jesus drank the overflowing cup of wrath for us, in our place. God is with us. 

2) It means that God is in us. His Spirit dwells in us. Jesus abides in us. He is the treasure stored in earthen vessels. God is with us.

3) God is around us, he is our fortress, our stronghold, our eternal dwelling. The kingdom of God is among us. God is with us.

4) God is in front of us, He leads, goes on ahead, like the Good Shepherd who leads his sheep to green pasture and in the valley of the shadow of death. He is a pillar of smoke leading by day and fire by night. God is with us.

5) God is behind us. He is the power that drives us forward when we can't even take a step in our own strength. God has our backs, he shields us from the enemy. God is with us.

6) God is beside us, a friend that walks along with us. Jesus is the friend of sinners, our companion, our brother. He suffered what we suffer and then some, he knows our trials. God is with us.

7) God is above us, our Lord, our King, our Sovereign and Master. His will is our highest calling, his perfection and glory what we look up to, his majesty towers above us as we worship below. Jesus was raised above us on the cross, lifted up in sacrifice for our sin. God is with us.

8) God is below us. He is our rock, the cornerstone upon which all rests and everything worth building stands. Jesus is our foundation, our lives are built on him and our work will be judged based on how we build on that foundation below us whether gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble (1 Cor 3:10-15). God is also below us and He is already waiting for us in the depth of our worst trials, grief, anguish. He is there below in the depth of our darkness. He is below us, God holds us in his mighty hand, he carries us where we can't go ourselves. Jesus descended to the depths in his death and burial, defeating the grave below. God is with us.

9) God still stands before us in time as our creator and already waits ahead of us as our eternal destiny. Jesus is the first and the last. The Alpha and Omega. The great I Am. Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us.

10) Look down at the smallest subatomic level, between the minute basic particles of creation, among muons, gluons and leptons, God is fully there. Look out over the vast unending stretches of galaxies, star systems, globular clusters, nebula, and pulsars, God is fully there. And where two or three people are gathered in the name of Jesus, there he is in the midst. God is with us.

11) In the most vile hellhole of sin and evil on earth, God is present to save any lost soul who would repent, call on His name and believe. From among the worst of sinners God calls and redeems the heroes of the faith. In the prison cell, on the battle field, in gulag, concentration camp, slave market, house of prostitution, crack house, meth lab, porn shop God is present and immediately answers the prayer of the converted soul asking for a savior. Both victims and oppressors. On the spot forgiving sin, imputing righteousness, depositing the Holy Spirit, adopting sons and daughters, beginning the work of sanctification he will finish. In the places of abomination among crowds of outcasts and sinners Jesus made friends. God is with us.

12) There will be people from every tongue, tribe and nation praising Jesus at his return, because he was with them, bringing hope and redemption to every land. God is with us.

13) When we sleep and awake he is there giving new mercies every day. God is with us.

14) God is in believers, around us, above, below, beside. God came before everything, is with us during everything, and will be there in eternity for everything. God is with us.

15) God gives us the strength needed to fight our battles, the wisdom to make choices, the love needed to serve others, the will and desire to obey Him. He is the vine that causes fruit in our lives to grow. The sower that plants the seed of the word that flourishes in our hearts. He is the author and finisher of our faith that can move mountains. He multiplies the meager loaves and fishes confounding all laws of supply and demand. He is our healer and physician, curing the most grievous wounds in our souls. He is our comforter, our greatest teacher, our best model. He is our light in darkness, our hope in despair, our greatest joy. Our focus of worship, the rightful owner of our highest devotion and deepest love. The only one we should fear and tremble before while at the same time He gives us rest and peace. God is with us! 

16) God speaks to us when we daily open His Word and make worn the pages of the Bible. He listens in the solitude of our prayers when we're on our knees. He exalts in our worship with arms outstretched. He laughs with us in our greatest joys, cries in our anguish, guides when we plan, searches us out when we are lost, answers when we ask, is found when we seek Him, opens the door when we knock. He shows patience as we slowly grow, picks us up when we fall, disciplines us in love when we rebel. God gives us each breath and our daily bread. He clothes us better than the flowers of the field. He delivers us from evil and sometimes from ourselves. God is with us!!!!

Why can we can be strong and courageous? Because God is with us! The only question we must answer moment by moment is this, "Are we with him?"

Will we live our lives Coram Deo, before His face and in His presence? Are you with him?

The Lord be with you.