As we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. today, this quote embodies the life he led. May we never forget the wisdom he shared and the legacy he left behind.

What if the chaos we are experiencing isn’t the destruction that we fear? What if what we are witnessing is God building His Kingdom on earth and the turmoil we feel is really birthing pains? Can you imagine what that world would would be like?

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This simple decorative piece sits on the corner of my desk. I have it there as a daily reminder. When life’s struggles creep in, it can be hard to remember that there is hope for a better future. 

Our family’s journey has not looked like most people. For many years, things were extremely hard, and every time we thought things were going to get better, the rug was pulled out from underneath us. It is hard to hold on to hope when this is your daily experience over a prolonged period of time. I have such empathy for the many people who have experienced this in 2020!

Hope deferred truly does make the heart weary. When I start to doubt, I look at the words “What is coming is better than what is gone,” and I feel my hope renewed. God promises to make all things new; when I am able to focus on that, I am able to hold on to His ability to restore me.

The word restore means to bring back to a former condition, place or position. But God takes it a step farther. When He restores, He makes it better than it was before. So that means that what is coming truly is better than what is gone. 

My sweet daughter surprised me with this inspirational writing pad that says “FUTURE BESTSELLER.” She noticed that I have several yellow writing pads all over my desk that have my notes, to-do lists, and writing scribbled on them. She made a simple—yet profound— statement that I needed something better for my writing.

Her simple statement got me thinking. Where else do I need to change my thoughts? What should I be thinking going into the start of next year? And because of that, I’ve changed my inner dialogue to what I want to experience in 2021.

What are you thinking going into 2021?

Someone is all dressed up and ready for Christmas! Wishing you joy this holiday.

As we draw closer to Christmas, the words from one of my favorite holiday songs keeps playing in my head. The song is about the magi following the star to find baby Jesus. Even though Jesus is small, they recognize that He is a King with the ability to bring us all together. The central theme running throughout the song is that even great miracles come from small things.

When I look around at all that has happened over the course of this year—especially as of late—I see many parallels between the time Jesus was born into and the time in which we are currently living. There was great conflict in Israel at the time of Jesus’ birth and it was the stars in the sky that signaled His arrival, which was to change the world forever. However, most of the people during Jesus’ lifetime didn’t understand who He was and what He was doing for them.

And what is going on today? Conflict and turmoil on a worldwide scale. As well as signs and wonders in the sky, as showcased by the Christmas Star conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn on December 21st; an event that hadn’t occurred in nearly 800 years. 

Jesus once said, “You know how to tell a change in the weather, so don’t tell me you can’t tell a change in the season, the God-season we’re in right now.” (Luke 12:56, MSG) 

The same thing is occurring today. God is moving in new ways but it doesn’t look or feel like we expect it to be. Many are not recognizing His hand in current events because it doesn’t make sense. All breakthroughs are preceded by limited sight, uncertainty, and oftentimes a battle to hold on to the promise until it manifests.

We are at a uniquely pivotal time in history right now. All the signs are heralding that something special is coming. Just like the magi, we need to embrace it with hopeful anticipation. And we are nearing the celebration of the greatest miracle the Earth has ever experienced, that originated from the most humble birth of a tiny baby in a stable. If nothing else, just remember that great miracles come from small things. 

All Scripture quotations are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, represented by Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved. 

Every false system of this world, of men, and of the enemy must be revealed and removed. When we are born and raised in a truly Matrix-like world, we are often unaware that almost everything we were taught or learned growing up is not part of God’s intention for His creation and does not originate from Him. And God is about to shine His light into the darkness to reveal what is truly from Him and what is not.

It is the beginning of a new season of stripping away the hidden and revealing the truth. It’s time for the unveiling of the plans God has always had for mankind and the earth. It’s time to trust what you hear from God, let go of the old, and embrace the new because God is breaking us free from the Matrix.