Good morning, DearHeart.

We went back to the ocean last week where I heard waves crash onto the shore, delivering new sea sands then pulling away the old. Almost reluctantly at times. Always changing. Always trading the old for the new. I was speaking to a friend a few days ago and her story reminded me that any “no” from God only comes because there is a pull toward the greater “YES” at stake. Yet, in the process of getting to that “yes” fear has a way of creeping in. You know, I cannot help but wonder, if at times in life, we aren’t all a little like Joseph’s brothers … tangled up in fear over past mistakes. Do we, too, find our thoughts stuck in the sands of the “what if’s” … glancing back at life events …

-relationships we once had

-former jobs

-houses we have lived in

-cars we once owned

-opportunities we lost

-bank accounts

-positions once held

You get the point. God brings about change in our lives. He moves us forward & yet we continue to “look back”. He tells us to keep moving forward & we keep our gaze, longingly, on the world we once loved, yet for whatever journey … now we are here.

“You plotted evil against me, but God turned it into good, in order to preserve the lives of many people who are alive today because of what happened. You have nothing to fear. I will take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them with kind words that touched their hearts.” Genesis 50:20-21 GNB

Joseph comforted his people even though they wronged him, and, to banish all their fears, he spake kindly to them. Broken spirits must be bound up and encouraged. Will you see a broken spirit, today?

Can you choose to encourage those who are facing fear?

Or, an accuser?

Maybe a lost soul?

Those we love and forgive, we must not only do well for, but speak kindly to. Kind words. That’s what love does. Love creates change. It is what pulls us to the new.

Wake up.

Let love flow from you to them.

Embrace the newness of that change.

Go.