Running Away

I love this story, it makes me think of how much God loves us, even when we make poor choices. He wants us to “come home.”

mitchteemley's avatarMitch Teemley

boy-walkingI’d threatened many times to join the circus or go live on a raft on the Mississippi like Tom and Huck. But that wasn’t the case this time. It was some since-forgotten atrocity—homework? weekend chores? (I still hate vacuuming)—that led to my decision to run away forever.

I was surprised at the coolness of Mom’s reaction:

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!”

“OK.”

That was it. Just “OK.” And then she proceeded to pack my lunch. She was obviously anxious to get rid of me.

I stomped about in my bedroom, slamming necessities—my sacred texts (Huckleberry Finn, Call of the Wild, The Three Musketeers), leftover Valentine’s Day candy—into a makeshift rucksack (my pillowcase), then headed for the front door, shouting, “I’m going now!”

Silence.

“Forever!”

“OK.”

Slam!

It was nearly two miles to the end of the flower field, the last vestige of rural life in our booming Orange County suburb. I’d…

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Say what?!?

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So why “Say what?!?‘ as my first written post of 2019? To put it simply, I feel like God has been putting these words in front of me like a billboard – EVERYWHERE! Obviously I need it, so recently I have been doing a lot of thinking about the importance of what I hear, read, say and believe.

In Proverbs 23 it says “As a man thinks in his heart so is he.”  And in Proverbs 18:21 it says “Your words are so powerful that they will kill or give life.” (The Passion Translation). Considering this, it is equally important that I not only choose to speak words of life (true, kind, pure, loving, etc.) but that I also choose to think these thoughts about myself and others.  To know and believe the thoughts that God has about me,  and not to buy into the lies of my enemy, Satan.

It’s so easy to hear and think the negative. It takes effort to choose to hear, speak and believe words of life.  I am so incredibly grateful that HE has equipped me (and you) with the truth of the Word to fight against the lies, so that I (we) can live in the light of His love.

Here are a few examples of what I am focusing on, my paraphrase:

2 Corinthians 10:5 I have the power to cast down imaginations and thoughts that don’t line up with what God says. I’m weighing my thoughts more carefully, rejecting what’s not right or true, choosing truth.

2 Peter 1:3 He has given me everything that pertains to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him… Everything I need, I can learn from knowing Him!

Jeremiah 29:11  He has a good plan for my life.  I believe it!

John 14:27 He has given me His peace. i take it and I’m holding on to it!

Isaiah 48:17 He teaches me to profit and leads me in the way that I should go. I expect it, I’m looking for it every day.

Be encouraged, believe that God loves you, HE REALLY DOES LOVE YOU. – John 3:16