There was a man who wanted to get a job in the music industry. His goal was to one day own his own recording studio. To get his foot in the door, the man accepted a job at a recording studio listening for defects in recordings.

As he began his job, he was taught to listen not to the music, but to the snaps, crackles, and pops that found their way onto the recordings. As time rolled on, he found himself doing the same job for years, never finding himself in a better job position.

A friend of the man came through his city and asked if they could meet for dinner, and they did. As they were catching up on life, the man shared about his job at the recording studio. His friend said, “Man, it must be so cool to listen to all that music every day.”

The young man looked at his friend and responded, “Music? I never hear music anymore, all I hear is the snap, crackle, and pop.”

The young man had trained his ear to only listen to the mistakes and defects, and as a result he missed the beautiful music.

Hello, my name is Barbara Benton, and I am a recovering perfectionist! I am not sure what caused perfectionism to become my roommate, but it did! I developed a keen insight into what is being done wrong, how it could be done better, and how to fix it. I hear the snap, crackle, pop.

There is a good side to being able to see things that need tweaking, but I fell into the snap, crackle, pop syndrome. If I went to speak at a conference, when I was finished, I was often tormented by what I should have said, what I did not say, what I could have said better. My mind would stay on that.

My husband was a pastor and when he would preach, sometimes I would see that his tie was not straight, that he badly mispronounced a word, or think of ways that he could say something better. And I was ready to go over the list with him!

One Sunday, I got home from church and was preparing lunch, but Gaylon was not home yet. I thought of the ways I could gently let him know the areas that needed to be improved. My phone rang, and after answering, I heard the voice of one of our congregation members. She choked up and said to me, “Please tell Pastor Benton that sermon spoke directly to my heart today. I knew it was for me. I was dealing with a heavy situation, and Pastor’s words brought breakthrough for me. Please tell him how grateful I am for his words today.”

Holy Spirit immediately dealt with me. This woman heard the music, but I heard the snap, crackle, pop. We each had tuned our ears in a certain way. She was listening for the good parts, and I was listening for the wrong parts.

Let me be firm in saying that I am not one of “those” Christians who think you never deal with the negative. Of course, there are negative things that are said and done that need reckoning.

I am not that girl anymore, thank God! How did I change it?

Let me say that it was a process that took some time. These things helped:

1. Repent of perfectionism requiring you and others to do everything exactly right. Right, according to you.
2. Change the mindset by renewing the mind. In my case, I began to pray for my husband’s messages, asking God to use him and let the Word of God find good ground.
3. I began to pray for myself, that I would teach God’s word effectively, and then leave it in His hands. It is He who works in the hearts of people.
4. I have apologized to my children over incidences that I remembered where I was harsh with them just because I wanted things a certain way. I need them to see that I recognize my error.
5. I began to speak life over myself. When the negative thoughts come, I cast them out immediately. I try not to stew over them.
6. I remind myself that many criticized the works of Jesus, rather than receiving the loving things He offered. I do not want to be the one who critiques everything, instead of receiving the good parts.
7. I asked God to help me get over being performance based and instead become obedient based. If I act according to what God’s word teaches, then I am not prone to serve God just to get His approval and acceptance. I am already accepted in the beloved.
8. Be grace filled. The word of hope in the Bible for the perfectionist is grace. God gives us grace, and we must become grace givers to others.

I could continue listing reasons because it is a process, a process that I still must be aware of when my perfectionism raises its ugly head.

This I know – I want to walk through life hearing the music of heaven, and not the snap, crackle, and pop of earth. Let go of perfectionism.

“But he said to me, `My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

A few years back, I had a relative who was not expected to live. “Johnny” had a heart attack and was expected to leave this earth at any moment. They were hundreds of miles from where we lived.

One of Johnny’s children contacted me, and her tone was desperate. “Please pray for Daddy. He is not going to last very long, and I know he has never accepted Jesus as His Savior. We have a call into our pastor to get here, so he can lead him to Jesus. Pray the pastor gets here in time.”

While I did pray for the pastor’s timely arrival, my heart was sad and shocked. I was sad that this man was about to leave this earth, and his family was carrying the burden of sorrow. I was shocked that his daughter felt the only way to get him to Jesus was if the pastor could get there in time.

Are you prepared to lead a person to Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world?

Today, is the day for YOU to prepare the way to lead a person to Christ. Do not put it off for another day. Today, plan what you will do if you are in a position to lead someone to the transforming power of Jesus Christ.

I remember talking to someone about sharing Jesus. The person said, “Well that is not so easy. As a matter of fact, with the way religion is debated today, it is intimidating to share about Jesus.”

Do not be intimidated about sharing the work of Jesus Christ. It is not your job to make someone accept the message. Our job is simply to be obedient to the call of offering Jesus to others.

One of the easiest and most natural ways of sharing your faith is to give your testimony. A testimony is just another word for your “story” – your spiritual journey. If you have been born again, you have a testimony. It is a joy whenever we have an opportunity to share our testimony with others. Even if you are a brand-new Christian, and do not know the Bible very well, you can still share your testimony with others.

If you are a visual person, or need a little help, try the wordless book. Yep, the wordless book that has been around for almost two centuries. Originally introduced by Charles Spurgeon in 1866 as a method to convey the Gospel, the Wordless Book has been a powerful tool over the years. Preachers, writers, and missionaries including D. L. Moody, Fanny Crosby, and Amy Carmichael used the same illustration.

The wordless book consists of pages in this order: black, red, white, gold, green. My heart was dark because of sin which is in every heart. The red shows us that a wonderful sacrificial lamb named Jesus was slain for our sins. The white reveals to us that when that red page touches that black page, it turns it white as snow. The gold reminds us of Heaven and that one day we will walk the streets of gold with Jesus and live with Him forever. The green instructs us to grow in the things of God.

Here are some simple scriptures to memorize to help in understanding the wordless book.

• Black – Romans 3:23
• Red – John 3:16
• White – Psalms 51:7
• Gold – Revelation 21:18, 21
• Green – 2 Peter 3:18

Surely, some will laugh or raise an eyebrow at using a wordless book. After all, we are not children. If you already know how to lead someone to Christ, then praise God, do it! If you are not sure what you would say, today is the day to prepare. You don’t have to buy a wordless book. Put five sticky dots in these colors on a card and keep with you. Or, just say, “Let me tell you my story using colors.” While sharing, weave your own story into the explanation.

A prayer to share with a person to whom you are witnessing: “Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. Guide my life and help me to do Your will. In Your Name, amen.”

Please do not let “Johnny” be on his death bed needing a Savior, and all you know to do is to wait on a better speaker to come along. Prepare today how to lead someone to the lifesaving, transforming love of Jesus Christ displayed on the cross. Share your story. Johnny needs you.

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” – 1 Peter 3:15

One of the joys of traveling to speak at churches and conferences is that I have the privilege of meeting a lot of people. A large percentage of these people are people I would never have met if I did not get on an airplane or travel a good distance to speak in another state or country.

While I was perusing my social media connections recently, I was pleasantly surprised at the number of people with whom I am connected simply because I answered the call of God to teach His word. Some of them have become prayer partners. Some have become lunch buddies when I am in their area, or they are driving through the Birmingham area.

I began to reminisce about the many people with whom I have built a strong spiritual sister connection. One woman who came to mind is no longer in my life. She lives several hundred miles from me. We stayed in contact for years. We had long telephone conversations. We prayed for each other’s family. Had lunch almost every time I was in her area. She attended my speaking events if I was within a reasonable driving distance. We truly became friends.

Let’s call my friend Portia. After several years of friendship, the relationship with my friend changed. I no longer heard from Portia. I would come through her area, and she would decline lunch invitations. I even spoke in her hometown, and she did not come. A mutual friend came up to me after the meeting and said, “I asked Portia if she was coming, and she said no.” No explanation, just no.

I continued to write notes to Portia. Check on her from time to time. I texted her little notes, and if I got a reply, it was usually one word like yes or no. Finally, I asked Portia if I had offended her in some way and she replied with one word, “No.” 

I began to realize for some reason Portia walked away from me, and I had no clue as to why. No good-bye. Nothing.

There is no heartbreak quite like the heartbreak of losing someone to whom you have given time, trust, love, a listening ear, loyalty, and “poof” they are gone. The silence afterward can be deafening. You might yourself asking, “Why? Did I do something wrong? Why did she just walk away?” And the loss of a friendship is often accompanied by plenty of unwanted companions: insecurity, anger, isolation, bitterness, regret. 

Have you ever had this experience with a friend, a family member, or even a spouse?

Jesus had this experience. He invited twelve men to walk with Him and be a part of His ministry. Judas ate with Jesus, traveled with Jesus, saw the miracles of Jesus, listened to the teaching of Jesus, and became a friend of Jesus. Yet, Judas made the decision to walk away. While some have speculated why Judas walked away, we are never given a specific reason.

Jesus had His Portias.

Finally, I came to a point with my Portia that I had to release the relationship to God. I had done all I could to keep the relationship, but the truth is, you cannot make someone be in relationship with you. It does not mean something is wrong with you, and it does not necessarily mean something is wrong with your Portia.

Please hear me. When it comes to our Portias, Jesus sees every tear, He feels every wound, He sees every seed you have sown. Jesus understands.

I lovingly suggest that if “Portia” has left you:

1. Do not let bitterness take over.
2. Do not let it spiritually paralyze you.
3. Do not let that define you as a person.
4. Release Portia to God.
5. Declare to yourself and to God, “I will not be bitter. I will walk forward healed and whole.
6. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you with the hurt and wounds of betrayal.
7. Ask God to help you release what you do not understand.

Above all, remember that God never walks away, and even when a friend or someone we love walks away, it does not have to cripple our lives. God is still writing our redemptive story! Be open to the next chapter.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13

A store owner was tacking a sign above his door that read “Puppies for Sale.” Signs like that have a way of attracting small children, and sure enough a little boy appeared under the store owner’s sign.

“How much are you going to sell the puppies for?” the little boy asked.

The store owner replied, “Anywhere from $30 to $50.” The little boy said. “May I please look at them?” The store owner smiled and whistled and out of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle of his store followed by five teeny, tiny balls of fur.

One puppy was lagging considerably behind. Immediately the little boy singled out the lagging, limping puppy and said, “What’s wrong with that little dog?” The store owner explained that the veterinarian had examined the little puppy and had discovered that it did not have a hip socket. It would always limp. It would always be lame.

The little boy became excited. “That is the puppy I want to buy.” The store owner said, “No, you don’t want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I will just give him to you.”

The little boy got quite upset. He looked straight into the store owner’s eyes, pointing his finger, and said, “I don’t want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other dogs and I will pay full price. In fact, I’ll give you $2.37 now and fifty cents a month until I have him paid for.”

The store owner countered, “You really do not want to buy this little dog. He is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies.”

To his surprise, the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the store owner and softly replied, “Well, I don’t run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands.” – Author Unknown

In 2 Corinthians, Paul wrote: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV

Some of the most important words in the above passage are the words so that.

Thank God for the comfort He gives to us when we bring our past issues or present issues to Him. He can bring comfort that is supernatural and beyond anything earth can offer. He cares. He comforts. He heals. While He does that for our benefit, the scripture gives valuable information. He comforts us so that we can use that heavenly comfort to touch others who need comfort.

Because of our testimony of the work of God in our lives, we become comfort + able. We are able to comfort those who are facing what we have faced. The little boy in the story said, “Well, I don’t run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands.”

God will absolutely let us cross paths with someone who needs comfort in an area which He has already brought healing to us.

Some of the things of which I have become comfort + able are:

• Sexual and physical abuse as a child.
• Miscarriage.
• Losing a child to death.
• Hurt by the Church.

There are other areas to which I can testify, but over the years, I have been able to wrap my arms around those who suffered abuse, miscarriage, death of a child, and Church hurt. I can proclaim, “God will bring You through this.”

There are parts of my story that I wish I could erase, but they exist. BUT GOD! God has redeemed me from the pain I have faced. He has made me comfort-able!

What have you faced that God has healed? He has made you comfort-able in that area. Speak up! Look for those the Spirit is trying to lead you to comfort. They need to hear your voice. Don’t keep it to yourself any longer. Others can receive the comfort with which God has comforted you. Your story of grace could be the lifeline they need. Let’s be comforted and comforting.

Years ago, a well-known actor returned to his home in England. The actor was given a grand reception in his childhood parish. While replying to the complimentary speeches in the parish auditorium, he asked if there was anything they especially wanted to hear from him. After a minute’s pause, his old pastor asked him if he could recite the Good Shepherd Psalm, Psalm 23, which he had taught the actor in Sunday school.

A strange look came over the actor’s face. He paused for a moment, and then said, “I will, on one condition—that after I have recited it, you, my pastor and teacher will do the same.” The old, retired pastor replied, “I am not an actor, but, if you wish it, I shall do so.”

Impressively the actor began the Psalm. His voice and intonation were perfect. He held his audience spellbound, and, as he finished, a great burst of applause broke from the audience. As it died away, the old pastor rose from his wheelchair and began to recite the same Psalm. His voice was feeble and shivering and his tone was not faultless. But, when he finished, there was not a dry eye in the room.

The actor rose and his voice quivered as he said, ‘”Ladies and gentlemen, I reached your eyes and ears, but my old pastor has reached your hearts. The difference is just this: I know the Psalm, but he knows the Shepherd.

Knowing the Shepherd is so needed today.

For decades, I have studied the Bible. When I was a child, a woman picked me up and took me to church each week. At that little church, I learned so much scripture. I was motivated to learn passages of scripture because my Sunday school teacher offered prizes. I learned a lot of Bible.

After graduating from high school, I attended Southeastern University. At that time, it was known as Southeastern Bible College. We had daily chapel services and a Friday night chapel service. Attendance was mandatory. I heard a lot of sermons based on the Bible. When it came to choosing courses, many studies of books of the Bible were required classes. I learned a lot of Bible.

After SEU, where I met my husband Gaylon, we left to begin the life of pastoral ministry. As time passed, I began to teach children’s church and adult Sunday school. That required teaching books of the Bible, so I studied for hours. I learned a lot of Bible.

Eventually, I began to travel teaching in churches and conferences. I continued studying a great deal. I learned a lot of Bible.

I cannot pinpoint the exact date, but I found myself a bit unfulfilled in ministry and my Christian walk. I had heard over and over that I should get into God’s Word, and I would know God.

I knew so much of the Bible, but something was missing. There came a point in time that I was broken before God, telling Him something was wrong. I was a worship leader, a Bible teacher, and a woman of God, but these were not totally fulfilling.

God clearly began to break through and show me that I was much like the actor in the above story. I knew the Psalm, but I did not intimately know the Shepherd. It is the Shepherd who brings the Word to life. It is the Shepherd who fulfills the longing deep within my soul. It is sitting alone with the Shepherd that is life changing.

Scripture is wonderful, and I thank God for the Bible. But it is intimacy with the Shepherd that we must have. Intimacy is more than just knowing about God; it is about experiencing Him, communicating with Him, and cultivating a heart connection that grows over time. 

I am not discounting the study of scripture, but that in itself will not produce intimacy with the Shepherd. Of course, to intimately know God, we must know crucial things about God. These things are learned through study of scripture.

Never in the history of the Church has there been so much theological material available to every person. Theology is simply the study of God. We have many Bible translations, books written by other Christians, a plethora of articles, Christian magazines, and endless sermons. All of these are wonderful, and things for which we should be grateful.

Yes, there is an abundance of material about God at our fingertips. We do not lack material about God. It is my opinion that what we lack are Enochs who walk with God. Genesis 5:24 tells us that Enoch walked faithfully with God. Hebrews 11:5 shows us that Enoch had a walk with God that was life changing. In a time when there was little teaching material for Enoch to access every day, Enoch accessed God, and it translated to a life that pleased God.

I am reminded of the words of a chorus that I find myself singing from time to time.

In your presence, in your presence, there is peace.

In your presence, in your presence, there is joy.

I will linger, I will stay, in your presence day by day.

Till your likeness may be seen in me.

That is what happened to Enoch. Being a child of God was not just one of Enoch’s priorities. It was his top priority through which all other priorities were filtered. Enoch walked the earth for many years, but God summed up Enoch’s life very simply. Enoch walked with God.

God invites us to intimacy. God invites us to walk with Him. Will you answer the invitation? Rise up and be an Enoch!

“Oh God, let Enochs arise within the Church. Let believers arise who do not know only the Psalm, but who know the Shepherd.” Amen.

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” – Psalms 16:11 NKJV

School has begun in our city. Students went back Thursday and Friday of last week, and this week they began full weeks. It seems that summer vacation flew by for families in our area.

Living in a neighborhood with almost fifteen hundred homes and thousands of children requires careful driving. As a result of the large number of houses and people in my neighborhood, the speed limit on our streets is twenty miles per hour. Yes, twenty miles per hour! Scores of stop signs grace the intersections, and we are required to stop at those. Can you believe that! Add in that there are two schools that back up to our neighborhood, so that means a lot of traffic in the mornings and afternoons.

Apparently, there are hundreds in our neighborhood in Old Cahaba who think they can drive as fast as they want, and at times, run the stop signs. My road, Old Cahaba Parkway, is one of the main arteries for those entering and leaving the neighborhood. Often, I wonder if it should be named Old Cahaba Speedway. I saw a car coming towards me at a rapid speed. Something told me to pull to the side of the road and wait. The car sped down the road and did not even hesitate at the stop sign. I literally prayed that God would keep the young man from hitting a child or another vehicle.

Usually, for two or three weeks prior to school beginning, a radar speed sign is placed on my road. The sign reminds one of the speed limit, then displays how fast their car is actually going. If you stand in my yard and look towards that warning sign, you will see plenty of taillights. People get close to the sign and quickly press their brakes because they are well above the speed limit.

The purpose of the sign is to get people to slow down, but also to warn them that when school begins speeding tickets will be issued. Sure enough, this morning, in less than an hour, three people were stopped for speeding. One of them was right in front of my house, and I watched as the driver was given a costly ticket. If she had paid attention to the warning, it would not have cost her the high price of a ticket.

The Bible is full of warnings for the believer. God’s purpose is not to take the joy out of life, but to guard against things that will impede the abundant life God has promised to His children. It has been said that there are at least sixty-four warnings in the New Testament alone. I took time to look at some of them and so should you.

Here are just a few examples of the warnings found in the New Testament:

1. Warning against false prophets: In Matthew 7:15, Jesus warns his disciples to beware of false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing but are inwardly ravenous wolves.
2. Warning against neglecting salvation: In Hebrews 2:3, the author asks believers to pay closer attention to what they have heard, lest they drift away from it and neglect their salvation.  
3. Warning against unbelief: In Hebrews 3:19, the author warns that the Israelites were unable to enter God’s rest because of their unbelief.
4. Warning against neglecting the gathering of believers: In Hebrews 10:25, the author admonishes believers not to neglect meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but to encourage one another, especially as the Day of the Lord approaches.
5. Warning against falling into temptation: In Matthew 26:41, Jesus warns his disciples to watch and pray so that they may not fall into temptation, for the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
6. Warning against the dangers of sexual immorality: In 1 Corinthians 6:18, Paul warns believers to flee from sexual immorality, as it is a sin against their own bodies.
7. Warning against the dangers of disobedience: In Hebrews 4:11, the author warns believers to enter God’s rest and not to fall into the same disobedience as the Israelites in the wilderness.
8. Warning against the dangers of unrepentance: In Revelation 2:5, Jesus warns the church in Ephesus to remember their first love, repent, and do the works they did at first, or else he will remove their lampstand.
9. Warning against the dangers of judging others: In Matthew 7:1-2, Jesus warns against judging others hypocritically, reminding his followers that they will be judged by the same measure they use to judge others.
10. Warning against the dangers of divisive behavior: In Titus 3:10-11, Paul warns about the consequences of being factious and divisive within the church, urging believers to reject such behavior.
11. Warning against the dangers of drifting away: In Hebrews 2:1, the author warns believers to pay close attention to what they have heard, lest they drift away from it.

The Bible cautions us in the areas of obedience to God’s word, unrepentance, false prophets, sexual immorality, drifting away from the faith, unbelief, and many other things. God has given us warnings. Let’s not speed right through them, and let’s not forget to stop when God says stop. His purpose in the warning is to keep us from paying a high price. 

Child of God, be faithful, be obedient, be steadfast, and be true to God’s inspired Word. If there was ever an hour in which we need to heed the warnings given in scripture, it is this hour. SELAH.

A few years ago, I was taking a walk through my neighborhood. There are about fourteen hundred homes in our neighborhood, so lots of miles to walk. Just a week before, a tornado had dipped into our city leaving behind widespread damage. It was amazing to see the many blocked roads where whole trees and broken limbs had fallen.

As I walked past one house, I noticed that a Bradford pear tree had split in half. The trunk was pretty much intact, but the top part where all the branches were was a mess. Many of the limbs were on the ground. I thought to myself, “They might as well get someone to remove that tree. It is damaged and will never come back to life.”

For several years following the tornado, I continued to walk in the neighborhood. On most occasions, I passed that ugly tree, wishing the homeowners would have it removed. Then, an amazing thing happened as I walked this year. That Bradford pear is now perfectly shaped, and its limbs are full. It is as if the storm never came. The tree looks perfect with the exception of a scar where a limb had once been. The scar covered the broken place; the place of the wound was now healed and the tree flourished again.

The Bradford pear had been broken but was now whole.

Most of us have encountered storms of life, and some of them have left deep wounds. Wounds of abuse. Wounds of deep rejection. Wounds of monetary loss. Wounds of betrayal. Wounds of church hurt. Wounds of assault. Wounds of loss. Wounds of abandonment by the ones we thought we could trust. Wounds of – I could go on and on. Tornadoes come and they are very damaging.

The owners of the broken Bradford pear tree did not give up on it just because it was broken. The Bradford pear did not give up on itself. It continued to drink from the earth and lift its arms to the sunny sky. Faithfully, day after day, the tree hung in there, and now it is one of the healthiest looking trees in the neighborhood. It is beautiful.

Has your life been hit by a tornado? Does your life seem broken and beyond repair? Your brokenness may feel unmendable right now. I have been there. Let me encourage you today – there is a God who spends his days mending broken things. Maybe your brokenness is too deep to put into words. You cannot see past today, and you do not want to face tomorrow. You cannot imagine a way out. The lid has rolled over the opening, and no sunlight peeks through the cracks.

Dear friend, the broken parts of your story don’t make you a broken person. You are still the whole, loved, purpose-filled person God created you to be. The storms that you have endured are not lost on God. Our scars can become powerful testaments of the God who is at work.

Do not give up! Your owner, God, is not giving up on you. Please do not give up on yourself. Our brokenness does not stop the unlimited power of God from working in our behalf. Keep drinking deeply from the fountain of God. Lift those heavy hands towards heaven in surrender. Give God time to restore the broken places. He is working amid the wounds of our stories. One day you will look in the mirror and see the healing power of God.

“‘For I will restore health to you, and I will heal your wounds,’ says the Lord.” – Jeremiah 30:17. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [curing their pains and their sorrows].” – Psalm 147:3. (AMP)

As a teenager in my local church, there were times I would lead the singing in the worship service. Today, we call it worship leading, but back in the day, it was leading the singing. That was in the sixties, so the time of worship choruses like we sing today were not on the scene. It was good old hymns. While I love much of today’s modern music, I do miss the richness of some of those hymns.

In my spirit today, the hymn “I Love To Tell The Story” began to bubble up. I found myself singing it and loving every word.

I love to tell the story
  Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory,
  Of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story,
  Because I know ’tis true;
It satisfies my longings
  As nothing else can do.

I love to tell the story,
’Twill be my theme in glory
To tell the old, old story
  of Jesus and His love

Do you love to tell the story? I do.

I love to tell the story of the things Jesus has done in my life. I love to tell the story of Jesus finding a messed up little girl who lived in the deep south. After so much abuse, poverty, and dysfunction, Jesus found me, and over time He has healed me and set my feet on a solid rock. I love to tell the story!

I love to tell the story of the work of Jesus in my life. When I felt called to stand before people to share the Word of God, I explained to God how it would never work. I was too shy. I was too insecure. Oh, how I love to tell the story of Jesus empowering me to stand before many groups, both large and small, and share the powerful word of God. I love to tell the story!

I love to tell the story of my teenage son who was facing cancer. We had just moved to a new city and within a few months, we would be battling cancer. After surgery and months of therapy, our son was well, or so we thought. After new scans, a new tumor showed up in the very same spot where the original tumor was. The doctor said, “We will need to do surgery again and treat it more aggressively.”  We took it to the Lord in prayer. I love to tell the story that Bryan went back for that second surgery, and the doctor was amazed that the tumor was benign. Bryan never had another cancer cell in his body. I love to tell the story of the great healer!

I love to tell the story of our pastor friends who desperately needed a new sanctuary but did not have the hundreds of thousands of dollars needed. They did not let that stop them from telling the story of Jesus and His love. Each week, they would conduct an outreach to the homeless. Each week, they fed the homeless, clothed the homeless, and told the story of the redemptive power of Jesus Christ. One of the homeless men grasped the story of Jesus and His love. That man gave His life to Jesus Christ. He was transformed. A few weeks later the man showed up at the church for worship. He looked like a different person. After the service, he asked the pastor if he could speak with him. As they conversed, the man told the story of how Jesus had changed his life. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a check for one million dollars. No one knew that the man was very wealthy, but life had dealt him blows that caused him to wind up on skid row. Someone told him the story of Jesus and His love. That changed his life and provided the money needed for the new building. I love to tell the story of Jehovah Jireh, the great provider!

Friend, I could go on and on with this blog because I love to tell the story of Jesus and His love. How about you? Do you love to tell the story?

We hear so many sad stories in the news and elsewhere. People need a good news story. Has Jesus saved you, healed you, provided for you, opened doors for you, changed circumstances for you, or made a way? Tell the story!

“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3.

As I sat down on Sunday afternoon to write this week’s blog, my mind seemed empty. “Lord, I have nothing. Please give me an idea.”  As I sat for a few minutes staring at a blank screen, my mind began to wander trying to think of something.

A few minutes later a sweet voice came from over my shoulder. It was my grandson Tucker who is visiting for a few days. Tucker is thirteen and lives in North Carolina. Each summer we bring him to Alabama for a week, so we can spend time with him and let him get to know the extended Benton clan.

As I heard the voice over my shoulder, I saw a broad-smiled Tucker. He asked what I was doing, and I explained that I write a weekly blog as part of the ministry to which I am called. He wanted to know more about what a blog is. I explained that I needed to come up with a fresh idea each week, and that sometimes it is easy, and sometimes it is not!

After explaining to Tucker that I like to use real life stories that can have a spiritual application, he said, “I have an idea.”  At this point, I could use an idea from anywhere. Tucker said, “It took me a long time to get to your house. It was a long trip, but it was worth it, because once I am here, I get to spend time with people I love. So, the time in the car was worth it.”

Well, Hallelujah, Tucker Bryan Benton! The journey seems long, but the reward is so worth it. Tucker was content on the journey.

Tucker accepted the journey he was on and knew that the journey would take him to fresh joys, deepening relationships, and new adventures. Unless Tucker stayed on the journey, he would have missed the blessings that came his way. Tucker learned to be content on the journey.

The apostle Paul understood that life is a trip, and the destination is heaven. On the journey, Paul encountered times on top of the mountain, and times shackled in the dungeon. Yet, Paul offered this advice, “Learn to be content.”

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:11-13 (NLT)

Philippians teaches us that God wants us to embrace where we are in life right now. Live the life we have right now. Learn to be content. And here is the crucial part, these things can only be accomplished by walking with Jesus who gives us the strength to do this wherever we find ourselves in life’s journey.

Sometimes I have had barely enough money to make ends meet. Sometimes, I have been blessed with a surplus. Sometimes, I have so much joy up on the hilltop. “I am queen of the hill.” I have been in the deepest of valleys, especially the valley of grief. My husband has been the pastor of small congregations where we did almost everything. My husband has also been the pastor of larger churches where we were blessed with staff members who could help with the ministry. I have lived in a literal shack with no bathroom. I have also lived in a home with three bathrooms. Life has all kinds of changes, some unexpected.

Being content does not mean we cannot desire that things be different. We can be content being single and still desire to be married. We can be content in our jobs and still desire different ones. We can be content in whatever season we are and still desire something to be different, something to turn around.

Paul said that he learned to be content. Contentment is not necessarily a natural thing. A contented spirit is not bound by circumstances. Because contentment works from the inside out it is insulated from the ever-changing circumstances outside of us.

So many of us, including me, have spent enough time living in a world of discontentment. According to the Apostle Paul, we can learn to be content amid circumstances that are not those we would have chosen. Our part is to make a choice to be content, God’s part to enable us to walk it out by His power. I want to live a life of contentment. How about you? Join me in a commitment to learn to walk in contentment even in a world where so many live in discontentment.

Finally, the night arrived. It was fall festival night at our church, and we expected a large crowd. People began to arrive early, and the children were so excited. So much time and energy had been put into making this a night to remember, especially for the children.

There were some really creative people in our church, and they produced fabulous ideas. One of the “fun” things to do was to go through the maze that had been prepared. The cardboard maze went through two rooms and a hallway. One had to crawl through the many twists and turns.

As others went through the maze, I watched. It was not so challenging to watch others go through it, and I encouraged them along the way. It seemed they made an A+ as they made the journey. They had such joy through the twists and turns. While standing in the light before entering the maze, I was all smiles. At the end of the maze, as I exited there was light and laughter. But the in-between was total darkness. TOTAL DARKNESS.

As I began my journey through the maze, I thought this would be a breeze. About ten feet into the darkness, I felt fear grip me. It was so dark, and I could not see my way. I did not know when the next wall would come. I did not know when the next left or right turn would come. The only choice I had was to keep moving, knowing that this would not last forever. It only lasted five minutes but felt like hours as I pressed through the darkness, the twists, the turns, and the walls. I knew that what I was experiencing at the moment, would not last forever. That truth helped me maneuver all the darkness and every twist, turn, and wall.

We all have times when we feel we are in a dark maze, and we wonder what twist or turn is next. Or we have hit a wall, and the darkness seems to hold us captive. The Truth is always with us, and He will bring us out of the maze of darkness.

We want our spiritual life to be an upward journey of growing closer and closer to God and becoming more like Christ. That is certainly my desire. In reality, our growth does not progress in a straight upward line. Nor does our experience of intimacy with Christ. Our journey goes up and down, forward, and backward.

I always want God to remove the darkness that seems to engulf me at times. After more than fifty years of walking with God, I have learned that my greatest need is not to get out of my dark moments, but my greatest need in darkness is the presence of God. And that I have! If you have placed your faith in Jesus, you have the presence of Jesus with you even in dark times.

If you find yourself in a dark place today, remember that Jesus, the lover of your soul, is right next to you. Jesus Christ will not leave you for a moment. He is unafraid of that which scares you most. He sees every step of the journey, even when you cannot. Trust Him to guide you through the maze. He will give you “a-maze-ing” grace and lead you out of the darkness.

^“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”- John 1:4,5

Let’s pray.

Father, when the darkness settles in around me, I ask you to remind me of Your closeness. Jesus, You are the Truth, the Light, the Way. Shine Your truth clearly and unmistakably when I am unsure of the way. Strengthen my trust when the unknown feels overwhelming. Remind me that You are able to free me from any danger or bind the fiercest enemy that comes against me. Your purpose will prevail. In the strong Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.