Inspiring | Tedashii: Trusting God Through Tragedy

“This momentary trouble is a lot to own, but I’m not alone.”

It’s amazing to me how God gave these lyrics to Tedashii, years before he’d need them like never before. He provides for us in ways we don’t even realize.

When Tedashii wrote this song in 2011, he didn’t know that he and his wife would soon be blessed with a son. He also didn’t know that a year after that, they would lose that little boy.

Long before I was born, my Dad lost his wife and two sons in a car accident. It was that tragedy that ultimately led him to the Lord. He never looked back, and finished strong, serving God with his life and impacting lives for the next 50 years.

It’s hard for us to imagine why things like this happen. I can’t answer that for you either.  What I do know is that, like my father was, Tedashii is a man who is truly growing in grace.

After the unspeakable loss of his 1 year old son, He told The Christian Post, “God’s goodness isn’t predicated on our circumstances, He’s good regardless and I think that was really a wrestle early on and is still is at times. I mean this is something we’ll live with for the rest of our lives. We’ll be in that select group of people who experience this but God’s goodness is evident, even in my hardship,” he said. “And it’s cliché for some when the book of James says ‘count it all joy’ when you go through various trials but I think in some moments, being able to count it all joy wasn’t just this conjuring up of emotions … it was a genuine, sincere look at who God is and joy kind of welling up from that.” (Read more from that candid interview by following the link below.)

“I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.”
– Psalm 52:7

However difficult things may be at the moment, whatever mountain stands in front of you, or storm may be swirling around you, I encourage you to:

HOLD ON to God’s promises.
GET IN to God’s Word.
STAY ON God’s path, choose His ways.
CRY OUT to God. He listens, He cares. Don’t hold it in. You’re never alone.
REACH OUT to others.
TURN ON some Christian radio. Fill your heart with encouragement! (Check out His Radio.)
PRESS ON! God’s molding you and making you into something awesome.

Don’t you dare give up!

Some audio encouragement courtesy of Tedashii today:

More:
Tedashii
Shane and Shane
The Christian Post

Song Of The Day: Today Is Beautiful | David Dunn

If you see more then what’s in front of you
You might see more of heavens view.

It’s kind of ironic that I’d choose this song for our SOTD.

Today doesn’t feel beautiful.

I mean, the sun is shining where I am at the moment; but if I’m being honest, life is anything but blue skies and butterflies right now.

We’re facing scary things. Giants, mountains, aches, worries and other challenges. It feels impossible sometimes. It seems like there’s just no way.

But as much as that FEELS like reality, the truth is, we’re loved by the God who created this universe. A world of minute details and intricate systems.

As we stand here, we are spinning around in space at 1000 miles per hour, in perfect safety, thanks to something we call gravity. A scientific principle so reliable and dependable we call it a “law.”

I was talking with my daughter about this last week. If we could see this ride, we’d never get on. Stepping onto the earth, would feel dangerous and unsafe, like jumping onto an escalator moving 500 times faster than we’re used to. (Avg escalator speed is less than two miles per hour.)

In truth, we’re not going to fly off the planet. But if we could see it spinning as we stepped on, our minds wouldn’t believe it. We’d have a hard time trusting in the gravitational force that we couldn’t see, explain, or really even comprehend.

I think that’s part of why Jesus tells us to fix our eyes, not on our circumstances, or the swirling seas, but on Him.

I’m filing this one under #NoteToSelf.

It seems we go through seasons where we need constant reminders of God’s promise that he will never leave us or forsake us. Sometimes it seems so hopeless and we feel so alone.

But no matter how dark these days and nights may be, God’s Word says that today is beautiful.

“This is the day the Lord has made.
We will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Psalm 118:24 (NLT)

As we hurdle through the time, space and challenges of each day, there’s another truth we can absolutely rely on: God’s got this.

He is able.

He is on our side.

Today IS beautiful.
____________________
David Dunn
Today Is Beautiful
Album: “Crystal Clear”

People Change…

The desperation in this song is a painful reminder of a conversation I had with a dear friend out West. When “D” first shared what was happening in his marriage, we talked almost every night for several months. I remember asking him one night, “how are you doing, man?” He stopped for a second and came back with, “I’m not ok, Matt. Not ok.”

When I heard this song the other day, those words grabbed me by the throat. Word for word almost, these lyrics mirrored that conversation.

My heart hurts for them, their kids, and several other families I deeply care about who are dealing with great pain at the moment. It hurts for my own family.

But I want to encourage all of us with a reminder to take heart. To not believe the lie that there’s no hope, no point, no chance. That it’s over.

No matter how big a miracle you think it would take, do you honestly believe that God can’t? We serve the God of the impossible. There are no limits.

Don’t believe the enemy’s lies that people don’t change. Or that God can’t move in an instant, no matter how improbable.

Take what happened to Saul. Nobody believed that guy was gonna change. But God…

Acts 9:1 Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers.

Look how things changed just a few verses later.

Acts 9:18, 20-22 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God! All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains…?” Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

People change.

In fact, we should all be changing. Daily. Renewing our minds, moving closer to Christ, growing in grace.

If there’s something that you know needs to change, I encourage you to start today. Talk to your pastor, or a trusted friend who’s truly following Jesus, and figure out what your next step should be and begin!

And don’t miss the change in people around you. Skepticism really is an unwillingness to believe. Cynicism at it’s core is doubt.

God specializes in changing people. Drastically. Suddenly. It shouldn’t surprise us. And when they don’t change on our timetable, sometimes God’s trying to change US!

God’s plan is ALWAYS for restoration. The entire Bible is a story of restoring what’s broken and bringing what’s dead back to life.

Things don’t have to stay as they are. Take a step of faith. Yes, following God requires risk, but it’s always the safest thing we can do. (Take a minute to read the intervening verses in the above chapter and I’ll share some thoughts on that soon.)

Trust God. Press on.

_____________________

SOTD: Once And For All | Lauren Daigle

Today’s Song of the Day is a stunningly beautiful new song from up and coming singer/songwriter Lauren Daigle called Once And For All.

Be lifted high
As my kingdoms fall
Once and for all

This is an intimate prayer of total surrender. Intensely personal, yet I can hear churches around the world singing it together.

“Oh Lord, I give my life to you.I trust in you, my God!”
– Psalm 25:1-2 (NLT)

Sometimes, we as believers try to carry our “junk” all by ourselves. It may be that we feel like we don’t want to bother God with our hurts. Or we bring most of it to Him, except for the stuff that we’ve buried deep in our hearts because it hurts so much.

The thing is, God cares about us more than we know. He loves us more than we can imagine. When Jesus said, “Come to me all you who are weary…and I will give you rest,” HE MEANT IT!

This song acknowledges God’s sovereignty and His love. It reminds us of the power in Jesus’ sacrifice and sings of finally letting go of those things that have weighed us down and kept us from going all in with Him, once and for all…

I hope it moves you as much as it does me.

On Lauren Daigle
Lauren Daigle is a special artist. She is a truly gifted songwriter and phenomenal singer.

You’re getting an early listen to a woman I am convinced will be one of the giants of Christian music, as both an artist and songwriter, before long. Can’t wait to see what the future holds for Lauren and am looking forward to more new music soon!

We first featured Lauren back in November, 2013 [Come Alive]. If you missed it, I highly recommend you give it a listen! She is SO good and the song is so powerful!

Christmas SOTD: Give This Christmas Away | Matthew West

Our 25 “Christmas Songs of the Day” continues…

We thought about featuring this song yesterday, on Giving Tuesday, but I believe we can make an important point by doing it today. The truth is, as followers of Christ, we’re called to be generous EVERY DAY.

I don’t mean hitting the “Donate” button all the time, I’m talking about living our lives on the lookout for ways we can give, love and serve.

Widows. Orphans. Neighbors. Family. Friends. Strangers. Enemies. The “least of these…”

Let’s be INTENTIONAL! Let’s be generous with our time, talent and treasure…

#4 – Dec 4, 2013 – Matthew West | Give This Christmas Away

If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD–and he will repay you!
– Proverbs 19:17 (NLT)

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For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
– Matthew 25:35-40

And, since those DONATE buttons are no longer front page news, here’s a few awesome groups we enthusiastically encourage you to support:

• Fostering Hope New England
• New Hope Initiative
• Love146
• Salvation Army
• World Vision
• Samaritan’s Purse

See previous Christmas SOTD