But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said.

Although he doesn’t explicitly state he is the son of God in this exchange, it is enough for Peter to respond: Lord, if it is you…” I wonder why Peter didn’t distinguish immediately Jesus’ voice. As Christians, we will know Jesus voice and the more we mature, the more we become sensitive to distinguishing his voice from all the others: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
When we know who we are and whose we are, the stronger we can become to do the work of the kingdom and not fall into Satan’s snares. When we build our identities on the truth that we are sons and daughters of the king and heirs to the throne of God, we will be able to carry out the work of our Father, just like Jesus did. But when we build our lives on shifting circumstances (like raging waters) we will surely sink.
Peter believed Jesus was enough. Enough to come out into the water. Enough to walk towards. Enough to attempt the impossible. All because of one statement: “It is I. Do not be afraid.” But when we build our lives on the belief Jesus is not enough, this is when we get into trouble. Jesus in his compassion rescues us. But the more we practice allowing Jesus to be enough for us, the less we will sink, and the more opportunities we will have to proclaim the Gospel to the masses.
Where is your identity rooted?
If we want a life that defies limits, we need to know to whom we belong. We have to know Jesus is enough for us. Not only must we know it, we must believe that as well. We cannot live a limitless life if we build our identities on things that don’t matter. While God may choose to bless us with possessions and other benefits, this should not, and does not define who we are. We cannot be searching for approval in anything other than who God is.

Whatever your this is, I’m here to tell you there is joy available to you right now. (Even in the midst of a pandemic!) You don’t have to wait for your circumstances to get better.
In fact, I am writing about joy from a place of brokenness, not because I’m happy-go-lucky.
When you read the word brokenness, what do you feel?
Brokenness feels:

1. Lonely
2. Detached
3. Wounded
4. Rejected
5. Betrayed
6. Trapped
7. Discouraged
8. Numb
9. Powerless
10. Empty

Joyful Worship
Being joyful while broken is an act of worship. Obedience. Yielding. Making it about Christ and his Kingdom—not about me and this temporary problem. And this, all of this, is temporary except for my relationship with him.
Joyful Brokenness
When I think of brokenness, different biblical examples come to mind. Jesus blessed the bread before he broke it.  (He blesses us in our brokenness, too.) He gave his body, broken for our sins. The alabaster box was broken to anoint Jesus’ head with oil. Or we can go even further back and think about the broken pottery shard of Job. Brokenness doesn’t mean forever hopelessness.
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Hebrews 12:2 (NLT) shows us in the middle of brokenness, Jesus kept his focus on the joy yet to come. When we keep our gaze on Jesus despite our own broken places, he nurtures our faith and will lead us to future joy.
In Matthew 26, after Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, while they partook of the Last Supper together, Christ told them of his impending betrayal and sacrifice. So as they waited for what was up ahead, even in the midst of concern and confusion, they sang a hymn after they shared the Last Supper. This is an example of being able to have joy despite brokenness.
Joyful Peace
When joy ministers to the broken heart, it creates peace. All is well, not because it is well now, but because I know it will eventually be well. This helps me be able to say “all is well” right now, in the middle of the current trials.
Joy Delivers:

1. Wholeness
2. Belonging
3. Freedom
4. Excitement
5. Truth
6. Release
7. Hope
8. Refreshment
9. Refueling
10. Healing

When I experience this unexplainable joy, it creates such a peaceful place in my heart. Peace helps you feel undisturbed from whatever typically disturbs you. Peace helps you be still—and being still helps you have more peace! What does peace do?
Peace:

1. Quiets
2. Calms
3. Soothes
4. Reassures
5. Encourages
6. Relaxes
7. Lifts
8. Settles
9. Relieves
10. Clarifies

Who doesn’t want a little more (okay, a lot more) peace? And peace provides an environment for joy-filled hope to flourish.
Silent Saturday
After Resurrection Day (Easter), Christ followers had their hope fulfilled. We as New Testament believers hold on to the hope of Easter and trust he will come again. But the day after Good Friday and the day before Easter, Saturday was silent.
Can you imagine what believers felt on Silent Saturday? Perhaps they felt like those of us who are in-between what was and what is yet to be. Those of us in the middle of a wait. Knowing Silent Saturday was just a blip before Resurrection Sunday helps me know my own in-between is on its way to transformation, too.
Joy Transforms
Jesus didn’t stay dead and our dead spots (our trials, problems, challenges, waiting periods) don’t have to stay dead either. Something alive (something new) is coming! Those bad times aren’t final. It leads to the joy found in newness of life.
When a Christian gets baptized we quote something like, “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life,” (Romans 6:4 ESV).
What do you think of when you read “newness of life”? It begins with believing the hope of the resurrection. We don’t have to wait for heaven for God to be our blessing. Even if our bad circumstance doesn’t get better, having God ever so near is the peace that takes the sting out of suffering.
This is why I can have joy in my brokenness. In the middle of my wait. And so can you.
About: God’s Grin Gal, Kathy Carlton Willis, writes and speaks with a balance of funny and faith, whimsy and wisdom. She coaches others to remove the training wheels of fear and not just risk, but also take pleasure in the joy ride of life. She is known for her debut book, Grin with Grace, and for her grinning Boston terrier, Hettie. Her new book, The Grin Gal’s Guide to Joy is inspiring Joy Sightings everywhere.

​“But we were hoping He was the One who would redeem Israel. And besides all this, it is the third day since these things took place.” Luke 24:21.
 
 Have you ever thought about what everyone must have been thinking when Jesus had been crucified? Three days passed before the fulfillment of his prophecies took place.  But what about the days in between?
 
Three days.
Three days to wonder if Jesus was who he said he was.
Three days to go back to the familiar.
Three days to switch from hope to despair.
 
On Friday, the two disciples must have been scratching their heads, wondering if they had gotten it all wrong. Because time had passed, they thought Jesus was not going to be the One. Little did they know, on the road to Emmaus, Jesus was walking alongside of them, even when they didn’t recognize Him.
 
That is, until Sunday came.
A hopeless world quickly turned from despair to hope.
 
If you ‘re living in the in- between, don’t fear. In this ever- changing world, these are crucial times to cling to God more than ever. Cling to the promises of God. If your life looks more like Friday, hold onto hope that not all is lost.
 
Because it’s always Sunday somewhere.
When Sunday comes, hope is sure to follow.
When Sunday comes, we worship a risen Savior, the One even death couldn’t defeat.
 
In life, we have Fridays and Sundays in our lives. Sad days and happy days, and days somewhere in between. Rejoice everyday, because Fridays can be turned into Sundays if you look hard enough.
 

​What is this you have done?
Judges 2:2
By Kathy Collard Miller and Larry Miller
 
In Judges 2:2, God asks, “What is this you have done?” of the Israelites after they resist his directions. He draws their attention to the reason for their current difficulties, which he has provided for the consequences of their disobedience. His intention is to motivate them to see the damage sin brings. Yet, they seem clueless. They don’t see the connection.
 
Clueless could really be every person’s middle name. At the time of temptation, we are blinded by the demand of our own desires, which seems absolutely reasonable to choose. We expect our choice will bring our good. And then God or people don’t respond according to our selfish expectations. We wonder why and act sinfully, feeling justified. Then we should ask, “What is this I’ve done?”
 
Judges 1 gives the back story to God’s question. The Israelites enter the land promised them by God, but they don’t fulfill their part of the covenant. God promises to empower them for war to take total possession of the land of milk and honey. Instead the Israelites allow many of the Canaanites to live among them.
 
As a result, God says, “You have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done? So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you” (Judges 2:2-3, italics added). He is asking them to evaluate their motives of demanding their own way, thinking the Canaanites offer some kind of benefit. They refuse the truth God will only drive out the Canaanites if they obey. God keeps his part of the covenant—the Israelites will still inhabit the land, but it won’t be as trouble free as it could have been. The remaining unbelievers will be a temptation for the Israelites to abandon worshipping their true Lord God.
 
What motivates the Israelites to disobey their loving Master who knows what is best for them. Are they worried? Their strong and courageous leader, Joshua, has just died and they are without leadership. After traveling together for a long time, each tribe has now gone off to inhabit their assigned land. Do they feel alone? On their own? Sometimes those are the feelings and lies we believe when God doesn’t seem faithful.
 
Often, we think God has promised us some “land,” and then obstacles block or hinder us from having complete fulfillment. There’s the possibility we didn’t hear correctly, or we have disobeyed. If some people are thorns in our side, what is God trying to reveal about the motives of our own hearts? Have we begun worshipping something or someone else rather than our faithful God? Has our trust in God diminished because what we thought was promised hasn’t occurred? Or maybe the thorny people are just the hazards of living in a sin-controlled world and their presence says nothing about whether we obeyed.
 
But we can be assured this fact is absolute truth: God is faithful. He always keeps his covenants and promises even if he must allow consequences for our disobedience. But like the Israelites, even consequences of “thorns” and “temptations” are God’s faithful calling to motivate us to turn back to him.
 

• When has God revealed himself most clearly to you as faithful?
• When your expectation isn’t met by God, how is God’s faithfulness meaningful to you?

 
Almighty God, I praise you for your faithfulness, even though I am not faithful. Thank you for staying true in wanting my best.
 
The Millers have been in ministry since 1978 as speakers, authors, and lay counsellors. They married in 1970 and God empowered them to overcome the dysfunctional marriage and family they had developed early in their marriage. Larry is a retired police lieutenant from Huntington Beach Police Department. Both individually and as a couple they have authored over 55 books and spoken in nine foreign countries. They live in Southern California and are parents and grandparents. Visit them at www.KathyCollardMiller.com
 
IF APPLICABLE:
Kathy is making a copy of God’s Intriguing Questions: 40 Old Testament Devotions Revealing God’s Nature available to the winner of a book drawing. Enter by win by …… . The winner will be drawn on …… (US addresses only can win.)
 
This guest blog is adapted from God’s Intriguing Questions: 40 Old Testament Devotions Revealing God’s Nature
 
Order God’s Intriguing Questions: 40 Old Testament Devotions Revealing God’s Nature at:
https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Intriguing-Questions-Testament-Devotions/dp/195197008X/
 
Connect with them at:
 
www.facebook.com/KathyCollardMillerAuthor and https://www.facebook.com/larry.miller.3532?
Twitter: @KathyCMiller and @LarryMiller
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This is a guest post from Brittany Fisher:

​Easy Changes to Help You Gain Financial Freedom
 
Finances can often feel like a complicated subject. There are thousands of books on the topic, magazines dedicated to money management and investment; sections of the newspaper devoted to stocks and business, television channels exclusive to finances, podcasts, radio shows, and classes everywhere teaching some method or another on budgeting. While there’s a lot of information at your disposal, you don’t need to become a finance expert to have financial freedom. You can start improving your finances by implementing a few easy changes.
 
Look for Alternatives
 
We live in a world of options. No person or business has a monopoly on entertainment products or services, which gives you options on almost everything you consume. For instance, there are plenty of ways you can enjoy your favorite shows and movies. Streaming services are an affordable alternative to satellite or high-priced cable; and there are plenty of streaming device options that will suit your needs and offer you access to thousands of shows and movies.
 
If you enjoy audiobooks or books and pay for subscriptions, look into getting digitized library cards so you can tap into thousands of free book titles, including new releases. If you enjoy a gym membership, shop around to make sure you are getting the best deal in town. You don’t have to give up what you love to be smart with your money — just do a little research to ensure you’re getting the most for your dollar. You may find there are stores and providers that offer identical or comparable products or services at a lower price.
 
Change How You Give Gifts
 
Gift giving should be an enjoyable experience. Celebrating birthdays, weddings, holidays, new babies, and graduations should be stressless and not cause you anxiety about going into debt. When at all possible, plan ahead. If you know you will need to give gifts, as soon as possible, budget for the expenditure, shop sales and clearances, and use promo codes and/or coupons.
 
If you give gifts to groups of people, such as neighbors or co-workers, make homemade gifts that will show your effort and thoughtfulness while saving you money. Homemade gifts are not always cheaper than store-bought, of course, so do the cost benefit analysis first; but if you can save by making a crochet hat or baking cookies, that’s the way to go.
 
Reevaluate Subscriptions
 
“One month free.” “3 months for only $24.99.” “Cancel any time.” “Check out these spoilers!” That’s how they get you. Whether you’re subscribing to certain lifestyle items, books, games, magazines, monthly beauty boxes, and/or food delivery, subscription prices can add up quickly. If you forget to cancel at the end of the promotional period or you don’t use the subscription enough, it’s time to cancel now. It may only be $9.99 here or $14.99 there, but over the course of the year, those costs add up. Don’t get rid of subscriptions you love and use all the time, but do take time to evaluate how often you use each one, why you have it, and if you still need it.
 
You don’t need to invest hours of your life every day to understanding finances in order to be financially smart. Budgeting and financial planning don’t need to be painful, either. Every so often, take a look at where you are spending money.
 
If you have extra money going out to overpriced goods or services, then you should look for alternatives. If you spend over your budget every year on gifts, then it’s time to look at other options and bring the joy back into gift giving. If you have memberships or subscriptions that drain your bank every month, then take time to evaluate what you actually use. Smart budgeting is not deprivation — it’s just planning.
 

Homes are no longer the place where we spend all day relaxing. They’re our home offices and even schools. With everything that you and your family are responsible for, it can be difficult to make your home feel relaxing, but it is incredibly important to make it so. 

Here are a few ways that you can make your home now relaxing and help you feel more prepared for everything in your life. 

Remove Clutter
You should take some time with your family members to pare down any belongings that you don’t really need or have a sentimental attachment to. There are quite a few different ways to do that, so search for the downsizing method that will work well for you.

No matter whether you’re relaxing in your kitchen or in your bedroom, you need to hide the clutter in your space. If there are things you can’t get rid of, like your pots and pans, it can help you to hide it behind screens or cupboard doors instead of having it all out in the open. This will make a huge difference in your mental health when you are relaxing, and in general in the space. 

Relaxing Decorations
​It can be really fun to decorate your house with all sorts of wacky objects that draw your eye, but you want to avoid going overboard with things that are distracting. Things that make noise and that catch your attention are more likely to distract you from your goal of relaxation. Noisemakers are also likely to stress you out when you hear them unexpectedly, so avoid them whenever possible. Funnily enough, the most relaxing color you can paint your walls is a pastel matte blue. It brings to mind the idea of the sky and water which is very relaxing.

Phone-Free Zone
One of the ways we sabotage our relaxation is by spending tons of time on our phones. Not only are the notifications addictive, but the blue light emitted from the screen also makes us much more likely to continue paying attention. That blue light also makes it harder for us to go to sleep at night, making us more stressed overall. 

If you can, designate certain areas of your house phone free at certain times to maximize the amount of relaxation you can feel. When it’s bedtime, try and keep your phone on do not disturb and on night mode so that if you do have to use it, it does not emit as much blue light. Keeping your phone out of the bedroom altogether would be best for your relaxation and sleep habits. 

If you find yourself struggling to relax regularly as well as struggling to sleep, there might be more to it than you think. Talk to your doctor to see if there might be a medical issue causing you to struggle. Medication and treatment for sleep disorders can make a huge difference in the level of stress and sleeplessness you feel. 


​

​Fears are a natural part of life, an honest and real emotion. Our hearts race. We tremble. We feel a nauseous sinking sensation in our stomach. We’re terrified. Frozen. We’re not going to be brave this time.
We’ve all experienced fear. Often it’s a healthy reaction to a dangerous situation. Other times, it’s rooted in past or recent trauma or chronic worry. Conquering a fear can offer countless opportunities and accomplishments we’ve previously avoided. Sometimes fear of loss or harm motivates a courageous act we wouldn’t otherwise consider.
Each of us must face our fears if we want to move ahead in life. Maybe it’s leaving home for the first time, moving, flying, heights, elevators, a job interview, starting a new job, public speaking, failing, or __________. My fear is dogs—especially barking dogs. I live in a rural area where most people own dogs. Heading out for a morning walk, I pray the armor of God (Eph. 6:10-18), and in a particular area, I recite the twenty-third Psalm. I refuse to let fear stop me from enjoying my hike. With God’s help, I overcome fear and proclaim 1 Chronicles 28:10: “Be brave, determined! And do it!” (msg).
My grandkids now have a cute little dog appropriately named Barkley. Gradually . . . bravely . . . I’m getting to know this little shaggy mutt and we’re becoming friends. Something those who know me thought could never happen. Actually, I didn’t either.
We usually try to avoid the object of our fear; but I can’t avoid all dogs.
If you’re afraid of heights, you might try to avoid high places, but that’s not practical either.
Sometimes, we’re afraid of failure so we don’t even try. I didn’t start writing until I was fifty years old. I’d never taken a writing class or had any aspirations of becoming an author, but I had started a Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry at my church and other churches were asking how to start one at their church. I knew God wanted me to share this ministry, but I would have to write about it. I had never sat at a computer to compose, and I didn’t think it was even possible. All through seminary, I wrote my papers in longhand and my husband typed them into the computer. I was computer illiterate and had no desire to learn.
But with much prayer and prompting from God, I overcame my fears and doubts and sat down one day to type my thoughts into the computer. To my surprise, the ideas flowed as my fingers flew over the keyboard.
Then new doubts taunted that I was too old to start writing. But God reminded me that I was only getting older by the minute so I'd better start now. That was twenty books and twenty years ago. I’m so glad I didn’t let those initial misgivings stop me from the writing and speaking adventure God had planned for me if I would only trust and rely on Him.
God didn’t create fear, anxiety, doubt, or worry. He wants us to call on Him when we experience those mind hijackers: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! . . . The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:4–7). Paul wrote these uplifting words while sitting in a Roman jail, not knowing if acquittal or beheading was in his future.
Overcoming some fears may require the assistance of counselors, therapists, or doctors. Admitting you need help and acquiring it is courageous. A friend recently shared wise words from Mary Anne Radmacher on a wall hanging in her home: “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow.”
In times of trial, we may find ourselves, by God’s grace, able to overcome our fears in an instant, or our journey could prove to be a long process. The triumph is always worth the struggle, as the Lord helps us remain brave and steadfast in the face of uncertainty. Let any fear or apprehension send you straight to prayer and reliance on God.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)
What fear has been stopping you from something you want to accomplish?
*Any excerpts from Everyday Brave used with permission from Leafwood Publishers
Janet Thompson is an international speaker, freelance editor, and award-winning author of 20 books. Her passion is to mentor other women in sharing their life experiences and God’s faithfulness. Her new release is Everyday Brave: Living Courageously As a Woman of Faith available at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Barnes and Noble, and signed at author’s website.
She is also the author of Mentoring for All Seasons: Sharing Life Experiences and God’s Faithfulness; Forsaken God? Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten; The Team That Jesus Built; Dear God, Why Can’t I Have a Baby?; Dear God They Say It’s Cancer; Dear God, He’s Home!; Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter; Face-to-Face Bible study Series; and Woman to Woman Mentoring: How to Start, Grow, & Maintain a Mentoring Ministry Resources. 
Janet is the founder of Woman to Woman Mentoring and About His Work Ministries.
Visit Janet and sign up for her weekly blog and free online newsletter at womantowomanmentoring.com.
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About Everyday Brave: In Everyday Brave, Janet explores the extraordinary bravery of fifty ordinary women in the Bible. Twenty-eight women of today also give testimonies of realizing their strength and courage through God’s love. As Janet shares the stories of these women, she reminds us that the real heart and substance of bravery comes from unconditionally placing our hope in the only One who can give us the courage to stay the course.