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  In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.  They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” (Nehemia 2:1- 

After I finished yesterday’s post, I skimmed a chapter from Knit Together by Debbie Macomber. I started out reading it, but thoughts got in the way. The chapter was about not giving up on our dreams, and about the lies that we tend to believe that cause us to give up on them. The three choruses she lists that we tend to sing (with variations) are

“It’s who you know”

“I’m too old”

“It’s too hard.”

I’ve sung all those songs and many, many variations on them. I quit writing because my name wasn’t Asimov, so no one would publish anything I wrote. I’m still struggling with that one, but my answer is to publish them myself. The second one has so many variations: I’m too weak, I’m too stupid, I’m too tired, I’m too young, I’m too poor…

The third song tells the truth as we see it. It’s too hard. If it were easy, we wouldn’t be fretting, we’d just get it done. The easy things are the things about which we can say, “God doesn’t give me anything I can’t handle,” and “I did it my way.” The easy things separate us from God. The hard things are the ones for which we must turn to God and give Him the glory.

Yesterday, I listed some categories we could consider. Revisit the ideas that came to mind and add any that come to mind now as you think about what goals you might set that would be too hard for you to handle by yourself and that would bring God the greatest glory. What would make the biggest difference in your life as a Christian?

Now you can return to mourning, fasting, and prayer on the subject. 

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