My dear friends and subscribers,

It is a great honor to share with you.

After deep thought, lengthy studies, and many prayers the decided focus of today's contribution to you is not great revelations, but the words of encouragement and guidance that have always kept me focused on Christ and His will.

There are many scriptures for this, but the ones I rely on the most are the books of Job, 1 Timothy, and James; plus the introduction to each by Max Lucado in my Inspirational Study Bible NKJV.

Paraphrasing Max Lucado's introductions:

JOB shows us it is easy to thank God when He does what we want.  But, God doesn't always do what we want.

God owes no one anything.  No reasons.  No explanations.  Nothing.  If He gave them, we couldn't understand them.

Even though God owed Job nothing, He gave him everything.  New health, new business, new family; and mostly, new insight.

God is God.  He knows what He is doing.

When you can't trace His hand, trust His heart.

1 TIMOTHY is a picture of discipleship.

In our faith we follow in someone's steps.  A parent, a teacher, a hero -- not one of us is the first to walk the trail.  All of us have someone we follow.

In our faith we leave footprints to guide others.  A child, a friend, a recent convert.  None should be left to walk the trail alone.

It's the principle of discipleship.

A few questions to consider along life's path:  Who are you following?  When you get where you are going, will it be where you intended?  Also, what kind of trail are you leaving?  If someone follows your steps, will they arrive at the right place?

The message of 1 Timothy urges you:  Watch your step.

JAMES teaches us faith without works is dead, and our works are evidence of our faith.

The quote I often repeat, "Preach Christ without ceasing.  If you must, use words."  Is taken from Max Lucado's introduction to James and is quoted of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Max also tells this story in the introduction:

Francis of Assisi once invited an apprentice to go with him to a nearby village to preach.  The young monk quickly agreed, seizing the opportunity to hear his teacher speak.  When they arrived in the village, St. Francis began to visit with the people.

First he stopped in on the butcher.  Next a visit with the cobbler.  Then a short walk to the home of a woman who'd recently buried her husband.  After that, a stop at the school to chat with the teacher.  This continued throughout the morning.  After some time, Francis told his disciple it was time to return to the abbey.

The student didn't understand.  "But we came to preach," he reminded.  "We haven't preached a sermon."

"Haven't we?" questioned the elder.  "People have watched us, listened to us, responded to us.  Every word we have spoken, every deed we have done has been a sermon.  We have preached all morning."

James taught Christianity is more daily action than worship once or twice per week.

It's not that works save the Christian, but works mark the Christian.

In summation:

Trust God always, walk the talk, and remember you are training someone else to do the same -- even if you don't realize it.

Much love and many blessings,

Originally I had planned a very good post on our focus in life, but I visited a xangan's very touching site and want to share this with all of you and her.