Clean by Erin Campbell

Today's guest blogger has been a dear friend of mine for over 20 years. The Bible tells us to "love the Lord thy God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength."  Though Erin has inspired me in all of these areas, she has especially sharpened my thinking and challenged my intellect in such a way that pushes me to know and Love Jesus more. I believe the same for you as you prayerfully read today!

Clean

Erin Campbell

The ideas of clean and unclean were very important in the Old Testament; the books of the law and the prophets are filled with commandments and warnings about “clean” and “unclean.”

Leviticus 10:10  “...You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean...” (ESV)

Ezekiel 22:26  “The priests of Israel ignore my Law! Not only do they refuse to respect any of my sacred things, but they don’t even teach the difference between what is sacred and what is ordinary, or between what is clean and what is unclean.”  (CEV)

Haggai 2:11-13 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Ask now the priests for a ruling: If a man carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and touches bread with this fold, or cooked food, wine, oil, or any other food, will it become holy?’ And the priests answered, ‘No.’ Then Haggai said, ‘If one who is unclean from a corpse touches any of these, will the latter become unclean?’ And the priests answered, ‘It will become unclean.’”  (NASB)

As I recently re-read this portion of scripture, a thought occurred to me:

Clean isn’t catching.

But unclean is.

There are many admonitions about touching an unclean thing and thereby becoming unclean oneself, but no examples about touching something and making it clean.

Unclean transfers.  But clean must be actively maintained...chosen...guarded.  It takes proactivity and effort.

Unclean can happen by accident, but not clean.

So where does that leave us?  Let’s jump to the New Testament.

2 Corinthians 6:16b-7:1  “As God said: ‘I will live in them and walk among them.  I will be their God, and they will be my people.  Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.  Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.  And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.’  Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.” (NLV)

Again we see that “clean” must be chosen and guarded.  We don’t stumble into clean.  We must live cautiously, wisely, and dare I say SEPARATELY.  Is this passage telling us to shun all those who have not yet found their life in Christ?  No.  It is, however, strongly telling us that we must maintain separate, higher, standards for our lives than the culture around us is setting.  Remember, clean isn’t catching.  But unclean is.  This means that if we open our minds and hearts to unclean things...we will catch the filth.  If we watch or read about adultery, provocative sexuality, gossip, greed, unkept tempers, etc....we will catch some of these values and actions.

Is this passage saying that if you read a steamy novel you will start an affair with the guy next door?  Not that fast.  It is saying that the more you fill your mind with that kind of thinking, the easier it is to think of others within that context...and we as humans tend to travel down the easy path.  This passage is saying “BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU MAKE IT EASY TO THINK ABOUT...BECAUSE THAT IS FORMING WHAT IS EASY TO DO.”

One thing I love about God is that He simply tells us the truth about how our hearts and minds work.  He made them, so He should know!  Hearts and minds pick up what they are exposed to.  We don’t have to like that (I don’t!), but we have to live with the reality and protect our hearts and minds.

“Clean” is entered into and maintained in two ways:  One, as we flee the “unclean” we become clean.  Two, Ephesian 5:26 talks about the “washing of the word.”  Clean happens in our lives when we wash away the unclean that we have picked up along the way by reading, studying, and lining up our thinking and beliefs with the Word of God.  This takes effort, but it is well worth it.

God also gives us a promise:

2 Timothy2:21-22  “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.  So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. (ESV)

It is when we carefully avoid the "unclean", and actively seek the "clean", that God’s fullest purposes for us are able to come about.  He has an honorable design for our lives; He desires to fill our lives with usefulness and good work!  So flee the unclean and pursue the clean.  You will be glad you did.



1.  Why do you think “unclean” is is easily catching, but “clean” isn’t?

2.  What are the sources of “unclean” in your life right now?

3.  What steps can you begin to take to eliminate those sources?

4.  What is one truth from the Word of God that you need to allow to “wash” away some of the “unclean” in your life right now?

5.  How are you going to pursue “clean” from this point on?

6.  What is exciting to you about God’s promise to bring usefulness and purpose to our lives as we become more and more “clean”?

Reel Life by Lynn Clanton

    Let me introduce you to my friend, Lynne. As you read today you will see her heart of gold and her love for people. My prayer is this: Lord, help me to see as you see and love as you love!                         

In View of His Love, Lynne Clanton

God loves people in EVERY walk of life.  I am challenged to never forget to see each person through the Father's eyes; and, as I allow myself to be an extension of His love to others, may I "see" into their need and not just visualize who they are because of what I see.  It is as simple as John 3:16... "whosoever" is very inclusive with one decision.  I hope as people read this it will challenge them in the same manner and pass it on to encourage us as the body of Christ to do the same.  

Reel (Real) Life 

One of my favorite past times is going to the movies.  I love the "intrigue" of a good mystery of who done it; the "thrill" of a great action movie;  the "will they ever get smart and get it together" in a good romance; or even the "incredible graphics" of a science fiction... and these are just to name a few. I think my only exception to movies is horror (which is self explanatory....I spent a majority of my life getting rid of fear; why would I invite fear into my life when I live a life of freedom from it). 

With each movie I see, God speaks to me through it relating it to real life situation.  I believe each and every person has a story, sometimes we cannot dream, fathom or even imagine how that story has played out.  Each one so very different.  I want to think everyone has their happy ending but... maybe the intrigue to them was a situation in their life leaving them injured with the question of "why did this happen to me?", or a hero's story filled with thrilling information of how "two minutes would have made all the difference"; it may be a love story of a person finding their true love and after marriage, finding out they have an illness that will shorten their time. All three of these situations represent real people with a story I have came across and was amazed by their life-story when I took the time to really see. 

Most people "see" the intrigue of "why is she 500 lbs", or the "no-thrill is his life, he is just a drunk" or even the "he could never get a date".  But what if we could be obedient to God when He tells us to see into their need.  You have their answer....even for those living in a real life horror story filled with abuse, neglect and suffering who torture themselves with drugs long after their abuse from others is over. But, when you look at them do you just see another addict? 

I know movies are not real life but this is just a small thought.......With movies, we pick and choose what we will and will not object ourselves to because of consequences IN our daily lives.  But do we not also do that WITH our daily lives?  Pick out who we do and do not want to get involved with because they have too many issues, have too many needs or those we would just choose to be disassociated with.  If we are not helping  the lowly,  troubled, distraught, or those who some people would call "invaluable" (but will never say the word), those of us who has already perfected our image would already be in heaven.  Lord help us never to disassociate ourselves  from those people and may we view people in this world from Your eyes. 

People are NEVER invaluable, whether it is the person who is trapped in a life of deception about what they do, who they are, or how they are portrayed. In fact,  Jesus' life was given "for the least of these" in addition to ours before we became new.  Help us to NEVER ignore those people who need Jesus; those people who do not know there is a way out;  and those people who do know but cannot figure out how to get there.  If we are not an extension of the Father's love to those people, then who will be.  Heaven WILL be perfect, but may it not be because we leave out of the equation the people who we don't think deserves our time.  

Seizures, Shock Collars, and Jesus by Carey O'Connor

I absolutely LOVE today's devotional. It was written by a friend whose very life challenges everyone she crosses paths with to love Jesus more. I know you will blessed by her word to us today. I sure was.


Seizures, Shock Collars, and Jesus.
By: Carey O’Connor


We had these peculiar neighbors in New Mexico.  They had several animals, all of which were either blind, had terminal illnesses, were crippled or missing limbs.  They took these animals in, I assumed because they had tender hearts and figured no one else would care for them. However, one would have to wonder how tender their hearts really were after observing the shock collar on the dog that they just told us frequently suffered from seizures. Hmmm… Now I’m not a doctor…or even a dog person…but come on now.  Common sense would say this was not a good combo - seizures and shock collar.  They had about a 5-foot cinder block wall between our property lines to keep the seizure dog and all their animals enclosed.  This dog was always trying to escape…to no avail. He’d take a running start and then bzzzz (that’s my shock collar impression) the darn thing would get him and he would limp back, tail between the legs in defeat.



 Then one afternoon, while my husband, Jeff, and I were sitting in the backyard, we witnessed the amazing great escape.  Seizure dog had a different look in his eyes this day – a different swagger.  As we watched him make a run for what we thought was another exercise in futility, something amazing happened.  As he leaped through the air, we saw the point in which the shock collar bzzzz’d (yes, I am now making my noise into a verb)…the dog’s neck cranked to the left while his whole body seemed to freeze in mid air.  Seizure dog buckled down through the shock, snapped out of it, and cleared the 5-foot wall through our yard and into the streets he ran.  Hooray for seizure dog. He did it. 


Now if you can get past the offense of being likened to a dog, track with me a bit through my attempted analogy. Often times Christians live as though our master puts us on some sort of a leash.  Whether it’s a long leash, a short leash, or a shock collar, we view Christianity as a limited space, a list of do’s and don’ts, where we need to stay within certain boundaries. We can run as close to that line as our leash or collar allows us, but if we get too close, we get zapped.   We live in this legalistic, law mindset where the good Christians stay in their yard and the naughty ones are always trying to escape.  Either way, it doesn’t sound like freedom to me. Why in the world would we want to live that way?  With this common mindset, we reduce Christianity to sin management and we’re missing the big picture.  Don’t get me wrong…our God is a holy God and despises sin.  But I think we’re going about it all wrong.


Allow me to propose what I believe Jesus really intended.  In the Bible, Jesus was always presenting ways of living out the kingdom of God that were counter-intuitive. For example, the last shall be first, you want to receive then give, whoever humbles himself will be exalted, etc.  Well what if we chose less freedom to get more freedom? If we’re going to keep using the leash and shock collar analogy, let me posit this: forget the leash…hold me by the collar, Lord.  Then I would never be in danger of straying from your will. Maybe that’s the mindset shift that needs to take place. Keep me as close to you as possible so that I can hear your heart and do your will.  When we see our relationship with the Lord as trying to keep from sinning, we’re missing the point.  

He wants to transform us from going about our own business, living our own lives, all while trying to not get zapped along the way, to instead living our lives with Christ at the center and being about His business. 

John 15:5 keeps coming to my mind…“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches.  Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.  For apart from me you can do nothing.”  When we choose for our Master to hold us by the collar, to remain in Him and He in us, we are giving up our tiny bit of so-called freedom for more freedom and purpose than we could ever imagine. Apart from Jesus, there is an enemy who would love to take advantage and rob us of this fullness of life.  John 10:10 says that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy.  See, what seizure dog didn’t know was that there was a pit bull named Bob across the street who would have loved a seizure-dog-snack.  He thought he was escaping to freedom, but in reality he was in danger of forfeiting it all. If you are on the leash, you’re in danger of boredom and if you’re jumping the wall, you’re in danger of destruction.  Either way you’re in danger.  Matthew 10:39 “If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.”  


When we hold on to our lives, we miss out on the intimacy that comes from surrendering completely to Jesus. When you choose to be held by the collar, you will be held so close that He’s not just a part of your life; He is your whole life.  Your thoughts, talk, and actions, will all be submitted to His will.  What grieves Him will grieve you.  What He is about, you are about.  When you choose to be held by the collar it becomes less about trying not to sin and more about living perpetually in God’s presence, partnering with the God of the universe, and allowing Him to transform every fiber of your being.  


We are all crippled, blind, lame…in need of a loving master to heal and transform us.

Allow Jesus access to hold you so intimately that He can give you life to the fullest degree possible…how life is truly intended to be lived. 

H.M.B.T.C.  (HOLD ME BY THE COLLAR!)

A New Wardrobe by Paula Roach

A couple months ago I was asked to write a devotional for a friends church blog on anything from Proverbs 31.  At the time I chose to write it anonymously due to the personal content but I feel like I am supposed to share it with you today. 

Three years ago today there was a smile on my face and a glow about me… Well, perhaps a little bit of a green glow from nausea, but a glow of excitement as well. A baby was growing inside of me. Then there was the moment I sat in my doctor’s office excited to hear the news that we were having a baby girl. Instead he told me that she no longer had a heart beat. I remember feeling I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move. She was already a part of our family and had already stolen our hearts. How could we go through this again? How would we tell the boys? How would I muster the strength to even take the next step?

My baby was gone but the baby bump was still there. The pain was still raw and the physical reminder of looking and feeling pregnant didn’t help. I had no desire to get dressed, or to even get out of bed for that matter, let alone find something to wear. As I went to my closet each day, nothing fit. I remember trying to piece together new outfits that would somehow hide the baby bump and fit over the extra weight. If I didn’t look pregnant, maybe for at least a moment, I would forget the great pain that filled my heart.

I had an even tougher choice to make each morning. I had to go into my spiritual closet and choose to pick out my clothing. I wanted to put on bitterness, depression, anger, and even apathy, but that was not an option. It no longer fit and I had gotten rid of those articles of clothing a long time ago. Oh, the temptation was there to go out and purchase them again but I had spent close to 20 years acquiring a much better wardrobe. Through daily time in prayer and study of His Word I began to fill my spiritual closet with a wardrobe of His attributes and gifts.

Let me make myself very clear for a moment. I am not saying that we cannot or should not grieve. I believe it is very important to grieve but it is quite amazing how beautiful, and even inspiring, grief can be when when paired with garments such as comfort and joy! I will say it is much more difficult to assemble such outfits if the items are not in our closets to begin with! We cannot wait until that moment of tragedy or that tough circumstance and then suddenly run out on a shopping spree hoping to find the perfect match of strength, peace and comfort. If you are anything like me, it’s in the moments you need it most that your emotional bank account is empty, making it difficult to purchase something new.  In these moments, if it’s not already in the closet, it’s most likely not going to be put on.

As I looked at the garment of joy hanging in my closet, I was reminded of the high price paid to attain it. It was purchased through prayer and weeks of meditating on specific scriptures about joy and life. I had to work out some of my past pain and failures by applying these scriptures to my life. In doing so I had to let go of some disappointments and forgive some tough relationships. These difficult choices enabled me to add joy to my spiritual wardrobe.

So, in this time of overwhelming grief I chose to put on joy one more time and again turn to His Word for comfort. I focused on Philippians 4:8, recounting literally everything I could think of, big and small, that was positive and had the potential of promoting joy in my life. I thought about my family and friends, my house and my things, my great church, the food in the pantry, and even the flowers in the yard. I chose to continuously “think on these things” and give God thanks for each of them. I specifically recounted those times in the past when my heart had been broken or was heavy with disappointment and even depression. I remembered how as I would claim scriptures on life and joy, Jesus brought me through those dark times. Consciously meditating on all these things enabled me to put on a garment of gratitude. Day by day the process became easier and my eyes were again opened to the hope before me.

Each day as I physically get dressed and put on my clothing, I prayerfully make the choice to put on my spiritual clothing too.  With each right choice I make, my spiritual wardrobe grows. There are days like today when grief is heavy on my heart and it is more difficult than others. Yet, over the years my God has helped me overcome even the most difficult days by clothing me with comfort, confidence, and a complete trust in Him. He has overwhelmed me with love, peace and even joy. These things are now staples in my wardrobe. Like my most comfortable pair of jeans, I prayerfully slip them on to position myself “strong and secure.”

In the Amplified Version of Proverbs 31:25 it says,

“Strength and dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure; she rejoices over the future (the latter day or time to come, knowing that she and her family are in readiness for it)!”  The Message Version ends that same passage saying, “She always faces tomorrow with a smile.”

It’s amazing to me that in our physical wardrobe the right outfit helps us face our day more confidently.  An even greater confidence comes when we step into our prayer closet and choose to put on garments from the spiritual wardrobe acquired through time with our Savior. The perfect outfit awaits and enables us to face our day with a true smile, “ready for anything”!

What does your spiritual wardrobe look like? What’s your “go to” garment? Can you face tomorrow with a smile or does your spiritual wardrobe need a spring cleaning, getting rid of any items that keep you from positioning yourself “strong and secure”? Is it time to acquire some new heavenly garments, no matter the cost, so you can step into your prayer closet at any moment and have the perfect outfit for every occasion?

Check out Romans 13:14 to find a great "go to" outfit. To continue shopping for some staples to your new wardrobe check out: Ephesians 6:10-18
                                Colossians 3:12-14
                                Galatians 3:27
                                Ephesians 4:22-24

Ooey Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies by Paula Roach

Ooey, Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of my older sisters, Shari, has many talents. Two that stand out to me are her ability to sing like Pat Benatar and her baking abilities that outshine Martha Stewart. I seriously do not know any one who makes better chocolate chip cookies or apple pies. It stinks that she lives so far from me because I never get to enjoy her tasty treats. (I miss you too, Shari, not just your fabulous baking!)

I, on the other hand, do not possess either of these talents. I love to sing but those standing close to me would probably prefer I whisper. I don’t particularly enjoy baking because I do not like using recipes.

I enjoy cooking because I can just kind of skim recipes for dinner ideas, cooking times and temperatures and I can make the rest up. With baking, if you want to personalize the recipe or make alterations you have to be pretty familiar with the science and rules of baking or even the smallest adjustments to the recipe can bring about very unsatisfying results.

Now some of you may settle for the Betty Crocker or Nestle Toll house cookies that you just spoon out the dough, place them on the tray, and stick them in the oven. Or, perhaps you have your own recipe that is pretty good. I must admit, I am pretty satisfied with some of these alternatives, especially when they are hot, right out of the oven. A little crispy on the outside but nice and gooey inside!!! YUMMY! That is until I try one side by side with Shari’s cookies. Then I realize what I had been missing. Once you taste them you see just how good they are. Fresh out of the oven or cooled off the next day, you realize you have just experienced the best chocolate chip cookie ever. In that moment you want the recipe and make a choice to follow it to the detail in hopes to get the same results.

But time passes. I go home and decide I want some of her cookies. I pull out the recipe but think my way will be just as good. I make some alterations. I decide to subtract a cup of sugar, add an extra teaspoon of salt, raise the cooking temperature another twenty five degrees and cook them ten minutes less because I am craving something salty and I am in a hurry. The timer bell goes off. I pull them out of the oven ready to devour some delicious cookies. Instead of pulling out my sister’s warm, ooey, gooey chocolate chip cookies I find hard, burnt, salty and not so tasty cookies.

I cannot believe Shari would give me such a bad recipe. I wasted all this time and money making these cookies and this is what I get?! It’s not fair. Shari’s cookies are better than mine.

Oh wait. I chose not to follow the recipe! I cannot expect the desired results if I am unwilling to make the choices to follow the recipe.

So many of us want to make alterations and adjustments to the Word of God yet we expect the get the same end results promised for those who obey. We add a little something here because it sounds good. We take a little out there because it's easier.

Like baking, it doesn’t work that way. If we expect to receive the perfect chocolate chip cookie, we have to follow Shari’s recipe. If we want the results of a godly life, we have to stop picking and choosing what we want to believe from the Word and what we choose to apply to our lives. Small adjustments to the Word may not be as obvious or disturbing so we tend to settle for good in our lives when the best is available. (Kind of like the pre-made chocolate chip cookies...)

The further we stray from the recipe of the Word, the more unsatisfying our lives will be and the more frustrated we become. Our choices and interpretations of scripture must line up with the rest of the Word or the results may be less than desirable.

It’s time to quit being frustrated with God and with life for not getting the results we expected or hoped for.  If we want different results, it is time to try a new recipe.

Or perhaps life is good but you are ready for more.

God has given us a recipe for living in His Word. As we get into His Word and do what it says (James 1:22) we will see that His recipe for living truly does bring the abundant life promised in John 10:10. (By the way, we cannot just skim it either, like I prefer to do with cooking. We have to actually read the Word and follow it.)  

Psalm 37:4 tells us to “delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Isaiah 58:14 also makes promises for those who delight in Him. A simple way to define “delight yourself in the Lord” is to give ourselves to God and all of His ways with pleasure. 

Do I want to experience all of God’s promises or just some? Do I want to experience a good life or life to the fullest?

Psalm 34:8 says to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” I believe that once we have truly tasted the life with God that He has promised in His Word, we will be ready to throw out all other recipes and follow only His!

The High Calling

As I think and pray about this whole subject of Shades of Gray, I am reminded of this poem I received years ago from my mentor, Jeanne Mayo. I try to pull it out on occasion to be reminded of the areas I need realign. May it encourage each of us to come out of the gray in our thinking, our attitudes, and our actions. As you prayerfully read this poem, ask God to show you what you can do to "come higher". I would love to hear what stands out to you!

The High Calling

If God has called you to be really like Jesus in all your spirit…He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility, and put on you such demands of obedience that He will not allow you to follow other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other good people do things which He will not let you do.

Other Christians and ministers, who seem very religious and useful, may push themselves, pull strings, and work schemes to carry out their plans. But you cannot do such things. You will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.

Others can brag on themselves, on their work, on their success, on their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.

Others will succeed in making great sums of money, having a legacy left to them, or having luxuries. However, God may supply you daily, because He wants you to have something far better than gold, that is helpless dependence on Him, that He may have the privilege of providing your needs day by day out of an unseen treasury.

The Lord may let others be honored and put forward, but keep you hid away in obscurity. He does this to produce some choice, fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be grown in the shade. He may let others be great but keep you small. He may let others do a work for Him and get credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without letting you have any knowledge of how much you are doing. Then to make you still more precious, He will let others got the credit for the work you have done. This will make your reward ten times greater when Jesus returns.

The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch on you with a jealous love. He will rebuke you for little words and feelings, or for wasting your time. Things that other Christians never seem distressed over. So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign, and has the right to do as He pleases with his own.

He may not explain to you a thousand things, which may puzzle your reasoning in His dealing with you. God will take you at your work. If you absolutely sell yourself to be His slave, He will wrap you up in a jealous love. He will let other people say and do many things that you cannot say or do.

Settle it forever, you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit. He alone has the privilege of tying your tongue, chaining your hand and closing your eyes in ways that others are not dealt with. Now, when you are so possessed with the Living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and life, you will have found the vestibule of Heaven.

What stood out to you from this poem?

Keller Koala by Paula Roach

Keller Weller, Keller Weller Bear, Keller Weller Sweet and Sour, Keller Koala, or as he has called himself, Keller Weller Sweet and Sour Gun Fire Spit Fire! These are some of the many nick names for my four year old son, Keller.

Keller Koala was one of his first nick names. He earned it in when he was just a baby because the way he held on to us resembled a Koala Bear on a tree. Keller loved to be held and he would wrap both arms and legs tightly around who ever was holding him and not let go. We would have to literally peel him off, one limb at a time to put him down or hand him off to some one else. As soon as one arm was loose, he would quickly wrap it back around us and hold even tighter while we were trying to get the other arm. Even at a very young age he was very strong and very determined and this was quite a process! Once finally peeled off, he would wrap himself tightly around the next person who came along and cling to them for dear life. While clinging to us, he would bury his head into our chest or nuzzle in, not looking at anyone or anything but that good, safe place that was holding him. As long as he was clinging onto me with such tenacity, he literally could not take hold of anything else. Every finger, toe, arm and leg were committed to one cause, being as close as possible to me.

Keller taught me what it means to "cling": To take hold of tightly. To wrap ones entire self around that thing that is good and look only to it. To not let go. So, in the Word, Romans 12:9 tells us to "CLING to what is good" it's meaning is simple. To look only to God and His Word. To hold tightly to His Commands. To wrap my entire life around Jesus. To not let go.

Though Keller does not cling to us as tightly or as often as he did when he was a baby, he still loves to climb up on us and be held. When he is in trouble and I am trying to put him in time out, he starts trying to climbing up and trying to hold tightly to me. When he is scared, he nuzzles close. When he is hurt or sad, he crawls up in my lap. For every different emotion, he finds his way to my arms. As he falls to sleep at night, he cuddles close and wraps his arm around me. Some how, when he clings to me, everything is okay. He is safe. The emotions settle. The fear subsides. He finds comfort in my arms.

What a sweet reminder of what we too can experience when we choose to cling to Jesus.

Each year I am more aware of the fact that Keller's days of clinging to me are numbered. My only hope is that with each passing day instead we both cling to the Lord even tighter.