​​​​​​​Faith isn't a destination. It's not a point on the map you'll get to one day. Your faith is the map itself, with all of its dotted lines and imperfect stops along the way. May you be blessed to change direction often, to start and stop, to draw and redraw, and to journey with God at every roadblock you encounter.

Comparison is a sneaky thing. It’s like added sugar.

You think added sugar is no big deal until you set out to do something like a Whole30. Suddenly, when you are finally paying attention to labels, you realize sugar is added everywhere. It’s in everything. It’s even in bacon.

I think that’s how comparison works, too. It starts small. You almost can’t spot it. Before long, it’s taking more territory. It’s taking the script of your life and stealing lines from it. It’s convincing you to play small. It’s trying to whisper in your ear, “I’ve got a better part for you. Just watch that person a little bit longer. If you just keep measuring yourself against other people then eventually you’ll find what you’re looking for.”

I’m reading this book on Galatians by Tim Keller. In his book, Keller dissects the letter Paul wrote to the church of Galatia. Paul is usually a somewhat chipper dude but he is evidently not happy with these people in Galatia. He’s frustrated in the letter. He doesn’t understand why, after hearing the gospel, they would choose to go back to their own gods.

As he wrings his hands, he basically says, “Only crazy people believe they can step in and finish what God started.”

But that’s what these people tried to do— they tried to take the salvation portion of the gospel and claim they would work for it. It’s something many of us have faced, this belief that God is going to love us if we add up and we do critical things on his behalf.

Keller introduces this idea of “functional saviors.” Functional saviors are everywhere. Functional saviors are anything we believe might be able to save us, fill us, or keep us from the darkest parts of ourselves.

A functional savior is anything we use to try and plug the gaping God-sized hole inside of us.

I have a list of functional saviors I’ve tapped into the ring on multiple occasions throughout my life. They are the things I readily choose over God.

Comparison. That’s a functional savior.

Comparison, as nasty as it is, keeps me from having to look at the real issue. I can become so fixated with comparison that I never think to acknowledge the root of it. Every little thing has a root, a starting place. So I dig for the bigger questions: What am I so afraid of seeing in my own life? What feelings am I trying not to face? READ MORE 

To be able to see grandchildren.It causes many heartaches. 

I pray for healing of chronic pain and financial blessing pay off car loan and help grand kids with school shoes and clothes and continue to help others as well thank you for your prayers Amen

Please pray with me. My daughter and son-in-law are going through divorce. They are doing their best to stay one as a family while they are no longer a couple. I worry about my three grandchildren and how they are handling it, especially my granddaughter - she is going through a difficult time in school and with friends. God, be good to them, stay with them, and give them the grace they need to be forgiving, understanding and compassionate. Amen.