Roadways often have on-ramps to allow access to the highway. These on-ramps are not to be used to back off of the highway, but I’ve done it before. I know it was probably illegal but I was desperate.

As I was backing down the on-ramp, desperate to get off the bridge that was backed up for miles, I prayed I could reverse my decision and go in the other direction.

I managed to back off the main highway and turn around in the other direction, possibly escaping an hour delay in my trip.

As it is in life, I often find myself in the wrong lane, feeling I’ve made the wrong decision and trying my best to back out of the situation.

God already knows the best plans for me, so why do I constantly question His ways?

There is right and there is wrong. As a Christian, I know the right things to do. As long as I follow God, I’m going to make the right choices. It’s those times when I think I can change lanes, back up and do it my way, that I get trapped.

Choose life with God. Even when the whole world seems against you, God is for you.

God’s there to make sure you’re on the right highway. When in doubt as to which path to take in life, choose God. He will never fail you and His promises are available for a lifetime.

Job 22:23 - “If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: If you remove wickedness far from your tent”

Perception is described as “the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses.” In other words, it describes how we take a scene or scenery and process it with anything different than before (how we look at reality).

I’ve talked about perception before. But, today as I was driving to work, my perception of the area was different. I now live on the other side of the city and the surroundings have a different impression on me.

More than all of this is my perception of life since Jesus came into my life.

I’ve had seasons when my views on life were cluttered with worldly temptations and dissolved plans. It seemed as if I was living in a fog of depression and unworthiness.

I chose to close God out of my life. I thought I could create my own destiny.

As expected, I was getting nowhere. Until God reached down, pulled me up and out of my self-pity and brought me back to reality.

Only then did I realize I’d been going through life with blinders on.

It is hard to explain to someone who is still living in the blindspot. But, know this. God wants you and if you’re willing to admit that you need Him too, He will open your eyes and turn your life into a whole new reality.

Live for God today. You’ll see things in a different perspective.

Why? Because no matter what is going on around you, God can take you from the pit to the palace, if you believe in Him.

Deuteronomy 15:6 - “For the Lord your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.”

Do you feel you have a purpose in life? I don’t mean being a wife, sister, mother, husband, brother, etc. I’m referring to a purpose for being alive today; the reason you were born and brought to this moment in time. A divine calling.

As a Christian, you soon learn that we’re not just saved, and then we go to heaven. God doesn’t want that. He created us. He has a job for those who follow Him. And don’t mistake this calling as a religious activity or holy hobby.

Our sole mission in life as Christians is to go, spread the news of salvation. Don’t leave it up to the pastors or missionaries. It’s for all of us Christians. It’s our duty to tell others about Jesus, how He died so we can live.

And whatever or however you convey this message, don’t preach to them.

It’s simple. Tell them your story. Reveal the unexplainable truth of how Jesus can take a broken, hurt, damaged, addicted person and make them whole, new, loving, joyful and beautiful.

That’s what happened to me. It took many years of my stubborn will getting in the way, for me to realize that all I needed was Jesus in my life.

Ask God today what He called you to be; where He called you to go.

Matthew 6:33-34 - “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

If you’re like me, you turn on the tv or look at the weather app to see what the day will look like.

Most times, but not all, predictions come true. But, more often than not, some storms aren’t even in the forecast.

So it is with life. None of us can predict what will happen as we face a new day. Life is pretty sweet though when everything is going the way we want. Our guard is let down and we coast along. Until the perfect storm hits from out of nowhere.

And then we look to God and ask ‘why me Lord?’

When, in reality, we should be saying, “thank you God for carrying me through this storm.”

God is our savior, our shelter in the storms of life. Take refuge in God. Recognize where the chaos is coming from. Satan likes to cause the crashing waves to hit us, and throw us off balance, when we least expect it.

Unfortunately, there will always be storms looming on the horizon. But, if we trust in God, allow Him to guide our footsteps, then we can brave the storms of life.

Have faith, God’s got this!

Matthew 8:26 - “He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.”

I have a gardening tool, a pruner, that I use regularly in my garden. It’s useful for a lot of tasks and gets the work done quickly.

Did you know that Satan’s favorite tool to use on us is fear? Yes, all of us, especially Christians, have been on the other side of Satan’s attacks.

You see, Satan knows that when we’re afraid and fear grips us, our faith in God is slipping, gets weakened or even abandoned.

The devil knows that we’re the most vulnerable when we’re afraid or fearful of what’s going on in our life, or what threatens our future, or the future of our families.

But, thankfully God has equipped us with the most powerful tool in existence and that very special tool is love.

It says in 1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”

Fear has no footing in those who choose life with God.

So, when someone hurts you with their words, or is saying lies about you, don’t go for the bait. Recognize that this is Satan using that person (as a tool) to hurt you.

God is love. Carry His shield of love every day and He promises no tool of satan’s will penetrate God’s love.

I’ve always considered myself a people pleaser. I genuinely care if someone likes me or not.

We look at others from the outside but God looks at the heart.

Social media has heightened the awareness of opinions. Just because someone posts a statement or shares a political post, others will make an opinion about that person. I don’t think this is fair, because we don’t know their full story.

For example, what would you think of me if I posted or shared something political, whether it was something you agreed with or not? Would you unfollow me?

We can all make our own choices in life, and we should have a voice in society. But, it’s when that opinion causes you to not like the other person or causes strife, hatred and sometimes even racism. This is a problem.

I do care that others like me, but I don’t try to persuade them to like me, or agree with something that I don’t believe in.

There’s only one person in the world whose opinion matters to me, and that’s God’s.

God sees my heart. He knows if I’m honest with my actions or opinions.

Choose life with God. The only opinion that matters in this life.

Psalm 118:8 - “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.”

A famous song from the past. A familiar phrase by parents around the world, and true in most everyone’s life story.

Just because you want a family, home and career doesn’t mean you’ll get these things. We all must strive to achieve the things we want. That’s just human nature. But, for the first time in my life, I’ve realized I already have everything I need, and it all started several decades ago, when I let Jesus into my life and remain in my heart.

I think back and wonder how different my life would have been had I actually got everything I wanted.

I watch my daughter correct her toddler, and reflect on the circle of life. She was a determined, and at times stubborn, little girl. But, with patience, and my trust in God, she turned out to be a beautiful wife and mom.

My daughter will also tell you she’s thankful she didn’t get everything handed to her. She worked hard in school, and came out successfully as a doctor.

We can’t always get what we want out of life, and it’s probably a good thing. God knows what we need, and when we need it.

Trust God in His timing and perfect provision.

Matthew 21:22 - “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

I’ve often paused and taken an inventory of my life. And, this leads me into seeing God in every detail.

A pastor once reminded me that Christians especially need to reflect on God’s goodness. We need to stop and make a list of all the times God stepped in and helped us through difficult moments.

How about you? Have you ever made a list of all the times God has blessed your life? The seasons where life just wasn’t as you had planned, and then something shifted, in your favor.

We often remember the bad times, when we didn’t get our way, times where it seemed like God was silent.

God is never distant. It’s us who distance ourselves from Him.

It’s hard to understand, especially in tragedies or moments of despair, but God is near and He wants to bless us.

Take inventory today. Remember all the times God rescued you from the storms of life.

Reflect on God’s goodness and give Him the recognition of all your blessings in life.

2 Corinthians 13:5 - “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?”