Well-Meaning

Something to consider this year:
I’ve had well-meaning friends and family who were opposed to my wife and I getting married at 19, opposed to me buying my first camera, opposed to us building our photography studio, opposed to us selling our studio, opposed to homeschool, opposed to us taking our family to Haiti, opposed to coming home from Haiti, and deeply opposed to our faith.
Those were well-meaning people, friends and family not bent on our demise, just trying to look out for us the best they knew how, with advice on life from their perspective.

Today, looking back, every one of those decisions I’m truly grateful for. Not one of them do I regret, and they enriched and blessed my life in ways only Heaven understands.
They were right as rain to me, custom fit decisions that have determined the course of my life for all eternity. To remove any one of them would be - well, you may as well take some colors out of the rainbow and try to sell it to me as just as beautiful.
My point is this: Who are you going to listen to this year?
Sometimes my friend, people just don't know what's best for you, and sometimes those people are you.
The best advice I could ever give: Give your ear to The Maker of Heaven and Earth. Jesus. The One who knit your very soul, and has not only called you His Masterpiece, His Poem, His Work of Art, but knows your entire course, from start to finish. He knows every wind that will blow you off your course. He knows every storm, and He made every sunrise, for you.
Here is my prayer. I’m giving it to you, for when the sun rises on this brand new day:
“Lord, please shine on me
So that I might hear and smell, taste and touch and see and be alive.
So that I might shine like You as a light upon this world for Jesus Christ.
The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness has comprehended it not.
The night is far spent, the day is at hand, let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
Now Lord, where are you working and how can I help?
In Your Name. Amen.”

(Now take your hands, cup them together, and grab hold of a few scoops of that precious first light. Pour some out on your head and make sure to put the rest in your pocket. Give it away to someone else who might need it today, and don’t be stingy. Don’t you go saving it for a rainy day and keep it all to yourself. That’s what you’ve got Hope for :)
God bless you in 2018.