What a beautiful summer morning today. I took the dogs out on the front porch with me for quiet time. It was warm with a breeze that gave the swallows room to glide. I could hardly wait to sit down and be with God. But, before I could begin, Murphy (our middle dog), saw something threatening in our neighbor's field. A large machine had appeared, and it was producing a big noise. To Murphy, this machine and its noise must have seemed like a prowling monster. I could hear a growl rumbling in his throat. I tried comforting him, but he didn’t back down. He was sure this was a dire situation, and he must bark! So, I thought I’d try a different tact. I told him, “Go get it!” Which he did - bounding off the front porch and running all the way to the fence line with hackles up and tail spiked. He looked frantic. That’s when I realized he wasn’t defending, he was scared. That meant he needed my help. I found a lead, and with him at my knee, we headed down the driveway. We crossed the road and walked along the neighbor's fence line approaching his monster in the field. He was growling quietly, but at least he wasn't barking. It seemed we had defused the anxiety. We walked back quietly and settled onto the front porch. ‘Ahhh,’ I thought. ‘Peace at last.’ Still, a minute later Murphy was again focused on the monster and barking like crazy. His fear was back. Down the driveway we went a second, and then a third time hoping more close-ups with his monster would help defuse his worry. However, in a little while, I noticed Murphy was calm. I could tell he was still concerned, yet there seemed to be a new-found degree of peace in my little buddy. He was willing to trust me, and he was willing to grow. This week Lysa’s words challenge us. She writes, “I am a woman who wants to make a difference for Christ in the world…” [Pg 38] Growing in our trust of God and our faith becomes what we need most to accomplish those God-given goals. When we see monsters, we can remember that monsters are often more scary from a distance. When we walk with our Daddy right up to our monster -- we realize it has no power over us and that with Him we are always safe. "Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me." Psalm 23.4
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