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“I will never leave you or forsake you.” Joshua 1:5

Spoke first by God to Joshua as he was preparing to lead the children of Israel into the promised land, it also, I believe, can apply to me as I enter the promised journey through each day. Sometimes I forget and start the journey without Him. One of the biggest challenges that I have seen in the Christian journey is that on those days that I forget Him I still make it through the day, sometimes even quite successfully. I choose to believe that happens because His promise is sure, whether I acknowledge it or not. But sometimes I wish that he would be a little harder on me! What would happen if things all went wrong when I forget His promise and start the day without acknowledging Him? I wonder if I would learn my lesson quicker!

Most of the time I’m glad His promise is sure, whether I acknowledge it or not. I just have experienced that my connection with Him is stronger and my understanding of life and how things “work together for good for those who love God,” is clearer when I start my day with a conscious acknowledgement of His promise.

I remember a statement by Ellen White in her book Steps to Christ, it goes something like this—Commit your ways to the Lord, make this your very first work. Say, I lay all my plans at your feet to be given up or carried out as your will indicates.

He’s always there, I can survive whether I acknowledge that or not (most of the time), but I can flourish if I choose to consciously trust my verse for every day. My confusion comes when I assume or forget and forge forward on my own. I usually flounder or fail eventually because God wants me to learn the flourishing He has in store for me if I recognize his promises every morning.

Have a great day believing in His active presence available for your life,

Pastor Rich

Quote for the day: “God wouldn’t have allowed it unless He had a purpose. Don’t just GO through it—GROW through it.”

PS Spring break starts AFTER your last class today. Enjoy your week off. See you back on the 11^th

PPS Thanks Tori for taking us through the Service Challenge month in February. I hope we all have seen the value and importance of “doing something each day for someone who cannot pay you back.”

PPPS The Office of Campus Ministries at Andrews University in partnership with The Haystack TV is launching a six night Facebook Live event entitled “If I Were To Get Married.” It will provide viewers with Biblically grounded counsel on how to decide if they should get married. Although this series sounds like it might only cater to singles, we believe that these principles can also serve as “marital counseling” material, providing married couples with an opportunity to revisit the fundamentals of building a healthy home. This series will be an innovative approach to this subject delivered through a creative style and we want to reach young singles and couples in your sphere. If I Were To Get Married seeks to cultivate healthy marriages by avoiding the presumption that all Christians should get married. This principle is rooted in 1 Corinthians 7:7-8 which says, “But I wish everyone were single, just as I am…So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows—it’s better to stay unmarried, just as I am.” The entire passage legitimizes singleness, promotes lifelong commitment for those who choose to get married, and recommends the use of caution when one is contemplating marriage. If I Were to Get Married seeks to validate singles, to alleviate the pressure on singles to be married soon, and to elevate the value of marriage for singles and married partners. Our mission is to provide singles with Biblically grounded counsel on how to decide if they should get married and to provide married couples with an opportunity to revisit the fundamentals of building a healthy home. Our hope is that such counsel may prevent singles from making a hasty and unhealthy spousal choice and will fortify the commitment of couples to a Christ-centered marriage.

And the presenter, Chaplain Michael Polite, is a graduate of Union College!!