To the watching world, our lives paint a portrait of God. Our responses to times of darkness and light are like paintbrushes sweeping across the canvas of life, leaving impressions of the God we call Savior. Through our actions and attitudes seekers gather information about this Jesus we proclaim.

They watch to see if God is strong or weak, consistent or fickle, trustworthy or unreliable, good or something less than good.

They listen to learn if He is generous or stingy, mild or moody, attentive or negligent, kind or coarse.

Though imperfect and in process, our hope is that the portrait of God painted by our lives bears an increasingly accurate resemblance to the original: a God who is… patient but not passive… accepting but not pliable… holy but not untouchable… accessible but not casual… meek but not uncertain… gracious but not law-less… loving but not spineless… unseen but not unknown… near but not us.

“I urge you,… to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” I Peter 2:11-12, NIV

Lord of the harvest, those who do not believe in You are watching those who do. They are watching to see if we serve as much as we speak. They want to know if we do as much as we dream.

Excerpt from “Pure Joy”