The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

Life is pretty tough already but, is much more enjoyable when we celebrate each other!  SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

You will shine like a star in the sky once you give up complaining and arguing. How can you turn your heart towards thankfulness and joy? SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

How does remembering that God sees you, help you regain your identity in him and your value? In what ways can tell or show others the Lord sees them too? SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Ask God to help you spread the truth of Salvation, that it comes as a gift from God through faith and not through anything we do ourselves to attain it. SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below Remembering Reformation Day  (700 words)  by Lynette Kittle “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God”-- Ephesians 2:8 Some may wonder what Reformation Day is all about and why it is considered such a big deal in Church history. Commemorated on the same day as Halloween, why should we as Christians take time to remember it?  Who’s Behind the Reformation? Born November 10, 1483, in Eisleben, Germany, Martin Luther grew up to be the catalyst for the Reformation. A thunderstorm is accredited to beginning his spiritual journey in 1505, while he was studying law at the University of Erfurt.  Some may call his experience a crisis of faith, where a bolt of lightning striking near him, terrified him to the point of making a deal with God for divine protection by promising St. Anne he would become a monk if she would graciously spare his life. Even though Luther’s father, a hard working miner, strongly disapproved, Luther diligently pursued becoming a monk. Intense in his pursuit of holiness, Luther whipped himself raw in an attempt to appease the wrath of a holy God and feel worthy and deserving enough to go to heaven. As well, he regularly confessed his sins for up to six hours a day.  During Luther’s zealous studying of the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit revealed to him that the just shall live by faith and that none of his self-afflictions would justify him before God but only come through faith in Jesus Christ. How Did the Reformation Begin? With Luther’s revelation concerning Salvation, came his disillusionment with the errors in the Church’s teaching and practices, involving selling indulgences to raise money and convincing individuals that their giving of money for their deceased relatives could release them from purgatory. With hopes of sparking an academic debate and reform, on October 31, 1517, Luther wrote 95 theses against this revenue-generating scheme, along with other abuses he discovered within the Church, nailing his document on the Wittenberg, Germany, Cathedral door for all to see, a common practice at the time. But the Church didn’t approve of Luther spreading his findings via the newly invented printing press and wasn’t open to his corrections. Still his ideas spread throughout Germany, stirring up much controversy, which led to the Church Council in 1521 demanding Luther recant his thesis.  Luther Ushers in the Reformation However, Luther refused to recant his thesis, writing, “Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Holy Scriptures or by evident reason—for I can believe neither pope nor councils alone, as it is clear that they have erred repeatedly and contradicted themselves—I consider myself convicted by the testimony of Holy Scripture, which is my bases: my conscience is captive to the Word of God. Thus, I cannot and will not recant, because acting against one’s conscience is neither safe nor sound. God help me. Amen.” Luther’s refusal to recant cost him dearly, leading to his being excommunicated from the Catholic Church in 1521 by Pope Leo X. His unwavering stand led him to be declared an outlaw and heretic, causing him to run for his life and find refuge with Fredrick the Wise at Wartburg Castle under an assumed name and disguise.  During his time there, Luther translated the Bible into German, which helped him to put the written word of God into the hands of the common people. His actions ushered in a new era referred to as the Reformation, of placing God’s Word in the hands of individuals and giving birth to the Protestant Churches. Luther’s efforts gave individuals the opportunity to read the Bible for themselves, leading to many lives being transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He understood how people need to read and study God’s Word on their own, believing wholeheartedly what 2 Timothy 3:16, teaches: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” Intersecting Faith & Life: Ask God to help you spread the truth of Salvation, that it comes as a gift from God through faith and not through anything we do ourselves to attain it. Further Reading: 6 Reasons Christians Should Celebrate Ref

We can find hope in the promises of the Lord. He will reign as King over the earth, and we will never have to be afraid or worried again. Jesus is our faithful leader and we can look to Him with hope forevermore.  SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below Our Future Hope in the Lord By Vivian Bricker Bible Reading “He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be our peace.” - Micah 5:4-5a Prior to my mom passing away, she used to be very much into palm reading. I'm not sure how she got into this occultish practice, but she tended to read my sister and I’s palms at least once every few years. She would tell us our “lifeline” and our “heart line.” I remember my older sister having “several people” cross her heartline and my mom saying she would marry multiple people. Her lifeline was “very long,” according to my mom, and she would succeed in life.  This bothered my sister, and she never bought into it, and thankfully so. In the same way, my mom used to read my palm and say there was “not a heart line,” and my lifeline was “extremely short.” I do not believe in palm reading or anything concerning the occult because it goes against God, but what I have learned is that many things in the occult, including palm reading, are trying to “see the future” or trying to manipulate it in our favor. This is dangerous and something that Christians should not play a part in.  Trying to seek out our future through occultish means will get us nowhere. This is why all of us do not need to rely on the evil practices of the world when it comes to the future. While it is true we may feel stressed about the future, we can find lasting hope in the Lord. He is the One who holds the future in His hands.  Nonetheless, we cannot run from the fact that the future can be scary for many of us. Present life worries have a way of getting us down. Never-ending bills, home-life stressors, and complex relationships can leave us feeling doubtful of the future. Rather than having hope for the future, we feel crushed, hopeless, and uncertain. This is understandable since we cannot know the future plans for our lives. However, as mentioned, we can know what the Bible says about the future.  Prior to going to Bible college, I knew nothing about the Bible and I certainly didn't know anything about eschatology. Eschatology is the study of the end times. Once I learned about eschatology, it made me more hopeful for the future. Although we cannot know our future day by day, we can learn God’s ultimate plan for humankind through studying the Bible.  Through studying eschatology, I learned about God’s plan for the future. For us as Christians, this plan is only for our good. We will be taken to be with the Lord in the rapture, spared from the seven year tribulation, receive our glorified bodies, enter the Millennial Kingdom, and spend eternity with the Lord in the New Heaven and New Earth. By knowing this knowledge, it gives us hope for the future.  Intersecting Faith &amp; Life: Our Bible passage today also focuses on this hope. Micah 5:4-5a says, “He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be our peace.” This passage refers to the return of the Lord and when He will finally reign over the world. As the prophet Micah says, Jesus will shepherd his flock in the majesty of His Name. His greatness will reach to the ends of the earth and He will be our peace. Whenever we are worried or scared about the future, we can find hope in the promises of the Lord. He will reign as King over the earth, and we will never have to be afraid or worried again. Jesus is our faithful leader and we can look to Him with hope forevermore.  “Dear Lord, my hope is found in You. Help me to focus on You rather than my fears of the future. I know You have great plans for me, and I trust in You. Thank You, Lord. Amen.” Challenge Questions: Do you have any fears of the future? How can you give these fears over to the Lord today?  Have you ever consulted anything or anyone to try to know the future? How has this proved to be futile? Jesus is our peace and our good Shepherd. How does this bring your heart peace today?</l

As you face new fearful challenges, recall his goodness, love, and faithfulness. Take time to grab his hand and walk forward with his peace.  SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below Perfect Love  By: Amanda Idleman 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. Have you experienced God’s perfect love in your life?  What did it feel like?  How did it change your situation or perspective?  God’s love is the one and only force powerful enough to truly change us. To redeem us. To rescue us from our own sin, fear, and confusion. His love makes us perfect.  The primary quality of perfect love is that with this kind of love present fear is banished. When fear enters a situation, that means we aren’t walking in God’s perfect love. With that in mind, it’s clear that we are not living in the full reality of God’s love so much of the time.  I know that I, for one, live with fear and anxiety as my default approach more often than not. When an unexpected expense pops up my gut reaction is anxiety over how the extra bill will be paid rather than a peace that the God who knows every hair on my head will provide exactly what I need. If my child is struggling I immediately hop into Mom action mode trying to control the situation for their benefit rather than pausing to pray for wisdom. If I experience conflict in my marriage or with others I love, I fret endlessly over how things played out, instead of going to God in repentance and seeking His gracious understanding.  I live with fear and anxiety because I live by my strength not by his grace.  That’s why we need to be reminded that this Christian life we have been gifted is not one about rules or measurements. It’s a grand love story. When we are tempted to fear we are invited to recall our first love and all the ways God has so graciously provided for us.  Remember how the last time you felt a financial pinch, God provided! How he has held your marriage together despite both of your imperfections. How he gifted you that child and loves them even more than you do. His love is deep, wide, and relentlessly pursuing us.  When we grab onto that perfect love the voice of fear grows quieter and quieter until it is silenced because God’s love casts out all fear. FEar and love cannot coexist.  This week I was convicted to practice what I preach. I felt anxiety well up in me as a child we know is at risk and I am not sure if or how I could be the one to help care for them. I am afraid of how my lack of action would impact the child and how my potential actions would impact my family. It feels like either way I’d be letting someone down or putting someone at risk. I am afraid.  Then I was reminded of this verse and how God loves this child that is being knit together in a womb and my first job is to pray for this child. His love and provision is big enough to give me wisdom and this child a hope and a future. I have to hold onto God's hand and rely on his peaceful guidance rather than fretting over the many unknowns that could unfold in this wild situation.  It amazes me that no matter how many times I have witnessed God’s miracle working power in my life I still so quickly forget and doubt his loving sovereign work in my life. I am like the Isrealites, wandering and so quickly looking to my own self-made gods to solve the problems of my own wilderness journey, rather than looking to the one that promises to deliver me to the promise of Heaven. Thankfully God’s love is patient and kind. He allows us to repent, to learn, and to return to Him over and over as we journey through life. For that amazing grace I am so thankful.  Intersecting Faith and Life Have you truly experienced God’s life changing, fear banishing love? If not, take time to pray and ask God to show you how to fall in love with him. If you have, reflect on what God has done for you. As you face new fearful challenges, recall his goodness, love, and faithfulness. Take time to grab his hand and walk forward with his peace.  Listen to Do It Again by Elevation Worship this week as a way to remind your spirit that the God who did will for you will do it over and over again!  Further Reading  3 Dangers of Having a Controlling Spirit </s

During this election season, ask God to guard your heart, mind, and tongue with His peace. Commit to praying for our nation and for those who disagree with you, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s truth to them.  SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below How to Stay Peaceful through Election Day and Beyond (710 words) By Lynette Kittle “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone”--Romans 12:18 Political divisiveness in our nation is at blood boiling temperatures, where rather than just having differing viewpoints between people, there is a growing disdain towards those who disagree and don’t align with personal party choices. Sadly, living at peace with everyone seems almost impossible to achieve in the current volatile political climate, especially during election season. It’s challenging seeing opposing political posts on social media and reading of others’ support for candidates whose policies go against our Christian values, beliefs, and convictions. But rather than duking it out with them, the Apostle Paul in Romans 14:19 urges, “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” So how do we make it to and through Election Day in one piece, retaining our peace and being kind and tenderhearted to those around us while at the same time disagreeing with their political stances? Avoiding Heated Political Conflicts with Our Neighbors and Family Members United States 3rd President Thomas Jefferson said to William Hamilton, April 22, 1800, “I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.” Of course it’s more difficult to feel warm towards someone we strongly disagree with concerning politics. It’s much easier to feel love towards those who agree and support our beliefs. Still God’s way is to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39), even when our neighbor holds opposing political viewpoints. So instead of jumping headfirst into heated political discussions, God calls us to resist the temptation. “But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless” (Titus 3:9). Especially true when it comes to our family and neighbors, God calls us to “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14). Stand Firm in the Light Yet as Christians, as children of the light, we are called to push back the darkness. 1 Thessalonians 5:5 reminds us, “You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.” It’s hard to see what’s happening in our culture and nation, where like Isaiah 5:20 describes, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” Sinful practices that used to be hidden are now being voted on and made into laws and policies. As Ephesians 5:12 explains, “It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.” Whereas John 3:20 discusses how evil hides in the darkness so its deeds aren’t exposed, we’re seeing more and more in America, how it’s pushing its way into the daylight, demanding to have a forefront place in our society.  Still, staying in peace doesn’t mean we don’t stand up for what is right in God’s eyes. It’s important we speak up for His truth, and it’s also critically important that when we do, we forgo name-calling and disrespecting those who disagree with us. Where Peace Is Found Staying peaceful throughout Election Day and beyond requires looking to and relying on the peace that only God can give us. Our pathway to peace is found in Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Peace can only come from one source. As Jesus said in John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Intersecting Faith &amp; Life: During this election season, ask God to guard your heart, mind, and tongue with His peace. Commit to praying for our nation and for those who disagree with you, asking the Ho

A tree with strong roots can endure any type of wind. No matter how tall the tree’s trunk is, the roots are what matters. Whether you are in the middle of a storm or not, seeking God and learning to trust Him in all things can begin now. SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below Storms Only Last a Season By Sarah Frazer Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. Psalm 57:1 (ESV) The storms that have blown through the eastern part of our beautiful country have devastated so much. People, buildings, animals, and nature all succumbed to the storms' power. As so many friends, neighbors, and family pick up the pieces of the physical storms that have come through, I can’t help but think about those storms in our lives that devastate us in other ways.  Things like cancer, heart attacks, grief, loss, depression, anxiety, and so much more have touched so many lives. These types of storms aren’t cleaned up in a few days, weeks, or even months. Sometimes, these storms leave us ragged and worn for a long time.  We often don’t have any warning for these types of storms either. In Psalm 57, David, the rightful king, runs away from King Saul. Saul wants to kill David, and, in a panic, David writes Psalm 57. In the middle of a cave, in the dark, with the storm of an angry king threatening his very life, David writes these words.  Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. Psalm 57:1 (ESV) David knows the storm is here, and he is seeking refuge. Instead of running to weapons, war, or his own strength, David runs to God. When the storms of life threaten to overturn our faith, do we run to God first? Do we see Him in our true refuge? I admit sometimes I try to fix things on my own. I exhaust all of my own resources before coming to God. Let’s take a pause and speak to God in the midst of our storm:  “God! Be my refuge.”  What I love is that David acknowledges that he is in the middle of a storm but also reminds himself that storms will pass. He says, “Till the storms of destruction pass by.” The storms will pass by. The storm will not last forever. We get caught up in the moment and the aftermath of the destruction that we forget that the storms will soon be gone.  Just like the hurricanes pass by, the waters will recede, and the sun will reappear again, God will stay the storms of life and they won’t last forever. We can hang on to God because He is a safe refuge and strong enough to help us through. Each day we can come to God with our weaknesses and say, “I can’t do this.” And realize that is ok! God is more than able to hold us up.  What I love is that not only does David remind us that the storms of life will pass, but that the storms are there to serve God’s purpose for our lives. David says in the next verse:  I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. Psalm 57:2 (ESV) God had a purpose for David’s life, and He has a purpose for us as well. Right now, the storm might be coming, or you might feel like you are in the middle of that storm. God has a purpose for this storm. No, He doesn’t wish or cause the hard things present in your life right now, but God can use even those things for His glory and our good. In all of this, God’s purpose is to make us more like Christ (Romans 8:28-29). May we endure the storms in the shadow of God’s care, understanding that the storms will pass and everything - even this - is part of God’s plan.  Intersecting Faith &amp; Life: Our faith is often most evident when the storms come. Will we rely on God, or will we trust our own abilities to just endure it? I think we so often see life as a choice to trust God or not. The key is to develop a heart of faith along the way. So many people failed when their faith was tested because they failed to walk with God even during the “sunny days.”  What you do between storms fortifies your life and gets you ready for the surge of what might be coming. We don’t live in dread or expect doom around every corner. Instead, we learn the daily habit of meeting with God in prayer and Bible reading while developing our faith muscles one little bit at a time.  A tree with strong roots can endure any type of wind. No matter how tall the tree’s trunk is, the roots

Have you asked God to show you how you can partner with Him in pushing back the darkness in this world? How does it feel to know that God’s Light and love will win in the end? SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below Focus on Jesus  By Alexis A. Goring “I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven.” — Psalm 123:1 (NIV) Let’s face it: Our world is in complete chaos. But we do have hope! His name is Jesus Christ and He can help us survive this experience on Earth.  It’s easy to get caught up in all that is wrong with our world today: wars and rumors of wars, division in the Christian church, turmoil in our communities in the USA and throughout the world, bad weather wreaking havoc, political upheaval, as well as personal struggles and the trials we all endure as followers of Jesus Christ. Truthfully, it’s a lot and very overwhelming if that’s our focus.  But the moment we decide to turn our eyes upon Jesus, that is when our perspective begins to change. We remember that planet Earth is not our home. We realize that one day, Jesus will return and usher all His faithful followers into Heaven where there will be no more pain, sorrow, heartbreak, disappointment, or sin. Heaven is a perfect place, and when we arrive there, we too will be perfect. But for now, Earth is our temporary home. God does not expect us to ignore all the problems we have on this planet. Instead, He expects us to serve others as we serve Him. It’s our duty to make this world a better place. We can do that by focusing on our faith walk with Jesus. When we ask Him to show us what He is doing in this world, we can learn what we can do to partner with Him in driving out the darkness. The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the Light of the world (John 8:12) and as Christians, we are a light for Christ (Matthew 5:14). It is important to spend time with God and ask Him how we can share Christ’s light and love with our fellow humans—especially those who don’t know Jesus yet. William J. Thoms, a British writer, said, “Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some person ever reads.” Therefore, let’s do our best to love God and all people. Our hope is that they will be drawn to Him and learn how much God loves them. When we share the love of Jesus, it helps to ease their pain as they learn how to look to Christ. The lyrics to the hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus,” tell us that when we look to Jesus, all the problems in this world seem to fade away. Our perspective is renewed as we allow His goodness, grace, and mercy to flood our souls, bringing us close to Him and reminding us that this world is not our home. Several years ago, I was pouring out my heart to Jesus about all the pain in this world and lamenting how it was affecting me. God responded by speaking these words to my heart: “Remember, Earth is temporary and that means your pain is temporary.” He helped me see that all the trials and tribulations, death and destruction, betrayal and pain … it all will be put to a permanent end by Jesus Christ. There is an expiration date to our pain and that date is known as the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Only God knows the exact date and time when He will send His Son to take us home (Matthew 24:36). God wants everyone to know Him and be saved in His Kingdom. Let’s keep working to share His Light and His love with our world today and every day. There are two songs that helped to inspire this devotional today: “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” by Rachael Lampa and “Turn to Jesus” by Katy Nichole. I encourage you to listen to both, because the lyrics can help us focus on Jesus. Let’s thank Jesus for being our safe place, our refuge and ever-present help in trouble. Let’s look to Jesus and focus on Him so that we are not consumed by all the pain and suffering in this world. Let’s thank the Lord for always being here for us and never leaving us to face life alone.  Intersecting Faith and Life: Have you asked God to show you how you can partner with Him in pushing back the darkness in this world? How does it feel to know that God’s Light and love will win in the end? Further Reading: Hebrews 12:2 Hebrews 13:14 James 1:2-4 Romans 5:1-5 Joshua 1:9 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising op

To receive, to give, to experience. With him and with others. Maybe we should shift our focus there for a deep breath from the tough stuff that is attempting to hold us down. SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below Finding Relief in the Focus of What Matters Most By Keri Eichberger Bible Reading Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” - Matthew 22:37-39 It was a song I hadn’t heard in years. Until a recent quick drive across town when my phone connected to CarPlay, and somehow the shuffle function turned to an old familiar Carrie Underwood tune. The words I’d once sung without so much as a second thought, suddenly captivated me with an “aha” moment. It was this sweet line: “When you figure out love is all that matters after all, it sure makes everything else seem so small.” I had been facing some hard life challenges. An unforeseen financial downfall that had hit our circumstances like a freight train, causing all sorts of difficult decisions, suffocating setbacks, and loads of comfort-cuts so to speak. Yet, this whole mess followed a major close call of loss of a loved one, fell in the midst of others in my intimate circle dealing with devastating health declines, and all surrounded by a swelling sense of God‘s presence and loving hand over it all. So when these lyrics grazed my heart, it hit me. Comparatively half of what’s been holding me down in the dumps is vastly unimportant. But the loves of my life–love, is what really matters. People are what matter most. Our love for God and others–love from God and others–all of this is what actually matters. And as I become more aware and acknowledge this truth, everything else does seem much smaller. Is there some stuff going on in your world right now, clogging up the joyful halls of your heart too? Cares that, if you’re being honest, have less to do with a focus on God‘s love, or love for his people, and more to do with worldly gain or a concern with the lack thereof. Maybe consumption with a job search, details of some project, our country's political state, or uncertainty of your financial future? You know, the lines of Carrie’s song definitely aren’t directly out of the Bible, but I think we could agree that love might matter most to God too. Hence his greatest commandments mentioned in Matthew Chapter 22, to love God and others.  Not that he doesn’t care about all the other things you’re struggling through right now. Because quite the opposite is true—he most certainly sees and cares for it all. But, if you’re anything like me, you may gladly welcome this perspective shift for a moment. Because becoming consumed with anything of the world can absolutely start to drive us all crazy.  If you think about it—the other stuff we get all worked up over that starts to seem to matter so much. What is it that we are really wanting with, and from, it all? I think deep down we are wanting and reaching for relief. And we seek relief because we long for the comfort it brings. And how do we ultimately receive and experience true comfort? I think it’s from love. The fullness of love that only God can give. And here’s what’s beautiful—something also reflected in the chorus of the same song, “What you’ve been out there searching for forever is in your hands.” God's love is in our very hands. We already have it. To receive, to give, to experience. With him and with others. Maybe we should shift our focus there for a deep breath from the tough stuff that is attempting to hold us down. Intersecting Faith &amp; Life: Think for a minute about the people in your life that you love. And those God has graced you with their love. You know they matter more than anything else the world wants to weigh you down with, don’t you? I pray you can find some precious relief you’ve been praying for at this very moment as you set your eyes and focus on them, on him, on what matters most. This, this love, is at your fingertips, in your hands, and in your heart. Always with you. God, God’s love, God’s people, and the blessing of being able to love them all back. Thank you, Lord. Amen. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at <a href="ht