Casandra Martin

My sons are learning to be door openers. We call them gentlemen-in-training. They have watched their grandfather do it for their grandmother, their dad do it for me, and now they are learning how to open doors for others. It is pretty neat to watch.

They are learning how to open car doors, front doors, garage doors, and store doors. There is a rhythm to learning how to open doors. You have to watch the other person. You have to be aware of how to move the door so that it is easiest for the person you are serving to go in and out. They are learning how to offer their hand or their arm if someone needs a little extra assistance. They are discovering how to pace themselves so that they can walk with someone and put them at ease.

I really can’t think of anything else I would rather my children become than door openers. I want them to be able to open the doors of their hearts and love deeply. I want them to open the doors of their minds and drink in all the rich wisdom of God and the beauty of this world. I want them to open their eyes to the very real presence of God. I want their spirits to be open to the call of God on their lives and their souls to be open to the transformation He wants to work deep within them.

I long for them to be door openers for others as they invite them into God’s grace, to make it easier for someone to come to the cross and stand amazed by the empty tomb, to join in worship, and bow in surrender.

I want the psalmist’s desire to be the desire of their hearts. “I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” – Psalm 84:10b

My Jesus Resolution today is to be a door opener. I am going to learn from my sons. I am going to be deliberate about making it easier for someone to see Jesus. I want to open the door into His presence, invite someone to make themselves at home, and show someone the delight of His grace. Opening a door is such a simple thing. Yet, it is a gracious act that shows someone else they are important. Jesus was a door opener. My boys are learning. Now it is my turn.

It had been a very cold couple of days and nights. We had been under hard freeze warnings and the threat of icy weather kept most people inside. We didn’t get the snow we had been hoping for, but a thin coat of ice covered everything.

We live in a place where icicles are a novelty. We stepped outside in the chilly air to take a look. They hung from the branches, from the cars, and from the eaves of the roof. Moisture had left its mark on plants and sidewalks and windows. The temperature hasn’t risen above freezing all day so the ice creates its own art even in the middle of the afternoon.

It was a rose bush that caught my attention. There were no icicles hanging off those branches, but the leaves looked shiny. Closer inspection yielded a treasure – an ice leaf. Water had frozen on the leaf, taking its shape as its own. Lifting the ice off the plant revealed a perfectly formed ice leaf. The veins of the leaf were imprinted in the ice. The shape of the ice perfectly mirrored the shape of the leaf. It is a copy of the leaf done entirely in ice.

I marveled as I held it in my hand. Moisture and cold came together to create beauty in an unlikely place. And I realized I was holding a picture of my heart.

We are supposed to be like that ice leaf. Attached to Jesus, we are meant to take His shape and reflect His image. When people look at us, God wants them to see all the details of Jesus in our lives. He longs for us to mirror His life in every way. As He holds me in His hand, grace and surrender come together to create beauty in an unlikely place. His image in me.

My Jesus Resolution today is to be like an ice leaf. I want the shape of Jesus to be imprinted deep on my heart. I want to cling to Him, holding on to His Word and His love. I want to help others marvel at the possibilities of what walking with God can mean for their own lives.

Last week there was a forecast for snow in Houston. All it takes is the mere mention of the word to send people on the Gulf Coast into a spin. Kids peer out the window, making grand plans about snowmen, snow angels, and snow ball fights. Parents watch the weather reports. Schools close. Businesses shut down. The grocery stores are overrun with people who buy enough stuff to last through a blizzard.

Snow is rare in Houston. It is one of the few places where people actually go outside when the temperatures drop and snow is on the horizon. Kids can grow up here without ever seeing a good snow. Snowflakes falling are enough to cause joy. A little snow covering the ground is greeted with enthusiasm and play.

Snow carries with it a very special picture. God blankets the earth with snow in order to draw our eyes to Himself. Each snowflake holds His fingerprint. Snow resting on branches paints a picture of stark beauty that is meant to impress His beauty on our hearts. But it is the color of snow that is meant to make us smile and bring us to our knees.

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” – Isaiah 1:18

God uses snow to give us a picture of the power of His grace. It is transforming. It is all-encompassing. It changes, shapes, moves, and touches every part of who we are. A forecast for snow in Houston changed the way we moved through the day, the plans we made, the things we bought, the words we spoke, the way we looked at the sky, and the priorities of the moment. How much deeper an impact should the reality of God’s grace have on our hearts?

My Jesus Resolution today is to be thankful for snow. Snow points me to the heart of God. It teaches me about the way He works in my soul. It helps me realign my priorities and examine my heart. I want to be as excited about His grace as my children are about snow. Even if we never see a snowflake, I can be sure that His grace will fall gently on my life, blanketing me with His favor and transforming me with its color and beauty.

It is a very chilly morning. Wrapping up for a pre-dawn walk, I put layers on to keep warm. Experience has taught me that one big coat isn’t the answer. The best way to fight the wintry temperatures is to dress in layers – shirt, polar fleece, and a wind breaker.

Each piece of clothing has a purpose. I wear a long-sleeved running shirt designed to breathe and wick away moisture. The polar fleece is the heater. It traps body heat and insulates against the cold. The wind breaker does what its name implies – it keeps the cold wind out and the warmth in. Together they provide everything I need to brave the elements. Each one by itself would be helpful, but not enough. Warmth and protection are best found in layering the different pieces.

As I was walking this morning, I thought about how the necessity for layers runs deeper than the physical. How much better would I fare in my day if I took the time and thought to dress my soul in layers of prayer, study, and worship? Investing my heart in prayer invites God into my day. It opens my eyes to His presence, humbles my heart, aligns my perspective, and allows me to release the cares and concerns that tend to weigh me down. Study focuses my mind on the purpose for which God draws me near to Himself. Spending time in His Word reminds me of His great love, the power He is willing to pour into my day, and the path He wants me to walk. Worship lifts my eyes, energizes my soul, refreshes my spirit, and connects my heart to His. Each one is wonderful, but it is in layering them that I am able to face the elements in the world.

My Jesus Resolution today is to dress in layers. I am going to take time to pray – for my day, for my family and friends, and for the image of Jesus to take full shape in my life. I am going to open my Bible and fill my heart with His Word. I am going to turn my focus to worship, allowing praise to shape the way I think, see, and talk today. I am going to put them all on and experience the warmth that comes from covering myself completely in Him.

The papers are full of pictures. For days, the news has been running stories, making predictions, and spotlighting people who run. Advice is given about training, loading up on carbs, and the best shoes to wear. People on Facebook have been talking about it for weeks – who’s running, who’s preparing, who’s given up, and who’s shaking their head in disbelief.

It is marathon time. Marathons are long races. Twenty-six point two miles of sheer endurance. Marathons require a commitment beyond the moment. It takes preparation, planning, training, and focus to run a marathon. No one runs a marathon by accident. No one breaks the tape in a marathon without a will to finish what they have begun.

Marathons are great pictures of life. A life of significance doesn’t happen by accident. A life invested in Christ requires discipline, focus, training, and will. It requires taking on the identity of a runner, choosing the running lifestyle, and actually getting out there and running.

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.” – 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

Life is a race. Some run the race in order to win something perishable – money, power, fame, friends, education, popularity, or possessions. When we run in Christ, we have a clear picture of the finish line. Seeing His face is our greatest prize. He provides us with companions to run with us along the way. The Holy Spirit serves as our Trainer and Coach. Some days it is easy to run. Other days we can hardly find the strength to put on our shoes. But marathons aren’t won or lost in a single day. Marathons are won by the consistent, daily choice to make running well a goal.

My Jesus Resolution today is to run well. I am going to find joy in running with those who point me to Jesus. I am going to be thankful for the way each step brings me closer to His heart. I don’t want to get caught up in running for a prize that isn’t worth the race. I want to remember why I am running. He will be there when I cross the finish line to welcome me home and say, “Well done.”

Jezebel seems a funny topic for The Jesus Resolution. As one of the most evil queens found in the Bible, she hardly seems worthy of thought for someone committed to looking like Jesus. Yet, Jezebel’s example is written into the pages of scripture just as surely as Abraham’s, David’s, or Paul’s. Is there something for us to learn about being God’s people from someone who devoted her life to pushing Him away?

Jezebel’s story is recorded in I Kings 16-22, with the record of her death being found in 2 Kings 9. Jezebel was married to Ahab and together their union plunged Israel into a time of unrelenting idolatry and darkness.

There are three lessons we can learn from Jezebel and her wicked example.

1. She had an unrelenting commitment to her god. Despite living at a time of great miracles and hearing the voice of the mighty prophet Elijah, Jezebel never let go of her commitment to Baal, her idol-god. There is something to be learned from her determination that nothing was going to cause her to walk away from her faith.

2. She instilled deep faith in her idols in her children. Jezebel did a great job of passing on her faith to her children. They all hung onto Baal as tenaciously as she did. She passed on the wrong faith, but the intensity with which she instilled that faith in her children challenges us to do the same with the truth of Jesus.

3. She used her position to call others to bend their knee to Baal. Jezebel was unashamed about using her place on the throne to draw the eyes of others to her god. She devoted her energy, her resources, and her focus to creating hearts that worshipped Baal. So often, we are hesitant and timid about talking about Christ or recognizing the opportunities God gives us to open doors of faith for others. There is a lesson to be learned from Jezebel about boldness.

We should shun the footsteps of Jezebel. We can, however, learn something about tenacity, legacy, and opportunity from her evil choices. Imagine the good she could have done if she had chosen to follow the Lord. God gave us her story so that we can more clearly see ourselves and His heart.

My Jesus Resolution today is to learn something from Jezebel. I want to be unrelenting in my commitment to looking like Jesus. I long for my children to deeply embrace His truth. I am going to be unashamed of the gospel of Christ and eager to share its message of hope. It is amazing how God can take someone so evil and use her to teach me more about following Him.

The Bible is so much more than a book. It is a guide, holy ground, the voice of God, and a mirror for our souls. Here are ten things that will happen when you commit yourself to spending time in God’s Word.

1. Meet God. The Bible is holy ground. When you enter its pages, you are entering the presence of God. He will meet you there. He will walk with you and show you His heart.

2. Learn about His purpose for your life. God has a purpose for you and the Bible is the place where that purpose is revealed.

3. Get to know Jesus. Jesus is the face of God and our pattern for living. If we want to look like Jesus, we must know what Jesus looks like. The portrait of His life and love are painted on the canvas of Scripture.

4. Gain a new perspective. The words of God bring clarity to our murky world. They are light in the darkness, a lamp revealing the footsteps of Jesus.

5. See the unfolding of God’s plan. God has loved you since before the beginning of time. His plan has always been for you to be with Him. Reading the Bible reveals quite a love story.

6. Understand sin and receive grace. The Bible is first and foremost truth. It will reveal the ugliness of our souls, the sin that corrupts our minds, and the guilt that erodes our hearts. It also opens the door of grace and invites us to walk in freedom in Christ.

7. Feed your soul. Spending time sending our roots into the deep waters of Scripture allows our souls to thrive and flourish and grow.

8. Experience transformation. Reading the Bible gives God access to our hearts, unleashing His power and creating room for Him to change us into the image of Jesus.

9. Hear encouragement from the great crowd of witnesses. Reading the faith stories and struggles of others can help us gain the courage we need to follow Him.

10. Catch a glimpse of tomorrow. The Bible tells us the end of our stories. Confidence and peace flow from knowing that God holds the last page.

My Jesus Resolution today is to dive deeply into God’s Word. I want to know Him better, experience more His presence, take on more of His character, and have eyes which are better able to trace His hand.

It was a playing day. A little friend spread his smiles among the members of my family. We played ball, shot baskets, had races, tickled, hugged, and laughed. In the midst of the fun, my son suddenly got a smile on his face and ran upstairs. He came back with a plastic box filled with little cars.

The cars are treasures from years ago. Tucked in the back of his closet, he saw them through the eyes of our little friend. He handed the box to his buddy and waited with anticipation. The reaction was worth the wait.

“WOW!” echoed across the room. Excitement erupted and laughter bubbled over. A whole tub of cars provided enough smiles to fill many hours.

Wonder kept him glued to the box. Each car was worthy of an exclamation of delight. My kids were bored with the cars after a few minutes. They looked at the wheels and shiny colors and shrugged their shoulders. Not our little friend. He examined each one with great care. “Awesome!” “Cool!” and “Look at this!” rang out as he demanded our attention. Where our eyes glazed over at the sight of so many cars, he found joy in the details.

God is more like our friend than me. God never tires of delighting in the personal details of each individual. Our eyes may not notice, but His heart never stops exclaiming over the ones He loves. Too often, I stop looking at faces and just see masses of people. I miss the beauty, the unique ways God is working in each life, and the preciousness of each soul. God never does. He holds each one in His hand and smiles.

My Jesus Resolution today is to look at others the way God looks at me. I want to see the value in each soul. I want to find the beauty in each heart. I want to notice the way God is working in each life. I want to see Jesus in the faces of those He loved enough to die for. I want to extend grace to those on the journey. I want to smile and share God’s delight in discovering the uniqueness He has planted in each person.

We live in an interesting tension. We are called to live in two worlds. We live best today when we walk with our eyes on tomorrow. As Christians, we are given a unique perspective. We know the end of the story. We move through today understanding the permanence that lies just over the horizon. The troubles of the moment are set in the light of glory. The struggles of today are viewed with eyes that see the unseen. The joys of this world are tempered by the eternal delights we long to taste.

In Christ, we carry a confidence about the future that dramatically impacts the present. Heaven is a sure hope. The presence of God is our dwelling place. Victory is certain. In faith, we live in the future tense. God has said it, and therefore its truth is unshakeable. Tears will be dried from our eyes, hurts and heartaches will be made whole, and we will fall before the throne when we see the face of Jesus.

That confidence colors today. Because of our future reality, we can live our best in the present tense. Today takes on new joy. Every moment is embedded with His presence. There is richness in the way we hear His voice. Our hearts can surrender today because of the hope we have in tomorrow. Living in abundance today means understanding and living out the full reality of our tomorrow.

My Jesus Resolution today is to fully live in both the present and future tense. I walk with Christ. That is both my goal for today and His promise for the future. I am going to look for the moment when the future invades the present, shaping it for His glory and pulling my eyes to His face. I am going to let the light of tomorrow color the shadows that cross my path today.

Blessings are interesting things. We say, “Bless you” when someone sneezes. We talk about the blessings God pours out in our lives. There are even moments when we extend a blessing and cover another with God’s love and promises.

God gave Abraham a unique set of blessings. He promised Abraham a son, gave him a land, and then offered him a special insight into the impact of a life devoted to the Lord. “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” – Genesis 12:2

I love this picture. God tells Abraham that he will be a blessing to others. His obedience will open the door for God to bless the world. His surrender will show others the glory of God. His choices will frame the movement of God in not only his life, but in and for the world.

We give blessings, count blessings, and study blessings. Here God calls us to be a blessing. Galatians 3:29 tells us that “if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” Your life is part of the realization of God’s promise. You are to be a blessing to those around you. Your heart is to be a magnifying glass that helps others see the fingerprints of God. Your obedience should point them to the cross. Your joy helps frame the wonder of the empty tomb.

My Jesus Resolution today is to be a blessing. I have the opportunity to bless everyone I meet today. God can use every word, every action, and every choice to reveal His heart to someone in my path. My entire life is supposed to echo with His presence, showcase His power, and reveal His promises. Today I have an opportunity to make an impact. I don’t have to do anything fancy, spectacular, or special. God tells us that blessing flows from obeying His voice – blessing for us and for the world.