Casandra Martin

I am not a big fan of dusting. Dusting is one of those required chores that is necessary, but brings no joy. Sometimes I put it off, and the evidence of my procrastination builds up in unexpected places.

In our family room, we have a metal piece that says “Faith” in large letters. It sits there as a reminder of who we are and where to turn as we live in the everyday routine of life. Cloth in hand, I pulled it down from the shelf where it sits in order to dust it off. I was surprised by how much dust had accumulated since the last time I had tackled this particular chore.

Dusty faith. The significance of the layer of grime on the letters that spelled out faith struck me hard. I don’t want to have dusty faith. Too often, faith becomes something that sits on a shelf to be looked at from a distance, but never used or enjoyed. We keep it in our pockets, carrying it around like a good luck charm or a membership card. Faith isn’t something we can pick up and set down when it is convenient. Faith is a way of living, a way of looking at ourselves and the world, and a power that fuels the way we walk through our days and face our fears.

Faith is like a muscle. It has to be exercised daily to help it grow and keep it strong. When faith is unused, it atrophies. It gets dusty.

My Jesus Resolution today is to exercise my faith. I am going to nourish it with His Word, let it breathe in the fresh air of His presence, expose it to the wonder of worship, and strengthen it in service to others. I am going to remember that faith isn’t one part of who I am. Faith expresses the whole of who I am in Jesus. It testifies to how God is moving in my life, making me new, filling me with grace, and transforming me into the image of His Son. I am not going to put my faith up on a shelf, only pulling it down in emergencies or when I need a little bit of comfort. If my faith gets dusty, I want it to be because I have been working, loving, following, forgiving, and living like Jesus.

It started seventy-two years ago. On September 7, 1940, Nazi Germany began a bombing campaign meant to cripple the resources and melt the resolve of the United Kingdom. It was called The Blitz, which in German means ‘lightning’. For fifty-seven straight nights, waves of German bombers flew into England, dropping terror and destroying over one million homes in London alone. More than forty-thousand people died as Hitler attempted to bully England into concessions and fear.

England refused to stumble before the evil pushing so hard against its national soul. The people of the United Kingdom dug in, preparing to withstand the onslaught. Children were sent from the cities into the countryside in order to take them out of the bomb’s path. Shortages caused the people to come together to survive. And the cities went dark. Complete blackouts were required in order to prevent giving German bombers a clear target.

Imagine the preparations that took place just before nightfall. Windows were covered. Every crack was examined. Lights were doused. Supplies were gathered. Places of refuge were sought. They knew the blitz was coming. Their best defense was found in their resolve to never, ever give up.

Sometimes it feels like we are in the middle of a blitz. The enemy unleashes a lightning attack on our souls. We feel pounded, pressured, prodded, and pummeled by unrelenting waves of terror. His aim is to puncture our hope, drain our joy, and rock our peace. Wearying nights of fear give way to dawns filled with taking inventory of the debris and destruction. Is it possible to hold on through one more blitz?

My Jesus Resolution today is to resolve to never, ever give up. The enemy is strong and unrelenting, but Jesus is stronger and more faithful. He calls us to take shelter in His love, find our peace in His presence, and rely on His promises. He sees the attack. He collects your tears. He understands your fears. He gives us words of hope and encouragement to write on our hearts, in our homes, at our offices, and within our relationships. Words to whisper to our loved ones and shout at the enemy. “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

I smiled as I heard the story. A child’s simple actions are often the gateway into deeper faith.

Our friends were visiting a different congregation. Dad is a preacher, and he had been invited to come and share a lesson about Jesus with the Christians there. His little son eyed the auditorium full of people, and asked his mom if he could go up to the front and sit with his dad. Mom gave him permission, and he hurried up to the pew where his dad waited to extend an invitation to become more like Jesus.

The little boy snuggled in next to his dad. The bigness of the crowd was tamed by the big arms of his father. When dad stood up to talk about Jesus, the little boy knew exactly where he needed to be. He got up and stood next to dad. He wasn’t content to watch from a distance. He planted himself by his father’s side. I wish I could have seen it. The picture of a son standing next to a father is the best invitation into the heart of God.

I love this little boy’s actions. He didn’t let the crowd intimidate him or keep him away from his father’s side. In order to face the moment, he knew where he needed to stand – close to dad. Any other place wouldn’t do. He didn’t try to handle it on his own. He didn’t make excuses, worry about what others would think, or shy away from expressing his need. He refused to settle for anything less than the presence of his father. And in his actions, he challenges me to move in closer myself.

My Jesus Resolution today is to stand close to my Father. Too often, I think that I should be “big enough” to handle it by myself. I let the world tell me that distance equals maturity, independence is a good goal, or that there is some benefit in holding back. Sometimes I let the crowd convince me to wait and watch from afar. Today God opens His arms and reminds me that there is always room for me by His side. It is time to get up and move closer.

Today is Labor Day. It is a day in America where we honor the workforce in our country by taking a day off and not going to work.

Our jobs provide us with a unique privilege. They are the places that offer us the chance to use our skills and talents to benefit others, while providing for our families. The way that we walk through our workdays matters. Here are ten ways to open the door for Jesus to impact where you work.

1. Set your mind on things above as you head into the office. Turn off the radio and let His voice and His words jumpstart your thoughts and direction as you start your day.

2. Look at your shoes for a minute as you step into your workplace. Let 1 John 2:6 determine the way you walk through your day.

3. Smile. Joy is always a choice.

4. Let integrity shine through every action and choice you make today.

5. Pray for each person you encounter today.

6. Listen. Really listen.

7. Watch for God moments in your day. He is in your office. Keep your eyes open.

8. Worship before you worry.

9. Be willing to go the second mile.

10. Work to please God first.

My Jesus Resolution today is to make Colossians 3:23 come alive in my workplace. Sometimes people are difficult, deadlines are pressing, situations are sticky, and stress is the only thing that is in full supply. Each day I have an opportunity to walk with God into my workplace. His wisdom can guide my steps. His character can shape my choices. His power can infuse my actions. His grace can transform my perspective. Choosing to look like Jesus at work means God gets to shine through everything I do.

School buses rumble through the streets. Backpacks are full, books are open, pencils are sharpened, and bells are once again calling children to pay attention and jump into the business of learning. The new school year is underway.

Watching my children lay down the carefree days of summer and pick up the mantle of learning is always an interesting process. Hope, anticipation, anxiety, nervousness, excitement, and uncertainty all play across their faces. Going to school carries with it the knowledge that this time spent in classrooms is designed to stretch, change, mature, and grow their minds, hearts, and spirits. They will look different on the last day of school than they look on the first. They will be exposed to new ideas, learn new information, develop new ways of thinking and seeing the world, and, hopefully, be more equipped to be the people God intends for them to be.

A new school year always makes me look in the mirror. It reminds me that we are meant to be life-long learners. It doesn’t matter how long it has been since you sat at a school desk, God wants us to engage in the discipline of being students. He wants us to be open to learning, growing, stretching, changing, maturing, and transforming. That means we have to go into each day expecting a lesson, searching for truth, seeking to understand His ways, and anticipating His presence.

My Jesus Resolution today is to prepare to be taught. Jesus has things He wants me to learn today. They may be lessons about His love, His grace, His holiness, or His will. He will use the way I surrender to His teaching to open my hands, stretch my heart, expand my vision, and transform my soul. Students live within the expectation that new opportunities and exciting possibilities are around every corner. When I live as a learner, I can expect to be different at the end of the lesson than I was at the beginning. I will look more like Jesus.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” – Hebrews 12:1

Who are your faith heroes? Names pop off the pages of the Bible as we think about the people who have walked with God, showing us all it means to live lives committed to imitating His character and glorifying His name. Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel, Esther, Mary, Peter, and Paul all have a faith that calls us to dedicate our hearts to the One who loves us more than we can imagine.

But don’t stop there. You are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. They include the people in your life who point you to faith, challenge you to keep going, and model Jesus for you every day. Their faith isn’t abstract. You have seen it struggle, even fail, and get back up and keep going. Their love isn’t intangible. You have felt its strength, been touched by its intensity, and benefitted from its perseverance. Their hope isn’t elusive. You have watched as it anchored them through the fiercest storms and the darkest nights. They are your faith heroes.

Faith heroes help us understand how to live this Christian life in the here and now. They encourage us to keep going, hang on, step out, and surrender again. They remind us that we don’t walk alone. They demonstrate the power of grace, the wonder of worship, and the joy of living fully in His presence.

My Jesus Resolution today is to stop and look at the faces in my great cloud of witnesses. Some of those faces are only painted for me in Scripture. Others fill the pictures on my walls, can be found in the pews at church, sit across from me at the table, or live in my memories. I want to impress their living lessons of faith on my heart. I want to thank them for the way they show me Jesus. Most of all, I want their example to inspire me to be a faith hero for someone else.

Our society has a saying – boys will be boys. It is meant as a license for bad behavior and a free pass to act in ways that are foolish and immature. Too many of us buy into the ‘boys will be boys’ mentality. We paint all young men with a brush that says that they are incapable of being anything more than the sum of their hormones and base desires. Jesus teaches us differently.

Jesus was a boy. He was born male, and walked this earth as a young boy, teenaged guy, and adult man. Jesus was born into a family that taught Him how to honor the presence and purpose of God for His life. As an adolescent, He obeyed His parents and grew in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and men. As an adult, He listened to the voice of God, doing His Father’s will and surrendering His life to His eternal plan.

Jesus is the Model for our sons, grandsons, nephews, little boys, teenaged boys, all boys. Too many times we assume the worst about our boys, rather than expecting them to live like the Best. We give into the world’s wisdom, allowing society to set our standards, color our vision, and define our expectations. When we look at our young men, we can choose to see the world’s reality or the potential they have in Christ. We can settle for leaving the bar in the dirt or raising the bar to the standard of Jesus.

My Jesus Resolution today is to raise my sons to look like Jesus. They do not have to be who the world tells them they are. Choosing to be a man like Jesus is the harder, longer, more difficult path. It requires men willing to look like Jesus in transparent and personal ways in the lives of my boys. It calls for women who will live out God’s own unique call for their lives in front of them. It means finding role models who will walk with them and encourage them to be more. It demands diligence, determination, and discipline. The ‘boys will be boys’ mentality diminishes the possibilities of transformation and the power that flows from the empty tomb. I want my boys to be more. God says that they can look like Jesus.

I could barely open the door. My arms were full and I couldn’t reach the handle. Trying to balance bags, Sunday School curriculum, Bibles, my purse, and a package, I made my way into the room and dumped everything on the counter before it could fall out of my hands. It was Sunday morning after worship, and I breathed a sigh of relief that I had made it that far without spilling everything on the floor. Laughing, I looked around at the other people in the room and said, “I didn’t come into church with my arms this full.”

It didn’t take but just a moment for the significance of the object lesson to sink in. I stared at my pile, smiling at the way God teaches me through burdens and my own clumsiness. I had walked into the building with my arms empty. I was leaving my time with God’s people with my arms full. Come in empty; leave full. Isn’t that the essence of worship?

The world depletes us. It saps our energy, drains our joy, diminishes our peace, and dulls our sense of wonder. Worship reignites our passion. It refocuses our vision, strengthens our determination, infuses grace into our struggles, and drenches us in glory.

Each piece of worship is designed to fill the emptiness of the world with the fullness of God’s presence. Singing pushes out the empty echoes and fills us with praise for His name. Prayer acknowledges our deep need and helps us seek the fullness of His purpose. The Lord’s Supper calls us to be overwhelmed by the nearness of His presence, the love of His sacrifice, and the amazing privileges of being His child. Giving challenges us to pour out what we settle for so that He can fill us with His immeasurably more. Engaging in the Word unleashes God’s promises and fuels transformation.

My Jesus Resolution today is to celebrate the way God fills me in worship. I am going to pay attention to my own deep need for grace and watch in wonder as He takes the empty, broken pieces of who I am and fills them with Himself. Worship is meant to be the fuel that powers my movement through my days. Running low on worship means that I can’t get where He wants me to go. Today I want to remember that every time my heart gets close to “E”, the answer is to enter His presence in worship and allow Him to fill me up.

He doesn’t look like a faith hero. He doesn’t have a flowing beard, hold a staff in his hand, or hear God’s voice through a burning bush. He hasn’t preached to thousands, walked through the desert, or spent the night in the lion’s den. He is ordinary. He is a regular guy who took a stand for faith and showed me Jesus.

My faith hero stood in a quiet moment, counted the cost, and said, “No. That doesn’t look like Jesus.” Nobody will make a movie about his actions. His words won’t make headlines. The world will shrug and move on. But for just a moment I got to see the true face of courage, witness faith shine in the darkness, and be humbled by the holy privilege of watching what it means to really live out The Jesus Resolution.

We sometimes think that heroes always wear capes and have super powers. Their actions are defined by extraordinary feats of strength and mind-bending moments of magnificent skill. True heroes look like you and me. They inspire us, reminding us of who we are and who we can be. They quietly live out their convictions. They walk through difficult moments remaining true to their identity in Christ. They teach us that “deny yourself” sometimes hurts, but is always worth it. In simple ways and quiet movements, they point us over and over to the cross.

My Jesus Resolution today is to be like my faith hero. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” Here is why God puts faith heroes in our lives. They give us a living, breathing picture of what it means to follow Jesus. They let us see transformation in action, grace at work, and faith in motion. Thanks, faith hero, for reminding me that a crown of life is way cooler than a cape and the world’s applause.

I smiled. I couldn’t help it. Everywhere I looked, there was a sign. They were in the bathroom, the kitchen, the hallway, by the doors, and on the light switches. There was one on the ice machine, on the office door, and by the entryway. Every sign said the same thing – Jesus is the Answer.

As part of our discipleship challenge this week, our preacher encouraged everyone to make a Jesus is the Answer sign and put it some place that would remind us of the certainty that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In the midst of life’s struggles, fears, decisions, and challenges, we all need a reminder of where to look and Who to turn to.

Two days later, the sign was everywhere. I couldn’t turn the corner, flip on a light, wash my hands, or get a drink of water without seeing a reminder that Jesus is the Answer. It was such a blessing. Sometimes my heart is slow to remember to go to Jesus first.

Having those words by the kitchen sink reminded me that Jesus washes away my sin, taking care of my mess and making everything new. Seeing His name by the ice machine made me thirst for the Living Water as I filled my glass. Posted on the mirror, the words reminded me to look at myself and others with the eyes of Jesus. Glancing at the note every time I walked through the door reminded me that by Jesus I enter into the presence of the Father. Every time I went to the light switch, I had to touch the words and engrave them once again on my heart.

My Jesus Resolution today is to be thankful that Jesus is the Everywhere Answer. It doesn’t matter where I am, what I am doing, who I am with, or what time it is – Jesus is the Answer. His life is my example. His words are my guide. His presence is my joy. His blood is my salvation. His love is my lifeline. Too often I settle for writing that answer in one place. Someone with more vision knew I needed to see it over and over. Jesus is the Answer – every time, for everyone, everywhere.