Casandra Martin

It came as a quiet, hurried phone call. “Please pray. Pray right now.” The tension in my friend’s voice was obvious. Stress was fracturing peace. The jagged pieces of broken hearts were shredding joy. Tears flowed with such ferocity that it made it difficult to breathe. Drowning in a sea of desperation and despair, my friend sent up an SOS – please pray.

My heart jumped into my throat even as I fell to my knees. I prayed. I prayed hard. I struggled with a desire to do more than pray. I wanted to help, ease the pain, find a solution, or open a closed door. Anything to heal the situation in which I heard my friend’s heart breaking.

Walking through these days of prayer, God reminded me of a precious truth. Prayer is the first, best gift we can give to those we love. There is nothing more powerful than inviting God into the circumstances that challenge us. There is no better answer than asking the Lord to move in the ways He knows are best.

God stands in the middle of our homes, workplaces, friendships, and churches. He knows our struggles, sees our tears, understands our fears, and witnesses our worries. Prayer asks God to unleash His power, unfold His purpose, and unveil His presence in our days. It pleads with Him to take what we cannot control, and bring it under His sovereignty and into His light.

My Jesus Resolution today is engage the power of prayer. Prayer’s potency doesn’t flow from our words, our faith, or our timing. The power of prayer is rooted in the power of God to intervene in our lives. Prayer acknowledges our dependence and deep need for grace. It speaks a profound truth into our hearts that God is able enough, faithful enough, loving enough, and mighty enough to change what seems to be unchangeable, answer what appears unanswerable, and move the seemingly immoveable. Prayer changes things because prayer changes people. Starting with me.

I just returned from an amazing adventure. I got to go to Israel and walk in the places where Jesus walked. It was a soul-stirring, imagination-expanding, heart-stretching, faith-infusing journey.

The colors, textures, details, and dimensions of everything I saw are still sinking in. I walked in the shepherd’s field and imagined angels singing about the arrival of Immanuel. I sat on the teaching steps in the temple and listened to His voice call once again for my heart. I dipped my toes in the Sea of Galilee. I wept in the Garden of Gethsemane, hung my head and grieved at Golgotha, and rejoiced in the entrance of the empty tomb.

There is a richness and depth of understanding that flows from being able to see the land that felt His footsteps and heard His voice. But it was its familiarity that took me by surprise.

I have walked in the Holy Lands before. Even though this was the first time to have an Israeli stamp in my passport, I have visited this country many times. So have you. Every time we open our Bibles, we walk where He walked. We visit the temple each time we read through the Psalms, pray with Solomon, stand with Ezra, or walk with Peter. This wasn’t the first time that I have wept in Gethsemane, walked the steps to Caiaphas’ house, or stood in wonder on the Mount of Olives. The hills around Galilee have our footprints as deeply embedded in its soil as it does Christ’s. Each time we read His Word, we walk in His steps and take a faith journey destined to change us forever.

My Jesus Resolution today is to visit the Holy Land…again. I am going to open my Bible and pay attention to the landscape that takes shape in its pages. The mountains are real. The wilderness is desolate and demands dependence. The Jordan River flows through the land, testifying to God’s faithful promises. The palms of En Gedi stand in sharp contrast to the starkness of the Dead Sea, reminding me of the power of Living Water. Walking the Holy Land invites me to walk with the Holy One, and that is what the journey is all about.

We are in the midst of hurricane season on the Gulf Coast. June 1 – November 30th marks the time period in which our eyes watch the Atlantic for the next hurricane. The weather man with the most hurricane experience becomes our best friend. We follow hurricane preparedness procedures, stocking up on water, nonperishable supplies, batteries, and plywood. What starts out as a little disturbance off the coast of Africa has the potential to devastate lives here at home.

Watching a hurricane build in the ocean brings tension, fear, and stress. We hold our breath as storms roar across the waters, building strength and causing devastation. Hurricanes cause fear because there is nothing we can do about them. They are out of our control. We can prepare, stock up supplies, even evacuate, but ultimately, the storm unleashes its fury and we are helpless.

Hurricanes are a good picture of the other storms that track across our lives. Sometimes we can see them coming, we hold our breath and hope they swing around us. Other times the clear, sunny skies don’t give us a clue that powerful winds and strong rains are about to test the very foundations of our hearts.

Faith allows us to see the storms differently – whether a big hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico or a powerful storm brewing in our lives. God is in control. There is no storm that can shake Him or wind that can push Him aside. Our faith and hope can rest securely in the hands of our Lord. God is bigger than all of our storms. No matter its size, no matter its intensity – God is our shelter and the anchor of our faith.

My Jesus Resolution today is to remember that God is in control. He is bigger than any storm that comes my way. I want to anchor myself in His love, let the inexhaustible supply of His grace fill my heart, and let His peace have reign over my soul.

George Washington said it best. “It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.”

America is a special nation. It has a unique position in the world, and with that comes a profound set of privileges and responsibilities. Its influence makes it a world power with the ability to communicate the ideals of freedom and equality in ways unheard of in previous times. Its economic base fuels stability throughout the world. Its work ethic, ingenuity, and ability to see opportunity in every situation provide hope and foster confidence around the globe.

Because of its deep influence and potential to reach into the hearts of people around the world, America needs to set its compass with care. Our first president understood the need to lead in the direction set by God. Recognizing God’s place in our land is essential to maintaining the freedom we cherish. The Bible is a roadmap to answering our deepest struggles, honoring our most valued ideals, and providing the light we need to move forward into the future.

What is true for a nation is true for its citizens. The heart of a country is most deeply grounded in the hearts of its people. If we want to be a nation that walks with God, we must be a people who walk with God. If we desire for our country to be guided by the Bible, we must be a people who live out its words. If we long for America to be a light to all nations, we must each learn to shine with the light of His truth in our own lives.

My Jesus Resolution today is to take my citizenship seriously. Governing a nation isn’t somebody else’s responsibility. It is my responsibility to live in the way I want my leaders to govern. If I want the Bible to be the foundation of my country, it needs to be the foundation of my life. If I want God to lead my nation, I need to surrender my heart to His rule. Valuing our independence is best done by recommitting myself to dependence on God.

“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” – Psalm 90:12

I let too much time slip through my fingers. I stay busy and productive, but too often I don’t embrace the gift of the moment as closely as I should. I am too busy looking ahead or examining what is behind and I miss the gifts of the present.

One remedy is to learn to count. Moses asks God to teach us how to number our days. Learning to count is the path to wisdom. Here are ten things to count today that will draw you closer to the heart of God.

1. Count your blessings.
2. Count the number of times you pray.
3. Count His answers.
4. Count the time you spend listening to His voice.
5. Count the amount of grace He bestows.
6. Count your friends and be thankful.
7. Count the ways you see His hand on your day.
8. Count the opportunities you have to serve, smile, and show someone Jesus
9. Count your heartbeats for one minute and be grateful for life, breath, and beauty.
10. Count the ways He is transforming you to look like Jesus.

My Jesus Resolution today is to count – count all the ways that He is touching my day, all the times that I see His fingerprints, all the moments in which the reality of His presence fills my soul, and all the opportunities He puts before me to be like Him. Learning to count in these ways will help me be wise. I will see differently. I will better understand the rhythm of His heart. It will help me walk closer, bow deeper, and surrender more quickly. Ready to count with me?

My friends are buying a new house. It is a blessing for their family and we have been excited to join them in waiting, watching, and preparing for the day to arrive when they can finally call it their own.

It has been interesting to walk with them as they prepare for “closing day.” As the moment draws nearer, the place where they are living now starts to be a little less “home.” Pictures come off the walls, boxes are packed, stuff is sorted and junk thrown out. Every day they long a little more for their new home and put a little bit of heart distance between them and they place in which they are now living.

Their anticipation has sparked my thinking. I love my home. It is filled with the people I love and things that bring me comfort and joy. This home, however, is never supposed to be more than a resting place. It is a temporary stop on my journey. Everything about this home I dwell in now should be designed to point me to what is truly home. Every plate should remind me of His provision. Every picture should point me to His beauty. Every quilt should enfold me in His comfort. I should live here, but anticipate there.

“Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling.” – 2 Corinthians 5:1-2

My Jesus Resolution is to look at my house differently. I want each room to teach me how to dwell with Him. I want the furniture to be places where I sit at His feet and rest in His presence. I want to remember that the stuff is just stuff and set my heart more fully on delighting in the richness of His love. Closing day is coming sooner or later. Am I ready to move?

Once Alfred Tennyson, the renowned English poet, was asked, “What is your greatest desire?” He answered, “A clearer vision of God.”

Tennyson’s answer humbles and inspires me. It has stuck with me for weeks now as I have read and prayed about God shaping the desires of my heart. His answer frames my deep need. A clearer vision of God is the greatest gift we could receive.

This is what Moses asked for on Mount Sinai. Standing with God, Moses pleads for a greater understanding of God’s heart and a deeper measure of God’s presence, but He doesn’t stop there. He says, “Now show me your glory.” – Exodus 33:18. The amazing thing is that God says yes.

When I ask for a clearer vision of God, He opens my eyes. As the fog of earthly things begins to lift, I can more clearly see the many ways He touches my days and the vibrant power He pours into my life. His nature takes on deeper hues of beauty as the richness of His character become clearer. His faithfulness is awesome. His love is unfathomable. His grace is deep and rich. His compassion never fails. Seeing Him with clearer vision changes the way I walk through my day. My thoughts take different paths. My mouth talks about different things. My choices are shaped by what I see in Him.

Longing for a clearer vision of God opens my heart. God shows Moses His glory and Moses bows to the ground at once and worships. There is no other response. Worship flows from a heart that catches a clearer vision of God. Adoration overflows, confession drives us to our knees, redemption lifts us up, and wonder pushes back the boundaries of our imagination. Transformation is the inevitable result of a heart bowed in surrender.

My Jesus Resolution today is to ask for a clearer vision of God. I want to see His glory. I want to be changed by His presence and shaped by His power. I want to see Him and let that vision help me see everything else. God always says yes to those who want more of Him. The request will take us places we have never asked to see or imagined were there. Take a deep breath, get ready to be amazed, and ask, “Now show me your glory.”

What was the best gift you ever received? Stop and think about that moment. Can you remember the day? How you felt when you opened it? The face of the person who gave it to you? I don’t know if your favorite gift was extravagant or homemade. Maybe it was a small gesture or a grand presentation. It could have been a moment of quietness or a time of great festivity. Whatever gift you received, it probably isn’t the “what” that made it special. It was the “who”. Someone took an extra measure of time to think about you. They put thought and care into choosing something that spoke straight to your heart. The gift said something about how special your relationship is and how they value you and what you share together. Something about that special gift revealed a sacrifice made by the one who gave it to you – a sacrifice of time, money, energy, creativity, or love. That is what makes it the very best gift of all. They gave themselves to you.

We usually view sacrifice in grand and noble terms – big moments, extravagant surrender. Sacrifice is simply a gift of yourself. We give ourselves because the person at the other end is worth it. We are willing to give more, go farther, and dig deeper to give another a glimpse of our hearts. That is what Jesus did for us. He gave us Himself because He thinks you are worth it. He went to extraordinary lengths to show you His heart. It was for pure love and deep joy that He offered Himself as the very best gift. He fills today with the gift of His presence.

My Jesus Resolution today is to take time to open the gestures of love He places in my path today. I don’t just want to enjoy the “what”. I want to look for the “Who,” and say thank you. His presence in my day will be the best gift ever.

God showed me something important about my heart this morning. My dog and I were out for our morning walk. We get up early, starting our rounds as the sun comes peeking over the horizon. My dog walks faithfully by my left side. She sticks close, and we enjoy the time together before the busyness of the day sets in.

Shelby (my dog) doesn’t like sprinklers. She was a rescue dog so we don’t know what happened in her past that made sprinklers the enemy, but she is terrified of them. She watches for them. She can hear the sound of a sprinkler turning on a half a block away. And she goes out of her way to avoid them.

Walking early in the morning inevitably means we encounter sprinklers. This morning, the gushing of a sprinkler sent Shelby scrambling. She moved from my left side to my right side. Not a big move from her perspective, but for me it was scary. A car was coming up fast on my right side.

Shelby is okay, but God used the moment to teach me an important lesson. How many times do I scramble to avoid something that makes me uneasy, only to move into a far more dangerous situation? God wants me to stay by His side. Sometimes He has me walk into circumstances that I would rather avoid because walking another way would not be what is best for me. I grumble and complain about the sprinkler, while God has His eye on the speeding car.

My Jesus Resolution today is to trust God in the sprinkler moments of life. In walking by His side, I will always be safe. He will lead me the right way. He will guide my steps and guard my paths. He is watching out for my best, moving me in the way that is going to bring me closer to His heart. I might have to walk through a sprinkler today, but I am going to trust God’s perspective rather than listening to my own wisdom. I would rather get a little wet with God, than try to walk it on my own.