Casandra Martin

I like to watch those home renovation shows. It is always fun to see how drab and dreary becomes bright, functional, and beautiful.

My favorite moment is “the reveal.” That is when the designer takes the family into the home and unveils the finished project. The family has been a part of the process from the beginning. They examined the plans, got covered in dust, and have tired muscles from moving and lifting. Yet in the end, they are always surprised. There is a look of wonder on their faces as they soak in the entirety of the renovation.

Watching one of those shows with my daughter, we listened to the home owners complain about the debris, doubt the designers’ know-how, and question the value of the project. They whined about the wait, and were grumpy about unexpected hitches on the way. I turned and looked at my daughter. “Don’t they watch this show? The designer always makes it turn out beautiful in the end.”

I put my head in my hands and repented right there on the couch.

We are all under construction. God is working an extreme makeover in my heart. He is tearing out old motives, mismatched attitudes, broken dreams, and sin-stained perspectives. The Master Designer is realigning priorities, laying a solid foundation, cleaning out my junk, and installing new … everything. And just like those people on the show, I complain during the construction, doubting His wisdom, questioning His design, and grumbling about the timeline.

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” – 1 John 3:2

My Jesus Resolution today is to trust my Designer. He has a vision for my life. He has a plan for my heart. He is taking the old, making it new, filling it beauty, and bringing to life His desire for my soul. Standing in the middle of the dust and debris, it is sometimes hard to see how His plan is unfolding. Instead of progress, I often see problems. But my Designer knows what He is doing. He has everything under control. There is often a mess before marvelous. I can’t wait for the big reveal.

This week our hearts weep with the people of Charleston, South Carolina. A man walked into a church, sat in a Bible study, and then murdered nine people. It is the stuff of nightmares. Within hours, authorities named this atrocity a hate crime. It is, no doubt, a crime driven by hate. Violence of this kind is always a hate crime. It doesn’t matter what your age, gender, race, or background, when this type of violence erupts, hate is the explosive behind the desperation and fear.

Christians have a unique opportunity as the news cycles and the world watches. This event can be defined by the hatred of one man or the love of Another. We can surround the community reeling from terrible loss with prayer or with rhetoric. We can love our neighbors or look at each other with suspicion. We can shake our heads while closing our doors or we can open our hearts while joining our hands. We can hold a grudge or do the impossible and love our enemy. Justice is necessary. Accountability is a must, but forgiveness is what will transform this tragedy into something that will speak to the world.

My Jesus Resolution today is to stand up and offer love, unlimited. It would feel safer to hide. It would be easier to cluck my tongue, shake my head, and wonder out loud where this world is headed. But Jesus doesn’t call me to safer and easier. He challenges me to answer hate with His love, fear with faith, violence with peace, and suspicion with an invitation to transformation. Wouldn’t it be something if this sad moment could be defined by the unity and love of Christians around the country rather than the misdirected hatred of one man?

Does it ever feel like you are spinning your wheels? Sometimes it feels like no matter how hard I try, I just can’t move forward. I feel stuck, or even worse, like I am losing ground. If you have ever been there with me, I want to speak this promise of God gently to your heart. “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

I love how this verse begins – with confidence. We can be sure that this is true. Even of me. Even today. Even with my mess. God is at work in me. He began His good work in me on the day I was baptized, and He will not give up. One thing is certain. God is no quitter. He is constantly moving, shaping, pursuing, knocking, transforming, renovating, and renewing us according to His love and His good purpose. This is good news!!

The good work He is working in me is nothing less than transforming me into the image of Jesus. Some days it is hard to believe. I look in the mirror and see flaws, sins, brokenness, stubbornness, and selfishness. How can His good take shape in a heart that struggles so much? His promise, however, is sure. Completion of His work in us is the result of His power, His determination, and His faithfulness – not mine. My only responsibility is to keep surrendering, keep repenting, keep watching, and keep trusting.

My Jesus Resolution today is to have confidence in the promises of God. I may feel stuck, but God is always moving. He has His eyes on me. He knows my heart, understands my fears, and works in my days. Often, I want transformation to happen quickly, but God wants it to happen deeply. I am going to trust God’s plan for me, knowing I can be sure that He loves me and is moving me forward in the way that brings Him glory.

If you read the newspaper or watch the news, it only takes a glance to realize that the world is filled with bad news.  It is easy to get depressed or discouraged as the media gives us a front row seat to the scary, horrible things happening all around us.

There is an old saying that says, “What happens in you is more important than what happens to you.” It is a reminder of a truth that often gets lost as life’s circumstances threaten to overwhelm us. The news is a report of what is happening around us. We talk to our friends about what happened during our day. Happiness is a byproduct of whether we’ve had a good day or a bad day. Rejoicing, on the other hand, focuses on the way that God is working in us as we move through our circumstances. The transformation that results from keeping your eyes on Him no matter what is the fuel for our joy. We can choose to worry about what is happening to us or we can choose to praise God for how He is working in us. Choosing joy celebrates how God is changing our hearts one moment at a time.

My Jesus Resolution today is to make a good news report. God is at work all around me. His grace has the power to seep into even the darkest places, providing light and hope. As I walk in my day, I want to make a note of the positive things that I see. I am going to pay attention to kindness, be awestruck by beauty, and celebrate someone lending a helping hand. There is bad in this world. But take heart, Jesus has overcome the world!

He was being a servant. Walking up and down the aisles at worship, this young dad was helping others remember the Lord through communion. He was doing a great job, but when he passed by, I almost burst out laughing. I was so tickled I poked my husband and pointed to our friend. All down one leg of his pants were stickers – rainbows, hearts, butterflies, you get the idea. He was covered in the imagination, affection, and creativity of his beautiful little daughter. His little girl wasn’t any place where I could see her, but it only took a glance to know that he had been in her presence.

What an amazing, holy moment.

This dad became a snapshot of what it means to walk with Christ. He was so covered in the love of his daughter that he gave and served without even realizing that her touch on him was recognizable. He was so used to being ‘stickered’ that he walked unashamed through his tasks, and unapologetic for the place his daughter holds in his life. He knew that it was more important to come back to his daughter with the stickers in place than to care what anyone else thought. She used him as a living illustration of surrender, and he proudly embraced the moment for the rest of us to see.

My Jesus Resolution today is to be just like that young dad. I want to be more concerned about wearing Jesus than impressing the world. I want others to see His fingerprints on my life, and notice the blessings of spending time in His presence. I long to live unashamed, unapologetic, and unwavering about who I belong to, who I want to be, and Who loves me. I want to live a ‘stickered’ life so that others can see Jesus when they see me.

I have a much loved old hymn speaking grace into my soul this morning. Will you sing with me?

“Count your blessings, name them one by one;

Count your blessings, see what God hath done;

Count your blessings, name them one by one;

Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.”

(words by Johnson Oatman)

One of the first things we learn to do as children is count. We practice and practice, learning to count higher and higher, and maybe there is a deeper wisdom in that than I had realized. Counting your blessings is a game changer, a perspective lifter, an eye-opener, a soul calmer, a smile inducer, and a peace infuser.

Sometimes, however, all I count are the “big” blessings – the ones that warm our hearts, fill our lives with joy, and brighten our days. Today, I want to encourage you to search out the blessings that may be a little more difficult to spot. These are the blessings that are wrapped in inconvenience, are tucked in a difficulty, or are hidden in a hard circumstance. I prefer my blessings to be wrapped in sunshine and topped with a bow, but the blessings that most deeply shape my heart are sometimes found in the things that require me to look beyond myself and surrender. It takes time, perspective, and maturity to search out these blessings, but when we find them, we see God’s hand and His heart in a whole new way.

My Jesus Resolution today is to count my blessings, all of my blessings. I want to keep my eyes open to all the ways God is present and working all around me. I want to be like a little child, counting higher and higher as I witness His wonders. I don’t want to miss the blessings that come in unconventional or uncomfortable packages. Today, let’s sing and count and number the mercies of our God.

Go look in the mirror. Take a long, hard look at the reflection you see. I know that it is easy to zero in on the things we don’t like or make us uncomfortable, but the truth is that you are looking at a miracle. Your eyes, your intellect, your fingerprints, your height, your gender, your heart, your toes, and your talents all have been touched by the hand of God.

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it full well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.” – Psalm 139:13-15

There is much in the news these days about people going to extreme lengths to be someone different than who God created them to be. There are times when we all wish we had different characteristics than the ones we have. It is easy to get stuck in a place where we spend our time wishing we were something we are not, or we can learn to live in the miracle of who we already are. You are a vessel created to uniquely reveal God’s glory to the world.

My Jesus Resolution today is to look in the mirror and see God at work. God created me for a purpose. He numbered my hairs, shaped my body, invested me with gifts and talents, and gifted me with a soul. I am not an accident or a mistake. When I embrace the reflection in the mirror, I am embracing the whole of who God made me to be.

“And He said to him, ‘Follow me.’” – Luke 5:27b

Did you ever play Follow the Leader? Follow the Leader is a simple enough game. One person is the leader, and the rest of the group follows in the leader’s steps. You can run, crawl, skip, jump, do loopity-loops, or tip-toe. The only rule is to do what the leader does. The leader sets the pace, determines the direction, and defines the movement of the group. Such a simple game, and such a hard way to live.

Walking with Jesus is as simple as following the Leader. All I really need to do is imitate Him. And yet I find so many ways to get off course. I get distracted and wander off on my own. I get stubborn and refuse to move. I get frightened and fret about taking the next step. I get impatient and want to step out in front. I get self-conscious and worry what others will think of the way I am walking.

Jesus knew that I would struggle with His call to follow Him. That is why He came to earth. That is why He gave me the Holy Spirit. That is why He connected me to His church. That is why He provided the Bible, the avenue of prayer, and the privilege of worship. Everything from His example to entering His presence helps me learn how to take the next step in following Him.

My Jesus Resolution today is to follow the Leader as I walk through my day. I am going to match my stride with His. I am going to stop where He stops, and run where He runs. Join me in following the Leader today. Let’s find joy in knowing that wherever we go, He is leading us deeper into the presence of God.

What is the most beautiful, breathtaking sight you have ever seen? A sky stuffed with stars? The endless waves of the ocean? The sun rising over the crest of a hill? Light shimmering like diamonds in the snow? The beauty of a lake hidden in the mountains? What do you see when you close your eyes and remember catching your breath in wonder? Moments when we catch a glimpse of God’s glory are moments that stick with us. They give us a peek into the amazing things we will see when we stand fully in His presence.

Now go look in the mirror. When God wants to show the world His power and glory, He shows them you. You are living, breathing evidence of His grace and His deep desire. As a sanctuary for His presence, God’s glory is revealed through you. When others see Jesus in you, they catch a glimpse of God’s purpose and love. Don’t underestimate your beauty or the way God is using you to teach others about His heart. I see Him in you all the time, and it takes my breath away.

My Jesus Resolution today is to be thankful for beauty. I am going to slow down today, and let the beauty around me soak in deep. God has planted beauty in the simple, ordinary, and the everyday so that I can catch my breath and catch a glimpse of Him. I am going to look for Him in the flowers outside my window, the warmth of my husband’s hand, the hugs of my children, the mess of blessings on the floor, and even in the mirror. Today I am going to take Ralph Waldo Emerson’s advice. He said, “Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God’s handwriting.”

I love my life. There is very little about who I am, where I am, or what I have that I would change. One thing that does color every one of my days, however, is my longing for heaven. Anticipation is a glorious burden. Philippians 3:20-21 reminds us that “our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to Himself.” Do you see it? We not only get to go to heaven, He is going to transform everything!

So many things here give us a peek into heaven, but there are some things that remind us that we live in a broken world.  Here is a list of ten everyday things that you won’t find in heaven.

1. Handicap parking spaces
2. Kleenex boxes
3. Medicine bottles
4. Obituaries
5. Light bulbs
6. Pain relievers
7. Laundry soap
8. Calendars
9. Bills
10. Smoke detectors

My Jesus Resolution today is to let the here and now help me focus on someday. The beauty of today allows me a glimpse into the glory of heaven. Every good and perfect gift comes from above, so those moments give us a taste of the wonderful things God is preparing for us. There are things, however, that should remind us that God has promised a new, whole, unbroken eternal life with Him. As I do my laundry today or reach for a Kleenex, I am going to smile, knowing that these things are temporary. I can’t wait.