New Season, Same Promise: You’re Not Alone
Hi Dream Makers Community,
Happy Fall! We’re thinking about you and cheering you on as so many of you have begun a new semester of school or a new job this month. We pray that God blesses you abundantly as you continue to take positive steps towards your dreams.
As the fall season begins, I’m thinking about each of you who I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with–what you’ve been through, the challenges you face every day, how you’re fighting for a better life, how you’re believing that your pain can be healed and transformed. You are a beautiful and unique group of humans, and I know I’ve said it before, but I want you to hear it again and again from me: you’re doing an amazing job!
And while your resiliency and hard work are remarkable and worthy of celebration, it’s on my heart today to encourage you that you don’t have to do it alone, and you don’t have to be strong all of the time. Weakness is not a sign of failure; it’s a sign that you’re human, and we were not created to bear the weight of the world on our shoulders. God created us specifically with a capacity to need Him–His Love, His strength, His help, His forgiveness, and His peace. We were made by Him and for Him.
An early Church Father, named St. Augustine, said, “You have made us for yourself, God, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in You.”
Jesus gives us the best possible invitation in Matthew 11. He says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Wait, that sounds totally different from what you might expect, right? Wouldn’t God Himself be more like, “get yourself cleaned up and come to me strong and holy.” Nope. Not the God of the Bible. This invitation from Jesus speaks to the reality I shared before–that we are made to need Him.
Instead of requiring strength, the invitation of Jesus is to come to Him in honesty: tired, burnt out, weak, needy, burdened. And his promise in return? Real rest. Peace that lasts. Freedom from guilt and shame. A friend who stays.
I don’t know where you are today or what you think about God. Maybe you’re angry at Him for the life you’ve had. Maybe you’re confused about who He is or where He is. Maybe you love Him, and all of this resonates deeply in your heart. Regardless of where you are in your spiritual journey, I pray this offers you hope today.
There’s a lot I don’t know, but I can tell you with all of my heart that you are desperately loved by God. He wants to have a relationship with you and invites you today to come as you are.
Keep this prayer graphic as an encouragement by right-clicking and saving it to your photos!
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