Home Cookin

One of the greatest things about the holidays is that we get to be at home around our families. Like most everyone else, we stoke the fire, hang up the stockings, and wait to see the magic of Christmas morning.

This year more than ever, I think I was most thankful for how God has blessed our summer work and stood over Kanakuk as we continue to follow His lead. We needed Him to confirm the work of our hands here and He most certainly did.

As I sit in front of our fire and reflect tonight, I am particularly thankful for the leadership of the White Family, the Goodwins, and the Coopers. They are the real life heroes of this past year as they have followed the Lord and paved the way for us to follow their lead. We couldn't do what we do without them directing and serving like they do.

Thanks for being a part of all that the Lord is doing here. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers. Thanks for being a part of the family that celebrates the true meaning of Christmas and gives God the glory He deserves.

Christmas Eve

Hebrews 11 and 12 reminds me that many men and women of the faith endured a lot for their faith, including Jesus, who willingly and joyfully chose to come to earth to suffer.... for me, and, for you.
There are many men who tried to play the role of "god," but only one God who would become a man.
The Rapps will remember such an unbelievable Savior Jesus Christ!
Thanks be to God for all of our blessings this Christmas!
Merry Christmas to each of you.

Kanakuk Train Ride!

All aboard the Polar Express! The Rapp family had their very first train experience as we boarded the Branson Scenic Railway on a magical journey to the North Pole to find Santa Claus. The boys loved it, and so did mom and dad. We got to go with other Kanakuk families and dominated most of an entire train car!

The train employees put on a pretty good show with singing, book reading, lots of smiles, cookies and hot chocolate. The story of The Polar Exress came to life as we toured Hollister, the Branson Landing, and the Trail of Christmas Lights just west of downtown Branson.

And we did find Santa!

Do you believe?

Well, i'm not sure about Santa, cause I saw him at the Branson Landing, and he was a different guy. I think Santa is just a made up story to make the holiday season fun. I know that's kind-of out there, but that's my conspiracy theory.

But I believe that 2000 years ago God sent his only Son away from Heaven.

God, became a fragile human on earth,

As a gift to every man, woman, boy and girl.

That whoever believes in Him, shall experience abundant life...

Forever.

Sign me up.

Glory to God!

It All Adds Up

I am thoroughly convinced that life comes down to little things. Over time, good or bad, the little things will always end up coming together to act as a catalyst for the bigger and more important. If you have been around KWest very much, you no doubt have heard Luke 16:10 quoted often, "He who is faithful in a little thing, is faithful also in much..."

This weekend, I was once again reminded that the "little" does add up over time. Long time Kanakuk kamper Austin Jarrett made enough of his shots this past week to secure his 1,000 point (check the picture above). As you look at his form, you can see muscle memory has taken over and shooting form looks text book perfect. He put in hours of practice and court time doing the little things correctly to achieve that goal. It was no doubt a sweet moment for him, his family, and his team.

With Christmas just around the corner, we will all get into the mode of checking off our holiday traditions. This past year, we have all invested in little things along the way and they have turned into habits or have been woven into the fabric of our character. One thing I pray that all of us have as a part of our lives on a daily basis is a grateful heart. Whether you're a parent, camper, or staff, I hope this year has been filled with daily "thanks" focused on the Lord, and with others.

As the Christmas rush picks up and things get crazy, remember that the small things, like taking time to tell people at the over crowded checkout line "thank you and Merry Christmas" helps both your heart and theirs.

I am grateful for the "little baby" who God gifted to us for salvation. Over time, that tiny baby has acted as a catalyst for a world changing love. It is what we celebrate every day of our lives with thankfulness and purpose.

So remember this holiday season, be faithful and grateful for the little baby boy who was given with a much bigger and more important reason that we could ever imagine.

When $11 becomes a million

A woman who works in our office here at Kamp is married to a pastor of a very small church near Branson. This sweet, godly, grandparent couple has struggled this year as the husband had heart surgery a few months ago, and has struggled to fully recover.

One day this week a robber came into their home, stole $900 cash that was being saved for a Christmas purchase, and also their computer. His wife came to work yesterday in great distress. It is maddening to me how someone could do such a thing to this couple!

Last night, I was doing a devo with my boys and mentioned needing to pray for this family who suffered the theft. After we prayed and were tucking the boys in bed, Connor runs to his bank and pulls out all the money he has--- $11, and gives it to us, saying, “I want to help them out to.” Bronwyn asks, “Connor, are you sure you want to give all this? You certainly don’t have to give anything.” Connor responds, “I know mom, I want to. If I was in their shoes, I would be feeling really bad right now.”

When i presented the small monetary gift to the woman, she cried and said that it felt more like a million dollars. It really helped the pain this couple was feeling about their loss. A small act of 11 dollars taught all of us a great lesson; Things of earth don't really matter all that much. People are pretty important. Thanks, Connor for the incredible lesson of love and compassion.

Help, Hands, and Hope

Saturday we had a chance to help.

Saturday we had the opportunity to lend a hand.

Saturday we had the chance to share some hope.

Saturday we had fun...

In the normal flow of life, this time of year it's hard to find time to do much extra. With Christmas parties, shopping, extra events around town, and the Holiday rush, things seem to be crazy.

Saturday all of that stopped.

First Baptist Church here in good old Branson partnered up with Convoy of Hope out of Springfield to pass out 5,000 bags of groceries to folks who needed a little hope, help, and a hand. Not only was it fun, it was life changing...for those who came in need and for those of us who helped.

I had the opportunity to sit, talk, listen, and pray with a man who had been in prison for 16 years, an unmarried and pregnant 15 year old, three young adults who all needed work, a 14 year old girl heavily involved in the Wiccan cult, and another young man who was unmarried with a child and struggling to start over. All of them needed a hand, and all of them needed some hope.

As my partner Chris and I teamed up to listen, we joined over 275 others who provided food, medical help, fun and candy for kids, and at the root of it all, the hope of the gospel. I can't imagine a better way to spend a Saturday in December. That's what Christmas is really all about.

Honestly, unless my pastor would have stopped me long enough to think about it, I am not sure I would have slowed down. I have a long list of things to do on Saturday and not much free time(broken cars, wood to cut, chores and errands, not to mention two kids with basketball games). I am glad that he did though. It really did give me perspective. It helped me capture the real meaning of Christmas and live it.

Don't miss keeping the gospel at the center these next few weeks. Helping others with our hands and with a message of hope is where we need to be spending our time every day.

Life in the faith lane

I’ve heard some stories recently that are inspiring me. I am excited to share one with you because if you are like me, you can always use a little inspiration! The stories are of ordinary people who are in situations where they can either trust and obey God--- even though it may be embarrassing, or they can just sit and struggle, and be anxious, and hope for good fortune to come along. A believer exercises faith; A non-believer exercises hope, at best. (Hmmmm. How many times have I acted like a non-believer? A LOT!) That is what it means to be a hypocrite--- an actor, who acts like a non-Christian, but says he is a Christian. Like the disciples afraid that they may die in the boat when the storm hit, Jesus said, “Where is your faith?” That’s what I am asking myself, as I recognize how much I am like the disciples. I abhor the thought of my hypocrisy.

The story I'd like to share with you today happened at Kamp on opening day, 2010. The very first vehicle to arrive at K-2 was a kamp bus, pulling up to the back gate 20 minutes early. The bus driver decided to turn the bus off since it was too early to drive into Kamp. When it was time to pull in, he turned the key, but the bus wouldn’t start. After trying everything he could without success, the gravity of the situation was weighing heavy. His bus was blocking the gate on the one-lane back road into kamp, with dozens of cars, vans, and busses stuck with no place to drive, and no way out! The bus driver decided to ask the kampers and staff who were around to lay their hands on the bus and pray that God might start the bus. He then climbed in, turned the key, and it started, and opening day at K-2 began!

There are other stories to tell, but I won’t take any more of your time. I’ll let you make your own stories of faith. That’s MUCH more fun than just hearing them. Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Take a chance—exercise your faith. You’ll never experience a greater sense of being alive, and your relationship with God will seem more real than ever!

Overwhelmed

This past week was a good one to be Overwhelmed.

As we all step back into school, work, or whatever our role on the ship of life might be, we faced some Thanksgiving waves that could not only have overwhelmed us, but sank our boat quickly if we were not careful. Let me explain.

Did you get "Overwhelmed by football?" As our family watched one final game on Sunday night, all of us realized that we had sat in front of our flat screen and taken in more football games than humanly possible in a 4 day period. It's unreal how they are all timed so well that you view one right after another and never have to get off of the couch. Just when you think you have a break, ESPN throws in some holiday hoops. It was a never ending stream of good games to see but when is enough a enough?

Were you overwhelmed by "Black Friday?" Just for kicks, our family drove around Branson on Thursday night (just to get out of the house and away from football) to see who was out there waiting. At Walmart, it was a madhouse. They were open and people were lined up in the electronics and toy department like the starting line of White Rock Marathon in Dallas. At Best Buy, people were camped out in make shift tents by the door and sitting in chairs with their winter coats on to stay warm. One family had even parked their RV 10 yards from the front door in anticipation of the 5am sale price on the IPad. Are you for real?

If you weren't disciplined, you might have succumbed to being overwhelmed by food. Were you? Due to the size of turkeys now a days, they can last 3-4 days and if they don't, the sweet potato casserole and the pecan pie do. We might just concede that it will go bad so someone has to eat it and it might as well be us because it is so good.

And the list could go on and on.
Non stop football. Non stop shopping. Non stop eating... are you overwhelmed or what?

Regardless of what happened during your last week, I hope you were overwhelmed by God's goodness in your life and acknowledged that all you have and experience comes from His hand. James 1:17 says "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow."

Our family is tackling some memory work in James this week and he quickly reminds us of what we truly need to be overwhelmed with in our lives: Him.

God is sovereign and will not change. God desires to give us good things and perfect gifts...we just have to take the time to recognize what we have and how we received them.

Be overwhelmed with thankfulness as your start this week and keep your focus on Christ being the centerpiece of this next month. Don't miss a single opportunity to be overwhelmed by His love for you.

Numbers I am thankful for...

I heard my pastor share in church this weekend a message on the "Thanksgiving Chair." The point of his sermon was stopping to consider what we need to be thankful for, not only just good things, but the difficult things as well.

I wanted to stop and consider what to be thankful for in this past year and I thought numbers would be a good way for me to remind myself. Here is what I am thinking today:

• 896 That's the number of Kwest kids who are already signed up for the summer of 2011. I am excited that God continues to give us that privilege of having a blast with Jr. High kids while we share the gospel
• 60,233 The number of miles that our Camry has on it as of this week. That might seem like a lot but considering our other cars all have close to or over 100k miles, its the best we have in our stable. It was a new addition this past week.
• 25 Thanksgiving day happens then and so does Beth's birthday. It reminds me of how blessed I really am to have her as my wife and how grateful I am for all that the Lord has given me.
• 110 the number of full time folks Kanakuk has assembled to help this place go and that just happens to be the greatest team of all time (who cares about the '72 Dolphins)
• 45 according to the US Dept of Agriculture, that's how many million turkeys will be eaten over the thanksgiving holidays here in the US...glad to know that we contribute to that number and grateful to have some with mash potatoes
• 1,000,000 goal set by my spiritual father Richard Beach by God's grace he would be able to lead to the Lord (it may have just happened too) as we celebrated his passing weeks ago
• 10 number of days I had to wear a huge bandage on my nose when I broke it earlier this year...glad it wasn't any longer
• 12 the amount of weeks last summer that were arguably our greatest in the history of Kanakuk's 84 years
• 100 percentage that God gets credit for as far as everything and anything that happened last year in my life and through Kwest and Kanakuk

I could add many, many, many more. I am so grateful for all of the good, the bad, and the ugly because no matter what comes my way, I know it has purpose and has come through the hands of God. To Him be the glory for it all.

The Final Episode: K-West 2010 K-Life Video Series

Ready for the final episode of the 2010 Summer K-West K-Life Video series?
I'll give you the links to all three episodes.
Who will prevail? Ironman, Avi, and Troy? or Syndrome and Dr. Doofenschneitzel?

Episode 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL-DTdmSqr8
Episode 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAarkN2aAgE
Episode 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azm7hsN4nKc

Year of the Longhorn

I know it is a horrible year for the Texas Longhorn football team and their fans, but it's always good to be a Longhorn. I know that many of you beg to differ, but to each his own. I just wanted you all to know that this summer, we shall have some excellent staff, as usual. I'm excited to tell you that the University of Texas has more applicants this year than in the last 3 years combined. That hopefully means that there will be more staff from the University of Texas than we've had in a long time.
So, please leave your comment below if you are excited with this news!
I'd like to leave you with a verse that often gets mis-represented by the Aggies of Texas A & M.
Psalm 75:10 "... the horns of the righteous will be lifted up."
There's hope and there's a good future for those who live in the fear of the Lord.
and there's always next year for the Longhorns!

Like Father....Like Son

This past summer I shared a story about Jordan Romero, a 13 year old boy who was the youngest to ever climb Mt. Everest. It was amazing to me what a Junior High kid could do when he set his mind to something...thanks to his dad and a team of Sherpas.


Well this week in the news, it appears that a nine year old will soon attempt to break his record. Pemba Dorje Sherpa (smile for all those kwest folks) holds the world record for the fastest climb up Everest and is pictured here with his son Tseten, who is set to make the trek himself. Why? It's amazing what a son can do when he sees the picture lived out in his father.

As I travel around on the movie tour I am always reminded of how real that truth becomes when faith is lived out day to day....especially by a dad who understands. I recently stayed with a family whose kwest age kampers were the most polite, gracious, I'm Third kids I have been around. When you see kids living it out on the home front, you know it's real. I am not surprised though. They have a good example to follow in their home. It's not just talked about...it's lived out.

Jesus was the same way. He constantly looked to His Father for direction and was step for step with Him every moment he walked on the earth. Hard to imagine for me some times, but I do know it's true. I am thankful for His example as a Son living like His Father. It makes a difference in how I lead my sons...

Daily Savings Time

I’m so happy to hear that on Saturday night, we get to set our clocks back and get an extra hour in our schedule! I love maximizing my time, which, I’m beginning to see, isn’t always a good thing. For me, it means that I will wait until the last minute to get to a meeting. Or, I will only allow myself just enough time to leave the house to make it on time to the dentist, with no time to spare. I get a rush (pun intended :) ) out of timing things perfectly, with no wasted time.

My clock is changing.

I now understand a better way to run my schedule. There have been books and articles on this subject; often referred to as “margins”… allowing margins of time in-between our daily events in our schedules. Hurriedness, or lack of margins, opens the door to stress, worry, anger, accidents, and tardiness (which demonstrates disrespect toward others.) Hurriedness disallows opportunities to be obedient to the Holy Spirit. For instance, if I time my trip to the dentist with perfect timing---with no margin of time for something else to happen along the way, then I will not have time to stop and help the lady with the flat tire. Or, I will forego an opportunity to speak with a person in the parking lot whom I know needs to know the love of the Lord!

My time is the Lord’s, and I need to allow time space in my schedule to allow for the unexpected opportunities that the Lord can use me. If I am to hear from the Lord and be moved by the Holy Spirit, I need to not be rushed! Busy-ness often blocks us from being moved and controlled by the Lord. We can hear the Lord much better when we aren’t rushed, can’t we?

Set your clock back, too. Not just this weekend, but EVERY day. We’ll be surprised at how much more rewarding and enjoyable our days become!

Happy Halloween Opportunity

As a parent, moments like these are what you long for your kids to experience... Opportunities for kids to live out the truths of scripture. Just up the street is an older woman who lost her husband about 10 years ago to a heart attack. She is sometimes very sweet, and other times completely opposite. One time my friend parked on the street in front of her house, and she yelled out to him, "I hope your car blows up and you're still in it!"
Yesterday she had a tree fall down in her yard, so another neighbor friend of mine and our young boys went over there to cut the wood into small pieces and stack it for her to use in her fireplace. I used my chainsaw and my 5, 7, and 8 year old sons carried the wood and stacked it in a nice pile. It took us about 30 minutes. Afterward, i gathered everyone together and told them that what they did was doing exactly what the Bible tells us to do as Christians: Taking care of widows. It isn't going to church that makes you a Christian, but loving others. I asked them, "Videogames are fun, but not nearly as fun as doing this, are they? And, we sure made our neighbor happy, didn't we?" They all shook their heads in agreement. I don't think they'll forget this lesson. Living lessons like this tend to stick with you, and the scripture hits home. We really did have a Happy Halloween!

The Man

A few months ago, the fellas pictured above jumped in a van and left Branson with one purpose in mind: have the chance to see our old friend Richard Beach.

Richard is, for all practical purposes, "the man." I wouldn't say that about many that I have met in my life, but I will say it about Rich.

He was the man who showed me how to evangelize others. His wit and humor enabled him to melt even the hardest hearts as he always seemed to find common ground with every stranger that crossed his path. He led so many to Christ.

He was the man that taught me about discipleship. His friendship and leadership over his lifetime produced countless followers that will ending up lining the crowns he lays at the feet of Jesus.

He was the man who taught me how to do kamp. He was my first director at K1 and was also the man who interviewed and hired me after meeting him on a basketball court during a retreat.

He was the man who stood the closest to me when I said my vows with my wife over two decades ago. He reminded me to never loose the "wow" I was feeling that day and I can honestly say that I haven't.

He was the man to his wife Marsha and to his three kids, not to mention his grandchildren. He honored and loved so them so well.

In the middle of my sons basketball game today I received a call from a friend informing me that Richard had succumbed to cancer. He had battled like a champ and the Lord took him home.

I call Richard my spiritual dad. He was the man in my life in so many ways, and next to my own father, he has impacted me and helped lay a foundation of vision for ministry.

I miss the man.

Kanakuk K-West "TV to Life" Episode #2

Look out for Darth Hunter! He's got the Jedi death grip that'll choke ya!


It's superhero time at the Rapp house! Well, pretty much everyday is superhero time at the Rapp house. We have about 15 different superhero costumes. Besides Superman and Batman, we have Ninja Turtles, Thor, and even the little known Sportacus, from a show called "Lazy Town." But at this time, our favorites are the Star Wars characters. Todd and Bronwyn made the mistake of allowing the boys to view a Star Wars movie this summer. It's a mistake because they got HOOKED and Star Wars conversations never cease! They know twice as much about the characters and plot than I do. They have Star Wars Legos. We have checked out library books, and netflix rentals. It's nuts. So if you ever want to discuss Star Wars, my kids are ready for you.
Speaking of Superheroes, I've attached the next episode of the "TV to Life" video series from this summer.
Click on the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAarkN2aAgE for Episode 2!

Enjoy!

Todd

Wow...the Sweetness Continues

22 years ago at this moment, Beth and I were just finishing our vows standing at the alter of a church in Kansas City. Tom Ryan and Richard Beach had helped officiate our covenant of marriage. It was fun. It was serious. It was holy. It was....well, what we had dreamed it would be...the perfect day.

Two of my favorite memories continue to make me smile when I think back to that historic event. The first is that we were married at 11am on a Saturday morning. Why in the world would anyone get married in the morning? My bride reminds me that my only input into our wedding plans was that I just wanted to wake up, brush my teeth, and then get married. She humbly complied with my request. I have to laugh. It did make things easy.

The second thing I remember was Richard Beach encouraged us that day to never loose the sense wonder and "Wow!" that we were feeling as we nervously stood in front of friends and family. Let me assure you, it was a "wow" experience that day and it has continued to be "wow" year after year. I wish I had time to tell all of the stories.

There are a couple of things I am particular thankful for when I mull over our marriage and all that has happened. Primarily I am grateful that the Lord has been the center and the foundation of our friendship. We have had joy, trials, great times, and tough times and in it all, the Lord has carried us every step of the way.

The other is my wife's unselfishness. I may be guilty of being a "glass is half full" guy at times, but I am married to a friend whose glass is "always full" which is how she views all of life.

Wow...22 years and counting. All I can say is thank you Lord and thank you Beth. By the grace of those two, we will never stop being amazed and experiencing "Wow!"

Episode 1: K-West K-Life Summer Video Series

Looking for a little Kamp during the winter? Well, you've come to the right place. We want to keep Kamp going on via this blog all year long. So tell your friends about this, and let them jump in. The latest thing we've got for you is the first episode of our K-Life video from this summer. Remember Avi, Troy and Gabriella, Iron Man and Iceberg? It's called, "TV to Life,"and you can watch it by clicking on the youtube link below.
Stay tuned for episodes 2 and 3 to be posted at a later date!
Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL-DTdmSqr8

Feeling Renewed!

Feeling down? Loosing Sleep? Is your balance off and your muscles a little weak? I have just what you need!

I keep seeing advertising for this miracle band that you slip on your wrist and you get instant results that literally change things about your physical health, balance, and even your sleep. Pretty amazing if you ask me especially since it's only $19.95...and that's for two of them! Trust me...I will never trust those claims.

This fall, I have had a couple of things happen to me that literally have made me feel "renewed." One was at the end of kamp when I was given a new bike by the Kwest staff for my birthday. I was blown away. I have ridden bikes for quite some time, but never a bike like this one. In the past month or so, I have logged around 500 miles. I feel like I have new energy every time I get on the bike. I am so thankful. Not just for the bike, but friends like Allen who made it all happen.

A second event that happened a few weeks ago that lit my fire on a Friday afternoon at a neighborhood home. Some of the directors had agreed to gather and help out a mom that was hurting and needed all kinds of assistance with yard work, electrical, plumbing, and hosts of other little "honey dos." I felt more energized and full of life after serving and helping for the afternoon than I have in years. It was such a blessing.

Stopping to be thankful for friends can be renewing for all of us. Getting our I'M THIRD apron on and serving others in the name of Christ can lift us to levels we never dreamed. It's what Christ calls us to do and I know ultimately that's the best.

Do you want to feel renewed? Ask God to show you how you can serve someone today or this week.

This miracle band's website does have a disclaimer. It says "MAY promote strength...MAY promote balance...MAY increase endurance." Finding strength, listening for balance, and asking for help to persevere with my hope in Christ will ALWAYS leave me feeling renewed. I think I will skip buying the band and stick to the Word.

K-West Staff Rendezvous in Dallas

Good times in Dallas were had by all when we met for a Reunion of our staff last night. Thanks to all who made the journey! Here's a pic of some of those who were able to make it. We had tons of give-away prizes, including some skit clothes and a pair of old snow skis! Everyone left with at least one thing from the Kanakuk store, like Luke with his new yellow Kamp shirt displayed above. The group was blessed to be the first ever audience of the brand new 2010 Kanakuk Highlight film, which went over with rave reviews.

Lots of candy, ping pong, billiards and drinks, but the best part was fellowshipping with some really wonderful kamp friends.

Erin Groth made it from Waco! What a joy. Carter had the time of his life! The only Rapp boy who could come. He stayed up until about 10:30pm, then crashed on the couch with his backpack on! Thanks to everyone who was able to come! There were actually 2 guys that had flown in from Duke to join us!

Slow Down...Work Ahead

Our new bridge at the end of Lakeshore Drive is taking forever to build. As I rode my bike yesterday I passed through the construction area and a sign flashed, "Slow Down...Work Ahead." "Who has time to slow down?" I thought to myself. Even on my bike I try to pedal a little faster just to see my mph flash on the radar sign. Those nagging signs have been there for months and are just slowing down anyone who drives by.

I was working with one of our staff this past week and had the chance to listen to how crazy their school schedule had been and how little spare time they actually had to be still. It seemed like every second of the day was already preplanned for them. Anybody relate to that one?

Philippians 1:6 says "For I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you, will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."

Have you and I thought lately about the fact that we need to slow down our life long enough to allow God to work? After all, we are in the process of becoming more like Christ every day the sun rises, but if our heart isn't set up to be a construction zone, we could be in trouble.

Here are a few things to slow down and check:

• Have you thanked God lately for how He is at work molding and shaping you to be more like His Son? If not, tell Him now and stop long enough to consider His work. We will be a finished product when Christ returns. Until then, be patient and teachable.


• Do you have a time built into your schedule every day where you can sit for a few minutes and be still before the Lord? We all have 86,400 seconds in a day. Some of those should be set aside to be quiet. Schedule and keep it.


• Slow down long enough to recognize that God is at work in you and through you. Don't miss the opportunity to love someone today by just taking an extra minute to ask how they are doing and what you can pray for.

This past week in church, I was reminded of my private disciplines that no one else sees (giving, praying, and fasting). Private disciplines are just what they mean: private...things that no one else sees (or should see). We practice these things without an audience and as we do, we are rewarded by God. The reward is that our faith will grow because we see His hand at work and trust more.

Slow down, there is work ahead in your life. Stop running so fast, look to the Lord, and listen to what He is trying to tell you. He is working at building you into Christ likeness. Shift down, put on the brakes at some point today and consider how God is at work. Don't miss the flashing signs. They are there to help.