What God Has Been Teaching Me, Pt. 1

What God Has Been Teaching Me, Pt. 1 (fixed)

What do you do when life throws you a curveball? It can be very difficult, but there are lessons we can learn during these long nights of the soul.

What God Has Been Teaching Me, Pt. 1

"The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters."

(Psalm 23:1-2)

It is good to be back and writing daily devotions. I appreciate all the guest authors we had over the last several weeks. God used these men and women to write words of wisdom and encouragement, and I hope you were blessed by them.

Ashley and I enjoyed a couple weeks of vacation in Alabama and Florida in August. One of the highlights for me was going to hear Andy Andrews speak at his studio in Orange Beach, AL. Andy has been called our modern-day Mark Twain. He writes in a way that touches people deep in their souls.

I have read many of his books, and while on vacation, I read another one that he wrote years ago but was new to me. The title of this book is The Heart Mender: A Story of Second Chances, a historical fiction novel that was so good it was hard to put down. Andy is a genuinely nice man who loves God and loves people. Here is a picture of Ashley, Andy, and me:

The title of this week's devotions is "What God Has Been Teaching Me". For six weeks in late July and August, I did not create any new content, be it sermons, devotions, or podcasts. I gave my mind a break. I continued to serve as pastor of our church in Austin, but we had guest preachers who came and preached powerful messages to our people. It gave me time to think, plan, hear from the Lord, and rest. Also, during this break from preaching and writing, I contracted COVID for the first (and I certainly hope last!) time. Psalm 23:2 says, "He makes me to lie down," and lie down I did... for ten days. I got a good dose of COVID but nowhere near what so many have experienced. Many have been hospitalized and others have died after getting this dreaded virus. I lost my taste and was very fatigued and congested, but each day, Ashley and I were able to walk (albeit slowly), get out of the house, and get some fresh air. I did not run for two and a half weeks. For those of you who know me, you know I stay busy with exercise and try to get in a fair amount of cardio each week, so this was quite abnormal. I have started back training, and it is good to get back in my normal rhythm and routine.

What do you do when you are set back, when life throws you a curveball? It can be very difficult, no doubt, but there are lessons you and I can learn during these long nights of the soul (and body). In this week's devotions, I will share with you some lessons and truths God taught me over these last several weeks. Some of these lessons have been born out of the crucibles of trial and suffering. But would you not agree that it is in those painful times that we learn more about ourselves, and more importantly, about God?

Tomorrow we will look at lesson number one: the Goodness of God.

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Podcast of the Week

REvangelical Rewind: Motivation, Grit,
& Leadership, with Rob Daniel, Pt. 2

Pastor Danny continues his interview with his friend, top Keller Williams motivational speaker and vice-chairman of the DFEA board, Rob Daniel, who has completed 36 marathons and 74 half-marathons! Tune in for more exciting, inspirational conversation!

Listen on your preferred platform: