Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cloudy and cold but that didn’t stop me from stepping outside to take in the glory of this new day before I settled in to meet with the Master of it all inside. As I sat there offering my Praise and my Thanks, my mind kept wandering off to troubling things that could have easily robbed me of the Joy of Time spent with the Living God. I could have surrendered to those thoughts, and I could have cut our Time short because of them, but I chose to Persevere and I chose to take “captive every thought”… and before you know it all those things were put back where they belong and I found my Joy and Peace. What a Sweet Reminder straight from the Throne of a Mighty God that everything comes down to choice.

Humans are the only one of God’s Creation that has the intellect to make good or bad choices. God does the Calling, but we choose to accept Him as Savior or not. God does the Leading, but we choose to follow Him or not. God plants the seed of Purpose deep within the human Heart, but we choose to fulfill it or not. God breathed Life into His Word to show us the Way, but we choose to read it or not. God surrounds us with Beauty every day, but we choose to see it or not. God brings people into our lives to Grow us through the Journey, but we choose to accept them or not. God ordains Opportunities to share the Gospel with others, but we choose to Speak it or not. God issues “red flags” and the Holy Spirit does the warning, but we choose to Listen to Him or not. God ordains circumstances intended to draw us closer to Himself, but we choose to accept it as Divine or not. The Lord “gives and takes away” but we choose to accept His Will or not. God withholds the details of His Plans sometimes, but we choose to Trust Him or not. There’s no end to the choices we make when it comes to the Living God and His Will for our lives – but He’s either Lord of our lives or He’s not – and that comes down to choice too.

Maybe it takes a Valley to force us into Surrender instead of us getting there on our own. Sometimes where there seems to be no way we make the choice to Give it all to the “way maker” instead. Sometimes when we’ve lost our hope, we’ll turn to the only Hope any of us really have. Sometimes when we’re scared, we turn to the Great “I am” to “hide in the shadow of His wings.” Sometimes when we’re without, we’ll turn to the Provider of all. Sometimes when we’re lonely, we’ll turn to the One that will “never leave us nor forsake us.” There is always a Purpose for the Valley and we often Turn to Him for Help when we’re there – but when He Delivers us out of the Valley and places us on top of the Mountain again, we choose to tell the world about His goodness or not. He’s either Lord of our lives or He’s not – and it always comes down to choice.

I began this beautiful new day subject to things that could have robbed me of Good this morning, but I made the choice to fight back instead. All those “thoughts” come from an enemy that would LOVE to distract me from doing the Will of my Father – but I choose to thwart his plans by taking “captive every thought” instead. Today I will Serve the King of all Kings and I’m ready for whatever He has for me…all because I make the choice for Him to be Lord of my Life day after day.

How about you?