As we go through life, we encounter countless challenges, complications, heartaches, joys, and circumstances that shape not only the course of our lives but also the people we become.

There have been many times in my own life when things seemed complicated and confusing, and I found myself wondering what God’s plan was and wishing He would simply show it to me. It is only later in life, when we look back over the years, that we begin to recognize God’s hand at work. I have almost always had a sense that God was guiding the events of my life for a greater purpose, even when I couldn’t understand why certain things were happening.

I would love to share all those experiences with you, but it would take hundreds of pages to do them justice. What I have come to realize, however, is that my life is much like the back of an embroidery board. When you look at the back, you see knots, loose threads running in every direction, mismatched colors, and stitches that look as though a five-year-old made them. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to any of it. It’s simply a tangled mess.

But when you turn that embroidery board over, something remarkable happens. Suddenly, all those seemingly random threads and knots come together to reveal a beautiful picture. Every stitch, every color, and every thread on the back had a purpose. What looked like a mess was actually part of a carefully planned design, necessary to create the finished picture on the front.

And that’s really the point. Our lives often look like the back of that embroidery board because we can only see what is happening at the moment, not what God is creating. Every disappointment, every hurt, every troubled relationship, job change, financial setback, health concern, and unexpected turn in life becomes part of the tapestry of who we are. We may not understand the purpose of those experiences while we’re going through them, but that doesn’t mean God isn’t at work.

I’ve come to believe that one day, when we are finally able to see the other side, we will understand how all those tangled threads fit together. What once seemed confusing or even painful will make sense in the light of God’s greater plan. And as I look back over my own life, I can already see glimpses of that picture taking shape.

Sometimes we just have to trust the one holding the needle, even when all we can see are the knots and tangled threads. KT

If you have ever flown on an airplane, you have heard the flight attendant instruct passengers to put on their own oxygen masks before helping others, even their own children. At first, that seems a little selfish, doesn’t it? But the reasoning is simple. If you lose consciousness because you failed to take care of yourself, you won’t be much help to anyone else. I believe there is a valuable life lesson in that simple instruction. Sometimes we become so busy trying to take care of everyone around us that we forget to take care of ourselves.

Most of us spend our lives trying to be all things to all people. We want to be dependable spouses, parents, grandparents, friends, and coworkers. We say yes when we should occasionally say no, take on responsibilities that aren’t necessarily ours, and sometimes feel guilty for taking a little time for ourselves. Even Jesus understood the importance of stepping away from the demands of others. Luke 5:16 tells us, “And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.” If Jesus made time to withdraw from the crowds and renew His spirit, shouldn’t we recognize that same need in our own lives?

There is a big difference between being selfish and taking care of yourself. We cannot continually give our time, energy, and encouragement to others without occasionally replenishing what we have given away. Sometimes we need to slow down, spend time with God, take care of our health, and simply recharge our batteries. The people who love us don’t necessarily need us to do everything; they need us to be healthy, present, and available when it really matters. Remember, sometimes the best thing you can do for the people you love is to put the oxygen mask on yourself first. KT

“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.”

There is an enormous amount of truth packed into that one sentence. It is a warning that every one of us, regardless of our age, background, or walk with Christ, would do well to remember.

The interesting thing about sin is that it rarely announces its intentions. It doesn’t show us the final destination. It doesn’t reveal the consequences that may be waiting around the corner. Instead, it often presents itself as something small, harmless, enjoyable, or even justified. Just one compromise. Just one little lie. Just one moment of weakness. Just one decision that nobody else will ever know about.

But sin has a way of growing beyond what we originally intended.

Sin will take you farther than you want to go.

Nobody starts out planning to destroy their marriage, lose their family, ruin their reputation, or damage their relationship with God. Those things generally don’t happen overnight. They begin with small decisions, seemingly insignificant compromises, and the gradual acceptance of things we once knew were wrong.

Consider King David. His sin with Bathsheba began with a look from a rooftop. But that one look eventually led to adultery, deception, and the arranged death of an innocent man. I seriously doubt David ever imagined where that first decision would take him.

James 1:14–15 tells us that temptation begins when we are drawn away by our own desires. Those desires, when acted upon, give birth to sin, and sin, when fully developed, brings forth death.

Sin will keep you longer than you want to stay.

One of the greatest deceptions of sin is the belief that we are always in control. We convince ourselves that we can stop whenever we choose. We can walk away tomorrow. We can change directions next week. We can make things right when the time is convenient.

But habits become strongholds, and strongholds can become prisons.

Jesus said in John 8:34, “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.”

What may have started as a choice can eventually become something that controls us. The longer we allow sin to remain in our lives, the more difficult it can become to break free from its influence.

Sin will cost you more than you want to pay.

Every decision carries consequences, and sometimes the price is far greater than we ever imagined.

Sin can cost us our peace, our integrity, our relationships, our testimony, and opportunities that may never come again. It can rob us of years we cannot recover and leave scars that remain long after forgiveness has been received.

Galatians 6:7 reminds us, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

We may choose our actions, but we do not always get to choose their consequences.

Yet there is something else we must remember, and it is perhaps the most important part of this entire message.

So the next time temptation comes knocking, remember those three warnings. Think beyond the moment. Think about where that decision might lead, how long its consequences might last, and what it could ultimately cost. KT

During the winter, a yard can look clean and healthy. The grass is dormant, the ground is quiet, and there may not be a weed anywhere in sight. But underneath the soil, things can be happening that we cannot see. Weed seeds are waiting, roots are spreading, and when the warmth of spring arrives, what was hidden beneath the surface suddenly begins to appear.

That is why experienced gardeners know the best time to deal with many weeds is before they ever break through the ground. Once they are growing everywhere, the battle becomes much harder.

Our lives can be the same way. We can look perfectly fine on the outside while allowing harmful things to grow underneath the surface. Bitterness, resentment, jealousy, dishonesty, pride, anger, secret habits, unforgiveness, or even small compromises can take root where nobody else can see them. At first, they may seem harmless because they haven’t affected anything visible. But hidden doesn’t mean harmless. Just like weeds beneath the soil, if we continue feeding those things instead of dealing with them, eventually the right circumstances will bring them to the surface.

What began as a small hidden thought can become an attitude, an attitude can become an action, and an action can eventually damage relationships, families, careers, reputations, and our walk with God.

The best way to fight weeds is not to wait until the entire yard is covered with them. Kill the weeds before they come up. The same principle applies to life. Examine what is growing beneath the surface of your heart and mind. Deal with bitterness before it becomes hatred. Deal with temptation before it becomes a habit. Deal with dishonesty before it becomes a lifestyle. Forgive before resentment develops deep roots.

Ask God to reveal the things growing inside you that shouldn’t be there, and then have the courage to pull them out by the roots. Because sooner or later, what we allow to grow in secret will eventually show itself in public. KT

Over the years we have had some smart dogs and several that were not so smart. Today we have a five-pound Yorkie girl dog that thinks she is the queen of the universe but is probably the most intelligent dog we have ever had. She has the body of a squirrel with the heart of a lion.

Like all dogs, she could have just eaten dinner but will still beg with the best of them. It doesn’t matter what we are eating, she literally thinks she should be at the table eating with us. You know how if you are going to give a dog a piece of something you are eating and they start wagging their tail as you lean down to give it to them. My dog is way ahead of that schedule.

The other morning, I was eating some toast, and she is zeroed in on what I am eating. I kid you not, that morning I made no move or even looked at her but somehow, she knew when I decided, yes just decided, to give her a treat. Not when I actually broke off the piece of toast to hand to her. I mean when I decided to, she somehow knew. If there was some way to test the intelligence of a dog, she would probably rank up near the top.

She seems to know everything about everything and everybody. She is so intelligent but still wants to poop in the bathroom. Go figure. Well, she may think she is human, but she is still a dog.

Every time I look at her, I am constantly reminded of how a dog can love unconditionally. They are never too busy, never have calls to make, or appointments to keep. She is always available for scratching and attention and the occasional lick across the face. KT