How Much Do We Need God?

Annemarie, at almost 9 months, needs support to stand.  Once she feels steadily balanced, she smiles SO BIG...a picture of how joy and confidence follows when we've made peace with how much we need God's support.

Shane: COMFORT is the enemy of desperation.  Desperation is the seed of miracles.  If we are just comfortable enough, then we never reach an emotional state of desperation... truly having to trust God.  Our culture doesn't "have to" trust or lean into God because most of our material needs are met.  When most of our needs are met, we stop seeking the depth of God and settle for the shallow end of the pool.

Chace: A year and a half ago, we realized that a literal miracle would need to transpire for God to change 2 foundational areas of our world that were hanging by a thread.  We found ourselves in a MUCH deeper place of teach-ability and brokenness as a result.   I'm not even sure that the cocky, immature version of the Christian faith I was embodying had a clue what the reverential fear of God looked like.  The miracles that transpired aren't necessarily happening in others around us that we see in similar dire straits, and this breaks our hearts.  He cleaned us up and set us free to give away the HOPE we've been given.  We  want to send others in pain to the Medicine who pulled us out of the miry clay.  The richest treasures He sent were some of the most equipped people in the Kingdom of God identifying lies and pouring truth into us.  We highly recommend Neil Anderson's Freedom in Christ ministries, as well as equipping events like the one Samaritan's Well is doing July 27 and 28;  we'll be there!  For more info go to http://www.samaritanswell.com/html/freedom_walk_seminar.html

taking medicine to soothe her teething pain...We want to learn how to trust & obey like this

Abbie: Faith means something totally different to me than it used to.  It's trusting God that He knows what's best for me and cares about what I long for, although He filters through those desires and chooses the ones that will be best for me.  He's not a mean God who rips the rug out from under me or gives me a stone when I ask for bread; He's a good God.  I have to trust that His plans for me are ONLY good, even when the future seems unsure.

I (Chace) got a word at a Samaritan's Well clinic that Jesus wanted me to crawl up in His lap and let Him love on me.  This photo reminds me of the relaxed posture He wants me to learn: of trusting and receiving His embrace.