Luke 9:23-25 says, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and is himself destroyed or lost?” Toby Mac sings of this very thing. One line in the song says, “I don’t’ want to gain the whole world and lose my soul.” Very profound! I’ve spent countless hours, even weeks, teaching my kids how to add, subtract, and multiply fractions. In the end, they have to put the answer in simplest form. That is how I can evaluate if they have mastered the entire process. This is the hardest concept for them to grasp. I keep telling them to keep dividing in half until you cannot go any further. What is it about being broken down that scares us the most? You may wonder where I am going with this, but stay with me until the end. The message will reveal itself.

The United States was founded on the principles of freedom and the land of opportunity. I think some of us have taken it a bit too far. We are extremist in every sense of the word. We cannot be happy with just one car; we need 5. We cannot settle for a 1,200 sq ft home; we need 5,000. We cannot spend within our means, so we drive up credit cards to satisfy our immediate needs/wants. With all this excess, we lose sight of what really matters. Will it really matter how fat my bank account was, the house that I lived in, or the kind of car that I drove? What happened to finding happiness in God’s blessings? Full of favor from God and man, rich in relationships, having unconditional love for others, and leaving a lasting impression on the world that will change history. This is what I am striving for today! As my flesh continues to be divided in half, my soul emerges complete, restored, and led to a peace far greater than my little mind can comprehend. I pray that you will find the simplest form that life can bring; for we know that less is more!

Love in Christ,
Nichole