Stepping Stones: Clean Shaven

Transformational Tip
I’ve had the blessing of spending this Thanksgiving holiday with my daughter and her family, which includes my first and only grandchild. A beautiful 7 month old baby girl…what indescribable joy. Seven months, a perfect age. Learning new things each day, so expressive. Her mom has just taught her how to give kisses. Yesterday she turned to me, grabbed my big face in her small hands and came at me to give me a kiss. My heart raced…was this really happening? Was I gonna get one of those priceless kisses? Yes I did. But my mustache must have pricked her tiny lips and she instantly began screaming. My heart sank. I went immediately and shaved off that mustache…wasn’t going to let anything in my control hurt her… or keep my granddaughter from giving me kisses. We all have “mustaches”, things in our life that interfere with our relationship with God and the blessings He has for us. Unconfessed sin is a big mustache. Continued sin patterns, like addictions, affairs, eating issues, anger management problems, pride, lack of communication with God…all these put distance between us and God. Think about what might be keeping you from receiving connection, blessings, and grace from your Lord. What are the things that keep you from having a close relationship Him? What’s keeping you from getting those kisses we all long for? Today, Just identify one thing that is within your control…and then eliminate it. If you can’t eliminate it, get treatment. WITHIN REACH will help you eliminate behaviors. If you need addictions treatment, we know the best Christian addictions treatment options for you. Click here to share with the Stepping Stones community your thoughts on what’s keeping you from God’s grace.

Prayer
Dear Father God, Thank You, Father, for the opportunity to spend time with those I love. I ask for you to keep them in Your protective loving care. Please let nothing but goodness and love come between us. Help me, Father, to remove any obstacles that keep me from Your loving presence. I confess my sins and am so thankful for Your promise of forgiveness. Thank You, Father. I pray in the name of the one who died so I could be in Your presence, Jesus Christ; and all God’s children said - AMEN!

The Truth
The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”
Jeremiah 31:3
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:1,2