We pray. We worship. We read the Bible. We love Jesus. We walk in obedience. We pick up our cross and follow Him. And yet, we still experience disappointment. Somehow things didn’t turn out as we had hoped. “But God, I did all the things!”

​My word for you today is, KEEP DOING ALL THE THINGS. Keep praying. Keep worshipping. Keep reading the Bible. Keep loving Jesus. Keep walking in obedience. Hold on to that cross. Keep following Him. Because our best efforts are not for us. They are for Christ alone. He is the great reward that makes everything else we’re working for pale in comparison. He’s promised us treasures in heaven, but we don’t do all the things for a reward, or else we wouldn’t quite be doing all the things with our hearts intact.

Sometimes, what God does through us isn’t necessarily for us. Someone else may receive the blessings of our efforts. And that too, is wonderful! Our obedience may serve as a beacon for even a perfect stranger to look up to the Almighty. The work of our hands may be entirely to someone else’s benefit. God’s plan is bigger and it extends far beyond us as individuals. We praise Him because we’re included in His plan and His Kingdom and we do all the things to that end, not for our personal goals.

The early Christians understood this as they faced imprisonment, beatings, beheadings and crucifixions for their obedience. Compare that with our disappointments. They knew that there would ultimately be a reward, maybe not here on earth, but they trusted in the fact that our God is faithful.

Hebrews 11 speaks of those who did all the things and saw none of God’s promises come to fruition in their lifetimes.

These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. Hebrews 11:13

And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Hebrews 11:39-40

They did all the things for their God and for future generations of believers – for us!

There will always be blessings from living according to God’s plan, even if we don’t see them here on earth in our lifetimes. So we’ll keep doing all the things, and doing them with joy and gratitude in our hearts because He is so good and so faithful. We will wear our disappointments as badges of honor because we know that we endure for the ultimate prize – Jesus. 

​Why do I struggle with writing?
The answer is simple. Because I don’t want you to read my words. I want you to read God’s Word. I don’t want you to listen to me. I want you to listen to Him.
This has been my internal tug-of-war with being a writer, and with platform building and networking. I’m not so interested in an audience as the Audience of One; or having others join me in a great audience before the One.
So why do I write at all? Why do any of it?
The answer is simple. Obedience.
Scripture is full of hesitant, sometimes downright unwilling, messengers. I can totally relate and take comfort in knowing that my trepidation doesn’t offend God. I write and speak because I’m called to write and speak. I walk the path laid before me.
Why am I telling you all this?
There are TONS of voices out there. And we’re in an age where we are seeking guidance and wisdom more than ever. A lot of gifted people are growing platforms and audiences at great rates right now. We are confused and hurting and broken and super tender. And we want people to speak into that. But who?
Here is who you should read, and who you should listen to.

• Someone whose message is Biblical. You won’t know if a message is Biblical if you don’t read the Bible yourself. Please read God’s Word, then you can test any message you come across.
• Someone whose message is consistent. By consistent, I don’t just mean not flip-flopping, I mean that their message consistently points to Jesus.
• Someone who, by all appearances, practices what they preach. Words and actions should line up. Period.
• Someone who puts God's Word over their own opinions and viewpoints. Sometimes what God says makes us uncomfortable. It’s not up to us to pick and choose what looks and sounds good to us.
• Someone who is less about the latest fads and trends and more about the Rock solid, unchanging Kingdom of God.
• Someone who points to God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Scripture, not to themselves.

Another reason I’m doing this is YOU. I love you and I want you to know Jesus. Not the Jesus in the media. The Jesus that I know, who pulled me from a sad and dark place, who loves me and leads me. I write and speak because I want you to look to Him always.
Looking forward to being with you in His audience.
Tischa