Are you WINNING!

I sat shivering in the seat surrounded by grey fabric. Anxiously waiting for the heat to rise I glanced at the orange scented Christmas tree dangling on the right of my head.  A nauseated feeling rolled upwards making its way toward my throat. . .  too much vanilla. I glanced out of the rear view mirror and saw the large blue word staring back at me. It was the well known word coined by the famous Charlie Sheen - "WINNING!" A practical joke to my son from his beloved friends. . . thus the neon orange scented Christmas tree. There it was  - written in bright blue car paint. I stared and for a moment something captured my thoughts.  I asked God, "Are we really winning?" The battle that is? The entire way to church I focused on that thought. The truth is  the battle belongs to the Lord - it's already won. The battle we must learn to conquer is the "faith battle."

• The faith that all things will work out as they should.
• The faith in trusting that God will provide all of our needs in this difficult time.
• Learning to place our faith in God and not things or people.
• The faith in knowing that God can heal, teach, grow, and conquer.
• The faith in a Father far greater than any we have ever known.

In Timothy Paul writes:

"Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith." 1 Tim 1:18

Paul often seemed to understand the mystery of winning the battle - - - Holding onto Faith and having a good conscience.

I asked my son the other day about the sign on his back window. I asked if he was going to wash it off. He said, "No because it reminds me."  "Of what?" I asked. "That I am," he said.

Now I had faith in that. . . I do believe that he is WINNING.

May your journey be filled with Faith this season.