In God's hands

Jephthah said, "When I saw that you weren't coming, I took my life in my hands and confronted the Ammonites myself."

In the next breath, he says, "God gave them to me!"

But...I get the impression that Jephthah really thinks he did it on his own.

Many people at Faith have strong ties to their families. My favorite TV show growing up was Family Ties. I've had two stones on my desk for years that say "Faith" and "Family".

However, I come from a broken home. My parents worked all of the time. I was raised by my brother. I raised my sister. Sundays in church and Vikes' games afterward were really the only quality time we got to spend with our mom. Her parents were dead before we were born, our dad's folks lived in Texas, and our step-mom's lived in Montana. We've never gone to church with our parents and grandparents, even on Christmas or Easter.

For the past 16 years and a month, I've been blessed with Heidi and now two amazing children. They are the family I'm tied to.

I would say that I envy those at Faith with several generations in worship, but I don't. I'm just happy to be a part of the extended family, the community with God as our Father, the body of Christ in this place.

We cannot live this life of faith on our own.

I am taking my life out of my hands and placing it in God's hands. I thank God every day for the family that surrounds me.