A little girl came down the stairs one evening and said to her Daddy, “Have you ever pushed and pushed on a door, and then discovered it was a wall?” She had turned off the light in her bedroom and in the darkness tried to force open what she had mistakenly thought was a door!

The past is a wall, not a door. The door is the future that you and I are privileged to construct together.

All through the teachings of Jesus we see this thread of truth: “You are in charge of your life.” You are not a helpless victim of circumstances, you are in charge. Circumstances may choose the frame of the day, but you paint the picture that goes in it.

The prodigal son decided on his own to leave home, and decided on his own to come back. The good Samaritan decided to stop alongside the road between Jerusalem and Jericho. The wise builder decided to build his house on a foundation of solid rock (Matthew 7:24-27). Each person is called to take responsibility for their own life.

So many people are standing around waiting for life to happen to them—waiting for something to make them happy—waiting for the perfect set of circumstances, people, places and things in life to come along. With the precious gift of “freedom to choose” God empowers us to construct a life that will become just what we decide to make of it.

Good things seldom occur accidentally. Given the exact same challenges, opportunities, and set of circumstances, different people will respond in a wide variety of ways. An old story tells of two salesmen who were sent to sell shoes in a remote part of the Ozarks. One of the men sent a message back to the home office saying, “Returning at once. Can’t sell shoes here—everyone goes barefoot.” The second salesman sent a bulging envelope and letter to the home office: “Fifty orders enclosed. Prospects unlimited—nobody here has shoes!”

God has given to you and me this unusual, challenging new year to unite, pray, and courageously, lovingly, grow, build, construct, in our personal lives and in this church family, something of lasting value and Kingdom worth.

Are you in? Can we walk through the door together into God’s beautiful future for Foothills Community Church?

Looking forward to all God’s best in 2021 and beyond!

With Love,

Duff