Last week, my family and I had a few days of rest on the sunny beaches of Florida….and it was everything we needed. We played, we laughed, we ate, and we shared life.

Anytime I vacation with my children, I’m always reminded of the joy of developing childlike hearts. There’s a subtle thrill of opening ourselves up to new experiences and discovering the kingdom of God through the eyes of a child. Jeff and I played with the boys, we walked the beaches, we caught fish, we built sand castles, we studied the sand, and we saw life underwater. It may sound like a simple and ordinary vacation, but my heart is full. I love watching my boys play; they are full of so much wonder and joy, and I am reminded of how quickly I brush over God’s many good and perfect gifts to us. When I am with my boys, I begin to discover the world through their eyes, and I am reminded of God’s goodness to us through the simple things.

How about you? Will you humble yourselves this week, and take the posture of a child? Play a little, roll on the floor, watch an ant colony build their fortress, play hide-n-seek with your spouse, pull out a game board, buy a kazoo, join a book club, or tell a few good jokes. Dear ones, may we never lose our wonder, and may we never lose our capacity for a child-like-faith. Open yourselves up to the God who is making all things new.

I love you more than you know, Good Shepherd Church.

From my heart,

Pastor Tara Beth