“For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” -1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 [NLT]

A Time to Think… 
“There’s enough room in God’s plans for everyone. You don’t have to make sure no one else gets ahead of you. You can trust God. You can celebrate others.” -Christine Caine, author, Bible teacher, founder of A21 Anti-trafficking 

A Time to Act…
Have you ever wondered what would happen if we substituted celebration for competition in our relationships? Yes, competition can be fun, but—when it comes to life as a whole, if we compete and compare more than we celebrate, we’re going to miss the truth that fulfilling our destiny isn’t going to keep somebody else from fulfilling theirs. Today, try to celebrate others and come together with joy and the grace that God gives each of us.

A Time to Pray…
O Lord, competition is such a big part of our society and I get caught up in it because I want to be the best, I want to be liked and often I just want someone to acknowledge me and what I have done. I’m sorry I get caught up in this and I ask you to help me to be satisfied of who I am because you made me who I am and what you make is always good. Help me to be an encourager for others and help me to be satisfied with myself. AMEN.