Dianna Buchwalter

Last summer, I bought a brand-new pair of shoes for our upcoming vacation. They felt perfect in the store. Before we left for our summer getaway, I decided to break them in for a day. Several hours later, those expensive, comfortable shoes gave me a blister, and I couldn’t get them off fast enough.   The unexpected pain made me think of our faith journey . It’s easy to trust God when life feels smooth and familiar. But what about when God calls us to something uncomfortable or unfamiliar?   In Joshua chapter 1 , after Moses had died, God appointed Joshua, his assistant, to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land . Can you imagine being given that task? The fear could have overwhelmed Joshua. However, God knew Joshua’s heart and what he needed to hear. In the first chapter alone, the Lord repeats the same message three times:   v. 6 Be strong and courageous…   v. 7 Above all, be strong and very courageous   v. 9 Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courag...

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 There it was, this small, square, thin plate of glass staring at me on the bathroom floor. The scale and I have a love/hate relationship. Its powers do more than display my weight. Depending on what numbers pop up, that scale can solicit a smile or cause my shoulders to slump faster than a cheetah chasing its prey. The pressure to be thin seems to start at an early age and has only intensified through modern technology. Social media, magazines and television brainwash us into thinking that beauty comes in the measuremen...