A sudden blast, like a shotgun, shattered the silence of the night, crickets included. With my heart racing, my mind–and likely those of any neighbors–rushed to the extremes. Who is out there? Is this a threat? As the minutes ticked by, I spiraled through “what-ifs” and worst-case scenarios, debating the next steps.

Bang…..Bang! There it was again. Already pounding, my heart leaped as the sound seemed to draw closer and grow louder. Fear attempted to take hold, only to be instantly dissolved by my father’s voice outside the room: “You up? You hear those walnuts falling on the metal shed roof?”

Perspective changes everything. When we allow alarm and fear to dictate our thoughts, we fall prey to misjudgment, poor decisions, and a loss of confidence. However, when you know who you are in Christ, your perspective shifts. If He is for you, nothing can stand against you, Romans 8:31.

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America’s Heart Issue

Driven by a persistent need for hope, acceptance, and fulfillment, this generation of youth have found that their individual pursuits, which are encouraged by society, have left them empty and unfulfilled, only to seek the next “best” thing which keeps them in a cycle of false and temporal fulfillment.

The Mercedes AMG GT 63 S E Performance has held the title of the most powerful production AMG with a combined 831 horsepower, derived from its Formula-1 technology. At rest, the AMG’s powerful stance, clean lines and intricate workmanship make it a thing of automotive beauty, but upon acceleration the heart of the beast comes alive with 0-60 mph in 2.8-2.9 seconds. For car enthusiasts there is a great appreciation for the look and corresponding performance of a car like that of the AMG but without that powerful driving force under the hood it is nothing more than idle eye candy.

Society attempts to place so much significance on appearances, which to some degree are important but are not what defines you. Like the horsepower found under the hood of the AMG, the heart is the driving factor that defines us. It’s the force behind all that we do and the basis for much of what we are facing in this world today. This nation has a heart issue and to fix the heart will fix this generation. Some say that perception is reality, unfortunately the reality seems to support the perception that hope, acceptance and fulfillment are found in anything other than Christ Jesus, but the real hope comes through a restored heart, which can only be found in Him.

For more stories that encourage, inspire and challenge your thinking, follow me at facebook.com/ThatsProvoking or youtube.com/@aprovokingthought. “Even your brain needs a hobby too”