Yes, Jesus Is The Answer

I know Jesus is the answer.

I know it deep in my soul.

Knowing Jesus is the answer for absolutely everything has been a part of my life for as long as I remember.

It’s all Him.

Yet, as the years go by, as my life changes and moves on, I’ve realized yet again how much he really IS the answer.

I received an email recently from my sweet friend, Amy. I’d sent her my newest post for Velvet Ashes and she responded with, “You are so faithful in pointing us back to Jesus. I love that about you!”

I realized after her email that, actually, my last few posts have nearly said the same thing.

Jesus is the answer.

I’ve written that he remembers us. He sees us wherever we are.

I’ve written that he is our solid rock, our answer in the midst of the shifting world around us.

I’ve written that he is the answer for every single, daily life issue we face.

Now, if you’ve read this blog, you know how much I love a good how-to list.

I love giving you 10 tips and 7 ways and 5 things for whatever situation.

I love simplifying all kinds of life moments whether it is homeschool or moving overseas or marriage stress.

In fact, God often speaks to me in lists. My heart pounds and I sit down to write out 10 Things that Purify or 22 Things a New Missionary Needs to Know or 10 Marriage Breakers.

My journal is full of lists and well-ordered notes that are waiting to be reread or maybe even crafted into a blog post.

Except the last few months.

I haven’t been able to write a list.

I can’t simplify my thoughts down to the most important “6 tips about something” in my life.

A top ten for what I’m going through right now?

I don’t have that list.

In my response email to Amy, I wrote, “It is a theme in my heart right now. I didn’t realize how much until I read the post today and remembered your comment in this email. You know how much I LOVE LISTS!!!! Lists should be able to get us through anything. But they truly aren’t enough… I make the list, something changes and the list is irrelevant. So. Jesus. Yes. Jesus.”

We’re facing some crazy, complicated things.

Our families are going through huge, huge mountains.

Our world is shifting and changing at a dramatically fast pace.

We’re serving in an incredibly challenging part of the world.

We’re having a hard time keeping up with the pressure these days.

Life is heavy. So heavy that a list seems almost trivial right now.

So heavy that honestly, only Jesus can lift it.

Which is why I don’t have a list for you.

I don’t have a top ten for these seasons of life.

Not yet, anyway. I haven’t been through a season like this before.

Maybe Jesus will drop in my heart a good top ten at some point.

But, right now… Jesus is the answer.

He is the top ten.

He is the list.

He’s all I have to get through the day.

My advice when life is heavy? Jesus.

My advice when the unexpected happens? Jesus.

My advice when sickness abounds? Jesus.

My advice when I just don’t know? Jesus.

My advice when… Jesus.

This not a pat, Christian response.

It’s truth.

He’s the way, the truth and the life.

He is the solid rock.

He is, beyond a doubt, our refuge in trouble.

Jesus. Jesus alone.

He’s the air we breathe, the air in our lungs as we continue to serve him through every challenge this life brings our way.

Just keep going. Follow him. Jesus.

I’m sure I’ll be writing some lists again for you soon. I do love lists and how-tos and top tens. I love that this blog can resource you along your journey wherever in the world you find yourself today.

But right now… there is no list more important than knowing that Jesus is the answer you need.

For real. For this moment. For whatever you’re going through.

Jesus is the answer.