Hello everyone! I know that it has been about a month since I have written one of these. I apologize for skipping April.

The more I read blogs, the more I see that many people sort of just “shoot from the hip” when writing them. I write both a blog as well as a prayer letter. I really would like to keep them pretty distinct, so I am going to try to make these blogs a little less formal and a little more personal I guess.

Truth be told, I am really struggling about what to blog about this month. You know, sometimes I think that God chooses to drain us in order to fill us back up with what we should be filled with. I kind of imagine it like an oil change. Our engines are always running and we are always exerting energy. We have deadlines, people to contact, places to be, calls to make, family to take care of, bills to pay, errands to run, projects, and – oh! – that’s right, we have to “fit” God into that too! I don’t know how many of you do your own oil changes, but I am a hands on kind of a fellow. I like to do my own. I am amazed by how much drudge comes out of the oil pan when I drain the old oil. It goes from being a nice golden color to being a black thick sludge. I think that is how God may see certain things in us sometimes. I think that sometimes He has to stop us, whether it is though a trial or difficulty, a really good sermon that stomps on our toes, or some other method, and drain out all of that black sludge in our lives. Not, necessarily, that we are full of sin, but that we are full of (you fill in the blank). That oil in the car was once good, but it has served its purpose. So are some of the things in our lives. They once served a purpose, but now they only weigh us down and clog us up instead of being able to fully focus on God. He drains us of all of the crud-like build up and then gloriously refills us with new energy and focus. Only if we allow Him to, however.

I think I am writing this right now because that is what I feel God may be doing in my life. Trust me, this was not a pre-meditated blog. When I got on here, I had no idea what I was going to write. If I am the only one to ever read this, that is okay because through this I think that the Lord has helped me to step back and see what He is doing right now in my life. I am not going through some big ordeal or trial or even chastisement, but I am just going through a period where I am not seeing the results that I want. Please understand that I am not complaining! I’m just being honest. God is just using this to drain my old oil, and I know that soon He will fill me back up with what I need.

We can never do this ourselves though. Only God can. We can’t expect to live our lives without reading our Bibles or praying and then have God somehow fill us up after draining us. Maybe, some of us are drained because we have drained ourselves dry of the Word of God or through lack of prayer. Maybe some of us, myself included, are being drained by God because we are full of good things (old oil still keeps the car running), but not the best things. We have become so focused on end results that we have forgotten daily life. We are to live with the future in mind by living out our lives daily for the Lord. I think that is what God is teaching me. So, let the oil flow and let God fill you back up. He is always faithful to do so as long as we are running our engines for Him.

Lamentations 3:21-41