Throughout life there is uncertainty. Uncertainty about the weather, our health, financial outlook, relationships, jobs, what the New Year will bring, etc.

If you were to go through an obstacle course in the dark but a friend who can see in the dark is there to guide you would have to trust their voice and follow instructions, even when it’s scary or doesn’t make sense. That’s what it’s like to trust God in uncertain times.

Life can be confusing and sometimes it’s hard to know what to do or where to go. The good news is that we have a God who loves us, guides us, and understands our struggle.

In Matthew 2:13, we see God guiding Joseph, a person we never hear speak. He trusts God as an angel tells him to go to Egypt to escape from Herod who is searching for Jesus to destroy him. Then when Herod died an angle again appeared in a dream and told Joseph to go to Israel….

I attended a conference in October that focused on various aspects of clergy health and wellness. The national church offers these conferences to all priests vested in the Church Pension Fund once every ten years after they are ordained. The gatherings are one week long and are scheduled at different places in the nation throughout the year. Because clergy sign up according to what fits into their schedule, it’s rare that participants know one another when they arrive….

…In the middle of the week one of the leaders asked us about our “play style.” She said that we all talk a lot about work, and rest, and physical health, but that adults often forget the art of play that was so formative during childhood. She gave us a link to an online quiz (www.lindsaybraman.com) and asked us to think about how we have fun—just for the sake of fun, with no expectations, agenda, or assumed outcome….