This is unbelievable - I love this verse

Proverbs 21:31 This is one incredible verse!

I've thought of this verse many times the last couple years; I've put a lot of stock in horsepower. When I was 14 years old it was all about my hair. I wanted it long; the Beatles had redefined haircuts. I really thought if only my mother would leave me alone, let me grow my hair as long as those guys in Deep Purple I would be beyond "ok." When I turned 15 my battle strength was in being at the right party, having the hot girl -smoking hash. But none of this brought a victory that lasted. When my Steppenwolf songs sometimes broke, I heard the numbness of not being able to love myself and it scared me until I could turn up the music and drown out my emptiness.

Proverbs 21:31: "The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord."

I thought all this would change when I accepted Jesus as leader of my life. But I was surrounded by religion and again the horsepower was found in measurable acts, new and improved behaviors, avoidance of worldly things, and working really hard to be a "good person". This almost destroyed my marriage (we had been married about 8 years), and made me very cynical of religion.

It's in seeing my strength as being far beyond what I possess that makes a difference. The words friend and family represent this idea of something outside yourself. Three Dog Night was right, "one is the loneliest number in the whole wide world." Do you see victory in the fact that you have the ultimate team member, the best and strongest friend in the universe, on your side? You can't lose! I really believe this unbelievable conviction is the stuff that keeps dreams and desires growing and builds forever friendships!

I don't know where you get your energy, what war horses you rely on, but the really cool wisdom song for you and I this a.m. is this: No matter what kind of inner strength we depend on - in the end it's God's smile, His friendship that really brings lasting victory. I can saddle my war horse, but it's my friend, God, that I need to believe will give me exactly what I need. I needed to be reminded of that this morning. Check this out!

If you're still reading . . . I hope to post some pics today from the adventure Laura and I took this last week.