This week I celebrated 14 years of marriage. I’m blessed… beyond blessed. I look back and honestly do not know how or why a long friendship quickly turned into romance and a marriage relationship. We both agree that we never really dated each other, yet somehow when I got down on one knee she still said yes. All I know to do is thank God and claim Proverbs 19:14 as my own. She loves me despite me being me, she’s beautiful inside and out, extremely talented in literally dozens of ways, and surpasses who I deserve in so many ways; only grace, only grace.

We also celebrated our daughter’s fifth birthday this week. Having four daughters is filled with lots of activity and lots of pink. Again, I’m a blessed dad and am filled with indescribable joy to know, love, and shepherd each one of their little hearts.

So much blessing and yet at the end of the past several days there is still a feeling of burden. How can I have what I have and others not? Faith, family, friends, ministry, love, joy. These are things that surround my life every day and yet I minister to people often at their rope’s end. How does this work?

I’m a mustard seed. In God’s kingdom, His servants are small but what they offer to others from their King is significant. Often I feel inadequate and wonder how is God going to do what I believe He wants to do in and through me – and us. Yet, Jesus reminds me that mustard seeds have an inward sustaining strength. Through a small seed of hope, along with faithful perseverance to nurture, a seed will grow into a tree. It may take years… maybe decades. Yet, when a tree is grown it bears fruit many times over and is a firm resting place for the birds of the air.

So, tonight I’m a mustard seed but I’m dreaming for what tomorrow brings.