Good Morning Girls!  Yesterday I described a common beach scenario with a swim noodle.  I hate to beat a good analogy to death, but at 3 in the morning, when I was laying in bed awake, I started to think about how Jesus is our personal swim noodle.  Go back to yesterdays story.  Think about how it feels when you finally catch up to your noodle.  Even if you are a good swimmer, chances are you grab on to the noodle and let it hold you up for a moment so you can catch your breath.  Then you turn around and see the dock.  It looks further away than what you figured.  You have to keep swimming towards it, otherwise the current will cause you to lose any forward progress you have made.   However, even though you have to keep swimming, it is easier, because you have the noodle to hang on to, and to keep you afloat.  Even if you do have to take a break, and float backwards a little, the noodle is there, holding you up, and preventing you from sinking.  That is exactly what Jesus wants to do for us.  He wants to hold us up and keep us afloat.  He wants to provide a resting spot for us when we get tired.  He will not do the work for us, but He will make it easier for us.  He will be there as a comfort when we feel the dock is simply too far away.  I've seen some people swimming back, holding their noodle at a distance, and not utilizing it, and though they still reach the dock, they are in fact much more tired than if they would have used it.  Maybe they feel they are too good of a swimmer to use a silly kids noodle, they are too proud to be seen with a noodle around their neck.  I  think it looks sillier to see them carrying the noodle in their hand as they still try to maintain the perfect stroke.  Take a look at your goals today and see if you are trying to do everything on your own, or if you are letting Jesus provide you with a resting place.  He is the Ultimate Noodle.

Matthew 12:28 Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." 

Love you all-
Jen