Life caught up to me tonight.

Our baby girl arrived three weeks ago. My mom died last week. My two-year old son is, well … he's two. Work is as busy as ever and some weeks, my passion for leading the media ministry at my church just isn't there.

The stress of life bends me so. And I feel the only way out of that stress is to just eject. To get out. To remove myself from it.

So in the name of recharging my own batteries, I'm by myself in a coffee shop tonight. My two-year old was just ramping into his pre-bedtime moodiness before I left. (You're welcome, wife)

The interesting thing, I think, is that Jesus doesn't want to eject me from my life. I think he wants me to invite him into the middle of the mess so it can show off His kingdom work. Life around me, which is a gift from God, is too good to give up.

So it is with the rest of this world. The stress of this world causes many Christians to forget today and forget the charge to be faithful to gifts He's given us. They want out. They want to be raptured. They will distort hard to understand Scriptures to fit their framework for wanting out.

The more powerful work is that God wants and will come into the mess our our lives and our world and cause his Kindgom to shine through. If only we invite him.

As I go back home to my family tonight, I'm charged with a renewed purpose to love them the way Jesus loves them. To walk with them through the mess our lives. Together.