This is the Boy Scout motto, “Be prepared.” I have been active in my son’s scout troop for three years now. Today we have to prepare for a canoeing and camping weekend, so I was thinking about this phrase as it relates to life. I often fall short in being prepared, in following through or in being consistently obedient in working on what is most important. Life is filled with imperfections, distractions and things that are “good” or “better” versus the thing that is “best” for me to focus on. Times of victory and struggle are part of the journey. When I feel unprepared or inadequate, I remember the verse “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). One more verse that speaks to preparation is a great encouragement to me – “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” This morning I praise God for His strength and for “being prepared.”

I have been on the road for half of the past month. Recording A Thousand Years, out of town performances and Boy Scout camp outs have been integrated with life during this stretch. This afternoon I took my daughter to her first swim team practice and stumbled on some great lines by C.S. Lewis that got me thinking…”If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probably explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing. Aim at Heaven and you will get earth “thrown in”: aim at earth and you will get neither.”

I have decided to make “Joy Forever” my theme for the month of May. This is the meaning of the Old French phrase “Vive La Joye,” which is the title of track #3 on the new album “A Thousand Years” coming May 20th. Psalm 16:11 was written by David in 1000 B.C. and says, “You fill me with you in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” When this was written he was being pursued by King Saul, who was trying to kill him. This catches my attention, that while running for his life, while hiding in caves to escape King Saul, David took some time and wrote about joy. This is inspiring and makes me want to fan the flame of joy inside my heart!