We went to Dollywood. Gunnar brushed his teeth in hopes of seeing Dolly and giving her a big fat kiss. We looked everywhere for her, but she must have been home on her porch rocking chair in a Smokies surrounded log cabin! I'm mildly fascinated by her and sometimes wish she were my grandmother. She's just so Dolly, you know? There is none other.  

Gunnar rode rides, played games, won stuffed animals, ate corn dogs and kettle corn....all in 195 degrees of mountain heat and he ate up every second of it! 

Hebrews 11:1, 8

vs.1: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

vs.8: By faith Abraham...obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 

Everything God asks of us requires faith. In verse 6 of Hebrews 11 it says; "without faith it is impossible to please God." Our faith is our belief; the belief that Jesus died and rose again, paid the price for our sins, and stands as the bridge between us and God. Each step we take across that bridge requires nothing but faith. Faith to accept salvation belongs to the Lord and not us. Faith to walk the path that raises questions of where, how, why, and when. Faith to hold the hand of the One we can't see. Faith to obey when we feel anxious and uncertain. 

Faith seems to be a willingness to believe that in all things God is in control and works all things together for our good. The heart of a faithful servant recognizes that in all earthly things there is discomfort and uncertainty, but in Christ all things lead to Heaven. All we do and work towards is bringing glory and honor to Him and our reward is eternal life with Him. Part of our exercises of faith should include placing the treasures of our heart in Jesus and His promises of what's to come. 

vs. 13c,14a,16: "And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own... Instead, they were longing for a better country- a heavenly one."

Lord, I pray that I would learn from the mistakes of those like Jonah who ran from You in fear. Being thrown into Your pursuing storm, experiencing the darkness of disobedience inside a whale, all to be once again in Your companionship and plan. May I learn from those like Noah who obeyed the unfathomable and radical requests all to be spared and used as the keeper of all Your creation. Thank you for patience and grace, and Your all-pursuing nature who never allows us to wander too far. 

'...Faith is not a once-done act, but a continuous gaze of the heart at the Triune God.  Believing, then, is directing the hearts' attention to Jesus.  It is lifting the mind to "behold the Lamb of God," and never ceasing that beholding for the rest of our lives.' A.W. Tozer