Psalm 119:133 
Direct my footsteps according to your word;
let no sin rule over me. (NIV) 

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I’m back home this morning after a couple of days at our retreat center, where I helped lead a re:FOCUS retreat. Yesterday morning, I took my customary walk among countless deer, a couple of armadillos, and other wildlife. I watched the sun rise and enjoyed the cooler temperatures. 

Tomorrow morning, I will awaken in Charleston, South Carolina. We have a couple of days of work to attend to, along with some sightseeing and fine dining. 

It’s good to experience this interlude at home. Of all the places I wander, this is my favorite. The best part of travel is coming home. 

I love travel. Over the last 15 years, I’ve visited many interesting places because of this job and family adventures. I’ve been to Venezuela, Vietnam, and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I’ve been to South Africa and Scotland. I’ve been to Hawaii and Cabo San Lucas. I’ve been to the Great Lakes and to Joshua Tree National Park. I’ve been to beaches in Florida and California. I’ve climbed mountains in Washington State and skied in Park City, Utah. 

I love travel. And I love coming home. 

As we prepare to step out the door this morning and begin another journey, I pray with King David of old: “Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.” I want to go where He wants me to go. I want to do what He wants me to do. I want to do it with a pure heart and clean hands. I want my heart to be like His. I want to be holy as He is holy. As my friend Jessie Cruikshank says in her newest book, Becoming Good News, I want to Become Good News. 

I don’t want to simply know the good news. I want to live it in every area of my life.  I want it to shape my thinking and my behavior. I really do want it to direct my steps. 

I slept last night in my official home church T-shirt. On the front, it says “Live and Love Like Jesus.” The retreat I participated in this week included an exercise in which we each had to write our own definitions of a disciple. This is harder than you might think. It doesn’t matter how many people are in the room, that’s how many definitions we get. If we’re not clear on the target, it’s really hard to hit it. 

The pathway I sketched out for how I go about the process of making disciples is:
1. Follow Jesus
2. Experience Jesus
3. Abide in Jesus
4. Express Jesus

Thanks to Jessie and our church home, I added this yesterday: “A disciple becomes good news by living and loving like Jesus.” 

Please pray for my bride and me as we travel, that we may become good news by living and loving like Jesus. I invite you to pray the same prayer for yourself. 

As Anne Murray sang years ago, “We sure could use a little good news.” Amen?

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I will become good news. 

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Our Father, shape me so that I become good news. Direct my steps. Deliver me from evil. Bless me with a pure heart and clean hands. Make me holy as you are holy. Amen.