I don't need Jesus to be black or white...

In the last week, race related riots have brought together the 50 states like never before; and simultaneously caused a poignant protests in the form of a social media feed black out with every upward finger swipe. In the midst of this, it grieves me to see certain exchanges between "professed Believers".


Posts that somehow use the alleged historically & researched based color of Jesus' skin or even the Jewish ethnicity and economic humanity with which He Sovereignly chose to wrap His Deity; as a means to stand on either side of these race related riots.


I don't know about you, but I don't need Jesus to be a Euro-looking figure with a circular halo, looking up with a radiant beam reflecting off of his forehead.


I also don't even need a silky-dark headed (or gray natural headed for that matter), full lipped Jesus that hangs in the hallways of Big Mama's house.







I certainly don't need the Jesus that our culture uses to defend our limited knowledge and skewed wisdom. 




I need the Jesus who "doesn't have an impressive form or kingly majesty that we should look at him, nor appearance that we should desire him" (Isaiah 53:2). Why? Because when every person, every institute, every thing I proudly look towards or vainly place hope in (to impress me) actually fails me (and they will), then I'm left only to look into the piercing and passionate eyes of One who desires me even when I didn't desire Him. He knew I would need to choose to follow someone everyone else didn't want to follow.

Yes, I need the Jesus who "was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering...like someone people turn away from...don't value..." (Isaiah 53:3). Why? Because when the sins I so inevitably will commit (even when my intentions are seemingly right) hurt the people that will lay in the wake of my failures and those around me, reject me (yes, the very ones who pledged sincere friendship); I'll need someone who has felt rejection to scoop me from the ashes of my tears and restore me by reminding me that nothing in my life is wasted and my value comes from Him. 

Is the color that so easily blinds, fading into the background as a more humble albeit somewhat hideous image forms? No? Well, stay with me...

I need the Jesus who "himself bore my sickness, carried my pain, received deep piercings for my rebellion, endured crushing blows for my short comings, was punished for my peace, and wounded for my healing" (Isaiah 53:4-5). 

Why? Because often times I proudly walked around under the guise of being "fine" when really, sickness (in the form of rebellion, pride and lust) like the vapes of carcinogens, toxicants and metals lie dormant in me, doomed to spread like a cancer and leave me collapsed. I'll need someone willing to carry the pain that comes from my guilt, someone to exchange the depression and addiction I'm so susceptible to, for peace and healing. 

It's funny how we claim to be "so strong" yet daily, death shows us just how weak we truly are.
He knew He would need to look so disfigured that I would see the love on His face for me some 2,000 years later and I'd realize that "death is MY weakness, NOT HIS" (Isaiah 53:11-12 MSG).

I need the Jesus who "didn't speak, never opened His mouth while being beaten and punished." I need the Jesus who was "treated unjustly, roughly, in an unfair manner though He did nothing wrong." (Isaiah 53: 8-9). 

Why? Because this Jesus will be able to look beyond the color of skin, clearly pierce through the shades of grey and rightly judge all who treat others in an unfair manner while avenging any and all who are unjustly treated. And I cannot play the victim; for in my humanity I have both done others wrong and been done wrong. 

So I need the Jesus that "God was pleased to severely crush", because THIS is the Jesus who will "justify many (namely me) and will carry their iniquities (which I stand in need of)" (Isaiah 53:11-12).

I need the grace & love to speak up and speak out against injustice, with the same mercy and grace that God gave me for my own injustices towards Him. We can only find that, in Jesus (the Christ).

What's your Pandemic Narrative?

I'm pretty sure COVID-19 wasn't on anyone's vision board for 2020.
And i'm quite certain that at some point in the last few years, COVID-19 was never on anyone's list of long or short term goals.

While this pandemic has caught so many of us off guard, I find solace in the truth that nothing catches God off guard. That from the beginning of the world, He's been overseeing time, looking into our future and making plans to draw people to Himself.

What might be helpful to also meditate on (besides God knowing a virus would interrupt our normal patterns as we know it), is that He's a Master in using chaos, trouble, turmoil and disruptions...to develop, create, adjust and transform our lives into exactly what He has planned for us.

So, here are some things to learn from this Pandemic:

1. Be careful of placing your hope in temporal things-
>Someone wise once told me that people who come into our lives should be held with an open palm. They can be with us for a reason, a season or a lifetime. In case they are with us for the first two (reason or season), it's imperative we don't allow ourselves to get too attached that we cannot let them go when their reason or season expires.

The same principle applies to the thinking that we can get up and go to the beach tomorrow. The bible says, we aren't certain of what tomorrow holds. So we should say, "if the Lord wills", meaning we can make our plans but don't too tightly to them because He has the power, and right to determine what tomorrow will be like. Should we become too attached to our plans, not leaving room for His plans, then we aren't prepared to adjust in a healthy manner.

2. Your job/career isn't what provides for/sustains you-
>Growing up, I heard this statement several times but I never really understood in experience what it meant. That is, not until I was placed in a few situations throughout my adult life where I was unable to provide for myself and experienced my needs being met in ways I couldn't control nor predict.

Several people have shared how their jobs have been lost, or their spouses' jobs lost. It's a daunting feeling to not know where your next paycheck will come from or to be at the end of your savings. But it's a freeing feeling to know that the Creator of all things, the Owner of 'the cattle on a thousand hills", the Maker of people, the One who promotes...that same God who creates, owns, and makes also meets your needs!

3. Life is fragile 
>Tell those you love, that you love them. Check on people. So many lives are lost in situations like this and while many are due to the pandemic, others might not be. But being isolated makes it more difficult to grieve loss. Having an understanding that like things, people can be here today and gone tomorrow causes us to be live and love with intention.

4. We are weak, susceptible beings
>It amazes me that we often give off this persona that we are strong, tough and nothing affects us. When in actuality something so microscopic (almost invisible) is able to bring us to our knees. It's a great visual of just how fragile we are as human beings. How much IN NEED we are. In need of God's strength (to live in a way that pleases Him); in need of God's forgiveness to understand how to give grace and forgiveness to others; in need of a Savior who loves us so deeply that He gave His life to make us at peace with God. This love that will help us love the most unloveable people in the most unlikely of situations.

It reminds me of Paul's words, "I boast in my weakness, because it is THEN that I am truly strong."
And finally, probably the most exciting thing we learn from all of this...

5. God delights in using troubles for testimonies 
>I might not be the popular for saying this but i'm foremost guilty of it.
On social media I see a lot of people stating how 2020 has ruined things.
Birthdays. Travel Plans. Just to name a few...
But the perspective is wrong if we feel that our 'temporal plans' are the only important thing here. Yes, with a limited range of sight, watching schools get cancelled, our favorite spa close down is a bit traumatic. But we (Believers) are seated in Heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6) and so our mind is supposed to be on things above.

Things like, what could God be wanting to do in our lives as a result of this Pandemic?
What might be the significance in social distancing, attending church services from home, being home with our kids and spouse for longer hours?
How might the Lord be using this quarantine, pandemic season for His glory...and for our good?
If we truly believe He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond all we could ever ask or think; is it possible that He plans to send answers to your prayers by way of this Pandemic?
Or are we wired to believe that blessings only come packaged in brown boxes and dropped off at our door step by a person in a navy blue truck with PRIME written across the sides?

Israel will tell you that their prayers were heard for a "deliverer", during years of captivity.
Ruth will tell you that provision was made for her due to the loss of her husband.
Joseph will tell you that he had the wisdom to oversee countries because of his time served in a well, and a prison (unjustly).
So what will YOUR story be? What will you tell your friends, kids and grand kids about what God did during or because of COVID? Change the narrative!

Destined Delays

The more I grow into this "faith" I claim to have, the more I learn not to despise my delays.

Years ago (almost a decade, I'm sure), I heard a story about how someone was frustrated because they could not find their keys as they were rushing to leave the house. The story goes on to explain the hastiness with which the person tore up their house looking for their keys and the time that transpired as a result. When the frantic person in the story finally happened upon their keys and in exhaustion, exited the house, they soon found out that a tragic accident had occurred on their daily route around the same time they would have arrived at that very intersection. The moral of the story was to conclude that the person was actually "saved" from the accident and the resulting traffic by the misplaced key search.

As a visual learning, it goes without saying that I gleaned a lot from the story and my temperament towards scheduling and timeliness was somewhat hushed. But this only meant that in the back of my mind, I was able to place a visual with scripture I'd formally read on learning to wait on God's timing  (Psalm 27:7) and not being so adamant about things precisely going MY way (Isaiah 55:8-9). However, this didn't mean that certain situations still didn't test my temperament.

This summer, as I arrived in New York, eager to explore a city that has long been on my bucket list; I was met with a particular delay that rubbed me the wrong way.

First, I typically book a round trip shared shuttle from the airport to my hotel (when I travel) using a specific, reliable company. This time, I was prompted to use a more local and reasonably priced company and so I did.

Second, I am pretty organized even when I'm traveling for leisure. I'm aware of my surroundings; well studied on what to do and where to go, so I don't have to depend on locals (who may or may not try to hustle me); and I try to schedule everything purposefully. So I was certain all of MY bases were covered.

Finally, I had booked my entire trip using a 2nd party vendor, which meant that everything had been paid for and could NOT be cancelled.

However, what I did NOT calculate was that New York was hosting a pretty large festival in their downtown area, which would cause delays in my transportation.

Sure enough, my app was telling me that my driver would be arriving in 15-20 minutes; but the airport was saying 30-45 min. Not a problem; I could be patient and wait (after all, my phone needed to charge). Convenient for me.

However as the hour rounded, I got a little anxious and began pacing. No driver in sight and my app was now saying that the driver should be arriving "soon"...and it said that for the next 15 minutes. Not so convenient anymore. After pacing, a lady caught the message on my t-shirt (which read, "I love Jesus and naps") and waved me over to her. She lovingly proclaimed that things like this happen for a reason and not to worry because I would get to my destination when I was supposed to get there. She finished her encouraging words with the following phrase which left me humbled, "I know you understand this because it's our faith that gets us through times like these, right?"

I was stunned. She used my shirt to identify that I was a fellow "sister-in-Christ" (much like ancient Christians who drew a fish in the sand to identify each other and offer support) and then used that as an opportunity to remind me of the 'work' that is supposed to be coupled with my faith (James 2:20). I smiled before hugging her and thanking her for reminding me of what I should have been practicing- the art of waiting. Not too much longer after our exchange and  a brief but sweet conversation; the airport personnel informed us that due to a NYC festival, our transportation would be delayed at least another 45 min and that we could wait or cancel (and find alternate means of transportation).

After this news, I hailed an Uber and on the drive into Manhattan, proceeded to not only get a refund from the company but also locate on the map where we were in relation to my hotel. During this Google Map search, I uncovered an issue. My hotel had been reserved through my Expedia account did NOT match the hotel that was pulling up under my shuttle booking. There had been a mistake and my precise "calculated" travel self had not caught it until now. And truthfully, had I not been in an Uber (but rather on a shared shuttle) I would NOT have caught it.

I quickly spoke up to my Uber driver and made him aware of the problem, to which he quickly rerouted his GPS and dropped me off at the correct location. As the car rounded the final block to the hotel, I meditated on the irony of the entire situation.

Yes, I had to wait an extended hour at the airport, but had the situation not worked out as it did...
1. I would have never been reminded of God's omniscience by a former Believer (whom I believe God used, to calm my anxious spirit).
2. I would have never stumbled upon the mistake; which would have led to me being taken to the wrong hotel and required to walk to the correct one (seeing that the shared shuttle company had to consider/accommodate several other guests).
3. I would NOT have arrived at my hotel as quickly (typically shared shuttles visit SEVERAL hotels on their route, thus delaying arrival even more).
4. I would not have added to my faith arsenal the importance of God's timing and ways.

Whether it's a travel hiccup like mine, or a life altering situation that rears in the form of career/job, relationship, family, prayer, ministry, finances or otherwise; remember that God allows delays. He often uses them to carve out a destiny He already has set for your life. Rather than despise them, let them ruminate and try to glean what the lesson(s) might be for you. Try to catch, even, the beauty in their occurrence and timing. Often they're divinely created to HELP you, rather than HINDER you!

When a longing is fulfilled

In my book, I talk about different types of #HopeDeferred seasons (including my own).

But one that I hold near & dear to my heart is that of my best friend (Kathryn...aka Kitty) & her husband. For 15yrs they've prayed for a child. She & I have had several conversations, spoken many prayers & shed many tears since that day they found out they could not conceive. It's difficult to conceive going through life doing things God's way because you desire to please Him and yet finding out one of your deepest longings can't be fulfilled.

So she & her husband sought other paths and played emotional tag (during some seasons he wanted to adopt, she couldnt accept it bc of her faith God would provide; during other seasons, she accepted the idea of adoption while he despised it). Finally the season came & they both were on the same page; what's more...one of her own former students (whom she grew fond of as an educator) was up for adoption along with her 2 siblings. The two took their shot & were prime candidates. It was their time! Until the grandma rejected it & their door closed. Then, months later a new mom picked my friend and her husband to be the parents of her child but upon giving birth, changed her mind.

Finally, my friends decided to leave adoption alone and while numerous emails & calls inundated them, they chose not to return them so their file closed.
It was then, that a random, different situation arose and the lady involved immediately thought of Kitty and she decided to reach out to the couple. Something told them, to answer this call (even though their file had been closed for some time).

15yrs of waiting, crying, praying, fasting, pleading, seeking, knocking & hoping; 15 yrs of wanting to do it Gods way was met with a swift move of God. A move that Kitty & her husband can take no credit for. A move that has God all in the details of their prayer requests. Trusting God might not get you quick results...but you'll watch Him grow your spiritual fruit, strengthen your heart for Him, and see how well He listens to the details of your desires and flexes his ability to exceed your expectations.

This is what Hope Deferred is all about. Proverbs says while it can make our hearts sick, we can find a fulfilled longing that is a tree of life! Grab my book & read about how to trust God in such a season!

2018: Speed Dating

As I walked into the house our family chose to celebrate Thanksgiving in, I longed to see my grandmother sitting with her sisters around the table sipping coffee (as is their tradition each year). I rounded the corner, and sure enough (although my grandmother has more than 10 siblings) I saw her sitting with only 2 of her sisters. As I walked over to give them all a hug the first thing I heard was the question every single person (who never brings a significant other to family gatherings) dreads hearing,

"So are we dating anyone?"

No -"Hey Kim, nice to see you! You look so pretty, just like your mother."

No- "Hey Kim, we've missed you! How are things going for you?"

Nope, just right to the hum-dinger; straight gut punch. Right for the jugular! So, of course, despite the secret fear that I had let them down, I replied in my best upbeat and optimistic tone- "no, I'm not!"

To which they added,..."not yet!" I flashed my fake smile and found other relatives to greet. 

Only 3 hours later did I run into a handful of my other great-aunts and one of them pulled me close giving me the biggest and warmest hug and immediately asked, "So there's no one special in your life, yet?" I thought this had to be a joke. Seriously? Is this what older women want for all of their precious grands and great grands? Surely there's more they pray and dream about for us. But after my response this time, I assured her that it wasn't as if I hadn't gone on several dates or had no suitors- but that I simply hadn't been found by the one my heart loves.

Yes, 2018 has been quite the "speed dating" adventure. No, I didn't actually speed date, but I certainly accepted quite the number of offers this year (more than the usual because I've been type-cast as being too picky and I'm trying to give bruhs a chance). 

Going out on dates teaches us a lot about our hearts. It not only shows us who we truly are, but it also tells us a story about what we value and how much we value ourselves.

Who we truly are-

I try not to hold anything against the guys I reject, because often times its truly me. One date I had this year, was exceptionally handsome and I knew within seconds that if he even hugged me, it would be the end of my purity walk (shade me if you must)- I'm just being real. Being around him brought out every suppressed lustful bone in my body and I was quite self aware. Needless to say, I had to end things after our first date because his advances were quite strong and I simply did not trust myself around him. I learned (or better yet was reminded) that while I'm grateful that by God's grace I've been able to walk in purity, that does not mean that I don't deeply long to satisfy myself more than I desire to please God, at times.

What we value-

Sometimes I have a mental idea of the type of guy that will thoroughly impress me. But that mental list can easily get mixed with the type of man my heart longs to court. Here's what I mean. In my heart there's really no list. I know I'll eventually connect with someone who sincerely loves God and walks humbly with Him, because that's who I am (and am daily becoming) at my core. But as a result of loving God, I also desire to serve in my church, along with other service related actions that might seem "religious". So sometimes when I notice a guy is involved in these "religious" acts, I assume I know what his heart is like. Well, I grew instantly attached to one of my 2018 dates because of the things he did; however, when I saw his true heart, my affections dwindled because no amount of his outward behaviors could cover for the degrading way he treated people. I learned about myself, that 'out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks' and I should value the hearts words just as much as its actions.

How much we value ourselves- 

Two of my 2018 dates were quite charming and yet somehow being around them I never really felt valued. With one, it was the the way I was spoken to (in a condescending manner for no reason) and with the other, I never really felt  I was being pursued. Blame my father, but he always called me his princess and taught me to be courted with great value. He took me on father-daughter dates growing up, showing me how attentive and respectful men should be to the woman they're interested in. After a week with one of my 2018 dates, I felt I could have treated myself to a better time. Being looked at with desire and asked about your day are the little things; being heard and treated as if your opinion matters, are simple things that go much farther than simple chivalrous tasks such as opening a door. This dates' actions were completely self-absorbed to the point he felt that the reward was being with him. I learned to never let anyone convince you that you deserve to be treated a certain way simply because that's how that person is. I'll never be ashamed of my expectations because God is in the business of going exceedingly above what we desire and expect. 

Turning 39 in a few days and still on the dating scene is somewhat un-conventional these days but it's a sweet (sometimes frustrating) adventure! One that often leaves me reflective and keeps me praying about my future! Nevertheless, I am content to leave the results in the loving, perfect hands of my Father who knows, better than I, what's best for me!

Rejection is a gift

It's all a matter of perspective.

Rejection can either be a crippling fear that causes people to run from the very things they dream of, or it can be a gift from God. But it cannot be both.

A majority of those who will read this blog post will connect with the notion that rejection (whether from people, a job interview, a sports team try-out, a home or car loan...I could go on) isn't only an initial fear that begins in the mind when the rubber is forced to meet the road; but would also testify to it's ability to breed a depression-like comatose disposition that prevents one from ever attempting to "try-try-again".

It begins when as a child, we discover a hidden talent and someone who adores us, encourages our gift and drops the first hint that we should "try-out" or "apply for" some organized group that cultivates said talent and/or encourages healthy competition around it. This same series of events occurs in early adulthood when we venture out for a job or fall in love and again later in adulthood when we attempt to invest in property.

Then the inevitable happens; pride is crushed when the door slams shut in our face. When our name doesn't occur on the list, we get the call that says someone else was chosen, when he or she says we just aren't what they were looking for or when the person behind the desk says we were denied. Sometimes these slammed doors come as a complete surprise, but for anyone who has been living for some time, it might have been such a repetitive habit, that the slammed door is anticipated.

If half of us were completely honest, we'd agree that after so many closed doors, we tend to not get our hopes up (despite the encouragement from our friends and loved ones) because we've become so accustomed to the cycle, that we believe it's our fate in life.

But again, this is only one vantage point (although it can be the most prominent one). If you've found yourself in any of the aforementioned scenarios, but also consider yourself a Believer, I'd like to submit another vantage point around rejection. The twelfth chapter of Romans challenges us to adopt a different mindset around the natural occurrences that happen in our fallen world.

So consider this:

• If Joseph hadn't been rejected by his brothers, he would have never ended up in the palace serving Pharaoh and eventually overseer of the land. 
• If Ruth hadn't faced initial rejection by her mother-in-law (Naomi who encouraged her to go the easy route), she would have never crossed paths with Boaz (who would later marry her and redeem her family). 
• If David hadn't been rejected (numerous times) by Saul, he would have never had a chance to trust God would make him King (in His own timing).

These are only a few instances of rejection in the Old Testament. Ironically, each of these persons not only faced rejection but these same rejection-based stories contributed to the lineage of Jesus. 

Now, with that in mind, consider that rejection can be a part of the divine purpose and will of God. 

• It can be that the closed door is the very protection He provides to shield us from self-destruction. 
• It can be that the closed door helps us see an open door that we might not have otherwise seen.
• It can be that the closed door gives us a chance to humble ourselves and seek His face.

In this respect, the closed door (rejection) is a gift!

What we cannot deny is the truth of God's promises. That He gives "good gifts" to His children; that He withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly; and that He provides the desires of the heart that delights in Him [Matthew 7:11; Psalm 84:11; Psalm 37:4]. All of these promises are 'yea, and amen' (ie: true) regardless of rejection (or in light of).

So my charge to you is when the dark cloud of post-rejection depression moves in to dump its torrential rains on your disposition, submerge your mind in the refreshing downpour of God's truths that come from a heart that cares for you. Though our natural inclination is to submit to the natural feelings that accompany rejection, we must fight against the enemy's tactic and believe, instead, the report of the Lord (even if He hasn't shown the full report to you as of yet). 

Faith isn't a magic pill

Most of you know that almost a year ago, my family and I were displaced by Harvey. Long story-short, I stepped out on faith and decided to go from leasing to owning. I began the process to get approved (knowing that my credit was less than great) and before I knew it my pre-approval turned into full conditional approval! So, I began building a house (many of you saw pictures on Instagram (follow me: kim_lynnette)) that was expected to take 6 months to finish and so my closing date was scheduled for April 2nd (this coming Monday).

Well, by faith, I went about watching the house be built- checking on it every other day; began to look for furniture and truly getting attached to the house. More than just checking on the house, though, I prayed that the Lord would have His way and either shut down the entire process if it wasn't His will or would go above and beyond, exceeding my expectations (if it WAS). Each month, things got better and every day my prayers got deeper and more frequent. I was totally dependent upon His move in my life. I felt up against a rock and a hard place- no place to live (when His Word promises to meet our needs) and only 6 months until my house is finished being built. What's more? Nothing planned for if things were to go south. But I was super hopeful and while a nerve-wrecking process, it was also an enjoyable one!

Each and every day of the 6 months, I spent concentrated time with the Lord (ironically in Hebrews 11), seeking how I could extend my faith and demonstrate my complete trust in His Lordship. Each day was refreshing, full of reminders of how secure I was because of my willingness to trust Him. Each day was full of His promises such as "those who hope in the Lord, will never be disappointed" and countless stories of those who traversed the choppy waters of faith. The closer we got to closing, however, the less peace I felt about moving forward with this particular home I had grown somewhat attached to.

It didn't add up to me. If I had stepped out on faith, and pursued this home, why would God be asking me to give it up and walk away from it? Wasn't faith supposed to be catapulting me into the house, all while pouring out countless blessings? Why step out on faith (I wondered) if I would only be disappointed (which is ironically exactly what scripture said I would NOT be)?

I began to recount the handful of times in my life when I had made a monumental faith step. Each and every last one of them, God had superseded my expectations and come through in a mighty way. I was encouraged even more so to continue my trek but to also continue to pray and ask the Lord for wisdom. A few weeks before closing (on the home), I truly wasn't at peace with the decision and some calls from my loan officer confirmed that I did not need to go through with this contract. Just like that my faith was somewhat shattered and I felt disappointed for having believed this would cure my living situation.

Much like the story of Abraham who was promised that he would be given a seed through which his descendants would be blessed; after years of faithfully waiting and finally receiving his promise, he was asked to sacrifice it (kill it). As absurd as that thought and task was, Abraham had already gone through enough with God to know that walking by faith was a funny and risky thing. He figured if the same God who promised to bless his offspring through a son, must have had a miracle in mind if He was asking Him to give up the very thing He promised him. And so rather than having a shattered faith at having to give up his son, the scripture says, Abraham rose early and began the journey to the mountain to sacrifice him...and later, rose the knife to slay his only son. All acts of faith. It was then that God shared with Abraham that He could tell that his faith wasn't just a cliche or mere words in a song he sang; but that his faith was real.

A week before closing, I made the call that would somewhat devastate me and leave me temporary homeless- I told the loan officer that I was rejecting the offer on the home. I cannot say that I see where my faith step has led me, because just like countless others, I expected that this house would be my reward. But like Abraham, I've learned that walking by faith is not only what we are called to do, but is risky and uncertain business when dealing with God. Yet, one thing I trust and believe, is that God is the author of "ram in the bush" moments. And though I haven't seen mine, I must declare like Abraham that "the Lord himself, WILL provide..." and leave it at that.

No, faith did not give me the reward I thought it would, but that does not negate the fact that "the Lord rewards those who diligently seek Him" and that "without faith, it is impossible to please God". So I leave the results in His hands and trust His plan for my family. I hope to be able to soon share the blessing He has awaiting us; because He is faithful (even when we are faithless).