The account of Peter walking on the water is a great example of what you can accomplish when you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. (Matthew 14:25-31) Peter was bold enough to step out into the water on what little faith he had, even in the midst of a storm raging around him. Though the boisterous wind got the best of him, Peter still got to experience something that has never been done before and possibly ever since. The key to this story is to keep your eyes focused on Jesus. He may be calling you to come out of the comfort of your boat, and walk with Him onto the sea of the miraculous.

The beginning of the New Year always comes with new goals and new plans or maybe even a fresh vision from the Lord. For most of us, the challenge is trying to stay focused so you can bring it to pass. When you know your vision is from the Lord and you're trying to reach the other side to deliver what was conceived in your spirit, the winds of discouragement shrouded with fear and doubt are sure to start their raging voices. The dream inside of you is getting ready to be birthed, but things just have a way of distracting, yeah, to the point of being put off until next year's to do list.

We can learn a lot from the story of the pregnant deer. She cannot be distracted from delivering her precious fawn. In a forest, a pregnant deer is about to give birth. She finds a remote grassy field near a strong-flowing river. It seems like a safe place. Suddenly labour pains begin but at the same moment, dark clouds gather around above her and a lightning strike starts a forest fire. She looks to her left and sees a hunter with his bow extended pointing directly at her. To her right, she spots a hungry lion approaching her.

What can the pregnant deer do? Remember she is in labour, her newborn is almost here. What will happen? Will the deer survive? Will she give birth to a fawn? Will the fawn survive? Or will everything be burnt by the forest fire? Will she perish to the hunters' arrow? Will she die a horrible death at the hands of the hungry lion approaching her? She is constrained by the fire on the one side and the flowing river on the other and boxed in by her natural predators. What does she do? She focuses on giving birth to a new life. Thankfully, she did.

Here is the remarkable sequence of events that follows. The lightning strikes and blinds the hunter. He (the hunter) releases the arrow which zips past the deer and strikes the hungry lion. It starts to rain so heavily that the forest fire is doused slowly by the rain. The momma deer gives birth to a healthy fawn.

The deer did not have any influence in the chain reaction that happened to her enemies'. In our life too, there are moments when we are confronted on all sides with negative thoughts and circumstances. What we must not do is take our eyes off the ball. We must remain focused on the issue at hand and reach for the goal. Some thoughts are so powerful that they overwhelmingly overcome us. Maybe we can learn something from the momma deer. Her priority in that given moment was simply to give birth to a baby fawn. The rest was not in her control and any action or reaction that changed her focus would have likely resulted in death or disaster.

Ask yourself today: Where is my focus? Where is my faith and hope? In the midst of any storm, do you always keep your faith in the Creator? He will never ever disappoint you. Remember, He neither slumbers nor sleeps. The prayerful person knows how to keep their life in order. Even with tears in their eyes and a smile on their face and storms raging in the background, they still manage to say, "I am blessed."

Will you persevere or let go only to sink as the apostle Peter did? This New Year pray to keep your focus on Jesus. Let Him guide you. Reroute those distractions. Accomplish goals, keep the dream and nourish the plans that God has for you. Help me Lord to keep my eyes fixed on YOU and focused on the dreams You've planted in my heart. Help me to take every thought that enters my mind captive so that it is not tainted by the ways of this world. Help me not to allow my attention to be diverted away from the things that are eternally important to the temporal things of the world, which are quickly fading away. Help me Lord to focus on You as I wake each morning; as I rest at night and throughout the business of every passing day.

Juli Jasinski, Guest Writer

MA/RI District Prayer Coordinator
WNOP Administrative Team Member