Table of Contents

Introduction 11

1 Genesis 3:3 The Subtle Insertion of Doubt 13

2 Genesis 16:2 Moving ahead of God's Timing 17

3 Genesis 16:13 Never Alone 21

4 Genesis 41:1 Remembering and Living Our Waits 25

5 Exodus 3:12 The Sign Comes after You Obey 29

6 Exodus 16:19 Manna, Maggots, and Trust 33

7 Exodus 32:1 The Temptation to Find Another God 37

8 Numbers 13:27-28 The Bats That Steer Our Faith 41

9 Deuteronomy 10:13 For Our Own Good 45

10 Joshua 1:7 Not Turning to the Right or Left 49

11 Judges 7:2 Too Much of You Is Not Enough of God 53

12 1 Samuel 3:10 Hearing God's Voice 57

13 2 Samuel 11.1 The Decisions before the Decision 61

14 1 Kings 17:3-4 Elijah's School of Faith 65

15 1 Chronicles 17:23 The Courage to Pray for the Bigger Story 69

16 Esther 4:14 The Story within the Story 73

17 Job 1:8 God's Affection in Our Trials 77

18 Job 42:3 Seeing Our Life in Context 81

19 Psalm 131:2 A Weaned Faith 85

20 Psalm 143:5 Looking Back for Our Future 89

21 Ecclesiastes 5:15 Nothing You Can Carry 93

22 Ecclesiastes 11:5 God's Activity 97

23 Isaiah 30:21 The Voice behind You 101

24 Isaiah 50:11 Lighting Your Own Fires 105

25 Jeremiah 29:5 Build Houses and Settle In 109

26 Jeremiah 31:33 The Writing on Our Hearts 113

27 Ezekiel 37:3 The God Who Breathes Life and Hope 117

28 Jonah 1:5 Running Away from God 121

29 Jonah 3:4 The Small Step God Can Use 125

30 Habakkuk 3:17-18 Defiant Faith 129

31 Matthew 1:6 Goodness Is Not Forgotten 133

32 Matthew 11:2-3 When Circumstances Bring Doubt 137

33 Mark 2:5 The Answer You Weren't Looking For 141

34 Luke 22:32 When You Have Turned Back 145

35 John 11:35 The God Who Weeps 149

36 John 20:21 Sent with Our Wounds 153

37 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 The Power of Our Thorns 157

38 Ephesians 1:18-19 The Eyes of Our Heart 161

39 Philippians 1:12 Trusting the Greater Plan 165

40 1 John 4:12 Making the Invisible God Visible 169

Acknowledgments 173