This picture is about 8 years old. It was taken in Atlanta, Georgia by a multi-talented friend and photographer, Joi.

Somehow it always reminds me of a sermon that changed my life which was preached several years before this was taken.

The message in question was preached about 15/16 years ago on beautiful Sunday morning. I still remember it to this day! It was a female pastor at my church who didn’t preach often but she was on the lineup this day. The topic was “What is in your hand?”… though it drew on many references, the main one was the text in Exodus 4:2-9.

The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” - Exodus 4:2-5

As the preacher started speaking, there was suddenly no one else in the room, it was just me and her words which at that moment represented the voice of God…it was quite an interesting encounter. Her words spoke deep to my soul and spirit as she would often pause to ask the question “what is in your hand?”. The response didn’t warrant a verbal response reeling out what God already knew; it called for a heart reaction that will birth action…

At that point in my life, there were many pending instructions which seemed to be hanging over my head and I had used questions as an excused to pacify my inaction but this very wise Father of mine used a simple 5 word question to respond and provoke action. How ironic? The sermon was very simple and predictable to some but it was life shifting for me.

For someone I leave you with this same question today…

What is in your hand?

What do you keep making excuses about?
What is seemingly keeping you stuck?
What do you have that you are still seeking validation for?…

What is in your hand?

Selah x