Somebody’s Home

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 Just can’t come to the door right now At the gate, but missed the gun I can't start, but I'm not done Fortune never smiled at me It left me on my own Someone cracked the hour glass Shattered time and scattered past Set in stone, you can't un-cast The die once thrown And I'm in here with the blinds all drawn I can hear you but I can't respond Though the lights are on, just don't give up 'cause somebody's home Somebody's home Your eyes betray your sympathy But your eyes can't see inside of me Maybe there's nothing to see I guess we'll never know And I'm in here with the blinds all drawn I can hear you but I can't respond Though the lights are on, just don't give up 'cause somebody's home Somebody's home All the things I never said All still here inside my head All the plans you had for me All that will never be Oh, but don't give up on me I see more than you think I see Can anyone hear me, oh? And I'm in her...

Daniel: Spiritual Vitality in a Secular Setting

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Daniel is the model of a leader who preserved spiritual integrity within a hostile environment. Here are some principles for strengthening spiritual leadership while serving through unstable and unfavorable circumstances:

TAKE YOUR STAND: Daniel took God’s name on himself, being identified as a child of Israel (1:3). “Daniel purposed in his heart” (1:8) not to misrepresent God. He kept the 1st through 4th commandments forcibly! This is the foundation upon which the rest of his life was built. He knew what he stood for, his convictions.

KNOW YOUR “WHY”: Daniel’s “why” was his love for God. This defined his values. Under pressure, he was able to lean on his “why” and not defile himself. Daniel was among those “in whom there was no blemish . . . gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand” (Daniel 1:4) which indicates he had a solid “why” to think and act as he did--his purity got him noticed.

FIND YOUR PURPOSE: Only after Daniel and his friends had proven themselves with knowledge, skill and wisdom were they brought before the king, “and among them all none was found like Daniel . . .” (1:19) being “ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers in all his realm” (1:20). Daniel was considered a spiritual leader (2:16)--but which kind would become clear throughout his life.

KEEP YOUR FOCUS: The world has many points of view but Daniel’s focus was from God’s infinite viewing point. Daniel was consistent. He is often found praying and spending time with God was priority. The result was that he spoke clearly, plainly from God’s perspective and addressed matters-at-hand. This focus equipped him with the strength to stand firm in the midst of conflict.

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