When we are familiar with a person, place, circumstance, issue, activity, or even an environment, there is a unique confidence we develop. A confidence that empowers us to continue correctly stepping forward, handling that which needs handling, and even smiling through the difficulties; instinctively knowing it will all work out and what needs to come to pass will come to pass because we actively have chosen to live in our Abba’s will. We learn so much through those experiences and are uniquely encouraged by them, and although those experiences, Divinely orchestrated, are important to our mental, emotional, and physical well-being, stripped down bare why do we find ourselves trusting more in those ever changing people, circumstances, issues, activities and environments, instead of in the Creator lovingly behind it all? Only our Creator is constant and never-changing. And when those things in our life radically change, becoming the complete opposite of what we have always known them to be; or even more heart-wrenching, when those very things cannot help us overcome what we are going through or facing, well, we feel as if the ground evaporates under our feet and we become seemingly lost with our hope siphoned out. But when we are more aware of Jesus than anything us, we know Jesus is Hope, and hope is never siphoned out, and although our ground can shift and become unbearable, we intimately know it will never become destroyed because it is rooted and grounded in Him. Familiarity is a unique comfort to us, it is a spiritual and physical nourishment physically learned and physically experienced, but only Jesus can bring wholeness, complete wellness, and a healthy balance intimately directed by the Holy Spirit. Familiarity is a gift. A gift where we must always first recognize the Giver, because only then can we firmly stand regardless of the tumultuous waves battering us, or accept the changes we must welcome and make as our Shepherd guides us to. Moment by moment, being more aware of Jesus than anything else, nourishes us and allows us to become more familiar with Jesus than anything else. We can only unconditionally love others, joyfully handle each moment, and excitingly step behind our Shepherd, regardless of where He leads us, because we mentally, spiritually and physically stand with the Giver of the gift.