Our God Is Still Stronger

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Romans 8:31 — “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Chris Tomlin had written worship songs before—plenty of them. Some had topped charts. Others quietly made their way into small-town churches and across campgrounds, sanctuaries, and stadiums alike.

But this one didn’t start with him.

One day, producer and songwriter Ed Cash sent over a chorus—just a rough draft. “Our God is greater, our God is stronger…” No polish, no bridge. Just a line that wouldn’t let go.

Chris couldn’t explain why, but something in him leaned forward when he heard it. He knew it wasn’t meant to simply sound good or get a crowd on their feet. It was meant to be deeper. These weren’t lyrics for show. They were words for anyone who had ever wondered if God had forgotten them.

As time went on, the team built more lines around the chorus. “God, You are higher than any other.” The song took shape fast. In ministry, not everything does, but this one did.

In the weeks leading up to the young adult conference, Passion 2010, there were flights, rehearsals, and last-minute changes. The usual. The work was constant, but Chris kept circling back to the same prayer—Let them see You, not me.

When the band took the stage in that packed arena, the energy was high. Lights, movement, sound, but what hit hardest wasn’t volume—it was clarity of the chorus.

“Our God is greater. Our God is stronger. God, You are higher than any other.”

That wasn’t just a moment for college students overwhelmed by the weight of their futures. No, it is something that still reaches people now. People like you—who’ve been doing your best to stay faithful in the small, hidden places. Who have carried prayers for years with no answers in sight. Who wonder if God is still paying attention.

So maybe today, instead of mustering up your own strength, you just need to lean on what’s already true:

“And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us?”

Not because you feel strong, but because He is.

Not because everything is clear, but because He is still certain.

And, like Chris and his friends that day, I hope you’ll find that the same words to sing as God carries you forward.

 

OUR GOD

Verse 1
Water You turned into wine
Opened the eyes of the blind
There’s no one like You
None like You

Verse 2
Into the darkness You shine
Out of the ashes we rise
There’s no one like You
None like You

Chorus
Our God is greater
Our God is stronger
God You are higher than any other
Our God is healer
Awesome in power our God our God

Bridge
And if our God is for us
Then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us
Then what could stand against
And if our God is for us
Then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us
Then what could stand against
(Then) what could stand against

—
CCLI Song # 5677416
Chris Tomlin | Jesse Reeves | Jonas Myrin | Matt Redman
© 2010 sixsteps Music (Admin. by Integrity Music)

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Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

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Psalms 139:14 — “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”

Have you ever walked into a room and felt like you didn’t belong because of what you were wearing? I know I have.

I never really cared much for fashion. My sisters were the shoppers and I would just wear whatever they picked out for me. However, when left to my own devices, I really wish their fashion sense would’ve rubbed off on me a little more.

Everything felt wrong and nothing I tried seemed to work.

Oh, sweet comparison.

In my head I hear words like, “not pretty, too fat, or too skinny, trying too hard, or not trying hard enough.”

I’ve cried too many times about an outfit that I didn’t feel good in. I let those words define me and be my truth when they are not reality.

The reality is that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, not because of my clothes but simply because I’m created by God. My confidence doesn’t come from my shoes (though I love my shoes) it comes from Jesus. Who cares what I’m wearing if I’m walking in that room with Jesus?

Have you noticed that the best people to be around aren’t the ones society might deem “cool?” And it’s not because of their fashion sense or their ability to do all the TikTok dances.

The best people to be around are the ones who don’t care what other people think. They aren’t worried about anything except what Jesus thinks about them.

I want to be someone who walks into a room with confidence because I’m listening to God’s word. I’m His, and that’s all the confidence I need.

I hope you know how much He cares about you. I hope that’s how you think about yourself today.

— Leanna Crawford

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Help Always Has a Paddle

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Matthew 22:39 — “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

It happened on a Thursday night that went sideways in a hurry. One minute, the sky and seas were calm, then—boom—not so much.

Locals say the wind went from gentle to howling in about the time it takes to butter toast. Unfortunately, that was exactly the same time that a couple paddled out into the sea on their kayak.

Now, to be fair, nobody’s faulting them. They probably thought they’d squeeze in one last paddle before dinner with their dogs. And it would’ve stayed sweet, if not for the New Jersey sky deciding to throw a temper tantrum.

In seconds the winds picked up immensely, and their kayak flipped. The woman and her dogs went one way. The man went another.

People started gathering on porches and decks, holding their breath at the scene.

And then came the hero. Brennan.

“He just ran,” said one of the neighbors. “Full sprint. Down the dock. Gone.”

He leapt straight into the chaos, paddling furiously, and one by one—pulled them back. First one dog, then the second. Then the woman. By that time, the man had managed to grab hold of a dock, wet and shaken but safe.

It all happened so fast. And then it was over. Everyone said the same thing: “If Brennan hadn’t been there…”

Well. He was.

And here’s the part you may not expect: Brennan wasn’t a local business owner. Brennan was one of the dogs. A Labrador retriever who didn’t hesitate to launch himself into danger for the sake of his people.

That’s the thing about love—it doesn’t overthink. It doesn’t weigh the odds. It just runs straight into the storm when someone’s in need.

Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God—and the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). That kind of love isn’t always convenient, and it doesn’t always make sense. But it’s exactly what this world needs.

So maybe the question today is: Who around you needs you to run into the storm for them?

Because if a dog named Brennan can do it… surely we can too.

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Not What I Planned

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Psalms 27:14 — “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”

Was there ever a time when you were so sure about something, you never even thought to ask God what He thought?

That was me in college. I was twenty-one, a student at Oral Roberts University, and had been dating someone for three and a half years. We were sitting in chapel together one morning, and I remember looking around and thinking, “Everyone’s getting married, so of course we will too.”

It felt like the obvious next step—like the world had handed me a checklist, and I was just moving down it. But underneath the excitement, something did not sit right. I had not prayed about it. I had not invited the Lord into that decision.

But God did have other plans—and He was kind enough to interrupt mine.

His message was quiet but clear: “You are going to have to trust Me.”

With that, I knew. I could not marry that young man, and this was not just about walking away from a relationship. It was about surrendering the future I thought I needed.

That was the hardest part, and truth be told, I did not get married until I was forty-four.

Now, when I talk with people who are single, I do not offer easy answers or pat advice. I simply say this: unless God shows you beyond a shadow of a doubt, you do not have to force anything.

And this goes beyond relationships. In every part of life—decisions about work, friendships, calling—ask Him what He has for you. When you bring your whole life before Him, hands open, heart ready, you can move forward with a confidence that is not rooted in outcomes but in trust.

When you believe Him enough to wait, something shifts. You stop chasing what was never yours. Your peace grows deeper, and your steps grow steadier.

Your path may not look like anyone else’s. It may take longer, but Dear One, if it is built on trust, it will be worth it—every time.

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The Friend Who Makes A Way

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Galatians 6:2 – Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

I try to imagine it, that story found in the Bible.

The air is thick with dust and curiosity. This is not some ordinary Tuesday in Galilee. No, ma’am. The Teacher is in town.

The streets are packed tighter than your aunt’s freezer before the holidays. Every soul within walking distance is pushing into that little house, leaning in to hear Jesus speak.

And then there is me — or at least, the me I am imagining. Flat on a mat. My legs have not worked since before I can remember, and I’ve been stuck there so long. Life has been happening around me, but it’s not like I can enjoy any of it.

So, I just resigned myself to being part of the scenery.

Until my friends showed up. They did not give me a chance to refuse; they just scooped me up and said we were going to see Jesus.

They carried me down the street, weaving through the crowd. When we could not get in, I assumed we would go home, but they just looked at each other, grinned, and climbed the roof.

Then they started pulling apart clay tiles and thatching. A minute later, I am staring down where the roof used to be into eyes and stunned crowd below.

Dust in my hair, sun in my eyes, I was lowered right in front of Him. Jesus looked at me like He had known me all my life. And the first thing He did was heal the part of me no one could see. He said my sins were forgiven. My soul felt lighter than my legs ever could.

Then He says gives me this in wonderful instruction:

“Get up.”

And I did. Every muscle, tendon, and ligament worked in perfect harmony. When I looked up, I saw my friends grinning down from that roof like they had just pulled off the heist of the century.

So, as I imagine myself there, this is what I have been turning over in my mind — some of the greatest miracles happen because someone else’s faith carried us to Jesus.

But what’s more is this. Most people wait their whole lives for a friend like that.

Some people decide to be one.

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When Less is More

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Philippians 4:11 — “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.”

The first thing you should know about Joshua is that he likes to hug. A lot.

“Bring it in, Bud!” he says every time he meets someone new. Again, he’s an enthusiastic, grinning, full-send hugger.

He is also what you might call a minimalists— someone who had it all, decided it wasn’t enough, and now lives with a lot less than most people think is practical.

He didn’t start out this way. He grew up in Ohio as a poor kid with big dreams. Like a lot of people raised without much, he chased that version of success that comes with keycards and cufflinks. By his late twenties, he was hauling in six figures and racking up frequent flyer miles.

But then life did what life does.

Joshua’s mother passed away. His marriage ended in the same month. He was just 28. He owned a large three-bedroom house and a job title longer than most church prayer lists, and he was miserable.

It was then that Joshua realized just how unhappy he was.

So, in the wake of all that, he started to let go. Of his stuff, that is. He moved into a smaller house, got rid of the TV, the DVDs, the furniture, and the backup spatula— basically everything that once gave the illusion of security. One by one, he cleared out his life.

But the miracle Joshua found, obviously, wasn’t the empty shelves.

It was the space that showed up in his soul.

See, the peace he found came when he stopped pretending that more would finally make him feel like enough. He once found identity in what he had, but now he was finding peace through surrendering all of that.

He discovered that when enough is finally enough, you realize you’ve had more than enough all along. You start hearing the birds outside again. You show up for dinner with both feet in the room. And you start hugging people. Alot.

That’s the thing no one tells you: when your arms aren’t carrying everything, they’re finally free to reach out.

So…

“Bring it in, Bud.”

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A Fire Worth Waiting For

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Lamentations 3:25-26 — “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”

In my family, a barbecue was never just a barbecue. You see, somebody always brought a casserole, someone else a guitar. Before the food ever hit the grill, we were already a few songs deep into our annual pickin’ and grinnin.’

That was normal for us. But one year, things got rowdy—fast.

Right as the music picked up, a scream came from the direction of the grill. Apparently, my sister—who has never been a fan of waiting on anything (least of all charcoal)—decided to hurry the process along.

In one dramatic moment, she squeezed a bottle of lighter fluid onto the coals, and flames exploded straight into the sky.

She screamed. We all jumped. And just like that, she was standing there, stunned, without a single eyebrow on her face.

Once we made sure she was okay, we laughed so hard we could barely breathe. But the truth is, it could have been a lot worse.

The moment became legendary in our family. Still, beneath the chaos, it taught us something we didn’t forget.

Rushing the process never works.

If you want those burgers ready by lunchtime, you better light that charcoal long before the hunger kicks in. And if you want something good to happen in your life, you’ve got to give it time. Pouring fuel on something just to make it go faster usually leads to more mess than progress.

That goes for dreams. That goes for healing. That goes for anything you’re waiting on.

Scripture tells us—again and again—to wait on God. Not because He’s slow, but because He’s wise. His pace isn’t punishment. It’s preparation. And when we push ahead without Him, we miss what was meant for us.

You can either trust that or learn the hard way.

So next time you’re tempted to rush God’s timing, just picture my sister standing in a cloud of smoke, holding an empty bottle of lighter fluid… with no eyebrows.

Because some things really are worth waiting for.

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The End Is Just the Beginning

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Isaiah 25:8 — “He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces.”

There’s things you try to bury and run away from your entire life.

Bart Millard was only three when his parents divorced. His mom remarried and moved away, and it was decided that he and his brother would stay with their dad, Arthur.

Arthur Millard worked hard and stayed sober, but his temper ruled the house. Small things, like being cut off in traffic, could set him off, and Bart became his favorite target. He spent most of his childhood walking on eggshells, bracing for the next explosion.

But everything changed in high school when Arthur was diagnosed with cancer. The disease weakened his body—and, somehow, softened his heart. He gave his life to Jesus.

Almost overnight, he began to change. Bart, now his caregiver, had a front row seat to the transformation.

He started talking about grace and peace and love like they were more than words, and he lived it. The man who was once a monster became kind, gentle, and apologetic. Bart stopped fearing him and started thinking of him as his best friend.

They found something they never had before—until cancer took it away. And it wasn’t the past that hurt most. It was losing what they’d finally found.

At the funeral, Bart’s grandmother leaned in and whispered, “I can only imagine what your dad’s seeing now.”

That one line became a lifeline. Bart clung to it through grief, scribbling it on scraps, receipts, journals—anything. It gave him something to picture besides an empty house.

In time, Bart and a few others began the band MercyMe, and as they sat down to write one last song of their album he found inspiration in those old journals with “I can only imagine” scribbled across every page.

He wrote the song in just ten minutes, and the rest is history.

But that’s not the end of the story.

Today, when Bart closes his eyes and sings those words— “I Can Only Imagine”—he’s not just remembering what God did. He’s looking ahead to what God will do.

Because the gospel doesn’t stop at changed hearts or even gravesides. It carries on—into forever. Into a kingdom where there are no more regrets and no more goodbyes.

And the truth that steadied Bart through every wound and every loss still stands: if God can write that kind of ending for his father, He can write one for yours too. Or your sister. Or your friend. Or that person you’ve been praying for so long it hurts.

So, believe Him for the future.
Believe Him for your loved one.
Believe Him for what’s still ahead.

Because one day, we will finally see with our own eyes.

Can you only imagine it?

LYRICS  |  I CAN ONLY IMAGINE

I can only imagine what it will be like
When I walk by your side
I can only imagine what my eyes will see
When your face is before me
I can only imagine

Yeah

Surrounded by your glory
What will my heart feel
Will I dance for your Jesus
Or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence
Or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah
Will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine
I can only imagine

I can only imagine when that day comes
And I find myself standing in the Son
I can only imagine when all I will do
Is forever, forever worship you
I can only imagine, yeah
I can only imagine

Surrounded by your glory
What will my heart feel
Will I dance for your Jesus
Or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence
Or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah
Will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine
Yeah
I can only imagine

Surrounded by your glory
What will my heart feel
Will I dance for your Jesus
Or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence
Or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah
Will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine
Yeah
I can only imagine

I can only imagine
Yeah
I can only imagine
I can only imagine
I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever, forever worship you

I can only imagine

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He Picked Me Anyway

1 Peter 2:9 — For you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.

I was chatting with a Southern belle friend of mine recently over coffee about how our ships are so totally sunk apart from the transformational power of God’s grace.

After a while, she sighed and mused dreamily, “The Gospel reminds me of the Cinderella story.” She went on to explain how she thought humanity was like Cinderella, and Jesus was like the divine prince.

I don’t remember how I responded verbatim; I think I just hemmed and hawed a bit and then changed the subject. But her observation rubbed the fur of my heart in the wrong direction. I kept mulling over . . . until eventually the source of my angst hit me.

Here’s the deal: if you’ve read the book or rented the movie, you know that Cinderella deserved the prince.

She was gorgeous, she was personable, she had a strong work ethic, and she was kind to animals (who in their right mind is nice to mice?). Not to mention that voice. Furthermore, she was used and abused by her soap-opera of a stepfamily.

So when the glass slipper fits and the fairytale concludes with happily ever after, we turn the page with happy satisfaction because good triumphed over evil.

But that’s not at all what happens in the Gospel.

In God’s true story, the ugly, horrible, abusive stepsister gets to marry King Jesus. I mean, come on. She’s the girl who locked her sister in a tower in order to get ahead! She’s horrible to animals! And she can’t sing a note!

Everyone at the ball is dumbfounded when he gallantly strides across the dance floor, and asks her to join him for the waltz. I can just hear the ladies muffling under their breath.

Um, looks like the royals have seriously lowered their standards.

But right there, in front of that shell-shocked crowd, the ugly stepsister becomes beautiful in the adoring, undeserved gaze of the handsome prince. His love transforms her—not a fairy godmother—from the inside out. He takes her record of selfishness and pays for it himself and clothes her in honor and splendor.

That’s the divine love story we’ve been written into. We were once the ugly stepsister, you and me. That’s who we were. But now we’re royalty. That’s who we are now. All made possible by the One, true, perfect and powerful King who picked the worst of us out of a crowd and made us His very own.

— Lisa Harper

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When Plans Fall Apart

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Proverbs 16:9 — “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

Have you ever planned something so perfectly, only to have it fall apart when you least expect it? Unfortunately, last summer, this happened to my family.

David and I took a trip to Houston with my parents and six-month-old daughter for a church conference. Weeks before, I meticulously searched listings to find the perfect Airbnb for our stay. I looked at everything: prices, number of rooms, amenities. After comparing each home, I knew I had found the one.

The reviews were great, and the pictures looked so cute on the listing. I booked the place, and a few weeks later, we were on our way.

But when we opened the door, my stomach dropped. The smell hit me first. There was a thick, smoky haze that didn’t belong anywhere near a baby. The light overhead eerily flicked on and off, and I knew immediately this was not the safe, welcoming space we needed.

Disappointment washed over me. All my planning—wasted. I stood there, trying to breathe through the letdown, when my dad stepped in with a solution. Within an hour, he had us checked into a hotel that smelled like fresh towels and hand soap.

That night, as I watched our daughter sleep in her travel crib, I thought about how life doesn’t always follow my script. I can plan and plan, but sometimes things fall apart anyway. And yet, God shows up in the middle of it all—like a dad with a phone and a calm voice—pointing us toward a better place.

So, the next time life takes an unexpected turn, pause for a moment, look around, and trust that even the detour has purpose. Even if the destination is not the place you picked, trust Him. He will lead you to where you need to be.

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