Jesus Cares About That Too

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Mark 2:17 – When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

Don’t wait till things get too bad to get a check up. Isn’t that, sadly, so normal…to make sure everybody else is okay but to ignore our own pain?

When our children get a cough. “Okay, it’s time to call the pediatrician.”

We say, “Okay, what do you need? Do you need some vitamin C? You need a Flintstones gummy. What else can I do to help?”

But all along, your knees have been cracking for six weeks… maybe six years…and you’re thinking, “Ah, that’s just part of life.”

Why? Why do we wait so long to get things in our lives checked out? Do we not think we matter that much?

Jesus says it does matter. But he wants us to admit it. He didn’t come for people who believed they didn’t need Him. He came for people who recognized their need and were willing to let Him into it. He came for the people who knew something was wrong and were willing to let Him into it.

All you have to do is say, “Hey, Lord, I’m noticing this in my heart. I don’t want it to get bad. Let’s deal with it now.”

You don’t have to wait until the wound is worse to bring it to the Savior and let Him begin His work in you. So today, notice what’s hurting, stop minimizing it, and invite the Lord in before it has a chance to harden or deepen.

Like I said… It matters.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What is something in your heart or life that you’ve been minimizing or ignoring?
  • Why do you think we sometimes find it easier to care for everyone else than to acknowledge what’s hurting in us?
  • Is there an area of your life where you need to admit, “Something isn’t right, and I need Jesus here”?
  • What would it look like to invite Jesus into that area before the hurt has a chance to harden or deepen?
  • What is one thing you can bring to Jesus today instead of continuing to carry it on your own?
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A Refreshing Plot Twist

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Proverbs 11:25 — A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

Have you ever been set up by God?

Like, you sign up to go somewhere thinking you’re going to support somebody else, and then God changes everything?

That’s what happened to Miss Gwendolyn.

She took her granddaughter to the Live Original Conference, which is coming to town this weekend. Her granddaughter had really come to know the Lord through her youth group and loved Sadie Huff. So Miss Gwendolyn thought, “Of course. I’ll get two tickets.”

She imagined them buying merch, taking pictures, and making some memories. That’s really as far as she thought it would go.

But then she stepped into worship.

Through the songs, God started ministering to her heart and revealing that this wasn’t just about the teenagers.

He wanted to meet her, too.

And from that moment on, something began to deepen in Miss Gwendolyn’s relationship with the Lord. Her eyes were opened in a new way, even though she had known Jesus for a long time.

Sometimes we think we’re the ones pouring out, but God has a way of pouring into us at the same time.

That’s what I see in Scripture: whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

And that’s why I think this is such a beautiful reminder for us today:

You never know where God is waiting to meet you.

There is no stage, no age, and no season of life where the Lord can’t still pierce your heart and draw you closer to Him.

You might think you’re showing up for someone else, but remember this:

God refreshes the refresher.

As you encourage someone else, serve someone else, or simply show up for someone else, don’t be surprised if God has something He wants to do in you, too.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Have you ever shown up somewhere or served someone else, only to realize God had something He wanted to do in your heart, too?
  • Who is someone you could intentionally encourage or refresh this week?
  • What might it look like to serve someone without focusing only on what you’re giving, but also being open to what God might want to teach you?
  • Is there an area of your relationship with God where you would welcome Him refreshing or renewing you?
  • How does Proverbs 11:25 change the way you think about generosity—not just giving things, but giving your time, attention, encouragement, and presence?
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Is Your Love Contagious?

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Matthew 5:16 — In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Is your love as contagious as chicken pox?

Picture this: September 1995 in New Orleans. It’s first grade, and Marshall Collins comes to school with chicken pox.

We had no idea what chicken pox was. We were six. But I’ll never forget the look on Miss Amy’s face when Marshall rolled up his sleeve, scratching.

She about went crazy.

And then, it seemed like everybody else started scratching too. For the next two weeks, our whole class was out with chicken pox.

We’d all played on the same monkey bars that never got wiped down. We sneezed without washing our hands, and before long, what one person carried had spread to everybody else.

It was miserable and itchy, but even at six years old, I learned one thing: all it took was contact.

And isn’t it interesting how the things we carry have a way of rubbing off on the people around us?

That makes me wonder: What if our love worked the same way?

What if the way we give, the way we speak, and the way we show up left people with a little more hope instead of a little more hurt?

Jesus tells us to let our light shine—not so people will notice us, but so they’ll see what God is doing through us and give glory to our Father in heaven.

So maybe the question isn’t just, “Am I being a good person?”

Maybe it’s, “When people come into contact with me, do they come into contact with Jesus?”

Today, that’s my prayer—and I hope it can be yours, too:

Lord, let Your love shine through my life so clearly that people don’t just notice me; they notice You. Let Your love be contagious in every conversation, every inconvenience, and every ordinary moment. May the people I encounter leave with more hope, more grace, and a greater desire to know the One who changed me, too.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What are you “carrying” into your interactions with people today—peace, frustration, hope, stress, grace?
  • Who is someone in your life who might need a little more hope or kindness from you?
  • What could you do today to let your light shine in a way that points someone toward Jesus?
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Not Alone After All

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Psalm 48:9 — O God, we meditate on your unfailing love as we worship in your Temple.

It’s possible to be in a room full of thousands of people and still feel completely alone.

That’s what our friend Taylor shared with us after attending a conference. She was standing in a massive crowd, trying to hold it together, while inside she was praying, “Lord, I know I’m not physically alone, but I feel alone. I just need You to speak to me.”

Then the worship started.

Right there in the middle of that crowd, Taylor stopped trying to hold everything together. Instead of focusing on the noise around her, she quieted her heart and did what Psalm 48:9 invites us to do: she meditated on His unfailing love.

She simply let herself remember that God loved her. And in that moment, everything began to shift.

And I thought, That’s what it’s all about.

In a room full of thousands, God still sees the one.

He saw Taylor. He knew what she was carrying. And He met her right in the middle of it.

God’s presence isn’t measured by the size of the crowd. His love is personal.

Maybe you’ve been in a season where you’ve cried out, “God, I need to know You’re here.”

If that’s you, hear this today: you are never a face lost in the crowd. You are a child known and loved by the Creator.

So today, turn down the noise for a moment. Quiet your heart. Think about His unfailing love. Let the truth of who He is become louder than the loneliness you feel.

You may not have all the answers. You may not even feel different right away.

But you are seen. You are known. And you are never, ever alone.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What noise—around you or inside you—has been making it difficult to hear God lately?
  • When you think about God’s “unfailing love,” what comes to mind?
  • What would it look like today to stop for a moment and simply receive His love?
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Don’t Let Them Stop You

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Nehemiah 4:14 — Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!

Do not let people talk you out of what God has called you to do.

I’ll never forget one time when somebody called the radio station and said, “Hey, Bri, can you just stop talking?”

Respectfully, kind sir…

No.

No, I cannot.

This is what the Lord has called me to do. Absolutely not.

Now, obviously, not every criticism means we’re being persecuted for Jesus. Sometimes people have a point, and wisdom means being willing to listen.

But there will be times when God has clearly called you to something, and somebody else’s opinion makes you question whether you should keep going.

Nehemiah knew something about that.

As the Israelites rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem, opposition came from every direction. The enemy wanted to intimidate them, discourage them, and convince them to stop.

So Nehemiah reminded the people:

“Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious.”

In other words, don’t let the size of the opposition make you forget the size of your God.

That’s a word for us too.

When intimidating voices get loud, remember who called you.

Remember why you’re doing it.

Remember who you’re doing it for.

I let that phone call roll off my back.

And I kept talking.

Not to prove him wrong.

Not to win an argument.

But because one person’s opinion wasn’t going to determine whether I stayed faithful to what God had placed in my hands.

I want to care more about God’s plan for my life than I care about people’s opinions of me.

Because if I’m constantly listening to every voice around me, I’ll eventually lose track of the One I’m supposed to be following.

So if God has called you to something, don’t let fear make you abandon it.

Listen to wise counsel. Stay humble. Be willing to grow.

But don’t let intimidation pull you off the wall.

Remember how great and awesome your God is.

Their voice doesn’t get the final word.

God does.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Whose opinion has the potential to make you question what God has called you to do?
  • How can you tell the difference between wise correction and discouragement that pulls you off course?
  • Where have you allowed fear of people’s opinions to become louder than your trust in God?
  • What does it mean for you to “remember the Lord” when you’re facing opposition?
  • What is one thing God may be asking you to keep doing faithfully, even when it isn’t being applauded?
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The Secret to Spiritual Growth

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1 Timothy 4:8 — Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.

We don’t need motivation.

We need discipline.

This is something I’m learning.

I was talking with my friend Casey the other day because I was so frustrated. I wanted to spend time with the Lord in the mornings. I wanted the journal, the Bible open, and the quiet time.

But wanting it wasn’t the problem.

Casey listened and then shared her story. She told me she felt the same way.

That is, until she got tired of being tired of not growing.

So she simply started waking up.

Now, for months, she’s been having morning devotionals faithfully.

No, she’s not a morning person.

Neither of us are.

And after those first few mornings, her motivation faded like it always does.

But discipline showed up after motivation left.

That’s true with our bodies, and it’s even more true with our souls.

The life we train for becomes the life we live.

The things that shape our schedules eventually shape our hearts.

And that’s what Paul is getting at in First Timothy. Training for godliness isn’t about earning God’s love or proving ourselves to Him.

It’s about growing in the life we’ve already been given through Christ.

Disciplines may feel difficult to build, but once you settle into them, it’s amazing what God can do through simple consistency.

A few minutes in Scripture.

A quiet prayer.

A morning surrendered to God.

None of those things may feel dramatic in the moment, but over time, they shape us.

So maybe it’s not January 1st anymore. Maybe the excitement of a fresh start has come and gone.

That’s okay.

Today is still a good day to begin.

Spend time with the Lord.

Train yourself for godliness.

Take care of the body God gave you, and tend to the soul He’s entrusted to you.

Because a growing relationship with Christ isn’t built on fleeting moments of motivation.

Nope.

It comes when we faithfully show up, one ordinary morning at a time.

And eventually, you may look back and realize that those ordinary moments weren’t ordinary at all.

God was using them to make you more like Jesus.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Where in your spiritual life have you been waiting for motivation instead of practicing discipline?
  • What simple spiritual habit could you begin today?
  • What usually causes you to lose momentum?
  • How can you make time with God a consistent part of your routine rather than something you do only when you feel like it?
  • What would it look like to trust God with the results while faithfully showing up for the process?
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Trusting Through Life’s Transitions

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Jeremiah 29:11 — “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

I know when a season ends, it can feel like the worst thing in the world.

You wonder if you’ll ever get through it. You wonder, “Did I ruin everything?”

But no.

I’m here to tell you—it gets so much better.

I remember feeling that way when I made the decision to step down from coaching volleyball.

I had the opportunity to help start the volleyball program at Ouachita High School, and I coached for five years. I was so proud of what we were able to accomplish.

But by the end of my last season, I was coaching by myself. I was nine months pregnant, and honestly, it was pretty brutal.

I knew I needed to step away the next year, but I wrestled with it. I didn’t want anyone to think I’d abandoned them. It gave me anxiety, and I honestly thought, “There’s no way I’m going to survive this.”

I’m here to tell you…

I did.

And looking back, I can see God’s hand in what I couldn’t see at the time.

God put the right people in place after I left. He mended the places in my heart that hurt, and He opened doors for me to thrive in ways I never could have imagined.

That’s what Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us: God knows the plans even when we don’t.

Sometimes we can only see the ending of the chapter we’re in. God sees the whole story.

I know it can feel like that one thing you’re doing is what you were destined to do forever. But God gives you more.

He turns the page.

He gives you the capacity for what’s next.

Your purpose is bigger than one season because your future has always been in His hands. This chapter was never the whole story.

So if you’re wrestling with change today, I know it’s hard.

But don’t hold so tightly to the page you’re on that you miss the next one God is writing.

You may not know what comes next.

But you can trust the One who does.

And I promise you…

It really does get better.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What season of your life are you having the hardest time letting go of?
  • Why is it difficult to trust God when you can’t see what comes next?
  • Can you look back on a past ending and see how God used it to lead you somewhere new?
  • What would it look like to release your current season into God’s hands?
  • What hope does Jeremiah 29:11 give you about your future?
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The Red Balloon Reminder

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Psalms 147:3-5 — He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. He counts the stars and calls them all by name. How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension!

Sometimes being the church means tying up a red balloon in the sanctuary.

When Hannah lost her son, Jude, she experienced a loss no parent should ever have to face. Jude had RCDP, and most children with this disorder live only about ten years. But Jude lived to be thirteen.

When he passed away, Hannah was surrounded by love. Her family was there, and her church family walked closely beside her.

During his service, they had red heart balloons. Before everyone left for the cemetery, one accidentally floated up into the high ceiling of the sanctuary.

“We’ll get it later,” they said.

But they never did.

For five months, that red balloon stayed there.

Every Sunday, in the middle of her grief, Hannah would look up and see it. Somehow it reminded her that Jude was not just a memory… and that God hadn’t stepped away from her broken heart.

Then one Sunday she walked into church…

…and the balloon was gone.

She stood there looking up, searching for it, and began to cry.

That’s when the pastor’s wife noticed. She had been looking for the balloon too. She walked over and simply wrapped her arms around Hannah.

A few weeks later, Hannah returned to church.

There was another red balloon.

Only this one wasn’t floating.

Someone had tied it securely to one of the beams so it wouldn’t drift away.

She asked the pastor, “What is this?”

He smiled and said, “I know it’s not the same balloon. But if this is what it takes to remind you that God loves you and He’s with you in this season, then this is what we’re going to do.”

I love that picture.

Psalm 147 tells us the God who counts every star and calls each one by name is also the God who heals broken hearts.

The One who holds the universe together also notices one grieving mother.

And sometimes, He reminds us of His love through the hands of His people.

So if you know someone carrying a grief you can’t fix, don’t underestimate what one small act of love can mean.

You may become the reminder that they’re not walking through it alone.

Because when God’s people stay close to the brokenhearted, they help make God’s presence visible.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Have you ever experienced a simple act of kindness that reminded you God hadn’t forgotten you? What made it so meaningful?
  • What does Psalm 147 teach you about God’s heart when it says He both names the stars and heals the brokenhearted?
  • Is there someone in your life who is carrying grief and simply needs someone to stay present with them?
  • How can you reflect God’s compassion this week through one intentional act of love or encouragement?
  • When you’ve experienced loss or heartbreak, what reminders has God used to assure you that He was still with you?
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Kindness Delivered to Your Door

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Galatians 5:14 — For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Something that will never, ever go out of style is bringing your neighbors food.

It almost feels like an old-school practice now. You know, borrowing flour or sugar from the neighbors. We’ve kind of moved away from that.

But there’s still something so special about a neighbor or friend saying, “Hey, we have extra. Would y’all like some?”

We have a neighbor we don’t know all that well. Chris has seen him at the gym a few times, and he helped him with a tree last summer.

This past Saturday, he showed up at our house with a box full of fresh, homegrown tomatoes and said, “Hey, we’ve got a whole bunch of tomatoes. Would y’all like some?”

Now, I don’t really eat tomatoes like that, but that wasn’t the point.

They thought about us.

And I just stood there thinking, this is what being a good neighbor looks like.

Paul tells us that the whole law can be summed up in one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Sometimes that love looks like something as simple as sharing what you’ve been given.

Love isn’t usually loud.

Most of the time, it sounds like, “We had extra, and we thought of you.”

That’s what moved me more than the tomatoes ever could. Somebody noticed us. Somebody chose generosity over convenience.

So now I’m going to look up some tomato recipes—not because I’ve suddenly become a tomato person—but because someone else’s kindness made me want to pass that same kindness along.

Grace grows best when it doesn’t stop with us.

Maybe this week, that’s exactly what we should do for our neighbors too.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • When was the last time someone showed you an unexpected act of kindness? How did it affect you?
  • Who has God placed “right in front of you” that you can intentionally love this week?
  • Why do you think simple acts of generosity often leave such a lasting impact?
  • How has God’s love for you motivated you to love others more freely?
  • What is one practical way you can be a good neighbor this week—whether through a meal, an encouraging word, a helping hand, or simply noticing someone?
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Wisdom Works When You Listen

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Proverbs 22:17-18 — Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction. For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart and always ready on your lips.

“Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to instruction.”

That’s from Proverbs, and there is so much wisdom packed into those few words.

You know, sometimes it can feel a little embarrassing—or maybe overwhelming—when people start giving you advice. But God often puts people in our lives who are wiser than we are. People who have walked roads we haven’t and who genuinely want to help us.

And we have a choice.

We can say, “I’ve got it. I don’t need your help.”

Or we can say, “Thank you.”

I’ll be honest—I tend to lean toward, “I’m fine.” But if I’m honest, there’s usually a little pride hiding in there.

The other day, I was struggling. My son had probably woken up twenty times during the night, and I desperately needed help.

I started talking with some friends who are much more experienced in motherhood, and they immediately said, “Oh no, Bri, he’s overtired. Cut that nap before bedtime. Keep him up a little longer.”

Try this. Try that.

I was taking notes like a middle-schooler getting ready for an exam.

“Okay. Yep. Got it.”

And wouldn’t you know it? I followed their advice, and he slept through the night.

I just sat there thinking, Wow… wisdom really works when we welcome it.

Because growth often begins where pride ends.

God places wise people around us for a reason. They’re not there to control us—they’re there to help us. Their experience can become our encouragement if we’re humble enough to listen.

So don’t be so quick to rely only on yourself. Sometimes the breakthrough you’re praying for is waiting on the wisdom you’ve been resisting.

Today, lean in. Listen well. And don’t miss the gift God may be giving you through someone else.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Who has God placed in your life to offer wisdom and encouragement?
  • Is pride ever keeping you from asking for or accepting help?
  • Can you think of a time when listening to wise counsel made a positive difference in your life?
  • What area of your life could benefit from the experience of someone who’s walked that road before?
  • What is one practical step you can take today to listen well and receive the wisdom God may be offering through others?
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