Joy on the Court Again

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1 John 5:14-15 — And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.

I couldn’t stop smiling over the phone when I heard my dad. He sounded happy—really happy. And at the end he said, “Alright, I’ve gotta go. I’m about to play pickleball.”

Like what? Pickleball. My dad is 70 years old.

Now he’s always been in great shape. He’s 6’3, athletic, and you would think he was probably 45. But him going to play pickleball just made me smile even more.

I laughed and asked who he was playing with. He said people his age. And some younger guys too. He sounded excited. It meant so much to me to hear this. It wasn’t just that my dad had found something fun to do. It was that this happiness—had been missing for a while.

My mom passed away seven years ago. And ever since, I’ve carried this prayer for my dad.

Lord, send him friends. Send him joy again. Send him something to look forward to. I just wanted to hear him laugh again like this. And I kept coming back to this confidence when I prayed—that when I ask according to God’s will, God hears me, and He’s already working, even when I can’t see it yet. Now through pickleball, of all things, I’m seeing just how faithful God truly is.

It felt like God gently tapping my heart, saying, I heard you.

So today I’m choosing to notice the ways He has answered my prayers. To thank God for the phone calls, the laughter, the friends, and yes—even for my dad pickle-balling it up.

Take time to notice those pickleball-shaped moments in your own life today. The laughter bouncing like a ball. The friendships that surprise you. The small, fresh joys tucked in the ordinary. That is the echo of God’s faithfulness—and it’s amazing.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Is there a prayer you’ve been carrying for a long time that you haven’t seen answered yet?
  • How does knowing that God hears you (even when you don’t see immediate results) change the way you pray?
  • Can you identify a “pickleball moment” in your life—something small that now feels like a quiet answer to prayer?
  • What does it look like for you to trust God’s will, even when the answer doesn’t come the way you expected?
  • How can you practice noticing and thanking God for the ways He is already at work around you?
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Choose the Longer Table

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Romans 15:7 — Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

The table is already full when I walk into the kitchen.

Extra food is laid out. Extra plates are stacked nearby. Chairs lean against the wall, ready if needed. And before I even sit down, a quiet gratitude rises in me.

Thank You, God.

But it hasn’t always felt this way.

If I’m honest, there have been seasons when abundance made me anxious instead of grateful. Times when I had more than enough and still felt the urge to guard it. To think, I worked hard for this. What if I need it later?

You might recognize that feeling.

Sometimes the struggle isn’t generosity—it’s control.

Some days I’m openhanded. Other days I’m cautious. The tension is familiar: Do I hold on, or do I let it flow?

And then, almost without warning, I remember something important.

I remember how I was welcomed.

I didn’t earn my seat at God’s table. I didn’t bring enough to justify being there. Grace wasn’t measured out carefully or guarded with conditions.

I was invited simply because that’s who God is.

There were no fences. No fine print. Just a place set for me.

And remembering that changes everything.

Generosity stops feeling like loss and starts looking like imitation—taking the same posture as Jesus. After all, Scripture says, “Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you.”

That’s the pattern.

I’ve been welcomed, so I welcome.

That doesn’t mean my instincts magically change. Some days I still want to build a fence. To protect what feels scarce. But grace keeps interrupting that impulse, reminding me how freely I was received.

So today, I choose the longer table.

I pull up another chair. I share what I’ve been given.

And that’s the invitation for all of us—to open our lives a little wider and live like the table was always meant to have room for more.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • When have you experienced someone welcoming you in a way that made you feel truly valued?
  • Why do you think it can be difficult to share what we have, even when we have enough?
  • How does remembering Christ’s welcome toward you change the way you treat others?
  • What might a “longer table” look like in your life this week?
  • Who could you intentionally welcome today?
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Love in Disguise

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Luke 3:11 — John replied, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.”

A man dressed in black steps toward strangers on a New York City sidewalk.

It’s the kind of moment that makes people stiffen. Eyes dart away. Hands tighten around bags. In a city that runs on hurry and distance, there’s an unspoken rule: don’t engage. Keep moving. Protect your space.

The man doesn’t look harmless.

He stops people and asks for their wallets.

But this story isn’t going where you think it will.

What most people don’t know yet is that the “burglar” isn’t trying to take anything.

Instead, he approaches the people others walk past—the ones no one sits beside. The ones who’ve stopped expecting eye contact, much less kindness.

A man sits alone at a bus stop. The stranger in black approaches him, and for a moment it looks like trouble.

But then everything flips.

Instead of robbing him, the burglar gives.

He places cash into the man’s wallet. But more than that, he gives something even rarer—his time. He looks him in the eye. He sits down. He listens. He treats him like someone worth stopping for.

For a moment, that man isn’t invisible.

He’s chosen.

Watching this moment unfold online, one thing becomes clear: generosity was never meant to be complicated.

John the Baptist put it simply: if you have two shirts and someone has none, share. If you have food and someone is hungry, give.

You don’t need a disguise or a dramatic moment to do that.

You just need to care.

Eyes that notice people others overlook. Hands willing to give what they already have. A heart ready to step where others keep walking.

Kindness doesn’t have to be loud to be powerful.

Sometimes the most unexpected act of love is simply doing the right thing.

So today, notice the person others avoid—and share what you already have.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • When was the last time you noticed someone others seemed to overlook?
  • Why do you think it can be difficult to engage with people in need?
  • What simple act of generosity could you offer someone today?
  • How does Luke 3:11 challenge the way you think about sharing what you have?
  • What might change if more people chose to notice those who feel invisible?
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Love That Paid it All

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1 John 4:10 — This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

I didn’t notice it as a kid.

As an athlete playing travel ball, we spent a lot of weekends on the road. New cleats showed up when the old ones wore out. The car was always packed early. Coolers were loaded with snacks because ballpark nachos cost too much.

There was always something that somehow got paid for.

And I never wondered how.

When you’re young, you don’t realize that’s what love looks like. The things you enjoy feel effortless because someone else is quietly carrying the weight.

But adulthood has a way of helping you do the math.

Now I’m the one standing in stores staring at prices and running numbers through my head. And suddenly those travel ball summers come rushing back.

The cleats. The equipment bags that got ripped and replaced. The socks. The uniforms. The sliding shorts. The tournament entry fees.

Wow.

Thanks, Mom and Dad.

They didn’t just show up for me—they sacrificed. That money had to come from somewhere. I may never know what bills were delayed or what things they quietly went without.

And the truth is—they never made it my burden to carry.

They just loved us.

That’s how real love works. It sacrifices first. It gives before it’s thanked. It pays the price so someone else doesn’t have to.

And when I think about that kind of love, I can’t help but see a bigger picture.

Scripture tells us that real love didn’t start with us loving God—it started with God loving us. Long before we could earn it, deserve it, or repay it, He gave the ultimate sacrifice through Jesus so we could be forgiven and free.

That’s the love that carried us when we couldn’t carry ourselves.

Gratitude grows when we finally see it. Gratitude deepens when we remember the sacrifices that made our lives possible.

So let that gratitude speak today.

Let it soften your heart. Let it change you.

And let it shape the way you love others—freely, generously, and without keeping receipts.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • When have you realized a sacrifice someone made for you that you didn’t notice at the time?
  • How does recognizing those sacrifices change the way you see love?
  • What does it mean to you that God loved you first?
  • How might gratitude shape the way you love others today?
  • Is there someone you could thank this week for the ways they carried you when you didn’t realize it?
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Kindness That Carries

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Psalms 112:4-5 — Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous. Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly.

I’ll never forget finding my husband on the floor after his accident. Both feet broken in a car crash, and every day had been so hard for him. He was inching his way down the hallway just trying to get to the bathroom.

My heart was hammering. Our house had become a recovery ward. The dogs were restless. Hospital bills stacked up on the counter. Appointments filled every inch of my planner. I was strong—or maybe I just acted strong—but there were mornings I didn’t know if either of us would make it through without breaking down.

Then one day my phone rang. Two friends said they wanted to bring groceries. No lecture. No advice. No questions about how we were managing.

Just groceries.

Later, I stood in the kitchen with Walmart bags piled on the counter, and for the first time in weeks, I felt relief. We weren’t invisible. God hadn’t missed us.

It felt like light breaking into a dark place—quiet and steady.

“Light shines in the darkness for the godly.”

That light didn’t look dramatic. It looked like bread and milk. It looked like kindness that didn’t need recognition. It looked like compassion that moved.

Psalm 112 says the godly are generous and compassionate—and that good comes to those who open their hands. That day, the light of God shone through two friends who simply chose to give.

I learned something in that kitchen: generosity doesn’t have to be impressive to matter. Sometimes it’s enough to show up and say, I see you.

Small acts carry hope. They carry God’s love. And sometimes they are the very light someone needs to make it through the darkest season of their life.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • When have you experienced “light in the darkness” through someone else’s generosity?
  • Is there someone in your life right now who might need simple, steady compassion?
  • What small act could you offer this week that might feel like light to someone else?
  • Are your hands open—ready to give when God nudges you?
  • How has God used others’ generosity to remind you that you weren’t invisible?
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Overwhelmed by Grace

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Romans 8:37 — No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

Life is moving faster than I can keep up. Notifications. To-do lists. Half-finished conversations still playing in my head. Even small decisions feel hard.

I know the word for this. I’ve used it for years.

Overwhelmed.

It’s the word I reach for when life feels like too much. When my soul feels stressed. It feels right. It fits. And until recently, I never thought to question it.

Then I heard the song “Overwhelmed” by Big Daddy Weave on the radio, and the word caught my attention. Because it was used differently than I usually use it.

I’ve always used overwhelmed to describe a breaking point—something I need to escape from or fix. But what if being overwhelmed isn’t the problem? What if it depends on what—or Who—is doing the overwhelming?

Romans 8:37 doesn’t deny that life is hard. It says, “despite all these things…” Not instead of them. Not after they’re gone. Despite them. And in the middle of them, we are given overwhelming victory through Christ, who loved us.

God’s love doesn’t pretend your stress isn’t real—it simply presses harder. His grace crowds out anxiety. His peace doesn’t come from escaping the struggle, but from being surrounded by something stronger than it.

When I think about that, nothing really changes on the outside. My responsibilities are still there. But something inside steadies.

Because of Christ, I’m still standing.

His goodness and power overwhelm everything trying to take me out. And that’s true for you too. Whatever you’re facing today, may you be overwhelmed in the best way—overwhelmed by the confidence of His love and the victory that is already yours in Him.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • When you say you feel overwhelmed, what is currently overwhelming you?
  • How does it change your perspective to remember that “despite all these things,” overwhelming victory is already yours in Christ?
  • Where do you need to let God’s love press harder than your anxiety this week?
  • What would it look like to be overwhelmed by His presence instead of your pressure?
  • How can you remind yourself today that you are standing because of Him—not your own strength?

LYRICS

VERSE 1
I see the work of Your hands
Galaxies spin in a Heavenly dance oh God
All that You are is so overwhelming
I hear the sound of Your voice
All at once it’s a gentle and thundering noise oh God
All that You are is so overwhelming

CHORUS
I delight myself in You
In the glory of Your presence
I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You
God, I run into Your arms
Unashamed because of mercy
I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You

VERSE 2
I know the power of Your cross
Forgiven and free forever You’ll be my God
All that You’ve done is so overwhelming

BRIDGE
You are beautiful, You are beautiful
Oh God, there is no one more beautiful
You are beautiful, God you are the most beautiful

You are wonderful, You are wonderful
Oh God, there is no one more wonderful
You are wonderful, God You are the most wonderful

You are glorious, You are glorious
Oh God, there is no one more glorious
You are glorious, God You are the most glorious

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Worry Isn’t Working Overtime

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Matthew 6:34 — Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

It’s 11:23 pm, the house is finally quiet, the lights are off, my phone is face-down on the nightstand. The day was good. Productive. Even joyful. Which somehow makes what happens next more annoying.

I’m lying there, grateful, tired in the good way, when my brain decides this is the perfect moment to host a meeting about everything sad, unpaid, and unresolved in my life.

It starts small.

Did I remember to pay that bill? Wait—am I behind on that? Did I actually schedule that appointment, or just mean to? Oh. And while we’re at it, what about all the other things?

One harmless question turns into my whole future crashing around me. And what’s crazy is how responsible my anxiety feels. Like if I just think hard enough and worry more, I might get ahead.

But here’s the thing I’m learning: worry is not the same as productivity. It pretends to be helping, but it isn’t. None of my worries are as urgent as they feel, and absolutely none of them are solvable at this time of night.

And right then, I remember words I’ve read a hundred times but suddenly need again:

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34)

Again, tomorrow has enough trouble of its own. Those worries just steal time that wasn’t given to them. And peace, I’m realizing, is actually found by setting boundaries that block anxiety.

So instead of wrestling my thoughts, I start handing them over to God. The bills. The unanswered emails. The unfinished tasks. I just set them down and fall asleep. This isn’t denial—it’s trust in a Father who already knows what we need. Because at just the right time, I know God will take care of me.

And none of that is happening at 11:23 at night.

So if you’re lying awake right now with your mind running laps, let this be your permission slip to stop. Name what’s stealing your rest, then gently place it back in God’s hands.

Because those problems will still be there tomorrow.

And so will the Lord—already waiting to help you face them.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What worries tend to show up when everything gets quiet?
  • Do I confuse anxiety with responsibility?
  • What specific concern do I need to hand back to God tonight?
  • Am I trying to solve tomorrow’s problems with today’s strength?
  • What would it look like to trust God with what I cannot control?
  • Where is Jesus inviting me to rest instead of rehearse my fears?
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Catching Butterflies at the Grocery Store

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1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 — And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen.

I’m standing in the grocery store at 6:42 p.m., staring at a row of rotisserie chickens slowly turning under heat lamps.

My phone buzzes. It’s my husband, Chris.

“Will you grab one on your way home?”

I laugh at how much we think alike.

We’ve been together fourteen years. Back then, we stayed up until two or three in the morning talking on the phone. We whispered so no one else in the house would wake. We talked about everything. And nothing. And everything again. There were butterflies. So many butterflies.

Now, sometimes the only thing we text each other is, “Good morning,” and, “Did you remember the chicken?”

And that may not sound romantic—but it’s something better.

Because somewhere between those late-night conversations and this grocery store aisle, our love grew up. Life filled in with jobs, kids’ schedules, responsibilities. And yet, the slow burn of love proved stronger than the sparks we once chased.

We learned to pivot. To communicate differently. To love in ways that weren’t flashy—but were faithful.

It’s tempting, when relationships shift, to assume something’s wrong. But sometimes change doesn’t mean love is fading. Sometimes it means love is maturing.

Scripture actually prays for this kind of growth:

May the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow… May He make your hearts strong.

Did you catch that? Love isn’t meant to stay small. It’s meant to increase. To overflow. To strengthen hearts over time.

Some days you won’t have the energy for fireworks or grand gestures. Love isn’t always butterflies. Sometimes it’s steady. Durable. Quietly committed. Sometimes it looks like grabbing a rotisserie chicken on the way home.

And this isn’t just about marriage. It never was.

This kind of growing love spills into friendships that don’t talk every day but still show up when it matters. It spills into faith that doesn’t always feel electric but stays rooted. It spills into families learning to forgive again and again.

In whatever relationships God has placed in your life, there’s an invitation today: keep loving right where you are. Trust that God is growing something faithful, durable, and good in you.

Because when He grows the love, it doesn’t just survive—it overflows.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Where have you seen love mature in your relationships over time?
  • Are you mistaking steadiness for stagnation in any area of your life?
  • How might God be growing your heart stronger through everyday faithfulness?
  • What is one small way you can let love “overflow” to someone this week?
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The TJ Maxx Testimony

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Psalm 10:17 — Lord, You know the hopes of the helpless. Surely You will hear their cries and comfort them.

The stroller wheels squeak just a little as I push them across TJ Maxx.

I’m not here looking for anything in particular—I just wanted to get out of the house. My son Lennox is content. He’s smiling at strangers, mean-mugging a few, and doing all the normal baby things.

But my mind is somewhere else.

As I wander the aisles, I think about all the years I waited and prayed to be a mom. My friend Felicia and I used to dream out loud about days like this, back when we worked at the daycare. We bounced babies on our hips, half-joking about how good we were at it, imagining marriage, children, and a future that felt far away.

Now, I’m living that life.

For a long time, I struggled to believe it would ever happen—a husband, a baby, answered prayers. God responded so completely that sometimes I forget this wasn’t always my normal.

I keep pushing my cart. Then I look up and see Felicia.

She’s here too.

We hug, amazed at how fast the last ten years have flown. Her husband stands beside her—it’s their anniversary. And she has kids too. Her stroller parked next to mine feels like a quiet reminder that God never forgets what He promises, even when we do.

He didn’t just answer my prayers. He remembered the people who prayed and believed alongside me.

Scripture tells us, “Lord, You know the hopes of the helpless. Surely You will hear their cries and comfort them.” — Psalm 10:17

God heard our heart’s cries all those years ago, back in that daycare infant room. And He hasn’t stopped listening.

Seeing my old friend reminded me just how faithful God is. Sometimes all it takes is a familiar face—or a simple moment—to remember that God cares deeply about what we care about.

So today, pause and think about the ways God has shown up in your story. Remember what once felt impossible? God was listening then, and He’s listening now. No prayer is wasted when God is at work.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What prayer or hope in your life once felt impossible but now reflects God’s faithfulness?
  • Are there desires you’ve stopped praying for because they’ve taken longer than expected?
  • How does Psalm 10:17 encourage you to trust God with quiet or unseen prayers?
  • Who has walked with you in prayer—and how might you thank God for them today?
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Love Looks Like a Cookie

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Proverbs 3:3 — Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

Eight minutes down the road is when the panic hits.

Kathy had done all the usual prep: shoes on, snacks packed, car loaded. And please—did everyone go to the bathroom? Her daughter Ava nodded. They were ready for their weekend adventure.

Except… guess what?

Unmistakable and urgent, Ava’s voice calls from the back seat. She can’t wait. She can’t hold it.

Parents—if you know, you know.

They pull off at the next exit, and the closest option is a Subway. It’s not ideal, but it will have to do. Kathy hustles Ava inside, heart racing as they rush through the door.

Then the clerk looks up.

“The bathroom’s for paying customers only.”

Kathy’s stomach drops. Her wallet is still in the car. There isn’t time to explain or apologize. Panic presses in—and then, before she can scramble or fall apart, kindness interrupts.

Two young men standing nearby step forward without hesitation. Their voices are calm and certain. They say they’ll take care of it. They buy Ava a cookie, and just like that, she’s a paying customer.

Ava rushes to the bathroom, and suddenly everything is right in the world again.

While they wait, Kathy learns the young men’s names—Latavious and Jalen. She learns they’re football players from the University of Georgia.

To them, it was probably nothing. A few dollars. A cookie. But to her, it was everything. It was being seen in a moment of stress. It was someone stepping in when she couldn’t fix it fast enough.

Scripture gives language to moments like this:

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.”

That’s what real love looks like when it’s written deep in someone’s heart. It shows up instinctively. Practically. Without needing applause.

Sometimes love doesn’t look like roses or grand gestures. Sometimes it looks like a cookie in a Subway—offered at exactly the right moment.

As this season fills with Valentine’s cards and big displays, this story reminds us that real love is still alive and well. God’s love is often revealed through ordinary people who choose to notice and act.

So carry kindness close. Keep it ready. Spend it freely.

You never know how much a simple gesture might change everything.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • When has a small act of kindness made a big difference in your life?
  • What does it look like for you to “tie” loyalty and kindness into your everyday routine?
  • Who around you might need a simple reminder that they are seen and loved?
  • How can you practice a visible, tangible kind of love this week?
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