Today’s Always Uplifting Verse and Devotional to start your day off right!

Don’t Let Fear Send You Searching

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Psalm 62:8 — O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. 

I’ve heard someone say that parenthood is the scariest hood you’ll ever live in.

And I’m starting to understand why.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love being a mom to my little boy, Lennox.

We fought hard to get here. He’s such a gift, and I wouldn’t trade being his mama for anything in the world.

But lately, we’ve been walking through something that’s been really hard.

Lennox had been talking so well, and then he stopped speaking like he had before.

We’ve been seeing specialists to understand what’s happening, and I’ll be honest with you.

I’ve been scared.

And you know what happens when a mama gets scared?

She starts looking for answers.

Everywhere.

I researched everything I could think of. I called friends and asked, “Did your child do this at his age?”

I searched the internet.

I even went to TikTok.

I mean, if there was somewhere I thought I might find an answer, I was looking.

Because when it’s your baby, you just want someone to tell you everything is going to be okay.

And then, the other day, something happened.

I was standing at the kitchen sink, washing dishes, when Lennox came into the room.

He didn’t say anything.

He just came over and sat down beside me.

That’s it.

No big moment. No dramatic breakthrough.

Just my little boy sitting near his mama.

And even though he wasn’t speaking, I understood something.

He wanted to be close to me.

He didn’t need to explain himself.

He didn’t need to find the right words.

He just knew where he wanted to be.

And standing there at that sink, I felt like God was reminding me of something I desperately needed to hear.

Sometimes, when we’re afraid, we spend so much time searching for answers that we forget where to bring our hearts.

Now, please hear me.

I’m not going to stop looking for answers for my son.

We’re going to keep seeing the specialists. We’re going to keep asking questions and doing everything we can to help him.

Because that’s part of loving him well.

But somewhere in the middle of all that searching, I had allowed fear to consume so much of my heart.

And I needed to remember that I have a Father I can run to, too.

Psalm 62:8 says, “Trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.”

I love those words.

Pour out your heart.

Not just the pretty parts.

Not just the prayers that sound faithful and confident.

All of it.

The questions.

The exhaustion.

The things that keep you awake at night.

Even the fears you’re almost afraid to say out loud.

God invites us to bring every bit of it to Him.

And just like Lennox didn’t need words to sit beside me, I don’t have to have the right words to come into my Heavenly Father’s presence.

I can just come close.

I can cry.

I can sit quietly.

I can tell Him I’m scared.

And I can trust that He knows my heart, even when I don’t know how to explain what’s happening inside it.

Maybe that’s something you need to hear today, too.

Maybe you’re facing something with your child, your marriage, your health, or your future.

Maybe you’ve been searching for answers, and the more you search, the more overwhelmed you feel.

Friend, it’s okay to ask questions.

It’s okay to seek help.

It’s okay not to know what comes next.

But don’t forget that you have a Father who welcomes you into His presence in the middle of it all.

You don’t have to wait until you’re feeling brave.

You don’t have to figure everything out first.

And you certainly don’t have to pretend you’re okay when you’re not.

Just come close.

Because sometimes the greatest comfort isn’t getting an answer to every question.

It’s knowing that while you’re waiting for answers, you have somewhere safe to bring your heart.

So today, I’m going to keep loving my little boy.

I’m going to keep doing everything I can for him.

And I’m going to keep trusting the Father who loves us both.

And maybe the next time I’m standing at that kitchen sink, overwhelmed by all the things I don’t know, I’ll remember what Lennox taught me.

Sometimes, you don’t need to say a single word.

You just need to come close to your Father.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • When you’re afraid or uncertain, where do you usually turn first for reassurance?
  • Is there something you’ve been carrying that you haven’t fully poured out to God because you don’t know how to put it into words?
  • How does it change your understanding of prayer to know that you can simply come into God’s presence without having everything figured out?
  • Have you ever become so focused on finding answers that you forgot to seek comfort and refuge in God?
  • What would it look like today to both take the practical steps you need to take and trust God with the things you cannot control? 

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

Am I spending so much time searching for answers that I’ve forgotten to simply sit with my Father?

/by

Fear’s Not Getting Candy

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Matthew 14:27 — But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!

There’s something about a knock at the door this time of year, isn’t there?

The porch light comes on. Little footsteps make their way up the sidewalk. And when you open the door, there’s a tiny superhero, a princess, or maybe a dinosaur standing there with a bucket in hand, hoping you’ll drop in a little candy.

I mean, how sweet is that?

But you know what else comes knocking?

Fear.

And unfortunately, fear doesn’t limit its visits to October.

Sometimes it shows up as a phone call from the doctor’s office.

Sometimes it looks like bills piling up on the kitchen counter.

Sometimes it comes when your child is hurting, when a relationship falls apart, or when life takes a turn you never saw coming.

And unlike those little trick-or-treaters, fear doesn’t just want a piece of candy.

Fear wants to come inside, make itself comfortable, and convince you it’s there to stay.

And if we’re not careful, we can start living as though it belongs there.

I think sometimes, as Christians, we believe that if we have enough faith, we won’t be afraid.

But that’s just not true.

Fear is an emotion. And we’re human.

We all experience it.

The goal isn’t to pretend we’re never scared.

It’s learning that we can feel afraid without allowing fear to control how we live.

Fear may knock on your door, but it doesn’t have to move into your house.

I think about the disciples in Matthew 14.

They’re out on the water in the middle of the night. The wind is against them. The waves are tossing their boat around.

And then they see someone walking toward them on the water.

They’re terrified!

They think they’re seeing a ghost.

But listen to what Jesus says.

“Don’t be afraid. Take courage. I am here!”

I love that.

Jesus didn’t wait until they felt brave enough to recognize Him.

He didn’t tell them they were silly for being scared.

He spoke to them right in the middle of their fear.

And He reminded them of the one thing that mattered most.

I am here.

The wind was still blowing.

The waves were still moving.

But Jesus was there.

And sometimes, friend, that’s exactly what we need to remember.

God’s presence doesn’t mean we’ll never face something frightening.

It means we don’t have to face it alone.

Maybe there’s something knocking at the door of your heart today.

Something that’s been stealing your peace, keeping you awake at night, or making you afraid of what tomorrow might bring.

You don’t have to pretend it isn’t there.

You can acknowledge it. You can pray about it. You can ask for help.

But you don’t have to hand fear the keys to your life.

Because courage isn’t the absence of fear.

Courage is remembering Who is with you when fear shows up.

So the next time fear comes knocking, remember what Jesus said to those frightened disciples.

“Take courage. I am here!”

And maybe instead of letting fear settle in, you can remind yourself of something far more powerful.

The One who walks on water is walking with you.

Fear may come knocking. But Jesus is already home.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What fear has been knocking at the door of your life lately? Have you allowed it to take up more space than it deserves?
  • Have you ever felt guilty for being afraid becasue you thought having fun meant you shouldn’t experience fear?
  • How does it change your perspective to remember that Jesus spoke to the disciples while the wind and waves were still around them?
  • What practical step could you take today to keep fear from controlling your decisions?
  • Is there someone in your life who is facing something frightening and needs to be reminded that they are not alone?

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

What fear have I been giving room to that I need to surrender to Jesus today?

/by

Not Today, Fear

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Psalm 125:1 — Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever.

Fear has a way of making your world feel smaller.

Doesn’t it?

And it doesn’t always come crashing into your life, screaming for attention.

Sometimes it just whispers.

Don’t try.

Don’t speak up.

You’re not enough.

Maybe you’re sitting in your car, staring at a text message you’re afraid to send.

Maybe there’s an idea you’ve been carrying around for months, but you can’t quite work up the courage to share it.

Or maybe you’re standing in front of an opportunity you’ve prayed for, afraid that one wrong move could close the door forever.

Fear has a way of convincing us that the safest thing to do is nothing at all.

And if we listen long enough, we can start mistaking a smaller life for a safer one.

That’s one of the reasons I love the song “Confidence” by Sanctus Real.

The band’s lead singer, Dustin Lolli, doesn’t sing about being fearless.

Quite the opposite.

The song begins with an honest admission of feeling afraid and unqualified. But then it turns toward the incredible ways God has worked through ordinary, imperfect people.

Think about it.

Moses stood before Pharaoh, even though he felt inadequate for the assignment.

David faced a giant who looked impossible to defeat.

And Daniel remained faithful to God, even when it meant spending a night in a den of lions.

None of them had an easy road.

Moses still had to face Pharaoh.

David still had to face Goliath.

Daniel still had to face those lions.

Faith didn’t mean they had nothing to fear. It meant they had Someone greater than their fear to trust.

And that’s where Psalm 125:1 speaks so powerfully to us.

“Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion.”

I love that picture.

Mount Zion wasn’t something that could be picked up and moved whenever the wind changed direction.

It was steady. Established. Secure.

And the psalmist says that’s what trusting God is like.

Not because we’re so strong.

Not because we’re so brave.

But because the One we’re trusting is faithful.

Now, that doesn’t mean every door will open.

It doesn’t mean every dream will come true, every risk will pay off, or every giant will fall the way we hoped.

Some disappointments really do hurt.

Some prayers take longer than we ever imagined.

And some things we desperately wanted may never happen.

But here’s what fear doesn’t want you to remember.

Your security was never supposed to come from how everything turns out. It comes from Who is holding you through it.

So maybe today, confidence doesn’t look like charging ahead without a single doubt.

Maybe it looks like sending that text.

Having the conversation.

Taking the next step.

Or simply getting out of bed and trusting God with another day.

Not because you know exactly what’s going to happen.

But because you know Who will be with you when it does.

That’s the kind of confidence I want.

The kind that doesn’t depend on my ability to handle everything, but on God’s faithfulness to hold me through anything.

So whatever fear has been whispering to you lately, remember this:

Fear may be loud.

It may have a thousand reasons why you shouldn’t try.

It may even have a megaphone.

But fear doesn’t get the final say over a life anchored in God.

And the next time you find yourself facing something that feels bigger than you, remember:

You don’t have to be fearless.

You just have to know where to place your trust.

Because the God who holds you is greater than whatever stands before you.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What has fear been whispering to you lately? Are those thoughts keeping you from something God may be calling you to do?
  • Have you ever mistaken avoiding a difficult situation for being safe? What did that decision cost you?
  • When you think about Moses, David, and Daniel, what encourages you most about the way they trusted God?
  • Are you placing your confidence in a particular outcome, or in God’s faithfulness regardless of how things turn out?
  • What is one small, courageous step you could take today while trusting God with the results?

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

Where have I been letting fear make my decisions instead of trusting the God who holds my future?

 

L Y R I C S

I’m not a warrior
I’m too afraid to lose
I feel unqualified for what you’re calling me to
But Lord with your strength
I’ve got no excuse
Cause broken people are exactly who you use.

So give me faith like Daniel in the lion’s den
Give me hope like Moses in the wilderness
Give me a heart like David, Lord be my defense
So I can face my giants with confidence

You took a shepherd boy
And made him a King
So I’m gonna trust you and give you everything
I’ll be a conqueror
Cause you fight for me
I’ll be a champion claiming your victory

So give me faith like Daniel in the lion’s den
Give me hope like Moses in the wilderness
Give me a heart like David, Lord be my defense
So I can face my giants with confidence

I’m gonna sing and shout and shake the walls
I won’t stop until I see them fall
Gonna stand up, step out when you call
Jesus, Jesus

So give me faith like Daniel in the lion’s den
Give me hope like Moses in the wilderness
Give me a heart like David, Lord be my defense
So I can face my giants with confidence
I’ll face my giants with confidence

/by

More Than a Pastor

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1 Corinthians 11:1 — Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. 

I was flipping through my wedding album when I stopped on a familiar signature.

I ran my thumb across the name, smiled, and suddenly, years of memories came rushing back.

Just like that, I was fourteen again.

Sitting in a metal chair at youth group, nervous and unsure of myself, with my sister beside me.

That’s where I met Jonathan Barbo.

He and his wife, Ashley, had this way of making you feel welcome. Like you belonged before you even knew where you fit.

And that’s when Barbo became my pastor.

I can still picture the grin on his face when I got accepted into college. You would’ve thought I’d just won an Olympic gold medal.

He celebrated my victories like they were his own.

Years later, when I came back to serve in youth ministry, I got to see something I hadn’t fully appreciated as a teenager.

The time. The energy. The sacrifices.

The countless hours Barbo and Ashley poured into the lives of students.

There were camps, lock-ins, late nights, laughter, and conversations about Jesus that lasted long after everyone should’ve been asleep.

And through it all, they just kept showing up.

But some of the moments I remember most weren’t the happy ones.

When my mom passed away far too soon, there they were again.

Barbo and Ashley.

Standing beside me in the hospital, helping carry a weight I didn’t know how to carry on my own.

They couldn’t take away the heartbreak.

But they made sure I didn’t have to walk through it alone.

And if you can believe it, years later, Barbo showed up in yet another chapter of my life.

As my CrossFit instructor.

Let me tell you, those workouts were brutal!

But even in the middle of burpees and aching muscles, he was still teaching me something.

Keep going. Don’t quit. You’re stronger than you think.

Lessons that reached far beyond the gym.

And then came my wedding day.

There he was again.

Standing at the front of the church, officiating the ceremony as I began a brand-new chapter of my life.

And really, who else could’ve filled that place?

He had been there for the messes and the milestones.

The victories and the losses.

The laughter, the tears, and all those ordinary days in between.

So when I came across his name in my wedding album, I realized something.

For years, Barbo had been teaching me what it looks like to follow Jesus. And so much of that teaching happened without him ever standing behind a pulpit.

It happened in hospital hallways.

At youth camps.

In the gym.

In conversations, celebrations, and moments when life felt like it was falling apart.

He kept showing up.

And in doing so, he kept pointing me toward Jesus.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”

What a beautiful responsibility that is.

To live in such a way that when someone looks at your life, they catch a glimpse of Jesus.

Not because you’re perfect.

Not because you always have the right words.

But because you keep following Him, and you keep loving the people He puts in your path.

I wonder if Barbo has any idea how much those years meant to me.

How many lessons stuck.

How many ordinary moments became extraordinary memories.

And how much his faithfulness helped shape my own.

Maybe that’s something we all need to remember.

You don’t have to be famous to leave a legacy. You just have to be faithful.

Be the person who shows up.

Who celebrates someone else’s victories.

Who sits beside them when their world falls apart.

Who loves people through every season, even when there’s nothing in it for you.

And most importantly, be someone who keeps pointing them toward Jesus.

Because you never really know what your presence will mean to someone years from now.

One day, someone might be flipping through the pages of their own life and come across your name.

And when they do, I hope they’ll smile.

Not just because they remember you.

But because, through you, they came to know Jesus a little better.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Who has modeled what following Jesus looks like in your life? What did you learn from whatching them?
  • When people spend time with you, what do you hope they see about Jesus through your words, actions, and attitudes?
  • Are there people in your life who need you to simply keep showing up, even when you don’t know what to say or do?
  • Think about someone who was present during a difficult season of your life. Have you ever told them how much their faithfulness meant to you?
  • What are some ordinary opportunities you have today to demonstrate the love, patience, or compassion of Christ?

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

If someone followed my example today, would it lead them a little closer to Jesus?

/by

Planting Seeds Above the Clouds

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1 Corinthians 3:6-7 — I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 

The man sitting beside me on that flight looked like someone who had never met a stranger.

I was flying home to Florida from New York City, young and full of plans. He was a big, joyful man with a Bible open on his tray table.

He smiled, said hello, and before long, we were talking like old friends.

He was a pastor.

I told him about my big dream of becoming a movie star. I rambled on about everything I wanted to do with my life, and he listened like he had all the time in the world.

Then, almost casually, he asked me a question.

“Do you know who God is?”

It wasn’t forceful. It wasn’t judgmental. Just a simple question.

And then another.

“What if what you want isn’t actually the best thing? What if God has more in store?”

I laughed.

Not because I thought he was ridiculous. But because I knew exactly what I wanted.

And, if I’m being completely truthful, at that point in my life, I didn’t really care much about God.

But that pastor didn’t flinch.

He didn’t argue with me. He didn’t try to win a debate. He just smiled that same warm smile.

And before we parted ways, he said five words I’ve never forgotten.

“I’ll be praying for you.”

That flight was twenty years ago.

I never got his name. I have no idea where he lives or whether he’s still pastoring a church.

But I’ve thought about him more times than I can count.

I wish I could find him.

I’d love to tell him what God has done in my life since that flight. How much has changed. How differently my story unfolded from the one I had so carefully planned.

I’d love to tell him that those questions stayed with me.

And I’d really love to tell him that his prayers were not wasted.

You see, that pastor was the first person who gently interrupted my plans with the possibility that God might have something different for my life.

He didn’t demand an answer.

He simply planted a seed.

And then he got off the airplane.

He had no idea what would happen next.

I think about that when I read what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians.

One person plants. Another waters.

But God makes it grow.

Friend, maybe there’s someone you’ve been praying for who doesn’t seem interested in God.

Maybe you’ve shared your faith, offered encouragement, invited them to church, or simply tried to love them well.

And nothing seems to be happening.

Maybe you’re wondering whether any of it matters.

Can I encourage you?

Don’t confuse what you can’t see with what God can’t do.

You aren’t responsible for making the seed grow.

That’s God’s part.

Your part is to be faithful with the opportunities He puts in front of you.

To love someone. To ask a question. To share the hope you have in Jesus. To pray, even when you don’t know whether your prayers are making a difference.

And to trust God with what happens next.

Because sometimes you plant a seed in someone’s life and get to watch it grow.

And sometimes you plant it, say goodbye, and never see that person again.

Like a pastor on an airplane twenty years ago.

I wonder if he remembers that flight.

I wonder if he has any idea how much those few minutes mattered to me.

Someday, I hope I get to tell him.

But until then, I’ll tell you.

Keep planting. Keep watering. Keep praying.

You may never see the harvest.

But that doesn’t mean God isn’t working.

After all, that pastor had no idea what God was going to do with the young woman sitting beside him.

He was simply faithful with the moment God gave him.

And twenty years later, I’m still talking about it.

Because God is still the One who makes the seed grow.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Has someone ever planted a seed in your life through a conversation, an act of kindness, or a simple question? Do they know the difference they made?
  • Is there someone you’ve been praying for who doesn’t seem interested in God? Have you become discouraged because you haven’t seen a change?
  • Do you ever feel responsible for changing someone’s heart instead of trusting God to do what only He can do?
  • How might your conversations change if you focused more on loving and listening than getting an immediate response?
  • Who has God placed in your path right now who might need a little encouragement, a thoughtful question, or someone willing to pray for them?

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

What if the small seed God is asking me to plant today becomes part of a story I may never get to see?

/by

Love In the Diaper Aisle

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1 Peter 1:22 — You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. 

The first time I ran into my pastor in public, I was pushing a shopping cart through Walmart like a madman.

I had a short list and was moving as fast as only a dad with a newborn can.

Sarah and I had just welcomed our baby girl, Reese.

Those first days were wonderful and exhausting, and suddenly, I had a profound interest in the price of diapers.

Then I looked up from my list and saw my pastor.

He lit up and asked how we were doing. Then he asked about the little one, too.

And he listened.

He acted like I was the most important person in the room.

We said goodbye, and I went home to the usual newborn festivities:

Bottles.

Diapers.

Crying.

Repeat.

Then my phone buzzed.

It was an Apple Pay notification from my pastor.

In the comments, he had written, “Hey David, it was great to see you. Congrats on your sweet girl. Love y’all!”

And underneath the message was a fifty-dollar gift.

Now, don’t get me wrong.

Fifty dollars goes a long way.

But that’s not what touched me the most.

It was that he didn’t have to send it.

He had already stopped.

He had already listened.

He had already filled my cup with care.

But he thought about us after we walked away.

And that meant something.

Boy, oh boy, that’s something.

Scripture tells us to love one another deeply, from the heart.

And that’s what I experienced that day.

Love that noticed.

Love that remembered.

Love that went the extra mile when it didn’t have to.

Sometimes love looks remarkably ordinary.

It looks like stopping in the frozen-food aisle at Walmart.

It looks like asking someone how they’re really doing.

It looks like remembering their name, checking in later, bringing dinner, sending a text, or simply letting someone know, “I’m thinking about you.”

But I want to encourage you today:

Don’t let love stop at the moment.

If someone crosses your path, pay attention.

If someone tells you they’re struggling, remember.

If someone needs encouragement, take the extra step.

Because a little bit of love can have remarkable power to say:

You are seen.
You are loved.
And you don’t have to carry this alone.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Can you remember a time when someone showed you unexpected love or kindness? What did that simple act mean to you?
  • Who is someone God may be putting on your heart today that you could encourage with one small act of love?
  • Do you tend to let moments of connection end when the conversation ends, or do you look for ways to follow up and continue showing care?
  • What does “love each other deeply with all your heart” look like in your relationships right now?
  • Is there someone in your life who needs to hear, “You are seen. You are loved. You don’t have to carry this alone”? What could you do to help them know it?

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

Who can I love a little more deeply today—not just with my words, but with one intentional act of kindness?

/by

Smoke in the Kitchen

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1 Peter 4:8 — Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 

Are you a pumpkin spice and everything nice kind of person?

I’ll admit it.

I am.

But it’s not the lattes for me.

When it comes to pumpkin, I’m more like the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company.

Pumpkin bread.

Pumpkin cookies.

Pumpkin muffins.

If there’s a recipe that pumpkin can go in, I’m liable to try it.

So when I invited some friends over, I decided I was going to make one of my famous pumpkin pies.

And y’all, I had the whole thing planned.

Good food.

Good company.

A beautiful pie coming out of the oven.

Except there was one little problem.

I forgot about the pie.

We got to talking, laughing, and catching up on life, and before long, I started to smell…

Burnt crust.

That pie had gone from pumpkin spice to charcoal.

I was so embarrassed.

But do you know what?

My friends didn’t care.

They laughed about it and told me that none of them needed a perfect pie.

They came because they wanted to spend time with me.

And that put me in tears.

Because I put so much pressure on myself to say the right thing, serve the right food, and make all the right impressions.

Meanwhile, the people I love were just grateful to be standing in my kitchen…

Smoke and all.

And maybe that’s what good friends do.

They don’t make your mistakes bigger than they are.

They don’t let one failure overshadow the whole evening.

They give you grace.

They just love you.

And that makes me think about 1 Peter 4:8: “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”

That kind of love doesn’t mean pretending mistakes don’t matter.

It means we don’t keep score.

We don’t hold every failure over someone’s head.

We make room for grace.

And I think we all need a little more love like that this fall.

Maybe we could give ourselves—and each other—a little more room for imperfect moments.

So burn the pie.

Say the wrong thing.

Forget something important.

Get pumpkin everywhere, if you will.

And then…

love people well.

Because when love is around the table, there’s room for grace, too.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Where do you put pressure on yourself to be perfect instead of simply being present with the people you love?
  • Who is someone who has given you grace when you messed up? What did their response mean to you?
  • Is there someone whose mistakes you may be holding onto a little too tightly? What would it look like to give them more grace?
  • What would change in your relationships if you stopped keeping score of every offense and chose to love people more earnestly?
  • Where do you need to receive grace for yourself instead of continuing to punish yourself for something that went wrong?

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

Where can I choose grace today instead of keeping score?

/by

The Sound Of Perseverance

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Galatians 6:9 — “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” 

Have you ever been told “no” so many times that you start believing it?

Well, don’t give up.

Before Lainey Wilson became a country music superstar, she heard “no” a lot.

In fact, she auditioned for The Voice seven different times.

Seven.

And she never even made it to the blind auditions.

But she kept going.

She kept writing songs. She kept performing. She kept knocking on doors.

And eventually, the girl who couldn’t get past the audition process became a country music superstar.

That’s quite a story.

But I think there’s something important we can miss if we only look at the ending.

Sometimes we look back at a story like Lainey’s and think, “Well, of course she kept going. Look how it turned out.”

But she didn’t know that.

She couldn’t see the ending.

She just knew she wasn’t finished.

And that’s where this gets personal.

Maybe you’ve been praying about something for a long time.

Maybe you’ve heard “no” more times than you can count.

Maybe you’re doing the right things, staying faithful, loving people, praying, serving—and still wondering if anything is actually happening.

Galatians 6:9 says, “Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”

Notice what Paul doesn’t say.

He doesn’t say you’ll see the harvest immediately.

He says “at just the right time.”

God sees what you can’t see yet.

So keep showing up.

Keep praying.

Keep doing the good things God has put in front of you.

You may not be able to see what He’s doing yet, but don’t mistake a season without visible results for a season without purpose.

Something can be growing long before you can see it.

So, friend, if you’re tired today, take a breath.

You have a lot going for you.

Keep sowing.

Keep trusting.

Keep doing good.

And whatever you do…

Don’t give up.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Where in your life are you tempted to give up because you haven’t seen the results you hoped for?
  • Have you ever looked back and realized that something God was doing took much longer than you expected? What did you learn from that season?
  • What “no” have you heard so many times that you’ve started believing it defines what is possible for you?
  • What good thing is God asking you to keep doing even though you can’t see the harvest yet?
  • What would it look like for you to keep trusting God’s timing instead of measuring His faithfulness by what you can see today?

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

Where am I tempted to give up simply because I can’t see the harvest yet?

/by

Taco Soup for the Soul

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Psalm 98:1 — Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds. His right hand has won a mighty victory; his holy arm has shown his saving power!

There is just something about fall.

The days get shorter. The air gets cooler, and the leaves start to change.

Porch lights come on a little earlier, and suddenly everybody seems to have a pot of something warm on the stove.

And maybe that’s why I loved this particular evening so much.

My wife and I have a set of couple-friends who are pretty special to us. They’re the kind of friends who somehow knew both of us separately for more than a decade before Sarah and I ever started dating.

They actually introduced us.

Needless to say…

We love these people.

It had been a while since we’d all gotten together, so they invited us over for taco soup.

And if you’ve ever had really good cornbread with taco soup on a fall evening, you might already know where this story is going.

We sat around the house while it got dark outside.

We ate.

We laughed.

We talked about the highs and lows of life.

Their girls ran around the house and loved on our toddler.

And somewhere in the middle of all of it, I just felt grateful.

Not for one big thing.

For all of it.

Lately, I’ve been hearing Forrest Frank’s song THANKFUL, and it reminds me to notice the things I often overlook.

A roof over my head.

A bed to sleep in.

Food in the kitchen.

Good friends.

Even a big mess that I’m actually grateful to get to clean up.

It’s a reminder that sometimes we’re surrounded by blessings we’ve simply gotten used to seeing.

Sitting there with our friends, that’s all I could think about.

Soup on the stove.

Blankets on the couch.

Laughter in the next room.

People I love sitting across the table from me.

There was only one word for it.

Breathtaking.

And I think that’s one of the beautiful things about fall.

It gives us so many ordinary moments to notice.

And when we turn our attention toward God in those moments, something happens.

Gratitude starts to rise.

And before you know it, you’re singing your own song of praise.

Psalm 98 says, “Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds.”

Maybe your new song today doesn’t start with a melody.

Maybe it starts with noticing.

Look around.

Notice what God has given you.

Notice the people He has placed in your life.

Notice the ordinary blessings you’ve stopped seeing because they’ve become so familiar.

And then look up.

Because when you begin to recognize the goodness of God in the middle of an ordinary day, you may discover that you have more reasons to sing than you realized.

We really do have so much to be thankful for.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What is one ordinary blessing in your life that you’ve become so accustomed to that you rarely stop to thank God for it?
  • When was the last time you felt grateful “not for one big thing, but for all of it”? What made that moment special?
  • Who are the people in your life who make ordinary moments feel extraordinary? Have you told them how thankful you are for them?
  • What changes in your perspective when you intentionally look for God’s goodness in the small things?
  • If you were going to write your own “new song” of gratitude to God today, what would you include?

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

What blessing have I gotten so used to seeing that I’ve forgotten to thank God for it

 

L Y R I C S

I’ve got so much to be thankful for

Look, I’ve got a roof and a bed
A couple groceries to stay fed
I’ve got a phone and clean water
And some shoes when I wanna go farther

Today, I’ve got so much to be thankful for (hey)
I woke up this morning thinking, “Thank You, Lord” (hey)
For giving me everything I could ever need and more
I’ve got so much to be thankful for (oh, yeah, run it back)

Ayy, I have lights and a fan
A couple people who know who I am (know)
I have a car and clean clothes
Pots and pans I can cook on the stove

I have the sun and air in my lungs
And a big mess that I get to clean up
But most of all, one thing’s true
Jesus, I’m grateful for You (you, You, ah)

Today I’ve got so much to be thankful for (thankful for)
I woke up this morning thinking, “Thank You, Lord” (thank You)
For giving me everything I could ever need and more (need and more)
I’ve got so much to be thankful for (ayy)

One more time
Today, I’ve got so much to be thankful for (thankful for)
I woke up this morning thinking, “Thank You, Lord” (thank You, Lord)
For giving me everything I could ever need and more
I’ve got so much to be thankful for
Oh, say it again, say it again
I’ve got so much to be thankful for

/by

The Night Love Went to Work

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1 Corinthians 15:58 — So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. 

There is something special about a fall festival.

The air turns crisp. Friends catch up over steaming cups of apple cider. Somewhere nearby, kettle corn is popping, and funnel cakes are making it very difficult to remember that you already ate dinner.

I take it all in and look around.

Kids are trying things they’ve never tried before. Parents are laughing and talking while their children run around. Candy bags are getting heavier by the minute.

And I love it.

But the longer I watch, the more I realize what I’m really witnessing.

I’m watching a community love its people.

A volunteer kneels down beside a child who isn’t quite sure she wants to try the game.

Someone else is laughing with a group of kids.

Parents relax because they know somebody is looking out for their children.

There’s no spotlight on any of it.

It’s just people showing up and trying to show others the love of Jesus.

And it reminds me how easy it is to overlook the ordinary ways God uses us.

Sometimes we imagine ministry has to be a microphone, a Bible study, or some grand opportunity to make a difference.

But what if ministry can also be a folding chair?

A game booth?

A smile?

A conversation with a child?

A simple act of kindness that nobody else notices?

Paul told the church in Corinth to remain strong and steadfast and to give themselves fully to the Lord’s work, because their labor for the Lord is never wasted.

And I think that’s exactly what I’m seeing here:

Labor that won’t go to waste.

These people are doing little things that may matter far more than they will ever know.

Maybe that child who was nervous will remember the volunteer who knelt down beside her.

Maybe a parent will remember how welcomed their family felt.

Maybe a simple conversation will stay with someone long after the festival is over.

We may never see the full fruit of those moments.

But God does.

So keep showing up.

Keep serving.

Keep loving the person right in front of you.

Because in the hands of God, ordinary acts of faithfulness—really and truly—are never wasted.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What is one ordinary thing you do that you sometimes wonder whether it really matters? Could God be using it in ways you cannot see?
  • Have you ever had someone’s small act of kindness make a bigger impact on you than they probably realized?
  • Where is God giving you an opportunity to serve right now—even if it doesn’t feel significant or impressive?
  • Are you more likely to serve when people notice, or can you find joy in serving when only God sees?
  • Who is the person right in front of you today who might need a little encouragement, kindness, or your willingness to simply show up?

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

What if the ordinary thing God has put in front of me today is more important than I realize?

/by