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

“Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”

1 John 3:18

I should have already been on the road. Instead, I was staring at my Jeep’s very flat tire. This was not how the day was supposed to go.

I managed to limp the car over to Christian Brothers Automotive, hoping they could fix my flat quickly and get me back on the road, but they were closed.

So, I left my car there, called an Uber, jumped on a plane, and tried to push the thought of the tire out of my mind.

A few days later, as I flew home, I remebered my car. I hadn’t even called the shop! I wondered….Was my car still in their parking lot? Had they towed it?

When I called the shop, Jed answered and said, “It’s still here.  And we actually don’t do tires here.”

Argh.

Before I could even figure out what to do next, Jed kept talking. “We can air it up for you. Or if you’ve got a spare, I’ll put it on.”

I blinked. That was not what I expected. He had no reason to help me, and yet, his offer didn’t cost a thing.

When I got back to the shop, they had already aired up the tires, and I was struck by how intentional they had been with us. They even took the time to teach my son, JD, how to change a flat tire. As a single mom, it meant more to me than words could express. I had tears of gratitude as we drove away.

Jed probably never thought twice about offering his help, but I have not stopped thinking about it. That day, Christian Brothers Automotive truly lived up to their name.

Because isn’t that what following Jesus really looks like? Showing up for people and offering a moment of care when they least expect it? Being kind?

God constantly gives us chances to be that unexpected kindness for someone else. The truth is, we all feel stuck at times—whether it is a flat tire, a flat heart, or a flat hope. What we need most in those moments is not someone to fix us—it is someone to see us and remind us that we matter.

What if today, that kindness starts with you?

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.”

Romans 5:3-4

Eliza hated the silence. Her life had always been so full of movement and things to do. She spent her days teaching, writing, and serving others. But now, all of that was gone.

The injury had taken it from her.

She lay in bed, her body aching, her spirit restless. The days felt unbearably long, and the quietness stretched on. At first, she fought against it. She asked the same questions over and over: Why me? What now? Where are you God?

But as the days passed, she started to read her Bible. This was not the casual kind of reading for passing the time. No. She was desperate.

And in those long, slow hours spent in the Word, she saw things she had never noticed before. Words she had once skimmed past now felt alive. Promises she had memorized now felt like they were written just for her.

She knew she was not just surviving this hardship—God was doing something in it.

One day, she found herself humming a song she had started writing before the injury. It was just another project back then. But now? The words meant something. It went like this.

“When we all get to heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!”

She had never clung to heaven like this before. She had never needed to. But now, her hope in Jesus felt different. Stronger. More real.

When she finally released the song, it spread like wildfire. People who were hurting and searching found something in those words—something bigger than their pain.

Eliza Hewitt would have never chosen this hardship, but looking back, she saw it clearly. Her pain had not been wasted. God turned her silence into a song of hope, and it was too valuable to keep to herself.

That’s the thing. Sometimes, the greatest good that comes out of our hardship is what we are called to give away. Could it be that the very thing you are wrestling with is the thing that someone else needs to hear?

 

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Galatians 6:2

Ursula had spent her whole life being the strong one—the one who showed up for everybody else. But that day on the mountain, she had to be the one who was carried.

One wrong step, a sharp twist, and pain like fire shot through her ankle. She hit the ground hard, gasping. She tried to stand, but the moment her foot touched the dirt, she crumpled.

Miles of rocky trail stretched between her and help. There was no cell service, no way to call anyone, and for the first time in a long time, she felt completely helpless.

Then, three young men rounded the bend, breathless from their run. They could have smiled politely and jogged on past. Instead, they stopped.

One of them, a boy named Troy, crouched beside her. “Ma’am,” he said, his voice steady, “we’ve got you.”

And before she could argue, he knelt down, let her wrap her arms around his shoulders, and lifted her clean off the ground. Step by step, he carried her down that mountain, his friends steadying them along the way.

By the time they reached the bottom, Ursula’s ankle was still broken, but she felt more cared for than she had in a long time. Because kindness like that—the kind that costs something—sticks with you. They didn’t owe her anything. And yet, they gave anyway. Strength. Time. Compassion.

And the truth is, we all get the chance to be that for somebody.

Some burdens in life are too heavy to bear alone. But what if someone’s relief is waiting on your willingness? What if the kindness you offer today is the kindness that changes everything?

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

Isaiah 26:3

I woke up with fear sitting heavy on my chest.

Even before my eyes opened, the anxiety was there—pressing, suffocating, unshakable. The world had shut down because of the pandemic. The news was a constant flood of uncertainty, and my mind raced with questions that had no answers.

Would my family be okay? How long would this last? How would we make it financially?

I rolled over and stared at the ceiling, hoping the stillness of the room would settle my nerves. It didn’t.

I needed something stronger than fear.

I threw off the covers, walked to my home office, and pulled up the Christian radio stream.

The voices of my friends back at the radio station filled the room. Happy. Steady. Reassuring. They were not ignoring what was happening, but they were not drowning in it either.

As I listened, something wonderful happened. It was as if, for the first time in days, I could actually breathe. Tears blurred my vision as I sat back in my chair. Because in that moment, I knew—God had not abandoned us. He had not abandoned me.

And He had just used two people on the radio to remind me of that.

That is why I believe in Christian radio. Because it is not just a broadcast—it is ministry. It is real people, speaking real hope into real lives. And I know I am not the only one who needs it.

Someone else is waking up today with that same weight on their chest. I want to make sure that when they turn on the radio, hope is waiting for them.

Would you want to be a part of that?

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

2 Corinthians 9:7

I love a good personality test. Meyers-Briggs, strengths assessments—I will take them all. So, when I took a spiritual gifts test, I was excited to see what it revealed.

And then I saw it. “Lowest score: Giving.

I actually blinked a few times, convinced I had read it wrong. That couldn’t be right. I was a giver! But as I sat with it, a quiet question surfaced:

“Are you really?”

I give my time. I give my skills. I give my encouragement. But money? That is where I hesitate.

I had all the right excuses. “I’ll give more when I have more.” “I’m being responsible.” “God knows my heart.” But the truth is? I was afraid. I was scared to let go and to not have enough at the end of the day.

Then I thought back to my time in college. I had barely anything to my name, yet somehow, God always provided. I never went hungry, and my needs were met in ways I couldn’t have planned or imagined. So why, years later, was I still acting like I had to hold onto everything so tightly?

Maybe you get it. Maybe it is not money for you—maybe it’s time, love, effort. Maybe you tell yourself you will give when you have more, when it is easier, or when life settles down.

But here’s what I’m learning: generosity is not about having more. It is about trusting that God is already enough.

So, I will ask you the same question: Where is fear holding you back from trusting Him today?

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.”

Matthew 5:14-15

Melinda barely had time to breathe, much less think. Wednesday nights were always a rush—digging for her other shoe, grabbing her Bible, texting her cousin to make sure she was coming to youth.

Hey, you coming? she typed quickly before tapping the call button.

“Hello?”

Melinda frowned. It was not her cousin.

“Uh—sorry, wrong number!” she blurted, heat rising to her face.

A pause. Then a quiet, “Okay,” before the call disconnected.

Melinda let out a breath and shook her head. Well, that was awkward. Time to move on.

But she couldn’t.

It was like something in her heart caught on the moment, unwilling to let it slip away. Before she knew what she was doing, she opened the message thread and started typing.

Hey, I know I called by mistake, but I was actually inviting my cousin to church. You’re welcome to come too if you want.

She stared at the screen. This was weird, right? But still, she pressed send.

Three dots appeared.

Then a message that said,

“You don’t even know me, but I needed this. I was planning to end my life tonight. But your message feels like a sign, and I think I need to come.”

That night the person on the other end showed up. And God met her there. And in a room full of people, God made sure she knew—You are seen. You are loved. You have hope.

Was that a wrong number? Not a chance. And it makes me wonder, how many moments like this do we brush past? How often do we let discomfort keep us from reaching out?

God is always moving. Always working. But sometimes, He is waiting on us to press send.

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

Hebrews 13:16 

Emma was bone tired. Motherhood had a way of stretching her in ways she never expected. Some days, she felt like she had disappeared entirely.

So when she flipped over a box of diapers at Target and saw the gift card, she froze. A note was taped to the back.

“Hey! You deserve that special ‘you’ thing. You are amazing!”

The words unraveled something inside her. She did not even realize how badly she needed to hear that.

Tears burned her eyes. She had been giving and giving—pouring everything into her baby, her home, her family. And here, in the middle of a Target aisle, a stranger’s kindness reminded her that she was worth something too.

Days later, the moment still had not left her. She kept thinking about that stranger, about the way a small act had meant so much.

So, she decided to do it herself.

She went back to Target, but this time, she was not just running errands. She had four times the amount she had been given—gift cards, handwritten notes—and she scattered them through the baby aisle.

She shared her story on TikTok, expecting nothing—until it took off. Suddenly, people all over were recreating the moment in their own towns, leaving little gifts of encouragement behind. What started as a simple act of generosity had turned into something so much bigger.

Because that’s the thing about generosity—it doesn’t end with you. It ripples outward, turning everyday moments into something special. Someone’s kindness had changed Emma’s day, and in return, she changed dozens more.

Who could be waiting on your kindness today? The small thing you do might be the biggest thing in someone else’s story.

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”

Psalm 34:4

Pam e-mailed her story to us, and when I read it, I felt the weight of it—the fear, the waiting, the desperate need for something to break through the anxiety.

I know that feeling. Maybe you do, too. This is what she said:

“I had already beaten cancer once, and I thought I was done with this fight. But then the cough started. 

At first, I told myself it was nothing. But when weeks passed, then months, I started to wonder. I visited the doctor, and he ordered some tests. 

The X-ray was taken, but the weight of the unknown pressed heavier on my chest than any illness ever could. As I left, I climbed into my car, silent, and braced for the worst.

Then, through the radio, Lauren Daigle’s voice broke through, singing, ‘You’re going to be okay.’ Tears spilled down my face. In that moment, I wasn’t just hearing a song—I knew I was hearing directly from God. 

Twenty minutes later, my phone rang. No sign of cancer! Relief washed over me, but something deeper settled in. The fear had been so real, but, I realized, so was God’s presence. 

Even before I knew the results, the healing had already begun. Because in my fear, in my waiting—God was already there. And He used this station to remind me.” 

Wow! Pam’s story is powerful because it’s real. And it is not just her story—it is all of ours. The fear, the anxiety, the nights spent wondering how much more we can take.

But God meets us there. And sometimes, He does it through something as simple as a song on the radio.

That is why this matters. Because of you, someone else will turn on the radio at just the right moment and hear exactly what they need.

Your generosity makes this possible. You are part of stories like Pam’s, and because of you, there will be more—more hope, more reminders that God is near, even in the fear.

Thank you for making that possible!

 

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.”

Ephesians 1:7

Lewis Edgar Jones had spent years doing all the right things. He worked hard. He was faithful to his church and prayed when he could. And yet, beneath it all, something felt … hollow.

It was not that he doubted God, but deep down, he wondered: Where is the power?

Not just talk. Not just tradition. He needed to know if faith had the power to change things. Could it really reach into the mess of his life and do something about it?

But this week, at the yearly camp meeting, he felt it.

He had not expected to weep the way he had or to feel so undone. But in the presence of Jesus, something deep within him cracked open. Hope had pressed its way back into his heart, alive in a way he had not felt since he was a boy.

But Jones knew revival was not just about what happened here. He thought of the people beyond this place—his coworkers, the folks in the town square, and the families at his church.

His heart ached for them because he knew the question they, like him, were too afraid to ask: Is this real? Can Jesus actually do something in my life?

Yes. A thousand times yes.

The blood of Jesus had changed him. It had given him a hope that no effort, no good works, no routine religion ever could.

So he reached for a scrap of paper and began to write a song. “Would you be free from the burden of sin? There’s power in the blood, power in the blood.”

That night, he sang it softly to himself. It was more than a song. It was a testimony.

Years later, crowds would sing it in unison, and today, that same power still reaches out. To you. To all who long for something real. You do not have to stay the same or figure it out on your own. Come to the One who has never lost His power.

Come to Jesus.

“There is power, power, wonder working power 
In the blood of the Lamb 
There is power, power, wonder working power 
In the precious blood of the Lamb”

 

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

2 Timothy 1:7

I was perfectly fine staying in my comfort zone. It was nice there. Predictable. Safe. And then, along came Paul Goldsmith, who had the audacity to think I should dream bigger.

You see, for years, I had this dream stirring inside me to create something meaningful that would point people to God’s love. But every time I considered stepping out, I could hear my own voice whispering, Who do you think you are?

And for a while, I believed it.

But for years, Paul called me just to say, “Lisa, you should start a podcast!” And every time, I’d laugh it off. “Right, Paul. I’ll add that to my never-gonna-happen list.”

He did not give up that easily. So he kept nudging and challenging me, until I finally ran out of excuses. And then something wild happened. A group of friends—dear, wonderful, slightly pushy friends—rallied around me. They did not just cheer me on; they fully funded the podcast launch. And with Paul’s coaching, “Life with Lisa Williams” was born.

Through it all, I realized something. We all need people like Paul who will not let us quit on what God has placed inside of us.

More importantly, I have found Jesus is the ultimate voice in our corner. He is the One who refuses to let us settle for less than we were made for. He sees the fear, the hesitation, the self-doubt—and He speaks right through it. “You were made for more.”

So, friend, who is speaking into your life? And more importantly, are you listening? Because the greatest moments of your life will not come from playing it safe. They will come when you take His hand and trust that He sees the potential in you, even if you don’t yet.