Take A Breath Today

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Psalm 29:11 — The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.

Have you noticed the leaves beginning to change?

There’s something about this time of year that makes me want to slow down a little.

Maybe it’s the cooler air.

The colors in the trees.

Or the sound of leaves crunching beneath your feet as you walk along a trail.

And if you’ve ever spent a fall afternoon at Kiroli Park, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

For just a little while, you can step away from the noise.

No deadlines.

No ringing phones.

No problems you have to solve right this second.

Just the trees, the birds, and a world that keeps turning whether you’re rushing around or not.

I was reading recently about Forest Park in St. Louis being named the best city park in America, and it got me thinking about how much places like that mean to us.

Not because they’re flashy.

Not because there’s always something exciting happening.

But because they give us something we don’t always realize we need.

Room to breathe.

And goodness, don’t we need that sometimes?

Because life has a way of making us believe that everything depends on us.

The bills have to be paid.

The deadlines have to be met.

The family needs something.

Work needs something.

And there’s always one more thing waiting for our attention.

Even when we finally sit down, our minds don’t always get the message.

We’re still thinking about tomorrow.

Replaying yesterday.

Trying to figure out how we’re going to handle everything that’s coming next.

And before long, we’re exhausted.

Not just physically.

But emotionally and spiritually, too.

Yet there’s something beautiful about Psalm 29.

If you read the entire chapter, you’ll notice that David spends much of it describing the incredible power of God.

His voice thunders over the waters.

His voice breaks mighty cedars.

His glory fills creation.

It’s a picture of a God whose power is beyond anything we can imagine.

And then, after all those descriptions of His strength and majesty, the psalm ends with these words:

“The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.”

Isn’t that something?

The same God whose voice shakes the wilderness is the God who offers peace to you and me.

The One who commands the mighty waters isn’t overwhelmed by the things that overwhelm us.

He isn’t worried about tomorrow.

He isn’t surprised by what happened yesterday.

And He certainly isn’t asking us to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders.

He’s asking us to trust the One who already holds it.

Now, that doesn’t mean our responsibilities disappear.

The bills will still need to be paid.

The difficult conversations may still need to happen.

And tomorrow may bring challenges we haven’t even thought about yet.

But we don’t have to carry all of that as though we’re facing it alone.

Sometimes, we need to remember that being still isn’t the same thing as being irresponsible.

Taking a moment to rest doesn’t mean we’ve stopped caring.

And stepping away from the noise doesn’t mean everything is going to fall apart.

Sometimes, rest is simply an act of trust.

It’s our way of saying, “Lord, I know there are things I need to do. But I also know that You are God, and I am not.”

And there’s freedom in that.

So maybe today, you need to take a little walk.

Find a quiet spot.

Leave your phone in your pocket.

Listen to the birds.

Watch the leaves moving in the breeze.

And for just a few minutes, let yourself be reminded of how big God is.

You don’t have to solve every problem before you can experience His peace.

You don’t have to have tomorrow figured out before you can rest today.

And you don’t have to hold everything together.

Because the world can keep turning while you take a breath.

And do you know what?

He will still be God when you return.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • When was the last time you intentionally slowed down and spent a few quiet moments with God?
  • What responsibilities or worries have you been carrying as though everything depends on you?
  • How does the picture of God’s power in Psalm 29 change the way you think about the challenges you’re facing?
  • Why can taking time to rest sometimes be an expression of faith rather than a sign of weakness?
  • What’s one simple way you could make room for God’s peace in your schedule this week?

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

What am I trying so hard to hold together that I need to trust God with today?

/by

From Hobby to Hero

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2 Thessalonians 1:3 — Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. 

It all started with a YouTube video.

Thirteen-year-old Zach watched someone using a 3D printer and thought, Hey, I want to try that!

Now, most kids might use a 3D printer to make something fun.

A toy.

Something cool for their bedroom.

Maybe something they could show off to their friends.

But Zach had a different idea.

He heard about a little girl with special needs who needed a wheelchair.

And instead of thinking, Somebody should do something about that, he decided to see what he could do.

So he got to work.

And let me tell you, this wasn’t some little weekend project.

Zach spent 300 hours that summer designing and building a wheelchair for her.

Three hundred hours!

But here’s what makes this story so special.

He didn’t just design a wheelchair.

He designed a wheelchair for her.

He thought about what she needed.

Adjustable footrests and a headrest so the chair could grow with her.

Space for her medical equipment.

A tray.

A cup holder.

And even pink accents.

Why pink?

Because pink was her favorite color.

Now, I love that detail.

Because it tells me Zach wasn’t just trying to solve a problem.

He was thinking about the person who had the problem.

He wanted her to have something that would make her life easier, but also something that felt like it belonged to her.

He could have stopped at making a chair. Instead, he made her chair.

And isn’t that a beautiful picture of what love looks like?

Love pays attention.

Love notices the little things.

And love is willing to put in the time to make a difference.

In 2 Thessalonians, Paul writes something beautiful to the believers there.

He says, “We can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing.”

I love the connection between those two things.

Their faith was growing.

And so was their love.

Because when faith grows in our hearts, love should begin showing up in our actions.

And sometimes those actions look pretty ordinary.

Maybe you don’t have a 3D printer.

I certainly wouldn’t know what to do with one!

But you have something.

Maybe you’re good at fixing things.

Maybe you love to cook.

Maybe you have a gift for music, or teaching, or making people laugh when they’ve had a terrible day.

Maybe you’re the person who knows how to listen without interrupting.

Or the one who always seems to notice when somebody needs a little encouragement.

You might not think those things are anything special.

But to the right person, at the right moment, they could mean more than you realize.

You see, Zach didn’t have to wait until he was older.

He didn’t have to become an engineer.

He didn’t have to have a lot of money.

He started with something that interested him.

And then he looked for a way to use it to help somebody else.

That’s what I want us to remember today.

God can use what’s already in your hands to meet a need that’s on somebody else’s heart.

And sometimes, the greatest gift isn’t the thing we make or the money we give.

It’s the love and thoughtfulness behind it.

It’s taking the time to notice what someone really needs.

It’s caring enough to make something personal.

Just like Zach did.

So today, take a moment and think about what God has given you.

Your abilities.

Your interests.

Your experiences.

Your time.

And ask Him a simple question.

“Lord, how can I use what You’ve given me to love somebody else?”

Because somewhere nearby, there may be someone who needs exactly what you have to offer.

And who knows?

What seems like an ordinary gift in your hands might become something extraordinary in theirs.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What detail about Zach’s wheelchair shows you that he was thinking about the little girl, not just the project?
  • How does 2 Thessalonians 1:3 connect growing faith with growing love for others?
  • What talents, abilities, or interests have you overlooked because they don’t seem particularly important?
  • Can you remember a time when someone used an ordinary skill or small act of kindness to make a meaningful difference in your life?
  • Who in your life might benefit from something you already know how to do?

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

What has God already placed in my hands that I could use to make someone else’s life better? 

/by

Tree Climber Theology

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Luke 15:4 — If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?

Have you ever noticed how quickly we can decide we know someone?

Maybe we’ve heard a story about them.

Maybe we know something they did years ago.

Or maybe we’ve just watched them make a few bad decisions, and we’ve already made up our minds about who they are.

It’s funny how easily a person’s reputation can become their entire identity in our eyes.

But aren’t you glad Jesus doesn’t see people that way?

There’s a story in the Bible about a man named Zacchaeus.

And let me tell you, Zacchaeus had a reputation.

He was a wealthy tax collector, and in those days, tax collectors weren’t exactly winning popularity contests.

They were known for taking advantage of people, and Zacchaeus certainly wasn’t someone the crowd was eager to welcome.

But one day, Jesus was passing through Jericho.

And Zacchaeus wanted to see Him.

There was just one little problem.

Zacchaeus was short.

And with all those people crowding around Jesus, he couldn’t see a thing.

So he did what any determined grown man would do.

He climbed a tree.

Now, can you imagine that?

Here’s this wealthy, important man perched up in a tree like a little kid, just hoping to catch a glimpse of Jesus.

I wonder what he was thinking up there.

Maybe he figured he’d watch Jesus pass by and then quietly climb back down.

After all, why would Jesus want anything to do with a man like him?

But then something happened Zacchaeus probably never expected.

Jesus stopped.

He looked up.

And He called Zacchaeus by name.

“Zacchaeus! Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”

Now, notice what Jesus didn’t say.

He didn’t say, “Zacchaeus, straighten out your life first.”

He didn’t say, “Explain yourself.”

And He certainly didn’t say, “Once you’ve earned everybody’s approval, maybe we can talk.”

No.

Jesus simply called him down and invited Himself over.

Jesus saw the man everyone else had already decided they knew.

And that changes everything.

Because in Luke 15, Jesus tells us about a shepherd with a hundred sheep.

When one wanders away, the shepherd goes looking for it.

Not because that one sheep is worth more than the other ninety-nine.

But because the one that’s missing matters, too.

And isn’t that exactly what we see in Zacchaeus?

While the crowd saw a sinner, Jesus saw someone worth seeking.

While others grumbled that Jesus would spend time with a man like him, Jesus was already doing what He came to do.

Reaching the lost.

In fact, at the end of Zacchaeus’s story, Jesus says something that connects these two passages beautifully.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

And here’s what I love.

Jesus didn’t wait for Zacchaeus to get his act together before He approached him.

But that encounter didn’t leave Zacchaeus unchanged, either.

Zacchaeus responded with repentance and generosity. He promised to give half his wealth to the poor and repay those he had cheated four times over.

The man who had spent so much of his life taking from others was now ready to give.

Jesus didn’t overlook his sin. He offered him something powerful enough to change his life.

Grace.

And friend, I wonder how many people around us are a little like Zacchaeus.

People carrying reputations they can’t seem to escape.

People who’ve made mistakes and wonder if that’s all anyone will ever see.

People who feel like they have to watch from a distance because surely Jesus wouldn’t want anything to do with them.

But He does.

He knows their names.

He knows their stories.

And He hasn’t stopped seeking people who are lost.

So here’s a question I’ve been asking myself.

Am I seeing people the way the crowd saw Zacchaeus, or the way Jesus saw him?

Because it’s easy to notice someone’s failures.

It’s easy to remember their past.

It’s easy to decide who they are before we ever take the time to know them.

But love looks closer.

Grace makes room.

And sometimes, the most Christlike thing we can do is simply refuse to overlook someone everybody else has written off.

Maybe there’s someone in your world who needs that kind of love today.

Someone who needs to know their story isn’t finished.

Someone who needs to hear that their past doesn’t have to define their future.

Someone who’s waiting to be noticed.

So today, look around.

And maybe, just maybe, look up.

Because you never know who’s sitting in a tree, hoping someone will see them.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Have you ever felt that someone judged you by your past rather than who you are today?
  • What does Jesus’ decision to call Zacchaeus by name reveal about His heart for people who feel rejected?
  • Why is it important that Jesus welcomed Zacchaeus before Zacchaeus demonstrated a change of heart?
  • Is there someone you’ve written off because of their reputation or past mistakes? How might God be challenging you to see them differently?
  • What could you do this week to help someone feel noticed, valued, and welcomed? 

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

Who might Jesus be asking me to notice that everyone else has overlooked?

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The Story You’ll Never Hear

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Hebrews 13:16 — Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. 

I read something this week that gave me so much hope.

Every year, Americans give hundreds of billions of dollars to help people in need.

And I know that’s a big number.

But you know what I kept thinking about?

Not the money.

The people.

The people who decided to give something away when they didn’t have to.

The people who looked beyond their own needs and saw somebody else’s.

And the people who chose to make a difference in the life of someone they might never meet.

Because behind every dollar given, there’s a person who made a decision.

I have something I can share.

And somewhere on the other side of that decision, there’s often another person with a story.

Maybe it’s a mom wondering how she’s going to put groceries on the table.

A family facing medical bills they never expected.

A child who needs a safe place to go.

Or someone who’s been carrying so much for so long that one simple act of kindness reminds them they haven’t been forgotten.

That’s what I love about generosity.

What we give away can become exactly what somebody else needs.

And sometimes, we’ll never even know it.

We’ll never hear the story.

We’ll never see the tears of relief.

We’ll never know whose burden got a little lighter because we chose to help.

But God knows.

And that’s what makes Hebrews 13:16 so meaningful to me.

“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

I love that Scripture calls these acts of generosity sacrifices.

Because giving isn’t always easy.

Sometimes it means doing without something ourselves.

Sometimes it means rearranging our schedules.

Sometimes it means sharing what we have when we could easily find a reason to hold on to it.

And sometimes it means giving without knowing exactly how our gift will make a difference.

But God sees those choices.

He sees the heart behind them.

And Scripture tells us that doing good and sharing what we have are pleasing to Him.

Think about that for a moment.

Something as simple as helping a neighbor, giving to a ministry, bringing someone a meal, or quietly meeting a need can be an act of worship.

Not because the gift is enormous.

Not because anyone notices.

But because it comes from a heart willing to love.

And friend, I think that’s one of the beautiful ways God works through His people.

He takes what we’re willing to share and uses it to bring encouragement, comfort, and hope into someone else’s life.

We may never know how far that kindness reaches.

We may never hear what happened next.

But that doesn’t mean nothing happened.

Just because you don’t get to hear the story doesn’t mean there isn’t one.

So today, I want to encourage you to look at what God has placed in your hands.

Maybe you have money you can share.

Maybe you have time.

Maybe you have a skill, a meal, an encouraging word, or an opportunity to help someone who’s struggling.

Whatever it is, don’t underestimate what God can do through a willing heart.

Because somewhere, somebody may need exactly what you’re able to give.

And the beautiful thing is, you don’t have to know their name to make a difference.

You may never know their story. But God does.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Have you ever been helped by someone’s generosity without that person realizing how much it meant to you?
  • Why do you think God describes doing good and sharing with others as sacrifices that please Him?
  • Is it difficult for you to give when you don’t know exactly how your generosity will make a difference?
  • What has God placed in your hands that you could use to encourage or help someone else?
  • Who might be blessed today because you choose to give something of yourself?

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

What if the gift I give today becomes the answer to a prayer I’ll never hear? 

/by

Praying Scary Prayers

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Psalm 34:6 — In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles. 

Some of the hardest prayers I’ve ever prayed have been for my son.

And honestly, they haven’t been very long or eloquent.

Sometimes, they’ve been just five words.

“God, do whatever it takes.”

I’ve been spending a lot of time lately on the prayer wall at 887thecross.com.

Not just reading other people’s requests and praying for them, but bringing my own heartache before God.

Because right now, I’m praying hard for my son, Anthony, and his wife, Christy.

They’ve pretty much shut us out of their lives.

And I won’t pretend that doesn’t hurt.

If you’re a mom or dad, you know there are a lot of things you spend your life trying to fix.

A scraped knee? You grab a Band-Aid.

A broken heart? You sit down and listen.

A difficult day? Sometimes a phone call, a conversation, or a really good hug can make things a little better.

But then there are the things you can’t fix.

The phone calls that go unanswered.

The conversations you wish you could have.

The distance between you and someone you love that you have absolutely no idea how to close.

And that’s where I am.

I can’t fix this.

I can’t make someone pick up the phone.

I can’t force a relationship to heal.

And I certainly can’t change someone’s heart.

So I’ve found myself praying a prayer that, if I’m being honest, scares me a little.

“God, do whatever it takes. Bring him back to You first. And then, Lord, if it’s Your will, bring him back to us.”

Now, I don’t pray that because I want something bad to happen.

Quite the opposite.

I pray it because I love my son, and I want God’s very best for his life.

But praying those words means admitting something I don’t particularly enjoy admitting.

I’m not in control.

And when it’s someone you love with your whole heart, that’s a hard thing to accept.

Maybe you understand.

Maybe there’s a name you carry around in your heart, too.

A son. A daughter. A spouse. A parent. A friend.

Someone who’s walked away.

Someone you can’t seem to reach anymore.

Someone you’ve cried over, worried about, and prayed for more times than you can count.

And you’ve finally run out of things to say.

That’s why I love Psalm 34:6.

David writes, “In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened.”

Did you catch that?

In my desperation.

Not when I had everything figured out.

Not when I finally found the perfect words.

Not when I knew exactly how things were going to turn out.

In my desperation.

David cried out to God, and God heard him.

And while I don’t know how my story with Anthony and Christy will unfold, I do know that the same God who heard David hears me.

Even when my prayers come through tears.

Even when all I can manage is a name.

Even when I don’t know what else to ask.

God doesn’t need me to have the answers before I come to Him.

He just invites me to come.

And here’s something I’m learning.

Giving someone to God doesn’t mean you stop loving them.

It doesn’t mean you stop hoping.

And it certainly doesn’t mean you stop praying.

It means you recognize that God’s hands are far more capable than yours.

It means you can keep loving someone, even when you can’t change the situation.

And it means trusting God with a story whose ending you cannot see.

Right now, that’s what I’m trying to do.

I pray for Anthony.

I pray for Christy.

I ask God to draw them close to Him, to protect them, to guide them, and to do the work in their hearts that only He can do.

And then I try, with everything in me, to leave them in His hands.

Some days, I do better at that than others.

Some days, I give them to God in the morning and find myself picking that worry right back up before lunchtime.

Maybe you know what that’s like, too.

But I’m learning that surrender isn’t always one big moment.

Sometimes it’s a prayer you have to pray again tomorrow.

And the next day.

And the next.

So, friend, if there’s someone you’re carrying today, can I encourage you?

You don’t have to know what God is going to do to trust Him with what you can’t control.

You don’t have to stop loving them.

You don’t have to stop praying for them.

But you can stop believing that everything depends on you.

Say their name.

Tell God how much you love them.

Tell Him how much it hurts.

Ask Him to work in ways you cannot.

And then, as best you can, place them in His hands.

Because the hardest part of prayer isn’t always asking God to do something.

Sometimes, it’s trusting Him enough to let go of what you were never able to control.

And if you find yourself reaching for that worry again tomorrow?

Pray again.

He’s still listening.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Is there someone you love whose choices or circumstances have left you feeling helpless? Have you been trying to carry responsibility for something you cannot control?
  • What makes it difficult for you to surrender someone you love into God’s hands?
  • Have you ever felt that your prayers weren’t enough because you couldn’t find the right words? How does Psalm 34:6 encourage you?
  • What’s the difference between giving up on someone and entrusting them to God?
  • Is there a name you need to bring before God today—not with a plan for how everything should turn out, but with a willingness to trust Him?

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

Whose name am I holding so tightly that I need to place them back into God’s hands?

/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

Gathered and Growing Together

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Psalm 133:1 — How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! 

I was thinking about church picnics the other day.

Church picnics were once a big deal.

I mean big, big.

Folding tables covered with homemade food. Kids running everywhere. Somebody stringing up a volleyball net. And at least one person convinced their potato salad was the reason everybody came.

That’s how it was when I was a kid, and honestly, we had the best time.

I got to go to church with my cousins, and the ten of us would disappear on some adventure while the adults talked around the tables.

Through the years, we ate together, laughed together, and watched our own kids become friends.

Lately, it feels like a lot of that has disappeared.

Maybe life got busier.

Maybe our calendars got fuller.

Maybe we just got used to rushing from one thing to the next.

But I realized something.

I don’t actually miss the food.

Trust me, those church ladies could cook.

But what I really miss is what happened around those folding tables.

The stories.

The friendships.

The laughter.

Nobody was trying to impress anybody.

We were just there.

And there’s a reason Scripture says, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.”

That doesn’t mean everyone agrees on everything.

It means there is something beautiful when God’s people choose to be together—to know one another, love one another, make room for one another, and enjoy one another.

I think that’s part of the harvest, too.

Yes, we’re called to go out into the world and share what God has given us.

But God also grows something in us when we gather around the table.

When we slow down long enough to hear each other’s stories.

When we laugh together.

When we notice who might be sitting alone.

When we choose relationship over another item on the calendar.

So maybe it’s time to bring back the church picnic.

It doesn’t have to be an actual picnic.

It could be coffee after church.

Dinner with another family.

Inviting someone over.

Or simply pushing back the calendar and saying, “Stay a little longer.”

Because sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is make time to be together.

And before you get any big ideas, just know…

I’m bringing the potato salad.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Who are the people in your life you genuinely enjoy being around, and when was the last time you intentionally made time for them?
  • Has busyness or a full calendar caused you to lose some of the simple relationships and connections that once mattered to you?
  • Is there someone in your church, family, or community who might be feeling disconnected or alone? What could you do to make room for them?
  • What does “living together in unity” look like in your relationships right now? Is there someone you need to listen to, forgive, encourage, or simply spend time with?
  • What is one thing you could say no to this week so you could say yes to more meaningful time with people?

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

Who is God inviting me to slow down for—to share a meal, hear their story, or simply enjoy being together?

 

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Put Me In Coach

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Isaiah 6:8 — Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”

A few years ago, if you had told me girls’ flag football would become one of the fastest-growing sports in America, I probably would have laughed.

I always wanted to play sports with my boy cousins. But no… girls didn’t play football.

Well, things have changed.

Nearly 70,000 girls are playing now. States like New Jersey are making it an official championship-level high school sport, and it’s even headed to the Olympics.

I love that.

Because somewhere right now, there’s a girl who could have stayed in the stands. Instead, she decided to step onto the field, run the route, call the play, and take the risk.

But I wonder how often we do the opposite with our faith.

We watch other people live boldly and think, They’re the ones who know what they’re doing. They’re the ones who make a difference. They’re the ones God chooses.

Meanwhile, we stay on the sidelines.

But Scripture tells a different story.

David was out tending sheep when God called him. Esther was afraid, yet she stepped into the king’s presence when everything was at stake. Peter was impulsive and imperfect, and Jesus still called him to follow.

God has never required His people to have everything figured out before stepping onto the field.

In Isaiah 6, Isaiah encounters God and realizes that God is calling him, too. And his response isn’t, “Send someone else.”

Nope.

“Here I am. Send me.”

It’s almost like Isaiah is saying, Put me in, Coach.

Friend, faith isn’t about knowing exactly what to do. Maybe today you feel unqualified. Maybe you’ve been watching someone else live the kind of faith you wish you had and wondering if God could really use you.

You don’t have to sit in the stands.

God has a purpose for ordinary people, and He still invites you and me to participate in what He is doing.

So let’s step onto the field.

“Here I am, Lord. Send me.”

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Where in your life might you be standing on the sidelines because you feel unqualified, afraid, or unsure?
  • What do you think God may be inviting you to step into right now?
  • Whose faith have you admired from a distance, and what might it look like for you to take one small step of faith yourself?
  • What would it look like for you to sincerely pray, “Here I am, Lord. Send me”?
  • What is one step you could take today to move from watching to participating in what God is doing?
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Okay To Not Be Okay

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Philippians 4:6–7 — Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

There’s something different happening in the way people talk about what’s going on inside them.

They are actually talking about mental health. I don’t remember this happening in my entire life, and I’m going to be 55 this year. People are talking about anxiety, burnout, and feeling overwhelmed by everything happening in the world. They’re admitting when they’re not okay.

And honestly, I think that’s a really good thing.

Because pretending everything is fine when it isn’t doesn’t make the weight disappear. It just makes you carry it quietly.

And that’s one of the things I love about faith. The Bible has never pretended people are okay when they aren’t. David wrote when he was overwhelmed. Elijah told God he was exhausted and ready to quit.

And God didn’t shame them for feeling that way. He met them there.

Maybe that’s where you are today.

Maybe nobody looking at you would know it. You’re getting through the day. You’re answering the messages. You’re doing your job and taking care of everybody else, but inside, your mind is racing because you’re carrying more than you were ever meant to carry.

In many ways, that’s what Paul in the Bible was speaking about when he tells us not to be consumed by anxiety, but to bring everything to God. Then he describes something beautiful: when we do, God’s peace stands guard over our hearts and minds.

It’s not because every circumstance suddenly changes. It’s because we’re no longer facing those circumstances alone.

So, if today feels heavy, don’t pretend it doesn’t. Bring it to God… all the worry, the exhaustion, and the things you don’t know how to say out loud. Remember friend, you may still be walking through something, but you don’t have to carry it by yourself.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What is weighing most heavily on your heart or mind right now? Have you been carrying it quietly instead of bringing it to God?
  • What worry do you need to turn into a prayer today? Be specific with God about what you need.
  • Are you trying to handle something on your own that God is inviting you to surrender to Him?
  • What does “pray about everything” look like in your life right now? Is there something you’ve been hesitant to bring to God?
  • Think about a time when God met you in a difficult season. What do you remember about His presence, even if your circumstances didn’t immediately change?
  • Philippians 4:6–7 connects prayer, thanksgiving, and peace. What is one thing you can thank God for today, even in the middle of what feels difficult?
  • What would it look like for you to trust God with what you cannot control today?
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God Doesn’t Waste Broken Places

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Ephesians 2:9-10 — Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

There’s a building in Spokane, Washington, that used to glow with neon lights for all the wrong reasons.

People drove past it for years, knowing exactly what was happening inside.

Brokenness. Addiction. Exploitation. Stories most people never heard because the women living inside those walls often felt invisible.

Then God started rewriting the story.

A friend of mine named Taylor, who also works in Christian radio, sent me the story. I had tears rolling down my face, and honestly, I just haven’t stopped thinking about it.

There’s a ministry called Helping Captives. They bought that former strip club, paid it off completely, and now they’re turning it into a Freedom Center for women escaping human trafficking.

Same building.

Different purpose.

One woman who was rescued from trafficking said she had worked in that very club before.

Can you imagine standing in a place that once represented your pain and watching God turn it into a place of healing?

Maybe that’s what feels so much like Jesus to me.

God has always loved taking what looks ruined and giving it a purpose the world never saw coming.

He turns messes into masterpieces.

And that’s where Ephesians 2 speaks so deeply to me.

Grace is not something we manufacture. It’s not something we earn by being good enough.

Salvation is a gift.

And when God makes us new in Christ, He doesn’t just rescue us from our past. He gives our lives a new purpose. He prepares good things for us to do for His glory.

So maybe you needed this reminder today:

Your past may explain part of your story, but it does not get to write the ending.

The world may look at something and see what it used to be.

But God sees what He can make it become.

So pause today and ask Him to show you one place in your life that feels too broken to matter anymore.

Bring that place into His hands.

Because you are not defined by what you were.

In Christ, you are being made new.

And Jesus is still in the business of turning broken places into stories of redemption.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Is there a part of your past that you’ve allowed to define you? What would it mean to let God write a new chapter there?
  • Where in your life do you feel “too broken to matter”? What would it look like to place that area in God’s hands?
  • How does knowing that salvation is a gift—not something you earn—change the way you see yourself and God?
  • Ephesians 2:10 says God created us anew so we can do good things He planned for us. What might He be inviting you to do in this season?
  • Where have you seen God take something painful or broken and give it a new purpose?
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