Seasons

Change is Inevitable

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky…” – Philippians 2:14-15 People today love to say, “People don’t really change.” Let me tell you something — this is not true! Everything is always changing: your body, your spirit, your thinking, your friends, and your job. We have the power to change, and we can do this by deciding on the kinds of thoughts we are going to have. We can absolutely change the way we think to lead a better life. For starters, take responsibility for yourself and stop blaming others. Imagine you’re in a swamp, feeling stuck in a rut. You’re finding it difficult to maintain harmonious relationships with your spouse, parents, co-workers or your children. There is a danger of

January 15, 2023 No Comments

Imperfect Yet Perfectly Loved

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” – Titus 3:4,5 Do you ever feel like you’re not enough? Are you constantly believing that after you change that one thing in your life, then you’ll be blessed? Unfortunately, it’s easy and all too common to feel like people don’t really see you, and that if they did, they wouldn’t love you or might even reject you. At the root of this is often the mistaken belief that God is mad at you. After all, if He doesn’t approve of you, who will? However, this is the good news about Christianity — it’s like every other religion, only inverted! Nearly all religions say that if you do X, Y, and Z right, then God (or the gods) will be on your side.

July 5, 2022 No Comments

We Have Many Purposes

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” – 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV) Here is a phrase that I believe you can never hear enough — you were created with a purpose! In fact, you were created with many purposes. Time and time again, I have seen people frustrated and robbed of joy because they feel like they haven’t found their one true purpose in life. However, I want to affirm to you today that you don’t have a singular calling, you have many different callings, and each one is important in a different season. In fact, you were designed to go from purpose to purpose, or as the Bible says, from glory to glory. There is no “perfect” end; each one of

March 26, 2022 3 Comments

Three Kinds of Faith

“Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you.” – Matthew 9:29 We’ve been talking a lot about faith — what it is and what it isn’t and how it plays out in our lives. Today, I want to assert that there are different kinds of faith that correspond to distinct seasons of our lives as Christians. Different things motivate our trust at various times in our lives, but the bottom line is that faith is essential to our survival and quality of life. Why? Because faith has to do with the future. When we are unable to put our hope in anyone or anything, we quickly become despondent and crippled by worry, anxiety, and depression. Faith is the essential component of a productive, abundant, and fruitful life, which is why living in the Kingdom of God is absolutely the best way.

March 6, 2022 No Comments

Present Through Suffering

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance…” – Romans 5:3 We talked yesterday about the importance of not asking too many questions during the winter seasons of our lives. Today, I want to provide another tip that can aid us in navigating the difficult times we are in: be present in your suffering. I’ve previously told the story of a boy and a silver ball on a string, and it perfectly illustrates the argument I want to make today. It’s a Russian tale about a school-aged child who meets a fairy while roaming through the woods. She gives him a present during the encounter, which appears to be a simple silver ball on a piece of string but is actually a magic wand that allows him to pull the string and fast forward past difficult aspects of his life. While

January 22, 2022 1 Comment

The Opposites of Winter

“Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.” – Hosea 6:3 Today, as we continue our examination of cold seasons, I’d like to point out that they can be lonely. Maybe you went from a position of leadership or connection to one of isolation, and you no longer feel connected to the people who used to bring you joy. Whether it was a move, the loss of a job, a funeral, or a disagreement with relatives, loneliness may plague you and distort your perspective on life and situations. For instance, a place or pastime that used to bring you joy can now serve as a painful reminder of what you’ve lost. It’s excruciating. Yosemite is one of my favorite locations

January 16, 2022 No Comments

Sent Into the Storm

“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.” – Psalm 107:28-31 Did you know that sometimes God intentionally sends us into a storm? He is our Heavenly Father, and now and then, He will do what any good father would do and lead us through a difficult situation to teach us how to face our fears. I remember having a fear of water as a child that lasted for many years. This is not ideal for a toddler living in Southern California, as we are close to the ocean and my family would frequently visit.

November 26, 2021 1 Comment

Reside in His Rest

“Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.” – Hebrews 4:1 When you’re caught in the middle of a storm, what do you do? Life’s storms are unavoidable, and they come in different forms — some are as light as a sprinkle, while others are as powerful as a hurricane — but no matter how powerful they are, they always take us by surprise when they arrive. Storms might manifest as health troubles, financial difficulties, or challenges in your family or marriage. Whatever they are, we want to know how to deal with them as Christians; how are we expected to feel, think, and respond in their presence? I believe the dream is to be relaxed as we navigate stormy waters. When we are being thrown around by life’s waves, our wish

November 22, 2021 1 Comment

Planning for the Storm

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” – Matthew 7:24-27 We discussed yesterday how the ability to thrive in turmoil is an indication that we are living in the fullness of God’s Kingdom. Today, we’ll look at how Jesus teaches us a similar lesson in the parable of the wise man who built his

November 16, 2021 No Comments

Unfinished Symphonies

“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.” – Ephesians 2:10 (NLT) A symphony is an elaborate musical work that’s written for a full orchestra. It’s typically divided into four movements, and all of them are distinctly different but woven together by similar themes. Since composing such a complex piece of music is no easy task, there are several famous composers who started them but never finished. Perhaps the most famous is Franz Schubert and his Symphony #8, of which he completed only two movements. Though speculation by some is that he never intended to finish it, the reality is that he probably didn’t get to it, either because he lacked inspiration or didn’t receive adequate support. Thankfully for us, God doesn’t author any unfinished symphonies. Though our lives are complex and

August 2, 2021 No Comments

Change is Inevitable

Imperfect Yet Perfectly Loved

We Have Many Purposes

Three Kinds of Faith

Present Through Suffering

The Opposites of Winter

Sent Into the Storm

Reside in His Rest

Planning for the Storm

Unfinished Symphonies

Receive your daily eDevotional

Don't miss new updates in your email!

WATCH

CONNECT

SHOP

ABOUT

DONATE