A number of years ago I visited a church that's out of state. I actually knew the pastor, so I walked in expecting it to be a pretty comfortable experience.  (This church does not have any connection to The Corners, so don't go trying to guess who it is!)

Anyway, when I stepped into the lobby, I just stood there...alone.

People looked at me as if they were wondering, “Who’s that guy?”

No one spoke to me.

No one greeted me.

I wasn’t treated poorly, but I definitely felt out of place.

Eventually the pastor came out and welcomed me, and the rest of the service was “normal.” But I remember thinking how strange it was to feel like an outsider in a church.

Just this week I was talking with Pastor Valmir, and he shared that he recently had a very similar experience visiting a church. A moment where he felt like he didn’t belong because no one made him feel like he did.

Those kinds of moments stick with you.

One of the things I hear over and over from people who visit The Corners Chapel is how welcoming the church feels. That is something I’m incredibly thankful for. But this little blogpost is not meant to be a “pat ourselves on the back” moment. It’s meant to be an encouragement:

Our recent congregational survey results showed that nearly 50% of the people who have found our church did so through a personal invite or word of mouth. That tells us two important things.

First, personal invitations are incredibly powerful. Far more powerful than any advertising we could ever do.

Second, word spreads quickly. And it’s important to remember that just as widely as a good experience spreads, so can a negative one. Sometimes all it takes is one person feeling overlooked or alone for the negative experience to overshadow the good experience.

So, as we strive to continue in what makes our church special, here are a few simple ways to continue cultivating a welcoming culture.

1. Look for the person sitting alone.
If someone is by themselves before or after service, that’s often your best clue that they might be a guest.  A simple “Hello” or “We haven’t met, welcome to The Corners” can make a huge difference.

2. Look for the person who looks lost.
Sometimes people walk in unsure where to go, where the kids check-in is, or where the auditorium is.  A quick “Hey, can I help you find something?” goes a long way.

3. Pray for first-time guests.
Before service begins, take a moment to pray that anyone checking out The Corners would feel seen, welcomed, and loved. Those of you on serve teams know that we do this most weeks in our pre-service huddle. So, let’s all make it a normal part of our Sunday rhythm.

4. Remember what it was like when you were a guest.
Most of us remember our first few weeks. Everything felt unfamiliar. That memory helps us extend grace and intentional kindness to others. Be the person someone was to you (or the person you wish someone had been).

5. Introduce people to someone else.
If you meet someone who’s checking out The Corners, don’t let the conversation stop with you. Introduce them to a few other people. Community often starts forming in those small moments.

Let me get real for a second.

I heard a quote a number of years ago and it stuck with me:

“For many non-Christians, the thought of walking into a church can feel about like a Christian walking into a strip club.”

I know that’s a provocative statement. A quick search online shows versions of that line attributed to a number of pastors and church leaders, so I’m honestly not sure who originally said it. But the point behind it is pretty clear.

For many people who didn’t grow up in church, church can feel unfamiliar, intimidating, or even morally uncomfortable. The analogy is trying to help Christians feel that tension for a moment. Just as a believer might (and should!) feel awkward, exposed, or out of place in a strip club, someone far from church might feel the same walking through church doors.
The shocking nature of the statement is meant to remind us that hospitality, humility, and genuine love matter, because many people are stepping into a world that feels completely foreign to them.

Friends, churches do not become welcoming by accident. They become welcoming when the people inside the church care and when we are intentional about being on the lookout for opportunities to welcome others.

I’m so grateful that this is already happening at The Corners Chapel.
So let’s keep it going.

After all, you never know if that new person standing alone in the lobby might play a pivotal role in what God does next at The Corners.

"Teach them diligently."

It's a simple sentence. But oh, how it is packed with power.

Did you notice where that phrase is placed?

“Teach them diligently” is not standing alone. It is nestled underneath the command to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul, and all your strength. It follows the call to have His Word written on your own heart and mind.

This command was first spoken to the adult Israelites. It was an instruction to parents. They were to impress God’s precepts on the minds of their children so that His truths would penetrate their hearts.

Notice what it does not say. It does not say, “Change their behavior.”

It says to penetrate their hearts.

Penetrating hearts is not a once-a-week task. It is a full-time calling.

There was a study done by Barna that highlighted the difference between parents and children’s ministry leaders regarding where discipleship should primarily occur. The results showed that most children’s ministry leaders believe discipleship should primarily take place at home, while many parents feel the church and ministry leaders should be the primary disciplers of their children.

But Scripture paints a clear picture.

Discipleship is not outsourced.

It is lived.
It is modeled.
It is spoken.
It is repeated.
It is daily.

So what does that mean for Corners Kids Ministry?

It means that we do not see ourselves as replacing parents. We see ourselves as partnering with you.

Our desire is to equip parents and families to walk in obedience and to shepherd the hearts of their students well. That is why we have been intentional in providing resources to support you in this calling.

Here are some of the ways we are coming alongside you:

All of these resources have one purpose: to support you as you teach diligently.

Parents, you are not alone in this calling. It may feel overwhelming at times. Some days will feel fruitful. Other days may feel ordinary. But remember, discipleship often happens in the small, faithful moments. Around the dinner table. In the car. During bedtime prayers. In simple conversations about what God is teaching you.

As you love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, your children will see it. As His Word is written on your heart, it will overflow into your home.

At Corners Kids, we are honored to partner with you. Let us continue, together, to impress His truth on young minds and to trust the Lord to penetrate young hearts.

"Teach them diligently."

Every day. In every moment.

For His glory.

Today is the day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Maybe it’s just me, but the day itself doesn’t feel like it used to. Increasingly, the question doesn’t seem to be how we should remember Dr. King, but whether we should remember him with reverence at all. Conversations that once centered on his courage and leadership now pivot quickly to his theological convictions, his alleged moral failures, or the ways his life doesn’t fit neatly into the stories we learned in school. Those conversations aren’t new, but they feel louder, sharper, and more divisive than they have in the last several decades.

This past Saturday, I received a text from a pastor friend of mine named Sam in a group message with other Black pastors and ministry leaders like myself. He said:

“[Today] I’m thinking of the hundreds or thousands of preachers who came before us and were lynched with no justice, who were shunned from congregations, and who risked their lives just so we can freely be in those same churches today, leading those same flocks.”

He went on to say that it’s important for us to pause on moments like this weekend to collectively remember both the good and the bad, while embracing his (MLK’s) hope for our future. He ended with this simple but weighty line: “I have hope this morning, even when others don’t” (Romans 12:12).

I have that same Romans 12:12 hope as my brother Sam.  And, it’s important to note that the same verse that tells us to “rejoice in hope” also tells us to be “patient in affliction” and “constant in prayer”.

Thlipsis is a word used outside of the New Testament to talk about things like crushing grapes, being squeezed in a narrow space, or physical pressure that restricts movement. (Source)

As someone who is almost comically claustrophobic, this is a terrifying word in every sense.

Now, I realize that the affliction Paul has in view in Romans 12:12 most likely refers to the physical opposition and persecution faced by the early church for proclaiming the name of Jesus. I don’t want to belittle that thlipsis.  Nor am I trying to equate our present experiences with the thlipsis endured by the Black pastors and ministers who came before me that my brother mentioned in his text.

At the same time, I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that thlipsis still very much exists in conversations about race today.

In today’s cultural and political climate, believers who hold firm to the conviction that the multi-ethnic thread of redemption woven throughout Scripture calls us to intentionally pursue multi-ethnic local churches where possible often find ourselves pressed from multiple directions. And that pressure comes not only from outside the church, but at times from within it as well.

That’s part of why I’m writing this the day after Martin Luther King Day. Because it’s relatively easy to speak of hope on a Monday in January. It’s easier to post a quote, share an article, and acknowledge a legacy when the calendar tells us to. What’s harder, but what matters even more, is clinging to that same hope, remaining patient under pressure, and being faithful in prayer during the 364 days that follow.

Dr. King knew this.  Near the end of his life, he gave a speech at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference on August 16, 1967, in Atlanta, Georgia, and he said:

That sounds pretty close to Paul’s call in Romans 12:12. To rejoice in hope while remaining patient under thlipsis and constant in prayer.

As I look around the nation today, like my brother Sam, I’m genuinely encouraged.

By God’s grace alone, our church is growing, and each week I see men, women, and children from different cultures, backgrounds, and stories standing side by side, worshiping the same Savior.  

It is the result of costly leadership and hard-won progress that reshaped the landscape in which churches like ours can now exist.

And we’re not alone in this.

I hear from pastors and churches across the country who are seeing the same quiet, beautiful work of God unfolding in their own congregations. And yet, there is pushback. Thlipsis is real, and it’s growing.

But my encouragement to anyone reading these words is not to retreat and not to grow weary, but to continue on rooted in the gospel that gives us hope, and to remain constant in prayer....even on the day(s) after Martin Luther King Day.

Last week our family set our goals for 2026.  Let me tell you how it all went down:

We gathered our family around the fireplace. The kids sat quietly, hands folded, eyes attentive. They listened with joyful obedience as we talked about goals. One of them even shared their goal: “I just want to listen better.”

Amanda and I looked at each other, misty eyed.

“How could you?” I said. “You’re already perfect.”

Then we sang hymns together and an angel appeared out of nowhere

"We've been watching you all from heaven," he said, "and we're so impressed."

Then he  gave us all high fives.

Okay. That is not what happened...like, at all. We don't even have a fireplace. 

Here's what actually happened:

We were eating spaghetti.

At least half of it ended up on the table. There might still be a couple noodles on the floor.

One of the kids was distracted. Another one definitely was not listening.

And at some point we realized that while our intentions were good, our timing, energy levels, and attention spans were not aligned at all.

But here is the thing. We still did it. And that matters more than we often realize.

In this post, I want to share a few simple encouragements from our own home about making New Year's goals as a family, even when things feel imperfect, loud, or unfinished.

Showing Up Still Matters
Family discipleship rarely looks like a highlight reel. It usually feels chaotic, unfinished, and a little messy. More of often than not, you away thinking, “I don't think they got it,” or “That was a waste of time.” But showing up matters.

Gathering your kids, even briefly, to talk about goals, faith, or growth is never wasted. Even when it feels messy.
 
Keep Goals Simple and Clear
When we talked about goals, we kept them simple. Kids do not need complex ideas or long lists. They need clarity. Simple goals help kids understand what growth actually looks like and give them confidence that change is possible.

Here are a couple simple goals you might use as a starting point:

• Listening the first time they are asked
• Practicing patience when things do not go their way
• Speaking kindly to siblings and friends
• Taking responsibility for one daily task without being reminded

Make Goals Measurable
One of our kids, I won't say which one, said their goal was to be more patient. That is a great goal. But patience can be hard to measure. So I asked a follow up question. How will we know you are being more patient? That question helped turn a good idea into something concrete. Maybe patience looks like waiting without yelling or responding calmly when things do not go their way. The goal did not change, but now we had a way to recognize growth.

Goals Are About Formation, Not Rewards
When we talk about goals as a family, it is important to remember that they are not about earning rewards or collecting prizes. The goal is not to say, “Every time you do something kind, you get a treat,” or “If you behave well, you earn a toy.” Goals are about formation. They are about shaping hearts, habits, and character over time.

As parents, we are not just trying to manage behavior. We are seeking to form our kids, and ourselves, into people who reflect the character of Christ.

Set Individual and Family Goals
Another thing we found helpful was setting a few individual goals and then one or two family goals. Individual goals help kids see that growth is personal. Family goals remind them that we are in this together. A family goal might be something like praying together, memorizing a bible verse (or even chapter!) together, or serving as a family in church or in the community. It does not have to be big. It just has to be shared. There is something powerful about working toward the same thing.

Trust God with the Results
At the end of the day, only God can make these things happen. Goals are helpful, but real growth, especially heart change, comes from the Lord. Our role as parents is not to produce perfect outcomes. It is to faithfully point our kids to Jesus and trust Him with the results.

As Proverbs 16:7 reminds us, "We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps."

---------------------
Corners Chapel, as a new year begins, and we aim our families toward pleasing the Lord (not perfection!) we can trust Him to work in ways we cannot manufacture.

Even in the chaos, even in the noise, even in the distraction, even when half the spaghetti ends up on the table, HE is faithful. 

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. For some families, Thanksgiving is a single day. But for the Jones family, it’s a season. Thanksgiving doesn’t start when the turkey hits the table. No, it starts the moment Thanksgiving week begins.

Last night we had our Thanksgiving Eve dinner together, and today we’re gearing up for the “official” dinner… which, side note, never actually starts at the scheduled time. The group text said “Dinner at 4:30.” But if we’re eating before 7, something supernatural has occurred. But that’s another blog post for another day.

This Thanksgiving feels especially meaningful for me. As many of you know, earlier this year I faced some unexpected health challenges. Practically overnight, because of a rare nerve condition, I almost lost my ability to walk. There was a season where I genuinely didn’t know what the next day would look like for me. But by God’s grace, I’ve made almost a full recovery. There are still some lingering pains and adjustments, but God has brought me into a new normal, and with it, a deeper sense of gratitude.

This year I’ve found myself thankful for things I used to overlook:
I’m thankful for the cold, because I can feel it.
I’m thankful for hunger pains, because hunger means I’m alive and my body works.
I’m thankful when there’s food on the table, whether it’s something I love or not.
And I’m thankful simply to be here, celebrating another Thanksgiving in 2025.

One of my great heroes of the faith, Lemuel Haynes, knew something about trials. Haynes was the first Black pastor to lead a predominantly white congregation in the United States (a remarkable work of God’s providence in the late 1700s).  He faced hardship, prejudice, physical weakness, and discouragement. And yet, Haynes possessed a deep, joyful trust in the sovereign goodness of God.

He once wrote, "He who observes providence shall never be without providence to observe.”

In other words, if we pay attention to God’s blessings, both big and small, we won’t run out of reasons to give thanks. Gratitude grows where attention goes.

That’s really the heart of Thanksgiving.

Not the perfect meal. Not the perfectly-timed meal (which, again, has never existed in my family). But the reminder that God has given us another day, another sunrise, and another opportunity to say “Thank You.”

Life can change in a moment. This time last year, I had no idea what 2025 would hold. And none of us knows what next Thanksgiving 2026 will look like, or who will be sitting around our tables. But we do know this: Thanksgiving is a gift, and the God who gave it is faithful.

So whether your dinner is already over, about to begin, or in that mysterious in-between stage where no one quite knows when the food is coming (like my family right now), I want you to hear this:

I am thankful for you.
I am thankful for our church.
And I am praying that we would cultivate hearts of gratitude, today and every day.

Happy Thanksgiving, church family.
See you this Sunday.

One of the greatest joys we have as a church is helping our kids learn what it looks like to follow Jesus in real, everyday ways. That’s why I’m excited to share that tomorrow we are officially launching something brand new in Corners Kids… The CK CornerStore!

If you haven’t heard about it yet, the CornerStore is a fun and engaging discipleship tool designed to encourage Christ-like choices, deepen classroom engagement, and help our kids actively participate in the life of the church.

Every time they show kindness, demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit, bring their Bible, engage with the lesson, or serve their classmates, they can earn CK Bucks to redeem in the CornerStore.

But here’s something I love about this:

It’s not just about rewards—it’s also about teaching wisdom. We’re helping kids learn how to save.

In a world where everything is instant, we want to gently teach our kids a different rhythm.  A rhythm that reflects patience, stewardship, and intentionality.

Some items in the CornerStore are simple and fun, but others require a little more saving.

And that’s on purpose.

These are spiritual lessons long before they become financial lessons.

We believe this small practice will help kids grow not only in generosity and gratitude, but also in the ability to pause, think, and choose skills that form a foundation for lifelong discipleship.

What to Expect

The CK CornerStore will not be open every single week. Part of creating healthy rhythms is giving kids time to earn, save, and look forward to the next store day.

But don’t worry. We’ll announce store days ahead of time so families know when the CornerStore will be available!

Tomorrow is our very first launch day, and I can’t wait for your kids to experience it.

Have Questions?
If you want to know more about how CK Bucks work, how the store operates, or how to encourage your child’s participation, feel free to talk to Mama Jones (our Kids Ministry Director), any of our amazing Corners Kids Team Leads. They would love to help.

I’m so thankful for all God is doing in our kids. The CornerStore is more than a fun idea. It's a way to help shape hearts, habits, and a lifelong joy in following Jesus.

See you tomorrow!
Pastor Chase

One of my favorite moments from last Sunday was walking through our brand new Corners Kids wing for the very first time on a Sunday morning. The new signs look so good (and in the lobby too!), and I heard a bunch of people say it almost feels like a brand new church. Even more exciting, with the new kids entrance, families are beginning their Sunday by walking right into a space not only designed for their children, but a space that spells out our Corners Kids Core Values on the signage in the hall, helping them feel connected and learning more about us from the very first step.

While I wasn’t back in the Kids Wing during the service, it became clear to me afterward that our awesome Corners Kids team knows the real excitement comes not just from the fresh space or the new signage, but from the laughter, the songs, and the conversations of kids learning to love Jesus. That’s why I often say: our Corners Kids are not the church of tomorrow, they’re the church now.

As a dad, I see this up close with Ada and Hezekiah. Just the other day, I was playing the song Give Me Jesus by Upper Room, which we’ve only sung a couple of times on Sundays (spoiler alert—we’re singing it again next week!). To my surprise, Hez started singing along and already knew the words. Moments like that remind me that even when we think kids aren’t picking things up, they are. The truth we sing and teach is sinking deeper than we realize.

This is why kids ministry matters.

It isn’t childcare.
It isn’t babysitting.
It’s disciple-making.

Each Bible story, each memory verse, and each song is an opportunity to point kids to Jesus and to build a faith that lasts.

Parents, one of the best ways to make these moments stick is to carry them home. That’s why we’ve built ways for you to engage, like our Corners Kids group chat where you can connect with other parents in the app, our “This Sunday” page where you can preview lessons and songs, and weekly parent handouts we’ll be posting here in the app (For if the paper copy somehow disappears between the checkout table and the parking lot. No judgment… I know I’d probably lose mine too!)

So let me encourage you to open the Kids Corners in the app each week, listen to the songs together, and stay connected with other families.

Yes, our meeting space at the school looks different and our tools keep improving, but the mission has not changed. We want to see lives transformed by the Word of God, whether that’s in the sanctuary, in a kids classroom, or at your dinner table, so that all the corners of the earth (no matter how small) will know that Jesus is Lord.

Our kids aren’t waiting for their turn to be the church; they are part of it now.

REFLECTION
As we close this 21-day journey of prayer, I want to thank all of you for your commitment to seeking the Lord together as a church family. These past weeks have been a powerful reminder that prayer is not just a one time thing...and it's not just a Sunday thing —it’s a lifestyle.

Prayer isn’t something we check off or finish— it’s how we stay connected to our Father, who loves us more deeply than we can imagine.

Let’s carry this spirit of prayer forward. My prayer is that prayer will be woven into the fabric of your everyday life—on the mountain tops, in the valleys, and in the quiet in-between.

Keep lifting up your families, our church, our community, and our nation, trusting that God is working in ways we may not even see in our lifetimes.

SCRIPTURE
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

PRAYER
Father,

Thank you for prayer.  Thank you for the fact that we need no other mediator between us and You; Jesus is enough.

Help us to continue to spend time with you in prayer as we move beyond these 21-Days.

We love you.

Amen

PRAYER
Beloved, dear heavenly Father, help us realize that judgement begins in the house of God. Help us to also understand that we, the general assembly, are being shaken because you desire our full attention. We know that you are not winking at our ignorance and your desire is for true repentance and turning. Thank you, Lord, that your faithful love and mercies are new every morning.

In Jesus' name we pray. Amen

SCRIPTURE

21 But this I call to mind,
    and therefore I have hope:
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
    “therefore I will hope in him.”

25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
    to the soul who seeks him.
26 It is good that one should wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.
27 It is good for a man that he bear
    the yoke in his youth.

28 Let him sit alone in silence
    when it is laid on him;
29 let him put his mouth in the dust—
    there may yet be hope;
30 let him give his cheek to the one who strikes,
    and let him be filled with insults.

31 For the Lord will not
    cast off forever,
32 but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion
    according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
33 for he does not afflict from his heart
    or grieve the children of men.

34 To crush underfoot
    all the prisoners of the earth,
35 to deny a man justice
    in the presence of the Most High,
36 to subvert a man in his lawsuit,
    the Lord does not approve.

37 Who has spoken and it came to pass,
    unless the Lord has commanded it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
    that good and bad come?
39 Why should a living man complain,
    a man, about the punishment of his sins?

40 Let us test and examine our ways,
    and return to the Lord!- Lamentations 3:21-40

REFLECTION 
Jesus is all we have and that is GREAT, but if you were all He had would He feel the same way???

For Additional Perspective:

• For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18
• For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. James 1:23-25

REFLECTION
It's so easy for all of us to think about salvation and try to get some credits when obtaining it. Maybe in our minds comes the thought, I'm a good person, or God saw I'm a hard worker, even worse I deserved it. On the contrary, we deserve punishment, condemnation, separation from God because we are sinners.

The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, in chapter 2 verses 8 and 9, he told the church that we are only saved by God's grace. We don't deserve it, we cannot buy it, there is nothing we can do to receive more grace or less grace but only because we put our faith in Jesus Christ, now we can receive salvation from our sins. It's impossible to achieve salvation trying to reach it with our own effort. Without acknowledging the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus, His death and resurrection.

Paul also wrote that we are God's workmanship, an incredible piece of art and uniquely designed for a purpose, "to do good works". We were all created, in God's eternity, before the earth was formed, "to do what The Creator planned us to do". Here we found the reason we struggle so much on understanding if we have to do good works or not. We want to do what it's pleasant to our sight, what we think is good, what we planned, according to our will and we fail. At the end of the verse in Romans 12:2, Paul says God's will is good and acceptable and perfect. Good works only is good when it is fruit of obedience to God, when we are executing what God with His infinite wisdom planned beforehand to us to do and this is the path our Lord wants to walk on it.

Walking in faith brings us great surprises.

This week I was invited to go to Rio de Janeiro to help in one of the most important events in the world in 2024. A good friend of mine asked me to translate for some people I never saw in my life. But the interesting aspect of the invite was that he was looking for someone he could trust, that could do good work and most importantly, that wouldn't lose the opportunity to share Christ to those people.

Here I am, in Rio de Janeiro, writing to our church family what God is putting in my heart. Be faithful, be obedient, be zealous, be diligent and be a servant that never loses opportunities to share Jesus's love to all people and do good work for God's glory only.

God bless you all.

SCRIPTURE
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:8-10

PRAYER
Almighty God, help us to submit ourselves to your sovereignty and to believe that you are the Lord and we are your servants. Holy Spirit help us to hear your voice when we read your Word and to apply the teaching of your Scriptures to our hearts and see your power reflected in our actions. Thank you Lord for your perfect will to us. We love you Jesus and we pray in your name. Amen

REFLECTION
When entering the highway, my preferred location is all the way to the left lane and as soon as I can maneuver my vehicle there.  Some would say I should have chosen a different career path and one which mirrored race car driving or roller coaster engineering.  The enjoyment of speed and being in a hurry to get from point A to point B has enmeshed itself within my thought process which is not always the best parental modeling experience. Insert eye roll here.

If I am being fully honest, being content in all situations is something I long to perfect and yet am a millions miles from reaching “completion”.  Experiencing various obstacles in life can create opportunities for questions such as why did this happen, how will I “manage” this, what will others think, and the list could continue to fill additional pages. This futile questioning process leads my personal thoughts to nothing considered God honoring and if I am 100% honest, I am placing myself in a position to miss opportunities to share AND experience Christ.

As a newly single mom, moments of hurry and rush can engulf my thoughts and actions oh so quickly.  These actions place me the furthest from feeling and experiencing contentment in Christ.

Contentment in Christ comes in various attempts.  Some of these are…

• When I am intentional with my conversations with God and when I slow down to yet again….be intentional.  
• The act of being grateful.  Having a heart of gratitude in what God has AND continues to accomplish is not just for my benefit but vital for the kingdom.
• Dying to myself daily.  Hearing the phrase “for you to become greater and for me to become less” reminds me of the contentment in sitting at the foot of the cross.

“I have tasted the deep satisfaction of God and I know all other things are but cheap imitations.  And I don’t want to be enamored by the lesser things wrought with momentary pleasure”.  ~Lysa TerKeurst


SCRIPTURE
I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself.
- Philippians 4:11

“Come to me, all for you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light”.
-Matthew 11: 28-30


PRAYER
Father we come to you with heavy hearts full of ourselves which places barriers to be in relationship with you.  We desire to be in an intentional, active, loving relationship with you which only you can fulfill.  We are so thankful for the grace you extend to us when we are in a hurry and do not stop to be intentional with our relationship with you.  Please reveal opportunities for us to love you more intentionally, with humility, and to be reminded of your overwhelming love.  Remind us of the beauty of being in a relationship with you that permeates all crevices of our hearts.
- Amen.

REFLECTION 
This autumn has been one of the most vibrant, golden, and pleasant of seasons in years’ past. It has also been one strewn with griefs big and small. Darkening days gave way to seasonal depression. Wars reached sobering anniversaries. Funerals were held in childhood churches. Neighbors lost hope in our country next door to neighbors who breathed sighs of relief for it, and neither of them are willing to talk to each other.  

As Christians, we know that God is sovereign over everything, and that His ultimate victory will undo all sad things. Yet it’s hard to reconcile the fact that God’s will and plan would allow people to die violent and preventable deaths, or that hatred take the name of action. I sheepishly must use the ‘but’ that Pastor Chase (very aptly) preached against: as someone once told me, “God is in control, but that doesn’t mean that what we don’t want to happen, won’t happen.”

To grieve is not a betrayal of trust in God’s will or sovereignty. As the writer of Ecclesiastes said, God has put eternity in our hearts–we know in our nature that the world should be better than this, that death and decay should not be the natural order of things, that the reason we gravitate to stories of once and future kings is because our souls were made in the image of one. If we did not grieve the deaths, injustices, or demises of the world around us, we would not long for heaven and a savior. We are homesick for our true home. The world will know Christians by our love and ask us for our reason for hope, and neither of these disqualify the presence of weeping.

Much like Job, we will not know why God’s will allows for our losses and pain in this lifetime. We don’t know why He allowed genocides, war, and generational traumas. We do know, though, that He grieves for it far more than we do. So much so that through the death and resurrection of His beloved son, He will bring a new heaven and earth where all injustices will be answered for, the earth is restored to its full glory, and our brothers and sisters will be free of the illnesses, torments, and violence that took them away from us the first time and never again.

Until then, as we live in times of questions and doubt, we do know this: Jesus wept, too. 

Are there griefs that you need to share with brothers and sisters and receive comfort for? That you stifle out of rationality or shame? Griefs that you need to shout at God why? Bring your tears to the Lord.

His hands are tender.

SCRIPTURE 
1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
The God-Given Task
9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
- Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

PRAYER
Heavenly Father, break our hearts for what breaks Yours, so that through our tears we are filled with Your love, compassion, and grace for others and ourselves. May our griefs fuel our prayers rather than stopper them, even when we are at a loss for words. Have patience and mercy on us when we do not immediately seek You in our suffering, but guide us back to Your comforting arms. May we hunger deeper for Your grace and second coming.
Amen

REFLECTION:
In his book Live No Lies, John Marc Comer (shameless plug) says, “knowing something is not the same as doing something”. He’s right. We have an often invisible to us, built-in assumption that if we know something, then there is nothing further we need to do with it.

This may be why…

• When someone gives us advice, we stop (really) considering once we realize we’ve heard it or thought about it before.
• We compliment a sermon, book, or podcast based mostly on the amount of new information it has.
• We leave church, quiet time, or Bible study thinking more about what the words meant instead of how it should change our week (this week, right now).

This challenges us to ask the question, over and over again: Lord, what do you want us to do with everything we just heard? How can we be “followers” of Christ and not just “believers” (Even now, are you thinking “Yes, I agree or don’t agree with this?” or are you considering “What should I do with it?”)

The thing is, what we intellectually agree with is not what shapes our lives at the deepest level. My counselor often says, “values, are who you are, lived out”. In Biblical terms, we often say our “heart” is what defines and directs us.

For me, one of the biggest disconnects between knowing and doing really looks more like a struggle between knowing and feeling or even not doing, because I am constantly carrying the burden of striving, the weight of anxious perfectionism, and the whispers of “try harder, you’re not enough”.

I’m not talking about earning salvation. I’m talking about striving to feel I have a valuable place in the kingdom. Working to ward off that undercurrent of suspicion that one day Jesus will have a permanent look of disappointment on his face. That subtle feeling that my actions somehow strengthen God’s love for me. The relentless betterment that leads to security and safety.

Friends, I know in my head God loves me. I know objectively that he has saved me by his grace. I rejoice and sing praise for his mercy. But, in my doing… I strive. The truth is, my life most often looks like earning and working - not freedom in grace. I let grace define the moment I first chose to follow Christ but somehow lost that comfort in the present. Truth is, I have a hard time feeling loved.

How about you? What is the look on God’s face when you think about him? Are his arms already open and waiting, no matter what you just did, thought, or didn’t do?
It’s been a slow process, but I’m learning that Jesus yearns for, desires, delights in, and loves me in a way that will never change. Yes, he loved me in my mess then, but he still and always will love me in my mess now.

Here are three things that have helped:

1. Learning Who God Is
In God Has a Name by John Marc Comer and Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund, both authors point out that Exodus 34:6-7 is a climactic moment in the Bible where Yahweh most clearly tells us what he is like, and the VERY FIRST THING God describes himself as is: compassionate, gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love and faithfulness. And the ONLY two words Jesus uses to describe his own heart are in Matthew 11:29, and they are: gentle and lowly.

This is who Yahweh and Jesus are. Not just what they’ve done but their “heart”. Their innate,
unchanging character. Their delight and highest priority towards me is mercy, gentleness, and love – and that’s not dependent on me, ever.

2. Let Others Love Me
This is scary. It’s easier for me to help and give, than to receive in return. It’s easier to care for and tell others I see them, than allow someone to see me, accept me, forgive me, and love me. Much easier. A person’s love is so small compared to God’s love, but learning to let yourself be loved, takes time, and it’s a start.

3. Pray and Ask the Holy Spirit for Help with #1 and #2
In 1 Corinthians 2:10, Paul tells us that the Spirit helps us understand who God is. Ask the Spirit to help you experience more of who God is. Ask to help feel that love, let it sink in deep down where our inner “values” fight against it. Pray Ephesians 3, especially the part where we ask “to know the love of Chrit that surpasses knowledge”. And lastly, ask the Spirit to help give you the courage to be loved, both by others and by God.


SCRIPTURE:
“The LORD, the LORD, [YAHWEH, YAHWEH]  the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,
I am gentle and lowly in heart
- Matthew 11:28 ESV

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.  
- 1 Corinthians 2:10

So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith - that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
- Ephesians 3:17-19

PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, thank you for who you are and that you want to be known. You are holy, sovereign, majestic and powerful, but you are also compassionate, merciful, loving and gentle.
Thank you, that you never change. Forgive us when we don’t take the time to consider how we can better follow you. Help us to ask not only what you want us to know but also what you want us to do, each day. And while we do help us to be filled, surrounded, embraced and protected by your love, compassion, and faithfulness.

Forgive us when we believe it’s our actions that earn or even maintain your love. Forgive us that we often have an incomplete view of your heart. Thank you for your scripture and the light of our brothers and sisters that remind us and show us who you are. Give us the courage let others love us and prepare our hearts to accept, feel and depend on your love.

Amen.

REFLECTION 
When we bought our house 2 years ago, it was a mess. The inside looked like part of the set from That 70s Show and the outside came with a complimentary jungle. In the backyard, amidst the overgrowth, there were three, seemingly randomly placed holes, each marked by a wooden stake sticking out. Actually, these may be better described as a pit, the kind that if you accidently stepped in, it would swallow your leg up to the knee and eat your shoe in one fell swoop. Not wanting to lose any shoes or small children, we immediately filled these holes, using anything we could find: pieces of  broken coffee mug and ceramic bowl from the old chicken coop, a broken glass jar, pieces of cement from a broken slab nearby, a few logs, topped it with dirt, and planted grass over top.

While putting in a patio this summer, we stumbled across a white PVC cap a few inches below the surface in the backyard, some 30 yards away from where the pits used to be. Upon investigation, we discovered that there was an underground drainage system in the backyard that we knew nothing about. We quickly realized that these ‘pits’ we had filled in may have been collection points to drain water out of the yard. Using an old picture for reference, we dug up each of those three sites, removing the pieces of concrete, shards of glass, chunks of ceramic, and dirt. Sure enough, in each spot, there was a collection point. If we had only taken the time to go just a little deeper before filling those spots with whatever was readily accessible, we would have seen them much differently.

How often do we do this in our spiritual lives? We experience something difficult: loss of a loved one, loss of a job, strain in relationships, addiction, a long standing sin struggle, heartbreak, depression, or whatever else it may be that leaves us feeling a pit inside, and instead of sitting before the lord, allowing him to excavate a little deeper, and then complete HIS work in that space, we pack it full of whatever we can to cover it up and move on. Like those pits in the yard, it may look like everything is resolved, we may have even planted grass on top so from the outside all seems neat, manicured, and put together, but in doing so we miss the blessing at the bottom.

As we removed each one of those pieces of concrete, each shard of glass and ceramic, dug out the dirt, and ruined the neat grass on top, it struck me how this was much more difficult than it would have been if we had slowed down and dug a bit deeper initially, but it was worth it all the same. God reminded me in that moment that no matter what the pit was in my heart, no matter how deep it was, nor how much I’ve managed to fill it with, or how much more painful it may be now, removing those things with HIS help is worth it.

While the blessing in our finished backyard drainage is nice, the blessing of God’s finished work in us is so much greater. I’m thankful for a God who uses simple things like this to remind us of such truths. As you reflect on this today, ask God to reveal to you the ‘pits’ of your heart, the things you may have long since covered up, and ask him to help you unpack them so you can see HIS purpose.

SCRIPTURE
23  Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
24  And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
- Psalm 139:23–24

PRAYER
Gracious and Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your unconditional love and for knowing the depths of our hearts. Forgive me when I rush through my time with you, when I decide my  time is more valuable than yours, and when I try to control my heart instead of letting you heal and mold it perfectly. Help me surrender my own will and trust in your healing and timing, not only in difficult moments but in every moment of my life. Reveal to me anything I have buried deep and come work your will there instead. I recognize that it’s your will and not mine. In Jesus name I pray this, I love you, Amen.

SCRIPTURE
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭20, ESV

REFLECTION 
Galatians 2:20 has always been extremely impactful to me when it I consider my walk with Christ and my journey to sanctification. For me, this passage highlights two of the most difficult aspects of being a follower of Jesus.

Discipline, and surrender.

Paul is making a bold claim in this passage. He’s telling us that he is surrendering every part of himself to allow Christ to live through him. How often are we caught up in ourselves? Our wants, our desires, our gripes and complaints, our insecurities? The self centric society that we live in has put US at the forefront, it’s put us in the drivers seat as we press on through each day and make our own decisions.

This societal climate and the sinful nature that we were born with has made it more difficult than ever to die to ourselves on a daily basis.

But let’s talk about that first aspect of the Christian walk that this passage brings to mind; discipline. It all starts with a choice. The choice to turn to Christ when it’s so much easier to turn inwardly or to our friends and family first. The choice to pick up our Bibles and immerse ourselves in the word. The choice to engage with our church family and surround ourselves with Christian community that will help us to stay accountable and to encourage us. I have found that on the days where I don’t feel like reading the word or praying or attending small group, I feel so encouraged after I make the decision to do so. I feel uplifted, closer to Christ, and my spirit is full after I make these decisions.

I also think it’s important for us to understand that we will fall short, we won’t always make the decision to die to ourselves, and we won’t always allow Christ to live through us. This is why surrender and an acknowledgment of the divine grace Christ has given us through his death is so crucial. All have fallen short, and Christ gave us the ultimate gift through his sacrifice; that despite our sinful nature, we can live eternally with him! Repentance, turning away from sin, and surrendering ourselves while recognizing the fact that we will fall short is just as important as the daily discipline of immersing ourselves in prayer, the word and community.

So let’s move forward together with our eyes on the one who sacrificed it all to give us the eternal life, and to be diligent in laying ourselves down before his throne, and allowing his spirit to move, work and speak through us!

PRAYER
God,
Thank you for the gift of your son that you’ve given us. Thank you for the grace that’s been given and the gift of eternal life that I have access to. I pray that I would never take this gift for granted, and that the life that I live and the decisions that I make would be focused on this grace and this gift. Help me to die to myself on a daily basis, I pray that your spirit would move and speak and work through me each day, and forgive me when I fall short and I put myself first. I pray that the life that I live would be lived by faith in your son, who gave his life for me.

In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen

"Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves."
- ROMANS 12:10

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
- 1 PETER 4:10-11

REFLECTION 
Something that the Lord is teaching our family right now is what it means to SERVE within the Church. Serving is more than just volunteering. In full transparency, there have been times where we have shown up to volunteer but we were not there to serve. Our natural state of selfishness and entitlement can make it difficult to truly serve to the glory of God some days.

It is interesting when you look in scripture and you see the epitome of service. Mark 10:45 states “For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many.” You see this displayed as Jesus became the Suffering Servant on the cross, ultimately doing so to bring glory to His Father.

At the end of the day, we are promised that we will find our life when we lose it for His sake. We are called to honor others above ourselves and to use our gifts to bless others. It is a wonderful challenge that the Lord gives to us that provides purpose to our lives and allows us to participate in the work of His Kingdom. As it says in 1 Peter 4, we should serve so that “in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.” If we are serving for any other reason, it isn’t really service at all, is it?
 
As you pray and meditate on the Word today, it might be helpful to ask yourself a few questions that have been challenging our family in the past year:

• What does serving look like in my life?
• If I am serving, am I simply volunteering or am I practicing servanthood?
• What Fruit of the Spirit do I need to practice when I am serving?
• Who are the people around me that I can serve with?
• Am I serving so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ?

And when all else fails, remember to serve with J-O-Y. Putting Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last.

SCRIPTURE
44 It was now about the sixth hour,[e] and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour,[f] 45 while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. 47 Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!”
- LUKE 23:44-47

PRAYER
Jesus, will we remember what You did. That You went to the cross and gave up everything. May we be reminded that You are worthy of our service. Worthy of our praise. Worthy of our adoration. Let us not serve reluctantly or under compulsion. May we be cheerful in our service. Lord remind us of who we are and our need for You.

In Jesus name we pray, 
Amen 

REFLECTION
Do you have things in your life that you could boast about? Really, think about it. Maybe you have worked really hard for your career or academics. Maybe you have been given wonderful family. Or you have a very unique God-given gift, like music, athletic ability, or art. Maybe you’ve been blessed with amazing opportunities to learn deeply about the Word and truths of God. These are good things and I think gifts from God.

The apostle Paul had some things he could boast in too. Circumcised in the 8th day, a deep understanding of the Law and seeming faultless according to it, a Hebrew of Hebrews, and from the tribe of Benjamin (Phil. 3:4-6). In Paul’s day, he was the IT guy. He seemingly had it all.

But interestingly enough, this meant nothing to him. Here are the words of Paul:

“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”
Philippians 3:7-9 NIV

Not only this, but he also says to the church in Ephesus, 
“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”
Acts 20:24 NIV

The SURPASSING worth of knowing Christ. The NLT says “the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”
 
Am I THIS convinced of Jesus? That nothing else matters in my life but to testify of the Gospel? Do I see Him truly as He is — His beauty and majesty — that his worth is greater than anything else? This is the call of a follower of Jesus — that we would be ever convinced that everything else is a loss compared to Him. May we be a people like this, and would He work in each of our hearts to show us this truth. 

SCRIPTURE
“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:7-14 NIV

PRAYER
Father, forgive us when we boast in ourselves.
Jesus, thank you that Your worth surpasses all things, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. 
Holy Spirit, would you reveal in my heart that You are worth everything? And would You show me the places I must surrender to You? 
Thank you for the hope we have in You. 
Amen.

REFLECTION 
We are at war. From the moment Lucifer chose to rebel, warfare is the defining feature of our fallen world. Satan went to war against the truth, Cain went to war against Abel and mankind continues to wage war against God and itself to this very day.

Have you ever considered that you are at war as a soldier in service to our commanding officer Jesus Christ? Paul states in 2 Timothy 2:3-4- Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.

As Christians we are at war but in a very different way from the war we can see.
Ephesians 6:12 says we are at war “against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Our warfare is spiritual warfare.

To prepare you for battle in this realm, God describes in Ephesians 6:10-17 the armor required for fighting the very real spiritual battles raging all around you.

But I want to draw your attention to the power behind the armor of God which you can find in Ephesians 6:18 -  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Prayer. It is what these 21 days are all about. Prayer is you talking to God about everything.
Again in Ephesians 6:18, we are instructed to pray all kinds of prayers and requests and to always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Prayer is what energizes you to effectively use the armor of God in spiritual combat. Without prayer, you are dressed for battle but powerless to move forward.

Prayer involves an overriding sense of trust. Trust in the God who is limitless in power to make all things new. It is a trust that God hears and is willing to move to help you.

James 5:16 tells us plainly - The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Dressed in the armor of God and with prayer constantly in your mind, heart and mouth, you will be an effective soldier in God’s service. Go forth in victory, good and faithful servant.

SCRIPTURE 
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
– Ephesians 6:10-18

PRAYER
Lord, lead is in battle in faithful service to you and to each other. Help us to see and know that our enemy is not our flesh and blood brother or sister but the prince of the power of the air, the deceiver Satan.
 Teach us to show love, kindness, mercy and forgiveness even against our enemies and in the heat of battle, lead us away from the temptation for vengeance.
 It is by your power and for your glory that all will be done. May it ever be so in our hearts. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

"You can have anything you want if you work hard and set your mind to it." 

Many of us have heard this phrase before. Most of the time it comes from someone that truly loves you and wants the best for you. What happens when you finally achieve your "anything"? The degree you studied so hard for? That promotion you felt like you deserved? The house that looks like it should be in a Hallmark movie? Does the achievement dictate your behavior? Does it begin to define who you are?

"You can be anything you want if you work hard and set your mind to it."

You may have been told this when you were a child and/or you may have said this to a child. What happens when you achieve what you want to be? A Doctor? A Teacher? A Parent? A Pilot? An Engineer? An Entrepreneur? A Musician? Once again, does the achievement dictate your behavior? Does it start to define who you are?

How do you feel when you don’t achieve what you set out to do? Or the item you purchased begins to break down, or doesn’t meet your expectations? If we are honest, I think we can say that it’s easy to find our identity in the things we have done, or the things we have. This is intensified when others are feeding into our ego.

Maybe you haven’t struggled with finding your identity in the things listed above. Maybe you have always been very proud of your heritage, your intellect, your ethnicity, or the political party you campaign so hard for every four years? While there isn’t anything wrong with any of those, the more important question is, "does your identity in these things supersede your identity in Christ"?

If you have put your faith in Jesus, as your Lord and Savior, then this changes your identity. The identity you now have in Jesus means that you are treasured (1 Peter 2:9), adopted into his family (Eph. 1:5), forgiven (1 John 1:9), heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, (Roms. 8:17) How amazing is that!? And this is only a small glimpse into your new identity.

God the Father has blessed us with gifts, talents and with so many of the things that are mentioned at the start of this devotional, but they should not be where we find our identity.

If our identity is in Jesus, then our lives should reflect that we are His followers. This reflection should be recognizable both to ourselves and to other people. There should be something different about how we view our role as an employer, employee, parent, neighbor and so on, or how we steward the things we have.

Remember, if "the old has passed away", then are you willing to ask Jesus to align your dreams, your purpose in life, and your identity with what He has in store for you? That is a scary prayer but it is the right type of prayer if we want our new identity to glorify God.

It is possible that by the time you read this, we will have a new President of the United States. You can take comfort in knowing that, as a follower of Jesus, your identity will not be determined by the outcome of this, or any election but by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

SCRIPTURE
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
- 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17

PRAYER
Heavenly Father, forgive us for finding our identity in anything but Jesus. Help us to surrender all that we are, all that we do, and all that we have, to you. Help us to walk in the ‘new’ that you have called us into. Thank you for the Holy Spirit who continually makes us more and more into the image of your Son.

In Jesus name,
Amen

I love genealogy. My dad and I have been able to trace our direct lineage back over 225 years—almost to the birth of our nation!

It may sound obvious, but in all our research, we’ve never found any stories about the ground opening up and swallowing any of our ancestors as a divine punishment. I mean... I’m not saying it didn’t happen, but if it did, we didn’t find it!

But in all seriousness, imagine growing up hearing stories about your great-grandfather being swallowed by the ground as your whole country watched. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you can find a crazy story in Numbers 16 in which a man named Korah met one of the most terrifying ends in the Bible. He opposed Moses, and God opened up the earth and swallowed him!

That’s terrifying, isn’t it? If that were one of my ancestors, I think I’d have every reason to be afraid every day for the rest of my life.

But here’s the plot twist.

While Korah’s story ended in one of the worst ways possible, the Bible tells us that his descendants went on to be not only important servants in the tabernacle but incredible psalmists as well.

This is the backdrop of one of my favorite Psalms in the entire Bible, Psalm 46.

Psalm 46, which was written by the Sons of Korah, begins by saying:

1 God is our refuge and strength,  
a very present help in trouble.  
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way.

Could it be possible that the psalmist’s history was on their mind as they wrote verse 2?

He goes on to say:

2 [...we will not fear...]  
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,  
3 though its waters roar and foam,  
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

I don’t know exactly what that means, and I can’t picture a mountain being thrown into the sea, but I know it’s not good.

What the psalmist is doing is reminding us that we don’t have to be afraid, even if the worst possible thing we can imagine were to happen!

Church, it’s no secret that today is a difficult day. Maybe we just want today to be over so things can “return to normal,” but we don’t know if that’s going to happen. We don’t know what tomorrow looks like.

But what the sons of Korah remind us—and what all the psalmists remind us over and over—is that we know who holds tomorrow!

We don’t have to fear, though [BLANK], whatever that blank may be—whether it’s a meeting at work today, a difficult conversation you need to have with a family member, or the results of the election tonight.

And the reason we don’t need to fear lies in verses 6 and 7:

6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;  
he utters his voice, the earth melts.  
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;  
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Today, the news will seek to cause fear. Your social media feeds will seek to cause fear.

May we lay our heads on the pillow tonight with a peace that passes understanding, because we know our hope doesn’t ultimately lie in anything other than the sovereign power of God.

And therefore, we will not fear, regardless of what happens this evening - or ever. 

I want to encourage you to have this song on repeat today, especially when you are tempted to fear:

SCRIPTURE
1 God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
    how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the chariots with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

- PSALM 46

PRAYER
God, thank you for the privilege of being in a nation where we can freely worship you.
Keep our eyes on you today.  Give us a peace that passes all understanding.
Whether we are pleased by the results of the election or disappointed, keep us from both gloating or fear. Remind us the the outside world is watching us as we claim to be your follower.  Give us an outward disposition of hope that draws a hopeless world to You.

In Jesus name I pray,
Amen. 

REFLECTION 
Many of you know that we’ve been in a long season of waiting.  It’s been 6 years since we said yes to adoption and began the process to add to our family.  

In April of 2023, we were matched with our son, Armel, and were told we would travel to bring him home by April 2024.  Due to many delays and complications out of our control, we haven’t been able to travel yet to Burundi to bring him home. The days that add up to weeks, months, and years of waiting have caused doubt, questioning, and heartache.  Yet, the lessons learned in the darkest of days have taught us all things that a pain-free, easy life never could have.  

We, as a family, have felt the peace that can only come from God.  We’ve learned to trust His timing even when it doesn’t make sense.  We gave up the illusion that we are actually in control of anything.  None of this could have happened in a life of favorable, easy circumstances.

Dare we say, the lessons learned through the darkness have made us better, have made us more like Jesus, have made us better equipped to come alongside others in a season of darkness with empathy and kindness.  The treasures of time in suffering, waiting, and darkness are never wasted.  We surely wouldn’t seek them on our own, but as they arise, we know He will always make it matter in our stories, for His glory!

SCRIPTURE
Isaiah 45:3 “And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness – secret riches.  I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.”    

PRAYER
Lord,  Thank you for the way that you tenderly come alongside us in our dark seasons.  We know that you are faithful and trust in your perfect timing.  For those of us in a dark season or a season of waiting, may we cling to the hope that you will bring light and treasures that can only be seen in the darkness.  Remind us that you don’t waste anything and that it can all be used for good.  Help us to live open handed with our lives and our unique circumstances, trusting you, clinging to you, seeking you and the treasure that you have for us in our darkest days.  

In Jesus Name,
Amen

REFLECTION
This past week we had an extra small home group meeting with various friends out sick or unable to make it. Those of us who were able to attend were burnt out with the many cares of life: work, raising small children, and questioning “how do I possibly fit in working out on top of everything else?”. We also discussed feeling guilty for a lack of hour-long daily devotions and not prioritizing prayer like we should. I felt a little bit like Christian in Little Pilgrim’s Big Journey where he laments, “I’ve failed so many times, I don’t deserve to be a pilgrim. I don’t deserve to enter the Celestial City. The King will never let me in now”; or in current language by Christian artist Andy Mineo in his song “Death of Me”: “God, I’m sorry, I mean it. All I want to do is walk with you but my priorities [are] wrong, I talk about you more than I talk with you”. Yet it was in this moment of conviction where God was at work, taking us from our own feeling of being ashamed to a renewed allegiance to Him. We encouraged each other and discipled each other to not buy into the lie that goes something like “If I can’t pay 100% attention to this Bible podcast or pray/read my bible for a long time I might as well not at all”.

In short, we reminded each other as Tyler Staton states in his book “Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools” to pray as we can. In his book, he makes a great point that we often read these next verses from Philippians as a command to not be anxious as if the reason we shouldn’t worry is because our cares somehow aren’t that important. But that isn’t the reason why we are not to worry. Our cares may be big, but we are told to turn to prayer rather than giving in to anxiety because “The Lord is near”. This simple fact was like a light bulb to me; This is why we can have peace amidst chaos, and this is why we put into practice praying as we go throughout our day.

SCRIPTURE
“The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”. -Philippians 4:5b-7 (NIV)

PRAYER
Father, thank you for your reminder that you are always near. Help us to prioritize speaking to you and reading your word. Help us to not stop before we’ve even started because we feel like we aren’t “doing it correctly”. We surrender to you our daily life, our anxious thoughts, especially in the mundane moments. As we walk through our day with you please change our lives to look more like Jesus so that we can reach our neighbors with your gospel. Help us to love and forgive like you have shown us, all while your peace guards our hearts and minds, to the praise of your glory!

In Jesus’ Name, I pray,

Amen.

MY REFLECTION
I go. I do. I’m constantly going and doing.
I’m really constantly thinking. I think I‘m probably going and doing in my sleep!
Even without everything that I’m asked to do, or all the things I agreed to do, or all the
things I want to do, my driven and often wandering thought life is, alone, enough to
wear me out.

The culture I live in demands that I make it happen no matter what, never stop looking
for a way to level up, dominate, wow everyone at all times, and do it all out of my own
amazing strength, white-knuckling my bootstraps.
Impossible. Fantasy.

I need rest. Real rest.
All the way down, all the way through, soaking rest.
For my brain and attention.
For my muscles and lungs.
For my inundated soul.

You?

Jesus invites us to himself for rest. Not to reject work and activity altogether. Rather to
learn from him how to go and do and rest his way. After all, he said that He is The
Way. The way to live as he designed us to experience life, in his kingdom, for his
purposes, to his glory.

SCRIPTURE
I love this version of Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:28-30 from The Message:
(take a long breath in and out and read slowly)
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and
you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with
me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy
or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

INVITATION
Stop your action, movement, productivity, progress;
your thinking, processing, strategizing, figuring it out;
your being frustrated, hating, wondering, worrying;
your physically, mentally, and emotionally chasing after a hundred things in a day.

For a moment.

Be unproductive, be still. If you are able, actually stop moving your body. If you can’t
completely stop, move less.
Breath. Slowly. Deeply.
Feel.
Listen.
Soak. For a little longer.

Hear Jesus’ invitation to you that’s offered over and over and over, like another wave
flattening itself on the shore:
”Come to me. Get away with me.
Watch how I do it.
Walk with me. Keep company with me.”

AND when you come to Jesus, don’t stand in front of him and tell him how heavy the
burden on your shoulders is.

Drop it.

You don’t want it up on your shoulders any more than he does. It will immediately be
replaced with Jesus’ arms around you.

YOUR REFLECTION
How often do you actually stop? Pause everything? Even for one minute. To just be. Be
present to God who is present to you.
How many times did you stop this week? Today?

He’s been waiting for you. He’s in control of the entire universe and is able to hold all
things together while you stop to be with him.
And can I add that many of us need to pause the work we’re doing for Jesus in order to
be with Jesus?
(I had to do so in the middle of writing this.)

INVITATION (#2)
Is it your ambition you need to put aside for a moment?
Is it your need to feel productive or needed that you need to release for a moment?
Is it your worry or cycling thoughts you need relief from for a moment?
Is it your entertainment or self-distracting you need to put out of arms reach for a
moment?
Is it your hopes about or anticipation of someone other than Jesus that you need to lay
down for a moment?

PRAYER
Jesus, you are the active king of the universe AND the fierce lover of my soul.
I need rest and I’m coming to you for your rest. Help me to relax my body and thoughts
and feelings for a moment.

Holy Spirit, What do I need to let go of?

I renounce my way and open myself again to your way.
I reject what I’m hearing from my disordered thoughts and desires, from the world, and
from the evil one.

I open my hands. I drop what I’ve been carrying.
I entrust to you the thing I feel I must control.

Thank you for inviting me to yourself. I love you. Here I am.

REFLECTION 
Sometimes, we forget that the very desire to seek God is itself a gift from Him. He plants in us the hunger to know Him, drawing us into His presence where true transformation takes place. This longing for God isn’t something we can muster on our own; it’s His Spirit at work within us, inviting us to experience the beauty of His presence. And in God’s presence, we’re shaped and changed—not only in the “big” moments but in the quiet, daily times we spend with Him. Here, in stillness, His love and truth go beyond mere knowledge and become a revelation.

Throughout Scripture, we see God’s presence as a hiding place for His people. David, in times of fear and danger, found shelter in the Lord, writing about the safety and strength he discovered there. In the same way, God’s presence can be our refuge when fear, anxiety, or the cares of life weigh us down. There’s something powerful about coming to God with a humble, broken heart—acknowledging our need for Him. When we approach God in humility, He meets us with overwhelming love and strength, offering us His peace.

We experience God’s presence in humility. James 4:6 reminds us, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” The word “grace” here, from the Greek charis, speaks of God’s favor, kindness, and blessing. As we lay aside pride and draw near to Him, we open ourselves to receive His favor and His divine help. Let’s ask for hearts that remain humble, allowing us to dwell continually in His presence, and may we grow in our desire to be in that sacred place each day.

SCRIPTURE 
"You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance." – Psalm 32:7 (NASB)
"But He gives more grace. Therefore it says, 'God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'" – James 4:6 (ESV)

PRAYER

REFLECTION
This is my favorite time of year in Ohio. The cool nights, the leaves changing color, campfires, hikes and apple cider, what’s not to love? But as I was reflecting the other day, I started to think back on all that God has been doing in the past couple of seasons.

As a church, a lot has happened. We’ve gone through seasons and changes. Even in our Sunday services in the last year and a half we’ve gone through the bible in the year, looked deeply into the heart of worship, prayer, missions, and our mission
as a local church.

Recently, Pastor Chase has encouraged us to zoom out and look at our mission by reminding us that in order for this church to achieve the mission that God has given to us, we need each individual member to take personal ownership over the collective mission, which is to see lives transformed by the word of God so that all of the corners of the world will know that Jesus is Lord. 

This is a beautiful mission that God has entrusted His church with. But if we aren’t careful, I think at times we can get too caught up in all of the different events and efforts and tasks that combine to fulfill that mission.

So, this morning I want to step back even further. Take a moment to pause, to take a breath,
and to set aside the other worries of the day or the tasks that you have to get done. Because while these things we have been learning about are so important for us to know, and while there are many good and worthy tasks for us to accomplish today, there is one thing that Jesus calls us to above all else, and without it, all our other efforts in life are meaningless.

That one thing of course is Love.

In I Corinthians 13 Paultalks a lot about love.  He even mentions faith, hope and love and says that the greatest of these is love!

Jesus says this in Mark 12: 30-31:

30  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind
and with all your strength.’  31  The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ [b] There is no commandment greater than these.”

This is the greatest commandment. This is the calling. It can be easy to get wrapped up in so many other things, good or bad, and lose sight of the ultimate calling. Love God, Love People. This is the basis for everything we do as Christians.

In 1 Corinthians, Paul is saying that you can speak eloquently, have
all the faith in the world, prophecy and have wisdom, and server others, but without love, it is meaningless.

To put it in our context a little bit, we could reach the community, hold bible studies,
study and teach the word of God, and even tell others about Jesus, but if we do it without love, it is a waste.

However, conversely, if we have the love of Christ and we operate out of love for him and for others, everything else comes with it. If we have love, then patience, humility, protection, trust, perseverance, service, making disciples and more will follow.

Furthermore, Paul goes on to say that love is eternal. One day, we won’t need hope, because our hope will be fully realized in eternity. One day we won’t need faith, because we will be in the presence of God, but love will remain. And look at the incredible statement that Paul makes in verse 8.

Love Never Fails.

Never. How can this be true? Because the love of Jesus is perfect. There is no
selfishness, there is no flaw, there is no limitation. This is what Christ has called us into, His love that is perfect and works to perfect us.

In John 4:18, Jesus says: There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear expects punishment. The person who is afraid has not been made perfect in love.
The Love of Jesus perfects us.

This is what we need as a church. To be transformed by the love of Jesus and perfected by it. When we allow the love of Jesus to change us and guide us, the rest falls into place. If we want to accomplish the mission that God has given us, personally and collectively, it has to be done through the power of Jesus’ transforming love.

So the question for us today is, how can we do everything that we do with the love of Jesus
in mind. What would it look like to do your job, or household chores or go grocery shopping powered by the love of Jesus? Let’s fix our minds today on loving our neighbor, and loving God, and pray that the He would continue to perfect us in love.

SCRIPTURE 
1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
- 1 CORINTHIANS 13

PRAYER
Lord, thank you that you love us. Thank you for showing us what your love looks like. Even though we have done nothing to deserve it, and you gain nothing from it, you still love us.

Help us today to view the world through your love. Help us to understand how to love our neighbors, and to love you well today. I pray that we would be known by our love for you and our love for one another.

Help us to love people the way that you love them, and to do all that we do today through the power of your love.

God, please continue to perfect us in your love.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.