APRIL 11, 2026

  “The biggest lie promoted by various of our social institutions-and this in some ways plays into our human nature and our sin of laziness-is that we're here to be happy all the time.”  

- M. Scott Peck

1 SAMUEL 7-9

6But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. 7And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”...19Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We must have a king over us. 20Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to judge us, to go out before us, and to fight our battles.”21Samuel listened to all the words of the people and repeated them in the hearing of the LORD.22“Listen to their voice,” the LORD said to Samuel. “Appoint a king for them.

LUKE 13:1-21

10On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” 13Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.14Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”15The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”17When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.

JOURNAL

Everything in life comes with a cost, but more than that, everything meaningful comes through resistance. We are not designed for a life of ease, even though part of us constantly craves it. The lie that we are here to be comfortable or happy all the time quietly pulls us away from the very thing that gives life its depth. What I am seeing more clearly is that the joy of life is not in escaping problems, but in stepping into them, working through them, and becoming someone stronger, wiser, and more alive on the other side.

This is why competition draws us in. It is why we enjoy games, puzzles, and challenges. Even in rest, we choose forms of struggle. There is something built into us that comes alive when we are required to think, adapt, endure, and overcome. That is not accidental. It is design. We are made to engage difficulty, not avoid it.

The Israelites asking for a king is such a clear picture of this tension. They wanted someone else to fight their battles, to carry the weight for them, to make life more predictable and manageable. They were willing to trade the direct leadership of God for something that felt easier and more like everyone else. But underneath that request is the same temptation I feel in my own life...the desire to be relieved of responsibility, to have someone else fix things, to avoid the strain of walking things out in faith.

I can see now that this desire is not just misguided, it actually strips life of its meaning. If everything is solved for me, if there is no resistance, no uncertainty, no challenge, then there is no growth, no engagement, no real joy. It becomes empty. In my early faith, I wanted God to remove the problems, to take away the discomfort, to smooth everything out. But that kind of life would not produce anything lasting. It would not shape me.

God does not operate as a genie removing obstacles. He invites me into them. He walks with me through them. And somehow, in that process, something changes. The difficulty itself becomes the pathway to joy. Not because the pain disappears, but because purpose is found in the middle of it. There is a satisfaction, even a quiet excitement, in facing something hard and leaning into it with trust.

Jesus healing the woman on the Sabbath shows this tension again. The religious leaders wanted structure, control, and predictability. Jesus moved toward restoration and freedom, even when it disrupted their system. He was not avoiding the problem, He was stepping directly into it. That is the pattern. Life is not about maintaining comfort, it is about participating in redemption.

Carrying the cross is not just about suffering for the sake of suffering. It is about willingly stepping into the challenges set before me, trusting that on the other side of obedience and endurance there is something deeper being formed. It is about understanding that the struggle is not in the way, it is the way.

And the strange, almost paradoxical truth is that when I stop trying to escape difficulty and instead embrace it, there is a kind of joy that shows up. A grounded, steady sense that this is what I was made for. Not ease, not constant happiness, but a life fully engaged in the process of becoming who God created me to be.

25Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 

LUKE 14:25-27

APRIL 10, 2026

 “You cannot find peace by avoiding life.” 

 - Virginia Wolf

1 SAMUEL 4-6

 10So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

LUKE 12:35-59

49“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! 51Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

JOURNAL 

This word  is extremely disconcerting. First of all God allows the Philistines to capture the Ark...then Jesus here claims that he came to bring division, not peace. What do I do with such difficult words?

Although none of the characters in the Bible knew how it all was going to work out, I do...I get to see the finished story, I get to see how God flips the tables on what most often seems to be doom and gloom.  I know that God redeems the Israelites, that the Ark is returned without a fight. I know that Jesus is crucified and comes back and comforts the disciples and gives the gift of the Spirit.

As Christians we are to seek and bring light into this world. We are to look for it in the darkness and that includes the darkness of another's life. We are here to be encouragers not detractors. It's easy to point out the darkness, often it's way harder to find the good and the light. Yet that is our hope, that is our belief and that is how we are to be different.  Life is hard at times but the message could not be more clear... "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;" (Proverbs 3:5)

"4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be apparent to all. The Lord is near.6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

PHILIPPIANS 4:4-7

APRIL 9, 2026

  “Those who have a 'why' to live, can bear with almost any 'how'.”

― Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning

1 SAMUEL 1-3

6“The Lord brings death and makes alive;

he brings down to the grave and raises up.

7The Lord sends poverty and wealth;

he humbles and he exalts.

8He raises the poor from the dust

and lifts the needy from the ash heap;

he seats them with princes

and has them inherit a throne of honor.

“For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s;

on them he has set the world.

9He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,

but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.

“It is not by strength that one prevails;

10those who oppose the Lord will be broken.

The Most High will thunder from heaven;

the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.(2:6-10)

LUKE 12:1-34

Do Not Worry

22Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life^b ?26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

27“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

JOURNAL 

Today feels different. Not because anything around me has changed, but because I am more aware that this day was never guaranteed. Today is my birthday, and that alone is enough to stop and recognize what an unbelievable gift it is simply to be alive. Another year was not owed to me, and yet here I am, breathing, thinking, feeling, remembering. Out of the thousands who did not wake up today, I did. 

What overwhelms me even more is realizing that I did not arrive at this day on my own. My life is the result of countless people who have carried me, loved me, protected me, corrected me, encouraged me, and at times pushed me when I would not have moved forward on my own. Family who sacrificed. Friends who showed up. Coaches, mentors, teachers, even strangers who crossed my path at just the right moment. There were people who spoke truth into me when I was drifting, people who believed in me when I doubted myself, and people who challenged me when I needed it most. Every one of them is part of the reason I am here today.

And over all of it, I can see the hand of God. In the highs and the lows, in the moments of clarity and the seasons of confusion, He was present. The same God who raises up and humbles, who gives and takes away, who guards and guides. When I look back, I see protection I did not notice at the time, redirection I did not understand, and provision I certainly did not earn. It is humbling to realize how much has been held together for me.

Jesus’ words about not worrying land differently today. Life really is more than all the things I tend to chase or stress over. If God feeds the birds and clothes the fields, then how much more has He already taken care of me. I can see it now, not just in theory, but in the evidence of my own life. Every year, every season, every breath has been sustained by something far greater than my own strength.

There is also a deeper weight to this birthday. Not pressure, but purpose. If today is a gift, then it is not meant to be wasted. It is meant to be lived fully, honestly, and courageously. I have been given everything I need. The same Spirit that empowered men throughout Scripture lives in me. That means I am not lacking. I am not waiting on something else to begin. Today is the day I already have.

So today is not just about looking back with gratitude, though there is plenty of that. It is also about stepping forward with intention. To live in a way that honors the people who poured into me. To live in a way that reflects the God who sustained me. To love better, to give more freely, to act with courage, and to stop holding back out of fear or comfort.

I am grateful for every year, every lesson, every joy and every hardship that shaped me. All of it mattered. All of it was used. And somehow, by grace, I get another day.

Today, I do not want to hide the light I have been given. I want to live it openly. Not perfectly, but fully. Not for myself alone, but in a way that brings something good into the lives of others. Thank you, God, for this day. Thank you for my life. Thank you for every person who has been part of it. And thank you that the story is not finished yet.

33“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light." 

LUKE 11:33

APRIL 8, 2026

  “To believe in something, and not to live it, is dishonest.” 

― Mahatma Gandhi

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

― Marianne Williamson

RUTH 1-4

16But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” 18When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.(1:16-18)

LUKE 11:29-54

37When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.

39Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

42“Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.

43“Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.

44“Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.”

45One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”

46Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

JOURNAL 

In a world where saying the right thing has become easier than living it and where winning is often treated as the ultimate goal, integrity is constantly under pressure. When winning becomes the priority above all else, truth becomes negotiable and convictions begin to shift based on what produces the desired outcome. It becomes easy to justify small compromises, telling ourselves they are necessary, until eventually those compromises shape who we are. The tension is not just hypocrisy but fear. Fear that if we live fully aligned with truth and refuse to bend, we might lose something that feels important. Because of that fear, it is tempting to perform, to posture, or to say what sounds right while living differently behind the scenes.

Ruth offers a completely different picture. She had every reason to walk away and no one would have blamed her, yet she chose commitment over convenience and faithfulness over advantage. Her decision was not based on what she could gain but on what was right. In the same way, Jesus confronts those who had learned how to appear righteous while avoiding true obedience. They looked the part and were respected, but their lives did not reflect what they claimed to believe. He exposes the danger of living for appearance while neglecting the heart.

The real question comes down to what I am serving in moments of choice. God has given me the ability to think, choose, and act, and those decisions reveal what truly drives me. If my actions are rooted in a need to win, protect my image, or avoid discomfort, they will slowly pull me away from truth. If they are rooted in love and obedience to God, they will require courage and faith, and they may not always look like winning in the moment.

Looking back, I can see how often I chose the easier path because it felt safer. I avoided situations that required risk or exposure and allowed fear and doubt to influence my decisions. In those moments, I was not trusting God but placing my trust in outcomes. Scripture repeatedly shows people who chose faithfulness over comfort. David stepped forward in faith, Noah obeyed despite ridicule, Abraham left what was familiar, Joseph held onto his calling through hardship, Moses returned to face his past, Daniel stood firm under pressure, and Paul endured suffering to remain obedient. None of them were focused on winning in the world’s sense. They were focused on being faithful.

That is the tension I have to live in. I can pursue outcomes and risk compromising who I am, or I can pursue obedience and trust God with the results. Choosing to shrink back, stay silent, or take the convenient path is not humility. It is fear. If God has placed truth and conviction within me, then living it out fully is not optional. It is the very thing I am called to do.

33“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. ”

LUKE 11:33

APRIL 7, 2026

   “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” 

― Calvin Coolidge

JUDGES 20-21

25In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.(21:25)

LUKE 11:1-28

9“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

11“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for^f a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

JOURNAL 

Judges is hard to read because it is chaotic, disturbing, and deeply unsettling. The violence and the decisions people make all point back to one simple truth that everyone did as they saw fit. When there is no anchor, no authority, no higher alignment, things unravel quickly. That is not just Israel’s story, it is mine too when I lose my center.

In Luke, Jesus says ask and it will be given, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened. It is a beautiful promise, but one that has often been misunderstood. When I tie that promise too tightly to specific outcomes, to answers happening on my timeline or looking the way I expect, I begin to distort it. I start measuring God’s faithfulness by whether things go my way, and that is where everything begins to break down.

When the outcome becomes everything, persistence starts to fade. If results do not come fast enough or do not look the way I hoped, discouragement creeps in. Faith begins to crack. I start questioning, doubting, and even resenting. Eventually I am tempted to quit and trade long term purpose for immediate relief. I cash in on something easier, something quicker, something that numbs the disappointment rather than walking through it.

But the promise was never about controlling the outcome. The real gift is the Holy Spirit, God’s presence within me, sustaining me regardless of the result. That changes everything because now persistence is not fueled by outcomes, it is fueled by presence. Faith is no longer dependent on circumstances but rooted in relationship. The goal is not simply to get through difficulty but to walk through it with endurance, trust, and a steady confidence that God is still at work even when nothing looks like it is changing.

Joseph’s story reminds me of this truth. He was betrayed, falsely accused, and thrown into prison, and every external outcome pointed to failure. Yet the Lord was with him. That was the constant. Not success as the world defines it, but presence. Over time that presence produced something deeper than immediate results ever could, including character, resilience, and ultimately redemption.

I see in my own life how easy it is to become outcome driven. It is easy to feel discouraged when things do not go as planned and to interpret delay as denial. But when I step back and really consider my life, I see how much I have been given and how often God’s grace has shown up in ways I did not recognize at the time. If I let outcomes dictate my faith, I will always be unstable and I will quit too early. But if I anchor myself in His presence and trust that what He is doing in me matters more than what is happening around me, then I can persist. I can keep showing up and pressing on, not because I know how things will turn out, but because I know who walks with me through it, and that is something no outcome can take away.

19When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. 20Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.

But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

GENESIS 39:19-23