MARCH 4, 2026

 “I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours..” 

― Henry David Thoreau

NUMBERS 32-33

50On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho the Lord said to Moses, 51“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, 52drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images and their cast idols, and demolish all their high places. 53Take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess. 54Distribute the land by lot, according to your clans. To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one. Whatever falls to them by lot will be theirs. Distribute it according to your ancestral tribes.

55“ ‘But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you will live. 56And then I will do to you what I plan to do to them.’ ”(33:50-56)

MARK 10:1-31

13People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

JOURNAL 

What does it really mean to receive the kingdom of God like a little child? I think it has something to do with the way children live almost completely in the present moment. A child is not preoccupied with tomorrow or anxious about next year. They are not measuring their worth by status, wealth, or recognition. Their world is immediate and full of wonder. They trust easily, believe deeply, and accept what is placed in front of them without the layers of suspicion and calculation that adults often carry.

As an adult, of course, I cannot live without thinking about the future. Responsibilities require planning and foresight. There are decisions to make, obligations to fulfill, and people who depend on me. But receiving the kingdom like a child does not mean abandoning responsibility. It means that while I plan and work, my heart remains anchored in a deeper trust. It means my faith is not constrained by the limits my mind often tries to place on God. A child believes without needing everything explained, and perhaps that is closer to the posture Jesus is describing.

When I read the command in Numbers about driving out the inhabitants of the land, it strikes me that God is warning Israel about something that quietly undermines the life He intends for them. If they leave remnants behind, those remnants will become barbs in their eyes and thorns in their sides. Small compromises eventually become constant irritations that shape the future in ways they never intended. Spiritually, the same thing can happen in my own life. If fear, shame, or doubt are allowed to linger unchecked, they slowly become the things that cloud my vision and weaken my resolve.

Receiving the kingdom like a child may mean approaching life with a boldness that refuses to let those things take root. A child steps forward without constantly calculating every possible outcome. There is an openness and courage in that posture. When I think about living this way, it does not look irresponsible or careless. It looks like moving through each day with a hopeful spirit, trusting that God is present and active in ways I may not fully understand.

Living with that kind of faith means being willing to act with confidence in the moment rather than being paralyzed by fear of what might happen later. It means letting go of the quiet voices of shame and doubt that try to define who I am. Instead of constantly measuring my life by worldly standards, I can approach it with the joy, curiosity, and trust of a child who believes that goodness is possible.

Paul’s prayer in Ephesians captures the heart of this beautifully. He prays that we would be strengthened in our inner being, that Christ would dwell in our hearts through faith, and that we would be rooted and established in love. Only then can we begin to grasp how wide and long and high and deep the love of Christ truly is. That kind of understanding fills a person with a fullness that no achievement or status could ever provide.

Perhaps receiving the kingdom like a child simply means living each day grounded in that love. It means trusting that God is bigger than my fears, greater than my doubts, and present in every moment that unfolds before me. That kind of faith does not shrink life. It enlarges it. It frees the heart to move forward with hope, courage, and joy.

14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom every family^a in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

EPHESIANS 3:14-19

MARCH 3, 2026

 “I must be willing to give whatever it takes to do good to others. This requires that I be willing to give until it hurts. Otherwise, there is no true love in me, and I bring injustice, not peace, to those around me.” 

― Mother Teresa

NUMBERS 30-31

1The Lord said to Moses, 2“Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.”

3So Moses said to the people, “Arm some of your men to go to war against the Midianites so that they may carry out the Lord’s vengeance on them. 4Send into battle a thousand men from each of the tribes of Israel.” 5So twelve thousand men armed for battle, a thousand from each tribe, were supplied from the clans of Israel. 6Moses sent them into battle, a thousand from each tribe, along with Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, who took with him articles from the sanctuary and the trumpets for signaling.

7They fought against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and killed every man. ’(31:1-7)

MARK 9:30-50

33They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

35Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

36He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

JOURNAL 

Comparisons are probably the third thing that tends to trip me up. Like shame and fear, the real problem is often not the thing itself but my interpretation of it and how far I allow it to go. The ability to compare, judge, and analyze is actually one of God's gifts. At its best, it helps me recognize needs around me, see the strengths and talents in others, and become aware of areas where I can grow. It gives me perspective. It allows me to notice injustice, appreciate goodness, and understand how I might serve someone better. In that sense, comparison is not something evil. It is part of how God wired us to understand the world and one another.

The problem is that even a good gift can drift into darkness when the heart behind it changes. The same ability that allows me to admire someone else’s strengths can slowly turn into measuring myself against them. What begins as recognition can quietly become jealousy. What begins as awareness can become insecurity. Instead of comparison helping me appreciate what God has given others, it can start to make me resent it. Instead of helping me grow, it can push me toward elevating myself or diminishing someone else.

That is where the gift becomes dangerous. Comparison, when fueled by fear and shame, begins to twist its purpose. Rather than helping me see the needs of others, it becomes a way of protecting my own ego. Instead of producing compassion, it can produce competition. Instead of honoring others, it begins looking for ways to feel superior to them. At that point the gift that once led toward wisdom becomes something capable of causing real harm.

Jesus reveals this tendency clearly in Mark 9. The disciples were walking with Him, witnessing miracles and hearing truth firsthand, and yet they were arguing among themselves about who was the greatest. The instinct to compare and elevate ourselves is deeply human. Jesus’ response is striking. He sits down, places a child among them, and says that anyone who wants to be first must become the servant of all. Greatness, in God's kingdom, is not measured by how we rise above others but by how willingly we lower ourselves to serve them.

That is the line that determines whether comparison stays healthy or becomes destructive. When comparison leads me toward humility, gratitude, and service, it is functioning the way God intended. But when it leads toward jealousy, pride, or self-protection, it has already begun to drift away from love.

Paul captures the heart of it perfectly in Romans when he writes that love must be sincere, that we should hate what is evil and cling to what is good, and that we should honor one another above ourselves. That kind of love keeps every gift in its proper place. Without it, even the best things in us can slowly turn into something darker than we ever intended.

9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

ROMANS 12:9-10

MARCH 2, 2026

  “[To have Faith in Christ] means, of course, trying to do all that He says. There would be no sense in saying you trusted a person if you would not take his advice. Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him. But trying in a new way, a less worried way. Not doing these things in order to be saved, but because He has begun to save you already. Not hoping to get to Heaven as a reward for your actions, but inevitably wanting to act in a certain way because a first faint gleam of Heaven is already inside you.” 

― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

NUMBERS 28-29

1The Lord said to Moses, 2“Give this command to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Make sure that you present to me at the appointed time my food offerings, as an aroma pleasing to me.’(28:1-2)

MARK 9:1-29

14When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

16“What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

17A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

19“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

20So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

21Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. 22“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

23“ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

24Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

25When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

26The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

JOURNAL 

This whole concept of shame and fear has been something that I've wrestled with most of my life. Most often I think of it in terms of something to avoid. Yet when I really delve into it I have realized that both of those emotions do serve a purpose. It really is the interpretation of them that makes all the difference

From most of my study of psychology...emotions and our ability to project and think are incredible gifts. They essentially are what make us human. The problems arise when we don't understand how to regulate and or understand the message and signals. Especially when emotions hijack our thoughts in ways that are not warranted or needed. 

In looking at shame as it relates to the past...what purpose does it serve? Well for starters it has a powerful way of helping me to evaluate my own actions against right and wrong / good and evil. This is not a bad thing...it is necessary in helping me to decipher what is right and what is wrong. The problem arises when I take that too far and allow errors in judgment/actions etc to define me. It also goes too far when I truly believe that I am somehow different than the rest of humanity. The fact is... I need God, I am sinful and I need him every moment of every day. 

It is the same when it comes to fear...fear is a necessary emotion that helps me navigate the future. It helps to see danger before it happens...therefore keeping me from doing things that could be detrimental to myself and others. The problem arises when the fear becomes consuming and causes me to limit myself in ways that are destructive, hurtful or in ways that keep me  from growing and being my best. 

The only real way to navigate these powerful emotions is when my identity is defined by God and scripture. When I daily search scripture and take my needs, hopes, dreams to God...then I can rest in the wisdom of the creator. I can see the past and the future through the lens of God's love. I can see the ways I have fallen short...not as an indictment but rather in humility that connects me to God and gives me compassion for others.  I can see the future through the promise of the kingdom and all that God is doing to transform my mind and heart and the mind and heart of others. 

However ultimately what God gives me is today. That's the beauty of these two forces...they exist as two barriers which help me to focus on the only thing that I truly have domain over...the present moment. Focusing my energy into the here and now is the key to being my best and serving and honoring God. 

17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit...

ROMANS 14:17

MARCH 1, 2026

   “Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.” 

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

NUMBERS 26-27

12Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain in the Abarim Range and see the land I have given the Israelites. 13After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, 14for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin, both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)

15Moses said to the Lord, 16“May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community 17to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”

18So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership,^a and lay your hand on him. 19Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. 20Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him. 21He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

22Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. 23Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the Lord instructed through Moses.(27:12-23)

MARK 8:22-38

31He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

33But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

34Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35For whoever wants to save their life^b will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

JOURNAL 

NUMBERS 26–27 and MARK 8 reveal a truth that runs through all of Scripture: following God ultimately requires a decision about what we are willing to risk and what we are willing to surrender.

Every Friday in my classroom, I play actual songs instead of instrumental background music. It has become a small rhythm, almost a quiet celebration at the end of the week. This past Friday, Chances by Five for Fighting was on the list. As it played, I felt something stir in me. I could not fully name it in the moment, but it lingered. This morning, it crystallized.

Moses stands on the mountain knowing he will never enter the Promised Land. After years of leading, sacrificing, and enduring hardship, he releases his future into God’s hands. Instead of clinging to position or longing for personal fulfillment, Moses asks only that God provide a shepherd for His people. God responds by commissioning Joshua, a man filled with His Spirit, and authority is transferred through obedience and surrender rather than ambition. Moses lets go so God’s story can continue.

This moment mirrors the teaching of Jesus in Mark 8. When Jesus explains that the path ahead leads to suffering and the cross, Peter objects. From a human perspective, surrender looks like loss. Protecting life, avoiding pain, securing success, and maintaining control all seem wiser. Yet Jesus rebukes Peter because he is thinking according to human concerns rather than God’s purposes.

Jesus then speaks words that overturn everything we instinctively believe: whoever tries to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Him will save it. The soul is not preserved through self-protection. It is found through surrender.

A lyric from the song Chances asks a question that feels deeply spiritual: “Is there a better bet than love?” That question captures the heart of discipleship. Every day presents a wager. Do I bet on security or on love? Do I cling to control, reputation, comfort, and certainty, or do I entrust my life to God even when the road darkens?

Moses bet on love when he released leadership. Joshua bet on love when he stepped into an unknown future. Jesus bet on love when He walked toward the cross. None of these choices looked like victory in the moment, yet each one carried the power of God’s Spirit and the promise of life beyond loss.

My own struggle often lives in the realm Jesus calls “human concerns.” Fear of the future, regret over the past, and the desire to manage outcomes quietly compete for my trust. The mountains I face are rarely external; they rise within the mind and heart. Faith, however, is not the absence of fear but the decision to surrender anyway. To follow Christ is to place my life in God’s hands and believe that love is never wasted.

Jesus promises that when we release our grip on life, we do not lose ourselves. Instead, we receive His Spirit, His joy, and the salvation of our souls. The cross teaches that surrender precedes resurrection. What feels like loss becomes the doorway to eternal life.

Each day I am invited to make the same choice: to bet on love, to trust God with what I cannot control, and to walk forward in faith even when outcomes remain unseen. In the end, there truly is no better bet than love, because love is where God Himself meets us and carries us home.

19Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

20He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” 

MATTHEW 17:19-20

FEBRUARY 28, 2025

   “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” 

― Abraham Lincoln

NUMBERS 21-25

10Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. 11Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”

12Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me, 13‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord—and I must say only what the Lord says’? 14Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”(25:10-14)

MARK 7:14-8:21

14The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. 15“Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”

16They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”

17Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? 19When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,” they replied.

20“And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

They answered, “Seven.”

21He said to them, “Do you still not understand?” (8:14-21)

JOURNAL 

The story of Balaam has always felt unusual to me. He is not an Israelite. He is not part of the covenant community. Yet God speaks to him. God restrains him. God even uses him to bless Israel instead of curse them. Balak may have believed he was hiring spiritual power for his own agenda, but the narrative makes something unmistakably clear. The Lord was not confined to Israel’s borders. He was already at work in foreign lands, speaking to a man outside the chosen nation, overruling kings, and directing history.

This challenges the tendency to believe that God belongs to a category, a tribe, or a religious label. Balaam proves that God is not a tribal deity. He is sovereign over all nations and all people, whether they acknowledge Him or not. Scripture consistently reinforces this. Psalm 24:1 declares that the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. Daniel 2:21 says He changes times and seasons and sets up kings and removes them. Isaiah 45:5 records the Lord saying, “I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.” Even Cyrus, a pagan king, is called God’s anointed in Isaiah 45:1 because God used him to accomplish His purposes. In Acts 17:26-28, Paul tells the Athenians that God determines the times and places where people live so that they might seek Him, and that in Him we live and move and have our being. None of this is limited to one group.

We may not always have a detailed record of how God intervenes in the lives of those who are not Christians or who do not fit neatly into our theological categories. Scripture does not document every interaction. Yet passages like this remind me that God’s involvement in human affairs is far broader than what is written. Jesus Himself said in John 1:9 that He is the true light that gives light to everyone. That statement leaves little room for exclusivity. God is always reaching, always moving, always drawing.

The disciples in Mark struggle to understand this broader reality. Jesus warns them about the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod, but they think He is talking about bread. Their vision is small and literal. Jesus reminds them of the miracles of feeding the five thousand and the four thousand. He asks if they still do not understand. The issue is not bread. The issue is perception. Their hearts are still limited in how they see God at work.

I often fall into the same trap. I want to define where God is working and how He should work. Yet Balaam’s story and Jesus’ rebuke both remind me that God is active far beyond my categories. He is involved with rulers, prophets, pagans, disciples, and doubters alike. His sovereignty does not depend on human acknowledgment.

Power, then, is not proof of closeness to God. Balaam had influence and prophetic ability, yet his heart was divided. Scripture later shows that his motives were compromised. Lincoln’s quote rings true here. Power tests character. The real measure is not whether someone has influence or spiritual ability, but whether they align with God’s purposes.

Jesus makes His mission unmistakable in Luke 4:18-19. The Spirit of the Lord anointed Him to proclaim good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners, sight for the blind, and release for the oppressed. His purpose was not to accumulate power but to redeem and restore. If God is active everywhere and among everyone, then His ultimate goal is not to elevate a select few but to draw all toward redemption.

This reshapes how I view the world. God is not confined to church walls, national identities, or religious labels. He is moving in places I cannot see and in hearts I would not expect. My role is not to guard the boundaries of His activity, but to align my heart with His character and trust that He is working everywhere, even when I do not fully understand how.

18“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,

because he has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners

and recovery of sight for the blind,

to set the oppressed free,

19to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”^f

LUKE 4:18-19