FEBRUARY 6, 2026

“Remember this your lifetime through:

Tomorrow there will be more to do.

And failure waits for all who stay

With some success made yesterday.

Tomorrow you must try once more,

So when the moment of truth is here,

You will not have the time to fear.”

-John Wooden

EXODUS 39-40

42The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 43Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So Moses blessed them.(39:42-43)

MATTHEW 24:1-22

9“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

JOURNAL 

In Exodus 39 and 40, the Israelites completed the work exactly as the Lord commanded. Moses inspected it, saw that it was done faithfully, and blessed them (Exodus 39:42–43). They were not asked to finish everything, only what was placed before them. Obedience in that moment was sufficient.

Jesus speaks just as plainly to His disciples in Matthew 24. He does not promise ease. He prepares them for hardship and calls them to stand firm (Matthew 24:9–13). Faithfulness, not comfort, is the measure. 

For all my life I have seen my past in terms of regret or nostalgia. I wish I could rewire my brain, but I am learning that yesterday does not need fixing. Yesterday and the past is no longer my life. Today, there is life to live, love to give, work to do, and a God who fills me with His Spirit. That is more than enough. How could I ask for more?? Yet there are days and moments when that is exactly my thought and wish...more, different. Why???

I think it's because there is more waiting and promised. But I don't get to know exactly what that is so I doubt. But the goodness of tomorrow is not mine to live yet...the only life I can live is today and today is truly amazing in all it's goodness. 

12When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

JOHN 8:12

FEBRUARY 5, 2026

  “One thing you can't hide - is when you're crippled inside.” 

― John Lennon

EXODUS 37-38

 22Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything the Lord commanded Moses; 23with him was Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan—an engraver and designer, and an embroiderer in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen.(37:22-23)

MATTHEW 23:23-39

23“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

25“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

JOURNAL 

Oh how often I am guilty of this...making sure the outside looks good before worrying over the inside. I think it is common for us all because we get something out of the outside being "clean" yet most often the internal is between us and God. Yet if there is one place to start it is in "justice, mercy and faithfulness". To seek perfection in these 3 will take care of the part that the world sees. 

I can't help but wonder the blessings and the change that would happen if we truly aspired to loving others and valuing compassion, grace and love as much as we do winning, championships and fame. 

To see hard work, dedication and excellence play out in way that is rewarded is great. But how much greater to honor and seek the fruits of the spirit and to truly walk in the heart and soul of the spirit of God...It all though goes back to living life from the perspective of today, and truly believing that tomorrow will be a blessing. Truly believing that God will see through all that he puts on my heart. Trusting that any problems, frustrations or setbacks will serve the purpose of his kingdom coming to earth. 

27“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

MATTHEW 23:27-28

FEBRUARY 4, 2026

 

“Gentlemen, we will chase perfection, and we will chase it relentlessly, knowing all the while we can never attain it. But along the way, we shall catch excellence.”

― Vince Lombardi Jr.

EXODUS 34-36

5Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. 6And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”.(34:5-7)

MATTHEW 23:1-22

8“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11The greatest among you will be your servant. 12For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

JOURNAL 

The description of God in Scripture is a description of true perfection. To understand this rightly is to see that obedience to God reshapes the ambition of the heart. For much of my life, I misunderstood perfection as flawlessness. I believed it meant living without mistakes, weakness, or failure. That definition quietly produced fear and pressure, because it was never aligned with who God truly is.

Godly perfection is something altogether different. It is not the absence of error, but  the pursuit of Godly truth, Godly love, and Godly discipline. It is compassion that moves toward others, faithfulness that endures, forgiveness that costs something, and humility that serves rather than elevates itself. This is perfection as God defines it.

This pursuit can only exist within the scope of today. I am not accountable for tomorrow, nor am I meant to carry yesterday. Today is the only place where obedience can live.God does not ask me to perfect my future. He invites me to trust Him with it, while faithfully pursuing goodness in the present moment.

This is perfection as Scripture reveals it. Not flawless living, but faithful pursuit. Not fear-driven striving, but surrendered trust. Not mastery of life, but dependence on a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in love and faithfulness.

This is the perfection worth chasing today.

43“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighborⁱ and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

MATTHEW 5:43-48

FEBRUARY 3, 2026

 

“Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival.”

― Winston S. Churchill

EXODUS 31-33

7Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. 8And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. 9As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. 10Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent. 11The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.(33:7-11)

MATTHEW 22:23-46

34Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’^c 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^d 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

JOURNAL 

Yesterday was a tough word, and as tough as God can be, Scripture is just as full of His compassion, gentleness, and understanding. Even though God is furious with the Israelites for making the golden calf, He continues to engage Moses in relationship and conversation. He allows Moses to voice his fears and struggles, and God actually relents and changes the course of His initial punishment.

That is the relational heart of God, and it is exactly what Jesus affirms when He answers the Pharisees. God wants our heart, fully and honestly, and He wants us to love others with that same love. God holds a standard of perfection while possessing a heart of deep love. Often those two seem impossible to reconcile within the same being, yet that is the miracle and grace of God. That grace shows up not only in the grand moments of redemption, but in the smallest, quietest moments of everyday life.

I have often wondered what great cause I am fighting for in my life. There are times when I wish I lived inside an epic moment of history, because the day-to-day can feel ordinary or even trivial. I think that is why I love war movies. In them, every choice matters, every word carries weight, and every moment feels meaningful, especially when life or death is at stake.

One of the most poignant moments in Darkest Hour is when Churchill rides the train and speaks with ordinary people while standing on the brink of a decision that could change the course of history. What he discovers is that the heart of the fight exists everywhere, even in the words and courage of a young girl. Inspiration often comes from the most unexpected places. That scene always reminds me of Longfellow’s A Psalm of Life, of leaving “footprints on the sands of time,” so that another, seeing them, might take heart again.

That is why every day, every moment matters. I am writing history every single day. How I respond, how I fight, how I trust, how I persist will become an example to someone, whether that is me, a friend, a spouse, a child, a student, or even a stranger. The way I handle small moments of adversity sets the standard for how I will face larger ones.

Daily victories are not small at all. Doing something hard when it would be easier to avoid it. Learning something new instead of staying comfortable. Choosing to forgive, or having the humility to ask for forgiveness. Pursuing honesty and truth even when it costs something. These are monumental wins. They shape the soul, strengthen the heart, and prepare us for battles we cannot yet see.

I know the big, epic moments will come. But the small victories of today may very well be the inspiration that fuels tomorrow’s defining battles, whether that is for a job, a marriage, a child, a calling, a country, or even life itself. No moment is trivial. No effort is wasted. Every contest, every frustration, every faithful step forward matters. 

10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

1 PETER 5:10-11

FEBRUARY 2, 2026

 “Life is unfair to everyone in different aspects. Someone is emotionally broke, someone is financially broke. Just that, while complaining always remember there are millions still struggling to be you or what you are.”

― Nitya Prakash

EXODUS 29-30

10“Bring the bull to the front of the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head. 11Slaughter it in the Lord’s presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 12Take some of the bull’s blood and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar. 13Then take all the fat on the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and both kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar. 14But burn the bull’s flesh and its hide and its intestines outside the camp. It is a sin offering.^b(29:10-14)

MATTHEW 22:1-22

8“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.

13“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14“For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

JOURNAL 

The unfairness of life is something I have wrestled with for as long as I can remember. I have often tried to use faith or spirituality as a way to soften it or even avoid it. If I’m honest, much of my faith at different points has been driven by a desire for protection from pain, from loss, from uncertainty, from what might happen next. But when I actually sit with Scripture, that illusion fades. The Bible never suggests life will be fair. Good people suffer. Bad people sometimes thrive. Everyone carries a burden of some kind. Jesus never promises to remove hardship. Instead, He tells us to count the cost and to follow Him anyway.

God never asks me to carry tomorrow. He does not give me the strength to solve what is coming or the clarity to control outcomes. He gives me energy, grace, and courage for today. When I try to live ahead of myself by anticipating pain, rehearsing failure, or fearing loss, I exhaust strength I was never meant to have yet. Faith is not about predicting or preventing suffering. It is about trusting that today I am fully equipped. Tomorrow will have its own provision, but that belongs to God, not me.

This changes how I understand the promise of faith. The gift is not protection from pain but relationship with the Creator. He gives enough strength to tell the truth today, enough love to respond with grace today, and enough discipline to choose what is right today. He does not overwhelm me with the weight of a lifetime. He asks for faithfulness in the narrow space of now.  

Scripture makes it clear that faithfulness is not necessarily rewarded on our timeline. Hebrews reminds me that many lived faithfully, suffered deeply, and never saw what they hoped for. And yet they were commended. Their lives mattered not because of visible success, but because they trusted God one day at a time. That reframes everything. I do not need to see the ending. I only need to live today well. If my life plays even a small role in God’s greater story, then today is where that role is played.

God does however, give me moments of joy, beauty, and meaning each day, not by removing hard things, but by meeting me in them. He is bigger than pain, failure, and unfairness. Joy therefore is not the absence of the hard but rather the peace that comes in facing difficulty honestly in love and persistence. 

 36Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37They were put to death by stoning;^e they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.

39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

HEBREWS 11:36-40