MARCH 23, 2026

 

“A great man is always willing to be little.” 

 Ralph Waldo Emerson

JOSHUA 9-10

40So Joshua conquered the whole region—the hill country, the Negev, the foothills,f and the slopes, together with all their kings—leaving no survivors. He devoted to destruction everything that breathed, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded. 41Joshua conquered the area from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza, and the whole region of Goshen as far as Gibeon.

42And because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel, Joshua captured all these kings and their land in one campaign. 43Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

LUKE 3

9The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10“What should we do then?” the crowd asked.

11John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”

12Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”

13“Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.

14Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”

He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”

JOURNAL

Joshua’s conquest is hard for me to process. Entire cities wiped out, men, women, and children. It feels brutal and unsettling. Then I read John’s words calling people to generosity, honesty, and fairness, and I wonder how both of these can exist under the command of the same God. It has always been something I wrestle with, and I think that is okay. My understanding is not complete, but my trust in God remains. I still believe He is good, that He is love, and that His ways are right even when I cannot fully reconcile them.

I keep coming back to the idea of relationship and perspective. A parent does not interact with a two-year-old the same way they do with a twelve-year-old or an adult child. The parent has not changed, but the relationship has, and the needs of the child are different in each stage. Maybe that helps explain some of what we see. God meets people where they are, within specific moments in history, culture, and maturity. It does not make everything simple, but it gives me a framework to keep trusting even when I do not fully understand.

There is something deeply humbling about the fact that God chose to step into humanity, to meet us in our mess, and to relate to us in a way we can begin to grasp. The image of a father is only a glimpse, but it reminds me that His actions are rooted in something far deeper than what I can see on the surface.

What stands out most to me is Jesus. He did not spend His time promoting Himself. His focus was on others, on their needs, on serving and loving. When He did speak about Himself, He spoke truthfully and without excuse. That is such a clear example for me. Live with a quiet humility. Do not make life about drawing attention to myself. If I have to speak, let it be honest and without justification. Use the moments I have to love people well, to serve, and to bring something good and eternal into the world around me.

It really comes down to this. Be willing to be small. Be honest. Love others. And trust that God is who He says He is, even when I do not have every answer.

6Who, being in very nature^a God,did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;7rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature^b of a servant,being made in human likeness.8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!  

Philippians 2:6-8  

MARCH 22, 2026

  “The monster is only scary while it is in the closet.Once in the light,you can see its many flaws and weaknesses.And often,we end up laughing,at what we shield our eyes from no more.” - Tom Althouse

JOSHUA 7-8

 5And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them, chasing them from the gate as far as the quarriesd and striking them down on the slopes. So the hearts of the people melted and became like water.

6Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown before the ark of the LORD until evening, as did the elders of Israel; and they all sprinkled dust on their heads.7“O, Lord GOD,” Joshua said, “why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to be destroyed? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has turned its back and run from its enemies? 9When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. Then what will You do for Your great name?”(7:5-9)

LUKE 2:25-52

 46After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

49“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”^f 50But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

51Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

JOURNAL 

Six years ago, during COVID, fear seemed to grip the entire world. It just showed up in different forms depending on where you stood. Some were convinced the virus itself would devastate humanity, collapsing healthcare systems and wiping out lives at an unimaginable scale. Others were just as certain that the response to the virus, the shutdowns, the isolation, the economic disruption, would lead to financial ruin, societal breakdown, and long-term damage we might never recover from. Either way, doom and gloom felt constant, loud, and inescapable.

Looking back now, what stands out is not the fear itself, but how easy it was for everyone, including me, to get pulled into it. The uncertainty made everything feel fragile. Every headline, every statistic, every opinion seemed to point toward worst-case scenarios. It did not matter which side someone leaned toward. Underneath it all was the same root, fear of what might happen.

And yet, in the middle of that, there was something else available. When I look back through what I wrote and what I leaned on during that time, I see how often God was reminding me of truth. Not in some abstract way, but through Scripture and through the steady reminder of history, both personal and human.

Because when fear takes over, it narrows your vision. It makes you forget everything that has already been carried, sustained, and redeemed. It is exactly what we see with Joshua and the Israelites. One setback and suddenly everything feels lost. They forget the Red Sea, the provision in the wilderness, the victories that came before. Fear rewrites the story in real time.

And that same tendency was alive in me during COVID. It was easy to project outcomes that felt certain in the moment but were ultimately rooted in assumption, not truth. But Scripture kept pulling me back. It reminded me that this was not new. Humanity has faced collapse, pandemics, wars, and uncertainty over and over again. And every time, God has remained steady.

What is humbling is that when I look back now, I do not primarily remember the fear. I remember the time together, the slowing down, the unexpected moments of connection and even joy. The very season that felt like it might unravel everything did not define us the way it once seemed like it would.

That is the lesson that sticks. Fear feels powerful in the moment, but it is often built on projections that never fully materialize. Truth, on the other hand, is grounded. It reminds us not just of what could happen, but of what has already happened, and how God has been present through all of it.

He was faithful then. He had been faithful long before that. And He will be faithful again.

  6Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”b

Deuteronomy 31:6

MARCH 21, 2026

  “What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.” 

― C.S. Lewis, The Magician's Nephew

JOSHUA 4-6

14That day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him all the days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses.(4:14)

LUKE 2:1-24

8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

JOURNAL 

I can see how easily my mind drifts into places that feel important but really are not. The smallest shift, like my heart rate being a little off, can pull me inward. Bigger things that I have no control over, like a war across the world, can pull me outward. In both cases, the result is the same. I become fixated, analytical, even obsessive. It feels like I am being responsible or aware, but in reality it is fear wearing a disguise. And while I am there, caught in that loop, I miss what is right in front of me.

Joshua did not operate that way. He was not scanning for threats or managing perception. He was not trying to control outcomes. He simply obeyed. His focus was not on himself or on what might go wrong, but on what God had already said. And because of that, God handled everything else. The path was made clear not because Joshua figured it all out, but because he stayed aligned with what was right in front of him.

The same is true in the birth of Jesus. From any human perspective it looked messy, confusing, even wrong. There were so many reasons to question it, to fear it, to try to make sense of it. Yet God was fully present in it. His plan was unfolding not through control or clarity, but through obedience and trust in the middle of uncertainty.

I can see how often I step out of that. I leave the present moment, the actual opportunities God has placed in front of me, and I trade them for thoughts that do not serve anyone. Fear pulls me into myself, while love always pulls me toward others. When I am consumed with what might happen or what feels off, I am unavailable to the people around me. I am unavailable to serve, to listen, to connect, to love.

The truth is that God’s love is not found in those spirals. It is found here. In the conversation I could have. In the encouragement I could give. In the small act of obedience right in front of me. That is where life is. That is where purpose is. To ignore that in exchange for fear based thinking is not wisdom, it is distraction.

Each day will present things that could pull me away. My role is not to chase them or fix them. My role is to return, again and again, to what God has placed directly in front of me. To trust Him with what I cannot control and to be fully present in what I can. To choose love over fear in the moment I am actually living in.

That is the work. That is obedience. And that is where I will find Him.

37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

MATTHEW 25:37-40

MARCH 20, 2026

   “Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.” 

― John C. Maxwell

JOSHUA 1-3

7“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”(1:7-9)

LUKE 1:57-80

76And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;

for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,

77to give his people the knowledge of salvation

through the forgiveness of their sins,

78because of the tender mercy of our God,

by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven

79to shine on those living in darkness

and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

80And the child grew and became strong in spirit^d ; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

JOURNAL 

Joshua steps into leadership at a moment of transition, taking the place of Moses and carrying the responsibility of leading Israel into the promise. What stands out in these opening chapters is the constant tension between fear and courage. God repeatedly commands Joshua and the people to be strong and courageous, while at the same time their enemies are described as melting in fear. One response leads to movement and fulfillment, the other to collapse. That contrast feels central, not just to their story, but to mine as well.

Courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision to move forward in spite of it. God does not hand Joshua a clear plan or detailed instructions for every step. Instead, He gives him something deeper and more sustaining. He tells him to stay rooted in His word, to not drift to the right or the left, and to trust that His presence will go with him wherever he leads. That promise becomes the anchor. It is not clarity of outcome that produces strength, but confidence in who is with him.

At the same time, the birth of John shows that God is always working ahead of what we can see. John is given a purpose before he ever speaks a word, to prepare the way for Jesus. No one around him could have understood how it would all unfold, yet God’s plan was already in motion. The promise spoken over him carries a depth that resonates deeply with me, that God’s mercy breaks into darkness, that light reaches those who feel lost, and that He guides our feet into a path of peace even when the way is unclear.

This is where I find courage. Not in having everything figured out, but in trusting that God has always been faithful to His promises and will continue to be. The real challenge is internal. It is choosing to persist through doubt, through emotion, and through the moments where fear tries to take over. It is easy to drift or hesitate when things feel uncertain, but when I continue forward in what I know to be true, something changes. Strength returns, clarity increases, and I am able to take the next step.

The reminder that God gave Joshua is the same one that speaks to me now, that He will never leave or forsake me. That truth becomes the foundation for everything. Leadership is not about position or recognition, but about living in that trust and allowing it to shape how I move, how I respond, and how I influence others. It is a steady, quiet confidence that comes from knowing I am not walking alone, and that each step forward, even when it feels small, is part of something far greater than I can see.

As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.

JOSHUA 1:5-6

MARCH 19, 2026

  “If man had his way, the plan of redemption would be an endless and bloody conflict. In reality, salvation was bought not by Jesus' fist, but by His nail-pierced hands; not by muscle but by love; not by vengeance but by forgiveness; not by force but by sacrifice. Jesus Christ our Lord surrendered in order that He might win; He destroyed His enemies by dying for them and conquered death by allowing death to conquer Him.” 

― A.W. Tozer, Preparing for Jesus' Return: Daily Live the Blessed Hope

DEUTERONOMY 33-34

29Blessed are you, Israel!

Who is like you,

a people saved by the Lord?

He is your shield and helper

and your glorious sword.

Your enemies will cower before you,

and you will tread on their heights.”(33:29)

LUKE 1:24-56

46And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord

47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48for he has been mindful

of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

49for the Mighty One has done great things for me—

holy is his name.

50His mercy extends to those who fear him,

from generation to generation.

51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

52He has brought down rulers from their thrones

but has lifted up the humble.

53He has filled the hungry with good things

but has sent the rich away empty.

54He has helped his servant Israel,

remembering to be merciful

55to Abraham and his descendants forever,

just as he promised our ancestors.”

JOURNAL 

Here we have the end of Moses' life and his final words, alongside the beginning of Jesus’ story. God is faithful and actively working in the lives of His people. Over the course of my 54 years, I have seen that work unfold in ways I could never have predicted. At times His ways have seemed harsh, distant, or even confusing. Yet the truth is they are far beyond my understanding, and the glimpses I do receive consistently reveal a depth of goodness and perfection that leaves me in awe.

To know that I can connect with God at any moment, that He promises never to leave or forsake me, and that He continually offers forgiveness despite my wandering is overwhelming. Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. That simple truth is not childish. It is foundational. It fuels me and sustains me each day.

Life will always hold both good and hardship. That tension is part of living in a broken world. The challenge is not to eliminate adversity, but to keep it from becoming a distraction that pulls me away from the core truth of God’s love and from the purpose He has placed in front of me today. I am called to remain grounded, steady, and focused on what He is doing, not on what I fear or do not understand.

God is always present. He is always patient. He is always good. The story of the prodigal son reminds me that no matter how far I wander or how heavy life feels, He is not distant or indifferent. He is watching, waiting, and ready to run toward me with compassion. His love is pure, complete, and far greater than I can comprehend.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

LUKE 15:21-24