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

MARCH 18, 2026

  “Humans don't mind hardship, in fact they thrive on it; what they mind is not feeling necessary. Modern society has perfected the art of making people not feel necessary.”

― Sebastian Junger

DEUTERONOMY 31-32

7Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. 8The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”(31:7-8)

 45When Moses had finished reciting all these words to all Israel, 46he said to them, “Take to heart all these words I testify among you today, so that you may command your children to carefully follow all the words of this law. 47For they are not idle words to you, because they are your life, and by them you will live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” (32:45-47)

LUKE 1:1-23

11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

JOURNAL 

For as long as I can remember, really going all the way back to college, I’ve been in some form of sales. And if I’m honest, there has always been this underlying tension in it for me. A quiet voice that said I was bothering people. Interrupting them. Asking for something they didn’t want to give. And when I felt dismissed, ignored, or brushed off, it only reinforced that belief.

I fought against that for years. There were moments where I caught glimpses of the truth, where I could see that what I was offering actually had value, that it could help people, that it mattered. But I never fully settled into that identity. I never fully embraced the idea that connecting with people, bringing ideas to them, and helping create solutions was not an intrusion but a form of service.

Now stepping back into this space again, connecting people with something that genuinely creates a win for everyone involved, I can feel that old friction rising up. That same internal resistance. That same question of whether I’m bothering someone. But I’m starting to see it differently.

That tension is not rejection. It is not proof that I am unwanted. It is the friction of relationship.

Anything meaningful has friction. Conversation has friction. Trust has friction. Even growth itself has friction. And maybe what I have always interpreted as something negative is actually the very place where something important is happening. It is the space where connection is formed, where understanding is built, where value is discovered.

Sebastian Junger said that people don’t mind hardship, what they mind is not feeling necessary. That hits me in a completely different way now. Because what if this role, this opportunity to connect, is actually about stepping into necessity. Not in a prideful way, but in a purposeful one. Being willing to show up in someone else’s world, not to take from them, but to offer something that could genuinely serve them.

When I read about Moses telling Joshua to be strong and courageous, that the Lord goes before him, it feels strangely connected. Because courage is not just for battlefields. It is for conversations. It is for stepping into moments where you might be misunderstood or dismissed, but showing up anyway because you believe there is something greater at work.

And then reading about John the Baptist, his mission to turn hearts, to prepare people, to bring them into something bigger than themselves. That is what stands out. He was a connector. A bridge. Someone who helped people step into a new identity and a greater story.

That idea changes everything for me.

Because being part of God’s Kingdom is not just a belief I hold, it is a role I step into. It is a shift from self-protection and self-promotion to service, love, and sacrifice. It is realizing that every interaction, every conversation, every opportunity to connect is a chance to help someone step into something better.

And maybe that is why we are wired for teams, for mission, for belonging. Because deep down we were created to be part of something bigger than ourselves. To contribute. To matter. To be necessary in the best sense of the word.

So if that is true, then even my work, even the act of reaching out, connecting, and sharing ideas, becomes something more. It becomes part of building something beyond myself. It becomes part of participating in the restoration of a world that so often defaults to selfishness and fear. The friction does not go away. But it is no longer something to avoid. It is something to lean into. Because on the other side of that friction is connection. And on the other side of connection is purpose.

12Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation, but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

15For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.

- Romans 8:12-17 

MARCH 17, 2026

    “God would not bring you through a Red Sea and turn around and allow you to perish in a fish pond.” 

― Johnnie Dent Jr.

DEUTERONOMY 29-30

19This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.(30:9-20)

MARK 16

6“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ ”

8Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.^a

JOURNAL 

God makes it very clear...we are to "choose life". He is that life...it is the same for the women upon coming to the tomb. Nothing is really explained...they are just told to go and Jesus will be waiting for them. The hurt and pain of the crucifixion is over, it's a new day and they are told to go. 

Surrender to God everything, seek him in all things, choose life and go as he commands. This is the essence of the Gospel, yet we make it far more complicated. I think it becomes more complicated because, for me, I don't fully trust God, all the time and in all things. Meaning I don't seek him constantly...

This is the rub, this is the dance with sin. This is why I need these reminders, every moment of every day. But I can see and feel how a life lived this way would be. It would be one where I fully trusted the future, was at peace with the past and was sold out to the present moment, living to give and be my best in obedience to God. Why do I not do this??? I think it's because I don't fully trust the future, I am not at peace with the past, therefore I am not sold out to the present. 

So while I do need God in the present...where I really need to trust him are in the things that are out of my control...the past and the future. Surrender those fully to God and obedience in the moment becomes much more attainable. 

 17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.a The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!

18All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

20Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God. 21God made Him who knew no sin to be sinb on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17-21

MARCH 16, 2026

  “I'd made it this far and refused to give up because all my life I had always finished the race.” 

― Louis Zamperini, Devil at My Heels

DEUTERONOMY 27-28

9The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in obedience to him(28:9)

MARK 15:33-46

33At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).^b

35When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”

36Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.

37With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

38The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died,^c he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

JOURNAL 

A life lived in its fullness from birth to death is a beautiful thing. Why was it that the centurion, seeing how Jesus died, said, “Surely this man was the Son of God”? I think it is because integrity, obedience, and passion in the midst of adversity reveal something divine. There is something unmistakable about a life that holds to its purpose even while suffering.

Jesus persisted, obeyed, and did not waver all the way to the end. Even in the moment when he cried out that God had forsaken him, he did not turn to bitterness or vengeance. He did not abandon the path. He accepted the mission he had been given and finished it.

Everyone has a cross to bear. Everyone will encounter adversity. The question is how we handle it and how we persist. When we submit ourselves to follow God all the way to the end, our lives become instruments in his hands. They become part of how his Kingdom is revealed on earth. Christ not only secured redemption for us. He also showed us what a life fully lived in obedience to God looks like.

This is also a lesson in the ordinary daily grind of life. The truth is that the small, moment by moment victories prepare us for the larger ones that will eventually come. Some of the moments that seem small now will turn out to be far more important than we realize. Every moment of our lives matters. Every moment presents a challenge and an opportunity to choose obedience.

The way we respond in those moments creates patterns that shape the rest of our lives. When I continually fail in one area of my life, it inevitably affects the others. Because of that, it is vital that I bring Christ and obedience to God into every corner of my life.

This is what it means to have faith and devotion. It means surrendering my life to God completely. Faith is not something reserved only for the dramatic or important moments. It is a daily, moment by moment commitment that lasts for the rest of my life.

28Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

JOHN 19:28-30