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