“Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and His faithfulness continues to each generation.” – Psalm 100:4-5 (NLT) Happy Thanksgiving! May your day be filled with peace, love, and the joy of His presence.
God doesn’t want us to hold anything back from Him—not our imperfections, mistakes, weaknesses, uncertainties, fears, anxieties, or doubts. He cares deeply about all those things because He cares so deeply about you. In fact, He knows the exact number of hairs on your head! “And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” Luke 12:7 NLT I used to struggle with this idea of being fully accepted by God. After experiencing the heartbreaking loss of my son to SIDS, I wrestled with overwhelming feelings of inadequacy, doubt, and guilt. I wondered if God could truly love and accept someone like me, with all the pain and brokenness I carried. It felt impossible to give Him my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength when so much of me was wrapped in grief and uncertainty. But it was in that season of brokenness that I discovered just how deeply God accepts us—flaws, fears, and all. I remember sitting in prayer one day, feeling like I had nothing to offer but tears. And yet, in that moment, I felt His presence so clearly. He didn’t
“God can’t use me—I’ve done so many bad things! How could a holy God ever love and accept me?” Does that sound familiar? I know it does for me. I’ve had those same thoughts and conversations with others over the years. It’s easy to believe the lie that our past disqualifies us from God’s love and purpose. But the truth is, God sees us differently. There’s a man in the Bible whose story reminds me of this. His name was Zacchaeus. By common standards, Zacchaeus was a sinner—a man who had made choices that earned him wealth at the expense of others. Though he was rich, he was despised, isolated, and deeply empty. Then one day, Jesus came to town. And everything changed. While Zacchaeus climbed a tree to catch a glimpse of Him, Jesus stopped, looked up, and called him by name. Instead of seeing Zacchaeus for what he had done, Jesus saw him for who he was. With compassion and love, Jesus invited Himself into Zacchaeus’s life. That encounter turned everything around. Zacchaeus went from being a man weighed down by sin to someone transformed by grace. This story reminds us of an incredible truth: Jesus didn’t come
Life brings storms—unexpected and often overwhelming challenges that touch every single one of us. No one is exempt from hardship. I’ve faced my share of storms, some while leaning fully into the peace of God, and others while striving in my own strength to find inner calm. The difference between those experiences is profound. The peace of God—a peace that surpasses all human understanding—is the only way I’ve truly been able to navigate life’s storms with strength and clarity. The Bible mentions peace more than 400 times, emphasizing how vital it is in our relationship with God. It isn’t just the absence of trouble but a deep, abiding calm rooted in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Here are a few promises from scripture that remind us of the peace God offers: • Philippians 4:7 (ESV): “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” • John 14:27 (ESV): “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” • Isaiah 26:3 (ESV): “You keep him in perfect
One day, I was at an event where a woman had a medical emergency. She needed immediate attention from the emergency responders who had just arrived. As they were setting up their equipment, a young boy stepped in, trying to understand what was happening. He began asking questions of the people around the woman who were trying to aid her while waiting for the emergency response. This boy even asked questions of the woman herself, who was semi-unresponsive. Finally, a member of his family came to guide him away so the professionals could handle the situation, as they knew what to do. While the boy only wanted to understand, he was actually in the way of those who could help the woman in distress. Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” In other words, we need to stop trying to understand, step out of the way, and trust God in our lives. True trust in God means choosing to rely not on our limited human understanding but on the deeper, Spirit-given insight He provides. The Holy Spirit offers us understanding that aligns with God’s wisdom, guiding us in ways
