I Choose Today...

I Choose Today to Shine My Light

The other night, I got up in the middle of the night and noticed how dark the house felt. Everything was still, shadowed, and quiet. Yet I didn’t have to turn on a single light. Why? Because the soft glow of the moon through my bathroom window was enough to guide me. Just a sliver of light—barely there—was all I needed to navigate the darkness without stumbling. I couldn’t help but think about how God did the very same thing in creation. Genesis tells us that in the beginning, there was a dark, lifeless void—until God said, “Let there be light.” That moment changed everything. And even after He separated day from night, He didn’t leave the darkness completely dark. He gave us the moon and the stars—small, flickering lights that pierce the night sky. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12 NLT). Sometimes, this world feels like that dark room. News headlines, heartbreak, and the heaviness of life can make it feel like the shadows are winning. But if we belong to Him, His

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I Choose Today to See Through the Lens of the Cross

Sometimes it’s hard to see beyond what’s broken. We look around at the world—or at our own lives—and all we see is what’s been lost, what’s gone wrong, or what hasn’t changed. But the Cross invites us to see differently. Not just to believe that Jesus died for us, but to begin seeing everything—people, pain, purpose—through what He already finished. This isn’t just about how God sees us. It’s about how we’re called to see the world: through the lens of redemption, not ruin. Through resurrection, not regret. Through the lens of the Cross. We often speak of Jesus’ death and resurrection as a personal victory—and it is. But it’s also more. When Jesus gave His life and took it back up again, He redefined reality. He ushered in a new way of seeing everything: a way where mercy triumphs over judgment, where sin doesn’t get the last word, and where hope rises from the most unexpected places. When we speak and live from that truth—from what Jesus has already accomplished—our words begin to carry the fragrance of resurrection. We stop echoing people’s pain and start calling out their purpose. We stop fixating on the past and start pointing to

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I Choose Today to Set Priorities

My husband and I have some longtime friends who opened up about a struggle they were having in their marriage. The root of their tension was simple but significant—they weren’t prioritizing time together. Each had their own agenda of what needed to be done, but more often than not, those plans didn’t include the other person. Eventually, feelings of neglect surfaced, and with them came tension, misunderstanding, and blame. We shared with them what has helped us stay connected through the busyness of life: intentional touchpoints. Every morning, we “meet” in my husband’s office for coffee, conversation, a short devotional, and prayer. We call it our touchpoint. It typically lasts between 15–30 minutes, depending on the day. Then on Fridays after work, we unwind on the back porch—just the two of us. No agenda. Just connection. These two intentional moments have done wonders for our relationship. We’ve learned more about each other, had lively conversations, laughed together, cried together, asked for forgiveness, and extended it freely. But there’s another relationship that deserves this same kind of intentionality—our relationship with our Heavenly Father. When I set aside time to be with God, everything shifts. Our relationship deepens, strengthens, and flourishes. I

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I Choose Today to See the Story of Relationship

Podcast Episode 16 Recently, during my quiet time, the Holy Spirit gave me an ah-ha moment that I couldn’t shake. It was simple but profound: the entire Bible—from beginning to end—is a story of relationship. Not just truth. Not just rules. But a love story. A pursuit. A God who wants to walk with us. If you’ve studied storytelling, you know every good story has an arc. There’s intention, conflict, a turning point, and a resolution. And the Bible follows that arc perfectly: God created us for relationship. Sin broke it. God pursued us through covenant. He sent Jesus to restore what was lost. And one day, we’ll walk with Him again—face to face. God says it so clearly in Exodus 6:7: “I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God.” This has always been His heart. But somewhere along the way, that message gets buried. Instead of intimacy, many hear: “Follow the rules.” “Serve more.” “Believe harder.” “Do better.” And all of that can drown out God’s invitation to simply be with Him. This truth stirred something deep in me. I feel like I’m carrying a message that could shift how we see God,

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I Choose Today to Speak Life

I’ve heard an analogy many times over the years—one I’ve repeated myself because it sticks with me so deeply: A hummingbird and a vulture fly over the same desert. One searches for life, the other for death. Both find exactly what they’re looking for. Isn’t that just like our words? The way we speak—to ourselves and to others—has the power to bring life or to tear it down. What we search for in people and situations often reflects the posture of our own hearts. And what we speak into the lives around us can shape realities we may never fully see. Some of the words spoken over me growing up were meant to kill. Not physically, but emotionally, spiritually. Words that tried to crush my self-worth, belittle my dreams, and silence my voice. But God. The more I’ve sat with Him in prayer, soaked in His Word, and allowed His truth to speak louder than the lies, the more those old words have lost their grip. God placed encouragers in my life—people who speak life, not just to me, but over me. They remind me who I am in Christ and, more importantly, who He is in me. And you

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