I Choose Today...

I Choose Today to Be an Influencer and Imitator

I’ve been reading John Maxwell’s book Developing the Leader Within You, and he talks about how influence leaves a mark on our everyday lives. He shares this quote: “No one can understand that mysterious thing we call influence… yet… every one of us continually exerts influence, either to heal, to bless, to leave marks of beauty; or to wound, to hurt, to poison, to stain other lives.” Influence is powerful. It often works quietly, shaping our actions, decisions, and the way we interact with others—sometimes without us even realizing it. A recent trip to the grocery store reminded me just how real this is. My husband and I went to a specialty grocery store to buy a specific bread for an event. We ended up with ten packages of it in our cart. As we were checking out, the man in front of us stepped away from the register and came back with six packages of the very same bread. He laughed and said, “I saw how many you were buying, and I figured it must be really good!” He didn’t know us. We didn’t say a word to him about the bread. Yet in that moment, our simple action

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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 Be a Mirror

My hope and prayer is that my actions reflect God’s goodness to those who see me. I desire to represent God to those in my sphere of influence—even to those I interact with at the store, at the coffee shop, or those I pass along the street. I want them to see my face reflecting God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit—through my countenance, in my smile, and through my eyes. How do I do this? How can I know and reflect Jesus? John 1:1 tells us how: “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Jesus is the Word. Knowing Jesus is knowing the Word of God! How awesome is that? Like any relationship, it grows with time and intentionality. When I first met my husband, we spent all our free time together, getting to know each other—our likes, dislikes, tendencies, mannerisms, and personalities. As the years have passed, we’ve continued to make intentional time for one another, investing in what matters to each other, and growing together. Lasting relationships, like marriage, take time, intentionality, commitment, and love. And as the Church, we are the bride of Christ. That means we

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I Choose Today to Believe Healing Runs Deeper

I was reading Acts 3 this morning—the story where Peter and John encounter the man crippled from birth, sitting at the temple gate called Beautiful. He was asking for money. That’s all he knew to ask for. He had likely given up hope for anything beyond daily provision, let alone complete healing. He was surviving, not thriving. His condition defined him. And then… everything changed. Peter looked straight at him and said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” And he did. But here’s the part that really struck me: the physical healing wasn’t the end of the story—it was just the beginning. It wasn’t about muscles suddenly working or legs straightening—it was about an invitation into a whole new life. A soul restored. A testimony birthed. So often we stop at the surface. We look for God to fix what’s broken in our lives—to meet the need in front of us—and we miss that He’s offering something much deeper: eternal healing, restoration, and relationship. This man had only ever known life from a crippled position. Just like sin cripples us from birth,

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Episode 10: I Choose Today to Share What I Have

The Boy. The Basket. The Miracle. There’s a boy in the crowd—one most people overlook. He’s young, likely poor, holding five small barley loaves and two fish. Maybe it was a lunch packed by his mama. Just enough to sustain him. Certainly not enough to feed thousands. But then Jesus speaks. A need is revealed. And the boy has a choice. He could hide. Eat his lunch in silence. Keep it to himself. Or… he could step forward and offer what he has—small as it may be. He chooses to give. And Jesus takes it. He doesn’t mock it. He doesn’t belittle its size. He gives thanks for it. Then He multiplies it. And that simple, surrendered offering becomes the catalyst for one of the most remembered miracles in Scripture.   I’ve thought a lot about that boy. About the courage it took to step forward. About the humility to hand over what little he had. And honestly? I see myself in him. When God called me to start this podcast, I didn’t feel like I had much to offer. Just a story. A heart to encourage. A willingness to obey. I could’ve stayed quiet. Blended in. Kept my “loaves

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