I Choose Today...

I Choose Today to Trust Over Understanding

Not long ago, I was at an event when a woman nearby had a medical emergency. She needed immediate attention, and the emergency responders had just arrived. As they were setting up their equipment, a young boy stepped in—curious and concerned—wanting to understand what was happening. He began asking questions of the people around her, even speaking to the woman herself, who was barely responsive. His questions weren’t mean-spirited; he was simply trying to make sense of what he saw. But without realizing it, he was standing in the way of those who could actually help. Finally, a family member gently led him aside so the professionals could do their job. That moment instantly brought Proverbs 3:5 to mind: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” Sometimes, we’re just like that boy. We step into a situation, asking endless questions of God and everyone around us, desperate to understand why something is happening or how He’s going to fix it. But in our effort to make sense of things, we end up crowding the space where God is working. Trusting God doesn’t mean we shut off our minds—it means we stop letting

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I Choose Today to Rest Under His Hand

Psalm 139 is one of the most breathtaking pictures of God’s intimate love, care, strength, protection, and empowerment toward us—His beloved. David, the psalmist, opens by acknowledging how completely God knows him. Every word, every action, even the not-so-proud moments… and still, God adores him. In verse 5, David says, “You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head” (Psalm 139:5 NLT). This isn’t a casual tap on the head. This blessing is God personally bestowing His favor, care, and approval. His hand is active—protecting, guiding, comforting, and reminding us that He’s got us surrounded. He goes ahead into our future, shields us from the lies of the past, and walks right beside us in the present. I picture a loving parent with their hand resting gently on their child’s head as they walk together. • Belonging – The gentle touch says, You’re mine. You’re loved. You’re safe with Me. • Comfort – That steady hand reminds the child they won’t lose their way. Every twist and turn is navigated with the Father’s protection. • Grace and Goodness – Even when the child wanders off and regrets their choices, that same hand guides

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I Choose Today to Worship with Thanksgiving – Towdah

Have you ever found yourself in a season where gratitude felt like a choice, not a reflex? Where your heart was heavy, and yet you knew God was still worthy of praise? That is the heart of Towdah—worship with thanksgiving, even before the answer comes. Towdah is a Hebrew word that expresses a specific kind of worship: praising God with uplifted hands, often in sacrifice or surrender, thanking Him in advance for what He will do—even when we haven’t seen it yet. It is the faith-filled choice to say, “Lord, I trust You, and I thank You anyway.” A Personal Reflection I’ve had moments where thanksgiving wasn’t easy. Maybe you’ve had them too—the kind of days where the weight of life feels like too much, and gratitude seems out of reach. But when I step into Towdah, something shifts. One morning, I sat with my coffee, still feeling the sting of disappointment. Nothing in my circumstances had changed, but I whispered, “God, I thank You because You are good. I thank You because You have never failed me. I thank You because I belong to You.” In that quiet moment, my heart lifted—not because the situation resolved, but because I

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I Choose Today to Worship—Even Here

(from Episode 18 of the I Choose Today podcast) I’ve had Isaiah 43:1–2 highlighted in my Bible for years. You’ve probably seen them before too—verses that speak to God’s presence in the hard places. “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” They’re the kind of verses you cling to when life gets hard. But recently, it wasn’t the verses I had highlighted that stopped me. It was verse 4. “Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.” I had to just sit with that. This isn’t surface-level love. This is sacrificial love. Personal love. The kind of love that says, “I see you. I choose you. I gave everything for you.” There have been seasons where I couldn’t grasp that kind of love. Seasons when shame clouded my vision,

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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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