I Choose Today...

I Choose Today to Be Transformed

Have you ever caught yourself saying, “God’s transformed me,” but then wondered what that really means? We use the word transformation a lot, but how do we actually define it? What does it look like in real life? I know I’ve shared many stories of how Jesus has changed my life, healed deep pain, and rewritten my story. But recently I realized something—I’ve never slowed down to really unpack what transformation is or what it looks like in the everyday. And maybe someone reading this needs to hear it today. Because here’s the thing: people often nod their heads at “transformation,” but secretly wonder, “What does that mean for me? And how do I begin?” There’s a phrase I come back to often: “If we don’t let God transform our pain, we will end up transferring it to others.” Untransformed pain doesn’t disappear. It shows up in our marriages, our parenting, our friendships, even in our churches. It makes us quick to react, slow to trust, or guarded with others. But the transformation Jesus offers doesn’t just soothe the pain—it redeems it. He takes bitterness and grows compassion, He takes despair and gives endurance, He takes grief and forms comfort

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I Choose Today to Hear God’s Voice

Noise…it is everywhere. As I sit on the back porch, I hear cars on the highway, garage doors lifting, airplanes overhead, birds singing. That’s just the external noise. Inside my mind, there’s another layer—worries, to-do lists, what-ifs, rehearsed conversations, and finances. And on top of all that, there’s the noise of technology—social media feeds, endless opinions, controversies, comparisons, hateful speech, division. That’s a lot of sound for just a few minutes on the back porch. So how, in the middle of all this noise, do we possibly hear the voice of God? How do we notice the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit—comforting, guiding, encouraging, reminding us of His love? The answer is simple, but not always easy: we learn to listen. Learning to Listen In any relationship, communication is two-sided. We don’t just talk—we listen. Our relationship with God is no different. He is speaking, but the question is: are we listening? Here are some of the ways Scripture reminds us God speaks to us: • Through His Word (the Bible) “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). His Word guides our steps: “Your word is a lamp

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I Choose Today to Dwell in Stillness

As I was reading about the life of the apostle John, something struck me about his exile to the island of Patmos. John was sent there by Emperor Domitian around 95 AD—exiled, silenced, and cut off from the church community he loved. He likely spent one to two years there. But what stands out is not the length of time, but what God did in the stillness. It was in that place of isolation that John received the visions recorded in the Book of Revelation. What the enemy meant to silence him, God used to reveal one of the most powerful messages in Scripture. Alone, away from the noise, John was positioned to hear God’s voice with clarity. That quiet, stripped-down space became the setting for God’s greatest revelation through him. The other detail that amazes me is John’s age. He was about 95 years old at the time. Think about that—God was still using him powerfully in his nineties! John’s story reminds me that as long as we have breath, God still has purpose for us. Our usefulness doesn’t expire with age, circumstances, or isolation. This encourages me to pay attention to the quiet. Because if God could use

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I Choose Today to Be Unburdened

Not too long ago, I hosted an event at my home. As I greeted my guests at the door, I asked to take their bags, coats, and anything else that might weigh them down. That small gesture helped them relax and feel unburdened. When we’re unburdened, we can breathe deeper, be more present, and actually enjoy the people we’re with. That’s exactly what Jesus wants for us too. When we come into His presence, He invites us to hand Him our baggage—the worries, the shame, the endless to-do list, the heaviness of disappointment or grief. He wants to unburden us, teach us, and give us rest for our souls. Listen to His words in Matthew 11:29: “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Even as you read that verse, do you feel something stir inside of you? For me, I can almost feel my shoulders drop. It’s like a deep exhale, a release of what I didn’t even realize I was holding. When I’m awake in the middle of the night, replaying the same problem over and over, I’ll pray and ask

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I Choose Today to Shout My Worship

There’s a kind of worship that doesn’t whisper. It doesn’t politely nod in agreement or sit silently in the pew. It doesn’t wait for the perfect conditions or for everything in life to make sense. This kind of worship rises from the depths of our soul and shouts. In Hebrew, the word Shabach means “to shout, to commend, to triumph in praise.” It’s loud. It’s bold. And it’s rooted in faith—especially the kind that declares God’s goodness before the breakthrough. When I first encountered this concept, I had to ask myself: When was the last time I shouted my worship—not from hype, but from holy hope? Shabach praise isn’t about volume for the sake of noise. It’s about proclaiming truth in defiance of despair. It’s the kind of praise that echoes from prison cells like Paul and Silas. It’s the voice that refuses to stay silent even when the night feels long. God doesn’t need our volume. But sometimes, we do. Sometimes our hearts need to hear the sound of our own voice declaring that He is faithful, He is near, and He is not done. And sometimes, the people around us need to hear it too—because our shout becomes

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