At our church we have a well known phrase that we say frequently, “God is good, all the time…And all the time God is good.” The problem is, often times we get so caught up in the busyness and chaos of life that we forget just how good our God truly is. His goodness is always present, and it’s something that we can rely on in every season of life.

Psalm 34:8 says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” This verse reminds us that God’s goodness is not just something we talk about or read about, it’s something we can experience for ourselves. When we turn to Him, we find that He is good, and that His goodness is a source of blessing and hope in our lives.

Another verse that speaks to God’s goodness is Romans 8:28. It says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” This verse reminds us that even in the midst of difficult situations, God is working for our good. His goodness is not just limited to the good times, but it extends to every aspect of our lives. The good, the bad, and even the ugly.

James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” This verse reminds us that everything good in our lives comes from God. He is the source of all goodness, and His gifts to us are good and perfect.

Today, let’s take a moment to reflect on the goodness of God. Let’s remember that He is always with us, working for our good and blessing us with His perfect gifts. Let’s take refuge in Him and experience His goodness for ourselves. And let’s give thanks to Him for His unwavering goodness and love.

This Sunday we celebrate Easter: the day that Jesus rose from the grave and opened the door for us to experience His redemptive power in our lives. We love to celebrate His amazing resurrection, but we can’t forget that in order for Him to rise from the dead, He first had to die.

Today is Good Friday and on this day I think it’s important that we remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for all of us. He willingly gave His life on the cross to pay for our sins. The weight of our transgressions was more than any of us could bear. And He bore them all, taking upon Himself the punishment that we all deserved.

As we reflect on what He went through for us, we can’t help but be overwhelmed by the depth of God’s love for us. He chose to allow His Son to be sacrificed for each of us, so that we could have eternal life through faith in Him.

It’s humbling when we realize that we were the reason for His suffering, and yet, He didn’t come to condemn us, but to save us from our sins. In the midst of our brokenness and rebellion, He chose to show us His amazing grace. 

On this Good Friday, we’re reminded of the power of the cross, and the hope that it brings. Through Jesus’ sacrifice, we have been reconciled with God, and we have the assurance of eternal life. We can now approach the throne of grace with confidence, knowing that we have been made righteous through His blood.

As we prepare to celebrate His resurrection this Easter, may we take some time today, on this Good Friday, to reflect on the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross and the price He paid for our redemption. And may we recognize that we must deny ourselves—essentially DIE to ourselves and surrender our own way—in order to receive the LIFE He offers. In a very real way, may we participate with Jesus in both His death and His resurrection. There is not one without the other.

Thank you, Lord, for your unfailing love and mercy. Help us to surrender our lives to You and live in a way that honors and glorifies You!

This Sunday is Palm Sunday: a day that commemorates when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and the crowds shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” -Mark 11:9-10

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of what is known as Holy Week. A time when many Christians reflect on the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for our sins. But on Palm Sunday, we remember the excitement and joy that the people of Jerusalem felt when they saw Jesus—The Messiah riding into the city.

The people believed that Jesus was the long-awaited King who would save them from their oppressors and restore the kingdom of Israel. They waved palm branches and shouted praises to Jesus, welcoming Him as a conquering hero.

But we know that Jesus’ mission was not to conquer through power and might, but through love and sacrifice. He came to save us from our sins and offer us eternal life with our Heavenly Father. Jesus is our King, not in a political sense, but in a spiritual sense. He reigns in our hearts and minds, guiding us and leading us on the path of righteousness.

The unfortunate reality is that the excitement and joy the people of Jerusalem felt that day was only temporary. When Jesus did not meet their expectations as a political or military leader, many of them turned against Him and called for His crucifixion.

My prayer it that we are people who always remain faithful to Jesus, even when He doesn’t meet our expectations. His ways are not our ways and His ways aren’t always going to look the way we want them to. But we don’t praise Him for doing what we want Him to do, we praise Him because He is the King of Kings—Who is worthy of our praise. May our cry today and every day be, “Hosanna in the Highest!”

When life is challenging and we’re struggling to get by, where is God? When we’re tired and all alone, where is God? These are questions we often ask when life has us down. And the reality is: He’s where He’s always been…right beside us! 

God is with us all the time, even if we don’t realize it. All throughout the Bible, we’re told that God is always there. In Psalm 139:7 David says, “Where can I flee from your presence?” And in Matthew 28:20, Jesus says, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” The truth is, we are never alone. It’s a promise that we can cling to.

Over the past couple years, I’ve talked a lot about casting our cares on the Lord. When we feel overwhelmed and alone, it’s important to give these things to God. He’s right there beside us just waiting for us to reach out to Him. 

I’m discovering more and more that the answer to challenges and loneliness in my life is simply prayer. It’s stopping and taking time to connect with God. He loves us and He never desired for us to live life on our own. He is there every step of the way to encourage us and to help us.

Are we feeling overwhelmed? Are we feeling lonely? Prayer is the answer. God is with us. He wants to help us. The key is to turn to Him—the key is to give everyone and everything to the Lord. 

Today, my prayer is that we will realize the closeness of our Creator: God who created us for relationship with Him; God who is there for us and who wants to guide us and lead us through the challenges of life. May we cry out to Him today and allow Him to be our hope and peace.

The following is an excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech:

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

I’m guessing most of us are familiar with this speech. Earlier in that speech, he shares his dream that someday ALL men and women would be considered equal. This dream gave him hope for a better future and it compelled him to speak out and seek to make it happen.

Do we have a dream? Do we have a hope that compels us to take action? In 1 Corinthians 9:25-26 (TLB), Paul writes: “…An athlete goes to all this trouble just to win a blue ribbon or a silver cup, but we do it for a heavenly reward that never disappears. So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step…”

Paul tells us here that we have an amazing hope, which fuels our dream. Our hope is not for just a ribbon or trophy, but eternal life with Jesus, for us and for everyone who comes to Him and asks. We should be striving for the kind of dreams that have eternal significance. The trophies and praises of this world will pass away, but the things of the Lord are forever. 

We need to dream dreams that will impact eternity. When we choose to seek out God’s dream for our lives, we realize our purpose. And God’s dreams lead us towards His goals: life-changing goals that bring glory and honor to the Lord and extend His kingdom both here and now, and also for eternity.

God has a dream and purpose for our lives. I encourage all of us to take some time this week to ask Him, “What are some dreams You have for our life? What are some ways we can partner with what You are already doing to extend Your love and grace to people around us and to share the hope that is only found in You, Jesus?” And then quiet our heart and listen for His voice. He promises that if we ask, He will answer.

Are we willing to grab hold of the dreams He has for us and run with purpose?!

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”  -Isaiah 26:3 NLT

“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.” –Psalm 91:1-2 NLT

Our home is in a season of upheaval and change. Like a snowball on a hill, this season started rolling last year and it’s gaining mass and momentum with each day that passes.

Over the course of the next 3 to 6 months: all three young adults in our home will change schools; one will graduate high school; one will get married; and all three will likely be moving out of the house (two for sure). There have been college applications, scholarship applications, decisions about where to live and where to go to school and what jobs to pursue…and all of these are alongside already full schedules with school, work, and extra curricular schedules. There are still many decisions and changes to come and some of these require waiting patiently…until it’s time to make a decision.

It’s easy to get caught up in the snowball. Last Saturday, one of our young adults learned they were accepted into a school they REALLY love in the morning and another was in a scary accident that same evening. It was a day with many emotions and a day when I felt caught up in all of it.

There’s a song that I listen to over and over these days—it’s titled “Rest” and it’s on TobyMac’s album LIFE AFTER DEATH. The chorus goes like this:

Rest, take a breath
Push aside the noise and feel the air inside your chest
Blessed, my child, you’re blessed
Fall into the arms of God and rest your weary head
Just rest…Rest

We have work to do…but we don’t need to do it all at once and we don’t need to be dragged into the snowball of chaos that sometimes surrounds it. Instead, we need to rest in Jesus: taking our every care to Him. And then we just take the next step. 

I don’t know who I’d be if I didn’t know You
I’d probably fall off the edge
I don’t know where I’d go
if You ever let go
So keep me held in Your hands.
You’re my safe place
My hideaway
You’re my anchor
My saving grace
You’re my constant
My steadiness
You’re my shelter
My oxygen
I don’t know who I’d be 
if I didn’t know You
Thank God, I do
~from Lauren Daigle’s song “Thank God, I Do”

Mental health is a topic that most people don’t like to talk about. But our mental health is extremely important. The way we think and process things can affect our lives tremendously.

Every single action begins with a thought. If we don’t think it, then the reality is we won’t do it. This is why the battle of the mind is so important. It’s why God wants to renew our minds. Romans 12:2 tells us that the renewing of our mind is transformative. It transforms us and changes us.

The battle of the mind is a continuous challenge that we face every day. It’s important that we understand this and seek to give our thoughts to the Lord. 2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us: “…take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

As thoughts come into our head, we have to process them. Is this thought something that I should act on or not? Is it something that would please the Lord or is it something that goes against His character?

Romans 8: 6 says: “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” An unmanaged mind leads to pain and conflict. While a managed mind leads to peace.

Pastor Rick Warren talks a lot about mental health and he gives this advice about cultivating a healthy mind:

1. Feed Your Mind with Truth – The Bible is our soul food. We don’t just read it to check off a box for the day. We read it to discover God’s truth and to apply it to our lives.

2. Free Your Mind of Destructive Thoughts – We can become prisoners of our own thoughts. We’ve been told all kinds of untrue things about ourselves. We have to give those things to the Lord and allow His truth to wash over us.

3. Focus on the Right Things – Philippians 4:8 tells us: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Often times we focus on the bad things in this world, but God is calling us to focus on Him.

This is some great advice. I’ve heard it said that we become what we think about most. And every day is a battle of the mind. As we learn to manage our minds, it opens the door for better mental health as we become transformed by the renewing of our minds.

We’ve all heard it said that God has a plan for our lives. And I’m learning more and more that He won’t just use our gifts to fulfill those plans, He’ll use our weaknesses and challenges as well.

As I was thinking about this, there were a couple people in the Bible that came to mind—Joseph and Esther. Joseph was bound and sold by his brothers into slavery. Then when he started to make a name for himself as a servant in a new land, he was wrongly accused and sent to prison. Through all these hardships and challenges, God used him to save the people of Israel and his family: the very brothers that sold him off in the first place.

Esther was an orphan that was adopted by a man named Mordecai. She was a a Jew living in a Persian country and she was an unmarried woman with no children. As a single woman in a male-dominated society in these days, she had zero rights. But God used all of these things to help her fulfill her destiny. The King found Esther more beautiful to him than any of the other women and he made her his queen. And in her role as queen, she was able to save the Jews from death.

When you look at both of their lives in the beginning, they look like they have little hope or future. But God used them in amazing ways to make a huge difference in the lives of those around them. 

Many of us may look at our own lives and wonder how God could ever use us. But we have to realize that God uses the unpleasant challenges and struggles in our lives to create God-ordained opportunities that can make a difference in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

The key in both Joseph’s and Esther’s lives is that they continued to trust in the Lord. Yes, they struggled and I’m sure they had moments where they wondered if God had forgotten about them. But through it all, they continued to seek God and trust in Him.

When we look at our own lives, do we trust in the Lord? Do we believe that He can work through the disfunction and challenges in our own lives? We serve a God of miracles and I believe He has a plan for each of our lives. And I trust that He will use the good and bad in our lives to accomplish it!

A few weeks ago in church, I was challenged to step out of my comfort zone. I was praying and seeking the Lord during worship like I always do. And then, suddenly, I felt this weird pain in my left ankle. It wasn’t anything I had ever felt before.

I tried to ignore it and continue to worship, but it was something I couldn’t seem to get out of my head. So, I began to pray and ask the Lord about it. It was during that time that I sensed the Lord say to me, “Maybe there’s someone here experiencing an issue in their left ankle that I want to heal.” 

I hate to admit it, but my first thought was NO, I’m not going down that road. It terrified me to think about getting up in front of the congregation and sharing what I was sensing. I mean, people might think I’m crazy. And what if no one has an ankle issue? I might look like a fool. Besides, was that really God!?

I spent the next worship song wrestling with what was stirring inside of me. And I decided to throw out “a fleece” like Gideon did (Judges 6:36-40). I said, “Ok Lord, if this is You and You want me to get up and share this with the congregation, then send another pain through my left ankle.” Immediately a pain shot through my ankle. And tears began to stream down my cheeks, because I knew I needed to be obedient and stand up in front of the church in faith.

So when worship ended, I stood before the congregation and shared about my experience. I said that I believed that someone there was dealing with issues in their left ankle and that God wanted to heal them. And then I prayed that God would heal their ankle.

During our meet and greet time after worship, one of the ladies came up and told me that her husband shattered his left ankle years ago and that he had experienced pain in it ever since. She told me that she had turned to her husband and said, “Do you believe God can heal your ankle?” And he responded, saying, “I know He can….”—but with a tone of uncertainty that we all experience in these moments as to whether God actually would. I simply told her to keep me posted.

The next morning I got a text from her husband that said, “Good morning, I just wanted to let you know I had a good night’s sleep for the first time in a long time. Praise the Lord my left ankle was not hurting!” 

On this side of it, it baffles my mind to think that I could have missed out on this miracle because I was afraid of what people might think. I’m learning more and more the importance of listening and obeying: taking time to allow the Lord to speak to us and then being willing to obey whatever it is He is saying. 

My prayer is that we would all learn from this experience—and that we would be people who seek to listen for God’s voice more and more…and then faithfully walk in obedience. Because it’s not enough to just listen—We have to learn to listen and obey!

In Romans 8, there’s an interesting scripture that asks a compelling question: “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” – Romans 8:31

Think about that for a moment: If the God of the universe—who knows all things and created all things—is for us, then WHO can be against us? When we truly grasp this truth, it changes our whole life. Knowing that God is for us changes EVERYTHING!

So many of us see God as this distant being that is looking down from heaven just trying to catch us doing something wrong. So we walk on pins and needles just trying not to mess up, not to make a mistake. I know that this is not the way God desires us to live our lives.

God’s desire is that we would live abundant, fruitful lives. We were created for a purpose and God’s desire is to see us fulfill that purpose. If we think of God as this rule miser marking down every sin and every failure we ever make, then we will end up spending our whole lives in fear. 

In John 12:47, Jesus tells us: “I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” Jesus is for us! The world may look at us funny, people may criticize us and talk about us behind our backs, but God is for us. And if God is for us, who can be against us? 

My prayer is that we realize the amazing blessing behind this truth. God wants to see us succeed. He’s rooting for us. So let’s go live life to the fullest!