It started with a thorn.

I was out in the yard, working, lost in the rhythm of getting things done, when I reached a little too close to the rose bush. A sharp sting shot through my hand as one of its thorns dug in deep. Instinctively, I yanked my hand back and muttered under my breath, Stupid thorn bush.

And that’s when it hit me.

It wasn’t a thorn bush. It was a rose bush. It just wasn’t blooming.

Simon Sinek is a leadership expert, speaker, and author known for his concept of "Start with Why." His idea is simple but profound: the most impactful movements, the strongest leaders, and the most enduring organizations don’t begin with what they do or how they do it — they start with why they exist in the first place. According to Sinek, when people understand their why, their actions become more intentional, their decisions more aligned, and their impact more significant.

What happens when the image you’ve worked so hard to build starts to crumble? When you fall short, fail, or feel crushed under the weight of your expectations — and everyone else’s too? What do you do when everything you’ve clung to feels like it’s slipping right through your fingers?

Life often throws us curveballs, leaving us feeling weighed down and exhausted. We find ourselves in overwhelming situations, carrying burdens that seem impossible to bear. During these times, the stories of individuals from the Bible rushing toward Jesus resonate deeply. They didn’t saunter over like it was just another day; they ran, swam, climbed trees, and pushed through crowds with a fiery urgency. Why? Because they understood something profound—Jesus wasn’t merely an option; He was the solution. And here's the amazing part: God doesn’t just sit back and wait for us to piece it all together. He approaches us with that same relentless urgency, meeting us exactly where we are.

Life tends to break us in ways we don't see coming, leaving bits of ourselves all over the place during tough times, failures, and sadness. It's in those rough patches, when we feel utterly lost, that we finally run into God's amazing ability to change things. Being broken feels like it's game over, you know? But in God's hands, it kicks off a whole new journey toward healing, redemption, and something way more beautiful than we can even dream of.

Well, here we are: election day. If you're at all like most people, you're feeling a mix of emotions today: hope, nerves, and maybe some stress-eating thrown in there. And while it can sometimes feel as though everything relies on today's results, we actually have something concrete to fall back on. It's not a candidate, that's for sure.

When we think about worship, it’s easy to picture familiar scenes— singing together on Sundays, bowing in prayer, or sitting quietly in reflection. But worship reaches beyond a weekly routine. It’s more than a warm-up act for the message; it’s a bold act of defiance against darkness, a powerful way to align ourselves with God’s truth and claim His promises.

I'll be real — staying consistent in my walk with Christ is no easy feat. Even though I’ve written before about how hustle culture can mess with our faith, I still find myself falling into the same trap. I keep saying, "I'm just busy," but deep down, I know it’s just an excuse. The truth is, I’m making excuses for slacking off in my spiritual life. phone). The reality is, I could make time — I just don’t.

There’s so much swirling around in my mind right now that it’s tough to focus on any one thing. Between juggling the needs of my kids, managing work, nurturing my marriage, and trying to carve out a little time for myself to recharge, it feels like I’m being pulled in a million directions. But here I am, writing, hoping that through this process, God will speak to me — and maybe, in some small way, speak to you too.

If you ask me how I am doing, my usual response is that I am busy. It's my default answer, even when it's not true. Sometimes it's an easy excuse, other times it's a lie. Our culture celebrates busyness as an achievement, implying that if you’re not busy, you’re simply drifting through life and wasting space. Your worth seems to be measured by your activities and accomplishments.

From a young age, the profound promises of healing in the Bible have always captivated me. The imagery of Jesus' stripes has stirred a deep sense of mystery and hope within me. I often find myself contemplating the concept of healing, realizing that my understanding is still quite limited. With this post, I aim to deepen my faith and uncover the full extent of the healing power that comes from Jesus' ultimate sacrifice. I invite you to join me on this journey as I research and share my findings, hoping we can learn and grow together in our understanding of God's healing.

Inspired by the powerful words of 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, we recognize that our struggles are not just physical but deeply spiritual. Here, we confront feelings of unworthiness, past failures, and the relentless attacks on our faith. We delve into the full armor of God as outlined in Ephesians 6, learning to wield the Sword of the Spirit to combat lies and find strength in prayer and scripture. Join us as we stand firm in faith, support each other, and seek divine victory.

In the battle for your soul, the Accuser and the Redeemer present two contrasting voices. The Accuser seeks to crush your hope, highlighting every sin and failure, insisting you are beyond salvation. Yet, amidst this condemnation, the Redeemer speaks with unwavering love and grace, countering every accusation with forgiveness and affirming your worth. This dialogue between darkness and light is the script of your life. Who will you listen to?

Embracing a crucified life demands that we make "no provision" for our flesh. We were born with a sinful nature and if left to our vices, we will remain in darkness. In contrast, we are called to walk in the light, and His “light is found in all that is good and right and true”. It’s time to wake up!

As I write these words, my heart swells with overwhelming gratitude and awe for who you are and what you mean to me. How do I even begin to express the depth of my love for you, the One who captured my heart in a way I will never comprehend?

Through all of my experiences, only a few times have cemented themself into my memory - memories that the movie Inside Out would call core memories. These memories are so influential that they become part of who I am and help define who I will become — I will never forget these experiences.

Have you ever felt like you weren’t good enough, that your mistakes define who you are and who you will become? This idea is something I have struggled with for a lot of my life. No matter how many times I have been told that my past doesn’t define me, it is still hard to shake.

Do you know what you're worth? Do you know how special you are? If not, my prayer is that by the end of this post, you will. Even if you don't realize it, there is no one else like you on this planet.

Have you seen those smart lights that display crazy designs on a concert stage? That is accomplished by what they call a "GOBO" or a Go-Between. It is a "lens" that goes between the light source and the object that is being illuminated.

I'm not much of a storyteller and never have been. It's just not a part of who I am. One thing I do know - a good story engages the listener with hope, passion, at times suspense, and any other range of emotions.