THIS IS THE LIFE PODCAST

FRONT PORCH FRIDAY: WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE? Philippians 1:3 “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.” Paul said, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.” Some people leave us with memories that remain a part of us. Their words continue to guide us. Their prayers seem to still bear fruit and their example remains with us, even if they are no longer here. These thoughts are closely connected to what prompted me to write a song that is very dear to me. It is one that began to develop a couple of years ago. It is called, “Somewhere Out There.” The lyrics came to me as I pondered the thoughts that somewhere out there is the last breath I will ever take, the last hand I will ever shake, and the last promise I will ever make, beyond where I can see is the last “I love you” I will ever say and the last tear I’ll wipe away. We do not know when that final moment will come.

THE PEOPLE GOD PLACES ALONG THE WAY Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” As we journey through this life, God places different people along our way. Some walk beside us for many years. They become part of our story, share our memories, and remain with us through the changing seasons. Others enter our lives for only a short time, yet somehow leave an impression that remains long after they are gone. Not every relationship we encounter is meant to last forever, but that does not mean it was without purpose. There are people God sends to encourage us when we are close to giving up. They may speak a few simple words at exactly the right moment, never realizing how much we needed to hear them. Others challenge us to grow. They see something within us that we have not yet recognized in ourselves, and they encourage us to take another step forward.

LEARNING FROM YESTERDAY Yesterday may not have gone according to plan. Perhaps you became discouraged, lost your patience, made a poor decision, or simply failed to accomplish what you intended. But one difficult day does not have to determine the direction of the next one. God’s mercy meets us each morning with another opportunity, not necessarily to start our entire lives over, but to begin again from where we are. Lamentations 3:22–23 “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Just get up this morning and take the next faithful step .

WHEN THE ENEMY INTERRUPTS YOUR PLANS 1 Corinthians 14:33 33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. Yesterday, we considered how God sometimes interrupts our plans to redirect our steps. But we must also understand that not every interruption comes from God. Sometimes the enemy tries to interrupt what God has placed before us to do. The enemy may not be able to stop God’s purpose, but he will certainly try to distract us from it. He introduces confusion where God has given direction. He creates fear where God desires for us to have Faith. He reminds us of past failures when God is leading us toward a new beginning. If he cannot persuade us to abandon our purpose completely, he will try to keep us so distracted that we never fully pursue it.

WHEN GOD INTERRUPTS YOUR PLANS Most of us begin our days with some kind of plan. We know where we need to go, what we hope to accomplish, and how we believe everything should unfold. There is nothing wrong with making plans. In fact, planning can be a sign of wisdom and responsibility. But we must always leave room for God to interrupt them. Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.” An interruption can sometimes feel frustrating because it changes your schedule and takes away your sense of control. Maybe it’s a conversation that changes the direction of your day. Something you were counting on doesn’t happen or someone needs your help when you had planned to be doing something else.

FRONT PORCH FRIDAY — THE PRESSURE TO BE EVERYTHING FOR EVERYONE “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” —Galatians 1:10 Here we are again on Front Porch Friday, and today we are bringing our series, “Things God Never Meant for Us to Carry,” to a close. Throughout this week, we have talked about the weight of tomorrow, the need to control everything, the responsibility to fix everyone, and the guilt of what God has already forgiven.

WHEN GOD HAS FORGIVEN There are things we carry because life placed them upon us, and there are things we continue carrying long after God has offered to take them away. Guilt belongs in that second category. It has a way of following us into new seasons, reminding us of old failures and causing us to question whether we are truly worthy of the Grace we have received. But if God has forgiven your past, He never intended for you to keep living beneath the weight of it. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” —Romans 8:1 There is a difference between conviction and condemnation.

THE RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX EVERYONE “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” —1 Corinthians 3:6 This week, we have been looking at “Things God Never Meant for Us to Carry.” We have talked about the weight of tomorrow and the need to control everything. Today, we come to a burden that often grows out of a genuine love and concern for those we love. It is feeling we have, that it is our responsibility to fix everyone. When someone we love is hurting, struggling, or making choices that are damaging their life, we naturally want to help. We offer advice, provide encouragement, and do everything we know to do to lead them in a better direction. But if we aren’t careful, we can begin carrying the responsibility for decisions that only they can make. Paul said, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” Paul understood his role. He could plant the seed. Apollos could water it. But neither of them could create the growth. That part belonged to God.

THE NEED TO CONTROL EVERYTHING “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” —Proverbs 3:5–6 This week, we are looking at “Things God Never Meant for Us to Carry.” Yesterday, we talked about the weight of tomorrow. Today, I want to talk about another burden that can leave us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted—the need to control everything. Most of us like to know what is happening. We want to understand the plan, know where the road is leading, and feel certain that everything will turn out the way we believe it should. There is nothing wrong with wanting direction. But sometimes, our desire for direction slowly becomes a need for control.

THINGS WE WERE NEVER MEANT TO CARRY - PT. 1 THE WEIGHT OF TOMORROW “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.” —Matthew 6:34 There are some burdens God never intended for us to carry. Yet somehow, we pick them up, place them upon our shoulders, and then wonder why we feel so tired. One of the heaviest is the weight of tomorrow. Tomorrow is filled with things we can’t see yet. We don’t know what conversations will take place, what decisions will have to be made, or what unexpected situations may arise, and Because we don’t know, our minds often begin filling in the blanks. How many of you find yourselves imagining what could go wrong. You prepare yourself for problems that may never happen. Before long, you are carrying the weight of a day that hasn’t even started yet.

FRONT PORCH FRIDAY’S — WHAT HAS GOD DONE FOR YOU LATELY? “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.” — Psalm 66:16 For the past few weeks on Front Porch Friday’s, I have shared letters from some of you and played songs that connected with your stories. Those moments have reminded us that behind every comment, every email, and every name is a real person walking through a real season of life. But today, instead of reading a letter, I want to ask you a simple question: What is one thing God has done for you lately?

THE BLESSING OF A QUIET LIFE “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12 There is something beautiful about a quiet life. I often long for it, and purposefully seek it when I can. The world often teaches us that a meaningful life must be a busy life. We are encouraged to accomplish more, become more, build more, and make certain that others notice what we are doing. Before long, we can begin measuring the value of our lives by how full our calendars are or how impressive our accomplishments appear.

ENJOY THE LIFE GOD HAS GIVEN YOU “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” — Psalm 118:24 You are allowed to enjoy the life God has already given you. Not every morning has to begin with a problem to solve, a burden to surrender, or a lesson to learn. Not every moment must carry some deep meaning or lead to a major decision. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is simply receive the day God has placed before you with gratitude. Enjoy your coffee. Laugh with your wife. Notice the sunrise. Listen to the birds. Appreciate something beautiful without feeling as though you must turn it into an assignment. We can become so focused on where we are going that we forget to appreciate where we are. We pray about what God will do next, while overlooking what He has already done. We wait for the next door to open, the next prayer to be answered, or the next season to begin, while the goodness of God is sitting right in front of us. Psalm 118:24 does not say, “This is the day the Lord hath made, so we must figure everything out.” It says, “We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

BEYOND THE FOG Yesterday we were talking about fog of all things. The fact that Fog has a way of making everything feel closer than it really is. It limits our vision, hides familiar landmarks, and causes us to question roads we have traveled many times before. Yet one thing we must remember is that fog is always temporary. It may settle in for a while, but eventually it lifts—and what was hidden becomes visible again. Life has seasons like that. There are times when we cannot see where God is leading us. We pray, but the answer does not seem clear. We search for direction, but every road appears concealed and foggy to us. We may even begin to wonder if we have somehow missed God’s turn or wandered away from His path somehow. But the absence of clarity does not mean the absence of God. Isaiah 42:16 “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight.”

WHEN THE FOG HIDES THE MOUNTAIN Where we live here on the Hill in southern Tennessee, we get a good bit of fog from time to time. There is something interesting about standing on this hill when the fog begins to roll in. One moment you can see the peaks and valleys clearly. You can see the trees climbing the mountainside, the ridges stretching across the horizon, and maybe even snow resting on the highest places during the winter. Then the fog comes. Within minutes, everything that seemed so clear can suddenly disappear. But here is what we know to be true. The mountains are still there. The fog didn’t move them. The clouds didn’t destroy them. Our inability to see it didn’t change the reality of they still exist. We simply cannot see what we know is there. Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

I wanted to take a moment to tell you how much your podcast series on “Worry & Anxiety” meant to me. For nearly seventeen years, I battled depression and chronic anxiety. There were times when simply getting through an ordinary day felt overwhelming. My mind was constantly racing, and fear seemed to follow me everywhere. Even when things were going well, I found myself waiting for something to go wrong. About two years ago, the Lord delivered me from that dark season. It didn’t happen all at once, but little by little, He began restoring my peace, renewing my mind, and teaching me how to trust Him again. I am incredibly grateful for how far He has brought me.

EMBRACING A NEW SEASON There are times when we know a season has ended, yet we still hesitate to step into what comes next. The door may be open. The opportunity may be before us. We may even sense the Lord leading us forward, but something within us keeps reaching back for what feels familiar. Sometimes it is simply the fear of the unknown. We may not have been completely happy in the old season, but at least we knew what to expect. A new season brings unanswered questions. Where will this road lead? What will be required of me? What if things do not work out the way I hope? At other times, our hesitation comes from the desire to control our environment. We like knowing where everything belongs and how everything is supposed to happen. But when God begins changing our surroundings, our routines, or even our relationships, we can feel as though we are losing control. The truth is, we were never meant to control every detail. We were meant to trust the One who does.

DON’T CARRY THE OLD SEASON WITH YOU Key Scripture: Isaiah 43:18-19 “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?” Yesterday we talked about the leaves beginning to fall and how we have to trust God enough to let go of what belonged to another season. But there is another side to letting go. You can leave something physically and still carry it with you mentally and emotionally. You can walk into a new season while your mind is still replaying the old one. Spiritually speaking, You can step through a new door while your heart is still standing in the room you just left. You can even accept that something is over and still allow the emotions connected to it to determine how you live today.

WHEN THE LEAVES BEGIN TO FALL Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” I know that the summer heat is still with us, but you can see the leaves giving us signs that Fall is on its way. I love the Fall season. There is something beautiful about watching the leaves begin to fall. The same leaves that once covered the trees with green eventually turn brilliant shades of red, orange, and gold. Then, one by one, they let go. The tree doesn’t fight to keep them. It doesn’t reach out and try to pull them back. It simply releases what belonged to one season and prepares for what is coming next. I think there is something in that for us.

The Morning Meeting is more than a quiet moment before the day begins—it is an intentional meeting with Jesus before we meet the demands of life. It is where we quiet our hearts, open His Word, listen for His Voice, and bring our thoughts, concerns, and plans before Him. Jesus Himself often withdrew to a solitary place to pray, reminding us that spiritual strength is often developed in private before it is needed in public. When we meet with Jesus in the morning, we are not simply asking Him to bless our plans; we are allowing Him to shape our hearts and direct our steps. Before the noise begins, before the decisions have to be made, and before the responsibilities start pulling at us, The Morning Meeting gives Jesus the first opportunity to speak into our day.

“Make Memories” really came from a very simple moment in my life. It wasn’t born out of some big event or life-changing experience. It came when one of those ordinary moments quickly becomes extraordinary and you stop long enough to appreciate it. It was an autumn day, and I was sitting outside swinging with my grandchildren. At some point, they both fell asleep in my lap. I remember sitting there looking at them, watching the sunlight pour through those old oak trees, and thinking about how quickly life moves. Children grow up. Seasons change. People get older. And moments that seem so ordinary today can become some of the most precious memories. As I sat there, another thought came to me: “No amount of money could ever buy this moment.”

NOTHING TO FEAR I didn’t plan on doing a series this week on this “NOTHING” theme but the Lord once again gives us another Truth to ponder today. You have NOTHING TO PROVE, NOTHING TO HIDE, and NOTHING TO FEAR. Fear has a way of making something that hasn’t happened yet feel as though it already has. We can lie awake worrying about tomorrow. We can imagine conversations that have never taken place, problems that haven’t arrived, and outcomes that may never happen. Before we know it, we are carrying the weight of a future we haven’t even stepped into. But God leads Isaiah to write in: Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

NOTHING TO HIDE Psalm 139:23–24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Yesterday we talked about living with nothing to prove. We don’t have to spend our lives trying to convince everybody that we are good enough, strong enough, spiritual enough, or worthy enough. When we know who we are in Christ, we can stop performing for people. But there is another side to that truth. We may have nothing to prove, but we should also have nothing to hide. David prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart.” That is a courageous prayer because David was inviting God into the places that most of us would rather keep locked. The truth is, God already knows what is there.

NOTHING TO PROVE Galatians 1:10 “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” There comes a point in our life, and particularly in our walk with God, when we have to become comfortable with this truth: I have nothing to prove. Nothing to prove to the people who misunderstand you. Nothing to prove to the people who question your motives. Nothing to prove to those who think you should be further along, doing something different, or living according to their expectations. That doesn’t mean we become arrogant or unwilling to listen. It also doesn’t we don’t care at all what people’s view of is, it simply means we stop allowing the opinions of others to determine our worth, our direction, or our peace.

WHEN BUSY ISN’T PRODUCTIVE Luke 10:41-42 “And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” There is a difference between being busy and being productive. We can fill every hour of the day, answer every message, finish every task, run every errand, take care of everybody else, and fall into bed exhausted—and still wonder what we actually accomplished. Because movement doesn’t always mean progress. Martha was moving. She was serving. She was working. And there was nothing necessarily wrong with what she was doing. The problem was that her activity had become a distraction from what mattered most in that moment.

More Than Enough Grace Have you ever had days that seem to begin with a heaviness you can’t quite explain. It may not be one big thing at all. Sometimes it’s just the weight of several little things that settled on your heart and mind over time. Maybe it’s a burden for your family, or maybe it’s simply a tiredness that no amount of sleep can help. There are mornings when your feet hit the floor, and before the day has even fully begun, your mind is already trying to solve things that only God can handle. We all know what it feels like when we get ahead of grace, when the mind starts running miles down a road we were never meant to be on in the first place. Intro Music By: Mike Outland

WHEN YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND IT Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” There are some things in life that simply don’t make sense while we are living through them. We pray for one thing, and something completely different happens. A door we were certain would open suddenly doesn’t. Plans change. People change. Circumstances take an unexpected turn, and we find ourselves wondering how any of it could possibly fit into what God is doing in our lives.

God Knows Where You Are Psalm 139:1-3 “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.” Have you ever reached a place in life where you weren’t exactly sure where you were? I don’t mean physically. You know current location, You know what day it is and You know what you’re supposed to be doing. But have you ever felt a little lost somewhere inside? Perhaps even wondered where this season of life is taking you? Many times Believers have found themselves unsure of what the next step should be, or even wondered how they got to this place in life? If that’s you this morning, here is something comforting to remember: There are times when we don’t know where we’re going, but there is never a time when God doesn’t know where we are.

STANDING IN AWE OF GOD Psalms 8:3-4 3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? During our recent trip to the Rocky Mountains, there were moments when I simply had to stop and take it all in. Standing on mountain tops and looking as they towered in front of me, seeing valleys stretching into the distance, hearing the water rushing over the rocks, I became very aware of just how small I really am. And strangely enough, there was something comforting about that.

The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory… while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.” Every struggle we face here is temporary, but what God has prepared for His children is eternal. If you’re walking through a difficult season today, if your body is weary, your heart is heavy, or you’ve found yourself thinking more about eternity than you ever have before, I pray this song reminds you that the best is yet to come. Be Safe, Be Strong, and Be Blessed

YOUR STORY STILL MATTERS Revelation 12:11 “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony…” Never underestimate the power of your testimony. We often think our story is too ordinary, too broken, or too unfinished to make a difference in someone else’s life. We tend to compare it to someone else’s dramatic testimony and convince ourselves that ours isn’t worth telling. But God doesn’t measure the value of a testimony by how dramatic it is. He measures it by His Grace that brought us through and our willingness to tell it. Your testimony is simply the story of what God has done, what He is doing, and what you have learned along the way.

You’ve Been Written Into the Will Galatians 4:3-7 “Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” — Galatians 4:7 There is something powerful about hearing the words, “You’ve been named in the will.” It means someone intentionally chose to include you. It means you belong. It means there is an inheritance waiting that has already been set aside for you. Paul reminds us that this is exactly what God has done for those who are in Christ. Before Jesus came, we were bound by sin and separated from God. But when the appointed time had come, God sent His Son to redeem us—not merely to rescue us, but to adopt us into His family. We are no longer servants standing outside the door hoping to be accepted. We have been brought inside as sons and daughters. We have been written into the Will of God.

GIVE CHANGE A CHANCE Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” One of the hardest things for some people to do, is to give change a chance. Maybe you pray for God to work in your life, but when that work begins, too often we become discouraged because it doesn’t happen as quickly as we expected. Perhaps you still struggle with old habits. You still have moments when you fall short and we begin to wonder if we’re making any progress at all. Even though God rarely works overnight, He always works faithfully.

Reflections From The Mountains Psalm 121:1-2 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.” As I spent time in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado this past week, I found myself thinking about how often God uses His creation to teach us about Himself. The towering peaks, the gentle streams, the cool mountain air, and the quiet stillness all seemed to slow my heart enough to hear what had been there all along.

While There’s Still Time Key Scripture: “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” — Psalm 90:12 Life has a way of convincing us that there will always be another tomorrow. Another opportunity to love, another chance to forgive, another moment to worship, another day to become the person God is calling us to be. But Scripture reminds us that time is a gift, and every day is an opportunity to draw closer to the Lord. That thought is what inspired my newest collection of songs, While There’s Still Time, which will be available this Friday. The title song, “While There’s Still Time,” is a reminder not to put off what matters most. Love deeply. Forgive freely. Worship with passion, spend time with the people you love and that love you. Follow Christ today, while the door of opportunity is still open.

Don’t Rush the Season Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He hath made every thing beautiful in his time…” We live in a world that celebrates speed. Fast food, overnight shipping, instant messages, and immediate answers have conditioned us to expect everything now. It is no surprise that we sometimes carry those same expectations into our walk with God. We pray and hope for immediate healing, immediate direction, immediate provision, and immediate change. But God rarely works according to our timetable. He works according to His. Ecclesiastes reminds us that “He hath made every thing beautiful in his time.” Notice the emphasis is not only on what God does, but when He does it. His timing is just as perfect as His plan.

Midnight is a strange and sacred hour. It is the meeting place of two days. The one you are leaving behind and the one you are stepping into. It is the moment where the past can no longer be changed, but the future is still unwritten. It is also the hour when fear speaks the loudest. Most of us have faced a Midnight Moment. Those times when the weight of life is heavy, when answers are unclear, when we stand at the crossroads of faith and fear. It’s in those moments that we must decide: Do we trust in the unknown, or do we fear what isn’t even there?

When God Whispers 1 Kings 19:11-12 “And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” Have you ever stood in the quietness of pine trees just after sunrise? The world seems to pause for a moment. The only sound is the gentle breeze weaving its way through the tall pines. There is no rush, no commotion, no fanfare—just the soft whisper of the wind moving from one tree to another. It isn’t loud enough to demand your attention, but if you become still, you can’t help but notice it.

The Table Is Already Set One of the most comforting truths in Scripture is that God never reacts in panic. He is always ahead of us. Psalm 23:5 “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” David didn’t say that God might prepare a table. He said, “Thou preparest a table before me.” Before the battle, before the burden, before the uncertainty, God had already made provisions for David. Before David ever arrived, the table had already been set.

ARE YOU MAKING ROOM Scripture: Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” There is something special about the way God fills our lives. He never forces His way into a crowded heart. Instead, He invites us to make room for Him. Yesterday we prayed, “Pour Out Your Spirit, Lord.” It is a wonderful thing to desire because it recognizes our dependence upon God. We should always long for His Presence, His Wisdom, His Peace, and His Power to work in our lives. But Today, the question becomes a little more personal. Have you made room to receive what you’ve been asking God to pour out?

Pour Out Your Spirit, Lord Joel 2:28-29 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.” One of the most beautiful promises in all of Scripture is not just that God has His Spirit available to us, but that He desires to pour His Spirit out upon His people. Notice the language Joel uses. God doesn’t speak of giving a drop or offering a small portion. He speaks of pouring out His Spirit in abundance upon every generation and every willing heart. That promise is still available to us today. But there is also another truth throughout Scripture. While God is always faithful to pour out His blessings, we must also be in a position to receive them.

HONEST BEFORE GOD – A Psalm 51 Moment I have been asked several times over the past few months how someone can support the podcast, and where they can find the music, books, and other resources from this ministry. If you know me very well, you know this is not something that comes naturally to me. I have. But I do want to mention that while I have the privilege of serving as pastor at Sunrise Chapel, the podcast, music, writing, and publishing are a separate ministry that the Lord has allowed me to develop over the years. If you have ever wanted to encourage that work, you can find my books, music, and other resources at thisisthelifepodcast.net. One of the newest resources available is my book, Honest Before God – A Psalm 51 Moment. More than anything, this book is an invitation. An invitation to stop pretending and start being Honest about where we are in our walk with the Lord. An invitation to stop carrying the weight of hidden burdens alone. An invitation to discover that God has never been looking for perfect people. He has always been looking for honest hearts. To me personally, Psalm 51 records one of the most personal prayers in all of Scripture. David came to a place where excuses no longer mattered. His Image no longer mattered. Reputation no longer mattered. Standing before God with a sincere and broken heart became the only thing that mattered. That is where healing begins.

It’s easy to feel like we always have to measure up to someone else. From the time we’re young, we are surrounded by comparisons. Who’s the fastest, the smartest, the most talented. The world constantly pushes the idea that success is about being better than someone else, fitting into a mold, or meeting a certain standard. But then comes the Truth, found in Psalms 139:14: “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works…” Fearfully and wonderfully made. Not mass-produced, not identical and not lacking in any way. Each person is uniquely designed by the Hands of the Creator who makes no mistakes. Every detail of our strengths, our abilities, even our struggles, was intentionally woven together for a purpose that no one else can fulfill quite the same way. The Power comes from Knowing Who You Are.

Living With Open Hands Scripture: Philippians 4:11-13 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound… I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” One of the greatest challenges in the Christian life is learning to live with open hands. We naturally want to hold tightly to the things we value—our plans, our possessions, our relationships, our health, and even our expectations. We like the feeling of being in control. Yet the tighter we hold on, the more anxious we often become. The Apostle Paul discovered something that many of us spend a lifetime trying to learn. His peace was not found in what he possessed or in the circumstances surrounding him. It was found in Christ. Whether he had plenty or very little, whether life was comfortable or difficult, Paul had learned the secret of contentment. That secret wasn’t found in self-confidence but in complete dependence on the Lord.

Lamentations 3:22-23 “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Every morning, God hands you a blank canvas. No matter what happened yesterday, whether it was filled with joy or struggle, victories or failures, today is a fresh start. His mercies are new. His faithfulness is steadfast. You are not bound by yesterday’s mistakes, nor do you have to relive its struggles. The only power yesterday has is the power you allow it to carry into today. Think about that for a moment. Imagine each day of your life as a stroke of paint on a grand canvas. Some days are bright and vibrant, filled with laughter, love, and success. Others may be darker, marked by trials, pain, or mistakes. But together, they create a masterpiece, a story uniquely yours. A story that, through God’s grace, is still unfolding.

Luke 12:20-21 “But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Somewhere along the way, it’s easy to start believing that more will bring happiness. More success, more money, more recognition, just more. The idea creeps in that reaching the next level, the next paycheck, or the next accomplishment will finally bring satisfaction. At least, that’s what we tell ourselves.

The Quiet Work of God Scripture: Mark 4:26-29 “And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.” There are seasons in life when it seems like nothing is happening. We pray, we read God’s Word, we try to remain faithful, yet we don’t see much change. We wonder if our prayers are making a difference or if the seeds we’ve planted are growing at all. Jesus used the simple picture of a farmer to remind us of an important spiritual truth. The farmer plants the seed, but he cannot make it grow. Day after day he goes about his work. He sleeps, he rises, and while he cannot see beneath the surface of the soil, something remarkable is taking place. God is quietly doing what only God can do. Our spiritual lives often work the same way.