One of the things I love the most is coming home, walking up the steps, and seeing my wife and two daughters laughing in the kitchen through the window. Jenn can bake with the best of them (as my expanding waistline can attest). Over the years, she has been passing down the tricks of the trade to our daughters. Every recipe she teaches requires an extra helping of patience from Jenn due to our eager beavers, who want to do everything on their own.

We all have flaws; none of us are immune to struggles. We often receive this statement in two vastly different ways. Some of us relate immeasurable more to our weaknesses than our strengths, to the point where we define ourselves by our shortcomings. This mindset, where all you can see are your faults, leads to despair.

The other day when I was cleaning up, I came across a box of old childhood photographs. While coming to grip with some of my questionable fashion choices and haircuts, I took a stroll down memory lane. Many of the photos brought a smile to my face, but one, in particular, stood out…

We often equate faithfulness with tangible results, thinking we must be doing something wrong if we don’t see immediate progress. But the truth is, faithfulness isn't about grand gestures or overnight transformations. It's about taking one step at a time, trusting that God guides our path even when we can't see the entire journey ahead.

Our culture exalts the extraordinary, the grandeur, and the impressive. Yet, Jesus tenderly directs our gaze to the inconspicuous moments, the everyday choices we make. It is here, in these small, seemingly insignificant acts of faithfulness, that the profound transformation begins.

Jesus summed up the entire law with the simple command to love God and others. In this single statement, Jesus revealed humanity's greatest need and the highest call for us as Christians. But, unfortunately, for whatever reason, whether it be fear, selfishness, or just plain laziness, this weighty issue of faith sometimes does not sit well with our stomachs.

Most Sundays you can find me checking kids into Grow Zone, the children's ministry at our church. I love serving on the Host Team for a host of different reasons (see what I did there?), but if I'm honest, I do it solely for the smiles and high fives. 

In our fast-paced world, it's easy to compartmentalize our faith, relegating it to Sunday mornings or designated prayer times. We often perceive encountering God as something that happens only in church, during intense worship, or in times of crisis. But what if I told you that Jesus has made a way for us to experience God's presence in every single moment of our lives?

In today’s passage, we read about a powerful moment when Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a mountain. While they’re there, Jesus’s appearance changes—His face shines like the sun, and His clothes become as bright as light. Then, Moses and Elijah show up beside Him. As if that’s not enough, a voice from a cloud says, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him.”

Since I can remember, I've loved to doodle. In grade school, my creations covered my paper bag book cover. Now, during meetings that go too long, I find myself drawing cartoon characters in the margin of my notes. One of my favorite family game night activities is Pictionary, where I get a tad bit competitive, okay, way too contentious…

As I let it slip from my fingers, I smirked at my partner and said, "Let's HOPE we don't make scrambled eggs!" Along with the rest of my science class, we were standing on top of our middle school's roof participating in the classic egg drop experiment…

Pause for a moment and consider: What occupies your mind most frequently? For many of us, our thoughts are easily consumed by the challenges and worries that surround us. We often find our vision clouded by fear, cynicism, and a sense of futility. These mental obstacles can significantly impact how we perceive the world and our place in it.

Have you ever stood at the edge of a diving board, heart pounding, toes curled over the edge, knowing you need to take that leap but feeling paralyzed by fear? That moment of hesitation, where your mind races with "what-ifs" and doubts, is not unlike the moments we face in our spiritual lives when God calls us to take a step of faith.

The noise of this world can be overwhelming. Our days are often punctuated by the incessant buzz of notifications, the demands of work, family, and even our own thoughts. It’s easy to get lost in the chaos and forget that God speaks to us in the stillness. Like Elijah, who encountered God not in the wind, earthquake, or fire, but in a gentle whisper, we, too, can learn to recognize His voice amid life’s distractions.

When we added Megan, a puppy with black curly hair, to our family, I overlooked one crucial detail: taking her out in the middle of the night. Her dark coat makes her blend into the surroundings, and her boundless energy sends her darting from one side of the yard to the other. Keeping track of her whereabouts is nearly impossible, and panicking over potentially losing her has become routine. Now, I only brave the backyard with my cell phone flashlight on. While it doesn't illuminate the entire yard, it allows me to keep her within view.

Have you ever looked at a barren field and wondered how anything could grow there? The soil appears lifeless, cracked, and dry. Yet, it's often in these seemingly desolate places that the most beautiful gardens emerge. Our lives can be much the same way. In our moments of brokenness, when we feel shattered and useless, God sees fertile ground for growth and transformation.

We all have those moments when life seems to overwhelm us. You know the feeling - when you're scrolling through social media, seeing everyone's highlight reels, and you're sitting there feeling like you just can't measure up. It's in times like these that an ancient story about a man named Isaiah becomes surprisingly relevant.

Life is a lot like a beautiful symphony, with each of us playing a unique instrument. And when we learn to appreciate and embrace the diversity in our lives, something truly magical happens.

The last thing you want to talk about on a Tuesday is rest. You’ve just dealt with Manic Monday. The upcoming weekend is still a long way off with a wealth of appointments, demands, errands and obligations standing in your way. Right now, rest is either the furthest thing from your mind or the only thing you can think about.

It's possible to obey and follow the rules but entirely miss the point. Any parent knows this to be true. A child can clean up their play area by shoving all their clothes, dolls, legos, and art supplies under the bed. Your little one can share their toy while muttering under their breath how unfair it is…