Christian Working Woman with Mary Lowman on MOR Music Podcasts

May 30, 2026 Fran & Jesus on the Job – Overreacting

For quite a few years I have been telling this on-going fictional story of Fran and how she learns to turn to Jesus for wisdom and guidance in every area of her life. Fran is a young widow, a single mom with two children, and a demanding job. Through the struggles of her everyday life, she is learning to practice the presence of Jesus and look to him for guidance in every area of her life.
Today is not such a good day for Fran. In fact, she is at the point of tears as she comes back to her office from a business meeting with her most important client. Closing her door, she plops in her chair and brushes away a tear that tries to escape. “Why did he say that to me?” she says out loud to herself. “Why would he be so cruel to me? I worked so hard on that promotion, and he shot it down without even listening to my idea!”
“Feelings hurt today?” Jesus softly asks, though of course he has no need to know since he knows everything.
Fran is again reminded of his abiding presence in her life. “Well, I don’t know if it’s my feelings that were hurt…” she stammers; “I think it was the crass insensitivity and unprofessionalism of Mr. Andrews. He was unnecessarily brutal.”
“Your feelings are hurt, Fran,” Jesus states. “Might as well admit it; nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone gets their feelings hurt from time to time.”
“Well, yeah, I guess he hurt my feelings. I mean, I’ve worked so hard for that account, and before this, he liked everything I did,” Fran explains. “Now out of the blue he hits me with this response—so unfair, you know.”
“What exactly did he say?” Jesus asks.
“You were there, Lord,” Fran replies, with a bit of frustrated sarcasm.
Jesus laughs. “Yes, but it would be good for you to repeat what has upset you so much.”
Fran feels ashamed of her inappropriate reaction. “I’m sorry. He said I had not researched this promotion adequately, and he was not comfortable going with my idea until I did my homework.”
“And what was wrong with that comment?” Jesus asked.
“What was wrong? I had an entire report backing up my idea. I did my homework. I always do my homework. That’s what’s gotten me where I am; everybody knows Fran does the job right,” Fran responds.
“A bit defensive, are we?” Jesus quietly asks.
Fran doesn’t like where this conversation is heading, so she suddenly gets busy with her work. “Nobody understands me,” she mumbles to herself, all the time knowing it’s not true. She’s not yet ready to give up her pity party!
As she’s leaving the office that afternoon, her friend, Alice, pops in. “Hi, want to grab some pizza tonight with the kids?”
“Oh, Alice, I’m so glad you came by,” Fran lights up. “I was going to call you and see if you could come over tonight. I need to talk with you.”
“What about?” she asks.
“Oh, I had a rough meeting with Mr. Andrews. I need some advice,” she replies.
They make plans for Alice to get the pizza while Fran picks up her children. After a time with the kids, some homework assignments, and a Bible story, Fran gets Drew and Alice to bed. Then the two of them settle down for their long talk. “Okay, let me have it,” Alice says.
Tears start to come to her eyes again and Fran says, “Oh, it’s probably no big deal but Mr. Andrews really let me have it today in front of everybody. You know that big promotion I’ve been working on? Well, he said I didn’t have sufficient research to proceed. He told me to ‘take it back to the drawing board,’ to use his words. He said there were too many unanswered questions.”
Fran pauses and looks at Alice, waiting for her response, still fighting to hold back her tears. Alice nods and says, “And…”
“And what?” Fran raises her voice. “Isn’t that enough?”
“Well, I mean, is that all he said?” Alice asks.
“Don’t you think it was very rude and unprofessional of him? I mean, in front of everybody,” Fran says in frustration.
“Who was there?” Alice asks.
“His assistant, Bernie, and Jim from the Art Department,” Fran says.
“Uh, huh,” Alice cautiously responds. “That’s not exactly ‘everybody’, Fran,” she says.
“Oh, you just don’t understand, Alice!” Fran is angry. “I guess you’re thinking it was just an overreaction.”
“Come on, Fran, give me a break,” Alice says.
“How about giving me a break and trying to be understanding?” she says.
“Okay, I want to be understanding, but I’m just not sure what Mr. Andrews said that upset you so much. Maybe you just had to be there or something.”
Tears start down Fran’s face. “Alice, don’t you understand, he said I didn’t do a thorough job and…and…”
“And you always do a thorough job,” Alice says quietly. “Yeah, I’m beginning to get it.” She quietly says, “Do you want me to pray about this with you?”
Fran knows prayer is long overdue, but on the other hand, she doesn’t want to give up her pity party! However, she hesitatingly says, “Yeah, please pray.”
As she listens to Alice’s prayer, Fran’s defenses start to break down. “Fran,” she hears the voice of Jesus, “truth sometimes hurts, but remember, truth sets you free.” Jesus has told her that before, but once again she needs to be reminded that facing the truth, painful as it may be, is always the best way to go.
After Alice finishes, Fran prays, “Dear Jesus, I hate to admit it, but I’m wrong. I overreacted again. It’s one of my worst weaknesses, and I don’t think I’ll ever get control of it. Please forgive me. Mr. Andrews had every right to say what he did, and I just blew it out of proportion.”
She finds it difficult to continue; Jesus whispers in her ear, “I understand; you don’t have to say any more.”
“Thank you for understanding me even when I don’t understand myself,” she says as she finishes her prayer.
Fran looks at Alice. “Do you think I’ll ever learn not to overreact?” she asks. “I mean, I seem to do it all the time. In retrospect I can see how silly it was of me to read so much into Mr. Andrew’s comments.”
“Well, I think you delight the Lord because you’re always honest and real with him, Fran, and you come around fast,” she says. “I’ve never known anyone as honest with herself as you are.”
“Really?” Fran is surprised. “I never thought about it that way.”
“You’re such a good friend, Alice. I really appreciate your honesty with me and helping me see what I need to see about myself. You know, I was trying to tell my dad about it this afternoon on the phone, and he really didn’t get it. But I just attributed that to the difference in the way men and women handle things like this.”
“What do you mean?” Alice asks.
“Well,” Fran answers, “we women tend to be more subtle and careful about the words we choose because we know how easily our feelings can be hurt. I think men tend to simply state facts and let the chips fall where they may, so to speak. Therefore, what Mr. Andrews said about me not doing a complete job really hurt my feelings, but a man would see that as a simple directive—something to be expected. Don’t you think that’s true, Alice?”
Alice thinks about it a minute. “Well, it sure makes men sound terribly insensitive, which they can be sometimes, I’m sure. But it’s also part of our personality and how much we are personally affected. I have to admit, I couldn’t see why you were that upset over it. But then again, it wasn’t me there having to listen to what he said, so I could just be more objective at that moment.”
Fran starts to laugh. “Isn’t it crazy how differently we see things,” she comments. “His comment hurt my feelings so badly; I took it very personally, but you heard it as just a simple business decision. You’re right. When our toes are stepped on, it tends to feel much more personal!”
Some good lessons learned. Proverbs 16:20 tells us, whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
You can see why Fran overreacted to her client’s remarks. He challenged her in the one area where Fran felt she excelled—her attention to details and her competence at doing her job. Fran has done very well in her company because of these good qualities, and subtly, without realizing it, she had started to take some pride in herself for her achievements.
Pride is such a deceitful snare. It sneaks up on you while you’re not looking. The very gifts God gives us can become points of pride in our lives, when we begin to think we’ve done something ourselves. And so, this somewhat painful meeting Fran had with her client punctured that pride and the poison came oozing out. But, as humbling as it was, it was a very good lesson because Fran was able to see it for herself and recognize her pride before it got too far out of hand.
Maybe you too need to learn to control your reactions. If you find yourself speaking hastily when you’re upset, getting your feelings hurt too easily or exaggerating incidents to be much larger than they are, start praying that God will help you not to overreact. Frankly, I’ve been praying that for myself for years and though I’m not there yet, I’ve made some progress in the right direction.

May 29, 2026 Saying No Without Guilt – 5

When it’s time to say “no,” how can you say it without offending anyone? I’ve examined the difficulty many of us have with saying “no.” As we close this topic today, I want to talk about the best way to say “no.”
None of us like to disappoint people; we want to be cooperative and helpful. Saying “no” is not easy because we know it is not what the other person wants to hear. But when you know it is the right thing to do, you must be assertive and courageous enough to look them in the eye and in a kind way say “no.”
I think you need to give some explanation, but not too much. When you keep defending your “no” response, it shows a lack of confidence in your decision. Remember, it is not likely your “no” will be happily received, so don’t have unrealistic expectations. But soften the blow as much as possible, empathize where you can, offer alternative suggestions if available, but make your “no” a true and understandable “no,” not a wishy-washy response.
Be sure you’ve prayed about it, that you have your own emotions under control, that your reasons for saying “no” are pure, not selfish. Think in advance of what words you will use—words that make it as palatable as possible. Proverbs 16:21 says sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness, so choose your words carefully.
In her booklet on saying no without guilt, Alice Fryling says, “Men and women who are humble enough not to take themselves too seriously are free to say no as well as to say yes.” That’s a good word for us all. Don’t take yourself too seriously and be humble enough to say “no” when you know it’s the right thing to do.

May 28, 2026 Saying No Without Guilt – 4

Why is it hard for us to say “no”?
In her booklet on saying no without guilt, Alice Fryling points out “We get instant affirmation from saying yes. We get personal stimulation from the idea of meeting a challenge, using our gifts or tapping into our creativity, and we avoid the unpleasantness of having to say no.”
This hits the nail on the head for me. I learned some years ago one reason I was trying to do so much was to hear the accolades and affirmation I received from others. Those comments feIt good; I liked them and I wanted more. I wanted the affirmation of people; it fed my ego and made me feel good about myself. But for years I was deceived and didn’t realize what was behind much of my activity—good activity, ministry activity.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians, am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10).
You must decide who you are trying to please. If pleasing people is your goal, if you need the affirmation of others to feel good about yourself, you will always be in bondage to those people, whoever they are, and you will never fully succeed. It’s impossible to please people all the time, no matter how hard you try. But the good news is, it is possible to please God. And I’ve discovered that when my priority is to please God, I typically please more people that way than when I try to please people!
Search your heart today if you are plagued by this difficulty of saying “no,” and ask God to reveal to you why it is so hard for you to say “no.” You may discover some unlovely motivations there, but in so doing, you will uncover truth that can set you free!

May 26, 2026 Saying No Without Guilt – 2

Do you feel as though you are always carrying a load of responsibilities and work that keep you exhausted and frustrated? If that describes you, it could be because you’ve never learned how to say “no.”
I often think about the difference between my lifestyle and that of my grandmother’s. She worked physically harder than I do, I’m sure, but her lifestyle was much simpler. Not easier but simpler. She never drove a car, was never a soccer mom, and had no time for much outside of her home except church. While I wouldn’t want to go back to that time, there are things I envy about her lifestyle.
Our society has placed a yoke upon us through remote controls, computers, microwave ovens, smart phones, and now AI—to mention a few. As Alice Fryling puts it in her booklet “Too Busy? Saying No Without Guilt”: “Laptops, iPads and cell phones promise an easier life, but in reality they deliver increased stress and pressure. Physicians and psychologists tell us that our bodies are not designed for the constant input of our technological age, for being always ‘on.’ We need ‘down’ times when our adrenaline can subside, when we can muse and dream and be restored. But the God-given rhythms of day and night, work and rest, have been usurped by technological potential.”[1]
Jesus said his yoke is easy and his burden is light. Ask yourself: “Whose yoke am I under: My own self-inflicted yoke of busyness, trying to please people, trying to multi-task and meet all my deadlines, or the yoke of Jesus, which is easy?” That doesn’t mean you’re never busy or tired; Jesus was often weary from the pressure of people and preaching and healing. But he knew when to say no and when to get away for rest.
Learning to say “no” appropriately means learning when you must shut down for some time of restoration—a few hours, a day, a week. And yet, if you’re like me, you tend to feel guilty for taking down time when you still have things to do! This is false guilt; we need to recognize it and refuse to be in bondage to it.
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[1] Fryling, A. (2002). Too Busy? Saying No Without Guilt [Review of Too Busy? Saying No Without Guilt]. IVP.

May 25, 2026 Saying No Without Guilt

Do you have difficulty saying no? Many of us feel obligated to be everything everyone thinks we should be and do everything everyone thinks we should do! For years I thought I was supposed to do whatever anyone asked me to do—period!
I can assure you if you think like that, you’ll end up in burnout territory, desperately trying to jump through everyone’s hoops, and discovering, as you pick yourself up off the floor, you really are not superwoman, and you have to learn to say no. But how—and when?
I recently came across a small booklet by Alice Fryling entitled “Too Busy? Saying No Without Guilt.” The title caught my attention, and the content really spoke to me. I want to share some of her insights, as well as my own, if you struggle with how and when to say no.
The first lesson to learn is it is okay to say “no.” Jesus said,
All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one (Matthew 5:37).
There are times to say “yes” and times to say “no,” and our challenge is to learn the difference. In fact, Jesus told people “no” on several occasions, disappointing some no doubt, perhaps even angering some, and leaving his disciples wondering why.
For example, in Luke 12, when a man asked him to settle an argument he was having with his brother, Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Jesus said “no,” not because he couldn’t do it, but because it wasn’t what he was called by God to do.
We begin with knowing what is our responsibility legitimately and what is not. For example, on your job there are times when you necessarily do things that are not within that job description, but if you are continually doing the work of others or getting side-tracked into projects not your own, you may discover you have difficulty doing what is rightfully expected of you. If this is the case, you need to determine the best way to say “no.” Your approach and choice of words would be critical, but until you learn to say “no,” you’ll never bring that job under control.

May 23, 2026 Lead with Unity

The studies and articles aren’t new. In fact, the first workplace gender research started in the 1960s and 1970s. Men and Women in the Corporation by Rosabeth Moss Kanter was considered one of the first academic studies on gender differences in work behavior and opportunity, and this was in 1977. This conversation is as old as me, but I would like to remind you that women at work is not a construct of the early world wars and industrial revolutions as you may have been taught. Women and men working together started with creation in Genesis 1. Men and women were created to work together.
In Genesis 1:26-27, we see the beautiful work of unity in creation. Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and every other creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
When we read the verses about creating man, he created both male and female in his own image. Not men exalted above women or women above men, but creation in his image, in unity.
If we don’t look to the beginning, it is easy to look at the ways that culture and society have created norms about work. The reality is these are not God’s norms for men and women. The next verses in Genesis 1: 28-29 further frame God’s plans for man and woman:
And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’
God gave man and woman an equal command to work in unity.
You already know that once sin crept in, this unity was forever broken. Sin impacts this sacred creation in every way, and our cultural norms which have been forming since the 70s continue to impact how men and women work together.
What does this sin look like within the context of work? What is causing the continued gender bias issues for women? The answer doesn’t start with work; it really begins outside of the office and is part of the cultural and societal brokenness between men and women that has systematically and year after year found its way into our work.
With my aim being unity between men and women as advocates to solve this issue, I wondered, who were the leading male voices for gender equality at work. One name that came up was Tony Porter.
Tony is the founder and CEO of A Call to Men. He seeks to teach systemic change for between men and women in society. In an article published on his website, “Is your Organization Unintentionally Reinforcing Gender Bias at Work,” Tony states this, “…the workplace is a microcosm of society—a society where men and boys are collectively socialized to view women as objects, as property and as having less value than men.”[1]
This blanket statement is not felt by all women, of course, but as a whole, it sums up that sin and the brokenness of not seeing men and women created equally in the image of God is at the root of the issues still facing women today.
Fortunately and unfortunately, the Bible is full of cultural examples of both unity and brokenness between men and women. If we look at the Word of God, we will all struggle to understand some of the terrible injustices women faced including being taken by force into marriage, raped, and being cast out of society. Again, at the moment of the fall, the unity and sacred relationship between men and women fell, and it fell hard.
But, for every hard-to-read passage of Scripture about injustices for women, there are beautiful examples of how God used women and work for the glory of his kingdom. Women played an important role in the formation of the early church where they not only served the disciples with hospitality but also provided money for the ministry and teaching of the good news to their families.
The grandmother and mother of the disciple, Timothy, are mentioned by Paul. 2 Timothy 1:5 reads, I am reminded of your sincere faith which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
Today we live in a culture not so different than biblical times. Women around the world still face terrible injustices, not only at work, but in society. Harassment, gender pay gaps, interviews and promotion biases all still exist, but there are people trying to drive change.
Another name that came up as an advocate for women at work is the former CEO of Unilever, Paul Polman. He spoke about visiting a tea plantation where female workers were being abused or sexually harassed. When policies failed, he put female supervisors in place so that the women no longer needed to go to an unsafe work environment. This was within the last 5 years.
What are some of the more nuanced impacts women face at work?
In a Forbes Women article from May 15, 2025, by Eva Epker the continued gaps between men and women at work are highlighted. With parenting and caregiving still being a primary responsibility of the mother, a study found that three years after childbirth, 90% of fathers were in full-time work, versus only 27.8% of new moms. Another study noted 41% of female participants experience discrimination in a hiring process including gender-biased and inappropriate questions. Mental health and the lack of mentorship opportunities for women, continue to be part of this conversation.[2]
These examples remind me of some data from the 2023 McKinsey study on “Women in the Workplace” that discussed the large impact microaggressions can have on women at work.[3] Microaggressions are defined as demeaning or dismissing comments or actions rooted in bias, directed at a person because of their gender, race, or other aspects of their identity.
Women experience these more than men. For example, a woman is two times more likely to be interrupted in a meeting and spoken over than a male counterpart.
We keep having the same conversations, and the results of the studies improve but not in a significant enough way to truly make change.
One of my observations is that both secular and faith-based organizations often take a one-gender approach to gender biases. More specifically, women are talking to women about the lasting issues and implications about gender bias at work, and men are rarely part of this conversation. Working women, and more narrowly, Christian working women aren’t having the conversations needed to redeem this sacred unity at work, and they aren’t having them at church either. I have been to women’s leadership conferences, both secular and faith based, and at only one was there a focus on women in the workplace where men were part of the discussion and workshops. This was a faith-based conference.
I was able to find one opinion article in Time from July 18, 2023, titled “Modern Gender Equality Must Include Men.” The lead heading “Gender equality can only happen when women and men are advancing toward that goal together.”[4] Shelley Zalis conducted online research about men’s attitudes and the results showed that 53% of men believe that workplaces in the US should be doing more to eliminate bias in the workplace.
I agree that we need unity between men and women that lead to solutions. As Christian leaders, how do we work on this unity while at the same time navigate the current brokenness in the workplace for women, Christian or not?
First, we need to remember we are called to address the issues of the poor and oppressed; we should not turn a blind eye to this matter. Isaiah 58:6-7 exhorts: Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Are you hiding yourself by simply being unaware? We are called to care.
What are some of the ways we can continue this conversation? Perhaps shining a light on the benefits of women at work can be a start. Companies with gender-diverse leadership show an increase in average revenue. The McKinsey study notes that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on their executive teams are 25 percent more likely to have above average profitability.
Women have always been wise, and, as Christian leaders, we should tell these Bible stories about the working women God used for his kingdom. Perhaps these examples can inspire and show God’s plans for women and work to others. And we can see how women and men worked together through their examples.
Deborah was a judge and a leader. She worked in unity with Barak to go into war for Israel (Judges 4 & 5). Miriam was a leader of worship and worked in unity with Moses and Aaron to lead the people of Israel during the Exodus (Exodus 15). The Proverbs 31 woman embodies a long list of attributes that benefit her husband including: rising while it is still night to provide for her family, investing wisely, dressing well, being confident in her merchandise, caring for the poor, and being strong and wise. Mary was the first to see the resurrected Jesus and bring word to the male disciples (John 20). Lydia, in Acts chapter 16, was a seller of purple cloth and worked in unity with Paul to help the early church.
This is not an exhaustive list! Women have always worked, and they have done so alongside men.
I know most of you may not be in a place to share these examples of Bible stories as inspiration at work, but you can start this change within Christian spaces. Men and women can lead by sharing these examples of unity in God’s plan with other Christians. We need to start having more conversations about how God used men and women in our faith-based spaces. We can explore these issues together to find ways to lean into and lead the change in our workplaces.
Even if we cannot share the stories, we can share facts, and choose to engage:
First, pay attention to the data and actually care about the data! All these studies include a what can we do about it section, and the advice centers around providing women resources to engage with including development, mentoring, counseling for stress, benefits that support caregiving, and more.
Next, think about how you may be contributing to this issue as a man or a woman. Are you engaging in behavior that may be considered microaggression? Did you know that simply commenting on what another woman is wearing to work can impact her? Or assuming a female colleague’s mental state or home situation? If we are honest, as women, we have absolutely contributed to our own issues with gender equality at work simply by tearing each other down.
Most importantly, lead with love! As a believer in Jesus Christ, we are called to love our neighbors, and an easy love checklist is found in the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Both women and men can act on this!
For the women, engage in a conversation with men about this topic. For men, engage in a conversation with a woman on this topic. Let’s lead by the biblical examples of unity!
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[1] Kay, M. (2020, August 17). Is Your Organization Unintentionally Reinforcing Gender Bias at Work? A Call to Men. https:\/\/www.acalltomen.org\/is-your-organization-unintentionally-reinforcing-gender-bias-at-work\/
[2] Epker, E. (2025, May 14). What’s Holding Back Working Women In 2025? Same Obstacles, More Anxiety. Forbes. https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/evaepker\/2025\/05\/14\/whats-holding-back-working-women-same-obstacles-more-anxiety\/
[3] Mckinsey & Company. (2024). Women in the Workplace. McKinsey; McKinsey & Company. https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/featured-insights\/diversity-and-inclusion\/women-in-the-workplace
[4] Zalis, S. (2023, July 18). Modern Gender Equality Must Include Men. Time. https:\/\/time.com\/6295453\/modern-gender-equality-must-include-men\/

May 22, 2026 Work in Unity – 5

There are so many studies about the Proverbs 31 woman and aspirations to be like her. She is a powerful example of a working woman from the Old Testament, and she is an important example of male\/female unity between mothers and sons and husbands and wives. Maybe you aren’t a mom or son or wife or husband, but the foundations of unity between men and women are found in this chapter and show us God’s heart for male\/female unity in his kingdom.
This proverb was taught by a mother to her son, the King Lamuel. I think it is important to note the unity between the mother and son—the importance of this male\/female relationship. She’s imparting on him rich wisdom and outlines for him the importance of unity with a woman who fears the Lord.
The unity between this man and woman—husband and wife—shows trust, gain, and good. The Proverbs 31 woman is a smart worker. She provides for her home. She invests and burns the proverbial candle at both ends. She gives to the poor and makes sure those working for her are provided for. She even dresses well! This woman is so well known that the man she is in unity with is “known” at the gates.
In addition to her work, she shares her wisdom and teaching. Her husband and children praise her!
This is a long and exhaustive list. And it is a very good example of many of the Christian working women I know. There are many lessons we can take from this chapter, but let’s consider the unity the Proverbs 31 woman has: unity with the Lord, her husband, her workers, her community, and her children. In all these relationships, unity is part of her success.
God wants us to be in unity with our closest male and female relationships. He wants his daughters to teach and his sons to listen to their wisdom. He wants his daughters to fear him and seek trust and unity with others. He wants his daughters to work, serve the poor, and provide for their families. He wants us to be kind and not be idle.
God created us in his image. Male and female, he created us. And, just like the unity of the trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, he wants us to live in unity with others.
How can you create more unity with the closest men or women in your life?

May 21, 2026 Work in Unity – 4

Are you under the impression that the women in the Bible weren’t working women? Many of the Christian women I encounter haven’t heard this important truth. Women have always worked! In fact, we examined this when we discussed the creation story of Genesis, the prophetesses Miriam and Deborah, and the women who worked in unity with Jesus! God needs us working in unity with men for his glory!
Women played an important role in the early church. I think about Mary being the first to see the resurrected Jesus. Scripture could have skipped ahead to meeting the disciples in Galilee, but it doesn’t! God wants us to see how his story includes the men and women he created in his image.
The Old Testament prophet Joel states, I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy. This verse can be found in Joel 28 and in summary in Acts 2.
The Spirit is for sons and daughters—both to prophesy!
One of the first accounts of healing in the book of Acts is of Tabitha (also known as Dorcas) in Acts 9:36-43. We learn she had died, and she was considered a woman full of good works and charity. She was apparently a very good seamstress as the scripture speaks of the tunics and garments she had made. We learn it was men urging them to come to the bedside of Tabitha. She was clearly respected. And she was raised to life by Peter.
Lydia is described in Acts 16 as a seller of purple goods and a worshiper of God. Paul came to find a group of women who had come together in prayer. He sought them out—to be in unity with them in prayer. His seeking and the Lord’s opening of Lydia’s heart to hear the good news of Jesus, opened new unity and provision for Paul when Lydia invite him to stay in her home. We also see that Paul returned to Lydia when he was released from prison. Lydia needed unity with Jesus, and Paul needed unity with Lydia for his work! We also learn those in Lydia’s household encouraged Paul.
Lydia was a seller. She worked. God used her work and leadership to help grow the early church!
God is still doing this today. Are you a creator like Tabitha or a seller like Lydia? Not only does your influence with others serve as an important way for the gospel to be shared, but your financial provision also can help ministries lay groundwork to encourage others to spread the good news and cause an increase in the Church of Jesus Christ! This is why your work and the unity between men and women is important to the Lord. Working together will ultimately create a much greater impact for the glory of the kingdom.

May 19, 2026 Work in Unity – 2

We hear a lot about the prophets, but what about prophetesses? Women worked alongside men in the Old Testament, even as prophetesses of the Lord. Although the Old Testament text has a lot less to say about these women, we read that they were respected and sought after for their specific wisdom. The history in the Bible would surely not be the same without unity between these women and the men they served with and for.
Why don’t we see these stories as powerful movements for the kingdom of God? We have examined the unity God created men and women in and the unity of work he created us for. And we also examined how sin broke this sacred unity. This is the underlying why. Culture and sin both play an unintentional and sometimes intentional role in us not hearing more about these female prophets.
You could probably tell me a lot about Moses and Aaron, but what about their sister? Her name was Miriam, and she was also a prophet of the Lord. If I think about this trio more, I wish I could have heard more about their unity and the dynamics of their work together!
Miriam is one of the earliest leaders of worship! In Exodus 15:20-21 we see her leading other women in song and dance after they crossed the Red Sea. The timing of the text suggests she may have been the first to lead a victory celebration of the exodus from Egypt! Miriam was noted as one of God’s chosen leaders of the exodus in Micah 6:4.
I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam (Micah 6:4).
She was “joined as a whole” in unity with her brothers in this work.
Deborah, too, was a powerful prophetess. She is described in Scripture as a judge, military strategist, warrior, and mother in Israel. No, she was not an actual mom, but rather she was a leader of Israel.
In Judges, we see Deborah working, first as a judge and then as the one who leads Israel to war.
Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided (Judges 4:4-5).
Men and women sought her counsel. In the next verse we see Deborah sends for and summons Barak.
Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go” (Judges 4:8).
You can read more about this in Judges chapters 4 and 5, but again we see God using men and women—in unity— to complete work.
How do you see examples of Miriam and Deborah and their unity with the men around them in your work today?

May 18, 2026 Work in Unity

I have been in the workplace for longer than I want to admit and one thing I can say is I hear more about the differences between men and women at work than what unifies us. Although I don’t want to overlook the different realities men and women face in the workforce, I also don’t think we talk enough about God’s point of view on men and women when it comes to work. So, let’s examine some of the women in the Bible and the true definition of unity, or the state of being united or joined as a whole, when it comes to men and women at work.
In Genesis 1:26-27 we see the beautiful work of unity in creation.
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:26-27).
We first see unity in the trinity before God even created man and woman. Our image and our likeness—not my image and my likeness—our. God embodies the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is the image of God, working together to form creation.
And, when we read the verse about creating man, he created both male and female in his own image. Not men exalted above women or women above men but creation in his image, in unity.
If we don’t look to the beginning, it is easy to look at the ways culture and society have created norms about work. The reality is, these are not God’s norms for men and women. The next verses in Genesis 1:28-29 further frame God’s plans for man and woman.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food” (Genesis 1:28-29).
God gave man and woman an equal command to work—in unity.
So, why do we have so much trouble with unity of men and women at work today? Sin. Your sin and mine. Men sin and women sin. We break unity. But awareness of how it should be—this is the best start. And we can look at how God used men and women together in scripture to accomplish his plans.

May 16, 2026 Are Toxic Coworkers Driving You Crazy?

Let me begin by describing what a toxic person is. Toxic means poisonous, dangerous, harmful, and persistent. So, a toxic person is one who can poison an atmosphere, and their actions and words are harmful and repetitive. Not just a once-in-awhile bad day, but a recurring unhealthy and hurtful behavior. Here are some signs that a person is toxic:

They talk more than they listen.
They are always right—never admit to being wrong.
They are drama queens or kings—drama seems to follow them everywhere.
They lack tact and general courtesy.
They often lie to make themselves look good or to get what they want.
They exhibit controlling behaviors.
They love to talk about other people—to gossip.
They are in general very negative people.

Here’s the first thing I want to remind you, as we talk about dealing with toxic people. They are people that God loves, just as much as he loves you. I remember long ago when I worked for a boss who was anything but pleasant; I just found it hard to even be around him. But I remember clearly one day when the thought came to me, no doubt from the Holy Spirit, that God loved him just as much as he loved me. I had to sit down and think about it. How could God love someone so unlovable? But it’s true, because God is love, that he loves that toxic person in your life just as much as he loves you.
And secondly, that person is not in your life by accident. God is allowing it—not approving of their behavior, mind you—but allowing that person in your life for some good reason. It could be to help you grow in grace, as you learn to deal with them. It could be for the good influence you could have on that toxic person—it could be both. But trust me, God has some good reason for this person being in your life.
We are told in Scripture: If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18). That’s our assignment for dealing with toxic people. Others may live by more commonly accepted relationship principles, such as, Look out for number one! Don’t take any guff! Stand up for your rights! They may have no motivation to live at peace with everyone, but we are called to this Christ-like objective. It is a lofty one; it is often out of step with the world’s wisdom; it is often not appreciated or valued by others. But as disciples of Jesus Christ, it is our guiding principle.
And for sure, when we can respond to toxic people with more patience, more kindness, and less anger than others, we are demonstrating the love of Jesus, and it won’t be missed. Your coworkers may not believe in God. They may never go to church. They may even think you are some kind of religious fanatic, but they cannot escape the difference in the way you respond to toxic people when you allow God’s Spirit to empower you to respond like Jesus would.
I think your first challenge is to get your own attitude and reactions to toxic people under control. Learn to do some things that will keep you from—as we say—going crazy. Here are four practical things you can do to protect yourself when you’re dealing with a truly toxic person.

Don’t let your thoughts and mind dwell on them all the time.

When dealing with such a disruptive and irritating person—on a regular basis, no less—it’s very natural to let their behavior occupy your mind and your thoughts way too much. So, if you find you’re dwelling on their behavior and you’re giving them too much thought time, you need to firmly and swiftly boot the person out of your head. Refuse to let them take over your mind. Philippians 4 tells us to think about things that are lovely, pure, noble—and that pretty much excludes that toxic person. So, stop giving them time in your mind.
And how do you do that? You do it by replacing thoughts of them with good thoughts, thankfulness, reciting your blessings, and focusing on God’s goodness. That’s what it means to bring every thought into captivity and make it obedient to Christ, as we read in 2 Corinthians 10:5. This is a spiritual discipline that will make a huge difference in your life. If you have not already discovered this truth and learned how to take wrong thoughts captive, I recommend a book I’ve written on it, entitled Think About What You Think About.
So, as you head out to work each day, ask the Holy Spirit to remind you to boot those wrong thoughts out of your mind, to help you refuse to allow this toxic person to occupy your thoughts. That is a very important first step.

Distance yourself from them as much as possible.

You’ve heard a lot about setting boundaries, I’m sure. The Bible teaches us to set boundaries. For example, these two passages from Proverbs:
Proverbs 4:14 – 15: Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
Proverbs 16:17: The highway of the upright avoids evil; those who guard their ways preserve their lives.
And Philippians 4:7 tells us the peace of God will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. So, we have to be wise about distancing ourselves from people who would fill our minds with evil and try to bring us down emotionally. You may not be able to distance yourself from a toxic person physically, if they are a coworker, but if that is not possible, learn to distance yourself mentally and emotionally. Pray each day that God will protect your mind and teach you how to literally tune them out when you can. You know, if you can wear headphones where you work, you could use that as a buffer between you and that toxic person. Even if you don’t listen to anything on your earphones, just wearing them creates some distance.

Seek relationships at work with uplifting people.

Hopefully, there are constructive people in your workplace. Spend time with them, not talking about the toxic person, but talking about fun things, happy things. Uplifting people are a great counterbalance to toxic people.
I remember when one of our pastors answered one of my emails with one of his funny quips. It was on a day when I felt like the world was closing in on me—you’ve had those days, I’m sure. When I read his funny email, I just laughed heartily and thanked God for a friend like him who can always lift my spirits. I’ve known him more than 25 years, and he has this wonderful gift of finding what I call the “happy spot.” I hope you have people you work with who can always lift your spirit. Look for them and spend time with them as an antidote for the toxic people around you.

Watch your self-talk.

Don’t be your own worst enemy by talking to yourself in discouraging ways. You know, we all talk to ourselves, and typically we believe what we tell ourselves, don’t we? So, watch out for your self-talk and use it for good in your life. Talk to yourself on a regular basis with good news. Don’t allow your thoughts to linger in negative territory. You can control what you say to yourself!
Listen to how the Psalmist talks to himself: Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God (Psalm 42:11).
Well, there are four practical things you can do to protect yourself from the toxicity of coworkers who may be causing discord and disharmony where you work. This attitude change toward toxic people has to be a God-thing or it will never be a reality. The good news is as Christ-followers, we have the power to put these into practice, because we have been given God’s Spirit, indwelling us and empowering us. And it begins, as so much does, by prayer. Daily praying something like this: “Lord, whoever I deal with today, help me to see them the way you see them. Remind me that you love them and their real need is to know you.”
In his book, Reaching for the Invisible God, Philip Yancey advises that it is easier to act your way into feelings than to feel your way into actions.[1] In other words, do what you know is right to do and let the feelings follow, if they will. If you wait on your feelings to kick in before you do what you know you should do, you’ll be in waiting mode many days, if you’re like me!
John wrote: God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him (1 John 4:16b). Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:18).
This kind of love is an action, not a feeling. It is a decision not a desire. Sometimes the feelings and desires are present; sometimes they are not. Either way, if we live in God, we must live in love.
One of the greatest indications that we truly “live in God” and are new creations in Christ Jesus is our willingness to extend this God-love to people who would have no claim on our love otherwise. After all, these toxic coworkers can’t expect you to love them, can they? It’s not in your job description, and no one can demand it from you.
Therefore, when you choose to love in actions and truth, you show a loveless world a little sample of what Jesus is like. You become the love of God reaching out to them, unconditional love, which cannot be explained or ignored. It is powerful in its implications and effects on the relationships of our lives.
One small verse in 1 Corinthians 13 reminds us that Love never fails. When nothing else works, try love. When there seems to be no way to improve a relationship, try love. Love never fails.
Just as a reminder, tell yourself frequently that workplaces will be workplaces. In most cases, you have a lot of different personalities thrown into one cauldron during working hours. Drama, power struggles, and office politics are often inevitable, at least to some extent. Try to keep yourself as far removed from all this as possible. Concentrate on your own work and excellence and let people be people.
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[1] Yancey, P. (2000). Reaching for the invisible God : what can we expect to find? Zondervan.

May 15, 2026 Dealing with Men on the Job – 5

Let me present a hypothetical situation to you: Suppose you’re a married woman, and you take a new job which puts you in a close working relationship with a single man. Your husband is not happy about this, but you don’t want to give up the new job. How should a Christian woman handle this situation?
If I were talking with you, I would say first and foremost, don’t lose sight of your priorities. A marriage is eternally significant; a job is not. Even if you feel your husband is overreacting because of a jealous nature, you may have to be willing to go that extra mile for the sake of your marriage.
If you are truly convinced your husband’s fears are totally unfounded and you see no signs of trouble in your relationship with this new coworker, then you need to find ways to show your husband there is no threat to your marriage. You might invite the single man to have dinner with you and your husband, in your home if possible. That says a lot. It tells your husband and your coworker that your marriage is the most important thing to you, and it gives your husband an opportunity to get to know this man.
I would advise you be very open with your husband. Explain you really would like to keep the job, but if he is not comfortable with your working relationship with this man, you would be willing to give it up for the sake of your marriage. Make sure he understands you are first concerned about him and his feelings. But ask him to at least get to know this man before coming to a conclusion. Ask him to pray with you about the decision.
Make certain you are willing to put your marriage first, even if you feel your husband is over-reacting and unfair. Do it for the Lord and do it because of your marriage vows, which are sacred. Hopefully you’ll be able to have a good dialogue with your husband and show him he has no need to worry. But if not, God will honor you for your commitment to your marriage, even if it means giving up the job.
Working relationships with those of the opposite sex can present us with some unique challenges. As believers, our strongest weapon is prayer. We can have some wonderful camaraderie with the men in our work worlds, but we must always be alert to the dangers that lurk.

May 14, 2026 Dealing with Men on the Job – 4

It’s not unusual for an attraction to develop between a man and a woman who work together. Spending hours side by side can naturally create a connection. I want to examine some of the pitfalls that can show up in those situations.
Most of us have seen relationships develop between coworkers—or maybe experienced that spark ourselves. What should a Christian woman do if she begins to feel attracted to a male coworker or senses he’s attracted to her?
The first thing is to ask a very simple question: Are either of you married? If the answer is yes, then the path forward is actually very clear. That attraction is something you simply cannot encourage. No private conversations, lingering looks, or emotional sharing that crosses a line. You don’t even have to pray about the decision—just pray you will obey God. That’s it. Full stop. The wisest step is to create distance; marriages should always be protected.
Female attention from a man can feel flattering—especially if you’re single or going through a lonely season. But many inappropriate relationships start in a very ordinary and innocent way: someone is a good listener. I’ve heard women say, “He didn’t have anyone else to talk to. I was the only friend he had.” But that kind of emotional closeness can quietly move into dangerous territory. You can find yourself in an emotional affair.
Now, if both of you are single, a relationship might be worth considering. But as a Christian woman, you’ll want to look carefully at the bigger picture. It’s important he share your faith in Jesus Christ—and your level of commitment to living it out.
Even then, relationships between coworkers can complicate the workplace. It’s wise to move slowly and keep good boundaries. And if the relationship becomes serious, it may be best to find a way to separate your working lives.
In situations like this, the wisest choice is usually the one that protects hearts—yours and everyone else’s. And it can save you from much hurt and regret later as you honor God through obedience.

May 13, 2026 Dealing with Men on the Job – 3

I want to examine a situation you may face, and that is managing or working with men who resent having a female manager or coworker. They may feel threatened by having a woman manager or peer, or their background could have prejudiced them against women in business. I was one of the first women in IBM sales; this goes back many years. There was an older salesman in my office who was totally against women in sales. He thought this was the worst move IBM had ever made.
The first year I was in that office, he hardly spoke to me. He figured I wasn’t going to last; women couldn’t make it in sales, he thought, so why bother with me. For one year he observed and noticed I was having pretty good success at selling, making my quotas, winning some awards, etc.
Then one day he watched me make a presentation to a prospect, and he was impressed. He began to ask me to make sales calls with him, and we became a very effective sales team. We became good friends and laughed about those early days. But it took time for him to change his attitude toward women in sales.
Often time is the key word, and many women don’t want to give the men time to change. After all, we have our rights, don’t we? After all, we deserve our opportunity! After all, we have lots of lost time to make up and the business world owes us something, right?! That’s the world’s attitude.
But as a Christian woman that is a totally anti-biblical attitude. We don’t have rights because we’ve given our rights over to our Creator and our Savior. We are his servants.
That doesn’t mean we allow people to walk all over us, but it does mean our attitude is one of servanthood, not trying to get what’s coming to us. It means we have patience and compassion toward those men who are prejudiced toward women, even the ones who will never change. And that takes lots of prayer on our part.
I encourage you to use these situations as opportunities to demonstrate what God’s love is all about. Go out of your way to understand them; ask God to help you see them through his eyes. Pray for their benefit and let God take care of the rest. That’s the most important and effective way to deal with men who have the wrong attitude toward women in the workplace.

May 11, 2026 Dealing with Men on the Job

I’m examining a subject that is of interest to most women—men. In particular, the men in our working worlds. I think I speak for most women when I say life without men would be pretty dull. We’re more than glad to have them around, but when we enter the working world, we face some new challenges in our relationships with men.
Frequently we’re engaged with men as peers, as managers, as subordinates. I can still see large sales offices where I began my career, jammed with desks to accommodate about 40 sales people, and there I was the only female sales rep surrounded by men on every side. I discovered quite quickly relating to men on the job was a new ball game, for which I was not particularly well prepared.
I want to talk about the issues we face when we work closely with men on our jobs. For instance, is it alright to develop friendships with male co-workers? I think the answer is yes, with precautions! I worked with several nice men whom I considered good friends. They were married, so I was also friends with their wives.
I’m often asked if it looks improper to have a business luncheon alone with a man. The business luncheon has become a way of life, and it can be helpful. I don’t believe it is improper, but I think the rule of thumb is, if in doubt, don’t. If you have any doubts, bring a third party along.
I remember a young man telling me it seemed to bother his new wife when he had a business luncheon alone with a woman. My advice was if it bothered her, regardless of how innocent it might be, he should do everything possible to allay her fears. He might schedule those meetings in the office rather than at lunch.
I’m reminded of the Scripture that says we should avoid even the appearance of evil. That’s a high standard, but we need to adhere to it particularly in our relationships with men on the job. People are watching us, and we represent Jesus Christ, so we must be ever aware of that responsibility.

May 9, 2026 Male\/Female Relationships on the Job – II

It’s true that because of our natural tendency to be attracted to the opposite sex and because of the amount of time spent with coworkers on a daily basis, an attraction may very well occur on our jobs. Most of us have seen this happen or have experienced it ourselves. What does a Christian do when she or he feels an attraction to a coworker or senses a coworker is attracted to her or him?
The very first moment you have any inkling this may be happening, ask yourself one critical question: Is either of you married? If the answer to that question is “yes,” your course of action is very simple and clear. It may not be easy, but it certainly is simple and uncomplicated.
Biblical principles leave no room for debate or discussion on this issue: The marriage vows are sacred and in no circumstance is there ever a justification for a married person to have a relationship with someone else. That means you cannot allow any intimate words or feelings or looks or innuendoes to be exchanged between you and this other person. That is it! Final! If it means changing jobs or asking to be transferred, do it. There is no middle ground for a true Christ-follower.
The answer is the same even if one of the people involved is experiencing a difficult marriage. Many times, people tend to justify illegitimate relationships by rationalizing that one or both of them is in a very unhappy marriage. The condition of the marriage in no way changes the principle by which Christians should abide. As Christians we should do everything possible to help hurting marriages find healing. Allowing a relationship to develop with a person whose marriage is shaky will do just the opposite.
And let me warn you these attractions can happen even to people who have good marriages, even to singles who aren’t looking for a relationship. We all are vulnerable to the chemistry of male\/female relationships, and we must be on our guard at all times.
In today’s society I’m certain such a position appears to be very drastic, legalistic, eccentric, and inflexible. But that’s because we have become so infiltrated with the world’s philosophy, that basic Christian principles now appear archaic, even to some Christians. Remember, God’s principles work. While they are ageless, they are not outdated; they are there for our benefit.
All of us could tell of people we know or perhaps our own experience where many lives have been harmed and ruined by disobeying this Christian principle. The thing we should remember is these sinful relationships are rarely planned. They just happen when the people involved fail to see the warning signs and stop it in the early stages.
If you’re attracted to someone with whom you work, or he or she is attracted to you, and either of you is married, you don’t even need to pray about what you should do. When God’s Word gives a clear answer, there is no need to ask for special guidance. He will never lead us individually in a direction that is contrary to his written Word. You need to pray for wisdom and strength to do the right thing.
Let me also advise you to take drastic and definite action. Don’t play “around the edges;” if you do, you’re truly playing with fire. If you think you can have long talks, quiet lunches, or innocent encounters without ever allowing it out of bounds, you don’t understand chemistry too well or you have too much confidence in yourself.
Don’t be fooled by rationalizing you are just being a good friend. Many times, illegitimate relationships begin because one of those involved is a good listener. How many times have I heard a woman say, “He didn’t have anyone else he could talk with. I was the only friend he had, and I just couldn’t be unkind to him.”
If he needs help and counseling, you are the wrong person to give it. That excuse just will not hold water. There is no good reason for you to ever allow a wrong relationship to develop.
And keep this in mind: Even if the relationship does not become a physical one, it still can be harmful and wrong if it causes an emotional closeness that robs a marriage of intimacy. Some people find their needs met for companionship and understanding in a coworker and then exert no effort and find no need to develop that kind of closeness with their marriage partner. It’s another form of an affair.
Jesus said: If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into the fiery hell (Matthew 18:8-9).
As Christians we should be very fearful of allowing ourselves to get into a tempting situation when we know the risks and dangers involved. Therefore, be prepared to take drastic action if necessary. God will honor you for that and will be able to bless you.
But suppose you are single and so is he or she. Then what do you do when you’re attracted to someone with whom you work? Assuming he or she is a Christian, because you would not ever want to be seriously interested in someone who was not, you need to think through very carefully the potential dangers of having a relationship with a coworker.
Common sense tells us such a relationship can cause complications. It tends to distract you from your job, and other coworkers may resent it if they feel it is affecting your work or their workload. It is almost impossible to keep these relationships quiet; usually everyone is aware. You may think no one knows, but that is rarely the case. Certainly, if one of you is in management and the other is not, you will be exposing yourself to widespread criticism.
If it appears this relationship may be going somewhere, it might be good for one of you to change jobs or departments. You’ll be able to work in a more relaxed fashion, do a better job, and enjoy your relationship with more freedom.
Now, let me examine a topic that is still an issue: sexual harassment on the job. I remember when someone told me how she and her female coworkers endured many years of sexual harassment from the top man in their organization. He continually made sexual remarks to them, asked them for sexual favors, threatened their jobs or promotions or raises if they did not cooperate, or if they reported him.
And he was such a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, that others found it difficult to believe he could be that way. He chose the women he harassed carefully, making sure he had plenty of leverage and power over them, while at the same time never harassing others, so they would always deny the allegations against him.
Finally, they were able to take action when their organization formed a committee for grievances. These women, after years of enduring his harassment, sought some legal advice and threatened a class action against the company. As a result, he was quietly urged to resign, which he did.
She shared with me the pain and stress of those years she worked for him and the turmoil she went through in deciding whether to be a part of the action against him. She wondered if that was the thing a Christian should do; it went against her nature to take such legal action against another person. But I assured her she had done exactly the right thing.
I truly believe it is not only our right but our responsibility to expose real sexual harassment, so other women can be spared the horror. Otherwise, by doing nothing, we can allow it to perpetuate. When we confront and accuse for the good of others, as well as ourselves, we are usually on good scriptural ground. Jesus certainly took strong action and had strong words of condemnation for those who were doing wrong in his day, but never out of strictly self-interest or revenge.
I know this is not easy for women to do, because you can risk your career and your reputation. You need counsel and great wisdom. But you also need courage to do the right thing.
Now, I also have some compassion for men who feel the climate is so sensitive, that anything they say or do could be misinterpreted by a woman who is looking for something to jump on. These pendulums do tend to swing in violent directions; balance is a rare commodity.
But you know, if our conversations are circumspect, if we say and do only things that we would say and do if Jesus were right there with us, we won’t have to worry about false accusations. I would say to the men who have that concern, “Just treat the women you work with the way Jesus would treat them, and you can put your mind at rest.”
Jesus many times made it a point to break traditional laws concerning how women should be treated in his day. By his actions we can be assured he did not approve of prejudicial attitudes toward women. He talked to women in public, he allowed them to be a part of his traveling entourage and to support his ministry, and he showed them great respect, all of which broke the Jewish traditions.
If you’re in the secular workplace on a regular basis, you’re bound to run into some of these predicaments that arise from male\/female relationships. But if we approach this part of our business lives with a commitment to uphold the name of Jesus Christ, and to make certain nothing in our lives brings dishonor to him, we will have the appropriate attitude, and he will give us guidance as we work our way through what can often be “touchy” situations.
Remember, avoid that first step, that first look, that first thought that can lead to an inappropriate relationship.
As Proverbs 4 tells us, Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil (Proverbs 4:25-27).

May 8, 2026 The Joy Gap – 5

The Joy Gap exists between what you expect, what you need or want, and what you’re feeling. We’ve seen this gap can be caused by expecting too much of circumstances, successes and people, comparing yourself to others, and simply neglecting to do the things that close the Joy Gap, like increasing time with Jesus, who never disappoints.
But what about those times when the gap doesn’t seem to close? When life is hard, when circumstances are heavy, when joy feels distant? It’s important to remember this: joy is not the same as happiness.
Happiness is based on what’s happening. Joy runs deeper. Even in difficult seasons—even in grief, uncertainty, or waiting—joy can still be present. Not as a loud emotion, not like throwing a party, but as a quiet confidence; a steady assurance that God is with you and he’s going to be with you all the way through that tough time. You can be confident he is at work and he hasn’t forgotten you.
Sometimes the Joy Gap remains for a while because God is doing something deeper than you can see. He’s strengthening your faith. He’s drawing you closer. He’s teaching you to depend on him in a way you never have before. And in those seasons, joy may not feel obvious—but it’s still there.
If you’re in that place today, don’t be discouraged. Keep trusting. Keep walking. Keep turning your heart toward the Lord. Remember that small steps can still walk miles. Take small steps toward the Lord, because even when you don’t feel it, he is still your source of joy.
The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart (Psalm 19:8).
You’ll find joy in the Word of God. Start your day focusing on the unfailing love of Jesus, and you will be much more joyful all day long, I promise.
Reinforce some simple disciplines like this in your life and, in time, the Joy Gap will close. Not because everything around you changed, but because something within you did.

May 7, 2026 The Joy Gap – 4

How can you close the Joy Gap? The Joy Gap is the distance between what you expect from life or from your job or your relationships, and what you are experiencing. It’s the reality that even when things are good, when circumstances are favorable—even then they don’t bring the joy and satisfaction you expected. There’s a Joy Gap.
But we’re not hopeless, we who are Christ-followers. We have the answer, but we have to put into practice what we know. Let me give you a few simple, practical ways to do that each day.
First, practice gratitude. Joy and gratitude are closely connected. When you intentionally thank God for what he’s doing—even the small things—you shift your focus from what’s missing to what’s already been given. So often we just focus on the negatives, don’t we? It’s our sinful human nature that drives us that way, but we don’t have to be victims of that any longer. Be thankful. Speak words of thanksgiving all through the day, even if you don’t necessarily feel them. And refuse words of negativity. Be careful what you say to yourself.
Second, guard your thoughts. If your mind is constantly filled with worry, comparison, or negative “what ifs,” your joy doesn’t stand much of a chance. The Bible teaches us to bring every thought into captivity and make it obey Christ. Dear friend, I encourage you to take that literally. When your thoughts start down negative territory, grab them and refuse to allow them to remain.
Third, stay connected to God all day long. Just take time—every day—to talk with him, read his word, and listen. And all day long send up one-minute prayers for his joy to fill you. Focus on it all day. You’ll find the Joy Gap closes the more you are aware of and practice the presence of Jesus.
And finally, live with purpose. When you’re doing what God has called you to do—encouraging others, serving, loving well—there’s a deep sense of joy that comes from knowing you’re right where you’re supposed to be.
And over time, you’ll notice something beautiful. Joy becomes less dependent on what’s happening around you and more rooted in what God is doing within you.

May 6, 2026 The Joy Gap – 3

The Joy Gap is that space between the joy we expect and what we actually feel. This term—Joy Gap—is becoming a noticeable phenomenon in our culture—not just in Christian circles. The world needs joy—the people you know at work, in your family, next door, they all want joy and most likely many are experiencing this Joy Gap, even if they don’t recognize it. But the wonderful good news is that as followers of Jesus Christ, we have what is needed to close the Joy Gap.
Real, lasting joy is not found in circumstances—it’s found in your relationship with Jesus Christ. That may sound simple, but it’s profoundly important and totally true. If your joy depends on things going well, then your joy will always be fragile. One disappointment, one change, one difficult situation—and it’s gone.
But when your joy is rooted in Christ, it becomes steady. It doesn’t mean life is easy. It doesn’t mean you’re always smiling. But there’s a deep sense of peace, confidence, and assurance that isn’t shaken by what’s happening around you.
The Bible calls joy a fruit of the Spirit. That means it’s not something you manufacture—it’s something God produces in you as you stay connected to him. C.S. Lewis’ said: “Joy is the flag that is flown from the castle of the heart when the King is in residence there.” Is the flag of joy flying from your heart, your face, your life, your words? Or is there a Joy Gap in your own life?
If you’re feeling that Joy Gap, don’t try harder to fix your circumstances. Instead, draw closer to the One who is your joy. Spend time with Jesus—just you and Jesus. Talk to him. Read his truth in the Bible. Refocus your heart.
Because the closer you are to him, the smaller that Joy Gap becomes.

May 4, 2026 The Joy Gap

Have you ever reached something you really wanted—an achievement, a milestone, even a season of life—and then thought, “I expected to feel happier than this”? I want to examine what I call the Joy Gap. Actually, Joy Gap is a term used today to define the space between what you think will bring you joy and what actually does.
For example, you may be experiencing a Joy Gap at work. That would be the gap between what you expect from your work or career, and what you actually feel. I was amazed to learn a recent study shows 61% of workers reported less joy at work than expected, which is a significant increase in the last few years. Furthermore, this Joy Gap at work is not limited to one type of job or career, but affects all industries, all company sizes, and all levels of organizations.
Then there’s the Joy Gap in relationships. That’s the length of time between moments of joy in a relationship. That could be a marriage, a family relationship, a friendship—those important relationships in your life you expect to bring you happiness, but those moments are fewer and fewer and further apart. That’s a Joy Gap.
We all have expectations. We think, “When this happens, I’ll finally feel content.” But then we arrive there—and the joy doesn’t quite match what we imagined—that gap can be confusing and discouraging. You might start to wonder, “What’s wrong with me? Why am I not happier?” But the truth is nothing is wrong with you. You’re just discovering something very important.
You’re learning the things you often depend on for joy were never designed to fully satisfy you—and that includes even the good things. That’s why this Joy Gap matters. It’s not a failure. It’s a signal that maybe you’ve been looking for lasting joy in temporary places.
The good news is there is a source of joy that doesn’t disappoint. A joy that isn’t based on everything going right.

May 2, 2026 Male\/Female Relationships on the Job – I

The book of Genesis explains to us that it was God’s plan to create two sexes, male and female, both created equally in his image, both finding the other attractive, both needing each other, and different in many ways from each other. It was a good plan, and it is still good today, one that has brought a great deal of joy, happiness, and fulfillment into our lives, for both women and men.
True, the plan has been misused and abused through the ages, and relationships between men and women certainly have caused many problems and heartaches. But that results from our lack of understanding of each other and our unwillingness to allow these relationships to be controlled by God’s principles.
Often, we have close working relationships with the opposite sex, spending many hours each day working together, physically near each other, and communicating frequently. And sometimes we are not aware of the dynamics of these male\/female relationships; many of us are in unfamiliar territory. I remember when I began my career as a sales representative for IBM. I was the only female sales rep in my office at first, and I can still see that large office, jammed with desks to accommodate about 40 salespeople, and there I was in the middle, surrounded by men on every side.
Sounds like a dream come true for a single woman. While I certainly enjoyed the attention that my unique situation afforded me, I discovered quite quickly that I was not prepared to deal with the many diverse complications that arose from the male\/female aspect of it.
Having made some mistakes in this area of my business life, I think it is important to address this subject very directly and candidly, because many of you are struggling with male\/female relationships on the job.
Let me begin by talking about the friendships that can develop between male and female coworkers. It’s inevitable we will find some coworkers of the opposite sex with whom we share many experiences, whom we respect and enjoy, and a friendship develops. I can think of several men I’ve worked with whom I consider good friends, even years later. Friendships are good things, and I’m always grateful for a friend, wherever I find them.
However, we must put up the caution flag and beware of the pitfalls that we can fall into with any friend of the opposite sex. I was a single woman and most of my male coworker friends were married. That’s probably pretty common. That should send up a flag that says it is our responsibility as single women to make certain their wives are comfortable with our friendship with their husbands and understand the nature of our relationships.
I made it a practice, as these friendships developed, to become very good friends with their wives and families. They were invited to my home and I to theirs. I made certain they were not concerned in any way about my working relationship with their husbands. Had I sensed it bothered them in any way, I would have backed away from that relationship, even though their concerns would have been totally unfounded.
A young man once asked my opinion about having a business luncheon with a woman alone, and he went on to explain that this seemed to bother his new wife. My advice was if it bothered her, regardless of how innocent or how convenient that business lunch might be, he should do everything possible to schedule those meetings in the office rather than at lunch. I think he should do everything he can to allay his wife’s concern, even though they may be unfounded.
Some might say we should never have a business lunch alone with someone of the opposite sex, but I honestly don’t see this as a black and white situation. The business lunch has become a way of life, and it can be a convenient way to conduct business. There is nothing immoral or questionable about it.
But each situation is different and requires wisdom and insight on our part. I think the rule of thumb should be, if in doubt, don’t. Or if it bothers your conscience, don’t. We know from Romans 14 there are some disputable matters where sincere Christians will have differing convictions; the important thing for us is not to condemn others, but to be certain we follow what we believe is right for us to do.
A suggestion is to bring a third party along. That’s usually possible to do, and that solves the question of how it might look to others. Most of my peers while working in corporate America were men, which meant if I went to lunch with my friends, I usually went to lunch with men. But rarely was it alone.
Now, let me address another issue with male\/female relationships in the workplace, and that is women in management with men reporting to them. This is fairly common now. But it still can present problems for these women managers in knowing just how to relate to their subordinates and for the men who often have to adjust their mindsets and attitudes toward women in authority.
I’ve encountered many who are struggling with a very basic question in this regard, and that is: Should a Christian woman hold a position of leadership over men? As I look at Scripture, I can find no directive that would prohibit women from holding management positions in business.
To the contrary, I can think of many women within Scripture who did hold leadership positions over men. Deborah was a judge over her nation, and she led an army of men into battle (Judges 3 and 4). The Proverbs Woman (Proverbs 31) had both a manufacturing and a real estate business, which easily could have put her in a position of directing male subordinates. We know she managed her household of many servants, and presumably that would include male servants.
Lydia was a seller of purple (Acts 16), which was a most prestigious position. She must have interacted with men and directed them at times. We know she had a large household under her management, and this household would most likely have included men. And Priscilla was one of the two instructors at the first Bible school, as she and her husband taught Apollos about Jesus Christ.
I believe a Christian woman is free to hold management positions with male subordinates, if she has the desire and the opportunity. However, we need to be aware of some common pitfalls. In wanting to make it clear that they are qualified for their positions, many female managers overreact by trying to be too assertive and working too hard at establishing their authority. Some women are a little insecure in these roles, and it is easy to overcompensate by being too rigid and demanding.
On the other hand, some women bend over too far backward to keep from intimidating male subordinates and to avoid coming on too strong, and this can cause a weak manager who lacks proper control.
Our challenge is to find that natural, happy medium that allows us to manage effectively in our own style, treat everyone fairly and equally, and not allow ourselves to be intimidated by the male\/female aspects of management.
It is true there are sometimes double standards concerning acceptable behavior for women and men in leadership roles. A woman manager who does her job well may be viewed by some as being a “pushy broad,” whereas male managers who demonstrate the same style of leadership and assertiveness are considered “up and coming” and admired.
I know how irritating that is, but I want to encourage you, if you’re in that kind of situation, not to react to people’s prejudices. I think the smartest thing we can do, as well as the kindest thing, is to rise above their attitudes, and focus on doing our job well, managing effectively, and trusting the consequences to the Lord. It’s a fine line we walk between not being intimidated by the prejudices of others and not becoming militant or vindictive, but I believe, with God’s help, we can do it.
As a female manager, you may encounter male subordinates who resent you. This is certainly an appropriate time to ask for special wisdom from God, as he has promised us in James 1:5. In fact, this is a situation that should cause you to pray a lot more. That’s where you’ll find answers. Any kind of management or leadership position comes with its own set of mine fields, and as Christians, it is only in prayer and seeking God’s wisdom that we can walk through those mine fields without harm.
A verse God has again and again brought to my attention in these difficult situations is Proverbs 16:21: sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness. Find ways to make your directions and your ideas easy to handle. It won’t diminish your stature, as a female manager, to do your best to ease the tension for the men you manage. And it will increase your persuasiveness.
I have found praying specifically for the people who are giving me the most trouble is the smartest thing I can do. Asking God to help me understand them; praying daily that I’ll be able to care about them and do the right thing for them. When I do that, without fail my attitude changes and I find the relationships start to improve.
Instead of getting angry at them or vindictive, ask God to give you compassion and tolerance. It is a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit in your life.
Difficult relationships are often God’s way of helping us to grow in faith and learn to trust Jesus more. If you will pray daily about those sensitive male\/female relationships on your job, I can assure you God will give you guidance and wisdom. And when they see that you do not behave in a defensive, aggressive manner, but rather with patience and gentleness, they will be at a loss to explain it. It may well give you an opportunity to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence, as we read in 1 Peter 3:15.

April 30, 2026 Authenticity – 4

Do you work with people who seem jealous of your success? How do you live as a Christ-follower in that environment without becoming defensive on one hand or a doormat on the other?
Daniel, once again, gives us a powerful example. By this point, Daniel has likely been in Babylon for around 60 years, and he’s serving under a new leader King Darius. His work ethic, integrity, and excellence set him apart so clearly that the king plans to promote him and set him over the whole kingdom (Daniel 6:3). Daniel’s coworkers grow jealous and begin looking for a way to bring him down.
Scripture tells us, they could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent (Daniel 6:4). When they can’t find any fault in his work, they shift their strategy. They convince the king to issue a decree: for 30 days, anyone who prays to any god or person other than the king will be thrown into the lion’s den.
Daniel now faces another test. Will he compromise? Will he adjust quietly to protect himself? I wonder what I would have done. I might have been tempted to find a middle ground. “I’ll still pray, just not publicly. Just for a little while.” But not Daniel.
He remains steady. He continues his established rhythm of prayer, openly and consistently. He doesn’t become loud or combative; he simply refuses to compromise his devotion to God. His enemies “catch” him, report him, and the consequence is severe: Daniel is thrown into the lion’s den. And God intervenes. Daniel is not harmed. God shuts the mouths of the lions.
What’s striking is Daniel wasn’t spared from the trial. He still went into the den with those lions. But God protected him. Through Daniel’s quiet faithfulness and unwavering trust, God’s power and glory were put on display for all to see even to the most powerful ruler of that time.
Remember, no matter who your boss is, no matter how leadership shifts around you, God is still sovereign. He does not change. As followers of Christ, we are called to serve him first with integrity, consistency, and courage. And when workplace dynamics feel unfair, when others undermine you, when it seems like doing the right thing is costing you, don’t lose heart. Daniel didn’t avoid the pit, and you may not either.
But in those very places where you feel most vulnerable God is able to show up in powerful ways. Your faithfulness becomes a platform for his glory. Stand firm. Not harshly. Not passively. But faithfully. And trust God with the outcome.

April 29, 2026 Authenticity – 3

Do you find it difficult to be honest when you have to deliver bad news? It can feel risky especially when the outcome might affect your job or your relationships. The Prophet Daniel’s life gives us a picture of what it means to be an authentic follower of Christ in tough moments.
In Daniel chapter 5, Daniel serves under a different leader, yet he continues faithfully in his role. By this point, he has years of experience and a strong reputation, but his ultimate allegiance remains with God.
The king hosts a lavish feast, openly displaying his power and wealth. In his arrogance, he orders the sacred vessels taken from God’s temple in Jerusalem to be used at the party. Not only are they misused, but the king and his guests praise false gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone instead of honoring the living God.
Suddenly, the mood shifts. A hand appears and writes a message on the wall. The once-confident king is filled with fear.
After exhausting all other options to determine what the message says, someone suggests calling Daniel to interpret the message. It’s interesting that Daniel wasn’t the king’s first choice. Perhaps, deep down, the king already knew he had crossed a line and didn’t want to face the truth.
When Daniel arrives, he speaks with respect but also with courage and clarity. He refuses the king’s rewards, making it clear his message is not influenced by personal gain. As an authentic follower of God, Daniel is not driven by approval or advancement but by obedience to God.
He reminds the king of how God dealt with Nebuchadnezzar and then confronts Belshazzar directly. He tells him plainly he has not humbled himself, he has dishonored God, and his kingdom will be taken from him. It is a hard message and a dangerous one to deliver.
Yet, Daniel speaks the truth and leaves the outcome in God’s hands. The outcome was King Belshazzar was slain that same evening and his kingdom was conquered by Darius the Mede. Daniel’s example challenges us. Where are you being called to speak truth right now? Maybe it’s in your workplace or in a relationship, and you’re afraid of the consequences.
Being an authentic follower of Christ doesn’t mean being harsh or defensive. It means speaking truth with humility and respect, without compromising. It means trusting God enough to obey him, even when the outcome feels uncertain. Like Daniel, we can choose faithfulness over fear and trust God with whatever comes next.

April 27, 2026 Authenticity

Is your workplace a difficult environment? Are you being asked to participate in things that don’t align with your biblical convictions? Many of us find ourselves in situations like that. Maybe it’s a new HR requirement or a training course you’re expected to attend. How do you authentically respond in a way that is both respectful to your employer and doesn’t go against your faith?
The Old Testament prophet Daniel gives us a powerful example. Let’s look at Daniel’s life and the lives of his friends to see how they navigated challenging circumstances and how you and I can apply those same principles in our workplaces today.
Here’s some background: Israel had been conquered by the king of Babylon, who took many of the most capable young people into his service. In Daniel 1:3-5, we read these young men were chosen for their intelligence, appearance, and ability to learn. They were brought into the king’s palace, trained in Babylonian language and culture, and given food and wine from the king’s table.
Daniel and his friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were among those taken. They were uprooted from their homes and everything familiar, placed in a foreign culture, and immersed in new beliefs and practices. Even their names were changed, as if their identity and heritage were being erased.
They were also to eat the king’s food, which on the surface sounds like a perk. But Daniel resolved not to defile himself by eating it. Some suggest the food may have been sacrificed to idols or considered unclean, though the text doesn’t clearly say that. What I do see is Daniel chose to honor God in the one area he could control. In a place where so much had been taken from him, he remained faithful in what was still within his power.
Daniel respectfully asked for permission for himself and his friends to abstain. He proposed a ten-day test to eat only vegetables and drink water, and in the end, he and his friends were healthier and better nourished than those who ate the king’s food.
Daniel was in a situation where nearly every aspect of his worship and culture had been stripped away. He couldn’t go to the temple. He couldn’t observe the usual practices of his faith. Yet he held onto what he could—his devotion to God. He chose to honor him in a small but significant way.
What about you? Are there aspects of your workplace that feel outside your control? Where the environment seems hostile to your faith? Is the language inappropriate? Are the practices unethical? Do the expectations feel compromising?
Where might God be inviting you, like Daniel, to take a respectful but firm stand? How can you authentically and respectfully respond in a tough situation and trust God will be with you and provide a way.

April 25, 2026 Pockets of Fear

When you look in Scripture, you can find some very stunning examples of people who had pockets of fear—and I’m talking about some great saints of old. For example, Abraham had a pocket of fear about being killed. Here is a man described in Hebrews 11 as a man of great faith. God called him from a prosperous and comfortable life and said, Go to a land I will show you, and Abraham simply obeyed. He packed up and went to a place he had never been before, leaving his family and familiar surroundings behind. Even though he did not know where he was going, he went. That took great faith. Would you be able to do what he did?
He also was able to believe God could give him a son even though his wife was barren and they both were past the age of childbearing. That took tremendous faith. What really marks Abraham as a great man of faith was his willingness to offer that miracle son as a sacrifice because he believed God could raise the dead if necessary. Every time I read that story, I shake my head at this man of incredible faith.
Yet, when he was traveling in Egypt, on his journey to the Promised Land, he revealed a pocket of fear. Abraham was afraid the Egyptians would kill him because of his beautiful wife, Sarah, whom they would want for their own. In fear, he told Sarah to tell less than the truth—to say she was his sister—to keep them from killing him.
You’ll find this story in Genesis 12, and as I read it recently, I thought, “Abraham, what in the world was your problem? You believed God in all these huge areas, but you didn’t believe God could keep you and Sarah alive in Egypt? Where was your great faith?”
Abraham had a pocket of fear, and it led him into sin. It began to dawn on me we all have these pockets of fear. We can have great faith in some areas, at some times, and then our faith falls apart the next day or the next hour or when we round the next corner.
Paul wrote to the Romans: For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry. ‘Abba, Father’ (Romans 8:15).
Whatever you are fearful about, it’s not coming from the Lord. Of course, we have an enemy who loves to scare us to death about anything he can, because when we are fearful, it means we’re not trusting God. What is your pocket of fear? Let’s look at some of the more common ones.
Is money your pocket of fear?
Are you fearful of not having enough money, of losing your job, of losing your house, of going bankrupt, or of not being able to afford what you need or want? Frankly, this was a pocket of fear for me. Satan would try to get me thinking, “What if something happens? How will you pay your bills? You could lose your house, all your assets, your retirement money, and everything you own. You could go through all that in no time flat. What in the world will you do then?” That was a pocket of fear for me.
Here’s what I learned to do with this pocket of fear, when it started to possess me. I would say to myself, “Okay, suppose all those things happen. Imagine the worst: No money, no income, no house, no savings, no retirement. You’d survive; somebody in the family or some close friend would take you in until you could get on your feet again. It would not destroy you.”
Then I would make myself claim a promise from the Bible. This was an act of my will, not my emotions. Pretty soon I began to laugh at myself for allowing my thoughts to go to this pocket of fear. It was a stronghold that held me for far too long. I’m so glad by God’s grace I emptied that pocket of fear.
Some good promises to claim for this pocket of fear are:
Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink: or about your body, what you will wear… Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they (Matthew 6:25-26)?
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
By exposing that pocket of fear to the light, by bringing it out in the open and forcing yourself to face the fear, it loses its teeth. It can’t bite you, because you’ve accepted the worst may and could happen, and if it does, God’s Word is still steadfast. He will deliver you.
A good first principle in dealing with pockets of fear is to bring them out in the open and talk to God about them. Then find a verse of scripture to counteract them.
Are you afraid of being alone?
This fear can really take you down the wrong path, and some people are so possessed by it they’ve come to believe nothing is worse than being alone. I know; l used to be that way.
I know many single people who are intelligent, have good jobs, and are very successful in many areas of their lives. But they are so fearful of being single forever that very often this pocket of fear causes them to stay in relationships far too long or allow relationships to develop which were obviously wrong from the beginning.
Are you struggling with that pocket of fear—the fear of being alone or being single or not having someone to live your life with? If you allow this fear to continue, it will grow stronger and start to control your life. It could cause you to make very bad choices, and that could lead to misery.
Will you bring this pocket of fear into the light? Think about it: What is so terrible about being by yourself? You can do what you want to do, spend your money the way you want to, eat when you want and what you want. Imagine what it would be like to be with the wrong person; aloneness is highly preferable to being with someone who is not right for you. Face the fact that you might be alone or single for the rest of your life. Get it out in the open and expose it to the light. Does it mean you cannot have a meaningful life? Of course not!
This fear of being alone is an unreasonable fear. And here’s the thing, the more you reach out to others and start helping others, the more your life will become so full of love and meaningful relationships, you’ll covet some time alone.
Then, find some Scripture to remind you of God’s eternal presence in your life. Jesus promised he will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Nothing you can name will ever separate you from the love of God that you have in Christ (Romans 8:38-39). Concentrate on God’s promises to you, and defeat that pocket of fear of being, alone. It’s a monkey on your back, and you don’t need it.
Are you fearful of rejection?
For some people, being accepted, liked, and having the approval of others is more important than anything else, so that can easily lead to this fear of rejection. When we are fearful of being rejected, we allow that person or group who might reject us to have a lot of control over us. If I live in fear that you may reject me, you have a great deal of leverage in my life. I will do and say things to try to please you, to avoid upsetting you, and to gain your approval.
Usually, the fear of rejection looks anemic when we bring it into the light. Are you willing to do that? Just expose it—admit you are fearful of being rejected and then ask yourself, “Why? Why is it so important for me to have the approval of this person? Why am I allowing them to have such power over me?” Probably the truthful answers to those questions will surprise you and you’ll see how foolish it is to live with that pocket of fear.
Are you afraid of failing?
When failing is fearful to you, it keeps you from doing very much because the road to success is filled with failures. Anything worth doing is worth doing wrong until you get it right! Fear of failure will rob you of many achievements. Or it will drive you to perfectionism and workaholism. Are you afraid of facing the reality that you can and will fail, just like everybody else? Is it difficult for you to believe you’re not as good as you think you are? Fear of failure may have a lot of pride wrapped up in it.
It will be a great help if you’ll bring this fear into the open and expose it. Ask yourself, “So, what will happen if I fail? If I try and it doesn’t work out, will the world stop revolving?” The sooner you expose that fear to the light, the sooner you can find victory over it through God’s Word and prayer.
Why is it important for us to deal with these pockets of fear? Because any area of fear is an area we are not trusting God, and without faith it is impossible to please God. When I have a pocket of fear, I know God is very displeased since it shows I don’t have faith in that area.
You’ll remember Abraham had a pocket of fear that led to a very disgraceful episode in his life. How could such a man of faith have such a pocket of fear?
Abraham found himself in this predicament because he was not totally obedient. God never intended for him to go to Egypt: that was Abraham’s idea to avoid a famine. Again, Abraham couldn’t trust God to feed them in a famine, so he came up with his own plan and did it his way by going to Egypt. One fear led to another, and that caused Abraham to sin. Disobedience will get us into these places of fear, and fear will cause us to disobey.
John wrote there is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear… The one who fears is not made perfect in love (1 John 4:18).
Back to Jesus—loving him supremely, making him Lord in every area of our lives, focusing our thoughts on him, spending time in his presence, knowing his Word better and better. This will drive out those pockets of fear.
What is your pocket of fear today? Will you bring it out in the open, confess it, find Scripture to counteract it, and then focus on loving Jesus more perfectly in that area? If so, that fear will have to go, and you’ll be free from the control it has over you now. Truth sets you free, and Jesus is Truth. I urge you to pursue his victory over the pockets of fear in your life. You will please him when you do.

April 23, 2026 A Biblical View of Self – 4

I want to talk about Ichabod. How would you like to be named Ichabod? It’s not a lovely name, is it, but what it means is even worse. Ichabod means “The glory is departed.” In 1 Samuel 4 we read Phinehas’ wife named their son Ichabod, because the glory of God had departed from Israel.
As I thought about that, I wondered if my name is ever Ichabod. In our vernacular today, we might say, “Are you a has-been?” Could it ever be said of me that the glory God has given to me through Jesus Christ is no longer present in my life?
When Phinehas’ wife named her son Ichabod, it was because of the sin of Israel. They had disobeyed the Lord, and the ark of God had been captured. The ark was where God met them, where they talked to him, and where they received guidance. And their enemies had captured it because of their sin and disobedience.
We can be spiritual “has-beens” when our lives are full of disobedience. I can think of so many Christians I know who used to be mightily used of God. It could be said of them that they have been this or that for God, but now the glory has departed. Through sin and disobedience, Ichabod is now their name.
Could it ever be said of us that we have been in the past a person of love and compassion, but it’s no longer true? Have we lost the zeal we once had for Jesus? As I thought about this, I stopped and asked God if any of his glory has departed from me because of my lack of love or zeal? Have I become a “has-been,” an Ichabod?
In Christ we are given the right to be called the sons of God. That is glorious. We become the righteousness of Christ and are partakers of his holiness. That’s really incredible. And yet, we can lose the glory of all we have received from God if our lives are not continually in close contact with the Lord.
It takes a daily commitment, a disciplined life of time in God’s Word, an absolute set of our will to obey God and live by his principles, regardless. Without that, we can expect the glory to depart.
No, for sure none of us would want to be called Ichabod—the glory has departed. Is God’s glory still evident in your life to all who know you? If not, you can be restored to that original glory. Don’t let your name be Ichabod.

April 22, 2026 A Biblical View of Self – 3

Stop and think: Where in Scripture do you find the term self-esteem? How about self-love? I’ll save you some trouble; you won’t find those terms in Scripture. They, along with self-actualization and a few others, are buzzwords of our contemporary society.
Of course, there are many words and phrases we use today which are not used in Scripture, and vice-versa, so the issue is the meaning and philosophy that has grown up around those terms. Scripture gives a different perspective of these self issues.
The only mention of self-love in the Bible is that we should love our neighbor as ourselves, which simply assumes we will naturally love ourselves. It is not a directive to love ourselves. There aren’t too many people who don’t truly love themselves quite well.
Self-esteem is the idea of having a high regard for one’s self. While we should know clearly that we are important to God, we are valuable, and we are special and worthwhile because God has declared that to be true, we cannot lose sight of the truth that our value is not found in ourselves.
I think we tend to attribute too much to poor self-esteem, and thereby believe if we can think better of ourselves, our problems will go away. Trying to feel good about something that by nature is not good, is a losing battle. That’s a different mindset than having respect for who we are in Christ and therefore appreciating your “self.” Maybe self-appreciation is a better term for us than self-esteem. The subtleties between the two are important.
Scripture teaches us our best self-efforts are like filthy rags to God. I think of Philippians 2, which says we should esteem or consider others more important than ourselves. Paul wrote to the Romans that our old self was crucified with Christ. Jesus taught us to deny ourselves and take up our cross.
That’s the biblical view of self we’ve somehow lost in our humanistic society where self has been elevated to the highest place of importance. As Christians, we need to have our minds re-shaped into biblical molds. The Christian’s identity search should end forever with the incredible realization that we are, through his grace, now called the children of God. Amazing, absolutely overwhelming. That self-identity will carry us until we see him face to face.

April 18, 2026 Be the Fruit!

Galatians tells us exactly what the fruit of the Spirit is.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23).
To answer the question of what it means to “be the fruit,” I want to look at each of them and offer some suggestions of how you implement this fruit in your life. It is the fruit of the Spirit, so obviously it must be a Spirit-empowered endeavor. But it won’t just happen unless we as disciples of Jesus Christ determine to “be the fruit” each day.
Let’s start with that first one: Love.
Here’s what someone wrote, and I think it is a great way to be the fruit of love: True love needs a personal touch. Here’s a way to show people you love them in an unexpected way. Get a package of blank greeting cards and make a list of friends and family—especially the ones you don’t see often. Write them a short note that shares how much you appreciate them. Send your cards out at random far away from any holidays or birthday. Let the little love note surprise them!
Now, that is a practical way to be the fruit of love. And cards have a greater impact than email, so spend a little money, buy a few stamps, and surprise some people with words of love.
Next is joy. Joy should be the trademark of a Christian. When you are joyful, your strength increases, because the joy of the Lord is your strength. There is so much negativity and bad news in our world today that if you’re not careful, you can let the enemy steal your joy. That’s one of his favorite tactics. What’s been stealing your joy? Or I might ask, who has been stealing your joy? Whatever or whoever it is, realize it is a satanic flaming arrow coming your way from the enemy, so put on your full armor and refuse to lose your joy. How? Sing good songs all day long. Find the humor in your day. Laugh a lot; laughter is incredibly good for you. Look for reasons to be happy, to be joyful.
Now we come to peace. Jesus said he would give us his peace, his unique peace that is strong enough for the toughest circumstances. Have you ever gone to Jesus in prayer and said, “Please give me the peace you promised. I need peace.” I heard a statistic 40% of all people in our country today are in some kind of depression or despair. Have you noticed how many people are searching for some kind of peace? Remember, Jesus’ peace is not like the peace the world offers. That peace is a band aid; it seeks to make you feel better with a temporary pain killer, but it just makes things worse.
Peter wrote we should seek peace and pursue it. Maybe you need to learn to take peace breaks when your day is going south. Just stop, find an alone spot, refocus your mind on Jesus, quote a verse to yourself and pray for the peace Jesus promised to give you. Pursue peace; go for it. Be the fruit—be peaceful!
Forbearance is next in this list of the fruit of the Spirit. We call it patience, and it can be one of the most difficult fruits for us to practice, at least it is for me. But there are so many opportunities in your day to practice patience, and patience takes practice. Pick one situation where you find it particularly difficult to be patient, and start working on it. When you go to the store, stand in the longest line to check out and make yourself wait. Talk to yourself, like: “Just cool it. This is not a big deal. You can wait a few minutes—it doesn’t change your life.” Something like that. That is bringing your thoughts into captivity and learning to re-direct your thought patterns. And it is a good way to discipline yourself; to be the fruit—to be patient.
Maybe you could use driving as a way for you to practice patience. Be kind to bad or slow drivers. Don’t yell or call other drivers names when you can’t get into the lane you need to. Keep at it until you see a difference in the way you drive and how you feel when you step out of the car. Go, be the fruit!
Kindness is next, and we all know what that means, right? No doubt, like me, you’re generally pretty kind to people you don’t live with, strangers, or people in places of authority. Your words are likely kind and pleasant, but what about the people closest to you? I remember how, before my husband passed, if my words or the tone of my voice were not kind, he wouldn’t let me get away with it. He would nicely confront me, and that was good!
And you know, that’s one way to be more kind—to be the fruit. Ask someone to hold you accountable and not allow you to get by with unkind words or actions. I discovered I simply was unaware that my words or actions sounded unkind. I never intended it but once it was brought to my attention, then I started to notice how quickly I can speak or respond, and how I can come across as unkind. Now that I’m aware, I am much more intentional about making sure my words are kind and sound kind.
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Ephesians 4:32).
I would guess Paul wrote this to the believers in Ephesus because they needed to learn to “be the fruit”—to practice kindness toward each other.
Goodness is next. How do you practice goodness?
Peter wrote, for this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge (2 Peter 1:5).
Make every effort, he says. Isn’t he saying, “Be the fruit”?
How many times did you tell your children, “Be good!”? And somehow instinctively they knew what you meant, even at very young ages. Being good is directly connected to behavior, right? You do what is good. Here’s an idea of how you can add to your faith goodness. Determine to be a better listener. Who needs a listening ear? I’m not talking about giving counsel or solving problems. Just listening. That is so good and it is so helpful to someone going through a difficult time. And of course, once you listen, you can always offer to pray for that person. That would be very good.
Faithfulness is a requirement for all Christ-followers.
Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth: Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2).
Faithful to God—first and foremost—faithful to reading the Bible and prayer, faithful to church attendance and involvement. Faithful to your mate and friends. Keeping promises and being dependable.
Would people who know you describe you as faithful or dependable? This is one fruit we can all be, regardless of how smart you are or how educated or experienced you may or may not be. Being faithful is a daily decision you make.
Don’t promise carelessly. Under promise and over deliver is a very good motto to live by. Then keep a record of all you’re responsible to do, every place you’re supposed to be, etc., etc. Don’t trust your memory. Faithfulness is required—not optional. If this is an area of challenge for you, pray much about it and determine each day to be the fruit—be faithful!
Gentleness is next in this list of the fruit of the Spirit.
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (Proverbs 15:1).
And you’ll remember our Lord Jesus described himself as gentle and lowly of heart. Frankly, the gentleness of Jesus is one thing about him I truly treasure because when he deals with me—and happens often—he always does so with such gentleness.
Do you think of yourself as a gentle person? I don’t mean wimpy or timid, but gentle; gentle in your words, reactions, facial expressions, tone of your voice? It is a very lovely fruit, and people will greatly appreciate it when you show gentleness to them. There’s not a lot of it in our harsh world today, so be the fruit—be gentle.
Self-control is putting discipline and restraints in your life to keep you from harm.
Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control (Proverbs 25:28).
Self-control is not allowing yourself to indulge in things that are not good for you—such as certain food, what you watch on television, what kind of conversations you engage in, etc. I remember a friend of mine, many years ago, was addicted to watching a trashy soap opera every day. She taped it while she was at work and the first thing she did each evening was watch it.
God began to convict her of this, and she began to practice self-control. She stopped recording the program. She said it was really hard the first day to walk out of her apartment without turning on the recording, but she exercised self-control and kept it up. That was the beginning of a new vibrant relationship with the Lord, and she has gone on to serve Christ in amazing ways. But it took self-control to turn her back on what she knew was not good for her—for her thinking and her mind—and once she did, it was a marvelous breakthrough for her. By God’s grace she broke that bad habit and through self-control, started growing into the outstanding woman she is today. She learned self-control.
Is there something in your life that has you in bondage—something not good for you? If there is, I’m certain you can identify it right away. It could be something you watch or read, a place you go, or some eating habits. You can’t imagine how freeing it will be for you when you can be the fruit—exercise self-control by God’s grace and put that bad habit out of your life.
That’s my challenge for all of us today: Be the fruit! Memorize this passage from Galatians 5, pray it into your life, put reminders around you, and work on the areas that are the most challenging for you. But don’t just talk about it or give verbal consent to the importance of bearing the fruit of the Spirit. Do it! Be the fruit! Paul wrote that against such, there is no law! Nobody can stop you from being the fruit and there is no greater testimony for your faith in Jesus Christ.

April 16, 2026 Can This Job Be Saved? – 4

Can this job be saved? For example, take this situation.
You are the human resources director for a company that does a lot of business with the government. As a result, you have to complete government forms and abide by government rules in order to secure and keep your contract. Currently, you are required to complete a form which asks if you’re in compliance with some of their rules—and in fact, you are not.
Policies and procedures need to be changed in order to comply. You turn the forms into the president without your signature, noting the lack of compliance. Instead of agreeing to the needed changes which take time and cost money, the president insists you complete the forms, making up numbers and facts to satisfy the government requirements and sign and submit them. After all, he tells you, nobody will know the difference!
You explain you can’t do that as a matter of integrity. He is furious, grabs the forms, and says he will complete and sign them himself. What do you do now?
The question is, do you have further responsibility to alert anyone that the forms are not correct, or have you done all you can and should do? Certainly, taking this kind of stand could put your job in jeopardy. So, do you make matters worse by any further action on your part?
Every situation would have to be carefully considered. In most cases, I think simply refusing to be a part of any deceptive action is where your duty ends. But there could be situations where safety or other bad consequences might cause you to speak up against this illegal action.
And it may be true this job cannot be saved. You could lose your job as a result. Peter wrote about unjust suffering, and he said, but if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps (1 Peter 2:19-21).
Suffering unjustly for the sake of what is right gets God’s attention. It’s the same kind of suffering Jesus endured, and he will give you the grace to endure as well. None of us asks for suffering, but if it is unjust, believe me, God will have the last word, and you will receive his favor.

April 15, 2026 Can This Job Be Saved? – 3

Did you ever work in a situation that seemed like mission impossible? I’m asking the question: Can this job be saved? When you do find yourself working in a very stressful environment, as a Christ-follower, what can you do? What should you do to make the best of a bad situation? Here’s another situation to consider.
Your departmental manager is not liked by any of the employees. She is very unfair, discourteous to everyone, and in addition, doesn’t perform her own duties well. Everyone in the department talks about her in derogatory ways all the time. Nobody can figure out how she keeps her job. You’ve been part of that malicious talk at times.
As a Christian, you’ve now decided you don’t want to be a part of that character assassination toward your manager (even though she deserves it!). How will you keep from getting caught up in this office gossip? What could you do to change the climate?
Gossip is a vicious and deadly disease, and once it gets started, it is not easy to stop. There’s no question a Christ-follower should never be a part of this kind of malicious talk. In Romans 1, malice is described as wickedness, along with envy, murder, strife, and God-haters. God doesn’t take malicious talk lightly; it is sin.
Step one is to remove yourself from these conversations. Make it clear you won’t participate in malicious talk about anyone, including the boss. You probably won’t have to make a statement to that effect; the fact you don’t do it any longer will speak for itself.
Then use every opportunity you can to change the conversation. Sometimes one person can have a good influence on the corporate climate. Ask God to help you see your manager through his eyes, and reach out to her in some way, with encouragement and support. That kind of action on your part will not go unnoticed by your coworkers. Will it change their behavior? Who knows—it might, but it will certainly make a statement about your integrity and your testimony for Jesus.

April 14, 2026 Can This Job Be Saved? – 2

Can this job be saved? I’m examining five different job situations and asking: As Christians, what should be our course of action if we find ourselves in such a predicament? Here is today’s situation.
You have recently been promoted and now work closely with a new coworker who is a single man. He’s very pleasant to work with, and you get along fine with him. However, you’ve noticed your husband is not too excited about this new job, and it seems to be because of your close working relationship with this single man.
How can you handle this situation so you don’t lose the promotion but still assure your husband he has nothing to worry about this coworker?
I might begin with asking what has caused your husband to have any uneasiness about your working relationship with this man? Is it because your husband tends to be the jealous kind, or have you talked about your coworker so often or so favorably it has aroused his feelings of jealousy? Possibly a change in how you speak of him would solve the problem.
If it’s a little more complicated than that, you must decide what is more important to you: A peaceful relationship with your husband or keeping your promotion. His fear or jealousy may be totally inappropriate and unfounded, but if that’s where he’s coming from, you should do whatever you can to allay those fears.
Have an honest conversation with your husband. Tell him you are willing to forfeit this job if that’s what will resolve this issue. You might consider inviting some coworkers to your home, including this man, so your husband can see for himself that your relationship is purely professional.
Above all else, don’t allow anything to start to replace your feelings and love for your husband. Don’t let the enemy get his foot in this door and try to ruin your marriage. Believe me, many illicit relationships have started just this innocently.
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it (Proverbs 4:23).
This is a time to closely guard your heart.

April 11, 2026 Be Content with Who You Are, Not Where You Are – II

It is a bit of a paradox, I agree, to be both contented and not contented. Maybe it’s helpful to say we should accept who we are but never settle for where we are. Have you discovered that when you are not happy with who you are, you inflict great suffering on yourself? It causes you to be envious of others, to resent the success of others, to fight to get ahead of others, to be dependent on the approval of others. All kinds of problems arise when you cannot accept who you are.
Have you come to that place yet, where you can truly say, “I like the way God has created me”? Oh, I hope so. It is not prideful to appreciate God’s handiwork in you. Rather it brings glory to God, just as when you appreciate a work of art you bring honor to the artist.
Today I want to point out three other areas we need to learn to accept but not settle.
Your Gifts and Talents
Have you accepted the way God has gifted you? The Bible clearly teaches us each believer has been given definite and recognizable gifts or talents, which are resources to use in serving the Lord. First Corinthians 12 and Romans 12 are good chapters to study if you’re not familiar with these gifts.
Once you know how God has gifted you, then accept the role you’ve been given with great joy. The things God has gifted you to do are the things that make you the happiest and bring the most satisfaction. You’ll find great joy when you’re functioning the way God created you to.
For example, if you have the gift of encouragement, your greatest joy will be to write notes, help someone out, listen to a heartache—lots of things like that which an encourager does so well. It won’t be a chore or a duty because it’s your gift; it will be a delight.
If your gift is administration, you’ll love organizing and doing all the behind-the-scenes things that are so important. If your gift is mercy, you will naturally have a sympathetic heart toward hurting people and find yourself trying to help them.
Using your God-given gifts and talents will bring you satisfaction, and you will do those things with enthusiasm and excellence.
But here’s the other side of the coin: Never be satisfied with your gifts the way they are. Jesus told a parable about three people who were given talents to use. One had five talents, one two talents, and one had only one. When the master returned and demanded an accounting as to how each one used his talents, he gave strong approval to the first two because they multiplied their talents. But to the man with only one, he gave a grave condemnation because he hid his talent and did not multiply it. You’ll find that parable in Matthew 25.
What Jesus taught us there is when we use the gifts and talents he has given us, he will give us more. I’ve been amazed to see this in my own life. I’m telling you, years ago I could never have imagined being able to do some of the ministries and new ideas God has allowed me to be involved with. But God is true to his Word, and when we start using the talent we have, God is faithful to give us more and increase our effectiveness.
Accept the talents and gifts God has invested in you and then set out to grow them as much as possible. You do that by using them any way you can. Jump in the water and get wet. Often, I’m asked how I began my ministry, which is now heard on over 400 radio stations internationally and reaches out in many other ways. It began in my home in Chicago as a Bible study for five or six women. That Bible study lasted several years, and to this day is one of the sweetest, best memories I have.
From that I started a small ministry at my church and became involved in other ministries there, serving in various ways. And much to my amazement, the doors opened. Now we have a much bigger outreach. But it all began where I was—in my home. And little by little God gave me opportunities to develop my gifts. God keeps his word, and he has promised when we are faithful with the gifts and talents we have, he will give us more. Start where you are, with whatever you have to offer, and see where God can take it. You will be amazed.
Your Intelligence
Another thing about ourselves we need to be content with is our intelligence. There’s no doubt God gave some people more brain power than others. Do you feel like you’ve been shortchanged in this department, and you don’t understand why God didn’t make you real smart? God needs some real smart brainy types, but he needs a lot of us ordinary types as well.
Some of you had to fight for everything you learned in school and good grades did not come easily. Others could cram for a test at the last minute and ace it. It may not seem fair, but God has reasons for these differences in IQ. We need to accept who we are when it comes to intelligence. But don’t settle for where you are. Keep pushing the envelope to learn as much as possible.
Scientists tell us we use only a miniscule portion of the potential in the human brain. And what I’ve discovered is that when I push myself mentally, my brain power seems to increase.
I have a friend who began her college career in her mid-life, while she was working full-time. She always felt like she didn’t have what it takes to complete college. She thought she wasn’t smart enough, but she discovered she could handle college level classes, she could do well in them, and she was so joyful about what she was learning. She didn’t settle for where she was, and by God’s grace, she improved her mind and gained knowledge that enabled her to minister more effectively.
You may not have the highest IQ around, but you’ve got far more brain power than you realize. Don’t settle for where you are intellectually; become a student and continually work at learning more. You can improve your mind and knowledge whether in school or not. Good reading habits will make a huge difference. And for those of you with lots of brain power, remember that to whom much is given much will be required, so be sure you’re making very good use of all that mental capacity.
Your Circumstances
Let me mention one last thing where we need to be content, and that is with our circumstances.
Paul wrote: I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances (Philippians 4:11).
Have you learned that lesson yet? Just think about the freedom you and I would have if we could truly say with Paul: “I am content with my circumstances.”
I think of a friend whom I admire greatly. She worked for Moody Radio in Chicago for many years and is a gracious, lovely, talented woman. Due to a work-related accident, her husband has been disabled most of their long-married life. When that happened, overnight her dreams of what her life would be like died, as she was forced to become a working woman and raise their children, while helping her disabled husband.
When I think of the years she did that, I marvel at her attitude. She never complained; she learned to be content amid very difficult circumstances. And even when more family problems were poured on her head, she continued to trust God and accept what was coming her way.
Through all the years she never lost heart or gave up or ran away—all of which I would have been tempted to do. Instead, she contributed immensely on her job and improved herself and did the most anyone could do under the circumstances. She comes to my mind as a woman who has accepted the circumstances of her life, yet they have not beaten her into the ground. She has grown, contributed, and made a beautiful life for herself and many others.
So often when our circumstances are out of sorts—we’ve got the wrong job, we live in the wrong place, we don’t have enough money, we don’t have good health, or whatever—we are then tempted to waste our lives and squander our opportunities because of our adverse circumstances.
If that’s where you are today, I urge you to start praying daily that God will teach you to be content with your circumstances and help you accept what is coming your way right now. But at the same time, don’t settle for life in the doldrums just because the circumstances are rotten. You can live above them and find that those difficult circumstances of your life can lead to growth, service, and joy right in the midst of the problems.
Accept but don’t settle; be contented and discontented. I hope you’ll remember you can hold both in balance, because I believe it will help you. It will help you to be more content and appreciative of who you are, just the way God made you, and where your life is right now. But it will also remind you never to let yourself off the hook because “that’s the way you are,” but always strive to be all that you can be for the glory of Jesus Christ.

April 10, 2026 Use Your Slingshot – 5

Do you have some giants in your life right now—some people or situations that are way bigger than you are? Some obstacles you don’t know how to overcome? We all have them at times, and I’ve noticed usually God leads us to fight the giants in our lives in the most unusual ways.
It almost always goes against human logic. We must learn to walk by faith and trust the Holy Spirit within us to give us guidance, and then not doubt it when others say “That’s not the way to do it,” or “Nobody has ever done it that way before.” There are times when we should ignore what others tell us. If you remember when Jesus was going to heal Jairus’ daughter, his friends came to him and said, “Don’t bother, she’s dead already.” But Jesus ignored what they said and told Jairus, Don’t be afraid; just believe (Mark 5:36).
If you’re facing a giant in your life right now, use your slingshot like David did when he faced Goliath; don’t try to wear someone else’s armor. And ignore those who would tell you otherwise.
Maybe the battle is over, and you are victorious. Remember what David said before he fought Goliath: All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give all of you into our hands (1 Samuel 17:47). When your battle is over and God has given you victory, please remember it was the Lord’s battle, not yours, and he gave you the skill, talent, and wisdom to know how to fight and be victorious. Give him all the glory.
I think we can all relate to David. Because he was who he was—the way God had created him—and used the skills he had learned, he killed the giant. I hope you’ll remember this illustration from David’s life to inspire you to use your slingshot—God’s gifts in you to do what he has called you to do. Go into the battle without fear, knowing it’s not your battle. It is the Lord’s, and you can face that giant equipped by God to win the victory.

April 8, 2026 Use Your Slingshot – 3

Use your own slingshot! It comes from David’s life. When he volunteered to fight nine-foot Goliath, King Saul offered him his heavy armor and a sword. But David knew he couldn’t win wearing someone else’s armor. It didn’t fit him and he couldn’t move in it. Instead, he chose his slingshot—the tool he knew, the skill he had practiced—and he defeated the giant.
I have to relearn that lesson often. God gifts each of us uniquely. It’s a mistake to try to do what God has called us to do in someone else’s armor. It’s so easy to look at someone successful and think, that’s what I should be doing. But God has given you certain gifts—and not others—on purpose. Don’t minimize what he has entrusted to you.
Use what God has given you. Do what you do well. Don’t try to impress people or copy someone else’s style. Every time I’ve tried to do God’s work someone else’s way, I’ve fallen flat. I have to lean into the strengths God placed in me and I encourage you not to underestimate what God can do through you using your own slingshot.
Remember, David’s skill was developed in obscurity—out in the fields, caring for sheep. In that quiet, unnoticed place, God was preparing him. He practiced with that slingshot until he was an expert. What looked small and unimportant became the very thing God used to bring victory.
Looking back, I can see how God used even the hidden seasons of my life to prepare me for what I’m doing now. He wastes nothing.
Polish your gifts. Develop your skills. Trust how God has wired you.
And then step forward—using your own slingshot.

April 7, 2026 Use Your Slingshot – 2

You remember the famous story of David and Goliath. I think there’s a lot we can learn from this story. David visited the battlefield, where the Israelites were fighting the Philistines—and frankly, they were doomed to lose because nobody would go up against Goliath the giant. David was appalled that they were intimidated by a giant, because after all, they were God’s people, and God would give them the victory.
Finally, King Saul sent for him because David had volunteered to fight Goliath. Of course, Saul was reluctant to let him do this, knowing it was highly unlikely David could. But David insisted and told Saul how he had killed a lion and a bear. He said, The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine (1 Samuel 17:37).
Saul relented; after all, nobody else was willing to even try, and then Saul tried to tell David how to do it. “Here,” he said, “put on my armor, take my sword.” David immediately realized he couldn’t use Saul’s armor.
I cannot go in these, he said to Saul, because I am not used to them (1 Samuel 17:39).
He took them off, found his five smooth stones, got his slingshot in his hand, and faced Goliath. You know the story: He takes aim at Goliath’s head, hits him in the right place, and knocks him out. Then he cuts off Goliath’s head with his own sword, and claims victory.
How did David defeat Goliath? By using his slingshot. You don’t kill giants with slingshots—right? But that’s what David was good at; that’s how he had defeated the lion and the bear; that’s the gift God had given him. David was smart enough to realize trying to do what God wanted him to do in someone else’s armor would lead to disaster.
Now, think about some lessons we can learn from this. When you try to do your work to please people; when you try to copy others and do what they’re doing, it’s like putting on Saul’s armor—you can’t do it. But when God has given you a gift, skill, or opportunity, don’t underestimate God’s power in you, doing it the way he’s gifted you.
Use your slingshot. It may not be the conventional way to do things, but if that’s how God is leading you, don’t be intimidated by what others think. Go with what God has given you.

April 4, 2026 Be Content with Who You Are, Not Where You Are – I

Do you ever feel pulled in two directions? On one hand, we know from Scripture we’re to accept who we are in Christ. We’re told not to compare ourselves to others or envy who they are or what they have. We know we were uniquely designed by God, created on purpose, and that we should appreciate his handiwork in us.
But on the other hand—if you’re like me—you also know there are things about yourself you shouldn’t just accept. There are flaws. Weaknesses. Immaturities. We see others who seem to have it more together, and we feel the gap between who we are and who we ought to be.
Here’s the dilemma: How do we accept who we are when we know we’re not yet all we should be? How can we believe we’re special just as we are, while knowing we still have so far to grow?
It almost seems like mission impossible. It appears to be a paradox with no solution. On the one hand we’re admonished to rejoice and celebrate who we are and on the other hand, we’re aware daily of our inadequacies and shortcomings.
But here’s what I’m learning: I must be content with who God made me to be—while remaining lovingly dissatisfied with where I am in my growth. Contentment with my design. Holy discontentment with my development. Or to say it another way: accept who I am, but don’t settle for where I am.
That understanding has brought me tremendous freedom. I can appreciate who I am in Christ and still pursue becoming more like him. Let’s look at a couple of areas where this tension shows up.
Your Body
Scripture tells us we are fearfully and wonderfully made. God formed us in our mother’s womb. He doesn’t make mistakes. And yet—when we look in the mirror, do we see his craftsmanship or only the flaws?
“Oh, if only my hair were different.”
“If only my face were shaped another way.”
“If only my body were thinner, taller, smaller, firmer.”
Now, tell the truth: Don’t we often just focus on the negatives? Our culture has convinced us there’s only one acceptable shape for a beautiful body. And we’ve paid dearly for believing that lie. So many women have harmed themselves chasing an image that was never meant to define beauty.
I mean—look at the evidence: God clearly loves variety. Just look around at all the different looks, types, and shapes! How dull this world would be if we all came in the same size, shape, or color.
My dear friend, Fran, was barely five feet tall. All her life she was the shortest one in the room. But that small stature became a beautiful tool in God’s hands. She was never intimidating. People instantly felt at ease with her. She could make you laugh in seconds. She never met a stranger, and as a result, she was able to authentically and easily talk with people about her faith. Many women came to saving faith because they became friends with Fran. God used her size and personality together in powerful ways. Her height was not a mistake.
Your body is not a mistake either. Accept it. Thank God for it. See it as his design. But don’t settle.
Care for it. Strengthen it. Discipline it. Keep it healthy so it can serve Jesus well. We don’t chase perfection, but we do pursue stewardship. Our physical well-being affects our effectiveness. We want to run our race well and finish strong.
Very recently I was struck by this passage from Psalm 92:
The righteous flourish like the palm tree… They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the LORD is upright (Psalm 92:12-14).
As the years pile up, your body goes through changes. But I love the truth that we can still bear fruit even as we age and be full of sap and green. I don’t want to run out of gas. I don’t want to be prohibited from ministry because my body fails me.
Now, there are some physical problems over which you and I have no control. But our behavior and discipline largely determine how good we’re going to feel, how long we’re going to last, how clearly we can think, how fast we can react, how much we can accomplish. You don’t want to settle for anything less than God’s best for you—right?
Accept the body God gave you—but don’t settle for just getting by, for neglect.
Your Personality
The same is true of your personality. God does not make cookie-cutter Christians—aren’t you glad? Some of us are outgoing; some are reserved. Some lead naturally; others support faithfully. Some are talkers; some are listeners. Each personality carries strengths.
The outgoing person makes friends easily. The quiet one listens deeply. The leader casts vision. The steady one brings peace.
Now, tell the truth, are you content with the personality God has given you? Do you even know what it’s like? You should, and you should appreciate that personality.
My friend, Afton, wrestled with her personality as an introvert. She thought it was a negative flaw she needed to correct. But God has shown her the exact opposite. Her personality as an introvert has incredibly wonderful attributes. She is such a good listener, and she cares so much for others. Actually, she written a book: Living Connected: An Introvert’s Guide to Friendship, which is just wonderful, and it has helped so many women see their quiet personality as a gift from God.
For many years I thought my take-charge entrepreneur type personality was a mistake; it seemed to me women shouldn’t be like me. In fact, as a college student I tried once to change my personality. I thought by a set of my will I could be like some other girls at my college who seemed to have more appropriate personalities than I did. I intentionally tried to change my personality. The effort lasted for a few days. I couldn’t keep it up, and it did not succeed; in fact, it was a total flop. Instead of improving my personality, I came off as phony and insincere—which of course I was!
Eventually, I began to appreciate how God made me. Awkward edges and all. It took me far too long to get there, but as I became more and more contented with how God had made me and appreciated his creativity in me, there was great freedom. Freedom from comparison, from competition, from envy. When you’re at peace with who you are, you can genuinely celebrate who others are.
But again—accepting doesn’t mean excusing. There’s much I’ve had to learn and pray about changing in my own personality—and I still have to work at it. I may be project-oriented, but that’s no excuse for being insensitive. I may be a talker, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t learn to listen.
Every personality has built-in weaknesses. We don’t get to say, “That’s just the way I am,” and use that as an excuse to stop growing—to overlook things in ourselves that need to be changed. Instead, we thank God for the strengths and invite him to sand down the rough edges. When you truly appreciate the good in how God made you, you won’t be crushed when he reveals areas that need polishing.
And I’ve found God always deals with my personal flaws very patiently and gently. He is a good, good Father and he cares about our feelings. He knows us better than we know ourselves, and his purpose is to transform us more and more to be like Jesus. You can trust him to know how to help you grow and mature in your faith journey.

April 3, 2026 What Kind of God Dies? – 5

I’ve been focusing on the death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior. Can I ask you: Of what or who do you boast? Or in our vernacular, what do you brag about?
Paul said to the Galatians: May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Galatians 6:14).
Can you imagine what this sounded like to Jewish people of his day? Boasting in the cross? That was unthinkable—and yet it is because of the cross that Jesus was able to purchase our salvation.
I have led many tours to Israel, and each time I go to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus spent those agonizing hours before he was arrested, I am reminded it’s not a fairy tale. It’s not just a story that has been passed down through the ages. No, the cross of Jesus Christ was real. He suffered a shameful death for me—and for you—so God could forgive our sins. Because of him, we can have the righteousness of Jesus Christ credited to us, qualifying us to spend eternity with God.
There’s something about sitting in that garden, still filled with olive trees, and knowing we are on sacred ground, walking and meditating there where Jesus agonized until his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. Where he prayed “Not my will but thine be done,” as he faced the reality of being separated from his Father and bearing in his own body the sins of the world. Each time I come away from that Garden more humbled and more aware of just what it meant for Jesus to give himself as a ransom for many—for me—and to be willing to die on a cross.
As you and I celebrate the resurrection of our Lord this Sunday, let us glory in the cross, because without it, we have no hope. Boast about the cross and what Jesus has done for you. Tell everybody you can and why this celebration is so vital and precious to you. And we will celebrate with great joy the fact that the grave could not hold Jesus; death had no victory over him. He arose from the grave.
What kind of god dies? Only the true God, the only God, who died so we could live. Let it sink into your mind and heart as you stand in awe that Jesus died for you. Don’t ever take this story, this truth, for granted. Understanding the enormity of his death on a cross is sobering and amazing, and his resurrection is reason for great joy.

April 2, 2026 What Kind of God Dies? – 4

As we prepare for Easter Sunday, it’s important to rehearse again this incredible truth that God, the Son, came to earth to die to pay the debt you and I owed—one we could never pay—for the forgiveness of our sins. And because Jesus died and then rose again after three days, he has conquered eternal death for us. If you have been born from above through faith in Jesus Christ, then your debt has been paid, and that is the most amazing truth.
Think about the disciples as they were witnessing Jesus’ trial and crucifixion. No doubt they could not comprehend how Jesus could come to this end. They believed he was their Messiah, and he would save them from Rome. Instead he came to save them from their sins. But after the resurrection when the Holy Spirit came upon them, they finally understood, and they were changed people.
In a statement to the Sadducees, who had just put him in jail for preaching the Gospel, Peter said,
The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree (Acts 5:30).
Peter points to the tree—the curse of the cross—and says despite their intention to bring Jesus to disgrace, God raised him from the dead and reversed the stigma.
Paul went even further to show how the cross became their message. He said,
We preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:23-24).
The fact Jesus was crucified was a great stumbling block to Jews in that day. How could their Messiah die and on a cross of all things? And for the Gentiles—those who are not Jews—this idea of a god dying seemed foolish. There were lots of gods worshipped in those days. The Romans had false gods for every occasion. But none of their gods died by crucifixion! That was foolishness to them.
The amazing truth is once the disciples understood the purpose of Jesus’ death on the cross, that very shameful act of being crucified transformed the disciples and their message, and the thing that once had been so repugnant to them became the thing in which they boasted.
And that is what we boast in this Easter season. Don’t let this celebration pass you by this year without taking time to remember that Jesus set you free by dying for you and then rising from the tomb. And because of that, you are free indeed!

March 31, 2026 What Kind of God Dies? – 2

Have you ever asked yourself this question: What kind of god dies? Jesus kept telling his disciples he came to die and deliver them from their sins, not from Rome. But they just couldn’t hear it. After all, what kind of god dies?
If I had been in the disciples’ shoes at that time, I’m sure I would have struggled with understanding the Messiah—the one I had faithfully followed for over three years, the one I hoped was going to redeem Israel from Rome—was going to die on a cross under God’s curse. No doubt the disciples knew the passage from Deuteronomy 21:23 which says anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse.
When Pilot ordered Jesus to be crucified, the Jewish leaders were very pleased for they thought this would be the end of this troublemaker and his followers. Surely those pesky disciples would give up after Jesus was hung on a cross. This helps us understand why the disciples went into hiding after the crucifixion and were frightened they would be found out. They were bearing not only the grief of losing Jesus but also the shame and disgrace of the way he was killed—on a cross.
A crucified Messiah was not their idea of a hero, a Savior, their hope. And up to the end they just couldn’t believe it—Jesus was going to be crucified on a cross? They must have wondered why God sent Jesus to die and why he had to die on a cross. What kind of god dies?
With clear hindsight now and the New Testament to explain it to us, we can look back and see why God the Son had to die—and yes, even his method of death, a cross, was part of God’s plan.
Remember, no one took Jesus’ life from him; he gave it. This was all part of God’s eternal plan, every detail of his death was predetermined by God.
The reason Jesus had to die was because sin has consequences, and a Holy God cannot just overlook sin. The price had to be paid for sin; this is what God declared. He does not ignore our sins, but he makes it possible for our sins to be forgiven in Jesus Christ. Of course, God also never intended for death to have dominion over Jesus, and we will celebrate again his resurrection this Sunday. What a glorious truth!

March 30, 2026 What Kind of God Dies?

It’s the week before Resurrection Sunday. I hope you have been preparing your heart to celebrate this Sunday, for it is truly the most important celebration for us as Christ-followers. And in preparation, I’d like us to focus on a very unusual question, which is: What kind of god dies?
If you or I were given the assignment to determine how the sins of mankind could be forgiven, would we ever have come up with a plan that God becomes man and dies? The disciples certainly had difficulty hearing Jesus when he repeatedly said he had come to die. Even though there were many clues and prophecies from the Old Testament showing the coming Messiah would die, their belief at the time was Jesus was Messiah, and he had come to save them from Rome, not from their sins.
I’ve been trying to put myself in the disciples’ shoes as they grappled with Jesus’ mission.
Clearly Jesus told them, the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).
He told them he was the Good Shepherd, and the Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He even gave them an indication of the kind of death he would die when he said,
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up (John 3:14).
But they just couldn’t hear it because what kind of god dies?
Only the true, eternal God would have put this plan in place. To send his only Son who was equal with God the Father for the purpose of dying could only come from the mind and heart of God himself.
Then think of this—the way Jesus died was not only the most painful and horrendous way to die, the Jews believed any crucified person was condemned by God. Don’t you imagine in those early days following the crucifixion, the disciples must have struggled to understand why Jesus had to die and why he died on a cross. He died this ignominious death, and all along they thought he was from God—which of course he was. But how could he be from God and die on a cross?

March 27, 2026 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Finances – 5

Money problems are crisis points for most of us, aren’t they? Fran is learning how money problems affect every part of her life. Jesus has just reminded her that she has a choice, either to trust him or to panic.
Fran mulls this over in her mind. “It’s my choice, you say? Either I can continue to act and react like I’ve done today, or I can refuse to get upset and pray more about it and trust you. But when I feel that panic set in, I just can’t avoid it,” Fran tells Jesus.
“Feeling the panic doesn’t mean you’re not trusting me,” Jesus says. “But at that point of panic, you must make a choice either to continue in panic mode or to trust me. Remember, if you go by your feelings, you’ll often be in trouble.”
“It brings to mind the verse I learned when I was a kid in Sunday School: ‘What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee,’” Fran says. “Guess that’s what you mean when you say I have to make a choice, huh?”
“Yes, Fran,” Jesus says, “Regardless of your feelings, if you will set your will to trust in me, you’ll discover the fears subside. And when the fears subside, then you can think correctly, hear my voice, and know what to do. But when fear takes over, trust goes out the window and you’re going to find yourself doing and saying all kinds of things you wish you hadn’t.”
“That sure happened to me today,” Fran says, as she re-thinks her day. “I blew up at everybody.” Fran spends a little more time reading her Bible and talking with Jesus and then goes to bed with a quiet spirit.
The next day her talk with Uncle George encourages her. He explained she had some options she’d never thought about. She could refinance her home at a lower interest rate and cut her payments by almost $150 a month.
He pointed out she could claim another deduction and have an extra $40 to $50 in her paycheck. He also gave her the name of a real estate agent who could give her some good advice on selling her house.
As Fran drove home, she said to Jesus, “I do have some options, don’t I, Lord? Thanks for putting Uncle George in my life to help me. Now I just need to know what is the best thing to do.”
“Well, Fran, keep praying for wisdom and seeking good advice,” Jesus reminds her.
“And keep cutting back on costs, right,” Fran smiles.
God deals with all of us through money. If that’s where you are now, learn to trust God, not money. Seek good advice, if needed, and be a good steward. But do not live in fear of the lack of money. God has promised to supply all your needs, and he never fails.

March 26, 2026 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Finances – 4

When we’re having money problems, it can cause all kinds of other problems, can’t it? Fran is struggling with too little money and too many bills. She’s thinking of selling her home and has just told her son, Drew, they might have to move, but she said it in anger and haste.
“Move to another house? Mom, we can’t leave this house. Mom…” Drew looks at Fran with fear in his eyes, and tears start to roll down his cheeks. She is ashamed of how she has upset him unnecessarily.
She releases her grip on his shoulders, takes his hand, and leads him to the sofa. “Oh, Drew, I’m sorry I yelled at you,” she says as she takes him in her arms. He cries freely.
“Mom, I don’t want to move. This is our home.” Drew’s fears and anxiety pour out.
Hugging him close, Fran says, “Drew, I don’t make as much money as your Dad did, and I can’t afford this house.”
“Please Mom, please, don’t sell the house, please,” Drew begs as Fran holds him, unable to answer because of the tears in her own eyes.
Later in the evening she calls her mom and talks about selling the house. Her mom suggests she talk to her Uncle George who is an officer at a local bank. Fran dials George’s number and explains her predicament to him. He says he’ll be glad to talk with her, and they plan to meet at his office tomorrow.
Fran feels relieved as she hangs up. Somehow it helps just to have someone to talk to who knows about finances and stuff.
“I’m glad you called George,” Jesus says to her quietly.
“Oh, Jesus,” Fran says rather sheepishly, “It was my mom’s suggestion,” She pauses. “Actually, it was your suggestion, wasn’t it? Yesterday you told me to seek advice. Did you see what I did to poor Drew tonight? I really dumped all my frustration on him,” Fran confesses.
“Money has power. And it is one of the most difficult areas for my children to learn to trust me,” Jesus says. “Remember, Fran: Money problems are either going to cause you to be worried and frantic, or they are going to cause you to learn to trust me more. It’s your choice.”
And all of us have that choice to make, don’t we?

March 25, 2026 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Finances – 3

We continue our fictional story of Fran and Jesus, as Fran struggles with not enough money to pay all the bills. Yesterday she said to Jesus, “If I just had more money, all my problems would be solved.”
But Jesus replies, “Do you remember, Fran, what I taught the disciples in my Sermon on the Mount? You cannot serve both God and money. Money is a powerful thing, and it can cause you to be its slave.”
“Yes,” Fran replies, “but I still have to have money to pay these bills.” Wearily she goes to bed, taking those financial worries with her.
At work the next day, her phone rings. “Mrs. Langley,” the voice says. “I’m calling for Dr. Carrow. I wanted to inquire about the bill for Alice’s dental work. It’s past due, and we were wondering when you might be able to pay it?”
Fran is stunned as she realizes this is a collection call. “Uh,” she mutters, very embarrassed, “well, I know it’s a little late. I’m sorry. It’s just so many bills have come due this month. I’m sorry.”
“Well, when can we expect your check, Mrs. Langley?” the cold voice asks.
Fran tries to think, “I’ll try to get a check off this week.”
“Then we can expect full payment this week, is that right Mrs. Langley?” he continues.
Fran is embarrassed and angry at this whole conversation. She slams the phone down. The rest of the day is pretty much a wipe-out, because Fran can’t think of anything else. Several times during the day, Jesus tries to get her attention, but she’s so wrapped up in her self-pity she is not even aware of his presence.
As she’s driving home Fran notices her check engine light comes on in her car. “Oh no! That’s all I need—car troubles!”
Then, as she arrives home, Drew rushes up to her. “Mom, what happened? We can’t get the cartoon channel anymore?”
“Oh, Drew, I cancelled the cable service today,” Fran replies. “We can’t afford it anymore.”
“What do you mean we can’t afford it? We’ve always afforded it before,” Drew says.
“Now, listen to me, son,” Fran grabs him by the shoulders, “I have to cut costs, and we can do without cable television. What’s more, we’re probably going to have to sell the house and move to a cheaper place.”
As soon as she says it, she knows she said the wrong thing.

March 23, 2026 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Finances

Do you ever struggle with finances? Our friend Fran has some important lessons to learn about managing her money. I tell this on-going story as though Fran is having a conversation with Jesus throughout her day, because the fact is, as Christians, we do have his presence all the time. We need to practice it more, and hopefully Fran’s story will inspire us to do that.
After Fran gets the kids in bed this evening, she says to herself, “It’s the first of the month. I’ve got to pay bills tonight.”
One of the toughest aspects of being single for Fran is the total responsibility of the finances, and it’s particularly difficult because there’s hardly ever enough money to pay all the bills. She and Jim had moved into their home just before he died, and the mortgage payment is pretty steep.
“Well, what bills will I pull out of the hat this month? Good grief that phone bill is ridiculous. And this dental bill for Alice. All she had was one small cavity,” Fran fumes.
“Oh great,” she exclaims, “I’m $200 short this month.”
“But don’t forget,” Jesus says to her, catching her by surprise, “I’ve promised to take care of you. You will not be brought to shame, or go hungry, or miss anything you need.”
Fran wasn’t aware of his presence until he spoke to her, and then she felt a little defensive. “Yeah, but I still have to pay these bills and that takes money.”
“Well, Fran, see which bills could be eliminated or reduced,” Jesus suggests.
“Well, this cable TV bill—I guess that could go. But the kids enjoy the cartoons,” Fran rationalizes.
“Yes, but they have a lot of good movies, and your mom has bought them several Bible videos,” Jesus reminds her. “Don’t you think that’s enough?”
“Yeah, you’re right. It’s just easy for me to plop them down in front of the television when I’m tired or busy,” Fran candidly admits. “But I’ll cancel the cable tomorrow.”
Looking through the rest of the bills, she says, “I know I could sell the house and live somewhere cheaper, but…” That’s the one thing Fran doesn’t want to consider. “I love my home, Lord,” Fran says.
“Fran, it’s time for you to seek counsel,” Jesus says to her. “Remember Proverbs 20:18: Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance. So, seek some counsel.”

March 21, 2026 Don’t Mess with My Money!

I’m going to talk about money today and specifically how we can be victorious over money—how we can refuse to be enslaved to it. And if you don’t know this already, let me tell you if you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, he’s going to mess with your money. You remember at one point Jesus positioned himself in the temple where the offerings were deposited and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury (Mark 12:41).
Imagine! He intentionally watched people bringing their money into the temple. It was not a private matter with him; he knows where your treasure is, there your heart is also (Matthew 6:21), and he took notice of who was giving money, how much they gave, and how sacrificially they gave.
He’s watching us, too, and our money and what we do with it is not a private matter with Jesus. We are accountable to him for what we take in and how we spend it.
The Seductive Power of Money
Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24).
Money is a rival god that seeks to control us by claiming to have the power of deity. It tries to convince us it can do for us what only God can do. It claims to give us security, to give us freedom, to give us power, and to meet all our needs. It clamors for the place in our heart only God can fill.
Jesus made this clear in his dealing with the rich young ruler, who wanted to know what he must do to get eternal life.
Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Matthew 19:21).
Notice when this young man went away sad, Jesus didn’t run after him and say, “Wait, you don’t really have to sell everything, just change your attitude toward money.” No, Jesus meant what he said to that young man; he had to be converted from loving and serving money to loving and serving Jesus, and he wasn’t willing to do that.
It’s very easy to be in bondage to money—for it to become an idol in our lives. It has far more power over us than simply its purchasing power. We think: It’s mine; I earned it; I depend on it; I need it; I like it! Don’t mess with my money!
The Dangers of Money
How can you tell if money has become your master? Here are some checkpoints:

Are you continually worried about money, either not having enough or losing what you have? Is that one of your greatest fears?
Do you tend to hoard your money and keep it for yourself? Are you stingy with your money?
Do you think of your money as your security blanket? Are you dependent upon money to solve your problems?
Do you evaluate yourself and others by their financial status? Are people more important to you if they have more money?
Do you make decisions solely based on money?

These are some telltale signs money has become our master, and believe me, it can happen to any of us. The spiritual power of money is very strong; that’s why Jesus said you cannot serve God and money.
We need to be set free from the demonic control money would have over us. It’s not unusual to hear someone give a testimony of how God has set that person free from sexual sin or some addiction. Perhaps we need to make it comfortable and acceptable for Christians to confess that they have been seduced by money, and they want to be set free.
So, here’s the question for you today: Do you serve God or money?
That’s a heavy question, and a disciple of Jesus Christ needs to face it head on—because Jesus is going to mess with your money, one way or the other.
Our challenge is to use the money and possessions God gives to us for good but never let them have power over us. Richard Foster writes: “Rather than run from money, we are to take it—evil bent and all—and use it for kingdom purposes…Money is to be captured, subdued, and used for greater goals. We are called to use money to advance the kingdom of God” (Foster, 1989).[1]
We must intentionally learn a new attitude toward money. And the first part of that new attitude is to understand that we are possession-less.
The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it (Psalm 24:1).
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me (Job 41:11).
As a disciple of Jesus Christ, everything you have is simply on loan to you. You are given the stewardship of those assets, but you own nothing, because you yourself are owned by God.
You know how your company has labels on everything: Property of such and such company. You’re using the property—the desk, the computer, the chair, etc.—but you’re using it for the benefit of the company you work for. We need to put that kind of label on “our stuff” to constantly remind us we don’t own anything. We are simply entrusted with some possessions and money to use while we’re here on earth.
In fact, I encourage you to make some labels which say something like: “Property of God, on loan from God, to be used for God’s glory,” and then put some of those labels on some of your “stuff” to remind you that you are a steward, not an owner. I’m serious; we must constantly fight money and its design on our hearts, and we need to be reminded that we are possession-less. This is one way to learn to do that, to put some labels on some of your treasured possessions.
Then pray this into your life regularly: I am possession-less. I own nothing. Everything is loaned to me by God. I will give an account to God for all that he has entrusted to me.
Are you worried about money now? I know many are facing some hard times financially, and I know how easy it is to get depressed about money. But I believe we can use these tough times to learn some very important lessons, and we can come through these days refined like gold. Our challenge is to make money our servant not our master. Here is the most powerful way to do that, as given by Richard Foster in his book, The Challenge of the Disciplined Life:
Give it away. Dethrone money by giving it away. Show money you are not its servant; you do not value it more than people, more than God. Foster writes, “It would do us good to find ways to defame it, defile it, and trample it under our feet.
“So step on it. Yell at it. Laugh at it. List it way down on the scale of values—certainly far below friendship and cheerful surroundings. And engage in the most profane act of all—give it away. The powers that energize money cannot abide that most unnatural of acts, giving. Money is made for taking, for bargaining, for manipulating, but not for giving. This is exactly why giving has such ability to defeat the powers of money.” (Foster, 1989)
How much are you giving away? Some people use the tithe—ten percent—as a measure of how much to give God. If you think that is legalistic, then by all means, don’t use it. Give fifteen percent instead! But if you are regularly not giving God at least a tenth of all your money, you need to search your heart, seek God’s face, and find out what you should be giving.
You will discover the joy of giving. You will discover the thrill of helping others. You will find yourself wishing you could give more.
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).
The principle of sowing and reaping is that you reap what you sow, you reap more than you sow, you reap in a different season than you sow. If you need money, the first and most important thing you need to do, before you do anything else, is to start giving away at least one-tenth of your money to God.
God LOVES a cheerful giver. Do you want to please God? Be a cheerful giver! He LOVES it!
Another effective way to make money your servant, not your master, is to:
Refuse to let money be the sole determinant of what you will or won’t do!
When money makes our decisions, we are then servants of money. For example:

If you are trying to find a job that pays more money, because you need more money, then money has made that decision. Instead, you need to ask God if it’s good for you to find a new job. What will that do to your life? How will that affect your relationships? Can you handle more money?
If you want to buy a new car and you can afford it, then money makes that decision. You buy it because you can afford it, and you want it. Perhaps, if you prayed about it, God would say, “Make your car last another five years and send the money you would have spent on a car to the church.”
If you believe God is leading you into some kind of ministry, but that would take money and you don’t have the money, so you don’t move forward into that ministry. Money has made that decision. If God is leading you, you don’t decide not to do it based on lack of money. You have to trust him to provide it.

As Foster writes: “If money determines what we do or do not do, then money is our boss. If God determines what we do or do not do, then God is our boss. My money might say to me, ‘You have enough to buy that,’ but my God might say to me, ‘I don’t want you to have it.’ Now, who am I to obey?” (Foster, 1989).
Learning to see money as a tool God gives you to steward and use and not be controlled by is a lifelong pursuit for most of us. But we can learn to be set free from the control of money by trusting Jesus and giving him the final word on how we spend our money. Again, I encourage you to make some labels that say: “Property of God, on loan from God, to be used for God’s glory,” and put them on some of your possessions. The point is we have to learn we are simply stewards of God’s goodness. Everything we think we own is truly just on loan from God, and we will give an account of how we used it.
[1] Foster, R. J. (1989). The challenge of the disciplined life : Christian reflections on money, sex & power. Harper & Row.

March 19, 2026 The God of Second Chances – 4

Have you read the book of Hosea lately? God gave me a second chance after I went my own way for far too many years, and now he allows me the joy of serving in this ministry.
Hosea is a picture of second chances. God told him to marry an unfaithful wife and to keep giving her opportunities to return. Through that story, God showed how he would continue giving Israel chances to receive their Messiah. If you want to see second chances in action, read Hosea.
Think of Abraham. More than once, his faith failed, and he lied about Sarah to protect himself. Yet God reaffirmed his covenant with him.
Jacob deceived his father and stole Esau’s blessing. Yet God redeemed Jacob, and the covenant continued through him.
David committed adultery and arranged a murder. Yet through his line came Jesus Christ. God gave him a second chance.
And the list goes on—right up to us. Every one of us has failed in some way. If we didn’t have a God of second chances, we would all be lost. Maybe you’ve asked forgiveness for the same sin again and wonder if he will forgive you one more time. He will. He knows our frame; he remembers we are dust.
That doesn’t mean there are no consequences. Sin has aftermath. But God removes our guilt and allows us to begin again with a clean slate.
We should never take sin lightly, but it is a comfort to know our God does not give up on us. Trust him today for the second chance you need.

March 18, 2026 The God of Second Chances – 3

One of my favorite people in the Bible is Peter. Do you know why? Because despite messing up—several key times in his life—he made a wonderful comeback. And God used him mightily. Peter reminds me that we serve the God of second chances.
Maybe you need a second chance, but you might be thinking it’s too late. Maybe you’ve made one mistake too many. Maybe you feel like God is fed up with you and has quietly put you on the shelf. Well, think of Peter.
Peter was always making big promises. “I’ll follow You anywhere.” “I’ll never forsake You.” “I’ll never deny You.” “I’ll even die for You.” But look at his failures.
Jesus actually rebuked him and said, Get behind me, Satan (Matthew 16:23), when Peter gave him completely wrong advice. On the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter started talking about building memorials—and God interrupted from heaven, basically saying, “Peter, be quiet and listen to my Son.” He stepped out of the boat to walk on water—and sank. He slept when he should have been praying—even on the night of Jesus’ betrayal.
And worst of all, he denied his Lord three times. When Jesus was on trial, Peter should have stood up and been counted. Instead, he caved. He turned away. He fled.
Why would Jesus choose Peter? Because Jesus doesn’t look for perfection. He looks for hearts he can restore. That brash, impulsive, big-talking fisherman became one of the greatest spokesmen for Christ and the early church. After the resurrection, Jesus didn’t discard Peter—he restored him. He recommissioned him. He gave him another chance.
Maybe you’ve been talking the talk but not walking the walk. Maybe you feel like you blew your testimony at work, at home, or with your friends.
Listen carefully: You cannot mess up so badly that God cannot salvage you. Don’t underestimate the power of the God of second chances.
Remember Peter. And ask God to do for you what he did for him. He’s the same God. He hasn’t changed. And he loves you just as much as he loved Peter.
Get up. Turn back. And go for it.

March 17, 2026 The God of Second Chances – 2

Have you ever felt like you’ve made a mess of your life? If you’re carrying regret, I hope you’ll lean in—because this is for you.
Do you remember Rahab? She’s often referred to as “Rahab the harlot.” But that’s not how God finished her story. He rescued her out of that life and gave her faith and a future.
We aren’t told too many details of her early life, but we know she lived a life of sin for many years. But through a series of events, she bargained for her life with the two spies from the people of God, hid them in her home in exchange for protection for her family, and survived the slaughter and destruction of her country.
Yes, she had a sinful past. Yes, she made choices she couldn’t undo. But when she trusted the God of Israel, everything changed. She was spared. She married into God’s people. She became part of the lineage of Jesus. Her name is even listed in Hebrews 11 among the heroes of faith. What a redemption!
Maybe you have a past that still whispers shame. Maybe the enemy keeps replaying old failures in your mind. But if you’ve asked God to forgive you, that sin is covered. He remembers it no more. The enemy will try to hinder and handicap you because of your past. He hopes to keep you mired in guilt and rotten memories.
If you’ve asked God to forgive you, your past is behind you. Let God take the guilt of your past, put it under his precious blood, and set you free to see what he can do with you. It’s never too late, and nothing is too hard for the Lord.
Your past does not get the final word. God does. And he is still the God of second chances.

March 14, 2026 Fight against Idolatry

We will always struggle to keep God as the center of our worship and satisfaction. Just like the verse in Come Thou Fount says, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love,” I definitely feel that pull.
Even as a redeemed child of God, I struggle with my sin nature and will continue to fail and need to repent. While you and I will not be perfect in this life, we can make progress. That’s what I’d like to focus on today. How can you and I as Christians seeking to love God with all our hearts, souls, and strength avoid common traps that lead to idolatry?
While there are many great ways to do this, I’d like to share three practical tips to fight idolatry that have been extremely helpful in my own walk with the Lord.
The first is to develop the habit of spiritual disciplines.
Spiritual disciplines are practices we do because they aid us in our relationship with God. The two most powerful spiritual disciplines are prayer and Bible reading. I can’t even begin to describe how important these practices have been in my life.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2).
Surely the pattern of this world includes idolatry. Don’t you constantly hear messages that call you to put our hope in something other than God? But when I come to his Word on a regular basis, my mind is renewed. I see that thing, whatever it is, I have been placing my trust in is empty and will fail every time. I read about God’s character—how he is steadfast, and sustains his people, how his love never fails, and he is powerful.
As I pray and confess my need for him and praise him for his character, my mind is renewed and I am less likely to fall into the trap of looking to worthless things to satisfy me. What would it look like for you to prioritize prayer and Bible reading as a regular part of life to orient your mind and affections toward the Lord?
The next tip for fighting against idolatry is similar and takes the practice of Bible reading a step further.
I have found it very helpful to spend time meditating on God’s character. Now the word meditate in our current setting can often mean emptying or clearing your mind and just being present in the here and now. However, Biblical meditation is very different. It is not clearing the mind but actively setting the mind on truth and choosing to focus on that truth and mull it over—to steep in it and consider it from all angles.
Remember, even though you and I know idolatry proves fruitless, the pull and want of certain things is extremely powerful, sometimes ridiculously powerful. If you are struggling with a disordered love, something you feel you have to have or hold so dear that it has taken God’s place in your heart, if that’s you, I would commend you to meditate on God’s attributes.
As you read your Bible, take time to stop and ask yourself, what is this teaching me about God? What does this show me of his character? And then stop and ponder it. Maybe keep a notebook where you list what you learn about God from scripture. Pray about it. Talk with God about his character. Praise him, thank him, draw near to him. When was the last time you sat and marveled at who God is? It is so difficult to do in a world that is constantly rushing to the next thing! Meditation takes discipline and practice, and I need to cultivate that in my life more as well because it is so worthwhile.
A passage that might be helpful to start meditating on is Isaiah 46. That passage provides a wonderful contrast between false gods that vie for our hearts and the one true God. Listen to how verses 1-2 describe idols.
Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low; their idols are borne by beasts of burden. The images that are carried about are burdensome, a burden for the weary. They stoop and bow down together; unable to rescue the burden, they themselves go off into captivity (Isaiah 46:1-2).
The idols of the world are a burden for the weary. The text paints a picture of someone stooping low because they are so weighed down by their idols. Idols burden the worshippers have no power to unburden but instead lead to captivity. However, the one true God could not be more different.
Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob, all the remnant of the people of Israel, you whom I have upheld since your birth, and have carried since you were born. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. With whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared (Isaiah 46:3-5)?
Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me (Isaiah 46:9).
In contrast to idols, the God of the Bible is described as someone who upholds his people, who carries them in love; he bears their burdens. He sustains his people and rescues them. He brings his righteousness and salvation near to us. As I ponder the goodness of a God who not only sees my need but is powerful and willing to help me, I am less likely to run after hollow substitutes. Meditation on God’s character will also fortify your heart.
We grow in the habits of prayer, Bible reading, and meditation, but I also think it is important to consider the relationship between idolatry and discontentment. Really, they are very similar.
Idolatry is a lack of contentment in the Lord. It is saying, “Lord, I see you, but I want more. I need something else to satisfy me. You are not enough for my soul.” If idolatry springs from discontentment in the Lord, wouldn’t it make sense to be active in cultivating contentment in order to guard our hearts? In Philippians 4:13, we find the beautiful and popular verse I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Sadly, this verse is often misunderstood to mean that whatever I want to do, I am able to do because Christ will help me. But that is not what this verse is saying. We can see the true meaning by looking at the context of the verse. What is Paul talking about? He is talking about contentment. He has just said he learned the secret of being content no matter what the circumstances, and it is that he can do all things through Christ.
In this context we could even say the verse is revealing that the Christian can bear all things or endure anything through Christ. That means whether my bank account is full or I’m broke, if I have Christ, I am secure. Whether I have a beautiful family or lose everyone I love, if I have Christ, I am rooted in a love that is sure and unshakable. Whether life is easy and comfortable and I experience the riches of God’s blessing or every day is painful and suffering seems to come in waves, if I am in Christ, the God of all comfort will minister to my soul and use all things for my ultimate good.
Are you content in Christ? Can you truly say, Jesus is enough? Can you declare, his grace is sufficient for all your needs?
It is normal if there are times when faith comes easier and when it is hard. Jesus was tempted as we are and knows the pull of our hearts away from the Father. But as you seek to grow in contentment, as you meditate on the character of God, as you take time to be in his word and pray, the Lord will meet you and draw your heart to himself. The words from the song Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus have proved so true in my life and I pray they will in yours too. “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.” May it be so. Amen.

March 13, 2026 What Is Idolatry? – 5

Presented by Jenn Miller
What do you do when you find idolatry in your heart? I think one of the dangers of spending time analyzing a certain sin is it can sometimes leave us with a lot of understanding and conviction of the sin without help to know how to change.
I hope you will see the great mercy and grace available through Jesus to all who are caught in idolatry. God cares greatly about the hearts of his people because he knows that what is best for us is to worship him—that is what we were created to do.
He is worthy of your praise and jealous for your worship. God reveals areas in your heart that have idolized something above him not to condemn you but to give you the opportunity to repent.
Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23)!
If you see idolatry in your heart, know it doesn’t change God’s great love for you. His compassion toward you is still as real today as ever. His mercy and faithfulness are great. So come to God in prayer and confess whatever it is you have looked to for security, comfort, hope, or satisfaction instead of him.
Ask the Lord to give you eyes to see his beauty and worth and to draw your heart to love him above all else. God blesses the poor in spirit—those who recognize their need for him and depend on him to rescue them in sin.
Because of Jesus’ death on the cross, forgiveness is available to all who confess their sin and trust in Jesus as their savior.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
Won’t you come today and lay down your idols for something so much greater? For Jesus Christ himself.
If you recognize idols in your heart, know that through Jesus, you are not condemned but invited to repent.

March 12, 2026 What Is Idolatry? – 4

Presented by Jenn Miller
Is it really that big of a deal if I have little idols in my heart? Since we are naturally sinful and are prone wander, why does God care so much about idolatry? These questions are good to think through.
Even though idolatry is common in the human heart, the Bible says it is extremely dangerous. In Exodus 20, God commanded his people to have no other god before him. Before giving this command, he described his relationship with the people. He was their God and they were his people. He rescued them and called them into special relationship. Therefore, he cared for them and was rightly jealous when their hearts wandered from him.
God cares about you today as well. If you have turned from your sin and trusted in Jesus as your savior, God has chosen you to be his child, and he cares about your relationship with him. He has designed you so you are most satisfied and whole when you worship him alone. Any other worship robs you of true joy and will eventually leave you empty, hollow, and lost.
Psalm 115 describes idols as having mouths but unable to speak, having eyes but not seeing, having ears but not hearing. They are incapable of action or service to the worshipper. But then verse 8 says something striking.
Those who make them will become like them, and so will all who trust in them (Psalm 115:8).
As my heart runs after substitutes for God himself, I actually become less. Idols rob us. This is because idols are the tools of Satan to lure our hearts. Remember Jesus’ words in John 10 where he warns us that the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. This is the work of idols. But Jesus has come so we might have life to the full.
If you recognize idols in your heart, know that through Jesus, you are not condemned but invited to repent.

March 10, 2026 What Is Idolatry? – 2

Presented by Jenn Miller
Idolatry is when we turn to anything besides God for our fulfilment, security, hope, or comfort.
John Calvin once gave a great image of the human heart. He called it an idol making factory. Just picture that. In other words, idolatry comes so naturally to us because of our sin nature. And we are blind to idols of our heart. How can you and I identify areas of idolatry so we can turn away from them?
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength (Deuteronomy 6:5).
Anything that prevents my heart from loving God completely is an idol.
I have found the following questions helpful when seeking to identify idols in my life. First, is there anything you love so much, if you were to lose it, life would just be over for you or you don’t think you could go on? If your answer is yes, that thing has probably become an idol for you.
Is there something you want so much you are willing to sin to get it? Or do you respond sinfully when you don’t get something you want? Those are marks of idolatry. These questions can be hard to ask, but they are helpful in revealing things that have crept into my heart to take the Lord’s rightful place.
When you love God with all your heart, soul, and strength, you can face any loss because your hope is found only in the Lord. You long to please him above anything else. Sinful behaviors or desires can be idols, but even good things can become idols.

March 9, 2026 What Is Idolatry?

Presented by Jenn Miller
We are examining idolatry. Often when I hear that word, I can think of an image or a statue that is worshipped. That definitely falls into the category of idolatry, and most of the examples of idolatry in the Bible are from that category.
However, idolatry in our Western contemporary setting can look different. I think it is helpful to look at the 10 commandments to better understand this. In Exodus 20, the Israelites have been delivered from slavery in Egypt and now are entering a covenant as the special and loved people of God. But they didn’t know what this looked like, so God gave his people his law.
I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me (Exodus 20:2-3).
Interestingly, before God gives any commands to his people, he reminds them of his love, provision, and the relationship he has with them. And because of that relationship, the very first command he gives is for them to have no other gods.
The second command is to have no graven images, but first and foremost God requires his people keep him as their only God. I think this is helpful for you and me as we think about idolatry. Idolatry is when you turn to anything besides God for your fulfilment, security, hope, or comfort. We look to other things as a “god substitute.”
If you are like me, it is so easy to fall into this. I can trust God in most areas but then realize I am actually putting my hope in my financial stability for security, or a person for fulfillment, or a standard of living for comfort. Are there any god substitutes in your life today?

March 7, 2026 How to Fight Phone Idolatry

It’s not a stretch to say lots of people have allowed their smartphones to become addictions, and often far too much time is spent looking at, scrolling through, texting, and otherwise being occupied with those smartphones. When was the last time you left home without your phone?
Our phones have become an absolute necessity, a near-constant attachment in our lives. Anywhere you go—in line for coffee, sitting in a waiting room, stopped at a red light, walking on the street—near everyone is looking down at their phones. But can you really call that an idol? After all, these smartphones are handy, and they can be great time-savers.
But at some point this helpful tool can and often does have us at its mercy. We don’t control it; it controls us. And for Christ-followers we need to understand the enemy of our soul will use anything he can to cause us to pay attention to and spend time with anything other than the Lord.
For Christians, idolatry is anything that causes such a strong attachment in our lives—such as a strong habit—that without realizing it, we become addicted. In the case of phones, it’s not that we’re addicted to it but to the attention it demands of us—the attention that we choose to give it.
Our smartphones demand so much of our attention, we may allow it to become not just a useful tool, but a demanding and controlling habit of devotion, and that can start to interfere with our devotion to Jesus Christ.
I read once that people do not drift toward holiness. Our sinful natures, combined with the sneaky attacks from our enemy, can easily push us away from the Lord, and without intending to, we find ourselves devoted to something or someone more than to our Lord. Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? The warning of scripture is that unless we seek the Lord regularly—daily—for help, then we are opening ourselves to idolatries of the heart and mind.
When you think about it, what we pay attention to determines what we think about, and that begins to take over the focus of our lives. Something as small as a smartphone can cause us to think more and give more attention to anything other than things of God. These aren’t necessarily bad things, but distractions that take up our time and thoughts.
If you pay little attention to the important relationships of your life they will suffer. Being attentive to a person—listening, caring, conversing with them—is how we build strong relationships. As we spend more and more time on our phones, doesn’t this interfere with our relationships and create barriers and hindrances to healthy relationships?
And the same is true with our relationship with God. If we don’t spend time with him and give attention to his Word, to prayer, to fellowship, that can lead to a decline in our devotion to God and to obedience to his Word. We love what we give attention to.
I doubt there has ever been any one single development that has grabbed humans worldwide like the smartphone has. I mean, how many apps do you have on your phone? And what is their purpose? To seize your time and attention. To cause you to want something you don’t have. To allow wrong worldviews and wrong information to fill up your mind. Who could ever have predicted the impact smartphones are having on people everywhere.
I read an article that said, “If an idol is anything that takes our attention and love away from the one true God, then the mass-produced, internet-connected devices in our hands are among the most insidious idols history has known.”[1]
As believers, should we just get rid of our smartphones? Is that the answer to its control over us. Well, let’s see what Jesus said, and yes, he had something to say about smartphones.
If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell (Matthew 5:29 – 30).
Did Jesus mean to literally gouge out our eye or cut off our hand? No, but he uses very strong words here to show we should take whatever drastic action might be necessary for us to break the sins that bind us, the things that are taking our attention away from the Lord and causing us to stumble. If our phones have become a stumbling block in our lives spiritually, we need to do whatever is necessary to take down that idol.
In Exodus 34:14, we read: Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
Of course, this is not jealousy the way we tend to think of it today. God simply demands exclusive love and devotion from us as his children. When we worship anything else, when anything becomes more important than God, it is an idol in our lives. This is spiritual adultery. God’s jealousy is holy, different from our petty human jealousy, because he desires the best for us and knows that idols will rob us of his peace and joy and our fellowship with him.
If our smartphones—or anything or anyone else—begin to take our mind off things of the Lord, take time away from reading the Bible, keep us from praying like we should, God is jealous of those things because he knows we’re going in the wrong direction.
I doubt many Christians have ever thought about their phones as potential idols. So, how can we recognize signs that our phones have become an idol?
Well, it begins with an honest assessment of how addicted you might be to your phone. Does it continually interfere with family time? Do you spend as much time with your children as you do on your phone? If you can’t find your phone, take a moment to notice how upset you are in the moment. Pay attention to how much stress your phone brings into your life. Count the number of times you pick up it for no good or immediate reason—just because you haven’t looked at it in the last few minutes.
My guess is if I asked most believers if their phone has become an idol, they would insist that it has not. They would tell me how much they need it for business, for important communications, for safety even. But an honest assessment—paying attention to how you use the phone, how emotionally connected you are to it, how it demands your time—might reveal much more of an addition than you realized.
Taking an honest assessment requires that we really want to know about anything handicapping our spiritual growth; anything that has become obsessive or addictive. It begins with an attitude of submission to God in all things and a desire to please him.
If you find yourself rebelling against the idea that you could have a phone idol or any other kind of idol in your life or if you are immediately defensive about it, that might reveal that you just don’t want to deal with it. I can tell you from my own life there have been and still probably are some small areas where I just don’t want to face the music. I don’t want to change, for whatever reason. When your defenses go up, and you refuse to look at the control the smartphone may have in your life, this is tell-tale sign you’ve allowed it to become an idol.
Next, pray about it; ask God to show you how he feels about the time you spend and the way you use your smartphones. If there’s a problem, the Holy Spirit is faithful to convict us, and I think we all can recognize that convicting, uneasy spirit in our hearts.
God never deals with us in guilt, but he certainly convicts us of things in our lives that don’t please him. If we don’t confess and forsake them, then it turns to guilt, shame, and miserableness! Do yourself a favor: confess your phone idolatry as a sin and tell God you want to change. Then tell somebody what you’ve done; make yourself accountable to someone you can trust. And keep praying about it every day.
In 1 John 5:21, we read: Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. You can’t be much clearer than that. It is our responsibility to keep ourselves from idols. When we don’t, we’re living in disobedience. That means you will need to take some intentional steps toward changing your relationship with your smartphone, if indeed it has become an idol by taking your time and attention away from God and other more important matters.
Here are some suggestions about changing your habits and fighting phone idolatry.
Use your phone only at certain times of the day for designated purposes. There’s no question it can be an effective tool for getting information, communicating clearly, and saving time in many ways. Use it for the good it offers and then work toward having some phone-free time every day—not just a couple of minutes but hours. I promise you, the world will not stop revolving. Your company or organization will survive; those friends or family who are trying to reach you can wait a bit. Screen-free times need to be put in place and make them known to those who need to know.
Let me strongly encourage you not to pick your phone up first thing in the morning. Wait until you’ve had time to pray and read God’s Word. Make that the first thing you do, rather than looking at your phone. And this may sound weird, but I suggest you don’t read your Bible from your phone—not for that morning time with Jesus. Hold a Bible in your hands; highlight what speaks to you, make notes in the margins, write in a journal. It’s nice to have the Bible on your phone when a Bible is not near later in the day, but I strongly urge you to put God’s Word in your hands first thing in your day.
That will be hard for some people, but I really believe it will make a difference. Your day is won or lost in the morning hours; start your day off right. Let your phone sit unanswered for the first hours of your day.
Let me close this discussion by reminding you that spending time with God is sweeter and better than anything you’ll get from your phone. The love of God is better than any other love, and you need to continually remind yourself just how much God loves you. Spend time doing that, meditating on God’s goodness to you, thanking him for all your many blessings, and casting your cares on him, because he cares for you. Make your phone your servant, not your idol. Use it for good and refuse to let it steal your joy and your peace.
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[1] McCracken, B. (2025, December 11). How to Fight Your Phone Idolatry. The Gospel Coalition. https:\/\/www.thegospelcoalition.org\/article\/fight-phone-idolatry\/

March 6, 2026 Five Urges to Resist – 5

Has your dream or your project run into some rough patches lately? I can promise you pursuing your vision and your passion will always have times of setback and discouragement, and you will want to give up. When we experience this, we must resist this urge:
Resist the urge to quit just because it’s getting wicked hard to do something.
I don’t care how motivated you are or how passionately you are pursing something, there will come a day when you will want to quit. In the forty plus years I’ve been broadcasting this program, I’ve had those urges to run away. I think that’s what David was feeling when he wrote, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.” It’s that common urge to just walk away. It’s hard; it’s not fun anymore; we’re running into opposition; people are criticizing us; others are not doing what they promised to do. These things start piling up and we get the urge to quit because it’s really hard.
I remember a meeting in which we discussed a new project we had started and the criticism that came as a result, and it was especially hard on the one person who had planned and led the project. She had been treated unfairly and harshly by her fellow-believers. It’s hard to believe, but it happens! And after all her hard work, this was really discouraging.
But I reminded her that we were breaking new ground and following God’s leading. I encouraged her not to even think of giving up now, and she didn’t! She did the hard stuff. God was in it, and we had to stick it out through the hard times.
The Apostle Paul had to resist this urge to quit in hard times probably more than anyone else ever has. And he wrote to the Galatians.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).
Let’s covenant with God that we will resist the urge to quit just because it’s not easy!

March 5, 2026 Five Urges to Resist – 4

Do you live by a to-do list, as I do? Isn’t it true that everyone is busy these days? When was the last time someone said, “I don’t have enough to do!”? It’s far more likely to hear people talk about how much they have to do and how far behind they are.
Given our very busy lives, here’s an urge we need to resist:
Resist the urge to do shoddy, careless work just to get it done!
It feels good to check off those duties on your list and sigh that sigh of relief because you got something done! I love it when I can look back on my day and say, “Way to go, Mary; you got lots of stuff done today.” But sometimes I find I so want to get things off my list I can resort to doing a half-way job just to get it done.
A simple motto I often repeat to myself is “Do it right and do it now.” Doing something right the first time eliminates mistakes and having to go back and re-do it later. In the long run it is a time saver to do it right from the get-go. And of course, doing it now eliminates that horrible habit of procrastination.
I think this urge to get things done is especially strong when we face something we don’t really want to do—one of those jobs we’d gladly give up if we could.
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might (Ecclesiastes 9:10).
This should be a hallmark in the life of every Christ-follower—that we do our work with all our might. Do you have that kind of reputation where you work? You may not be the fastest or the smartest person on the job, but you can always be the hardest worker, the one who truly strives to do the job well, even the parts of the job which are not much fun!
Shoddy work done without attention to details is one of those urges we all need to resist—no matter how busy we are or how much we may not want to get a job done.

March 4, 2026 Five Urges to Resist – 3

Are you a competitive person? I have to confess I am very competitive; I’m a very poor loser. You probably wouldn’t want to play Monopoly or Scrabble with me. Now, being competitive can have its positive effects. It causes you to really work hard to win. But it also has very negative effects. I’m examining urges we need to resist, and here is another one:
Resist the urge to try to be better than everyone else—to always win.
We can’t all be good at doing everything, no matter how hard we try. And when we compare ourselves to others out of jealousy or competitiveness, it is a clear indication that something is wrong with our motivation. If I want to do something good or great just to prove I can do it better than anyone else, then it’s obvious I need to confess the sin of envy and pride and ask God to purify my heart.
This has always been a difficult lesson for me to learn, and I must admit it is one I must continually re-learn. There are tons of people who can do things much better than I do them. That’s just a fact of life. Now that doesn’t excuse me for being sloppy or not doing the most with what I have. But it also doesn’t mean what I do is worthless simply because it’s not as good as what someone else does.
I’ve been privileged and gifted by God to teach and admonish people. That’s my gift, and I love it. But it has taken me far too long to get to the place where I can hear other speakers and teachers whose skills and gifts are superior to mine and simply learn from them and thank God for their gifts.
God doesn’t compare you with anyone else. However, he does fully expect you to take what he has given you and improve it. That’s what the parable of the talents is all about. It doesn’t matter what you start with; it matters what you do with what you’ve been given. Paul wrote to young Timothy to “fan into flame the gift of God which is in you.” That’s a prayer I often pray—that I will be a good steward of my gifts and opportunities, but the good news is, I don’t have to be better than anyone else. Take it from me—that is an urge to resist.

March 2, 2026 Five Urges to Resist

Let’s examine the five urges we need to resist. An urge, as you know, is a strong desire or impulse. And all-too-often we are victims of our strong desires or impulses—our urges—which take us down the wrong path and cause trouble. We all have them, so I simply want to point out some urges we need to be aware of and by God’s grace, resist.
Resist the urge to let your emotions and enthusiasm launch you into unwise action.
I admit too often this has been my modus operandi. I get a bright idea, an emotional urge, and I think it must be the right thing to do because I feel so strongly about it. And then, without proper thought or consideration or prayer, I plunge headlong into a project that is either unwise or poorly planned.
Certainly, we want to be people of action; we don’t want to be handicapped by fear of making the wrong move. Walking by faith will take us outside our comfort zones and lead us to attempt things that can only be done with God’s help. Following Jesus is never risk-free. But at the same time, the Bible tells us God does things decently and in order, and we need to be cautious not to move too quickly based mainly on how we feel. Someone has said feelings have zero IQ, meaning they may be strong but they’re not necessarily smart.
Here is one thing I’ve learned that has helped to curb my tendency to launch into something prematurely, and it’s pretty simple: Just sleep on it. It may look like the greatest idea you’ve ever had today, but a good night’s sleep could totally change your perspective. That may mean literally wait until tomorrow, or it may mean keep sleeping on it until you have clearer thoughts and plans.
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed (Proverbs 15:22).
If your plan is of God, it will stand the test of time. Seek counsel from the right people, and of course, mainly seek God’s counsel. You can save yourself a lot of trouble and avoid wasted time if you resist the urge to launch into something based solely on your emotions.

February 28, 2026 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Reframing

Fran works as a project manager for a marketing company, and she is responsible for securing new clients and then managing their projects to completion. We find Fran finishing a conversation with one of her clients. “Yes, Marge, I will do my very best to have that ready by tomorrow. Uh-huh, yes, I understand. Okay, Marge, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Fran hangs up the phone and begins talking to herself, forgetting for a moment that Jesus, of course, hears everything she says or thinks.
“I don’t believe that woman. She is going to drive me nuts! Nothing we do is good enough for her. She makes last minute changes and then expects me to work miracles. And she is so rude. I really can’t stand her!”
Quietly she can sense the Spirit of God whispering to her: “Did you ever think that I love her as much as I love you?”
The thought startles her. “Well, yeah sure I knew that,” she thinks out loud. “You love everybody, Lord. But she’s a really nasty, demanding person. I’m sorry; I just don’t like her.”
As these thoughts continue, her mind goes back to a recent sermon she heard. Her pastor said there were people Jesus didn’t like, but he loved everybody. He said you don’t have to like everybody, but our commandment is to show God’s love to everybody.
“I thought you have to like someone, then you can love them,” Fran says to herself, “but I guess that’s not the way it is with God. The problem is, I just don’t know how to do it. There’s just no way I can love Marge. She’s obnoxious!”
“Do you want to love her?” again that quiet voice of Jesus catches her up short.
“Do I really want to love her? Tell you the truth—not really,” Fran admits. “I guess that’s my problem, isn’t it, Lord? But how can I even want to love someone like her?” Fran exclaims.
As she sits and thinks about that, Jesus says to her, “You can want to love her simply because you want to please me. I can help you love her. Why don’t you begin by praying for Marge every day?”
“Pray for Marge every day?” Fran repeats. “Really—will that make a difference?”
Jesus says, “It will make a difference in you, and that’s what is important.”
Fran determines to pray for Marge as Jesus has challenged her. Now she begins to do the work she promised Marge tomorrow, working diligently to get it perfect, because Marge is very demanding.
The next morning Fran is driving to work and praying for a lot of people, as she often does, and Marge comes to mind.
“I’d like to pray that lightning will strike her,” Fran says with a grin, knowing she halfway means it. But she attempts to pray for her, “Dear Lord, please help Marge to see how obnoxious she is and change the way she treats me.” Her prayer bounces off the car ceiling; she knows it’s the wrong prayer.
“Pray that Marge will change?” Jesus says to her. “That’s not exactly how you should pray for her, Fran.”
“But Lord, she should change. Her behavior is awful,” Fran defends herself.
Her spirit is uneasy. Somehow, she has to get beyond this selfish kind of praying, even though Marge is difficult. She can’t change Marge; she can only change herself.
“Well, what should I pray?” Fran finally asks.
And then she thinks of something she heard on the radio—praying she could see Marge the way God sees her. Praying for a new frame for Marge, a new way to see her, by putting her in a different frame.
“Put her in a different frame,” Fran thinks. “I guess I can do that, but she really is obnoxious.” As she drives along, she thinks about that further. “I guess I’ve had her in the obnoxious frame too long. Maybe I should pray for a new frame for Marge—a new way to look at her.”
Even though she feels a little foolish and not totally sincere, in obedience Fran starts her prayer again: “Dear Lord, please help me to see Marge the way you do. And please give me a new frame to put her in. There’s got to be something good about her, Lord. Please show me what that is.”
As she arrives at work, she is under a great deal of pressure to get this job completed for Marge, as she promised yesterday. There’s no time for lunch, so she stops at the vending machine for some crackers to munch on at her desk. When she returns there is a voice mail message from Marge, demanding an immediate call back. “Even her telephone messages are intimidating,” Fran says, and she dreads having to call her back. But she starts to make the call.
“Pray first,” Jesus quietly says to Fran.
She puts down the phone and prays briefly, “Please give me a kind heart toward Marge. Please, Lord, help me to see her as you do, and please give me a new frame to put her in!” With that short prayer, she returns the call.
An abrupt telephone greeting tells Fran she’s reached her. “Hi, Marge, sorry I missed your call but everything’s coming along pretty good. We ought to be able to have this ready for you by 4:00 or so this afternoon if nothing unforeseen happens,” Fran explains, trying to sound cheerful and confident.
“You mean, you can’t have it before 4:00? What’s taking so long for such a simple report? You people drag your feet over there so you can bill more hours! I could have done it myself by now,” Marge yells back at Fran, and Fran’s heart starts beating a mile a minute.
“Remember, you asked for a new frame for Marge,” Jesus reminds her.
“She’s still obnoxious,” Fran thinks to herself. “I can’t see any other frame for her.”
Jesus says to her, “Fran, anyone this angry has to be frightened.”
“Frightened? Marge? What would frighten her?” Fran thinks. “Maybe I should find out.”
Fran hears herself saying, “Marge, sounds like things are pretty hot over there; you must be under some tremendous pressure.”
“Fran, you don’t know the half of it! They’re trying to take my job away from me and give it to some young chic—save them a ton of money, I guess. They’re just looking for one excuse, and I’m out of here. Yeah, it’s hot over here.” Marge pauses realizing she’s said much more than she intended to. “But that’s neither here nor there. I expect to hear from you no later than 4:00.” And with that the conversation ends.
Fran now has a new frame for Marge: Frightened. She works frantically to complete the job on time, and a little after 3:30 she has it done. “Whew, we made it, Lord,” Fran says to Jesus, as she calls Marge. The same abrupt greeting comes as Marge answers the phone, and Fran tells her she has the report ready to email to her.
“How many pages is it?” Marge asks.
“It’s about 12 pages,” Fran replies.
“Took you all this time to do 12 pages?” Marge replies with sarcasm.
Everything in Fran wants to strike back at Marge. She killed herself to get this report ready, and Marge can’t even say thank you. She opens her mouth to voice some of her frustration, but she hears Jesus say, “Remember Marge’s new frame: Frightened.”
And suddenly Fran can see Marge in this new frame, with fear all over her face. Instead of venting her anger, Fran says, “I agree, Marge, as hard as I’ve worked seems to me like it ought to be about 100 pages. But I wanted to make sure there were no errors and that everything was laid out very clearly. If you have to present this to your management, you don’t need a silly error making you look bad, I figured.”
The phone is quiet for a few seconds, and finally Marge says, in a quieter manner, “Well, that’s true. At least you kept your promise and got it to me by 4:00. Send it to me right away, and uh, thanks, Fran,” and with that she abruptly hangs up.
“Thanks, Fran! Did you hear that, Lord? She has never before thanked me for anything,” Fran says in amazement as she hangs up the phone. “I guess new frames can help—even with difficult people!”
Fran thinks about that conversation. “I didn’t say anything to her about being frightened, but I guess the fact that I saw her as frightened rather than obnoxious changed the way I responded to her, and that changed the way she responded to me. Interesting; very interesting,” she thinks with a grin.
The next day starts nicely for Fran, thinking she put the latest fire out with Marge, and now it’s back to her normal routine. But about 11:00 Marge calls again and with the same obnoxious tone of voice she says, “Did you really think that report was a finished product, Fran? When I presented it this morning, they asked me a ton of questions I couldn’t answer. It was a half-way job,” and with some further unkind and unrepeatable words, Marge tore Fran’s work apart.
Fran’s heart sank like a rock; she knew she had given Marge exactly what she asked for, but now Marge was blaming her for her own omissions and mistakes. Yet how could she defend herself to Marge.
She starts to say something, but Jesus reminds her, “Keep your words as few as possible right now.” Often Jesus has taught her when she’s upset, the best thing to do is keep her mouth shut!
She mostly listens to Marge who gives her an addendum to the assignment and demands it be ready this afternoon. After she hangs up, Fran says to Jesus, “Lord, I thought we had this problem solved yesterday. I thought Marge was changing the way she treats me. She’s back to obnoxious again.”
Jesus reminds her again: “Put her back in the frightened frame, Fran. She is more frightened now than ever. And like a cat caught in the corner, she’s striking out at anyone she can. Obviously, she knows you can’t strike back because she’s a customer.”
After some quiet thought, Fran realizes this problem is not going to be solved easily. Marge may never change her ways. But Fran can be victorious in this situation as long as she keeps re-framing Marge and seeing her the way God does. That won’t be easy, but it will be a lot easier than getting upset and angry every time she has to deal with Marge. “Thank goodness I’ve got you, Lord,” Fran says. “I’d never be able to handle Marge without you.”
Who is it in your life right now you simply do not like? They may be very unlikable people, but you can learn to see them through God’s eyes and ask God to help you re-frame them and see something positive about them or see behind their behavior so you can understand them better. Why don’t you stop where you are right now and pray for that person? It will start to make a real difference in how you relate to him or her.

February 26, 2026 Proverbs of Jesus: Heart of the Matter – 4

Presented by Julie Busteed
Does this sound familiar? “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” While cleanliness is certainly a good thing, this well-known saying isn’t actually in the Bible. But Jesus does speak very clearly about what true cleanliness really is.
What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them (Matthew 15:11).
To defile means to make unclean or impure. In the Old Testament, there were many dietary laws about what was permissible to eat. By the time of the New Testament, the Pharisees had added even more regulations, creating an elaborate and often burdensome system of external rules.
In this passage, the Pharisees question Jesus because his disciples are not ceremonially washing their hands before eating. But as he so often does, Jesus goes straight to the heart of the issue.
It’s not about external rituals. It’s about the condition of the heart.
What you eat does not make you spiritually unclean. What flows out of your mouth—your words—reveal what is already inside. Words flow from the heart.
Jesus explains it this way: Out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them (Matthew 15:19–20).
That’s sobering. There are many proverbs in Scripture warning us about the power of the tongue. James tells us we must learn to tame it, comparing it to the small rudder of a ship—tiny, yet able to steer the entire vessel. In the same way, our words set the direction of our lives.
But the tongue is only the messenger. The source is the heart.
Ask yourself: What are you feeding your heart? What are you allowing into your mind and soul? Because whatever fills the heart will eventually overflow into your words and actions.
True cleanliness begins on the inside. And that’s where Jesus longs to do his transforming work.

February 25, 2026 Proverbs of Jesus: Heart of the Matter – 3

Presented by Julie Busteed
We’ve been looking at some of the proverbs Jesus said. Here’s another proverb from his Sermon on the Mount.
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you (Matthew 7:1–2).
Those words make me pause every time. I find it easy to assume I’m not a judgmental person. But when I slow down and examine my thoughts—the quiet commentary running through my mind, the subtle remarks I may make—I realize I’m not as innocent as I’d like to think. And that’s when confession and repentance become necessary.
Jesus isn’t telling us to abandon discernment. We are called to think wisely and evaluate situations carefully. There’s a difference between discernment and judgment. Discernment seeks truth. Judgment often seeks to elevate self. You and I are not to judge others to build ourselves up. Every one of us has areas to grow. Every one of us has blind spots.
Jesus continues with a vivid picture: Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye (Matthew 7:3–5).
It’s such a striking image—a tiny speck versus a massive plank. And yet, how often do I focus on the speck?
For me, it’s usually the small, internal judgments—the quiet criticisms that serve no real purpose. They don’t help the other person. They don’t help me. In fact, they only create unnecessary stress and tension in my own heart.
Why am I so concerned about someone else’s issue, especially when I may struggle with something similar? Perhaps that’s exactly why I notice it so quickly. Sometimes what irritates us most in others reveals something God wants to address in us.
Jesus’ words invite humility. Before I point out someone else’s flaw, I need to allow the Lord to search my own heart. Remove the plank. Do the work of repentance. Ask him to soften my spirit. Pray as King David prayed: Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139: 23-24).

February 24, 2026 Proverbs of Jesus: Heart of the Matter – 2

Presented by Julie Busteed
Do you tend to worry about things in the future that have not even happened yet? I know it’s easy for me to fall into that mindset. But Jesus clearly tells us not to go there!
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34).
This is the final verse in a section where Jesus tells us not to be anxious about our lives—not about what we will eat or what we will wear. And what does worrying accomplish? It doesn’t add anything to our lives. In fact, anxiety is harmful. Left unchecked, it creates stress that affects us physically, mentally and emotionally.
Now, I’m not talking about the nervousness you might feel before a job interview or a presentation—though we certainly can pray for peace in those moments. I’m talking about chronic anxiety, the kind that takes a toll on your body and mind.
Jesus points us to the lilies of the field:
And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? (Matthew 6:28-30 NLT)
Why do you and I have so little faith! We serve a great and awesome God, and we can bring any and everything to him in prayer. The Apostle Peter encourages us to cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (I Peter 5:7).
Worrying is not only useless but is also evidence of a lack of faith in God. When you feel that anxious thought creep into your thinking, replace it right away with truth from Scripture or with a worship song. Replace it with God’s truth. Know that he cares for you and knows your needs; you are worth more to him than anything else.

February 21, 2026 Five Questions a Wise Person Asks

You may be familiar with this verse from James 1:5: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” God wants us to be wise, and the good news is, he will grant wisdom to us as we recognize our need for it and go to the source of all wisdom, our God.
We also know from Scripture the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. We want the wisdom that God imparts, not the world’s fake substitute. So, this is the pre-requisite: Do you fear the Lord? Do you know and respect the one true God through a personal relationship with his Son, Jesus? That’s where God’s eternal wisdom begins. Assuming you do, here are the questions you need to ask yourself often. I believe these questions will help you avoid lots of trouble, keep you from shooting yourself in the foot, as we say, and greatly increase your effectiveness, regardless of where you are or what you’re doing.
Question #1: Do you think before you speak?
How many times have you said something—jumped quickly to give your opinion or your advice or add your two cents—and as soon as you said it, you wished the ground would just swallow you whole?
Proverbs 29:20 puts it so well: “Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them.”
I’ve often said, “I may not be good but I’m fast,” as though it is a good thing to be fast. Well, maybe it is sometimes, but to speak in haste is almost always a bad idea. Note there can be a difference between doing something with haste and doing something in haste. There are times when we do need to act with haste, quickly, for good reasons.
David prays in Psalm 70:1, “Hasten, O God, to save me; come quickly, Lord, to help me.” We often pray for God to act quickly, right? And then later in Psalm 119:60, the Psalmist says, “I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.” That’s the kind of haste we all need. There’s no question we should hasten to obey the Lord with no delay.
But speaking in haste is speaking without giving it proper thought; speaking without thinking of how it could be perceived by someone else. It is speaking foolishly.
The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing (Proverbs 12:18).
When you choose your words carefully, thoughtfully, not in haste, you can do so much good. Proverbs 18:21 says: “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” So, if you want to be wise, ask yourself, “Do I speak words of life or death? Do I think before I speak?”
Question #2: Did you sleep on it?
The simple old adage, Sleep on it, can save you lots of trouble. A wise person takes time for decisions, big and small ones, because the choices and decisions we make on a daily basis set the direction of our lives. Think about decisions that you regret. I can easily bring some recent ones to my own mind, and when I look back on decisions that didn’t turn out so good, it was always because I simply didn’t “sleep on it,” didn’t pray enough about it, didn’t always seek good counsel.
Again, from Proverbs 15:22, we read: “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Wise people seek counsel from those they trust. Wise people are able to live with delayed gratification, resisting the impulse to go for the immediate reward, the instant answer. How often do you tell yourself just to sleep on it, talk to somebody you trust, pray lots?
I love this verse from Jeremiah 6:16a: “This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” When you’re at a decision point, especially a fairly significant one, stand at that crossroad, ask for God’s path, the good way. That’s how you make wise decisions that bring soul rest for you.
Question #3: Have you heard both sides?
No doubt you’ve watched some courtroom drama, whether real or in a movie, where the defendant seems totally guilty until the defense gets the chance to present the other side. And what seemed so right before now seems totally wrong.
Proverbs 18:17 talks about that: “In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross-examines.” When someone is telling you their side of some story, before you take sides, before you get into gear to take some action, before you affirm that person, find out the other side. Do your own cross-examination and make sure you have the whole truth and nothing but the truth!
There’s a story in 2 Samuel chapter nine about King David who was on the run because of his son Absalom’s rebellion. A man named Ziba approached him; he was the servant of Mephibosheth, who was a crippled man who truly loved King David. But Ziba told David that Mephibosheth stayed behind in Jerusalem to reclaim his grandfather Saul’s kingdom—in other words, to take David’s place—which was a lie. But David believed him and gave Ziba all of Mephibosheth’s possessions.
When David and his men finally returned to Jerusalem, Mephibosheth came to meet the king. Then David learned that Mephibosheth stayed in Jerusalem because Ziba, his servant, refused to saddle his donkey which prevented him from going with the king, because he was crippled and couldn’t saddle it himself. So, when David discovered the other side of the story, he tried to correct his mistake, but there wasn’t much he could do.
Just think of the harm that is so often done because someone acted before they knew the whole story. A wise person asks, “Have I heard both sides?”
Question #4: Are you reacting or responding?
A reaction is usually very emotional and often is full of feelings of revenge or defensiveness. Someone hurts your feelings and you react by trying to hurt them in some way. Someone treats you unfairly and in anger you ventilate your feelings about that person or even to that person. Those are reactions. A response is a delayed reaction, where you wait until your emotions are under control.
Let me give you an example of reacting versus responding. Suppose you have a co-worker and every time she opens her mouth, it seems that bad news comes out. This person never has anything nice to say about anyone or anything, and all day long you are forced to listen to her negative chatter.
What does that person do to you? If you’re in react mode, this person makes you angry, irritated, and frustrated. Having to listen to all that negative talk starts to make you think and talk negatively. That’s a reaction. It’s your automatic involuntary behavior, which is caused by that external stimuli—a negative co-worker.
However, you can decide to respond instead of react. A response might be a smile when she says something negative to you. Or you may say something positive in response to her negative words. That positive response will help to keep you from being irritated and frustrated, and it will offset her negative input by your positive one, which will keep you from getting negative like your co-worker.
Another response to this negative co-worker might be that you simply remove yourself from her company when you can, to avoid being exposed to her negativity. Or perhaps just develop a technique of quietly changing the subject!
Now, you can see a response takes some self-control and discipline on your part. First, you have to be aware of the fact you have a tendency to react poorly in this circumstance, and then you must have an alternate strategy to tell you how to respond, so that you aren’t reacting.
Question #5: Are you judging a book by its cover?
We all have a tendency to do this. Someone dresses very differently from the way you dress, someone has tattoos all over their body, someone has a different political view from yours—there are just so many ways that we form hard and fast opinions and ideas about people or about a situation just by the way they look—by what you see on the outside.
How many people in your life are dear friends, and yet they look very different from you? They have different backgrounds, different life experiences, come from different cultures, and yet they are dear people you know and love. If you judged them by their “cover,” you might never have become good friends.
I think of a person in my church, Miss Shirley, who is now with Jesus, who made it her job to stand at the front door every Sunday and welcome everyone. It was her purpose to find a stranger and make that stranger feel welcome. When I first met Miss Shirley, I wanted to take her to a hair stylist and buy her some new clothes. She did not look like she should be welcoming people at the front door! I judged her by her cover, but I came to know her as one of the most effective people in our church. She was loved by so many, and she welcomed so many people into our church who might otherwise never have connected with us. I wish we had a hundred Miss Shirleys. God used her simple appearance to break down barriers, and she was a powerhouse for the Lord.
So here are the five questions a wise person will ask herself often:

Do I think before I speak?
Did I sleep on it?
Have I heard both sides?
Am I reacting or responding?
Am I judging a book by its cover?

Proverbs 3:13 says: “Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding.” No matter who you are, how young or how old, you can find wisdom and you will be blessed. I believe these five questions will help you.

February 20, 2026 Five Lessons for Living from Proverbs – 5

I’ve been sharing five lessons for living, which are found in Proverbs 3. Here is the fifth lesson for living, from verses 9 and 10:
Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will brim over with new wine (Proverbs 3:9-10).
Now this one is close to home, because it talks about money, and if anything is close to our hearts, it’s our money—right? But please believe me when I tell you your avenue to financial security begins with your willingness to make this lesson a part of your life.
And what is that lesson? It is to give God the first part of your money. You may be thinking, But I’m not wealthy and I barely have enough now to make ends meet. I understand that feeling, but this lesson has nothing to do with whether you have lots of money or not. It simply says to give God the first part. Honor God by giving money to him, and then pay your bills. If you wait to give God the left-overs after you’ve paid your bills and used your money for your own desires, you’ll discover you just never seem to have much left-over. The enemy of your soul will see to that!
It takes a step of faith to begin this practice of honoring God first with your money, but this is truly the first step to financial stability for a Christ-follower. How much should you give? Think of what you think you can afford and then double it. That’s a good starting place. Give God more than you think you can. It’s the one place God invites us to test him. In Malachi he says, test me in this and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it (Malachi 3:10).
God is not promising us financial wealth, but he is promising financial stability and security if we will honor him first with our money. Start where you are—and the sooner the better—and see if this lesson for living is not one of the best principles you’ve put in place in your life. As my dad said to me so often, “Honey, you can’t out give God,” and I promise that is true.

February 18, 2026 Five Lessons for Living from Proverbs – 3

If someone offered you advice that was guaranteed to help you, to give you a better life, to win you favor with people, would you be willing to take their advice? That’s exactly what we find in Proverbs in the Bible. It is full of very practical and powerful advice, if you and I just know and live by its principles. I’m pointing out five lessons for living from Proverbs 3, and the third one is found in verses 5 and 6:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).
This is one of the more familiar passages from Proverbs and it gives us such an important lesson for living our lives. Three things you need to do:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
Lean not on your own understanding
In all your ways submit to the Lord

This is a lesson I must learn again and again because I am prone to trust in myself or someone else instead of trusting in the Lord. Trusting in the Lord means you simply believe his Word is true, his promises never fail, and his plans for you are the best. You trust in good times and bad; you trust when things are going well and when you can’t understand what’s happening or why. You trust with all your heart. And to have this kind of trust, you have to know God well through his Word and prayer and fellowship with other believers.
Then you must learn to be skeptical about your own wisdom—your own understanding. Often, we are influenced by the world’s way or by other people, and what looks like a good idea can be a disaster. God’s ways are frequently not our ways, and so don’t put your trust in your own abilities, your own experience.
Then submit to the Lord in every decision you make. Seek first his way. Who do you go to first when you need help or advice? Seek first the Lord and submit to his ways. When you do, your way will be clear and straight and will not take you down the wrong road.
I encourage you to put this passage in your heart and recite it often. It is one of the most important lessons for living that you will ever know.

February 17, 2026 Five Lessons for Living from Proverbs – 2

I’m pointing out five principles for living from Proverbs 3 and the incredible benefits that are ours when we apply these principles to our lives. Remember proverbs are not promises, but they are principles—principles that hold true almost all the time. Let’s consider the second principle from verses 3 and 4 of Proverbs 3.
Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man (Proverbs 3:3-4).
Solomon uses a word picture here to help us understand how to implement these truths. He says to bind love and faithfulness around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. I picture wearing love and faithfulness like a necklace or a scarf, bound around my neck so I don’t forget how important it is to be loving and faithful.
Love and faithfulness are two truly beautiful characteristics. When you are a loving person, you show compassion and mercy to people around you—even people who aren’t living the way they should, even people who don’t do their work like they should. The Bible teaches us love never fails—love never fails to change a situation, improve a relationship, soften a heart. When you show God’s love to others in practical ways—by being patient and kind and forgiving—you have bound it around your neck and it’s beautiful.
Faithfulness seems to be lacking a lot these days, have you noticed? It seems often people just don’t live up to what they promised or follow-through on commitments they’ve made. We read in 1 Corinthians that it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2). Ask yourself if you wear faithfulness around your neck? Are you a person who can be counted on—at work, at church, in your family?
With love and faithfulness written on your heart, you will win favor with people, and you will have a good name—a good reputation with God and people. That’s a powerful good reason to take this lesson for living from Proverbs very seriously, don’t you think?

February 16, 2026 Five Lessons for Living from Proverbs

I want to share five lessons for living from Proverbs chapter three. This chapter gives us five important principles that will benefit you greatly if you intentionally apply them to your life, and each principle has a corresponding benefit.
Today let’s look at the first one, which we find in verses 1 and 2:
My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity (Proverbs 3:1-2).
First, Solomon says: “do not forget.” Are you prone to forget what you should remember? Learning happens because of repetition—that’s how our brains work. So, if you want to remember what you should remember—specifically, remember God’s principles—then you need to repeat them, reread them, memorize them, reinforce them in your mind frequently. That’s why reading your Bible systematically and daily will create pathways in your brain to help you to remember God’s truth.
This principle for living goes on to say “keep my commands in your heart.” Again, we see the importance of repetition—keeping God’s principles stored in your heart. That’s why memorizing Scripture is so important to your spiritual progress. For example, I memorized Ephesians 4:29 years ago, which says: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. I recognized I needed control of my tongue, and after memorizing that verse, the Holy Spirit would bring it to my mind very often and stop me from saying something I shouldn’t say or didn’t need to be said. Because I keep that command in my heart, it helps to control my words.
The benefits of keeping God’s Word in your heart are long life, peace, and prosperity. Keeping in mind proverbs are principles, not promises, by living in obedience to God’s Word and his principles, your life is going to be much fuller and far more peaceful, and your soul will prosper. That’s a pretty good deal, if you ask me.

February 14, 2026 Ten Important Life Lessons – II

One of the characteristics of a godly, truly humble person is to be continually teachable. I’ve often said I admired this trait in my mother more than any other. She died some years ago, at the age of 94, but up to the end, she was seeking to learn and grow.
One day I was visiting her, just shortly before she died, and we were listening to a Christian program on the radio. The speaker was talking about not complaining and being joyful. My mom looked at me and said, “Mary, do I complain?” I said what was totally true, “Mom, you never complain.” She said, “I don’t want to complain: God has been so good to me.”
At this point in her life some dementia had set in, and she wasn’t able to take care of herself any longer. Most of the people around her complained all the time, but not my mom. I’m so grateful she role-modeled for me what it means to be teachable, truly humble, and ever willing to learn, grow, and change. How blessed I was to have a mom like her.
All of us can have that same attitude if we just pay attention and learn our lessons along the way. Last time I gave you five life lessons, and now I share five more.
Life Lesson No. 6: Make every day a special occasion: burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the new shoes.
How many things do you have tucked away, saving them for a special occasion? I was doing some cleaning recently and found some beautiful soap someone had given me, probably two or three years ago. I had put it away for a “special occasion,” and now it was so old and hard, it isn’t really useful, so I had to throw it away.
I think my mother taught me to “save things for special occasions.” She was raised during the depression, and when she got something nice, she tended to squirrel it away rather than use and enjoy it.
You’ve heard people say, “Life’s short: eat dessert first.” Life is short, and while we need to be frugal and saving, we also need to celebrate life and enjoy the good things God has given us. We need to make our everyday lives special and teach this to our children as well.
My good friend, Fran, was really good at this. She used the “good stuff” for any excuse, and she could make a very ordinary occasion seem special just by setting a nice table or somehow creating a special atmosphere. I remember learning this lesson from her, as she taught a monthly Bible class at our church. I watched her go to so much extra trouble to make the room look nice, get cute decorations, and she simply said, “This is how I show love to the women who come.” I’ve never forgotten that, and I’ve tried to follow in her steps. The little extras show love, and they’re worth the effort.
Paul wrote to Timothy: Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment (1 Timothy 6:17).
Make today special. Do something a little unusual—on your job, in your home, at church—that just says, “Today is special, and so are you.” The effort it takes reaps wonderful rewards.
Life Lesson No. 7: Believe it or not, you’re not indispensable. Life will go on without you.
Now we all know in our heads that nobody is indispensable, but too often we behave as though everything depends on us and if we don’t keep running and doing and going, everything will stop!
I remember some years ago when I was directing the handbell choir at our church. Actually, I had started the choir, and it was my baby. I loved it, and the church seemed to really love hearing the handbells. Then after I began this ministry my life became so busy I realized I had to give up the choir.
I thought, “Oh dear, the handbell choir will be no more because they won’t have me as their leader.” Wrong! The handbell choir is much bigger now, much better, and they have a director who is far more experienced and talented at handbells than I am! I was not indispensable. And indeed, by stepping aside, I gave someone else an opportunity to use their gifts in the church.
Many times, we are stressed out, doing things God never intended for us to do, because somewhere along the way we’ve deceived ourselves into believing we have to do it, nobody else will do it, and it has to be done! Or we put time constraints and deadlines on ourselves that are totally unnecessary.
I learned this life lesson years ago from my daughter, when she was a teenager, and we were redecorating her room. We had chosen some new wallpaper, and I had decided it had to go up now, today, this day. I was working and fretting and worrying, trying to meet my own artificial and unnecessary deadline. Finally, she looked me and said, quite simply, “Mom, we don’t have to finish today.” Duh! So, I stopped and relaxed. We finished later, and the world kept revolving! Amazing.
Don’t be afraid to let go; others can pick up the ball and carry on even without you! You may not get everything done the way you hoped, but God will still love you, and the world won’t stop. Remember, there’s only one person in control of the universe, and it’s not you!
Life Lesson No. 8: Don’t be afraid to ask. The worse they can say is “no.”
James wrote. You do not have, because you do not ask God (James 4:2).
And Jesus said, ask and it will be given to you seek and you will find: knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened (Luke 11:9-10).
I could tell you many stories of situations where I revved up my nerve and asked for something, which seemed impossible, and I got it simply because I asked. Obviously, I’m not talking about asking things for myself but asking for appropriate things for the ministry or for others. Now, I have to tell you that I don’t find it easy to ask. I really must make myself do it, because I either get intimidated or I think it will appear inappropriate, or in many cases, I just don’t want to humble myself and ask. But I’ve learned that many times people want to be asked and enjoy giving.
Jesus said no father would give his son a serpent if be asked for bread. Those of us who are parents know how we love for our children—even the grown ones—to ask us to help them, in moderation, of course. Don’t be afraid to ask. Even if you are turned down, you’re no worse off! As James said, often we don’t have simply because we’re afraid to ask.
Life Lesson No. 9: When you’re irritated or frustrated, or facing what seems like a disaster, ask yourself, “What difference will this make in twenty-four hours?”
This is a principle God began to teach me years ago, as I realized I freaked out over small stuff. Often, I didn’t even have a twenty-four-hour perspective, and I began to realize most of what upset me in a given day was small stuff. It wouldn’t matter really in twenty-four hours.
We so easily lose a realistic perspective when something is affecting us personally. Our emotions get all involved and we blow things out of proportion, and we get very stressed over things that don’t really matter.
I’ve written a book called Looking with Forever Eyes, which talks about how to live now in the light of eternity. Nothing will reduce your stress more than learning to look with forever eyes—to see every situation and every person in your life through God’s eyes. When you learn this life lesson, you will experience immense relief from worry, frustration, and stress. But I warn you, you have to be intentional about it, and you have to work at it every day.
It begins by praying every day that God will give you Forever Eyes. Pray for the person who is driving you crazy and ask God to help you see him or her the way God sees them. Ask for an eternal perspective; I promise you won’t regret it.
Now obviously, there are times when we face substantive disasters, but those are very few and far between, and if we can learn to let go of all the stuff that doesn’t matter, we’ll be far better prepared to deal with the true trials that come our way. I strongly encourage you to put this life lesson into practice in your own life. Believe me, it will make a difference.
Life Lesson No. 10: When God gives you a passion, go for it!
You’ll never learn to swim until you get in the water. If God has gifted you in some way, or you have a worthwhile desire to do something you’ve never done, just find a way to get started and go for it.
For example, if you want to be a speaker, look for opportunities to speak. My friend, Cynthia, joined the Toastmasters Club years ago to overcome her stuttering problem and became more confident in front of a group. She’s now held many leadership positions in that organization, and she’s great in front of a group. I use her very often in our programs. She has taught for me several times, and you’d never know she was ever uneasy about speaking in front of a group. She didn’t wait for someone to open the doors for her. She found a way to go for what she wanted to do.
If you want to be a writer, start writing. Don’t wait for someone to come along and open the doors for you; if it’s a God-given passion, just somehow, someway go for it.
When God gave me a passion to start this radio ministry over forty years ago. I had no idea how to start. I had no connections, no experience, no mentor. But I decided I could no longer ignore that passion, and after much prayer, I determined to put some kind of a radio program together and take it to someone. Once I stepped out on faith, God began to open the doors, and now we’re heard on over 400 stations internationally.
Don’t ignore God’s passions in your heart; don’t be afraid to take the next step and see what God wants to do. You may need to further your education or seek advice and training. But instead of wishing and hoping and waiting for someone to come along and make it easy for you, find a way to pursue your passion, start small, learn from others, but go for it.
Those are some lessons I’ve learned in life I thought might be helpful to you. If you missed last week’s program, which had the first five life lessons, you’ll find them on our website at christianworkingwoman.org.
I just want to encourage you to become more sensitive to the lessons God wants to teach you as you make this journey through life. If you have open ears and open eyes, you’ll learn so much that will help you and things you can pass along to others, as well. This is true on our jobs—learning to avoid mistakes, be more productive, improve our performance, etc. It’s true in our relationships—learning to get along with people better, develop good people skills, etc. It’s true as a disciple of Jesus Christ—learning how to become more like Jesus, transformed into his likeness. This kind of attitude will enrich your life immensely, and so I hope you’ll learn life’s lessons.

February 13, 2026 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Politically Incorrect – 5

Fran and her friend Louise are facing a decision about some training that is being required by their company concerning new policies on protecting those in the LGBTQ community in the company against discrimination. A long discussion between them has revealed Louise believes they must take a stand and refuse to go to this training, even risking their jobs, if necessary, because a line must be drawn here. Fran thinks this would be perceived as unkind and un-Christlike, and wonders if it is really necessary.
They have decided to postpone any decision until they have prayed about it—together and individually. And so, after a time of prayer on this Friday evening, they are once more united in their love for each other and their desire to always seek to do what is right, whether it is popular or not, and even if it is costly, like, in this case, potentially losing their jobs.
“Well, Louise,” Fran says, “do you still think you should refuse to go to this training?”
“Fran, I think I do but I also think it’s time we sought some advice from a pastor or someone who can help us think this through.” On this they agree, and Fran suggests one of their pastors who is a really clear thinker on issues like this. And so, the decision is delayed.
You may be thinking I’ve taken the easy way out in this episode—to leave this matter hanging without taking one side or the other. But honestly, I believe in this day of political correctness, we will face such decisions more and more as Christ-followers. The real take away from this episode is not to make hasty decisions when those decisions are not totally clear but instead, pray and seek advice. On the other hand, if and when we face very black and white situations which are clearly right or wrong, we have to be prepared to take the unpopular and costly stand.
And another important take away is that as Christians, we always need to be willing to listen to each other and pray with each other, even when we disagree, or especially when we disagree. Jesus said the world will know we are his followers if we love one another. That should always be a high priority.

February 12, 2026 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Politically Incorrect – 4

Fran’s company is requiring employees to attend a training on company policies about LGBTQ employees to make certain they are not discriminated against. Fran and her friend Louise, fellow believers, have differing views as to whether they should refuse to attend this training and take a strong stand for their beliefs, or whether that would be regarded as unkind and un-Christlike.
I’m not suggesting I have the answer to these many issues we face in our post-Christian America, but here are some thoughts to consider. First remember what Jesus said from Mark 8:38.
If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels (Mark 8:38).
Jesus did not promise popularity for us when we become his disciples. In fact, he promised the opposite. He called his generation—his culture—an adulterous and sinful one, so what we face is not unique. It’s always been true that the world is not a friend to Jesus.
The Bible’s teaching on contested issues today, such as abortion, sexuality, or any of our beliefs, is admittedly not always popular. It wasn’t popular in New Testament times either, and the early church repeatedly had to decide if they would “follow Jesus, no turning back” or not. So, if being popular is our goal, we will be swept up into a politically correct world and are likely to compromise in order to be accepted and liked.
Jesus showed no inclination to be politically correct in his day, did he? He was at odds against the religious leaders of his people and said so in direct and very confrontational words. They did not like him, that’s for sure. On the other hand, he showed such incredible grace and love to the worst in their society and was never reluctant to associate with them, eat with them, talk to them, heal them.
Someone has said we must not allow our counter-cultural posture to become anti-cultural. That’s the challenge we face. As Christians, we are to be compelled by the love of Christ to extend kindness and friendship to those who disagree with us.
Jesus prayed for us that we would be in this world but not of this world. And as Fran and Louise face this hypothetical decision about the new policies of their company, they need to find that balance and know how Jesus is leading them in this moment.

February 11, 2026 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Politically Incorrect – 3

I doubt if many would disagree we are in the midst of major cultural shifts. And as Christ-followers, we must decide how we navigate these changes. How and when do we draw the line between showing love and compassion for people who have anti-biblical beliefs and lifestyles, and when it’s time to take a stand for what the Bible teaches?
That’s the dilemma Fran is facing now as her company is requiring attendance at a training session on how to accept and appreciate LGBTQ people on the job. Louise, her good friend who is also a believer, thinks it’s time now to take a stand and refuse to attend this training as it goes against her faith.
The two of them are having a somewhat heated discussion about how to respond. In fact, Louise has decided not to attend the training and thinks Fran and every believer in the company should do the same.
“Louise,” Fran says, “have you considered that a decision to refuse to attend the training might be an over-reaction, and that it could backfire on us and make us seem unreasonable and unkind?”
“Fran,” Louise says, “you’re my good friend, but I think you may have been swept up into this politically correct culture without realizing it. You know, this offensive against our Christian beliefs comes on little by little, and we’re just sitting back and doing nothing. Could it be that you’re too concerned about what people will think about you and not concerned enough about how our rights are being taken away.”
Fran responds, “Well, I agree that we need to be courageous and stand for what we believe, but I’m just not making the connection between that and this training the company is planning to do. You see this as part of this slippery slope, I guess, and I don’t,” Fran says.
“Here’s what I think,” Louise says. “This training will require us to deny some of our beliefs, and I’m not willing to do that. That’s how I see it,” Louise says with a final note in her voice.
Fran says. “Maybe we could pray about this and ask for guidance; maybe take a couple of days before we decide—what do you think?”
After a long pause in the conversation, Louise says, “Well, it’s always right to pray, and the training is a month away, so we have time before we have to respond. Okay, when can we pray?”
They decide to get together Friday evening for prayer, and with that they say good night.

February 9, 2026 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Politically Incorrect

I begin another episode of Fran and Jesus on the Job, my fictional story of a single mom who is learning to let Jesus guide her and use her as an ambassador for him in her working world.
As she is working at her desk, her friend, Louise, a fellow believer, walks into her office and shuts the door behind her. “What is it, Louise?” Fran asks. “What’s happened? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“Fran, have you read this latest memo from the home office? Listen to this,” Louise reads from her phone:
In order to make certain our company provides adequate protection for all of our employees and is compliant with Federal and State guidelines, everyone is required to attend a training session addressing these concerns. These are two-hour sessions, which will be conducted by an outside organization, will focus on our individual responsibility to affirm and respect everyone in our company. Please select the day you can attend and sign up below.
“I have not seen that,” Fran replies. “What do you think it’s all about, Louise?”
“Oh, I know what it’s all about. I talked to Sandra in HR–you’ve met her.”
“Yes, I know her—she is a fellow believer. I like her a lot,” Fran replies.
“Well, she told me this training is to tell us how we are to treat LGBTQ people. She said they are making new policies on how we address them, especially transgender people, and stuff like that,” Louise says with anxiety in her voice.
“I don’t see a big problem with that, Louise. Do you?” Fran says.
“Well, yeah, I do. They’re trying to make us accept what is against our belief—our doctrine. This is the politically correct culture gone amuck, Fran. This is just step one; what will be next?” Louise is truly upset about it.
Fran gives it some thought. “Louise, we already treat them like we treat anyone else, right? So, they’re not going to make us do anything we don’t do already. That’s the way I see it. If they just want us to never discriminate and always treat them with respect, I can agree with that. That’s what I think Jesus would do.”
“You just don’t get it, do you, Fran?” Louise asks with some frustration.
Well, is Louise right? Does Fran just not get it? This should be an interesting discussion.

February 7, 2026 Ten Important Life Lessons – I

What has life taught you? I’ve known people who went through life and never ever seemed to learn life lessons. They just made the same mistakes over and over and never seemed to gain any wisdom.
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him (James 1:5).
Recognizing you lack the wisdom you need is step one, praying for wisdom is step two, and learning from your experiences, mistakes, journey, and from other people is step three in becoming a wise person. Here are some life lessons I’d like to pass along to you.
Life Lesson No. 1: When you don’t know what to do, just take the next small step.
Life is full of turning points, small and large; times when you must make a decision but you’re not sure about it. I’m not talking about black and white decisions, things that are clearly right or wrong. But other decisions like: Should I look for a new job? Should I offer to give this person some money? Is it time to sell my house?
Of course, prayer is our first order of business when we’re faced with decisions, and it’s always helpful to seek advice from trusted advisors. But I’ve often found if I take the next small step and then see where that leads, I can usually tell whether it is the right thing or not. And sometimes I discover there really is no next small step; I would have to push and shove and maneuver to get to that next step. That’s always a red flag for me that says, “Slow down; make sure this is a good step to take.”
When I first believed God was leading me to begin this radio ministry, many years ago now, after praying about it for a few months, I remember thinking, “You’ve prayed about this for a long time now. Isn’t it time for you to do something?” So, I made the first small step—a phone call that opened a door and began the process of beginning The Christian Working Woman program in August of 1984. As the Chinese proverb reminds us, every long journey begins with the first step.
I think many people park-out at the starting line, thinking about what they might do, wanting to do something, but because of fear or double-mindedness, they never move. James says a double-minded person is unstable in all her ways (James 1:8). Double mindedness is that state of mind where you go back and forth and back and forth, but you never move forward!
Reminds me of one of the Tater Family members. Dick Tater is the Father, but the one I’m thinking about is Hessie Tator. Hessie always intends to do something, but she hesitates and never takes the first step. You really don’t want to be a Hessie Tater, so, don’t be afraid to take that first step and see where it leads.
Life Lesson No. 2: If you will live in today, rather than yesterday or tomorrow, you can make it!
Jesus said, Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:30). Most of our stress and depression comes because we live either in the past, with regrets and anger, or we live in fear of the future. God gives us the strength to cope with today, but we keep adding on the past and the future and wonder why we can’t make it!
Yesterday is gone. You can’t change it; you can’t make it better.
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing (Isaiah 43:18-19).
If you continually dwell on the past, you will miss the new thing God wants to do for you. Yesterday is over; let it go.
Tomorrow never comes. Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday! Fear of the future absolutely will stop you from the good things God has for you.
Pray daily that you will live in today, and then you’ll have the strength to make it through. It’s a matter of changing your attitude and thought patterns.
When we are worrying it’s usually because our thoughts are out of control. I’ve written a book about that, called Think About What You Think About, because long ago I began to realize I had to learn to bring my thoughts under control. And I still have to consciously and intentionally monitor my thoughts and recognize when they’re going where they shouldn’t go—and then stop them! Change them! When you’re living in yesterday or tomorrow, you’re often allowing your thoughts to go where they shouldn’t go.
Life Lesson No. 3: Pay off your credit cards every month.
Financial troubles affect every area of our lives, and most people’s financial troubles begin with that plastic credit card. The credit card companies make it easier and easier for us to get a card and then they do everything to encourage us to use it, and then just pay the minimum each month. That is a recipe for financial disaster.
No doubt some of you are in financial trouble now because you’ve got so much credit card debt. What do you do? First, stop using your credit card. If you’re in credit card trouble, make yourself pay cash for what you buy, and you’ll be amazed at how much more frugal you will be. We get so used to pulling out that credit card; it seems so easy—and then the bill comes at the end of the month, and our eyes pop out when we see how much we owe!
Look at where your money is going and eliminate those things you don’t absolutely have to have. Most of us have a very poor idea of just where our money goes. A good exercise is to keep track of every nickel you spend for a couple of weeks or a month. Just write it down and add it up. You may be really shocked to see how much you spend on stuff you don’t have to have.
Then stop buying things you really don’t need until you have paid off those credit cards. And believe me, we all need a lot less than we think we do.
Credit cards are convenient, especially for travel, but I’ve had a rule for years that I must pay off my credit card bill every month. I just refuse to pay any interest. That puts controls on what I spend. One of the biggest favors you can do for yourself is to wipe out that credit card debt, and then pay it off in full every month.
Life Lesson No. 4: Save something from every paycheck.
Frankly, I have not followed this principle all my life; I wish I had. The secret is to have money taken out of your paycheck or your checking account every month—before you see it. I don’t care how small it is, make yourself start the habit of saving some money out of every paycheck, and put that money in an account you don’t touch. Just forget it’s there.
Financial experts tell us we should have six months of expenses saved up for emergencies. Now, I know it will take you a while to get there, but you’ll never get there if you don’t start. Make yourself begin with your next paycheck to save some money, and teach this principle to your children. Of course, giving to God is the first thing we should do with our paychecks. He should get the firstfruits of everything he has given to us. As my daddy used to tell me, “Honey, you can’t out give God.”
The Bible has more to say about money than almost any other topic. That’s because where our money is indicates where our heart is! I promise you, if you will pray about this and get serious about getting your financial house in order, you are going to be so glad you did. It will take so much stress and strain out of your life. I encourage you to do it.
Life Lesson No. 5: Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
I often remind myself people aren’t thinking about me nearly as much as I think they’re thinking about me! Isn’t it true that we often put ourselves under unnecessary stress by just taking ourselves too seriously! We worry about what others will think of us and that can become an obsession. What others think about you is not your business, so let it go!
Here’s the secret: Make it your passion to care very much about what God thinks about you. Pray daily that God will grow you into the mature Christian he wants you to be. Let God’s Word reveal areas in your life that need changing, and then by God’s grace, work on them. Care very much about what God thinks about you.
But stop worrying about what others think. Stop imagining what they’re thinking or saying. First of all, you’ll never please everyone, no matter how hard you try. And secondly, have you ever thought about how wrong it is to care more about what people think of you than you do about what God thinks about you? Remember, it’s not all about you; it’s all about God and what he wants to do with your life. Don’t take yourself so seriously.
Also, it’s really important to learn to laugh at yourself. I’ve discovered when I can make a joke on myself, it relieves the tension in a situation. I remember once showing up for a speaking engagement with two different shoes on. Don’t ask me how I did it; I have no idea, except they looked somewhat alike, but they were different colors and different shoes.
I looked down and realized it just before I was introduced to speak, and my first reaction was to try to figure out how could I get another pair of shoes in time to avoid looking stupid. Of course, there wasn’t time, so instead, I pointed out my mismatched shoes, made fun of myself, everybody laughed, it broke the ice, and everything was fine.
I often find myself worrying about what I’m wearing. Did I wear this to church last Sunday? Does this look okay? And I simply remind myself if I can’t remember what I wore, surely no one else can. And who cares if they do? Just let it go!
There are five life lessons which I pass on to you, hoping you’ll benefit from some of the things I’ve learned along life’s way. I’ll complete this next week with five more life lessons.
There’s a book in the Bible that is chocked full of life lessons—the book of Proverbs. I have often suggested you read a chapter a day, and since there are 31 chapters, you’ll read it through every month by reading the chapter that corresponds to the day of the month. Here are just a few nuggets from Proverbs you should pay attention to:
A man of knowledge uses words with restraint (Proverbs 17:27a).
Avoid a man who talks too much (Proverb 20:19b).
Do not let your heart envy sinners (Proverbs 23:17a).
Reckless words pierce like a sword (Proverbs 12:18a).
These are just a few I picked at random from the book of Proverbs. Try reading a chapter a day. I promise it will give you life lessons that will benefit you greatly.

February 5, 2026 Proverbs for Business and Management – 4

I’m looking at Proverbs for business, because the book of Proverbs is wonderfully applicable to the situations we face in our working worlds.
…you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth, then do this…to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go and humble yourself…Allow no sleep to your eyes…Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler (Proverbs 6:2-5).
How many times have you wanted to crawl under a table because you said something you wished you hadn’t? Perhaps they were words spoken in anger or haste, or words of gossip, or judgmental words. Unkind, untruthful, harsh, unnecessary words that inflicted harm of some kind.
What do you do? You can’t unsay them; you can’t delete them; you can’t erase them. Those words hang there in your memory and the memory of others. What can you do?
Solomon says to go and humble yourself to the person your words harmed; go, confess to them, and do it immediately. Apologize and do all you can to free yourself from the damage of those words.
Now, I know that’s not easy to do. But it’s a lot easier than not doing it! Once in a hotel on a business trip, I accused a hotel employee of neglecting to follow my instructions. I was certain I had given those instructions. Nicely, but directly, I said, “I’m sure it’s your fault; please correct it.”
A few minutes later I came to realize I was the one who was wrong, not him. It was embarrassing; I wanted to run away. But I forced myself to go to the phone, call the young man and apologize to him. Even a simple apology like that wasn’t easy, but once I did it, I felt so free. And I could tell it made a big difference to him. He kept saying, “That’s so nice of you to call. Thank you.” It wasn’t nice of me; it was the right thing to do.
If you’ve offended someone with words, don’t procrastinate. Go right now, today and apologize. That’s good advice from Proverbs.

February 4, 2026 Proverbs for Business and Management – 3

Proverbs is a very practical book, one which we can easily apply to our everyday lives in the working world. I’m looking at Proverbs for business to see how some specific proverbs apply to our jobs.
Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning (Proverbs 9:9).
One of the most important characteristics every Christian should have, in my opinion, is teachableness. A person who is teachable is a very wise and truly humble person who recognizes they don’t know it all, and there’s always something new to learn.
As a manager, I can tell you it is a joy to have an employee who has a teachable spirit, who is willing to learn and looking for ways to improve. A manager will endure mistakes and learning cycles, a manager will hang in there with you much longer if he or she sees an attitude of teachableness—wanting to learn. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to work with a person who knows it all and has no desire to learn anything new.
How about you? Are you teachable? How do you respond when you’re given helpful hints or suggestions? Do you resent them? Sometimes we can learn from younger people, people in the business shorter times than us, people below us in rank. But if you feel threatened when someone tries to teach you something, you’re likely to stagnate right where you are.
It is very smart and mature to accept teaching, to listen to new ideas and suggestions. Managers need this quality as much—perhaps more—than anyone else. Many times, we managers fail to listen to our employees, who have very good ideas that could help us if we were more teachable.
The day you get beyond being teachable, you’re in trouble, because that’s the day you’ll stop growing. And you don’t just stand still; you go backwards.
How about it? Do you need to ask God to make you a teachable person? No matter how good and smart you are already, you can be wiser still, Proverbs says, and you can add to your learning and wisdom by allowing others to instruct you.

February 3, 2026 Proverbs for Business and Management – 2

We’re looking at Proverbs for business. Let’s read a few verses from Proverbs 6:
Go to the ant, you sluggard: consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provision in summer and gathers its food at harvest (Proverbs 6:6-8).
In the margin of my Bible by this verse I have written “self-motivated.” The ant is a self-motivated creature. Without anyone standing over all those ants and telling them what to do, they perform their jobs diligently and are prepared for what lies ahead.
Self-motivation is a key factor in our business world today. It is sometimes rare to find people who have it. Too many people are just trying to get by with as little as possible. They don’t look beyond their noses to see what else could be done. They take no initiative and are not willing to go any extra miles.
A Christian in the workplace should be like the ant: self-motivated, willing to dig in and get the work done without prompting or constant supervision. Does your manager trust you? Can she or he be assured you will do your job diligently whether anyone’s watching? Certainly, a Christian should produce that kind of reputation.
Our witness in the world can never be effective if our lives aren’t different. If we have the “It’s not my job” attitude that is prevalent today, if we drag our feet and do only what we’re told to do, if we gripe and complain about doing anything above and beyond our job description, how will our coworkers and management know Christ makes a difference in our lives? They won’t, and our verbal witness, if there is one, will fall on deaf ears.
Christians have a power far beyond self to help motivate us. We have God’s Holy Spirit dwelling within us to give us the strength we need to be self-motivated. And we should have an outstanding testimony on our jobs that we do our work, we do it whether anyone’s watching or not, we do it to the best of our ability, and we’re willing to go the extra mile.
Go to the ant and consider its ways. We can learn wisdom and self-motivation from them.

January 31, 2026 Evangelism

Presented by Lauren Stibgen
The Oxford language dictionary defines evangelism as the spreading of the Christian gospel by public preaching or personal witness.[1] It is also defined as zealous advocacy of a cause. Merriam-webster.com defines evangelism as a winning or revival of personal commitments to Christ, and it’s also defined as militant or crusading zeal.[2]
An evangelist is, therefore, someone who spreads the gospel by preaching or personal witness, winning personal commitments to Christ—and, I would add, with zeal!
There are three ways to consider evangelism: proclamation, incarnational\/relational, and apologetic\/intellectual.
Proclamation evangelism is the preaching mentioned above. It is a direct telling of the gospel to others. You probably will not be deploying this tactic at work, unless you are a preacher!
Incarnational\/relational evangelism is the living it out—building relationships and sharing your faith at work, with a bit of apologetic\/intellectual evangelism as well. Meaning, you will need to be able to explain why you are living it out.
One of the most relevant definitions of evangelism I have read is this working definition presented by the Theology of Work project that says, “Evangelism is the organic process of intentionally engaging individuals in their spiritual journey, joining the Holy Spirit, watching for where he is already at work to help these individuals take one step closer to God and a new life in Christ, becoming the unique reflection of the image of Christ as the resurrected, glorified persons God intended.”[3]
This punctuates that evangelism is focused on the individual, and not some large group of people. We certainly come across many individuals during our workday!
But why evangelize? Isn’t this for the well-trained and professionals? And, surely, we shouldn’t do this at work—or should we? Studies show 90% of church going people who come to Christ as adults do so because of a relationship with one or more Christians outside of the four walls of the church. With many of these adults going to work, this makes our workplace evangelism key to God’s plan for salvation!
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you (Matthew 28:19-20).
Earlier in Matthew 9:37-38 Jesus tells his disciples, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
I want to remind you the disciples were not some well-studied priests of the time. And remember, Jesus was a humble carpenter before he began his ministry. God did not call the qualified, he qualified the called! Thinking about the disciples as fishermen and a tax collector and Jesus as a carpenter, helps me to feel more qualified in my calling to be an evangelist at work!
Our purpose here at The Christian Working Woman is to encourage, equip, and empower Christians in the workplace to love Christ more, to live their daily lives by biblical principles, and to go to their jobs as ambassadors for Jesus Christ.
Rooted in the verse from 2 Corinthians 5:20, which tells us we are Christ’s ambassadors, we are here in ministry to help you grow as workplace evangelists.
Clearly the word evangelism is rooted in our faith as followers of Jesus Christ. Are you zealous about it yet?
Many women I encounter don’t feel like they can share their faith at work. Whether it is feeling unqualified to share the gospel or simply fearing it will not be welcomed, there are more perceived obstacles than there are perceived open doors for Jesus at work.
This is one of the reasons I like the working definition from the Theology of Work project mentioned earlier. The definition helps us frame the process of evangelism at work rather than simply telling us, “Hey, go proclaim Christ at work!”
Evangelism is an organic process, specifically meaning it happens naturally. We don’t need to get all worked up and plan it all out. Consider the examples we have in the Bible. First Jesus. Notice how he shared his good news with others. His evangelism was incarnational and relational in every way with a touch of apologetic wisdom!
Even though I am sure Jesus divinely knew who he would encounter, he wasn’t on a direct quest to find them, except for the disciples. They came to him. He encountered the woman at the well when he was thirsty, and he encountered the bleeding woman as he was going to heal another’s child. Think about the healing of the demon possessed man when the evil spirits were cast into the pigs. This man was in Jesus’s path as he arrived from crossing the sea. Think about the leper needing healing. He was also in Jesus’s path. Finally, the criminal on the cross at the crucifixion.
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:42-43).
Now, I am not saying Jesus wasn’t a preacher evangelist. We absolutely see Jesus speaking to great crowds and in the synagogue, but it happened organically.
Evangelism at work can happen organically throughout the course of your day. It can be in a breakroom, or after a meeting. It could be grabbing a cup of coffee with a colleague you want to know better.
If we pay attention to the example of Jesus, we also see he is intentional in how he engages each one of the people in his path. He engages individuals! Each one had a need, even before they knew they needed Jesus. Whether it was healing, food, or even a friend, Jesus met people where they were at. Being intentionally engaging with others was the next part of the definition I mentioned earlier.
The Word is clear in Matthew 18:12.
What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off (Matthew 18:12)?
How can you intentionally engage with others? How can you help with the search for the one? Before you share the gospel with someone, have you ever considered what you know about them? Jesus had a clear advantage in being all knowing, so we will need to be good listeners and good at asking questions!
In James 1:19, the word tells us to be quick to listen and slow to speak.
Listen to colleagues when they talk about what they did over the weekend or even after work. Listen when they talk about family, favorite hobbies, or holiday plans!
Next, discern if you can come alongside them in any way. Again, thinking of Jesus. How are you serving those around you?
…not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others (Philippians 2:4).
How can you extend intentional kindness to someone? Is it an encouraging word or an expression of gratitude? Is it bringing someone a cup of coffee, or lunch? Perhaps it is simply the act of listening itself.
These organic and intentional engagements can build trust and a connection to start naturally sharing about your faith when it fits into the conversation, of course making sure it isn’t making the other person feel uncomfortable. Has someone expressed a feeling like sadness, anger, concern, or fear? Maybe you can relate and mention how your faith has helped you in a similar situation.
Ultimately, you will need to be prepared to make a defense if anyone asks you for a reason for the hope you have. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us to do this with gentleness and respect. I would encourage you to make a list of ways God has helped you. This way, examples will be top of mind if this ever comes up!
As you are deploying this organic and intentional evangelism, be encouraged! You are not expected to evangelize alone. Jesus has given to us the power of the Holy Spirit to help guide every situation.
The early church was filled with evangelists just like you and me! Acts 1:8 promised they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them. And they would be Jesus’s witnesses in Jerusalem and in all of Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.
Do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say (Luke 12: 11-12).
It is less about the perfect words and more about the ability to be a witness of Jesus through your life. How are people seeing the incarnational and relational Jesus through you?
Paul reminds us of this.
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20).
Allow Christ to work through you!
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14).
And remember you are not solely responsible for saving anyone!
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day (John 6:44).
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
You are merely the ambassador representative, a laborer in the harvest. While you may be a very important part of God’s plan for someone’s salvation, you simply are just that—one part. Paul beautifully states this.
By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:10-11).
Jesus is the foundation of everything. Every interaction, every way you “build” into an individual’s faith journey. Remember the statistic I spoke about as we stated our time today? 90% of adults making a decision for Christ are doing so because of interactions outside of the Church!
Back to evangelizing at work. As you intentionally engage with others through the help of the Holy Spirt, take time to discern where God is working. Does someone show extra interest in your conversations about reading the Bible or joining a Bible study you are part of? Are they asking questions about why you are different when things seem to all be chaos around at work? These can be the promptings of the Holy Spirit drawing someone closer to Jesus!
At your job, help people keep taking steps closer to God. Thinking of a builder placing one piece of a house at a time, place something simple each day and return. Perhaps you will be able to celebrate with someone that turns to a new life in Christ!
Consider yourself and evangelist today! Pray about who will come organically into your path, intentionally engage them and lean in to how the Holy Spirit can move through you!
[1] evangelism, n. meanings, etymology and more | Oxford English Dictionary. (2023). Oed.com. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/\/OED\/\/6381426726
[2] Definition of EVANGELISM. (n.d.). Www.merriam-Webster.com. https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/evangelism
[3] Work, T. of. (2018). Evangelism – Sharing the Gospel at Work (Overview). Theology of Work. https:\/\/www.theologyofwork.org\/key-topics\/evangelism-sharing-the-gospel-at-work-overview

January 30, 2026 Work Is Good – 5

Presented by Julie Busteed
Much of life is spent working—both in a job and in the ordinary daily tasks that keep life going. Scripture makes it clear that rest matters, yet the question remains: is rest truly practiced? Is there space to unplug, sit still, and be present?
The fourth commandment speaks directly to both work and rest: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God… (Exodus 20:8–10).
God did not only command rest; He modeled it. Genesis tells us, by the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy (Genesis 2:2–3).
What a gift this is. God gives meaningful work and purpose, and he also knows the human need for rest. That is why the Sabbath was given, blessed, and made holy.
Is this model followed? In a culture that values constant activity, it is easy to stay busy—at work, at home, and even in good and meaningful pursuits. Worth can quietly become tied to how full the schedule is. Yet the truth remains: rest is necessary. Not only physical rest but mental and emotional rest as well—time for the mind and spirit to be renewed. Too often, the command to rest on the Sabbath is brushed aside.
Stillness can feel uncomfortable. Being alone with one’s thoughts may feel unfamiliar, or even unproductive. Rest can seem boring in a world that never slows down. But Sabbath does not mean doing nothing; it means resting from ordinary labor and setting the day apart for God.
For many, Sunday serves as a Sabbath. Others who work on Sundays may need to choose a different day of the week to set aside. Even while Israel wandered in the desert, God established a rhythm of rest. Manna was gathered on the sixth day so that the seventh day could be devoted to rest and worship.
Jesus declared himself Lord of the Sabbath. When the Pharisees accused him of working on the Sabbath, he explained that meeting basic needs and doing good—healing, helping, restoring—were never violations of God’s intent. As Jesus said, The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27).
May this rhythm of work and rest become a lived practice—one that brings freedom, restores the soul, and honors the gracious gift God has given.

January 28, 2026 Work Is Good – 3

Presented by Julie Busteed
What does Scripture teach us about the meaning and purpose of our work? Let’s look at some examples of how work can be an opportunity to use our God-given abilities to serve others.
The story of Ruth the Moabite comes to mind when thinking about an example of working to serve others. This short, four-chapter book of the Bible is packed with so much to reflect on, but today I want to focus on how Ruth’s work blessed others, specifically her mother-in-law Naomi.
A fly over recap: Naomi was not only a widow, but she also lost both of her sons. There was no one to provide for her and she was living in a foreign land. Her daughter-in-law, Ruth, was also a widow who loved Naomi deeply and followed Naomi back to her homeland in Bethlehem.
They arrived back in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. Arriving empty handed and no way to feed themselves, Ruth said to Naomi, let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor (Ruth 2:2).
God provided a way for the poor to feed themselves. He said, when you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God (Leviticus 19:9-10).
Naomi was certainly poor, and Ruth was a foreigner. God’s law made provision for this situation. But someone had to go out in the field and put in some effort to gather the leftover grain. There was work involved. This was physical work. Ruth may not have been accustomed to it, but it didn’t keep her from attempting to provide for Naomi and herself. I imagine it was not creative work, and commentaries indicate it could have been dangerous even for her. But God provided for and protected her in this as well, since she “happened” to end up working in Boaz’s field, a relative of Naomi’s husband. And as the narrative goes, he became the kinsman redeemer, providing more than Naomi and Ruth could have imagined.
All this to say, Ruth, through the unglamourous work of gleaning barley in the fields, not only provided temporary nourishment for Naomi, but also was the catalyst for providing a kinsman redeemer—someone to rescue them from poverty. In the end, Boaz married Ruth and had a son who carried on the name of Naomi’s husband. Best of all, their son was the grandfather of King David and ultimately in the lineage of Christ as we read in Matthew chapter 1.
I just love how God uses us where we are. No matter what work we are doing, however humble or elevated our jobs might be if we are working for him and doing our best, he can and will use us.

January 27, 2026 Work Is Good – 2

Presented by Julie Busteed
Do you realize God created and modeled work for you and me? I looked at one word used for work, which focused on the aspect of creativity. Let’s look at another Hebrew word used for work—avodah. And it carries the idea of purpose. It is also translated as service, worship, and even slavery. The common thread, it describes work done by one person for the benefit of another.
In Genesis 2, this word appears twice. In verse 5, we read there was no one to work the ground. Then in verse 15, God places the man in the garden to work it and take care of it. From the beginning, work is clearly presented as a gift given to humanity by God, part of his good creation plan.
Then in Genesis 3, after the fall, work itself is not introduced as a curse, but it is affected by the curse. The ground is cursed because of sin, and work becomes difficult and toilsome. Thorns and thistles now grow in the garden, and provision comes through pain and sweat.
Work is not the punishment for sin; rather, sin distorts work, just as it distorts every part of creation. As a result, work now includes struggle, frustration, and hardship. There are thorns and thistles, and at times it will be demanding and exhausting.
Considering this, how do you and I show up to work each day in a way that honors and reflects God? I find thinking of work as a gift from God—something he created me to do—helps maintain perspective.
The Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 3:17 to do everything with all our hearts, as working for the Lord and not for human masters. That truth reframes even the menial, boring, or difficult tasks every job includes. Those tasks matter, and you and I are called to do them with excellence—for his glory.
Work is also necessary. Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life… to work with your hands…so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody (1 Thessalonians 4:11–12).
The Thessalonians had fallen into idleness, relying on others for support. Paul encourages them to work—not only to provide for themselves—but as a way of living out their faith.
Your work matters not only to pay the bills and sustain a living for you and your family, but as a witness to others. Let’s go to work and remember who we really work for.[1]
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[1] Some content used with permission by Tim Vickers and IFES Graduate Impact.

January 26, 2026 Work Is Good

Presented by Julie Busteed
When you hear the word work or think about your work, what comes to mind first? Do you think about work primarily as something that you have to do to pay the bills? Is it a source of boredom, frustration, and drudgery? Or maybe you enjoy your work, and it is a space where you can be creative and challenged and satisfied. Probably for most, it’s some combination of both. So, let’s look at how God created work and how you and I can undervalue or overvalue it.
The word “work” first appears in the Bible in Genesis 2 after the creation story in Genesis 1 and before the fall in Genesis 3. Work is not a result of sin entering the world. Work is affected by it, but God’s original purpose for work was for our good.
In Hebrew there are two different words which are translated into “work.” The first one is in Genesis 2:2-3.
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done (Genesis 2:2-3).
This indicates work is something God does. So work is good. To see how God works, we go back to Genesis one and look for all the action verbs and the work characteristic that it goes with:
God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). This displays his authority.
God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness (Genesis 1:4). God separated, which shows organization expertise.
God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night” (Genesis 1:5). God names things, which provides order and administration.
Throughout much of the creation account God speaks things into existence indicating his creativity, authority, and communication.
At the end of his work God saw that it was good. God saw all he had made, and it was very good (Genesis 1:31). He reviewed and evaluated all that he had done. Another important skill used in work.
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27).
Since you and I are made in his image, we are made to do good work, to do amazing and wonderful things. It is God’s gift allowing you to express your identity through your creativity.[1]
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[1] Some content used with permission by Tim Vickers and IFES Graduate Impact.

January 24, 2026 Work Was God’s Idea! – II

I read an article in a Christian magazine entitled “Three Marketplace Worldviews: The secular marketplace view, the non-biblical compromised Christian view, and the biblical marketplace view.” This article really caught my attention, and I want to share with you some further good information from it.
A worldview is simply the way we look at things, the paradigm through which we see our world. A marketplace view is the way you look at your job, career, or business. It’s part of your worldview, but it could be very different from other parts of your worldview. Basically, your marketplace view is the way you think about the whole issue of work, careers, and your particular job. The Bible tells us as we think in our hearts, so we are, so your marketplace view has a very strong influence on why you get up and go to work each day, how you perform once you get there, and what you hope to achieve as a result.
Let’s look at some further differences between these three marketplace views. How does a secular marketplace view understand the moral foundation and guidelines for business? That view says, “The ends justify the means.” A secular view rejects the Bible as truth and considers it irrelevant to business. They would consider anyone with a biblical marketplace view as a bit weird, certainly radical.
You’ll find a wide variety of behavior among those who hold a secular marketplace view. Many are just out for themselves, using whatever means necessary to achieve their aims. They are into office politics, underhanded deals, deceitful sales pitches, or tweaking numbers—whatever it takes to reach their goals of more money, more success, more promotions.
Others, on the other hand, will recognize there is merit in being honest and helpful. People who are not believers in Jesus Christ can still benefit greatly when they choose to live by biblical principles. I know people who would never call themselves Christians, but who also would never be dishonest in their business dealings.
I read an article about a man who got a tax refund that was grossly in error. Instead of a small amount, the check was for over two million dollars. Knowing he had no right to the money, even though he had the check in his hands, he returned it because it was the right thing to do. Even a non-believer can operate out of right principles, but they still hold a secular marketplace view and are in the job to get the most they can for themselves.
What is the non-biblical compromised Christian view of the moral foundation and guidelines for business? This person thinks, “God is more concerned about our church than my job or my business.” He is not sure the Bible has much to say about how to do business. After all, it was written too long ago. He may think it impossible to live by Christian principles on the job because nobody else does, and it’s a dog-eat-dog world. He or she sees his or her work as a separate from life and faith.
Why do far-too-many Christians have this compromised view of their jobs—this unbiblical attitude toward work? Because they don’t know the Bible well enough. Because they don’t spend time truly searching God’s word and applying it to their lives. Because they’ve never heard a message like this, challenging them to have a biblical view of their work. Because they so easily fall into the world’s mold and are not willing to pay the price of living for Jesus on their jobs. There are many reasons.
We have an enemy of our soul who is going to use every tactic possible to keep Christians from being effective witnesses for Jesus Christ, and this is certainly one weapon he uses. He deceives us into thinking incorrectly—after all, lying is his specialty—and once we think wrongly, we act wrongly.
How wonderful it is to find a Christian with a Biblical marketplace view. This person understands God’s principles and precepts for business and is committed to doing business God’s way. This person truly studies and applies what the Bible teaches regarding business and money. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, a biblical marketplace view causes this person to see her job as part of her mission in this world, even if persecution and suffering may result from doing business God’s way.
I have a friend whose family owns a successful business, begun by his father and now being passed on to his sons. This business is based on biblical principles, and everyone who works there knows it. There are many employees, and though it is not required for an employee to be a Christian, the owners are not hesitant to make it known that the business belongs to God and is operated to bring him glory. I’ve been there to give a brief Bible study at lunchtime, and the employees I met love to work there. It’s really a testimony to what it means to have a biblical marketplace view.
I have a friend who is a very successful attorney, and he has frequently told me operating by biblical principles as an attorney has been a great benefit to him, not a handicap. My brother owned a business and over the years he established a reputation for honesty. Others could rely on his word, and his honesty was known throughout his industry. That’s because he ran his business by Christian principles.
Another friend and one of our board members has a high-level career as a patent attorney. She sees her job as the place God has put her, and she prays daily about all her encounters with her coworkers, clients, and anyone she interacts with. She not only prays for wisdom and success, but more importantly, she prays that with every interaction, she will show the love of Jesus to others—in the way she conducts her business, in the tone of her voice, in her care and concern for others. She has a biblical perspective of her workplace.
Do you see your job as your mission field? A person with a secular marketplace view wouldn’t even know what that means. A person with a non-biblical compromised Christian view might be fearful of trying to combine their faith with their business or career. After all, they might get sued for mentioning God in the workplace—right? Or their employees or coworkers might get upset with bringing God into the business.
But a biblical marketplace view understands a Christian should be called to their life’s work, should know they are doing what God has intended for them to do. Therefore, their business and career are part of their ministry—a big part. Their workplace is their mission field, and they see their financial success as a way to fund kingdom ministries.
I served on the Board of Trustees for LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas for about 12 years. This school was begun by Mr. R. G. LeTourneau, who was a very successful inventor and entrepreneur in earth-moving equipment. Mr. R. G. believed God gave him success to help others, and he donated 90% of his earnings to God’s work, keeping only 10% for himself. The good he did for the Kingdom of Christ is incalculable. He has left a heritage of good things, including this wonderful university which is training Christians to go into the work world with a biblical marketplace view.
You may be thinking that incorporating a biblical marketplace view could be costly. You’re right. Jesus told us when we follow him, there can be a price to pay. I know situations where Christians have lost their jobs because they refused to compromise their Christian principles on the job. I have a friend who knows she is treated unfairly in some ways because of her Christian principles; she’s not one of the “in-crowd,” so to speak.
If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name…So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good (1 Peter 4:14-16, 19).
Truly suffering for the name of Christ should be a cause for rejoicing that you are considered worthy. It is a badge of honor, not one of shame. Certainly, suffering is not something we seek or desire, but fear of it should not keep us from living by biblical principles.
Let me encourage you to pray about your own perspective of your job. Do you see it as a drudgery or a necessity or maybe as your own road to success as you climb the ladder? Or do you recognize as a follower of Jesus Christ, you report ultimately to him? Therefore, you are working to bring honor and glory to him.
When you have a biblical view of your job, it truly makes it so much easier to get up and go to work! It won’t always be fun or full of what the world calls success. There are truly hard days, but a biblical perspective will give you great satisfaction and contentment to know you work for Jesus. What you do each day matters to him.

January 23, 2026 Ask God for a Vision – 5

I’ve been hoping to inspire you to ask God to give you a vision—so you rise above mediocrity and soar to the heights for which God created you.
What does a vision look like? Here are five signs to help you identify your God-given vision:
Sign Number 1 – It won’t go away. As you pray about it, it gets stronger, not weaker.
Sign Number 2 – There is a need for it.
Sign Number 3 – God will open doors for you. You will see some small and\/or large miracles as God opens these doors. You will be amazed, frightened, awestruck, and excited.
Sign Number 4 – Your spiritual leader(s) will encourage you.
Sign Number 5 – God will give you the right people to help you.
Elsy Riungu was my friend in Nairobi, Kenya. Many years ago, at our conference there I spoke on the topic of asking God for a vision. As always, Elsy took to heart what she heard. She prayed about it and then began a ministry to help save marriages. She rented a venue near her home—with money she didn’t have to spare—and started a monthly meeting for couples. She got speakers, planned the programs, advertised and invited, and for several years she continued this ministry.
After she began, she wrote: “Couples ministry is running well, as we meet once a month. It is exciting to minister to mostly young couples. I have had three separate marriages, and after counselling, two of them are restored and enjoying their union. My desire this year is to reach families in the rural areas, where the need is enormous. Pray for me.”
She had no money, no support system backing her up. God gave her a vision, and she was obedient to it. And she was filled with joy to be doing what God called her to do.
Are you willing to ask for a vision? It begins with prayer, but at some point, you must put feet to your prayer. Start walking through open doors and just keep taking the next right step.
Remember, when it comes to pursuing your vision:

If you don’t go for it, it will fade, and you’ll miss the blessing. Use it or lose it.
The more you pursue God’s vision for you, the more ability and gifts you will have to do it. God will stretch you and gift you like you’ve never dreamed. But this won’t happen until you take the first step.

January 22, 2026 Ask God for a Vision – 4

What is your excuse for not asking God to give you a vision—a new beginning, a new passion for pursuing all he wants to do with you and through you? We’re looking at some of the common excuses that keep us from the abundant life Jesus wants to give us. Here’s one of those excuses:
I’ve made too many mistakes; there is too much baggage from my past for me to do anything great for God. If God only used people with perfect track records, there would be no one to use. God takes us where we are and tells us to put our past behind us and move forward to the good things he wants to do for us. Isaiah wrote:
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:18-19).
There may be other excuses you have for your lack of vision, but could it be that you don’t have a vision of what God wants to do through you because you’ve never asked for a vision? James wrote you do not have, because you do not ask God (James 4:2). Jesus told us Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened (Matthew 7:7-8).
How do we recognize God’s vision? Are you willing to ask God for a vision? You say, “I’m not sure I would know one if I saw it!” Good question—how do we know God’s vision for us?
A vision from God will be born in love—love of God, love of the Lord Jesus, and love of others. A God-given vision will not depend upon your giftedness, your hard work, or your promotional abilities, though your gifts will be used and you will work hard. But the success of your vision will be a God-thing that can only be explained by his power working in you. And it will always be in harmony with God’s Word.
I urge you to consider seriously whether you need to ask God to give you a vision, to help you step out by faith and realize the potential he has created in you, and the joy that comes when you walk by faith and not by sight.

January 21, 2026 Ask God for a Vision – 3

Are you a visionary? Do you ask God to give you a vision of what he wants you to do and be, and then fearlessly step out on faith and do it? Many times, we fail to soar like an eagle because we’re afraid to take any risks. Here’s another excuse that can keep you mired in mediocrity.
I don’t have the talent, abilities, or experience it takes to be a visionary. Maybe you’re thinking: People who take risks are gifted in some way or another. I don’t have any special gifts. I’m just an ordinary person, who can do ordinary things in an ordinary way.
If this is your excuse, you are without excuse. Listen to what Paul wrote to the Corinthians:
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).
How many examples do you want of how God uses ordinary people? Start with Peter, James, and John—uneducated fishermen. Consider Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba—all great-grandmothers in the lineage of Jesus Christ—and all totally unqualified for the job. The Bible and church history are replete with examples of people who were used mightily by God in small and large ways, even though they didn’t have the right credentials, the right education, or the right skills and abilities. That way, God gets the glory.
I’m too old to ask for a vision. Are you thinking: If I were in my twenties, then I could do something great for the Lord. But it’s too late now.
Consider Caleb, who after 40 years of wandering in the desert, is allowed to go into the Promised Land. So, now 85 years old, Caleb goes to Joshua and says,
I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day (Joshua 14:11-12).
If you’ve been using age or some disability as your excuse for not asking God for a vision, pray “God, give me this hill—give me a vision of what you want to do with me now at this age in this time.”

January 19, 2026 Ask God for a Vision

I’d like you to imagine this scene. It’s time for your annual evaluation by your boss, and you’re confident it will be a good result because you’ve met all the requirements of your job description. In addition, you’ve only had two sick days, and you’re almost always on time. You’re expecting a good evaluation and hopefully a good raise.
Your boss agrees you’ve done an adequate job and met all the minimum requirements, and after that brief comment, he asks if you have any questions. You’re puzzled; is that all he’s going to say? You expected some credit for meeting the requirements. You ask if you are going to get a raise.
Your boss then explains that raises are given for people who do more than the job description requires, and since you’ve only met the requirements, you are not qualified for a raise. Would you be shocked at that evaluation? Well, basically that’s what Jesus was teaching his disciples in this parable in Luke 17:
Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So, you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’ (Luke 17:7-10).
Does that seem harsh to you? Jesus was trying to teach his disciples that just getting by, doing what you’re supposed to do is not enough for commendation. He wants his disciples to have a passion for doing more than their mere duty. He wants his disciples to have a vision for all they could do and be because of Jesus.
The Bible says without a vision, people perish. I’m not talking about some miraculous sign you receive, or an out-of-body experience or a dream. No, the vision I’m talking about is being able to see what God wants to do in and through you. And without this kind of vision, you perish, you fail to live up to your God-given potential.
I want to encourage you to ask God to give you a vision, so you aren’t just doing the bare minimum, but you’re soaring like an eagle, way above the ordinary. That’s the abundant life Jesus came to give us.

January 17, 2026 Work Was God’s Idea! – I

I found a brief article in a Christian professional magazine entitled “Three Marketplace Worldviews,” taken from truthnetwork.org, and I want to talk about those three marketplace worldviews.
Hopefully you realize your worldview has a great influence on your life. If you view your world through an incorrect paradigm, it will cause you to make wrong decisions and poor choices and lead you down wrong paths. It is extremely important we scrutinize our own worldviews and make certain they are accurate. As Christians, our challenge is to make certain we have a biblical worldview as the foundation for our attitudes, opinions, and approach to life. That means, of course, we need to know the Word of God and continually study it so we know truth, which sets us free.
Over the many years I’ve been broadcasting this program, it has become clear that far too many Christians do not have a biblical view of their jobs. That means they often approach their work incorrectly, for the wrong reasons and with the wrong motives. That, in turn, means a great portion of their life is spent with an unbiblical worldview, and this can only mean trouble! It interferes with their fellowship with God and with other believers. It causes a disconnect in their spirit and may cause them to lead a double life, as it were: One person on their job and another person at church and with other believers.
For ten years of my career, this is exactly what I did. I was one person Monday through Friday and another one on Sunday. I had a selfish and greedy approach to my job, and soon I was swallowed up by the world’s culture and found myself operating in my job like most everyone else—looking out for number one and for personal success.
…the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do (James 1:6 – 8).
When we, as true believers, have a conflicting worldview not in agreement with God’s word, we become double-minded, tossed back and forth like waves on the sea, and unstable in all we do. Have you ever thought your instability on your job, your inability to find the right job, or your unhappiness in the job you have could be because you have become double-minded? Your lack of a biblical marketplace view could indeed be the root cause of your struggles.
Let’s look at these three marketplace views, and as we do, ask yourself which one most represents your own view of your job or career. These three views are categorized as secular, non-biblical, which is described as a compromised Christian view, and biblical.
First, what is your view of the origin and purpose of business?
In the article, the author states the secular view is “Business is something man created, to serve man, and its ultimate purpose is to serve the interest of man. If there is a God, he certainly would not have any concern with business and how it is done.”
Now, admittedly, that’s how most of your non-believing friends and coworkers view their jobs. They are there to make as much money as possible, achieve as much success as possible, prove their worth, and help them realize their dreams and goals, etc., etc., etc. In other words, their view of their job is it’s all about them—making them successful, happy, financially secure and fulfilled. They most likely have never even thought about connecting God or his principles to their jobs. It’s like separation of church and state; it’s almost a constitutional divide; your job and religion are two different things. That’s the secular marketplace view.
What is the non-biblical compromised Christian view of the origin and purpose of business? That view says, “Work is a ‘necessary evil’ and I cannot wait until retirement. Once I have enough money to retire, I will serve God ‘full time.’” In this non-biblical marketplace view, ministry is not done at work. It could be done at church or somewhere else, but not at work. This compromised Christian view intends to do things right, but if the rules must be bent once in a while, so be it. They may view their jobs as a means for them to earn money, which they can give to their church and missions—after all, those are the real ministries.
If it were possible to take an accurate survey of true Christians in the secular marketplace, I wonder how many would fall into this non-biblical marketplace view. I fear it would be greater than fifty percent. Frankly, this is why I began this ministry, to challenge Christians to see their jobs as their mission fields, to see themselves as ambassadors for Christ on their jobs.
And what is that view of the origin and purpose of business and work? Based on biblical truth, that view is “Work is a God-ordained activity.” Christians with this worldview agree that God has ordained them to serve him in the marketplace. The biblical marketplace view recognizes work was given to man before sin entered the world, but it became hard as a result of sin. Adam was given what we would call a secular job description by God. But it wasn’t secular because God gave it to him. For a Christian there is no secular\/sacred category divide. Everything in our lives is sacred and should be viewed from a biblical perspective.
The Christian who has a biblical marketplace view sees every aspect of her work as an opportunity to glorify Jesus Christ. He or she actively seeks to work and live by biblical principles on the job and sees his or her work as an extension of God’s work on earth.
Now I ask you, if Christians who regularly go to a secular workplace did so with a biblical workplace view, would it make a difference in the way they perform? It would have to! Would it make a difference in their attitude? No question about it. Would it make a difference in how they treat people? Absolutely.
On the other hand, if you view your job as simply a way to pay your bills, a necessary evil, as it were, will that not have a negative impact on your behavior and attitude? You see, what you think is what you are, as we are told in the Bible. If your thinking is wrong, your behavior and attitudes will be wrong, and they will be harmful to you and to others.
Looking further into these three marketplace views, this article identified the differences in how we view the source and ownership of business and wealth. The secular marketplace view is, “Man owns what he can build, buy, or take by force. The one with the most toys at the end wins. It is the survival of the fittest.” Those with mindset see themselves as the owner of what they have earned.
The non-biblical compromised Christian view is, “God owns everything, but he really doesn’t care about business or how I minister in it.” This Christian makes their career plans and expects God to bless them. They haven’t prayed for guidance in selecting a job or career, because they don’t see this as part of their sacred life. Whatever success they achieve is viewed as their just rewards from their hard work. And because they see themselves as the owner of their finances, they may struggle with how much of it they really must give to God’s work.
One of the best gifts you can give yourself is to understand the truth that as a believer, you are not your own. You’ve been bought with a price, and everything you have is simply on loan to you from God, given for you to use in his service. Simply put, you own nothing.
Richard Foster talks about being possessionless and positionless, and once we can acknowledge that we truly own nothing and everything we have is God’s gift to us for temporary use in his kingdom, then it takes a huge monkey off our backs.
The biblical workplace view is, “God owns my business, career, and resources.” This view causes you to pray for God’s clear guidance in what job to take and how to conduct yourself there. This view recognizes you are a steward of God’s blessings, and you will be held accountable for how you’ve used God’s resources. It causes you to see how much you can give to God’s work, rather than how little.
What is your marketplace worldview? Is it biblical or secular or non-biblical? Search your heart and ask yourself this question: What are you typically thinking when you head out to your job each day? Are you often truly aware that you are the representative of God in your workplace, or do you subconsciously leave God out of the picture when you’re at work?
Now I know work is work, and there are hard things that must be done on your job. I’m not asking if you go to work singing, “Hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to work I go.” But I am asking if you truly see your job as a calling—a mission. Do you pray about your testimony on your job? Do you consistently take seriously your opportunity to be an ambassador for Christ where you work?
What is your view of your job—your career? Remember the three options:

Secular
Non-Biblical, which is described as a compromised Christian view
Biblical

Give it some serious thought because how you view your job really makes a difference—in your attitude, your motivation, and your contentment.

January 15, 2026 Theology of Work – 4

Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Love your neighbor as yourself. Sometimes work is difficult. But what is our work anyways? I mean the work God has for us. If you are working today feeling like your job has no purpose for God, think again!
Let us consider how to stir one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24).
I want to stir you up to consider that God’s work is multiplied though you. What are some things you can do today to bring glory to God? Does your job feel unimportant? I assure you it is not.
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ (Colossians 3:23–24).
Think about working for God, and the rewards he has for you. How do you reflect the love of Jesus Christ? Do people wonder what makes you different? And what is the point anyways?
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you (Matthew 28:19-20).
Jesus wants us to make disciples! And we can start by thinking about good works at work!
An easy way to consider good works is to think about the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5. Perhaps you have this list memorized—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Is there a way you can display more patience with someone at work? Can you choose gentler words when delivering feedback? Perhaps you can extend kindness to a colleague by affirming their work or even encouraging them when they are overwhelmed. Do you work in an environment full of strife? How can you bring the peace?
What about goodness? Do you choose to do what is right when perhaps you are faced with a scenario which may challenge your ethics?
We often get caught up in thinking about our position, more than we think about the way we work. Foundationally, the way we work, as to the Lord and not to men, is what can leave people asking why we are different and ultimately make disciples!

January 14, 2026 Theology of Work – 3

Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Sometimes the mention of work doesn’t elicit happy and joyous feelings. And, knowing God created us in his image for good works which he prepared beforehand makes us sigh as we think, is my workday over yet?! All jokes about TGIF, working for the weekend, and anything else related to not being at work feels real for all of us at some point. What can we do when we don’t feel like work is a gift from God?
I recently had a sister in Christ tell me she was working to not curse what blesses her. This has not left my mind. Don’t curse what is blessing you. In other words, when thinking about your work, think about the blessings. Think about the beautiful things that bring glory to God. All the other broken things, pray about them.
Sometimes our mindset about work needs to shift. If you are alone laboring for some sort of achievement or purely from envying what someone else has, it is hard to consider that work is a gift to us from the Lord. The book of Ecclesiastes is full of examples of how working to be the greatest and have the most never yield the warm and happy feelings about work that we would expect. In fact, they yield the opposite.
Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun (Ecclesiastes 2:11).
How can we consider the gift of work? And, what about the good works God prepared for us beforehand? For those of us who believe in Jesus Christ, we are called to the greatest commandment of love. I we are working for vain achievement, it’s no wonder we will never be satisfied in our work. If you find yourself watching the hours on the clock to see when your day will end or longing for a weekend, I challenge you to start with a simple list.
First, how is your job blessing you today? It may be as basic as I am receiving a paycheck to provide for my family. Perhaps you have made a friend at work. Rejoice in this blessing!
Now, what do you perceive as broken? Remember, God is in the work of redeeming all things, and God calls you to be part of this by loving your neighbor as yourself. Are you in a bad culture or dealing with a difficult boss or colleague? Reframe your work with these things. How can you do good works to bring God glory today?

January 13, 2026 Theology of Work – 2

Presented by Lauren Stibgen
God chose to create men and women in his image! God created us to work and tend all the creation he had made both before the original sin of Adam and Eve and after. You and I are living in the after, and the good work we do for the kingdom today matters for eternity and for the promise of a new heaven and new earth!
Starting to view your work in this light may take some time. If you find yourself questioning your work or why God has you in a certain role or company, pause and consider this,
…for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose (Philippians 2:13).
He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will (Ephesians 1:5).
As you consider these verses, know God has a plan for you, and it is for his will and pleasure. But what is his will and pleasure? God created, man sinned, and now, God is redeeming his kingdom!
You may be wondering how God is using you to redeem his kingdom at work. God has created everything so his glory could be revealed, including you! One of the best embodiments of this is Ephesians 2:10.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).
Take heart and consider, you are God’s workmanship, his glorious creation. Pause for a moment and think about this. God’s work made you! Something about this makes me feel very special. God made me to display his glory!
God also made you to do good works which he prepared beforehand. As you work today, consider this. He planned this moment. God planned for you to be right where you are. Again, he did this for his glory!
And this is the best part. We just need to walk in these good works. He doesn’t call us to strive, stress, or fret. He calls us to walk.
Somehow, everything God has set before you at work today is part of his great plan to bring glory to himself and to redeem his kingdom.

January 10, 2026 Your Job and Your Work – II

Let’s review four differences between work and jobs. First, your job may employ none of your gifts; your work employs all your gifts. Second, your job will inevitably result in income; your work may never result in income. Third, there is always someone else who can do your job; there is never anyone else who can do your work. And fourth, your job may sometimes produce frustration; your work will most often produce fruit.
But now, let’s consider two other differences in your job and your work.

Your job will end in retirement; your work will not end until death.

Jobs come to an end. Either you retire, walk away from the job, or the job is eliminated. If your self-worth is linked to your job, then the loss or end of a job can be devastating, and it is to many people.
Work, however, has no termination age. There’s no 65-year cut-off point for your work. Retirement from work is retirement from life, and it is not scheduled by men but by God.
Your work may and most likely will take some turns and changes as you progress through life. But I think of elderly Christians who are no longer physically able to do many of the things they did for the Lord earlier in their lives. Their work has changed, and now they are marvelous prayer warriors, doing the most important of all work.

Your work may never become your job; your job could never replace your work.

Many think the ultimate in life would be to have a job that becomes our work, so what we do every day to enable us to earn a living is the same thing God has called us to do and gifted us to do for his glory. But let me tell you, that rarely happens, and that’s because it doesn’t fit into God’s plan for reaching the world. He’s left us in this world to be his salt and light, and that means we need to mingle in the marketplace where the people are. That means we need jobs to get us in there, so we can do the work God has called us to do, in many cases.
Most of us will find it necessary to continue committing large portions of our lives to a job that does not fully define or fulfill us. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be successful at our work. Our jobs and our work don’t have to be in competition. In fact, when we’re in right relationship with God’s plan for our lives, they will not be in competition.
Now, you may be thinking, “You mean, I can’t expect to find a job I really love?” No, that’s not what I mean. If we’re smart, we’ll educate ourselves and do everything we can to match our jobs with our talents and strengths, so that they are not working against our gifts.
For example, my last business job was to make training presentations. Not only do I enjoy making presentations, but in the process of doing my job, I was trained to do my work better. I enjoyed my job, though I would not have voluntarily done it if there was not a need to make money. However, that job was a tool in God’s hands to prepare me for my work and to touch other lives I would never have touched otherwise.
And then the other great truth of Scripture is when we are walking with Jesus, everything we do can be done for his glory. No matter what job we have, as Christians we can do it to God’s glory, and it becomes meaningful and purposeful.
I think of one of my listeners who used to work in a large bakery, doing rather repetitive work, which could be described as unchallenging and unfulfilling. But this woman viewed her place of employment as her Jerusalem where she was to take God’s good news. And God gave her incredible opportunities to witness to many people, including executives in the company.
I never knew her to complain about the lack of fulfillment in her job, though I’m sure there were days she got bored with the routine. She went to work each morning to see what exciting thing God would do through her that day, and she didn’t occupy her mind with the mundaneness of the job itself.
You can know fulfillment amid a routine job if you know Jesus, and you’re doing your work for his glory. We are in a win-win situation when we know Jesus. He gives us meaningful work, and then he says even our jobs, which are not our work, can be done to his glory if our attitude is right. Either way—whether you’re doing your job or your work, you are working for Jesus, and it counts for eternity.
Now, if you understand the difference between your job and your work, then lots of puzzles start to clear up for you. Your ultimate objectives should be:

To achieve harmony between your job and your work.

That’s going to take different forms for different people. But isn’t it great and wonderful to know it doesn’t matter whether we’re gifted for some great job success. We are gifted for success in our work, and if we do the work God has called us to do, we will be successful in his eyes.

To do as much work as possible while doing your job.

Our challenge is to know what our work is and then prioritize our lives so we have time to do our work. And is that ever a challenge! Please keep in your mind the ever-present vision of standing before Jesus to give an account of how you’ve used your time here on earth. If you get so involved in your job or anything else so you don’t do your work, you will be very embarrassed when accounting time comes.
We’re told in 1 Corinthians 3 our work will be shown for what it is at the Day of Judgment. And we will have wood, hay, or straw, or we’ll have gold, silver, and costly stones. Then the fire at the Judgment Seat will reveal the quality of our work.
Now, wood, hay, and stubble take up a lot more space than gold, silver, and costly stones, right? And we get fooled sometimes by volume. If I had a million dollars I could buy a bunch of wood, hay, and straw, and it would take up space. But if I brought a million dollars of gold, silver, and costly stones, I could hold them in my hand or at most a small bag. You might not notice it, and it wouldn’t take up much room.
If we don’t understand the difference, we might opt for the wood, hay, and straw because it looks bigger. But that stuff burns fast when you strike a match to it, whereas the gold, silver, and costly stones will survive any fire you put them through.
Do you get the picture here? Sometimes, with poor earthly eyesight, we spend our lives doing things that burn up. They look important here because they take up space and time. But in eternity, they are worthless. It is super important to get the priorities of our lives in line with God’s word and do the important things, not just the urgent ones.

We must look for ways for our jobs to encompass more of our work.

Recognizing we spend a large portion of our lives at our jobs, of necessity, and knowing only our work counts for eternity, we need to find ways to incorporate our work into our job. That might mean looking for another job—one that maybe doesn’t pay as much—in order to have more time for our work or to do our work with our job. Here are some good things to consider when evaluating whether you’re in the right job:
A good job is one that:

plays to your personal strengths. Look for a job that uses your gifts and allows you to polish and perfect your gifts.
meets a legitimate need. Even though our jobs are earth-bound, there are jobs which certainly meet legitimate needs, and those are more satisfying than others. There are simply some jobs Christians should not hold, because they don’t contribute to any good in our society.
doesn’t compromise your core values or biblical principles.
finances your lifestyle and your work.
allows you to contribute to ministry. Many people are called by God to jobs so they have money to contribute to ministry. You may have the gift of giving and therefore your job is important to your work.
gives you a platform for credible witness. This is one major reason we have jobs, because it gets our feet in the doors where otherwise we would never go.
provides contact with people you can impact.

People are the most important thing to God. There’s a song written by Steve Green, and the words are right on. He wrote, “People need the Lord, at the end of broken dreams, he’s the open door. We are called to take his light to a world where wrong seems right. They must hear the words of life only we can share. People need the Lord. When will we realize that people need the Lord.”
Wherever your job takes you, there are people. And since no one is in your life by accident, people are in your life to give you an opportunity in some way—brief or small as it may be—to tell them you have found what they are unconsciously looking for—Jesus. That’s one way the job you have can be transformed into the work God has given you to do. Just introduce people to Jesus.
I hope these thoughts on your job versus your work have been thought provoking for you. I think we could see some significant attitude changes toward our jobs if every Christian had this clear worldview.

January 9, 2026 Promises for a New Year – 5

I’ve been talking this week about God’s promises and his faithfulness to keep his promises. A promise is only as good as the one who promised, right? We’ve had far too many examples of politicians who promise so much and deliver so little, so that now in general we just don’t trust politicians. The Pew Research Center reports only 20% of Americans today say they can trust the government to do what is right.
It may be true that because you have been sorely disappointed in what others have promised you, you have difficulty trusting God. I just want to encourage you today that, no matter how much you’ve been disappointed or let down by others, you can trust God, because he is trustworthy.
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22–23).
Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations (Psalm 119:89–90).
God is faithful and therefore his eternal Word is faithful.
We learn to trust God by getting to know his character. And we get to know his character through his Word and through our own history of his faithfulness to us. Have you forgotten God’s faithfulness to you in the past? Sometimes when you’re in the midst of a troubling situation, you just forget how God has helped you in the past; how he has proved himself true. I encourage you right now to recite out loud God’s faithfulness to you in the past. By remembering his past faithfulness, you will learn to trust his future faithfulness.
Here is one last promise as this new year begins, from our trustworthy God. It’s a go-to promise for you for the entire year, from Isaiah 41:10:
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).

January 7, 2026 Promises for a New Year – 3

As you begin this new year, are you wondering what lies ahead? Does the future seem confusing or unclear? Are you trying to determine what your next steps should be? God’s Word has some great and precious promises to help you. For example, Isaiah 30:21 is a great promise:
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it” (Isaiah 30:21).
God promises guidance for you. He wants you to walk in the right way and make the right decisions even more than you want to. If you have ears to hear, there will be a voice behind you, showing you the way. That “voice” can come in many different ways—through God’s Word, through a trusted advisor, through some unusual circumstance. But if it’s God’s voice, you will know.
It’s that “ears to hear” thing that causes problems—right? There was a time in my life when I only wanted God to tell me what I wanted to hear, so I just didn’t have ears to hear. This verse from Jeremiah 6 warns us about shutting our ears to God’s voice:
This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it’ (Jeremiah 6:16).
If that’s where you are today—standing at the crossroads—are you ready and willing to hear God’s voice showing you where the good way is? Or are you saying in your heart, “My way, God, not yours”? Sometimes we mouth the words, “I want to know God’s way,” but when he shows it to us, we decide it’s not exactly what we had planned, so we say, in some words or other, “I will not walk in it.”
But here’s the good news—when you walk in God’s way, you will find rest for your soul. I remember well when I finally came to the end of my way and told God I was ready to walk in his way, and my words to God were, “Please give me peace.” I desperately wanted rest for my soul, and that’s when I began to walk in the good way. I’m so very thankful I did.
Let me encourage you today to choose God’s way—to listen to that voice behind you. You will never regret it. I promise!

January 6, 2026 Promises for a New Year – 2

This is program number 10,092 of The Christian Working Woman daily edition. That means for over 2000 weeks I have been broadcasting the good news that God’s Word is relevant to our lives. For over 41 years God has sustained this ministry so we can encourage you to put God’s Word into practice in your life; to live out your faith on your job and everywhere else.
And we’ve made it all these weeks and months and years because God has kept his promise to me. When I was presented with the opportunity to enlarge our ministry from one station in Chicago, I knew this was bigger than me, and I needed assurance God would see me through. I asked God to give me a promise from his Word that I could cling to—that would assure me of his guidance.
My reading that day took me to Isaiah chapter 50, and from that chapter God gave me two verses which have become my “go to” assurance verses of God’s promise to me. Here is that promise:
The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary…Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame (Isaiah 50:4-7)
I couldn’t count the many times I’ve said to the Lord, “God, you promised I will not be disgraced; I will not be put to shame, and I claim your provision and your promise now today.”
Another promise from Joshua 23:14 assures us not one word has failed of all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed. I can testify that God’s promises are reliable.
Could it be you need a promise today? Something to help you face your future with hope and peace? There’s one in the Bible just for you. Just take time to sit down with your Bible, pray for guidance, and ask God for his promise for you. It’s there—I promise!

January 5, 2026 Promises for a New Year

It’s a new year! This is a good time to focus our minds on God’s promises to us for the new year.
The Bible gives us hundreds of promises, yet we often don’t avail ourselves of the comfort, strength, and guidance there for us. I want to remind you of some of God’s promises for you in 2026.
In 2 Peter 1, we are told,
His divine power has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires (2 Peter 1:3-4).
Peter tells us God’s promises are great and precious: Great because they are powerful, and precious because of God’s great love for us. And through these promises we are encouraged and equipped to become more like Jesus, to live a life of glory to God.
Here are some important promises to focus on today—this fifth day of 2026:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
Is there a more important promise than this? Just to know you have forgiveness—forgiveness for all the stuff you’ve done, all the sin in your life, all your unrighteousness. He is faithful and just and will always forgive you when you confess. This promise is absolutely essential—because without forgiveness we have no hope of eternal life. But God has promised us eternal life when we have received his forgiveness and been made a new creation in Christ. In the same book of 1 John, we read:
And this is what he promised us—eternal life (1 John 2:25).
As you begin this new year, make it a regular practice to remember this promise—he has forgiven your sins and cleansed you from all unrighteousness, and he will always do so. It’s a great and precious promise just for you.

January 3, 2026 Your Job and Your Work – I

Let’s start with some basic definitions between our job and our work: Our job is what we do day-in and day-out to bring in income. It is the duties we perform, most often for an employer, sometimes as our own employer, for which we receive money. A company’s job descriptions are written for whoever happens to have the job. Once the job description is written, the search begins to find a person who will do the job well.
Our work, on the other hand, is what God has designed us to do. It is our purpose for being here, what we are uniquely created for. It is distinctly linked to the gifts, talents, passions, and assets we have been given by God. While many people may have identical jobs, no two people have the same work, because each of us has a unique plan for our lives.
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
Those works God has prepared for each of us to do—that is our work.
We must understand the difference. When this is not clear to us, we can encounter many difficulties.
For example, one of our most common mistakes is to expect our job to fulfill us. In the past Americans seemed to have a love affair with their careers, but have you sensed how is changing now and changing rapidly? We see industries shuffling, companies downsizing, and management levels reducing in almost every company and industry. People no longer expect to work for one employer throughout their career and build a family relationship as we have in the past. This passion we’ve had for our careers is becoming more like a fatal attraction.
Yet, because we’ve seen our jobs as our work, many people continue to look to the workplace to find meaning and purpose in their lives. If you don’t know the difference between your job and your work, you can see how frightening and disillusioning this could be for some people. They lose their job, and they lose their identity.
Now, here we are as Christians in the workplace, and we need a biblical perspective of our jobs, don’t we? Let me ask you: As a Christian, is it essential for you to have a job which is personally fulfilling? Is that your right? Should that have a high priority in your life?
I have a feeling if that is true, many of you would stand up right now and say, “My job is not fulfilling,” and we would have to conclude your life is in shambles. But the good news is, you may be able to say, “My job is not terribly fulfilling, but my life is fulfilled because I know the work God has given me to do. That fills my life with meaningful activity.”
Let’s consider some significant differences in our job and our work:

Your job may employ none of your gifts; your work employs all your gifts.

Now, first, do you know what your gifts are? Do you know the spiritual gifts you’ve been endowed with by God? We all have at least one spiritual gift, and many times we have several. Let’s look briefly at Romans 12 to learn a bit about these gifts.
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully (Romans 12:6-8).
And again in 1 Corinthians 12, we read:
Now to each one (that means everyone who is a believer) the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7).
The manifestation of the Spirit is your gift or gifts. If you have been born from above, you have blessed with a gift, and the reason you’ve been given a gift is so you can bless others with it.
The neat thing about our gifts is we love to do it, and it doesn’t come hard for us. God is an incredibly smart manager of his human resources. He knows if I love to do what I have to do, I’m going to do it much better. Therefore, not only does he give me gifts to use for the common good of the Body of Christ and to bring glory to his name, but he also gives me a love and joy in doing it.
It’s a joy to exercise your gifts, isn’t it? Now that doesn’t mean you never grow tired or weary or that you don’t want to run away occasionally. But I know, as you do, a few days away from doing my work, and I’m restless. I’m ready to go back.
Not true with what used to be my job. I traveled around the country doing business seminars. I looked forward to the weeks I didn’t have to travel and had to do some strong positive thinking to keep from getting a little depressed when a trip was coming up. When I made the decision to give up that job so I didn’t have to travel like that again, I did not shed one tear. That was my job.
If you told me I could never use these gifts God has given me, I would feel empty. Life would be tasteless. My gifts are the things that bring meaning and purpose in my life, because they come from God to be used for him.

Your job will inevitably result in income; your work may never result in income.

We all are willing to go to our jobs each day primarily because we get a salary or compensation at regular intervals for performing that job. I traveled around doing the same seminar over and over because they sent me a check, and I needed that check to pay my bills. If they had said to me, “Mary, we’ve decided we can no longer pay you for doing these seminars, but we sure hope you’ll keep doing them. You’re good at them, and we like what you do,” I would have said, “Well, thanks, but you won’t see me around anymore. I do my job for money.”
I’m not saying you can’t enjoy doing your job or there aren’t other motivational factors and rewards involved. But I’d be very surprised to find anybody who would continue going to their job each day without compensation.
Your work may never pay you a dollar, but it will pay benefits that cannot be valued in earthly terms. When you are doing your work, what God has called you to do, you’re putting deposits in God’s heavenly bank, where thieves don’t break in and steal and rust cannot destroy your investment. It’s not that you are without compensation; it’s simply deposited in a different bank and held as a long-term investment.
In our society where people are valued by the size of their salaries and bank accounts, this is a totally different perspective and one we adjust to. This is one of those areas where we must fight not to allow the world to shove us into its mold, into its way of thinking. You and I need to get in our minds a picture of God’s bank in heaven. Now, we are judged and valued by the size of our accounts in God’s bank. What have you been sending on ahead to deposit?
Our work—doing what God has called and gifted us to do—puts money in the heavenly bank, whereas our jobs usually just put money in the earthly bank. Big difference in the two.

There is always someone else who can do your job; there is no one else who can do your work.

If you called your employer on Monday and said, “I’m not coming back; you won’t see me again,” guess what? They would survive. It might cause some temporary problems, but somebody soon would move into your shoes, learn your job, and do it. The world would keep on revolving with hardly a blip.
We all like to think we’re indispensable, but in our jobs, we’re not. However, you are indispensable when it comes to your work. If you don’t do the work God has called you to do, it will go undone. Nobody else can do it. Now, that’s a frightening thought and quite frankly, it should frighten us to think we could miss the work God has called us to do.
Your corner of the world is where you have been sent. The people you interact with every day are your special people group. If you don’t use your gifts to do God’s work for the people in your world, nobody else will fill in the gap. It will go undone.

Your job may sometimes produce frustration; your work will most often produce fruit.

Jobs carry no guarantee of inner tranquility or accomplishment. You can work as hard as possible and never feel like you’ve done a whole lot. You may never get appropriate recognition for the job you do, and indeed others may take credit for what you have done. You may discover the harder you work at your job, the more frustrating it is. Often our jobs bring a great deal of frustration into our lives, for all kinds of reasons.
On the other hand, your work will energize you, because you know you’re doing something eternally significant. Your work will bring satisfaction. You surely can grow weary in doing your work, but you won’t grow weary of the work. You may experience some short-term frustrations associated with your work, but it always leads to something fruitful in your life.

January 2, 2026 Loneliness Epidemic – 5

I’ve been talking about the loneliness epidemic, which is growing in our culture. If you are struggling with loneliness, remember first it’s part of being human. And yes, Christians are vulnerable to feelings of loneliness, and it is not necessarily a spiritual issue. Loneliness is a human condition common to everyone at some time in their life.
However, if you deal with loneliness in the wrong way, it could lead you to form harmful and inappropriate relationships, to go places and do things you know are not right just to try to find companionship and stop those feelings of loneliness. We all need friends and a support system, but the wrong friends will do you far more harm than good.
And keep this in mind: If you try to fill up that lonely place in your heart with people, before looking first to Jesus Christ, you are setting yourself up for further disappointment and it could simply make your loneliness worse rather than better. I had to learn this some years ago, when I had to make a choice to first seek the presence of Christ, to get to know him better, to allow his love to become more real and more powerful in my life, instead of trying to solve my loneliness by looking for a meaningful relationship.
A sure-fire way to combat feelings of loneliness is to quote Scripture and fill your mind with truth that can set you free. In verse 5 of Psalm 42, we read, my soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you…. Now this is a very good technique and habit. When you feel lonely, you should then force yourself to remember and recite out loud God’s goodness to you in times past.
Are you having a tough time today, feeling alone and lonely? Then, stop right now and talk to yourself; find some place where you can say something like, “Look, Mary, what is your problem? The God of all the Universe loves you and cares for you; he’s met your need time and again. Remember, Jesus will never leave you or forsake you, and you have a wonderful Friend in Jesus.” Just recite, out loud if possible, what you know to be true. Finding relief from loneliness is often a choice we make to replace wrong thoughts with right thoughts and decide to live in the truth of God’s Word.

January 1, 2026 Loneliness Epidemic – 4

I’ve been sharing some thoughts on the loneliness epidemic. It’s amazing how many people are very lonely.
God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity. Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land (Psalm 68:6).
I have found this verse to be exactly true in my life. As I have allowed God to make a home for me and to accept his presence as sufficient in my life, I have been set free from the awful heaviness of loneliness.
That verse says only the rebellious dwell in a parched land. When we refuse to allow God to be our cure for loneliness, when we continue to try to do it our way and fill the empty void with people and activities, we’ll continue to find loneliness our companion. Your feelings of loneliness may be because you are still rebelling against God’s answers. Maybe it’s because you don’t like the idea of learning to let him fill up your empty time and change your lonely feelings.
Of course, there’s no doubt God created us for fellowship and companionship, and we need people in our lives. When Jesus was facing crucifixion, he took his three closest companions with him while he prayed. He needed God’s presence, and he needed their presence and support. The Apostle Paul spoke of his need to be with his companions and his encouragers.
If you are lonely because you don’t have a good friend or friends, or they’re not nearby, I would remind you that to have friends, you have to reach out to others and be a friend. Ask yourself what you could do for someone else to be their friend, to meet their need, instead of waiting for someone to be your friend. We reap what we sow—that’s a biblical principle. If you want friendships, sow friendships; become a friend to others.
Loneliness can be very crippling, but you can take positive steps—by God’s grace—to overcome those depressing feelings of loneliness. Of course, the most important step to take is to spend time developing your relationship with Jesus through Bible study and prayer. He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother, and believe me, he can fill the lonely space inside of you.

December 31, 2025 Loneliness Epidemic – 3

Are you a lonely person? We’re talking about the loneliness epidemic. With the presence of Christ in our lives, we need not be lonely, no matter how alone we may be.
Why, then, are so many Christians lonely? Because they don’t practice the presence of Christ in their lives. You “practice” his presence—you develop the habit of calling on him, talking to him, inviting him to be a part of your life at all times.
Could it be you’re not practicing his presence because there is some sin that keeps you from sweet, intimate fellowship with God? If you’re living in disobedience to God and you know it, that could be the cause of your loneliness since it’s destroying the sense of God’s presence in your life.
Many Christians don’t know God’s presence because they don’t spend enough time with him. You can’t practice his presence very well if you’re not saturating your life with God’s Word and prayer.
Not long after I had come back to God and made him Lord of my life, I was sitting in my office one Wednesday when it occurred to me, I was facing a weekend with no plans! For singles, that can be seen as the worst of all fates, and in a slight panic I reached for my phone to start calling friends. As I started to dial, the Holy Spirit quietly said to me, “Can’t you trust me? The weekends are in my control just as much as the other days. You can make a weekend alone—with me!”
My somewhat fearful response was, “Okay, Lord, I’ll prove you are God of the weekends, too.” So, I made plans to be alone with God for those two weekend evenings. There were some tense moments when I again found myself thinking, “Something must be wrong with me, or I wouldn’t be by myself on a Saturday evening.”
But I took my Bible, sat down and asked God to again show me he was God, even of the weekends. I ran to God as my refuge, and I was free. Free from the need to have someone around all the time; free from those self-pitying, self-centered feelings of loneliness. Though it’s a lesson I have had to re-learn from time to time, I can tell you it became a treat to have some quiet Saturday nights by myself. It was a turning point for me, dispelling the fear of being alone. If that is more or less where you are, God wants to do the same for you.

December 29, 2025 Loneliness Epidemic

Did you realize loneliness is at epidemic levels? If you google “loneliness epidemic,” you will find pages of articles on the effect of loneliness. We have more and easier ways of communicating than ever before, and yet indeed our technological advances are part of the cause for this loneliness epidemic, because we are more isolated than ever.
Loneliness is that empty spot in the pit of your stomach that makes life seem meaningless and makes you feel worthless. All of us experience loneliness at times, and when it is a fleeting emotion, it doesn’t usually impact your life significantly. However, persistent and pervasive feelings of loneliness are indeed harmful to your health.
Normal Cousins has been attributed to saying, “All man’s history is an endeavor to shatter his loneliness.” We are designed by God for fellowship, for companionship and when it is missing, it affects our motivation, our self-respect, our happiness—almost every part of our lives.
However, we must recognize loneliness and aloneness are two different things. You can be lonely in a crowd or a group of friends or with a mate or friend right there with you. Or you can be all by yourself for extended periods yet not be lonely. Loneliness is a feeling, not a set of circumstances.
A single woman in her late twenties shared an experience with me which points out our society’s attitude about aloneness. Since her church had no class for singles, she joined in with the young couples group. One Sunday, she didn’t make it to Sunday school, and her teacher said to her, “I’m so sorry you weren’t at Sunday school today. I was counting on you being there because I knew you’d have lots of good input for our discussion, since we were talking about loneliness today.”
People automatically assume being single means you’re lonely because being alone is often seen as the worst thing in the world. This mistaken notion about aloneness causes people to do the most incredible things to avoid being by themselves. I know, because I’ve done some of them. I’ve gone to places I should never have gone to. I’ve been with people I should never have been with. I’ve spent money I never should have spent, just to avoid being alone.

December 27, 2025 Mary, The Mother of Jesus – Part 2

Mary had an accepting heart, one that remained simple and uncomplicated. And she had a trusting heart, because she had obviously been well trained in the Word of God and knew its promises and prophecies. When this incredible message came to her from Gabriel that she would bear this miracle baby, she was prepared to trust because she knew God’s Word.
Let’s look further at this story to get a better understanding of the heart of Mary. When the angel left her, she went to the one person with whom she could share the news, the one person she knew would understand, her cousin Elizabeth. Elizabeth was bearing a miracle baby, too—a child given to her in old age, beyond child-bearing years.
It’s interesting to note how Zacharias, Elizabeth’s husband, reacted when the angel told him that his wife would have a special baby. He said: “How shall I know this for certain?”
He focused on the facts as he saw them: his body was old, his wife’s body was old, and they could not have children. He doubted the angel’s message and asked for a further sign. Because of his lack of faith, he became speechless and remained that way until his son was born.
I’m afraid Zacharias’ reaction is more like what mine would have been, how about you? He considers the circumstances and loses sight of the power of God to change circumstances, and he does a foolish thing—he fails to trust God.
Let’s learn a lesson from Zacharias and set our hearts to trust God no matter what. Don’t look at the circumstances when God gives you a promise. God is never limited by any physical circumstances. Gabriel said it to Mary, very succinctly: For nothing will be impossible with God (Luke 1:37).
When Mary comes into Elizabeth’s presence, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and immediately recognized Mary’s news even before Mary could tell her. She calls Mary blessed, and Mary answers with one of the most beautiful passages in all of Scripture. It is commonly called The Magnificat, and I encourage you to read it anew this Christmas season, as found in Luke 1:46-55.
It is beautiful poetry, but far beyond its literary beauty is its content. Remember, Mary was a young girl, with probably no formal education. But she had obviously been taught the Scriptures, for as she recites her praise to God, she draws from several Old Testament sources.
Again, we get a look at the heart of Mary. It is an accepting heart, a trusting heart, and it is a heart of praise. Many women would have focused on the negatives of this situation. Many would have run into Elizabeth and said: “Oh, Elizabeth, what am I going to do? What will I tell people? Will you shelter me? What will Joseph say? Help me, please Elizabeth.”
But Mary had an eternal point of view and a total trust in God, so that she was able to see the real importance of her position and was able to thank and praise God for his eternal purposes, though her life on earth was very difficult.
What a wonderful role model this simple lady is for us today. Do you have a heart of praise? That’s what you need to find favor with God, as Mary did. How much time do you spend each day simply praising him for who he is and what he has done for you? Have you ever analyzed your prayer time? How much is just sheer praising the Lord? Notice that Mary used Scripture to recite back to the Lord in praise. That’s a wonderful way to praise God, by reciting Scripture. You could use this wonderful Magnificat for your own personal praise time.
I think we also have to take a look at Joseph. I’m sure he was chosen of God for his part in this, as much as Mary was. He could have easily refused to marry Mary. Most men would have done that, under the circumstances. By agreeing to marry her and support her through this birth, he took on a heavy responsibility.
Can you picture that trip to Bethlehem? It’s almost a hundred miles, so it took days. It must have been a tiring trip for a pregnant woman. We aren’t told what manner of transportation they had—perhaps a donkey or a cart or they just walked. But any way you look at it, it’s not a trip a very pregnant woman would want to take in those days. But Mary did it and Joseph gently and carefully took care of her.
Joseph must have felt great frustration when he realized Mary was going to deliver there, away from home and friends and people to help with Mary and the baby. No doubt God provided for their needs, but it was a very humble birthplace—especially for the one and only one born as a King. But with Mary in hard labor, he finds a place where she can deliver.
Of course, life doesn’t get any easier for Joseph. Soon he has to take his wife and this child and flee his country. He has to leave his home and his business and take her to Egypt. Never could he have thought that this would be required of him. But when the angel gives him these instructions, he obeys.
Joseph had a very obedient heart and a non-complaining spirit. His love for the Lord and for Mary must have been enormous. And having delivered this little miracle baby, I’m sure he felt a very real sense of responsibility as well as privilege to be able to take care of this God-child for a few years. Mary must have thanked God for Joseph time and again.
If you knew, as Mary did, that you were bearing the Son of God, how would you feel when you realized that your delivery room was to be so dismal? After all, Mary knew this child within her was of the Holy Spirit. Everyone else had to take it by faith, but Mary knew that she had never known a man, and yet here she was ready to give birth to a child. How could God allow his Son to be born in such a degrading manner? She must have been puzzled.
And then, almost adding insult to injury, while they’re still in this terrible situation, just having given birth, in come these lowly shepherds to find this baby. We don’t know how many there were, but they invade Mary’s delivery room, and come in upon a weary mother and child. Not exactly what you would plan for the reception committee of the King of kings and Lord or lords, right?
But Mary allows them in, and we are told she “pondered all these things in her heart.” Instead of questioning or rebelling, instead of being discouraged or disheartened, Mary pondered on everything that had happened, and treasured it up in her heart. In addition to an accepting heart and a praising heart, Mary had a meditative heart. She thought a lot more than she spoke. She remembered what God had said and what he had done, and she stored up the truths and treasures. We need to have hearts that treasure up God’s goodness and God’s promises to us, and hearts that meditate on those things.
Then the day came when Jesus left his home and his mother to pursue the ministry God had planned for him, a brief ministry, ending in a crucifixion. He leaves her to become the Savior of the world, and indeed to become her Savior as well, for she was in need of redemption like everyone else.
She watched him suffer and die. I can imagine that Mary must have found it difficult to believe at this point that she was “blessed above all women.” Here she is, probably a widow with her beloved Joseph gone, and her precious treasure, her miracle baby, gone as well. Crucified, of all things.
If you ever think you’ve got it tough, think about Mary. How could she hold up under this incredible load of suffering and confusion and emotional pressures she endured? She was chosen for this because her heart was right:
She had an accepting heart. She kept things very simple and didn’t ask “why’s” and “how’s.” She accepted and she trusted.
She had a praising heart, that saw the positive and not the negative. And she praised God from a heart that had been filled with the Word of God.
And she had a meditative heart, that treasured up God’s goodness and God’s promises.
As we close our thoughts about Mary, the Mother of Jesus, I want to share a chapter from Max Lucado’s book God Came Near. Max does an incredible job of helping us see the incarnation of God becoming Man in new and marvelous ways. This chapter is entitled “Twenty-five Questions for Mary.” Imagine sitting with Mary and asking her:
“What was it like watching him pray? How did he respond when he saw other kids giggling during the service at the synagogue? When he saw a rainbow, did he ever mention a flood? Did you ever feel awkward teaching him how he created the world? When he saw a lamb being led to the slaughter, did he act differently? Did you ever see him with a distant look on his face as if he were listening to someone you couldn’t hear?
“How did he act at funerals? Did the thought ever occur to you that the God to whom you were praying was asleep under your own roof? Did you ever try to count the stars with him. . . and succeed? Did he ever come home with a black eye? How did he act when he got his first haircut? Did he have any friends by the name of Judas?
“Did he do well in school? Did you ever scold him? Did he ever have to ask a question about Scripture? What do you think he thought when he saw a prostitute offering to the highest bidder the body he made?
“Did he ever get angry when someone was dishonest with him? Did you ever catch him pensively looking at the flesh on his own arm while holding a clod of dirt? Did he ever wake up afraid? When someone referred to Satan, how did he act?
“Who was his best friend? Did you ever accidentally call him Father? What did he and his cousin John talk about as kids? Did his other brothers and sisters understand what was happening? Did you ever think, ‘That’s God eating my soup’?”
It is an incredible truth God became flesh and dwelt among us, and for his earthly mother, we can only imagine the joy and the amazement she knew as she watched this miracle baby grow, and the pain she knew because of his sufferings. It will be good in heaven someday to hear her answer some of these questions.

December 25, 2025 Christmas 2025 – 4

Merry Christmas! I pray your celebration of Christmas today will be blessed. What part of the Christmas story is your favorite? Is it the incredible birth of Jesus to a young virgin girl? Her role in life was anything but easy, but Scripture says she was blessed among women.
Or you could choose the story of the angels appearing to the shepherds. What a sight that must have been! I keep imagining how frightened those shepherds were at first. And we know after they saw the baby Jesus, they told everyone all about it. I wonder if their friends and family believed them? I wonder if it just seemed like a foolish tale to those who heard it?
But have you ever thought about the mothers of the baby boys who were slaughtered by Herod because of his paranoia? When he heard from the wise men that a king of the Jews was born, he wanted to make sure no one would ever threaten his reign as King of Judea, and so he insanely ordered all baby boys under two years old in the Bethlehem region to be slaughtered.
What about the mother who gets a loud knock on her door—or her door busted down—as Roman soldiers come in and snatch her baby boy from her? Maybe he was just beginning to walk; maybe it was her first child; maybe she had been barren for a long time and finally this baby was born to her. And now, she watches helplessly as he is ruthlessly taken from her and slaughtered. Why? Because there was some remote chance he might be the king Herod heard about.
Was she given any explanation? I doubt it. Had she even heard the Christ-child had been born in Bethlehem? Probably not. What reason was there to kill her baby because of this unknown king baby? All she is left with are questions and grief and empty arms. The prophet Jeremiah predicted it:
A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more (Matthew 2:18).
It was a high price paid by many mothers that first Christmas. Yet the baby Jesus was born to die and his mother watched him die about 34 years later, perishing on a cross, paying the debt for your sins and mine. Think anew this Christmas about all that took place that first Christmas, so that you and I could have forgiveness and peace through the death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

December 24, 2025 Christmas 2025 – 3

Did you ever wonder what happened to all the gold, frankincense, and myrrh the wisemen gave to baby Jesus? I’m looking at some unusual things about the Christmas story you may never have thought of before.
We don’t know how many wisemen followed the star to Jesus or how long it took them, but we know they somehow heard about it, for they asked, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” I’m wondering how they knew a baby was to be born king of the Jews, when it seems the Jewish people themselves had no idea their Messiah was born that night in Bethlehem. And furthermore, they came this long distance from a foreign land to worship him. It took weeks, probably months, to get there.
What about those gifts? No doubt they were worth more money than Joseph or Mary had ever seen at one time in their life. What did they do with those riches? Well, we know soon after the wise men left, Herod determined to kill all the baby boys two years and under in Bethlehem because he wanted no rival king in his kingdom. That’s when an angel told Joseph to take Mary and the baby and get out of Bethlehem. Go to Egypt to save Jesus from being killed.
For an extended time, they lived in Egypt, a foreign land, with no relatives and no job. What did they live on? Gold, frankincense, and myrrh, don’t you think? God no doubt sent those wise men with those expensive gifts to find Jesus and provide for the support of this young family while they were in exile.
The story of the wise men is fascinating in many respects. They were not Jewish, yet they came to worship a Jewish king. They recognized him as the king of the Jews, yet John 1 tells us Jesus came unto his own and his own received him not. Thankfully, it doesn’t stop there, for then John says,
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12).
That would include the wisemen, right? And it includes you and me as well—those who have received the one born to die for us and rise again to conquer death. When you personally know Jesus as your Savior by grace through faith, then every day is a celebration—right? Christmas 2025 gives us many reasons to be joyful and celebrate.

December 23, 2025 Christmas 2025 – 2

Christmas 2025 is almost here. Let’s use this as a time to focus on the Christmas account of the birth of the Christ-child and discover unique facts about Christmas we may not have ever considered.
For example, how about those shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night (Luke 2:8). Who were these guys anyway? All we know about them is they were shepherds in Bethlehem. This means most likely the sheep they were watching that first Christmas night were sheep destined to become sacrificial lambs at the Temple in Jerusalem. Bethlehem is close to Jerusalem. If you travel it today, it takes less than half an hour—about 5 and 1\/2 miles. In that day, a little longer of course, but certainly doable in a few hours.
These shepherds in that field that night were raising sacrificial lambs for the Temple, and then suddenly, the visit of the angels tells them the Lamb of God has been born in Bethlehem. Once they recover from the fright of this visitation, they decide to go see the Lamb of God, born to take away the sin of the world.
Leaving their sheep behind—which was very unusual for shepherds to do—they travel to find the baby with Mary and Joseph, and they worship him. Then they spread the word, telling everyone what they had seen and who they had seen! Reminds me of a wonderful verse from the wonderful song, A Cradle in the Shadow of the Cross. Talking about the shepherds looking at Baby Jesus—listen to this verse:
The shepherd lads were bending the knee, and how the little lambs were all trying to see, the Passover Lamb, born in a manager, just to give his life for lost sheep like me.
A baby born to be a lamb—the Lamb of God for you and me. We have much to celebrate this Christmas! Jesus was born in a manger to become a man—the God-Man, the only qualified Savior who gave his life for lost sheep like me and you. Think about that today; it’s a great way to prepare your heart for Christmas day.

December 19, 2025 Abundant Living – 5

Presented by Lauren Stibgen
We have been exploring fasting from things that keep us from the abundance we can have in a close relationship with Jesus! I am asking you to deeply consider how certain habits can take you farther from this abundance than you realize. Earlier this week we talked about social media specifically, but what about devices in general? From your phone to laptops and TVs, there are so many different devices that occupy your time.
I checked my screen time just now on my phone. I have picked it up 56 times today. Let that sink in. Since rising this morning until just after lunch, I have touched my phone to look at it 56 times. This time included a face-to-face meeting with a colleague, which means I surely picked up my phone while we were together. Being completely honest with you, I don’t even recall why.
We take work everywhere these days. Not only on our phones but on laptops. How easily do we open up work when we are with our family on the weekend or in the evenings? This was not always the case. These days, we need to be intentional about not using all the digital tools we have available that may be breaking our connections.
God created you to be in a relationship with him and to be in relationship with others. If your face is always looking at a screen, how can you build a deeper and more abundant relationship with Jesus and others around you?
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you (John 15:12).
God never takes his eyes from you. In fact, God knew you before you were born! You were fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). He knows you so well he keeps track of how many hairs are on your head (Matthew 10:29-30). Fellow believer, he knows you by name (Exodus 33:12). God knows your heart and your thoughts (Matthew 5:8, 2 Corinthians 10:5). If God knows your thoughts, he also knows your worries (Matthew 6:24-25). He even knows your actions, and words and weaknesses (Ecclesiastes 12:14, Matthew 12:36, Proverbs 16:9).
Jesus loves you so much and is commanding you to love others as he has loved you! If you are constantly taking your eyes off those around you, this becomes significantly less possible.
How can you fast from this digital world and keep your eyes on loving others well? This includes being at work. Taking time to set boundaries can help you spend more time in gratitude for the love God has for you and help you love others.

December 17, 2025 Abundant Living – 3

Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Let’s think about how to find our true inner abundance in Jesus and consider how fasting from common worldly things we seek can help us draw closer to our relationship with him. As we consider fasting, one of the most common things to fast from is food. Our health crazed society has given us many takes on fasting from food from a water fast to intermittent fasting based on your body type, but all of this has more to do with your physical body. Biblical fasting from food, certain foods or drinks is focused on drawing the believer closer in their relationship to God to discern guidance or even expressing repentance or humility before God.
Abundance in the form of food is a local and global subject. It is political and economic. And it is all wrapped in an inner feeling of abundance. If you have never been in a position where you don’t know where your next meal is coming from, you already have abundance. However, with prices rising, perhaps you do feel less abundant in what foods you are able to put on the table these days.
Food not only nourishes our bodies, but sharing meals with others can be a big social focus, especially during holidays and special occasions. Food can present a struggle for some in the form of an idol. Whether it is overeating or not eating enough, thinking about food can be a big part of our lives, and we don’t even realize it. If you do struggle with food, I suggest seeking professional medical guidance before starting a fast.
Fasting from food can sharpen our focus on Jesus as the Bread of Life.
Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4).
In God’s word, we learn abundance in the form of food is something we should care about as followers of Jesus Christ. Simply, we are called to give to the poor and needy.
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink (Matthew 25:35).
Jesus tells his disciples whatever was done for the least of these was done, in turn, to him.
Fasting from food, or certain foods can help bring your focus to discerning God’s will. I recently had someone tell me to try a Daniel fast. Basically, only eating as Daniel did in the Bible for a period in obedience to the Lord. You can read about this in Daniel, Chapters 1 and 10.
If you decide to fast from food, it can be a wonderful time to reflect on God’s goodness and abundant provision in your life in the form of food and a time to repent of any unhealthy habits you may have with food. You should also reflect on what God cares about in giving to those less fortunate.

December 16, 2025 Abundant Living – 2

Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Abundance. A state of more than enough of something. I would argue our access to viewing social media can lead us to very distorted views of what abundance truly is! In fact, social media has proven to foster a constant state of social comparison. Likes, comments, and shares are a proven dopamine-driven reward system. What do I mean? Your brain gets sucked into a pattern of needing to see all this online! It really doesn’t matter what platform we spend time on. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and even LinkedIn can fuel these feelings of comparison. Inner peace and gratitude fly out the window as we look at the personal and professional lives of others online. And these can be both people we know or people we don’t!
Are you thinking about how you can acquire something someone else has? Maybe it is something simple like clothing or décor in their home, but maybe it isn’t simple. Perhaps it is a new car, or a bigger house. If you are spending time on LinkedIn, is it a new job title or someone’s new business? Maybe you aren’t comparing yourself to what someone has, but you feel pressure to post on platforms yourself! When you start to aspire to be like someone online and lose focus, feelings of abundance start to fade. And this can show up in how you “show-up” at work! Is social media taking time away from your day job?
As followers of Jesus Christ, we should focus on our abundance in relationship to him! If you are finding yourself with these feelings from social media, I would recommend a scheduled fast from the platforms you use the most. Breaking free from the instant gratification of a like, comment, or from simply seeing the things you may not have will allow you more time to seek Jesus. Only you can decide what this “fast” looks like. Do you need to institute daily time limits for each platform? Perhaps you need to delete the social media applications from your device all together for a period.
During this fast, I would recommend digging into your identity in Jesus Christ. What does Jesus say about you? As a follower of Jesus, what should your “social identity” look like and how can you show up with this identity to work? I would challenge you to check your phone for the amount of time you spend on social media applications and replace this with time in God’s word. Write down some key verses during this time that can help you stay rooted in your abundant identity in Jesus!

December 15, 2025 Abundant Living

Presented by Lauren Stibgen
How do you define abundance? A quick search will tell you abundance in life is experiencing a state of more than enough in all aspects which includes but is not limited to wealth, relationships, health, joy, and fulfillment. Further defined as a mindset, abundance in living focuses on feelings of inner peace and gratitude regardless of external circumstances. Now, this is an AI overview based on a basic google search, and I would argue this isn’t a far-off definition from what we are to expect from an abundant life through our salvation in Jesus Christ. True abundance isn’t external at all. It is an inner feeling.
Paul knew this feeling well.
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength (Philippians 4:11-13).
In these verses, Paul points to this inner abundance that isn’t reliant on a state of experiencing more than enough. His secret? Paul’s deep abiding and faith in Jesus Christ. In fact, later in Philippians 4, Paul states,
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
Jesus himself gave us many examples of how abundance in the world meant much less than a relationship with him. If we consider the betrayal of Jesus by Judas, we can see how Judas’s worldly seeking never led to abundance at all.
In John 12:1- 8, we read the account of Mary taking expensive ointment and anointing Jesus’ feet, wiping his feet with her hair. Judas confronted Jesus and asked why the ointment had been wasted and not sold to give money to the poor.
He said this not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to whatever was put in it (John 12:6).
Knowing Judas’ heart, Jesus tells him to leave Mary alone since he will not always be with them.
We all know Judas then betrays Jesus for a bag of 30 pieces of silver that he later tries to give back realizing what he had done. He ultimately takes his own life. This need for monetary abundance cost Judas his life.

December 13, 2025 Abundance with Jesus

Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Abundance means having a very large quantity or supply of something, more than enough, or overflowing fullness. Let’s make this tangible. How many times have you turned this definition into something you wanted more of? Or maybe you perceived if you had more of a thing your life would be better?
Have you ever caught yourself thinking if I only had X amount more money, I could do Y with it? Or I wish I had a new car! A bigger house. Or maybe you really want to go on that great vacation or buy a new handbag. Social media has really fueled this culture of comparison making things seem like needs as opposed to wants.
We live in a world that largely spends more than it makes. According to debt.org, 90% of American households hold debt that totals the staggering amount of $18.2 trillion dollars. And, statistically, the more education someone has directly correlates with the amount of debt they hold. The average debt for someone with a high school diploma is $50,401 verses someone with an undergraduate degree at $115,456. Most of the debt is a mortgage, followed by auto loans, school debt, and credit cards.
Roughly 44-57% of working Americans earning greater than $60,000 annually hold credit card debt. With delinquencies in all categories rising, 39% of women say their debt is unmanageable.
But how did we get here? While economic implications are surely a factor in our borrow-now-pay-later society, we need to look at the heart implications of our increasing need for more.
Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless (Ecclesiastes 5:10).
We possess what we think we need and then simply want more. Are you jealous of something someone else has? Are you coveting a relationship? Maybe you feel like having something will earn you status or entry into another social group.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s (Exodus 20:17).
Coveting is to desire something belonging to someone else—something you are craving that is not yours. This can be a possession or even a relationship. When did this start for you?
Far before I knew Jesus, I certainly knew what Air Jordan shoes were. Growing up in an affluent area, I was the kid who took the city bus and had clothes from a big box store. We certainly could not afford those shoes. Feelings of shame and embarrassment were common as I could not keep up with other kids because of how I was dressed. What did my parents do for Christmas? They borrowed. They bought me a few pieces they shouldn’t have.
I not only coveted what the other kids had but wanted the relationships too. My relationship with borrowing started before I could do it myself and then came college and credit cards. Borrowing to get ahead. Some of the borrowing like school loans propelled me forward, but some of the credit for things I coveted put me in debt.
Have you ever heard someone say everyone has a God-sized hole in their heart? That is because all the money, possessions, and friendships we want more of can never give us more abundance than the love of our Lord through his son Jesus Christ. Those clothes may have made me more popular and gained me a few friends, but they never filled this hole.
The only thing that can give us true abundance is Jesus. As we talk about this holy abundance, let’s consider the pitfalls of seeking worldly abundance. I want to stress I am not suggesting a life of poverty, but when is enough, enough?
Having an abundance of worldly things makes it difficult to experience the filling of that God-sized hole in your heart through Jesus. God’s Word is clear.
The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts (1 Samuel 2:7).
If you think wealth equals abundance, remember, wealth comes from God, and it’s so much more than money. The Bible is clear about wealth, and the sooner we orient ourselves to this view on abundance, the closer we can get to true abundant living with Jesus!
We already talked about coveting, but what about greed? Jesus warns,
Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions (Luke 12:15).
Greed is an intense, selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food. Jesus warns of this and tells us our life is not tied to these possessions. Greed for power we believe can lead to wealth can certainly show up at work. Are you seeking that next promotion? This alone is not a bad thing! But checking your heart and intentions about the “why” is critical. Are there feelings of coveting or an intensity to feel worldly gain? Remember that God-sized hole? This underlying feeling will not fill it.
God’s word teaches us to hold loosely to our abundance, which is quite the opposite of greed.
If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them (Deuteronomy 15:7).
Being tightfisted is another reference to greed. Are you holding on too tightly to anything? Clearly, God wants us to give to those in need.
Not only does God want us to give to the poor, he wants us to return to him in praise.
Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest (Proverbs 3:9).
What about all the borrowing I mentioned as we started our time together today? What does God have to say about this? Clearly, wealth and possessions come from the Lord, and he wants us to honor him and give to others.
The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none (Deuteronomy 28:12).
Lend, but don’t borrow. Considering 90% of all Americans have debt, we can assume Christ-followers are included in this statistic! Aside from traditional lending, loans, and credit cards, what about when you lend money to family? God does not want us to charge interest.
If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest (Exodus 22:25).
God’s Word has a lot to say about money! It isn’t all doom and gloom if we keep a right mind about it. What is a right mind about money you ask? Considering what we just talked about a simple summary is:

Acknowledge that everything comes from the Lord. All wealth. All possessions.
Hold these things loosely. Don’t be greedy or covet what others have.
Honor the Lord with our first fruits.
Lend but don’t borrow.
Give to the poor.

These verses from 1 Timothy sum it up well,
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life (1 Timothy 6:17-19).
Our abundance is from the Lord—everything we have! What happens when we don’t keep a right mind about money?
Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf (Proverbs 11:28).
Better a little with righteousness than great income with injustice (Proverbs 16:8).
Trusting in our worldly wealth and not handling it with care has consequences! Trust in wealth and you will fall!
No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24).
Simply, the more you are focused on money, the more your mind will be far from God. Does this unhealthy view on money and wealth as abundance keep you far from a relationship with Jesus Christ? What worldly possessions are you thinking about right now? Think about things that God cares about that cost you little to nothing? Remember the greatest commandment is to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves. How can you do this today?
Perhaps you can shift your mindset from striving for wealth to striving for time with loved ones and friends! Perhaps you can take time to serve with a local charity. Stop to pray for a friend. Take a walk in nature and meditate on God’s word. Sing a song of praise and thanksgiving to our Lord. Write a note or letter to someone who could use some encouragement.
Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:19-21).
Are you treasuring the things God cares about and views as abundant, or are you fixated on what the world says abundance is? Do you worry more about how someone feels when they are with you or what they think of what you are wearing or what your house looks like? God cares that you are living abundantly from the inside out!
If you are ready today and find yourself a little too focused on worldly abundance or maybe you are among the 90% of people in America who hold debt, have hope and run to Jesus! Remember why we need him. All of us sin and fall short of the glory of God. God knows we are not perfect like Jesus, and he lavished us with his mercy that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. I don’t know about you, but this feels beyond abundant!
Breaking free from habits of seeking worldly abundance starts with repenting if you aren’t walking in a right-minded way about money as we read about in 1 Timothy 6.
Do you covet? Are you greedy? Do you withhold from giving to those in need? Perhaps you are in debt. Bring all of this to the feet of Jesus in prayer and talk to someone who can hold you accountable to changing your ways. There are many programs that can help you find a right relationship with money, keeping you in order of serving God first! Turn your eyes from social media and from looking at what everyone else has!
Keep your life free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for he himself has said, I will never leave you or abandon you (Hebrews 13:5).
God will never leave you or abandon you! He is the only one who can fill the space in your heart like nothing in this world can.

December 12, 2025 Abiding in Christ – 5

Presented by Julie Busteed
I’ve been reflecting on John 15—on what Jesus told his disciples during his final moments with them before everything in their world changed. Before the crucifixion. Before the resurrection. They had walked with him for three years, watching his ministry unfold. It must have been an intense, exciting, and bewildering time for them. They believed he was the Messiah, yet so much was happening in ways they did not expect.
Jesus understood this. And in these last hours, he offered them words of encouragement and life—words meant for us as well. He spoke about abiding in him, remaining with him through every up and down, through every season. Relationship with him isn’t passive; like any meaningful relationship, it requires time, attention, and intention. But it is also our source of life, and he promises so much to those who stay close to him.
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you (John 15:9–12).
To abide is to remain in his love. Jesus followed his Father’s will—even to the cross—and he invites us to follow him by obeying his commandments: to love God with all our heart, mind, and strength, and to love others as he has loved us. When we live in that kind of love, our desires become aligned with his, and Scripture says we can ask for anything, and it will be done.
I love the way St. Augustine puts it: “Love God and do whatever you please.”[1]
When we truly love God, obedience flows naturally and our hearts become aligned with his.
December is here, and the holiday hustle is already competing for our time and attention. My prayer is that during this busy season, you and I will still find ways to make our relationship with Christ our highest priority. It’s so easy to be pulled in a hundred directions—gifts, food, shopping, gatherings, events—all good things. But the best thing we can do is spend time with the one who laid down his life for us, the one who humbled himself and came as a baby so he could bring us salvation.
As you reflect on this truth, may your love for him deepen and your heart overflow—so much so that your family, friends, and coworkers experience his love through you.
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[1] “What is the scriptural basis for ‘Love God and do whatever you please’?” Christianity StackExchange, 2013, https:\/\/christianity.stackexchange.com\/questions\/15242\/what-is-the-scriptural-basis-for-love-god-and-do-whatever-you-please.

December 11, 2025 Abiding in Christ – 4

Presented by Julie Busteed
The topic has been abiding—remaining in Christ—and why it’s important and what the blessings and consequences are for us. How do you continue to remain in Christ?
Gem Fadling shared a beautiful picture in one of our Zoom gatherings about what it means to remain—or abide—in Christ. She said to imagine a teacup or mug, and then a pitcher. And the pitcher is over the teacup pouring into the cup continuously. You and I are the teacup. Jesus—through the Holy Spirit—is the pitcher.
When we are abiding in Jesus, his Spirit is continually pouring into us and filling us. But the way I often operate is this: once I feel “full”—after spending time reading Scripture, praying, studying, or memorizing—I go about my day and pour myself out into my work, church, and family. Before long, I find myself exhausted and empty again. Then I rush back to reset and refill from his Word.
But that’s not what abiding is meant to look like.
The teacup isn’t supposed to move away from the pitcher and come back only when it runs dry. It needs to stay under the steady pour—remaining, receiving, staying connected. When we live that way, we don’t pour out from our limited strength. Instead, our cup overflows with Christ’s love, and that overflow is what pours into our work and relationships.
Abiding is not about exhausting ourselves or trying to do everything on our own. Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” We need to stay connected—letting God’s Word, his love, and communion with him continually pour into us. When we remain in him, we are filled, strengthened, and able to bear much fruit without becoming depleted.
We abide. We remain. And he fills. Don’t forget to keep your cup positioned under the pitcher. When you remain filled, it’s the overflow that naturally blesses others.

December 10, 2025 Abiding in Christ – 3

Presented by Julie Busteed
Do you like to work in the garden? I love to see the results of all the work—planting, watering, weeding and pruning. In John 15, Jesus teaches the Father is the gardener who lovingly tends the vine. Part of that tending is pruning. Pruning is essential to the life of a vine, and Scripture uses that imagery to help us understand our own life with Christ.
In a vineyard, pruning renews the vine and shapes it. Without pruning, a vine grows wild. It will produce many shoots and leaves but far fewer grapes. The gardener cuts back healthy branches—not to harm the vine, but to help it focus its energy so it can thrive. Pruning makes room for new growth and greater fruitfulness.
Pruning happens when the vine is dormant, after the harvest season. Even in dormancy, the vine is still alive and still supplying what the branches need. This resting period isn’t wasted time; it’s preparation. The vine is strengthening its core, preserving its energy, and getting ready for the next season of growth and fruitfulness.
In the same way, God prunes us. Seasons of pruning might feel like cutting back, slowing down, or letting go. God may remove distractions, attitudes, habits, or commitments that keep us from bearing fruit. Sometimes he even prunes good things so better things can grow. These seasons can feel quiet—almost dormant—but God is still at work, nourishing, shaping, and preparing us.
Pruning is so important because it leads to even greater fruit. Jesus says, every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit (John 15:2). Pruning isn’t punishment—it’s intentional care from a Father who wants our lives to flourish. When we remain connected to Christ, the true Vine, we can trust his pruning is purposeful. It clears away what hinders us, renews us, and positions us for greater growth in the seasons to come.
For the Christian, pruning is a mark of God’s love and his desire to make our lives fruitful, meaningful, and deeply rooted in him. When we stay connected to Christ, every season—even the dormant ones—becomes part of his transforming work in us.
Joseph’s life in the Old Testament is a powerful picture of pruning before fruitfulness. He endured deep hardship—sold into slavery by his own brothers, then falsely accused and imprisoned. Yet through every season of suffering, God was shaping his character and preparing him for a greater purpose. In time, Joseph was elevated to second-in-command under Pharaoh, where he used his God-given wisdom to save Egypt and ultimately rescue the very family who had betrayed him. His story reminds us seasons of pruning often precede seasons of remarkable fruit.
May you and I remain faithful—connected to the true Vine—even during the dormant times. Even when we are being pruned. Because God is a loving Gardner and is doing this for even greater fruit in our lives.

December 8, 2025 Abiding in Christ

Presented by Julie Busteed
We don’t use the word abide very often today. Yet Jesus uses it eleven times in John 15. The scene is the Last Supper. He has just washed his disciples’ feet, and now he is teaching and praying for them—sharing his final words with them before the crucifixion. Because Jesus emphasizes this word so strongly, it’s worth pausing to understand what he meant. He says:
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:4–5, ESV).
The Greek word menō, translated “abide,” means to remain, stay, or dwell. It’s an active word—not passive—implying an ongoing, intentional relationship. Some Bible translations even use the word remain.
Matthew Henry, in his commentary, highlights the context well: Jesus was about to leave his disciples after being with them for three years. The disciples would soon face the temptation to drift from him, from each other, and from his teaching—perhaps even to return to the old patterns of the law. Jesus impresses on them the urgent importance of remaining in him and in community with one another. And he assures them that the helper, the Holy Spirit, would come to strengthen and sustain them.[1]
In this passage, Jesus uses the image of the vine and the branches. Believers in Christ are the branches; he is the vine. A life of fruitfulness depends on staying connected to him.
To abide in Christ starts with a relationship. The first step is to come to him as Lord and Savior, recognizing your need for forgiveness and grace. But that’s only the beginning. As you follow him, the relationship grows deeper. You learn who he is, what he teaches, and how he calls each of us to live in obedience to him. To love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39). Abiding is a lifelong journey of growing, obeying, and staying connected.
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[1] Matthew Henry, “John 15,” Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, BibleGateway, n.d., https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/.

December 6, 2025 Guidance from Scripture for Tough Decisions – II

Let’s look at some passages from the Bible that give specific and clear instruction about many tough decisions. I want to begin with:
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness (2 Corinthians 6:14)?
If you’re facing a decision about a relationship—it could be marriage, a business partnership, or an organization you’re considering—this verse will give you guidance. If there is a yoke involved in that relationship, it should only be with a fellow believer. A yoke is a wooden crosspiece fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plow or cart they pull. It binds them together to do a job. The yoke Paul is talking about is any kind of covenant, contract, or even unwritten commitment that would bind you with someone for a certain purpose.
Of course, that applies to marriage. Are you facing a critical decision about whether to begin a new relationship that could lead to marriage? If so, this is wisdom you need before you begin: Are you both truly committed to Jesus Christ, do you hold the same doctrinal beliefs, and are you both involved in serving the Lord in some way?
How many people do I know—men and women—who chose to ignore this biblical principle in choosing their mate! And in every case, they lived to regret it. What you want in a good marriage is close fellowship, two people joined together as one, and how can light and darkness be joined together? This is an unequivocal principle from God’s Word; there’s no way to read it any other way. It may be a difficult decision, especially if your feelings are already engaged, but choosing not to be yoked unequally will prove the best for you in the long run.
This applies not only to marriage but to other types of partnerships as well, where you are legally or verbally committed to a project or business. This verse is clear guidance, and to overlook it is to invite disaster into your life.
Here’s another clear directive:
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender (Proverbs 22:7).
Are you facing a financial decision? This passage warns against unwise debt. The person who borrows too much and has excessive debt is indeed slave to that debt. Credit card companies are making a lot of money because so many people are trapped in perpetual debt. Honestly, they don’t want you to pay off your card and be debt free, because they are charging huge interest rates. If you’ll just pay the minimum, they’re more than happy to keep you in debt.
Our culture has become a slave to materialism, and we are bombarded with all kinds of advertising that entices us to spend more, own more, have more—as though it will make us happy. Who of us hasn’t fallen prey to their enticements and gone in debt for stuff we didn’t really need. One of the greatest gifts you can give yourself is to set a goal to be debt free as soon as you possibly can. There is helpful material available to help you set up a budget and become debt free, and the wise person will follow it.
Think more than twice about taking on new debt. It will enslave you faster than you can imagine.
Here is a passage that gives us a general directive to guide specific decisions:
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).
You can take this quite literally and make sure you’re making wise decisions about what you are eating and drinking. Those decisions may seem small at the time, but they truly have a huge impact on your future health, energy, and ability to function. God will hold you accountable as to the stewardship of your body and your health. Some things are out of your control, but many problems can be avoided by paying attention to what you take into your body.
Every decision needs to be put under this spotlight, as we ask ourselves, will this bring glory to God? For example, you may be deciding whether to take a new job or not. That’s a momentous decision. You need to carefully evaluate the impact this new job will have on your life. Will you have less time for your family or church? Will you have to compromise your Christian testimony to do this job? Is the product or service offered by this job one you can be proud to be associated with?
I have a friend who was faced with a decision of whether to keep the job she had—a good paying job with good benefits—but the product was anything but wholesome and helpful. Her dilemma was to decide if as a Christian she should be associated with such an organization. This verse governed her decision; there was no way she could justify remaining with the company because it promoted anything but a pure and helpful lifestyle. At some financial loss to herself, she resigned. I can tell you she has no regrets about that now, and she went from that job to working for a church where she was able to encourage and help many people.
One more passage which gives some specific guidelines when you’re facing a tough decision is:
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 (Philippians 4:8).
You could make a list of the characteristics in this verse to help guide any decision you face:

Is it true? Would this decision be based on truth or would it cause some kind of deception or lie?
Is it noble? Noble means it would show fine personal qualities or high moral principles and ideals.
Is it right? Would anyone be treated unfairly because of this decision? Is there another decision you could make that would clearly be more fair and just?
Is it pure? A pure decision is one that isn’t tainted with wrong motives or impurity or lack of integrity.
Is it lovely? Would this decision show love in some way or could it be a means to destroy love.
Is it admirable and excellent and praiseworthy? Would people you trust approve and confirm it is a good decision?

Think about your decision in these terms. If it checks all these boxes, it’s a good sign this could be a good decision. But if it misses on some of them, it should give you pause to think further about it.
Once you’ve sought God’s wisdom for your tough decision, then move forward with God’s timing and his courage to do what you know is right. Expect God to work in your life through your decision but also know even the right and best decision can cause difficulties. Proverbs 22:3 says the prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. It’s good to count the cost in advance and be prepared for the consequences of your decision.
Some tough decisions are indeed loaded with potential negative consequences, and so there could be bumpy roads ahead. In addition, you and I can make mistakes even as we try to do it right. Ecclesiastes 11:4 says whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. That just means if you’re waiting for totally perfect conditions before you make a decision, you will never get anything done. There are times when faced with a tough decision, you do your best to seek God’s wisdom, and then you move ahead with courage despite your fears and doubts.
But you’re never alone in this process. As a believer in Jesus Christ, he is there with you, as he has promised, and his Holy Spirit is your constant companion to give you God’s thoughts, and heavenly wisdom. It’s one of the greatest benefits we have as children of God—to have his personal guidance on a daily basis through his Word and his Spirit within us. We are not lone rangers having to do it all by ourselves. What good news that is.

December 4, 2025 Don’t Do Something; Just Stand There! – 4

Don’t just stand there; do something! How many times have you said that? We live in a world that honors activity, rewards busyness, and respects perpetual motion. Yet amid this performance-driven society, God often tells us to stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes (1 Samuel 12:16). I’ve been talking about how difficult it is for me to learn to stand still, to take my hands off, and to trust God. I have a feeling I’m not the only one with this problem!
Standing still wouldn’t be so hard if I could see what God is doing while I’m standing still—if I could just stand on the sidelines and cheer while God is taking some action. Or if he would send me an email to update me daily on the progress he’s making on my behalf. It seems like as soon as I get still, he does, too, and I can’t see anything happening. Wow, that’s hard!
Asaph seemed to have that same problem, as we read in his Psalm 83:
O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still. See how your enemies are astir, how your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish (Psalm 83:1-3).
Asaph is wondering if God has gone to sleep or forgotten him or been distracted. Or perhaps God can’t see what Asaph can see—all those enemies getting ready to attack. Don’t you sometimes wonder if God sees the whole picture? Why is he standing still with those enemies all around? It just doesn’t make sense to us.
What we must learn is what Asaph learned—just because you can’t see God working doesn’t mean he isn’t doing something. When you’re standing still, you can trust he is working behind the scenes, usually out of your view, and often in ways you would never imagine. But you can believe his ways are perfect, and he has a good plan for you.
Abraham had to stand still and see how God would make him a great nation when he was childless. Moses had to stand still and see how God was going to get them across the Red Sea. Joshua had to stand still and see how those walls were going to come down around Jericho. Esther had to stand still and see if she perished when she asked that her countrymen be spared. But God was working while they were standing still, and you can trust him to work for you, too—even while you’re standing still!
Remember sometimes the rules change; it’s not “Don’t just stand there; do something.” But rather, “Don’t do something; just stand there!”

December 3, 2025 Don’t Do Something; Just Stand There! – 3

Has God ever told you to take your hands off, to quit trying to make it happen, to stand still? My biggest struggle in my Christian walk is to let God have control and do nothing but trust. Samuel gave a wonderful farewell speech toward the end of his life, and in 1 Samuel 12:16 we read he said: stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes.
Standing still seems to be required in several key areas:
In relationships
I think of so many women I know who must stand still and see what God is going to do with and for their husbands. Some of them are married to non-believers or men who are not walking with the Lord. Most of them tell me how they tried for so long to change their husbands, but what they’ve finally come to accept is they can’t change them; only God can. They’re in the “standing still” department now, waiting to see the great thing the Lord is going to do.
Maybe you’re having to stand still when it comes to your children. Most of us parents go through that at various stages, when we simply must take our hands off and let them learn their lessons the hard way, as we say.
Single people often do their share of standing still when it comes to relationships—waiting for the right person or waiting for the right person to make a move.
In jobs
Most of us go through some tough “standing still” times on our jobs, when we’re ready for a promotion, but the promotion doesn’t come. When we’re expecting or hoping for a raise, we must wait. When we’re dealing with a difficult coworker or boss or work environment about which we can do very little if anything, so it’s stand still time. Or when we’re out of a job and waiting for a new one.
With our health
When you’ve had health problems in your family, it truly teaches you how helpless you are. Even our medical community, with all their techniques and skills, are limited in their ability to solve our health problems. We are faced again with the need to stand still and see what God is going to do.
What areas you know you should stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes? I encourage you not to lose heart and to keep your eyes open so you won’t miss what God is about to do for you. Don’t do something; just stand there!

December 2, 2025 Don’t Do Something; Just Stand There! – 2

Why is it so difficult to do nothing? I’m considering the admonition given by Samuel in his farewell speech when he said, stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes (1 Samuel 12:16). I like the last part of that verse: see this great thing the Lord is about to do. But I’m not real wild about the standing still part, how about you?
I have trouble standing still because I prefer doing something, and I prefer being in control. Another reason standing still is hard for me is I’m just not a patient person. I want things to happen now. I hate waiting. My mind tells me, “If you’re standing still, nothing is happening.” But God’s Word says, stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes.
I think one reason I am not a patient person is because I hate loose ends. I want to complete the loop and make sure every package has a neat bow on it before moving on. But so often life is full of loose ends, and we must stand still and let them be.
Paul wrote patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit of God, one of the evidences God’s Spirit is in control of your life. I can sure tell you when I am patient, it is not me. It is God’s Spirit in me, because I’m not good at being patient. But I’ve been praying about being patient, and believe it or not, I am more patient today than I used to be. God is helping me learn how to stand still and let him do it!
Here are some little secrets helping me learn how to stand still. When you are emotional about any situation, it is not the time to act. Stand still until your emotions have calmed down and you can be certain you’re thinking straight. Often, we really want to do something when we’re upset or angry, because our emotions are at such a high. But you’ll probably regret whatever you do or say at that moment. Stand still when you’re emotional and wait until those emotions are under control.
I’ve learned to discipline myself to sleep on it. Whatever you think you must do, get at least one good night’s sleep before you do it. How different things can look the next day. One woman told me when she’s upset, she writes it on a piece of paper and puts it aside for two days. After two days she takes it out and decides if it’s still important. If so, she does something. If not, she tears up the note and puts it behind her. That’s a good discipline to help you learn to stand still.
Remember, sometimes we must say to ourselves: Don’t do something; just stand there!

November 29, 2025 Guidance from Scripture for Tough Decisions – I

Most of us would consider it a dream come true if every time we faced a tough decision, a hand from heaven would come and write on our wall, pointing us to the right choice. But frankly, that wouldn’t work too well when you think about it. If God gave us a decision we didn’t like, then we’d be faced with whether we would choose to follow God’s choice.
The first question I have to ask you is this: If God would come down in some miraculous way and give you clear directions when you’re facing a tough decision, would you unquestionably and immediately be willing to do what he told you? Have you finally come to understand God’s ways are better than your ways—that his thoughts are above your thoughts—that he has good plans for you and his directions are the very best for you?
Until you really want above everything else to know and do God’s will—until you are passionately desirous of pleasing God in all your ways, God could write on your walls and you wouldn’t be happy if it wasn’t exactly what you wanted. Many times, we just want God to bless our decisions, not redirect us.
I know this from experience in my own life. For ten long years I said I wanted God’s will for my life, but the truth was, I only wanted it if his plan was my plan! Therefore, many times I made very bad decisions because I was convinced my way was best. The first and most important issue you and I face, as Christ-followers, when it comes to the tough decisions of our lives, is to determine in advance if we truly want to know what God would have us do and if we are totally committed to following his guidance.
Let me assure you God never plays hide and seek with those who are seeking his guidance. He’s not trying to make it difficult for you to know what to do in puzzling and tough situations. He wants you to know his will more than you want to know it! Search your heart and make sure you truly want heavenly guidance. That’s the starting place. When you follow biblical truth, you can’t go wrong. Having faith to trust in God’s wisdom is the key to making right decisions.
You may want handwriting on your walls, but the good news is, you have something far better to guide you, and that is the inspired Word of God, the Bible. Romans 15:4 says everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
There is hope for you whenever you’re facing a tough decision, and it is at your fingertips, in the written word of God. And on top of having our Bibles, we have our own personal teacher, the Holy Spirit. Jesus told his disciples when he left them God the Father would send his Spirit to guide them.
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you (John 14:26).
The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes (Psalm 19:8).
It’s a very wonderful and special experience when you go to God’s Word and look for his guidance. That word becomes personal and special to you—as though it was put there just for you for whatever you’re facing. It really is an “ah-ha” moment as you realize God has taken his Word and spoken to you personally through it.
I want to point out four specific Scripture passages that tell us how to approach a tough decision. There are many others, but these will get you started on the right path. And here’s the first verse we need to heed:
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you (James 1:5).
This is where you begin every time you face a tough decision. You ask God to give you wisdom. Let me ask you: Do you often pray for wisdom? Why wouldn’t you take advantage of this wonderful provision God offers to us—wisdom given generously? That’s what you need when you’re trying to make a good decision, right? You need wisdom. Wisdom has been promised to you. Just take God at his word and pray for wisdom.
I’ve been praying this verse for years, recognizing how desperately I need wisdom all the time. I tend to make fast decisions, and sometimes they’re not the best because I haven’t sought God’s wisdom. You can save yourself a lot of grief and regret by praying for wisdom on a regular basis so you’re ready to face whatever tough decision comes up.
I remember not long after I began seriously praying for wisdom, when I was faced with a difficult decision on short notice, and I had to respond rather quickly. I made a decision that turned out to be right on—a very good decision that brought good results. Afterwards, I realized God had just answered my prayer. I was given wisdom to make a good decision, and I knew it was from God. It was not my usual knee-jerk response but was a wise and good decision.
God says he will give us wisdom and when we pray for it, he answers our prayer. It’s just that simple, yet many times we don’t take God at his word, and we try to do it in our own wisdom, which can be pretty risky.
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes (Psalm 37:7).
Sometimes when we are pressed to make tough decisions, there’s the temptation to be quick and presumptuous instead of waiting on God. That certainly has been my way of operating far too often. Being still before God means we will have periods of time when it seems like nothing is happening. This can be the toughest spot for us—waiting on God to give us guidance. Sometimes it’s a timing issue; we want to move now but God knows it’s better to wait. You may not think anything is happening, but God is working behind-the-scenes for you. Pray for wisdom and then be still and wait before the Lord for his timing.
Remember that waiting before the Lord means exactly that—spending time in his presence, in his Word, in prayer, and in finding strength and courage because you’ve spent time with God. Don’t skip this step. It’s important when you’re facing tough decisions.
Listen to advice and accept instruction, and at the end you will be counted among the wise (Proverbs 19:20).
If you start asking everyone or anyone for advice, you’re likely to get all kinds of wrong guidance. But Scripture teaches us to seek help when we’re facing tough decisions. However, it’s important to screen out the voices and hear from those who walk closely with God. Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm (Proverbs 13:20).
Another proverb tells us to make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance (Proverbs 20:18). Again, you need to seek advice from the right people—godly people who have a track record of walking with God, and who lean heavily on God’s truth in offering advice or help.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Do your homework—your due diligence, as we say. Seek wisdom from God and advice from trusted people. But in the end, trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding. God’s wisdom is often so different from ours because he knows everything; he sees the end from the beginning.
Make sure you submit all your ways to the Lord. That simply means you live in obedience to the principles of Scripture; there is no known area of willful sin or disobedience in your life—no rebellion. That’s important when we’re seeking God’s wisdom and guidance. He has promised to make your path straight—to show you the right way and guide you where you should go. But the condition to that promise is you submit all your ways to him.
The tough decisions of life are testing points. Do you really trust God or not? Are you open to his way, which may be out of your comfort zone? Whenever we let go of our will and make ourselves open to God’s will, we make a way for God to work a miracle.
Whether you’re facing a tough decision right now, there will be some soon enough. Establishing some disciplines to guide your decision-making process in advance is wise. The consequences of our tough decisions are often life-changing, so it’s important that you and I are prepared to face those choices with biblical guidance.
I encourage you to use the Scripture I’ve given you today—as well as many others you will find on your own—to help you take the fear and worry out of those tough decisions. As you acknowledge the Lord in all your ways, he will direct your path, and it will be for your good.

November 28, 2025 Break Out of Your Box – 5

I’ve been sharing some thoughts about getting out of the boxes we put ourselves in. Boxes that keep us from the abundant life Jesus came to give us. Boxes that keep us from doing the good works he put us here to do. I’ve urged you to ask God to give you a vision of what he wants you to do and then stop making excuses. Break out of your boxes!
I want to share some of the things I’ve learned and am learning along the way as I’ve stepped out of my box to follow God’s leading in my life.

Not all my bright ideas are God’s passion for me.
Some passions have a waiting period while God prepares me.
Not everyone will share my passion, and some people will discount it or try to discourage me.
Perseverance is a large part of pursuing my passion.
Passions take lots of hard work and there are some days when I wish I’d never had a passion. (But not many!)
Passions sometimes have a lifespan—a beginning and an ending—and I must be sensitive to know when it’s time to move on.
When one passion dies, another comes along.
A God-given passion is always a joy; it is fulfilling; it is rewarding.

Remember this when it comes to pursuing your passion and getting out of your box: If you don’t go for it, it will fade, and you’ll miss the blessing. Use it or lose it. If you don’t pursue it, not only will you miss the blessing in this life, but you’ll also miss the reward in eternity. And the more you pursue your passion, the more ability and gifts you will have to accomplish it. God is not going to waste talents on you if you’re not going to use them. He’s waiting to see if you are serious about pursuing the passion he has put inside you.
For the sake of the Kingdom of Christ and the glory due to Jesus Christ, stop putting yourself in a box which prevents you from the good works God has planned for you to do. When you get out of that box, you will move into the abundant life Jesus promised for those who love him.

November 26, 2025 Break Out of Your Box – 3

Would you like to break out of your box? I’m encouraging—yes, even urging you—to break free from whatever boxes you’ve built around yourself or whatever boxes you’ve allowed someone else to put you in and move into the freedom of doing what God has planned for you to do.

Once you break out of the boxes keeping you from moving forward with God, it begs the question: How do you know if your passion or vision is a God-thing or not? Here are six signs that will help you:

Sign Number 1 – It won’t go away.

If God has a plan that will take you out of your comfort zone—out of some box you’re in—it will not go away. And as you pray about it (that must be step number one), it will get stronger not weaker.

Sign Number 2 – Your motivation will be to serve God and others.

God doesn’t give us passions or visions just to make us feel good about ourselves or help us achieve our personal goals. If it’s from God you will be motivated out of a love for God and for people, and it will be all about serving.

Sign Number 3 – There will be a need for it.

If God is leading you out of your box, it’s because someone needs you out of that box, doing what God has for you to do. It won’t be because you just want to do something creative or different. It will be to meet a need.

Sign Number 4 – God will open doors for you and confirm it through his Word.

If this vision is a God-thing, you won’t have to push and shove and beg and plead. You will have to be persistent, but God will open some doors for you and confirm in some ways that this is of him.

Sign Number 5 – Your spiritual leader(s) will counsel and\/or encourage you.

Sign Number 6 – God will give you the right people to help you.

November 25, 2025 Break Out of Your Box – 2

Are you in a box? I’m talking about breaking out of our boxes so we can be all God created us to be. This is from my book Get Over It: Letting Go and Moving Forward with God. In the parable of the talents Jesus taught us if we don’t use what he gives us, not only will he not give us more, we will lose what we have! (See Matthew 25:14-30.)

As I look back on how God led me to this ministry, I realize it began with a passion to minister to women like me—women who went into the workplace regularly. I started where I was, with a Monday night Bible study in my home. Then God put a vision in my mind of how good it would be to have a radio program directed to women like me, and though I had no connection with anyone in radio and no experience or credentials, I prayed about starting a radio program.

After spending about 18 months praying about it, I decided it was time to put feet to my prayers, and I decided to find out how to start a radio program. On that very day, God miraculously put me in touch with a radio station who offered to put my program idea on their station, and within a few months, we were on the air. I believe God placed a passion in my heart and since it would not go away, even though it took me way out of my box, the passion became a vision, God opened some doors, the vision became this radio ministry, and God has kept us going for more than forty years.

Your experience will be different from mine, but if God has given you a vision and you’re willing to step out of whatever box you are in, God will guide you step by step and will lead you to new avenues of service that shatter all the stereotypes and boxes you or anyone else has tried to impose upon you.
Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).
God won’t give you a vision or a passion and then mock you or frustrate you. If it is of God, you can be confident he began it, and he will carry it on to completion.

November 24, 2025 Break Out of Your Box

What boxes have you put yourself in? I want to talk about our tendency to limit what God wants to do through us and for us because we put ourselves in boxes.

I’ve been involved in ministry to women for many years, and I’m a woman myself, and I’ve seen too many of us build boxes around ourselves and draw lines in the sand that keep us from being all God designed us to be, and keep us from doing some of the good works he put us here to do.

Ask yourself what box or boxes you have put yourself in or you’ve allowed someone else to put you in. Here are some common ones:

I’m too old to do that—or too young.
I don’t have the right education.
I don’t have the right experience.
I don’t have enough money.
I can’t carry a tune.
I’m not good at math.
I’m not good with people.
I’m too shy to do that.
I’ll never be able to learn all this.
I don’t have the right looks.
I’m too big—or I’m too small!
That’s not my gift.

You may be in your own unique box. Think about it: what have you been telling yourself you cannot do for some reason like this? It’s time to break out!
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
I’m convinced many of us are missing out on the good works God prepared for us to do because we’ve allowed others to put us in a box, or more likely, we’ve put ourselves in some boxes. We just can’t believe God wants us out of the box and will equip us to do what he intended from the beginning of time for us to do.
Where there is no vision, the people perish (Proverbs 29:18 KJV).
Has God given you a vision of what you could do? Have you ever asked him for a vision of what he wanted you to do? If you’ve never aspired to something so big that it scared you, then you may be perishing spiritually.

November 22, 2025 Are You Self-Confident or God-Confident?

When I think of a very self-confident person, I think of the Apostle Peter. He was confident in himself. He was the only disciple who was confident he could walk on water. He was confident in his fishing abilities and knowledge. He was confident Jesus was wrong to say he was going to die and rebuked him for it. He was totally confident that he, Peter, would never deny Jesus, even if everyone else did. Even when Jesus predicted otherwise, Peter was super-confident he would never disown Jesus even if he had to die with him.

Peter did not lack self-confidence. However, all that self-confidence failed him at the critical moments of his life. He began to walk on water but very soon started sinking. Self-confidence didn't keep him up. Self-confidence didn't fill his empty nets with fish after a long night of fishing and catching nothing. Only when he followed Jesus' instructions was he able to catch fish. Though he was very confident in rebuking Jesus, Jesus not only did not take his counsel, but he also considered it to be satanically inspired. And within hours of his most confident assertion, he would never deny Jesus, he did so three times with cursing.

Peter's example tends to give self-confidence a black eye. We've been led to believe self-confidence is the key to success, the one essential you must have to get ahead, to be assertive, to be a leader. But Peter's experiences could cause one to lose confidence in self-confidence. It didn't seem to help Peter much when he needed it.

But thank God, that's not the end of Peter's story. We see a transformed Peter in the book of Acts. He was still extremely confident, still assertive, still a leader, but the results were very different. You remember the story of Peter and John encountering a lame beggar at the temple. Peter looked at the lame man and said in his most confident manner, \" In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (Acts 3:6). And guess what—the man went into the temple walking, leaping, and praising God.

When questioned by the religious leaders as to how he had done this, Peter gave a most confident response: …then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed (Acts 4:10).

Peter, who had failed miserably at every turn when he relied on self-confidence and who had cowardly denied Jesus three times, now stood tall among people who were seeking to harm him and proclaimed to them the gospel of Jesus Christ.
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say (Acts 4:13-14).
Peter's confidence amazed them but notice it was not self-confidence. They knew Peter was not able to heal this man or speak as he did because of his own education or training. Peter was no longer operating on self-confidence. That had been totally shattered. But his confidence and trust in Jesus Christ the Nazarene gave him a boldness and power he had never known before. The lame man was healed, he was able to persuade thousands of converts, and he led the early church as they changed the course of history.

What happened to the Apostle Peter in the few intervening days between the sad scene at Jesus' trial and this victorious display of confidence and success? In the first instance, though totally self-confident, he had failed miserably. In the second, he displayed a confident approach, yet the results were quite different.

What happened was Peter lost all his self-confidence and gained in its place God-confidence. After he healed the lame man, he said to the amazed people who were watching,
Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus…And on the basis of faith in his name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know (Acts 3:12-13, 16).
When Peter spoke now, he was filled with the Holy Spirit. No more shooting off his mouth as before when he operated out of self-confidence. With the Holy Spirit controlling him, Peter spoke with great power and was successful in his service for Jesus.

Notice, however, the loss of self-confidence didn't turn Peter into a sniveling, cowardly wimp. He didn't walk around with his head hanging down, quite the opposite. He was bolder than ever before because God controlled him, and his confidence was in someone much more capable and powerful than he was.

My dear friends, self-confidence is a deceptive allurement fostered by this world. Like Peter, many Christians go from one sad experience to another, as their self-confidence fails them. And even when self-confidence brings some temporary achievements, it is so fragile and so easily intimidated it falls apart at the first adverse wind that comes along.

I know because I've been there. I spent ten years building my life on self-confidence and my own achievements. I could list the successes I had in the business world during those ten years, and you might think I had done pretty well. I had self-confidence, but it kept falling apart on me all the time. I could put on a good face, but underneath, in those quiet moments of aloneness, I was anything but confident, and I knew I wasn't doing very well on my own.

I thank God my self-confidence was shattered many years ago because then I finally turned to my Savior and said, \"I just can't do it anymore. I'm a failure. I can't cope. I'm an emotional yo-yo. I'm just a mess.” Despite the success I had stacked up in the business world, I was at the end of my self-confident rope.

Once that self-confidence was shattered, I turned back to God. And that’s when the God-confidence began, and each day is another opportunity to grow in my trust of God and to operate now in his power instead of my own. But it began when my own self-confidence was destroyed.
Paul wrote to the Philippians: We are, remember, truly circumcised when we worship God by the Spirit, when we find our joy in Jesus Christ and put no confidence in what we are in the flesh (Philippians 3:3).
He was reminding his Jewish brothers and sisters that outward rituals and signs are not the evidence of our relationship to God, but we are truly rightly related to God when we are Spirit-controlled, when we find our joy in Jesus Christ, and when we have no confidence in our flesh, in ourselves.

Have you been on a misguided search for self-confidence? It could be even though you know God through Jesus Christ, you’ve been running your life by the world's principles, as I did for so long. Paul wrote to the Galatians:
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again (Galatians 4:8-9)?
Why would we want to run on self-confidence when God-confidence is available to us? Can we doubt God-confidence has much more to offer? Can we deny self-confidence fails us frequently? Then why do we run back to the world's weak and miserable principles?

May I suggest it is because the philosophy of self-confidence looks good, and it appears to work for some people. We swallow the bait and are deceived again by the master-liar, the father of lies—Satan.

What's the answer? There's only one: The shattering of our self-confidence and a decision on our part to replace it with God-confidence. If you're still running on self-confidence, you can either make a choice to abandon it, or you can keep on until it runs out of gas on its own, which it will do eventually. It is self-destructive and will, sooner or later, collapse. Maybe that's happened to you already, and you're now wallowing in the shambles of that failed self-confidence. Either way, if you choose God-confidence, it can be yours.

To have God-confidence, you must first have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, which requires repentance and a turning away from your sins. If you don't have that assurance, it is the essential first step. Then, you must pursue knowing God as your highest priority. You must be willing to allow the Holy Spirit to control your life, and that is your choice. Remember Peter gained God-confidence as he was filled with God's Holy Spirit. That is available to every Christian. When you are born from above, you receive the Holy Spirit, but it is your choice whether you will allow the Spirit to control your life or not.

If you do, changes will take place in your everyday routine. Priorities will undoubtedly shift. Some good things you've been doing may have to go to make room for the time you need with God. That will not happen by accident; it will happen as you purpose in your heart to know God. I can assure you of this, the more you know him, the more confidence you have in him. The more his Word is the central focus of your existence, the more confident you will be.

God-confidence may look the same as self-confidence in some respects, but the big difference is it is humble confidence.
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom (James 3:13).
Humility that comes from wisdom—in other words, it is wise to be humble because you recognize your own weaknesses. And this wise humility will give you a confidence much stronger, much less dependent on you and your performance, and totally confident on God in you—the Holy Spirit. God-confidence is there even when you fail; even when you are fearful of failing.

November 21, 2025 Lead like Jesus – 5

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

When I think of a servant leader, I think of someone who always places others before themselves—giving to others perhaps when they may not even seem like they can give anything more. Giving without any expectation of something in return. This self-sacrificing giving was embodied by our Lord and Savior Jesus.

I think all of us have likely been on the other end of this—someone has done something for us and now they are seeking a favor in return. It’s what you would call a quid pro quo or a tit for tat style of giving. I give, and then I want something in return. It feels like a transaction, because it is.

This is not servant leadership. This is a transaction.

Jesus gave his life for us!
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit (1 Peter 3:18).
He sacrificed himself for our sins once and for all! It is a one-way selfless gift that gives us the joy of eternity with our Lord in heaven!

What are ways you can give to others? How are you a good steward of your time, treasure, and talent to the benefit of others?

Time. More than anything, women at all stages of their career need mentorship. Statistically, women are less likely to receive mentoring, and it is also a fact that those who receive mentoring are five times more likely to progress in their career in the form of a promotion!

Perhaps someone needs encouragement. Can you take time to pray with them or have a cup of coffee? Perhaps even taking time to send an encouraging text or a Bible verse would be just what they need.

Treasure. This isn’t just money; it is the spiritual and eternal riches you have from your salvation. The greatest gift.

Giving of your tangible treasure could look like taking a colleague to lunch or buying them a small token of appreciation for a job well done. Perhaps it is preparing a meal for someone in need, which is a combination of using your time, treasure, and hopefully talent!

What about your spiritual treasure? How are you giving of this selflessly? Are you telling people about Jesus? Maybe praying for people? Simply being hopeful and being able to give an answer for what your hope is in can be one way to share your spiritual treasure with a colleague.

Talent. Are you amazing at something? Maybe you are super organized or love planning a meeting. Offer to help someone else when they need it most!

November 20, 2025 Lead like Jesus – 4

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

The worldview of a servant leader is someone who empowers others. Basically, giving someone the power to do something. Jesus empowered his disciples, and he empowers us today!

Jesus was all powerful. We see it time and time again in the miracles he performed in the gospels—water to wine, healing the sick and raising the dead! Jesus rebuked demonic spirits. In Matthew 10, Jesus sends out the twelve disciples.
These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give” (Matthew 10:5-8).
Can you imagine how these twelve men felt? The things they had seen Jesus do, they were being empowered to do! Personally, I would be invigorated and terrified all at the same time!

How can you empower others? Sometimes this can be as simple as being a good encourager when you see someone trying something new or struggling when they are stuck. Your words give them power to do something! Your words of encouragement may be the extra fuel they need to not feel scared of the next step they need to take. Think about someone who has been looking for work. They apply and apply, maybe even interview and are discouraged and tired. Your encouragement can empower them to keep applying and not lose hope!

Perhaps the empowerment is more literal. You are empowering a subordinate or colleague to try something new—something they have seen you do time and time again, just like Jesus did with his disciples! Is it preparing and presenting materials to a board of directors? Perhaps it is taking ownership of opening or closing during a shift. Either way, you are serving them by releasing your power and allowing them to do something they would not otherwise have an opportunity to do!

Think of when this has happened for you. Is there a specific time you can recount? This isn’t only for those just starting out in a career. It is a lifelong journey! I think of how Mary Lowman and Julie Busteed have empowered me through both giving me the power to do something new at The Christian Working Woman and their ongoing encouragement to me! I have been working for a long time.

Don’t lose sight. There are opportunities for you to be a servant leader through empowering someone around you today!

November 17, 2025 Lead like Jesus

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

Did you know the widely-used workplace term servant leader doesn’t have roots in the Bible? Sometimes, when something seems to fit what we believe as followers of Jesus, we easily ascribe it to what we know from the Bible. You and I know there is no better wisdom for living than God’s Word! Whether in our personal or business life, we find truth and goodness for any situation we face in His Word. And, although the author and scholar who coined this term didn’t find this truth from the Bible, we clearly see the Word calls us to lead lives as servant leaders.

What is it mean to be a servant leader? Coined by Robert Greenleaf in 1970 in an essay “The Servant as a Leader”, Greenleaf seeks to understand a character from a fictional story—not the Bible. This story talks about a band of men on a mythical journey who have a servant who cares for their every need. “Once he disappears, their band falls apart, and everything is in disarray.” One of the members finds the servant later, and discovers he is a “guiding spirit, and noble leader.”[1]

To my listeners today, this is why abiding in the Word and in community with other believers is critical! We might say Greenleaf was reading biblical allegory, but he was not! Greenleaf goes on to describe who a servant leader is. Some of a servant’s characteristics include someone who desires to serve and then become a leader rather than having a leader-first attitude seeking unusual power or material possessions. A servant leader makes sure the needs of other people are his highest priority, and they are receiving benefits from the servant leader. Further descriptors of servant leadership include empowering others, standing back to let others shine, humility, authenticity, courage, accountability, acceptance of other perspectives, and stewardship.

Let’s replace this fictional character and the worldly descriptors and think of Jesus in God’s word, which is where we need to seek our wisdom about being a servant leader!

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[1] Greenleaf, R. K. (1970). The servant as leader. The Greenleaf Center For Servant Leadership, Cop.

November 15, 2025 Servant Leaders: Serve God First

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

As Christians, we often consider ourselves servant leaders, but how was this phrase born into our business vocabulary as something to aspire to whether you are a follower of Jesus or not? And why do we consider servant leadership biblical at all?

First, for those of you who missed the conversation about the roots of servant leadership in secular business, it all began in 1970 when Robert Greenleaf mused over an allegory about a servant who ended up being a leader of a great band of men. This story was not biblical, but it sparked the thought that those who serve with an others-first focus can become some of the greatest leaders; more than leaders who are bestowed with a title who desire power, authority, and self-focused gratification.

The phrase servant leader is not specifically found in the Bible. How many times is the word leader even used in the Bible? Just a quick look in my Bible’s concordance—you know the list of words in the back with references to verses—the word leader is not listed. Only, lead, leads and led. People who lead are listed. Rulers along with kings, but both rulers and kings would better describe appointed positions of authority.

In the New Testament, the word diakonia—meaning servant or service—is the most used word to describe people in leadership. Not surprising the words servant, servants, serve, and service take up much more space in the concordance than any of the other “official” terms for the appointed offices.

Perhaps this is why we are drawn to the term servant leader as followers of Jesus. It is deeply connected to the Word of God in describing those in the early church.

In Romans 16:1 speaks of Phoebe, a servant and patron of the church. 1 Corinthians 3:5 exhorts, What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. We know each of these servants were in fact leaders of the early church.

All early church leaders had one thing in common—submission and obedience to the will of God in their lives. They looked to their relationship with God in Jesus before even considering the work before them.

In his book, Forgotten God, Francis Chan sums up our need for seeking and submission well in his introduction when he writes, “…as believers we can never be done with God. He is infinite and we are finite; there will always be more of his character to discover, more of his love to experience and more of his power to use for his purposes.”[1]

More of his power—not my power—to lead. His power made perfect through me for his purposes. True servant leadership begins in submission to God through Christ Jesus. We see this throughout Scripture. We see the success of those who submit themselves to the Lord’s will and the failure and despair of those who choose to lead by selfish ambition and pride.

True servant leadership as a follower of Jesus Christ starts with a posture of submission. Is this on a leadership description for your next job—must be willing to submit. We can all say probably not. But are you willing to submit in order to become a better servant leader? God rarely uses the shiny, well-educated people to make the biggest impact for his kingdom. Remember, the disciples were mostly fishermen and a tax collector! So, if you are submitted, be prepared for God to use you as a servant leader right where you are!

I have thought a lot about the Old Testament prophet Elijah. Submission to the will of God was most of his story, and God used him to glorify himself during a deeply sinful time filled with idol worship. Found in 1 Kings, God used Elijah to give word to Ahab of a drought in the land. During this time, the Lord sent Elijah away where ravens and a non-Israelite widow provided for him! We learn he stayed by a river for a while, and when it dried up, Elijah moved on.

He was completely reliant on God and obedient to his call. Finally,

November 13, 2025 Wisdom for the Workplace – 4

Do you need a word of wisdom for the workplace today? I’m offering nuggets of wisdom for the workplace. In fact, you can have a set of cards here, very nicely designed, with these words of wisdom, for your own edification, or to pass along to a friend who may be in need.

Here’s my word of wisdom for today: Don’t let anxiety or fear rob you of God’s peace.

Are you feeling anxious about something today? Are you very disturbed by a situation in your life? Does it seem impossible to find any rest and peace right now? All of us have gone through and are still going through difficult times, which creates anxiety and fear. A passage in Isaiah 48 is very helpful when you are not at peace.
This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord your God who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea (Isaiah 48:17-18).
Anxiety and unrest are often a result of our failure to pay attention to what we know about God. Rarely do we need some new truth or principle; we just need to practice what we know already.

I find I rarely make a deliberate decision to wander from God's principles. It's simply a failure to pay attention to what I know already. My focus gets fractured. I move slightly off-center, simply because I haven't paid attention like I should.

And when this happens, I lose my peace, and I’m anxious and frustrated. When you start to dig underneath those outward effects, you often discover the cause is failure to pay attention to God's commands. It may be something that seems very small, but if we walk away from doing it God's way, we can expect to lose the peace and rest we so need.

The Lord told his people, if only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river. If you’re missing peace in your life today, see if there’s some area where you’re not paying attention to God. Once you get that straightened out, that wonderful, marvelous, indescribable peace will return, like a river, flooding your heart and calming your nerves.

November 12, 2025 Wisdom for the Workplace – 3

I'm wondering, have you read the verse which says, \"Be kind to everyone who is kind to you. Be kind to the people you like. Be kind when you want to impress someone, or when there's something in it for you\"? No, you haven't seen this verse in Scripture, but Paul wrote to Timothy,
And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful (2 Timothy 2:24).
That’s my word of wisdom for the workplace today: Be kind to everyone.

In fact, we’ve put these words on a set of cards, designed to help you remember them or to pass them along to someone else who may need a word of wisdom for the day. You’ll find them ready for your use here.

Today it’s “Be kind to everyone.” I once witnessed a situation in which a Christian sister was obviously unkind to a person simply because she didn’t like that kind of person. Based on her prejudices and some bad experiences she had, she had classified a group of people as undesirable. And so, she was obviously unkind to this person.

My heart was hurt to see a Christian treat someone unkindly. Then I realized I probably do similar things all too often. I mean, it's easy to be kind to people who seem to deserve our kindness. But the Bible says we are to be kind to everyone. That includes strangers, people who irritate us, people who are not kind to us—everyone includes everyone!

Once I was unkind to a clerk at a hotel who was not very efficient at her job. Her lack of efficiency inconvenienced me just a bit, and though I didn't say anything, I'm sure the look on my face and my body language was most unkind.

How easy it would have been for me to say something kind to her, to make her feel a little more comfortable, to forget my minor inconvenience and try to help her a bit. The Holy Spirit hit me between the eyes as I walked away. I heard him say, “You had one chance to show her what Jesus is like, and you showed her what you are like.” Ouch! The Lord's servant must be kind to everyone, even people who don't do their jobs as well as they should.

Where do you often fail to be kind? Shore up this area with prayer and ask God to help you to be kind, as the servant of the Lord should be, to everyone.

November 11, 2025 Wisdom for the Workplace – 2

Are you tired today? I have a word of wisdom for you. You can have these nuggets of wisdom on some cards we’ve prepared. Then you can use the cards to remind yourself of these important principles, or you may want to give some to others who are struggling with workplace issues.

Today’s wisdom for the workplace is: Remember being tired is inevitable, but if you’re tired for the wrong reasons, then you need to take some action.

First, let me assure you it's okay to be tired. Jesus was often tired while he was here on earth. You remember when he fell asleep on the boat, and a terrible storm didn't awaken him. He was tired. We read in John 4 he was tired from a long journey.

We know Jesus understands our tired bodies and minds because he experienced it while he took the form of man on earth. He sympathizes with our weaknesses and the limitations we face. Just knowing that helps me a lot.

But we need to determine if we're tired for the wrong reasons. Have you been trying to be all things to all people lately? It’s exhausting—and you can never succeed. Perhaps you've taken on jobs God never intended you to do, and you're tired from trying to do too much. Maybe you're trying to do everything to total perfection. Perfectionists are usually very tired people, trying to prove something to themselves and to the world by being perfect all the time.

You may be tired because you've got your priorities confused. Someone has said, \"There's always time to do God's will,\" and I think it's true God would never ask of us more than our bodies and minds can do without going into overload and burn-out. But when we confuse our priorities, it causes weariness and exhaustion.

Remember this important message from Isaiah:
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:30-32).
You may have a copy of this devotional as well as these cards giving these words of wisdom for the Workplace. You can use these cards to encourage yourself each day or pass them on to others who may need a word of wisdom. This is available here.

November 8, 2025 Why Jesus Was a Great Leader – Part II

We have seen how Jesus was such a great leader because he knew who he reported to, and he made sure he fulfilled his boss's expectations. Also, he knew what his mission was, he stayed focused, and he didn't try to jump through the expectation hoops of others. Jesus was always ready to celebrate, and that made him a great leader. Then one thing I really love about Jesus is he always had time for little people—every individual was important to him no matter his\/her age, status, or position.

Now, let's look at some additional examples of what made Jesus such a great leader.

Jesus was a great leader because he was willing to look foolish to others.

Do you realize great leaders throughout history have been willing to take risks with their public image, and they didn't spend their time worrying about what people would think of them? Anytime a person is primarily focused on what others think, they are handicapped because they lose the freedom to do what they think is the right and best thing to do.

How do you think Noah looked when he started building the ark? Pretty foolish and stupid, don't you imagine? And when Moses told Pharoah to let his people go, he had to look like an insane person, approaching Pharoah with his threats. The great prophet Elijah had to ask a poor widow for food, which some would have considered very demeaning. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was willing not only to look foolish, but also to lose her good reputation in order to bear the Son of God. Had any of these people been primarily concerned with what the neighbors would say, none would have accomplished their God-given purpose.

Jesus was not concerned about what people would think. For example, he cried over a city that was not repentant—a grown man crying. But he didn't care what people thought. His heart broke for those people. He rode a donkey in a parade, a lowly beast. Most leaders would have demanded more appropriate transportation, but he sought out a simple donkey to ride on.

And, of course, the ultimate example was he was willing to go through a shameful trial and die on a cursed cross, enduring the scorn and abuse of his enemies, to accomplish God's plan.

We need to consider this as we approach our jobs and duties. Are you overly concerned with what people will say or think? If so, you may miss the opportunities and blessings God has for you. It's impossible to please everyone anyway, but when we focus on pleasing God, we will please more people as well.

Jesus was a great leader because he was willing to do the difficult work.

Do you remember the time Jesus determined to go to Jerusalem for Passover? His disciples did not want him to go there because they knew there were people plotting to kill him, just waiting for him to arrive. They wanted to spare him that difficulty, but he knew he was supposed to be there, and he went.

Also, he was willing to say no to people when necessary, though I'm sure he didn't enjoy disappointing people. Often the disciples wanted him to do one thing when he knew he should do another, and he would tell them \"no.” He even said \"no\" to his mother and brothers who wanted to interrupt his teaching to speak to him.

Jesus also said \"no\" to himself. Satan tried to tempt him with very enticing promises, and he had the wisdom to say \"no\" to the easy way out. He knew he had to discipline himself to do what God wanted him to do.

Then there was Gethsemane, where Jesus came face to face with the most difficult thing he would ever do: Drink the cup of death and sin that was necessary to pay the price of redemption. None of us can even imagine how hard that was to do—to become sin for us even though he had never sinned. But he did the difficult thing because it was the right thing to do.

If you and I are ever going to be effective leaders, we must be willing to do the hardest and most difficult work. Often people see those in leadership as having it easy but from my experience,

November 7, 2025 Biblical Strategies for Healthy Relationships – 5

Presented by Julie Busteed

I’ve been looking at what it takes to build healthy relationships. And I’ve saved the best for last: forgiveness. This verse in Matthew always catches me short.
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matthew 6:14-15).
I need to take to heart this command!

Relationships are living, growing things because they involve people who are growing and changing. And because you are human, there will be times when words are spoken or actions are taken that hurt someone in the relationship. You and I need to forgive others and also ask for forgiveness—things that are not easy to do, except through the power of the Holy Spirit.

But wait—there’s more! Jesus said we should love our enemies.

I look at Jesus’ example of laying down his life for you and me. When he was on the cross, suffering, he forgave those who crucified him.
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34).
That’s the ultimate in forgiving your enemies. It really seems quite impossible, doesn’t it? Jesus was fully God and fully man. But I don’t think that excuses you or me to forgive even our enemies.

Corrie Ten Boom and her family helped many Jewish people escape the Nazi’s in WW2. As a result, she was arrested and sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp. She survived and wrote books and spoke about her experience. Corrie recounts the following as she was speaking about forgiveness at a church in Munich in 1947:
Afterward, I saw him—a man moving toward me through the crowd. I recognized him instantly: a former guard from Ravensbrück, the concentration camp where my sister Betsie and I had been imprisoned for hiding Jews.

He approached me, now dressed in civilian clothes, and said, “A fine message, Fräulein. How good it is to know that all our sins are at the bottom of the sea.” Then he extended his hand. “I was a guard at Ravensbrück. I’ve become a Christian, and I know God has forgiven me, but I would like to hear it from you. Will you forgive me?”

I stood frozen, remembering Betsie’s suffering and death. Forgive him? I could not. Yet I knew Jesus’ words: “If you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive yours.” Forgiveness is not a feeling—it’s an act of the will.

So, I prayed silently, “Jesus, help me. I can lift my hand; You supply the feeling.” Mechanically, I reached out—and as I did, a current seemed to pass from my shoulder to our joined hands. A warmth filled my heart.

“I forgive you, brother,” I said, “with all my heart.”

In that moment, I felt God’s love more deeply than ever before.[1]
May you and I be obedient and lift our hands and trust God to fill us with his love.

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[1] Corrie Ten Boom, Sherrill, E., & Sherrill, J. L. (2008). The hiding place. Chosen Books.

November 5, 2025 Biblical Strategies for Healthy Relationships – 3

Presented by Julie Busteed

I’m looking at some strategies to help grow and build relationships—principles that apply at work, home, church—with everyone. The first two strategies I looked at were loving others and communication skills. I think integrity is also an important component in healthy relationships.

Integrity really covers several qualities. It’s being honest, having strong moral principles, and being trustworthy and reliable.

A great example of integrity in the Old Testament is Daniel. He was taken into captivity from Israel to Babylon, and he became an adviser to the Babylonian kings because of his integrity and trust in God.

For many, it’s a familiar story but to recap: Daniel refuses to bow down and worship a man-made idol. He worships and prays to God. As a result, he is thrown into a literal lion’s den. The next morning, he testifies that my God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight (Daniel 6:22a). Not only did God protect and preserve Daniel, but King Darius also decrees everyone in his kingdom must fear and revere the God of Daniel.

Daniel’s integrity and courage not only effected his own life, but the entire kingdom was now to fear God. He trusted and honored God in his actions, and his integrity was evident to his employer, resulting in a testimony to the entire kingdom.

Integrity can also be something significant done privately, not for public recognition. A friend of mine recently showed a great example of integrity. She just published a book through a traditional publisher. Normally, when you work with a publisher, you receive an advance against future royalties—meaning you don’t earn additional royalties until the book’s sales cover that advance. And if the book doesn’t sell enough to cover it, the author doesn’t have to pay it back.

That’s completely normal. But my friend told me she wants to make sure her book’s sales do reach that advance amount. She’s putting in extra effort to promote and market her book because she doesn’t want to be a burden to the publisher. She isn’t required to do this—it’s not part of her contract—but she feels it’s the right thing to do. Quiet integrity.

In both of these examples, integrity was a vital characteristic in dealing with others. Integrity directed how they should act in certain situations—be it life or death—or something that’s not really seen by others. With faith in God and belief he is faithful, they lived out their lives in honor to him.
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out (Proverbs 10:9).
When we live our lives with integrity, we can walk securely—quietly resting upon God’s favor and gracious providence.

November 4, 2025 Biblical Strategies for Healthy Relationships – 2

Presented by Julie Busteed

Are there people in your life you find difficult to get along with or really understand? I am examining biblical strategies to help grow and build healthy relationships, and communication is a key tool.

A verse you might be familiar with is everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry (James 1:19b). Honestly if we all practiced that, I think there would be much less miscommunication.

Let’s break this down. What does it mean to be quick to listen? Studies show good communication is essential for organizations. Marjorie North—a communications expert—says we only hear half of what is being said in any given conversation. It’s true, isn’t it? I can be distracted by something outside the conversation, or I can begin to form a response to something the person said. No matter what distracts me, I struggle to listen.

You and I need to practice active listening. And I mean practice; it will take a lot of practice. Put the distractions away—and by this, I mean your phone! Give the person your full attention. I know someone who is so good at this. I can tell when I am speaking to him I have his full attention. It’s a great thing to be heard—really heard.

Some other ways to be slow to listen is to repeat back what you believe you heard the person saying. And if you don’t understand something, ask clarifying questions. Try not to interrupt them.

What does it mean to be slow to speak? I think we need to be careful and thoughtful. Examine your words before you say them. Depending on what the conversation is, you might even need some time to think before responding.
Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them (Proverbs 29:20).

Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin (Proverbs 13:3).
James also goes on to talk about our tongues—what we say and how our words can bless or curse others. He compares our tongue to the bit that steers a horse or the rudder that guides a ship. What comes out of your mouth can not only corrupt your whole body but others as well. The Psalmist prays to set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips (Psalm 141:3). And the Apostle Paul encourages the Ephesians to not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:29).

Good communication in relationships is necessary. It’s a skill you and I can practice and improve, but we need to be mindful and intentional.

November 3, 2025 Biblical Strategies for Healthy Relationships

Presented by Julie Busteed

Have you ever said or thought this? “I’d love this job if it just wasn’t for the people!” I know this is a sarcastic saying—it’s more tongue in cheek—but it’s how we feel sometimes isn’t it? Yet as Christ-followers, the greatest command Jesus gave us is to love God and love others.

This week, we’ll look at some strategies to help us as we relate to others around us—our family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors.
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:37-39).
The first priority in dealing with our relationships is to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind! Our relationship with God is essential. It affects everything, including our relationships with others. Take a minute to ask yourself these questions: Are you spending daily time with God? Reading his Word? Praying? This is the first place to start. It’s vital for you and me to make our relationship with God the foundation of our lives.

Sometimes it can be easy to think, “I have a relationship with God, and that’s enough. I don’t need others. I don’t need to go to church.” But that’s not true either. God is a triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is community between them, and as image-bearers, we need community not only with God but also with each other. God made you for community and connection.

Since you and I are made to be in community, how do we do this well?

Jesus goes on to say we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. What does it mean to love your neighbor? Love is an action—not just a feeling—a romantic feeling. It’s not the same as like. Love is giving of yourself and putting others first. It could look like delivering a meal to someone in need. Or helping a coworker with a project. Or praying with or for someone. It can take many forms; the main thing is that you see others—notice when they are in need—and reach out to help and care for them.

November 1, 2025 Why Jesus Was a Great Leader – Part 1

It seems like many people don’t think of themselves as a leader because they don’t hold a position that identifies them as a leader. So, when they hear messages on how to be a better leader, they figure it doesn’t apply to them. But you know, the truth is we are all leaders in some way or another. Some of us are the up-front obvious types who lead groups of people. Others are quiet leaders, who influence and persuade others behind the scenes. And believe me, there is someone in your life right now who looks at you as a leader. So, whatever form of leadership you may have, this message on the leadership qualities of our Lord will apply to you.

Why was Jesus such a great leader? Here are some reasons:

Jesus was a great leader because he fulfilled his boss's expectations.

Jesus kept in close contact with his Father. He said again and again that he always did what pleased his Father and spoke what the Father taught him. In John 7:18, Jesus said, Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.

When is the last time you checked with your boss to see if you're working to his or her satisfaction? Do you spend enough time with your boss to understand his or her priorities, so you are doing things that please your boss? It really is your job to make sure you've got the marching orders right. And besides, it is simply smart to take initiative of letting your boss know you need and appreciate his or her feedback.

Maybe you're thinking: You don't know my boss, Mary. It's impossible to communicate with him or her. Well, that may or may not be true, but you should do everything you can to improve that communication. Many times, we excuse our own lack of effort by saying \"He never listens to me\" or \"I can't get any feedback from her,\" or \"This company doesn't care what I think!” Pray about it and ask God to give you some creative ways to improve communication with your boss. That's the mark of a good worker and a good leader; certainly, Jesus was careful to stay in close contact with the One who had sent him.

In any business or organization, the ultimate boss is the customer. Ed Koch was a mayor of New York famous for walking the streets of his city, stopping people, and asking them, \"How am I doing?\" He recognized he reported to the people who had elected him, and he wanted to please them if possible.

Who is your customer? You may think I don't have customers; my company does. Or I don't have customers; I work at home. But I would ask you to re-think that response. Everybody has customers! Here's why:

Your customer is the person who creates the need for your job. If they didn't exist or didn't have certain needs, your job would be unnecessary.

Think about it and clearly identify your own personal customers. Those are the people you need to please. Your customer probably falls into several categories—internal and external, above and below you, business and personal. People outside and inside your organization who depend on you for help, information, service, etc. Even those who are not employed have customers. For moms your customers are your family members; they certainly create the need for your job.

So, in a real sense, we all work for our customers. Therefore, we should be very attentive to their needs and requests, since they are critical people in our lives and livelihood. But more importantly, we should want to please them out of a desire to do things right, just as Jesus wanted to please his Father. So, Jesus was a great leader because he gave careful attention to his boss, the Father, and did what the Father wanted him to do.

Another reason Jesus was such an outstanding leader is he knew what his mission was, he stayed focused, and he didn't try to jump through the expectation hoops of others.

Do you remember when the disciples told Jesus the whole town was waiting to hear him sp...

October 31, 2025 Fran & Jesus on the Job – Dealing with a Jealous Coworker – 5

How would you like to work with someone who resents you, is jealous of you, and treats you rudely? That’s what our friend Fran is facing on her job. Jenny, a new coworker, has been asked to work under Fran’s supervision, but her jealousy and resentment have become obvious to the boss, Marilyn.

While Marilyn is having a private talk with Jenny, Fran is in her office praying for guidance. She told God if he wants her to relinquish this new account to Jenny, she will do so.

In a few minutes Marilyn walks into her office. “Fran, I explained to Jenny that I make the business decisions here, and I reminded her she was fully informed of what her status would be when she requested the transfer here. So, she’s agreed to work with you on this account. If you have any problem, you let me know.”

“Marilyn,” Fran says, “I’m willing to give her the account if you want me to. But I’m not sure how easy it’s going to be for us to work together.”

“There’s no way I’m going to let you give up that account. You won it, and it’s yours. And if anybody can work with Jenny, you can, Fran.” And with that Marilyn goes back to her office.

Since it’s almost quitting time, Fran heads for the door just as Jenny is leaving. “Jenny,” Fran says, “I know you’re not happy with this latest arrangement. I can understand how you feel…”

“Oh, give me a break, Fran. You don’t understand or care how I feel,” Jenny comes back with great anger. “Just don’t think I’m going to do all the dirty work.”

“Jenny, please,” Fran begins, “I even offered to give you the account, but Marilyn insists we can work together. I certainly want to try.”

“You offered to give me the account?” Jenny is incredulous. “I don’t believe it. You’re just trying to make points with Marilyn. Just don’t expect me to do your work for you, Fran.”

Fran recognizes there is no way she can have a rational conversation with Jenny, so she goes to her car and heads home. The tears start to come. “Lord, what am I going to do?”

What is Fran going to do? There’s no happy ending to this story. Fran cannot turn Jenny around, and as they work together, Jenny increases her attacks on Fran. Many times, Fran is tempted to go to Marilyn and tell her what’s happening, but each time she has a check in her spirit. She spends many miserable days trying to work with Jenny.

Finally, Jenny resigns her position and leaves the company, full of bitterness and anger.

“It’s so sad,” Fran says to the Lord, “and I feel bad for her. But Lord, what more could I do?”
Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy (Proverbs 27:4).
Not every story has a happy ending, even when we obey the Lord and do what he tells us to do. But we can trust the results to him.

October 30, 2025 Fran & Jesus on the Job – Dealing with a Jealous Coworker – 4

Jealousy can cause any of us to do and say things that are hurtful and wrong. Fran is learning first-hand how the jealousy of a coworker can be very painful.

Jenny is jealous of Fran because of her success in the company. Now with a new account Fran has just signed up, it appears Marilyn is going to assign Jenny to work with Fran on it. For Fran, it’s the worst possible news she could hear, because Jenny has been openly arrogant and rude to Fran.

As she and Jenny go into Marilyn’s office, Jenny says to Fran, “If you think I’m going to take orders from you, think again, Fran. I know more about this account than you will ever know.”

Fran has no opportunity to respond, as Marilyn walks in at that moment. “Well, it seems to me,” Marilyn says, “you two are a perfect match to work on the Edwards account, since you have a lot of good experience with construction companies, Jenny.”

The silence is deafening. Nobody says anything. Marilyn continues, “I am right, am I not, Jenny? You had a large construction account in Atlanta?”

“I certainly did,” Jenny begins, “much larger than this one.” The anger in her voice is obvious.

“I see,” Marilyn says, beginning to sense there is a problem here. “Do you have a problem working with Fran on this account?”

“Well, truthfully, I think Fran should be working with me on the account, Marilyn, seeing how I know this business much better than she does,” Jenny says. She is beginning to lose control. “I think you should just let me handle this account. That would make the best business sense.”

“I see,” says Marilyn. “So, you don’t want to work with Fran on the account?”

“Like I said,” Jenny begins again, “I think she should…”

“I know,” Marilyn continues, “you think she should work for you. We better have a talk about this. Fran, would you excuse us please?”

As Fran walks back to her office, she is literally shaking. Fran prays, “Lord, do you want me to just volunteer to give her the account?” A battle goes on inside of Fran as she wrestles with this issue. She prays and fumes and thinks, and finally she says, “Lord, I can’t stand Jenny, and there’s no way I could give her this account. But if you want me to do it, I can do it for you. So, right now I relinquish the control and I’m willing to do what you want me to do. Just show me.”

And with that, she sits quietly. Her spirit calms down, and the peace of God descends upon her—that peace that passes understanding. As soon as she lets go of her rights and gives the Lord permission to do his will, she can relax. Now she is in a win-win situation.

It’s difficult to let go, isn’t it? But letting go and giving God the control always brings peace.

October 29, 2025 Fran & Jesus on the Job – Dealing with a Jealous Coworker – 3

We continue our most recent story of Fran and Jesus on the Job. Fran finds herself on the receiving end of a jealous coworker, who is very vocal and very vicious in her attitude toward Fran.

A week ago, Fran made an important presentation to a new prospect, and today is the day she is to get their answer. This morning, in some quiet time with the Lord, Fran prays, “Lord, once again I give over to you the results of this new business. I pray you will give me a favorable response, but no matter what happens, help me to be gracious and kind.”

Then she thinks about Jenny. Fran has struggled to have a right attitude toward her, because Jenny has said some unkind and rude things to Fran. “Lord, I know Jenny is not in my life by accident. I don’t like her, Lord, but I want to be willing to let you love her through me. And Lord, help me to see her the way you see her. I know underneath her tough exterior and her angry demeanor, there is a big hurt only you can heal. Please help me to see her through your eyes.”

About ten o’clock that morning, Fran makes the call and to her great delight, she learns they will sign a contract with her. She makes an appointment to be at their office first thing tomorrow morning, then goes in to tell her boss.

“Congratulations, Fran,” Marilyn says, as she shakes her hand. “That is great news. We’ll announce it at the meeting this afternoon.” Marilyn is obviously pleased.

As the department gathers for the meeting, Marilyn enthusiastically announces Fran’s success. “This is a very significant account, and Fran did a great job to land it. Obviously, she’ll be needing help from the team. In fact, Jenny, since you’ve had some experience with construction companies, it might make sense for you to help Fran out. We can talk about that.”

Fran’s stomach does a couple of somersaults. How could Marilyn do that to her? She can never work with Jenny. Now what is she going to do?

As the meeting ends, everybody is congratulating Fran. Jenny starts to walk out without saying anything, when Marilyn stops her. “Jenny, why don’t you and Fran come into my office for a few minutes. Let’s talk about this new account.”

“Lord,” Fran prays silently, “I need wisdom, and I need grace. Please help me. You know I can’t work with Jenny. Please deliver me.”

She can hear that inner voice of God’s Spirit responding to her panic. “What you can’t do, I can.” With that assurance, she heads toward Marilyn’s office.

October 27, 2025 Fran & Jesus on the Job – Dealing with a Jealous Coworker

Have you ever worked with someone who was jealous of you? In Fran and Jesus on the Job, Fran discovers a coworker is not only jealous of her but seeks to ruin her. As I periodically present these stories of Fran and Jesus, it is my prayer you will be encouraged to practice the presence of Jesus on your job and seek his guidance in every situation you face.

On this Wednesday morning, Marilyn, Fran’s boss, comes into her office and says, “Fran, I want you to meet Jenny. She just transferred here from our Atlanta office, and she’ll be working with Phil as his assistant.”

“Glad to meet you,” Fran says, as she extends her hand. “If I can help in any way, let me know.”

“Yes, Jenny, you can always count on Fran. She’s one of our best account reps, so she knows the ropes well,” Marilyn adds.

“That’s nice,” Jenny says, “but I can hold my own. I…uh…I was sales leader in the Atlanta office last year, but I had to transfer out here because my husband took a new job, so…”

“Well,” Marilyn chimes in, “we just didn’t have a sales slot for Jenny right now, but I’m sure something will open up before too long.”

“I sure hope so,” Jenny says. “I didn’t put in all that hard work as an account rep to work as an assistant.” It is obvious Jenny is not happy with her current assignment.

As they leave, Fran thinks: She acts like she’s too good to have that job. I think she’s going to be trouble. But as soon as she starts that kind of thinking, the Spirit of God convicts her. “I’m sorry, Lord,” she prays quietly, “forgive me for thinking of her in negative ways. Help me to have the right attitude toward her.”

Fran is learning a very important principle about dealing with people. When you are working with someone you don’t particularly like, don’t allow yourself to indulge in derogatory thoughts about the person. Instead, pray for him or her. Every time you are tempted to think unkind thoughts about the person, just stop right in the middle and change those thoughts to a prayer. Pray for your attitude toward the person and pray for him or her.

October 25, 2025 Five Things You Can Do to Reflect Christ on the Job II

I don’t know about you, but I find I can easily make commitments. I can decide I really want to do something and set my mind to do it. But if I don’t have a plan as to how it gets done, it just remains good intentions that usually don’t become reality. So, what I’m hoping is that you will not only be inspired to reflect Christ more on your job, but you’ll have some specific actions that will make a difference in your life and in your workplace.

So, here’s my fourth suggestion (view part one for the first three suggestions) as to how we can more perfectly reflect Christ on our jobs:

Be Transparent and Vulnerable

Jesus gave us clear instructions as to how we are to live as Christ-followers in our worlds. In Matthew 5:14-16 we read from his sermon on the mount:

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

In other words, we’re not called to be undercover Christians. Even in our post-Christian culture, Jesus’ challenge does not change. We are not to hide our lamp—our witness—as Christ-followers, and that includes on our jobs. The challenge we face is how to do that naturally, organically, and not in an unnecessarily offensive way.

Someone has said that too often we Christians are more interested in giving out the right news instead of the good news. We believe we’re right, based on God’s Word, and we never compromise those beliefs. But we do it through being real, not with a know-it-all attitude or arrogance of any kind.

You and I must be approachable, real, and transparent in the way we live if we ever hope to have influence in our world today. If you project a plastic image to those around you, an image of “I’ve got this all figured out, and my life is always together,” then who can ever relate to you?

Let me ask you: Do you fake happiness even when you are sad about something? Do you share personal struggles and concerns with coworkers appropriately? Can you and do you naturally talk about how God has helped you through hard times, how he has answered your prayers?

Are you willing to be vulnerable, admit your mistakes, or talk about your struggles? Or are you trying not to show a trace of doubt or misgivings or let anyone see the pain in your life? If so, you are putting up a barrier between you and others, and they just don’t know how to relate to someone who seems to always be in control! Living a transparent and authentic life means being yourself, without any pretensions.

There was a woman who worked for me many years ago who was just always perfect. She was vocal about her faith, but she was also vocal about how perfectly she did her job. She subtly would let everyone else know they should be like her and do their work like she did. Now, she was an excellent worker, but she made everyone else in the department uncomfortable by her perfectionist demeanor. I often wondered what she was like at home with her husband. And I noticed that she really had no connections in our office; she worked in an isolated atmosphere. That’s never going to be an effective way to reflect Christ.

So, one powerful way you and I can reflect Christ—be like Jesus—in our workplaces is to be transparent, inviting, and willing to share our lives, the good and the bad, with others.

Reflect Christ by Developing the Fruit of the Spirit

I come to the fifth suggestion for reflecting Christ on your job, and it is to consistently display the fruit of God’s Spirit in your life. Honestly, this is an impossible assignment until and unless you become intentional about bearing much fruit. In John 15:8 Jesus said, This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

October 23, 2025 Community of One – 4

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

As we talk about social connections and community at work, I have been talking about some of the more difficult aspects of this connection—not fitting in, feeling lonely, being exhausted. One common workplace issue I hear from many women is the loss of workplace connection due to betrayal.

We can feel betrayed in many ways. Maybe you learn you have suddenly become the topic of office gossip, or a colleague is speaking poorly about your performance to a superior. It could even be you are suddenly left out of lunch or happy hour invitations or other gatherings you would typically attend. If you aren’t sure about what has caused you to be the odd “woman” out, this can make the feelings sting even more.

Joseph was betrayed deeply by his brothers because of their deeply-rooted jealousy. They were so jealous they thought to kill him but chose to sell him to slavery instead. Joseph was then betrayed by the wife of his employer who lied and said he was making a pass at her! The story of Joseph is in the book of Genesis chapters 37-50.

Let’s consider Joseph for a moment. Being his Dad’s favorite wasn’t his fault, but it surely didn’t help him. Are you a favored employee at work? Maybe this favoritism made the young Joseph a little prideful. He sometimes recounted his dreams about ruling over his brothers. If you are that favored employee, are you humble or prideful about it?

Like young Joseph’s brothers, perhaps your colleagues are jealous, but they also don’t like how you are responding to all the positive attention you are receiving. Maintaining humility and recognizing the achievements of your colleagues, contributes to a balanced approach to success in the workplace.

In Joseph’s later years, the betrayal by the wife of his employer was not his fault. My point is sometimes you just cannot control what someone says about you, and this is very hard.

Through all this betrayal, Joseph looked to the Lord. He trusted God’s plans for his life, even when he was alone in a pit, sold as a slave, and placed in prison for something he clearly did not do.

If you suddenly find yourself on the outs with workplace friends, carefully reflect and look to the Lord in prayer. Turn to a connection outside of work to help you consider how you may approach the situation with care, as a follower of Jesus. Rather than rushing to a judgement, prepare to ask some questions and seek to understand.

October 22, 2025 Community of One – 3

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

We have been talking about how much time we spend at work—one-third of our waking hours—and the social friendships and connections we may or may not have there. Like me, you may be just too exhausted to even think about being social at work! After all, sometimes these connections require even more of your time, and your calendar outside of work can be just as busy.

Spending time with other Christian working women reminds me all working women—Christian or not—feel the burdens of the elusive work\/life balance more than their male counterparts. A 2024 Gallup poll found 51% of women compared to 39% of men feel stressed at work.[1] Women are more likely to juggle personal items during work hours, which also adds to this. Women are balancing work, caregiving, health, and perhaps additional education opportunities making their days long. Making time for more social connections often feels like another thing they just cannot add to their day.

Being too exhausted to engage socially is impacting more than just social connections for women; it is also impacting their opportunities for promotion. A study by Leanin.org found women are less likely to be promoted than men, partly because they participate less in informal social interactions.[2]

Our Savior Jesus was sometimes too exhausted for more social engagement too! Hebrews 4:15 reminds us we have a high priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. Jesus experienced weariness too. In fact, his exhaustion is one of the things that lead to the interaction with the woman at the well.
Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon (John 4:6).
Jesus had sent the disciples ahead to bring back food to him, and he was alone. Wearied in the Bible refers to deep physical and emotional exhaustion. We know Jesus was facing both. And I am sure this resonates with you. Your physical body and emotional state are just gassed.

Knowing Jesus felt the same way, what habits did he engage? Jesus went to his Father for refreshment. We see this repeatedly in the gospels.

Luke 5:16 and 6:12 tell us Jesus withdrew and went up to a mountain to be in prayer with God. We also read this in Mark 1:35.

When you feel too exhausted to connect socially, connect with God in prayer. Take time to bring your burdens to the Lord. Pray for the right connections and interactions. Pray for balance and refreshment. Pray for the right opportunities at work. After all, God is your best social interaction.

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[1] Barry, K. (2024, December 4). More Than a Program: A Culture of Women’s Wellbeing at Work. Gallup.com; Gallup. https:\/\/www.gallup.com\/workplace\/653843\/program-culture-women-wellbeing-work.aspx

[2] Women in the Workplace. (n.d.). Lean In. Retrieved September 29, 2025, from https:\/\/leanin.org\/women-in-the-workplace\/2018\/women-get-less-support-less-access-at-work

October 21, 2025 Community of One – 2

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

With one-third of our life spent working, it is no wonder we seek friendship and connection from our colleagues. A recent Forbes article from March 2024 titled How Loneliness Can Impact Your Job (And Life) by Tracy Brower says 69% of employees report they are unsatisfied with their social connections at work, and 43% don’t feel a sense of connection with their colleagues.[1] Loneliness is universal, and it doesn’t hold a title or age. CEOs and assistants are equally impacted by these feelings of disconnection. Since it is subjective, we need never negate our own personal feelings of loneliness or those feelings of a colleague.

As followers of Jesus, what does this mean for us? First, what if we are the employee feeling dissatisfied with our social connection at work? Turning to the Word of God can remind us it is our God who sees us in our daily work even when we feel alone.

Consider when the woman at the well went to draw water. She went in the middle of the day, the hottest time. Although we are not told about her feelings, we know she went alone because she likely was not accepted by the other Samaritan women. She was alone, and perhaps lonely when she encountered Jesus. He knew the intimate details of her not so perfect life and offered her living water—salvation in him! You can read this story in John 4:4-30.

And, what about Hagar? She was sent away, pregnant and alone when she was met by God and felt seen. Read more about Hagar in Genesis 16.

The woman at the well and Hagar are reminders that even when we are walking alone, God sees us.

Maybe you aren’t lonely at work. You have a wonderful social community! As a follower of Jesus, we are called to see others. Just as Jesus saw the woman at the well and God saw Hagar, who do you see in your workplace who could use some social connection?

There is a Christian song by Brandon Heath, Give Me Your Eyes with perfect lyrics: “Give me your eyes for just one second, give me your eyes so I can see…”[2] Take a listen. It can encourage you to see those in your workplace that could use you extending your care and connection in that moment!

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[1] Brower, T. (2024, March 21). How Workplace Loneliness Can Impact Your Job (And Life). Forbes. https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/tracybrower\/2024\/03\/21\/how-workplace-loneliness-can-impact-your-job\/

[2] Heath, B., & Ingram, J. (2008). Give Me Your Eyes [Song]. In What If We [Album]. Reunion Records.

October 18, 2025 Five Things You Can Do to Reflect Christ on the Job I

What does it mean to “reflect Christ”? It’s a rather unusual use of words. Has anyone ever said to you, “You reflect your mother”? No, usually we say something like “You look like your mother,” or “You remind me of your mother,” or “That’s exactly what your mother would say.” If I reflect my mother, even though I don’t look like her, people might comment on how very similar my mannerisms, words, or way of life are to her. That, of course, is because she raised me, and it’s only natural that I would take on her ways and attitudes.

For example, my mother would always clean the house really well before going away for a few days, so I do the same thing. I just don’t want to come home to a dirty house. But my husband found this strange. Nobody’s going to be here so who cares how it looks? That’s the way he saw it. But I’m like my mother. I watched how she did things, and I followed her in her ways. In that way, I reflect my mother.

Obviously, it’s very important who we choose to reflect. Thankfully for me, my mother was the best person in the world for me to emulate. But I know that’s not true of everyone. Maybe you’re having to deal with some ways of doing things you learned from someone, but they’re not positive or helpful. That’s another “kettle of fish,” as we say.

I want to talk about how we who call ourselves Christ-followers—people who have claimed the gift of salvation Jesus offers and have placed our faith in him, becoming children of God—should and can reflect Christ particularly on our jobs. Of course, we should reflect Christ in all areas of our lives, but I want to look at it from the perspective of reflecting Christ in the often-godless environments you may encounter on your job.

Your job is typically not a place you can take time to open the Bible and share your faith. You’re there to do a job and do it well. But there are so many ways you can reflect Christ as you do your job—things that will perhaps open doors for you to share your faith. You just need to be intentional about it, and that’s what I’m hoping to help you with.

Reflect Christ in Your Thought Life and Attitudes

Everything begins in your thoughts. The Bible says as we think in our heart, so we are. What you allow yourself to think about and what you refuse to think about is critical to success in any area of your life. Did you know you have the power through Christ to put wrong thoughts and wrong thought patterns out of your head? And if you know that, do you practice it?

Your thought life will determine your attitudes. Think about your attitude toward your job. Are these thoughts mostly positive or mostly negative? If you see your job as simply a duty required of you to pay your bills or a necessary drudgery, I suggest this attitude does not reflect Christ. Maybe you really want a job but not the one you have. So, it’s your attitude toward your specific job—the work environment, the people you deal with, the job content itself. Do you face most of your days with a sense of drudgery? With a “It’s time to make the donuts” attitude? If so, believe me it shows, and it is not a reflection of Christ.

In writing to the Christians in Colossae, Paul said: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Colossians 3:23-24). If you want to reflect Christ on your job and please the Lord Jesus, make sure you keep your attitude toward your job in good shape. You’re working for the Lord, so work at it with all your heart. Others may never appreciate your good work, but you will receive a blessing—an inheritance—from the Lord as a reward.

That means you don’t bad-mouth the company, the boss, your coworkers—never! It doesn’t mean you stick your head in the sand and ignore wrong practices or behavior, but unless you’re doing something to make matters better,

October 17, 2025 Dealing with Toxic People – 5

Are toxic coworkers driving you crazy? First, just remember workplaces will be workplaces—people will be people. In most workplaces, you have a lot of different personalities thrown into one cauldron during working hours. Drama, power struggles, office politics, and other unpleasant things are going to happen, at least to some extent. It’s not that you just settle for these types of situations, but you shouldn’t be shocked to discover that in a sin-infected world, we must deal with toxic people.

In Philip Yancey’s book, Reaching for the Invisible God, he advises it is easier to act your way into feelings than to feel your way into actions. In other words, do what you know is right to do and let the feelings follow, if they will. If you wait on your feelings to kick in before you do what you know you should do—especially when it comes to dealing with difficult people—you’ll be in wait mode many days, if you’re like me!

John wrote:
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him (1 John 4:16b).

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:18).
This kind of love is an action, not a feeling. It is a decision not a desire. Sometimes the feelings are present; sometimes they are not. Either way, if we live in God, we must live in love.

One of the greatest indications that we truly “live in God” and are new creations in Christ Jesus is our willingness to extend this God-love to people who would have no claim on our love otherwise. After all, these toxic coworkers can’t expect you to love them, can they? It’s not in your job description and no one can demand it from you.

Therefore, when you choose to love in actions and truth, you show a loveless world a sample of what Jesus is like. You become the love of God reaching out to them, unconditional love, which cannot be explained or ignored. It is powerful in its implications and effects on the relationships of our lives.

One small verse in 1 Corinthians 13 reminds us love never fails. When nothing else works, try love. When there seems to be no way to improve a relationship, try love. Love never fails.

October 15, 2025 Dealing with Toxic People – 3

I can remember times when I worked with or for someone who was toxic. I think of one man who was never pleasant, always complaining and demanding, had no encouraging words ever, and truly poisoned the atmosphere in the room when he entered. Do you have a coworker like this?

I’m specifically looking at how Jesus would want you and me to respond and interact with the toxic people in our lives. I think the first challenge is to get your own attitude and reactions to toxic people under control. Learn to do some things that will keep you from—as we say—going crazy. Here is the first and most important thing you can do to protect yourself when you’re dealing with a truly toxic person.

Don’t let your thoughts and your mind dwell on them all the time.

When dealing with such a disruptive and irritating person—on a regular basis, no less—it’s very natural to let their behavior occupy your mind and your thoughts way too much. You dread going to work because you’ll have to deal with them. You fume all the way home because you had to deal with them. They can occupy way too much of your thought life. You need to firmly and swiftly boot the person out of your head. Refuse to let them take over your mind. Philippians 4 tells us to think about things that are lovely, pure, noble—and that pretty much excludes a toxic person. Stop giving them time in your mind.

And how do you do that? You do it by replacing thoughts of them with good thoughts, thankfulness, reciting your blessings, and focusing on God’s goodness. That’s what it means to bring every thought into captivity and make it obedient to Christ, as we read in 2 Corinthians 10:5. This spiritual discipline will make a huge difference in your life. If you have not already discovered this truth and learned how to take wrong thoughts captive, I recommend a book I’ve written on it, entitled Think About What You Think About.

As you head out to work each day, pray the Holy Spirit will remind you to boot those wrong thoughts out of your mind, to help you refuse to allow toxic people to occupy your thoughts in a negative and upsetting way. That is a very important first step.

October 14, 2025 Dealing with Toxic People – 2

Are toxic coworkers driving you crazy? These are people you are forced to be with daily, and their habits or attitudes are driving you—well, crazy!

What are some characteristics of toxic people? Basically, they are people who somehow poison the atmosphere around them with their attitudes and behavior. As Christians dealing with toxic people, our first challenge is to remember God loves the person just as much as he loves you. See them through God’s eyes.

The second important thing to remember is the person is not in your life by accident. God is allowing it—not approving of their behavior, mind you—but allowing the person in your life for some good reason. It could be to help you grow in grace as you deal with them. It could be for the good influence you could have on them. It could be both. But trust me, God has a good reason(s) for the person being in your life.

We are told in Scripture: If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18). That’s our assignment for dealing with toxic people. Others may live by more commonly accepted relationship principles, such as, look out for number one! Don’t take any guff! Stand up for your rights! They may not be motivated to live at peace with everyone, but we are called to this Christ-like objective. It is a lofty one; it is often out of step with the world’s wisdom; it is often not appreciated or valued by others. But as disciples of Jesus Christ, it is our guiding principle.

Let me assure you when you can respond to toxic people with more patience, more kindness and less anger than others, you are demonstrating the love of Jesus, and it won’t be missed. Your coworkers may not believe in God, they may never go to church, they may even think you are some kind of religious fanatic, but they cannot escape the difference in the way you respond to toxic people, when you allow God’s Spirit to empower you to respond like Jesus would.

Keep these two things in mind, namely God loves them as much as he loves you, and no one is in your life by accident. God has a purpose for allowing that person in your life.

October 13, 2025 Dealing with Toxic People

How often do you say something like: “It’s driving me crazy”? Or “He’s driving me crazy”? It’s a way of expressing frustration and impatience with something or someone. And usually it is someone—that person who is getting on your very last nerve! I want to talk about dealing with toxic people—especially coworkers—who are “driving you crazy!”

Someone has said relationships are the sandpaper of our lives, and you would probably agree with that—right? When you are dealing with a relationship you wouldn’t necessarily choose—like a coworker—and when that person’s continual behavior is harmful and disruptive, you can feel like you’re losing it—or as we say, you’re going crazy.

This is one area where your light for Jesus should shine, because as a Christ-follower you and I have Holy Spirit power to give us the ability to deal with toxic people appropriately. I want to share some biblical principles to help you deal with your toxic coworkers.

First let’s define a toxic person. Toxic means poisonous, dangerous, harmful, and persistent. A toxic person is one who can poison an atmosphere, and their actions and words are harmful and repetitive. Toxic people don’t just have a once-in-awhile bad day but recurring unhealthy and hurtful behavior. Here are some signs a person is toxic:

They talk more than they listen.
They are always right—never admit to being wrong.
They are drama queens or kings—drama seems to follow them everywhere.
They often lack tact and general courtesy.
They often lie to make themselves look good or to get what they want.
They exhibit controlling behaviors.
They love to talk about other people—to gossip.
They are, in general, very negative people.

Here’s the first thing I want to remind you as we talk about dealing with toxic people. They are people God loves just as much as he loves you. I remember long ago when I worked for a boss who was anything but pleasant; I just found it hard to even be around him. But I remember clearly one day when the thought came to me, no doubt from the Holy Spirit, that God loved him just as much as he loves me. I had to sit down and think about it. How could God love someone so unlovable? But it’s true, because God is love. He loves the toxic person in your life just as much as he loves you.

Step one is to ask God to help you see a toxic person the way God sees them.

October 11, 2025 Designed for Connection

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

Forming relationships is foundational in every aspect of our lives. From early relationships formed with family and childhood friends, to our experiences in sports, school, and work, we are made for relationships. God is relational. He was never alone. At the beginning of Genesis, we can see the unity God has in the trinity—one God, three persons: The Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Father) The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters (Holy Spirit) (Genesis 1:1-2).

While Jesus is not specifically named in Genesis one, in Genesis 1:26, God says, “Let us make man in our image” (Son).

As John 1:1-4 states: In the beginning was the Word (Jesus) and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Thus implying Jesus.

The essence of the Almighty is one body with three distinct members. I love the simple way one person described the Trinity as “one what” and “three whos”.

We are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26); we are not made to do life alone. But what are relationships with one Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? The more I look externally at my relationships, the more I desire to see how this one relationship could impact every other relationship I have.

For most of us, there may be a relationship in our live that is not what we hoped it to be. If you can say boldly, no Lauren, everything is terrific with everyone in my life, I would simply love to meet you! This is not my experience, nor is it my experience with many of my close friends and colleagues. Watch the news or read an opinion article. Our relationships are very broken.

Have you ever heard the phrase “born sinner”? This is a theological phrase from the concept of the original sin born by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Yes, the one with the fruit and the snake that leaves Adam and Eve hiding in the bushes naked from God. From this, we have inherited a sinful nature from birth.

My aim is not to paint a depressing picture about a lifetime of doomed connections but rather to stress the importance of our personal relationship with God and his trinitarian nature. Each person of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—plays an important relational role in our lives. Each is a model for how we can outwardly express ourselves in relationship with others.

The early age relationships we form are called attachment relationships and help children from birth to 6 years old develop a sense of security and trust which can impact their future relationships as they get older. Can you join me in having the mind of a young child? I want you to deeply consider how you can develop a deep attachment relationship with the persons of the Trinity. A secure and trusting relationship can impact every future relationship you have! After all, some of you are God’s child! You have a fresh and new start! In John 3:3, Jesus tells us unless we are born again, we cannot see the kingdom of God. In fact, the Trinity is seen all together in verses in John 3:1-8.

While we worship the triune God, let’s carefully consider the attributes of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit while recognizing one is not greater than another, and they exist in perfect harmony. How do these specific attributes help us relate to others?

God the Father.

The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation (Exodus 34:6-7).

In Exodus 34: 6-7, God describes himself to Moses. We know he is God, and we are not. Yet, we can consider his attributes in our own relationships. Are we merciful and gracious to others? Slow to anger?

October 10, 2025 Connecting with Others – 5

I’ve been examining how we can do a better job of connecting with people.
Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling (1 Peter 4:9).
How do we show hospitality to one another?

There are myriads of ways to do that, but it means you will have to see yourself as the host or hostess rather than the guest. Someone who shows hospitality takes on the responsibility to make others comfortable, to serve their needs, to initiate a welcoming environment, to make the first move. That could be in any situation—at home, at work, at church, while shopping or traveling, etc. Show hospitality to others.

Sometimes it simply means taking time to recognize someone and greet them, calling them by name if possible. Sometimes it means interrupting your own plans to help someone out. It could mean inviting people to your home for a meal or taking time to listen to someone’s problem. It will require a servant attitude, a willingness to put others first and truly connect with them. But that’s the Jesus way, right?

Notice that Peter says we are to show hospitality without grumbling. That tells me showing hospitality is not always easy to do. Putting others first requires an attitude that has to come from God’s power in us, not from our own selves. It’s possible to be hospitable with the wrong spirit—with a grumbling spirit.

If you’re serious about connecting with others and fulfilling this hospitality challenge, you’ll want to pray about it. Pray that God will give you both the desire and the power to want to connect with others, to expend the energy, time and resources that will be required to put others first and die to your own selfish desires.

But here’s the good news: When you learn to do this, you reap wonderful benefits. You discover dying to yourself brings new life, as Jesus promised. When you get yourself out of the way and make it a daily practice to put others first, you move into that abundant life that Jesus came to give us. It’s one of the paradoxes of the Christian life—that if we want to be the greatest, we must be a servant. And by God’s grace and for his glory, that can become a reality in our lives.

October 9, 2025 Connecting with Others – 4

Do you approach your relationships as a host or a guest? We can improve our ability to connect with others. And the attitude that helps is to think of yourself as the host or hostess rather than the guest. Or, in more biblical terms, as one who serves rather than one who is served.

Think about your daily interactions with other people—at work, at home, or church, wherever. Are you a host or a guest? For example, do you initiate the phone call that needs to be made, or do you wait for the other person to call? When you’re in a group, do you introduce yourself to someone new or wait for them to introduce themselves first? When someone seems puzzled or confused, do you offer help?

Maybe you’re thinking you can’t be the host or hostess because you’re shy or introverted. I want to encourage you to give it a try. It may take you out of your comfort zone temporarily, but once you take that first step to “host” your relationships, you’ll see it really isn’t that scary, and before long you will be comfortable doing it. It will surprise you to see the positive reactions you receive, and you’ll feel very good about connecting with others in more meaningful ways.

One of the reasons we hesitate to take the role of host or hostess in relationships is because we fear what others will think of us. I find when I am more concerned about how I will appear to others than I am about trying to connect with them, it’s because I am far too self-focused. I have to stop and remind myself it’s not all about me. I can assure you if you reach out to others in an attempt to connect in a better, more loving way, you will rarely make a fool of yourself. And so, what if you do? Does the world stop revolving? Does God stop loving you? We just have to get over our intense self-absorption.

Or maybe you hesitate to connect with others because it just takes too much effort. I know sometimes I just want to people-out—just have a quiet moment to myself. At those times I just simply make myself become interested in whoever it is around me—someone who just may need a listening ear, a kind word, a smile to encourage them or lift their burden True, it does take effort and time, but the fruit of that effort is very rewarding.

I hope you’ll consider your responsibility to be a host or hostess with the people in your life, rather than playing the role of the guest. It makes life so much richer and fulfills our God-given responsibility to do unto others as we would want them to do to us.

October 8, 2025 Connecting with Others – 3

Think of yourself as a host or hostess on your job—initiate conversations, volunteer help, keep your antenna up for anyone who needs a word of encouragement. This is how we show Christ’s love in a world that is starving for kindness and compassion.

I’ve heard one of the Boy Scout’s mottos is to “leave it better than you found it.” Imagine how much nicer our worlds would be if we all practiced that regularly—leaving everything better than we found it.

If your goal for every relationship was to leave that person better than you found him or her, how would that improve your relationships? It means you would be thinking about the other person and not about yourself—which is a really good thing. No doubt you would listen more than you talk, you would offer to help where you could, you would offer words of encouragement.

People don’t remember so much what we do or how well we do it, but they do remember how we made them feel. Have you ever thought about how you make other people feel? I’m sure you’ve thought about how other people make you feel. But let’s reverse that and ask ourselves, “How do I make other people feel?”

Some people make us feel insignificant. Others intimidate us. Some people make us feel like failures. They may not intend to give off those vibes, but something in their manner or the way they treat you gives you that impression. Stop and ask yourself: Do I unintentionally do that to others?

I have learned I can send negative messages to others because of my tendency to be very project oriented and very focused on getting a job done. In the process, I can miss opportunities to recognize people along the way and let them know they are important to me. I’ve become very intentional about changing that bad habit and I intentionally try to connect with others, especially strangers or people who look a little left out.

What kind of messages do you send to others? Do they sense you are a caring person; do you exude an attitude of acceptance and warmth? Do you initiate connections—with greetings, asking questions, and starting conversations? It isn’t hard—and it’s very rewarding. Don’t forget—people remember how you make them feel, so do what you can to make them feel cared for and important.

October 6, 2025 Connecting with Others

I am often asked: What is the main issue people in the workplace are struggling with today? I’ve been broadcasting this program a long time, and I can tell you one issue remains at the top of most everyone’s list, and that is how to deal successfully with people!

It’s people! In some form or another, our relationships—on the job and everywhere else—cause us more frustration, create more conflict, and waste more of our time than anything else. Of course, relationships also can bring great joy and satisfaction, too.

Let’s talk about this relationship challenge of connecting successfully with others. Some people seem to have no difficulty forming friendships, generating loyalty, creating community, and getting along with people, while others seem to be lacking in these skills. But remember God equips us to do what he wants us to do, so if making friends and connecting well with others is important—and it is—then he will help you develop the ability to make the first move and initiate connections. It may push you out of your comfort zone, but that’s a good thing. It stretches you.

One of the first things to connect better with others is to make people feel comfortable in our presence. And we can learn to do that by thinking of ourselves as “hosts” or “hostesses” in any situation. A good host takes the initiative to make others feel comfortable. Most people view themselves as “guests” in life, expecting others to take the initiative and make the first move. But if you will just reverse that tendency and think of yourself as the host or hostess, you will become more proactive in initiating conversations, offering to help others, and discovering that you are beginning to connect with people much more easily.

I challenge you to be the “host” as you go to work; see yourself as the person who will initiate connections, who will have your antenna up to be aware of others around you and be willing to get out of your comfort zone and make the first move. It is such a simple idea, but I can promise you it will make a difference in how you connect with others.

October 4, 2025 What If All Your Prayers Were Answered? Part Two

In part one, I challenged you to enlarge the way you pray for yourself, using some biblical prayers as guidelines, and I want to follow up on the power of claiming God’s promises to you in prayer. For example, think about this passage from 2 Peter 1: 3-4:

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

I want to urge you to start praying this passage into your life, something like this:

God, I know you have given me divine power through your Spirit to live a godly life. I know this comes through my knowledge of Jesus and his Word. I pray that you will help me to pursue this knowledge, and I claim your promise that I can participate in the divine nature of Jesus—I can be more and more like Jesus and less and less corrupted by my evil desires.

What if God answered this prayer? Would it make a difference in you of eternal importance? The obvious answer is yes, of course. And here’s the thing—when you sincerely pray this kind of spiritual prayer for yourself or for others and you consistently claim the promises that are yours in Scripture, you will be more and more transformed into the likeness of Jesus, because you can be assured that God will answer that kind of prayer.

I want to encourage you to pray God’s promises into your life. I remember a song I sang as a kid that said, “Every promise in the book is mine, every chapter, every verse, every line.” It’s a good reminder that God’s Word is full of promises you can and should claim as your own. How often do you do that? Are you missing some blessings because you’re not praying those great and precious promises?

For example, in part one, I talked about the promise in James 1:5—if we ask for wisdom, God gives it to us generously. Have you been praying for wisdom? Remember, God’s wisdom keeps you from making poor choices and bad decisions—and just think what a difference that could make.

In Philippians 4:6-7 we read:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

This is a promise with a condition. Presenting your requests to God with thanksgiving—that’s the condition. Here’s the promise: the peace of God will guard your heart and mind. You’re promised peace. Have you been peaceful lately or more stressed-out, discouraged, despondent, or unhappy? Maybe that’s because you haven’t presented your requests to God and claimed the peace that transcends all understanding.

Here’s an incredible promise from Isaiah 58:11:

The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Have you ever prayed this Scripture into your life? When you don’t know what to do, claim this promise that the Lord will guide you. When you’re in a desert-like situation and everything seems dry and lifeless and you lack energy or motivation, claim the promise that the Lord will satisfy you even in a dry place. He will strengthen you—physically and spiritually. He promises to turn hard, dry places into gardens whose waters never fail—to give you hope and joy even in a tough place. It’s a promise there for you, so take advantage of God’s goodness.

There are many more promises for you and biblical prayers you can pray for yourself and others. These are prayers we know are in God’s will, and therefore we can claim the promise from 1 John 5:14: This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

October 2, 2025 God’s Waiting Room – 4

Presented by Julie Busteed

What happens when you are not patient and run ahead of God and take things into your own hands? That’s exactly what happened to King Saul.

You can read the entire account in I Samuel 13:1-15 but let me summarize. Saul is the newly appointed first King over Israel. They’ve had some success at defeating their enemies. I guess King Saul is feeling pretty good about this. Then the Philistines—the enemy—assemble to fight and they have many chariots and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore.

When the Israelites see this, they are quaking with fear. Saul waits seven days for Samuel (the prophet and priest) to arrive to offer the burnt offering. He was following Samuel’s instructions (1 Samuel 10:8). But something happens—we’re not told what—but Samuel doesn’t show up in seven days. He’s late. And Saul seeing that his soldiers are frightened, seeing the strength and number of his enemies, takes things into his own hands and he offers the sacrifice to God (which by the way was against the law—only priests were to do this). And then guess who shows up at this exact moment—Samuel! And he asks Saul what’s going on, and Saul explains:
“When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering” (1 Samuel 13:11-12).
Oh wow. Did you hear that? Saul’s saying things weren’t going as he thought they should. He was looking at his circumstances around him and becoming fearful and not looking at God. And so, he took things into his own hands—he felt “compelled” to ask for the Lord’s help in this way. And Samuel then tells him that he’s done a foolish thing. That he’s not kept the command that the Lord God gave him and as a result the Kingdom of Israel will be taken away from him, it will not endure.

I do feel for Saul sometimes. It sounds like he convinced himself he was doing the right thing in rushing ahead of God and offering these sacrifices and seeking the Lord’s favor instead of waiting for Samuel. But it was not the right thing. How many times have you been anxious, got tired of waiting for God and took things into your own hands which then resulted in more trouble? Maybe you are so desperate to get out of a job or a project that you’ll do anything.

I know. It’s hard to wait. But it can be even more dangerous to not wait. To make poor decisions and suffer those consequences. You might not have your kingdom taken away from you like Saul, but it could still end in difficulty.
As the Psalmist says, wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord (Psalm 27:14 ESV)!

October 1, 2025 God’s Waiting Room – 3

Presented by Julie Busteed

Waiting on the Lord is hard. But he gives us promises that we can hang on to during this time.
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31 ESV).
Years ago, I was in a job that was not my favorite. There were many things that were fine, but the work itself was not really what I wanted to do. I felt like it wasn’t a good fit for me, and it was work that didn’t come naturally to me. For a long time, I complained about this. I would complain in my heart, to God, to my husband and search for ways to move on to something else. But the opportunity didn’t present itself.

Finally, I remember crying—literally—to God about this and just pouring my heart out to him. And it’s not that I heard a loud voice, it was a soft gentle reminder that he is sovereign and to trust and wait on him. Instead of trying to change my circumstance, I began to change my thoughts—my mindset about the situation. It’s not that I became content and happy overnight, but I tried to focus on the things that were good. I also gave myself little rewards or encouragements for doing some of the hard things of the work. And by that, I mean taking a quick walk, getting another cup of coffee and so on. And slowly, I wasn’t as miserable! I think I complained less!

Changing my attitude made a huge difference. My situation didn’t change right away either. I would still have some valleys of despair, but they became fewer and far between.

Then, when an opportunity did arise, I was almost surprised! I was now actually more prepared for this next step having stayed where I was. And I wasn’t leaving my employer on bad terms—not burning any bridges.

I know there are many different situations and some more difficult than what I was experiencing. And for your own mental and physical health you may need to take different actions. But I tell you this, for a couple of reasons. First take some time to reflect and think on the situation as objectively as possible. Are there some good and positive things about where you are right now? Then pour your heart out to God. Continue to seek him. Realize he has purpose in the waiting. And that nothing is ever wasted.

September 30, 2025 God’s Waiting Room – 2

Presented by Julie Busteed

When you’re in God’s waiting room do you ever think that if you just pray more or fast more or do something more that this will get God’s attention? That there is something you need to do. I used to think maybe I’m not in his will, doing something wrong, or not being persistent enough—which is why he’s not hearing or answering my prayer.

Are you familiar with the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8)[1]? Jesus begins by telling his disciples this parable to show them they should always pray and not give up. And to me that meant relentlessly praying, even begging, and almost trying to bend his will to my prayers. But I don’t think that’s the point! Briefly the parable goes like this:
He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally, he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me’” (Luke 18:2-5)!
Here is an unjust corrupt judge who doesn’t fear God or care about people. And a widow, who particularly in those days is quite vulnerable. She has no provider or protector. And she’s asking for justice. Repeatedly. But the judge refuses. Finally, she wears him down because she keeps “bothering” him and he gives her justice. And to me this meant I need to wear God down with my prayer requests in order for him to answer. I thought that I needed to continually bug him to get his attention. That somehow the accumulation of my prayers would make a difference.

I don’t think this is what Jesus was talking about. That would be equating God to this unjust judge, and he is not at all like that. He cares about us, he cares about justice, it’s his unchangeable character. And I am not like the nameless widow. God knows me, loves me, provides for and protects me. Jesus tells us why he told this parable in verse 1 to show that we should always pray and not give up. And that can be hard to do when you’re in that waiting room.

When you and I persist in praying, in talking to God, our hearts become more inclined to his. It’s a life of prayer that we are called to—a life of continual conversation with God. And it’s more about how our hearts and minds can be transformed to his. So yes, pray continually. And trust that in his perfect timing he will answer.
As the Psalmist said: I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word, I hope (Psalm 130:5 ESV).
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[1] Dr. Kent Hughes, “Living in the ‘Not Yet’” Series: Luke, January 8, 2008, https:\/\/preachingtheword.com\/av_item.php?avid=579

September 27, 2025 What If All Your Prayers Were Answered? Part One

We all know prayer is our lifeline to God, and we are encouraged to cast all our cares upon God, because he cares for us. We know God is intimately interested in our everyday lives, and he rejoices when we rejoice and mourns when we mourn. Jesus empathizes with all our weaknesses because he walked this earthly road like you, and I do.

So, it is normal and wise for us to pray about the circumstances of our lives—to bring all our concerns to God in prayer. As the old hymn says:

“Oh, what peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.”

But I want us to consider the content of our prayers. If all your prayers were answered, would it make a difference for eternity? That’s the exact question my pastor posed, and I’ve been giving that a lot of thought. Do I pray primarily—not exclusively but primarily—about things that would make a difference for eternity if my prayers were answered?

For example, how do you pray for your family and friends? Do you primarily pray for their spiritual condition? Do you pray for the believers to walk worthy of their call? Do you pray that they will use their gifts to glorify God and do the good works he planned for them to do? If they are not yet believers, do you pray mostly that God will do whatever it takes for them to see their need of salvation?

That kind of praying is more important than their health, their financial problems, their success, even their happiness. Sure, we all want our family and friends to be happy, but maybe they need some tough times to bring them back to God. If all your prayers for your family and others were answered, would they maybe just have better grades at school, or better jobs, or more money, or nicer homes? Those are all quite nice, and we can pray about them. But more importantly, if all your prayers for your family and friends were answered, would they start to live more wholeheartedly for Jesus?

I have a fairly large extended family; if my count is right, there are more than 90 of us counting down from my Mom and Dad, including children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and their mates. Whew, that’s a lot of people. I think of the heritage handed to us by my parents—simple people living lives of integrity and honor to Jesus, a godly heritage as the Bible describes it. And as I pray for all of this crew, my first and most consuming prayer is that they will all walk worthy of the teaching and guidance they have received, that they will pass on to their children the lessons passed on to them, the truth handed to them. More than anything else, I pray for their spiritual welfare. That matters for eternity.

I encourage you to examine the content of your prayers for your family. Pray for their physical needs, their success, their health—yes, of course. But make it your habit to pray mostly and primarily for their spiritual condition, for their relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

How do you pray for the world—this huge world we live in? In the Bible, God’s people are urged to engage with the world around them and not to withdraw from it. That means we should always pray for things and people outside of our own personal circle.

Recently, I intentionally reviewed the content of my prayers, and I realized that I often pray for health issues for people I know; I pray for increased financial support for this ministry; I pray for pastors at my church and ministry there. But it became rather clear that my prayers were often limited to my world. How about you? Review what you’ve prayed for the past few days. Have your prayers primarily revolved around you and people you know?

God wants us to pray about the world around us. How do you do that? Well, first you become educated and aware of what’s happening outside your world. A few years ago, along with a coworker in my church, I became aware for the first time of the scourge of sex trafficking in our country and our city.

September 26, 2025 God-Confident or Self-Confident – 5

The question today is: How can you become a God-confident woman or man?

First, you must continue to grow in your knowledge of Jesus and the Word by making them a daily priority in your life. There’s no “secret sauce” here. It is back to the basics of saturating your life with the truth that comes only from God’s Word. This is written Word—the Bible—and the Word made flesh, dwelling among us—Jesus Christ.

As you continue to know God better, you build spiritual muscles which results in God-confidence. Then, most likely, God will give you an opportunity to do something that will be too big and too hard for you to do. Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone and follow the Lord, even if you are a bit fearful? I find when God calls me to serve in a new way, I’m always in over my head. But he who calls us to a new service gives us what we need. That’s what we call walking by faith not by sight.

What are your gifts and abilities you have not yet used in serving the Lord? Find ways to use them. He didn’t gift you just so you could get a good job and earn more money. He wants to you to serve others.

Never compare yourself to others. You don’t have to do what someone else does or measure up to someone else’s expectations. But you will need to step out on faith and follow God’s leading.

Then you will be confident of this:
...that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).
You will be living in God-confidence, and it will be amazing. It will be tiring, yes, and not always easy but always fruitful and satisfying. And the joy of the Lord will be your strength.

September 24, 2025 God-Confident or Self-Confident – 3

As Christ-followers, the Bible says we should put no confidence in the flesh. It’s pretty undependable. But you can and should be totally God-confident. Confident that you have become a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ and confident that God has good plans for you—good works for you to do which he determined before you were born.

There’s nothing to be gained by being constrained and handcuffed by a lack of confidence. James put it this way:
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do (James 1:6 – 8).
James says if you’re blown and tossed—like happens with lack of confidence—you are unstable in all your ways. You need confidence to be what God created you to be and do the good works he put you here to do. And the confidence you need is not self-confidence, but rather it is God-confidence.

What is hindering you from this God-confident life? Many times, it is the constant thought you simply are not good enough. Thoughts like: you’ve sinned too much; your past is too bad; you can never be worthy. You know where that comes from, don’t you? Satan will tell you lies about yourself, like thinking you’re not good enough. But remember this wonderful truth.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
Whether condemnation is coming at you from others or yourself, you are believing a lie because God never deals with us through condemnation—making us feel unworthy and without hope. The Holy Spirit who indwells every believer will convict you of sin for the purpose of helping you repent and get rid of the drag on your spiritual life. But God never deals with you through condemnation; that’s what the enemy tries to do.

When the enemy is successful at destroying your God-confidence by his sneaky and sinister words of condemnation, he is keeping you from the joy of the Lord, which is your strength, and from the abundant life Jesus died to give you. You’re missing all the good stuff!

But there’s hope in Jesus!

September 23, 2025 God-Confident or Self-Confident – 2

The second tool you need to be God-confident is to know how God sees you. God wants you to be confident in how he has gifted you and how he wants to use you.

Let’s begin by affirming what God has said about us:
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well (Psalm 139:13-14).

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand (John 10:28).
Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and said, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made”? Or “I am safe in the hand of Jesus—no one can snatch me out of his hand”?
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love (John 15:9).
Have you ever declared: “I am the one Jesus loves”? God-confidence depends on being totally confident of who you are in Christ. But it doesn’t come in one swoop—it comes through getting to know God better and better.

You have been gifted to do something good for the Kingdom.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Ephesians 2:10 NASB).
When you’re willing to take the next steps where God is leading you, to do those good works he prepared for you, then you can be confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). That is God-confidence!

September 22, 2025 God-Confident or Self-Confident

Here’s an interesting question: Do you think God wants you to face your world, your life, with unwavering confidence? Is there anything to be gained by lacking confidence? What message does it send if you and I, as Christ-followers, appear uncertain or doubtful? Does that bring glory to God?

On the other hand, does it bring glory to God if you have the kind of self-confidence the world says is necessary? This confidence is proud and self-focused, self-assured and braggadocious? It brings glory to yourself.

We certainly need confidence. But putting a lot of it in yourself is risky, because it’s undependable. You can feel confident one day or about one thing, and then the rug gets pulled out from under you the next day and there goes that self-confidence out the door.

It’s God-confidence you and I need, not self-confidence. His confidence makes a difference in the way we live and our ability to do what God put us here to do. And it will look different on each of us. However, there are certain things we must be confident of to face life with God-confidence. I want to share some necessary tools for the God-confident woman.

The first tool you need is to be totally confident of your faith.

Confident in your relationship to God through Jesus
I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day (2 Timothy 1:12b).
Confident in God’s sovereignty
For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth (Psalm 71:5).
Confident in God’s love
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).
Confident God will never leave you or forsake you
God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5b).
Confident that God answers prayer
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us (1 John 5:14).
Now, if you are confident of those things, then you have the foundation for God-confidence. That’s where it begins.

September 20, 2025 Holding On While You’re On Hold

Holding on, hanging in there, being patient, sitting in the waiting room—none of those come easy for me. And being put on hold on the telephone is particularly annoying—don’t you agree? So, today more than anything else I’m talking to me, and you can listen in, as I remind myself again that I have to hold on when I’m on hold.

When you think of someone in the Bible who was on hold, you most likely think of Job. Talk about holding on when he was on hold, nobody has ever endured more than Job did while waiting for God to move. In Job 6:8, 11-12 he says:

Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant what I hope for. What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What prospects, that I should be patient? Do I have the strength of stone? Is my flesh bronze?

And in chapter seven, he goes on to say:

My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and they come to an end without hope. Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath; my eyes will never see happiness again (Job 7:6-7).

His words may express your heart today. Like Job, you may be saying or thinking: Why hasn’t God granted my request? I don’t have the strength to keep holding on. After all, I’m just flesh! I’ve lost hope, and I’ll never be happy again.

For most of us, this feeling of hopelessness doesn’t show itself outwardly so much as it corrupts us on the inside. It takes the form of what Thoreau called “quiet desperation.” You keep going, saying the right things, and maintaining a semblance of normalcy, but on the inside you’ve truly given up. You’re going through the motions of a marriage or a job; you’re making people think everything’s okay with your children or parents, but in reality, you’re emotionally detached; there’s no more fight left in you, and you’re almost at the place where you really don’t care.

I want to share three simple truths that will help you hold on when you’re on hold. And the first one is: Trust in God’s Sovereignty. That simply means you continue to believe that nothing happens in God’s universe outside of God’s influence and authority. And you believe the same is true in your life. God is sovereign in your life. Therefore, you can trust that in his sovereignty, he will make all things work together for your good, even the evil and wrongs of others and the cruelty of this sin-infested world.

Believe me, I know it’s not easy to trust when you’re on hold, especially when it looks like your world is crumbling around you. I think of a friend who went through years of pain and suffering from an unfaithful husband and a broken marriage, death of two children, another child who walked away from God, and other significant losses. Honestly, she was a Job-story for today, and I often wondered how she made it through. Obviously, all those things left deep scars and hurt, but she turned it into opportunity for her to minister to others. She completed a biblical counseling degree, and now she has a voice to help others who are “on hold” because she has walked deep, dark roads. In God’s sovereignty and as only God can do, he turned her sorrow into dancing and has given her a broader, more effective ministry as a result.

So, if you can put your trust in God’s sovereignty today, regardless of your feelings, and simply repeat that you believe he is still in control, that is step one in holding on while you’re on hold.

Step two is to Trust in God’s Timing. Listen to these verses from Psalm 37:5-7:

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

God’s timing often seems so inappropriate to us. What possible good can come from waiting any longer? That’s how we see it. I can look back on my life and see how the waiting periods of my life were there for a purpose—a purpo...

September 19, 2025 Patience Is Loving – 5

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

Do you view patience as passive? Patience is anything but passive behavior. In fact, patience is powerful. Remembering God’s power, his patience, and the fact that we are made in his image can help us rethink this attribute.

In our society, patience often is viewed as quiet, timid, and, as I stated a moment ago, passive. We get this sense of waiting—somewhat of a pause. This waiting, patience, and pause can give us the space we need to advance in ways that remain unseen by others until the moment of action.
Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone (Proverbs 25:15).
Think about the art of persuasion. We hear about it in business a lot. Persuasion is defined as the action or fact of persuading someone or of being persuaded to do or believe something through reason or argument.

Persuasion isn’t fast. It requires patience. Patience to learn about someone’s objections to what you are trying to get them to believe, patience to prepare for how you want to present your idea or solution, patience to get the other party to even be willing to meet with you, patience to meet on more than one occasion. I could go on with this list.

Resisting the urge to impatiently blurt out what you want, why your way is better, why your company should win a bid, or why what you want or need is imperative. It can mean the difference between ultimately winning and losing.

Patience listens. Patience walks away and thinks. Patience is not argumentative. In Proverbs 25:15, we read that a soft tongue will break a bone. To me, this feels like well thought out, patient words. Words that are planned in advance and not hasty and harsh. Words that are considerate of the other person’s point of view. Ultimately, this soft approach can break someone who has a long-held point of view.

Our aim with using the fruit of the Spirit of patience with persuasion and a soft tongue should be more about sharing the gospel than it is about winning in our work, business, or career. The biggest win for us is to see someone know the saving power of Jesus!

September 18, 2025 Patience Is Loving – 4

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

Do you have a colleague who gets on your last nerve? Do situations in the workplace just get to you sometimes? How we display patience at work with others reflects our faith.
And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will (2 Timothy 2:24-26).
We surely cannot accomplish this with impatience! Think of a simple example of showing patience during a meeting. You wait and wait to make a statement. In fact, you think it is a very important point. Your colleague seems to be droning on and on about a topic with which you wholly disagree. In your impatience, do you end up so annoyed that you quarrel over the relevance of what they are saying, or do you wait patiently for them to speak, carefully listening so that you can perhaps patiently present a counter point? I think we have all been in this scenario. Your patience in a situation like this can help you reflect more respect and help others to listen to you!

Are you perhaps charged with training new hires as they start with your company? Maybe these new hires are even new to the workforce. Sometimes they just don’t catch on as quickly as you would like. Are you impatient and quick to judge them as not able to do the job at hand, or do you patiently teach them to do the job well?

Ultimately, 2 Timothy 2:24-26 reminds us our opponents—in our case those that we work with—need to be instructed and dealt with gently by us. The instruction to lovingly display our patience in all circumstances, can be a good way to live out what I often call Faith at Work 1.0—showing up differently so that someone asks why.
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).
Showing up with patience at work when people frustrate you can be just one way you start a conversation about Jesus with them. Don’t waste this opportunity with impatience! I am praying for you to increase your patience at work today!

September 17, 2025 Patience Is Loving – 3

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

Many things can happen when we are impatient! Impatience brews increasingly when there is a difference between the pre-conceived or set amount of time we have in mind for something to happen and when it actually occurs. The fact remains we are merely human, and God is God alone. I sometimes wonder if the creation of the measurement of time is something God has used to demonstrate this. If we had no concept of time, we could not grow in learning to be more patient!

One of the ways that a lack of patience can often show up is jealousy. We see something we want or are aspiring to happen for someone else, and we become jealous. This can cause us to act impulsively in our own will, often to results we then regret.

Sarah, then Sarai, was impatient. Her husband Abram was the promised Father of Israel, yet she failed to conceive and bare a son for him. In her impatience, Sarai enrolled their Egyptian slave, Hagar to know her husband. The result was Hagar’s pregnancy and the birth of Ishmael.

Sarai became jealous of Hagar and treated her poorly. God then renewed his covenant with Abram, and called him Abraham and Sarai, Sarah. Sarah gave birth to Isaac, but with continued jealousy from Sarah, Hagar and Ishmael were sent away. You can read more about this in Genesis chapters 15-18.

Sometimes our haste to see something come to pass can make us jealous of someone else we see in the circumstance we want. Have you been searching for a new job? Maybe it is taking longer than you expected, so you take a job because you need to work. A friend suddenly lands their dream role, and they weren’t even looking! In your impatience, how do you respond to this friend? Are you loving? Are you jealous? How can you lovingly show up and trust that God will send the perfect job for you, in his timing.

Acting out of impatience can cause us to make hasty choices that can lead to jealous feelings.

September 15, 2025 Patience Is Loving

Presented by Lauren Stibgen
For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
You have likely heard this verse many times, but what does John 3:16 have to do with patience? When I think about my own salvation, I would say God was patient! In fact, he waited 30 years for me to realize Jesus was my savior! Patience first comes to us from God himself, reflected in the love he has for us at the cross. In our worldview, this seems slow, but not in God’s standard.
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
God is just on time—his time. Let’s consider love again, but in the context of the greatest commandment.
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39).
Now, how is love described? 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 leads with love is patient and kind. Love is patient! Who should we have patience with?

First, we need to have patience with God! We will explore this more, but this looks like trusting him when we are in the valleys of life and when we feel like our prayers are going unanswered. It looks like endurance during trials and perseverance when we just want something to happen already!

Next, we need to have patience with our neighbors, which is basically everyone! Our neighbors are our bosses, colleagues, and subordinates. They are vendor partners and partners within the communities our businesses are part of. It is even the community you are building on a social platform like LinkedIn or members of a business association related to your profession. You have a lot of neighbors to love! Rather, you have a lot of neighbors with whom to be patient!

September 13, 2025 Don’t Do Something: Just Stand There!

Do you know what is probably the most difficult command of God's for me to obey? It's: Stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes (1 Samuel 12:16). Come on, Lord; why \"stand still\"? Why not \"get busy and do this and that and then you'll see the great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes\"? That would be so much easier for me.

As I mentioned, I don't like standing still. I hate standing still. I love movement. I love busyness. I love activity. I love to-do lists. Let's go; let's do; let's make things happen. You can do it. Just keep trying. Keep on keepin' on. Those words are music to my ears, but not \"stand still.”

Why is it so hard for us to take our hands off and let God run the show? Well, to answer that question for myself, I would say it's hard for me to stand still because I'm a controller. I want to be in charge. That's my personality, and I'm much more comfortable when I'm running things than when I'm having to take orders. Maybe you can relate to that.

I'd rather drive than be a passenger; I'd rather give a presentation than listen to one; I'd rather lead than follow. So, I constantly struggle to take control of any situation I'm in. Therefore, that passage from 1 Samuel 12:16—stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes—is hard for me to do.

When you dig a little deeper under the need to control, you discover that you think you can do it better than anybody else, and you don't trust others as much as you do yourself. Ouch! There's a lot of pride and sinfulness tucked in that controlling spirit, isn't there? That's hard to take, but it’s part of the truth we must face—or at least I’ve had to face it about myself.

At one point in my life when I was going through a particularly difficult period of \"standing still,\" I would get frustrated and start to take action. And each time I took the controls back in my own hands, I heard the quiet voice of God in my mind saying to me, quite simply, \"Can't you trust me?”

That's what it takes to stand still—trust. And when you and I are willing to take our hands off, give up the control, and stand still, we are saying to Jesus, \"I trust you. You're smarter than me. You can run this show better than I can.” And when we stand still and demonstrate our faith in him, he is pleased.

Standing still also is hard for me because I'm not a patient person. I want things to happen now. I hate waiting. My mind tells me, \"If you're standing still, nothing is happening.” But God's Word says: Stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes.

I think one reason I am not a patient person is because I hate loose ends. I want to complete the loop and make sure every package has a neat bow on it before moving on. But so often, life is full of loose ends, and we have to stand still and let them be.

Paul wrote that patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit, one of the types of evidence that God's Spirit is in control of your life. Well, I can sure tell you that when I am patient, it is not me. It is God's Spirit in me. I’ve learned to pray a lot about being patient, and believe it or not, I am more patient today than I used to be. God is helping me learn how to stand still and let him do it!

Here are some little secrets that are helping me learn how to stand still. When you are emotional about any situation, it is not the time to act. Stand still until your emotions have calmed down and you can be certain that you're thinking straight. Just today I dashed off an email to tell someone how to do something more effectively—or so I thought—but thankfully before I hit the send button, God’s Spirit just urged me not to send it. So, for once I didn’t let the emotional reaction of the moment cause me to do something without thought or prayer.

Often, we really want to do something when we're upset or angry, because our emotions are at such a high.

September 11, 2025 Principles for Difficult Relationships – 4

Have you ever worked with someone who was arrogant? A person who tried to tell you what to do and had delusions of grandeur? I’m examining some of the difficult relationships you may encounter on your job. As I've noted, one of the many purposes of difficult relationships is to teach us needed and important lessons. And humility is certainly an important lesson we can learn through an arrogant coworker.

The “Humble Yourself” Principle

Jesus says:
For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted (Luke 14:11).

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time (1 Peter 5:6).
Have you learned to look for opportunities to humble yourself? Now, I’m not talking about false humility, such as running yourself down, refusing to accept a compliment, or walking around with your head hung low. Most every day we will find opportunities to humble ourselves. For example, if you work with a bossy coworker, it is humbling to keep your mouth shut and not say something back to him or her. It is humbling to take his or her suggestion.

I began asking God to show me when and how to humble myself. It’s a good prayer and I recommend it to you. I found that not insisting on my rights was a key way to humble myself; not talking about myself or my accomplishments was another. Not needing to have the last word is another good way to humble yourself.

But don’t lose sight of the promises given to us when we truly are willing to humble ourselves. We will be exalted. Notice Peter said we will be lifted up in due time. That's probably not as soon as you would like it to be, but it will be in the right time after you have learned the valuable lesson of humbling yourself.

If you have a difficult person to deal with today, one who is arrogant or treats you in a condescending way, ask God to show you when you should humble yourself with this person. You’ll be amazed at the blessing it will bring to you when you practice this principle. And humbling yourself is much easier than having to be humbled!

September 10, 2025 Principles for Difficult Relationships – 3

Do you have any enemies? Enemies are people who make your life uncomfortable, difficult. They may cause unnecessary hurt or discord, and they are generally at odds with you in many ways, intentional or unintentional.

The \"Love Your Enemy\" Principle

Here is a principle from Matthew 5 that gives us direct guidance on dealing with a relationship “enemy.”
You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:43-45).
What a revolutionary teaching this was. Never before had anyone taught such convoluted doctrine. It goes against all our instincts to love our enemies. It demands an attitude foreign to our nature. It requires self-denial, which seems imminently unfair and all but impossible.

That's the way it often is with biblical principles. They go against our grain, but if you have some relationship “enemies,” God will empower you to love them if you are willing. Remember, loving doesn’t necessarily mean liking. This kind of love is an action, a set of our will, a decision to act in loving ways, even though our feelings may not be warm and fuzzy.
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you (Proverbs 25:21-22).
In these two passages from Matthew and Proverbs we learn three things about how we are to treat our enemies:

We are to love our enemies.
We are to pray for our enemies.
We are to give our enemies what they need.

We aren't promised our enemies will change or appreciate our loving attitude. But when we respond in loving ways toward people who make our lives difficult, we keep ourselves from sinning and we demonstrate the love of Jesus in very real ways.

September 9, 2025 Principles for Difficult Relationships – 2

I am looking at some biblical principles which give us guidance when we have to deal with a difficult relationship—like a coworker who is lazy, uncooperative, negative, to name a few.

The \"Speak-the-Truth-in-Love\" Principle

Ephesians 4:14-15 gives us a very important principle:
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ (Ephesians 4:14-15).
According to the Apostle Paul, speaking the truth to people is sometimes a way we can help them grow. Of course, the operative word here is “love.” Have you ever spoken the truth in haste or anger, hatred or vindictiveness, or with malice or in defensiveness?

The truth can often be very painful. When we speak it in anything but love, we can open a door that never should be opened and cause a rift in a relationship that may never be healed.

Which would describe you best?

Would you say you have difficulty speaking the truth in love even when you know you should? If so, is that because you hate confrontations or fear rejection or repercussions? Or perhaps you feel guilty since you know you’re not perfect either.
Or would you say you speak the truth too freely and often without compassion or forethought?

In practicing this biblical principle of speaking the truth in love, you need to exercise extreme caution. Words are very powerful and need to bathed in prayer. Your motivation must be carefully scrutinized to make certain you are speaking the truth in love for the right reason at the right time.

However, remember speaking the truth in love is a biblical principle, and when God puts you in a position to speak that, failing to do so is to rob the person of an opportunity to become more mature.

September 6, 2025 How Can We Have Patience?

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

Patience is often framed as an outward expression. We are told to have patience with situations and people, timing and circumstances. How can we reflect patience in very specific ways to help ourselves become even more impactful at work and in life overall? And how will this impact ultimately help us fulfill our true vocation—to shine the light of Christ in this world?

Those of us in Christ Jesus are “the salt of the earth, and the light of the world meant for people to see our good works and give glory to our Father in heaven.” This is a paraphrase of Matthew 5:13-15.

Working on our saltiness and our light calls us to consider our own behaviors and habits with patience. After all, how can we seek to maintain our salt and light if we are impatient?

What is impatience? Defined as the tendency to be impatient; irritability or restlessness, it feels agitated and wrought with anxiety and fear. Impatience feels consuming to me. Something that can keep me up at night thinking about all of the ways I need to solve for a situation or maybe how something has gone terribly wrong. It certainly doesn’t feel at all settled. And it certainly doesn’t feel like seeking the Lord.

Our God is all about patience with us. I recently shared that my own salvation happened when I was 30. God worked and worked for 30 years until that moment. He used my story to draw my grandmother to himself when she was 80! Yes 80. She is now 94 and recently shared her musings with me about how our bodies will be transformed in heaven. We both said, “Thank God!” You see, I have every reason to believe in the long game. We need to consider God’s timing on matters and his lavish patience as we decide to hone our own patience for increasing our own salt and light!

God waited 4,000 years between the fall of Adam in Genesis to Jesus’ birth in Matthew. We learn in 2 Peter 3:8 that: with the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day. When it comes to considering patience, we need to reflect on how finite our human view on time is. It is a clock with seconds, minutes, and hours and a calendar of days. But this is clearly not God’s view on time. This 4,000-year gap between the fall and our Savior did not feel long to God at all.

With this view of time in mind, let’s consider our own patience in the form of habits. There are so many books and articles about habit formation. A simple Google search will tell you that building a habit can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days with the average being 66 days. I loved reading the article “How Long Does it Really Take to Form a Habit?” on scientificamerican.com which stated that the 21 days to habit formation is a myth. To me this makes sense considering God’s timing and in his creation of you and me as individuals made in his image. In the eyes of God, our habit formation should be dependent on him. Thinking about anything we want to accomplish should start with developing a healthy patience and reliance on God alone.

Another term used for biblical patience is long-suffering. Having a long view of habit formation of any kind will surely give us endurance to not cave into the pressures of the moment, to give into impatience in reaching our desired results! Be encouraged his mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23). Every morning, we are blessed with a new day to start forming good habits——we just need patience and to know God is patient with us!

Having God-centered habits can help us maintain patience! And patience is powerful. Patience brings presence and perseverance. It can help you rise!

Let’s talk about five habits for maintaining patience.

First, wait on the Lord.

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes (Psalm 37:7).

When we see others around us perhaps making more progress than we feel we have been making,

September 5, 2025 Learning to Re-Learn – 5

Proverbs 31 says the virtuous woman is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. What does it mean to be able to laugh at the days to come? As I was re-reading that beautiful chapter in Proverbs, I thought about that phrase—laughing at the days to come.

For me, it means as I look at my personal future, I know regardless of what happens to me, my future destiny is secure. I've got eternal life right now because I've accepted Jesus as my Savior. Regardless of what the days hold, I'm not beset with the fears and worries of those who don't know Jesus as their Savior. I can laugh at the days to come.

It means I can face an uncertain financial future and laugh at it. I can't be certain I'll have an income next week or next month or next year. But because my safety net is Jesus Christ, I can laugh at that prospect and say, \"Never fear! God has promised to supply all my needs. Laugh at the days to come!\"

As I look at the trouble in the Middle East and see how tenuous things are in this world, I realize it would only take a small spark to put us on the brink of another awful war. And while that certainly isn't a laughing matter, I can laugh at the fear and the oppression of those thoughts, because my God is sovereign, and nothing is going to happen in this world without his purpose being served.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God (Psalm 20:7).
You may be facing many uncertainties, and you just don't know what the future will bring. But if your trust is in God—not in people, not in money, not in possessions or position—then you can laugh at the days ahead.

Paul put it another way:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6).
A great way to avoid anxiety and worry is to laugh at the days ahead. Those days are in God's hands, and he is perfectly capable of taking you through whatever they may hold.

September 3, 2025 Learning to Re-Learn – 3

Do you give up too easily? Do you keep wishing for the easy way out of whatever you are facing? It's likely you, like me, could use a lesson or two in how to persevere. Lots of people make good starts; not too many complete the course.

We read in Hebrews 12:1 we should run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Note each of us has a unique race marked out. Your race will be different from mine, but the important thing for both of us is to hang in there and cross the finish line.

The night is darkest just before the dawn, and all too often we quit the race when it gets dark and bleak, without realizing the finish line is just around the corner. In James 1, we read:
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:4).
Without perseverance we won't reach spiritual maturity. That's why we need to learn it.

How often do you feel like quitting? I can remember saying to the Lord, \"What use is it, Lord? I don't see light at the end of the tunnel, and I'd just like to walk away from the whole thing.” If you have those kinds of thoughts, you might as well talk to God about them. He knows what you're thinking anyway. But God reminded me I'm called to be faithful, to persevere, and I had to learn it all over again.
Don't wander away from the path but forge steadily onward. On the right path the limping foot recovers strength and does not collapse (Hebrews 12:13).
Therefore, we need to make certain we're on the right path and then stay on it regardless. Even if you're just limping along, don't stop. As we hang in there, our limps are healed, and we're able to cross the finish line.

How often do we quit as soon as we develop a limp? We failed, we weren't able to accomplish something we had planned, the resources we were counting on didn't come through, things didn't go as smoothly as we hoped. We got a \"hitch in our get-along\", and that ended the race for us. But the Bible says keep going on the right path even with your limp.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians, now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2).

Proving faithful is perseverance, and we can learn to be faithful and to persevere. I'll take a faithful person any day over one with bigger talents or gifts who isn't willing to hang in and get the job done—to stick with it through thick and thin times.

September 2, 2025 Learning to Re-Learn – 2

I'm examining four things we need to learn. And high on that list is our need to learn how to let go.

There are times when we simply must let go and turn situations over to God. By letting go, it does not mean we don't care, nor that we wouldn't do whatever we could do to help the situation. It simply means we recognize where our abilities end and where we relinquish situations to God's control.

For instance, most parents face this \"let go\" decision with their children. You raise your children the best you can, you try to teach them biblical principles, you do everything you know to help them. But at some point, you let them go. Perhaps you let them go, and they make their own mistakes. But you know there's no other way for them to learn. You let them go make their own decisions, even if you could make better ones for them. We parents have to learn to let our children go.

I answered a letter from a listener who is struggling with letting go of his dream to be married. He really wants a partner and is obsessed with that dream and just can't let go of it. Often, we have to let our dreams go—those cherished things we've been hoping and longing for. They may be very good things, like getting married. But God often wants to know if we love him more than we love our dream. And so we have to let go. Sometimes those dreams are returned to us fulfilled; sometimes they are not. But until we let go, they will possess us and rob us of joy and contentment.

We have to learn to let our burdens go. Jesus has told us to turn our heavy burdens over to him and accept his light one in exchange. I think many of us feel guilty when there's a problem in our life if we aren't feeling the burden all the time. But that's not the way God wants us to respond. He wants us to drop our burdens at his feet and just keep letting them go. I can tell you that many times I verbally tell God, \"Lord, I'm dropping this right here. I'm letting it go, because it's too heavy for me.\"

What is it that God wants you to let go of today? Let me encourage you to do it. You can trust God. He's able to take care of the situation, but first you have to give it over to him. Un-clinch those fists right now and just keep learning to let go. You'll have to learn and re-learn, but it's an important principle to learn for your daily living.

September 1, 2025 Learning to Re-Learn

I am examining four things you and I need to learn—and re-learn and re-learn! For example, how often do we need to learn to be content. Someone once said, \"The thing about life is, it's just so daily.” Do you find it that way sometimes: Routine, mundane, repetitive, and seemingly meaningless? Learning to live with the dailyness of life is a key to contentment and joy.

At times, we are victims of looking on the other side of our fence and deciding the grass over there sure looks greener than our grass. It just sometimes seems like our lives are painted drab gray and everybody else has bright red or yellow!

All our lives are made up in large part of those daily duties, those mundane tasks, those repetitive responsibilities. Nobody escapes them. Regardless of how green the grass looks in someone else's garden, believe me when I tell you their lives are very daily, too.

Someone once wrote: \"The uncommon life is the product of the day lived in the uncommon way.” That means a person whose life is exciting and full is one who finds meaning and satisfaction in the seemingly insignificant, daily things in our lives.

Let me give you a very simple example: I have some china I really love. And it's gives me great pleasure to set my table with it, to hold it, even to wash it. I enjoy my china. I remember once, when my daughter was very young, she found it rather strange to hear me getting excited about this china that I had owned for years.

And I said to her, \"If you can find pleasure and joy in the little things in your life, your life will be full of pleasure and joy. Otherwise, it's going to be very drab most of the time, with a few high points only now and then.\"

Regardless of how humble and unpretentious your daily life may seem, you can elevate it if you can learn to enjoy and appreciate the \"dailyness\" of your life—if you can appreciate what you have. As the Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4, it is learning the secret of being content in any and every situation. Contentment brings meaning to our daily lives and frees us from the dreariness of looking over our fence at someone else's grass.

Have you enrolled in the school of contentment? You can begin today by appreciating the small things, smelling the roses in your life, instead of being focused on what you don't have and looking over your fence all the time.

August 30, 2025 From “What If” to “Even If”

Life is full of “what ifs”, and often they are negative, right? They are usually full of fear and worrisome imaginations. And when you focus on all those “what ifs,” when you allow your mind to go to those negative possibilities, you become discouraged and frankly, miserable. So, let me ask you: How much time do you spend in the “what ifs” of life? In fear and worry, thinking about what could or might happen?

Here’s another “what if”: What if you changed “what if” to “even if”? Even if I lose my job, even if I get a bad health report, even if I’m robbed, even if someone I love dies. If you’re born from above through faith in Jesus Christ, what if you faced your “what ifs” with truth from God’s Word—truth that would set you free from the fear and worry and despair that your “what ifs” have caused?

We have promises from God’s Word we should throw in the face of our “what ifs.”

Promises like:

Isaiah 43:2: When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

Hebrews 13:5: Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

So, when you’re facing a “what if,” stop and talk to yourself. Seriously, you need to talk to yourself—out loud if possible—and remind yourself of God’s promises. Remind yourself of these truths. Bring those “what if” thoughts into captivity and make them obey the Lord.

You remember the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, three Jewish young men who were forcibly taken from Jerusalem to Babylon to serve in King Nebuchadnezzar’s court (Daniel 3). Shortly after they were forced into the service of this pagan king, they were faced with a direct affront to their faith in Jehovah God, as the king set up a golden image and ordered everyone to worship this pagan image or else be thrown into a fiery furnace.

Talk about a “what if”! What if they continued to serve the true God, Jehovah, and refused to bow down and worship that golden idol? They would perish as young men in the prime of their lives. This was a serious what if; there was no question that refusing to obey the king’s order would result in death. So, what was their decision? Here it is from Daniel 3:16-18:

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

They went from “what if” to “even if” and declared their trust in their God to deliver them. Even if they were burned to death in the furnace, they would not bow to any other god.

Maybe you’re facing a fiery furnace of your own—something that could destroy you or so it seems. Maybe it’s a financial furnace, or a health furnace, or a relationship furnace. You’re in the “what if” stage as you face the furnace. Can you replace your “what if” with an “even if,” declaring that even if your fears are realized, even if the worst happens, you will trust in God to deliver you, to go through it with you, and to rescue you?

Can you say with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, “Even if he does not, I will trust him”? That is walking by faith and not by sight, and even if your faith seems small or weak, God will be pleased with your “even if,” and you can be sure he will get you through. I pray you will place your trust in the same God who delivered these young men and who will deliver you.

Then there’s the story of when God confronted Moses and told him he had a job for him to do—to face Pharaoh and deliver his people from bondage. Moses had a bunch of “what ifs.”

August 29, 2025 A Proverb a Day – 5

This is a very special day for me personally. I’m recording program number 10,000. Each program is 3 minutes long so that’s 30,000 minutes this Monday to Friday daily has been broadcast on many stations. I am humbled to see how God has allowed us to continue the purpose for which I began this program in 1984—to equip, encourage and empower women in the workplace to see their calling as God’s ambassador wherever their career takes them.

Having had a long-time corporate career myself, I understood the need for more resources based on God’s Word to help us navigate the many challenges of living out our faith on our jobs, particularly in secular environments. I remember recording the first programs, and believe me, I was as green as it gets. I had stepped out on faith, believing this kind of program was needed, and trusted God as I walked through each open door.

We began on one station in Chicago, and honestly that was the limit of my vision at the time. I never dreamed God would make it possible to reach many other cities and even other countries through radio and now the internet.

I am pausing today to say thanks and to celebrate God’s faithfulness. Thanks that God can use anybody, even a woman with few qualifications and virtually no experience. Thanks that so many others have come around me through the years, helping me, teaching me, and encouraging me. Thanks to so many thousands of listeners who have supported this ministry.

I would encourage you to take seriously any passion God has laid on your heart and ask God what the next step is. It will be a step of faith, and you probably won’t be really qualified, but when he calls you, he will open the doors and empower you to flourish by his grace.

One verse comes to mind: The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24).

I testify that God is faithful, and what he calls you to do, he will equip you to do—for his glory and your good.

August 28, 2025 A Proverb a Day – 4

In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross-examines. (Proverbs 18:17).
I’m looking at a proverb a day to show us the way. This proverb is very good advice for us.

What it teaches us is to withhold judgment and opinions until we've heard both sides to any story. We shouldn't be gullible, and we shouldn't jump to conclusions.

This is a particularly difficult area for me. I am very impulsive and very much an over reactor. And every time I do that, I regret it. I am by God's grace focusing prayer and attention in my life on learning to wait until I hear both sides of any story, to make sure I've got my facts straight, to remember there may be something here I just don't know yet.

I remember coming into the office on a very busy day to find a message that irritated me at once. With only partial information, I thought this other person was doing something way out of line, and I overreacted. I went to the phone and started calling her, to get things straightened out. Thankfully, she was not in, and I didn't get to speak with her at that time.

When she returned my call and explained the situation, I realized the message had not been complete, and if I had talked with her earlier, I would have overreacted and probably hurt her feelings. God protected me that time and reminded me how much I need to learn not to overreact.

Wise Solomon warned us the first person to present their case can sound very convincing because we haven't heard the other side of the story. We need to listen to people but not be too quick to agree or disagree with them until we've sorted the facts out and know what we're dealing with. This is good advice for managers and employees alike.

I want to encourage you to go to the Proverbs daily for guidance. There are 31 chapters, so you can read the one that corresponds to the day of the month. I've been doing that for several years, and many times God has used the Proverbs to give me clear guidance, especially on job-related issues.

August 27, 2025 A Proverb a Day – 3

I'm looking at a Proverb a day to show us the way, because the book of Proverbs is wonderfully applicable to the situations we face in our everyday lives.
[If] you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth. So do this... Go and humble yourself... Allow no sleep to your eyes... Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler (Proverbs 6:2-5).
How many times have you wanted to crawl under a table because you said something you wished you hadn't? Perhaps they were words spoken in anger or haste, or words of gossip, or judgmental words. Unkind, untruthful, harsh, unnecessary words that inflicted harm of some kind.

What do you do? You can't unsay them; you can't delete them; you can't erase them. Those words hang there in your memory and the memory of others. What can you do?

Solomon says to go and humble yourself to the person your words harmed; go, confess to them, and do it immediately. Apologize and do all you can to free yourself from the damage of those words.

I know that's not easy to do, but it's a lot easier than not doing it! Once in a hotel on a business trip, I accused a hotel employee of neglecting to follow my instructions. I was certain I had given those instructions. Nicely, but directly, I said, \"I'm sure it's your fault; please correct it.”

A few minutes later I came to realize I was the one who was wrong, not him. It was embarrassing; I wanted to run away. But I forced myself to go to the phone, call the young man and apologize to him. Even a simple apology like that wasn't easy, but once I did it, I felt so free. And I could tell it made a big difference to him. He kept saying, \"That's so nice of you to call. Thank you.” It wasn't nice of me; it was just the right thing to do.

If you've offended someone with words, don't procrastinate. Go right now and apologize. That's good advice from Proverbs.

August 25, 2025 A Proverb a Day

There is a book in the Bible full of wisdom for our everyday lives, and that is the book of Proverbs. I’m going to share a proverb a day, which will show you the way! We’ll look at four different proverbs and see the wisdom for us. I encourage you to make Proverbs a daily reading habit. There are 31 chapters, so it's easy to read the chapter that corresponds to the day of the month. I've been doing that for several years and find the practical advice most beneficial in my life.

Let's look at Proverbs 22:10. It says, drive out the mocker and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended. Another translation reads, drive out the scoffer and contention will go out. Even strife and dishonor will cease.

Have you ever worked with a person who was a mocker and a scoffer? That's the person who makes fun of others, who ridicules people and organizations, who is arrogant and causes problems seemingly on purpose. When there's a mocker in the group, the work environment can be miserable and having a unified team is almost impossible.

This proverb says by getting rid of a mocker, you get rid of strife. If you are in a management position, it's good to remember there are times when the best thing you can do is to let an employee go. Now, I hope that doesn't sound cruel, but a person who is intent on offending others—and some people are—can have detrimental effects on an organization.

Of course, as Christians, we still must care about people regardless of how unlovable they are. And though we can never change people, the Holy Spirit can, so we shouldn't give up praying for them. But that doesn't mean we allow them to ruin the working environment for everyone else. Remember, the workplace is not a rehab center or a counseling office. We want to help people, when possible, but you don’t hire people to reform or change them; you hire them to do a job.

Solomon said, in his wisdom, you're better off to drive out the mocker and the scoffer, for by so doing, the strife and dishonor will stop, people will be able to work productively together, and everyone will benefit, including the person who is the troublemaker. Allowing him or her to continue to get by with that inappropriate behavior doesn't help the individual.

August 23, 2025 God Won’t Let You Go

Some years ago, someone sent me this story, which illustrates this truth—God won’t let you go. Let me tell you it.

On a hot summer day in Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. He jumped into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore.

His father working in the yard saw what was happening, and in utter fear, he ran toward the water, yelling to his son. The little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his father. It was too late. From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs.

That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the father, but the father would not let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard the screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scared by the vicious attack of the animal. And on his arms were deep scratches where his father's fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he loved.

The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said, \"But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too, because my Dad wouldn't let go.\"

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past and present crises we may be facing. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused deep pain or regret. But some wounds are because God has refused to let go. Amid our struggle, he's been there holding on to us.

God just won't let you go, no matter what you're going through. Think of Joseph. Through, no doubt, some childish bragging to his brothers, they decided to get rid of him, and sold him into slavery in Egypt. Joseph had done no great evil; he didn't deserve to be so terribly mistreated, but there he was, a slave and a prisoner in Egypt (Genesis 37-50).

But God never let go of Joseph, because Joseph never forsook his faith in Jehovah God. And he was used by God to deliver many people, including his own family, from starvation. I wonder how many times, as he sat in that prison, he just wanted to give up. It looked hopeless, but God didn't let go.

We have many wonderful illustrations in the Bible of how God didn't let go, even when his people foolishly waded into dangerous and sinful situations, sometimes out of ignorance, sometimes out of disobedience.

Think of Elijah. You remember the story found in 1 Kings 18, where Elijah challenged all the prophets of Baal, with great courage, and their pagan gods could not deliver them. Elijah triumphed over all that evil, proving that Jehovah God was the only true God. It was an incredible victory.

But the very next day, brave Elijah became a coward, fearful of one woman, Jezebel, who had threatened to kill him. He ran out of fear for his life. Elijah no doubt would have been diagnosed by doctors today as having a deep depression, even as being deluded, as he ran for his life.

But God didn't let go, and with great patience and kindness, he nurtured him back to strength, taught him some wonderful lessons, and brought him out of that deep funk an even better man of God—refined like gold.

Are you there? Has your faith failed you? Are you full of fear? Are you in that kind of deep depression where everything looks hopeless? Maybe you feel worthless, and you're sure that life is coming to an end—at least life with any meaning? The world around you is a mess, and that could cause you to be frightened and depressed. But I want to encourage you today to know God won't let go of you. He will patiently guide you back to wholeness, as he did with Elijah.

How did Elijah recover? He needed some rest and nourishment.

August 21, 2025 Created for Unity – 4

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

Are you under the impression that the women in the Bible weren’t working women? Many of the Christian women I encounter haven’t heard this important truth. Women have always worked! In fact, we examined this when we discussed the creation story of Genesis, the prophetesses Miriam and Deborah, and the women who worked in unity with Jesus! God needs us working in unity with men for his glory!

Women played an important role in the early church. I think about Mary being the first to see the resurrected Jesus. Scripture could have skipped ahead to meeting the disciples in Galilee, but it doesn’t! God wants us to see how his story includes the men and women he created in his image.

The Old Testament prophet Joel states, I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy. This verse can be found in Joel 28 and in summary in Acts 2.

The Spirit is for sons and daughters—both to prophesy!

One of the first accounts of healing in the book of Acts is of Tabitha (also known as Dorcas) in Acts 9:36-43. We learn she had died, and she was considered a woman full of good works and charity. She was apparently a very good seamstress as the scripture speaks of the tunics and garments she had made. We learn it was men urging them to come to the bedside of Tabitha. She was clearly respected. And she was raised to life by Peter.

Lydia is described in Acts 16 as a seller of purple goods and a worshiper of God. Paul came to find a group of women who had come together in prayer. He sought them out—to be in unity with them in prayer. His seeking and the Lord’s opening of Lydia’s heart to hear the good news of Jesus, opened new unity and provision for Paul when Lydia invite him to stay in her home. We also see that Paul returned to Lydia when he was released from prison. Lydia needed unity with Jesus, and Paul needed unity with Lydia for his work! We also learn those in Lydia’s household encouraged Paul.

Lydia was a seller. She worked. God used her work and leadership to help grow the early church!

God is still doing this today. Are you a creator like Tabitha or a seller like Lydia? Not only does your influence with others serve as an important way for the gospel to be shared, but your financial provision also can help ministries lay groundwork to encourage others to spread the good news and cause an increase in the Church of Jesus Christ! This is why your work and the unity between men and women is important to the Lord. Working together will ultimately create a much greater impact for the glory of the kingdom.

August 20, 2025 Created for Unity – 3

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

When you think of your work, do you think about the most important work God has called us to? That work is to share the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and this work is a shared work for all of us who are brothers and sisters in Christ. Men and women share a critical, unified role in sharing the beautiful gift of mercy and eternity we have in Jesus!

Although we see the twelve disciples Jesus calls in the New Testament are all men, we cannot choose to miss all the ways women were used by Jesus for the great work of sharing the good news!

Jesus’s first revelation of himself being the Messiah is to the woman at the well. This account in John 4 is significant first because Jesus is alone accepting water from a Samaritan woman. The Samaritans were the outcasts of the time, and this woman was a woman with many husbands. He breaks barriers to bring her into unity in his revelation. The best part is her response. This woman runs all the way back to town, not caring about who she is in this community but who she is in Christ, and begins to share the good news of the living water.

We see Jesus with Mary and Martha and their brother Lazarus in the scriptures. Mary and Martha provided hospitality to Jesus and the disciples with meals and a place to teach. We know Jesus deeply loved Lazarus and deeply cared for Mary and Martha, which was matched by their devotion and trust for him.

Not only were women part of the ministry of Jesus in his living but also in his death and resurrection.

At the crucifixion in Matthew 27:55-56 we learn there were many women there, looking from a distance. These women had followed Jesus from Galilee and ministered to him, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Again, this ministering could have been for physical needs like food and shelter or emotional and spiritual support during his ministry. Either way, these women, worked in unity with the men alongside Jesus.

The women at the cross displayed great loyalty to the end, and they were also first to learn of the resurrection.

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb (Matthew 28:1).

Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me” (Matthew 28:10).

We may not see a lot about the unity between the 12 disciples and these women, but we see a more important unity—the unity between Jesus Christ and them. How are you in unity with Jesus at work today?

August 19, 2025 Created for Unity – 2

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

We hear a lot about the prophets, but what about prophetesses? Women worked alongside men in the Old Testament, even as prophetesses of the Lord. Although the Old Testament text has a lot less to say about these women, we read that they were respected and sought after for their specific wisdom. The history in the Bible would surely not be the same without unity between these women and the men they served with and for.

Why don’t we see these stories as powerful movements for the kingdom of God? We have examined the unity God created men and women in and the unity of work he created us for. And we also examined how sin broke this sacred unity. This is the underlying why. Culture and sin both play an unintentional and sometimes intentional role in us not hearing more about these female prophets.

You could probably tell me a lot about Moses and Aaron, but what about their sister? Her name was Miriam, and she was also a prophet of the Lord. If I think about this trio more, I wish I could have heard more about their unity and the dynamics of their work together!

Miriam is one of the earliest leaders of worship! In Exodus 15:20-21 we see her leading other women in song and dance after they crossed the Red Sea. The timing of the text suggests she may have been the first to lead a victory celebration of the exodus from Egypt! Miriam was noted as one of God’s chosen leaders of the exodus in Micah 6:4.

I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam (Micah 6:4).

She was “joined as a whole” in unity with her brothers in this work.

Deborah, too, was a powerful prophetess. She is described in Scripture as a judge, military strategist, warrior, and mother in Israel. No, she was not an actual mom, but rather she was a leader of Israel.

In Judges, we see Deborah working, first as a judge and then as the one who leads Israel to war.

Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided (Judges 4:4-5).

Men and women sought her counsel. In the next verse we see Deborah sends for and summons Barak.

Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go” (Judges 4:8).

You can read more about this in Judges chapters 4 and 5, but again we see God using men and women—in unity— to complete work.

How do you see examples of Miriam and Deborah and their unity with the men around them in your work today?

August 16, 2025 Unity Unraveled: The Gender Divide in Workplace Support

The studies and articles aren’t new. In fact, the first workplace gender research started in the 1960s and 1970s. Men and Women in the Corporation by Rosabeth Moss Kanter was considered one of the first academic studies on gender differences in work behavior and opportunity, and this was in 1977. This conversation is as old as me, but I would like to remind you that women at work is not a construct of the early world wars and industrial revolutions as you may have been taught. Women and men working together started with creation in Genesis 1. Men and women were created to work together.

In Genesis 1:26-27, we see the beautiful work of unity in creation. Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and every other creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

When we read the verses about creating man, he created both male and female in his own image. Not men exalted above women or women above men, but creation in his image, in unity.

If we don’t look to the beginning, it is easy to look at the ways that culture and society have created norms about work. The reality is these are not God’s norms for men and women. The next verses in Genesis 1: 28-29 further frame God’s plans for man and woman:

And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’

God gave man and woman an equal command to work in unity.

You already know that once sin crept in, this unity was forever broken. Sin impacts this sacred creation in every way, and our cultural norms which have been forming since the 70s continue to impact how men and women work together.

What does this sin look like within the context of work? What is causing the continued gender bias issues for women? The answer doesn’t start with work; it really begins outside of the office and is part of the cultural and societal brokenness between men and women that has systematically and year after year found its way into our work.

With my aim being unity between men and women as advocates to solve this issue, I wondered, who were the leading male voices for gender equality at work. One name that came up was Tony Porter.

Tony is the founder and CEO of A Call to Men. He seeks to teach systemic change for between men and women in society. In an article published on his website, “Is your Organization Unintentionally Reinforcing Gender Bias at Work,” Tony states this, “…the workplace is a microcosm of society—a society where men and boys are collectively socialized to view women as objects, as property and as having less value than men.”[1]

This blanket statement is not felt by all women, of course, but as a whole, it sums up that sin and the brokenness of not seeing men and women created equally in the image of God is at the root of the issues still facing women today.

Fortunately and unfortunately, the Bible is full of cultural examples of both unity and brokenness between men and women. If we look at the Word of God, we will all struggle to understand some of the terrible injustices women faced including being taken by force into marriage, raped, and being cast out of society. Again, at the moment of the fall, the unity and sacred relationship between men and women fell, and it fell hard.

But, for every hard-to-read passage of Scripture about injustices for women, there are beautiful examples of how God used women and work for the glory of his kingdom. Women played an important role in the formation of the early church where they not only served the disciples with hospitality but also provided money for the ministry and teaching ...

August 15, 2025 Why Unity Matters – 5

Presented by Julie Busteed

I’ve been talking about the importance of unity—not just with fellow believers, but also with our coworkers.

Today’s workplace looks different than it used to. Some people work remotely, some in the office, and others split their time between both. Each setup has its benefits, but they also come with unique challenges—especially when it comes to staying connected.

How do we stay on the same page and remain unified in our purpose and mission when we’re not all in the same physical space?

It takes intentional effort. Hopefully, your workplace provides tools like messaging apps or video conferencing to help you communicate regularly. But staying connected may also mean being more proactive—since those informal “water cooler” conversations don’t happen as naturally.

Here are a few suggestions for maintaining unity in a diverse working environment:

Practice overcommunication. Even in in-person settings, this is often overlooked. Many times, I think I’ve communicated clearly, only to realize later it wasn’t understood as intended. When you have a conversation—whether by phone or video—follow up with an email to summarize key points. And before you hit send on any message, re-read it. What seems clear to you may need a little fine-tuning for someone else to fully grasp.
Schedule regular video check-ins. Whether it's with your whole team or one-on-one, set up consistent meetings. These touchpoints help move projects forward, provide space for clarification, and keep relationships strong. If you can occasionally meet in person, even better.
Build trust and personal connections. Social connection matters. Not just for morale but for productivity too. When people trust each other and feel valued, they collaborate better and bring fresh, creative ideas to the table.

Ultimately, unity comes when everyone understands the goal and the reason behind it. A shared sense of purpose fuels effective teamwork.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18).
And let’s not forget: In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, charity.

August 13, 2025 Why Unity Matters – 3

Presented by Julie Busteed

The Psalmist writes: How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity (Psalm 133:1)! How good and pleasant it is to be in unity with others. But that’s not always how life works—especially at our jobs.

Just as unity is important in your relationship with Christ and fellow believers, it’s also important in your workplace. Teams that have a common and shared goal will work together to reach the goal.

A Teamraderie article cites unity at work is important because research shows approximately 70% of employees believe poor collaboration is decreasing their productivity.[1]

If you’re concerned about productivity and the bottom line, that’s a lot of unproductive time spent because of disunity or poor collaboration.

The article goes on to report nearly two-thirds of the respondents (64%) claim poor collaboration is costing them at least three hours per week in productivity, with 20% claiming they are wasting as many as six hours per week.

If you are a manager or an owner or project leader, then communicating the goal and purpose clearly is a priority. Taking time and effort to make sure you listen and understand obstacles and concerns is important. Then get that message across to ensure everyone is on the same page with the mission of the project or the company. It takes time and energy to do this, but the resulting benefits should prove to be worth it.

An encouraging environment with good collaboration starts with being open to others' concerns, communicating ideas and processes clearly, and showing respect. Even if you're not the manager or in charge, your respectful attitude and willingness to listen can go a long way in building unity within the workplace.

How do you handle disagreements though?
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (Proverbs 15:1).

A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel (Proverbs 15:18).
Being gentle and patient in response to a disagreement will help navigate the conversation. Ask questions if you are not clear on something. Remain calm and listen to what’s being said as opposed to what your response will be.

Give yourself time to respond. It’s okay to say, “I need to think about this,” or “Let me give it some thought, and I’ll get back to you.” This shows you’re taking the other person seriously and considering their perspective. It doesn’t mean you have to agree just to avoid conflict—that’s not helpful either. But it also means not dismissing his or her ideas right away. Remember the Golden Rule: treat others the way you want to be treated.

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[1] Teamraderie Editorial Team. (2024, August 9). A Guide to Achieving Unity in the Workplace. Teamraderie. http:\/\/teamraderie.com\/insights\/unity-in-the-workplace\/

August 12, 2025 Why Unity Matters – 2

Presented by Julie Busteed

How can you work together with others but have so many differences? The Apostle Paul gives a great example in 1 Corinthians 12 of how you and I are each created differently but are also united in Christ.
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many (1 Corinthians 12:12-14).
This is such a clear image of what the body of Christ is and how the church is to work together. Paul goes on to explain in more detail. For example, the eye doesn’t make up the whole body, and it can’t say to the hand that it doesn’t need it. He says God has put the body together that there should be no division in the body—all parts should have equal concern for one another. If one part suffers, all parts suffer, and if one part is honored, every part rejoices. I know it’s an overused phrase, but we are better together—when we share the same purpose and goal.

The early church is a beautiful example of this. Luke records in chapter 2 the unity this body of believers experienced.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-47).
The unity and love between the early Christians were evident to all. The way they treated one another, prayed for one another, enjoyed meals together, and worshipped God was a witness to others of the gospel of Christ. And because of this, the Lord increased their numbers. More people were drawn to Christ because of the evident love between the believers. What an encouragement to me.

How can you and I show this love and unity? I think the same way the early church did. We can care for others, pray with and for others, worship together, and so much more. Even at work we can show this kind of unity, by caring for our coworkers and praying for them.

August 11, 2025 Why Unity Matters

Presented by Julie Busteed

In a society when there is so much discord and argument and division, unity is a rare thing. As a Christ-follower, why do we need to have unity? Jesus gives us this reason:
My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me (John 17:20-23).
Being unified in Christ and with the body of Christ is a powerful witness to the world of God’s love. As Christians, our unity in Christ and with other Christians is essential.

But being united doesn’t mean we are all the same. We are uniquely created with different gifts and talents. And yet united!

I love this saying: In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, charity.

Christians need to be of the same mind on the core beliefs—things that matter—that are essential. In church we often recite or read the Apostles Creed, which states some core beliefs of faith: God is the creator. Jesus is his only son, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, was crucified, died and buried. On third day, he rose again and sits at the right hand of God, and he will come to judge the world.

I’m summarizing here, but you get the idea.

For Christians, these are non-negotiable beliefs. It doesn’t have anything to do with the worship music, or how the service should be ordered, or what we should wear to church, or any of those other things. Some of those things are important, but they are more preferences—so there’s liberty—or freedom in the “non-essential” things. We may prefer a certain worship style and find other worship styles unsettling, but if those core beliefs are shared, then there’s freedom to worship.

And above all, there’s charity—love! You and I need to make room for other people’s preferences. It doesn’t have to be done exactly our way. God created us uniquely and as a result there are unique ways to worship and serve him.

August 9, 2025 Crucial Conversations Part Two

Crucial conversations are often with people who will continue to be in your life no matter how the conversation turns out, and these conversations may cover a span of time. For example, sometimes we have to approach a family member about an issue, a close friend, or a coworker that we see every day.

A friend told me about some crucial conversations she has had with her siblings concerning the care of their aging parents. Despite her many requests for help, they have simply ignored her, and she is left as the principal and really only caregiver for her parents—and at great sacrifice on her part. I questioned her approach, and it surely seems that she has been as clear and assertive as anyone could be. But she cannot force them to do what they are not willing to do. And so, her choices are to leave her parents without the care they need or keep doing what she is doing, which is totally not fair to her.

In such cases, the biggest issue you face is bitterness—allowing others to cause you to be bitter. That always backfires on us, doesn’t it? So, don’t let bitterness get a foothold. Hebrews tells us: See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many (Hebrews 12:15).

When you allow those bitter roots to grow, you heap more trouble on yourself because bitterness will eat you alive, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. It will affect your well-being.

Then, commit these intransient situations to God in prayer and wait for him to answer. I know that’s very hard to do because he never answers on our timetable, but he is a trustworthy God. If you are part of his family through faith in Jesus Christ, he has promised to care for you.

Read Psalm 91 and take great comfort in the truth that he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone (Psalm 91:11-12). Just take that promise at face value and be aware that God has sent angels to guard you and keep you from disaster. Even though you can’t see them, they are there. You then can rest in the shadow of the Almighty, because God is your refuge and fortress.

Now, let’s talk about how to react if you’re on the receiving end of a crucial conversation, perhaps one that has taken you by surprise. First remember that a good thing to do, if possible, is to buy yourself some time. Guard your mouth and your tongue. You may want to lash out and defend yourself, but if the sparks are flying, you might be well advised to simply buy some time.

How? Well, just say something like, “I need some time to think about this; can we come back to it tomorrow?” Or, “I appreciate you bringing this to my attention. Can you please give me a day to think about it?” I remember when, in a non-threatening situation, a woman I spoke to asked for time. I asked her a crucial question having to do with money, and she simply said, “I haven’t thought about that. Would you mind if I get back to you in a day or two?” I didn’t mind at all, and I appreciated her desire to answer the question from a more informed position.

Defending ourselves is the most natural course of action for us as human beings. And once we’re in defensive mode, it blocks our ability to take in new information or see two sides to an issue. Even though it’s a very normal reaction when some criticism is coming our way in an unexpected crucial conversation, it is the enemy of finding any kind of solution to the problem at hand.

So, how do we avoid being defensive? I find that my personality is pretty defensive—in other words, I get to defensive mode quicker than most people do! Not good, so it becomes a matter of prayer for me. You may not be aware of the crucial conversation that is coming your way, but you can be aware of your tendency to be defensive—and that means you can pray about it in advance. Ask God to help you overcome this bad habit.

August 8, 2025 Working for Unity at Work – 5

What parent hasn’t said to a small child, “Now, play well with your friends.” We try to motivate them to play with consideration, not to be selfish, to share their toys—to “play nice” as we say. Don’t you think we need to “work nice” with our fellow workers?

Here’s one last suggestion for creating more unity where you work: Help others to find their greatness and to develop and use their talents and skills. This applies not only to those in management, but all of us can look for ways to help others grow in their job and become better at what they do.

If you are particularly skilled in an area a new coworker struggles in, you could offer to coach her in it. Not only would that benefit her, but the growth of individual employees benefits the whole. Organizations would be immeasurably better if we all simply helped others find their greatness and realize their potential.

I think we would be shocked if we knew how much time, productivity, and success are lost simply because we don’t share with each other. I remember reading an article about the terrible Columbia Space Shuttle disaster in 2003. At the center of it was a lack of proper communication and an unwillingness to share knowledge and research, causing technical problems and ultimately the disaster itself. Knowing this makes the tragedy so much worse, doesn’t it?

Jesus gave us the greatest example of equipping others to succeed. He began with twelve unqualified men, taught them, role-modeled for them, and then after his resurrection, he sent the Holy Spirit to indwell them and empower them so they could be all he intended them to be. He equipped them—and he still equips us today. If you’re born from above, you have the Holy Spirit indwelling you, and he gives you the power to work well with others, to love others, to be a true friend and a peacemaker even on your job.

August 7, 2025 Working for Unity at Work – 4

How often do you complete a goal or project with no help from others? My guess is we rarely reach our goals on our own. We receive help and cooperation, ideas and support from others, and that makes it possible for us to succeed.

I’m examining how to strive for more unity in the workplace, and one of the basic things to remember is to share credit for accomplishments and ideas.

Have you ever seen someone who won a very coveted award or accomplished something truly outstanding, and as they were recognized, the first thing they said was, “I could never have done this without. . .” and then they named others who helped. Actually, there are so many small moments in our days when we can share the credit and acknowledge the contribution that someone else has made.

Do you ever thank your boss for helping you? Have you taken time to send an email to a coworker who went out of his or her way to give you some advice or share some ideas with you? I think we often just overlook these little things; we get too busy, or we simply don’t realize how powerful “thank you” is.

One of the things we try to do well here at The Christian Working Woman is to say “thanks.” So many people have partnered with us throughout the 40+ years of this ministry, and I am very aware we could never have made it without them—without you!
A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver (Proverbs 25:11).
An aptly spoken word is “thanks”, and it is beautiful. Believe me when I tell you—thank you is powerful, and you can’t overdo it. Are you intentional about recognizing and thanking those you work with and for? It will go a long way toward creating more unity. Give it a try.

August 6, 2025 Working for Unity at Work – 3

Would you like to have a better atmosphere where you work—one with more unity? I’m examining what you can do—as one person—to improve the atmosphere at your job. And that mainly means what you can do to work well with others.

We hear lots of comments about how difficult workplaces are these days. With the scarcity of jobs and many companies asking more work from less employees, it can feel like you are trapped in a job you don’t like, and you have no hope of escaping. But I want to challenge you to try to improve the place you’re in. As a Christian, a true follower of Jesus Christ, your first priority is to represent Christ well where you work, regardless of the circumstances.

I’ve made two suggestions that may help. Here’s number three: Never ambush your coworkers or boss. For example, if you bring up a problem in a departmental meeting and it’s the first time your boss or the people involved have heard about it, then you may have blindsided them. They may interpret that to mean you’re trying to make them look bad. Always discuss issues first with the people directly involved.

Not only will that prevent you from appearing to ambush them, but you’ll likely learn a different perspective of the situation.
In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross-examines (Proverbs 18:17).
We’ve all witnessed times when someone forcefully presented their case, expressed their opinion, pointed their fingers, and then when the facts were fully revealed, they were made to look foolish.

To have unity where you work, there needs to be trust. Trust is built over time, and the little things you do—or don’t do—daily will create a firm belief in the minds of your coworkers as to whether they can trust you. Are there not some people on your job you simply don’t trust? This should never be the perception our coworkers have of you as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

It was said of Daniel that his coworkers could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent (Daniel 6:4). A distinguishing mark of a Christian in a secular workplace should be we never ambush others, and we are very trustworthy.

August 4, 2025 Working for Unity at Work

A study showed if you have a good friend at work, you are much more likely to be satisfied with your job. How would you describe your work relationships? Do you just tolerate your coworkers, or would you count at least some of them as good friends? Your answer to those questions could have a lot to do with how you feel about your job.

I want to talk about what you can do to work well with others, to make those working relationships more pleasant and to have more unity where you work. The workplace can bring out the worst in people, but as ambassadors for Jesus Christ, the workplace is our opportunity to shine as lights in a dark place and change the atmosphere by learning how to work well with others. One person can make a difference, so why shouldn’t that one person be you?

Here is my number one suggestion for working well with others: Don’t play the blame game. Shifting the blame for any situation is a big no-no. I’m not suggesting you take blame for something that was not your responsibility, but don’t alienate coworkers by pointing fingers, especially in a meeting or where multiple people are present.

Often problems must be addressed and those responsible must be identified and corrected. But the way you go about this will make all the difference in helping correct a problem or making it worse. You should always confront privately, one-on-one, after you have had time to think it through, form your words, control your anger, and make sure you’re speaking truth in love—meaning you’re doing this for the good of the other person not to vent your frustration. You could win a person over this way.

Remember, pick your fights. There are some hills that simply aren’t worth dying on, so be willing to let some things go.

August 2, 2025 Crucial Conversations Part One

I thought it important to talk about times of crucial conversations, because quite honestly, they can be helpful in unifying people on the job. But if not handled correctly, they can cause division. As Christ-followers we should always speak the truth in love, and that just means you hold these crucial conversations for the purpose of helping another person understand, keeping their welfare in mind. You speak the truth with the right motivation.

Every crucial conversation needs to be surrounded by prayer. If you know in advance that such a conversation will occur, obviously you have time to pray specifically about it. If not, that’s when you send up emergency prayers for that conversation.

If you will pray in advance, asking for wisdom, making certain your motivation is one of helping not blaming or condemning, asking God to help you see this person as he does, it will make a huge difference in how you handle the conversation.

Here’s an example of a crucial conversation on your job: Imagine you are a manager, and you have an employee who is not being truthful with you. Records are lost, money is missing, reports are doctored—and now you must have a crucial conversation with this employee about these issues. The stakes are high—the employee could be fired—and you are already feeling the emotions of such a conversation in advance. How do you handle this crucial conversation?

Consider first that it is best not to cause the other person to become defensive or shut down and refuse to share if you can avoid it. Even if you have proof that they are guilty, a finger-pointing approach doesn’t work. In our hypothetical case, you might begin by saying, “If the information I have is correct, it seems that your reports are not factually accurate, and it appears that the use of funds has not been according to company policy. Can you shed any light on these?”

Think of what you really want to achieve through this crucial conversation. Do you want the relationship to survive? Do you want this person to learn from these mistakes and move forward? If your goal is not only to confront wrongdoing but to correct it and move forward, then think of how you need to approach this person to achieve those results.

In a conversation about a church situation where a staff person had to be confronted about wrong behavior, the question was asked, “Did you try to restore that person?” In this case, the position had to be relinquished because of the nature of the offense, but was anyone trying to help restore this person spiritually? Unfortunately, the answer was no. The goal was to ask for his resignation, with little or no thought given to restoration. This conversation might have had a better outcome if the goal of the conversation had been more than just requesting a resignation but also trying to restore that person to a right relationship with God.

Galatians 6:1 reminds us: Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. That’s a good guideline for determining our purpose for a crucial conversation.

Now, let’s talk about how we deal with strong emotions in a crucial conversation. If you’re like me, you probably have difficulty controlling your emotions when you’re in these situations. Crucial conversations are almost always high-charged emotional conversations. They are about issues that are sensitive; they often bring to light some wrong behavior or mistake that is not easy to talk about. And that can cause all kinds of emotional responses.

In this hypothetical situation of an employee who has proven to be dishonest in several areas, it’s like catching your kid with his hand in the cookie jar—the proof is irrefutable, but they still try to avoid the consequences. So, how can this crucial conversation move forward to an effective conclusion when you or the other person is angry, scared, or hurt?

July 31, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Dealing with a Difficult Manager – 4

Fran has been given a very bad appraisal and put \"on notice\" by her manager, Marilyn, because Fran refused to submit dishonest numbers to a prospect, as Marilyn told her to do.

With Jesus to guide her, Fran has calmly asked to exercise her right to talk with the VP of Human Resources, Ed, and voice her disagreement with the very bad appraisal she received. It has become clear to Fran, by the way Marilyn is reacting, that she doesn't want her to talk to Ed, and she is certain Marilyn has been lying to her.

Marilyn stares at Fran with a look of fear and hatred, and she says to Fran, \"If you think you can get me in trouble, you're wrong, Fran. My job is secure; they'll believe what I tell them, not what you write on that form or say to Ed.\"

For the first time, Fran sees Marilyn is an insecure, desperate woman. The facade of being in charge and having it all together has fallen off like a coat. Seeing this, Fran can feel nothing but pity for Marilyn. \"Lord,\" she says to Jesus, \"look at her. She's pitiful.\"

\"Yes, Fran, you're looking through my eyes now and you see Marilyn to be what she is: A very insecure and frightened woman,” Jesus says to Fran.

And now Fran knows what she should do. She turns to Marilyn, and says, \"You know, Marilyn, maybe it's not really necessary for me to talk to Ed at this time. If you'll just tell me exactly what I have to do to improve my performance, and put that in writing for me, I'll do everything I can honestly do to improve. I believe another appraisal will be due in three months, and hopefully by then you will be able to change it. That could solve the whole issue, couldn't it?\"

Fran turns to Jesus with a funny look. \"I didn't intend to say that, Lord. Where did that come from?\"

Jesus smiles at her. \"From me. You prayed that your words would be pleasing to me, so I put them in your mind. That's an answer to prayer, Fran.\"

Fran is amazed, and she looks at Marilyn, who has quietly sat down and seems much calmer, almost sheepish. \"Fran,\" she says, \"I, uh, I'm sure, uh... Well, yeah, I think that's a possibility. You could possibly pull your appraisal up in three months. Do you still want to talk to Ed?\" Marilyn asks.

\"No,\" Fran replies, \"as long as I have in writing exactly what I'm supposed to do, I'm willing to give it a three-month trial before talking to Ed.\"

Fran could have caused Marilyn a lot of trouble; instead, she chooses to show mercy. And all because Jesus was there with her, guiding her every word.

July 30, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Dealing with a Difficult Manager – 3

Fran, our workplace woman has just received a very unfair and vindictive appraisal from her manager. This means Fran will be officially \"on notice,\" and could lose her job in three months. She went into panic mode, but with Jesus right beside her, she hears him tell her exactly what to say.

Fran turns to Marilyn, her boss, \"Well, Marilyn, I think the procedures give me the right to voice my objection to this appraisal. I'd like to express my feelings.\"

Marilyn's face gets redder, and she stands over Fran intimidatingly. \"You can do whatever you like, but it won't get you anywhere. I've reviewed all this with Ed, Vice President of Human Resources, and he's in total agreement with what I've done. Insubordination is an offense for which any employee can be fired. You'll find it in the personnel handbook, if you don't believe me.\"

\"Oh, I believe you, Marilyn,\" Fran replies, \"but I don't feel I've been insubordinate, and I'd like to follow the procedures for expressing how I feel.” Fran is amazed at the calmness in her voice, and the peaceful feeling she has. She's also amazed at Marilyn's lack of control; she's never seen her so angry and hateful.

Jesus whispers in Fran's ear, \"Please remember that Marilyn is angry because you did the right thing. You were a light shining in her darkness, and she didn't like it. Don't take it personally; I'm going to get you through this, Fran, I promise.\"

Just hearing his voice assures Fran, and the peace that passes understanding sweeps over her. But somehow, the more peaceful she feels, the more upset and out of control Marilyn seems to be.

After pacing in front of Fran, Marilyn turns and says, \"There's a place on page 3 of the appraisal for your comments, if you insist on getting yourself in further trouble. After you write them, return the appraisal to me. I'll take it to Ed.\"

\"Marilyn,\" Fran says, \"I can request an interview with Ed, isn't that right?\"

When Fran sees how angry this makes Marilyn, she says to Jesus, \"Oops, I think I said the wrong thing. Guess I shouldn't have brought that up, huh Lord?\"

\"No,\" Jesus responds, \"it's okay, Fran. Marilyn is uncomfortable because she's been lying to you, and she knows you could get her in a bunch of trouble if you go talk to Ed.\"

\"Lying to me? Why, of course,\" Fran replies. Suddenly it's all so clear to Fran. Marilyn is bluffing about Ed, trying to frighten Fran. She never dreamed Fran would think of talking to Ed. And now Fran has the advantage over Marilyn. All she has to do is insist on her right to talk to Ed, and Marilyn will be in trouble. What will Fran do now?

July 29, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Dealing with a Difficult Manager – 2

Our friend, Fran, a workplace woman, was headed into her boss's office for her annual appraisal. But thankfully, she's not going there alone; she is aware Jesus is right beside her.

\"Come on in, Fran,\" Marilyn says in a rather rigid voice, as she closes the door behind her. \"I've already completed your appraisal, and what I'd like you to do is look it over and then we'll discuss it.” She hands Fran the appraisal form.

Fran's eyes begin to focus on the appraisal form and slowly she realizes she has been given a very poor appraisal. Marilyn has given her the grade of \"Does not meet the requirements of the job,\" which means Fran will be put on notice. By being put on notice, she is given three months to improve and if not, she will be fired. She gulps hard and silently prays.

\"Lord, do you see this? Can you believe it? There's no way she can justify this poor rating. It means I get no raise, and I may get fired. Lord!\"

\"Yes, Fran, I see it. The important thing now is to stay calm. Remember, you prayed about your words, so be very careful what you say. Measure your words carefully,\" Jesus assures her.

With her heart beating like crazy, Fran looks up at Marilyn. \"I guess you can see that this appraisal is very shocking to me. I really don't understand how you can honestly appraise my work as not meeting the requirements. Here are my sales figures; as you know, I'm second in the whole office in volume and first in customer retention. I just don't understand,\" Fran says to Marilyn, as she hands her the sales figures.

\"Listen, Fran, numbers don't tell the whole story. You demonstrated a total unwillingness to obey orders, you were insubordinate, and as a result we lost the D3 University business. I could fire you for that, Fran, but I'm giving you a break. You have three months to shape up and decide if you're a team player or not. Otherwise, you'll be looking for another job.\"

Fran can't believe her ears. \"Jesus,\" she says, \"are you going to let her get by with this? You know how unfair this is; after all, I was doing what you told me, I was doing the right thing, and now I'm about to lose my job. Jesus, where are you?\"

\"I'm right here, Fran; I haven't moved an inch,\" he says comfortingly to her. \"Have I ever failed you?\" he asks Fran. \"Have I ever left you or forsaken you?\"

\"No,\" Fran replies, \"but this is different. I'm really in trouble. What do I do?\"

\"I thought you'd never ask,\" says Jesus, and he begins to put into her mind what to say to Marilyn.

July 26, 2025 Working By the Jesus Rules

Jesus tells a parable in Matthew 20 that is a puzzle for us to understand. It’s the story of an employer who offers to hire workers for a certain amount, the workers agree to the pay, and they go to work in his vineyard. Some start working early in the morning and work all day, others are hired throughout the day, and finally at five o’clock this employer hires even more people to come and work in the vineyard for the last hour of the day.

At the end of the workday, the employer pays them the exact same amount, even though some have worked twelve hours, some ten, and some just one hour. Well, as you can understand, those who worked the entire day were not happy campers.

When they received the pay they had agreed to, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day’ (Matthew 20:11-12).

To our human minds, this just seems wrong! It’s not fair! Those are probably some of the first words you ever uttered: It’s not fair! We’re born with an “it’s not fair” attitude—wanting things to be equal, fair, right. But this parable emphasizes the fact that the Kingdom of God is not a fair kingdom! Grace is not fair. God pours his grace and blessings on us though we never deserve them. The Kingdom of God is run on Jesus rules—and those are totally different than the way the world works.

Jesus tells this parable to help his followers understand that he will bless those he chooses to bless and be generous to those he chooses, and we should always remember how unfairly God has treated us—and be very grateful. He doesn’t deal with us as our sins deserve. He doesn’t dispense grace to us based on our performance. His kingdom is not like ours; his rules are usually the opposite of what the world’s rules are.

As Jesus tells this parable, this is how the landowner responds:

But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ (Matthew 20:13-15).

Jesus is trying to show us that God is God, and he runs the show. He rules the universe. It runs on the Jesus rules. But here’s the thing—the Jesus rules are meant to bring us peace and contentment, and they do when we live by them. It’s upside-down living, I know, but it brings immediate and eternal joy.

His message in this parable is that we are to work without envy. We are not to compare ourselves to others and envy what others get or have or do. Envy will eat you alive. Proverbs 14:30 says: A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

Is there some envy in your heart today—toward coworkers or others? It will rot your bones—destroy your health, shorten your life. If you want to work by Jesus rules, then you need to clean out the envy in your heart. Believe me, you’ll be so glad you did.

In Matthew 21 Jesus tells the parable of the two sons. The father told the first son to go work in the vineyard. That son refused to go, but later he changed his mind and went. The second son agreed to go, but then he didn’t. Jesus asked, Which of the two did what his father wanted? Obviously the first son did what his father asked.

One of the things this parable teaches us is that we should walk our talk. The second son gave the right answer, he looked and sounded good, but he failed to deliver. He was all talk and no walk. A good rule of thumb is “Under promise and over deliver.” That’s what the first son did. He delivered more than he promised. His talk wasn’t very impressive, but he actually went out and got the work done.

Have you known people who could talk a really good game but never put the elbow-grease behind their talk?

July 25, 2025 When Conflict Arises – 5

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

What is clear is that as followers of Jesus Christ we are called to handle conflict differently.

In verse 1 of John 16, Jesus says to his disciples, all this I have told you so that you will not fall away. Why is this significant? This singular verse follows John 15, and Jesus teaching about abiding. Just as we discussed earlier this week, Jesus knew we would face conflict. In fact, he is even more specific about this conflict in John 15:18. Jesus reminds us that if the world hates us know that it hated him before it hated you or me. Now let’s put this together. Jesus wants us to abide, because he knows we will need him. He knows we need his love, his friendship, his counsel and his joy.

The conflicts in our day to day are heavy, but sometimes our Father is using these conflicts to help us to bear more fruit for his Kingdom. Yes, I said it. God uses these conflicts to grow us! John 15:2 states, every branch that does bear fruit he prunes that it will bear more fruit. Pruning is a verb meant to trim by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems, especially to increase fruitfulness and growth. Sometimes conflict happens to remove things from our lives that don’t belong. That could be at work too. God can use these moments to shine a light of our need for a greater reliance or abiding with him. Another word used in these verses in place of abide is remain. Remain or stay. How often are we not remaining with Jesus? Are we wandering too far from the perfect, life-giving vine of Jesus Christ?

This is the vine of perfect love—a vine that says we can ask whatever we wish in Jesus’ name! A vine that doesn’t consider us servants but friends. A vine that apart from, we can do nothing. Don’t ever forget this. Apart from Jesus we can do nothing. This means conflict. We should not engage in conflict without seeking Jesus.

Now, conflict isn’t the only pruning God uses in our lives, but surely when we are in the midst of conflict, God’s number one goal for us is how we seek him in the trial!

July 23, 2025 When Conflict Arises – 3

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

Staying quiet when you are in conflict is hard! I know I have been guilty of saying too much during a conflict—especially if it is something I am passionate about!

Getting wound-up during a conflict is easy. You have a point of view, and you think it is the right point of view. Maybe you have stated your point of view, but it seems like no one is listening. Perhaps you are experiencing a conflict and don’t know what to say, or you feel plain defeated in trying to continually do the right things and it doesn’t seem to get you anywhere.

Are your words empty? The Bible cautions of the words that we use.
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words (Matthew 6:7).
Are you talking a lot but without a lot of substance?

Proverbs 21:35 in the message translation also warns,
Watch your words and hold your tongue; you’ll save a lot of grief (Proverbs 21:23).
In the heat of a conflict, you can often say things you don’t want to say.

My greatest encouragement is to tell you to remember it is ultimately God that fights your battles. He even calls us to be silent.
The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still (Exodus 14:14).
Have you ever tried deploying silence and waiting for the Lord to work on your behalf in a conflict? In the world this is counter intuitive. We are told to speak up and to fight for our point of view.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).
In this silence and waiting, turn to the Lord in prayer. Those empty words that you may say during a conflict are better used in a silent prayer to God to step in for you. Prayer is powerful. It draws you near to the Lord and helps you increase your trust that he knows the plans he has for you.

July 22, 2025 When Conflict Arises – 2

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

Sometimes when we are in the midst of a conflict, we talk about it with others to seek counsel. Seeking counsel from others is not a bad thing. In fact, Proverbs 15:22 tells us that without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed, and in Proverbs 24:6 we learn surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers.

Sometimes during a conflict, we seek counsel from people who may tell us what we want to hear instead of what we need to hear. You know that group of friends or colleagues that always seems to share your point of view, the ones that cheer you on and will tell you the other party is just plain wrong. In industrial psychology, we call this group think. Irving Janus, a Yale psychologist defines group think as a mode of thinking that people in a group engage in where striving for unanimity overrides the motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action.

Finding people that will agree with us can certainly feel good in the moment, but it can have monumental consequences when it comes to resolving a conflict.

In 1 Kings 22 Jehoshaphat sought counsel to discern whether he should go to battle. The prophets that he would typically take counsel from told him to go … for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand (1 Kings 22:6). When he asked if there was another prophet that he could inquire of, Micaiah was suggested. Jehoshaphat states, I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad (1 Kings 22:8). In the remaining verses of 1 Kings 22 we learn Jehosaphat goes to battle after not listening to Micaiah, and he lost his life.

When you are seeking advice during a conflict, are you listening to wise counsel or are you listening to the voices that always agree with you? And more importantly are you seeking counsel from other believers?

Good counsel asks questions; it challenges you and will seek to help you maintain and discern how you can come to a good resolution to a conflict. Good counsel will turn you toward God’s Word and to your relationship with Jesus as you look for solutions in whatever situation you are in.

July 21, 2025 When Conflict Arises

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

Sometimes the headlines are too much. These days the news is full of conflict, and it seems like this conflict has made its way into work in many ways. Whether it is continued conflict about gender or racial bias, income inequality, views on sustainability or environment or politics, we can count on people at work having differing opinions. And these opinions can bubble over into conflict when we least expect it.

In John 16:33 we are reminded by Jesus in this world we will have tribulation. Tribulation is defined as great trouble or suffering. You can see how each of these issues we just mentioned can cause great trouble and suffering. Beyond these macro level issues that we are all aware of, what about the day-to-day conflicts at work? It could be something as simple as a colleague not completing their work in a timely fashion which causes your work to be late, or a boss that requires you to be in the office every day but only comes in once a week.

While Jesus promises us all this conflict, he also tells us to take heart because he has overcome the world. Earlier in John 16:33, Jesus also tells us that in him, we will have peace.

How can you find the peace of Jesus in these conflict moments? This week we will look at ways we can find the peace that Jesus offers. Perhaps some of your conflicts are self-inflicted. Are you listening to wise counsel? Are you listening and staying silent enough? Maybe you are saying too much, when it is God you should be reliant on.

How closely you abide to your peace, Jesus, will be indicative of your greatest success or failure during times of conflict. Remember, Jesus promises us this conflict, but he also offers us the greatest solution in himself!

If you are feeling overwhelmed by a macro level conflict in our world today, Jesus isn’t calling you to avoid it, he is calling you to rely on him! If you are going through a micro level conflict at work or at home, he isn’t calling you to avoid it either, he is calling you to rely on him!

July 19, 2025 Making Our Way to Peace

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

As a follower of Jesus Christ, I have thought a lot about what God wants me to do with conflict, and I’ve realized I can only control how I react and engage. I can’t control the other person or people with whom I may be in conflict.

I have thought about different types of conflict, and while all require personal engagement, there are some in business that boil down to contracts and paperwork and have nothing to do with an interpersonal spat between two people. In both circumstances, God calls us to walk in a manner that reflects our kingdom status as we walk as ambassadors at work and in this world.

Conflicts at work can be weighty. They can impact you personally, and they can impact an organization’s culture. Conflicts can ruin long-standing relationships and creative divides that close a business for good—especially a family-owned business.

But one thing I learned about conflict, especially as a believer in Jesus Christ, is that God uses conflict to prune me. He uses these moments, whether personal or in business, to make me better for his kingdom. John 15:2 states: every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will bear more fruit.

Pruning is a verb meant to trim by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems, especially to increase fruitfulness and growth. Pruning is good. Pruning is meant to help you and me do more for the kingdom. Pruning is meant to show us what to do more or less of. Pruning can remove people- it may even remove a job.

I was curious about workplace conflict statistics, and I learned that at the high end, statistics state that 85% of employees report conflict at work. A study from the Peaceful Leaders Academy estimates that employees spend an average of 33.3 minutes a day in negative discussions about other colleagues! Even in a small company, let’s say 25 people, this results in 13.875 hours of time spent in potential conflict! Of employees who report conflict, 57% of them have seen this escalate to the level of physical altercation!

A recent Harvard Business Review article reports that most conflicts at work are caused by differing perspectives or different personalities.

I have learned that you can’t manage what you can’t measure, and apparently measuring conflict is important!

We cannot avoid conflict, but we can strive for peace with others. What does this peacemaking look like and how do we do it? As we look at resolving conflict through our biblical lens, is it possible that others can align with us if they don’t believe what we do? The answer is mostly yes, and sometimes, no. However, if we are honest, even conflict with other believers can go unresolved. The answer is still sometimes yes and sometimes no.

Matthew 5:9 tells us: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.”

One of my all-time favorite books is The Peacemaker by Ken Sande. I have had this book since 2007 on my shelf and find that I have referenced it many times over the years to describe the good and bad of handling conflict. Sande’s visual of what he calls the slippery slope of conflict outlines what he calls peace-making, peace-faking and peace-breaking. Of course, the goal is to be in peace-making mode, but what about the other end of this spectrum? Peace-faking is described as an escape response to conflict with the ultimate response of suicide. Peace-breaking is described as an attack response to conflict with the ultimate end of murder. I just mentioned that 57% of employees have seen a conflict escalating to a physical altercation; let’s think about this as peace-breaking. Obviously, this is an attack response and is on the slippery slope to something even worse.

What are the roots of most conflicts? I just mentioned the Harvard Business Review which said that differing perspectives and differing personalities cause most conflict, but it is much more specific than this.

July 18, 2025 Constructive Confrontation – 5

God sent Moses to confront Pharaoh several times, to try to resolve their impasse in a way that would be best for both. Moses told Pharaoh, “Let my people go,” but Pharaoh refused to take the advice, and he paid a big price for it.

As we’ve talked about constructive confrontation, I’ve encouraged you not to avoid confrontation when it is the right thing to do. But we also have to be aware that even constructive confrontation doesn’t always work, because we do not have control over how the other person will react.

It’s important to remember even when we do the right thing in the right way, the confrontation may not have an immediate good result. The other person must ultimately choose how he or she will respond, and sometimes it doesn’t work out the way we had hoped. That doesn’t mean we failed.

Jesus was often rejected by those he confronted with the truth, and he allowed people to walk away. Even when you believe you know what is best for other people, ultimately, you must be reconciled to the fact that they make their own choices.

In some situations, you may have the power or the authority to execute an ultimatum if the other person refuses to conform. For example, if you confront an employee about their poor work habits and they refuse to change, they may indeed face the consequence of losing their job. But before you present the ultimatum to that person, try to achieve the desired result—changing that person’s poor work habits in a more conciliatory manner. It may work, and you won’t need to issue the ultimatum.

In other situations, you may be powerless to enforce the change you are trying to achieve. Then, depending on the relationship, you must be prepared to live with it without allowing it to ruin your life, or you have to make changes if you are not prepared to live with it.

I want to encourage you to get past your fear and resistance to confrontation and learn how to confront when it is right to do. It is good to speak the truth in love even if it is painful.

July 16, 2025 Constructive Confrontation – 3

Confrontation can be very constructive and helpful when it is done for the right reason, at the right time, and in the right way. Yesterday, I talked about searching our hearts to make certain our motives are pure. Always pray in advance so you don’t confront out of anger or selfishness.

Confronting at the right time is very important. Let’s say you need to confront someone on your job because their poor work habits are affecting others, and it’s affecting the quality of the work effort of your organization. You know this situation needs to be confronted.

Pick the right time and place. Never confront when others are present. It should always be a one-on-one encounter. Embarrassing or humiliating someone is sure to backfire on you, so choose a place that is private and conducive to a confidential conversation. Consider an off-site location. That often works best in business confrontations. Consider confronting over a meal. It seems to break down some barriers when we share a meal with someone. But again, it needs to be in a private setting.

Timing needs to be carefully considered. Make sure you time your confrontation when you are in control of your own emotions. It’s not a bad idea to follow the “sleep on it” rule of thumb before confronting. Also time it when you have carefully considered what you will say.

Consider timing as it relates to the other person as well. If you know this is the busiest week of the month for that person, you might be well advised to wait until next week. Or if you are aware that this person has recently experienced a personal problem or a health issue, take those things into consideration. Someone who is already struggling with another issue likely will not handle one more thing very well.

Wise Solomon wrote: a prudent man gives thought to his steps (Proverbs 14:15) and a patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly (Proverbs 14:29). Patience and prudence are very important as we think about confronting someone.

July 14, 2025 Constructive Confrontation

If we took a survey of the things we don’t like to do, confrontation would come out somewhere near the top. Whether on the job or in our personal lives, most of us struggle with how and when to confront someone. It is not a pleasant experience, and therefore, we often avoid or postpone it.

Confrontation can be one of the most constructive things we can do when it is done at the right time, for the right reason, in the right way.

Let’s talk about what happens when we avoid confrontation. Suppose you and I worked together, and you were doing something that caused me difficulty in some way or another—you were doing something wrong. But instead of bringing it out in the open with you and trying to find a solution, I just let it boil up inside me until what was a small issue became a major stumbling block in my mind.

Now in this hypothetical situation, instead of addressing the issue in a constructive way, I go into gossip and complaining mode about you. I tell another coworker what I don’t like about you. This other person is influenced by what I’ve told her about you, so now, instead of solving the problem, I’ve spread the problem further because I’ve infected someone else with my gossip.

You can see how this could continue to spiral throughout the organization, until we have a major conflict involving not just two people, but several others as well. Has the problem been solved? No, not at all, because the one person who needs to be confronted is the object of gossip and backbiting, and she may not even realize her behavior has caused a problem.

Suppose instead I decided to confront you, and I did it in such a way that there was a possibility you might handle it well. And suppose indeed you do handle it well. Now, you are in a position to correct whatever it is that is causing a problem—or to correct my perception—and you and I have an improved relationship. Nobody else needs to ever know anything about it. By constructive confrontation, we’ve eliminated tons of unnecessary stress and avoided all kinds of unpleasant encounters. Good idea? I think so.

July 12, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Dishonest Coworker Part 2

As our story unfolded in part one, Louise, Fran's Christian coworker, is asked to approve an expense account of a senior account rep in her group—Jerry—and Louise knows he has included meals that were not with clients but were with his girlfriend. Louise talks with Fran about this dilemma, and Fran invites her over in the evening for prayer and a search of Scripture so Louise will know what to do. That's where our story left off.

Just as Fran gets her children ready for bed, the doorbell rings, and Louise arrives.

\"Whew,\" Fran says to Louise, \"as much as I love them, it's always nice to have the peace and quiet that comes once they're in bed.\"

\"But they're so nice, Fran,\" Louise says. \"They really are nice.\"

\"Thanks, Louise,\" Fran replies.

\"Well, have you given the problem any more thought?\" Louise asks.

\"Off and on all afternoon,\" Fran says. \"I couldn't come up with a specific verse which I thought gave a specific answer, could you?\"

\"Well, not exactly,\" Louise says. \"But I know it would be wrong for me to approve the report, since I know Jerry is cheating. That much I know.\"

\"Right, I agree,\" Fran says. \"So now we just have to consider your other options.\"

\"Let's start with prayer,\" Louise suggests, and they spend considerable time praying together. Both pray for wisdom from above, and Louise again confirms to the Lord that she is willing to do his will no matter what the cost will be to her. Fran prays their minds will be renewed by God's Spirit so they won't think incorrectly, and they will know God's good and perfect will.

\"Louise,\" Fran says, \"I suggest we start by listing all the options you have.\"

\"Good idea,\" Louise agrees, and they get a pad to write on. After some discussion, they come up with only two options:

Turn in the report without Louise's approval on it and see what happens.
Return the report to Jerry and ask him to complete it and turn it in himself.

No longer is any consideration given to approving the report as it is, or lying in any way. They both agree that is not a biblical option.

\"Let's think about what will happen in each case,\" Fran suggests. So, she and Louise write down everything they can think of. Option 1, they decide, is simply postponing the inevitable. The report would come back to Louise for completion, and she'd still be faced with the dilemma. Option 2 would mean a direct confrontation with Jerry and would undoubtedly cause him to be very upset with Louise. And Louise is fearful of retribution on his part. After all, Jerry’s been around a long time and has some pull in the company.

\"You know,\" Louise says, \"it's not like Jerry would even miss the $87, Fran. He makes plenty of money. You'd think I was talking about $87,000, the way he acts about this.\"

\"Remember Louise,\" Fran responds, \"money makes people do crazy things—even small amounts of money. That's why Jesus said you can't serve God and Money, with a capital M. It has power over people to cause them to do all kinds of dishonest things, and often totally out of proportion to the amount.\"

\"You know, you're right,\" Louise says. \"I remember last week I was filling out an expense account for myself and I was really tempted to put down a meal I didn't have to pay for. I had to force myself not to do it, because I wanted to pick up $15.\"

\"Oh, it's happened to me many times,\" Fran says, \"and I haven't always done the right thing.\"

\"I guess I can't be too hard on poor Jerry,\" Louise says. \"After all, if it weren't for Jesus, I'm sure I'd do the same thing. And even with Jesus, I'm tempted to cheat for a few measly dollars.\"

\"Yeah, you're right,\" Fran agrees. \"You know, Louise, we didn't pray for Jerry. We should.\"

And with that, they stop where they are to pray for Jerry, for his salvation, for his family, for Gail, his girlfriend, and for a change of heart to be willing to do the right thing. \"I hadn't thought about praying for him,\" Louise says as they finish.

July 10, 2025 Getting Along with Coworkers – 4

Let me ask you, have you ever had to deal with a condescending and arrogant coworker? They talk down to you; they know everything; they're unteachable; they're always right. They're not very easy to endure!

I have a friend who worked in a bank, and she was having trouble getting along with an arrogant-type coworker. After prayer and consideration, she started \"Project Love,\" her name for a planned program on her part to bridge the gap between her and her coworker. First, she invited her to have lunch with her. The coworker was a little surprised, but she accepted. Through this, they got to know each other, and my friend discovered underneath the arrogant attitude was a very insecure, fearful person with many personal problems. Now they've become friends, and this woman has frequently turned to my friend for counsel and help.

Thankfully my friend was willing to submerge her own normal resentment toward this arrogant, prejudicial coworker and extend herself to make a bridge. Jesus taught us to love our enemies, and this is an example of how we put that principle into practice. It's helpful to remember we don't have to like others to love them. Loving them means acting toward them in considerate and loving ways, even though you may not feel it.

Dealing with a domineering coworker

Have you ever worked with someone who tried to manage everyone, including their manager? They're always telling you what to do, and everything in you wants to say, \"Hey, you're not the boss around here!”

Jesus told us to humble ourselves, and that's an important lesson for us to learn. Did you ever think we could use these relationships with domineering people to help us learn humility? It is humbling to keep your mouth shut and not bark back. It is even more humbling to take their direction! There may be times when that's the right thing for us to do. God is interested in developing Christ-like characteristics in us, and sometimes he uses unfair and uncomfortable circumstances for that purpose.

Learning humility is how we become more and more transformed into the likeness of Jesus. If God has you in humility school right now, trust him to bring you through, and while you're there, learn your lessons well. Don't rebel and get bitter. Use it as a tool for righteousness. God is so good at doing that for us.

Remember, if a confrontation is called for, our motives have to be carefully examined to make certain we're confronting for the other person's good, not just to vent our frustration.

July 9, 2025 Getting Along with Coworkers – 3

Have you ever had a problem getting along with someone you work with? Most of us have, and it surely can cause a lot of grief, can't it? I can tell you Christians certainly are not immune to these interpersonal conflicts. We need some biblical principles to guide us. Let's consider the problems that arise when we deal with a negative coworker.

Dealing with a negative coworker

Our worlds are full of negative thinking and talking people. It seems they have nothing good or encouraging to say about anything or anyone. If you've ever had to work closely with a very negative individual (and who hasn't!), you know just how tough it is to be around that person.

This is one of those times when you need lots of compassion, because compassion lengthens your tolerance and helps you think about where the other person is coming from and what's causing them to be so negative. I think without Christ, I'd be negative in this world most of the time.

There are a couple of proverbs which apply here.

A cheerful look brings joy to the heart (Proverbs 15:30). One way to fight the irritation is to keep your own spirits up, and a smile on your face will help do that. Have you learned the secret of smiling?

I know when I'm feeling down, frustrated, or irritated, if I can make myself smile, it starts to change the way I feel. I think God gave us the ability to smile to keep us going in the middle of tough situations. I encourage you to try smiling a lot more.

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up (Proverbs 12:25). Some kind words spoken to that negative person might be the key to getting him or her to open up and share their real feelings with you, and in so doing, you may discover their negative attitude is a cover-up for fear or anxiety. If they can share that with you, it gives you an opportunity to be of help to them. It doesn’t always work that way, but it's worth a try. Give them some kind words, in spite of their negativism.

One warning here. Be careful you don't allow them to bring you down to their negative levels. Fight back by humming choruses to yourself. Quote Scripture to yourself. Change the conversation to something positive. Often, we allow negative people to set the tone and drag everybody else down with them. Guard your own mind against the onslaught of negativism.

July 8, 2025 Getting Along with Coworkers – 2

I wonder how many of you are in a work environment where there is conflict among coworkers, perhaps even a personal conflict you are facing. It happens quite frequently, and as Christians, we need to be aware of biblical principles in dealing with these difficult coworkers.

Yesterday we were talking about the lazy coworker, who doesn't do his or her share of the work. We pointed out one principle to consider is the extra-mile principle given in Matthew 5.

I can hear some of you saying, \"What? Are Christians supposed to be doormats? I don't buy that.” What I find myself and other Christians doing so often is rationalizing and watering down God's principles based on our own reasoning processes and the influence of this world's thinking on us.

We think Jesus taught us to go the extra mile and love our enemies and all that, but he wasn't referring to this type of situation. And we begin to pick and choose our beliefs from Scripture. You know, I've decided if I'm going to make an error in applying God's Word, I'd like to err in favor of going too far rather than not doing enough, for a change.

Now, let me assure you I don't think it's right for people to be lazy. But how other people act and react shouldn't change our commitment to God's principles. Matthew 5 gives principles for dealing with people who are doing the wrong thing; people who are against us, people who cause us problems and difficulties.

I'm not saying we should do the lazy person's work forever, and never say anything. There are times when an open confrontation with the lazy coworker and\/or with management is appropriate. Jesus confronted people frequently, but never to vent his own frustrations. He always confronted for their good and benefit, and I think that has to be our guiding principle in determining who and when to confront.

What we must guard against is this build-up of bitterness, which can quickly happen when we're dealing with lazy coworkers. We can't blame bitterness on others. It's our responsibility to keep a root of bitterness from growing within us.

July 5, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Dishonest Coworker Part 1

I want to emphasize that the purpose of these stories is to help us remember that Jesus is with us all day every day on the job, and he wants to give us comfort, help, guidance, and strength. We must learn to practice his presence. Fran has some conversations with Jesus, which are obviously imaginary but based on Scripture. After all, that’s how Jesus speaks to us—through his Word and his Spirit. So, with that, let's begin our story.

\"Fran, you got time for lunch today?\" Louise asks as she pokes her head around Fran's door. Louise and Fran have become good friends, and it's great to have a fellow believer on the job to talk to. They meet for lunch once a week to pray for the company and for the people they work with. It has been a wonderful time of fellowship, and they've seen lots of answers to prayer.

But this is not their prayer day, so Fran asks, \"Something wrong?\"

\"Well, kinda,\" Louise replies. \"I just need some advice, but I know how busy you are so...\"

\"No, let's do it,\" Fran answers. And with that they head to the cafeteria. Sitting down in a quiet corner, Fran says to Louise, \"You look worried. I have a feeling something is bothering you.\"

\"Yeah, you're right,\" Louise agrees.

After asking God's blessing on the food, Louise says, \"Fran, you know how Marilyn made such a point in the staff meeting last week about our expense accounts and what’s allowed and what isn’t, especially as it relates to meals.\"

\"Yeah,\" Fran replies. \"She told me that some people have really taken advantage of that policy.\"

\"Well,\" Louise says, lowering her voice, \"I’m supposed to approve all expense accounts for those in my group before they go to Marilyn, and she made it clear we’re supposed to make certain all the charges are in compliance with company policy. That's what I'm upset about. Jerry is—well—he's lying about his expenses, charging meals to the company that are not business related, and today we had some words about it.” Jerry is the senior account manager in Louise’s group.

\"What kind of words?\" Fran asks.

\"He turned in his expenses with receipts for meals that were not with clients,\" Louise explains. \"So, I gave them back to him with a note about the meals policy, and he calls me in his office, shuts the door and says, 'Since when are you telling me what meals I can charge and what I can’t?'\"

Louise lowers her voice further. \"I told him these were the new instructions I had received from Marilyn and that it was my responsibility to make sure all charges were accurate. Then he said, 'Well, I've been working for this company for twelve years, and I won’t have someone checking my expense accounts.’”

Louise looks at Fran and shakes her head. \"What did you say?\" Fran asks.

\"I said something like 'Jerry, I'm just following instructions. Marilyn told us to be responsible for these expenses and make sure they’re right. What do you want me to tell her?'\"

Louise takes a deep breath. \"He threw the report at me and said, 'You just note those meals are client meals.’ Then he gave me names of two clients to put on the report, but I knew it wasn’t true. So, I said, 'Gee, Jerry, I think you must be mistaken.' And I reminded him they weren’t client meals. He stared at me with a look that could kill, and said, 'You're supposed to do as I direct you to do, so just do it, Louise. Don't make a big deal out of it.'\"

\"Oh, great,\" Fran says to Louise, \"he really put you in a tough spot. What happened then?\"

\"Fran, I'm ashamed to tell you, but I didn't have the guts to stand up to him. He is so intimidating,\" Louise replies. \"So, I just took the report and walked out.\"

Louise is obviously very upset with herself. \"Fran, I didn't do the right thing. You know, I just kept thinking about how much I need this job, and I know Jerry. He is politically connected, and I would never win in a fight against him.” Louise puts her fork down and pushes back from the table, very agitated.

\"Louise,

July 4, 2025 Be Kind to Everyone – 5

I was asked a very interesting question by a woman who had come to hear me speak. She said to me, \"Are you a liberated woman?” That question caused me to stop and ask: \"What is a liberated woman?” Women's liberation became a much-used term during the last two or three decades, and on this day as we celebrate the freedom we have in our country, it’s a good idea to ask that question again: What is a liberated woman?

For some women, to be liberated means they are free from the control of men, or from the traditional roles that women have been confined to in the past. There are some women who would say a liberated woman is one who is free from the sexual restraints of the past and has sexual freedom. Often liberated women are defined by their status: how far up the ladder they have climbed; how much money they make; how much power they have, assuming the higher you climb, the more you make and the more power you have, the freer you are.

What does that term mean to you: a liberated woman? Are you one? Do you know any? How do you recognize one when you see her?

Let me begin by saying I consider myself a very liberated woman! Indeed I do! I'm liberated, set free, because I've been set free by Jesus Christ. Feminism does not offer me that freedom, no organization can offer me that. No job can offer me that. No amount of money or power can give me freedom. No other person can liberate me. But Jesus has set me free.

I can certainly understand the desire and passion for freedom and liberation that women feel. Everybody wants to be free. And throughout world history we've seen incredible struggles for freedom from slavery, freedom from aggression, freedom from abuse, freedom from discrimination. All of those struggles are understandable and legitimate.

I appreciate the freedom women now have to pursue any career for which they are qualified. It wasn't long ago that many of those opportunities were either denied to women or made extremely difficult.

But my friends, as one who has pioneered some new paths for women, let me tell you that you won't find true, lasting liberation in a career, no matter how good it may be, nor in new role definitions or worldly success or status or money or power. Freedom is found only in Jesus. That is not a trite cliché'; it is truth.

That’s the freedom to celebrate—the freedom that comes in knowing your sins are forgiven and eternity with Christ is sure. I’m a liberated woman! I hope you know the same freedom only Christ can give.

July 2, 2025 Be Kind to Everyone – 3

There is a story in Joshua 9, which is very relevant to us today. Joshua and his people were doing very well, and all the neighboring countries were frightened of them because of their victories and the power they had from the Lord.

One of their neighbors, the Gibeonites, decided to trick Joshua into a peace treaty. They made themselves look tired and dirty, like they had traveled a long way, and came to Joshua asking for a treaty. Verses 14 and 15 tell us:
The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath (Joshua 9:14-15).
Here was a business transaction facing the Israelites. A group of people made them an offer. The men of Israel looked at the outward evidence, decided it looked like a good deal to them, and signed the bottom line.

They found out later they had been deceived. The facts were not as they appeared to be, and they had made a strategic mistake. Why? Because they trusted in their eyes and their minds, and did not inquire of the Lord.

There are times we don't think we need to consult the Lord; it's just a cut and dried situation in our view. We make decisions in our own strength, based on our human reasoning. And that gets us in trouble.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Do you remember when Jesus told Peter to go fishing? Peter's own understanding of fishing told him there were no fish there, since he had fished all night and caught nothing. Besides, it was the wrong time and place to fish. But because Jesus told him to, Peter went fishing and caught more fish than ever before. Peter had to learn, as do we, you can't just depend on your own understanding.

Leaning on our own understanding is the norm especially in the business world. But, as Christians, we should take all our decisions to the Lord and ask for his wisdom. Sometimes our own understanding is very shortsighted and incomplete. We need the eternal wisdom of our Savior; we need to inquire of the Lord.

Remember to inquire of the Lord in any decision you face. Don't lean solely on your own understanding. That can get you in trouble.

July 1, 2025 Be Kind to Everyone – 2

You know, everybody needs encouragement and help at times. As I read 2 Corinthians 7, I realized even the great Apostle Paul had difficult times when he needed other people. He said in verse 5:
For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within (2 Corinthians 7:5).
Doesn't that describe the way you feel at times? Conflicts without, fears within? But this is the spiritual giant, Paul, and it surprises us to realize he would have these same feelings. We really need to remember that positions of prominence do not isolate anyone from being human. Paul was tired and fearful. He needed help.

Where did his help come from? He goes on to say, but God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus (2 Corinthians 7:6). He needed a friend at his side to comfort him, and so Titus came along. We could say to Paul, \"But wasn't it enough to have the Lord there?” And Paul would respond, \"The Lord was there in the person of Titus. He comforted me by sending Titus.\"

That's how the Body of Christ should function. God wants to use us in each other's lives as messengers of comfort and encouragement, to pick up each other at those weary and frightened moments of our lives. God has given us each other for that purpose.

Paul goes on to say he was comforted by the good report Titus brought to him of the concern for his welfare by his friends in Corinth. Paul needed to know they cared, they hadn't forgotten him, they still loved him.

How often do we miss these opportunities to be God's comfort in the lives of others? How often do we need to be by a friend's side when they're experiencing dark days? Or send a message to them—by email or snail mail or on the phone—just to say, I care.

Hallmark Cards has coined the phrase, \"When you care enough to send the very best.” When we as Christians care enough about each other, we can send our very best, which is the comfort of God pouring through us to those who need it.

Is there someone in your life today who needs a Titus? Ask God to show you and allow him to use you as his agent of comfort and encouragement.

June 30, 2025 Be Kind to Everyone

Have you read the verse which says, \"Be kind to everyone who is kind to you. Be kind to the people you like. Be kind when you want to impress someone, or when there's something in it for you\"? No, you haven't seen that verse in Scripture, but Paul wrote to Timothy the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone (2 Timothy 2:24).

I once witnessed a situation in which a Christian sister was obviously unkind to a person simply because she didn't like that kind of person. Based on her prejudices and some bad experiences she had, she had classified a group of people as undesirable. So, she was obviously unkind to this person, and it was hurtful and harmful. Another person with whom she is sympathetic came in, and she was very kind and caring to her.

I watched that interaction and my heart hurt to see a Christian treat someone unkindly. Then I realized I probably do similar things all too often. I mean, it's easy to be kind to people who seem to deserve our kindness. But the Bible says we are to be kind to everyone. That includes strangers, people who irritate us, people who are not kind to us—everyone includes everyone!

Once I was unkind to a clerk at a hotel who was not very efficient at her job. Her lack of efficiency inconvenienced me just a bit, and though I didn't say anything, I'm sure the look on my face and my body language was most unkind.

How easy it would have been for me to say something kind to her, to make her feel a little more comfortable, to forget my minor inconvenience and try to help her a bit. The Holy Spirit convicted my heart as I walked away, reminding me the Lord's servant must be kind to everyone—even people who don't do their jobs as well as they should.

Praise the Lord we don't have to do this in ourselves, because we'd never make it. The Holy Spirit within us is there to give us the power to be kind to everyone. I'm praying specifically now that God will help me be kind to strangers, for that seems to be an area where I often fail.

Where do you often fail to be kind? Shore that area up with prayer, and ask God to help you be kind, as the servant of the Lord should be, to everyone.

June 28, 2025 Becoming a Grace Dispenser

I have to admit, I am not a graceful person. In my first Christmas break of college, my mother lined up private lessons with a woman who coached me on how to be graceful. Now, for my mother to spend money on such lessons was an indication of how much help I needed! I was not then—and still am not to this day—graceful.

But I’m happy to report that though I may never be graceful, I can be grace-full—full of grace. That is not contingent on my agility or nimbleness or any physical attributes. It is, instead, contingent on my openness to the grace of God and my willingness to let it fill my life.

In writing of our Savior, John says, The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). Jesus was and still is full of grace. As believers in Jesus Christ, you and I are in the process of being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory. We are to be filled with his Spirit, and therefore, we have the incredible opportunity to be filled with grace. Like Jesus, we can be full of grace.

When asked what the one thing that sets apart Christianity from all other religions, C. S. Lewis responded, “Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace.” No other religion offers God’s love and redemption coming to us free of charge, as a gift, no strings attached, no performance required, no standards to meet. Only Christianity dares to make God’s love unconditional. That’s because Christianity has the only qualified Savior, Jesus Christ.

I want to encourage you to become very intentional about being a woman—or a man—who is grace-full; full of God’s grace. It must become more than a cliché, more than words we say or songs we sing. God’s grace needs to permeate every corner of our being so we are living examples of his grace. And then, when we are full of God’s grace, we can become grace dispensers.

The song, “Amazing Grace,” is sung all over the world by people who have no understanding of its message of salvation through Jesus. But the idea of grace appeals to everyone.

But what does it mean for you and me in our world today to live grace-full lives? What does that look like? I’d like to give you the ABCs of grace-full living. Here is “A”:

A- Abundant

Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10b). Jesus wasn’t talking about being full of money, earthly success, or freedom from problems. He was talking about a life that is grace-full!

In 2 Corinthians 9:8 we read: And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. When the grace of God fills us, then it must flow out to others in the form of good works. What good works? The good works you were created to do. Ephesians 2:10 says, We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Here are a few examples of how we dispense grace to others:

Someone is sick; you minister to their needs.
Someone is rejoicing over good news; you rejoice with them.
Someone has a broken heart. You cry with them, listen to them, sit with them, and console them.
Someone is wandering away from God. You confront them in love, admonish them, and help them to come back into fellowship.
Someone is lost in sin, without Christ. You share the gospel in every way you can, lovingly planting seeds of truth in her life.
Someone needs financial help. You give out of love and concern.
You teach the Word of God in a small group; you organize prayer for your company; you begin a Bible study at work or at home; you invite others to hear the Word of God.

These are just a few ways we become grace dispensers to others, abounding in good works.

I can testify to you from personal experience that the abundant life Jesus promised us comes in knowing God is using you in the lives of...

June 27, 2025 Biblical Hospitality – 5

Presented by Julie Busteed

We’ve explored what it means to practice hospitality in everyday life, but how does that translate to our jobs? Today, there’s an entire hospitality industry—hotels, restaurants, travel, and event services. You can even earn a degree in hospitality management! For those working in that field, hospitality is built into the job: welcoming strangers, serving with kindness, offering guidance, and meeting the practical needs of guests.

But even if you don’t work in that industry, the call to hospitality still applies. In the workplace, it might look like showing patience and grace to coworkers and clients, offering help when someone is overwhelmed, or simply pausing your own agenda to listen. It’s that same outward focus—seeing others and responding with care.

The greatest example of hospitality is Jesus himself. He consistently met people’s practical needs with compassion and love.

In Mark 8, he responds to a hungry crowd.
“I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance” (Mark 8:2-3).
Jesus saw their need—and he acted. He miraculously provided food when none was available.

In Mark 1, a man with leprosy begs Jesus for healing.
Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be healed!’ Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed (Mark 1:41-42 NLT).
Jesus saw the unseen people. He touched the untouchable, welcomed the outcasts, and made space for the overlooked—women, children, lepers, Gentiles, and sinners.

Then of course when Jesus washed his disciples’ feet at the last supper he beautifully demonstrated how to practice hospitality—to show God’s love in practical ways and serve them—all for his glory.

Hospitality isn’t all about entertaining. It’s about seeing others and serving them with love. Whether it’s a kind word, a helping hand, or a listening ear, it’s all for God’s glory.

I hope you’re encouraged to practice hospitality wherever you are—including your workplace. Because when we serve others, we reflect the heart of Christ.

June 26, 2025 Biblical Hospitality – 4

Presented by Julie Busteed

Have you ever caught yourself grumbling about serving others? The Apostle Peter addresses this issue in 1 Peter 4:9-11.
“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen (1 Peter 4:9-11).
Did you catch that? You and I are called to offer hospitality without grumbling! That means showing God’s love by serving others with the gifts he’s given us—and doing so without complaining.

Peter gives examples of how to serve others using our God-given gifts. Whether it’s through speaking truthfully from God’s Word or helping one another with all our strength. Everything you and I have is from him, and we are called to use it for his purposes.

Hospitality can take many forms:

Listening with care
Sending an encouraging message
Reaching out to someone who’s struggling
Praying with or for someone
Helping with a task or technology
Running errands or grocery shopping
Visiting someone who is homebound

Peter emphasizes we’re not to complain about this kind of service. Why? So that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. When we serve others with a willing heart, we reflect Christ and bring glory to God.

Offering hospitality can be inconvenient, expensive, even aggravating at times. But you and I are called to pursue this with a good attitude. It pleases God and is a witness to how Christians are meant to love and care for one another.

June 25, 2025 Biblical Hospitality – 3

Presented by Julie Busteed

Have you ever been described as a “Martha?” When I say “Martha,” I’m referring to the account of Mary and Martha in Luke 10 which says:
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42).
Can you relate to Martha? I certainly can. I often find myself caught up in the preparations—focused on the details, planning, organizing—because I genuinely enjoy it. But sometimes like Martha, I get so consumed by all the things that serving becomes a burden rather than a joy.

Jesus gently reminded Martha—and me—that “few things are needed and indeed only one!” I need that reminder: to keep my focus on my guests, to be present, listen, and offer encouragement.

Hospitality should be outward-focused. It’s not that preparation is wrong. It’s good and necessary—but it shouldn’t take center stage. The priority is the guest, not the checklist.

It seems to me that Martha truly wanted to give her best. She opened her home and gave of herself and time, but she became frustrated when her sister Mary had a different priority.

Interestingly in John’s gospel we see a later moment in Mary’s life. After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, she and her siblings hosted Jesus and his disciples again:
Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served (John 12:2a).
Martha is still serving, still practicing hospitality, but it seems to me she’s not distracted. Her priorities have changed.

That’s my prayer for me and you. That we would continue to practice hospitality—showing God’s love through our service, without letting the details overshadow the purpose.

June 23, 2025 Biblical Hospitality

Presented by Julie Busteed

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word hospitality? Do you picture having friends over for dinner or hosting overnight guests? We are looking at what it means to show hospitality from a biblical perspective.

When I have guests over it usually involves a lot of planning and preparation ahead of time. I’m thinking about menus, making lists, going grocery shopping, planning activities, cleaning the house—all to make guests feel comfortable and welcome. And I enjoy doing it. But is that really what the Apostle Paul is talking about in Romans 12?
Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality (Romans 12:13).
What does it mean to practice hospitality? It’s an unusual phrase to me; it stands out to me. The definition of practice means to put something into action—not just think about it. Hospitality comes from the Latin word “hospes” meaning host, visitor, or stranger. It focuses on the treatment of strangers and visitors, not just friends.

This is not the first thing that comes to mind when I think of hospitality. But I think it’s what Paul means: actively seek to welcome and care for those you don’t already know. The ESV translation puts it this way, seek to show hospitality. It’s not just about entertaining—it’s about looking for people in need and reaching out.

I also like the way The Message paraphrases it: be inventive in hospitality. Be creative about showing God’s love to others who are in need. There’s not just one way to practice hospitality. Use the gifts God has given you to practice hospitality.

Biblical hospitality goes beyond dinner parties. It’s about seeing and serving others—especially those who might feel overlooked or alone. Maybe it’s inviting someone who needs encouragement or having a homesick student over for a meal.

The Bible doesn’t say this is a requirement for only certain people with specific gifts—not just for those of us who like to entertain guests. I think all of us are called to “practice” hospitality. It’s not dependent on our own feelings, living conditions, talents, or resources. It’s about putting God’s love into action in practical and meaningful ways.

June 21, 2025 Ways You Block God’s Love in Your Life

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

Love. This rich, often misused word in our culture is all over the Bible. We seem to hold it loosely in today’s culture. Using the word love to say we love a particular food, the way something looks, or how we feel about things, people, and activities. How many times have you proclaimed, “I love this and such!”

These cultural exhortations don’t meet the biblical standard of love we are commanded to show as followers of Jesus Christ.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to the greatest commandment in Matthew 22:37-39. We are told, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

1 John 4:19 gives us the added standard of we love because he (God) first loved us.

How did Jesus love us? Sacrificially, unconditionally, and wholly. He loved us so much he died for our sins.

God’s love is not loose. God’s love is described as steadfast and enduring, sacrificial, unconditional, personal, and transformative. This is a hesed love. Often translated as lovingkindness, mercy, and steadfast love. It encompasses how much God loves us, and how he shows love for us.

As we focus on how to show God’s love to others and remember that God’s love is constant, we also need to be honest with ourselves. There are worldly blocks that keep us from showing God’s love to others. As the world creeps in, the love we are called to show gets dimmed.

One of the fruits of the spirit I often need to work on is patience or long-suffering. Of course, the opposite of patience is impatience. One of the ways we can show people God’s love is through how we display patience. When we are the opposite—impatient—we can scarcely show love.

How patient was God with you in your sin? In your wandering? Before you accepted Jesus? What about after? Clearly, we are having a conversation about being impatient believers. Guess what, God is still patient with us, bearing with us in our sin.

Impatience can show itself in how we deal with others and how we deal with situations. Sometimes at the same time!

Romans 12:12 tells us to rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

It is natural to impatiently await the end of a hard trial in our lives. Whether it is a health hardship, financial hardship, or something else, what matters is how we show others how we are dealing with whatever it is. Part of showing God’s love in tribulation is modeling how our understanding and belief in his faithfulness. It can open conversations with others about why we are different and give us a wonderful opportunity to talk about God’s love for us!

We may also be impatiently waiting to hear about something good! Perhaps it is a promotion or a new job. Again, are you impatiently displaying your waiting, or are you telling others how you trust God’s timing for you. Being filled with impatience whether in the waiting or a trial doesn’t leave us much room to think about how we can love others.

Ephesians 4:2 tells us we should act with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.

But what about when you don’t feel very patient and loving? Is there a person at work who is on your last nerve? Whether it is a colleague, boss or subordinate, how can you be patient with them even when you really don’t want to?

Romans 12:12 offers some of the best advice—be constant in prayer. When I am feeling impatient, this is my go-to. I pray to God to give me the patience he has shown to me. And I ask others to pray very specifically for my patience!

I find a close follower of impatience to be judgement. Whether it is judging ourselves harshly or judging someone else, we clearly block both experiencing God’s love ourselves or showing it to others.

2 Corinthians 5:10 reminds us that we all must appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the ...

June 19, 2025 Busyness and Loose Definitions: Blocking God’s Love – 4

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

Have you set some goals lately: personal or professional? How are they impacting how you show God’s love? Goals are important: personally and professionally. In the context of work, goals help us understand our part in a larger vision or project that impact our organization. Outside of work, goals can help us focus on achieving in other aspects of our life like health or finance.

I would argue any good goal can go bad, especially when it takes us away from what is most important to God. Again, Scripture tells us God wants us to love him and love others as we love ourselves.

How full is your goal set both at work and personally? Is this filling your time so much that you are not able to love God or love others? We live in a metric-based, title-hungry culture. When we set goals, how are we being measured, and what is the reward?

When the measurement and reward become more important than God, we start walking down that slippery slope.

Are you in sales? Perhaps you take an extra lead or two that will help win a trip or sweeten a bonus, but this causes a colleague to miss their goal by a margin. Or maybe you end up staying late to get more done and skip a church commitment.

Are you working a lot of overtime to make your metrics look better than others at work and miss time connecting with a friend in prayer?

Perhaps you feel like you are pulling a lot of weight on a project and complain about a colleague, not knowing they are suffering a personal hardship.

Personally, have you set goals that compromise your time spent in God’s Word, or are you doing activities you enjoy but keep you away from showing love to your family?

Measurement and reward: They are not bad but can become bad when they are not balanced with our thoughts about God and our love for others.

We are already winning in the eyes of God if we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. How can we show this to others? Maybe you pass those sales leads along, help balance the workload to make your team look better or ask questions when a colleague is falling behind on a project. We are called to walk differently. Our reward is much greater than any trip or title we could ever achieve here on earth!

How can we show others this type of love? Not the pizza and coffee love. Not the “I love my dog” love. Not the “I love the way the color looks on you” love. I mean the “I want to share life with you” love—the proverbial “I would give to someone event if it hurt” love. The love that weeps with those who weep and rejoices when others rejoice.

When we are too busy, it is easy to give the glossy heart and flowers love. It is harder to focus on and think about how God wants us to show his love to others.

June 18, 2025 Busyness and Loose Definitions: Blocking God’s Love – 3

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

A culture of busyness can keep us from showing God’s love. How loosely do we hold this word? Like our notions about time, we also confuse love. A large part of our problem is we love everything and everyone. So, when you pause to think about how to show God’s love to others or to explain to them what God’s love feels like, maybe it gets lost in the emptiness we often attribute to this word.

We all love. When thinking about using the word love, my mind is filled with red and pink hearts, flowers, candies, and other visual or physical ways we see or experience love. I also think about how many times I have used the word love in the prior weeks. I love having coffee with my friends. I love the flowers I buy from a local farmstand. I love my husband. I love my dogs. I proclaim how much I love a friend’s dress. I love pizza. I loved our zoom gathering this month. I think you see my point.

We fly loosely with the word love, and if we are too busy to reflect on how special God’s love for us is, it will be very hard to show it to others. While everything I noted already can help us show God’s love to others, we need to go deeper into the meaning of what God wants us to show others.

God’s love is described as steadfast and enduring, sacrificial, unconditional, personal, and transformative. Perhaps you have heard the word Hesed. This is the deep conventual love in action that God gives to us as a promise.

There is nothing we can do to change God’s love for us. It never fades. We feel God’s sacrificial love in John 3:16.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
We see his steadfast and enduring love for those that, even though they wander like Israel, God still loves them.

We see his transformational love in Jesus’ abundant healing ministry.

How can we show others this type of love? Not the pizza and coffee love. Not the “I love my dog” love. Not the “I love the way the color looks on you” love. I mean the “I want to share life with you” love—the proverbial “I would give to someone event if it hurt” love. The love that weeps with those who weep and rejoices when others rejoice.

When we are too busy, it is easy to give the glossy heart and flowers love. It is harder to focus on and think about how God wants us to show his love to others.

June 17, 2025 Busyness and Loose Definitions: Blocking God’s Love – 2

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

How are you filling your calendar each day? These days, it is harder to be disconnected and unseen. Even through the lens of work, digital connection and the importance of social media can fill our moments more than we realize. Most companies have an entire marketing and social media strategy, but now we live in a time where personal branding and social media strategies are noted as important for our careers.

Gone are the simple days of a resume, and if you are in a job search, it can feel overwhelming. The traditional outplacement or career coach has taken on a new role that focuses on image, connection, and perhaps even developing a website. While the first use of the term personal brand dates back to 1997 in an article in Fast Company Magazine, the notion of personal brands as a strategic career asset is relatively recent. While created in 2003, LinkedIn has exploded in the recent years alongside other platforms.

You may be thinking, Lauren, what does this have to do with how I show God’s love?! My answer—simply, if we don’t pay enough attention to the need for our own attention, it is easy to keep the focus on ourselves and not on others. Now, I am not suggesting a personal brand is bad, but I do want us to think about the time it takes. What are you doing in your spare moments to create your personal brand? If you are in a job search this may be a greater amount of time, but if you are working full-time, this easily creeps into spare moments and evenings. How much time are you spending focused on yourself? And if you are focused on your personal brand, how can you first spend that all important time with God? And how can you show God’s love if you are constantly consumed with the social and digital aspects of this personal brand culture?

Have you ever paused to consider what the Lord wants for our self-promotion? How would God want us to get noticed? How is God part of your personal brand?
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you (Matthew 6:5-6).
First, as we balance showing our faith at work, we need to consider our intentions always. Are our intentions genuine, or are we trying to be seen? Second, invite God into this practice through prayer. How can he guide how you present yourself? Finally, pause and make sure you are looking at the needs of your neighbors. Don’t spend so much time consumed with your digital brand that you forget the importance of connecting with others. Maybe they are struggling with some of the same things. How can you invite God and others into this new era of extra busyness that can easily cause too much self-focus?

June 14, 2025 Become a Barnabas on the Job

I’m sure there have been people in your life you thought, “I’d like to be like her—or like him.” You saw things in that person which were attractive and endearing, and you desired those qualities for yourself. Well, I want to encourage you to have that attitude toward a man named Joseph. His name was Joseph, but the apostles called him Barnabas, which means Son of Encouragement. You can read about him in Acts 4.

Imagine people calling you by a name that signified you were an encouraging person. I can’t think of a greater compliment, can you? I want to show you how you can become a Barnabas in your workplace; you can be known as a person who encourages others. A good friend, Traci Mason, has compiled these ideas and allowed me to share them with you.

We all recognize our workplaces can be full of discouragement, especially in these days of economic uncertainty. But this gives us a perfect opportunity to help others by becoming an encouraging person. Now, mind you, this will take some time and effort on your part, but the return on your investment will be eternal!

So, here are some practical ways you can become a Barnabas where you work:

Write notes. Handwritten notes are almost extinct. Keep a supply of note cards and encourage colleagues by placing a note on their desk, in their mailbox, or in their hand. It’s easy to make personalized cards on our computers now; so, get creative and write a note just to encourage someone.
Send e-cards. It’s really easy to send an e-card to your coworkers to let them know you are thinking of them. You can even send the same card to multiple addresses. Employees receive messages that make requests and give instructions. They would surely welcome something more pleasant in their inbox, and an e-card would be a pleasant surprise.
Remember birthdays. Find out the birthdates of coworkers, put them on your calendar, and simply give each coworker a birthday card to help them celebrate their special day. We send birthday cards here each month, and I’ve been amazed at how many people are encouraged to receive a special birthday card. It’s so easy to do!
Smile! Did you realize a simple smile can cheer up and encourage someone? Smiles are contagious and can brighten the atmosphere where you work. When talking to or passing by others, just turn up the corners of your mouth and flash them a radiant smile. It costs you nothing, and it can really make a difference in someone’s day.
Greet people! As you enter the workplace, greet coworkers with a simple, “Good morning.” You never know the energy it took for others to arrive at work. A pleasant greeting can start a person’s day off right and possibly help them forget about their troubles.
Be the Welcome Committee. When a new employee joins the team, introduce yourself and offer to be of assistance. Help that person find his or her way around, offer to have lunch together. Think how comforting it could be for that new colleague, because being the new person can be challenging and a little frightening.
Share your lunch. Purposely take more than you can eat for lunch and invite a coworker to eat with you. Or if you baked something special and have some leftovers, bring it in for others to enjoy. You could go the extra mile and ask them ahead of time to share lunch with you the next day.

You may be thinking these don’t sound very impressive or important, but it is so often the little things we do can touch someone else. These things help them see they are not forgotten, and they are encouraged. Become an encourager on the job. It will make a difference.

Here are some more creative ways you can be a Barnabas on the job:

Offer to help your boss. That’s what I said—offer to help your boss. Instead of running from work or assignments, ask your boss what you can do today to help him or her, especially if you know your boss is under a lot of pressure. Bosses need help just like everybody else, yet often they are overlooked.

June 13, 2025 The Transforming Power of Love – 5

When was the last time you told someone, “I love you”? I hope it hasn’t been long since you expressed love to someone, and I hope it hasn’t been long since someone returned that expression of love to you. Love has the power to transform us, both as givers and receivers of love.

I’m not speaking necessarily of romantic love, though of course that certainly can transform us, can’t it? Rather, just love in general—knowing that we are loved and being able to love others can change you, put a smile on your face, put a lift in your step, transform the mundaneness of life into something meaningful. All because we are loved and are loving.

That’s why Paul wrote to the Corinthians that love never fails. What else in life can you say never fails? The best computer you can buy can and does fail. The best friend can fail you. The best job can fail to deliver what you need or want. God can never fail you, and God is love. Love never fails.

It never fails to transform a person who is difficult, though it may take longer than you want. I remember when a friend of mine, Beth, worked for a very difficult manager. No one liked her; she was demanding, unfriendly, sour—just a miserable person. God used a verse—Proverbs 19:6—to tell Beth how to show love to this woman. That verse says, “Many curry favor with a ruler, and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.” She knew God wanted her to give this woman a gift on her birthday.

She bought something small but thoughtful, wrote a note thanking her for pursuing excellence, and left it on her desk on her birthday. This simple act of love transformed that woman, and she and Beth became friends from that point on. With tears in her eyes, she said to Beth that no one had ever given her a birthday gift before. Because Beth was willing to obey God’s voice to show love to this woman, it transformed her, filling up a huge empty space inside of her and changing that relationship.

Love is powerful. It never fails. I hope you will bask in the incredibly good news that God loves you and nothing can separate you from his love. And then you will become more and more intentional about loving others. It has the power to transform you, your relationships, your attitude, your productivity—love transforms us. Believe me, it’s true.

June 11, 2025 The Transforming Power of Love – 3

I’m examining how love transforms people—it truly does! Researchers tell us that loving and being loved actually changes our brains, our thought patterns, and our reactions.

That’s what God’s love for us can do. It has the power to make us productive, grateful, kind, and generous toward everyone, even people who are not easy to love. For example, here’s one of the changes we will see in others as we become better and better at sharing God’s love with them: Love has the power to inspire someone to greatness.

Do you know someone who is wasting their potential? Maybe they don’t even know they have potential, or perhaps they’re fearful of trying. I wonder—if they knew you see potential in them, if you loved them by encouraging them, could it empower them to reach their potential?

Do you remember when Jesus called Simon as a disciple and gave him the name of Peter? He referred to Peter as a rock and said Peter would play a pivotal role in establishing the early church and spreading the gospel. Was Simon Peter a rock when Jesus called him? No, he had a long way to go before he reached “rock status,” but Jesus called him what he would become, and Peter became the rock of the early church.

I have a dear friend who many years ago was bothered by a stutter. But I saw potential in her; she had the instincts of a performer, and I encouraged her to take small parts in a ministry at church that put her in front of people. She loved doing it, so she joined Toastmasters, where she learned to make presentations. Now she is very polished and gifted as a speaker and actor, and that stutter has been conquered. I just loved the potential I saw in her, and she has done what she never thought she could do as a result.

Your love of encouragement could transform someone’s life. Don’t underestimate the transforming power of love.

June 10, 2025 The Transforming Power of Love – 2

Love transforms people. The Bible is full of stories of transformational love; we are admonished throughout Scripture to love as we have been loved by God. We know God not only loves, but he also is love. That’s his very nature, and we are created by this God to love and be loved.

It is God’s love for us that transforms us, and then, it is our privilege and responsibility to share that love with others. Romans 5:5 tells us God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. When we are born into God’s family through faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us, and he simply pours God’s love into our hearts. If others are going to know God’s love, they must experience his love through me and you as God’s love in us is shared with them.

Is there someone in your life right now who is trouble for you? It could be a coworker or a boss, a child or a mate, a friend or foe. You know what they need? Love. I know—they’re probably not very lovable, but that doesn’t change the fact that they need love! What could you do today to show love to that person—undeserved, unconditional love? Maybe it’s a phone call or a note or a gift or a listening ear. Maybe it’s a lack of criticism and condemnation, a willingness to love them as they are in their unlovable condition.

We often get so busy in our day-to-day lives we forget to stop and express love. Frankly, we’re always ready to receive love but not always prepared to give it. I find I must become intentional about expressing love; I have to remember to do it. I often take for granted the love I receive from others—my family and friends—without focusing on the love they need from me.

Maybe you’re feeling very unloved. If you’re waiting to be loved before you give love, you’ve got the cart before the horse. It’s the principle of sowing and reaping—you reap what you sow. You need love? Then love someone else and love will come back to you. We can only receive love when we are intentional about giving love.

Love is transformational—and we can become God’s agents of change to people in our lives by simply taking time each day to give love—and love can be given in many ways. Think of some new ways to share God’s love today; it will transform your day, I promise.

June 7, 2025 How to Love the People You Don’t Like

The Bible doesn’t tell us to like everyone, but we are commanded to love everyone. Here are just a few of the scriptures that make it clear:

1 John 4:21: And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

1 John 4:8: Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Luke 6:32 & 35 Jesus said: Love your enemies. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.

Leviticus 19:18: Love your neighbor as yourself.

In fact, Jesus said there are two great and primary commandments (Matthew 22:37-40) and simply put, they are: Love God and love people. In fact, Jesus said all the commandments hang on these two; they are foundational to our faith. Easy to say, right? Love God, love people—but when you run into unlikable people, you feel like you've hit the spiritual brick wall. Since we cannot like them, we usually conclude we cannot love them either. Isn’t it true that we just naturally think you have to like someone before you can love them? Like is the first step, the beginning of love. So how can you love someone you don't like?

Part of the problem is that love has different definitions, and we sometimes get them confused. In the Bible we find three types of love in the original language. The first is Philo, which is the love we have toward friends, family, and others in our lives. Philo love is what Paul describes in Romans 12:10: Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Then there is Eros love, which is a more physical form of love. It’s the kind of love shared between a husband and wife, hopefully accompanied by Philo love as well.

Then there is Agape love, which is the unconditional love God has for you and me. Nothing you do can change how God loves you. Ephesians 2:4-5 describe this Agape love:

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

This is love which loves because its own inherent nature is to love. That's why the Bible says, God is love (1 John 4:8). Love is his nature.

The kind of love we need to love people we don't like is agape love. Now, agape love is not necessarily a feeling. We can love with agape love whether the feelings are present or absent, whether they are good or bad, whether this love is reciprocated or not. It is not based on feelings.

Agape love is an action. That’s how it's always described in Scripture. The Bible tells us we know God loves us because he sent his Son into the world to redeem us. We know Jesus loves us because he gave his life for us. The Bible says, Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13). And Jesus said that we know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands (1 Johnn 2:3).

God's kind of love is an action, not a feeling. Now, that really is good news, because it means we can love people toward whom we do not necessarily have good feelings. You can love people toward whom you have no feelings at all. Since love is an action, you can obey God's command to love everyone.

First Corinthians 13 is a good place to look for a practical description of love. A few of these are:

Patience: When you act with patience toward someone, you are loving them. Keep in mind that love is not a feeling, so we don't have to feel patient. Can you remember acting with patience even when you did not feel patient? That is agape love.

Kindness: When you feel like saying something sarcastic or cutting or angry, but instead you say something kind, that is a love action.

Not Jealous: When you refuse to behave jealously or possessively, you are showing love.

Has Good Manners: Just plain courtesy is a love action. How often we forget good manners, like not interrupting others when they're talking, letting others go ahead of us, etc.

June 6, 2025 A Plan to Practice Love – 5

Would you like to become known as a person of extraordinary love? It is possible for you and me to become really good at loving other people the way God wants us to. But it won’t just happen. We have to learn how to practice love in our everyday lives.

My challenge to you is to truly focus on loving like Jesus loves. I am offering you a two-week plan to learn to practice love, which is based on the description of love found in 1 Corinthians 13. God’s love is an action, not a feeling, so we can learn to be a true lover as we learn to practice those attributes of love found in this wonderful chapter.

This plan is available to you right now online at christianworkingwoman.org. It’s simple, easy, and doesn’t take much time. But it could be absolutely life-changing for you because as the famous chapter reminds us, love never fails. It never fails to transform us as we learn how to love better and better, and it transforms those to whom we extend God’s love.

Our motivation and power for learning to practice love has to come from God’s love for us. John wrote:
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are (1 John 3:1)!
In his Gospel, John identifies himself as “the one Jesus loves.” That was his identity, his motivation, his inspiration—Jesus loved him, and he lived in that love.

As you and I live more and more in the truth that we are loved by the eternal God, that nothing can ever separate us from the love that is in Christ Jesus, and that God’s love for us will never change, the more we are capable of loving others. Then we will have the love of God to give to others, and we can truly practice love on a daily basis and become powerful transmitters of God’s love to our world.

I hope you will join me and make loving God and loving people your primary focus. I believe my simple plan will help you, but however you do it, make love your life’s goal. Pray that you will be more and more rooted and grounded in love. Remember, that two-week plan is available now at christianworkingwoman.org.

June 5, 2025 A Plan to Practice Love – 4

If I asked you to define love, you might come up with an emotional description, because we typically think of love as it relates to our feelings. We have warm feelings for people we love, or our dogs, or any number of other things that we “love.” But the Bible’s definition of love as found in 1 Corinthians 13 is all about actions and attitudes, not about feelings.

Did you know love is a skill you can learn? Like any other skill, the more you practice love, the better lover you become. In 1 Timothy 4, Paul exhorts Timothy to set an example for believers in the way he loves. And he says,
Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress (1 Timothy 4:15).
I’ve come up with a two-week plan to learn to practice love, based on 1 Corinthians 13. This plan will help you to be diligent in learning to practice love, and believe me, your progress will be very evident.

It’s an easy plan; it won’t take a lot of time. You just read 1 Corinthians 13 every day for the two weeks, and then you focus each day on one of the specific attributes of love found in that chapter. For example, on Day 6 the focus is on Verse 5, which says, love is not rude, it is not self-seeking. The challenge for that day is to practice very good manners. Just simple things, like remembering to say thank you, to let others go ahead of you, to open doors for others, to let other cars in your lane of traffic, to relinquish your seat to someone else.

Love is not rude, but sometimes I can be careless in my attention to simple everyday manners, and that means I need to practice love by having better manners. And to do that, I must intentionally work at it. Now, the secret to success in learning to practice love is to pray these love actions into your life. On Day 6 pray that God would remind you to be aware of practicing good manners—to go out of your way to be polite. When you do, you’re practicing love.

If you seriously started each day with a focus on becoming a better lover, by God’s standards, can you not see how it could truly make a difference in you? I urge you to join me; go to our website—christianworkingwoman.org—and print out the two-week plan or call us and we’ll mail it to you.

June 4, 2025 A Plan to Practice Love – 3

No doubt you know this one verse from the Bible that says God is love. But what does that mean? This verse in 1 John 4 goes on to say,
Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him (1 John 4:16).
Living in love—that’s my focus, and I’m challenging you to join me as we undertake a two-week plan to learn to live in love.

Living in love takes practice. This plan suggests reading 1 Corinthians 13 every day for two weeks. It’s a short chapter—won’t take you long at all—but after two weeks of soaking truth into your mind, you will have a much clearer understanding of what living in love means.

Then, on each of those 14 days, I suggest you focus on one specific attribute of love. For example, on Day 10 the focus is “looking for the good in others.” That’s because 1 Corinthians 13:6 says love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. That means you’re intentionally looking for the good in others instead of focusing on the things that irritate you.

That could be someone you really don’t like, so you pray God will show you something about this person that is good. Or it could be your mate or someone close to you. Maybe you’ve been so focused on what you don’t like about them you’ve forgotten all the good things you do like. If you pray and sincerely look for the good in others, you will be practicing love—you will be loving like Jesus loves. How exciting is that?!

God taught me this principle many years ago when I worked for a difficult man. All I saw was his bad points. Then I finally asked God to help me see him the way God saw him, and it changed me. I saw that he had outstanding business knowledge and acumen which I could learn from him, but until I intentionally prayed and looked for the good in him, I couldn’t see it at all.

We just have to get serious and specific about living in love. I hope you’ll take my challenge to get my two-week plan on our website and join me in this adventure.

June 2, 2025 A Plan to Practice Love

Everyone talks about love, so what in the world could I say about love that hasn’t already been said thousands of time and much more eloquently? I find talking about love is pretty easy, but putting it into practice can be quite challenging.

Love is such an abused word that it almost becomes meaningless in today’s culture. But when we understand the Bible’s definition of love, it becomes quite a challenge. If you and I are going to be the kind of lovers the Bible says we should be, we’ll need some help in knowing how to practice love. That’s my goal.

I’ve prepared a two-week plan to help you and me learn to practice love by the Bible’s definition. The truth is, if you’re not intentional about putting God’s principles into practice, they just remain words on the pages of your Bible. They don’t become transformational in your life. That’s why I often use specific plans, in writing, to keep me on track and help me do what I really want to do.

This two-week plan is based on 1 Corinthians 13, which gives us very explicit and practical instruction on just what it means to love. It has very little to do with our emotions, but it has everything to do with our attitudes and our actions. This plan will help you focus on one thing at a time—one characteristic of real love each day—and give you ideas on how to implement them in your life.

The Apostle Paul prayed for the believers in Ephesus that they would be “rooted and established in love.” In John 13, Jesus says to his disciples,
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:34-35).
I think it’s so interesting Jesus says this is a new command; loving one another wasn’t required under the Law but under the New Covenant, under grace, we have a new commandment, and it is to love as we have been loved by Jesus.

I invite you to join me in this two-week plan to practice love. It’s important we take this love thing seriously, and if you will join me in learning to practice love, I think it will be transformational for you and me.

May 31, 2025 Sharing the Gospel with People Who Don’t Care

I want to begin by saying that God has put each of us who are Christ-followers in this time, in this place in history, as we read in Esther, “for such a time as this.” So, we must first see this as an opportunity, privilege, and blessing to be part of God’s plan for this time. It’s no accident that we are living in this culture.

Now, here’s my first suggestion for sharing the gospel with people who don’t care: Share your life. If anyone is going to be open to the gospel, it will be because they sense we are real people and we really care about them.

Don’t you hate those cold calls you get trying to sell you something? Usually, they try to sound so friendly and make you think they really care about you personally when they’re selling a new cable system or whatever. But no matter how slick their presentation may be, you know they don’t know you and they don’t really care about you. They’re just trying to make a sale.

If we come off that way when we talk about our faith in Jesus Christ, it simply won’t work. In reaching the people in Thessalonica, the Apostle Paul wrote that: we dared to tell you this gospel in spite of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you (1 Thessalonians 2:2-3). He was facing very similar circumstances there as we do here, and he made it known that he was sharing the gospel with them because he cared for them. His motivation was transparent and pure. There was no hidden agenda with him.

He further wrote: We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us (1 Thessalonians 2:8). When people believe we are sharing our faith in Jesus Christ with them because they are dear to us and that we are sharing not only our faith, but our lives with them, then there’s hope that they will begin to believe the gospel is relevant, real, and worthy of consideration.

So, if there are some people in your life right now who just simply don’t seem to care about things of God, about hearing the truth of the gospel, don’t be discouraged and don’t give up. Share your life with them and let them know you care about them personally. That is a big step one in sharing the gospel with people who don’t care.

Here’s another suggestion that can be powerful—tell stories. I never cease to be amazed at the power of storytelling. Jesus used parables almost exclusively in his short ministry on earth. That should give us the first clue that storytelling is an effective way of sharing truth because you and I will listen to a story, give it our full attention, and remember it better than anything else. Stories stick with you.

Stories from the Bible are, of course, very powerful, so the more familiar you are with the stories of Scripture, the more you can tell them to others. For example, suppose you have a friend who is grieving over a wayward son or daughter. You could at an appropriate time tell them the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) and encourage them to believe that there is hope for their child, too. Or if you’re in a discussion about social issues, helping the poor, homeless people, or something similar, you could tell the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). You don’t have to read from the Bible; just tell the stories of the Bible in your own words.

I think of a friend, Kate, who spent five years in Afghanistan in a culture totally opposed to the gospel. She was very effective at sharing the gospel in that environment. Besides loving the people and caring about them, she also found that telling the stories of the Bible was the best way possible to share truth with them. Time and again God opened a door for her to share a Bible story. The women listened and learned, and many came to saving faith.

Keep in mind it is not your job to win people to Christ. Only the Holy Spirit can do that.

May 29, 2025 Ambassador, How We Show Up! – 4

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

How will God use me as an ambassador? I have such a terrible past and I really don’t know how he will ever use me! How often do thoughts of your past life as a citizen of this world creep into your mind? Are you overcome with thinking God cannot use you as an ambassador for Jesus at work?

I hope you are a regular reader of the Bible and abiding in this way! If not, I want to take this moment to encourage you to pick up a Bible reading plan because this is the best way to see how God can redeem and use anyone for his glory! Even if you are not in the Word daily, you surely have heard of the apostle Paul. In fact, Paul was used by God to write the most books in the Bible!

What do you know about Paul? What I can tell you is he was one of the most ardent adversaries of the followers of Jesus Christ. In fact, many of the followers at that time were met in persecution and even execution for their faith under the direction of Paul who was, at the time, named Saul.
But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison (Acts 8:3).
He speaks of his life contrary to following Jesus in Acts 26:9-11.

But God changed Saul in an instant and redeemed him to be one of his greatest ambassadors! Saul is renamed Paul. You can read about this in Acts 9:1-19.

Was this you? Were you walking in a way contrary to leading people to faith in Jesus? Maybe you were making fun of the Christian lifestyle, but now you whole heartedly follow Jesus.

Paul went to prison for his belief in Jesus. He worshiped in prison. He wrote letters (the Epistles) to tell the early church to repent and follow the ways of Christ. Paul was beaten for his faith. All of this was after an entire life persecuting the church!

Paul was able to use his past life to be a testimony of the huge change Jesus made in his life. Have you prepared to share your testimony? Sometimes sharing your testimony can be one of the most powerful ways Jesus uses you as his ambassador.

May 28, 2025 Ambassador, How We Show Up! – 3

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

We know we are to renew our minds daily! How can we focus on being ambassadors of Jesus? What happens when we are overcome and fail to be the best representatives of Jesus? Let’s look at two examples of this. One ends in despair, and the other ends with beautiful redemption and an even deeper commitment to being an ambassador for Jesus.

Temptation is around every corner in this world. It was back in the time of Jesus, and it is today. We got a sneak peek into the heart of Judas yesterday with his rebuke of Mary in the anointing of Jesus feet. We also know Judas betrayed Jesus.

In Matthew 26:14-16 we see Judas’s greed take over.
Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over (Matthew 26:14-16).
In the end, after Jesus’ death, we know Judas is grieved and tries to return the money! When he cannot, he ends up taking his own life. He had betrayed Jesus!

But we also see the other side of this in the story of Peter’s denial in Luke 22:54-62. Not only did Jesus predict Peter would deny knowing him, we see how grieved Peter is when he realizes this! The rooster crows three times, Peter sees the Lord, remembers the Lord’s words, and weeps bitterly.

Peter’s heart was grieved. One can consider he had a repentant heart. When Peter meets the resurrected Jesus on the shores, we see Jesus question him in John 21:17. Do you love me? He does this three times. And then Jesus commands him to feed my sheep.

Your role as an ambassador will not be easy. Temptations will come and sometimes it will be easier to deny Jesus than it will be to boldly speak of your faith. If you do end up like Judas (hopefully not) or Peter, your repentance and return to Jesus are critical to your future kingdom work as an ambassador for Jesus! Jesus sees your heart; he knows and feels your repentance.

May 27, 2025 Ambassador, How We Show Up! – 2

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

One of the ways we can show up as ambassadors for Jesus at work is in the sacrifices we make for others. This can show up in different ways. Maybe it is a financial sacrifice or perhaps it is the sacrifice of time or even placing yourself aside to shine the light on someone other than yourself. All of this can feel costly! And most of the actions we will take as ambassadors of Jesus in this world will be counter to what the culture of this world tells us we should do.

In John 12:1-8, we see a costly and counter sacrifice.
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it (John 12:1-6).
In the remaining verses we see Jesus rebuke Judas and tell him to leave her alone for he would not always be with them.

In this time, her sacrifice was costly. What about today? If you are a leader with a budget and times are tight with the company, how will this impact pay increases and rewards for your people? Would you be willing to forgo an increase, so your team can be properly rewarded for their hard work? This would be counter to what culture tells you to do.

Perhaps your team had a big win for the company. In a meeting, the CEO praises you very specifically for this win. Rather than accepting all this praise, how are you shining the light back to the contributions of your team?

Perhaps it is as simple as time, which also can be costly. Are you seeing a colleague struggle with a project? Perhaps you offer to help them.

Maybe the cost is defending your faith at work. In a way, we see Mary representing her faith in Jesus with the costly sacrifice of this anointing. She did what was counter to the culture. Is someone making fun of people who believe in Jesus? It may feel costly to speak up, but it is one way you can be an ambassador for the kingdom you serve.

May 24, 2025 Unwelcomed Ambassador

Jesus promised us many good things, but he also warned of the sacrifice we would face as his followers and more importantly in our work as his ambassadors. As we consider how we represent Jesus as ambassadors in the workplace, we really need to consider what Jesus says about the reality of this role and take counsel from how some of the best ambassadors in the Bible handled this.

In John 15:18-20a Jesus told his disciples:

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”

The word ambassador comes from the Latin root of ambacus, meaning servant. The servant or ambassador in these verses from John is not greater than his master. If your master is Jesus, you can count on all the hatred and persecution that he experienced. But how might this hatred or persecution show up for us as we represent Christ at work by serving others?

First, let’s really think about why we are persecuted in this world—at work or in general. We are in a foreign country, ruled by the prince of the power of the air, not in the heavenly realms. More specifically, we can count on the devil trying to thwart our good efforts to serve God's Kingdom!

1 Peter 5:8 states: Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

We must be watchful and aware that this can happen at any time, and when we are feeling discouraged in our serving, we need to consider this verse.

We have all faced this, especially when we are sharing our faith with someone at work. The enemy wants to sow the seeds of self-doubt to thwart our efforts!

You have been there. People notice you are different. Maybe you are positive when it seems like you shouldn’t be. Perhaps it is how you lead and provide feedback to your team. Are you more uplifting than anyone in your office—always looking to be a mighty encourager, and coach? Are you offering help? Maybe you have even bought a coffee for someone who was having a bad day.

As ambassadors we show our faith by saying no to certain things that others engage in at work. Whether it is gossip or not attending a happy hour that seems to happen often, you may feel like you don’t fit in with your colleagues. Rest assured your absence from both gossip and even a wild happy hour honors the Lord, and you are being his servant at work by not engaging.

Are you showing up and reporting something that needs to be brought to light? Maybe it is a simple compliance issue, or it could be something more egregious like theft. This is being Christ’s ambassador.

All these actions are your faith at work 1.0—ways to be an ambassador without even telling people about your faith.

But what if someone calls you out for sitting out? How will you answer? It is easy to walk away from gossip and to reply no to an outing, but what if someone asks why? What happens if someone gets upset when you report the wrongdoing?

Or what about when someone inserts a small comment, “Gosh you are so different than everyone else here,” Or “Why are you so positive all the time?” They simply want to know about your joy!

1 Peter 3:13-17 outlines the expectation of our reply!

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

May 23, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Witnessing – 5

Fran has to deal with a coworker who often is profane and obscene. In a meeting he makes a point of using the Lord's name in vain and then sarcastically apologizes to Fran for hurting her feelings. Jesus helps Fran to respond.

\"Actually, Bud, you didn't hurt my feelings; you hurt my heart,\" Fran answers.

Suddenly the whole room gets quiet, and everyone is watching Bud and Fran. Nobody is really fond of Bud's vile language, but he's been in the company for years. So, no one confronts him, not even upper management.

Bud gives a nervous laugh. \"Hurt your heart? What do you mean, Fran?\"

\"Well, I just mean when you use the name of Jesus like that, it really hurts me because he's the most important person in my life. He's my best friend. How would you like it if I used the name of your best friend—or someone close to you—in a derogatory way? I think it would hurt your heart, Bud, just like you hurt mine,\" Fran says. She thinks, Lord, were those words from you? I never planned to say that!

\"Oh, Fran, you take things too personally. That's just the way people talk,\" Bud replies, obviously unnerved by Fran's response. The air is full of electricity.

Jesus nudges Fran, “It's time to get this conversation out of this public arena. Invite him to lunch.”

“Invite him to lunch, Lord? Bud? I don't want to have lunch with him—and besides he would never accept,” Fran replies, but Jesus is insistent. Invite him to lunch, Fran.

When Jesus tugs at her like that, she knows she has to obey, so Fran turns to Bud, \"You know, Bud, this would make for an interesting conversation over lunch today. How about it—my treat?\"

\"You're inviting me to lunch? You think you can endure me that long, Fran?\" Bud asks with a big laugh.

\"I'm sure of it—if you think you can put up with me that long,\" Fran answers with a laugh.

\"Okay, you got a deal. I never turn down a free lunch,\" Bud replies.

All through the meeting Fran communicates to Jesus about this upcoming lunch with Bud. “Lord, what am I'm going to say to Bud?”

“You're going to become friends with Bud, Fran, and let him see what I'm like, living in you. How can you ever do that if you never get to know him?” Jesus explains to Fran.

“Well, okay, but it's probably wasted effort. Bud's a hopeless case,” Fran thinks.

“Oh, Fran, many times the people who look the least likely to want to know me are the ones most hungry. You may be surprised,” Jesus informs her.

Fran is learning that witnessing begins with loving people, spending time with them, getting to know them—even the people who seem to be the least likely candidates.

May 21, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Witnessing – 3

Fran has run into a neighbor who needs a friend, and although Fran had planned a quiet evening for herself, at Jesus' prodding, she gives Sue a call.

\"Hi, Sue, this is Fran. Listen, I don't have anything I have to do tonight. Why don't you come on over in a little while. The kids go to bed around 8:30 or 9:00. We'll have some time then to talk. I've got good ears, Sue, and I'm willing to listen,\" Fran invites Sue over.

\"Yeah, I'm sure; see you later,” Sue responds.

As she hangs up the phone, Fran smiles. \"You know, Lord, I didn't really plan to do that, but when I started thinking about Sue and how I'd feel if I were in her shoes, well...\" Fran's voice trails off.

\"Yes, Fran, you just put on compassion. You have prayed that I would help you to be a compassionate person, so I just answered that prayer,\" Jesus tells her. \"When you care about someone, when you feel compassion toward them, it's not so difficult to be a servant to them, is it?\"

\"Oh, I didn't think of it as being a servant; I just wanted to help her. I hope I can,\" Fran replies.

\"True servanthood,\" he says, \"is when you are a servant and don't even realize it. And that happened, Fran, as soon as you stopped thinking about how inconvenient it was and how you had a right to have a night all your own. Instead, you thought about Sue.\"

\"I get the picture, Lord,\" Fran replies. \"Keep praying for compassion, keep putting myself in other's shoes, and day by day, you will answer my prayer and make me more like you—compassionate. It really is amazing to see how you can change me,” Fran says.

She helps the kids with their homework, and as they're getting ready for bed, Sue knocks on the door. It turns out to be a late night for Fran, as Sue talks for several hours and pours out her hurt and pain from her broken relationship.

Fran falls in bed about midnight, exhausted, praying for Sue as she goes to sleep.

Jesus reminds her Sue is desperate for love. She doesn't know his love, so she's looking for it in a man. That happens a lot, doesn’t it? She and Jesus talk a bit about Sue's dilemma, and before she knows it, Fran has reached for the phone and dialed Sue's number.

Fran continues with Sue: \"I'm sure this has been very hurtful for you, Sue. Sorry. I didn't know.\"

\"Well, maybe I could talk with you sometime when you have time. I know how busy you are...\" Sue looks at Fran with hopeful eyes.

\"Of course, we'll get together soon, I promise,\" Fran replies, and with that they each head for the check-out stand.

May 20, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Witnessing – 2

Have you ever wondered how you can befriend a non-believer whose lifestyle is sinful, without appearing to approve of the sin? Fran is facing that dilemma. On the way home from work, she runs into a neighbor, Sue, who tells Fran that her live-in boyfriend has just moved out. Sue is obviously upset and wants to talk, and Fran promises to call her soon.

In the check-out line, Jesus says to Fran, \"You know, Sue is really needing a friend right now, Fran. Why didn't you invite her to come over tonight and talk?\"

\"Tonight? Well, Lord, you know this is the first night in two weeks I've had to myself. I just want to be alone and read after the kids go to bed,\" Fran replies, sounding a bit defensive.

\"Yeah, I understand, Fran, but can you afford to pass up an opportunity like this to reach out to someone who was obviously asking you to help her?\" Jesus asks.

\"Well, I'll call her and set up a date next week for pizza or something,\" Fran answers, hoping that will satisfy Jesus.

\"Next week?\" he replies. \"Next week is a long time off when you're hurting like Sue is.\"

As she heads for the car, Jesus doesn't say anything else, but Fran is very uncomfortable. She pulls into her driveway, and says, \"Lord, you really think I should give up my one free night and ask Sue over tonight? I mean, don't I have a right to one night to myself?\"

\"A right? Well, think about that, Fran,” Jesus says. “I gave up my rights to all that was coming to me when I left heaven to come to earth. The essence of the Christian life is that we give our rights over to God and allow him to run things for us. You remember I said, 'Not my will, but thine be done.'\"

Fran remembers in a flash all she has been learning about giving up her rights and being a servant. But when the rubber hits the road, as it has this evening, she finds it a bit difficult. \"Guess I really don't like being a servant sometimes, Lord,\" Fran replies, as she sits in the car a few more minutes. \"It's not always convenient, is it,\" Fran says with a smile.

\"No, sometimes it's terribly inconvenient and requires sacrifice. But the rewards are good, Fran,\" Jesus reminds her.

As she makes dinner for the kids, her mind again goes to Sue. She thinks Sue must be devastated. Ed was her whole life, and now he's gone. Fran knew he would never marry her, but Sue thought for sure if they just lived together for a few months, then he'd want to get married.

Jesus reminds her Sue is desperate for love. She doesn't know his love, so she's looking for it in a man. That happens a lot, doesn’t it? She and Jesus talk a bit about Sue's dilemma, and before she knows it, Fran has reached for the phone and dialed Sue's number.

Fran continues with Sue: \"I'm sure this has been very hurtful for you, Sue. Sorry. I didn't know.\"

\"Well, maybe I could talk with you sometime when you have time. I know how busy you are...\" Sue looks at Fran with hopeful eyes.

\"Of course, we'll get together soon, I promise,\" Fran replies, and with that they each head for the check-out stand.

May 19, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Witnessing

Knowing how to witness to others is often a perplexing question for many of us. Our friend Fran is facing that issue. This on-going story of Fran and Jesus is told as though Jesus was with her all day, and she talks to him and he to her. Of course, Jesus is with us all the time, but sometimes we forget. Hopefully, these stories of Fran and Jesus will help us remember to practice the presence of Jesus everyday everywhere.

Fran is hurrying home from work. \"It seems like I always have to stop at the store for something,\" Fran thinks. \"You know, Lord, if I didn't have to buy groceries, I'd be rich,\" she muses. “But with a growing nine-year-old boy, he just seems to never get enough. I'm thankful you told us not to worry about what we eat or wear, because you know we have need of these things,\" Fran says to Jesus. She is reassured by the promise Jesus will never leave her or forsake and has indeed promised to supply all her needs according to his riches in glory.

She pulls into the grocery parking lot and dashes into the store, practically running through the aisles to find the things she needs. In the midst of her hurry, she hears a voice, \"Hey, Fran!” She turns and sees her neighbor.

\"Sue, hi. How are you? Goodness, I haven't seen you in several weeks. Good to see you,\" Fran says in a friendly way.

\"Yeah, I've been thinking about calling and stopping in to talk, but—well, I know how busy you are with the kids and everything,\" Sue says.

\"How about your job, Sue? Did you get that new job you were hoping for?\" Fran asks.

\"No, I decided not to even apply for it, Fran,\" Sue answers. \"I'm sure I didn't have a chance, and besides. . .\" her voice trails off, and Fran can tell something is wrong.

\"What's wrong, Sue? You look a little upset,\" Fran encourages her to talk.

Sue looks around, uncomfortable talking in the middle of the store. \"Well, Ed moved out a couple of weeks ago, and I've just been upset, I guess.\"

\"Oh, I see,\" Fran replies. \"I'm, well I'm...” What can I say, Lord? Fran asks Jesus. I'm not sorry Ed moved out; they shouldn't have been living together anyway.

“Just show her some love, Fran,” Jesus responds. “You can show love for people even if you don't approve of what they're doing.”

Fran continues with Sue: \"I'm sure this has been very hurtful for you, Sue. Sorry. I didn't know.\"

\"Well, maybe I could talk with you sometime when you have time. I know how busy you are...\" Sue looks at Fran with hopeful eyes.

\"Of course, we'll get together soon, I promise,\" Fran replies, and with that they each head for the check-out stand.

May 17, 2025 What is Your Banana Ministry?

My friend Judy was a missionary living in Nairobi, Kenya. She traveled a good deal in and around Nairobi, and if you’ve ever been there, you know it’s pretty much a continual traffic jam. And there are always people lined up on the streets selling everything you can imagine—including to my horror, puppies.

One day Judy was traveling with her driver, Baraza, and she saw a woman selling bananas, with a baby strapped to her back and two others playing at her feet. Judy told Baraza, “Pull over; I want to buy some bananas.” She gave him the equivalent of about two dollars and told him to buy all her bananas—about 20. “But Sister,” he said, “why are you buying 20 bananas? You can’t eat that many.” “Just buy them,” she told him.

He was baffled as to why Judy would want so many bananas, since she lives alone, but he did as she insisted. When he paid the lady for all her bananas, her face lit up with a huge, incredulous smile. That probably represented two days of food for her and her family. Baraza said, “Sister, did you see how happy she was. You did a good thing for her.”

Then they traveled on, and Judy saw a crippled man with only one leg by the side of the road. She told Baraza to stop and give him some bananas. Once again, Baraza saw how thrilled the man was to get the bananas. This went on for their entire journey until Judy had given away all the bananas. Baraza—who is a wonderful believer—said, “Sister, this was so good. I can do this. I can give away bananas.” And as a result, Baraza began to carry bananas, apples, and other fruit with him to give to people randomly as God led him. So, he had a banana ministry.

What do you have in your hands that could easily become gifts of love to the people in your life—strangers, coworkers, family, friends—whoever? I’m suggesting that every one of us should look for our banana ministry—something we intentionally do to share the love of God.

You’re probably familiar with the phrase “random acts of kindness.” Actually, it has become a movement, encouraging people to purposely plan and perform kind acts for others. Lots of research has been done that shows the incredible benefits for the person who decides to plan and execute random acts of kindness. According to research from Emory University, when you are kind to another person, your brain’s pleasure and reward centers light up, as if you were the recipient of the good deed—not the giver. This phenomenon is called the “helper’s high.”

Isn’t it interesting that when people follow the principles of Scripture, whether they are believers or not, they discover it benefits everyone. The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy: And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone. . . (2 Timothy 2:24). And to the church in Colossae he wrote: Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12). He was preaching “random acts of kindness” long before the term was coined.

Certainly, as followers of Jesus Christ, we should share “random acts of kindness” more than any others because we have the Holy Spirit, and we also have the great privilege of showing God’s love to a loveless, often cruel world. And then, as the studies show, we discover what Jesus told us—it is truly more blessed to give than to receive.

Let me tell you about my friend, Kiyoko, a Japanese woman in my church. She was inspired to use her creativity to share the gospel. So, she made beautiful little bookmarks with a Bible verses, using things people throw away, like candy wrappers.

She carried her bookmarks with her and whenever she had an opportunity—with a stranger, a store clerk, someone she sat by on the bus or airplane—she gave them one of her bookmarks. She called them “born-again bookmarks,” and explained how she makes them from scraps of paper that people throw away. This opened the door for her to tell them that her born-again boo...

May 16, 2025 Be a Risk Taker – 5

Are you a risk taker? Jesus asks us to take risks for him. He challenges us to lose our lives for the sake of the Gospel. He warned us our lives might incur hard times and persecutions, just as his did. But you can be sure of this: It is better to lose your life than it is to waste it.

Let me quote from John Piper’s booklet, Risk Is Right:

“Therefore, it is right to risk for the cause of Christ. It is right to engage the enemy and say, ‘May the Lord do what seems good to him.’ It is right to serve the people of God, and say, ‘If I perish, I perish!’ It is right to stand before the fiery furnace of affliction and refuse to bow down to the gods of the world. At the end of every other road—secure and risk-free—we will put our face in our hands and say, ‘I’ve wasted it!’ But at the end of the road of risk, taken in reliance on the blood-bought promises of God, there will be fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore.”

The kind of risk-taking we should do for Jesus is not the impulse of being a hero, or the lust for adventure. If our motives are to heap praise and glory for ourselves, we are doing it for the wrong reasons. And we don’t take risks for Jesus to earn his acceptance or gain his approval. It has to be about doing it for the love of Christ—nothing more, nothing less.
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
When the love of Christ compels you, then the risk is a no-brainer. You just have to do it because Jesus loves you so much, and he has redeemed your life and given you hope and purpose. And now you have the privilege to do something risky out of love for him.

Regardless of what God is leading you to do, I can promise you it will be bigger than you are, and it will be risky. It will require you to live by faith and not by sight. It will test you and frighten you, but that’s where the blessing is, where the abundant life is. Don’t miss it. If God is for you, who can be against you?

May 15, 2025 Be a Risk Taker – 4

Do you know someone who has taken a big risk for Jesus? We’ve looked at two women in Scripture who took great risks—Esther and Deborah. But what about a contemporary risk-taker?

Let me tell you about my dear friend, Donnita Travis, who left her very successful career in marketing to begin an after-school ministry for under-served children in the poorest neighborhoods of Chicago. In 2001 she began with 16 children, coming three days each week to our church for tutoring, teaching, and nourishing. Now there are over 1,200 children involved in By the Hand Club in four different locations in our city, and it is absolutely mind-boggling to see how God is using this ministry to bring children hope and love and help them reach their potential. These children not only improve in their schoolwork, but they also hear the gospel clearly and are loved by the staff. The success stories are abundant. You can learn the whole story by going to bythehand.org.

I look at Donnita and think, if only I had faith like she does, or if only I had her management and marketing skills. And of course, she is uniquely gifted. But it’s much more than that. Donnita heard God’s call on her life, and she simply said, like Esther, “God has put me here for such a time as this.” She took enormous risks and for over twenty-five years has boldly moved forward with ever-growing impact on our city.

But let me tell you one more thing: It’s been loads of hard work, long days, many serious safety and legal issues to resolve. It’s not an easy road. There are days I see her and know she is simply tired to the bone. But she keeps doing what God has put her here to do, and God is blessing.

I know God doesn’t call all of us to such highly visible tasks, but I know he calls each of us to step out on faith, take a risk, and be willing to let him do through us what he alone can do. Are you standing on the brink of a new challenge? Does your heart tell you this is what God wants you to do?
The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
Don’t miss the great thing God has for you to do because you’re not willing to take the risk.

May 14, 2025 Be a Risk Taker – 3

Do you know the story of Deborah, who was a judge in Israel? Deborah was a risk-taker for the Lord.

This woman was way ahead of her time. She had to take an enormous risk—and that was to go herself and lead her army into battle. Barak was the leader of the army, but he said, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.” Maybe he thought she never would agree to go into battle and that would get him off the hook. If so, she fooled him. She said, “Very well, I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours…” Obviously she recognized he was not the brave leader he should be. So, she took a risk. You can read her story in Judges 4—an amazing story of how God gave her and her army victory over their much larger enemy.

I wonder what it is that makes one person willing to take a risk for God and another is not. Isn’t it true we are prone to trust those we know, but if we don’t know someone too well, we’re less willing to trust them? No doubt our trust in God has a lot to do with our willingness to take a risk for him. It’s at these times—when there is some risk involved—that we find out just whether we trust God or not—or how much we trust him. God wants us to take risks as he leads us and allow him to do through us what we could never do on our own. We should attempt something so great for God that only he could do it.
You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way (Psalm 18:36).
Ron Hutchcraft tells the story of how he had to overcome a fear of walking across a slippery pipe to cross a stream so he could see an incredible waterfall. He was afraid to do it and was ready to back out, but his friends encouraged him to walk across the pipe so he could see this beautiful waterfall. He finally took the risk and made it across. And he reports the risk was more than worth it because the view was awesome. When we start across a pipe that looks risky, that \"faith pipe\" that will take us to new territory for Jesus, the pipe becomes a broad path, and our ankles don't turn! Jesus broadens the path beneath our feet. I love that image.

Walk across the pipe today. Don't miss the view. Don't miss what Jesus wants to do in you and through you. Don't stay where it's comfortable. Be willing to be an entrepreneur for Jesus. That’s where the abundant life is—doing what only he can do through you.

May 12, 2025 Be a Risk Taker

Are you a risk taker? Some people would tell you not to ever take a risk, because it’s risky! Play it safe would be their motto.

Taking risks is not always a smart thing to do. But if you were to talk to any successful person in any field, no doubt they would tell you about some time in their life when they took a risk. They exposed themselves to failure and maybe even ridicule, but that’s what it took for them to be successful.

As we live our lives for Jesus, there will be times when we need to take a risk, move out of our comfort zones, attempt something that looks difficult, and even run the possibility of failing. For example, maybe God has been prompting you to share your faith with a coworker, but you’ve been reluctant to do so because it’s risky. You think: That coworker may react negatively, or I may botch it and say all the wrong things, or maybe it’s against the law to share my faith on the job! And so fear keeps you from taking the risk.

Have you ever thought about how many times you’ve missed out on so much of what God wants you to do and the blessings that come when you obey, simply because you were not willing to take a risk? Obviously, you should always proceed with prayer and caution, but if you’re afraid of any risk, you will simply never do all the good things God has put you here to do. You’ll miss so much of God’s blessing in your life.

In his insightful booklet, Risk Is Right, John Piper says his aim is to explode the myth of safety and deliver us from the enchantment of security, because it’s a mirage. It doesn’t exist. None of us know what the next moment holds, not to mention tomorrow. God never takes any risks because he knows the end from the beginning. We don’t know the end, and God doesn’t tell us. He intends for us to live by faith not by sight, and so our lives are risky.[1]

Fear of risks keeps many of us paralyzed. Bonhoeffer wrote: “To delay or fail to make decisions may be more sinful than to make wrong decisions out of faith and love.”[2]

I’m exploring people in the Bible who took great risks, and I hope you’ll be inspired to step out on faith and take whatever risks you need to in order to follow Christ and his plans for you.

--

[1] Piper, J. (2013). Risk Is Right. Crossway.

[2] Eric Metaxas. (2010). Bonhoeffer : Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. Thomas Nelson.

May 10, 2025 Ready to Give an Answer

I want to begin by asking some questions.

Have you ever preached a sermon at work?
Have you given the four spiritual laws over the PA system in your office?
Do your coworkers beg you to take them to church with you?
Do you read the Bible out loud to your coworkers each day?

I’m guessing not many of you answered yes, but neither did I. Does that mean none of us are effectively witnessing for Jesus on our jobs?

Effectively witnessing on our jobs. That thought frightens most Christians in the marketplace. For most of us, the idea of witnessing conjures up visions of cornering someone against their will, or passing out tracts, or badgering a coworker to go to church with us, resulting in being labeled as a religious fanatic, etc. Does that sound familiar? And yet, we know we should be sharing the good news of Jesus because there is likely someone in our work environment who really wants to know the truth. Besides, Jesus has called us to be his witnesses to the whole world.

Well, let me ask you another question: Has someone on your job ever asked you a question or made a comment that opened a door for you to talk about your faith in Jesus—maybe just a little bit?

Now all of us should have our hands up on that one, because if we're living our faith out in our everyday worlds as we should be, someone will ask us a question and open a door for us to share what Jesus means to us.

Peter wrote:

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).

I believe question-answering is the most effective means we have to share who Jesus is and the good news of his gospel with the people we interact with daily.

Jesus was the master of this technique. Nicodemus was fascinated with what he'd seen and heard about Jesus, so he came quietly to him to ask some questions. Jesus answered Nicodemus’s questions, explaining what it meant to be born again because Nicodemus found that a baffling statement.

His interaction with the rich young ruler was a series of questions and answers. With the Samaritan woman at the well, his behavior was so unusual it caused her to ask questions. And Jesus kept leading her to ask other questions. By the time he answered her questions, he'd revealed to her that he was the Messiah, and she went back to town to tell everyone else about him. Effective witnessing, wouldn't you say? No meeting, no altar call, no one-two-three formulas. Those techniques would not have been appropriate at those times. But Jesus lived a life that generated questions, and he was prepared to answer them.

Throughout our history, Christians have spread the good news of Jesus by this one-on-one question and answer method. Just look at the Church in China or any of the countries where Christians have endured persecution for years. Not only have they been unable to wipe out Christianity, as Stalin claimed he would do in Russia, but the Church grew and increased amid persecution.

And how did the Church survive? They could not hold evangelical meetings; most of their churches were closed; they could not speak openly about Jesus. Yet they continued and grew because they infiltrated their society. They became living examples and question-answerers. Their presence could not be ignored because their lives told a story that caused people to ask questions.

Your calling and mine is exactly the same as theirs: To infiltrate our worlds for Jesus. And I firmly believe the American marketplace is one of the last frontiers for infiltration. It's a ready-made mission field. You're already there; and you're there on equal footing with everyone else who is working with you. Your presence is legitimate, and you are there for long hours every day. What better opportunity could you ask for?

Now, how do you infiltrate your world?

May 8, 2025 Your Job and Your Work – 4

Does your job cause you a lot of frustration? Do you often feel you're just spinning your wheels or running on a treadmill, getting nowhere in your daily job? I'm talking about the differences between your job and your work. And one major difference is:

Your job may sometimes produce frustration; your work will most often produce fruit.

Jobs carry no guarantee of inner tranquility or accomplishment. You can work as hard as possible and never feel like you've done a whole lot. You may never get appropriate recognition for the job you do, and indeed others may take credit for what you have done. You may discover the harder you work at your job, the more frustrating it is. Often our jobs bring a great deal of frustration into our lives, for all kinds of reasons.

On the other hand, your work will energize you because you know you're doing something eternally significant. Your work will bring satisfaction. You will be rewarded for your work and receive recognition from the ultimate manager, God your Father. You surely can grow weary in doing your work, but you won't grow weary of the work God has planned for you to do.

Your job will end in retirement; your work will not end until death.

Jobs come to an end. Either you retire or you walk away from the job, or the job is eliminated. Work, however, has no termination age. As long as life remains, there is work to be done, and it gives substance and value to every day at any age. Your work most likely will take some turns and changes as you progress through life, but there is always work to do.

You may be thinking, \"You mean, I can't expect to find a job I really love?” No, you can educate yourself and look for a job using your talents and strengths, and you can do your work while you’re doing your job. God plans for all of us to be lights in a dark world, so part of your work may be to shine the light and love of Jesus right there on your job.

Also, God often uses our jobs to prepare us to do his work. The skills and experience I gained in my job have become a tool in God’s plan to touch lives in ways I could not have done without that job.

May 7, 2025 Your Job and Your Work – 3

What is the difference between your job and your work? Your work will give you an opportunity to exercise the gifts you have—the abilities God has given you, whereas your job may not use your gifts. The use of our gifts always brings fulfillment and joy into our lives.

Another difference is:

Your job will result in income; your work may never result in income.

Most people go to their jobs each day primarily because they get paid to do it. I'm not saying you can't enjoy doing your job and that there aren't other motivational factors involved. But there are very few who would continue going to their job each day without compensation.

Your work may never pay you a dollar, but it will pay benefits that cannot be valued in earthly terms. When you are doing your work, what God has called you to do, you're putting deposits in God's heavenly bank, where thieves can't steal it, and rust cannot destroy it. Your work certainly brings compensation, but it's deposited in a different bank and held as a long-term invest

In our society where people are valued by the size of their salaries and bank accounts, this is a totally different perspective for a Christian, and one we have to adjust to. It's one of those areas where we must fight not to allow the world to shove us into its mold or way of thinking.

There is always someone else who can do your job; there is no one else who can do your work.

If you called your employer tomorrow and said, \"I'm not coming back; you won't see me again,\" guess what? They would survive. It might cause some temporary problems, but somebody soon would move into your role, learn your job and do it.

However, you are indispensable when it comes to your work. If you don't do the work God has called you to do, it will go undone. How do you know God has work for you to do? Because of Ephesians 2:10.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
God has a to-do list just for you, and if you miss it, you’ll miss the abundant joy of doing the work God planned for you to do.

If you told me I could never use the gifts God has given me, I would feel empty. Life would be tasteless. My gifts are the activities that bring meaning and joy to my life.

Your job may employ your gifts, and if so, that is a blessing. If not, you still have work to do that is very meaningful. You just need to have a clear understanding, based on God’s Word, of the difference in your job and your work.

May 6, 2025 Your Job and Your Work – 2

Let me ask you: As a Christian, is it essential for you to have a job that is personally fulfilling? Is that your right? Should we assume something is missing or wrong in our lives just because our job isn't what we hoped and expected it to be?

Have you come to the point of acknowledging that your job is not fulfilling, and you’ve worked long enough to know no job is going to be the exciting adventure you hoped it would be? The good news is your job may never be all you want it to be, but your life can be purposeful and fulfilling when you know the work God has given you to do, and that will fill your life with meaningful and important activity.

Let's consider some significant differences in your job and your work:

Your job may employ none of your gifts; your work employs all your gifts.

Now, first, do you know what your gifts are? All Christ-followers have at least one spiritual gift, and many times several. Romans 12 is a good starting place to learn about these gifts, and there are many good helps on this topic. If you don't know what your gifts are, start a research program and ask God to show you.

The really neat thing about our gifts is what we've been gifted to do, we love to do, and it doesn't come hard for us. God is an incredibly smart manager of his human resources. He knows if I love to do what I have to do, I'm going to do it much better.

It's a joy to exercise your gifts, isn't it? Now, that doesn't mean you never grow tired or weary or don't want to run away once in a while. But a few days away from doing my work, and I'm restless. I'm ready to go back.

If you told me I could never use the gifts God has given me, I would feel empty. Life would be tasteless. My gifts are the activities that bring meaning and joy to my life.

Your job may employ your gifts, and if so, that is a blessing. If not, you still have work to do that is very meaningful. You just need to have a clear understanding, based on God’s Word, of the difference in your job and your work.

May 3, 2025 The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness

If you will remember, this message of needing to feel good about yourself and have really good self-esteem became an unquestioned truth for most people. It became prominent in the 1980’s, when it was taught in some schools. However, the concept of self-esteem itself has roots much earlier, with certain philosophers. The general theme of this teaching was that the troubles that plague our society—crime, addictions, failed marriages, and abuse—is attributable to low self-esteem. It was thought and taught that if we could just help people think about themselves in more positive ways, then they wouldn’t do negative things and our societal problems would go away.

But as I looked at myself and others, God made it clear to me that self is not my solution; self is my problem! And looking back at the topics I covered early in this ministry, I see ways I was trying to communicate this truth as early as 1989. Trying to get people to feel good about themselves will not reach into the depths of their souls and bring healing. And that’s because each of us was born in sin, we commit sin willfully, and we simply have a sin problem. The Bible says there is nothing good in ourselves—that all the righteous things we try to do are like filthy rags to God.

Well, that doesn’t exactly fit with the good self-esteem message, does it? Recently I found a transcript of a sermon by Tim Keller entitled The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness[1]. Tim did such a good job of explaining how this idea of low self-esteem causing society’s big problems is just not true.

I want share some of Tim’s thoughts, which are echoes of what I’ve tried to say for many years on this topic of self-esteem. The title of his booklet gives you a clue to where he’s going: The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness. When you and I can come to a place where life is not all about us, we begin to walk in the freedom Jesus came to give us. Believe me when I tell you: Self is your problem and not your solution, and when you grasp the incredible freedom of forgetting about yourself, you are going to love it.

Tim asserts that up until the twentieth century, almost all cultures believed and taught that having too high a view of yourself was the root cause of all the evil in the world. Human pride, selfishness, greed, and evil were presented as the cause for all bad behavior.

But in our modern western culture, we have developed a completely opposite idea. Now our educational systems, our counseling curriculums, our treatment of prisoners, and much of our legislation starts with the viewpoint that all we need is to feel good about ourselves. Think of some evil in our world today—such as abuse of children. This philosophy would have us believe this evil would go away if those who abused children didn’t have such low self-esteem.

Even secular psychologists have come to see the error of this belief system. Some have reported there is no evidence that low self-esteem is a big problem in society, but rather, people with high self-esteem pose a greater threat to those around them. This is hard for people to accept. As Tim wrote: “The thing about the low self-esteem theory of misbehavior is that it is very attractive. You do not have to make any moral judgments in order to deal with society’s problems.”[2]

And elsewhere Tim wrote: “If someone has a problem with low self-esteem we, in our modern world, seem to have only one way of dealing with it. That is remedying it with high self-esteem. We tell someone that they need to see that they are a great person, they need to see how wonderful they are.”

Do you like people to tell you things like that? I sure do—who doesn’t? But guess what: No matter how many times people tell you that you are a great person, it doesn’t change who you are, does it? The only way you and I can truly be changed into a person of worth is when we allow God to do it in us. And that happens when we are born into God’s family through faith in Jesus Christ.

May 2, 2025 A Disposable Identity – 5

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

Are you an expert at something? Perhaps you have gone to school for an advanced degree in a specific subject. Your deep knowledge uniquely qualifies you among your peers and shows people just how qualified you are, but suddenly your expertise is no longer welcomed. People don’t seem to appreciate what you have to say or care about your accomplishments and accolades.

We have considered different people in the Bible who seemed disposable. Let’s explore an ultimate expert who was easily dismissed or disposed of—Jesus.

In Scripture, we learn of Jesus’ innate knowledge of the Word. In Luke 2:42-47, Jesus is only 12 years old when his parents take him to Jerusalem for the customary Passover. When the feast ends, they leave, but Jesus stays. Frantically searching as parents would, they go back and find him.
After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers (Luke 2:46-47).
Surely, we know Jesus is the Son of God, which is ultimately why he knows the Word, but here Jesus establishes this at the young age of 12.

After his baptism by John, we know Jesus is led into the wilderness for 40 days and tempted by Satan. When Satan tempts him in his hunger, Jesus answered, “It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone” (Luke 4:4).

Again, he establishes for us a deep knowledge and reliance on the Word of God.

As he began his ministry, Jesus taught in the synagogues of Galilee and was glorified by all (Luke 4:15). But then he went home to Nazareth. Going to the synagogue he read from Isaiah, and while they spoke well of him and marveled, someone asks, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” You can read more about this interaction in Luke 4, but it ends with them driving Jesus to the edge of town, attempting to throw him off a cliff. Why? Because he quotes Scripture about himself, and no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.

Throughout the Gospels, we read about Jesus’ rebuke of the religious leaders for their actions and, well, inactions. Using Scripture the leaders of the day knew richly, he showed their hypocrisy repeatedly, ultimately leading to such great jealousy that they called for his crucifixion.

Those of us who have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior know all of this was part of God’s plan to redeem his people and the world. Jesus lived as an expert to the ultimate sacrifice of being disposed on the cross, but he rose on the third day and has eternal life at the right hand of the Father! God’s plans are always greater.

When you feel dismissed for your expertise and deep knowledge, rather than leaning into discouragement, pray to the Lord! How will he use your unique talents and gifts for his glory?

Today our professional experience and expertise are always on display. From LinkedIn to TedX, to being a member of a coveted organization, if you aren’t on display, it can feel like you aren’t qualified for what is next professionally. Maybe it is a title or the way someone dresses at work. Perhaps you hope to attend meetings or a company offsite but weren’t selected.

Remember, like Leah, God has a plan just for you!

April 30, 2025 A Disposable Identity – 3

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

Have your dreams and ideas ever impacted you at work? Or maybe how much positive attention you receive from a boss? Either way, big ideas and favor from up top can often intimidate others, and it can sometimes leave you feeling easily dismissed, disposable by your peers.

One of the greatest leaders in all of Israel’s history had dreams of his greatness. His name was Joseph. One could argue he should have had a little more emotional intelligence than to share such a bold dream with his jealous brothers, but it was all part of God’s plan to have Joseph save Israel. In Genesis 37 we learn Joseph was loved by Jacob more than any of his other brothers.
When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him (Genesis 37:4).
On top of the favoritism shown to Joseph by his father, he shared his dreams which indicated that his brothers, mother, and father would one day bow down to him. In Genesis 37:11, we learn his brothers are jealous of him.

Following these dreams, we learn Jacob sends Joseph to check on his brothers and bring back information on their well-being. This is when the jealousy gets the best of his brothers. First, they contemplate killing Joseph. Then, they find more benefit in selling him into slavery. Moreover, they faked his death and told poor Jacob he had died by an animal attack.

The story of what happens to Joseph continues in Genesis 38-46. Being disposed of by his jealous brothers wasn’t the end of his hardship. However, we see God had great plans for him. When the famine was bad, his brothers set out to Egypt for food. Joseph, now overseeing all of Pharoah’s kingdom, saved his brothers and father from starvation.
But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance (Genesis 45:7).
Clearly, God chose Joseph to be a leader. He placed dreams in Joseph’s mind that perhaps gave him hope during some of the worst trials we could ever imagine. To his brothers, he was disposable. For God’s plans, he was not.

Being in leadership as a trusted advisor is a coveted position that can often lead to isolation and attack from peers and even subordinates. Jealousy and covetousness creep in and peers at work soon can work against you. This can lead to feelings of being thrown away or disposed of.

In these times, trust that the Lord may be bringing you closer to him, and into a new position for his glory.

April 29, 2025 A Disposable Identity – 2

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

The last several years of praying with women has opened my eyes to how physical and mental health can impact people at work. A physical disability (seen or unseen) or mental health challenges like anxiety or depression can lead to feelings of being no longer useful or dismissed—disposable.

In Matthew, Mark and Luke, we find the story of the bleeding woman. Mark 5:25-34 tells us this woman has suffered from a discharge of blood for 12 years. She has suffered, seen many physicians, spent all she had, and was no better for it. Culturally, this woman would have been unclean. While this is not written, let’s pause to think of her. First, she is in physical discomfort. Perhaps she is constantly tired because she is constantly bleeding. Because she was unclean, she was socially isolated and could not work—even if she wanted to. This isolation likely created even more loneliness and despair. The financial burden would have only compounded this.

If we were to transport her to today perhaps, she would be unable to work due to this condition. Her mental and financial state likely would be similar. If she needed to work, imagine the stress of managing this bleeding every day.

While this woman was disposable to society, she was not disposable to Jesus. Her desperation and faith in knowing that Jesus was healing people led her into the crowds to simply touch the hem of his garment. This woman was instantly healed.
Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering (Mark 5:34).
Throughout Scripture, we see Jesus healing people who were outcasts. He gladly touched and healed the lepers, the blind, the disabled. It was his mercy and their faith in his healing power that was on display. None of them were disposable to Jesus!

Are you invertedly causing some employees to feel disposable? One of the women I am blessed to be in community with has lived with a hidden disability for many years. It can cause her severe physical pain, migraines, and gastrointestinal issues. One look at this executive leader and you would never know how much she endures to get through her days. Recently she has become an advocate for herself and for others at work who cannot participate in physical activities planned during a retreat. Golf, pickleball, and horseback riding are not possible for her. She advocated for an alternative and helped her CEO see how these activities made her feel “dispensed with” while others were having fun.

As followers of Jesus Christ, how can we see others as Jesus saw the bleeding woman, the lepers, the blind, and disabled? We are called to love them like Jesus did. To him, they were perfect.

April 28, 2025 A Disposable Identity

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

During one of our recent Walking Worthy podcast conversations with a fellow ministry leader and friend, we talked about the sensitive feeling of being disposable. This word sums up being cast away or used up and can summon thoughts of some of our deepest hurts whether at work or in other aspects of our lives. But being disposable is not part of our God-given identity.

As an adjective, the word disposable is defined as intended to be used once, or until no longer useful, and then thrown away; or to be able to be dispensed with or easily dismissed. As a noun, disposable is defined as readily available for use as required, or an article to be thrown away after use.

When we focus our identity on what the world says of us, this definition can truly impact how we feel. I would argue this is one of the roots of imposter syndrome in our work culture today.

Feeling like our talent is no longer useful or valued can play on repeat in our professional mind, leading us to feel like we’re no longer qualified for the work we set forth to accomplish. In fact, I see this repeatedly with executive level women. The worst part is women in leadership roles are contributing to this feeling in other women! Intentional or not, our actions and words and our inaction or lack of words can leave those around us feeling disposable.

Let’s explore this worldly “disposable” identity through a biblical lens. There are truly remarkable heroes in the Bible the world disposed of, but God used for his glory! Perhaps in our reading of them, we may not have stopped to consider their feelings. I have learned throughout the years that we often focus on the glory without pausing to see ourselves in the feelings of those God has truly used for his purposes.

Do you have a hidden or other disability which has caused you to feel disposed? Maybe you have a vision of greatness of which has been disposed. Have you ever felt less than or not good enough? Perhaps you were the perfect expert for a job but simply were rejected.

All these situations exist in God’s Word! They play out in the lives of real people who had a greater identity to God than they did to their fellow man or woman!

I will not stop reminding you of Ephesians 2:10, but today I want to phrase it for you simply. You are created perfectly as you are by God in Christ Jesus to do just what you are doing right now. God prepared your path before you were even born. All you need to do is walk forward. You are not disposable.

April 26, 2025 A Humble Identity

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

This year marked my third reading of the Bible cover to cover in a year. It isn’t a literal page by page turn from cover to cover, but a reading plan that jumps between the Old and New Testaments and a Psalm each day. My experience with reading the Bible in its entirety has proved that the Word of God continues to have new revelation to me as a believer with every read—even when I have already seen the words countless times.

Recently, I have been lingering with one single verse in Psalm. Psalm 84:10 reads: Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

Numerous things about this verse jumped out to me but the one-word title I cannot ignore is doorkeeper—simply, the person on duty at the entrance of a building. My mind was flooded with doorkeepers. Do they still exist today? They do. The person who greets you at a nice hotel, someone taking a ticket at a movie theater, a guard at an office building.

As I pondered the vocation of being a doorkeeper, I thought about describing my role to someone if they asked me about what I do for a living. I thought about what financial compensation a doorkeeper would receive. If this was my profession, would I have pride in my work or feel lowly? Simply, would I be content being a doorkeeper in the house my God? After so many years of exploring education and training in leadership and law, would I be OK just greeting people at the door?

I thought about the spaces this verse described. God’s courts and the tents of wickedness. Courts feel grand, lovely, important, royal. Tents feel dirty, small, out in the wilderness, primitive. Where would I want to dwell?

Often, we choose a tent. While it may not be intentional, we are easily caught up in the worldly aspects of what success looks like in the form of a title or our position on the corporate ladder. We settle for the tent of wickedness and forget to look at the glorious, beautiful royal courts in the house of God.

When we are caught up in this world, we miss that the doorkeeper has a position of great importance. She is a doorkeeper in the house of God. If we stop and take a humble approach to our identity at work (leadership), we can see that we are doorkeepers to the house of God right where we are at work, and there is no better position we could every enjoy.

Jesus is clear in his call to us as his followers. In Mathew 28:19-20 he exhorts, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them all I have commanded you.

How do we show up with the posture of a humble doorkeeper? Whether we are truly a doorkeeper or if we hold positions of leadership, we should consider this royal appointment with humility. If we consider our identity with God, we can take comfort.

Throughout the Bible, God appointed the lowly to do great things. Consider Moses. Moses was truly resistant to the calling God had for his life to the point that he even begged God to give the job to someone else!

Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth (Numbers 12:3).

As we read about Moses’ leadership of the Israelites, we see how he constantly leaned on the greatness of God to help him lead the people. In Numbers 11 we see everyone complaining about food and water and wandering. Moses is displeased and “the anger of the Lord blazed hotly” (Numbers 11:10). So, Moses grows sick of the complaining, and God is just plain mad. Since they are in this leading together, Moses tells God he cannot carry the burden alone—the burden was too heavy for him.

God answers and says, Bring me seventy men of the elders of Israel...Have them come to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit t...

April 25, 2025 What God Teaches You through Your Job – 5

What is God trying to teach you through your job? Recently a friend shared with me God is teaching her how to get along with all kinds of people, even those with whom she has some strong disagreements. These are coworkers who really needed to know Jesus, coming from different religious backgrounds and very different beliefs. She said through the years she was not—in her words—“very nice to my unbelieving coworkers.” Their discussions would often end with not so pleasant words of condemnation. She said, “I have not been quiet about it when I think they’re wrong.” When a new coworker joined their company who was very lovely, bright, and energetic, she liked her a lot, and then she discovered she was living an unbiblical lifestyle. She said, “I think the Lord has given me another chance here.”

She is learning on her job how to love the “lost sheep”—people who don’t know Jesus. She’s learning how to communicate with them in loving ways, not in harsh, condemning ways. That’s a lesson we all need, isn’t it, but you can never learn that lesson if you never interact with unbelievers. In most situations your job puts you right in the middle of many people who do not share your faith, do not know Jesus, or even people who may think your commitment to Christ is fanatical. How do you build friends and share the love of Jesus with people like that? You can learn a Christ-like attitude right there on your job.

Can you see how God is teaching you many valuable lessons through your job? You learn critical lessons about relationships—cooperation, fairness, flexibility, humility, patience—all fruits of God’s Spirit that help you to shine as a light in a dark place. You learn to forgive people who may never ask you to forgive them—who don’t even recognize or care that they have hurt you. You learn to persevere, to hang in there even when you think you can’t hang in any longer.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4).
That is the path all Christ-followers are on—growing mature and complete. Perseverance helps us get there. Maybe your job is very frustrating right now and you’re thinking of leaving. Could it be that you don’t need a different job? You just need a different attitude toward the job you have.

You can grow spiritually right there where you work. Sometimes we think our spiritual growth only comes through Bible studies, church attendance, prayer, and they are all important in our lives. But you can grow much faster and in so many diverse ways if you see your job not only as a mission field but also as a classroom. Don’t miss what God wants to teach you through your job.

April 24, 2025 What God Teaches You through Your Job – 4

What are some of the most valuable things God has taught you through your job? I think we can sometimes get so weighed down with the day-to-day busyness and difficulties of our jobs that we fail to see all the good things God is doing in us and through us through those jobs. One valuable lesson you often learn in a job is how to get along with people you may not like that much.

Another thing you can learn through your job is how to cast all your care on Jesus because he cares for you. Instead of taking those problems home with you every day and dumping on your family or friends, you can learn to trust God to work all things out for your good and leave those cares and concerns in his hands, so you can spend a carefree evening with your loved ones. Do you realize how absolutely important it is to learn to draw boundaries in your thought life? To not allow yourself to think about things over which you have no control? To cast all your care on Jesus regularly—everyday—so the joy of the Lord can be your strength? That’s an eternally important thing you can learn through your job.

Jesus said to his disciples:
Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all (Mark 9:35).
When you were young, did you ever tell anyone you wanted to be a servant when you grew up? I doubt it. Yet, Jesus made it clear his disciples must learn to be a servant to all. And what better place to learn that lesson than on your job each day!

The way we serve God is by serving others, and developing a servant heart and attitude takes practice. You have to be intentional about it; you have to be humble and do it out of love for Jesus, not to get recognition. Think of ways you could serve your coworkers, your management, your employees.

You could serve by choosing to go the extra mile and help someone get their job done (even though you think they could have done it themselves if they hadn’t wasted time talking on the phone!), help someone learn a new skill, stay late to give a helping hand to your boss, doing things for which you may get no credit or recognition. These are everyday things that can teach you the joy of being a servant, and that means you’re growing more like Jesus.

April 23, 2025 What God Teaches You through Your Job – 3

What does God want to teach you through your job? I think toward the top of that list would be learning to love people you may not like that much! Your coworkers may not necessarily people you would choose to be with five days a week, eight hours a day. No doubt you have discovered not everyone is “your type,” and so you are challenged to get along with people who are not that easy to get along with.

In 1 Corinthians 13, the Bible teaches us the true definition of love. It is patient, it is kind, it looks for the good in people, not the bad, it doesn’t hold grudges, it hangs in with someone when others have given up, and it endures all things.

God’s love is an action, not necessarily a feeling, and you can choose to love someone by showing them these kinds of actions, even if you don’t like the way they behave, the way they treat you, their work habits, or their lifestyle.

Almost any job you have—and that includes working in a Christian environment—places you in the company of other people, and you have the privilege, the great opportunity, to learn to love people with God’s kind of love. That means you become more and more like Jesus, as you follow his commandment to “love one another.”

Of course, you also have the option of refusing to learn this lesson, and instead just being continually irritated and negative about the people you work with or for. You can choose to gripe and complain and blame others for your bad attitude. But all that gets you are bitter roots growing in your heart, which will cause you great pain and affect those around you, as well. But if you can see what God wants to teach you through working with difficult people, you then can turn a desert into a garden and use that tough place as your training grounds to teach you this incredibly useful and critical ability to love and get along with people you don’t like that much.

And just consider this—as you accept and learn what God wants to teach you through your job, your light for Jesus shines so much brighter. You have the great privilege of demonstrating through the way you work and the way you treat others the difference it makes when Jesus is the central focus of your life. I want to encourage you not to miss what God wants to teach you through your job. They are worthwhile lessons that will make a difference in your life and your testimony for Jesus.

April 21, 2025 What God Teaches You through Your Job

Have you ever thought of your workplace as God’s classroom for you? This may be a totally new thought for you—that God can use your job, the people you work with and for, and the atmosphere where you work as a training course. I must confess I didn’t always see my job that way. But God never wastes anything in our lives. He uses every experience, every person, every struggle, even our failures and sinful choices to teach us something we need to learn, so we can move forward—becoming more like Jesus.

Having this attitude about your job—looking at it as a training course, so to speak—could make it a bit easier to get up and go to work every day. It gives new meaning to your workdays, even if those days aren’t always pleasant. When you start to see the lessons God wants to teach you through your job, it’s a paradigm shift; a new perspective that gives meaning even to mundane and tedious work, even to irritating relationships, even to a demanding boss or heavy workload.

Think about this: No matter what you do on your job each day, you have developed skills and abilities through that job that are valuable. I have a friend who is teaching communication skills in a very different and difficult cross-cultural environment. As she was telling me what she does and how she has learned to communicate in this challenging setting, I told her what she is learning through her experience in this job, though difficult at times, is giving her skills and abilities that are rare and very valuable. She’s learning “on the job” as we say, and that knowledge and skill is giving her very important and marketable skills you could not learn in a classroom.

Certainly, that’s been true in my life, as well, as I spent many years conducting training seminars in my company and for many other companies across the country. That experience of putting together and making an effective presentation is a skill God was teaching me through my job—and one he now uses for ministry purposes.

Think about what you’ve learned through your jobs and how God is—or maybe how God wants to use that in his service.

April 19, 2025 The Women at the Cross

Having been to Israel many times, leading tours, I have a much clearer vision of what a crucifixion was really like and how horrendous it must have been to have watched anyone dying on a cross. We have tended to romanticize the cross a bit, with our jewelry and pictures of a cross on a hill far away, but actually the place of crucifixion was the most horrible place in Jerusalem. It would have been by a busy road so everyone could see and mock and be terrified by a crucifixion. It was meant to be a deterrent to crime and rebellion, to cause anyone who thought they might challenge the rule of Rome to think twice, because they would have to endure this horrible death.

Knowing how awful a crucifixion was, it is amazing to read in Matthew 27:55 that: Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Moses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons. In Mark 15:40 we read: Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.

Luke tells us that: A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him (Luke 23:27). And John tells us: Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene (John 19:25).

By my count, there are seven women who are identified in the four Gospels, but we know there were many others as well. It’s interesting that the women are named, and yet there are no named men at the cross. Certainly, there were men there, but how many were the friends and disciples of Jesus Christ? We only know for sure that John was there, because Jesus refers to him in John 19:26-27, as he instructs him to care for his mother. Where were the other disciples?

And why were all these women there at this ugly scene? It was not a place for a woman; unless it was your close relative, no woman would have intentionally gone to such a horrible place. Yet, there were all these women at the cross of Jesus. These women had gathered there to mourn and to wail the crucifixion of their Savior, Jesus Christ.

They were there because they loved Jesus. They had been delivered from their sins and their pasts by Jesus, and they were determined to stay with him until the end, as ugly as it was. Can you even imagine what it meant for these women to stay there throughout the whole crucifixion?

Mary Magdalene was there. We know Jesus had delivered her from seven demons. There have been some scurrilous writings and suggestions that Jesus had a romantic relationship with Mary Magdalene. That is a lie and totally unsubstantiated by Scripture or history. But for sure, this woman had deep feelings for Jesus because he had delivered her from her past. And it was an awful past.

Can you even imagine being possessed by seven demons? What could be worse than to be indwelled by seven demons from hell? No doubt she had been abused and suffered great harm from these demons for many years. No doubt she was full of guilt and gloom and despair, fearing she would live all her days possessed by them.

And then she met Jesus. In Mark 16:9 we read that Jesus had driven out those demons. However he did that, it had to be dramatic—perhaps painful—but no doubt the best day of her life. She was set free from her past, her guilt, her shame.

And because Jesus has risen from the dead, he is able to do the same for you today. It may not be demons you are dealing with, but whatever haunts you from your past, Jesus is a qualified Savior because he is risen from the dead. He can deliver you, too.

We are told that Mary, his mother, was at the cross. As she stood there, she must have remembered the prophecy told to her by Simeon when they took baby Jesus ...

April 17, 2025 Celebrating an Empty Tomb – 4

There is no other religion that claims to have a risen savior; Jesus is the only qualified Savior because he conquered death. We worship a risen Savior who gives us victory over death.

I wonder if you could articulate why you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Josh McDowell’s book, Evidence for the Resurrection[1], goes into this in great detail. Here are some of the facts that prove the resurrection:

#1: The broken Roman seal

Because the religious leaders were afraid the disciples would steal the body and claim Jesus was risen, they asked Pilate to put the seal of the Roman Empire on the tomb. The consequences of breaking that seal would give pause to anyone who might try to steal the body, because that would have been a crime punishable by death. The disciples were not a courageous body of men at this time. They were hiding from authorities after fleeing from the Garden of Gethsemane. There’s no way they would have tried to steal Jesus’ body, and they certainly would have been too frightened to break the Roman seal.

#2: The large stone was moved

All the Gospel writers mention the huge stone in front of the tomb had been moved. John said it was removed from the entrance. Luke and Mark say it was rolled away from the tomb; Matthew records an angel from heaven came down and rolled back the stone. This stone weighed one and a half to two tons, so it would take several very strong men to roll it even a few inches. McDowell writes, “Now, I ask you, if the disciples had wanted to come in, tiptoe around the sleeping guards, and then roll the stone over and steal Jesus’ body, how could they have done that without the guards’ awareness?”

#3: The behavior of the disciples

Consider once the disciples knew Jesus was raised from the dead, and they were empowered by the Holy Spirit, they didn’t go to some faraway place to preach the gospel. They went right back to Jerusalem, where, if what they were teaching was false, it would be most evident. That would be the last place they’d want to go if they had not seen the risen Christ and knew the tomb was empty. They preached the gospel of the resurrected Christ in Jerusalem, and there was no doubt Jesus had risen.

I encourage you to meditate on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, see that empty tomb, and celebrate the risen Savior.

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[1] Mcdowell, J., & Mcdowell, S. (2008). Evidence for the Resurrection: What it means for Your Relationship with God. Baker Publishing Group.

April 16, 2025 Celebrating an Empty Tomb – 3

For many years, I was privileged to lead groups on a visit to Israel, the Holy Land. The highlight of those days in Israel is the last day when we visit a site in Jerusalem that could well be the place where Jesus was crucified. Next to is, there is a garden with an ancient tomb, dating back to the time of Jesus. There is much evidence to believe this could be the garden where Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus took the body of Jesus and placed it in that tomb.

Each of us goes into that tomb and comes back out, and the word on our lips is always, “It is empty; he is risen!” I always imagine what it must have been like for Mary Magdalene and Peter and John as they discovered the empty tomb. In John 20 we read that Simon Peter went into the tomb, where he saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen (John 20:7).

It’s an interesting little detail John gives us, and you might wonder why he made sure it was recorded that the cloth was folded up by itself. In order to understand this, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the master and servant, and every Jewish person knew this tradition. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait just out of sight, until the master had finished eating. The servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.

When he finished, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and his beard and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table, for in those days, the wadded napkin meant, “I’m done.” But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because the servant knew the folded napkin meant, “I’m not finished yet.” The folded napkin meant, “I’m coming back!”

John is careful to record the napkin was folded, because he knew it would be very meaningful to the disciples! He’s coming back! He’s not dead; he’s alive.

You and I need to be just as thrilled and excited as Peter and John and Mary Magdalene were the day they walked into that empty tomb.

April 15, 2025 Celebrating an Empty Tomb – 2

Are you preparing to celebrate the empty tomb this Sunday? As Christians, all our hope is vested in the good news that we serve a risen Savior.

Have you ever thought how depressing it would be to worship a savior who was dead? Death is the enemy; death is the reason we need a savior, to make sure we’re ready to die. But how can I be ready to die if the one I worship is dead? What can a dead savior do for me?

The Apostle Paul reminds us in his letter to the Corinthians, if only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied (1 Corinthians 15:19). He’s saying if Jesus were just a good man who lived for 33 years and then died, why would we put our hope in him? Why would we trust him to bring us to eternal life? But, Paul continues, Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Corinthians 15:20).

How do we know Christ is risen from the dead? First, because the Bible makes it abundantly clear he rose bodily, and he now lives in his resurrection body at the right hand of the Father in heaven. But beyond that, there is much evidence for the resurrection.

For example, a scholar of Classics from Auckland University, E. M. Blailock, says, “I claim to be a historian. My approach to Classics is historical. And I tell you that the evidence for the life, the death, and the resurrection of Christ is better authenticated than most of the facts of ancient history.”

Obviously, all ancient history we know and believe is based on eyewitnesses from the time who wrote about it. And all four Gospel writers have given us eyewitness accounts that are totally compatible and indisputable.

Another evidence is the disciples, those who saw the risen Christ, were willing to give their lives for him, and they did. They were depressed and defeated when Jesus was crucified; they thought it was over; they were frightened of the leaders. Only a risen Christ, whom they saw, to whom they talked, could invoke such devotion and commitment from them. They knew he was risen.

And personally, we who have been born from above know he is risen, because he has brought new life to us and only a risen Savior could do that! Celebrate the empty tomb! Jesus Christ is risen from the tomb!

April 12, 2025 Interview with Maribeth Foley Part Two

What should you do when suddenly you lose your job? I’m Mary Lowman and Maribeth Foley is here with me again this week. That’s where she is right now, as she walks through the stress and fears that can grip you when you need a job and nothing is happening. Her story will encourage you, so please listen in.

April 11, 2025 Who You Are in Christ – 5

Presented by Julie Busteed

We have been talking about our identity. How we identify ourselves, how we think about ourselves. Here’s a definition of identity: it is the set of qualities, beliefs, personality traits, appearance, or expressions that characterize a person.

Unfortunately, finding your identity is never as easy as looking up the definition. There are so many factors that come into play. For example, culture will tell you how to deal with an identity crisis: they advise you to ground yourself in your core values, be aware of your emotions, create a mental fitness plan, enlist the help of a coach, and stay optimistic about the future.

While these may “sound” good, they are really all dependent on you. They rely on your own strength and might, and that is daunting. But if your foundation is the Word of God, you have a trustworthy and reliable source that is relevant to your life today.

If you are in Christ, a Christ-follower, then you have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).

Back to the dictionary. Webster defines the mind as the part of a person that feels, perceives, thinks, wills, and reasons. Since we have the mind of Christ, we have the Holy Spirit. The Spirit who knows the thoughts of God, teaches us, guides us, helps us to obey, brings joy and freedom, produces fruit in us, transforms us, and the list goes on. In every area of our life, we can have the mind of Christ and understand spiritual things.

What would happen if you made it your goal to constantly pursue the mind of Christ? What would happen if that became your identity?

As we continue on this journey of realizing our true identity in Christ, we will be changed to be more and more like him. I pray as Paul does for the Ephesians:
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe (Ephesians 1:18-19).

April 9, 2025 Who You Are in Christ – 3

Presented by Julie Busteed

Have you ever wanted to be chosen for something and not been picked? There are many opportunities in our life when we can be chosen. For example, as a child you get picked to be on a sports team based on your size and skill. When you are interviewing for a job or a promotion, you are being evaluated and chosen by the degrees you have and your work history and performance.

The Apostle Peter tells us:
You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9).
We are chosen by God. Have you ever tried to really wrap your head around that truth? It’s not based on anything we have done. In fact, he chose us before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). We are his treasured possession (Deuteronomy 7:6).

God accepts us, chooses us, loves us as we are right now. You don’t have to put your resume together with a great cover letter and references and prepare for an interview. His choosing you is not based on your past successes or failures. It’s all because of Christ’s saving grace and sacrifice on the cross.

Since we are chosen, how then does this affect our daily lives? The Apostle Paul told the Colossians:
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12).
Because we are chosen by God, we are to act with compassion toward everyone, even those who annoy us. We are to be kind to people, even those who are unkind to us.

We are to act with humility and to quote C.S. Lewis, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” And we also need to be gentle and patient with one another. Be gentle with your words to coworkers. Be patient with loved ones.

Practicing these things—also known as the fruit of the Spirit—will not only honor God, but it also will cause others to notice the difference in your life. God has chosen you. He is calling you into a relationship with himself.

April 8, 2025 Who You Are in Christ – 2

How do you introduce yourself? What’s the first thing you tell others about yourself when meeting someone new?

The Apostle John writes:
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him (1 John 3:1).
I’m in awe that the Father has lavished his great love on me. God almighty is extravagantly generous with his great love toward his children. It is his heart.

To know your identity is a child of God and that he loves you, should give you such peace and rest and confidence and security.

But, what if you’re not “feeling” loved right now. How do you continue to rest and walk in God’s love? Let’s look at how the Bible defines love. The Apostle John continues:
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us (1 John 3:16).
And Paul in Romans tells us:
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
Not only does God lavish his love on us, but he’s the one who sent his son to die for us to save us and to reconcile us to himself. We don’t have to earn his love. It is a free gift.

If you’re in a hard place right now—uncertain about the future of your job, in a difficult season in a relationship, or struggling with your health—it can be difficult to feel like God is with you and loves you. But you especially need to preach this truth to yourself during these times. Keep reminding yourself he does love you. Your feelings are not always to be relied on! When you consistently read God’s word, meditate on it in your heart and mind, study, and even memorize it, you will be able to recall his truth when you are in a difficult place.

My prayer for us echoes Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians:
I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:17-19).

April 5, 2025 Interview with Maribeth Foley Part One

If you’ve ever found yourself suddenly out of a job, for whatever reason, you know the trauma that can bring into your life. How should a Christian respond when you’re in job hunting mode through no fault of your own? I, Mary Lowman, have a friend who will share her story with you and I believe you will be encouraged. So, please join us.

April 4, 2025 Walk in Freedom – 5

I’d like you to think of someone you know who you consider to be a truly godly, mature Christian. What is the major characteristic you admire about that person? I doubt you would say, “They have very high self-esteem.” And yet we often hear you must have high self-esteem in order to be successful.

In his booklet, The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness, Tim Keller talks about gospel-humility, which he defines as not needing to think about yourself. That is a lesson God has been teaching me for years—that self is not my solution, it’s my problem. The more I can forget myself, the better off I am. When you don’t need to think about yourself, it means you have a very good understanding of who you are in Christ, and that’s all you need to know.

Tim writes, “True gospel-humility means I stop connecting every experience, every conversation, with myself. In fact, I stop thinking about myself.” It’s not something we try to do; it’s something that happens as we more and more know our true identity in Christ.

A truly gospel-humble person doesn’t hate herself; she just doesn’t think about herself. This self-forgetful person would never be terribly hurt by criticism because she doesn’t put much value on what other people think about her, any more than what she thinks about herself.

Not long ago someone was very upset with me, due mainly to miscommunication, and she let me know it. Although her response didn’t make me happy, I was amazed to see it did not devastate me. I’m slowly getting to the place where my self-worth depends less and less on what other people think about me—even on what I think about myself. Criticism or praise from others is not what my identity is built on any longer—at least not like it has been in the past. And my friends, this is wonderful freedom.

There is true freedom in self-forgetfulness. You get to that place by immersing yourself in the truth of God’s Word, making loving God and loving others your highest priority, and then you discover gradually you are thinking less and less about yourself, about your hurt feelings, about how you compare to others or what others think about you. It is marvelous freedom, and every Christian should know and live in this freedom.

April 3, 2025 Walk in Freedom – 4

If you were asked to name the greatest Christian in all of history, who would you name? The Apostle Paul would be high on most of our lists—maybe top. What a great man of God who did so much to birth the early church. With his track record, he should have had very high self-esteem, don’t you think?

Listen to what he wrote about himself well into his years of ministry:
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst (1 Timothy 1:15).
He didn’t say he was the worst sinner, but he said: “I am the worst sinner.” As Tim Keller points out in his booklet, The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness, this is incomprehensible to our modern western ears. “We are not used to someone who has incredible confidence volunteering the opinion that they are one of the worst people. We are not used to someone who is totally honest and totally aware of all sorts of moral flaws—yet has incredible poise and confidence.”

Paul understood fully he was a sinner, but he did not allow his sins to become his identity. Tim writes: “He does not see a sin and let it destroy his sense of identity.” In the same way, he does not connect his accomplishments with his identity.

Think of how differently we think. If I see myself as a bad person, then I assume I can’t do anything worthwhile, and I have no confidence. But not the Apostle Paul. As Tim writes: “Paul has reached the place where he is not thinking about himself anymore. When he does something wrong or something good, he does not connect it to himself anymore.”

That doesn’t mean he is no longer accountable, but it simply means his identity is based on what Christ has done for him and what Christ has declared to be true—that he is a new creation, and he is counted righteous because he has been given the righteousness of Christ. The more you get that, the less you have to think about yourself, and the less you think about yourself, the more you become like Christ. It is our self-absorption, our self-centeredness that drives us to despair and keeps us in bondage. Incredible freedom is ours as we more and more don’t think about ourselves.

April 2, 2025 Walk in Freedom – 3

I’m sharing some thoughts from Tim Keller’s booklet, The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness.

Tim writes: “If someone has a problem with low self-esteem, we, in our modern world, seem to have only one way of dealing with it. That is remedying it with high self-esteem. We tell someone that they need to see that they are a great person, they need to see how wonderful they are.”

Do you like people to tell you things like that? I sure do—who doesn’t? But guess what: No matter how many times people tell you that you are a great person, it doesn’t change who you are, does it? The only way you and I can truly be changed into a person of worth is when we allow God to do it in us. And that happens when we are born into God’s family through faith in Jesus Christ, and then the Holy Spirit takes up residence in us and begins transforming us into the likeness of Jesus Christ, with ever increasing glory, as we read in 2 Corinthians 3:18.

One clear proof you are no longer trapped in this false belief about the need for high self-esteem is you truly forget yourself. You are not the first person you think of in the morning—at least not every morning! You don’t compare yourself to others and feel either superior or inferior, because you just don’t think about comparing yourself to others. That happens when you are learning to be content with who you are, the way God created you, and how God has gifted you.

As Tim writes: “Boosting our self-esteem by living up to our own standards or someone else’s sounds like a great solution. But it does not deliver. It cannot deliver.” If you’re missing the freedom that is rightfully yours as a daughter or son of God through faith in Jesus Christ, if you’re trapped in a pursuit of good self-esteem, I invite you to find real freedom by learning what it means to live in the joy of self-forgetfulness. This is not to degrade yourself or deny your gifting. Rather it is coming to a place where you are not always plagued with trying to be what others want you to be or trying to make yourself look good. You’re just not very concerned with what others think about you, because you are just not thinking about yourself that much.

March 31, 2025 Walk in Freedom

Since 1984 we’ve been broadcasting the good news that God’s Word is relevant to all areas of our lives, and most definitely to our jobs and careers. Very early on in this ministry, God began to show me the error of the self-esteem teaching that seemed to be sweeping the country.

The general theme of this teaching was the troubles that plague our society—crime and addictions and failed marriages and abuse—all of it is attributable to low self-esteem. It was thought and taught that if we could just help people think about themselves in more positive ways, then they wouldn’t do these things, and our societal problems would go away.

As I looked at myself and others, God made it clear to me that self is not my solution; self is my problem! And looking back at the topics I covered early in this ministry, I see that early on I was trying to communicate this truth. Trying to get people to feel good about themselves will not reach into the depths of their souls and bring healing. And that’s because each of us was born in sin, we commit sin willfully, and we simply have a sin problem. The Bible says there is nothing good in our selves—that all the righteous things we try to do are like filthy rags to God.

That doesn’t exactly fit with the good self-esteem message, does it? Recently I found a booklet by Tim Keller entitled The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness[1]. Tim did such a good job of explaining how this idea that low self-esteem is society’s big problem is just not true.

I want share some of Tim’s thoughts, which are echoes of what I’ve tried to say for many years on this topic of self-esteem. The title gives you a clue to where he’s going: The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness. When you and I can come to a place where life is not all about us, we begin to walk in the freedom Jesus came to give us. Believe me when I tell you: Self is your problem, not your solution, and when you grasp the incredible freedom of forgetting about yourself, you are going to love it.

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[1] Keller, T. J. (2014). The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness: The path to true Christian joy. 10Publishing.

March 29, 2025 What To Do When You Don’t Know What To Do Part 2

In part one I introduced you to the story of Jehoshaphat, one of the kings of Judah. It is found in 2 Chronicles 20 and is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. I encourage you to read it for yourself; if you have time now, open your Bible to the 20th chapter of 2 Chronicles and follow along with me. Judah was the smallest of the two Israeli nations, with only two tribes. They were headquartered in Jerusalem, but they were small and not really equipped to fight a large enemy army.

Yet, in this chapter we learn that all of a sudden three enemy armies are headed their way with the full intent to destroy all of them and take over their land. We saw how Jehoshaphat responded when he heard this frightening news. He was alarmed, as you would expect, but his first move was to inquire of the Lord. Then, from his prayer, we are gleaning seven R’s that tell us what we should do when we don’t know what to do. Truly Jehoshaphat had no plan of how they could ever defeat this great army coming against them. But instead of feeling sorry for himself or running away or giving up, he inquired of the Lord.

First, he recited who God was, so he and his people would be God-centered instead of problem-focused. Then he remembered how God had been faithful to them in times past—he remembered how God had always been with them. So, the first two R’s are:

Recite who God is.
Remember what God has done for you in the past.

Now, we begin with the third R:

#3: Recall God's promises.

That’s what Jehoshaphat does next. He says:

If calamity comes upon us...we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us (2 Chronicles 20:9).

God had given them the promise that if they would stand in his presence before the temple and cry out to God, he would hear and save them. Jehoshaphat was claiming that promise. He didn’t need to remind God of his promise; he needed to recall it himself and the people of Judah needed to remember how God had promised to take care of them.

The Bible has promises there just for you, did you know that? Have you learned to turn to God's Word and ask for a promise when you face an impossible situation?

I remember when I first started this ministry in 1984 on one station in Chicago. That's all I ever figured it would be, and I was thrilled that God had given me that opportunity. Then shortly after, opportunities began to open, and it dawned on me that this ministry could grow and become much larger than I'd ever imagined. And I was frightened; I knew how inadequate I was for such an assignment. I knew how inexperienced I was. And I really wanted to back out. But I couldn't deny that God had opened the doors in a miraculous way.

So, I sat down with my Bible and prayed, \"Lord, if this is a ministry you have for me, then please, give me a promise to hang on to as I embark upon it, because I know there will be days and times when I will want to quit.” Well, my reading that day included Isaiah 50, and right there in that wonderful chapter is God's promise for me. Let me share it with you:

The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. . . Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame (Isaiah 50: 4-7).

I knew that was God’s promise to me. Those verses are now framed in my office, and I can't tell you how many times I've gone back to them when I've been discouraged, when I've been tired, when I've been wearied of the responsibility. And that promise has sustained me and strengthened me to set my face like flint and claim the promise that I would not be put to shame.

Do you need a promise from God right now? Go to his Word and ask for it; God will give one to you, too.

#4: Restate the problem to God.

Now, after Jehoshaphat has recited who God is,

March 27, 2025 Defeating Discouragement – 4

Are you discouraged? If so, don't feel guilty about it, but don't wallow in it either. It's not a fun place to be. I examine some biblical ways to defeat discouragement.

Encourage others

One way to cure your own discouragement is to encourage others. Proverbs 11:25 says, ...he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. Instead of looking for someone to pick you up, look around and see who you can encourage. Thank goodness we can be encouragers even when we feel discouraged. And as we become encouragers to others, our own discouragement is lessened.

Get to work

One good cure for discouragement is simply to get to work. Often when we're discouraged, we're unmotivated, so we do nothing. Then because we've gotten nothing done, we feel guilty, and that makes it even harder for us to get something done. Remember, you begin with the first step, so when discouragement seems to be overtaking you, find something that needs to be done. Then start doing it.

Get some rest

Of course, you may be discouraged because you've been going too hard and too long, and your body simply needs a rest. Elijah discovered how vulnerable he was to discouragement when he was physically exhausted, so God put him in a spot where he could recuperate and be refreshed with food and sleep. If your body is constantly on the verge of exhaustion, you can't expect to avoid discouragement.

Ignore the discouragers around you

Are there people around you who are discouraging you with their negativity? Are you listening to others more than you are listening to God? Remember when Jairus pleaded with Jesus to come and heal his little daughter? On the way to Jairus' house some men came from his house and said, \"Don't bother coming—she's dead already.” But we read in Mark 5, ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don't be afraid; just believe.”

Others will discourage you if you allow them to. You must learn to listen to Jesus and tune out—ignore—the people who would discourage you. Tune them out; avoid them where possible; change the subject—whatever you must do—but don't let negative people discourage you. Don't catch their disease. Think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable—the good reports, not the bad ones.

Remember, being discouraged is not a sin, but refusing to take steps out of discouragement is. These biblical principles will work if you practice them.

March 26, 2025 Defeating Discouragement – 3

If you've been discouraged lately, you've probably also felt guilty about being discouraged. But it's good to remember everyone goes through periods of discouragement. I think it's important to emphasize being discouraged is not a sin. God uses people who are discouraged; God understands discouragement; discouragement is a normal and unavoidable emotion we must all deal with. It comes to us in different ways, for different reasons, and at different times, but none of us escape discouragement.

However, wallowing in discouragement—that's a different story. Jesus warned us, In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! He said, \"I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Discouragement becomes sinful when we refuse to take heart, as Jesus told us to do.

What does it mean to take heart? I think we can learn from David, who often fought discouragement. In Psalm 42, David says, My tears have been my food day and night. David is obviously discouraged. He continues, My soul is downcast within me. I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me?”

Identify the discouragement

David begins to defeat his discouragement by identifying it to the Lord. No need to put on a face and act like everything's okay. Until you get it out in the open and call it what it is, it will just continue to fester underneath. David is open and honest with the Lord, and he says just what he feels. We need to do the same thing. But note David talked to the Lord about his problems; that's the way we should do it rather than dumping it on others.

Talk encouragingly to yourself

But he doesn't stop there. After identifying his discouragement, David talks to himself and says, \"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” In the space of eleven verses, David repeats these words to himself three times. He keeps on reminding himself of who God is and who he belongs to.

What do you say to yourself when you are discouraged? More discouraging words? That's what most of us do, and we make a major mistake. Sure, you need to pour it all out, but once you get it said, then start saying the right things to yourself. Give a sacrifice of praise—praising when you don't feel it or you don't even want to.

One great way to do this is to start reciting all you have to be thankful for—out loud if possible. Sometimes I use the alphabet praise method—finding something about God to thank him for with each letter of the alphabet. It's a great cure for discouragement.

March 25, 2025 Defeating Discouragement – 2

When you're having a problem or a struggle, doesn't it help to know others have faced the same situations? David, Elijah, and Hannah were discouraged. Here are some other discouraged people in the Bible.

4. Naomi

Naomi was discouraged because of financial difficulties and terrible loss. Her husband and two sons had both died, and she was left penniless and homeless. \"Don't call me Naomi,\" she told her friends. \"Call me Mara (meaning bitter), because the Almighty has made my life very bitter…” (Ruth 1:20-21). It's easy enough to understand her discouragement. Financial difficulties cause a great deal of discouragement for many of us.

5. Mary and Martha

Mary and Martha were discouraged because they lost someone they loved, and they had really expected Jesus to save him. After all, Jesus had been healing all kinds of other people; surely, he would come and save his beloved friend, Lazarus, they reasoned. And when he didn't, they were very discouraged; Jesus had disappointed them. \"Lord,\" Martha said to Jesus, \"if you had been here, my brother would not have died\" (John 11:21).

Have you ever set an agenda out for the Lord, expecting him to work on your timetable, and then been disappointed when he didn't come through? That can be discouraging.

6. Peter

Peter was discouraged because of his own failure. After he denied the Lord three times, Peter went out and wept bitterly, we are told. I imagine he felt he had blown it for good, and he must have been terribly discouraged with himself. How could he deny the Lord, the one he promised never to deny?

When I look at myself and see how inadequate I am, how often I fail, how I go back and do the same things over and over I know I shouldn't do, I get very discouraged. In fact, that discourages me probably more than anything else, how about you?

7. Jesus

Even Jesus fought discouragement when his friends failed him; when he was misunderstood; when he tried to help, and his help was refused. That really hurts when you have totally good motives, and yet people don't approve or understand or support you. In fact, they may reject you, as they did Jesus. Easy to be discouraged then.

Well, it is encouraging to see even these great people of God went through times of discouragement. But now we want to know how they learned to defeat it.

March 22, 2025 What To Do When You Don’t Know What To Do Part 1

The Old Testament gives us the history of God’s people, the Israelites, before the coming of their long-awaited Messiah, Jesus Christ. And throughout their history they had good times and bad times—times when they obeyed God and times when they went far astray. Eventually, they split into two nations, Israel and Judah, with ten of the tribes forming the Israel nation and two forming the nation of Judah.

I want to focus your attention to one of the most wonderful chapters in the Bible, in my opinion, 2 Chronicles 20, which tells us about Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. Jehoshaphat was one of the godly kings who obeyed the Lord and led his people to follow Yahweh. But they were a small nation, not well fortified, and therefore very vulnerable to their enemies.

In chapter 20 of 2 Chronicles, Jehoshaphat finds himself and his nation in a truly frightening predicament. Here are the first four verses of that chapter:

After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat. Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, \"A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Seas. It is already in En Gedi.” Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.

Jehoshaphat is faced with a grave dilemma. His entire army and his entire country could be wiped out by this enemy army. And he is alarmed. Who wouldn't be? But notice what Jehoshaphat does in his alarmed condition: He resolves to inquire of the Lord.

He could have inquired of his political advisers. They would have undoubtedly told him to try to make a peace treaty with this vast enemy and save their necks, even if it meant giving up the land. He could have inquired of his military advisers, who would have told him to retreat and get out as fast as possible, because there was no way they could defeat this great military army coming against them. But Jehoshaphat didn't inquire of people or counselors or advisers. He inquired of the Lord.

Where have you been running for answers as you face your impossible situation? Is the Lord the first one you turn to? Amazing how often we do everything else except inquire of the Lord.

This should be the first thing we do when we don’t know what to do: Inquire of the Lord. Notice that Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord; he set his will to do it. I can imagine his feelings were taking him in different directions. I can believe he wanted to start running fast and take some kind of action immediately. But he knew he would only find answers by inquiring of the Lord, so whether he felt like it or not, he resolved to do that.

Many times, we run with our emotions when we're up against impossibilities. And our emotions take us to hasty action, to running away, to seeking advice from the wrong people, etc. If we would first inquire of the Lord, sit down with his Word and ask for direction, spend time in prayer to listen to his voice, we would find the answers we need.

I remember at one point in my life, many years ago now, when I was suddenly faced with what seemed at the time to be a potentially disastrous situation, and I truly didn’t know what to do. So, what did I do? I picked up the phone to call my best friend and ask her what to do! Now, there’s nothing wrong with seeking godly advice from trusted advisors, but that’s not the first place we should go, is it? Well, wouldn’t you know she wasn’t there. This was long before we all had cell phones, and so I couldn’t reach her. I just kept redialing and redialing her number, pacing the floor, and becoming angry with her for not being there when I needed her.

It was one of those teaching moments in my life, when I could hear the voice of God in my head clearly saying to me, “Why would you call her before you call me?

March 21, 2025 Peace in This World – 5

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

As we wrap up talking about some of the worldly ways we try to calm our anxiety that typically don’t work, I want to address the fine line of talking it out with a friend verses gossip. I admit, sometimes talking to a close friend about something that is causing anxiety is helpful. Do you ever feel like this verse:
Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:33).
These days I am very selective about who I seek counsel from. First and foremost, I look for fellow Christ-followers. I saw a note today that said, “The best kind of friend is a praying friend.” Seeking this kind of community is essential to keeping us close to our peacekeeper Jesus.

After all, the bible tells us that,
The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice (Proverbs 12:15).
I want to be sure the advice I am seeking from others is based in biblical truth. Proverbs 15:22 states Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

I have spent time focusing on how to build this bench of advisers and dear friends I can count on when I need an ear.

Carefully discerning how I work through some of the things that cause anxiety can also be important. I want to be mindful that my talk doesn’t turn into gossip. Shared friends and relationships can sometimes lead to hurt feelings. If I am ever needing advice within a shared friend group, I always make sure I am seeking it outside of that group of friends. When you find yourself naming names and bringing up things that maybe aren’t kind, make sure your intentions are headed in the right direction. Are you talking about it just to vent or gossip, or are you seeking wise counsel to help you work through this stressor?

Back to that phrase, “The best kind of friend is a praying friend.” Another one you may have heard is, “Have you prayed about it as much as you have talked about it.”
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6).
Having a confidant to pray with you about what is making you anxious can surely be a help.

March 19, 2025 Peace in This World – 3

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

Does the busyness of your daily life make you feel like you should just get away? Perhaps it’s a weekend away with friends or with your spouse. You want to recharge from the anxiety you feel in the daily grind of work and home.

I wasn’t sure, but I had a hunch there would be articles about vacation anxiety. I was right. While the benefits of getting away include lowering stress, improving heart health, boosting creativity, strengthening relationships and keeping you healthy, it seems we need more rules of the road to take a good vacation these days.

Taking this time away can add anxiety—financial, the care of your children or pets, leaving projects at work, and countless others. The truth is none of the things that cause you daily anxiety will disappear. They will be there when you come back.

How can you incorporate the ultimate peace into your getaway, so it isn’t just a runaway from your daily stress and anxiety? You know what I mean. How can you include Jesus in this time? How can you draw closer to Jesus in faith?

Jesus is a proponent of getting away.
“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place (Mark 6:31-32).
You know the feeling of coming and going—days of no leisure and nothing to eat! We have all had these days.

Knowing Jesus invited his disciples to recharge, you can be encouraged he wants this for you too. Be mindful of how you consider this time. It isn’t an escape, but it can be a time to rest and be in God’s Word. If you are spending the time to get away, make sure it is time spent reconnecting with your peace, Jesus.

The only real escape for us in this world is Jesus. Abiding with Christ can give us a foretaste of the glory we will have in heaven. We know in heaven Jesus has prepared a space for us, and the Father’s house has many rooms. One of the descriptors I love is in Revelation 4:6.
… in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal (Revelation 4:6).
If you have ever been near still and serene water, you will know why this is so striking. It feels so calm. I am in awe knowing heaven has a sea of glass that I can enjoy for eternity.

March 18, 2025 Peace in This World – 2

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

What do you turn to during times of stress? Some of the most common outlets for stress and anxiety in our world are related to addictions. These addictions can quickly become idols and can keep us further away from our true peace: Jesus Christ.

You know the addictions you or other struggle with—stress eating or drowning our sorrows in a glass of wine, a cocktail, you name it. Food and alcohol rank in the top of legal addictive substances. With work, access to these habits can increase. Maybe it is a consistent happy hour after work or meals with colleagues and customers. However, our long days, filled with anxieties, can be enough to drive us to these habits even when we are not engaging in them because of work. Culture has taught us that alcohol can help us have a good time and unwind from a long week. Food has become a little more taboo with the diet culture, but eating fast food with low nutrition value can seem easy when you are balancing work and life.

Did you know alcohol can actually increase your levels of anxiety? There is research to read, but if you find yourself in a pattern of consuming alcohol to reduce anxiety, you are not doing yourself any favors. Considering the other health issues that can come from excessive drinking including cancer, you may want to reconsider this as a peace-giving habit.

Stress eating can also cause health issues including weight gain.

None of this is peaceful and life giving. Advice about food and alcohol in the Bible is mixed, but one thing is for sure. Anything that is a stumbling block or an idol standing in your way to your relationship with our ultimate peace—Jesus—is not a good thing!
Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags (Proverbs 23: 20-21).
We must also be sober minded. 1 Peter 5:8 exhorts us to be watchful for the devil that prowls around like a roaring lion.

Talk about a peace stealer. Satan is the ultimate stealer of peace! If you and I are walking around salving our anxiety with alcohol, we will be prone to the attacks of the devil. My prayer today is that you rethink these habits and turn to Jesus!

March 17, 2025 Peace in This World

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

Work is only one element of our life that can bring stress. Marriage, children, family, health issues, and anything else we add into the mix of our days can make us anxious too.

Honestly, thinking about how to find peace from all of this can be yet one more thing we add to our mix. Is seeking fleeting peace only adding to your anxiety?

We can feel anxiety as we are waiting for this elusive moment for peace. Maybe you have even tried to plan it out. We experience anxiety in our waiting when our perceived outcome doesn’t happen within the perceived time we have set in our mind. If you have blocked out a time for peace on your calendar each day and it keeps getting run over by life, I can imagine this can make you more anxious!

I have felt all of this. In fact, there was a large part of my professional and mom life that I told my husband I felt like I was wearing a high heel and a gym shoe at the same time. Try walking like this—a heel on one foot and a gym shoe on another—unbalanced, kind of messy, out of sorts! I was consumed by so many things and not turning to where I truly could find the peace I needed: Jesus.

Jesus promises us trouble here in this world. He knows we will be experiencing the feelings of being consumed, out of balance.
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace (John 16:33).
Jesus is clear. In him I can have peace. I know this sounds silly, but when I think of the peace of Jesus that gives rest, I think of my most comfortable, fluffy house slippers. I am not fancy; I am not running anywhere. I am keeping a slow pace and finding rest.

Too often we are trying to plan our own peace when we need to be turning to Jesus. While some of the ways we seek peace in this world aren’t “bad,” they will never be a complete salve for the anxiety we feel.

March 15, 2025 Inner Peace

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

I love to learn. In fact, learning is one of the things I do best. Relying on God’s Word as my guide in all aspects of my life means that, as a Christ follower I should always be discerning about the world’s advice no matter how good it seems! With the Bible as my guide, I am always keen to get advice about things in business!

Don’t get me wrong, there are many experts I trust who are not believers in Jesus Christ, but when it comes to something truly personal, like the term inner peace, my guard comes up.

What is inner peace? For sake of ease, let’s go with the Wikipedia version—a deliberate state of psychological or spiritual calm despite the potential presence of stressors.

There are many more technical versions of this definition from research articles, but all of them seem to reference the same spiritual calm and religious aspect of this sometimes-elusive state of being. Some of the other words and phrases associated with inner peace are:

Tranquility of mind
No sufferings or mental disturbances like worry or anxiety, greed, hatred, ill-will
To keep strong in the state of stress[1]

Luke 12:15 warns: Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.

1 Timothy 6:10a: For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.

1 John 2:9 exhorts: Anyone that claims to be I the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.

Proverbs 10:12: Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers all wrongs.

Here’s what our culture gets right. Inner peace is, in fact, spiritual. For those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we know Jesus is that peace.

I also find it interesting that some of the words above greed, hatred, and ill-will are exactly the things we, as Christ followers are commanded not to do. In fact, they are considered sinful. In the verses above, the Bible tells us we should guard against greed; it is the root of all kinds of evil. Hatred of another person means you are still in darkness, and it stirs up conflict. None of this sounds peaceful to me.

Now, since so many people are seeking this inner peace, how do we get it? Out of three separate articles I read, the top three reoccurring ways to “find inner peace” include: meditation, nature, and practicing gratitude.

First, what is meditation. We hear about this a lot. Books, apps, and classes tout meditation as a way to reduce anxiety and get better sleep. Most of these resources use reflective thinking, some breathing exercises, and practices to help declutter your mind and be present in the moment. We can already see the issue of this for those of us who follow Jesus Christ. This method is devoid of a Savior who is our peace.

The Bible does suggest meditation. In Joshua 1:8 we read, Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. We are also instructed to meditate on God’s unfailing love, on his work and mighty deeds, on his precepts and ways, and on his promises. All these instructions are found in the Psalms.

So, the world tells you to declutter and clear your mind, but when you stop meditation, what creeps right back in? You guessed it—the same things that were there before! The difference with God’s instruction about meditation is clear. You are to think about his laws, his unfailing love, his ways, and his promises.

This is peaceful. The verse in Joshua also tells us to do this day and night which highlights the importance of the frequency of filling our mind with the Word and the wonderful ways of the Lord!

So, how can you do this? I suggest several things. First, start and end your day in the Word of the Lord. There is a wonderful devotional by Charles H. Spurgeon titled Morning and Evening that offers a devotional—you guessed it—in the morning and evening...

March 14, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Dealing with Depression – 5

Through our on-going story of Fran, we’ve been talking about the topic of clinical depression. Fran has encouraged her good friend, Louise, to seek medical help for her depressed state of mind, and Louise is now beginning to take a prescribed drug to see if indeed it will help her to emerge from this depression.

The next day Fran is talking with her doctor friend at church, Anne. “I sure hope this helps Louise,” she says. “But what if it doesn’t?”

“Well, Fran, if Louise has other issues, such as sin in her life, medication won’t fix it. But you indicated that you don’t know of any existing problem like that, so it could be that this medication can help her get herself back, if you know what I mean.”

“Oh, that would be wonderful,” Fran says.

“But remember, sometimes the doctors have to try several different kinds of medication before they find the right one,” Anne reminds her.

“Yes, that’s what Dr. Monroe warned us about yesterday,” Fran says. “And she highly recommended that Louise also go for some counseling as well. I think that bothered Louise. What do you think?”

“Well, rarely are these depressions caused solely by physical reasons. It’s usually a combination of stress or perfectionism or workaholism along with a chemical imbalance,” Anne informs her. “So, I would concur that Louise should see a Christian counselor, at least to make sure she’s not living in denial about other areas that could be contributing to her problem.”

“I’m going to encourage her to do that,” Fran says. “And I’m going to encourage her to spend even more time in the Bible and prayer. She says it has been very difficult to read her Bible or pray since this depression hit her.”

“That’s a typical reaction, Fran, and I’m sure the enemy of our soul moves in at times like these to make matters worse,” Anne says.

“Well, I’m going to pray for her more and pray with her more. At least I can do that for her, while she’s finding it difficult to pray herself,” Fran says.

With a good friend like Fran, Louise will have the support she needs to help her recover from this depression. All of us need to be more sensitive and aware of the needs of others who may be going through something like this. It’s a time to gather around that person and help them, not abandon them.

March 13, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Dealing with Depression – 4

If you’ve ever gone through a depression, whether long or short term, you can empathize with Louise, Fran’s friend. In our on-going story of Fran and Jesus on the Job, Fran is trying to help Louise, a fellow believer on her job, who has been going through a serious depressed state for reasons unknown. Fran has made an appointment for her with a well-recommended doctor and is taking her there this afternoon.

Louise doesn’t talk the whole way to the doctor’s office and Fran decides it’s no time for small talk, so she just prays silently for her while she is driving. As they arrive, Louise is reluctant to get out of the car. “It won’t do any good, Fran,” she says. “I’m just wasting your time and my money.”

Fran gently takes her arm and helps her out of the car. “Don’t worry about that; it’s worth a try, Louise.” And so, slowly, Louise walks with Fran into the doctor’s office. When her name is called, Louise can barely lift herself out of the chair. With Fran’s help she goes into the doctor’s office. “Why don’t you stay with her,” Doctor Monroe suggests, seeing how frightened Louise is.

Louise grabs her hand, “Yes, Fran, please stay.” So, she sits down.

“How can I help you, Louise?” the doctor asks.

“I don’t think you can,” she replies, “but Fran thought I should find out if my problem is physical.” And with that Louise begins slowly to tell the doctor of her experience with depression over the past few weeks.

“Louise,” the doctor responds, “what you have described sounds like a textbook case of clinical depression. That means that it is likely to have a physical connection, and medication may be able to help you.”

“I don’t know about taking medication,” Louise says. “That scares me. Sounds like I should be admitted to a mental institution or something.”

“Oh, no,” the doctor assures her, “no, Louise, it just means we need to find out if this sudden depression has a physical cause. I see many people with similar symptoms, Louise, and many times some medication is able to get them back to a somewhat normal state so they can begin to work on other issues that may be contributing to their feelings. If you had any other kind of physical imbalance, you would have no qualms about receiving some medication for it, and if these symptoms are caused by a physical imbalance, then why not take some medicine for them as well?”

After more discussion, Louise agrees to the doctor’s suggestion and leaves there with a prescription.

Clinical depression is a problem many people face—yes, even Christians. And we need to be informed about how best to help those who suffer from these bouts of depression.

March 12, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Dealing with Depression – 3

Listen to the words of King David:
My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. I said, ‘Oh that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. I would flee far away and stay in the desert…’ (Psalm 55:4-7).
Would you describe those as the words of a man in depression? Let’s continue the story of Fran and Jesus on the Job.

Fran’s friend, Louise, has been feeling depressed for the past month or so, but she has kept it inside and not told anyone because she was ashamed to admit it. Fran has reassured her even Christians can be depressed.

She says to her, “You’ve heard the name Charles Spurgeon, Louise? He was a great preacher in England, the prince of preachers they called him. And he fought feelings of depression all of his life.”

“Really?” Louise says. “I figured a strong Christian would never be depressed.”

“Well, that’s just a wrong notion, so are you willing to go see a doctor?” she asks.

“I’m ready for some help, Fran,” Louise says. “I just can’t go on this way much longer. I can hardly get out of bed each morning; and I know I’m going to get fired if I don’t concentrate better at work. But I just don’t care about anything anymore—except going home and locking the doors against the world.”

Fran calls a woman at her church who is a doctor and asks her for a recommendation for Louise. The next day at work she gives the name and number to Louise. “Here’s a doctor I can recommend for you, Louise. All you have to do is call and make an appointment.”

But somehow Fran can sense even making a phone call is too much for Louise. She looks dejected and lifeless today. “Hey, better still, let me call and make an appointment for you, okay?” And with that, she dials the number and asks if the doctor has any cancellations today. Sure enough, she is able to make Louise an appointment late in the afternoon.

“Would you like me to go with you, Louise?” Fran asks. Louise doesn’t answer. “I will go with you. In fact, I’ll drive you. We need to leave here about 4:00. I’ll come by and pick you up.” Louise doesn’t object.

All through the day Fran prays for Louise and for the doctor to have wisdom in helping her. It breaks her heart to see her good friend in such a condition.

Do you know someone in a depressed state? There can be causes beyond his or her control, and that person needs your friendship right now.

March 10, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Dealing with Depression

Is depression an indication of sin in a believer’s life? I think many Christians struggle with how to deal with depression, their own and other’s. In fact, our friend, Fran, faces that situation as we catch up with what’s been happening in her life.

If you’ve been reading these devotionals a long time, you know I periodically tell this on-going story of a fictional workplace woman named Fran who is in the process of learning to be aware of the truth that Jesus is with her at all times, even at work.

Fran has a very good friend where she works, Louise, who is also a believer, and they meet each week to pray for their company and coworkers. Over the years, they have seen God answer many prayers. But lately Fran has noticed Louise is just not herself. In fact, for the past two weeks she has canceled their prayer time with what seemed like last minute flimsy excuses. It has Fran baffled really, because it just isn’t like Louise. She can sense Louise is backing away from her.

Fran has been talking to Jesus about this situation. “Lord,” she says, “I’m puzzled as to what is wrong with Louise. Have I offended her in some way? Have I failed to be the friend she needs? Lord, please show me what I am supposed to do; make me aware of any hidden errors on my part; give me wisdom to be a good friend to Louise as she has been to me so many times.”

After much prayer Fran finally decides she needs to say something to Louise. She prays about what to say and when, and the next day at work she catches her just as she’s leaving for the day.

“Oh, Louise, I’m so glad I caught you now. I just have to know if I have done anything to offend you. Please tell me because I can sense something is wrong, and I just don’t know what to do.” Fran looks at her and realizes Louise has begun to softly cry. “Oh, my,” Fran says, “I have done something, haven’t I?”

Quietly Louise replies, “No, no, Fran, it’s not you. I don’t know what it is. I’m just…just…depressed, I guess.” And with those words, Louise runs out of the building to the parking lot and drives away without giving Fran a chance to respond.

“Depressed?” Fran thinks. “Why is Louise depressed?”

March 8, 2025 When There Are No Answers

If you're like me, you want answers. I don't like unanswered questions, do you? I don't like loose ends and unfinished business. Yet, life is full of them.

Maybe you are right now in the midst of some situation for which you can find no answer. God is silent. The heavens are like stone. You've begged for explanations, but none have come. What do we do when there are no answers?

Mary and Martha faced that dilemma when Lazarus died. You know the story. They sent for Jesus to come and heal Lazarus. They were confident Jesus could heal him and prevent his death, and that he would do so, for they knew how Jesus loved Lazarus and them.

They sent out their cry for help, but we read in John 11:6 that ...when Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days. He loved them, but he didn't come to their rescue. Why? I can see Martha and Mary waiting by the side of their sick brother, expecting Jesus to walk through the door any minute. They knew he could have been there shortly, but as hour by hour and day by day passed, Jesus didn't show up. And Lazarus got worse and worse, and they watched him die.

Do you think they wondered if Jesus really loved them during that time? Don't you imagine they must have felt abandoned and forsaken by Jesus, to realize he could have come and healed their brother, but he chose not to? Have you felt that way? I think we all go through similar reactions when there are no answers.

When Jesus finally arrived, it was too late; Lazarus was already dead. Martha was upset with Jesus, and we read her words to him in John 11:21, \"Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” She asked him for an answer to her question: Why didn't you come, Lord?

I find Jesus' words to her very interesting. He did not defend his actions; he did not say, \"Martha, let me explain exactly what I did and why.” No, when Martha was looking for answers to her unanswered question, Jesus took her back to basics.

Jesus said to her, \"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26). He confronted Martha with the reality of who he was and caused her to change her thinking.

You see, if Martha believed that Jesus was the resurrection and the life and that because Lazarus had believed in him, Lazarus would live forever, then this temporary separation would look very differently to Martha. Jesus wanted her to think beyond the immediate and look at the eternal. He wanted her to think about who he was and what kind of power he had. And she confessed out loud, Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world (John 11:27).

When you don't have answers, stop and ask a different question: Who do you believe Jesus is? Do you believe he is the resurrection and the life? If so, confess out loud exactly what you believe about the person of Jesus. It's important that you say it out loud, I think, so you can hear your own confession of faith.

We may never know some of the answers we're looking for on this side of heaven, but we can always confidently know the answer to the question: Who do you think Jesus is? By concentrating your thoughts on who he is, you will have the peace and strength you need for those unanswered questions. If that was the question Jesus asked Martha when she wanted answers, then surely it is the starting place for us today when we want answers.

We all remember the end of this story; Jesus did meet their need by performing an incredible miracle and raising Lazarus from the dead. In this case, Mary and Martha finally got answers, as they saw their brother come forth after four days in that tomb. And that miracle was the talk of the town for days and weeks, as you can imagine. As a matter of fact, many people believed in Jesus when they saw and heard about Lazarus.

So,

March 6, 2025 Worrying Is Worthless – 4

I remember a song we sang when I was young: Why worry when you can pray? Well, it’s a good question, isn’t it? Why do we worry when Jesus has clearly told us not to worry? Worrying is truly worthless!

We’ve looked at three reasons we should not worry from Matthew 6. They are:

Because of who we are. We are more valuable than birds.
Because it never does any good.
Because it’s a bad testimony.

Now we’re looking at three ways to stop worrying. We can stop worrying when we think about how our Heavenly Father takes care of us. I want to emphasize again our problem with worrying is in our thoughts. Worrying takes place in your mind, and in 2 Corinthians 10:5 we read we are to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

The battle is in your mind, and you stop worrying when you change your thought patterns. I’ve written a whole book on this topic—Think About What You Think About—because I believe most of our problems begin with wrong thinking. It’s certainly true in my life; as soon as I allow my thoughts to get out of control, to think about things I should not be thinking about, that’s when worrying moves in and I become a worrywart, as we say!

Philippians 4:8 says we are to think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. When you’re worrying, it is often not true, certainly not noble, never admirable or excellent or praiseworthy. We need to stop worrying. And you do that by replacing wrong thoughts with right ones.

When you find yourself in worry mode, stop and intentionally change your thoughts, replacing those worrying thoughts with how your Heavenly Father has promised to take care of you, to never leave you or forsake how, and how he loves you and cherishes you. It may only last for a few minutes before you start worrying again, but if you simply keep replacing wrong thoughts with right ones, soon you will build spiritual muscle. You’ll discover you’re not worrying nearly as much as you used to.

Please remember: Worrying is a useless and worthless activity. And you have the power, through Jesus Christ, to be rid of it.

March 5, 2025 Worrying Is Worthless – 3

My dictionary defines worry as “to feel uneasy or anxious; fret; torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts.” Did you ever realize when you worry, you are inflicting torment on yourself? Worry is self-inflicted suffering, and it never produces anything good.

We’ve looked at three reasons Jesus gave for not worrying: First, because of who you are as a child of God. Second, because it never does any good, and third, because it is a poor testimony to those around you who observe you worrying. Now, we’ll see how we can stop worrying.

Worry is a function of your mind, your thoughts. In order to stop worrying, you have to change your thought patterns. And in order to change your thought patterns, you have to replace wrong thoughts with right thoughts. Here is the thought that can stop you from worrying:

You have a heavenly Father who is taking care of you.

Jesus said in Matthew 6 our Heavenly Father knows what we need and will provide for our needs when we seek first his kingdom and his righteousness. Now, this may cause you to ask some questions, like why doesn’t God answer all my prayers if he is taking care of me? That’s what we expect a father to do, right? I think of my own father, and I am certain if he could meet any need I had, he would, and he often did.

It often seems like our earthly father is more predictable than our Heavenly Father. Most earthly fathers can be counted on to do anything they can for their children. Yet often our Heavenly Father doesn’t come through for us the way we think he should, or the way we want him to. Does he love us less than our earthly father? Why doesn’t he act like my earthly father would?

Well, it’s quite simple. He has a different agenda for us than our earthly fathers. He has an eternal agenda, and his purpose is to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ. This daily transformation often comes through unexpected—and unwanted—ways.

Spurgeon, a great preacher of the 19th Century, wrote: “O blessed acts of sorrow that cut a pathway to our God by chopping down the tall trees of human comfort.” Even when you’re in the midst of difficulty and you don’t see how God is taking care of you, you should not worry, because he is working everything out for your good.
In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Rom. 8:28).

March 4, 2025 Worrying Is Worthless – 2

What is it right now you are worrying about? I’m reminding you—and me—of how useless and worthless it is to worry, as Jesus clearly told us in Matthew 6. Whatever you are worrying about at this moment is a total waste of time.

Jesus gave us three reasons not to worry. First, we should not worry because of who we are—we are far more valuable than the birds, and God takes care of the birds. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are protected by our Heavenly Father, and he provides for our needs. Nothing happens to us outside of his permissive will, and he is totally in control of our days. And because of who we are, we should not worry.

A second reason Jesus tells us not to worry is that it just simply does no good whatsoever. Jesus said, who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Worrying is totally worthless. It never produces any good results, but instead it causes us to lose our peace, to lose our joy, to waste our energy. Do you know how much energy it takes to worry? You are spending lots of emotional and mental energy when you’re in worry mode—and has it ever done you one bit of good? No, of course not. Worrying is worthless! That’s a really good reason for any sensible person to refuse to worry.

Then Jesus gives us another strong reason not to worry.
For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them (Matthew 6:32).
All these things Jesus refers to include what you eat, what you drink, and what you wear. Jesus told his disciples that those who are not believers are always worrying about these things.

Isn’t it true most people around you are worrying? Just think about the conversations you have with people, particularly people who are not yet believers in Jesus Christ. You’ll observe they are worrying a lot. If those of us who are disciples of Jesus Christ worry just like everyone else, what kind of testimony is that?

If you are a real worrier, you can be sure people know it because you talk about it, it shows on your face and body language, and it’s not particularly attractive. Do an honest assessment of yourself: Are you prone to worry too much? According to Jesus, any worry is too much. He told us not to worry so when you do, you are disobeying him, right? Worrying is evidence you’re not trusting Jesus in that particular situation. And it’s not a good testimony for the difference Jesus makes in our lives.

March 1, 2025 Annoying Habits of Coworkers

I often think of the famous quote from Charlie Brown, “I love mankind; it’s people I can’t stand.” It’s the everyday little annoying habits of the people we associate with that can be more tiresome, more frustrating than more significant issues, don’t you think? Of course, we’re not quite so aware of our own little annoying bad habits that others may find troublesome, but no doubt we all have them. So, I want to explore with you some of these little annoyances which can become obstacles in good relationships.

Annoying Habit Number One:

You work with a person who makes daily calls to his or her mate or partner, and since you work in an open setting, you can’t help but hear the conversation. Depending on how they are getting along on any particular day, you may hear a nasty conversation with anger and accusations, or you may hear what sounds like sweet murmurings of baby talk.

Obviously, if you hold a supervisory position over this person, it should be addressed directly with clear instructions—those kinds of conversations should be on personal time rather than on company time. However, if you are not this person’s manager, you may be able to bring this to your coworker’s attention in such a way they will see the benefit of changing that annoying habit.

Proverbs 17:27 says: The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. Your words would need to be carefully chosen, delivered kindly, and done with the right motivation.

For example, you might find the right moment—a private moment—to say something like, “You probably are not aware that your conversations with your mate can be heard by other people. I thought I’d let you know because, I know if it were me, I wouldn’t want others to listen in to my personal conversations. You might want to reserve those calls for times when you’re alone.”

There’s a lesson for all of us to learn in this: Use our working time to work, not to rob our employer of the time which we are paid to work with elongated personal conversations, whether they’re overheard by others or not.

As Christians in the workplace, these little annoying habits can do damage to our testimony for Jesus Christ, so we should make sure we’re not guilty of these.

Annoying Habit Number Two:

You have a coworker who just can’t ever seem to make it to work on time. Someone who is habitually late is not committing a great offense—this is simply an annoying bad habit.

I find many who are guilty of habitual lateness frequently want to justify it by saying they work late to make up for it, or they have a very long commute—all of which may be true. But the facts are this: If your company has a certain start time, everyone should be there on time consistently. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do.

This is a management issue. If it’s important for people to be on time, management must set the priorities, communicate them clearly, and hold people accountable. There would have to be some kind of negative consequence for the person who will not change theannoying habit.

However, if you’re not this person’s manager, there’s not a whole lot you can do. One thing you don’t want to do is make snide remarks or communicate your annoyance with body language or harsh words. Unfortunately, this happens too often. People don’t confront the real issue and instead display their displeasure in other ineffective and unkind ways.

If a coworker’s habitual lateness is having a direct negative impact on your ability to get your job done, it might be an indication that it needs to be addressed. First, try to kindly explain to the coworker the need you have for them to be on time and see if that works. But remember, unless you’re the manager, you don’t have the authority to demand anything from that person.

Isn’t it interesting how something so small as this annoying habit can so easily turn into a real issue between two people and eventually lead to other,

February 28, 2025 Good and Bad Integrity – 5

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

As we think about having integrity at work, there is no greater example to us than our savior, Jesus Christ. Perfect in every way he showed great integrity in his work. In every way, Jesus was true to those around him.

Part of showing integrity is being faithful with your work and to the people who depend on you. What does faithful work look like? Again, let’s think about Jesus. His work was to spread the gospel alongside his disciples. It included healing the sick and blind and providing attentive hope to people who were outcasts in society at the time. He showed up to bring the truth to crowds of people from sunup to sundown. One could never question he had an incredible work ethic.

How do you show up for your employer? What about your colleagues? Something simple like being on time for work or even being on time for a meeting goes a long way. Perhaps you offer to help a colleague struggling to complete a project or having a health struggle. Is it sharing an encouragement to someone who is feeling down? Can you pray with someone who has a hardship? Maybe you stick to a difficult project and see it through when everyone else complains. Like Jesus, can you stand up for the oppressed?

Jesus, God as man was faithful to fulfill his purpose on the cross to take away the sins of the world, and he also asked God for help.
Jesus calls out to God, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).
Jesus cried out for help, but he ultimately knew God’s will would be done.

This goes for you too! When you don’t feel like you can endure and be faithful to your work, cry out to Jesus for help!
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)
God is for you. He also established every step of your life beforehand.

Your faithfulness to your work and reflecting Jesus will help others see your integrity.

February 26, 2025 Good and Bad Integrity – 3

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

A sellout. Have you been one? Or have you experienced this at work? You confided in someone, placed trust in them. Maybe you shared a personal secret, juicy bit of office gossip, or maybe you even asked for help discreetly without someone knowing. Suddenly, everyone seems to know! It is terrible. You are the talk of the office and didn’t even mean to be. A sellout.

Part of integrity is knowing when to mind your words and when to keep confidences at work. Your integrity in this manner can earn you deep trust with colleagues and bosses but if you fail in this, it can have devastating consequences on you or the person you sellout.

Our Lord Jesus had a sellout at work—Judas. Now, Jesus had the advantage of being all knowing and knew Judas was part of the plan for the salvation of the world from sin and death. But he still had someone he worked with every day, trusted with the money, and dined with turn on him—literally to the point of his death on the cross. Judas did it for money. The picture we receive of the betrayal is even worse. Judas kissed Jesus on the cheek to indicate to the soldiers which one was Jesus.

Ultimately, Judas regrets his deep betrayal of Jesus. He tries to give the money back and ultimately takes his own life in terror and grief over what he had done.

Keeping your integrity of faith at work is reliant on you not being like Judas! At work, you won’t sellout someone to the point of death, but you could very well impact how someone is perceived. The Bible warns of the tongue’s power repeatedly.
The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit (Proverbs 15:4).

The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil (Proverbs 15:28).

Remind the people to be subject to the rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to be gentle toward everyone (Titus 3:1-2).
Simply, don’t be a sellout! Keeping your integrity of faith at work is incumbent upon how you choose to keep confidences and lift others up—not tear them down.

February 25, 2025 Good and Bad Integrity – 2

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

Are you making work an idol? Idol’s surrounding work can impact the integrity of your faith. What are some of the idols that can crop up?

Remember, an idol is a person or thing other than God that you worship more than God. The most common way work can become an idol is the amount of time you spend working and how it keeps you away from your time with God. Perhaps it is constantly missing small group Bible study because you are working late or not taking quiet time in the morning because you are rushing off to work. Have you worked on Sundays and stayed away from worshiping at church?

What about people we encounter during the course of our business? A boss, an expert, maybe even a colleague. The boss asks a lot of you, and it is taking you away from God. Or you are hanging on the achievements of an expert in your field or a colleague’s great success that leads you to talk more about them than God.

Does the killer of comparison have you working extra hard on your work or your overall image at work? How much energy do you give this?

As followers of Jesus, we are called to worship the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and strength and to give God glory, not man. In the Bible, we can turn to Daniel’s example of the faithful integrity. Daniel worked for King Nebuchadnezzar. He was one of a handful of the Israelites who was deemed smart enough to serve. We notice first Daniel did not accept the name given to him by the king.

He also did not eat of the foods the king gave and only ate fruits and vegetables since the meat was unclean by Old Testament standards. Most notably, Daniel did not bow down to the statue erected of the king. He held the integrity of his faith and did not worship the idols of the king. You can read more about this in Daniel 2-6.

In the workplace we need to be mindful of the idols that may creep in to challenge the integrity of our faith. Again, as professional followers of Jesus, we are sometimes the first introduction to Jesus someone will have! How are you holding this integrity at work?

February 24, 2025 Good and Bad Integrity

Presented by Lauren Stibgen

Let’s face it, unless we are working in a faith-based organization, our work can bring us closer to walking in the way of the world than we would like. Not everyone we come into contact with whether a boss, colleague, customer, or vendor will be an example of how we should walk in our work life as Christ followers. And, even if we are working for a faith-based organization or are in ministry, we are not immune to running into sin!

We often think of integrity at work as being honest. While this is one way we can reflect integrity, as Christians we are called to a higher standard of the integrity of our faith. If you profess your faith at work, this is especially important- does your walk match the talk or could someone who doesn’t know Jesus question the integrity of your faith?

Temptations that take you farther from the integrity of your faith can come around the corner when we least expect them. Perhaps it is falling into using language that isn’t honoring God. Being around people who use a lot of, well, “choice words” can lead us into using the same. Perhaps it is other behavior like attending happy hour after work instead of heading home.

However, sometimes we are not the problem. In the case of Joseph, he held his integrity while his employer did not. He consistently had to withstand advances from his employer’s wife. After denying her many times and even running away from her, she lied and said Joseph came after her! Joseph’s integrity and her lack thereof, landed him in jail!

In many cases, unwelcomed advances at work are considered harassment and should be reported to a manager or to another authority at work. While you should be afforded protections from this type of unwanted advance at work, sometimes maintaining your integrity can feel very costly. I don’t think any of you would end up in jail, but I won’t make light of what may happen if you hold your integrity and deny someone’s advances at work!

Relational integrity at work can take many forms other than the unwanted advances—or harassment—we see in the story of Joseph. Work can also be a place where the door of infidelity creeps open all too often. According to Forbes, 40% of people have cheated on a partner with a colleague. Proximity, time, late nights in the office and work trips all contribute to this. And the higher someone climbs the ladder, the more likely they are to engage in infidelity.

Stay faithful in your walk with God and guard yourself against temptation.

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