I’ve been thinking about how easy it is to confuse comfort with the peace of God.... We pray for God to lead us, use us, grow us, and make us more like Jesus, but sometimes when His answer requires surrender, sacrifice, obedience, or stepping into something unfamiliar, we immediately assume something must be wrong. But when I look at Scripture, I don’t see a God who was primarily concerned with keeping His people comfortable.... He told Abraham to leave what he knew. He called Peter out of the boat. He asked the disciples to leave behind the lives they had built and follow Him. He sent His followers into places where obedience would cost them something. And Jesus Himself made it very clear that following Him involves denying ourselves and taking up our cross. I think sometimes we have become so accustomed to measuring God’s goodness by how comfortable our lives feel that we forget He is far more concerned with our transformation than our convenience. That doesn’t mean every hard thing is from God and it doesn’t mean we should glorify suffering or intentionally make life difficult. But it does mean discomfort isn’t automatically a sign that we’re outside of God’s will. Sometimes obedience is uncomfortable. Sometimes growth is uncomfortable. Sometimes healing is uncomfortable. Sometimes God exposes things in us that we would rather leave untouched. Sometimes He asks us to move before we feel ready, speak when we would rather stay quiet, forgive when it hurts, give when we would rather hold tightly, go when staying would be easier, or trust Him when we cannot see what comes next. And maybe the question isn’t always, “God, how do I get out of this uncomfortable place?” Maybe sometimes the question needs to be: “Lord, what are You trying to produce in me here?” Because following Jesus was never supposed to be about constructing the safest, easiest version of Christianity possible. It was always about surrender. When was the last time following Jesus genuinely stretched you?

This was such a special time! Can't wait for our next retreat!

Please drop your prayer requests here! This post will be pinned at the top of the page, so you can always request prayer support!

One of the hardest seasons of faith is not necessarily when everything is going wrong. Sometimes it is when you have prayed, waited, sought God, opened your Bible, asked for direction, and still feel as though you cannot hear Him. We can become so accustomed to associating God's presence with a feeling that when the feeling disappears, we begin wondering whether His presence disappeared with it. David repeatedly wrote from places where God seemed distant. In Psalm 13, he asks, How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? Despite this, David's psalm eventually declares his trust in God's mercy. Biblical faith is continuing to trust the character of God when your emotions cannot presently confirm what you know to be true. There will be seasons when God comforts you through overwhelming awareness of His presence, and there will be seasons when obedience looks like opening your Bible again tomorrow even though today's reading did not produce some enormous emotional experience. Both are faithfulness. Sometimes spiritual maturity looks less like feeling God everywhere and more like knowing Him well enough that you continue walking when you cannot feel Him at all. Have you ever gone through a season where God felt quiet? What did He teach you through it?

STARTING FRIDAY - September 25, 2026, I invite you to join me in 40 days of prayer, fasting, and focus on God's Word... 1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NASB) First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made in behalf of all people, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. James 5:16 (NASB) Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much. Some of you may be aware that January 1, 2026, I started a One-Year Chronological Bible Reading Plan where I read a few Chapters of the Bible - every day (on other platforms; not here). I have Zechariah 10-14 on the docket for today. I plan to keep going and finish up with the last few Chapters of Revelation on December 31st. Beginning Friday, I'm starting the 40-Day process of going back to review what I've read or supposed to have read (eventually surpassing the reading and previewing the remainder of the New Testament I have yet to cover). If this is the first you've heard of it, you can use this time as a brief summary of, or brief introduction to, various parts of the Bible. I'm purposefully adding to my schedule more time for prayer and fasting as the Lord leads. I'm also not going to pretend I didn't realize that Day 40 is November 3rd. I'm inviting you to join me in this endeavor. To help us begin with a strong foundation, I've put together some key passages that cover the heart of the Christian faith: who God is, our need for Him, who Jesus is, and how we are saved by grace. These selections are designed to prepare our hearts as we step forward in faith - starting September 25, 2026. Read each thoughtfully, pray through them, and allow God to speak to you. I pray this journey draws us all closer to the Lord and deepens our walk with Him. This page includes Resource PDFs covering: - Genesis 1 - Creation (the first chapter of Genesis). - John 1:1–18 - Jesus Christ (the Word became flesh - the prologue of the Gospel of John). - Exodus 20:1-17 - God's Standard (the Ten Commandments). - Romans 3:23-24 - All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. - Ephesians 2:1-10 - Saved by grace through faith. - "Garlands of Grace" - an 81-page devotional; 70 key passages from the Book of Proverbs. - A few points about FASTING & PRAYER before we begin.