Tag: Greatness

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What Seventy-Five Years Taught Me About the Moments That Matter

Moment that mattersIn my more than seventy-five years, I find it interesting that I spent fifty years doing what I love, for the most part, yet I remember data points but not the effort it took to achieve them. I have spent over thirteen thousand days perfecting my craft, and I recall facts, but most of the emotion has been lost to time. Yet a chance meeting with a stranger decades ago remains vivid in my mind. His need outweighed my inconvenience. The emotion of that encounter is real, as if it happened yesterday. I can still see his eyes. The pain in them was deeper than anything I had experienced. Later in life, I, too, would have his eyes. I, too, would know what it is like to feel emotional pain that defies words.

The things that took up most of my time and attention seem insignificant compared with those that touch my heart.

Luxuries of Growing Older

“Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.” – Lao-Tzu

One of the luxuries of growing older is the time to look back. As we live our lives, we seldom have time to view things in the context of our entire lives. We make decisions based on immediate needs. If we are mature enough, we even set something aside for the future, without knowing what it will bring. When you have lived three-quarters of a century, that changes.

1 Corinthians 16:13: “Stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”

I can look back on my life and see both light and darkness. I can see how decisions played out. I now know when an act of kindness was truly kind and when it only postponed the pain. I see great jobs that turned bad and bad jobs that turned out well. The same is true for people, separating true friends from lifelong acquaintances.

All of this is to say that the moments of your life pass quickly and unnoticed until one day you count them. The things that occupied most of your time and attention seem insignificant compared with those that touch your heart. All the decisions you make about survival don’t compare with those laced with compassion. In the moment, the survival decisions seem most important, but in the end, they weren’t.

Fortunate to Live a Long Life

2 Corinthians 4:16: “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”

If you are fortunate enough to live to my age, your mind does not revisit days spent at work, mowing the yard, or doing the laundry. It finds those exceptional moments. The ones that changed your life or someone else’s are the ones you treasure. You do not have to be a good person to do good. Everyone has that potential. God created it in us; we need to activate it.

Galatians 5:13: “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”

I want everyone reading this to fill their lives with exceptional moments that will remind them they are alive when old age creeps up. God has made us exceptional; we should live lives that reflect His effort. When the day comes that you have more days behind you than ahead of you, it will comfort you to know you mattered to someone. Maybe it was a moment, maybe a lifetime, but you mattered.

Epilogue

It is not the material things you gave them; it is your time, wisdom, and heart that changed the world around them.

Live well in the moments. Let the sound of your life echo through eternity.

Isaiah 46:4: “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.”

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I Sometimes Feel Invisible. Silence Verse Apathy

Invisible, the opposite of Love is ApathyI sometimes feel invisible. By nature, I’m a worker bee. I prefer to stay in the background. When the spotlight is on me, I’m uncomfortable. I find it hard to accept a compliment. To me, it’s not about humility; it’s about being truthful. It’s not about lacking self-confidence; it’s about being realistic. I am who I am: nothing extraordinary. I can do what God created me to do.

Philippians 2:3: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”

Life

So for a guy who likes to live in the shadows, why is invisibility a problem? I struggle with that question. I don’t want fame or recognition for greatness. A couple of decades ago, I changed my life significantly. Up to that point, my life was about me. Not in a selfish way, but in a determined one. I wanted to be the best version of me I could be. I would outwork anyone to achieve that goal. It wasn’t about money, position, or fame; it was about self-respect.

Philippians 2:4: “Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Then one day, God said, “Stop.” He wanted me to realize that life was never about me. It has always been about the people God puts in my path. I was to use all the resources God gave me — intelligence, relationships, experiences, and knowledge — to help others. That lifted an immense weight off my shoulders. I was no longer responsible for results, only for obedience. It was freeing beyond words.

Living in the Shadows

I stepped into the background and have lived there ever since. I like it here. I can do my thing unnoticed. I can create my own version of self-actualization by living vicariously through others’ achievements. The greatest joy of my life is watching others bloom. Every day, I have the joy and privilege of watching people younger than me begin the journey toward becoming the person God always intended them to be. Some of these people are in their twenties.

I think this is the turning point for me. At the same time, I get to see young people experimenting with life, the excitement of discovery, and the joy of becoming. On the other hand, I know they must learn from disappointment and loss.

1 Corinthians 10:24: “Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.”

In the middle of this, I get lost. I fade so far into the background that even the shadows forget I’m there. Most of my life, this is OK, even preferred. But not always.

Apathy verse Silence

I don’t know how to present this without sounding at some level arrogant or egotistical. It is not that at all. I have lived an incredible life, with all its ups and downs, knowing how difficult it is to juggle family, work, and community. I understand why I am not the center of anyone’s universe. We are all planets, part of our own solar systems, spinning through one of many galaxies. Life is complex.

1 Thessalonians 5:11: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

My downward spiral begins when I forget that silence is not apathy. Many people trying to survive in the chaos of everyday life are silent, not because they don’t care, but because they are distracted. There is a lot to do when becoming something. Figuring out who you should be and how to achieve that goal is time-consuming. Background noise is drowned out by the cacophony of sounds coming from the moment.

Being Seen Again

We all go through moments of feeling lost. It is part of the rhythm of life. As you grow older, you experience this more often. What these people are accomplishing in their lives is something I envy. It took me forty years to learn what they already know. I want to be part of their orbit. When I am not, I feel invisible.

That is, until we meet face-to-face. Then we see each other for who we are and rejoice in that knowledge. The cloak of invisibility falls away, and I am me again. We talk about lives lived, victories won, and the scars left by learning.

Silence is seldom apathy. Sometimes it’s just life being life.

Proverbs 12:25: “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.”

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When Good Things Become Distractions

When Good Things Become a DistractionNot every distraction is bad. Some of the most dangerous distractions are worthwhile things that slowly consume the attention meant for something else. We do not have to be doing something wrong to find ourselves neglecting what God has called us to do. Sometimes we are simply doing too much of something good.

Ecclesiastes 3:1,“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”

Good Things can Compete with One Another.

Family, work, ministry, helping others, church, writing—all worthwhile. But none automatically deserves unlimited time just because it is good. The challenge is deciding how much time to give each activity. The old 20/80 rule is a good guideline. The first 20% of your effort produces 80% of the results. The last 80% of your effort produces the final 20% of the results.

So the question might be: which tasks deserve the final eighty percent, and which don’t? Are there other people who can fine-tune some things while you put your effort into the things God created you for? Does having control supersede accomplishing God’s will?

Luke 10:41–42, “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.”

Perfection is an Especially Effective Distraction.

The things God truly puts on your heart require a different strategy. There comes a point when improving something yields diminishing returns. We can expend enormous effort to make something 2% better while leaving something else completely undone. The drive for perfection can reduce the likelihood of real change by causing us to miss the window of opportunity.

A need exists; you want to fill that need, but your desire to execute perfection causes time to escape, and the need goes unfulfilled. Or the need is met too late to be truly helpful.

This reminds me of a story from Kyrgyzstan. A young Christian in a Muslim village saw children playing soccer (football) in an open dirt field. He went to them, helped organize teams, and set up a small village league. While refereeing the games, he would ask the children if they needed anything. Then, during the week, he would get whatever they needed and give it to them the next weekend. This man knew their parents would never ask a Christian for help, but the children were different. It wasn’t long before he and his religion were accepted by the villagers.

Now, in America, we would first have to form a committee to make sure it was the best course of action. We would need rules and, of course, T-shirts. Maybe we would need donations for uniforms and refreshments. Then we would talk with the kids.

Perfection can get in the way of God’s work. God will perfect the outcome; we don’t have to worry about it.

Purpose Requires Periodically Looking up.

Ask: What have I stopped doing because something else has captured all my attention? That is the central question. Do I respond to opportunities by asking God if this is mine to carry, or do I let the world answer that question for me?

Do I ask God what my priorities should be, or do I allow my sense of accomplishment to overshadow what God is trying to do through me?

John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Conclusion

Maybe the question is not simply, “Am I doing something worthwhile?” Perhaps we also need to ask, “Is this what I should be doing right now?” There are countless good things we can do with our lives. Wisdom is knowing which good thing deserves our attention today.

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Those that Truly Lead, Inspire, Passing the Test of Life

Leadership Passing the testThere are leaders, and there are those who lead. Leaders may hold positions of power; those who truly lead inspire.

There is no louder voice in your life than your character’s voice. It is the steady drumbeat that reveals the consistency of your actions over time. I have watched people of character make incredible, self-sacrificing decisions without a word. They simply did what was right because it was right—nothing more. It cost them dearly, but not nearly as much as it would have to live any other way.

Luke 8:17, “For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.”

As we strive to become the person God created us to be, we will face hard choices. Those choices reveal our character. Character emerges when doing what is right comes at a cost.

Testing

To temper steel, it must first endure intense heat. The process makes the steel tougher by reducing its hardness. Life can do the same to us. We are tested in the heat of adversity, not simply to make us harder, but to make us tougher without becoming hardened. We learn to reflect hope by letting go of bitterness and to practice humility by turning away from self-centeredness.

1 Corinthians 3:13, “each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.”

I’m reminded of a story in John chapter nine. Jesus encounters a man who had been blind from birth. His disciples immediately want to know who was responsible. Was it the man’s fault or his parents’? Jesus shifts their focus from blame. He tells them that through this man’s blindness, the works of God would be displayed.

John 9:1-4, “As He (Jesus) passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.’”

As much as I would prefer it were different, I have learned to see tests as opportunities to show others what my faith truly means. When I am in a dark place, I need most to let the light of Christ radiate through me. Darkness does not hide the light; it makes the light easier to see. These moments can become opportunities God uses to spread the Gospel through the way we live.

People within our Sphere of Influence

The people in our sphere of influence are watching how we live, and from what they see, they draw conclusions about our character. It is easy to project a positive image when everything is going right and all is well in the world. The real test comes when things are not so good. Do we still trust in Christ? Do we still project hope and reassurance when everyone around us knows our life sucks?

Ephesians 5:13, “But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.”

Very few people live in hopes of being tested. Most are like me: try me if you must, but please make it multiple-choice or fill-in-the-blank. I dread the big tests—losing someone I love, cancer, financial hardship, or losing a job. I know those tests will require supernatural strength I do not possess on my own.

But strangely enough, it is often the pop quizzes that catch me unprepared—you know, deception, anger, jealousy, impatience, pride. Too often, I fail them because I did not prepare. When the big test comes, I cram; I pray, read Scripture, and seek Christian counsel. Yet the pop quizzes arrive without warning and too often find me lacking. The Bible might describe it as a lamp without enough oil.

It is natural to turn inward during times of trouble. But we must remember that there are people within our sphere of influence watching what we do next. Some may never read the Bible, attend a church, or listen to a sermon, but they will watch us. What they see in us may shape what they believe about the God we claim to follow.

Created for Moments Like This

God has created you for moments like these. The God who spoke the universe into existence knows you, loves you, and has not abandoned you in the midst of the test. His testing is not merely intended to expose your weakness. It can become an opportunity to display His strength through you.

Paul understood this. Near the end of his letter to the Colossians, written while he was imprisoned, Paul does something remarkable. He does not primarily ask them to pray that the prison doors will open so he can escape. He asks them to pray that God will open a door for the message. His concern is not simply, How do I get out of this? His concern is, How can God use me while I am here?

Colossians 4:3-6, “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

That is leadership.

Conclusion

Be the one who leads—not simply because you have authority, a position, or a title, but because the way you live gives others the courage to keep going. Let your character speak before your words. Let your faith be most visible when it is most severely tested.

And when darkness comes, let your light shine brightest.

1 Peter 1:7, “so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

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What are the Four Important Lessons I have Learned in Life?

Life LessonsHere are the four important lessons I have learned in life.

Lesson One: Created to Glorify God

Ecclesiastes 12:13, “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

God created us to glorify Him. Isaiah 43:7 declares, “Everyone called by My name and created for My glory, whom I have indeed formed and made.” The entire Bible supports this declaration. Everything we do with family, friends, co-workers, customers, suppliers, and strangers has one purpose; to glorify our maker. If we understand only one thing, it is this. We were created to glorify God.

Everything else is simply a resource God has given us to accomplish that task.

1 Corinthians 10:31, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

Lesson Two: You are Unique and Perfect

Proverbs 16:4(a), “The Lord has made everything for its purpose.”

We were created perfectly and uniquely for the purpose God has for us. We cannot be like anyone else, and no one else can be like us. Even the attributes we see as deficiencies were created specifically to help us achieve God’s plan for our lives. These “deficiencies” are not to be eliminated but rechanneled.

God has a plan for all eight billion of us on the planet. Our plan may intersect with God’s plan for another, but it never replaces it. We each get to choose whether to follow. Look to God for guidance, not to the world. The world’s standards are constantly changing; God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Psalm 33:11, “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.”

Lesson Three: You are Where God has Destined You to be

James 4:14, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

In this exact moment, and in every moment, you are where God wants you to be. No moment can be repeated. There are no do-overs or mulligans. Every moment counts. Time does not care about your economic status, your resume, or your gifting: it keeps moving forward.

The Bible is full of stories about people who endured a wilderness season before God called them forward. Joseph suffered in prison; David fled from Saul and hid in the wilderness; Moses tended his father-in-law’s sheep; and Esther lost her parents and lived in exile. Mordecai said it best when he told Esther, “How do you know that you were not born for a time such as this?” He followed that with a warning, “And if you do not act, God will raise someone in your place who will receive your glory.”

Live this moment fully, and the future will take care of itself.

John 9:4, “As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me.”

Lesson Four: Every Life Leaves a Sound.

Your life will echo through time. Neither the things that bear your name nor the inheritance you leave your family will create a lasting mark. People will soon use up what you leave behind, and each passing generation will remember less about you. But character, compassion, love, patience, and gentleness endure. They are the legacy passed from generation to generation.

You can choose your legacy or leave it to chance. Act intentionally or hope someone will see something good. Build things that rust and deteriorate, or create something lasting. You choose with every action, decision, and response. Leave something behind worth having.

Psalm 103:17, “But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children.”

Conclusion

Live a life worth passing on. Build a life of meaning and purpose. You will always know you matter. Your life will leave a legacy worth dying for.

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Christian Leadership

LeadershipThe single most important thing a leader can give their best people isn’t perks or even money; it’s a goal worth their time. That is an important point. Whether we accept the role or not, as Christians we are leaders. As Christians, we are watched, and people decide whether what we say we believe in is worth investing in.

The Question

So, the question is: Do we give them a goal worth their time?

Hebrews 13:7, “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”

What does your life say about your beliefs? I have written a lot about how precious time is. We don’t get do-overs for wasted time. That isn’t to say downtime is wasted, but is it intentional? Right now, I am more interested in uptime. What do we say to the world about how we use productive time to reflect a life worth living?

2 Timothy 2:15, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

I remember reading that Christ isn’t just preparing a place for us but preparing us for that place. To me, that means the life we are living right now as aliens on this planet has meaning. The way we live here and now is preparation for eternity.

The Answer

When people watch us go about our everyday lives, do they see something worth aspiring to? Is it appealing to them? How do we handle disappointment and setbacks? Do we interact with strangers and those in need with compassion and grace? How do we celebrate success? Do we see it as a reflection of our achievements or as the natural outcome of a greater plan?

Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

We cannot always be happy; happiness is conditional. But we can be joyful. We can choose to see life unfolding predictably, even when we do not know the outcome. True followers know the outcome is in our best interest, even when it does not align with our plan.

We have an inner strength that gives us confidence in our abilities and keeps us from being dependent on others. We don’t compete with others because our plans differ from theirs. That is not to say we aren’t competitive, but that we see value in both winning and losing. Both have lessons worth learning.

Is there a calmness in our everyday life that is enviable? Is Christ merely a mythical figure who promises life after death, or is He real in the life I am living today? Does my life have meaning and value, or is it merely temporary and difficult to endure?

1 Timothy 4:8b, “but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”

Is Christianity a goal worth my time?

Most practicing Christians ebb and flow. They see God’s hand in everyday events when they look for it, but miss the ones they were too busy to notice. Christians can see the value of compassion when it is a choice, but miss it amid a chaotic moment. They are good at implementing projects for the good of others, but often fail when life is thrust upon them.

We are all a work in progress. We are being prepared for what is next. Preparation is an active process that requires diligence and perseverance. So I ask again: As a Christian thrust into the role of leadership, are you giving others a goal worth their time?

One day at a time, one moment at a time, one decision at a time. Take care of the now, and tomorrow will take care of itself.

James 3:17, “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”

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God Never Intended Us to Stay the Same

God never expects us to stay the same.God Never Intended for us to Stay the Same. Many Christians can point to the moment they accepted Christ. They remember the day, the place, and the circumstances. It marked the beginning of a relationship that changed their eternal future. Yet for many believers, that is where the story seems to stop.

Dallas Willard once described what he called “Vampire Christians.” These are people who want the benefits of Christ without becoming His disciples. They want forgiveness, not transformation. They want salvation, not surrender.

While the phrase may sound harsh, it raises an important question: Did God save us simply so we could go to Heaven one day, or is He trying to accomplish something in us now?

A Greater Purpose

The Bible points to a greater purpose. God is not merely preparing a place for us; He is preparing us for that place. His goal is to shape us into the likeness of Christ.

Romans 8:29 “to be conformed to the image of His Son.”

That means Christianity is not simply about what we believe. It is about who we are becoming.

This transformation begins when we learn the heart of Jesus.

Ezekiel 36:26, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

When faced with everyday decisions, do we ask what Christ would do? Does our faith shape how we treat our families, conduct our business, respond to frustration, and serve our neighbors? Christianity was never meant to be practiced only on Sunday mornings. It is meant to shape every part of our lives.

Often God’s work in us comes through circumstances we would never choose for ourselves.

I asked for strength, and God gave me difficulties that required it. When I asked for wisdom, and He gave me problems to solve. If I asked for courage, and He placed me in situations that demanded it. I asked for love, and He brought hurting people into my path.

God’s gifts do not always arrive in attractive packaging.

Trials

James reminds us to view trials as opportunities for growth because they cultivate perseverance and maturity. The challenges we face are often the tools God uses to shape us into the people He created us to be.

James 1:2-4, “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.”

Transformation is not something we accomplish alone. The Holy Spirit works within us to change our desires, guide our actions, and cultivate Christlike character. The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—serves as evidence that God is actively at work in a person’s life.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

The Holy Spirit also equips each believer with unique gifts. These gifts are not given for our benefit alone but to serve others and advance God’s purposes. Part of spiritual maturity is learning how God designed us and using those abilities faithfully to help those around us.

Like physical growth, spiritual growth requires participation.

A person does not become physically strong by owning gym equipment. Strength comes from regular exercise. Likewise, spiritual strength develops through regular practices that draw us closer to God.

Prayer, Scripture, silence, solitude, worship, and service are not religious obligations. They are exercises for the soul. Over time, they shape our thoughts, attitudes, and actions.

Goal

The goal is not perfection. The goal is progress.

Most meaningful change happens slowly. It results from thousands of small acts of obedience repeated over a lifetime. As habits form, old patterns lose their grip, and new ones begin to emerge.

God never intended us to remain as we were. He loves us enough to accept us where we are, but He loves us too much to leave us there.

The Christian life is not merely about arriving in Heaven someday. It is about becoming more like Christ today. Every challenge, every opportunity, and every act of obedience becomes part of God’s ongoing work of transformation.

The question is not whether God is working.

The question is whether we are willing to cooperate with what He is doing.

William Temple: “God’s purpose is to make us like Christ; God’s way is to fill us with His Spirit.”

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Measuring Pupose

Measuring PurposeMeasuring Purpose. A tree does not hear the sound of its own growth. That was a very clear message to me. I am analytical to a fault. Plan your work, work your plan, should be on my family crest. I think what I experience is something many people feel: a deep need to know if we are living our intended purpose.

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.”

The deeper challenge for us may not be determining whether our lives have meaning. Rather, it may be coming to understand that we may need to accept that meaningful lives often feel unfinished, uncertain, and insufficient while they are lived. Most of what we do, including mentoring, teaching, evangelizing, helping the underserved, communicating, encouraging, and character development, is a slow-burning influence system. We are unlikely to see most of our impact directly.

Influence usually travels farther than emotion can track.

Dr. William Leslie

Dr. William Leslie was a medical missionary who went to the Congo in 1912. He served in a remote jungle region among the Yansi people for about 17 years. On the surface, the mission was deeply discouraging: little visible response, isolation, harsh conditions, and seemingly minimal lasting impact.

Eventually, discouraged and physically worn down, he returned to the United States, believing his efforts had largely failed. He died years later, unaware of whether his work had produced anything of substance.

But decades later — in 2010 — missionaries and researchers traveled to the same remote region expecting almost no Christian influence to remain. Instead, they found multiple thriving churches, a large network of believers, villages with established worship communities, and even a large stone church deep in the jungle.

The local communities still trace much of the original gospel influence to Leslie’s early work and to the seeds sown during those difficult years.

Living Our Purpose

Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

God does not waste effort. He does not leave obedience unrewarded. God lives outside of time. He knows the task He has set before you and the results that will come from that obedience. The results may lie over the horizon. We are time-constrained beings who measure change over time, but God does not. The ripple effect of a single conversation may take generations to bear meaningful fruit. Yet that conversation needs to happen today to bear fruit somewhere in the future.

“God never said the journey would be easy, but He did say the arrival would be worthwhile.” – Max Lucado.

Be Encouraged

Do not stop doing what God has put in your heart. God smiles at every effort, gesture, and meaningful moment. He alone knows why you are passionate. He created that passion in you. I have learned to judge my impact not by the number of saved souls or changed lives, but by the effort I put in. I must be comfortable doing what God wants of me, even when I do not always know why.

Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

So often, I want to stop because I can’t see the impact. I don’t see the reason to keep going. But I am always reminded that this isn’t my plan; it’s God’s. My job is simple: obedience. God rewards me with a kind word or an unexpected compliment, just enough to keep me going.

That simple gesture tells me I am His. That is enough.

Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

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What Does it Mean to be Alive?

A life worth livingWhat does it mean to be alive? Is being alive the same as living? If you have breath in your lungs, why? God created you for greatness. Are you living up to God’s intent for you?

Isaiah 49:15-16, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion for the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”

Trouble in a Broken World

Troubles come, sometimes in waves. They are a product of a broken world. Sometimes that trouble is self-inflicted; other times it comes out of nowhere. But trouble does not define us; it refines us. It is one of the tools God uses to make us stronger and more relatable. We cannot speak into others’ lives with wisdom we have not earned. Unfortunately, most wisdom is born of suffering. It is regrettable how little we learn in prosperity.

Galatians 1:15, “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace.”

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Given all I have been through in my life, including the unimaginable, which I not only survived but also thrived after, I still find my existence a miracle. There are 100 sextillion stars and planets in our known universe, and over eight billion people on this single spinning orb. And I am me, unique, perfect for my purpose, seeing, feeling, thinking, walking, and talking. I am the impossible. Trillions of cells in my body are continually renewed throughout my life, yet somehow I remain me. The new me retains all the attributes of the old me. I keep living. There is a reason for all of this.

Psalm 139:13-14, “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.”

The Weight of Uniqueness

One of the great lessons from the parable of the talents is the statement “to each according to his ability.” Our lives were not meant to mirror one another. We were always designed to be unique, and with that uniqueness come unique challenges. We tend to treat our challenges as greater than others’ because they are the only ones we have ever known, having lived only within this single life. They are the only challenges we have felt.

Purpose in the Midst of Pain

If every life is unique and purposeful, how do we recognize whether we are truly living according to that purpose? It is a prayerful question, not why this is happening to me, but God, what do you want me to do with what lies before me?

God promises us that we will never experience anything that is not already known to man.

1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.”

But they are unique to us. Because we are unique, trouble and temptation affect us in distinct ways. Our experience can be “like” someone else’s, but never the same. We should not view others’ lives as an enviable path, because we don’t know the totality of their existence. We have not lived their life.

The path forward still exists. If you have breath in your lungs, you have purpose. God woke you up this morning because He has something for you to accomplish. You are standing because God wants you here and now. As dark as your life may seem at times, it is a light for someone else down the road.

Your Overcoming Is Someone Else’s Hope

 “Believe that, when you are most unhappy, there is something for you to do in the world. So long as you can ease another’s pain, life is not in vain.” ~ Helen Keller

It is not the challenge that gives hope; it is what you do with it that can lead someone to a better life. You are important to the person who is waiting for you in your future, just as someone is going through something that will echo in your life.

Your greatest testimony is not  memorized scripture, but a life that reflects the love of Christ.

Someone else’s survival may one day depend on what you choose to do with your suffering.

Romans 12:13, “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.”

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What Was There Before?

BeforeThe basic question one asks when seeking God is: what was there before? As humans with limited knowledge and finite experience, we struggle to grasp something that has no beginning or end. Our minds are wired for sequence—before and after, cause and effect, start and finish. Everything we have ever known fits within that framework.

So when we turn our attention to the universe, we instinctively ask:

What was there before it began?

No matter how we theorize about its origin, we feel there had to be something prior—something that set things in motion. That instinct is deeply human. It reflects how we understand everything else in life. Every event has a cause. Every effect has a source. Nothing appears without explanation.

Or so it seems.

Psalm 33:6, “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.”

Following the Chain

Science has taken us remarkably far in answering the “how” of existence.

We can trace the universe backward through expanding galaxies to an early, dense state described by the Big Bang theory. We can move deeper still, beyond matter into energy, and further into the quantum fields that govern particle behavior. At that level, what appears to be space is anything but empty. It fluctuates. It moves. It produces temporary bursts of energy, governed in part by the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.

But this only pushes the question back.

If particles come from fields, where do the fields come from?
If fluctuations arise from laws, where do the laws come from?

We move from one explanation to the next, but the chain never completes. It simply ends—somewhere.

Ecclesiastes 3:11, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

Where Explanation Stops

At some point, every explanation reaches a boundary.

Philosophers such as Aristotle recognized this long before modern science. If every cause requires a prior cause, you are left with two options: either the chain goes back infinitely, or there is something that does not require a cause.

Later thinkers, such as Thomas Aquinas, argued that an infinite regress does not truly explain anything. Instead, there must be something that is—something that does not come from anything else and exists by necessity rather than by chance.

Modern thinkers have challenged that idea. Bertrand Russell famously dismissed the need for a deeper explanation, saying the universe is “there, and that’s all.”

Three different conclusions. Three different stopping points. None of them is fully satisfying.

John 1:3, “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”

The Problem with “Before”

Part of the difficulty stems from the question itself.

When we ask what came “before” the universe, we assume time existed before the universe. But according to modern physics, time is not outside the universe—it is part of it. It began with the universe.

2 Peter 3:8, “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.”

If that is true, asking what came before the universe may be like asking what lies north of the North Pole. The question assumes a framework that no longer holds.

And yet, even if we remove time from the equation, the deeper question remains:

Why is there something rather than nothing?

Colossians 1:16, “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.”

Four Ways to End the Question

When we strip everything down, there are only a few ways to answer that question.

      1. Something has always existed.
        Reality, in some form, is eternal. There is no beginning to explain.
      2. Something exists necessarily.
        There is a foundational reality that must exist. Everything else depends on it.
      3. Reality explains itself.
        The universe is a closed system with no need for an external cause.
      4. There is no explanation.
        Existence is a brute fact. It simply is.

These are not scientific conclusions. They are philosophical endpoints. Every line of reasoning eventually lands in one of them.

What We Are Really Asking

When we ask what came before the universe, we are not really asking about time. We are asking about dependence.

      • What does everything else depend on?
      • What is the foundation beneath the foundation?
      • What is the one thing that does not require an explanation?

We can move backward from matter to energy, from energy to fields, and from fields to laws—but eventually we encounter something that does not point to anything else.

At that point, explanation gives way to acceptance.

Hebrews 11:3, “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”

The Quiet Conclusion

There is a point in this line of thinking where progress stops—not because the question is flawed, but because we have reached the limits of what explanation can do.

Something must exist that does not come from anything else.

It just is.

1 Corinthians 8:6, “Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.”

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