When I was growing up our elementary school made a field trip every year for sixth graders to Camp Simi on Catalina Island. This was a science trip that would include snorkeling, hiking, learning about marine biology, and of course, the infamous maze! This maze was completely dark and if you were brave enough, you could try to make it through the maze by crawling, climbing, and using your senses to the best of your ability...

They used the word ‘agape’ (Ἀγάπη) which takes on the most noble meaning of love in the Greek language and beyond. Agape is called out of ones heart by the preciousness of the object loved. Agape is not kindled by merit or worth of its object, but rather it originates in its own God-given nature. God is Agape.

Have you ever noticed how quickly happiness can come and go? The new car smell fades away, the honeymoon stage passes, hunger comes back after you eat, etc. Happiness is fleeting and all too often we find ourselves consistently giving ourselves to the pursuit of a temporary state that is running faster than we can keep pace with...

There is a prophetic word of the Messiah’s Advent in Isaiah 9:2-7. Within this passage, there is a promise that a child would be born and the government would be upon His shoulders. This child would be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace...

Most of us have heard the passage, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jer. 29:11).’” It is a beautiful promise of God’s character to remain faithful and provide the people of God with His plans of hope and a future. However, in the midst of this promise, many do not know the full context of what is happening in this passage...

I find it interesting that in moments of defeat, we don’t think eternally, but rather we look to temporary fixes. We settle for moments of victory that outweigh the moments of losing. We perform harder, push away other things or people, and ultimately, pursue anything to fill the void of the loss that is causing our pain...

I think many are asking questions about certain events happening in our world today. Hurricanes, earthquakes, shootings, tragedies, diseases, divorces, and all kinds of brokenness flood our world. We see the news bombard us with the reality of tragic and heartbreaking events daily. We are left asking many questions that are really important, that are good questions, and that should be asked...

I truly believe that two of the greatest prisons people can experience in life are avoidance and assumption. How often do we find ourselves moving along in life only to find a halt or pause hindering us from something we know we are supposed to be moving forward towards? Largely, I think that many people fall into the traps of avoidance and assumption unwittingly and never try to break free from these cages, ultimately, because they never knew they were in them...

I pray the Sound of the Father that has been sung over from creation would be released in your homes, workplaces, and cities. Let the praises of God's people resound as He is worthy, He is near, and He desires to see all people encounter His love and goodness. Release your sound, beloved. Amen...

In other words, the “Thinker” is ready to spring to action. His thoughts are not passive, his thoughts are not just for himself, his thinking is not just to be a subdued state of self-focus, but rather the “Thinker” is a poet ready to burst forth with prophetic utterance from a deep connection with what he has been thinking about...

We live in a world in which risk is now a part of the major strategies for discovering new ways of business, life, and entertainment. Risking to step out with boldness and courage is the way many have been found as “successful” in today’s world that circles around fame and fortune...

"The authority by which the Christian leader leads is not power but love, not force but example, not coercion but reasoned persuasion. Leaders have power, but power is safe only in the hands of those who humble themselves to serve."

"If you do not worship God seven days a week, you do not worship Him on one day a week. There is no such thing known in heaven as Sunday worship unless it is accompanied by Monday worship and Tuesday worship and so on. Go to church once a week and nobody pays attention. Worship God seven days a week and you become strange!" 

However, what I do believe is we are called to more than anything in these statements is a position of prayer. I am not saying people who have been expressing an opinion or claiming certain stances are not people of prayer, but I am saying that if we soaked our statements in more time of prayer, we would be more honoring to those we do not agree with or do not want to love...

Some may be reading and asking, “Where was God in the many attacks across the earth? Where was the faithfulness of the Lord in the midst of the perpetuation of racism globally? Where has God been at work in the loss of family members, in the downfall of work, in the storms of life?” Some may be asking, “How can you see God at all?”

Jesus = God is Love // God loves us // We reject God's love // God extends grace // Grace empowers us to receive love // We live from the model of grace and love = Jesus

The following verse made me stop in my tracks, recognizing both the season I am in, and the beauty of how our Lord orchestrates the best movements and provision for us. Joshua 5:12 states that “the manna stopped the day they ate this food from the land; there was no longer manna for the Israelites, but that year that ate the produce of Canaan.” 

Congratulations! You made it 31 days! I am so thankful to have journeyed this time with you and I am truly believing that the Lord has been at work within us together. My prayer is that as you move forward into this next season ahead, that the words, the prayers, the vision, the time in and with Jesus would inspire you to live out His prayer every day. I hope that this devotional would be an encouragement to you and a refreshing, healing balm for your heart. 

When we pray “Forever. Amen” we are agreeing that God came for all of our lives and we are giving all of our lives to Him to have. We are proclaiming that every bit of glory, fame, power, humility, brokenness, pain, victory, etc. is all for Him, and that He is worthy of all of us, and so much more.

When we pray this prayer, we are not just recognizing the God who can speak and all of creation is formed, but also the God who came as the Word that laid down His life to recreate all things. We see the One and Only God whose love is pure and perfect. We see the One revealing power through humility and authority through the humiliation of a Roman torture device.