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INTRODUCTION

THOUGHTS ON KINGDOM CULTURE

JOHN MACDONALD, LEAD PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

Every culture carries with it a set of values, priorities, and practices that shape how people live. Whether it’s the culture of a nation, a workplace, or even a sports team, culture defines the atmosphere, the expectations, and the way things are done. But as followers of Jesus, we are called to live in and carry a very different kind of culture: the culture of the Kingdom of God. This Kingdom is not defined by trends, traditions, or the shifting opinions of society. It’s rooted in Christ Himself, revealed in His Word, and made visible through His people living Spirit-filled lives.

This is what makes the church distinct. Strategies, styles, and structures may shift with time and culture, but the heartbeat of the church–its values, its principles, and the fruit of the Spirit–must always reflect the early church and the heart of Jesus Himself. That’s what Kingdom culture is about.

When Jesus began His ministry, He didn’t launch a program or erect a building. He started with people. Ordinary people. He called twelve men to follow Him: not the brightest minds, not the most accomplished, not the “spiritual elite.” He didn’t recruit from the rabbinical schools or choose those with impressive résumés. Instead, He went to the fishing boats, the tax booth, and the streets. He called the overlooked, the unqualified, and the underestimated.

And that’s good news for us. Because if Jesus chose ordinary men and women to carry His Kingdom, then there is hope for every one of us. The invitation He gave to Peter, Andrew, James, John, and the rest is the same invitation He gives today: “Come, follow Me.”

This invitation isn’t casual. It’s not about self-help or adding a little inspiration to your week. It is a radical call to reorient everything around Jesus. To follow Jesus is to step into a new reality: a Kingdom reality. It means leaving behind old patterns of living and embracing a new way of life under the authority of the King.

Those first disciples who said yes to His call quickly realized that Jesus wasn’t like anyone they had ever met. His words carried authority. His miracles revealed power over sickness, storms, and even spiritual darkness. His presence radiated mercy and truth.

He didn’t just bring new teachings; He carried with Him the culture of another world. In His presence, the broken found healing, the guilty found forgiveness, and the oppressed found freedom. He carried the very atmosphere of heaven.

When Peter stepped out of the boat and onto the water, he wasn’t just experiencing a miracle; he was stepping into that Kingdom reality. The boat represented the old way: the safe, predictable, earthly reality everyone knew. But Jesus was standing in a place no one had ever stood before, inviting Peter to join Him. That moment was a doorway into a whole new way of living: one defined not by fear or human reasoning, but by the authority of Jesus’ word.

And that is still what Kingdom culture looks like today. It’s choosing to live by the realities of heaven rather than the limitations of earth. It’s stepping into a life where storms, sickness, sin, and even death itself must bow to the authority of the King.

This is why the contrast between worldly culture and Kingdom culture is so important. Worldly culture roots identity in performance, possessions, and popularity. Kingdom culture roots identity in Christ: we are chosen, loved, and called (1 Peter 2:9; Galatians 2:20).

In worldly culture, leadership is about power and control. In Kingdom culture, leadership is about humility and servanthood (Mark 10:43–45). Worldly culture seeks self-comfort and temporary gain, but Kingdom culture seeks first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33).

Worldly culture cancels, excludes, and divides. Kingdom culture forgives, reconciles, and unites (John 13:34–35). Worldly culture says, “Live for yourself. Follow your heart. Build your own kingdom.” But Kingdom culture says, “Deny yourself. Follow Jesus. Build His Kingdom.”

The difference couldn’t be clearer. And when Jesus calls us, He calls us to drop our nets, leave the old way of life, and step fully into His Kingdom. Let’s go!

DAY 1

FIRST MOVES

JOHN MACDONALD, LEAD PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of ObedEdom to the City of David with rejoicing. When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.” 2 Samuel 6:12–15


In America when a new president takes office, they choose what their first political move will be. What they do first, especially in the first 100 days, will often define and either make or break an administration. The first move is vitally important.

King David was stepping into leadership in one of the darkest, most broken moments in Israel’s history. The nation had drifted so far from God that His presence wasn’t even on the radar anymore. The Ark of the Covenant, what once marked the center of Israel’s spiritual life, had been sitting untouched and forgotten for forty years. Forty years! That’s an entire generation that lived without any real pursuit of God’s presence.

And here comes David: a shepherd boy, worshiper, warrior, and now king. And what’s the first thing he does? He doesn’t build a palace, or strengthen his armies, or roll out a political plan. No, his first move is to go after the Ark of the Covenant. That’s not just bold, that’s a whole new kind of leadership. That’s a man saying, “We’re not moving forward without God.”

First moves matter. They reveal what’s in your heart and what you value most. David could have done a hundred things first, but he made it clear: “God’s presence comes first, no matter what.”

He gathers thirty thousand men, not to fight a battle, but to bring back the ark. He’s not just making a spiritual statement; he’s making a national declaration. He’s saying: we’re not going to be like Saul, who treated the presence of God as though it was optional. We’re going to be a people centered around God again.

That one move set the tone for the rest of his leadership. And it wasn’t just a good strategy. It was a prophetic act. He was saying this nation will not be built on politics, power, or pride. It will be built on God’s presence. He is the center of everything.

Let me ask you a question. What’s at the center of your life?

Because whatever is at the center will drive everything else. For Saul, it was his image. It was fear of people, pride, and performance. He built his kingdom around himself—and eventually lost everything. But David built his kingdom around the presence of God—and that changed everything.

When David brought the Ark into Jerusalem, he wasn’t just checking a spiritual box. He was crowning God as King again. He danced before the Lord with all his might, not caring who saw him or what they thought. His own wife, Michal, looked down on him with contempt—but David knew what mattered. He wasn’t dancing for applause. He was dancing because the presence of God had come home.

And then, in the very next chapter, we see David sitting before the Lord. He is just sitting in His presence. No fancy words. No religious performance. Just a man who loved God, sitting with God. And out of that posture came one of the most beautiful prayers in all of Scripture. David didn’t come in with demands, he came in with wonder. He prayed in 2 Samuel 7:18,

“Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that You have brought me this far?”

David didn’t just retrieve the Ark, he reorganized the entire nation around it. He set up 24/7 worship, hired thousands of musicians and singers, and invested the equivalent of over a billion dollars in today’s economy to host God’s presence. That’s wild when you think about it. But it tells you something: David believed that when God was in His rightful place, blessing, peace, and provision would follow.

And he was right.

Israel flourished under David’s leadership because David stayed connected to the source. He didn’t depend on his strength or strategy. He lived from a place of worship and humility. He built from the inside out.

Maybe today you feel like the presence of God has been sitting off to the side in your life: forgotten, neglected, or just not prioritized. Maybe you’ve been running on empty, trying to fix everything yourself. Maybe your life, like Israel’s, needs a re-centering.

Here’s the good news: it only takes one move.

One move back toward God. One decision to stop everything and say, “Lord, I need You at the center again.” That’s what David did. And God honored it with favor, blessing, and lasting impact.

David’s first move changed everything, and yours can too. Revival didn’t start when the people got their act together. It started when one man made God the priority again.

So what’s your first move today? What would it look like for you to reorder your world around the presence of God? What might God do if He were truly crowned King in your life again?

Let’s be people like David. Let's be bold in our worship, humble in our hearts, and hungry for God above all else. Because when God is crowned King… everything changes.

PRAYER: Father, we confess that we’ve often put You off to the side. We’ve chased other things and hungered for things other than You. We’ve tried to lead, parent, build, and fix from our own strength. But today, like David, we make our first move to put You at the center. Jesus, bring us back to what really matters—Your presence. Give us a hunger and passion for you that will never wane. Awaken a holy desperation in us. Tear down our pride and self-sufficiency, and help us to rebuild with You at the center.

We crown You King of our hearts, our homes, and our church. And we pray that Your glory would fill every part of who we are. In Jesus’ name, amen.

DAY 2

A SIMPLE CONVERSATION

NIKKI CATHERINCCHIA, TEACHING PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1

Remember the Wizard of Oz? The movie that took the classic age of the silver screen from black and white into Technicolor. When I was a kid, long before streaming, DVDs or even VCRs, I couldn’t wait for the yearly showing of the merry old land of Oz. I would sit glued to the TV in awe. The Cowardly Lion, afraid of his own shadow, was my favorite character. He talked a good game until it was his time to see the Wizard, then fainted before a single word left his mouth. His intimidation got the best of him. As a kid, that always made me laugh. As an adult, I wonder how many people see God the same way: overwhelming and scary. Based on the amount of people who find prayer intimidating, I would think the number is pretty high. However, I am not so sure that people are intimidated by God as much as they are intimidated by prayer itself.

If you want to see people sweat, suggest that everyone pray out loud. Every week congregations listen to pastors and church staff pray and many think, “I could never pray like that.” I know, I used to be one of those people. The first time I prayed out loud, like the Cowardly Lion, I almost passed out. But truth be told, even in my own private prayers I feared I wasn’t doing it right so I often just skipped it. You see, too often we are so afraid to get prayer wrong that we avoid it altogether. But could you imagine your children being so intimidated to talk to you that they never engaged you in a conversation? That would devastate me. This begs the question: when we don’t pray out of fear of getting it wrong, how does that make God feel? The Psalms tell us He comes near to hear the voices of His children. How His heart must ache when He leans in and hears nothing.

Have you ever thought that maybe we overcomplicate prayer? We make it harder than it has to be. Growing up, I learned the Lord’s Prayer as a prayer to be recited. It wouldn’t be until I was older that I understood Jesus was not giving us phrases to recite but an outline of how to converse with our Father. Because that is what prayer really is: a simple conversation with God.

The giving of the Lord’s Prayer is recorded in both Matthew and Luke. In Matthew, it is part of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus makes it clear prayer is not a spectacle to impress others. Prayer is intimate conversation. Not spoken like a pastor or podcaster. Not for show, pride, or display. Just a simple conversation between you and your Heavenly Father.

In Luke’s Gospel, the disciples asked, “Jesus, teach us how to pray.” Perhaps they too were intimidated by lofty prayers they had heard from the Pharisees and Sadducees, the religious leaders of their day. Maybe fear of getting it wrong was paralyzing them from engaging. However, they had watched Jesus pray. They knew prayer was central in His life and they longed to pray like their rabbi. What I love most is that Jesus never belittles His disciples for not knowing.

He simply gives them an uncomplicated way to approach their Father who is always leaning in to listen.

Maybe today you are overwhelmed with how to pray. Maybe your prayer life has grown quiet, or maybe you are simply looking for another tool to grow closer to Jesus. Whatever brings you here, know this: when we follow Jesus’ method, we cannot get prayer wrong.

Today let’s follow Jesus’ outline and pray together.

OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN This is the conversation starter. Begin by acknowledging who you are talking to. Speak to God in your own voice. He doesn’t need or want you to be or sound like anyone but yourself. He loves you! He wants to hear YOU!!

HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME Begin to worship God. Declare who He is… Lord, Savior, Creator. Declare His attributes… He is trustworthy, faithful, full of love and truth. He is the God who sees, who provides, who redeems. He is the beginning and the end. The only One worthy of our worship and praise.

YOUR KINGDOM COME Acknowledge that Jesus is coming back again. Declare the hopeful expectation of that promise being fulfilled. Ask God how He may want to use you to evidence Jesus in our world in the waiting. Then pause and allow for God to speak.

YOUR WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN Here we begin to pray for the realities of heaven to come to earth. Surrender your life and your will align to the will of God. Pray for a fresh heavenly perspective or begin to intercede on behalf of others, our community, country, or world. Once again remember to pause and give God space to speak to you. 

GIVE US TODAY OUR DAILY BREAD Every day we must come to God in prayer because every day He gives us what we need for that day. Just like the Israelites in the wilderness receiving manna from heaven; it was just enough for that day. We too must come to God every day for nourishment. What do you need today? Guidance, wisdom, discernment; ask Him. Patience, grace, compassion; ask Him. Self-control, discipline, endurance; ask Him. Healing, comfort, provision; ask Him. God’s mercies are new everyday, all we have to do is ask Him!

AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS This is where we ask God to search our hearts and we confess any sin that is known or revealed. NOTHING hinders our relationship with God more than unconfessed sin. The Father can handle anything you might share. In fact, He already knows. He just wants you to trust Him enough to share it yourself.

AS WE ALSO HAVE FORGIVEN OUR DEBTORS Forgiveness is not just something we receive, it is something we must give. Is there any unforgiveness you’re holding onto? Now is the time to give it to the Lord. Let Him heal your heart and work on the hearts of those who have wronged you.

AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE Finally, recognize that Satan would love nothing more than to throw a curve ball into your day, your week, even your year. He loves taking down those whom God loves. This is why we pray for protection from the schemes of the enemy. We pray against strongholds or temptations. We pray against worldly mindsets and ideologies. We pray for victory and freedom, which in Christ Jesus are already ours—we just need to claim them. When we are prayed up, we are armed against every attack of the enemy and we become more than conquerors.

An amen brings it to an end and you did it! The conversation really is that simple!!

This might have been your very first conversation with God or maybe you were picking up where you left off. Either way, I challenge you: every day carve out time for a conversation with your Father. Use the prayer model Jesus taught us. On some days you may focus more on one area than another and other days you might not get to them all, and that’s okay. There is no right or wrong way. It’s just a daily conversation where God leans in, loving the sound of your voice. And the more you do it, you too will fall in love with the sound of His voice too.

DAY 3

MORNING DEW

JESS CIARAMITARO, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1

We’ve all experienced it: a dry season, a chapter in life where you still believe in God, but find it hard to feel His presence. These are times of seeking, thirsting, and wondering when the next "rain" will come to quench your weary spirit.

As a young believer, I often relied on big, corporate gatherings to experience that “rain” of His presence. Whether it was a youth conference, a worship night, or a Sunday service, I looked to leaders—worship teams and pastors—to help usher me into God’s presence. And while I still deeply value those collective encounters with Jesus, I’ve learned that if I depend on them alone, I’ll quickly find myself in a spiritual desert.

One summer morning, the Lord gently reminded me of this truth as I noticed the dew glistening on blades of grass. It hadn’t rained in days, yet the grass was still thriving.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. Psalm 19:1–2

In God’s intentional design, the grass doesn’t need an outpouring of rain every day to survive. It’s the morning dew—quiet, consistent, and life-giving—that sustains it. Dew is not loud or dramatic, but it’s faithful. It reminds me of how God meets us: not always in overwhelming waves, but in gentle moments that bring renewal, growth, and strength.

Just as the earth needs water, our souls need His Spirit. That refreshment begins with a decision—to give Him time and space to nourish us. When we do, His Spirit comes, even in dry seasons or weary cultures. It may not always feel like an outpouring. Often, it’s more like dew—just enough to sustain us, keeping us dependent on Him and walking in humility.

This is how God perfects our faith over time. He always shows up and provides. It might look different than we expected, but He is faithful nonetheless.

The question is: will we give Him room to refresh us? Or will we keep reaching for lesser sources that can’t truly satisfy?

PRAYER: God, I want to take this moment to recognize that You are the true source of life, joy, and peace. Forgive me for neglecting consistent time with You and relying on other things that do not quench my inmost needs. I surrender this time to You to speak to me through Your Word. Refresh my soul and renew my mind, Lord Jesus. May I hunger and thirst for righteousness. And as my day unfolds, may Your presence remain in me and sustain me. Amen. 

DAY 4

LIVING LOW

STEVEN DEMICK, WORSHIP PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

What comes to mind when you hear the words “mountaintop” and “valley”? In Christian circles, we often use these words to describe how we are doing spiritually. If a person feels like they are thriving in their relationship with God, they may say they are standing on a “mountaintop.” If they’re struggling, they might say they’re walking through a “valley” or a “wilderness” season. In the church world, we lean on figurative language to give one another a sense of where we are.

Typically, the higher we go, figuratively speaking, the better the season feels. A mountaintop moment means closeness with God, clarity in calling, or victory over obstacles. A valley season, on the other hand, often feels like confusion, dryness, or distance. But what if God is actually calling us to something different? What if, instead of chasing the high road, He’s inviting us to go low?

Earlier this year, God spoke a phrase to me in prayer: “The lower you are, the further you go.” At first, I didn’t fully understand. But as I prayed into it, He began speaking to me about the root system of a tree. At the beginning of a tree’s life, the roots do not stretch upward toward the sun, they go downward into the soil. That downward movement has to happen before there can be any upward growth. Within just a couple of days, a seed bursts open, and the first thing to emerge is its root, digging vertically down. Downward, then upward. Lower, then higher. That is the order.

In the same way, before we can grow into all that God has called us to, our lives must first be rooted in humility. The deeper our roots of humility, the taller our lives of faith can stand. The hidden strength of the tree is not in the branches or the leaves, it lies in its unseen roots. In order to withstand storms, bear fruit, and endure seasons of drought, the tree must first learn to live low.

This runs counter to the values of our culture. The world preaches “upward and onward.” In the workplace, the expectation is to get the promotion, take on more responsibility, and climb the corporate ladder. Ambition, achievement, and recognition are championed. While responsibility itself is not wrong, and success is not sinful, the posture of elevating self often misses the way of God’s Kingdom.

In scripture, when men and women encountered the presence of God, the response was not to climb, but to bow. When John saw the heavenly vision in Revelation, the elders and angels cast their crowns before the throne, falling to their knees in worship. When Paul met Jesus on the Damascus road, he was struck down and thrown to the ground. When Moses stood before God in the wilderness, he hid his face in the dust. Over and over again, the right response to God’s presence is not to get taller but to go lower.

The Bible doesn’t just give us examples; it gives us commands:

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you. 1 Peter 5:6

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. James 4:6

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Philippians 2:3

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

Humility is not optional for the believer, it is required. It is the doorway to blessing, the soil of holiness, and the character of our King Himself.

But here’s the challenge: humility cannot be manufactured. You can’t just will yourself into being humble. True humility is born in the presence of God. That is why the greatest way to get low, and the only way to stay low, is in the secret place of prayer.

Prayer is where we learn to bow before Him, unseen by others and unmeasured by applause. Prayer is where the noise of ambition fades, and the voice of the Father becomes enough. In hiddenness, there is no stage to perform on, no spotlight to chase, no ladder to climb. There is only the Father’s gaze. And when His eyes are on you, that is the only validation your heart will ever need!

This is the beauty of worship. When we are alone with Him, shut away from the eyes of people, our hearts bend low before His throne. Every crown, every accomplishment, every failure, and every burden is laid down. Pride cannot prosper in the atmosphere of prayer. Inprayer, God silences the lies of comparison and draws us into the reality that our worth and righteousness is found only in Him.

The world may chase platforms and recognition, but the child of God finds joy in being hidden. The unseen place is not wasted, it is where roots grow deep. The soil of prayer is where God develops humility in us. It is where He strengthens us to endure, anchors us when storms come, and prepares us to bear fruit in due season.

So, if you want to live a life of lasting impact in God’s Kingdom, learn to live low. Let your roots sink deep in humility. Bow before Him daily. And most of all, give yourself to prayer. Not for the eyes of others, but for the eyes of your Father.

PRAYER: Lord, today I choose to live low. Instead of elevating myself, chasing man’s approval, or worrying about how others see me, help me to deny myself and follow You. In the secret place, eliminate any traces of pride in my heart. Teach me to delight in being hidden with You, where Your eyes alone are on me. Remind me that Your presence is enough. Purify me and make me holy—not to impress others, but to exalt You to Your rightful place as my King and the Lord of my life. May I always bow low so that You may be exalted in my life. Amen.

DAY 5

FISH ON…

JOHN MACDONALD, LEAD PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. Jude 1:3

I love family vacations, I always have. I love spending focused time with the family doing things and experiencing things we aren’t able to do and experience living here in Michigan. On our last family vacation, I took Hudson, my oldest son, and his friend Eli out for a deep sea fishing trip. Maddox, my other son, doesn’t like fishing. Instead he opted to stay back with his mom to go clothes shopping—I think he made out alright. One of the fish on Hudson’s bucket list to catch is a Goliath Grouper. The largest Goliath grouper ever caught was over 7 feet long and weighed close to 700 pounds. These fish get big! 

Out on the water that day, something big took the large bait we had lowered down into the deep!  As the pole bent down into the water, the guide yelled “fish on,” and the fight was underway.  Hudson pulled and grunted as he put maximum effort into reeling up the behemoth on the other end of the line. The problem was the grouper was swimming with all its effort straight down in the opposite direction. Both were contending, but for very different outcomes. Hudson wanted to pull the fish to the surface, while the fish pushed its way down into the deep water.

I love this word contend. One definition of contend reads: to strive, wrestle, or fight with intentional effort; especially for something of great worth.

That’s exactly what we’re called to do as believers. We are to contend for intimacy with God. We are to contend for our families, for our children. We are to contend for the lost.

As a pastor, I contend for the presence of the Holy Spirit to fill our church and our community every time we gather—whether in our sanctuary or in someone’s living room. I contend for unity in the body of Christ, for revival fire to burn bright, and for righteousness and holiness in my own life and in the lives of those I’m honored to lead. 

But here’s what the Lord has been showing me: The first act of contending is surrender. 

It sounds backward, doesn’t it? Contending implies strength, grit, effort. Surrender sounds passive. But spiritually, one fuels the other. And there’s a powerful story in 2 Chronicles 20 that illustrates this tension perfectly.

This story involves Jehoshaphat, King of Judah. For the most part, King Jehoshaphat was a really good king who honored the Lord. He made a couple of decisions that I'm sure he regretted but I think we could all probably say that.

In this story King Jehoshaphat faced a terrifying situation: a vast coalition of enemies. The Moabites, Ammonites, and the people of Mount Seir were coming to wipe out Judah. It says in verse 3,

Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all of Judah.

I love that. The king resolved to seek God first. Instead of reacting in fear or strategizing on his own, he surrendered the situation in prayer, and he called all of Judah to do the same. He gathered the people. The men, women, and children all gathered and prayed a powerful prayer that ended with this humble declaration:

For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. (v.12)

This is the very heart of surrender. And the Lord was compelled to respond.

Through a prophet named Jahaziel, the Spirit of the Lord declared:

Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you. (v.14–17)

As the Army assembled and headed out for the battle the next morning, what happened next would make no sense to any military strategist. Jehoshaphat didn’t send his fighting men with swords first, he sent the worship team. Literally.

After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise Him… as they went out at the head of the army saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” (v.21)

Again, this doesn’t sound like a military strategy to me. “Hey, send the worship team and singers ahead of us. Yeah, put them out on the front line. They’ll be our first line of defense…the musicians!” Wait, what? Can you imagine the harp players thinking, “Hold on... we're going first?”

But as they began to sing praises, the Lord moved.

As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they praised the Lord. This is why it is called the Valley of Berakah to this day. (v.22–26)

Wow, I didn't see that coming! The Lord gave Jehoshaphat and all of Judah victory not by lifted swords but by lifted voices in praise! Trust me, I will never take our worship team for granted ever again… I’m sending them in first!

Back to the idea of contending. When we contend for something, we’re fighting for it—standing in the gap, refusing to back down. That’s exactly what Jehoshaphat was doing—fighting for the very survival of his people and his nation. But again what the Lord has been teaching me is the first act of contending is always surrender.

In God’s Kingdom, one empowers the other. Surrender is what gives your contending its strength. Zechariah 4:6 reminds us:

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord.

God can accomplish more by His Spirit than we could ever dream of achieving in our own strength.

The Lord calls every one of us to contend—for our faith, our families, our church, our future. But the most effective way to contend is to surrender first. We surrender the situations we can’t control. We surrender our kids and our marriages. We surrender what’s most dear to us—and then we contend for God’s mercy, His grace, and for the outcome that brings Him the most glory.

Yes, we still show up. We still pray with boldness and resolve. But we do so knowing the battle is the Lord’s. And when we release the fight into His hands, He moves with power. If we want God’s outcome, it always starts with surrender, is shaped through contending in prayer, and ends with the Lord’s victory.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, Hudson did land that Goliath Grouper. He even jumped in the water (hoping there were no sharks nearby!) and got an awesome photo with his 170-pound bucket list Goliath Grouper. A battle worth fighting and one none of us will forget.

PRAYER: Spend some time and surrender to the Lord what you need to surrender, and start contending!  You can begin with the following prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I want to be someone who contends for the right things-but not in my own strength. Teach me what it means to surrender first, to start every battle by looking to You. When I don’t know what to do, help me keep my eyes on You. I give You my family, my church, my decisions, and my future. I take up my position in prayer, in worship, in trust, knowing that You go before me. Fight for me, Lord. I will stand and watch You move. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

DAY 6

PERSEVERANCE

RENEE ROSOLINO, MISSIONS DIRECTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

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

Perseverance, commitment, determination, and tenacity are strong words, but they are often difficult to live out when faced with overwhelming trials. Collectively, they are defined as the continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.

Life is a journey filled with peaks and valleys, and often, it is in the valleys where we find ourselves facing the most daunting challenges. Adversity can feel overwhelming, and it’s easy to become discouraged when the storms of life rage around us. These difficult circumstances often shadow the blessings and joy in your life. Yet, as believers, we are called to embrace these trials with a spirit of perseverance.

When I was young and thought about my future, I knew I wanted to get married, have babies, watch them grow up to be strong, healthy, compassionate, successful men and women, and then see them marry and raise families of their own. I couldn’t wait to be Nana. My husband, Gary, and I had dreams and plans to serve on the mission field together in retirement, to travel the world, and to enjoy the family with which we had been blessed. However, life’s not that simple. We don’t write the script. Our dreams are often not our reality. So, the scope of our future and our mission field has changed.

I never imagined that my family would face so many challenges over the years. There have been many, but the most life-altering came when we learned our son was born with special needs. Later, my husband was diagnosed with progressive multiple sclerosis, and I’ve watched this disease deteriorate his body and diminish his quality of life. We also walked through my son’s unwanted, unexpected divorce, and most recently, our granddaughter was born with CHARGE Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder, as well as having no immune system. It is easy to go to a dark place and want to give up, especially when faced with one devastating obstacle and heartbreak after another. Feeling helpless, anxious, devastated, heartbroken are just a few of the words that would describe my world at times. This is when my faith is everything!!

The Bible reminds us that trials are not merely obstacles; they are opportunities for growth.  Why does growth have to hurt so badly? James encourages us to consider it "pure joy" when we encounter difficulties. Honestly, often in my quiet time, I do not feel joyful. This may seem counterintuitive, but it is through these challenges that my faith is tested and strengthened.  Each struggle I face has brought me to a deeper reliance on God and has cultivated my perseverance in my faith journey.

When I find myself amid hardship, it is essential that I remember that I am not alone.

God walks with me through every trial, bringing me comfort and strength. In Isaiah 41:10, He reassures us, "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." This promise is a beacon of hope and reminds me that even in my darkest moments, God is my steadfast anchor. Even when I want to be alone, I am never alone. It is not healthy for us to isolate ourselves and to let despair consume us. It is imperative to find joy amid adversity which requires intentionality. A few ways to cultivate a positive spirit during difficult times are:

PRAY AND SEEK GOD’S PRESENCE In prayer, we can pour out our hearts to God, sharing our fears and frustrations. As we seek His presence, we will find peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

FOCUS ON GRATITUDE Even in the darkest times, there are blessings to be found. Take time each day to reflect on what you are grateful for. This practice has shifted my perspective to help me see the light amidst the shadows.

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH SUPPORT Community is vital. Lean on friends, family, or your church community for encouragement. Do not isolate yourself. Sharing your burdens can lighten the load and remind you that you are not alone in your struggles.

HOLD ONTO GOD’S PROMISES Scripture is filled with promises of hope and deliverance.

Meditate on verses that speak to your situation and let them be a source of strength. Romans 15:13 reminds us,

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him.

SERVE OTHERS Sometimes, the best way to find joy is to give it away. Look for opportunities to serve those around you. Acts of kindness can uplift your spirit and remind you of the goodness in the world. The blessings you give away come back to you tenfold.

As we navigate the challenges of life, remember that perseverance is not just about enduring; it is about thriving in the midst of adversity. With faith as our foundation, we can face each trial with courage, knowing that God is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).

May we find joy in the journey, trusting that every challenge is an opportunity to grow closer to our Creator. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Him, the author and perfector of our faith, and embrace the beautiful transformation that comes through perseverance.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for being my constant source of strength and hope. Help me to embrace the trials I face with a spirit of perseverance. Do not let me dwell in the darkness, but search for the light. When I can't breathe, may You fill me with fresh breath and renewed strength. When I can’t see past my own hurt and sorrow, may you remove the scales from my eyes so I can clearly see You. Show me how to use my trials and adversities to help others.  Teach me to find joy in the journey and to trust in Your promises. May I lean on You in my times of need and be a light to others who are struggling. Thank You, Lord, for always being there for  me in good times and in bad. I love You! In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

DAY 7

THE GOODNESS OF GOD

NIKKI CATHERINCCHIA, TEACHING PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, “What do these stones mean?” Then you can tell them, “They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant went across.” These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever. Joshua 4:6–7

I am a self-proclaimed history nerd. I am a book reading, documentary watching, museum going nerd. But more than a lover of facts, I love stories. The first time I sailed into New York Harbor and gazed upon the Statue of Liberty, I cried. My tears were in remembrance of my four grandparents who between 1939 and 1951 stood on ships staring in awe at Lady Liberty, as they arrived in what would become their new home. They left behind their country of Italy, their family, friends, language, and way of life to create a better future here in America. The sacrifices they made for the life I now live has never been lost on me. As I walked through the empty halls of Ellis Island, once overflowing with the masses, it was the stories that echoed. Looking at the faces now on display as historical remembrance, I recognized that behind every face is a story, a story of freedom.

Throughout my childhood, it was around the kitchen table that my grandparents told me and my cousins about their story. With a plate of pasta and after dinner espresso, I learned not only my lineage, but also what it truly means to be an Italian American. I can still smell my Nona Dora’s cooking, and hear my Grandpa Cesare’s thick Italian accent as he said, “Thanks to God. Look at the family He has given me.” My grandfather, a poor farm boy from nowhere in Italy, knew the source of his greatest blessing. In spite of sacrifices and difficulties, his family’s triumph and the life they created in America was a gift from God. Who would have ever thought that an unassuming kitchen table could become a sacred place of remembering the goodness of God?

This concept of knowing your history and remembering God’s goodness is nothing new. It has been practiced for thousands of years. Throughout the pages of Scripture we see God’s people creating physical, tangible remembrances to God's faithfulness. Jacob laid a stone of remembrance in Bethel after his dream of the ladder reaching heaven. It had been a place where God had revealed Himself and promised His presence. Jacob never wanted to forget. As the Israelites crossed the Jordan River on dry ground Joshua commanded that 12 stones, one for each tribe of Israel, be laid. This was so that every generation moving forward would always remember God’s faithfulness to do the impossible. Joshua never wanted to forget. When God gave Israel victory over the larger and stronger Philistine army, Samuel the prophet set up the Ebenezer stone as a remembrance, a physical representation that the God who sees is also the God who helps His people. Samuel never wanted to forget. Passover is a time to remember how God delivered His people from slavery in Egypt. The Feast of Booths is a celebration to remember how God provided for His people as they wandered the wilderness for 40 years. So that the people of God would never forget. The Lord’s Supper, which we still participate in today, is a sacred sacrament of remembering what Jesus Christ did. That while we were still sinners He died for us. His sacrifice was given so that we might know the love of God. So that we might never forget!

In each of these stories, in each of these acts of remembrance, God reminds us of our collective history. We are a people who have been on the receiving end of the goodness of God from the onset of human history. His faithfulness has followed humanity in every generation. His grace is available to anyone who would dare to take the greatest adventure of this lifetime: following Him. This is our history, may we never forget! As someone who journals prayers, my journals have become my stones of remembrance. I trace the handprint of God’s goodness and faithfulness all throughout my life on every page written. When I was lost, He was there. In my brokenness, He was there. In my doubt, uncertainty, and victories, He was there. He collected my tears, comforted me, carried me, cheered me on, celebrated with me, and led me in every season. Remembering, I declare that all my life God has been faithful. His goodness has surrounded me. This is my history and I never want to forget it. Around a table with my children and future grandchildren, God willing, this is the story I will share, so we will always remember who we are and who our God is.

Today as you pray, lay your stones of remembrance. Look back and reflect. How have you experienced the goodness of God? Where can you trace His handprint? If you look, you will find it. And once you do, you will never want to forget. In the remembrance, you too will proclaim the goodness of God.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, We thank You for the gift of remembering. Just as You gave Your people stones of remembrance throughout Scripture, remind us to see the ways You have worked in our lives. Help us never to forget that it is Your hand that has carried us, sustained us, and blessed us in every season. Give us hearts that trust You in times of trial and rejoice in times of victory. May our lives always point others to Your goodness and faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

DAY 8

LOW ON FUEL

MATT CIARAMITARO, GENERATIONS PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

Fuel is an essential part of our lives. Whether it’s food for our bodies or gas for our cars, fuel is something everyone can relate to. I have noticed a couple of contrasting practices in my life when it comes to fuel.

When it comes to my truck, I rarely fill it up. Seriously, I fill it up no more than once a month. I’m pretty sure I should qualify for some sort of insurance discount, because I put on average 4,000 miles a year. The problem with that is, I can drive for days with the gas light on. Yep, since church is only about a mile away, I rarely go beyond a one-mile radius. I live day to day, knowing I can put off refueling just a little longer.

Alternatively, when I go on one of my adventure trips, I always start with a brand new canister of fuel for my JetBoil (a JetBoil is a cool little gas stove designed to boil water in under 60 seconds.) There is no way I am going out into the wilderness with a partial can. In my garage, I have a bin full of gear, and you can find tons of spare cans that are partially used, marked in Sharpie: ¼, ½, or ¾ full. Would they work? Probably, but it’s not worth the risk.

If I run out of gas in my truck, it’ll be annoying, maybe a little embarrassing. If I run out of gas in the wilderness, I don’t eat.

I think many of us get caught treating our spiritual fuel the same way. When it comes to our ordinary grind we try to get by with what we have, without worrying about topping off. We live as if we don’t require new fuel. When something special comes around - a ministry assignment, serving opportunity, leadership role, small group night, conference, or retreat - we then feel the need to make sure we are ready.

As we look at Scripture, there are multiple examples of God wanting His people to be filled with fresh fuel, treating every day like a grand adventure. We see God’s intention for this in the Old Testament through His instructions for priestly duties.

The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings on it. The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out. Leviticus 6:12–13

This simple physical task was a spiritual reminder of how they should live every day, adding new fuel to the fire. As we look even deeper, we understand the original fire was supernatural, and if it wasn’t cared for properly, it was at risk of being corrupted. Also, even though the fire persists throughout the evening, the morning fire is singled out because that’s when the altar was cleansed of its old ashes and “a new fire” made.  Cool, Pastor Matt. We should add fresh fuel to our fire, but what does that look like practically? In Matthew, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3, which says,

He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

The fuel we so desperately need is the voice of God. One word from the Lord can sustain us better than any protein bar ever could. Today as you spend time with the Lord, determine to refuel as if your life depended on it. Don’t settle for running on empty and just getting by. Sit before the Lord and ask Him for His divine direction, listen for his still small voice, and let his words fill you up today.

PRAYER: Jesus. As I sit before You today, all I desire is to hear Your voice. Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening. God, Your words are a lamp for my feet, and a light on my path. Your word is my greatest need. Your word sustains me. As I sit in the stillness of waiting, my ears are open.

 DAY 9

SPIRITUAL TERRAINS

LAUREN GRACA, KIDS PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

Terrain (noun): A geographic area; a piece of land; the physical features of a tract of land. Merriam-Webster Dictionary

The word “terrain” is an interesting word. It refers to any “piece of land,” but when using it in a sentence, it depends on more description. For example, “I expect the terrain will be rough and rugged on our hike today,” or “The terrain was so flat and smooth.” Both of these examples fit the definition, yet the illustrations are opposite.

The Bible is full of opposite types of terrains, and right now, you are likely standing in one of them. You may have been visiting there for a while, or you might be finding yourself in a new or different terrain for the first time. There are blessings and lessons in every type of spiritual terrain, but the one factor that is constant in them all—the Presence of God is there.

THE MOUNTAIN TOP

I lift my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1–2

There is something majestic about a mountain; it is overwhelmingly grand. If you have ever had the opportunity to stand on a mountaintop, you know you can see forever! When we read about mountains in the Bible, we may think of stories like Moses meeting with God on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19). Or during the transfiguration of Jesus, when He took Peter, James, and John up to a mountain and revealed His glory (Matthew 17). Mountains are where leaders meet with God, where miracles happen, and where we are privileged to see the vast stretch of God’s reach. Are you having a mountaintop moment, where everywhere you look you are in tremendous awe of God’s magnificence?

Living on a mountain can literally take our breath away. You don’t have to climb Pikes Peak, Mount Rainer, or Mount Kilimanjaro to know that the air is very thin at the top of a mountain. Not many living things actually live on the mountain tops; the oxygen levels are too low. The only way to remain there for long periods of time is to have a source of oxygen close by. 

If you long to live on a mountaintop, or you find yourself there at this very moment, let me give you one crucial piece of advice: It is absolutely essential that you are connected to God. You cannot last on the mountain without Him. The moment you remove the oxygen (your dependence on the Lord), the vastness of the mountain will cripple you and lead you into a panicked state. Don’t think that living on the mountain means you don’t need God; you desperately need Him with every breath you take. He alone is able to sustain you.

THE VALLEY

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

The definition of a valley is literally a “depressed state.” And as David writes in the twenty-third Psalm, typically one has to walk through the valley, not climb out of it. This familiar Psalm is not the only time a “valley” is mentioned in the Bible. In Ezekiel chapter 37, the Lord takes the prophet Ezekiel to the middle of a valley full of dry bones, completely void of any life. And recall the story of David and Goliath, where the Israelites assembled in the valley of Elah, to battle in a war against the Philistines. A valley is not the ideal place to be during a battle, for you can find yourself stuck, targeted from all sides.

n a valley, you are surrounded by shadows, grief, confusion, darkness, death, and despair. It is here where you find yourself in a depressed state of mind. All the obstacles you face feel bigger than you. Hopelessness covers you.

If you find yourself in the valley at this moment, I want to encourage your heart with this truth: There is still life in the valley. It may seem like hopeless terrain, but it's not. David reminds us in the second part of the verse above, “...you are with me.” You are never alone in the valley. When the Lord took Ezekiel to the dry bones, He was there. He spoke to the dead, dry bones, and brought them back to life. No one is too far gone that the living breath of God can’t reach them. A valley also has water running through it; it carries the water that runs down from the hills and mountains around it. Water gives life. In fact, water creates the valley. God’s breath and living water sustain us. And finally, remember the ending of the story of David and Goliath. With the Lord’s help, David conquers the enemy in the valley. You have the power from the Holy Spirit to defeat the enemy - even in the middle of a valley.

THE WILDERNESS

O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1

There are many stories from the Bible where we find people in the wilderness. Moses and the Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness (Numbers 32:13). The prophet Elijah fled to the wilderness, fearing for his life after King Ahab and Jezebel threatened to kill him (1 Kings 19). In the New Testament, Paul spent three years in the wilderness, in solitude (Galatians 1:17–18). And don’t forget, Jesus Himself was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights, immediately after He was baptized (Matthew 4).

I have wondered several times, why does God place us in the wilderness? Why would He rescue the Israelites from slavery, only to have them wander for 40 years in the wilderness? Why did He send His only Son into the wilderness, without food or water, where He was tempted by Satan himself? I’ll never know all the answers, but I do know there is a reason for everything God does. Perhaps there are lessons we can only learn in the wilderness terrain?

Lessons of humility, endurance, dependence, and preparation for what is to come.

In the midst of the testing and times of hardship the Israelites experienced, God provided everything they needed. In Deuteronomy 8:2–5, Moses reminded the people:

Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.

If you find yourself wandering through the wilderness terrain, accept it, and allow God to refine you. Surrender to his purposes and plans for your life. Hunger and thirst for His Word more than anything (or anyone) else. Don’t just read Scripture, digest it; let it shape you into more like Christ.

THE PROMISED LAND

So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord handed all their enemies over to them. Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to the house of Israel failed, every one was fulfilled. Joshua 21:43–45

Perhaps you find yourself embarking on new terrain, just like the Israelites when they were finally allowed to enter the Promised Land. But being invited into the Promised Land is not the same thing as God saying, “Welcome! You are now entering a Promised Easy Life!” A land flowing with milk and honey sure sounds easy to me, but for the Israelites, it involved a battle to get there, a battle they were scared to face. The Promised Land terrain was occupied by someone else, and the Spirit was calling upon Israel to reclaim that territory for His Kingdom.

The battle is not only physical, but mental as well. The Promised Land includes change, getting uncomfortable, unfamiliar views, unanswered questions, and unrealistic expectations. No wonder the Israelites wanted to turn back and live in the wilderness. Sure, they were in the desert, but at least it was strangely comfortable. Sometimes the wilderness will look more appealing than the Promised Land. You will overcome these thoughts by going to battle with your mind. You win the battle by allowing God to place a spiritual lens over your physical eyes.

If you are feeling called to The Promised Land… Go! Don’t hesitate! God just taught you how to rely on Him in the wilderness; He just demonstrated how He would always be with you and provide what you need… Now let Him prove it! Yes, you may have to battle the enemy, but stand firm (Ephesians 6), live with faith, trust God’s plan, take the next obedient step (Proverbs 3:5–6), and know that God always keeps His promises.

THE GARDEN

There is one more terrain I want to mention, and that’s The Garden. Perhaps you find yourself walking with God in this season, surrounded by miracles, beauty, and favor. You walk with God in the cool of the day. Even work is easy! Your burden is light; all you have to carry is the joy in your heart. When you look over your shoulder, you see the goodness and mercy of the Lord following you. The Garden is my goal.

PRAYER: Wherever you find your feet today, this prayer prompt is for you. The truth is, because of Jesus, we are all able to have a gardenmindset. Regardless of where our feet are, we can experience blessing, joy, and most of all, the Presence of the Lord.

While he was in prison, Paul wrote to the church about having joy and being content in every situation. Even in the middle of rough or unfamiliar terrain, we can still walk with Jesus as if we are walking with Him in The Garden. Read these words from Paul and allow them to speak life into you:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, 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… 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 everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:4–7, 11–13

 DAY 10

KINGDOM CULTURE

JOHN MACDONALD, LEAD PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed. Matthew 14:22–33

When Jesus began His public ministry, one of His first and most important acts was to call twelve ordinary men to follow Him. These twelve disciples would become His closest students and eventually the foundational leaders of the early Church. But here’s the remarkable thing, Jesus didn’t choose the best or the brightest. He didn’t pick the religious elite or scholars from the top schools. Instead, He called fishermen, a tax collector, and everyday workingclass men.

This wasn’t an accident or a mistake. It was a deliberate choice that says a lot about the Kingdom of God. It also says a lot about you and me.

Imagine the disciples for a moment. They weren’t shining examples of perfection or achievement. They weren’t intellectual giants or social celebrities. According to the Jewish educational system of the day, these men hadn’t made the cut for advanced religious training. They worked with their hands, made an honest living, and probably would have faded into the background of society.

Yet, Jesus saw something far beyond their resumes and their backgrounds. He saw their hearts. He saw their willingness to leave everything behind and follow Him.

If you’ve ever doubted whether God could use you because you don’t have the right qualifications or background, take heart. Jesus’ call to these ordinary men proves that what matters most to God isn’t what you’ve done or how impressive you seem, but your willingness to say ‘Yes’ to Him.

As these twelve men walked with Jesus, they quickly realized He was unlike anyone they had ever met. His words carried an authority and clarity that cut straight to the heart. His miracles revealed power over sickness, nature, and even the spiritual forces of darkness.

The disciples saw broken people made whole, eyes once blind opened, cripples walking, and even death defeated. They witnessed Jesus cast out demons with a word. They watched Him command the wind and waves to be still. In every moment, they glimpsed the Kingdom of God breaking into their world—a kingdom where mercy reigns, truth stands firm, and power is wrapped in humility.

This was not just a new set of religious teachings; it was a whole new reality.

One of the most vivid stories in the Gospels is when Jesus walks on the water and calls Peter to join Him. Picture Peter gripping the side of the boat with white knuckles, heart pounding, wrestling with fear and faith. Then he steps out, literally stepping out of the familiar into the impossible.

This moment is a powerful picture for all of us. The boat represents everything we consider safe and sensible. The boat is the familiar patterns, the worldly systems, the limits of human reasoning. Jesus stands outside that boat, inviting us to step into a new reality, His Kingdom reality. Where the impossible becomes possible because of who He is.

Peter’s first steps were miraculous; he was actually walking on the water. But when fear crept in and he looked at the wind and the waves, he began to sink. What happened next is just as important. Jesus reached out His hand and lifted him up, not to condemn, but to restore him to His Kingdom reality.

Each follower of Jesus faces the same invitation Peter received: stay safe inside the boat, clinging to what’s known and “secure,” or step out in faith and live by the authority and power of the Kingdom of God. The worldly kingdom is ruled by fear and limitations, but the Kingdom of God operates by faith and divine authority.

Which will you choose?

Will you live within the boundaries set by the world’s definitions of safety, success, and control? Or will you say “Yes” to Jesus’ call to walk in the supernatural power and presence of His Kingdom through the power of the Holy Spirit here and now?

Jesus’ choice to call ordinary, rough-around-the-edges men to be His first disciples offers incredible hope to all of us. It says that no matter where you come from or what your past looks like, you can be part of God’s Kingdom purposes. Your doubts, your mistakes, your lack of credentials: none are a barrier to God’s grace and calling.

You don’t have to be perfect or polished. You just need to be willing to say “Yes” and follow Jesus.

Living out Kingdom culture means more than just believing in God. It means embracing the truths and realities of heaven right here on earth. It means knowing that the same power that healed the sick, calmed storms, and defeated darkness is available to you.

It means stepping out of your boat. It means leaving behind fear, limitation, and comfort to enter a life marked by faith, authority, and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

You may not always walk perfectly. Peter didn’t either. You may face storms and doubts, but the difference is that Jesus is right there, ready to lift you up and bring you back into the fullness of His Kingdom.

REFLECTION: Where in your life are you still holding onto the “boat” of safety and comfort rather than stepping out in faith?

What fears or doubts keep you from living fully in the reality of God’s Kingdom?

How can you begin to trust Jesus more deeply and walk in His authority today?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for calling ordinary people like me to follow You. Help me to hear Your voice above the storms and to step out of my comfort zone into the new reality of Your Kingdom. When fear tries to pull me back, remind me that You are reaching out Your hand to lift me up. Teach me to live by faith, walk in Your authority, and carry Your presence wherever I go. I choose to say “Yes” to You today. In Your name I pray, Amen.

 DAY 11

AUTHOR AND PERFECTOR

HOLLY MACDONALD, THE WOODS CHURCH

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1–2

This scripture compares our walk with the Lord to a race— reminding us that the Christian life isn’t free from challenges. If you grew up in church like I did, you’ve probably heard the phrase “author and perfector of our faith” many times. But what does that really mean?

When we say Jesus is the author, it means He is the one who began our faith. He is the initiator. He showed us by His own example how to trust God and live by faith. He’s also the one who gives us the strength to believe and keep going.

Jesus doesn’t just start our faith—He carries it, sustains it, and keeps shaping it. Through life’s hardships, He refines us and patiently makes us more like Him. He’s the one who will see it through to completion. 

The last few years have been a season where my faith felt shaky, and honestly, my doubts often felt louder than my trust. But I’m so thankful that this walk with the Lord isn’t a sprint—it’s more like a marathon. And along the way, He’s been so faithful to me. If you keep reading, in verse 3, Scripture encourages us not to grow weary or give up. That’s such a good reminder that He’s still at work, still perfecting me, and He’ll be sure to bring my faith to its full and glorious completion.

In a time when I was struggling and walking through the valley, I couldn’t see what God was doing. But when I came out on the other side, I began to see how He had been perfecting my faith and teaching me these lessons I couldn’t have learned otherwise.

Sometimes answered prayers don’t look like what we pictured in our minds. That doesn’t make them any less answered.  If the path were easy, it wouldn’t demand much from us. We wouldn’t see our need for Him and our faith wouldn’t be stretched. It’s in the struggles that we learn to depend fully on God. It’s often in the struggles that we realize how powerless we are on our own. God is our very breath, and every good thing we have flows from Him. I once believed that faith meant never wavering, but I’ve come to understand it differently. Faith is a wrestling, a daily choice to trust God no matter the outcome. It’s living in the tension of, ‘I may struggle with doubt, but I trust You.’The promises in God’s Word remind me that Scripture is alive and active. In it, I find unshakeable truth to cling to, and a deep comfort and peace that only He can give. Delay is sometimes ordained by Him. When things don’t happen on our timeline and frustration sets in, it may be the Lord at work. We can trust that His plans, His purposes, and His timing are always best. Oppression is built on lies—the enemy’s attacks can feel suffocating at times. But keep fighting, keep resisting, and keep filling your mind with God’s truth. Even when His ways are beyond my understanding, I can hold onto this truth: God is a good Father. His love is constant, and His heart is always for my best. God is faithful and steadfast. He never wavers and never fails. He is completely trustworthy, the same yesterday, today and forever. While everything around us may shift and change, He remains constant. We can build our lives on Him with full confidence, knowing that He does not change. Praise unlocks breakthroughs. Even when you don’t feel it, choose to worship. Put on worship music and sing out the truth of who God is. Watch how it shifts your heart and your perspective. One of my favorite song lyrics says, “I’m gonna sing until my heart starts changing, I’m gonna worship ‘til I mean every word.” Worship is more than a song—it invites God’s presence, brings peace in the middle of the storm, and reminds you that He is greater than whatever you’re facing.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for being the Author who begins our faith and the Hand who perfects it. Thank You for Your patience and kindness as we learn to trust You more fully. Remind us that in seasons of doubt, waiting, or testing, You are refining us and shaping us into the likeness of Christ. May we continuously draw near to You until our faith becomes sight.

 DAY 12

GET OUT OF THE CHURCH

ROB MCCORKLE, PASTOR, AUTHOR & EVANGELIST

One of the strongest verbs in the New Testament refers to casting out a demon. Casting out is taken from a compound word, ekballo. The root word ballo means to throw, and the prefix ek means out. This verb is used emphatically with force and authority. When Jesus encountered a demon-possessed man in Matthew 9:32, He didn’t waste time chatting to the demon. With great authority, Jesus threw the demon out of the victimized man enabling him to speak.

The verb throw out is used by Jesus in another context. Scripture says,

Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:35–38

The harvest is plentiful, Jesus said, meaning your community is filled with many needy persons who are distressed and discouraged. Look around, people in our world need the good news of Jesus Christ. They are straying and lost like sheep without a shepherd. But there’s a problem. Jesus said there aren’t enough workers in the fields. The implication is that people are sitting comfortably in the church not willing to take the gospel beyond the walls.

The answer to this dilemma, Jesus said, is to pray and ask the Lord to send out (ekballo) workers. The Lord wants to throw us out of the church. This is not an optional assignment. He desires all of us to be launched, deployed, and dispatched into our cities. It’s not enough to show up to church or even pray for your city. The Lord doesn’t want us to remain in the church but to be working in the harvest field. He wants to send us out to minister to lost and discouraged people.

This passage is on the heels of an intense personal ministry schedule by Jesus. He’s taught, touched, healed, and cast out a demon. Now it’s time to send out other workers into the community to do what He’s been doing. Let me offer four things to keep in mind from this passage in Matthew 9:35–38 and our call into evangelism.

First, evangelism is going. Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, which is the starting point of evangelism. This indicates that evangelism is more of a lifestyle than a program.

Evangelism begins the moment you are walking through crowds and rubbing shoulders with people throughout your city. Evangelism happens when you go shopping or to the grocery store. It occurs when you go to Starbucks to get a coffee or to a restaurant for a meal. Evangelism starts the moment you are outside the walls of the church. Wherever you walk, you carry the message of Christ within you and the power of Christ upon you to make an eternal difference in people’s lives.

Second, evangelism is seeing. To see in this context means to experience something deep on the inside when you look at people. When Jesus saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them which means to be affected at the deepest level of His bowels. He observed that people were beat down, distressed, and lost. Crowds were never an interruption to His busy schedule but targets of the Father’s affection and love.

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, there was always a contrast between what He saw and what those around Him could see. In Matthew 8:28-34, Jesus saw two guys who needed deliverance, but the town’s people saw a herd of pigs that had just perished. In Matthew 9:9-13, Jesus saw a tax collector becoming His follower, but the Pharisees saw a worthless sinner.

What do you see when you look at people? Are you moved with compassion for them, or do you merely make judgements based on outward appearances? We need His eyes to see as He sees when we are amidst lost people. We need eyes that see past the flesh; we need to observe others from a spiritual perspective (2 Corinthians 5:16).

Third, evangelism is praying. Jesus said to beseech the Lord of the harvest. This word means to cry out with great passion. One expositor said it means to bind your life to a request, so you never let go of what you’re crying out for until there’s an answer. In the context of this prayer, we’re asking the Lord of the harvest to send out workers. This means we won’t stop praying for a spiritually lost person until someone is sent to them, or we are deployed to them. The point is evangelism includes intense prayer that won’t relent until a lost person is evangelized and ministered to.

Fourth, evangelism is ministering. Jesus called His band of followers and gave them authority over unclean spirits, diseases, and sicknesses (Matthew 10:1). Then He sent them out into the field to preach, heal, and deliver people from bondage (Matthew 10:7–8). This commission to minister was not merely given to the early disciples, all of us have received the same call. Our assignment is to go and make disciples everywhere; we’re to evangelize, baptize, and teach others about Jesus (Matthew 28:19–20).

Before Jesus ascended, He said we would receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon us enabling us to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8). I want to propose that being His witnesses occurs best in the context of our communities and cities. So, it’s time to get out of the church. We’ve been called and equipped to evangelize. Let’s penetrate our cities, open our eyes to see as He does, cry out to the Lord of the harvest, and minister in the power of His Spirit.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for calling us beyond the walls of the church and into the harvest field. Open our eyes to see people as You see them, fill our hearts with compassion, and empower us with Your Spirit to share the good news. Send us out with boldness, love, and obedience, so that others may come to know You. Amen.

 DAY 13

FULLY PERSUADED

JENNY NITZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. Romans 4:18–21

Can you imagine the kind of faith it takes to be fully persuaded that you’ll be the father of many nations when your body is 100 years old and “as good as dead”? (Those are his words, not mine!) Yet that was Abraham’s stance toward God’s promise—he was fully persuaded that God had the power to do exactly what He said He would do.

I’ve read Romans before, but these verses caught my attention in a new way this time. It begins with, “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed…” At first, that doesn’t even make sense, but that’s where Abraham’s faith bridged the gap. From a human perspective, there was no reason to hope—he was 100 years old, Sarah’s womb was barren, and nothing about their situation made sense for starting a family. And yet, Abraham chose to believe God’s promise. He didn’t let the reality of his circumstances cancel out his trust in God.

He was fully persuaded that God’s promises were true and would be fulfilled.

Abraham’s story shows that God’s timeline and methods often look nothing like ours, but His faithfulness is never in question. When we choose to trust Him, even when nothing makes sense, our faith becomes a testimony to others. Just as Abraham’s trust impacted generations to come, our faith can inspire and strengthen those around us. What God did for Abraham, He can do for us—because His power and promises have never changed. The very first verse in the New Testament, Matthew 1:1, starts by saying, “This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Generations later, with only two specific names, Abraham is marked in the genealogy of Jesus!

I often think we have the privilege of looking at the big picture of the Bible - we learn the stories and know their endings. Do you ever wonder if Abraham would have been amazed that his name was specific to the ancestry of Jesus? This challenges me. I want my faith to grow this year. I want to be fully persuaded that, even when the circumstances say otherwise, God keeps His promises to me and to His people. We can acknowledge the struggle, and still trust God. Trusting Him in the midst of the circumstances brings glory to Him. Like Abraham, may we be fully persuaded that the God who promises will come through.

PRAYER: God, I want my faith in You and Your promises to grow. My heart’s desire is to be fully persuaded that You are faithful, and You will do what You’ve promised. Help me to look back and see where You’ve already done that and build on it for the future. Thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness to me!

 DAY 14

BEYOND THE MOUNTAINTOP

DR. MIKE KITSKO, DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT, EASTERN MICHIGAN DISTRICT CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE

In Exodus, Moses climbed the mountain and began to shine. Time after time, Moses would climb to be in God’s presence. Upon that mountain, God spoke to Moses. Moses listened and took on a shine. Upon that mountain, God gave Moses ten words (we call them Ten Commandments). The people who were following Moses at God’s direction wondered where Moses went and what was taking Moses so long.

When Moses descended from his mountaintop experience, the story retold how the “skin of Moses’ s face was shining brightly.” Transformation happened to Moses while he was in God’s presence on the mountaintop. His transformation was real, personal, and deeply valued. His transformation was evident to the people all around. Exodus narrates that Moses covered his brilliantly shining brightness with a veil. The brightness reflecting off Moses’s face scared the people. Have you ever wanted that kind of experience?

As a teen, I remember having some “mountaintop” experiences. Experiencing great times alone in God’s presence. I felt transformed. One time was on a literal mountain. I was sitting early one morning with my back against a large pine tree reading my Bible. I still remember the moment I read that “even the demons believe and shudder” (James 2:19b). That moment, in the cool of a fall morning, alone with God, shaped me. In God’s presence while on the mountain top, I realized the explicit need for my faith to move beyond belief and into tangible action. While faith must be personal, it should never remain private.

One fear I have is how often Christians organize their lives around the pursuit of additional mountaintop experiences. There is an almost addictive quality to the spiritual high coming from the mountaintop. Therefore, we want more of them. They are valuable. They are important. Many people have come to know the saving and sanctifying work of God on mountaintops.

Exodus narrates how Moses covered his face with a veil after his mountaintop experience. He would take the veil off in God’s presence and receive his spiritual fix. His face shined so brightly people were scared. Moses would cover up again. Sounds incredible, doesn’t it? Who among us wants to experience God’s presence in that same fashion? 

However, what about the rest of the story? The Apostle Paul wrote of Moses’s mountaintop moment but added a statement not included in Exodus.

We aren’t like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the Israelites couldn’t watch the end of what was fading away. 2 Corinthians 3:13

Did you catch it? “...couldn't watch the end of what was fading away.” The bright effects of the mountaintop faded away. Sobering. Many people spend time seeking experiences that will immediately begin fading away.

I don’t want to seek experiences. I want to seek Christ. I want to practice living in the Way of Jesus. Ongoing. Daily. Real. Vulnerable. Transparent. The Spirit makes our hearts his home. Because of his close residence, we can daily commune with God. We can be transformed daily. We don’t need the shine that comes from the mountain, but we do need the Christlikeness which comes from doing the day-to-day work of prioritizing our relationship with Christ for the sake of the people around us. The world around us needs a Christlikeness which does not fade. Would you join me in practicing the Way of Jesus for the sake of God’s mission to the world?

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for meeting us on the mountain tops, but also in the everyday moments of life. Teach us to seek You not just for an experience, but for a daily walk that transforms us into the likeness of Jesus. Help us to live unveiled lives so that Your love and light shine through us to those around us. Keep us faithful, steady, and devoted to You each day. In Your name we pray. Amen.

 DAY 15

THE VOICE

NIKKI CATHERINCCHIA, TEACHING PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing. Psalm 23:1

The miracle of life never ceases to amaze me. Studies show that just moments after birth a baby already prefers their mother’s voice to any other female voice it may hear. It is the voice they recognize the most. While in the womb a baby’s ears begin to function around the 18-week mark, and by the 26th week the baby is already responding to sounds outside of the womb. How incredible is that? In all the sounds that a baby will hear, none will ever come close to the sound of their mother’s voice. Day in and day out, the mother’s voice is constant. Her laughter and her cries are etched into the child's memory before they ever draw breath. This is the voice the baby will respond to most because familiarity births intimacy and emotional connection.

No one can deny that we live in a loud world. All day long voices vie for attention. Our parents, our educators, our friends, our coworkers, our spouses, our kids, the TV, the phone, the radio, social media—all day long we are bombarded with voices. These voices instruct, they debate, they dictate, and they motivate. They inspire, they challenge, they teach, they build up and they tear down. Every morning we wake up with a choice: which voices we will listen to the most. Of course this is not usually a conscious choice. I don’t think I know a single person who wakes up asking themselves which voices have the right to speak into their lives on any given day. Not at all. The choice comes through the environments we place ourselves in, through the TikToks we choose to watch, the podcasts we choose to listen to, the sources we allow to entertain and instruct us. You see, a voice cannot speak into your life unless you give it permission to. And the voice you listen to most holds the truths you will begin to live by. If you are constantly listening to influencers touting whatever the latest and greatest thing is that will make your life so much better, you will waste a whole lot of time and money amassing products you do not need and never satisfy as promised. If all you ever listen to are news outlets and podcasts with a certain political or ideological leaning, chances are very likely you too will begin to espouse those views. Simply put, we become the voices we listen to.

It’s no wonder that Jesus emphasized the significance of His voice. In fact, in John’s Gospel, when Jesus proclaims Himself the Good Shepherd, He tells us this:

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. John 10:3–4

Jesus makes it clear, He is well aware that people are like sheep. We are all listening for a voice, and we all need a Good Shepherd. In a sea of never-ending voices, it is Jesus' voice that will bring us truth and life. It is Jesus’ voice that will bring love and purpose. It is Jesus’ voice that sustains, comforts, teaches, corrects, and leads. It is Jesus’ voice we should be longing for most. But is it?

There are 168 hours in a week. Let’s say we are all good sleepers, getting 8 hours in every night, that means there are 112 hours a week where our ears are listening. If all we are giving Jesus is an hour on Sundays and our prayer life only adds up to minutes or a few hours a week, that means we are choosing to give the world well over 100 hours of our time, every single week!  Friends, we will never become like Jesus if we live like that. You see, Jesus knew exactly what He was saying when He declared Himself the Good Shepherd. Out of all the domesticated animals, sheep are the most dependent. Without a shepherd, they are vulnerable to predators; other animals that will hurt them. It is the shepherd that protects and defends them. Without a shepherd, sheep cannot feed themselves. It is the shepherd that leads to safe pastures and cool streams. Without a shepherd, sheep easily wander off into dangerous territory. It is the shepherd that keeps them on the safe path. Without a shepherd, sheep that are injured or sick cannot recover. It is the shepherd that rescues them, comforts them, heals them. You see where I am going with this? Do you see where Jesus was going with this? WE NEED JESUS!! Not for just an hour one day a week. We need Him moment by moment, day by day. Even the most well intentioned and loving voices in our lives can never eclipse the vital importance of Jesus’ voice. His is the voice we must choose to listen to most. His is the voice we must long for.

Like the baby in the womb who is born already intimately connected to their mother because of the sound of her voice, we too must ensure that Jesus’ voice is that familiar to us. Cultivating intimacy with Jesus is where we learn the sound of His voice. Spending time daily in His presence through prayer and reading His Word is where we create space for Jesus’ voice to override all the other voices vying for our attention. Our good friend, Pastor Rob McCorkle, always says that “Life is found in the voice,” and it is. It is found in the voice of Jesus, the Savior who died so that we might live, here and now and for all eternity.

Are you hungry for more of what you heard about Jesus? Feast yourself on His Word.

Are you living a dry, unfulfilled life? Are you thirsty for something real and authentic? Take a drink from time in Jesus’ presence and you will never be thirsty again.

Are you tired of running on the hamster wheel of life? Jump off and let the Good Shepherd lead to green pastures and still waters. His voice will never lead you astray, nor will it cause you to waste money on things you do not need and will never satisfy you. Only the voice that spoke us into creation can ever truly satisfy our souls. Choose His voice today.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You that You are our Good Shepherd and that Your voice brings truth, peace, and life. Help us to quiet the noise around us so that we may hear You more clearly. Teach us to recognize Your voice above all others, and give us the courage to follow where You lead. May our hearts grow more familiar with You each day through prayer and Your Word. We choose Your voice today and always. In Your name we pray. Amen.

 DAY 16

BUILDING FOUNDATIONS

JOHN MACDONALD, LEAD PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

David inquired of the Lord... 1 Samuel 23:2

Throughout the account of David’s life in scripture, one phrase shows up again and again: “He inquired of the Lord.” The practice of these five simple words carries deep significance and changed everything for David. Whether David was watching sheep, facing giants, running from Saul, or sitting on the throne of Israel, he had a consistent practice—he paused, prayed, and asked God what to do.

David’s habit of inquiring of the Lord wasn’t just a religious routine. It was because he had a heart that wanted to walk with the Lord and honor Him in all things. He didn’t simply want God's help; He wanted God's presence. He didn’t just seek answers; He sought intimacy.

Even when David stumbled, like in the tragic episode with Bathsheba, it was the absence of prayer that led him into trouble. That single moment of not inquiring led to a cascade of brokenness. But his usual pattern was to stop, to wait, and to seek. That rhythm of inquiry became the foundation of David’s life.

During my first couple of years of college, I worked summers in landscaping. One of my favorite tasks was building stone walls. The most important part of building was laying the first row. Each stone had to be level—north, south, east, and west—on a packed, even foundation. If you rushed that first layer, every layer after it would be unstable.

That’s how obedience works in our lives too. Each day of surrender, prayer, and obedience is a stone. One day of seeking God may seem small, but when you consistently stack those days on top of each other, you’re building something strong, something beautiful. You are building an intimacy with the Lord that causes you to live as an overcomer. 

This intimacy and spiritual maturity doesn’t happen overnight. Like laying stone, it takes patience and attention to build a life aligned with God’s will. David's strength wasn’t his position or talent, it was the quiet, daily discipline of pausing to be with God.

I think it is important to recognize that David didn’t learn to inquire of the Lord after he became king. His prayer life started long before the crown. Out in the wilderness, tending sheep, he developed a heart of worship, dependence, and spiritual hunger.

Can you imagine how much this must have pleased the Lord? A young man, in obscurity, singing praises, writing psalms, and talking to God with sincerity while no one was watching.

Your title, job, or influence in life doesn’t determine your closeness to God. Your hunger does! David’s hunger for God didn’t change when he gained power. In fact, one of the first things he did as king was call all the leaders together and say:

Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul. 1 Chronicles 13:3

Why the Ark? Because the Ark of the Covenant represented the very presence of God. David wanted the presence of God at the center of the kingdom, because it had always been the center of his life.

So many people approach prayer as a spiritual emergency tool. We wait until life gets hard or confusing, and only then do we cry out. But David didn’t treat prayer that way. For him, it wasn’t about getting a quick answer, it was about the deep intimacy with God that he had developed over years of pursuing Him. Even when David messes up big time with Bathsheba, you get a glimpse into David’s heart for intimacy with the Lord in his prayer of repentance which is the entirety of Psalm 51. Here are just a couple verses of his powerful prayer of repentance:

Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 51:9–12

Prayer isn’t primarily about outcomes though some outcomes are only achieved through prayer. Prayer is predominantly about His presence. When you pray, you are choosing God’s company over every other option. David acknowledges his desire for God’s presence in Psalm 27: 

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord… Psalm 27:4

For David, prayer was more than a habit, it was a love relationship. It was the daily act of stepping into God’s presence and building a foundation of intimacy. If we want this same kind of intimate relationship with the Lord David had, then prayer can’t be an optional or occasional practice. It must be a daily rhythm. And when it becomes your rhythm, something powerful happens: your heart becomes attuned to God’s voice. When challenges arise, you don’t panic, you pause. You don’t react, you inquire. Because you’ve already been walking closely with Him, you’re sensitive to His leading.

After David brought the Ark back to Jerusalem, one of the first things he did was appoint Levites to minister before the Ark night and day:

He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, to extol, thank, and praise the Lord, the God of Israel. 1 Chronicles 16:4

David didn’t just want a symbol of God’s presence, He wanted intimacy with God himself. This should be our desire as well. There’s one quality that will fuel this intimacy more than any other - hunger! You must develop a deep desire for the presence of God.

David said:

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you… Psalm 63:1

Spiritual hunger isn’t automatic. It’s cultivated. And it grows each day as you give yourself to prayer and His presence. If you feed on distractions, your soul will hunger for noise. But if you feed on God’s Word and linger in His presence, your heart will begin to crave more of Him. Whatever you consistently feed your soul, that’s what it will hunger for more of.

David’s legacy wasn’t just as a warrior or poet. His legacy was becoming a man after God’s own heart. That pursuit began with a simple, daily choice: to inquire.

What if you began to do the same?

What if each day you made it your priority to build your intimacy with the Lord. What if before each decision, big or small, you paused. What if you prayed, and asked God: “What do You want me to do here?” Not only would this practice change your choices, it will change your heart! You would begin to live with a deeper sense of peace, direction, and intimacy.

PRAYER: Let’s start with prayers of worship and praise. When we pray, we begin with worship. Scripture tells us:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise… Psalm 100:4

Jesus echoed this when He taught the disciples to pray:

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name… Luke 11:2

Starting your prayer time with adoration isn’t a formula, it’s alignment. It sets your heart in the right posture before God. It reminds you who He is: good, sovereign, powerful, and loving. When you begin your prayertime with praise, you’re not just seeking what God can do, you’re delighting in who He is.

 DAY 17

THE POWER OF STILLNESS

BRIANNA MCDANIEL, THE WOODS CHURCH

The other day, my three-year-old started crying after her bath. She was upset because her eyes were burning, and I assumed she got shampoo in them. After trying to rub her eye with a towel, I sat on the couch and asked if I could see inside. She was very upset and tried to make it better herself by rubbing over and over. But the more she rubbed, the harder she cried and the louder she screamed.

I started to think this was more than shampoo. Again, I gently asked if I could see. She fought me a little, but finally gave me full access. I opened her eye and there it was, an eyelash, as clear as day. She sat very still, staring at me, letting me get it out. No more yelling. No more fighting. She trusted my hands near her eye, felt my gentle breath as I blew, and then I carefully brushed the eyelash out. The pain was gone.

We celebrated with a little dance, blowing the eyelash away. But I didn’t just see an eyelash that day. I saw a little girl who had complete trust in her mom. She wasn’t worried I’d poke her or hurt her more. She knew that if she sat still, I’d make it better.

How many times has my Heavenly Father tried to quiet my anxious heart so He can remove the thing hurting me? Yet I’ve shrunk back in fear. I’ve thought I could fix it on my own, managing fear and anxiety that only dig deeper into my soul, while He patiently waits for me to let Him remove it.

My toddler’s courage didn’t mean she wasn’t scared. It meant she didn’t let fear control her. And that’s exactly what I see in the story of Esther.

Esther had every reason to fear. She was a young Jewish woman who had become queen in a foreign land, a position that came with beauty, honor, and danger. When her cousin Mordecai told her of Haman’s plot to destroy the Jews, her first instinct was to say, “I can’t do anything.” After all, anyone who approached the king uninvited could be killed unless he extended his golden scepter (Esther 4:11).

Mordecai’s response was both sobering and empowering: "And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14)

It was Esther’s eyelash-in-the-eye moment. God was calling her to let Him work through her. But first, she had to stop rubbing at the problem in her own strength. She had to surrender her fear and sit still before Him. She responded with courage, not because the fear disappeared, but because she refused to let fear have the final word. She called her people to fast and pray for three days (Esther 4:15–16). Then she approached the king. And the golden scepter was extended.

Just like my daughter, Esther had to decide: Will I keep trying to fix this myself, making it worse? Or will I trust the hands of the One who sees the bigger picture? Trust doesn’t mean we’ll never be afraid. It means we believe God enough to move forward anyway.

Psalm 56:3 says,

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

Notice it says when, not if. Fear will come, but it doesn’t have to take over.

When my daughter sat still so I could remove that eyelash, she didn’t stop being aware of the discomfort, she just trusted me more than she trusted her own instinct to keep rubbing. In the same way, Esther didn’t stop recognizing the danger, she just trusted God more than she trusted her own safety.

Some of us are in the middle of our own “eyelash moments” right now. It may not be as big as saving a nation, or as small as bathtime tears, but it’s still real. Maybe you’ve been:

Trying to fix a broken relationship without ever inviting God into it. Carrying anxiety and fear so tightly that it’s cutting into your spirit. Refusing to forgive because you think it’s the only way to protect yourself. And all the while, God is sitting patiently, saying, “Will you let Me look? Will you let Me handle this?”

He won’t force you to open your heart, but He will wait as long as it takes. When we surrender, when we really stop fighting and let Him near, we find that His touch is gentle, His timing perfect, and His healing complete.

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3

Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. Exodus 14:14

And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? Esther 4:14b

PRAYER: Lord, I confess I’ve been dealing with my own pain and fear, thinking I can fix it myself. Today, I want to stop fighting You and simply be still. Just like Esther, give me courage to trust You even when I’m afraid. Remove what’s hurting me, and replace it with peace. Help me believe that You see the bigger picture and that Your hands are safe. Amen.

 DAY 18

CRAYONS & CROWNS

DYLAN DYJEWSKI, YOUNG ADULT AND PRETEEN PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

Life with kids can be wild. If you’ve ever worked with them, you know exactly what I mean. In your head, come up with some words that would describe the characteristics of a kid, both good and bad. As a preteen pastor, I have come up with: messy, interrupting, utterly dependent, extreme, curious, fun, loud, crazy, slow, hungry, sometimes hilarious, sometimes frustrating; and always unpredictable. For those of you who are parents, I'm sure your list is much longer than mine.

At times, working with kids is chaotic and overwhelming. And yet, Jesus saw something in children that many adults overlook.

People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:13–16

When reading this passage, we see three different groups of people.

THE PEOPLE: The parents and friends who brought children to Jesus had faith that he would be able and willing to restore their children. They didn’t bring them to a synagogue, a program, or a building, they brought them directly to the source, Jesus. We are called to lead people to the source. A building makes it easier, but truly making the introduction between Jesus and those we influence is what we are called to do. There are people outside of our church who will never step foot into a church, but they will go to coffee. Ordinary places like coffee shops, classrooms and backyards can become places of holy introduction.

THE CHILDREN: By every cultural standard, children weren’t considered important. Children were an afterthought. However, look back on how Jesus describes them again:

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyonewho will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:13–16

Think back to our list of characteristics of children! They were messy, dependent, and immature. These are not characteristics of someone who should inherit an entire kingdom! It does not make sense!

Yet, Jesus said they represent the heart posture needed to enter His Kingdom. Childlike dependence, not adult accomplishment, is the key. Just like these kids, we have a list of characteristics that disqualifies you from adoption. But Jesus’ death and resurrection has erased our list and replaced it with HIS NAME! Adoption into His family isn’t earned; it’s received. All it takes is submission and chasing after Him. Jesus wants to wrap His arms around you and adopt you into His family, giving you the most amazing inheritance. All it takes is a yes, there is nothing we can do to earn adoption.

THE DISCIPLES: Lastly, the disciples.

...but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. Mark 10:13–14

Rebuked is the English translation for the word epitimao which means to censure, reprimand, or blame someone. The word indignant is translated from aganakteō meaning to be greatly afflicted or angry.

You see, these disciples knew Jesus well. They had been following Him, watching and studying Him for close to three years! They allowed their own judgment to get in the way of the Gospel. They saw the characteristics and how culture saw these kids and decided they were undeserving of His blessings. They placed more value on their judgments than the Lord’s. His followers were gatekeeping His Kingdom.

How often do we do the same? In all honesty, I catch myself doing this all of the time. I see a kid who is constantly distracting and frustrating, and in my mind I cast them aside. Does our judgment hold greater weight than Christ’s? We decide someone is too annoying, too far gone, too broken, and we quietly push them away. Yet Jesus calls us to lay down judgment and see people as He sees them, worthy of His blessing and love.

The truth is, we’re all still growing, just like those disciples. But the call remains the same: know where you are, and keep moving toward the person Jesus is shaping you to be.

PRAYER: Jesus, thank You for reminding me today that Your Kingdom is for the childlike. Forgive me when I try to gatekeep Your love or judge who is “worthy.” Help me to depend on You like a child and to lead others directly to You, not just to a building or program. Wrap Your arms around me today as You did with those children, and remind me that I am fully Yours. Amen.

 DAY 19

KINGDOM COMING

JESS CIARAMITARO, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9–10

For the past few years, our church staff has had the privilege of getting away for a two-day retreat. We rent a house on the water, share meals, laugh, and most importantly, pray. We set aside this time just before summer begins, with one main goal: to listen to the Lord and seek His direction for the fall.

This year, on day two, I woke early enough to watch the sun rise over Lake Huron. The brilliant hues of orange, pink, and red cutting across the horizon were breathtaking. But later that morning, during a time of individual prayer, I looked again for the horizon, and this time, I couldn’t find it. Fog had settled over the water, obscuring the divide between sky and lake. Heaven and earth seemed to be one; there was no separation. It was a blur of one bright, seamless gradient.

In that quiet moment, the Lord brought Jesus’ words to mind: Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

What a powerful image this was for what God desires to see take place in His church. His presence, so tangible among us, the separation between heaven and earth dissolved into one unified reality. Where the things that once separated us from all that Heaven holds are hidden in His presence and covered by Christ. Where we, in 2026, begin to see His Kingdom, His glory, and His will, manifest in ways we’ve only read about.

This gentle vision of an invisible horizon reminds me of what the early church looked like after Pentecost. After the whirlwind of wind and fire, something holy lingered—an atmosphere, a culture shaped by the Spirit, bridging the divide between heaven and earth:

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

What if 2026 is the year God pours out His grace on those who walk in obedience in ways we haven’t yet seen or even imagined? What if we became a people so captivated by our love for Christ, so full of His Spirit, that we willingly laid down the earthly things we cling to?

What might God be asking you to surrender to make room for His presence to move in even greater ways? I’m not talking just about sin or the burdens you're glad to be rid of. I’m talking about the deeper surrender: the surrender of the things you love most in this world: your dreams, your plans, the people and routines that you hold close. The things that shape your days and hold your heart.

It’s this kind of radical, costly surrender, where we die to ourselves, that creates space for more of Heaven. The less of us, the more of Him. And the result? His Kingdom will come. First in our own hearts, then in visible, undeniable ways to those around us. As His ambassadors, we’ll invite His thick presence into the world, the supernatural colliding with the natural in the most seamless, beautiful way.

PRAYER: Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in my life. Search my heart, and reveal anything that does not reflect Your Kingdom. Help me lay it down at Your feet. Make me an ambassador of Your Kingdom, an active participant in Your work on earth. Purify me through the Holy Spirit, and give me the courage to obey when You lead. Amen.

 DAY 20

EYES ON THE GOAL

MATT CIARAMITARO, GENERATIONS PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

Let’s start with a question: What is your goal? Not just your immediate daily goal, or productivity goal, or health goal, but your life goal. When it comes down to it, what do you want your life to be about? My friend Bob Goff said, “If you don’t decide what you want your life to be about, someone else is going to decide for you.” In other words, if you don’t get intentional and specific about it, then you are going to fall short of your hopes and dreams. As I often tell our students, “everybody ends up somewhere, but only some end up somewhere on purpose.” Which type of person do you want to be?

What’s crazy is, God has given you the amazing gift of life, and He is leaving it up to you to decide what to do with it. (He wants to guide you and direct you, but it’s your choice.) This might stress you out.  In fact, some of us would rather somebody else decide for us, but that’s not how it works. Paul, author of much of the New Testament, shares about his life’s goals, and I think we can learn from them:

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him… Philippians 3:7–9

Let’s break this down. Paul says that whatever he thought was important before doesn’t matter anymore; in fact, they don’t even come close to what he wants now, which is knowing Christ.  He’s so committed to that goal that he would lose everything just to attain it. He goes on to say…

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal [emphasis mine], but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal [emphasis mine] to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12–14

Paul says that he is straining toward and pressing on toward the goal. This is pretty physical and committed language. To Paul, the goal means everything. It is not something he decided to come up with to check the box. He’s not going through the motions or just giving wishful thinking dressed up as direction.

People and companies do this all the time. They throw out nice-sounding goals, but they don’t really mean anything. Just look at many big companies like McDonald’s, Facebook, Nestle, BP, or Amazon. Their stated goals sound aspirational, but in reality, profit sets the direction for their decisions.

This is why your goal is so important. What you make your goal, you give power to. In other words, whatever you pursue is what controls you. It’ll control your heart, attitude, emotions, schedule, finances, everything.

Oftentimes, we will get distracted from our goals by lesser things. This is why defining and reminding yourself of the goal is so important. The moment you take your eyes off the goal, the moment you start to drift away. When I was younger, I used to mountain bike often with my friend Tony, who was an excellent rider. Me? Not so much. I often found myself off trail, slamming into trees or bushes. Tony would tell me to focus on the path, and the bike would steer in the right direction, but as soon as I took my eyes off the goal and looked at the obstacles, the bike would steer me into trouble. The lesson here, keep your eyes fixed on the goal. (Hebrews 12:2)

In fact, this is one of the four core values that we teach our preteens: “Run Towards the Goal.” In addition, before we take 100 teenagers across the country on a summer trip, we have an entire pre-trip meeting to communicate the goals. We spend time discussing both what we are going to do to accomplish them, as well as what we aren’t going to do, so we don’t miss out.  For example, if the primary goal was to have as much fun as possible, then we would stay up until 2:30 am, eat whatever we want, and laugh at others’ expense. However, that’s not the goal. The goal is to grow in relationship with the Lord and grow in relationship with each other. When every single person is running toward that singular goal, it’s a beautiful sight to see, and the difference is obvious.

As we close, I want you to ask yourself the question, “What do I want?” It’s not selfish, it’s strategic. Follow Paul’s example, and get clear about what it is that matters in your life. Use accurate language. Finally, do it again, but ask yourself, “What does God want?” One goal of prayer is to have the answer to these two questions look more and more the same.

PRAYER: Jesus, my heart is pulled toward so many goals, but I pray that You would help me rest in the simplicity of being with You as my highest pursuit. As I sit with You and reencounter Your perfect love for me, I’m reminded that You count me as righteous because of my faith in You. What more could I ask You for that You haven’t already given to me? Your forgiveness, grace, and mercy are all I need to sustain me. God, all I want today and for my life is to remain in Your love and to see all other pursuits as worthless in comparison to Your goodness. Amen.

 DAY 21

MADE TO BE WITH HIM

DANYELLE DEMICK, THE WOODS CHURCH

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. James 5:7–11

Sometimes it feels like life is just one long season of waiting. How often do we find ourselves looking ahead to the next thing, rather than resting in the present? In James 5:7–11, we are told to “be patient.” We are called to establish our hearts as we wait for the coming of the Lord.

There is so much beauty in this call to patience. Yet it is not always simple or easy. In fact, in our flesh, it is usually hard. Yet beauty is found when we posture ourselves at the feet of Jesus. Instead of constantly asking Him for the next want or need, we learn to simply remain with Him, declaring: “I love You. I trust You. Here I wait patiently with You, because You are all I need.” Peace flows when we choose patience, when we stop striving or trying to accomplish everything by our own strength or plans, and instead wait on the Lord and what He has prepared for us.

A few years ago, I found myself in an extended season of waiting for something very specific. I felt the Lord calling me to look for the next step in my career, but I had no clear direction of what that step should be. The search was long and exhausting, and eventually I reached a point where I could do nothing else but wait with the Lord. I knew He was a God who provides, who has good things for His beloved children, but I didn’t understand His timing. Fear and anxiety whispered, “What if this doesn’t happen in time?” It felt like forever. All I could do was bring my tears to Him and rest as patiently as possible at His feet.

In that season, I clung to a simple prayer: “I love You, I trust You.” When I couldn’t form any other words, I repeated that prayer again and again, and it sustained me. In His perfect timing, the Lord brought me into exactly what He had planned next, something far better than I could have imagined or arranged for myself. There was no striving, only waiting, and the provision He poured out over us was far beyond what we could have orchestrated on our own.

The truth is, we serve a perfectly steadfast God. He is full of kindness, mercy, and a love that never fails. He is near in every circumstance. And how beautiful it is when we respond with steadfastness in return, not by our own strength but through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.

Patience looks like this: posturing ourselves at the foot of His throne and refusing to move, not distracting ourselves with endless tasks or trying to solve everything in our own ability, but simply remaining near to Him.

Behold, we consider those blessed who remain steadfast. James 5:11

Our God is worthy of our full attention and all of our affection. Let’s fix our gaze on Him. Be with Him. Trust Him.

PRAYER: We thank You, God, for being near and for Your goodness. Whatever it is that we wait for today, would we be patient and steadfast. Increase these attributes in our own lives, Father, through the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. Would we choose to be with our Heavenly Father as we wait, declaring “I love You, I trust You, You are all I need” knowing that we do not need to strive. Find us at Your feet, not rushing to go and do the next thing on our list but waiting and resting in Your presence, knowing that Your plans and Your timing is better than our own. You are a good God who has abundance for His children—all we have to do is be with You. 

 DAY 22

CLOTHED

ROB MCCORKLE, PASTOR, AUTHOR & EVANGELIST

There are several places in the Gospels where Jesus is very emphatic with His disciples. One such place is in Luke 24:49:

And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.

The statement “you are to stay” is an emphatic command. Jesus is not making a casual statement. It’s like He’s grabbing the disciples by their shirts and telling them to pay attention. Stay in the city, He said. Don’t go anywhere. Don’t go fishing, back to your livelihoods, or on a long trip. Don’t plant vineyards, harvest your wheat, or plow a field. And most certainly, don’t attempt to do ministry. Go back to the city and stay, which in this context means remain in one single place without moving.

Why? What was the big deal about abiding in the city? The promise of the Father was going to be poured out; namely, the Holy Spirit. This promise fulfilled the essence of the New Covenant. The outside God of the Old Covenant was coming to dwell inside believers, and their life and ministries would be forever changed. The way Jesus described the Holy Spirit is significant. He said the disciples were going to be clothed (enduo) with power from on high.

This verb is used 28 times in the New Testament and there are three uses of being clothed. First, there is a literal meaning. In many places in the New Testament, this verb is used for people putting on garments, armor, or tunics. The disciples would have understood the meaning of this word, yet they were about to put on something supernatural. Unlike a tunic or cloak, they were to wait until they were clothed with the Holy Spirit. 

Second, there is a cultural meaning. In ancient Jewish culture, clothing symbolized identity, status, or authority. When the prodigal son returned home, the father gave him the best robe. Many scholars point out the word for best means a robe of honor, authority, or influence. Most likely, the father gave the returning prodigal hisown robe to indicate his repentant son was redeemed back into a place of status. He was no longer a servant among pigs, but a son with status.

The Holy Spirit clothing the disciples was a symbol of authority. But it was the Father’s authorization, not their own efforts or achievements. When Jesus told the disciples to remain in the city until they were clothed, it was the same as saying “wait until you are authorized” by my Father. God was about to wrap a new identity around the disciples and all believers through the distribution of the Holy Spirit.

Third, there is a theological meaning. When the disciples were clothed with the Holy Spirit, they would be endowed with spiritual qualities. Everything about their lives was about to change for the good through the activity of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit would supernaturally explode through the disciples, turning their ordinary efforts into extraordinary results. While the verb enduo simply means to put on a garment, Jesus was describing what was about to occur when the Spirit clothed them. 

Throughout the New Testament, we discover several amazing theological results that occur when clothed with the Spirit. In Colossians 3:12–13, Paul said,

…put on [be clothed] a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

The Holy Spirit enables us to manifest the character of Christ, even to the point of forgiving others in the same manner that God did when He offered forgiveness to mankind. We can’t discipline ourselves into this kind of behavior. It doesn’t come by self-effort; it is the result of being endowed with the Spirit.

In another passage, we read,

Put on [be clothed] the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Ephesians 6:11

We’re not only clothed with the character of Christ, but this passage indicates that we have the protection of Christ. Paul said we’re clothed with the full armor which means from head to toe. Everything about our lives is spiritually protected through the activity of the Holy Spirit. 

Some people pray asking God to garb them with the various pieces of armor that Paul identified. That’s not wrong, and if it helps you stand against the demonic then keep doing it. However, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we have everything needed to stand against demonic schemes. The Holy Spirit is our armor. We’re empowered to stand firm, which means to hold our position of victory and not give up territory.

So, the clothing of the Spirit is the character of Christ and the protective armor. But Jesus indicated in Luke 24:49 that when the disciples were clothed with the Spirit, they would be given power (dunamis). This kind of power is supernatural. It’s not generated by mere human strength and effort. One expositor described dunamis as manifesting influence over reality in a supernatural manner. This kind of power is transformative. Jesus said this power would enable disciples to be witnesses everywhere they went—even to the remotest part of the earth (Acts 1:8).

The power of the Holy Spirit would enable the disciples to share the gospel with boldness. It would enable them to cast out demons, heal the sick, cleanse lepers, and even raise the dead if need be. And in fact, they did all of that and more in the book of Acts. The power of the Spirit gave them perseverance and courage in the face of danger. The power of the Spirit was foundational to the ministry of the disciples and the early church. The Bible says,

And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, and abundant grace was upon them all. Acts 4:33

This is why Jesus commanded the disciples to wait, remain, stay, and go nowhere until they were properly clothed. They needed the Holy Spirit’s covering. They needed the Spirit’s character, armor, and power. And the same is true for us. The Holy Spirit has been made available to all believers. How much more will our Father give us the Spirit when we ask (Luke 11:13). Are you properly clothed?

PRAYER: Holy Spirit, clothe me with Your presence, Your character, and Your power. Wrap me in the identity of Christ and equip me to stand firm against the enemy. May my life reflect Your compassion, strength, and boldness as I live as Your witness. Amen.

 DAY 23

NOT A FAN

NIKKI CATHERINCCHIA, TEACHING PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

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. Matthew 22:37–38

At the end of the 2024 fiscal year the National Football League generated over $23 billion in annual revenue. You read that right: BILLIONS of dollars. When you start adding in what NFL players make annually through endorsements the dollars surrounding professional football is astronomical. This suggests that the NFL has a solid fan base: people willing to spend their hard-earned money to support their favorite team. However, as a lifelong Detroiter being a die-hard football fan has not always been easy in the Motor City. 

Until recent years our Lions have been consistent in one thing: disappointing their fans. Let’s just be honest, we were the team that had arguably the best running back of all time, Barry Sanders, and we STILL couldn’t pull off the wins. Then in 2021 that all changed when an aggressive, resilient, player-focused, passionate, and unconventional coach found himself as the hope of a city longing for a championship. In the years that have followed Dan Campbell’s arrival, there has been a tangible shift. Every year, as the team has gotten better and better, the fan base has grown to the point that getting a ticket to a Lions game has become a luxury purchase. Bottom line, wins grow your fan base. With the Super Bowl in their sights, all of a sudden the Detroit Lions are America’s team. Talk about a plot twist no one saw coming.

But what about the true fans? The die hard devotees that have cheered for this team all along? Even when they were the first team in NFL history to go 0-16. Wins have a way of shifting the naysayers. Those who aligned their loyalties to winning teams in our losing decades have suddenly jumped on the Detroit Grit train. Wins have also brought on board the newbies, those who don’t even remember all the disappointments. Yet, it’s the ones who have worn Honolulu blue regardless of wins or losses that have been truly devoted to this team. Because true devotion isn’t based on circumstances. It’s based on commitment, a belief that anything is possible, and perseverance in the face of adversity. True devotion doesn’t need the W to be steadfast. This is what separates the fans from the devotees. Fans come and go, while devotees stay.

Ironically, following Jesus is somewhat the same. The fans cheer Jesus on when He is who they want Him to be. Fans worship Jesus when He is giving them what they need at that moment. Fans come to spectate, waiting for Jesus to rack up the W’s for their lives. But at the end of the day when life goes sideways, when the losses start accumulating, when Jesus fails to be who He is expected to be, the fan can simply move on to the next thing that might give them what they want. You see, fans only love the object of their affection as long as that object lives up to their expectations. But that isn’t love at all; that is an emotional attachment which is conditional, circumstantial, and fleeting. This is why Jesus isn’t looking for fans. His desire is not that we would admire Him, be inspired by Him, or look to Him as a means to simply make our lives better. Jesus wants our devotion. He wants our commitment, our loyalty, and our love; regardless of our circumstances. The agape, or unconditional love, He gives us is what He desires in return.

After the day of Pentecost when the Church was born the book of Acts tells us that the early believers were DEVOTED.

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

Devotion is what compelled the early church to not just admire what Jesus had done for them, but to continue His ministry. Devotion allowed them to become the vessels the Holy Spirit would work through to bring God’s Kingdom to earth as it is in Heaven. Devotion is the reason they became the spark that ignited a Jesus movement that swept through the known world like wildfire. A devotion that was so attractive to others that DAILY their numbers grew with those surrendering their lives to Jesus. This was not a fleeting emotional response to all they had experienced and witnessed. Not at all. This was a total surrender to the Lord who gave it all for them because they had fallen in love with Him.

The Church today is the legacy of their devotion. You and me and everyone who declares Jesus as their Savior are the beneficiaries of their devotion. Had the early church just been fans of Jesus, Christianity would have died before it ever became a flame. And let me tell you, their circumstances were not great. These faithful followers who devoted their lives to their Savior faced adversity every step of the way. Persecution, displacement, and martyrdom became their norms. Circumstantially, following Jesus brought them far more losses than wins. Yet, their devotion kept their eyes fixed on Jesus and the ultimate win was growing His Church regardless of the personal cost. Their commitment, faith, perseverance, and love is now on display for all of us to see. We are the living proof of it.

Isn’t it ironic that Dan Campbell, a player on the 0-16 Lions,has now become the coach of the most successful Lions team in franchise history. Where so many saw problems, he saw possibility and had the courage to pursue it. With no expectations of ease and no guarantees for success he simply had a heart to pursue the goal. 

That is what being devoted to something looks like and in context, we are just talking about an insignificant game. How much more could God do in and through us if we had that kind of devotion for Him? Devoted to His plan and His purposes. Committed to His kingdom, complete faith in Him, willing to endure and persevere, because our love for Jesus is not fleeting but steadfast. Make no mistake, God is calling us to follow in the footsteps of those who have come before us. To be so devoted to Jesus that the Holy Spirit would use us to draw the lost and broken to the Savior of the world in this generation. To be people who will remain steadfast in our love for Jesus regardless of our wins and losses. Assured that in the losses He will strengthen and comfort us. Overjoyed that He celebrates every win with us. Confident that in it all we are livingfor something so much greater than ourselves. We are living forthe Kingdom of God to come to earth as it is in heaven: right here, right now!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, Thank You for showing us what true devotion looks like. Help us not to settle for being fans who cheer when life goes our way, but to be faithful followers who remain steadfast in love for You no matter the wins or losses. Strengthen our hearts with perseverance, fill us with Your Spirit, and let our lives be marked by unwavering commitment to Your Kingdom. May our devotion draw others to You, just as the devotion of the early church changed the world. We give You our loyalty, our trust, and our love, today and always. In Your name we pray. Amen.

 DAY 24

I GOT THIS…

JOHN MACDONALD, LEAD PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

Don’t practice until you get it right. Practice until you can’t get it wrong. Unknown

The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle. U.S. Armed Forces

This past summer my family and I were on vacation. There were only a few weeks before our oldest son Hudson would be leaving for college early for football camp. For the last several months he had been recovering from an injury and was just starting to run once again. He needed to run because he was out of shape from a cardio perspective. Hudson wanted us to drop him off about a mile from the place where we were staying so he could get his run in. I had this crazy idea that surely at 50 years old I could still run a mile fairly easily. My family thought I was crazy. Hudson gave me quite a long head start and boasted he would catch me before we reached a quarter mile. I laughed and thought to myself “yeah right, no way I’m letting that happen.”

So I took off while he was still stretching at a pretty fast pace, thinking even if I had to stop and walk a little it wouldn’t be before at least the half mile point. I think I overestimated my former athletic ability because at what I assume was about two-tenths of a mile in, I felt like my heart was beating out of my chest. I was breathing heavily and wondering if my heart might give out. I had to walk. I thought to myself, “I’ll just walk 10 or 20 yards and then pick the pace back up.” It was about then that I turned around to where Hudson was and he was already by my side. Passing me by with a very mocking tone, “what’s wrong dad, thought you said I wouldn’t catch you until at least half way there.” Let’s just say I had to stop and walk two more times before I made it back to the house where we were staying. Not to mention the next morning I thought my hip was out of place, muscles in my legs I had forgotten were sore, and I was definitely walking with a limp.

The lesson I learned is this: while my 50-year-old mind was willing and hopeful, my 50-year-old body quickly reminded me, “You’re not 20 anymore! What were you thinking?” The reality is, in anything—whether it’s a sport, a skill, a work project, or a personal goal, training is absolutely essential.

Paul speaks to this: 

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24–27

Paul’s point is clear: spiritual growth doesn’t happen by accident. It takes intentional, disciplined training, just like an athlete prepares for competition.

In another letter to young Timothy, Paul writes:

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:7–8

Training in godliness, training our hearts to know, love, and walk with Jesus, is the most valuable.

At The Woods Church, we often describe this as living a “Presence-Driven” life. Are we practicing the presence of God? Are we prioritizing time with Him, receiving the joy, delight, and intimacy that comes from a relationship with Him?

One of the questions I get asked more than almost any other is this: “Pastor John, how can I hear God speak to me?”

My answer is simple but challenging: train yourself. Just like developing any skill, hearing the voice of God takes practice. If you want to recognize His voice, you must spend time daily in His Word. Learn His language. See how He speaks. Learn what matters to Him. Watch how the Father relates to His people, how Jesus speaks to His disciples, how Paul teaches the early believers.

And alongside Scripture, we practice listening through prayer. Not just prayers of praise, repentance, requests, or intercession, but also the practice of silence. We quiet our hearts to hear His still, small voice or what 1 Kings 19:12 in the NIV calls a “gentle whisper.”

Think about it: If we’re constantly distracted by the noise of life and never carve out space to listen, how can we expect to recognize the Spirit’s voice? If we don’t learn to quiet the chaos, we risk missing the very thing God longs for most: deep, intimate friendship with us.

My good friend Rob McCorkle often says, “Life is in the voice!” He’s absolutely right. When you begin to sense what the Holy Spirit is saying, it changes everything. A new depth of intimacy unfolds. Your heart grows more tender. Your ears are more attentive. Your spirit is more alive.

As you train your heart and mind to fellowship with the Lord, you’ll discover your greatest satisfaction, your deepest peace, and your truest joy are all found in Him.

Train yourself in godliness. Train yourself in righteousness. Train yourself in intimacy with Jesus.

That’s the kind of training that lasts forever!

PRAYER: Take some time today, quiet yourself before the Lord. Ask Him in what ways you need to add training to your daily rhythm. Ask Him how He wants you to implement new training for your heart and mind. Then sit and quiet yourself, allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to you and give you the training guide He wants you to follow.

 DAY 25

LITURGY OF LOVE

KYLE SCHNEIDER, BOARD MEMBER, THE WOODS CHURCH

ChatGPT and AI could write this better than I can.

I’m going to set that idea, and honestly an ever-increasing reality, right at the top of today’s devotional.

I work as a product manager at a mid-size technology agency. My job is to keep our products and teams updated with the latest technologies and AI has and will continue to drastically alter our industry but also increasingly our daily lives.

The reality is that we already live in a world and cultural moment where ‘normal’ is distracted, desensitized dysphoria. The instability of world events and the anxiety of today’s tasks or tomorrow's unknowns are no longer just a “bad day” but the status quo. Our minds and our bodies are demanded to oblige to packed calendars and keep to the pace of our phone’s pixels. What was once deliberate scrolling and spiraling to get a small hit at the end of the day has sadly become normative in order to regulate us from the waves of our personal and collective storms.

Then stir AI into the mix. I’ll spare the nerdy details but it’s simply technology using data and words which it then uses to generate text, images, videos, code, etc. All of this is packaged with a personalized bow, however you type it in.

I’m not condemning technology (it’s my day job!); however, working in the field, discerning our time in history, loving the church, and living the 9-5 three kids packed-pace right alongside you, I can sense the temptation and slow slide we’re slipping into (on many fronts). We’ve curated in ourselves a demand for immediate information and are now subtly soothing our soul’s deeper desires for security and intimacy. The problem is, those desires can only ever be satisfied by Jesus Christ. As I’ve observed and waded in the tides of these tendencies (admittedly even myself), these past years, the Holy Spirit has thrown me a rescue and practice that’s become a daily life preserver. I’ve discovered an eye in the middle of the hurricane of hurry, hustle, and the humming insecurities in my head: “how can you ever keep up,” “you don’t have time for that,” “someone else or AI can do it better anyway.” As the winds of this world howl, as my enemy rattles off ridicules, and my flesh fixates on artificial alternatives; the Holy Spirit has brought me to the ancient time-tested life-saving practice of liturgy.

Liturgy at its simplest is a structured repeated form of worship, often involving a set order of prayers, scriptures readings, or songs. For millennia, the church of Jesus Christ has led corporate gatherings through liturgies such as the Lord’s Prayer, sharing of Communion, or reciting the Apostles Creed, etc.

As I’ve devoted myself to a daily secret place of prayer, meditation, and intimacy with God, we’ve together crafted a personal liturgy that is specific and unique to my day's demands and the story of my life. Jesus Himself confirms the reality that we are intimately known by Him and will speak to us.

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. John 10:27

He later goes on talking not just about his disciples but those who’d believe their message (that’s us!).

I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began! John 17:22–26 (emphasis added)

Ground-shaking, rule-breaking, limit-lifting realities are in these verses. Through faith in the full work of Jesus Christ and his life, death, resurrection, ascension, and seal of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we’ve been perfectly unified with Father, wrapped in love, and given His glory. That is the same sun-setting, star-sparkling, wave-crashing creative glory that through words spoke existence into actuality. We have unity and access to partner with Jesus to co-create glorious realities. Our words and actions sourced in that splendor have power.

I’ve co-created with the Lord what I’ve dearly come to know as our love liturgy. It’s a love language soaked in hours together and built on His promises that I’ve seen hold true and others I’m still sowing and tilling into as I anticipate the taste of their fulfilled fruit.

You too are destined for this; but what does it look like?

I’ve already mentioned a few corporate liturgies well-known in the church but you can see raw examples of personal liturgies right in the Psalms. These chapters are David’s heart and prayers poured out into words. I’ve found a sure sign of powerful liturgy is repetition on truth. In a world oversaturated in new (and now AI-generative) content; my soul finds respite in repetition. Just look at all the instances of one example of David returning to a foundational truth. 

I love you, LORD; you are my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. Psalm 18:1

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. Psalm 28:7

The LORD is my strength and song, and has become my salvation. Psalm 118:14

Where did David source this solace for his spirit when he was afraid, on the run, and stalked by his enemies?

The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. Exodus 15:2

David’s personal liturgy is seemingly birthed in the promise written by Moses hundreds of years before God’s strong deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt.

Power is unleashed when we partner to meet with God in His presence, meditate and wrestle on His words, and then put His promises to work in prayer. Not as merely requests but as refrainsof love in devotion as we trust His will and anticipate fulfillment in our lives. 

I’m convinced and now committed to live out daily and leave behind a legacy and liturgy of love. That my kids know and pass on the written and spoken words of my prayers. ChatGPT, AI, or anything of this world cannot generate for you a love liturgy with the Lord. The words that inspire and sustain your days can only be birthed from time spent kneeling and tear dripping in love at the feet of Jesus, sown into and sourced by the Holy Spirit, and radiating from the nearness of Father’s creative glory. It’ll cost you to sacrifice immediacy for a pace of slow meditation. It’ll require you to curb from generative to the repetitive prayers on the promises. It’ll yield in you deep roots into the current of the Spirit and a life and legacy that overflows bearing fruit in every season. 

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, teach us to pray. May we be united in Your creative glory to craft with You a liturgy of love. Amen. 

 DAY 26

PERSPECTIVE

KIM LAFORGE, CONNECTIONS DIRECTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

Over the years, I have found myself a bit grumbly about certain tasks or responsibilities. I am not much of a complainer, but in all honesty, I often complained about things I should have counted as blessings. I knew with a little tweaking, I could shift my mindset so I started replacing the words, “have to” with “get to.” It was a game-changer for me. Changing my verbiage, changed my perspective and helped transform my mindset.

The definition of mindset is a person’s established set ofattitudes, beliefs, and mental habits. It's more internal, often ingrained over time.

The word perspective refers to a person’s viewpoint or interpretation of a particular situation, shaped by their mindset, past experiences, or beliefs. When your perspective shifts, it renews your mindset, gradually transforming the way you think and respond.

When I was in school, I used to complain that I had to do homework. But looking back, I realize I got to do homework. I should have been grateful that things came easily to me and that I could finish it quickly. I had the capacity to read and write, abilities that not everyone is blessed with. I got to learn, grow, and put in hard work that would eventually lead to a degree. What felt like a burden was actually a privilege.

When I was raising my boys, I used to complain all the time about making lunches. And I know some of you moms might feel the same way. There’s just something about that particular task that feels so bothersome. I should have been so grateful that I got to make those lunches. I had food to prepare, and more importantly, God had blessed me with two beautiful, healthy boys to care for and raise. Not everyone is given that kind of blessing. What felt like a chore was actually a gift.

Grocery shopping, another mundane task that involves so much thought, planning, time and energy. If only I would have said, “I get to go grocery shopping, I am able to choose food, provide for my family and bless others through hospitality.” There are so many people that struggle to make ends meet, that don’t have the luxury of buying what they need, let alone what they want, and here I was grumbling about it.

There are occasions when I need to schedule time to take my mom or my mother-in-law to a doctor's appointment; sometimes I have to leave work early to do so. I used to see it as something I had to do rather than get to do. I now view those appointments as a sacred season, a time of quality and cherished moments that I am blessed to have with them. I don’t need to worry about how they got there or what they were told because I was the one who got to take them. 

Maybe you see your job as something you have to do. Now listen, I know we all have to work to pay our bills and buy our food but what if we shifted our mindset each day and said, “Thank You Lord for blessing me with the job I get to do so that I can take care of my family. Thank You for the people I get to work with and pour into, thank you for the car I get to drive there.”

Commuting or driving somewhere and being stuck in traffic can be so irritating and feel like a waste of time but something we think we have to do. Instead of being impatient and getting worked up because I have to get from point A to point B, I should be grateful for the built-in quiet time I get to have. Time that I could spend listening to an audiobook, worship music or simply unwinding and resting in my thoughts, which by the way is so difficult for me.

I could continue listing examples of how changing the two words, ‘have to’ to ‘get to’ can help change your perspective and give you a healthy mindset but I think you get what I’m trying to say. This practice may take some work and may be something you have to constantly remind yourself to do but over time, you will see things differently, you will process thoughts differently and you will develop more gratitude for the things you get to do.

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

In that verse, Paul is urging us not to let the practices of the world mold our thinking or our behavior, telling us not to conform to the negative influences around us. We will be faced with temptation but Paul instructs us to be transformed by renewing our mindset which involves constant replacement of old thought patterns. He is encouraging us to open our minds to God’s truth so we can embrace and follow his will for us. I am grateful for Paul’s reminder to renew my mind, and if I’m honest, that takes work. I know that the Lord wants us to live according to what He considers good and pleasing, not what the world sees as pleasing. This world and the people in it can be very influential on our lives and our thoughts. I don’t want to let the world's standards dictate my behavior or my beliefs. The world often defines a good life as one marked by success, wealth, and personal fulfillment. While that may seem appealing, I want to live according to the Lord’s plan for me. His vision for a meaningful life is rooted in obedience, faith, service, and love. I’ve found that when I walk in faith, live obediently, and genuinely love others, my perspective shifts and I carry myself with greater peace, purpose, and joy.

Perspective is powerful, it shapes how we see the world. Perspective influences our attitude and guides our words. So much of how we experience life flows from how we see it. You’ve probably heard the question: Is the glass half full or half empty? But as followers of Christ, we’re invited to see the glass differently, not based on what’s missing but on Who fills it. When our perspective is grounded in God’s truth and focused on His faithfulness, we will see His blessing in the emptiest of places. So today, how do you see your glass? Who are you trusting to fill it?

PRAYER: Father, I am so grateful for Your faithfulness and Your patience with us. Thank You for the reminder today that our perspective should not be influenced by who or what is happening around us and that our mindset should actively replace old or negative thoughts with ones that are aligned with Your will. I confess that my perspective can often be clouded—by fear, hurt, fatigue or distraction. But I don’t want to live conformed to the patterns of this world. I want my mind to be transformed and renewed. I know that when I walk into situations with a “get to” attitude instead of a “have to” attitude, I feel more at peace, more joyful and more positive. I pray that as we get a fresh perspective, we see people and situations as You would see them, that we continue to open our minds to Your truth so we can walk in the will You have created for us. Please continue to show us when our perspective needs to be changed, whether it be in conversation, a task, or in a job that we might have to do-that we may see the opportunity as a blessing we get to do. Amen.

 DAY 27

UNMERITED & UNDESERVED

JOHN MACDONALD, LEAD PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

There is something profoundly beautiful and deeply mysterious about the grace of God. It’s more than a doctrine, more than a theological term; grace is the very heartbeat of the Christian life. It’s the beginning, the middle, and the sustaining force behind every step on our journey with Jesus. Without grace, none of us would even be on this path. With grace, everything changes.

Grace is often defined as God’s unmerited favor or His love we don’t deserve. But even those definitions fall short of capturing the power and scope of what grace really is. Grace is the gift of God reaching into our mess, our brokenness, our rebellion, and calling us His own. It’s God’s strength in our weakness, His mercy in our failure, His patience in our wandering. Grace doesn’t just forgive, it transforms.

One of the most enduring hymns in all of Christian history is “Amazing Grace.” Its words have echoed in churches, prisons, hospital rooms, and open fields for more than two hundredyears. But the story behind the song is just as powerful as thelyrics themselves.

John Newton, the hymn’s author, wasn’t always a pastor or a pillar of the faith. He was once the captain of a slave ship, responsible for unspeakable atrocities. Yet, during a storm at sea, Newton cried out to God, and God met him with grace. That moment didn’t just save Newton’s life; it transformed it. He eventually abandoned the slave trade, became a preacher, and even helped lead the charge to abolish slavery in the British Empire.

At the end of his life, Newton said, “My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior.” That’s the essence of grace. It finds us where we are, but it never leaves us there.

Few stories in Scripture capture the shock and scandal of God’s grace like the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. Saul was a religious zealot, a persecutor of Christians, a man fueled by hatred and pride. And yet, on his way to hunt down followers of Jesus in Damascus, grace interrupted his life.

In Acts 9, Saul was knocked to the ground by a light from heaven and confronted by the voice of Jesus Himself. “Why are you persecuting me?” Jesus asked. In that moment, Saul's life turned upside down. Blinded, humbled, and undone, he was led to Damascus, where a faithful disciple named Ananias laid hands on him, and his sight was restored, both physically and spiritually.

Saul became Paul, the greatest missionary and theologian the early church had ever known. He went from persecuting the church to planting churches. From breathing out murderous threats to preaching about eternal life. That’s the power of grace. It doesn’t just stop sin, it births purpose.

Ephesians 2:8–9 reminds us that:

...it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.

If we truly understood this, we would live with greater joy and deeper humility. We didn’t earn God’s grace. You can perform better to get more or perform worse to receive less. We simply receive God’s grace in all its fullness. 

This truth shatters the performance-based systems that dominate so much of life. The world tells us to earn, impress, climb, and prove ourselves. But God whispers, “Come just as you are. My grace is enough.” Just like you wouldn’t try to pay someone back for a gift they have given you, you don’t pay God back for His grace. You just say “thank You,” then follow Jesus in humble obedience.

Titus 2:11 declares,

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.

Grace doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t belong only to the churchgoers, the well-behaved, or the religious elite. Grace is for the tax collector in the tree, the thief on the cross, the broken woman at the well, and the prostitute dragged into the streets for her crime.

Not too many people liked Zacchaeus. He was a crooked tax collector who deceived and lied to others in order to get rich. In fact Scripture says he was despised by his neighbors. Yet, Jesus invited Himself to his home, and Zacchaeus’s life was never the same. That’s grace! It meets us where we are, but never leavesus unchanged.

Romans 5:20 says,

Where sin increased, grace increased all the more.

Sin is real. It damages, distorts, separates, and hurts everyone around you, especially those closest to you. Sin is strong, but grace is stronger. God’s grace will always win if you are willing to receive it. No matter what your past holds, God’s grace is bigger.

Remember the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15)? He took his inheritance early, dishonored his father, wasted it on wild living, and came crawling home in shame. But what did the father do? He ran to meet him, embraced him and restored him back as a son of that house. That’s grace. Scandalous, extravagant, unrelenting grace. It doesn’t wait for you to clean yourself up. It embraces you while you’re still in rags.

At the heart of grace is not a concept, but a person. His name is Jesus. John 1:14 says,

The Word became flesh…

Jesus didn’t just bring grace. He is grace. His life, death, and resurrection are the ultimate display of God’s kindness, compassion, and mercy.

Jesus is the light in our darkness, the bread of life that feeds our soul, the gate to the narrow road. He is the way, the truth, and the life. When we come to the throne of grace, we’re not coming to a distant deity, we’re running to Jesus.

PRAYER: Gracious Heavenly Father, I stand in awe of Your amazing grace. I confess that I could never earn it, nor do I deserve it, and yet You freely give it. Thank You for meeting me in my weakness, for rescuing me when I was far from You, and for calling me by name when I had nothing to offer but my brokenness. Jesus, You are the fullness of grace. You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Help me to follow You closely, not in my own strength, but in total dependence on You. Teach me to trust Your grace in my struggle, to receive it in my failure, and to extend it to others who need it just as much as I do. Lord, let Your grace reshape my thoughts, soften my heart, and guide my steps. Help me remember that Your grace is not a one-time gift, it’s a daily supply. Today, I come boldly to the throne of grace—not because of who I am, but because of who You are. Fill me with joy, peace, and a renewed sense of purpose. May my life reflect the glory of the One who saved me by grace and now empowers me to live by grace. In the name of Jesus, who is Grace itself, Amen.

 DAY 28

BUILDING KINGDOM CHARACTER

NIKKI KORTH, DIRECTOR, TWC SCHOOL OF LEADERSHIP

In the Kingdom of God, impact is not measured by power, popularity, or outward success, but by the depth of our relationship with Christ. God is constantly shaping our hearts and lives to reflect His nature. As followers of Christ who live in His presence and are shaped by the Holy Spirit, we bear His fruit. When we allow the authority of the Holy Spirit in our lives, each act done with humility and every decision to honor God in private and in public forms our character and carries weight in Kingdom living.

As I was reading through the book of Acts this summer, I felt revelation about the idea that godly character is not just personal growth—it is Kingdom advancement. 

Acts is an action-oriented book, and I have often found myself reading through this book rather quickly. I challenged myself this summer to read through Acts really slowly, to allow the words and the story to saturate my mind. I would take a chapter at a time or sometimes even half a chapter, re-read through chapters a few times, write out verses, and so on. An interesting pattern caught my attention. Many times throughout the book when someone new was introduced, there would be a little side note in the next verse or few verses saying something about the person’s character. What happens because of these people's character brings either death or life into the Kingdom.

Here are contrasting examples of multiple people's character and the resulting impact on the early church that stood out to me. First we have Ananias and Sapphira who lied about being generous compared to Tabitha who was known for doing good and helping the poor. Then we find Simon the Sorcerer who wanted to purchase the gifts of the Lord compared to Cornelius and his family who were devout and God-fearing, generous, and prayerful.

Let’s take a look at what Acts tells us.

Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Acts 5:1–5

This was a time when many people were selling their homes and possessions and giving to the early church. This couple together decided to do the same but allowed everyone to think that they gave all the money when they actually kept some for themselves. The lack of character here was not generosity related, it was a desire to make themselves look better through a lie. How often are we tempted to do something like this in our everyday lives? 

Now compare this with the story of “a disciple named Tabitha; she was always doing good and helping the poor” (Acts 9:36). Here we encounter a woman who exhibits godly character. She was known to the community by her actions of serving. This is a miraculous story where this woman has died and Peter, through the power of the Holy Spirit, raises her to life again. 

These stories are talking about literal life and death; however, during my prayer time, what came to mind was life and death in relation to God’s Kingdom. From the text we see that seeking personal gain resulted in death and serving others resulted in life. The picture here is about what our character produces related to kingdom advancement. Promoting our own image often leads to death and destruction to ourselves and those around us, where serving others brings life and fruitfulness. The times in my own life where I have chosen to elevate myself often led to relational strife compared to the times I elevated others, which produced the fruits of joy, peace, and goodness.

Next up we have a sorcerer named Simon contrasted with a Roman centurion named Cornelius. Acts 8 recounts the story of Simon the sorcerer, who ends up believing the good news and getting baptized! This leads to him following Peter and Philip around, being amazed at the outward power of the Spirit and offering to pay the disciples for the ability to perform such miracles. Peter’s response is as follows: 

May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin. Acts 8:20–24

Interesting to note is that when Simon is first introduced, the text tells us that “he boasted that he was someone great”. Here is our second example of someone within the body of Christ who did not submit their character development to the Holy Spirit, but rather held on to the desire to be someone great. The result? His story is over, we do not hear about him further. What could have been a beautiful conversion story simply ends without furthering thegood news.

The story of Cornelius on the other hand leads to exponential growth! Cornelius is described in Acts 10:2,

He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

An angel visits him in a vision in Acts 10:4b–5 and says,

Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.

The conclusion of the supernatural meeting of Cornelius and Peter is the revelation that the good news is for all people, including Gentiles. This interaction, offered to a man obedient to God, opened up the gospel for the entirety of humanity.

What is the purpose of allowing ourselves to be shaped by theliving God, of practicing the narrow way, and of refusing to be swayed from our spiritual disciplines that form our character?What did those memorial offerings result in for Cornelius? Oneman, full of kingdom character was able to play a pivotal role in kingdom building all for God’s glory. It regularly astounds me thata holy and all powerful God would choose to work through us, but He does! May we be continually refined by Him that we might have a part to play.

PRAYER: Pray about some people you can go to for feedback, who know you and love you, and ask if they had to make a comment on your character, what would it be? If it doesn’t remind you of Tabitha and Cornelius, pray David’s prayer of authenticity in Psalm 139:23-24,

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.

If it does remind you of our godly character references, pray a bold prayer asking for your next assignment that you may get to participate in the joy of advancing God’s kingdom. My prayer for you is that you dive in and submit yourself fully to allow the presence of God to guide and shape your life!

 DAY 29

FLASH FLOOD

FRANKLIN MCMANUS, ASSISTANT YOUTH PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. Matthew 7:24–25

Ever been caught in a storm you didn’t see coming? I don’t mean just the weather; life has a way of throwing sudden storms at us. This summer, I was in Tennessee on our annual Summer Trip with 100 of our youth students, cruising through the mountains in a caravan of nine vehicles. We were talking and playing road trip games, enjoying each other’s company, when, out of nowhere, the rain hit. I'm talking about a torrential downpour, so much water, we couldn’t see the road in front of us. It was like someone flipped a switch. The rain was so thick that it made everything around us disappear. We slowed down, uncertain of the path ahead. All we could do was trust that the road was still there, even if we couldn’t see it.

It didn’t take long for the storm to pass. Just as quickly as it came, the clouds cleared, and we were back to sunshine. But as I sat there, barely able to see the road, I couldn’t help but think: this is what life can feel like sometimes. One minute, everything is going great, clear skies, smooth sailing. The next, life throws a storm at you, and suddenly, everything is blurry. Your vision is clouded, and you wonder what happened to the calm you were enjoying. It’s in these moments that we’re forced to trust that the road is still there, even if we can’t see it.

Life isn’t always predictable. We’ve all experienced those times when things seemed like they were going well, and then suddenly, the storm hits. Maybe it’s a job loss, a broken relationship, an unexpected health diagnosis, or a sudden change in plans. These are the moments that can make everything feel uncertain, just like being stuck in a storm with no clear direction. But as much as we might not expect it, these storms are part of life. We can’t always control when they come, but we can control how we respond.

Jesus speaks about this in Matthew 7 when He compares two people: one who builds his house on the rock, and the other who builds it on the sand. The rains come. The winds blow. The storm hits. But because the foundation is solid, the house on the rock stands firm. That’s the difference between weathering a storm and being knocked over by it. The difference is in what you’re built on.

Trusting God is easy when everything’s smooth, right? When life is calm, when the skies are clear, it feels good to say, “I’m trusting in God.” But when the storm rolls in, when the road ahead is unclear, that’s when our faith is tested. When life gets tough, do we still feel solid, like our foundation won’t shake? Or do we feel like we’re being tossed around, like we might fall apart?

I’ve had plenty of storms in my own life, the kind where the road ahead isn’t clear. The kind where all I could do was lean into God and trust He was still there, even if I couldn’t see the next step. There were moments when I felt lost and unsure, but those were also the moments when I had no choice but to lean on Him. Prayer became my anchor. And it’s the same for all of us. In those times when we can’t see the road ahead, prayer helps us trust that God is with us, guiding us, even when we can’t see the path forward.

Prayer isn’t just about asking God to fix things. It’s about staying connected with Him, trusting that He’s in control when everything else feels out of control. I learned that the hard way, in those seasons where all I could do was hold on and pray for guidance. It wasn’t always about asking God for an immediate answer or a quick fix, it was about seeking His presence and trusting that He would carry me through the storm. There’s something incredibly powerful about simply being in His presence during the hard times. Even if the storm hasn’t passed yet, there’s peace in knowing He’s there with you.

Think back to the storms in your life. Were you leaning into God, trusting Him even when things weren’t clear? Or were you trying to figure it all out on your own? The truth is, we can’t navigate the stormy seasons of life without His help. Prayer is the difference between staying grounded in the storm and being tossed around by it. Prayer gives us the strength to remember that even when the rain is pouring, the road is still there, and God is still guiding us.

In Matthew 7, Jesus tells us that it’s not enough to just hear His words. We need to put them into practice. And one of the best ways to do that is through prayer, constantly talking to Him, staying in communication with Him. As we build that habit, we strengthen our foundation so that when the storm comes, we’re ready. And when the storm passes, we stand firm, knowing we’ve been anchored in Him the whole time.

When we build our lives on Christ, we build on something solid. The storm may come, but the rock will remain. The winds will blow, but our foundation will hold. Christ is our constant, our refuge, and our strength, and He will never leave us. When we trust in Him, we are able to weather anything that life throws our way. We may not always understand why the storm comes, but we can trust that God is faithful, and that He will guide us through it.

PRAYER: As you enter your time of prayer, think about the storms you may face in the future. Are you building your life on the rock of Christ? Are you seeking God during the calm so that you can stand firm when the storm comes? Take a moment to pray for the strength to trust Him, even when you can’t see the road ahead, and for the wisdom to build your foundation on His Word. Ask God to guide you through every storm and help you stand firm in His promises.

 DAY 30

Q U I E T

LAUREN GRACA, KIDS PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

Detroit Lions fans will like this.

On September 15th, 2024 the Detroit Lions hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and my youngest son and I were invited by our friends to go to the game! This was the first Lions game for both of us, and we were beyond excited. Not only did we have amazing seats (seven rows up from the field), but everyone was anticipating the Lions to have a very successful season! Just the energy alone from the parking structure to Ford Field was stronger than anything I’d felt before at a sporting event; it was nothing less than electric. Every one of my senses was heightened as I took it all in. And the game hadn’t even started yet!

I expected this hyped atmosphere to some level, but what I did not expect still amazes me to this day. What surprised me most about that whole experience were when the stadium grew loud, and when it fell silent. I was not expecting such a dramatic change in decibels; I was expecting the fans to be loud - and to stay loud the entire time! But that is not the case at Ford Field, and Lions fans pride themselves on their ability to get REALLY loud, then go silent. 

At the start of the game, the Lions’ defense was on the field. Everyone in the stadium was standing and screaming as loud as they could. “Loud Environment” alerts were going off on my Apple watch. After a few minutes of constant screaming, my body literally began to feel tired. I wasn’t sure how long I could stand the noise. Then suddenly, on the projector screen, giant letters appear: Q U I E T.

Immediately, the crowd sat down and everyone was quiet. I get chills even now when I think about it. Ford Field can hold 65,000 people, and in a few seconds, no one made any noise. It can take me over 20 seconds to quiet a room of 60 elementary students, but it took less than 10 seconds to quiet the whole stadium! The game wasn’t over; it wasn’t half time yet, so why did everyone go quiet? The crowd went silent because the Lions’ offense now had the ball. Jared Goff needed to communicate with his teammates.

I was so puzzled. Why wouldn’t we shout now, when our quarterback is making plays? Why would we only scream with everything we have only when the defense is out there? Knowing that I know nothing about the game of football, my friend gently taught me that the crowd goes loud to throw off the enemy. The crowd screams so that the team we are opposing can’t communicate or think clearly. We shout to shut the enemy down. When it’s our turn to have the ball, we get quiet so our offense can communicate their strategy in order to score touchdowns. 

A few days later I was taking my scheduled prayer day. I started reading the book of Joshua during my study time, and I was up to the start of chapter six, The Fall of Jericho. Joshua and his warriors were commanded by God to take the city of Jericho. But how they took the city was very unusual. Once a day for six days Joshua and his armed men, along with priests and men carrying the Ark of the Covenant, traveled around the city of Jericho. The priests blew in rams horns but Joshua had instructed his men,

“Do not shout; do not even talk,” Joshua commanded. “Not a single word from any of you until I tell you to shout. Then shout!”Joshua 6:10

On the seventh day the Israelites got up at dawn and marched around the town as they had done before. But this time they went around the town seven times. The seventh time around, as the priests sounded the long blast on their horns, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the town!”Joshua 6:15–16

That day Jericho fell and Joshua and his men occupied the city. Attending Sunday School as a child, this is a story I have known for most of my life. But what the Holy Spirit taught me on this particular day was to pay attention to when Joshua and his men shouted, and when they were quiet. 

There are times in our prayer life when we should be loud, when we are welcome to shout, praise, sing, weep, and get noisy. The Lord desires to hear from us and “bends down to listen” (Psalm 116:2). We are invited to be so loud that the worship and prayers we pray can even throw off the enemy.

But just like Joshua and his men circling the wall, I believe there are times when the Lord wants us Q U I E T. When our hearts settle and we wait in absolute silence. When we are quiet to hear from the Lord, He speaks. Jesus will never shout louder than the traffic to get our attention, so we must quiet our hearts and minds to listen to what He has to say.

Maybe the majority of our prayer life should be spent in quiet? What if, like Joshua and his men, we spent six days in quiet prayer, then during the seventh day we unleashed our shouts of praise? Like the city walls that just fell down, imagine what God could do!

When was the last time your prayer time was spent in Q U I E T? When was the last time you shouted songs of praise or thanksgiving? There are times to shout and there are times to be quiet… what are you sensing the Lord saying to you today? If you haven’t been quiet in a while, perhaps this is the day for you to pause and quiet yourself, and simply listen. If you haven’t shouted praises to the Lord recently, this devotional entry is giving you permission to get loud! The Lord wants to hear from you!

PRAYER PROMPT FOR SHOUTING PRAISES: God, I praise You for your faithfulness. Your unlimited love, compassion, and goodness overwhelms me. There is nothing and no one who compares to You. Thank You for always being with me; for never leaving me alone. You are always here. Whenever I need You I can draw close to You. You delight in me. Help me to see You, to recognize You, to hear Your voice. Help me in my times of unbelief. You know the situation I am in that is causing me _______. The enemy is trying to use it as a foothold to distract me, but I will fight him off with my shouts of praise to You. You are stronger than the enemy; no one is as great as You. You defeat the enemy in one breath, and in the same breath You breathed life into me. Do it again, O God, open my eyes to even more to who You are, and lead me to life everlasting.

 DAY 31

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PRAYER

DAVID KRUEGER, PASTOR, TWC SCHOOL OF LEADERSHIP GRADUATE

Prayer is a gift and a privilege. If you really consider it for a moment, the fact that we’re given the opportunity to lift our voices to the God who created everything is just incredible. Whether it be fervent prayers for deliverance, joyous shouts of praise, or mere whispers in the privacy of your room, the Lord never fails to hear the voices of His people.

However, as much as prayer is both a gift and a privilege, I want to propose to you today something you may not have considered. To the believer, prayer is also a responsibility. The language of “privilege” can imply an advantage that does not necessarily need to be taken advantage of, and as far as “gifts” go, I’m sure we’ve all received gifts that we weren’t especially thrilled about. With the stress and busyness of life, it can be easy to let prayer slip back to the benches, only to be brought out again when we’ve run out of strength or options.

Through my personal time in scripture, I was recently struck by a passage near the end of the book of Job. By this point in the narrative, Job has lost nearly everything. The very friends who came to comfort him spend chapter after chapter trying to get him to admit to sins he had never committed. Due to their fear and grief over what has transpired, Job’s friends make some especially pessimistic claims concerning the Lord’s justice and fairness. Atlast, the Lord confronts Job, who quickly recognizes his arrogance and repents. The Lord moves on from Job to his friends, and the passage states:

After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. Job 42:7–9

What absolutely strikes me here is the subtle detail about prayer. Despite all the accusations that Job had suffered from his friends, the Lord requires that Job bear the responsibility to pray for his friends to be made right with God. The text excludes any details about Job’s reaction to this request, but I can only imagine the reluctance. At the lowest point in his life, his closest friends proved to be less than reliable. However, the Lord seemingly offers Job no way out of this obligation. Despite whatever he must have been feeling, he obeys and follows through all the same. As it happens, it’s only after Job prays for his friends that his well-being is restored.

My point here is that, while prayer is certainly an incredible gift, it is far from optional. In fact, the way Scripture speaks of prayer paints it as a practice that couldn’t be any less optional. James reminds us of the importance of confessing to one another and praying for forgiveness. The apostle Paul contends for us to pray at all times and without ceasing, modeling this through his ceaseless prayers for the churches to which he wrote. Through the parable of the persistent widow, Jesus encouraged his disciples to pray at all times and to never lose heart. The members of the early church, as seen in Acts, are recorded to have devoted themselves to prayer. In the Psalms, David requests that the Lord hear his voice as he seeks him in the early morning. All of these examples and more depict a commitment to the responsibility of prayer; the commitment to a life that says “when I pray” as opposed to “if I pray.”

This commitment to the responsibility of prayer that we’re called to is, if we’re honest, a daunting request. Like Job, there are going to be moments when we feel the Holy Spirit’s nudge to lift up a person or situation in prayer that we simply do not want to pray for. There will be moments when the winds and waves of life will take our eyes off God, and prayer simply won’t be the first thing on our minds. Here, if we’re not careful, shame can take our thoughts captive. It is in these moments that it is vital to remember that the Lord knows our hearts and all that we struggle with. When you find yourself struggling to pray, I contend for you to recall the wise words of the writer of Hebrews:

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:15–16

PRAYER: Lord, today I ask for renewed strength to accept the responsibility of prayer. In all circumstances, through the joys and sorrows, I ask that my voice be lifted toward You. Father, would You shape my heart so that my prayers would look like the prayers represented in Your Word. In the moments when I fall short and neglect this incredible gift, God, would You bring conviction that I might be drawn back to a posture of prayer. I ask this in Your mighty name, Lord, trusting in Your faithfulness and mercies that are new every day. Amen.

 DAY 32

THE BETTER QUESTION

MATT CIARAMITARO, GENERATIONS PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

Did you know that kids typically ask over 300 questions a day? Tragically, that number falls to around 25 on average for adults. Adults get less curious, and as a result, we fail to grow. In my years of pastoral ministry, I have found that one question commonly asked by adults is “why did this happen?” It’s not a bad question, but I think there is a better question that we can ask. One that takes our focus off the what and why, and onto the who. A question that doesn’t focus on what we are supposed to do, but who we are supposed to be. The question is, “who am I supposed to be?”

Check this interaction out between Jesus and his disciples after his resurrection.

Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:6–8

Essentially, Jesus' disciples were still asking God if he was going to fix all of their circumstances and make things the way they wanted them to be. And Jesus basically says, who cares… doesn’t matter… wrong question… He answers them by telling them who they are supposed to be, His Spirit-filled witnesses.

I have found myself right where the disciples were, asking Jesus: When are You going to fix my circumstances? When are You going to make things better for me? Many of us go through life thinking that in every situation we should be protected from discomfort. We think that when something bad happens, there has to be someone to blame. This is the way Jesus’ disciples thought.

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” John 9:1–3

Did you catch that? The question of why was not as important to Jesus as it was to His disciples. Jesus said that even in these terrible circumstances, God might be glorified. This is the attitude I try to take with me to prayer. Let me show you how this plays out.

This past spring I had a pretty rough day. It started as I was backing out of my driveway, only to realize that the garage had something obstructing it. Long story short, I hopped out, not realizing I had left it in reverse. The truck backed up with the door still open, heading right toward our basketball goalpost. Yep… Crash! All I heard was screeching metal as I watched it bend the wrong way as if it were auditioning for Cirque du Soleil. I stood there stunned. I was fine, but I didn't have time to deal with a car repair, and felt like I had just blow-torched $1000 for no reason. I was frustrated, angry,and annoyed.

I wanted to ask God, “Why did this happen!?” “Am I being punished?” “Are You trying to get my attention?” “What did I do to deserve this?” I didn’t have the answers to any of those questions, and it only left me more frustrated. All I could rely on was the better question: “Who am I supposed to be?” I am still supposed to be grateful. I am still supposed to be filled with joy. I am not to worry about material things that are just temporary. Asking the better question left me with a sense of direction.

I know you might be dealing with things far more serious. Health problems, relational problems, and financial problems. Let me encourage you as you spend time in prayer today. Stop asking God why, and ask Him who, who are you supposed to be.

I am not saying that “why” doesn’t matter. I am not saying that you just have to take life’s punches and accept them. I am just saying that oftentimes we don’t have the full picture that God has. Look at this scripture.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:9–12

We don’t know everything, so let’s not spend as much energy asking why, and spend our energy asking who. Even with your diagnosis, you are called to be full of faith; even in your conflict, you are called to be a peacemaker; even in your failure, you are called to persevere.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, forgive me for my doubt, my frustration, and my desire to blame You or others for what is going on in my life. Jesus as I pause and reflect, help me understand who You have called me to be. You have called me to be holy, to be blameless, to be content, to be humble, to be generous. Holy Spirit, fill me with hope, with joy, with peace, and with love. God, even when my circumstances are difficult, help me to ask what You are teaching me so that I can continually grow into a child of God who honors you. Amen.

 DAY 33

BE STILL & KNOW

JOHN MACDONALD, LEAD PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10

Psalm 46 was written by the Sons of Korah. These are the guys that King David established to offer up day and night prayer to the Lord in the tabernacle which housed the Ark of the Covenant that he set up right next to his house. They sang, prayed and practiced “Be still and know that I am God.” I think King David and the Sons of Korah were on to something. I think they stumbled upon a secret that caused them to look at life and walk through life differently than those in the culture around them.

How many times have you gone to bed thinking about all the things you didn’t accomplish today that have to be added to tomorrow's list of things that have to be accomplished. How many times have our heads hit the pillow overwhelmed by the thoughts of deadlines, bills, tasks and future responsibilities. No wonder anxiety has become an epidemic. As technology has advanced over the years it has allowed us to do increasingly more much faster. We are accomplishing things multiple times faster than we ever could even a decade or two ago and we are still burdened with time. I’m sure you have heard the saying and probably used it a time or two yourself, “there just aren’t enough hours in the day.” If we feel like this often, may I suggest that we have a time problem.

According to a 2016 study cited by Tyler Stanton in his book Praying like Monks, Living like Fools, the average iPhone user touches their phone 2617 times a day, staring at their phone for two and a half hours total in a day. A 2019 study came out and they found that in three short years that time had more than doubled to over five hours a day. What’s happened with all the time that technology has saved us? Well, instead of slowing down and harnessing the extra time for leisure, prayer, family and so on, as a culture we decided to speed up even more and now a majority of people suffer from what mental health professionals call “hurry sickness” which is a behavioral pattern characterized by continual rushing and anxiety.

Psalm 46 and the desire to “Be still and know” is becoming non-existent. Christian philosopher Dallas Willard wrote a very popular book on this problem plaguing society. When he was asked, "What do I need to do to be spiritually healthy?” His response was, “You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”

In our culture today, hurry is the great enemy of our spiritual lives! In fact I believe the devil loves to keep us busy! If we are overloaded with busyness, we won’t spend time with Jesus, we won’t take time to pray, we definitely won’t make reading the bible a daily habit, we will never capture God’s heart, we will never see life from God’s perspective or become sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit which we desperately need! But we must stop blaming our hurried lives on culture and take responsibility for the hurry we allow to control us. Jesus only had three and a half years to change the world. If anyone needed to be in a hurry, it was Jesus. But what do we see Jesus modeling for us over and over again? Slipping away from the crowds, from His disciples, and going off into wilderness places to be alone with the Father and pray!

Jesus’ source of calm, of peace, of power, of miracles, of leadership, of transformative teaching all came from his time in intimacy with His Father and The Holy Spirit. Jesus didn’t have the internet, tiktok or instagram to get His message out. He taught what the Father told Him to teach and thousands came to hear Him. His words brought conviction, healing, transformation and life. Jesus practiced being still and knowing His Father's voice, and it sourced everything else He did.

If Jesus, the Son of God, had to practice being still and knowing His Father, how much more important is it for us to practice this. My times in the morning of being still before the Lord and listening and praying have become a practice for me that I can’t live without. The direction and leading from the Lord that I receive in my times of being still before Him, not only brings me fulfillment and great joy, but it’s what allows me to lead my family, my staff, and the people of The Woods Church to the places God is leading us. My time in His presence each morning not only gives me sensitivity to His voice, but helps me become exceedingly aware of the tactics of our enemy that try and derail us. Without my time each morning with God I become a pawn, but as I spend time with Him, I realize I am a son with power and purpose.

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. Philippians 4:6–7

Right now I want you to set this book down and simply spend time being still and knowing that He is God! There is so much He wants to speak to you!

PRAYER: Father, in a world that never stops moving, You invite us to slow down. You call us to silence the noise, to lay down the burden of busyness, and simply be with You. Today, we choose to respondto that invitation. We choose to be still. Lord, teach us to see the value of Your presence over productivity. Remind us that our identity is not in what we accomplish, but in whose we are. Help us to surrender the hurry, the worry, the weight of all we think we have to accomplish—and center our hearts fully on You. Jesus, just as You withdrew often to spend time with the Father, may we learn to do the same. Speak to us in the stillness. Let Your voice be louder than our anxieties, Your peace deeper than our confusion. As we learn to be still and know that You are God, fill us with the peace that transcends understanding and guard our hearts and minds in You. Amen.

 DAY 34

BLESSING FOLLOWS OBEDIENCE

JON NICHOLAS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TRADITIONAL ENROLLMENT, MOUNT VERNON NAZARENE UNIVERSITY

One of the beautiful realities of the Bible is that it is not simply a collection of disconnected stories; it is a single, unfolding narrative of God’s faithfulness, His heart for His people, and His call for us to trust and follow Him. Throughout Scripture, certain themes rise to the surface again and again, like threads woven through the tapestry of God’s story.

We see His power to redeem even the darkest failures: Joseph betrayed by his brothers becomes the instrument to save his family; Peter denying Jesus becomes the rock upon which the church is built. We see His mercy and compassion on display: Israel wandering in the wilderness, yet God continues to provide manna, water, and guidance. We see His presence drawing near to His people: whether in a burning bush, a tabernacle, a temple, or in the person of Jesus Himself.

But another unmistakable theme we find again and again is this: blessing always follows obedience.

When God speaks, His people are invited to respond. Their willingness to obey becomes the hinge point for what God wants to do in and through them. Think about Abraham in Genesis 12. God calls him to leave everything familiar, his land, his people, his father’s household, and promises, 

“I will bless you… and you will be a blessing.”

Abraham could have chosen comfort, but instead he obeyed. His obedience opened the door to blessing, not just for him, but for generations after him.

Or consider Joshua in Joshua 1. He is about to lead Israel into the promised land after years of wandering. God gives him a charge: 

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the lawmy servant Moses gave you… Then you will be prosperous and successful.

The blessing of victory, inheritance, and rest was tied directlyto obedience.

And in the New Testament, when Jesus tells Peter to cast his nets on the other side (Luke 5), Peter could have argued. He was the fisherman, Jesus was the rabbi. But instead, Peter responds,

“Because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

The result? Nets so full they begin to break. Obedience ledto blessing.

These stories are not just ancient history. They are living reminders of what God continues to do today. I’ve seen it firsthand.

One of the biggest steps of obedience for our family was our move from Nashville to Michigan in 2003. We didn’t go looking for the opportunity, and honestly, we didn’t want to leave the comfort, friends, and security we had built. But we knew God was stirring something new in us. It was clear He was calling us into a new season of ministry, even though it came with unknowns and uncertainties. The decision wasn’t easy. We wrestled with questions, fears, and the grief of leaving behind what we loved. Yet, once we chose to obey, God proved Himself faithful in ways we could not have imagined. He blessed our marriage, our family, our ministry, and every aspect of our lives. When we stepped into what He asked, He poured out blessing, not always in material ways, but in peace, in fruitfulness, and in joy.

I also remember a lesson from my college years. God was asking me to stay home for a summer, to work, rest, and refocus my priorities. After a couple of years of extensive travel, I needed to slow down and realign with Him. But when the director of the college music ministry called and invited me to travel again for the summer, I caved. I accepted the offer, even though I knew in my heart it was disobedience. The moment I hung up the phone, conviction hit me like a wave. I tried to suppress it, but God, in His mercy, would not let me ignore His voice. Within fifteen minutes, I was back on the phone, humbly telling the director I could not accept. It was embarrassing. It felt like failure. But as soon as I hung up, an overwhelming peace flooded over me. That summer turned out to be one of the most formative seasons of my life, filled with friendships, growth, savings for the future, and deepening in my walk with God. Looking back, I can see clearly: obedience opened the door to blessing.

Still, obedience does not mean a life without hardship. Jesus Himself told His disciples, 

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33

Life in a fallen world guarantees struggle. The promise of obedience is not the absence of trials, but the presence of God in the midst of them. He offers grace and peace that surpass understanding. He uses trials to mold us into who He created us to be. And He never abandons us. His Spirit gives us the assurance we are right where we are supposed to be.

That truth became especially real for us most recently, when our family faced another decision that required obedience. After 22 years serving at an incredible church with people we deeply loved, God began to stir our hearts again. The Spirit made it clear: change was coming. We were faced with a choice: stay in the safety and comfort of a thriving ministry, surrounded by a staff we cherished and a community that had become family, or step into an unknown future full of risk and uncertainty. Humanly speaking, staying made more sense. But we knew what God was asking of us. Because we had experienced His faithfulness before, the decision, though painful, was not difficult. Once we knew the Lord was calling, we trusted that He would care for us and walk with us. Today, we are only at the beginning of this new journey. It has not been easy. There are hard days, days when the ache of leaving still feels fresh. But alongside that ache is an unmistakable peace that can only come from Him. It is God’s past faithfulness that gives us confidence in His future provision and once again we are trusting that blessing will follow obedience. 

Jesus made the connection between love and obedience unmistakable:

If you love me, keep my commands. John 14:15

Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it. Luke 11:28

Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. John 13:17

Our obedience is the truest measure of our love. It’s one thing to say we love Jesus or sing about our devotion to Him. It’s another to demonstrate that love through our actions, through trust, surrender, and obedience to His voice.

So today, I want to encourage you. What is God asking of you right now? Is there a step of faith He is nudging you to take? Is there a place where obedience feels costly, but you sense His Spirit calling you forward? It might be a big decision like moving, changing jobs, or stepping into ministry. Or it might be a daily choice like extending forgiveness, serving someone in need, or surrendering a habit that has a grip on your life. Whatever it is, trust Him. On the other side of obedience is peace, growth, and blessing!

PRAYER: Lord, thank You that Your ways are good and that Your plans for us are always for our ultimate blessing and growth. Give me courage to obey You in the big decisions and the small ones. When fear rises, remind me of Your past faithfulness. When doubts creep in, surround me with Your peace. May my love for You be more than words. May it be seen in my obedience. I trust You, Lord. Lead me, and I will follow. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 DAY 35

THE HUNGER WITHIN

BENNY MCDANIEL, CHURCH ONLINE & GROUPS PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

Hunger is one of the most natural parts of life. When your stomach growls, it’s a signal that you need food. But here’s the thing: simply recognizing your need for food doesn’t make the hunger go away. Naming it isn’t the same as satisfying it. Hunger, by itself, is never enough—it aches, it lingers, it reminds you of your emptiness. It doesn’t satisfy.

Discipline does.

This same truth echoes into our spiritual lives. Many of us know how to name our spiritual hunger. We recognize our depravity, we see our brokenness, and we admit our need for help. But simply recognizing the problem doesn’t change the circumstance. Awareness without action leaves us in the same place. It’s discipline—the consistent steps of faith, the obedience to God’s Word, the seeking after Jesus—that actually leads us into rescueand renewal.

In John 6, the crowd follows Jesus after He miraculously feeds them. They know they’re hungry again, but Jesus points them beyond their stomachs to something deeper:

Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. John 6:27

Jesus declares that He Himself is the Bread of Life—the one who alone can satisfy the hunger that never seems to go away. Just like eating food requires the action of picking it up and consuming it, experiencing Jesus requires more than recognition. It requires a posture of discipline: to seek, to believe, and to follow.

David captures this beautifully in Psalm 63:

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where thereis no water.

David doesn’t just recognize his hunger and thirst—he responds to it by seeking God. His discipline is pursuit. His longing moves him to action. He understands that satisfaction is not found in recognizing the ache but in turning that ache into prayer, worship, and trust.

This is where many of us get stuck. We feel the emptiness, but we stop there. We acknowledge the ache, but we don’t pursue the cure. We know we need God, but we don’t discipline ourselves to daily seek Him. And the result is that we stay hungry.

The truth is this: your soul will not be satisfied by accident. It takes discipline to be filled. Discipline to pray when you don’t feel like it. Discipline to open the Word when you’d rather scroll. Discipline to gather with God’s people when you feel tired or distracted. These are the choices that move us from recognition to satisfaction, from hunger to fullness in Christ.

So when you sense the ache of hunger in your life—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual—don’t stop at naming it. Let it drive you into the arms of Jesus, the Bread of Life. Let it push you toward disciplines that bring life. Hunger isn’t the end of the story—it’s an invitation to pursue the One who satisfies.

PRAYER: Jesus, I feel the hunger in my soul today. I recognize my brokenness, but I don’t want to stop there. Lead me into discipline—into prayer, into Your Word, into obedience—that I may be filled with You, the true Bread of Life. Teach me to seek You like David did, longing for Your presence above all else. May my hunger not leave me empty, but instead move me into Your arms, where I find true satisfaction. Amen