NOW THAT'S A FRIEND

August 27, 2026

Opening Prayer

Lord, open the eyes of my heart to understand Your Word. Let your truth penetrate deeply and guide my life. Give me fresh revelation that empowers and instructs me. May my devotional time today reveal more of who You are. Amen.

Bible Readings

Matthew 11:19

The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.”

Matthew 11:28

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

John 3:17

God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

Reflection

The hymn writer sings, we do too, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." 

Truth is, Jesus is the greatest friend this world has ever known. Scripture even calls Him “a friend of sinners” (Matthew 11:19). And John reminds us that God didn’t send Jesus to condemn us, but to rescue us (John 3:17).

When people came to Jesus carrying guilt, shame, and heavy burdens, He didn’t point a judgmental finger at them. He helped them relax. He made space for them to breathe again.

Jesus was so gentle with His disciples that simply being near Him brought rest to tired souls (Matt. 11:28). That’s why broken, overlooked, and hurting people were drawn to Him, and the good news is Jesus still offers that same rest today.

Jesus says, “Come to me, all who are weary and weighed down, and I will give you rest… for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:28–29).

If Jesus is our example—our guide for how to live—then we need to pay attention to what it means to be a friend like Him.

To be a friend like Jesus means welcoming people in their brokenness. It means refusing to condemn or judge, and instead choosing to see others through the eyes of love. It means helping people feel safe enough to be honest about their struggles because they know grace is waiting for them.

Real friendships grow in honesty, vulnerability, acceptance, empathy, and a genuine desire for the good of others. These kinds of relationships give us space to be fully known and deeply loved at the same time. I recently read that “The beauty of the Church and the beauty of God‑glorifying relationships shines brightest against the backdrop of our own brokenness.” That’s exactly where God’s grace meets us—right in our need.

One of the most beautiful truths of the Gospel is that Jesus doesn’t reject us in our chaos or confusion. He welcomes us in the middle of our mess. He embraces sinners, sufferers, and anyone whose life feels like it’s falling apart. Anyone who comes to Him with their failures, weaknesses, sins, and needs finds open arms.

And when we learn to be that kind of friend, “the garden of friendships” begins to flourish. People feel safe to open up about their brokenness because they know Jesus is strong enough to carry every burden—and we are gentle enough to walk with them.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, friend of sinners, draw near to us in our own brokenness. Help us become a comforting presence for our friends in their brokenness, so that when they are with us, they sense Your love. And let this same spirit of grace and safety be the defining reality of our faith communities. Amen

Application

Our reflection today invites us to become the kind of friend—and the kind of faith communities —where people feel safe to be broken because grace is the first thing they encounter.  Here are a few steps toward becoming a welcoming presence.

1. Come to Jesus with your own brokenness first.

We can only offer what we’ve received. The practical step:

• Bring your own burdens, sins, and weariness to Jesus daily.

• Let His gentleness shape how you treat others

2. See people through the eyes of grace.

Jesus looked at sinners with compassion, not condemnation. The practical step:

• When someone shares a failure or weakness, remind them of God’s grace rather than their guilt.

• Offer encouragement instead of critique.

3. Welcome people in their mess, not after they’ve cleaned it up.

Jesus didn’t wait for people to “get their act together” before offering friendship. The practical step:

• Make space for people to be honest about their struggles.

• Respond with gentleness instead of shock, judgment, or quick fixes.

I'VE GOT CONFIDENCE!

August 26, 2026

Opening Prayer

Lord, open the eyes of my heart to understand Your Word. Let your truth penetrate deeply and guide my life. Give me fresh revelation that empowers and instructs me. May my devotional time today reveal more of who You are. Amen.

Bible Reading

Mark 8:22–26

“Do you see anything?” — Mark 8:23

Reflection

Our passage in Mark 8 has been quietly answering a big question this week: How does Jesus heal us?

We’ve already noticed two things— He heals us in stages, and He heals us in community.

Today we add a third: Jesus heals us through confidence in Him.

Not confidence in ourselves. Not confidence that we’ve figured everything out. Confidence in Jesus.

And let’s be honest—that can be harder than it sounds.

Because when Jesus begins to open our eyes, He may show us things we’d rather not see.

He may reveal something in us that needs to change. He may ask us to give something up. He may ask us to forgive someone we’d rather resent. He may ask us to serve when we’d rather stay comfortable. He may ask us to loosen our grip on something we’ve been holding tightly.
He may ask us to give something up. He may ask us to forgive someone we’d rather resent. He may ask us to serve when we’d rather stay comfortable. He may ask us to loosen our grip on something we’ve been holding tightly.

Sometimes we want Jesus to open our eyes—as long as He shows us what we want to see. I sure have been there, haven't you?

But Jesus isn’t interested in just improving our vision. Jesus is interested in transforming our lives. And that can make us hesitant.

We can fear what He might reveal. We can fear being fully honest with Him. We can fear what might happen if we truly pray, “Jesus, show me.”

But our confidence in Jesus makes us able to pray such a prayer because of the cross.

The cross tells us exactly what Jesus is like.

When we look at the cross, we see a Savior who knows us completely and loves us completely.

"He already knows what is wrong. He already sees what we try to hide. And still—He went to the cross for us."

That’s why we can trust Him with our eyes, our hearts, our failures, our fears, and our future.

The blind man in Mark 8 didn’t know what Jesus was going to do. He simply let Jesus lead him, touch him, and heal him.

Maybe that’s where faith begins for us too.

We don’t need to understand everything. We don’t need to see everything clearly. We simply need enough confidence in Jesus to let Him lead.

Maybe today our prayer needs to be quite simple:

“Jesus, open my eyes. Show me what I need to see. And give me courage to trust You with whatever You show me.”

Let's remember that the One who opens our eyes is the One who went to the cross for us.

We can trust Him.

Prayer

Jesus,
open my eyes. Help me to see You more clearly, to see myself honestly,and to see the people and circumstances around me through Your eyes. Give me the confidence to trust You, even when You reveal things I would rather avoid. Remind me that the One who went to the cross for me can be trusted with every part of my life.  Amen.

Application

1. Ask Jesus to show you one thing—Just one area where He wants to open your eyes.

2. Sit with whatever Jesus shows you—without rushing past it.

3. Take one small step of obedience.

Healing often begins with small, courageous steps.

HEALED IN COMMUNITY

August 25, 2026

Opening Prayer

Lord, open the eyes of my heart to understand Your Word. Let your truth penetrate deeply and guide my life. Give me fresh revelation that empowers and instructs me. May my devotional time today reveal more of who You are. Amen.

Bible Reading

Mark 8:22 

They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.

Reflection

One of the striking truths in Mark 8:22–26 is that it reveals how spiritually blind we all are. Earlier in the chapter, even the disciples—who walked with Jesus, watched His miracles, and heard His teaching firsthand—struggled to see clearly. And throughout the Gospels, the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees and Sadducees is repeatedly exposed.

Our passage today turns our attention to Jesus the healer, and to the way He brings sight to our partial, blurry vision.

For me, one of the most beautiful details in this story appears right at the beginning, in Mark 8:22:

“Some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.”

That line speaks deeply to my spirit.

The man couldn’t see Jesus. So someone else brought him.

He couldn’t get there on his own. Someone had to help him.

And these people didn’t simply drop him off—they begged Jesus to touch him. They carried him to Jesus and said, “Please help him.”

There is something profoundly tender about that.

Sometimes God uses other people to help us see. That’s why Christianity was never meant to be lived alone. Church is not just a place where we sit quietly, listen to a sermon, sing a few songs, and go home.

We need people. People who know us. People who love us. People who pray for us. People who tell us the truth. People who say, “I think there’s something you’re not seeing.”

And sometimes we resist that. We’d rather say, “Mind your own business.” But if we truly want Jesus to open our eyes, we must be willing to let others help us see. Spiritual growth happens in community.

If we come to church every week, enjoy the music, listen to the sermon, and then never talk with anyone about what God is doing in our lives—or listen to what God is doing in theirs—we are missing something essential.

We need people with whom we can process our faith. People who can ask:

“What are you learning?” “Where are you struggling?” “What is God showing you?” “Where are you having trouble trusting Him?”

This is often how God works. He brings people into our lives who help us see. And that, too, is part of His tender watch and care over each one of us.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, Open our eyes again. Where our vision is blurred, bring clarity. Where our hearts are hesitant, bring courage. Where our faith is dim, bring light. Thank You for the people You place around us—those who help us see You more clearly. Lead us together in Your truth and keep shaping us into Your likeness. Amen. 

Application

Think of someone in your circle—whether a friend, a family member, or a colleague—whom God may be nudging you to bring closer to Jesus.

Pray for them. Ask God to give you gentle, natural conversation starters and the courage to let your guard down as you share your faith.

Give thanks for the people who helped you see Jesus more clearly—those who prayed for you, encouraged you, and walked with you when your own vision was dim.

Consider joining a small group, or even starting one, so you can journey with others, share what God is doing in your lives, and grow together in your walk with Him.

Do You See Anything? — Opening Eyes to Jesus

August 24, 2026

Opening Prayer

Lord, open the eyes of my heart to understand Your Word. Let your truth penetrate deeply and guide my life. Give me fresh revelation that empowers and instructs me. May my devotional time today reveal more of who You are. Amen.

Bible Reading

Mark 8:23

.... Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”

Reflection

In our worship service yesterday, we looked at Mark 8:22–26 and focused on the question Jesus asked the blind man after touching his eyes: “Do you see anything?”

You might find this hard to believe, but there’s actually more I’d like us to think about in this passage—things I didn’t get a chance to get to yesterday. 😊

___________________

I heard a story recently about a man who never wore a seatbelt. Every time his friend got in the car, he would say, “You should really buckle up.” The man would smile, shrug, and say, “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” He knew the risks. He had heard the statistics. He understood the arguments. But nothing changed.

Then one day, his friend got into the car and noticed that the man was wearing his seatbelt.

He asked, “What made you start?”

The man explained that he had recently visited another friend in the hospital after a serious car accident. His friend hadn’t been wearing a seatbelt, and seeing the consequences up close changed everything.

He already knew the facts. But now he had seen the reality.

And there is a difference between knowing something and truly seeing it.

Knowledge can remain in our heads. Seeing something moves it into our hearts.

I think something similar happens in our relationship with Jesus.

We can know about grace. We can know what sin is. We can know that Jesus forgives. We can know the stories of the Bible. We can even know the right answers to all the questions.

But there comes a point when something we have known intellectually suddenly becomes something we see.

We might say:

“I thought I understood grace.”

“I thought I understood sin.”

“I thought I understood forgiveness.”

“I thought I understood Jesus.”

“But now I really see it.”

And when we really begin to see, it changes us.

That is part of what makes the story in Mark 8 so powerful. Jesus doesn’t simply give the man information about sight. Jesus opens his eyes so that he can see.

And Mark seems to be inviting us to see something deeper than the healing of one blind man.

Sometimes we are like that man.

We can see something, but not yet see clearly.

We understand part of what Jesus is doing, but not all of it. We have faith, but our faith is still growing. We know Jesus, but we are still learning what it means to follow Him.

And that's okay.

Jesus doesn't walk away because the man's vision isn't perfect.

He touches him again.

Sometimes seeing Jesus clearly is a process.

And as Jesus opens our eyes, things that once seemed like abstract ideas become real.

Grace becomes something we depend on.

Sin becomes something we take seriously.

Forgiveness becomes something we receive—and something we learn to extend to others.

Jesus becomes more than someone we know about.

He becomes someone we know and follow.

And when our eyes are opened, our lives begin to change.

We begin to make different choices.

We live with greater humility.

We become more aware of God's grace.

We learn to trust Jesus more deeply.

We begin to see other people differently.

We begin to see ourselves differently.

And we begin to see that following Jesus isn't simply about knowing more about Him.

It's about seeing Him more clearly—and allowing what we see to change the way we live.

So perhaps the question Jesus asks the blind man is also a question He asks us:

“Do you see anything?”

Maybe the answer isn't always, “Yes, I see everything clearly.”

Maybe sometimes the most honest answer is:

“I see something. I’m beginning to see. But I still need Jesus to open my eyes.”

And perhaps that's where faith begins—not with having everything figured out, but with trusting Jesus to keep opening our eyes.

Because the good news of Mark 8 is that Jesus doesn't give up on people who don't yet see clearly.

He keeps touching.

He keeps teaching.

He keeps leading.

And He keeps opening our eyes.

So the question for us isn't simply, “Do you know about Jesus?”

It is:

“Do you see Jesus?”

And if we do—even imperfectly—then the invitation is to keep looking, keep following, and keep allowing Him to help us see more clearly.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, open our eyes to see you more clearly. Help us to turn knowledge into sight, sight into obedience, and obedience into love for others. Keep touching us, shaping us, and making us more dependent on you each day. Amen

Application

Ask to See

• Morning 1‑minute prayer: “Jesus, open my eyes today; show me one place I’m blind.”

• Evening 2‑minute review: Note one moment you saw differently and one place you still need clarity.

More Than Enough: The Quail

August 20, 2026

Opening Prayer

Holy Spirit, breathe on these Scriptures as they are read. Make familiar words fresh, and new words clear. Stir faith, awaken hope, and lead us into the truth that sets us free. Amen.

Scripture

Exodus 16:13

“That evening quail came and covered the camp.”

Reflection

For weeks the Israelites had been walking through an endless stretch of sand, heat, and uncertainty. They had left Egypt behind, but the memory of full cooking pots and predictable meals still lingered in their minds. Out in this wilderness, a land with no crops, no markets, and no visible source of food, hunger settled in.

They grew anxious. They complained to Moses. They wondered if God had led them out only to abandon them.

Had He forgotten them? Did He see their need?

But God had not forgotten.

In the early morning, a thin layer of something unfamiliar covered the ground. It looked small and delicate—like frost, but not frost. The Israelites asked, “What is it?” And Moses told them it was bread from heaven. Manna. Daily provision. Just enough for each day.

And in the evening, we are told that quail swept into the camp—an unexpected abundance of meat for a people who had none.

You see, God was teaching His people something essential, something they would need for every step of their long journey ahead:

He could be trusted to provide.

"Their hunger became a classroom.

Their need became an invitation.

Their fear became the backdrop for God’s faithfulness."

I feel like we are not so different.

We often spend time worrying about what we lack—what hasn’t happened yet, what we wish we had, what feels out of reach—that we overlook the quiet, steady ways God has already been providing.

Gratitude and thankfulness shifts our outlook, our vision. The result is that we change in the way we live, and think.

Instead of saying, “I need more,” our hearts begin to say, “Look at what God has already given.”

It’s a different way of seeing. A different way of living. A different way of trusting.

Prayer

God, forgive me for the times I focus so much on what I lack that I overlook Your provision. Give me grateful eyes today. Amen.

Application

Today make a list of five things God has provided for you.

Then thank Him specifically for each one.

Want to Fly? Look to the Eagles Nest

August 19, 2026

Opening Prayer

Holy Spirit, breathe on these Scriptures as they are read. Make familiar words fresh, and new words clear. Stir faith, awaken hope, and lead us into the truth that sets us free. Amen.

Scripture

Deuteronomy 32:11

“Like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft.”

Reflection

I suspect most of know that an eagle doesn’t keep its young in the nest forever. 

For a season, the nest is exactly where the young eagle belongs. It is a place of safety, warmth, and provision. The parent eagle brings food, shields them from harsh weather, and keeps them secure.

Eventually the time comes when the very nest that once felt so comfortable begins to be perhaps a little too comfortable. The time comes when the young eagle has to learn to soar.

I have read that to get the young Eagle to take the next step in development sometimes means that the parent eagle begins to disturb the nest. The soft, comfortable lining is moved aside and what once felt secure suddenly becomes uncomfortable. Now the young eagle may not understand what is happening. 

“Why are you doing this? 

Why can't things just stay the way they were?”

Just as parent eagles push their young from the nest to teach them to fly, God often uses disruptions in our life to prepare us for growth. Let us admit it, we seek comfort in familiar routines, but real comfort and security was never to be found in the nest—it was always to be found in our loving creator.

But we get comfortable. We settle into familiar routines. We know how things work. We know what to expect. We find our little nest—the places, relationships, habits, and routines where we feel secure.

And then something changes.

A door closes. A new opportunity appears. A relationship changes. A season of life comes to an end. Something we depended on is no longer there. The future suddenly looks different than we expected. When life shifts and uncertainty moves in, it’s natural to ask, “God, why is this happening?” But perhaps there’s another question worth asking: “God, what are You teaching me through this?” 

Deuteronomy 32:11 uses the imagery of an eagle to describe God’s relationship with His people: The eagle symbolizes how God actively watches over, nurtures, and empowers His people.

We need to remember that not every disruption or ending means God has abandoned us. Often, I have found that these moments are  an invitation to step beyond what has become familiar and comfortable—and to trust God in a new way, to grow, and to discover that the God who carried us in the comfortable nest is also the God who calls us to spread our wings and soar under his watchful eye. 

Prayer

Lord, when You stir up my comfortable places, help me trust You. Give me courage to step into the new things You are teaching me. Amen.

Application

Today Ask the following:

“Where might God be inviting me to grow beyond my Nest or comfort zone?”

Take one small step in that direction.

Gathered Close: A Hen and Her Chicks

August 18, 2026

Opening Prayer

Holy Spirit, breathe on these Scriptures as they are read. Make familiar words fresh, and new words clear. Stir faith, awaken hope, and lead us into the truth that sets us free. Amen.

Scripture 

Matthew 23:37

37 .... how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 

Reflection 

The picture Jesus uses here is rather interesting. He doesn’t picture Himself as a warrior, or a ruler giving orders, or a judge handing down a verdict. He pictures a mother hen gathering her chicks and pulling them in close under her wings as descriptive of his ministry.

It really is a rather tender image. The chicks don’t have to figure everything out. They just come close.

Think about a mother hen for a moment.

When danger comes, she doesn't send her chicks away to figure things out on their own. She gathers them.

She spreads her wings and calls them close.

And when those little chicks get underneath her wings, they don't have to do anything. They just come close.

And that's the picture Jesus gives us.

Under His wings is a place of refuge.

Under His wings is a place of belonging.

Under His wings is a place of rest.

For just a moment, the chick stops running. It stops looking for somewhere else to go. It simply settles down beneath the one who is protecting it. Jesus says that’s what He wants for His followers.

Maybe that's what Jesus is inviting some of us to do, today.

Not try harder.  Just come closer.

Think about that for a moment. 

The God who created the galaxies wants you close.

Maybe today Jesus is simply saying, to you and me  “Come Closer.”

"Come Closer," Just as you are. 

"Come Closer," with your questions and fears and doubts.

"Come Closer," because His wings are already open.

Prayer

Jesus, thank You for longing to gather me close. When I wander, when I worry, when I feel far away, draw me back under the shelter of Your presence. Let me rest where Your love covers me and Your nearness steadies me. Amen.

Application

Take five quiet minutes today. No requests. No agenda. No pressure.

Simply sit in His presence and pray: “Jesus, I’m here.”

Above the Wind: The Eagle

August 14, 2026 

Opening Prayer

Holy Spirit, breathe on these Scriptures as they are read. Make familiar words fresh, and new words clear. Stir faith, awaken hope, and lead us into the truth that sets us free. Amen.

Scripture

Isaiah 40:31

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." 

Reflection

Sometimes being tired goes way beyond just needing a good night’s sleep. It’s that deep-down kind of tired—the kind that gets into your soul. Soul fatigue it is often called. You keep going, you keep doing what needs to be done, but inside, you know and feel that you are running on empty.

Isaiah 40 doesn't ignore this reality; it acknowledges that even the young and vibrant stumble and grow weary. But God offers a radical alternative to "soul fatigue" through a vivid image from creation: the soaring eagle.
You my have noticed that smaller birds have to flap their wings like crazy just to stay off the ground. If an eagle tried doing that over long distances, it would collapse from total exhaustion. Instead, eagles ride "thermals—invisible pockets of warm, rising air that effortlessly push them thousands of feet up without the extra workout." And when a rough storm rolls in, small birds run for cover, but the eagle just locks its wings and lets those wild winds shoot it above the clouds.

I believe that is pretty much what it looks like to "wait on the Lord."

As I see it, Isaiah 40 reminds us that when we try to muscle our way through life on our own strength, it’s like flapping our wings as hard as we can while flying straight into the crazy winds of a storm. Eventually, we just wear ourselves out, were not made to run on our own strength forever. We need God to renew us and give us the strength to keep going.

Waiting on God isn't a call to just do nothing; it is about making a intentional choice to surrender. It’s opening up our wings and letting the Holy Spirit do the heavy lifting. When we do this and put our trust in God:

• We exchange your limited human reserves for His infinite power.

• We stop fighting the storm in your own strength and allow God to use the trial to lift your perspective higher.

• We learn that spiritual strength isn't about working harder—it's about depending deeper.

Prayer

Lord, I am weary from trying to flap my wings in my own strength. I surrender my striving, my anxiety, and my need to control outcomes today. I open my heart to You. Catch me in the updraft of Your grace, lift me above my current storm, and renew what has been depleted inside me. Teach me how to rest in Your power. Amen.

Application

Identify the area where you feel most exhausted right now. Practice the eagle's posture:

• Stop the Frantic Motion: Step away from the problem for 5 minutes and cease trying to force a solution.

• Lock Your Wings: Declare aloud: "Lord, I cannot carry this in my own strength, but I trust You to lift me."

• Ride the Updraft: Focus your attention on God's character rather than the storm in front of you.

Living in Today: Birds of the Air

Thursday August 13, 2026

Opening Prayer

Holy Spirit, breathe on these Scriptures as they are read. Make familiar words fresh, and new words clear. Stir faith, awaken hope, and lead us into the truth that sets us free. Amen.

Scripture

Matthew 6:26

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" 

Reflection

Let us notice as we begin that Jesus doesn't begin His teaching on anxiety with a heavy rebuke or a lecture. He begins with a simple, inviting command: "Look."

Jesus gets us to look up—to step out of that downward spiral of “what if everything goes wrong?” and notice the simple, everyday rhythms of creation all around us. Consider the birds outside your window. They’re not lying awake worrying about tomorrow’s schedule, the bills, or all the things that might go wrong next week. They don’t spend their days trying to store up enough to feel secure for the next ten years. They simply go about their lives—and somehow, day after day, God provides what they need.

Now, Jesus isn’t telling us to sit back and do nothing. We know, that Birds still get up every day, find food, build their nests, and take care of their young. The point is they don’t spend their lives worrying about what tomorrow might bring. Jesus is really teaching us about how we approach life and where we place our trust. Worry has a way of pulling us into a future that hasn’t even happened yet, getting us stuck in that endless loop of, “What if…?”

• What if the news is bad?

• What if the plan fails?

• What if resources run dry?

I believe that faith gently redirects our hearts with a deeper question: "What if God is already there?"

I read recently that "Anxiety attempts to solve tomorrow's problems using today's energy, leaving us chronically depleted." God, the Bible remids us, promises sufficient grace for the present hour. When tomorrow arrives, His faithfulness will meet us there just as it meets us now.

What I have learned is that Jesus invites us to practice a holy stillness. Stop. Breathe. Look up. Let the simple flight of the "birds of the air" remind you of your place in the Father's heart. (Remember the Sparrow?) If our Creator attends to the needs of creatures who cannot even pray, how much more will He sustain you as His beloved child?

Prayer

Jesus, I hand over the burdens and "what-ifs" I’ve been carrying today. Forgive me for trying to manage a tomorrow that isn't mine to carry yet. Quiet my racing thoughts, help me receive the specific grace You have provided for this exact moment, and teach me to rest securely in my heavenly Father's care. Amen.

Application

Whenever you catch yourself spiraling into worry today, use this three-step reset:

• Pause: Interrupt the thought loop and take a deliberate breath.

• Look: Glance out a window, step outside, or picture a bird in flight to ground your perspective.

• Declare: Whisper this truth aloud: "My Father knows what I need, and He is already in tomorrow."

New Beginnings: The Dove

 Tuesday August 11, 2026

Scripture

Genesis 8:11

“Then the dove returned to him in the evening, and there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf!”

Reflection

Noah had been in the ark for a long time. The flood had changed everything.He couldn't see what was happening outside. He didn't know exactly when the waiting would end.

Then the dove returned with an olive leaf. It was a small thing—but it carried an enormous message:

Life was returning.

And I believe it matters that it was a dove. Throughout Scripture and indeed across cultures, doves have carried a particular kind of symbolism: gentleness, peace, purity, and the quiet arrival of hope. Doves don’t force their way into a scene—they appear softly, almost humbly. Their presence is often the sign that God is doing something gentle, something new, something life‑giving.

In the Noah’s story, the dove became a messenger of transition. The dove did not announce the dramatic end of the flood. Nor did the dove's presence signal the full restoration of the world. The Dove was the first sign that the long season of waiting was shifting.

I have found that many times God’s encouragement comes in the little experiences in life.

A conversation. A phone call. A little progress. A moment of peace. A door opening. A reminder from Scripture.

We may be looking for something dramatic while God is quietly showing us that new life is beginning.

The olive leaf in the Dove's beak did not mean everything was back to normal following the flood. There was still a lot of work ahead.

But it was evidence that the story was changing.

I wonder today how many of us need to notice the little signs of grace around us—the “doves” God sends your way, carrying hints of hope in their beaks.

Prayer

God, help me notice the small signs of Your grace. When I am waiting for something big, remind me not to overlook the little ways You are already bringing new life. Amen.

Application

Ask yourself: “Where might God be showing me that something new is beginning?”

Write down one small sign of hope you see today.

Out of Nowhere: The Raven

Monday August 10, 2026

Opening Prayer

Holy Spirit, breathe on these Scriptures as they are read. Make familiar words fresh, and new words clear. Stir faith, awaken hope, and lead us into the truth that sets us free. Amen.

Scripture

1 Kings 17:2-6

2 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: 3 “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. 4 You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.”

5 So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.

Reflection

Let's be honest: ravens aren't exactly the favorites of the bird world. If you're expecting a care package, you usually don't expect it to be delivered by a scavenger.

Ravens are incredibly intelligent, but they are also self-centered gatherers who look out for number one, and they are way more likely to steal your lunch than share theirs. That goes against every instinct they have. 

For me, that’s exactly what makes this story so interesting and encouraging. Let's confess the truth we know from our faith experiences, God rarely provides for us in the exact way we map out in our minds.

Picture Elijah. He’s hiding out by a stream in the middle of a massive, terrifying drought. He has absolutely no idea where his next meal is coming from, but God already had it covered. And His delivery method? A flock of selfish, noisy scavengers.

We often fall into the trap of believing that God's help must come through the “right” people,  or the perfectly arranged circumstances that we would have chosen ourselves. But thankfully, God isn’t limited by our expectations.

I believe our reading today of a scavenger bird dropping off a meal for a Prophet is the perfect reminder for us, that God can—and will—use completely unexpected people, weird circumstances, and out-of-the-blue opportunities to take care of us.

We may have no clue how God is going to pull it off and deliver his care for us. But, know this, we can absolutely trust that He will.

Prayer

Lord, help me to take a breath and trust You, especially when I can't see how things are going to work out. Remind me that the ways You provide aren't limited by my own expectations. Give me the eyes to see the weird, wonderful, and unexpected ways You're taking care of me today. Amen.

Today's Application

• Keep an eye out: Look for just one totally unexpected way God has provided for you recently (even if it didn't look the way you wanted it to).
  
  
• Show some gratitude: Thank God for something basic that you usually brush off or take for granted.
  
  
• When panic or anxiety sets in: If you find yourself stressing about tomorrow, just pause and pray: “God, I have no idea how this is going to happen, but I trust You.”