As a teenager, living near the Gulf Coast of Alabama, I went to the beach often. Back then, we didn’t use beach umbrellas as much. Or maybe I didn’t notice that my dad was the one always setting it up.

Now that I live near the beach again, I was excited to take my three grown daughters when they visited recently. We packed all the new beach equipment, snacks, and drinks and drove to the beach. As we got there, we chose our spot and set up the chairs. Then, I pulled out the new beach umbrella. The four of us stared at it, got the umbrella canopy on, and then tried to figure out how to anchor it in the sand. It was a windy day, and I noticed that the people around us were all staring. No worries, I thought; they were just looking at the new arrivals on the beach.

But we struggled to decide how far into the sand the umbrella handle should go. We were perplexed by how to utilize the handles. It seemed none of us had the strength required to shove it any deeper. So we convinced ourselves it was secure enough.

The beach neighbors’ stares became more intense. We must have looked like a confused, motley crew because, before we knew what was going on, a lady on the patch of sand next to us came charging into our space.

She didn’t say ‘hello’ or “Would you like some help?” She just made a beeline for us, and before we knew what was happening, she got on her knees and started cranking that umbrella handle until it was deep in the sand. All the while saying, “You have such a nice umbrella here. It’s such a beautiful day to be at the beach. The breeze is cooling us off from that hot sun.” And once her work was finished, she was back on her feet and gone again as quickly as she came. The four of us looked at each other and wondered, what just happened? We shrugged, laughed, and began to enjoy our day at the beach.

Later that night, I suddenly realized what she was doing. She was giving us, and all the people around us, the gift of safety. It was a windy day, and our ignorance about proper beach umbrella installation was putting others at risk. Our new friend knew what to do, and so she just did it. Her proactive work saved us, or someone else, from being impaled by a flying umbrella.

This week, God came to me just as unannounced. Trent and I received news that felt like a strong wind blowing against the direction we hoped to go, and I found myself standing in the sand again. I prayed and looked for ways to anchor down in the Lord, but because my spirit was still so anxious, I knew I hadn’t anchored deep enough.

I did the things I knew to do. I prayed, spent time in the Word, gathered with other believers, but I still felt that wind, and I wasn’t settled. Friends had mentioned listening to Scripture to steady their hearts. I had some errands to run, so I put on the bible app and started listening. At first, I selected some favorite passages and thanked the Lord for them, but I was still struggling. I decided to go to Psalms and just let it play.

That was the moment the Lord made a beeline for my soul before I even saw Him coming! The words of Psalm 4 seemed to speak directly to me and for me. I replayed it over and over as I drove. I realized He was saying this for this situation, and these words were for my heart. He anchored me so deeply as He placed His hand on my sadness, worry, disappointment, and anxiety.

Phrases like: You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer… the Lord hears when I cry to Him.

Be angry and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on beds, and be silent. Offer right sacrifices and put your trust in the Lord…Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord… In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

After the Lord spoke so clearly, I thought back to the woman who anchored my umbrella. She never asked if we needed help. She didn’t wait for an invitation. She just saw the wind, saw us fumbling, got down on her knees, and fixed it. Just like Jesus came — got down on His knees for us, lived the perfect life we couldn’t live, and secured what we could never anchor on our own. He died so we could live, not because we finally figured out what to do, but because He simply did it. And He shows up for us again and again because this world is windy and we need His steady anchoring every day.

That’s exactly who God is to us. When He sees us struggling, He doesn’t wait for an invitation. He’s already on His knees beside us. Matthew 6:8 tells us God knows what we need before we ask. He’s not waiting for us to figure it out. He already came to anchor what we could never secure on our own. So if you are standing in what feels like wind and sand today, look up. Someone already came. And He is not finished securing what confuses and concerns you yet.

My dad is an avid model railroader. For years, he’s had a wall-to-wall room that is one big train set. The walls are painted with sky and landscape. The train set is meshed against them, with a central opening so he can walk in and access the entire layout as he continues to build.

As I tried to make sense of what I was seeing, my dad explained that he’d constructed a nested figure-eight layout — a dogbone variant. A figure-eight within a figure-eight, creating multiple crossing points in a compact space. He has made the most of every inch.

There are multiple towns, each with its own scenes: long stretches of track through open countryside, rural stretches as you come into town, a town square where people mill about outside an ice cream shop, a pharmacy, a bookstore, a shoe store. There’s a baseball game in progress. A business on fire, with firefighters racing to the scene. Water towers and power lines strung across the landscape. Even a town drunk, loitering near the railroad station.

The complexity is striking. You could look for hours and still miss details of my dad’s plan.

As it hit me just how much thought had gone into this, I asked if he had a master plan. He must have — the depth of what I was seeing demanded one. He smiled and pointed to a yellow legal pad, lined with numbers, sketches, and places where he’d doubled back and reworked an idea. It was all there on paper. A design in motion.

And it isn’t finished. Some power lines aren’t hooked up yet. Some people are standing in place but not glued down. There are patches of open space, and pieces simply resting, waiting for the builder to get to them. Parts of it are genuinely messy. You can tell, looking at it, that it’s a work in progress.

As I left the room, I couldn’t help but think of my own life.

There are so many areas where I’m waiting on the Master Builder to finish His work.

Places that are messy. Places that are incomplete. I’m not a patient person — I want everything finished and tied with a bow — so the mess and the waiting can be frustrating at best, and drive me toward despair at worst.

Romans 8 holds this tension so beautifully:

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together... and not only creation, but we ourselves... groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (v. 22–23)

I long for completion — healed relationships, no more sin in me, a restored heart, mind, and body. Watching my dad’s layout, half-built and beautiful anyway, reminded me that I can trust God’s timing. He is at work. He is restoring all things. That restoration comes according to His schedule, not mine — and mercifully so.

The other thing that struck me was the sheer care my dad had poured into every detail — a fire, a ballgame, a man who’s had one too many, all placed with intention on a page before they ever appeared on the layout. If we, as humans, plan with that kind of attention, how much more does our Heavenly Father know the details of our lives? Matthew 10:30 tells us God knows the very number of hairs on our heads. He is not distant from the details. He is in them.

That’s a deep comfort on the days when a situation is hard and I start to wonder whether God sees, whether He cares. He does. He is not vague about my life the way a stranger glancing at that train room might be — missing the firefighters, missing the town drunk, missing the doubled-back sketch on the legal pad. He built the plan. He knows every crossing point.

And so I’m learning to hold both truths at once, the way that room does. It’s unfinished — wires not yet connected, figures not yet fixed in place, open spaces still waiting their turn. And it’s also, already, breathtakingly intentional, down to the last small detail. My life is both of those things too. Not because God has abandoned the plan, but because He’s still standing in the room, adding one more piece at a time, on a timeline only He can see the whole of. I don’t have to finish it. I don’t even have to understand it yet. I just have to trust the One holding the legal pad — because He’s good, and because the details, even the messy and unfinished ones, are exactly where He’s working.

I have always loved storms, but Florida storms have taken my enjoyment of them to a whole new level. Take today, for instance. It was a sunny 89-degree day, and I was sitting outside enjoying the heat when the wind began to blow — from every direction at once. The trees started to sway. Darkness gathered in the distance, but not for long.

As the cloud cover moved closer and the wind grew stronger, the trees moved in a dance all their own. The temperature dropped from 89 to 77 in five minutes. The change was immediate and undeniable. One moment I needed sunglasses against the glare; the next, I needed the flashlight on my phone just to read the page in front of me. When the rain finally let loose, it came down in torrents — too heavy for the patio to block it, so I had to move inside to stay dry.

In a matter of moments, everything changed.

As all of this was happening, I was reading about repentance. Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth writes, “Repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of behavior.” Somewhat like the change I watched happen right before my eyes — and the change God is always longing to bring in our hearts.

Lately, the Lord has been speaking to me about vast but specific areas of repentance:

• I still seek others’ approval when God offers me His own.

• A friend recently repeated my own words back to me as I talked about God — I think I know better. As she mirrored them to me, I sat stunned and ashamed. It quickly became a place of repentance and surrender to the only wise God.

• I have long believed that words said in private don’t really count. Last week, Matthew 12:36 told me otherwise: “Everyone will give an account for every careless word spoken.” Suddenly, I realized every word was coming from my heart and shaping it. Psalm 19:14 became my plea again: “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

• Secret attitudes of dislike and disrespect have long found tolerance in my heart. Realizing they are sin has stirred a new neediness in me — I need God to help me see the wrong attitudes and replace them.

• The lack of love I see in my own self-preservation is a recurring theme. The need to move past myself so I can genuinely love others is a daily, desperate one.

The funny thing is, while I loved the change in the weather, I don’t always love God’s invitation for me to change. It’s often painful — His precision is always right, exacting, and it cuts deep. He never misses the mark, and I’m often left feeling exposed, raw, and ashamed. But that exposure isn’t God’s way of punishing me; it’s the byproduct of being truly seen.

That God would take the time to show me my own heart is evidence of His nearness, His love, His mercy, and His kindness. I can’t begin to count the times He’s invited me to repent, and I’ve ignored the invitation — always with disastrous results. If I loved someone who was walking toward a cliff, I would warn them. That is exactly what God is doing for me.

And here is the better news: God never asks us to do something without providing the power to do it. The power of the storm that rolled through my backyard today is nothing compared to the power at work in those who believe (Ephesians 1:19-20) — the same power that raised Christ from the dead. We are never left to do this alone.

That kind of power doesn’t ask my permission before it moves; it simply moves, the same way the temperature dropped before I’d even known what happened. I don’t have to manufacture the courage to change, and I don’t have to white-knuckle my way into surrender. I only have to yield — the way the trees yielded, the way the sky gave up its blue for gray and then for black.

I’ve seen these storms enough to know that it will pass as quickly as it came. The sun will return, the air will smell washed and new, and the yard will shine in a way it hadn’t an hour before. Nothing in that landscape was untouched by the storm, and nothing in my heart is meant to stay untouched by His invitation either.

So tonight, I’m asking the Lord for what I cannot give myself: a heart that welcomes the invitation to repent, trusts the One who sends it, and comes through every storm not flattened, but washed clean and growing a little more toward its Maker.

Last week I texted my dad and stepmom to ask about a summer visit. Days passed. No response. And in that silence, my mind filled in the blanks. Maybe they’re trying to find a kind way to tell us not to come. Maybe it’s not a good time. Maybe...

When life slowed down, and I finally called, the truth was the complete opposite of my fears. They’d never received the text. My stepmom was overjoyed—she even talked about seeing God’s hand in the timing—and within minutes she was planning a day just for the two of us. The whole time I was bracing for rejection, the answer was already acceptance and a happy yes. I was just lost in my own understanding of things.

On a recent phone call, my dad and I talked about the day he dropped me off at college. For 38 years, I’ve carried a specific memory: my mom and I unpacking my dorm room while my dad offered his help to other families in the dorm. I kept glancing around, wondering where he’d gone. “Why isn’t he with me in this room? It’s probably because it’s hard for him to be with me,” were just some of my thoughts. I remember the feeling when they drove away—there was freedom, but also a deep sadness and aloneness. I wondered if they couldn’t wait to leave.

But that’s not all of the story. Dad told me he’d brought his toolbox on purpose. While I was looking for him, he was down the hall, knocking on doors, asking other freshmen and their families if anything needed hanging or fixing—anything to delay the goodbye a little longer. He wasn’t avoiding me. He was near me, just outside my line of sight, doing the only thing he knew how to do with a heart that didn’t want to let go.

For 38 years, I had the facts of that day and the story wrong.

I recently heard someone say that after we come to Christ, we spend the rest of our lives undoing wrong thoughts about God. That line has stayed with me, because if I can misread my earthly father—a man who has provided for me and been kind to me my whole life —how much more do I misread my Father in heaven?

Think about the seasons when God feels silent. We’ve prayed. We’ve waited. The answer doesn’t come, or it comes as no, or life doesn’t happen the way we hoped. And in that gap—in that waiting—we start writing a story. Maybe He’s distant. Maybe He’s disappointed in me. Maybe this means He doesn’t care, or He’s forgotten, or the answer is no because I’m not worth a yes.

But what if, like my dad with his toolbox, God is not absent in the silence—He’s near, working on our behalf, in ways we simply can’t see from where we’re standing? What if the very thing we’ve interpreted as rejection is actually love, already at work, just not yet visible?

Isaiah 55 tells us His thoughts are not our thoughts, His ways not our ways—not because He’s distant, but because He sees the whole hallway while I am only seeing my own doorway. Lamentations tells us His mercies are new every morning, even when the night feels long. And Job, after everything, doesn’t say I finally got my answers. He says, I had heard of you, but now I see you. Job’s ability to find peace came from finally seeing God as He actually is, rather than the story Job had built about Him.

I wonder how many of us are living inside a 38-year-old misunderstanding of God—shaped by a hard season, an unanswered prayer, a silence we filled with our own worst guess. And I wonder what it would feel like to hear, finally, His side of the story. To discover that in the very moment we felt most alone, He was nearer than we knew, already moving toward the yes we couldn’t yet see.

Last week, my 14-month-old granddaughter came for a visit. I loved every minute with her. When everyone left, I have to confess, I could not bring myself to clean off the fingerprints all over the sliding glass doors. Every time I saw them, I smiled and, in my mind’s eye, saw her standing there all over again.

One of the things I love about being with my granddaughter is the deep level of trust she has in me. When something was wrong, she would immediately turn to me to fix it. When we were outside and an ambulance and fire truck came by with sirens blaring, she quickly moved into my arms for refuge. Once she was there, the noise didn’t phase her. If she couldn’t remove a lid or get a toy to work, she would stretch out her hand, give it to me, and wait for me to return it to her.

When she was hungry or thirsty, she looked to me, and I was happy to give her everything she needed and more. She would find things that interested her and immediately share them with me. Her joy was mine as she brought me into her world again and again.

As she kept turning to me, I kept thinking of how God invites us to turn to Him—an old hymn, How Firm a Foundation, played over and over in my mind.

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in His excellent Word.

What more can He say than to you He hath said, to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled.

I began to wonder how quickly I turn to the Lord when something is wrong…

• when I’m afraid…

• when things aren’t working out…

• when I need something…

• when I’m finding joy in life…

• Or when I’m in the middle of the mundane…?

Written on my prayer card since January for my heart right now is, Help me Father to come to you quicker; not to wait, but for you to be my first go-to. Last week, my granddaughter showed me again and again what that looks like. As the caregiver, provider, protector, and refuge, I found my joy unmatched! I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. I was constantly wondering what else she would find delight in. What will she need next? And I couldn’t wait to be with her as she discovered or needed something else. I couldn’t wait to give to her!

If I, being a broken, fallen human being, found joy in loving her and meeting her needs, how much more is that true of our Heavenly Father?

Matthew 6:8 tells us our Father knows what we need before we ask Him.

Luke 12:32 Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

We often think God is like us- easily annoyed, tired, out of resources, and just plain stingy with them, but that is not the God of the Bible. Our God is good, gracious, generous, great, and glorious just to start with! When we come again and again, even with the same issue, He welcomes us with open arms and a smile. And He invites us to come any time about anything.

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Matthew 11: 28 Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Isaiah 55:1 Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come buy and eat! Come buy wine and milk without money and without price.

That the God of the universe would invite me to come and lavishly receive from Him is almost more than I can comprehend; and yet we find Him telling us to do that again and again.

Last week, my granddaughter didn’t hesitate. She didn’t try to handle the sirens first and come to me when she’d calmed down. She didn’t struggle with the lid until her hands hurt before finally giving up. She just... turned. Immediately, instinctively, trustingly. And every single time she did, I was there — arms open, more than ready.

That’s the picture. That’s the invitation.

What are your sirens today? What lid won’t budge? What are you carrying into this week that you haven’t yet stretched out your hand and given to Him? He already knows — Matthew 6:8 tells us He knows what we need before we ask — but He wants us to come. Not because He needs the information, but because He wants the relationship.

The hymn writer had a strong word for us. For refuge to Jesus have fled. Not walked. Not arrived all put together. Fled. He wants us to run to Him in the middle of an ordinary Tuesday. There is no moment too small, no need too trivial, no fear too irrational. He is not easily annoyed. He is not out of resources. He is watching and waiting on us— wondering what we’ll bring Him next, and He cannot wait to give to His children.

So come.

Jesus holds. He always holds. Run to Him.

In February, on the Love Like You Mean It cruise, I had the opportunity to do one of my favorite things- snorkeling. We stopped in Roatán, Honduras, jumped into a van, and drove across to an island with a reef. Everything was quaint and native, not commercialized, so just being there was visually stunning. We got onto a primitive boat that motored us out a little way from shore. It was breathtakingly beautiful as we could see the coastline. We all donned our masks and snorkels, grabbed our fins, and jumped in.

The moment I put my face into the water, I was mesmerized. It was an entirely different world! I saw so many different colors and shapes of fish. One of the guys dove down and brought a lobster back up with him. Our guide, who was still on the boat, called out, “Shark, shark!” We looked over and saw about a 4-foot shark swimming by, minding his own business. Two stingrays swam under us. The coral was alive and colorful. The entire water-saturated view was beyond description--I didn’t want to take my eyes off everything.

The only thing separating me from the beautiful world all around me was just putting on a mask and breaking the surface of the water. The thought of only being separated by a thin veil made me start thinking spiritually. When we sit down to read our Bible and be with God, we often pray Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. That is a prayer God loves to answer, and He does so faithfully. That is a prayer asking God to remove the veil, our blinders from seeing the spiritual realities all around us and in us.

This morning, as I opened my Bible and asked God to speak, I felt like I was back snorkeling. He opened up another world to me. I could not believe the power and beauty of His Word that He allowed me to see. It was just what my heart needed, and it was breathtaking as God revealed it. I didn’t want to close my Bible and continue on with my day. I wanted to stay right there looking at all God wanted to show me.

Trent and I have been praying about something for 4 years. To say I am weary, confused, and at times discouraged would be very accurate. On many days, I do not see the life or the beauty. I brought all of that to the Lord again this morning, then opened to the next scripture planned for today. It was James 5:7-12. I read that God tells us to be patient twice in just five verses. He also said to consider the lives of the prophets. (As saints, our lives are more similar than you might think.)

These four things seemed alive and in living color:

1. Be patient.

2. Establish your heart, for the Lord is coming back.

3. We consider those blessed who remain steadfast.

4. The Lord is compassionate and merciful.

As soon as I began to digest what I was reading, my breath was taken away. Do you ever wonder if God sees, if God knows? We know intellectually that He does. But today, I knew beautifully, powerfully that He sees and knows. This Scripture was for me today and every day as we walk this road of so far, unanswered prayer. It was as if I put my head back underwater and saw the breathtaking beauty of God, His Word, and His answer to my prayer for help. His timing was perfect. His words were perfect. I knew He was seeing, hearing, and answering, and I do not know of anything more beautiful and breathtaking than that--the God of the universe taking the time to speak to me.

Be patient

I would like to believe that I highly value efficiency, but the truth is, I am a very impatient person. Thankfully, patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit. I have a Helper who is perfect in patience and can form that in me as I yield to Him.

Establish your heart for the Lord is coming back

How I long for an established heart! How do our hearts become steady, established? How do they see the breathtaking beauty that is right there below the surface? By reading, remembering, and standing on Truth, the Truth that we find in Jesus and His Word. Recently, I heard that the one who keeps his eyes on eternity for good does the most good while living here on earth. Remembering that Jesus is coming back and will one day recreate everything perfectly brings hope to my soul and a joy I can’t keep hidden.

We consider those blessed who remain steadfast

Notice the blessing isn’t in getting what you are praying for. The blessing is remaining close to Jesus, continuing to walk and talk with Him even when the storm is raging and the darkness is all around. James tells us in chapter 1, verse 3, that the trial produces steadfastness, and that steadfastness produces blessing and hope.

The Lord is compassionate and merciful

In my trial, unanswered prayer, I have a God who moves toward me with compassion and mercy. He sees my sin, suffering, confusion, and doubt, but instead of repelling Him, it draws Him to me. Not because I am good but because He is good, kind, compassionate, and merciful.

I can hardly wait for tomorrow. Every morning is another chance to pull on the mask, break the surface, and find ourselves in another world- the one that was there all along, just beneath the ordinary. The reef doesn’t change just because we’re not looking at it. God’s Word is already alive with color and movement and things that take your breath away. He’s simply waiting for us to put our faces in.

It’s a thin veil. And the Holy Spirit loves to lift it for anyone who comes with eyes to see.

Trent and I are taking down the Christmas decorations and turning our attention toward the new year. But before we do, I had an experience during these holidays that I don’t want to forget. We had such special days at the end of 2025. The trips were completed, presents given, loved ones seen, and Jesus was celebrated and worshiped. There was one day when I had everything planned. I was hoping to create a special day. But as I laid out my plan and made suggestions, people always seemed to have a better idea.

I’ve changed the details in the sentences that follow, but the experience was real. Where I had planned to go to a nice restaurant, they asked to go to McDonald’s instead. I had planned a stay at a hotel with an indoor water park, but they wanted Motel 6. I had gifts planned that would last for years, but they wanted trinkets from the Target $5 section. At first, I acquiesced, but the longer this went on, the more confused and sad I became. I quit asking and deferring. I carried out my original plan, and the mood changed. There was wonder and joy as eyes began to take in what I had in mind for them.

As all of this was happening, the Lord whispered so kindly to my heart, “Andrea, this is what you are like sometimes with me. Why won’t you just trust and follow? My ways are always better.” I immediately saw it and agreed. How much time do I spend worrying and trying to chart my own course instead of listening, surrendering, and following? I thought of Psalm 23 and how God reveals Himself as our Shepherd, our leader, and guide. l am just like sheep, not very clever and desperately in need of a Shepherd. Our Good Shepherd loves, leads, provides, protects, and cares for his sheep no matter how slow they are to follow.

In Psalm 23, we see that Jesus satisfies us. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. This is not a statement about how I feel. It is a statement of objective truth. This doesn’t mean we will have everything we want. It means Jesus shepherds well. We will not lack anything we need. You may not have what you want- good health, more money, a loved one back. But our Good Shepherd always provides what is best in light of eternity. As a sheep, my view is so limited. I can trust that the Good Shepherd is working all things for my good, even when I don’t see it or understand it.

In verse 3, we see that Jesus restores us. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. I was trying to lead my people on good paths toward good things, but they kept wanting a different path. My heart is just like that! God has good paths set for me, but I see unloving attitudes, jealousy, bitterness, and strife want to lead me down their paths. Left to myself, I will always go the wrong way. Our Good Shepherd daily, hourly, moment by moment patiently keeps leading.

The tone shifts in verse 4. We move from this picturesque setting to a dark valley. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.

Psalm 23 tells us that God knows where we live. He knows in the Now, and Not Yet, life gets dark and difficult. We have all wondered at some point, if God is leading me, why am I here?

Those seasons can be long and confusing, but as his sheep, we are not left to ourselves. In this verse are two promises- God is with us, and we are not stuck in the valley; He is leading us through it. Maybe it’s in the valley, he knows we will hold tighter to him. Maybe in the dark valley, we will see Jesus’s light more clearly.

In verse 5, the Psalmist changes his metaphor. It’s almost as if he says, the sheep/shepherd metaphor can’t convey this last point. So he switches to a friend who lavishes hospitality on you. You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. God pulls up a chair and sits with us. The God of the universe calls us friends. Whether you are in a season of obvious blessing or a hard one, Jesus has prepared a table for you and invites you to come sit with him.

As his sheep, we need him for everything, and Jesus loves to be our Shepherd. His paths of righteousness are always for our good. You may feel like giving up on yourself, but our Good Shepherd never gives up on or abandons his sheep.

I have a friend who says, “Anything that makes you need God is a blessing.” While I wholeheartedly agree with the statement, continual neediness doesn’t feel like an advantage! It often feels precarious, risky, and uncomfortable. As we plant a new church, our need is acute.

Thankfully, I am reading through the Bible with Paul Tripp’s book, Everyday Gospel. This week, we started the book of Acts, and the Lord began to show me a man who was in great need. In Acts 3:1-16, Peter and John come into the temple and are asked by an older man who has been crippled since birth for money. Instead of money, Peter, through the Spirit, gives healing. This captures everyone’s attention, and people start asking how this happened. Peter tells them, this man was made strong by faith in the name of Jesus. (Acts 3:16)

What do you tend to think of people that you see holding signs on the side of the road asking for money? An honest answer would reveal that our hearts judge. We look down on homeless beggars. As we judge today, this man was being considered through a much harsher lens. In biblical times, any physical weakness was seen as stemming from personal sin or the sin of one’s parents. He and others have not seen his weakness as a blessing, but rather as a curse. He is in an extremely low place in life and has been there for over 40 years.

But God has a plan! Peter graciously steps in, and by the power of the Spirit, the man is healed. The phrase, This man was made strong by faith in Jesus resonated with me. What would that look like, Lord, to be so needy yet made strong by faith in you? I decided to list my needs and who I know God to be.

Father, prices are increasing while our income is decreasing. - You are our Provider.

The Lord will provide. Genesis 22:14

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

God is and has been providing for us all, every day of our lives. He is a generous God. He sees. He knows what we need. It feels scary to me, but I can trust you.

Father, I’m disappointed that our new church plant isn’t growing faster. You are the One who builds your church.

I will build my church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18

And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:47

All churches are a work of God! I remember believing that with every fiber of my being after we planted Gospel City Church. The process was never easy, and it wasn’t built on my timing, but His.

Father, this season is complex and confusing.- You are Sovereign

It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. Acts 1:7

As a human, I lean into the false illusion that I know what is going on. I don’t! There is only One who knows and understands all. Because He is good, loving, and sovereign, I can trust Him at all times, especially when I can’t see and don’t understand.

As I ended my list, one word echoed in my mind: Faithful. God is so faithful! It’s my favorite descriptive word for God and has been for a long time. I just tend to forget and need the reminders in His word every day. I have seen God’s faithfulness as my Good Shepherd, who gently and patiently leads me. He has been and is my Rock when life is unsteady. He is a constant Savior for this needy sinner. He is the Lifter of my Head when my head is hanging in discouragement. My neediness drives me to seek Him. My neediness draws Him to me, never away.

I guess that’s what my friend means when she says, “Anything that makes me need God is a blessing.” God used the story of the lame man at the Beautiful Gate to see my neediness as the treasure that it is. And because He is Faithful, God will continue to meet me in my need and remind me of the truth.

Psalm 61 has become one of my favorites. The Psalmist begins by asking the Lord to hear him, to listen. We know our Good Father listens to our prayers, whether they are prayers of gratitude or cries for help. The Psalmist states that he is crying out from the ends of the earth, conveying his feelings of distance and discouragement. The Psalmist notices and names his feelings, but he doesn’t stop there. He presses in with a request.

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I is his plea. What a perfect petition. He acknowledges his faint heart, his discouragement, and feelings of disorientation and asks for God to come and lead him to Himself. David knows who God is, but he takes the time to remind himself.

David calls God a Rock, meaning He is unmovable and enduring. He is constant and unchangeable in a world that is constantly changing. He is a refuge where people can find safety and shelter. He is solid and dependable, a place where you can stand without fear of it collapsing. A perfect place to go when your own heart is weak or faint.

David also knows that God is higher than he is. Scripture tells us that God sits enthroned above the circle of the earth. (Isaiah 40:22) When you are disoriented, it is beneficial to have a connection to the highest person, the one who has the best view and can see it all. David acknowledges that his view is limited, so he asks to be brought near to the One who sees and knows it all from now and throughout all of eternity.

David also knows that He is a God who will rescue his children when they cry out to Him. And David remembers how God has met him in the past as a refuge and safe haven in times of trouble. Then he asks to be kept near God by being in God’s tent and under God’s wing.

As my heart experiences more ups and downs than kids on a seesaw, I can relate to the feelings of a faint heart. Sudden fear, eyes off the Rock and onto the impossibility of a good outcome, leaves me faint-hearted and discouraged. But then, remembering David’s request, I pray it too.

Father lead me to you, my Rock. You are perfect in wisdom and understanding.

Lately, the answer has come in the form of

• Reminders of Scripture- “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

• Invitations to repent of my trying harder, blaming others, and justifying my worrying

• Reminders of who God is- Good, Sovereign, the One who is in control of all

• Waking up filled with gratitude and staying that way all day

• Good gospel conversation with a new friend who is Buddhist and genuinely seeking

As my heart starts to plummet and grow faint, His nearness is my greatest good. He gently whispers the truth to be believed, reminding me of Who He is —a Rock, a haven, and an eternally trustworthy one.

This week, three Bible studies that God has been working into me have been released on Amazon. I wanted to feel relieved and experience a sense of accomplishment after years of work, and more recently, the work of formatting them. Instead, I felt I was under more pressure! We kept finding small mistakes. My mind was spinning with thoughts of “now that these are out there, how will people discover them?” What I thought was the finish line now seems more like the starting line.

Ever been there? Life and work can be tiring. We are weary from the work and realize the work has just begun! Sometimes our arms feel tired from lifting. Our legs tired of racing, and our hands tired of doing. The voices inside our heads can be both beautiful and distressing, as well as strident. Our minds get tired of spinning and solving.

Thankfully, my monthly leaders call for Center Groups was that same week. As we began the call, I was invited to participate in Centering Prayer. Centering prayer is a time set aside to quiet your mind and make room for the Lord in your heart, mind, and life. Then we have a time of silence so we can listen for Jesus’s voice. Gratefully, He spoke.

First, he asked, “Andrea, ‘What do you want?’ What are you longing for?” My answer was that these Bible studies would draw people to Him. Would be used for His glory. That the voice that spoke so powerfully to me through these Scriptures would speak to all who read them. The Lord answered with, My Word does not return void. It accomplishes everything I intended for it to. Isaiah 55:11.

Then he simply said, “Bring the bible studies to me. They are too heavy for you, but they are easy for me to carry.” He brought to mind the boy with the loaves and fish in Matthew 14:13-21. Jesus has been teaching the people all day. The sun is setting, and people are tired and hungry. The disciples recognize the need and bring it to Jesus’ attention. Jesus tells his disciples to give the people something to eat.

Jesus commands his disciples to feed over 5,000 people! The disciples are incredulous and know they have no ability whatsoever to do what Jesus has asked. Feed all of these people? They are in a remote place and probably can’t even feed themselves. The disciples tell Jesus what they have, and it is small, too small to feed even three people.

Jesus doesn’t even hesitate with the small offering. He simply says, “Bring them to me.” He takes five loaves of bread and two fish out of their hands. He has the crowd sit down. Looking up to heaven, he thanks God, and then he begins to break the food into pieces. He keeps thanking and breaking until over 5.000 people are fed and 12 baskets are left over.

Can you imagine the disciples’ shock and awe? As they saw everyone eat their fill, each disciple was left standing holding a basket full of bread and fish! They brought him the little they had, and he multiplied it to feed many. I love that Jesus gave each disciple a full basket when everyone had finished eating. The smile on Jesus’s face and the surprise on the disciples must have been something to see!

Because of Jesus’ gracious invitation, I brought and continue to bring Center, Chosen, and Called to Him. He is a much better keeper and multiplier than I will ever be. It feels like such a small offering ( I am no Paul Tripp!), but it is what I have. The invitation to simply bring Jesus what we have is open to us every second of every day of our lives. It may not seem like much to us, but placed in Jesus’s hands, he can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. Ephesians 3:20. What is in your hands today? Will you join me in bringing it to Jesus? He has the most trustworthy hands in the universe!

You can order your copies of Center, Chosen, and Called at the link below.

Order Your Copies Here

On Monday night and Tuesday of this week, Trent and I were with 100 other church-planting pastors and their wives. We enjoyed some fantastic food, made new friends, and had a sweet time of worship. On Tuesday morning, the women gathered for some time together without the men. When women who love Jesus gather and are genuine and transparent, something special always happens. These are the times I look forward to the most.

This Tuesday morning did not disappoint. As we went around the table and shared where we saw God at work in our churches and where we needed prayer personally, God’s gracious presence in and around us was so palpable.

Women asked for prayer for dire health concerns; tumors found, ER trips taken in the last month, and conditions that medication wasn’t controlling. Women were wondering how long they would be able to stay at their church, how long before they would be asked to leave due to the overwhelming problems they had inherited. A younger pastor’s wife was seeking a mentor and pouring out her struggles, longing for advice. An older pastor’s wife was wondering if and how the Lord would continue to use her for His kingdom. I confessed my own struggles with doubt, fears for the future, and unbelief. As I listened and prayed, heard and attempted to understand, these categories were large in my mind.

Creation:

I was made for meaningful work.

I was made for intimacy with God.

I was made to be unashamed.

I was made for work to be free, easy, and light.

I was made to be valued and enjoyed.

I was made to be safe, significant, and loved.

This was the world God created us to live in. Where bodies didn’t age and die. Where there was intimacy with God and each other. No loneliness or craving for significance. All good longings. Things we were made for. But we know that did not last long. Sin entered the world, and we entered into the Fall where we still live today.

Fall:

I sin- I gossip, envy, am full of pride, I lie, I worship idols

I am sinned against- I am gossiped about, I am lied to, I am hurt, left out and resented.

I suffer- I get sick, I lose people to death and deterioration, I can’t cure my hurting child.

These were the hurts I was hearing from my pastor-wife-friends. The world is broken, we are broken, and we long to be whole. That’s where our Hero, Jesus, steps in. He is so loving. He did not leave us to ourselves but came to redeem.

Redemption: In Christ

I am loved and accepted.

I am chosen and adopted.

I am forgiven and made new.

I have the God of all comfort and endurance with me at all times.

I am never alone.

I have grace that is sufficient for today.

Because of Jesus, we now have hope, freedom, grace, help, adoption into His family, and his constant care and presence. He is redeeming all things and situations. So in the midst of the hard, there is hope for today and for our future. This brings us to our final category: eternal and complete restoration.

Eternal Restoration:

I will never cry again.

I will see Jesus face-to-face.

I will never feel pain, shame, or alienation again.

I will never sin or be sinned against.

All sad things will be made untrue.

I will be at perfect peace.

How we long for that day! Come, Lord Jesus! But until then, we will continue to live in the reality of the Fall- it’s broken now; and Redemption- He is working in, around, despite, and through us. He is making all things new.

In the Now and the Not Yet, we will continue to hold opposing realities:

We are broken and beautiful.

We have dignity and depravity.

We are all wounded, and we all wound.

We are saints and sinners.

We are going to struggle, and life will be hard. And Jesus reminds us, In this world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:33

So how will we live and love today as we journey toward eternity? How will we walk each other home? Our stories matter. Our lives matter. We have been put on this planet at this time to walk with and point to the One who matters most. As my pastor-wife-friends struggle, and I struggle, my prayer is that I will see and remember all these categories, but live and focus on the redemption that is ours today in Christ Jesus. He is making all things new. He is faithful and He will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:24

When was the last time you were invited to dance? What was your response? Do you remember the last time you danced? What was it like?

Our daughter Leah got married last month. At the end of the reception, the dance floor was full; Leah and Ben, along with their guests, were having the time of their lives. As the mom watching, I couldn’t stop smiling. The freedom, fun, and happiness in that moment are memories I treasure.

I didn’t dance much that night. I invited someone, but they weren’t that interested. ( It was a 6-year-old boy who seemed like he wanted to join, but I guess not.) But there has been Someone continually inviting me to dance. God has. He graciously continues to invite me into a spiritual dance that always ends in peace, freedom, and joy. The dance is not complicated. The steps are always the same.

The invitation comes multiple times a day. Last night, the invitation was clear. I saw something on social media that seemed like a promise broken. My heart immediately responded with anger, jealousy, comparison, and self-pity. I began to wonder how to fix it. Do I work harder? Confront this person? Let my mind spin as I attempt to come up with a solution. Do I give up and try something else altogether? How can I avoid this person without letting them know I am avoiding them? Not a fun place I wanted to be stuck in.

That’s when I heard the invitation.

God, “Andrea, what are you focusing on?”

Me, “Things I don’t have that I want. Broken commitments that sting.”

God, “What is coming up in your heart?”

Me, “Anger, jealousy, and self-pity. I’m comparing, and my life is coming up short.”

Step One- Repentance

God, “Come to me. Where might you repent?”

Me, “Father, I know your word tells me not to compare. It is a trap, and I am in it. Would you forgive me?”

God, “yes, every time. 100%. On the cross, I have paid for that sin in full.”

Step Two- Belief

God, “Can you look at Me instead of the painful situation? What is true about Me? Where do I fill the gaps?

Me, “You are the good and gracious God who gives me everything I need for life today. You are the Good Shepherd. You have been leading me all the days of my life to where I am today. You have given me a seat at your table. It is a different seat from my friend. I can trust you to choose which place and seat you want each of us to have. You satisfy me with good things. What I am looking for really doesn’t satisfy, but I quickly seem to forget that.”

Step Three- Moving Forward in Love

God, “How could you love in this situation?”

Me, “Please help me with this! Help me focus on You more than what I want. Help me hold onto the truth that You are enough, that Your grace is sufficient, that You are trustworthy. Thank you for all you have given me. Thank you for drawing me to yourself through the need of my heart.

I can love by rejoicing in where they are. I can love by rejoicing in where you have me. I can love by not blaming them. We are all fallen people with beauty and brokenness. Help me rest in your sovereignty.”

It took several attempts to go back through the steps, but my dance partner, the Holy Spirit, kept leading graciously. He is kind enough not to leave me on the dance floor by myself. As we kept dancing, peace came. Freedom came. Joy in knowing He is leading came. I’m not sure when I’ll receive the invitation today, but I know it will come. “Andrea, would you like to dance?” May my response be, “Yes, Lord,” as He takes me by the hand and invites me to Himself.

Psalm 16:8 I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

A friend of mine just finished creating a pink princess room for her three-year-old daughter. I was amazed at the finished product and at how hard I knew my friend worked to complete the project. My friend also has a six-month-old son! When I received the picture of the painted and decorated room, I had to ask, “How did you do all of this in just a few days with two little ones?”

My friend told me that she and her husband tag-teamed it. As they worked, her daughter kept saying, “Thank you, Mommy. Thank you, Daddy.” When I read that, my eyes filled with tears. What a beautiful picture of what I want my heart to be doing.

Our good Father God is always at work in and around us. Too often, I find myself complaining or worrying about what I don’t see happening instead of focusing on and being thankful for what is happening. Thinking about how that precious three-year-old could not get any of the changes to her room done also made me think of myself and the Lord. He knows what we can and cannot do. He remembers that we are dust. He sees the longings of our hearts and many times knows He is the only one who can cause those longings to be fulfilled. Because He is good, sovereign, and faithful, we can trust that he is working for our best interest.

God sent Jesus to do everything we could not do for ourselves. Because Jesus was willing to leave his world, enter ours, and do the work of paying for our sin and redeeming us, we get to be his children today. We have access to his peace, presence, and grace, none of which we could have obtained for ourselves. Just like that sweet three-year-old, I cannot fix things or make them right, but I have a good Father who can.

There is so much I want God to do that I have no control over. I can pray. I can be in His Word so that I am beholding Him and being transformed. I can repent and move forward in faith in love, but ultimately, I can’t change myself or anyone else. I need the Lord, through the power of the gospel, to do that. And thankfully, He does.

Romans 8:28 tells us that He is working all things together for good for those of us who love him and are called according to his purpose.

What are you longing for? Is it a son or a daughter to know the Lord? Is it for peace in your home? Is it for peace in your heart? Call out to the Lover of your soul and ask. While you ask, look around for how and where he is at work. Maybe join me in praying, “Oh Father would you let the cry of my heart more often be, ‘Thank you Daddy.” as my eyes are fixed in wonder at all you are doing.”

In 2021, I found myself in a dark, confusing place. I had gone to counseling, been meeting with ladies in an accountability group, and had not missed time in the Bible, but I was off. I couldn’t put it into words besides the fact that my body was giving out, and my mind was not thinking right. My doctor discovered an autoimmune disease. I had nodules growing in my lungs, liver, and spleen. That explained the physical symptoms that were causing pain, shallow breathing, and extreme lack of energy, but I knew that my mind and spirit were still not right.

My husband and I, along with a committed group of people, had planted Gospel City Church in Granger, IN, in 2009. It had grown from thirteen people to over two thousand. We had a front row seat to watching God do amazing things! Many people came to Christ for salvation. Many people grew in their faith, and their lives were transformed. We completed three building projects, and the church was debt-free. My husband was living his best life. He was able to move from being a generalist as a church planter to doing what he did best, leading and preaching. We loved our staff and had been able to watch their families grow. Our elders were aligned and a blessing. Our kids were doing well.

Almost everything on the outside looked great, so why wasn’t I okay on the inside? With the gift of hindsight, I know now that I was utterly burned out. I had been stuck in my amygdala, or what counselors call Fight or Flight for a long time. I had become hyper-focused on solving the problems in my world. I constantly felt an underlying sense of unease. I never knew when another marriage in the church was going to fall apart or when a staff member would be upset. I felt like I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. I was constantly “on” in my house, at church, and when I was out in the community. When you are in that state, everything feels like a genuine threat. I couldn’t see that everything was ok, I was just stuck in a state of alarm.

But God.

The phrase "But God" is found many times in Scripture (44 times in the KJV) and is always a message of hope. God is constantly intervening in our lives, creating a contrast between what seems hopeless and what God can accomplish. God is so faithful and never leaves us to ourselves. He stepped in by giving me a diagnosis, rounds of medication, a diet to follow, and has put me in remission. We moved to a warmer climate where my body does so much better breathing and dealing with pain. He let us be a part of FamilyLife, where my job was simple and other people were handling the crisis. He let me slow down enough to see light and hope again.

However, the most significant source of healing came through a ministry called Parakaleo. Parakaleo was created to be a ministry for pastors' wives, specifically church-planting pastors’ wives, but I think it is for every Christian. Parakaleo teaches you tools that help you get your heart to the gospel. In any situation that arises, you have a simple tool to guide your heart toward the Truth of the gospel. Even though nothing outside might change, things change in my heart and mind as I meet with Jesus.

Ray Ortlund says, “Healing happens with the gospel, plus safety, plus time”. In 2021, God placed me in an online Parakaleo group, where I felt safe and began my healing journey. In 2022, I drove an hour to be part of a local group. Some women were driving 2 to 3 hours. ‘It is worth the drive, ’ we would always say! In 2024, I apprenticed under a Parakaleo leader, and the group met in my home. In 2025, nine ladies gathered once a month, where we met with the Lord and each other.

Parakaleo helped me acknowledge the longings in my heart as right and good things, see why things are broken now, and how Jesus will one day restore all things. I learned that it wasn’t wrong to long for good things that I don’t have yet and won't until Heaven. I will live with unfulfilled longings in the here and now, and for that, there is grace available.

I was able to see the sin in my heart and mind, and taught where to go with it. Instead of burying sin, ignoring it, or running to solve someone else’s crisis, I was invited to bring it to the cross of Jesus, knowing that I am a great sinner and He is a greater Savior. Who Jesus is and what He has done grew in my mind and heart.

I am learning that I let my voice and others’ voices be loud in my mind. Oftentimes, louder and stronger than Jesus’s. Being able to repent and ask the Lord to help me hear Him and listen to Him more than anyone else is healing me.

I am learning that Jesus rested and invites me to rest too. To rest in His finished work on the cross and the grace available every day. He has got it, and because He does, I don’t have to.

I don’t know if you are dealing with anything similar, but if you are, I would love for you to know you are not alone. God is waiting to write a But God into your story! He is so faithful, and life change is His specialty! Jeremiah 29:13 tells us we will seek and find God when we seek Him with all our hearts. He loves to intervene with a But God….

If you think being a part of a Parakaleo group might help you on your journey, I would love to invite you to join a group this fall, either online or a local in-person group. It may feel awkward or intimidating at first. I felt that way, too, but we all understand ministry life. We are all broken and yet beautiful, and God loves to show up where His children are seeking Him. I would love to invite you to be a part of a Cohort I am leading called Center Group. We will walk through the Parakaleo Legacy material together.

Here is a link where you can sign up.

Join My Center Group

These last two days, I've been thinking through Matthew 14:22-32. You probably know the story well. Twelve disciples are in a boat when they are caught in a storm. About 3 am, they see what they believe to be a ghost walking towards them on the stormy water. They cry out in fear, and the "ghost" speaks to them, telling them not to be afraid but to have courage; it is Jesus, walking toward them. Peter yells out, "Lord, if that is you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water." So Jesus simply says, "Yes, come."

With that simple command, Peter begins to do what is humanly impossible. Think of the courage it took for Peter to step out of that boat. He was a fisherman; he knew very well that, according to the normal natural laws, it was physically impossible for him to step onto that water. Yet when his eyes were fixed on Jesus, he was able to get out of that boat and walk on the water.

The adventurous side of me would love to do some water walking! For me, the literal walking on water will have to wait until heaven. But at the same time, I hear Jesus calling me to step out of my boat and do what seems impossible almost daily. I want to be like Peter, realizing that if Jesus is calling, nothing else really matters. Knowing that, yes, this storm I'm in is big and scary, but Jesus is stronger. That the water is wild and wet and not stable, but that Jesus can transform it.

I wonder how long Jesus and Peter walked together in the waves and storm raging all around them before Peter shifted his eyes off of Jesus and realized just what he was doing? That's what hit me today about this story. Peter only started to sink when he realized where he was and what he was doing. Same for me. The only way I can continue in this walk of faith is to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus and his power rather than what I am doing, all my inadequacies, and the difficulties all around. Every time I look at myself or the difficulties, just like Peter, I start to sink.

Paul picks up on the incredible need we have to keep our eyes on Jesus in Hebrews 12:1-2. Paul says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith." There it is. That is why we are enabled to complete this faith walk that we are called to. We know that on our own, we are weak, sinful, and afraid, but with Jesus in front of us, all of that fades away, and we are left with our eyes fixed on Christ. And that is all we need.

One of my favorite things about my dad is that he is full of hope! At 77 years of age, his excitement about what he is hoping for spills over. When you are around him, you can’t help but smile. It’s contagious. He continues to look ahead with hope as he makes plans, works, prepares the lesson for his class at church, and accomplishes odd jobs around the house. He is living what we would characterize as a normal life, not overly wealthy or underprivileged, but in the normalcy, there is something abnormal. It is abounding hope.

For over 45 years, my dad has listened to, seen, and walked with the God of hope. In our home, we often saw him with his Bible open, as he sought to know the Lord. During the work week, at night, after a long day, I would see him open his Bible and start taking notes. Hours on Saturdays were spent finishing up what he had studied all week. On Sunday morning, he would get up, fix us all cheese biscuits and eggs for breakfast. We would pile into the car and drive to church. Dad would go and teach what he had been studying all week- how to find hope that is only found in Jesus.

This world needs hope. All around us, there is darkness and discouragement. Just this week, a 62-year-old man was riding his motorcycle in front of my home. We don’t know exactly what happened, but as he went around a curve in the road, he lost control and lost his life. As I looked down at the scene of a motorcycle in pieces and a white sheet covering a lost life, I grappled with unexpected, surprising, deep loss. We all live in that world. To find a person full of abounding hope is a gift.

We all hope. We hope our team wins their games. We hope to get something to eat when we are hungry. We hope that our insurance provider will cover our medical costs. We hope to go here or go there and do this or that. Earthly hopes often disappoint. Hope that changes everything about us only comes from the God of hope. I remember the first time I saw Romans 15:13. It was a particularly dark time, although now I don’t remember why. I do remember needing hope.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Wait! He is the God of Hope!?! And we can abound in hope through His Spirit? That was the best news I had heard in a long time. I remember writing the verse on an index card and carrying it with me. I would pull it out whenever I was feeling discouraged, reminding myself that I was in a relationship with the God of Hope. What an incredible privilege. Because we are in relationship with the God of hope, believers never have to live without hope again. Zechariah 9:12 tells us who we are because of who our God is.

Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope.

Believers have received an identity name; it is a prisoner of hope. This verse encourages us to return to our stronghold; the stronghold of Truth that is God’s Word. I don’t know what you have been battling recently, but I know life in this fallen world is hard. You may feel like you are a prisoner to depression or circumstances or anxiety, but if you are a child of God, you are a prisoner of hope. You may be older and feel like you have outlived your purpose. Your body isn’t able to do what it used to do, and you feel useless, purposeless, hopeless. I invite you to run to the God of all hope, who can cause you to abound in hope no matter what your circumstances.

You may have lost someone or something precious to you. Please hear me say it’s ok to grieve. It’s ok to not be ok. Even in the loss, keep going to the God of hope. One day, He will faithfully bring you out, and you will abound in hope again. Even if nothing changes in this life, we will one day abound in hope for all eternity as we live face to face with the God of hope.

You may be weary from life's journey, whether from a health issue, trouble that never seems to end, a difficult relationship, or overwhelming financial strain. Our God is a God of hope, and He won’t leave us to ourselves or circumstances. I invite you to remember who you are, a prisoner of hope. I invite you to cry out to the God of hope who, by his power, can cause you to abound in hope. Romans 15:13.

Trent and I were stuck in the Detroit airport waiting for a delayed late-night flight. The guy sitting across from us looked like a college student, and I wondered if he attended Notre Dame. From time to time, we awkwardly made eye contact as we all tried to wait patiently. The plane finally arrived, and we all made it back to South Bend, IN. The next morning, I needed to fill my empty kitchen with groceries, so I headed to Walmart. As I walked down the aisle, I looked up, and the same guy I had sat across from at the airport the night before was coming down the aisle toward me! We made eye contact again and said hello. Somehow, every aisle I walked down, he was walking toward me the opposite way. We continued to pass each other as we filled up our carts.

The way our paths kept crossing seemed so strange to me. Trent and I had just started planting Gospel City Church, and I wondered if the Lord kept putting this guy in my path so I could invite him to church. I decided that if I saw him again, I would. He was nowhere to be found at the checkout counter, but as I wheeled my cart to my car, guess who had parked right beside me? You got it! The same guy had his trunk open and was placing his grocery bags into his parked car, which was right beside mine!

Wondering what the Lord was up to, I said, “It’s strange how we keep running into each other. You were in the Detroit airport last night, weren’t you?” He said that he was, and we began to talk. Eventually, I invited him to church. I knew a small group of college kids were gathering for a Bible study that week, so I connected him to them. He went to Bible study full of questions. One of the guys gave him the Bible he had brought with him since my grocery store friend didn’t have one. We were all praying we would see him again.

The following Sunday, I was on the platform as part of the worship team. It was a great vantage point to look for my grocery store friend. As people were filing in, I kept hoping, praying that I would see him walk through the doors. After all, why else would God have kept our paths crossing like that? The service began, and he still had not arrived. I was disappointed because I had such high hopes that he would come and get to know Jesus. All of a sudden, I heard the Lord’s voice speaking to my heart. “Andrea, He said, “you need to be looking for me, because if I am here, it doesn’t matter who isn’t. And if my presence isn’t here, it doesn’t matter who else is.”

The Lord had my attention. How often am I looking for someone or something else when the Lord Himself is available to be sought and found? I quickly agreed with the Lord. “Yes, Lord, you are right. Help me to seek you with all my heart. Forgive me for putting so much hope in a person showing up when you are the only one I need to be seeking.” The rest of that service, the Lord had my attention. And graciously, the Lord showed up and met with us.

Now we know that God is everywhere present at all times, and I am so grateful that He is! To be apart from Him is to be apart from everything good! He is upholding the universe by the Word of his power. (Hebrews 1:3) He is always with us. (Matthew 28:20) "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there." Psalm 139:7-8 God, through common grace, is always with us.

But there seems to be a special manifest presence that His children seek. Times when we are asking, “Father, would you let us be more aware of who you are and that you are here with us?” Moses asked for this in Exodus 33. God had said, I will provide protection, provision, and even an angel to take you to the Promise Land, but I will not go with you. Moses pleads with God and says, “God, if you aren’t going with us, don’t make us go. I don’t want to go without you. without your presence.” God graciously tells Moses He will go with Him. Moses responds by boldly asking to see God’s glory. (Exodus 33:18) Scripture tells us that in response to that request, God makes His goodness pass before Moses.

Interesting, isn’t it? Moses asks for God’s presence and glory. God responds by giving His presence and goodness. That is what we get every day of our lives, God’s presence and goodness. How often do I ask for those things? How often do I stand in wonder that God graciously gives His presence and goodness again today? They are our greatest good, yet too often I’m looking for people and things I don’t need and missing the amazing fact that God’s goodness and presence are all around me.

I never saw my grocery store friend again, but I pray for him as he comes to mind. Who knows what God was doing as our paths crossed again and again that day, but we know God never wastes anything. Maybe the whole encounter was to show me how often I elevate other people’s presence over the Lord's.

We are planting a church again. New City Church in St Augustine, FL, and we need people. We are praying for 120 people to help us plant this church. As we pray and gather, the words that God spoke to me many years ago keep coming back. “Andrea, what and who are you looking for?” When I am anxiously looking horizontally, wondering if God will bring the people, He graciously reminds me, “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."

How often do you travel by plane? Our air traffic control situation is in the news almost every day. Whether we are being told about flight delays or air traffic controller shortages, the media wants us to be aware of the problems around air travel. But we keep flying. In fact, in the first half of 2025, we heard many airports were at capacity. Despite all the problems. What keeps us flying?

It comes down to faith and desire. When we board an airplane, we are placing an enormous amount of faith in an invisible, complex network of radar systems, computer algorithms, and human controllers. We do this because there is someone we want to see or a destination we want to get to. Faith and desire drive our hearts every day, all day.

So, what is faith? Hebrews 11:1 tells us, Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. That definition works well with our airplane illustration. Our trust that the plane will get us where we need to go is completely reasonable given aviation’s safety record, and yet it requires a leap of faith beyond what we can directly verify in the moment. We act decisively based on confidence in something larger than our immediate experience. God’s track record is infallible, and yet, in the moment, we don’t always see Him. When I don’t see Him how I want to, I can be fearful, anxious, and harbor a myriad of doubts. I get on a plane without fear, yet struggle to trust my completely trustworthy Heavenly Father. That is the juxtaposition of the human heart!

In Every Day Gospel, Paul Tripp writes that there are three essential elements of a life of faith: Confession, Remembrance, and Glory.

Confession is simply the humble, heartfelt daily admission that I don’t have it all together. I need grace for my full-to-the-brim mind of fear and doubt. I don’t have to hide the reality of my need. It’s a relief to simply bring who I am, with all my doubts and fears, to my gracious Father, asking for forgiveness and help.

Remembrance is fighting to remember the life-transforming magnitude of who God is and how his love changes us. When I remember that He is my strength, my rock, my hope, the Redeemer of all, I’m activating faith. Remembering that His love and grace are the power that transforms me, not my self-effort, motivates me to seek His face and rest in His steadfast love, moment by moment.

Glory is knowing whose glory I’m working for, mine or His. We live in a glory war. My natural default is to live and work for my glory. It's subtle, and I do that without even thinking about it. Faith finds joy in praising and working for God’s name and making His power and character known.

Breaking faith down into these components is life-giving and creates hope. Confessing, remembering, and living for the glory of God can become daily rhythms. Instead of condemning myself for my lack of faith, I simply confess, remember, and realign to God’s glory.

Last night was the first Prayer and Praise gathering of New City Church. God is at work in so many ways, and yet, I need faith to trust Him where He has us. As I confess my need of Him, God is encouraging me to remember these promises:

I will never leave you or forsake you. Hebrews 13:5

I am with you always even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20

I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18

My God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Do not worry, your Father knows what you need. Matthew 6:25-32 (paraphrased)

You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit. John 15:16

God’s power is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Our aviation system works because millions of people every day choose to trust it without being able to verify every component. Their faith enables them to take action (boarding the plane), which transforms their circumstances (arriving at their destination). I’m asking the Lord to help us as we take action to plant this church, trusting that He is in complete control of who joins this church and where we are going.

One more thing about faith: it’s not blind belief, but trust that enables action despite incomplete information- trust based on experience and evidence, but extending beyond what we can fully control or comprehend. Our faith in God isn’t blind belief either. He has proven Himself again and again. Even this week, I am seeing the evidence of God all around New City Church.

Trent and I were given so many amazing gifts this week! One of the churches that was planted out of Gospel City Church invited Trent to preach. We were so excited to be able to see our good friends, Stephen and Mandy Love, and to be with their community. After we had said yes to that, Gospel City Church invited Trent to preach there the following Sunday.

Rather than travel back and forth to Florida, some friends graciously offered their home in Indianapolis for us to stay in. So we have 12 days with our kids, friends, and community that we have done ministry with for years. The time has been so sweet, and I am exceedingly grateful. As we have been back with our people, I’m loving the depth of the relationships. It reminded me of some words describing what our relationships are supposed to be like from my friend Bob Lepine.

“We want our relationships with one another to be Christ-centered, grace-based, intentionally intrusive, and redemptive. We want to foster an environment where it is genuinely safe to be honest with one another about who we really are and what we are really thinking, feeling, and struggling with in our lives.”

Bulls-eye, right? God created us for relationships, and He models it for us in His very nature. God is 3 persons in One God. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit all commune together in a perfect relationship. In John 17, Jesus says," I pray that they will be one even as we are one." God, in himself, is in relationship.

But He doesn't stop there. God has done everything possible to bring us into a relationship with Himself. Through the body of Jesus, He broke down the dividing wall of hostility and has made it possible for us to know Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. He even goes so far as to adopt us into His family, making it possible for us to call Him our Abba, Father.

We know that God is passionate about relationships because Jesus was passionate about relationships, and He is the exact image of the invisible God. (Col 1:15) When Jesus was on the earth, he had a family. He had close friends and went to their homes for dinner. He was found in crowds, among 70, with the 12 disciples. He had 3 close friends, and He had a best friend.

Because God is passionate about relationships, He calls us to be intentional about ours!

Think back to your first few pages of Scripture. Over and over in Genesis 1 and 2, we find that God created and said, "It is good." The first negative assessment in Scripture is found in Genesis 2:18 when God says, "It is not good that man should be alone." This was a perfect man in a perfect environment, and yet God still says, ‘This isn't good.’ What was missing? Relationship, Fellowship. God wanted communion like He has with His Son and with His Spirit, so He created the first human relationship.

We move on to Genesis 3 and find that sin has entered the world. Eylise Fitzpatrick describes what sin did:

When sin entered the garden, the primary consequence was a deep rupture in relationships. Adam and Eve blamed each other and feared God. They hid from Him and tried to cover their nakedness with fig leaves. . . They thought of themselves now as orphans, alienated from each other and their Father.

We still feel the pain of that rupture today. We long to connect but find it increasingly hard to make that a reality. We live in a world with more technological, second-by-second communication, and yet we find our sense of loneliness is greater. The good news of the gospel is that Jesus came to restore broken relationships. The gospel gives us the courage to live broken yet authentic lives. When we run into relational problems, which inevitably happen in a fallen world where we all sin, we don’t have to flee, fix, fight, or despair. All of the typical ways we deal with brokenness. Because of the gospel, we can humbly own our issues, asking for the Lord’s forgiveness instead of isolating ourselves.

I hope you have deep, abiding friendships. I know I long for those and desperately need them. Grateful to have these twelve days as a reminder of the sweetness of gospel relationships.

Last week I spent a few sweet days with my two month old granddaughter. We became fast friends as I fed her and read her a book. I talked and she cooed back.( Love those new baby sounds!) All day long, I carried her. She was never concerned that I wasn’t going to do what was best for her or give her what she needed when she needed it. She wasn’t afraid I was going to drop her. As she looked into my eyes for several hours that day, I never saw one look of fear or distrust.

Recently people have asked how I am doing in the midst of so much change. I’ve said, “I feel like the Lord is carrying me.” But I don’t rest in the Lord’s arms like Bobbi Gene rested in mine. That has become a goal these days!

How do you sense the Lord is carrying you right now, you might ask. Doesn’t He always carry us? He does but sometimes His presence seems sweeter and closer than other times. One of the ways the Lord continued to impress on me He is carrying me was through a debriefing call about my work. At the end of the call my friend prayed, “Lord, let Andrea feel as if you are carrying her.” I opened my eyes and wanted to say, “He is! He is already telling me and showing me He is carrying me!” I love it when the Lord confirms what I am hearing Him say through His Word or other believers!

These last few months, almost every day I’ve seen an answer to prayer. Yesterday, I saw two in one hour! I know God always answers but when He daily lets you see Him at work over things you have asked Him about, it creates a sweetness and excitement. You begin to continually wonder, What else is He doing that I’m not seeing yet? Answer- So Much!

The verses that the Lord has not let me get away from are Psalm 28:7-9 The Lord is our strength and shield; in him my heart trusts and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. The Lord is the strength of his people, he is the saving refuge of his anointed. Oh save your people and bless your heritage! Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

The reality is the only strength we have is from the Lord. He gives us the very breath we breathe moment by moment not to mention the strength to function and move throughout each day. If he did not shield us, from evil, from ourselves and others, we would quickly be destroyed. He is always leading, shielding, guiding, saving and carrying. He never fails. As my heart thinks about that, I am greatly helped! This is the reality for every believer. But how often do I let myself focus on all that I fear around me instead of the Lord’s strong and gracious provision of strength and protection? I experience joy as I rest in Him and thank Him for who He is and what He does.

My favorite name of God for years has been Faithful. These last three years, He has been showing me what a Faithful Shepherd He is. Our faithful Shepherd provides all that we need. He leads us beside quiet waters and makes us lie down in green pastures. Many times God has to lead me there because I would not go there on my own. I would and I have, kept working until I’ve exhausted myself.

So He comes and gently leads me back to His refreshing and gracious waters and pastures. Then there are the times when I’m injured. Injuries happen in the Now and Not Yet where we are living. That’s when my Faithful Shepherd lifts me onto his broad shoulders and carries me to a better place. I long to learn to rest in the arms and on the shoulders of my Faithful Shepherd every moment of every day. Just as I had Bobbi Gene, He has me but in a perfect way! Something I can never do for myself or others.

For Mother’s Day, my daughter, Alli, sent me a book called, Limping With God by Chad Bird.(I am loving the book!) The book is about Jacob in the Old Testament. In the last paragraph of the introduction Bird writes, As Jacob limped away from his famous wrestling match with God, so we all get by on bum hips and bad knees. Following Jesus we limp our way down the dark and slippery paths of life. As we do, we discover, ironically, that the longer we follow him, the weaker we become, and the more we lean on our Lord. Finally, at our most mature, our eyes are opened to realize that we’ve never run or walked or even limped a single day in our lives. We’ve been on Christ’s shoulders the entire time.

I long to realize, whether I sense it or not, I am in the arms and on the shoulders of my strong faithful Shepherd, Jesus Christ now and for eternity.