This is Why I Spill the Ink

I could spend a lot of time writing about how useful it is to

A) Journal regularly and

B) Read your journals regularly.

I haven't been perfect in this practice, but this year I've done my best to read journal entries from one year ago, five years ago, and ten years ago. Sometimes I read something I wrote and think, “Wow, that was really good! I needed that then and I need it now.” Other times I think, “Wow, that was a really stupid thing to say. I'm glad I don’t think that anymore.”

I’ve already filled one volume this year, which was the 17th in total. I read all 123 pages immediately upon completion, which was the first time I've done that. I’ll read through it again one day at a time this time next year. Who knows where I'll be mentally and spiritually at that point.

Either way, the process is valuable because I learn a lot about myself. Nine times out of ten, my journals teach me a lesson from the Lord that I apparently still need to learn. This is exactly what happened yesterday as I reviewed my journal from July of 2016…

I was attending Motion 2016 at the BJCC in Birmingham. Chad Veach was giving a talk called, “I Got An Agent” on the power Christians have access to in the Holy Spirit.

I can hear it just as if it were yesterday… “Somebody say, ‘I got an agent.’” If you’ve been in these circles, you know what I’m talking about…

What would America look like if you asked the Spirit to fall fresh on you? What would the world look like?

Ask Him to use you.

Ask Him to run His Kingdom through your life.

Why does such a simple phrase from ten years ago hit so hard?

I hate cliches, so I confess that I tend to roll my eyes when ideas like “going through the motions” are used in cliche fashion. But when I read this yesterday, I began to wonder if I could even remember the last time I asked the Holy Spirit to use me… In any way. Whether it be “in my ministry” or in “everyday life” outside the church.

I've undergone a significant transition in my ministry this year that involves a lot more responsibility. I know I'm called to this, but it’s been really easy to allow the growing pains of changing roles to overshadow the reality that, in many ways, I'm living in moments I prayed for when I began working through a calling to ministry ten years ago.

Now that I look back at it, the first half of 2026 seems to have unfolded rather slowly. But in the individual moments, it has felt like it was all happening really fast. I'm constantly working on the most Urgent Thing. Naturally, this reality has made it feel almost impossible to slow down and think about what is actually the Most Important Thing compared to what FEELS urgent (Covey speaks of this). Much less PRAY and ask the Lord what HE says is the Most Important Thing in my ministry…

Of course, I know these things. I know that Urgent and Important aren’t always the same things. Many young men fall into the trap of consuming a lot of productivity adjacent content without ever making any of it actionable. They’re (I’m) always looking for the “perfect” system, setup, tech stack, timing, or blueprint. (AI has probably only exasperated this. I'm not a Doomer concerning AI. I truly believe it could save me a lot of time by optimizing more “mundane” task based ministry things and give me more time for weightier ministry things. But only if I learn to creatively use it as an actual tool and not a High Functioning search engine or graphics generator. This is probably the subject of its own Stack, so I digress).

But how is this Looking For Perfect Thing Cycle in Productivity any different than what almost all Christians struggle with concerning their intake of the scriptures vs. their application of the scriptures?

They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires. (Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth).

2 Timothy 3:6-7

Conspiracy Podcast Ladies and Productivity Gurus Unite…

No, really. You should ask.

Which finally brings me to the inspiration of the journal entry and the point of this post.

Dudes like Chad Veach and Rich Jr get clowned for things like the outfits they wear. I was called to ministry in an adjacent circle and therefore was at least open to the idea of Vibing With Dudes like Chad Veach and Rich Jr, then I somewhat dabbled in Content from nearly every corner of Evangelicalism (and the Ortho Bros) you can imagine which caused me to become the one who clowns Dudes like Chad Veach and Rich Jr as if everything My Tribe does is right and everything Their Tribe does is wrong.

But it probably says something about me that after doing all this, I can look up after Doing Ministry ten years into my call and not remember the last time I simply asked the Holy Spirit to use me…

It’s easy to get caught up in task oriented ministry. Until recently, that’s mainly what my ministry was. I still have tasks, but they’re bigger now. I have responsibilities and dreams and visions and goals (Productivity Speak) that are way bigger than any one task or aren’t even task oriented at all and require way more than just me to pull off. I’ve spent half this year learning new things and adjusting to a much different kind of leadership while daily trying to figure out whether Media or Communications or Teams or Processes or Something Else I Haven’t Even Thought of Yet need my energy and attention right now the most.

All without asking the Holy Spirit to just use me…

But He Doesn’t NEED Me…

An important thing to remember about all this, though, is that the Holy Spirit is fully capable of using me without my knowledge, thank you very much. I can used by the Holy Spirit whether I ask to be used or not. There’s probably a lot to be said about Common Grace there.

However… I’m inclined to believe there’s probably an even greater blessing to be experienced when I make a habit of asking to be used in some way every day instead of going it alone based on whatever happens to be most On Fire or “urgent” at the moment…

So there you have it. If you have the Holy Sprit, you ARE being used more than you think. But it doesn’t hurt to specifically ask for it! Chad Veach didn’t even know I was sitting in the BJCC ten years ago this summer. He didn’t know I’d read my notes from his talk ten years later. But the Holy Spirit did.

“Let us, your servants, see you work again; let our children see your glory. And may the Lord our God show His approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful.” Psalm 90:16-17

Apologies for my months long hiatus. I haven't published here since December 8th and that’s because December 7th was probably the most difficult day of my life thus far and even when you fancy yourself a writer, sometimes you feel like you don’t have anything left to say. Maybe that’s starting to change. I make no promises, but you can stick around to find out.

That’s it. That’s the post for today.

Do you want to grow spiritually? I hope so.

In this passage, the writer of Hebrews is trying to communicate some profound spiritual truths to his audience, but he understands their spiritual immaturity is preventing them from getting it. He’s frustrated by their inability to understand, mainly because their spiritual immaturity was their own fault.

Though they understood God’s message, they weren’t practicing it. Essentially, he was telling them they needed to grow up!

Maybe that’s true for you as well. Unfortunately for all of us, we are where we are spiritually because that’s where we’ve chosen to be, whether good or bad. But there is good news: it doesn’t have to stay that way.

Here are four short things that influence your growth.

1) The people you meet. You become like those you spend time with, so guarding your fellowship is important.

2) The media you consume. Be mindful of the content you expose yourself to, as it influences your thoughts and actions.

3) The choices you make. let God’s Word guide your decisions, aligning your life with His will.

4) The behaviors you practice. Did you know both good and bad activities impact your spiritual growth?

Don’t let yourself become distracted by things that might even be “good.” God desires your growth, and with a little commitment, you can grow up on purpose.

This was adapted from a recent sermon by my pastor.

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The faith displayed by the paralyzed man’s friends in Mark 2 resulted in the expression of God’s power.

It’s essential to understand that our faith doesn’t command or manipulate God but it enables the power of God. Jesus’ power is both unrestricted and spiritual. He first forgave the man’s sins, addressing the most crucial sickness—the soul. By healing the man’s soul first, Jesus recognized that spiritual health is paramount. Physical ailments may come and go, but the well being of your soul is eternal.

After addressing the man’s spiritual needs, Jesus healed him physically, too. Unfortunately, we often expect Jesus to fix our outer problems first, but He prioritizes our inner, eternal needs. While Jesus can heal any physical ailment with a single breath, His primary concern is always the health of your soul.

Psalm 103 is a beautiful expression of how comprehensive God’s healing truly is in your life. This is the one healing everyone can have, and it’s the most important.

So, as you pray today, consider talking with the Lord about your spiritual needs first. Are there things in your heart that you need to deal with before Him?

Then, bring your physical and emotional needs to him, trusting that His total healing power for every aspect of your being.

This was adapted from a recent sermon by my pastor.

Jesus certainly saw the belief of the four men bringing their friend to be healed, but He also saw the unbelief in the hearts of the scribes.

This contrast between belief and unbelief offers interesting insights into our own lives. The four men were desperate to experience the work of Christ for their friend. Jesus recognized this desperation and honored their faith, resulting in healing. If you’re in a desperate situation needing healing, know that Jesus sees your faith. He loves it when you come to Him in desperation because it demonstrates your reliance on His power.

Unfortunately, while some people are desperate to experience the work of Christ, other people are desperate to undermine the work of Christ…

Jesus was also aware of the scribes. The scribes had one job: to maintain the fidelity of the scriptures, passing them on from generation to generation. But they became skeptics! These were the people undermining what Jesus was doing.

Think about your own life. Are you desperate to experience the work of Christ, or are you skeptical, perhaps even unknowingly undermining His work in your life?

Jesus perceives both your faith and your doubts. He knows your heart’s true intentions, whether they are to draw near to Him or to question and resist His authority.

Reflect on how your faith is displayed in your daily life. Are you living in a way that demonstrates desperation for God to move in your life, or are you undermining that work?

This was adapted from a recent sermon by my pastor.

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These men were determined to get their friend to Jesus.

If you find yourself in impossible circumstances, you have a choice: either resign in despair or declare, “Nothing is impossible. I’ve got to get to God.” You can throw your hands up in exasperation or you can hit your knees in prayer and believe God will make a way.

This passage teaches us a couple things about faith.

1) Faith doesn’t quit. It believes even when the odds are against you.

2) Faith finds a way to get to Jesus. They believed that if they could just get to Jesus, He could do for their friend what no one else could.

Their faith wasn’t just words; it was action. We often hear the phrase, “Seeing is believing,” but for God’s people, “Believing is seeing.”

Maybe you’ve stopped believing in the power of God. You’re discouraged by what you’ve seen. But don’t let what you see keep you from getting to Jesus. Circumstances are often more difficult than our sight can handle, and that’s why we live by faith.

The healed man was surely grateful his friends didn’t give up. Their faith said, “I believe NOW.” True faith finds the path to Jesus, believing He can do more than we can imagine.

So today, choose faith over sight. Trust that God will make a way, even when the path isn’t obvious. Believe, and you will see.

Consider what “roof” you might need to remove in your life to get closer to Jesus. What obstacles are hindering your spiritual growth?

Ask God for the courage and determination to overcome these barriers, trusting that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

This was adapted from a recent sermon by my pastor. Find the sermon here.

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In December 2016 at Knott’s Berry Farm in California, 20 people were stranded 148 feet in the air on a malfunctioning ride.

Firefighters were called to the scene but discovered their ladders were not tall or strong enough to reach the passengers. They had no choice but to lower each person one by one using a single rope.

Captain Larry Kurtz reassured the stranded individuals, emphasizing the strength of the rope, which could handle up to 9,000 pounds. He explained that convincing the passengers to trust the rope was crucial; without faith in the rescue plan, they would have remained stuck.

Placing your faith in Jesus works the same way.

Paul tells us in Romans 10:17 that “faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” God’s word is the saving rope for you. Hearing and taking in God’s word is instrumental to living a life of faith.

You hear God’s word, you take it in, but then you have to respond to what you’ve heard. You either choose to believe and receive it or you choose to reject and neglect it.

But, here’s the third part of the equation: when you believe God’s word and obey it, your faith grows!

Why? Because you see God do exactly what he said he would do. What you listen to determines what you believe, how you think, and how you behave.

What are you listening to? Ask God to open your heart to His message. Reflect on how you can make God’s Word a more central part of your daily life. How might regularly engaging with Scripture change your perspective and strengthen your faith?

This was adapted from a recent sermon by my pastor. Find the sermon here.

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Jesus notices even the smallest acts of service rendered in His name.

While these acts may seem insignificant, Jesus highlights their importance. Instead of seeking earthly rewards and accolades, remember that God sees everything you do, even things unnoticed by others.

The Pharisees sought human recognition for their deeds, receiving their reward in this life. But Jesus teaches us to seek divine affirmation, aiming to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Sometimes, your acts of service go unrecognized by others, but God still sees and values your service.

In a culture rife with injustice, it may seem like God is unaware. But it’s crucial to understand that God resolves all accounts, even if not always in this life. Paul understood this when he wrote about fighting the good fight, finishing the race, and remaining faithful.

What does this mean for you? You have your own unique race to run. The good news is you’re not competing with others; your goal is to stay focused on Jesus.

Like Paul, aim to finish your race with endurance, keeping your faith intact. Be fortified by the assurance that God values your service. Even if unnoticed by the world, God sees every act.

Today, think about how you currently seek recognition for your acts of service. Are you more focused on receiving earthly affirmation or divine affirmation?

As you reflect on these things, keep running your race! Serve Christ with purpose and passion, knowing that the crown of righteousness awaits you.

This was adapted from a recent sermon by my pastor. Find the sermon here.

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D.L. Moody stated that there are two ways of being unified: one is by being frozen together, and the other is by being melted together. Christians need to be unified in brotherly love.

Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” This unity in love showcases the power of God among His people.

There’s a critical difference between union and unity. Union can exist without true unity. Just picture two cats tied by their tails and hung over a clothesline—they’re joined, but they’re not unified! Christians are called to a deeper connection: unity in Christ. This is the most unifying force in the universe.

The unity Paul talks about in Galatians 3 is unity that transcends nationality, social status, and background. Believers connected through Jesus share a unique kinship, forming a unified body capable of monumental strength.

As we identify with Christ, our unity makes us formidable against the spiritual adversities. Hell trembles when the people of God unite behind biblical truth to fulfill God’s eternal purposes.

So today, strive to be unified in your own service for Christ. Reflect on Jesus’ prayer for unity among his followers in John 17.

Ask God to show you any of your attitudes that may hinder your unity with other believers and then confess those to him.

Pray that He would help you be unified with other believers for the sake of the Gospel!

This was adapted from a recent sermon by my pastor. Find the sermon here.

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In many ways, I’ve become increasingly frustrated with counsel consisting of something like this: “I don’t know… it just depends on your circumstance… read your bible and pray more… then somehow you’ll just know…”

Reading your bible and praying more isn’t always what actually happens in pursuit of answers to your questions. Instead, “answers” reveal themselves through Trusted Sources that essentially synthesize the discipline of reading your bible and praying more.

Why is this a problem?

I recently saw a post online about how you shouldn’t bother taking the time to read the classics when you could have ChatGPT tell you all about them much quicker and therefore you could “read” MORE.

That could not be a more stupid piece of advice. The point of reading just about anything, classics or not, is not being able to say, “Look how many books I read this year!” The point is that you take a journey with whatever it is you’re reading. The content itself does not change along the way. The words on the page remain the same, but you do not. You change a lot along the way, often precisely because of what you’ve read.

The more I think, pray, talk, and write about my issue with Read Your Bible And Pray More, the more God shows me that while it may be true that others do this, I’m not responsible for what other Christians do. I can only pay careful attention to what I do and I’m the one who’s been guilty of circumventing Read Your Bible And Pray More for my own Trusted Sources.

So what am I doing about that?

I’ve been trying to make time to read at least five Psalms a day. Sometimes I read more, sometimes I read less or not at all. The number is less important than the simplicity of devoting myself to do it. Constantly reading through the Psalms has been essential for the wellbeing of my heart and soul lately, even when my mind does not really catch up or my circumstances don’t actually change.

There are a few Psalms that stick out, but perhaps none more than Psalm 37. Reasons for that abound, the main being that verse four has always been a bit of a life verse for me.

I’ve told God hundreds if not thousands of times how I so desperately wish to lay claim to this promise. A lot in my later years of high school, a lot during college when I began to work through my call to ministry and was just ready to get school over with. But none more than I have in the last 15 months. When I pray this Psalm, I have to be careful to ask God to search my heart and make sure it’s an honest heart. I don’t want to delight myself in the Lord in order to merely get whatever it is I want, even if what I want is a good thing according to Scripture.

The safe interpretation of the verse is that you don’t get whatever you want just by delighting in the Lord. It’s that delighting yourself in Him over a lifetime changes the things you want. The more time you spend with him, the more you will want the things that he wants. Yes and amen. Still, the Psalm says what it says and it’s a promise of God for his children because He is a good father who delights in every detail of our lives (Psalm 37:23).

This has been an ongoing conundrum with my bible reading recently. I don’t want to misapply the words of God, but the nagging question remains: when I’m earnestly seeking answers from God in prayer and then open up his word (aka Read Your Bible And Pray More), and these are the words I read, why do I try to explain that away with a bunch of “well ackshually, this doesn’t have anything to do with the circumstance you’re applying it too” stuff?

Why would the Holy Spirit lead us to certain passages that seem to so specifically speak into our circumstances if the encouragement or increased faith it provides isn’t what the passage was designed to do? Is the Holy Spirit reminding me of God’s promises and telling me to increase my joy, confidence, and comfort in them exactly when I needed them most OR is this my selfish, sinful, subconscious intellect projecting something onto my life that is not truly there?

Furthermore, is my questioning of this experience proof to myself that I am indeed trying to delight myself in the Lord by journeying deeper into the heart of God and understanding the work of the Holy Spirit OR is it an attack of My Enemies designed to distract me and sow doubt in the very promises the Holy Spirit means to comfort me with? Is my faith really increasing or am I just being naive about reality?

As usual, the short answer is I Don’t Know.

But perhaps the most important lesson I’ve learned over the last 15 months is the importance of embracing the mystery of God and how he operates.

What I’ve come to realize is that even though it’s extremely frustrating for those of us who demand answers about life’s hardest questions instead of embracing Mystery, that is kinda the point of “I Don’t Know… Read Your Bible… Pray More… Then Somehow You’ll Just Know…”

There is simply no other substitute for life’s most difficult questions than choosing to walk with God.

I did not say there would actually be immediate answers. Perhaps there won’t be answers in this life at all.

Though I’m learning to embrace the mystery of God, I obviously want to think the answers to my questions are the ones showing that yes, the Holy Spirit is taking me to the promises of God precisely when I need them most. No, I’m not projecting. I’m asking God to speak and he’s speaking. Yes, I am learning to delight in him and journey deeper into his heart. No, nothing can sow doubt in me about his promises. Yes, my faith is increasing. No, I’m not just being naive.

I want to think these things because the more I just keep reading the Psalms over and over, the more faith I have because the more I fill my mind with promises of His goodness, faithfulness, and justice.

I know this because I have come to a place where even though I don’t like “I Don’t Know… Read Your Bible… Pray More… Then Somehow You’ll Just Know…” as an answer, it turns out to be the only answer I have to give right now.

Nobody else’s answers to my questions were satisfying me either, so what do I have to lose by shutting all that off and just spending more time reading my bible and praying more, believing that if I’m faithful to do that, somehow I’ll just know?

It’s only as I’ve committed to this that I know that even when the feeling is not there, the promises are just… Enough.

“John said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn't in our group.” Mark 9:38

This follower of Jesus, unnamed and not one of the twelve disciples, was making a substantial difference in the world by serving God. John and the other disciples tried to stop him because he was not part of their group. Jesus' response, however, highlights an essential truth for us today: ministry is not limited to a select few.

People might tell you that you lack the qualifications to serve God, but the primary qualification is not your abilities but your availability. Jesus said, "The fields are white unto harvest, but the laborers are few" (John 4). The world needs more willing servants, and God calls us all to step into His work.

Fear of criticism can paralyze us. As someone once said, "If you’re afraid of criticism, you’ll die doing nothing." I was told that my background and lack of certain qualifications would hinder my ability to serve God. Despite this, I remained preoccupied with Jesus, and He handled the rest. Saying "yes" to Jesus is the key.

Whether you sense a specific call or are looking for ways to start serving, offer yourself to Him fully. Start wherever you can—within your family, your vocation, or your church. Preoccupy yourself with Jesus.

The anonymous disciple in our passage serves as a model. Though not one of the twelve, he was used by God to bring deliverance in Jesus' name, and Jesus was pleased with his work. Let us do everything—whether in word or deed—for the glory of God. Let's be preoccupied with Jesus and let Him lead us on a journey of a lifetime.

Jesus changes everything, and He can use anyone who is willing to say “yes.”

This was adapted from a recent sermon by my pastor.

“For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever.” Lamentations 3:31

We’ve been talking a lot about how to get to know God while you’re in seasons of waiting. In this passage, Jeremiah is proclaiming the truth that no matter how dark the circumstances might have seemed, eventually the waiting was going to come to an end.

In the same way, you can take heart and know that God is working in your season. It’s easy to feel discouraged, but you can get to know God on a deeper level by fixing your eyes on the future that He’s promised for you.

We call Hebrews 11 the Hall of Fame of Faith because it showcases how faithful servants of God have always looked beyond their immediate circumstances towards eternity. These men and women of faith understood that they were merely “strangers and exiles on the earth” and that they were seeking a greater homeland—one not bound by earthly limits but inspired by a heavenly hope.

Waiting is never an eternal sentence. Jeremiah talks about this elsewhere, too.

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” (Jeremiah 29:11).

I think an often overlooked passage is the next verse over from this:

“If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” (Jeremiah 29:13).

That’s a good way to sum up how you can get to know God while you wait. God is actively shaping you and your future while you wait.

Will you trust in His promises and seek him with your whole heart?

This was adapted from a recent sermon by my pastor.

“I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!” Lamentations 3:24

I recently read somewhere that “self help” books are in a category on Amazon containing approximately 70,000 different titles. This is, of course, not to mention all the other media out there in the self-help genre: podcasts, courses, video series, conferences.

Don’t get me wrong: there is truth to be found in many self help books. But there comes a time when you have to be honest with yourself and admit that as long as you’re depending on yourself, self-help is almost always going to fall short of providing you with the kind of lasting change you’re really searching for. Where then can you turn?

Throughout the scriptures, the phrase “But God” appears over 32 different times. This signifies the power of divine intervention even in the middle of human limitation. This truth isn’t limited to some select few. No, it’s available for your life today!

“But God” moments can transform any situation. Jeremiah reminds us that even in moments of waiting and especially when things don’t necessarily make sense, we can find these “But God…” moments by looking up to Him in hope.

The Psalmist writes in Psalm 121:1-3, “I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.”

If you find yourself weary from waiting today, wondering if God will ever intervene, look up to him in hope and recognize that your hope is not in vain.

This was adapted from a recent sermon by my pastor.

“Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him.” Lamentations 3:23-24

When you’re in a season of waiting, you can be encouraged by looking back and remembering God’s faithfulness to you in the past.

But there are three specific things you can focus on even as you look back, and we learn those from Jeremiah the prophet.

First, Jeremiah focused on the love of God. Remember, this passage was written in perhaps one of the darkest moments of his life. But he still remembered God’s unwavering love despite the circumstances. His faithful love never ends! Even when circumstances seem bleak, God’s love endures and there’s nothing that can separate you from it (Romans 8:39).

Second, Jeremiah focused on the mercy of God. When you remember who you once were and where you would be now if the Lord had not changed your life, gratitude for this great mercy should well up within you. This mercy for you is new each morning!

Then third, Jeremiah focused on God’s faithfulness. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair once said, "Just because man is bad does not mean that God is not good.” It’s really true, isn't it?

No matter what your circumstance and no matter what kind of waiting season you’re in, God’s faithfulness will endure. We’re all going to have to wait on something at some point. That’s just a fact.

But Jeremiah teaches us that what we focus on while we wait determines what we’ll experience while we wait.

This was adapted from a sermon by my pastor.

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“Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: the faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.” Lamentations 3:21-22

I once heard a story about two senior adults who were discussing all the problems associated with growing older.

“You know,” one said, “the worst thing in life is when your memory starts to go.” She looked back at her friend and said, “I’ve known you nearly all my life, but for the life of me I can’t think of your name. What is it?” This woman’s friend looked back at her, thought for a moment, and then replied: “Do you need an answer right away?”

Sometimes we can be a lot like this with God. It’s easy to get caught up in your circumstances and develop spiritual amnesia, where you vividly recall life’s difficulties yet easily forget all the numerous ways God’s been faithful to you throughout your life.

Today’s passage illustrates a powerful shift in Jeremiah’s perspective. In one of his darkest moments, he experienced a profound epiphany. Instead of focusing on his circumstances, he chose to recall God’s past faithfulness. His reflection on God’s faithfulness wasn’t merely sentimental. It was a vital practice that grounded him in God’s enduring character.

Likewise, remembering what God has done for you is crucial whenever you are waiting. Just count all the ways his love, mercy, grace, and faithfulness have manifested themselves in your life.

Take some time today to simply pause and look back. Allow God’s faithfulness to reshape your outlook on the waiting season and let it increase your faith in Him all the more.

If you do that, the waiting room doesn’t have to be a place of stagnation; it can be a place of tremendous spiritual growth.

This was adapted from a recent sermon by my pastor.

“I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss…” Lamentations 3:20

President Theodore Roosevelt was known for his great appreciation for nature and what it has to offer humanity. When entertaining guests at night, he would often lead them to gaze upward at the stars so that they would be reminded of their smallness in relation to the vast expanse of creation. He even acknowledged the power and guidance of Almighty God in this, understanding that true perspective in life is only gained when we see God’s greatness against our own smallness.

This kind of reflective practice is helpful in your spiritual journey, too. Whether you find yourself waiting for answers, change, or clarity, let me encourage you to allow your time of waiting to be an opportunity to bow in humility.

When he was afflicted, Jeremiah realized the importance of bowing down his soul. His challenging circumstances became a catalyst for humility before the Lord. In your own life, waiting can either lead you to rebellion or humility. It’s easy to become impatient and even defiant when your timeline differs from God’s, but waiting really gives you a valuable opportunity to get to know Him on a deeper level.

When you humbly acknowledge your limitations in relation to God’s majesty, He begins reshaping your heart. This new shift in your perspective not only honors him in the short term, but aligns you with his divine timing and purposes in the longterm.

If you’re waiting, why not look down in humility? Bow down your soul and ask the Lord for a fresh perspective on what he wants you to learn while you wait.

This was adapted from a sermon by my pastor.

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“Wait patiently before the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14

If you’ve ever seen pure maple syrup in the grocery store, you’ve noticed that it commands a premium price compared to artificial alternatives. This difference in cost stems from the labor intensive process required to produce it.

Men travel into forests in search of sugar maple trees. They carefully drill holes into the trees and insert hollow metal tubes called spiles, which drain the sweet sap into buckets. A day’s work might yield 30-40 gallons of raw sap, but that’s just the beginning.

The sap then has to be cooked over an open flame for several hours, evaporating the water and concentrating the sweetness. The syrup undergoes multiple filtrations to ensure its purity. When all is said and done, those 30-40 gallons of sap might only yield a single gallon of maple syrup.

If you want to get to know God, you need to realize that the process is a lot like producing pure maple syrup: it takes time!

Getting to know Him usually involves many periods of waiting. You won’t always know why you’re having to wait, but you should be encouraged by the fact that time in God’s waiting room is not arbitrary. It always serves a purpose in your life.

Sometimes, God makes you wait simply because he wants you to slow down in order to actually hear him. That’s what the Psalmist gets at when he writes, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

Today, if you find yourself in God’s waiting room, take some time to be still and know that He is God. Let your waiting draw you closer to him.

This was adapted from a recent sermon by my pastor.

“Go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been. So the man started off to visit the ten towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.” Mark 5:19-20

After this man was delivered from his possession by Jesus, Jesus instructed him to began moving about and proclaiming what He had done in his life.

He was instructed to start at home and this illustrates that your first and greatest mission field will always be among those closest to you. Free and filled with new purpose, he became an evangelist by simply sharing what the Lord had done for him: his testimony.

Did you notice that he didn’t need complex theology and certainly not an advanced degree? Jesus didn’t demand that he be an amazing public speaker. His story was enough. Whenever Jesus changes your life, you’re been given a new purpose, a new mission, and a new message. Your personal transformation speaks volumes!

Most Christians have a tendency to undervalue the power of their own story, but nothing could be more powerful than stories of personal change because they are real and undeniable. They are testaments to God’s active presence in your life—a message to those who don’t know Jesus that what he does for one, he can do for another.

Today, take some time to think about your own life.

Does it reflect the change Jesus has made?

Have you been telling your story and giving praise to God for what He’s done in you?

This was adapted from a recent sermon by my pastor.

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“A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.” Mark 5:15

It’s unfortunate how the community reacted to this extraordinary miracle they witnessed.

They were looking at a man who they knew was once tormented by a legion of demons and known for his uncontrollable behavior. He was now calm, clothed, and in his right mind. Instead of celebrating, they were gripped by fear and anxiety.

The next verse says that they even asked Jesus to leave. This reveals a profound truth about human nature: anxiety and discomfort can arise when confronted with the transformative power of Jesus. When Jesus cast the demons out of the man and into the pigs, it was revealed that these people valued their pigs more than the salvation of their fellow man. Losing their pigs outweighed the miracle of healing.

Are there any “pigs” in your life that you’re still clinging to? Your comfort zone, your possessions, unhealthy habits, or maybe unconfessed sin?

These can become so ingrained in your identity that you resist the transformative change Jesus is offering to you today.

In this quiet region of Galilee, these people were used to raising their pigs in isolation. They wanted to be left alone. You need to know you have an enemy that wants to keep you in isolation with your pigs, too. He wants you to think that this kind of isolation is normal and permanent, but Jesus’ presence says otherwise.

If you want him to intervene, you have to be willing to let go of the pigs!

This was adapted from a recent sermon by my pastor.

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In Case You Missed It

Last week, I wrote about how defiling my mind hinders my calling…

I’ve been pretty open about the fact though it is a ministry endeavor, Sipping Coffee & Spilling Ink ✍🏼 is merely an open journal and an effort to find my place in the Writing Life. The other day, I considered changing my tagline to “writing and podcasting my way out of spiritual frustration” because I feel like that’s all I do here. Part of me dreams of a time somewhere in the future when I can write about something else—something not so self reflective—something that seems to matter more. The whole thing about “something that seems to matter more” probably has a lot to do with the ministry side of this. Is it really mInIsTrY if I’m just trying to solve my own problems?

But then—I’m not sure if it’s the Holy Spirit or just a lot of time reading and thinking about the Writing Life—I hear a Voice saying something about how half the Writing Life is writing your way out of something and you can only write your way out of something by writing the words that come to you whether you think they matter more to readers or not. So that’s what this week’s post will be: another attempt at writing my way out of something. In some ways, it’s about the anxiety of calling.

To do this, I’m going to use a story from the book of Daniel.

Interpreter of Dreams

Several months ago, I was thinking about dreams a lot. What are they? Where do they come from? What do they mean? This precipitated a discussion of dreams on an episode of The Journey. Our discussion took me to the story of Daniel, a famous interpreter of dreams.

But Daniel was determined not to defile himself with the king’s food and the wine given to him by the king… God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the specific ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams… The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service. Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgement, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in the entire kingdom. Daniel 1:8,17, 19-20

I think the Lord drew me to this passage from Daniel because I had been thinking about what made Daniel so special. Did he do something particular in order to possess the wisdom he possessed? Why was an exile given the ability to interpret the dreams and visions of kings? These gifts propelled Daniel to a position of enormous influence and power. When I ask myself what I want for my life, I want to be a lot like Daniel. I don’t care about the power and position, but I do want “an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom…” And I know I’m not anywhere close to being there, whatever “there” even means. But the question remains: what made Daniel different? I think it’s that he determined not to defile himself.

In this context, Daniel and his friends had determined not to defile themselves with the king’s food. I suppose if I wanted to remain completely literal here, I could go that route. I could try to make the case that even in my day, “the king’s food” certainly defiles me or harms my body.

MAHA, etc.

But I think the more immediate application for my current place in the Writing Life has to do with all the ways I can defile myself in the context of my mind. Sure, there are all the obvious sins, but those are obvious for a reason and are usually pretty easily avoidable. I’m more interested in the subtle ways I allow this to happen and render myself useless as a writer. The notes in the ESV Study Bible have a good explanation of why Daniel chose to avoid the king’s food and I think it applies to what I have in mind here fairly well.

Daniel and his friends avoided the luxurious diet of the king’s table as a way of protecting themselves from being ensnared by the temptations of the Babylonian culture (which was the king’s goal with his conquered subjects). With this restricted diet they continually reminded themselves, in this time of testing, that they were the people of God in a foreign land and they were dependent for their food, indeed for their very lives, upon God, their creator, not king Nebuchadnezzar.

Yes to all that.

But what’s the point for me?

I can’t stop thinking about what this means for my own consumption of information, especially regarding social media. My relationship with social media is complicated, but it continually causes problems, or at least raises questions, for me because it’s the water I constantly swim in. I feel obligated to be on social media because of my ministry, even though most of that isn’t even through my personal channels.

I’ve prayed for wisdom, discernment, and good judgement for most of my adult life. When I pray those prayers, I never actually have the specifics of what it’s going to look like in mind. I just pray them anyway and hope God gives me these things and that I’m ready to use them when the time comes. In this way, I want to be just like Daniel. But most of the time I feel so behind and a little inadequate, or at least a little unprepared.

But why?

I think it’s because in the name of being Chronically Online so that I’m always ready to be a Director of Internet Ministries in the fight or some high sounding digital missionary nonsense, I’ve allowed my own cultural Nebuchadnezzars to defile my mind. It’s because I haven’t been strategic, much less prayerful, enough about what I consume or participate in Online. It’s important to note here that Daniel and his friends did not completely check out of their exile. They did not quit and they did not give up any chance they had at influence. In fact, they did the opposite. By determining not to defile themselves with what the king offered, they determined to be different. This was the catalyst for God using them to accomplish His purposes. It is for this reason they were able to excel during their exile.

But they did have a diet. A system. A limiting principle. A line they would not cross. An alternative to the king’s food.

In Daniel 1:11-16, we read that Daniel spoke with Nebuchadnezzar’s chief of staff and offered an alternative diet of vegetables and water. He asked that he and his friends be placed on this diet for ten days and then be compared with the young men who ate the king’s food. The attendant agreed and they were tested for those ten days.

“At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king…” Daniel 1:15

Maybe This Is Just For Me

I wrote the first draft of these thoughts in my journal on February 18th. I don’t always apply my own advice from my journal and this publication and I certainly don’t apply it quickly. Slowly but surely, though, God works things out in such a way that I begin to see why I spilled the ink in in the first place and things start reaching a breaking point.

I’m not quite at rock bottom with my information diet (read: addiction to social media), but I’ve gotten really close. In the past, I’ve basically argued that people are everywhere Online and since my ministry is what it is, I need to be everywhere online. And most days, I still think everyone should probably be somewhere. I wouldn’t say that I have a fully developed theology of pastoring social media, but I basically think there are millions of “Here I am, send me” (Isaiah 6:8) declarations that need to be made for individual people on individual platforms.

But not at the cost of defiling myself. No one person can effectively do this on every platform and one trap of the Creator Economy is making people think they can.

I’ve spent a lot of time carrying the missional mindset with me as I doomscroll. But I know nine times out of ten this costs me more than I’m actually contributing. I’m actually very fearful of what more than fifteen years of short form content has done or will do to my brain and my attention span. I know it’s hindered my ability to write the way I want to write, if for no other reason than the fact that there is simply SO MUCH OUT THERE that my brain and soul are just just not equipped to handle all of it. So I’m really convicted about trying to do something about it.

How so?

I’ve radically cut down on my drug of choice (Twitter). It’s off my phone and off my iPad. If I wish to access it, I have to (gasp) open a computer. My Instagram consumption is on its way to be with Coach Bryant. I’m too old for TikTok anyway.

But I’m also trying to replace that stuff with better stuff. I’m trying to read more of the stuff I already subscribe to here on Substack and contribute in the comment sections. I’m trying to read more of the media I actually pay for and contribute to comment sections on those various platforms, too. I’m trying to read more magazines. And I’m trying to read all of the books I own before I buy another one. (I ordered one today, so there went that, but I can still try.)

I think what I’m trying to say is that breadth of (my) internet ministry has been the problem and I should’ve been focusing on more depth of internet ministry. I suppose I’m trying to say that you can find me Here online and probably nowhere else going forward. I think not taking this approach sooner has hindered my effectiveness. Then again, I’m not sure I have a clear definition of effectiveness for this anyway.

Faithfulness is probably a better metric than effectiveness, so I’ll go for that.

I dream of the moment when my brain, my soul, and my writing are at least a little better for it.