Tag: growth

Obedience in the Small Things

Many people want God to trust them with bigger things while ignoring the smaller things already in front of them.

We pray for open doors, greater opportunities, influence, provision, and purpose. Yet sometimes the very thing holding us back is not a lack of gifting… it is a lack of faithfulness in what seems small.

Small moments reveal big character.

How we speak when frustrated, how we handle responsibilities, how we treat people who cannot benefit us, how we respond when no one notices… these things matter more than many realize.

Jesus said in Luke 16:10 that whoever is faithful in little will also be faithful in much. That means the path to greater trust often begins with ordinary obedience.

We often want dramatic assignments while neglecting daily discipline.

Some of the most important growth in my life did not happen in big moments. It happened in ordinary routines, early mornings, long workdays, keeping my word, showing up tired, and doing the right thing when nobody was watching. I wanted bigger opportunities at times, yet God kept teaching me through the responsibilities already in front of me. Those quieter lessons built discipline and character long before I understood their value.

Sometimes obedience looks less spiritual than people imagine. It can look like answering the email, paying the bill, showing up on time, or keeping your word when it costs you.

But God sees differently. He notices consistency. He honors integrity. He values a steady heart more than flashy moments.

Scripture also says in Zechariah 4:10 not to despise small beginnings. We tend to underestimate seeds because we are obsessed with harvests.

There have been seasons in my own life where progress felt slow and unnoticed. Yet looking back, those smaller seasons built strength, patience, wisdom, and discipline that larger seasons required.

Never underestimate what God can build through repeated obedience.

The little choice to pray.

The little choice to forgive.

The little choice to stay honest.

The little choice to keep showing up.

Those moments shape who you are becoming.

If you are faithful where you are, God knows how to handle where you are going.

Bible Promise

Luke 16:10
“He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.”

As you remain faithful in the small things, God is shaping you for greater trust and greater purpose.

Reflection Questions

  1. What small area of obedience have you been tempted to overlook?
  2. How can you be more faithful today with what God has already placed in front of you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Thank You that nothing done in faithfulness is wasted. Help me not to overlook the small things that matter to You. Teach me to walk in integrity, consistency, and obedience even when no one sees. Give me grace to honor You in everyday moments and trust that You are preparing me through them. Build my character and keep my heart steady before You. I give You all honor, all the glory, and all of the praise. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen & Amen.

Delayed Doesn’t Mean Denied

Waiting is one of the hardest things to do when you know what you’re believing for.

You’ve prayed. You’ve trusted. You’ve taken steps forward. And still… nothing seems to move the way you expected.

That’s usually the moment where doubt tries to step in.

You start questioning if you heard God right. You start wondering if you missed something. You start thinking maybe it’s just not going to happen.

But delay and denial are not the same thing.

Scripture says in Habakkuk 2:3 that the vision is for an appointed time… though it tarries, wait for it. That means timing is built into the promise.

God doesn’t rush to meet our expectations. He moves with purpose.

And in Ecclesiastes 3:11 we’re reminded that He makes everything beautiful in its time… not our time.

That’s the part that stretches us.

Because we don’t just want the promise… we want it now.

But God sees things we don’t. He knows what needs to be in place. He knows what needs to change in us, around us, and through us before we step into what He’s prepared.

I can remember times when I was certain something should have happened already. In my mind, the timing made sense and the door should have opened by then. But time has a way of changing perspective. Later, I could see moments when I wanted something good before I was ready for it, and other times when I was ready but the bigger picture was not. What once felt frustrating often makes more sense now. Delay can hurt, but it is not always punishment. Sometimes God is doing work you cannot yet see.

There have been times where I thought something wasn’t going to happen… only to realize later it wasn’t a “no”… it was a “not yet.”

And if I’m honest, there are things I’m thankful God didn’t rush.

Because I wasn’t ready… and neither were the circumstances.

So if you’re in a season where it feels like things are delayed… don’t let that turn into discouragement.

God hasn’t forgotten.

He hasn’t changed His mind.

And He’s not behind.

He’s working on a timeline that includes more than just the outcome… it includes you.

Bible Promise

Habakkuk 2:3

“For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

What God has ordained for your life is not forgotten. His promises arrive in His perfect timing.

Reflection Questions

  1. Where have you started to believe that a delay means God has said no?
  2. How can you choose to trust God’s timing instead of rushing the outcome?

Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Thank You that Your timing is perfect, even when I don’t understand it. Help me to trust You in the waiting and not allow doubt to take root in my heart. Remind me that You are working behind the scenes, aligning things in ways I cannot see. Give me patience, peace, and confidence in what You’ve spoken over my life. Teach me to trust not just Your promises, but Your process. I give You all honor, all the glory, and all of the praise. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen & Amen.

When You Go Quiet, God Doesn’t

There are seasons in life where everything gets quiet.

Not peaceful quiet… but the kind where you’re tired. The kind where you don’t have much to say. You’re still showing up, still doing what needs to be done, but something inside you has slowed down.

Sometimes it’s because you’ve been pouring out for too long. Sometimes it’s disappointment. Sometimes it’s just life stacking up all at once.

And if we’re honest, those are the moments where it can feel like God has gone quiet too.

But He hasn’t.

Scripture tells us in Psalm 46:10 to “be still, and know that I am God.” That verse isn’t about everything around you stopping… it’s about you learning to be still even when it doesn’t.

God doesn’t need noise to move. He doesn’t need momentum to work. He doesn’t step back just because you’ve slowed down.

In fact, some of His deepest work happens in the quiet.

I can think of times when I became quieter than normal. Not because I had nothing to say, but because life was teaching me in deeper ways than words could express. Some quiet seasons came through pain, others through growth, and some through carrying responsibilities few people ever noticed. Looking back now, I can see those were not empty seasons. God was doing private work in me that would matter later.

Isaiah 40:31 reminds us that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. Not those who rush. Not those who have it all together. Those who wait.

Waiting doesn’t mean nothing is happening. It means something is happening that you can’t see yet.

There have been moments in my life where I didn’t have the words, didn’t have the energy, and didn’t feel like I had anything to offer. But looking back, those weren’t wasted seasons… they were refining seasons.

God was strengthening things in me that didn’t need to be seen yet.

So if you’ve been quiet lately… if you’ve felt like you’ve pulled back, slowed down, or even struggled to hear clearly… don’t assume God has stepped away.

He’s still working.

He’s still present.

And He’s not confused about where you are or what He’s doing in your life.

Sometimes the quiet isn’t absence… it’s preparation.

Bible Promise

Isaiah 40:31

“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

Even in seasons of silence, God is renewing your strength for the road ahead.

Reflection Questions

  1. Where in your life have you mistaken silence for God’s absence?
  2. What would it look like for you to trust that God is still working, even in this quiet season?

Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Thank You that You are present even when things feel quiet. Thank You that You are still working in ways I can’t always see or understand. Help me to trust You in the stillness… not just in the moments when everything feels clear and active. Strengthen my heart, renew my mind, and remind me that You have not stepped away from me. Teach me to rest in You and to believe that this season has purpose. I give You all honor, all the glory, and all of the praise. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen & Amen.

Jaelyn’s Thirteenth Birthday: Becoming a Young Woman of Faith

Today Jaelyn turns thirteen, and I can hardly believe we’ve reached this incredible milestone. My little girl is officially a teenager, and while time has flown by, the young woman she is becoming fills me with such pride and gratitude.

This past year, Jaelyn has shown a maturity and depth of character that amazes me. Her faith continues to grow, and her heart for others is a reflection of God’s love working in her life. Watching her navigate the transition from childhood to her teenage years has been both bittersweet and beautiful.

As she steps into this new chapter, I am reminded of how faithful God has been throughout her life. From her first steps to her first prayers, He has been guiding her every moment. My prayer is that she continues to seek Him with all her heart, trusting that He has an incredible plan for her life.

I are so proud of the person she is becoming. Her kindness, her laughter, her curiosity, and her love for God are gifts that bless everyone around her. Happy thirteenth birthday, Jaelyn. The best is yet to come.

Reflection Questions

  1. How can you encourage a young teenager stepping into a new season of life to trust God with their future?
  2. What are some ways you can celebrate their growth while pointing them to God’s faithfulness?

Prayer

Lord, thank You for the precious gift of Jaelyn and for thirteen beautiful years of watching her grow. As she steps into her teenage years, guide her steps and guard her heart. Help her to set an example for others in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. Bless her with wisdom, confidence, and an unshakable faith that carries her through every season. I give You all honor, all the glory, and all the praise. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen & Amen.

Don’t Rush the Season

Scripture:
To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV)

Some seasons feel slow. Others feel stuck. And some feel like they’ll never end.

But what if the point isn’t to escape the season, but to embrace what it’s doing in you?

I’ve been in places where I begged God to move faster. I didn’t say it out loud, but deep down I just wanted the lesson to be over so I could get to the next thing. But God doesn’t work on our timeline. He works on our heart. And sometimes the season lasts longer because the roots aren’t deep enough yet.

There are things God wants to teach us in each season. Not just endurance, but dependence. Not just waiting, but worship. Not just trusting that He’s working, but learning how to walk with Him even when we don’t see the full picture.

Think about it; when a tree is planted, it doesn’t bear fruit right away. It grows downward first. Quietly. Secretly. The roots go deep before the branches ever reach out. The fruit comes after the roots.

So if you feel buried, maybe you’re just being planted.
And if you’re feeling delayed, maybe you’re just being developed.

Trust the process. Trust the pace. And don’t rush the season God has you in. He’s not just preparing something for you…He’s preparing you for something.

Bible Promise:
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

Reflection Questions:

  1. Are you trying to rush something God is using to shape you?
  2. What fruit could grow in your life if you stay faithful right where you are?

Prayer:

Father, help me not to rush the season I’m in. I know You are working, even when I can’t see it, and I trust Your timing more than my own. Teach me to grow deep roots, to walk with You daily, and to embrace what You’re forming in me. Don’t let me waste the quiet places. Use them to shape me into someone who’s strong, steady, and full of Your Spirit. I give You all honor, all the glory, and all the praise. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen & Amen.