All the pieces of the armor of God are vitally important, but I feel drawn to key in on the Shield of Faith. God continues to highlight aspects of faith to me, most recently reminding me of this revelation: applying faith to what we are up against takes a measure of effort each time. We can’t assume applying faith will happen automatically. 

“In addition to all this [other pieces of spiritual armor], take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16).

A shield is a unique piece of the armor of God in that it is moved around in response to threat, unlike a helmet or breastplate which stays in place once put on. Before God lists the pieces of spiritual armor he makes available to us, he tells us the reason why we need them. He explains that our battles in life are not against flesh and blood, not against the things and people before us, but actually against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. That doesn’t mean we won’t struggle with difficult things in the natural realm — but it does mean there’s something bigger going on beyond what meets the eye. 

We must TAKE UP faith. It’s a shield for us. We’ll burn to death without it. Flaming arrows being fired at us is not a surprising thought, if the reality is ever before us that we are in a raging battle in the spiritual realm. God forewarns us that we can expect these attacks.  In the spiritual realm we are in a time of war, not a time of peace. 

We must take the effort necessary to take up our shield and aim it against the arrows that come. Thrust it toward the arrow coming our way and place belief in God — belief in who he is, in what his Word says he will do, and in who he says we are. 

We take up faith by proclaiming our steadfast commitment to believe, love, and serve God no matter what. The confidence we maintain toward Him is so substantial it becomes a substance, it becomes evidence.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

Faith is our ongoing call to take action. Be reminded today that applying faith is not a passive part of standing firm in Christ, it takes a measure of effort, and it works! Tsss, can you hear the sound of the enemy’s flaming arrow being extinguished as it hits your shield of faith? 

Revised post. Originally published in 2022.

Have you ever noticed how construction crews spend so much time laying a deep, solid foundation before any upward building begins? Builders know the importance of a rock-solid foundation. Without it, everything crumbles, and the workers labor in vain.

The Apostle Paul laid a spiritual foundation when he began the church in Corinth, and returns to it to conclude the letter we call 1 Corinthians: “I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand” (1 Cor 15:1). You see, if the Corinthians do not build on their gospel foundation, Paul says they “have believed in vain” (1 Cor 15:2). Wouldn’t you like the constant comfort of knowing you’re standing on a firm foundation? Let’s read on…

Paul reminds them of what is most important — a list of items he received from those closest to Jesus. He goes on to share what scholars believe to be the earliest Christian Creed (1 Cor 15:3-7), dating back to the first few years after Jesus’ crucifixion:

• Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures
• He was buried
• He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures
• He appeared to Cephas [Peter]
• He appeared to the Twelve [disciples]
• He appeared to more than 500 at the same time
  • Most of whom are living
  • Though some have fallen asleep
• Then he appeared to James and all the apostles

These key facts about Jesus lay a rock-solid foundation for Christian faith!

This creed consists of historically corroborated eyewitness testimonies, given at a time when Paul’s readers could go find the witnesses and cross-examine them in person. The foundation of your faith rests on historically verifiable facts. In comparison, the earliest writings about Alexander the Great come from over 400 years after he died in 323 BC.¹ That means even though Jesus died over 350 years later than Alexander, the earliest writings about Jesus came first!

The creed Paul shares boils Christianity down to its most essential element: the work of Jesus. Christ is our firm foundation. The rock on which we stand. We have eternal hope in the One who died and rose again!

As you remember Jesus’ death and resurrection this year…
As the Lord leads you in constructing a life in Christ…

“Stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Cor 15:58).

^{1 Paul Gould, Travis Dickinson, and Keith Loftin, Stand Firm: Apologetics and the Brilliance of the Gospel (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2018), 77–78.}

Do you ever feel like there's something "missing" from life? That feeling of excitement when starting a new project, or contentment when you've crossed a huge task off the to-do list. Maybe you're missing that youthful spark in a now-faded friendship. Maybe you've finally settled into a routine that works, but is, frankly, really boring. Or maybe your calendar is cluttered, you keep yourself busy, and you don't take long breaks, because if you slow down for too long that feeling like something is still "missing" will finally catch up with you. Or, if you're like me, you constantly feel like you're not doing enough to make God happy.

In Luke 18, starting at verse 18, Jesus has a conversation with a rich young leader (a “finance bro”, if you will) who comes to him and says, "I've been doing all the right things for my whole life, but I'm not sure if I'll inherit eternal life! How do I make sure?" In Jesus' elegant and brilliant style, he simply says, "You still lack one thing: Sell all you have and give it to the poor, and you'll have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

Why is it brilliant? Well, when the young man asks, "What am I missing?" Jesus essentially says, "You have too much." 

We all clutter our lives with things to drown out the silence: working overtime, stable (or unstable) relationships, discounted appliances, rule-following, constant streams of content plugged directly into our brains. There's literally an endless supply of things. But when that feeling finally surfaces, and we're brave enough to "miss," then brave enough to pray, Jesus says to us, "You have too much. Get rid of it! Use what you have to bless others, then come follow me."

The one thing missing from the rich guy's life was a journey with Jesus. The lesson is too crucial for us to miss! We could be doing all the right things but still not have eternal life. And if we want it, we'll have to let go of our stuff, whether routines, or tasks, or distracting relationships, then pick up our cross to follow Him.  

Because the one thing God is missing is a daily walk with us.

In the early church, there was a lot of conflict. Peoples which had historically opposed each other were suddenly brought under the same roof and told not just to do life together, but to honor one another (gasp!). What some saw as unclean, others believed was totally fine (Romans 14:1-12). Other groups would get furious over disagreements, leading to outbursts & division (James 1:19-27, 2 Tim. 2:22-26). 

God wasn’t having any of this, so He instructed the early church on how to combat these divisions. Throughout the scriptures, we can see some general rules of thumb:

• Don’t jump to conclusions, instead listen fairly (James 1:19)
• Don’t respond out of gut-reaction, instead be patient (James 1:26, 2 Tim. 2:24)
• Speak and correct with gentleness (James 1:19, 2 Tim. 2:25, Gal. 1:1)
• Don’t judge another’s honoring of the Lord based solely on your own practices; if they’re doing more or less than you, so long as they are following His teachings (Romans 14:1-12)

We may not be the early church, but we certainly have our share of conflicts. Perhaps a friend has different political views than you, surprises you on a point of their theology, or thinks pineapple on pizza is a remotely good idea! When we experience these moments, we can learn from God’s approach to conflict.

When someone shocks or offends you, rather than bursting out in inflammatory, reactive accusations, consider asking them what they mean by their actions and listen to their answer (James 1:19, 26). If their heart is to love the Lord and honor others, and they aren’t harming anyone, opposing the Lord, or causing sin, honor that you both are seeking to live righteously in the Lord’s eyes, even if you do it a bit differently (Romans 14:1-12). If they are acting in a way that dishonors the Lord and/or others, seek first to correct with gentleness and honor (2 Tim. 2:25, Gal. 1:1, Matt. 18:15). If they’re unrepentant when you first speak with them, bring others into the matter to see if that will help (Matt. 18:16-17)! If they still don’t change their ways, it may be time to set up some boundaries (Matt. 18:17, Romans 16:17-18).

The approach the Bible teaches us to take to conflict is one of measured response, not gut reaction. To ask questions to understand and then respond, not make accusations to belittle. Once we listen, then we take our action. Doing so builds bridges to restoration and relationship (Matt. 18:15), brotherly empowerment (Prov 27:17), and holy redemption (2 Tim. 2:25-26).

So friends, when you come across conflict, how will you respond?

The ancient world placed significance on the hem (in Hebrew, the shuwl) of the garment. Shuwl can be translated as hem, skirt, fringe, edge, or train. This shuwl represented one's authority. 

We see that when David cut off the hem of Saul’s garment in 1 Samuel 24, David later repented for “an act against the Lord’s anointed.” Cutting off the hem was like taking away Saul’s authority. When Ruth took the edge of Boaz’s garment and covered herself with it, she was asking for him to cover her with his authority and protection. 

When a king went to war with another king and won, they would cut off the train of the conquered king’s robe. That piece would then be sewn onto the conquering king’s robe. Each time he conquered another kingdom, his own kingdom became more safe and secure, and his territory would expand as did the train of his robe. 

In Matthew 28:18, Jesus says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” When the woman with the issue of the blood (Matthew 9, Mark 5, and Luke 8) grabbed the hem of Jesus’ robe, she was healed because of His authority over sickness. 

In the year that King Uzziah died, “I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple” (Isaiah 6:1 NIV).  Can you envision that? After doing a little research, I found that this vision Isaiah had has even more significance than I ever knew. 

The vision that Isaiah saw displayed the Lord seated on the throne with a train that filled the temple. He has conquered ALL!

Every sin
Every evil
Every sickness
Every disease
Every addiction
Every failure
Even death itself

He has stripped the authority away from every one of those things, and his train holds rule and reign over each one of them. His authority fills the temple! Let’s join the heavenly hosts and cry out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3)

If you’re of a certain age, you may remember the classic Nintendo game called Super Mario Bros. that was released in 1985. What do twentieth-century video games about a pair of plumbers have to do with us in 2026?! Fair question…

I remember how amazing it felt to make Mario jump and punch a block containing one of those Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, or Starman power-ups. It changed the game! Your simple (and puny) character grew, gained fireball-spitting capabilities, or became invincible to enemy attacks. My Mario skills were something in the range of a B+ back in the day. I would often get stuck on more difficult levels, and getting one of these power-ups provided a much-needed boost.

What about in your spiritual journey with Jesus? Do you ever get stuck? Same old Goomba or Koopa Troopa knocking you out of the game? You need a boost! It’s time to power up! It’s time to change the game!

Jesus didn’t lay out a set of rules and say, “Good luck. Hope you can make it to the end!” He said, “Follow me, learn my ways, and then receive the power of the Holy Spirit to go do what I’ve done and to be my witnesses to the world.” When he sent out the Twelve, in Luke 9:1-6, it says “he gave them power and authority.” Before he ascended into heaven, in Acts 1:4-9, he promised his soon-to-be witnesses a baptism in the Holy Spirit and power.

Many get confused, seeking the results of the power rather than the source. They want signs, wonders, and wisdom for life. But 1 Corinthians teaches us a better way — a Jesus-centered way of approaching power:

1 Corinthians 1:22–25 (NIV): “Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.”

In this game of life, you’re gonna need power-ups along the way. The key is to look in the right place — and for the right reasons. Jesus Christ is the power and wisdom of God. You’ll find him on the way to be his witness to the world. And you’ll find him in the place of humble obedience. 

2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV): “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

I recently had the opportunity to go to Ecuador for a Sunfish regatta (that’s a race). I’ve only been sailing for two years, have never sailed on the ocean or even Lake Michigan; yet those who’ve sailed with me urged me to go and gain new insights and experiences. I signed up with my husband's encouragement. 

I was really excited about the trip, but as the date drew near, I started to experience some anxiety. Travel delays added to my concerns. When I finally arrived, I wasn’t able to go out for the practice race or experience sailing in these new conditions.  

The day of the first race, I was nervous but confident.  I followed some of the other boats out of the harbor into open water. I have sailed in similar wind conditions; however, the current, tide, and white-capped waves causing severe choppiness were all new to me. As I started sailing, my focus was on my boat and all the water coming over the bow. I kept going, but I could feel myself becoming more afraid. At one point, I seriously considered turning back because I felt so out of my element. Thankfully, I lifted my eyes and saw the other sailors; I attempted to copy what they were doing. Then I gave myself a pep talk to not give up!

Our lives are filled with hard things: work, relationships, sickness, and the list goes on. Jesus told us we would have trouble in this world, but we are to take heart because he has overcome the world (John 16:33)!

How do we take heart? Lift our eyes and look to Jesus! Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” [NIV]

Jesus fixed his eyes on the prize, you and me, to endure what he did. His love drove him to our rescue. And he gave us a great cloud of witnesses: not just those who’ve gone before us, but our Christian brothers and sisters. He puts us in a family of believers that we can look to when we are afraid or struggling. We have the opportunity to love each other as he loved us.

No matter what’s going on today, fix your eyes on Jesus. He gives us hope, peace, and love!

The Lord began speaking to me months ago about 2026, and I absolutely cannot tell you how excited I am about what He has in store for us at New Day! But how difficult for me to unpack it all in one little blog!

Our year begins with a week of Prayer & Fasting (January 4–10). We will follow the model given in Romans 12:1, where it says: “... in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” The Greek word translated “holy” also means set apart, dedicated, sanctified, or consecrated. Each day of our Prayer & Fasting week, we will meditate on a Scripture passage that reveals the mercy of God, and then we will dedicate ourselves and our year to Him as an act of consecration. We will supplement our personal prayer times with special prayer nights at church on January 4, 6, 8, and 10th (some of which will include songs led by our worship team).

Our year also begins with a focus on Renewal. To live like a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17), our minds must be made new. In Romans 12:2, the Scriptures tell us: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Beginning January 4th, our sermon series will unpack what this looks like in day-to-day life. Although it is God who renews our minds, it requires us to resist the conforming patterns of our culture and give Him our focused participation.

I’m telling you! The biblical truth underlying this series, if persistently applied, has the power to unleash new levels of freedom and joy! For nearly three months, we will track with Jesus’ teachings from the Sermon on the Mount as he brings pattern-breaking, heart-revealing truth. Each week, we will knead His truth into our minds with transformational techniques for renewal.

This plan for 2026 has so much thought and prayer behind it. I want to encourage you to get behind it too—with all your heart. Like me, I know you have victories to claim this year as you more deeply come to “know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). It’s going to be such a joy celebrating the breakthroughs together. Until then, may the Lord bless your prayer and process as we move from mercy to consecration to renewal in Christ.

“As Jesus reclined at a table in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.’” (Mark 2:15-17)

2,000 years ago, people were taught that if they had anything in their lives to disqualify or label them as “unclean,” then they were not fit for relationship with God, whether it was because of something they did or even something done to them.  

When Jesus came to the earth, He entirely uprooted this way of thinking. Over and over we see Him repeating the scripture above: associating with the lowly, the poor, the sinners, the “unclean,” instead of separating Himself from them. He pursued those who were hurt and saw themselves as unworthy, not because they were perfect, but because they weren’t. He brought them love and healing, and sealed the deal when He died on the Cross to free us all from the punishment of our sins!

Nowadays, however, I often see the same mindset that oppressed people then still inflicted upon us—oftentimes by ourselves. We say we aren’t “worthy of God” or are “too far gone.” However, just as it was 2,000 years ago, that is not the end of the story! Because of Jesus' sacrifice, we get that same freedom (Romans 6:23)—not because we’re perfect, but because we need it. God sees you as you are, no matter what you’ve done or what’s been done to you, and wants to give to you the gift of freedom and healing, because He loves you.

So as we draw near to family and friends this Christmas, let us also draw near to God and this free gift of salvation! You don’t need to earn it or be perfect to receive it. All you need is to say “yes” to Him.

As is so beautifully put in Hebrews 4:15-16: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Merry Christmas, my friends.

One random day over ten years ago, while I was praying alone, a voice in my mind, which sounded kinda like my inner monologue, said, "Within a few months, you're going to sleep with someone again." This statement filled me with dread! I felt guilty, dirty, gross! I didn't want to disappoint God! How could I avoid this fate!?

There wasn't much I could do, so I set it aside, waited, and told Seth Gerber, a New Day leader, a few weeks later. He said plainly, "That definitely wasn't God." I was mad. I recognized that voice! Or so I thought...
Then, per Galatians 5, I reviewed the fruit: guilt, dread, feeling gross and hopeless. Seth was right, and I learned how to better recognize God's voice.

Later that year, I went to a conference where I saw a pretty gal across the room. A voice in my mind, which sounded similar to my own thoughts, said, "That's your wife." How exciting! I'd never met her, nor learned her name...but surely God wouldn't lead me astray, right? Mind racing, I froze with uncertainty. Should I introduce myself? Leave my number in her unguarded purse? Propose?! How confusing....

I decided that, if it was God, an opportunity would present itself. Hours passed, she disappeared, and I never saw her again. Nor did that voice ever prompt further action. After reviewing the fruit of confusion, paralysis, and the lack of opportunity, it's safe to say that the voice was not the Lord. It was my own heart projecting physical attraction onto "God's will." And so I learned how to better recognize God's voice.

This year, I spent 4 months without a job. Early on, a familiar voice in my mind, which sounds a lot like Scripture, cautioned, "Don't latch on to anything that looks like job security. If you trust and seek me, I'll take care of you" (see Matthew 6:25-34). Recently, after an inspired week of developing my latest board game, I received a text from my old manager with a job offer. It came with feelings of peace, compassion, provision, and faith, which all seem like good fruit to me. I knew this one was from the Lord. 

Honestly, it felt kind of silly to return to the same company, but God came through. And he used the time off to focus on deepening my trust and partnership with Him. And I'm still humbly learning to better recognize His voice.

Got Questions? 
Do Feelings Take the Lead When it Comes to Hearing God’s Voice?

At New Day, we honor the place that feelings and emotions hold. We teach things like “Emotions are good signalers, but poor leaders.” However, do feelings lead when it comes to hearing God’s voice? This reasonable question stems from the observation that when we share about what we heard God say, it is common to phrase it as though our emotions decided whether we heard God’s voice or not. It might sound like, “I feel God is saying such and such.”  

What an excellent question to parse out. Firstly, when God speaks to us, it would be more accurate to say, “I am sensing in my spirit that God is saying such and such,” as our spirit is the part of us that is in purest connection with God’s Spirit. 

“But the person who is joined to the Lord is one Spirit with him” (1 Corinthians 6:17 NLT).

In addition to our spirit receiving God’s voice, our emotions will also be impacted by his message, as will our minds and bodies. It is important to note that our emotions are not the singular platform he speaks to. All parts of our being are impacted by his message. 

“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23 NIV).

When listening to God’s voice, be free to notice emotions as the signalers they are. Feelings of peace or joy may come after receiving a word from God. Fear or conviction may be the resulting emotion. Feeling confused is common if we are unsure about the meaning of what we heard. Ultimately, though, it will not be our emotions that make the call if it truly was God’s voice or not. The determining factor will be if the words we received align with the broad message of Scripture and are affirmed by other believers who are well-practiced in hearing God’s voice.     

It is important to note that this is not something to become legalistic about. If someone says, “I feel God is saying such and such,” that is okay. We know their emotions have been impacted in the heavenly transaction and they are sharing from that place. Also, they may begin with “I feel” in order to frame their word tentatively as opposed to something fixed like, “thus sayeth the Lord.” Whatever the reason, it is good and helpful to understand a fuller picture of the role emotions hold in the context of hearing God’s voice.

Have you felt it lately? A degree of difficulty that seems too loaded to chalk up to coincidence? Me too. You’re not crazy. It’s real. Not that we haven’t suffered before, but the current batch carries a different character and quality. What’s going on here?

Please remember that you live in a spiritual battle zone. You have an enemy constantly lurking and looking for opportunities to injure or take you out of the fight completely. The Bible says that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12). It also tells us that our “enemy prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). The spiritual realm is real. Evil forces are real and at war with God. And you live right in the thick of the battlefield. In fact, you are the battlefield.

What’s a believer to do? Stand your ground.

After the reminder that the devil wants to devour, 1 Peter 5:9-10 says to “resist him, standing firm in the faith” and know that God will “make you strong, firm and steadfast.” Right beside the warnings about forces of evil, Ephesians 6:10-18 says to “take your stand against the devil’s schemes,” to “stand your ground,” and to “stand firm.” It goes on to describe all the resources available to you: strength in the Lord, His mighty power, the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the readiness of the gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Not to mention that you can “pray in the Spirit on all occasions.”

Stand your ground…Are you seeing how this is a defensive posture? Why? Because Jesus reigns victorious already! The war is won! He “disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Col. 2:15). The picture painted here portrays a warrior king returning home, in procession through the city streets, with prisoners of war in tow behind him. That’s your King Jesus!

The devil and his spiritual forces of evil have lost. A final expulsion into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:10) awaits them. Until that day comes, stand strong against the skirmishes launched by your defeated foes. Those skirmishes are real. They make our lives difficult, and we suffer. But we know the end of the story, and we have our marching orders. Pray in the Spirit constantly, and…stand your ground.

I love going to art shows; seeing the amazing craftsmanship leaves me in awe. Although there are numerous forms of artwork, I am drawn to pottery. I love the creativity of the colors and shapes of all the pots, bowls, and mugs. My cupboard is filled with different mugs that I have purchased over the years at different art shows.

Seeing all those beautiful pieces of art inspired me to dream of one day sitting at a potter's wheel and creating one of my own. This fall, I signed up for a basic ceramics course. Each week, we were shown a different way to sculpt clay. I have to admit my attempts fell far short of what my mind envisioned. But I kept going, even though I wanted to quit.

My Christian walk has felt a little like my pottery journey. I had such visions of grandeur. Yet it is much more difficult to change a life that is steeped in sin. To navigate trials, hardships, and relationships is challenging. And all the while we are to do as Proverbs 3:5-6 says: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Our journey is unto His glory, not our own. I don’t get it all right all of the time; no one does. Yet God is there for us every step of the way. We persevere. “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18). 

He is shaping us into his likeness through our trials, our failures, and our successes. Romans 8:28 tells us, “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” God is doing all of it for our good and his glory. And that is a beautiful thing!

Last June, after several exhausting days of travel, myself and the rest of the mission team found ourselves in the coastal city of Izmir. On our first day there, we were meeting the leaders of the persecuted church we were to be supporting over the next few days, and after a short walk, we gathered in the pastors’ crowded apartment.

As members of their church began to file in until the room was so full of enthusiastic conversation that it was hard to hear the person speaking in front of you, I was waiting for a leader to quiet everyone down so we could get to the “important” business of why we were actually gathered that day. Except, as it turns out, that was never the plan.

After a handful of hours and people starting to say their goodbyes, I was struck by the reality of what just happened. This gathering was never about briefly making acquaintanceships with the foreigners before getting onto “more important things” like the week’s schedule, but rather was entirely focused on our groups’ connection and giving space to love each other as brothers & sisters in Christ. This whole gathering was so we could show love & intentionality to each other; something my westernized mind was trained to see as a side-dish to the main course of a meeting.

In John 13:34-35, Jesus says to His disciples, “34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (ESV)

This love that Jesus calls His disciples to was precisely what I experienced in that small, crowded apartment in Izmir. A love uninterested in treating people as checklists to complete, but rather filled with compassion & interest in each person’s story. A love that welcomes people not as friends, but as family. A love that echoes Jesus’ own.

Ever since that day, I’ve been moved to find ways I can love intentionally, like the Turkish church showed love to me. How can I be someone who’s interested in the lives of my fellow Christians & those I meet in the day-to-day routine of life? To not treat people as a box to check, but a person to bless?

I invite you to join me in this rewiring of the way we connect with each other. To show love & intention in a society so full of division and judgement, and in doing so, learn to love our neighbor just as the Turkish church loved us; just as Jesus calls us to love.

This is the fish God showed me in the car, which is a crazy way to start a story, so let me back up. 

In 2012, shortly after Jesus re-captured my heart, I was obsessed with signs, miracles, and wonders. I'd grown up in a charismatic environment where weird things like healing, being "slain in the spirit" (code for falling over), and miraculous laughter were normal, even expected, as part of "Holy Spirit revival." And now I was involved with a group of friends pursuing even wilder things like gold dust, dissolving bone-screws, and visions of flaming angels. It was a fun time. 

During these early months, I devoted myself to learning how to hear God's voice. This seemed like the surest way to end up with a miracle (or so I thought). On this particular drive home, for whatever reason, I asked the Lord, "How's your day going?" 

Naturally, I expected to hear flattering things about myself, like, "Oh, just spending time with my favorite son today." But instead, I saw this picture in my mind of a really specific tropical fish, and the instructions to, "go home and find this fish." Strange, but okay. So I spent two hours googling tropical fish until I found it. Can you guess what the fish is called? No need; it's called a "flame angelfish." My stomach dropped. Immediately the Lord spoke, and said, "If you pursue relationship with me, instead of focusing on the miraculous, I will lead you to divine encounter."

As I've matured in the years since, I've grown far less interested in miracles (fun as they are) and far more interested in relationship, both with God and with people. I no longer chase signs, like angel feathers or gold teeth (yes, really). Instead, my life is devoted to growing in wisdom and compassion, so that I can become an effective servant in the body of Christ, with or without miracles. 

Because love is the divine encounter we really crave.

Jesus actively calls disciples. He says, “Come, be my follower and proclaim the Gospel.” Each disciple of Jesus is called to proclaim the Gospel in some way. (See Matthew 4:18–22; 28:19–20.) We do that by listening to what God wants us to do, readying ourselves for the mission, then acting on it when his timing comes.

New Day has been facilitating great kingdom work in our Ministry Center in the Vine neighborhood at 632 Locust St. for nearly 20 years now. Within that time, it has hosted things like young adults ministry, a campus of New Day Church, worship nights, and various groups. We are always asking the Lord what he would like to do next, keeping the building open before him to use however he wants to impact the surrounding community. While we have a thriving men’s discipleship residency program occupying the second floor, it was apparent that the main floor had great untapped potential.

Well, we have great news. Holy Grounds Meeting Place, led by Amanda Owens and her board, are starting their nonprofit ministry in our space this month! Ultimately the main floor will be renovated to be a coffee shop with a private meeting space for “living room style” Bible studies and space for children to be looked after.

While funds for the renovation are being raised, Holy Grounds will open their doors to the community right away, offering drip coffee by donation, and a slew of wonderful events and groups. There will be board game nights, worship events, prayer meetings, and a grief support group, to name a few. A variety of Bibles will be on site as well.

This ministry’s connection will reach beyond New Day as a space for churches and others in Kalamazoo to utilize for discipleship, ministry, and the betterment of our community. It will serve as a space for people who don’t have a relationship with Jesus yet to come and experience Christianity in a very approachable setting.

God gave Amanda a big vision for what he wants to do through Holy Grounds in our city, linking arms with dozens of area churches, businesses, and ministries. What a joy to be such a big part of this wonderful ministry as Holy Grounds functions out of our building, under our covering and blessing. Please keep Amanda and her team in your prayers as they step out in obedience to the way God called them to proclaim the Gospel and make disciples.

https://holygroundsmeetingplace.org/

“…a time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

At a missions conference months after my salvation, I heard God declare, “You are not called to go, but to send.” Since then I, and our church, have sent many individuals, teams, church plants, missionaries, and a large amount of money to world missions. 

I obeyed my call “to send” for 20 years before visiting a foreign ministry at age 40. Since then, many opportunities for sending resources – and sending myself – have opened up. Having so much leadership experience enables me to counsel and encourage ministries and individuals in a vast array of ministries. From planting churches, leading a local congregation long-term, leading a multi-site church, to leading international networks, my resume is broad. 

When asked how I work and travel so extensively, my response is: “The faithful and generous support of people like you.” No longer being on New Day staff allows me to focus on Harvest Alliance (80+ ministries in 20 nations), and many missions and speaking requests. While I was a pastor of New Day, the church funded most of my missions. As Missions Pastor, New Day’s salary covered my livelihood and fundraising, and Harvest Alliance paid for my travel. The BIG change is that I am now fully dependent upon donations for my livelihood and ministry travel. 

My ongoing ministry information can be found at www.cameronwright.org. The missions and church planting schools that I do regularly in Mexico, Africa, and Europe are made up of existing pastors and missionaries and those preparing to go into such ministries. This enables me to directly shape the next generation of pastors and leaders, which is very rewarding. My work with Harvest Alliance enables me to come alongside pastors and church leadership and encourage them leading their churches and navigating the myriad of challenges faced in ministry. I am deeply grateful for the support of New Day in the support the church provides for me to continue serving the greater Church. 

Faith is best expressed by action. October will be another extended ministry trip: Beginning in England for a week at a H.A. church and the annual gathering in London; then over a week in Vancouver, Canada ministering at another H.A. gathering and several H.A. churches. From there, I’ll fly to Mexico to teach a week at a mission school. Additionally I am already filling my 2026 calendar with ministry trips and projects. Please keep me in your prayers.

The book of James makes me feel like John McEnroe at Wimbledon in 1981. Check out the clip here to see what I’m talking about: http://bit.ly/46FWpQI. If I’m honest with myself, I just want to say: “James…YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!”

“Count it pure joy … whenever you face trials of many kinds…” (James 1:2, NIV). ?!? And also: “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:4). What?! I don’t want to face trials! And I certainly don’t want to endure them long enough for perseverance to do a bunch of work on me. I want the trial to end! I want to feel blessed. Favored. Healthy. Happy. “James…YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!”

And yet he is serious—with God’s inspiration and approval. When we read the Bible, repeated words serve as an alert system. They tell us to pay attention. James uses the same word twice in one sentence in verse four: “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature…” You may need a reference book to see it, but “finish” and “mature” are the exact same word in the original Greek (teleios). It means perfect, mature, complete, or fully developed. James, you want me to sit with the pain of trials long enough for perseverance to fully develop its work in me? I’ll say it again: “YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!”

And yet this is God’s will for his people: to endure trials. To let them take you beyond your breaking point—to a Garden of Gethsemane reckoning. Where you can feel the agony of injustice with no way out of that moment, and turn to God anyway to say: “Your will be done” (Matt. 26:42). God, YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!

And yet he is. Jesus did that. Hebrews says Jesus is “crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (Heb. 2:9). And furthermore, he is called the pioneer of our salvation who was made “perfect (teleios) through what he suffered” (Heb. 2:10). He endured for you and me. Now he calls us to endure until his salvation becomes our eternal experience.

Christianity begins with his love for us, demonstrated by what he suffered on the cross. It continues as we express our love in response, taking up our cross to follow him. And it lasts eternally as we enjoy eternal life in his presence. Wow! That’s an amazing promise. God, you would do that for me? YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!

And from the bottom of my heart…thank you.

When I was a little girl, my family would go and visit my grandparents in South Haven. My grandparents would take us to their favorite beach on occasion to look for rocks and beach glass. This particular beach was all rocks and no sand; you had to wear shoes to walk on the large rocks. My grandmother was really good at finding beach glass. She took her time and combed the shore and always managed to find lots of shiny treasures. Her large collection boasted glass in numerous colors.

I was at a Lake Michigan beach the other day after a storm had come through. Numerous rocks had washed up along the shoreline. I started searching for the precious treasures. There was a couple in front of me and they were also combing the rocks for interesting finds. I wondered if I should try to get ahead of them; however, as I slowed down, I was able to discover numerous pieces of beach glass.

In Proverbs 8:17, God says, “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.” Later in Proverbs 25:2 it says, “It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.”

Our world is a very busy place and it encourages us to go faster and get more done. God's ways are not like the world. He calls us to do something different. I have found that when I take time to spend with him, I actually have the capacity to accomplish all that I need to in a day. When I don’t take time with him, I don’t seem to get as much done. His ways are higher than ours. 

This year, as we abide, we are slowing down and seeking God. Our series on spiritual pathways is showing us different ways of connecting with God. I would encourage you to take the time to slow down and engage in each of the pathways. Connecting with God is always rewarding, even more than finding treasures on the shoreline.

In today’s world, we have no shortage of interesting things to give our attention to. Eating breakfast too boring? Watch a video while you’re at it! The drive to work too quiet? Listen to a podcast! Need to go to the bathroom? Why don’t you scroll on Instagram or TikTok while you do your business? I could continue, but I’m sure you know what I mean. Our lives are filled with distractions, headlines, and thumbnails waiting to grab our attention, but isn’t it exhausting? Surely there is something better and more fulfilling we can do with our time, right?

There certainly is, and in fact I believe it to be far simpler than we make it out to be. What is it? Stillness.

The practice of stillness is one modern society has largely fallen out of touch with; however, it’s one we see modeled in Scripture frequently. One such model is Jesus Himself. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus is a busy man. He’s constantly traveling, preaching and healing, all the while specifically training His 12 disciples in the ways of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Yet despite this, we continuously see Jesus prioritize time with His Father away from distractions. Luke 4:42 & 5:16 state that not only did Jesus take time to step away and pray, but He did so regularly. In Matt. 14:13-23, Jesus goes off to pray, gets interrupted by the 5,000, feeds them, then resumes His original plan and prays by Himself. Perhaps most significant of all, in Matt. 4, the first thing Jesus does after getting baptized is spend 40 days in the wilderness in solitude before beginning His public ministry.

Even with His busy schedule, Jesus valued time with God immensely. So how do we learn to do the same in our everyday lives? By starting small. Whenever you get a moment where you could fill it with a distraction, just breathe instead. Focus on God, and welcome Him into your mind. And then linger there for a minute. If you can, set a 5-10 minute timer where that’s all you do. Simple as that.

God wants to encounter and transform you, and when you make this practice a lifestyle, you intentionally open moments everyday specifically for encountering His love, returning to our original design of being children loved by our Heavenly Father. So give it a shot, and see how God moves in your life, I think you’ll find Him more fulfilling than another TikTok.

Summer is here, and so are the flowers on New Day Nature Trails! Black-Eyed Susan and Daisy Fleabane blanket the prairie. Native grasses are thriving. New trees are growing (pine, oak, redbud, dogwood, and more). And targeted invasive species treatments continue. This land shouts the glory and goodness of God! Please take some time to connect with God on the trails. Greet any neighbors you meet and share the love of God with them.

Pathways matter! But the destination matters most! What’s more important at Van Buren State Park? Climbing over the dune on the pavilion path or getting to the beach? Is it more important to take the paved sidewalk or to reach those Lake Michigan waves? I’ve never met anyone at Van Buren who said they came for the path. No! They take the path that suits them best to reach the destination.

The same principle applies to abiding. While there are many pathways for connecting…the important thing is the destination: JESUS! Over the next nine weeks of summer, we will be going through a sermon series about different ways to abide. It’s called “Abide: Pathways for Connection.” I pray this series gives you some practical ways to more powerfully and consistently connect with your source of life, love, joy, peace, and purpose: Jesus Christ. He is the one who said: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love” (John 15:9, ESV).

As we explore these pathways, keep in mind that they can never replace the basic Christian practices. There’s nothing that could ever replace belief, confession, repentance, Bible reading, prayer, worship, service, and sharing your faith. These basic Christian practices can be enhanced by the pathway methods, but never replaced. You’d never go for a long, hot day at the beach without water and justify that decision based on which pathway you took to the shore! The same is true spiritually: you may find you love the caregiving pathway for connecting with Jesus (à la Mother Teresa), but you should never neglect personal prayer and Bible reading. I think Mother Teresa would wholeheartedly agree!

This summer will offer you a time to reflect on which pathways come most naturally for you. You’ll also be challenged to expand your horizons into pathways less familiar, so you can be a balanced abider. Your investment in understanding and practicing multiple ways of connecting with Jesus will prepare you for a multifaceted, lifelong practice of abiding. There was a season of life when I never took the paved sidewalk to the beach at Van Buren. I wanted the adventure of climbing over the dune. That pathway worked best for my stage of life and goals at the time. Later in life, when I was toting diaper bags, floaties, goldfish crackers, and toddlers, the sidewalk became much more desirable. The same principle applies to our spiritual life. What pathways suit your current season of life? What pathways do you need to cultivate to diversify how you relate to God?

Whatever pathway(s) you choose, I’ll see you at the destination: Jesus!

As we wind down our ABIDE sermon series, John’s purpose for writing his book (to inspire belief in his readers – John 20:31) is standing out to me. Particularly the raw reality that as Jesus hung on the cross, he hung between belief and unbelief. He had a thief on either side of him: one believed, one ridiculed. I feel John’s intent surge to the forefront as he poses what continues to hang in the balance: will you be a sinner who receives Jesus or a sinner who rejects him? Answering that question is of utmost importance; therefore, John penned a most compelling account of Jesus' life and ministry that inspires everyone to believe.

Given John’s focus to move his readers to belief in Jesus, let’s look at many of the profound things he had to say about belief throughout his book:

To those who believe, an extraordinary right is given.
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent… but born of God. (John 1:12-13)

God’s wrath is removed from those who believe.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him. (John 3:36)

Those who believe cross over from death to eternal life.
“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24)

Belief in Jesus is doing the work of God.
Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:28-29)

True believers hold to Jesus’ teaching.
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)

Some who believe are afraid to say so, fearing they may lose praise from men.
…many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God. (John 12:42-43)

What a beautiful belief compilation! When we believe in Jesus we become his child, God’s wrath is removed from us, and we are given eternal life. Belief in Jesus is how we do the work of God as we hold to his teachings and care more about pleasing God than men. In response to such glorious Scripture, let us solidify devotion to belief in Jesus and extend this vital reality to others like John did for us.

“What are you up to? Do you want spaghetti?” 

It was a gloomy day after a prayer meeting at the Vine Building downtown, where Chloe invited me upstairs. Since I was new to the young adult community, I sensed this was her way of being intentional about including the outsider. And being a young guy in college, I obviously didn’t turn down free food. 

From across the island in the middle of the teal kitchen, I answered the usual “get to know you” questions while Chloe cut up bell peppers to fill out the red sauce simmering on the stove. But the course of my life was permanently altered when she told me about her day at work. 

Chloe’s coworker at the boutique had casually vented about her dysfunctional marriage during their shift. I remember the way Chloe stopped in the middle of her story to scan the ceiling while emotions unfurled on her face. She was troubled by her coworker’s heartache. Deeply troubled. She was moved to pray and to imagine a better life for her. And while she slid the peppers off the cutting board into the saucepan, I caught a glimpse of sincerity and selflessness that I had never seen before. It struck me. 

Her problems are SO different from mine, I thought. As someone at the beginning of his discipleship journey, my main concerns were about chasing miracles, paying adult bills, and trying to quit porn. Why does she care this much about a stranger? How did she get to be so compassionate? Her concern, clearly absorbed during time spent with Jesus, was so impressive, the impact left me reeling for years. 

This simple-but-groundbreaking moment highlighted the power of vulnerability when it comes to being a "witness". An obscure little letter in your Bible called Philemon offers a similar, vulnerable insight into the life of a Jesus follower. In it, Paul entreats Philemon to receive his runaway slave like a missing son. Paul shares his newfound love for the former slave, inviting the reader to think something like, “Wow, Paul’s problems are so different from mine. How did he become so redemptive?” And as witnesses of Paul’s sincerity, of the gospel in action, we can absorb a new vision of a life transformed by the love of Jesus. It’s worth a read.

It’s certainly appropriate sometimes to prepare a little speech for an opportunity to share the gospel. But vulnerability is potent. Let’s not discount the power of inviting an outsider to witness your day at work over a bowl of homemade spaghetti sauce. Without a doubt, I still want to be as sensitive and generous as Chloe when I grow up.

(Thanks Chloe!)

Our world is full of competition. We compete in sports to see who is the reigning champion. There’s competition in schools for all kinds of things, including grades. In the workplace, people compete for jobs. Restaurants compete for customers. Let’s not talk about competitiveness in politics. It seems like it’s all around us, and it’s easy to get caught up in it.
 
When does healthy competition become division? We live in a world where it seems like divisiveness reigns. Just watch the news or check out social media, and you'll see lots of examples of division.

Although healthy competition can be good and even help people excel, the one place where there should not be division or even any competition is the church. Not just the local church, but all the believers together that make up the whole church. That’s the one that Jesus is coming back for.

Jesus prayed in John 17:20-23: "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

God’s people, Christians, have been called to unity. We are to be unified so the world can see God’s love through it. Our unity stands out in a world that is full of division and competition.
 
How can we have unity with other Christians? Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:2-3: “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.”

Being patient with others isn’t easy. Neither is forgiving those who offend you. However, Jesus says that those who follow him will be like him. He is our role model, and we need to do as he instructed us to do: Be one with one another as he is with the Father.

I encourage you to ask yourself if you are showing God’s love to the world by your unity with him and his church. Are you doing your part to be unified with other believers?