full circle

Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!"
— Genesis 45:4 (NIV)
 
In Tuesday’s “daily bread”, I shared a little about a movie I recently watched. Another part of that story involved two brothers who found themselves on opposite sides of a war. I won't spoil the movie, but their story reminded me of another set of brothers.
Joseph's brothers were jealous of him. They sold him into slavery and led their father to believe he was dead. Years passed, and Joseph endured hardship, false accusations, and imprisonment before God placed him in a position of authority in Egypt. Then, during a famine, his brothers came to Egypt seeking food. They didn't recognize Joseph, but he recognized them.
Imagine that moment! The brothers who had betrayed him were standing right in front of him, completely unaware of who he was. Eventually, Joseph revealed his identity and welcomed them back into his life. What seemed like the end of their story wasn't the end at all.
Sometimes life takes us down roads we never expected. Relationships change, circumstances separate us, and we wonder how things will ever work out. But God sees what we cannot. He knows the beginning, the middle, and the end, even when we're struggling to understand the chapter we're living.
We only see the chapter we're living. God sees the entire story.
And sometimes, in ways we could never have imagined, He brings things full circle.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

still learning

Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.
— Luke 23:34 (NIV)
 
I'll admit something about myself. When someone hurts my feelings, my first instinct is to distance myself from them. I can hold a grudge, and sometimes I find it easier to walk away than to work through the hurt. Recently, I've been struggling with forgiveness. Words were spoken that hurt deeply, and I don't believe the person who said them even realizes the damage they caused. The anger has faded, but the hurt remains. And that leaves me wrestling with a difficult question. How do you forgive someone who doesn't even know they've hurt you?
As Jesus hung on the cross, He prayed for the very people responsible for His suffering. He didn't wait for an apology or an acknowledgment of wrongdoing. He simply asked His Father to forgive them.
I wish I could say forgiveness comes that easily to me.
It doesn't.
I'm learning that forgiveness isn't pretending the hurt never happened. It isn't automatically restoring trust or allowing someone to continue hurting us. It's choosing not to let bitterness take root in our hearts. And sometimes that choice has to be made more than once.
God doesn't ask us to pretend we aren't hurting. He asks us to bring that hurt to Him and let Him teach us how to forgive.
I'm still learning.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

heart of a lion

When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior".
- Judges 6:12 (NIV)
 
Saturday evening, Randy and I attended our first red carpet event! Dressed in evening gowns, suits, and ties, we celebrated people who had achieved successful weight loss through bariatric surgery. Every person honored had a story. Stories of declining health, struggles, difficult decisions, setbacks, and ultimately, success. There were tears because I recognized myself in those stories. Then on Sunday, I watched a movie that featured a song called "Heart of a Lion." Its message was about finding the courage to move forward, even when you're afraid. I couldn't help but think about the celebration the night before.
In Judges 6, Gideon was hiding from his enemies when the angel of the Lord called him a mighty warrior. Gideon certainly didn't see himself that way! He saw his weaknesses and limitations, but God saw what was possible.
Sometimes the greatest courage is finding the strength to change your life when staying where you are feels easier than stepping into the unknown. Taking that first step doesn't mean the journey will be easy. There may be setbacks, doubts, and moments when giving up seems tempting. But courage isn't the absence of fear. It's moving forward in faith despite it.
We may not always recognize the strength within ourselves, but God knows what is possible when we trust Him.
You don't have to be fearless to have the heart of a lion. Sometimes you just have to be willing to take the next step.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

starting over

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
— Isaiah 43:19 (NIV)
 
Yesterday, I watched a movie about two brothers whose family came to America hoping for a fresh start. By the end of the movie, war had taken their home and livelihood, and they faced the challenge of starting over once again.
I could relate.
In 2001, Randy lost his job. Six months later, after losing nearly everything, we packed up what little we had left and moved 500 miles away to Arkansas for a new opportunity.
Then, in 2025, we found ourselves facing another unexpected beginning. This time, we were better prepared, and the road to recovery wasn't quite as long. But one thing hadn't changed. Starting over was still hard.
Sometimes we choose a new beginning. Other times, circumstances choose it for us. Either way, we don't always know what lies ahead.
But God does.
Isaiah reminds us that God can make a way even in the wilderness. What looks like the end of one chapter may be the beginning of something we cannot yet imagine.
Starting over doesn't mean starting without hope. It means trusting the One who already knows the way forward.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

who, not why

Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal.
— Isaiah 26:4 (NIV)
 
Have you ever prayed for something, absolutely believing that God could make it happen, only to discover that His answer wasn't what you hoped for? Sometimes we pray with such confidence that we can almost picture how everything is going to work out. We've already imagined the happy ending! But then things take a completely different turn. We know God is capable of doing amazing things. We've read about His miracles, we've seen His faithfulness, and we believe in His power.
But what happens when He doesn't do what we ask?
There's a difference between having faith in what God can do and trusting Him with what He chooses to do.
Faith says, “God, I know You CAN.” Trust says, “But even if You DON'T, I know You'll still be God.”
That's not always easy, is it? We want answers. We want explanations. We want to understand why things happen the way they do. But Isaiah reminds us to trust in the Lord forever because He is our eternal Rock. Rocks don't shift with the weather, and God's character doesn't change with our circumstances.
Trusting God doesn't mean we understand what He's doing. It means we know WHO we're trusting. Surrendering to God doesn't mean giving up hope or stopping our prayers. It means recognizing that His wisdom reaches far beyond our understanding.
So when life doesn't go according to plan, instead of getting caught up in asking WHY, let's keep our focus on WHO. Because even when we don't know what God is doing, we can trust who He is.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

heart's desire

The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
— 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV)
 
What's your heart's desire?
Maybe it's a new job, financial security, better health, or simply a little peace and quiet. We all have things we long for, things we hope will someday become reality. But have you ever stopped to consider what God's heart desires?
During a recent sermon, I was reminded that God's desire has been clear from the very beginning. He wants people to know Him, to experience His love, and to receive the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
And He's given us a part in sharing that Good News.
Here's the thing, though. We have a tendency to put things off. We'll share our faith when we feel more confident. We'll invite someone to church when the timing is right. We'll talk about Jesus when the opportunity presents itself.
But what if the opportunity is already here?
We are living in the RIGHT NOW.
Peter reminds us that God is patient because He doesn't want anyone to perish. Every day He gives us is another opportunity to share His love with someone who may not know Him.
God is patient. We shouldn't be complacent.
Sharing the Good News doesn't always require a sermon or a perfectly memorized Scripture. Sometimes it begins with a conversation, an act of kindness, or simply telling someone what Jesus has done in our lives. We don't have to have all the answers. We just have to be willing to share the One who does.
God's heart's desire hasn't changed. The question is, what are we doing about it right now?
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

check your motives

All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD.
— Proverbs 16:2 (NIV)
 
Have you ever stopped to think about WHY you do the things you do? Not just the big decisions, but the little everyday things. Why did you say what you said? Why did you react the way you did? Were you genuinely trying to help someone, or were you trying to prove a point? Did you offer advice because it was needed, or because you wanted to show how much you know?
Ouch! Those questions can sting a little!
The truth is, we can do the right thing for the wrong reasons. We can offer a compliment because we mean it, or because we want something in return. We can apologize because we're genuinely sorry, or simply because we want to end an argument. And sometimes we're so good at justifying our actions that we convince ourselves our intentions are perfectly innocent!
Proverbs 16:2 reminds us that while our actions may seem right in our own eyes, God sees what's really going on in our hearts.
It's not just WHAT we do that matters. It's WHY we do it.
That doesn't mean we need to second-guess every word or action. But it does mean we should occasionally take a good look at our hearts and ask God to reveal anything that needs adjusting.
Before you speak, react, or make a decision today, take a moment to check your motives.
Because God isn't just interested in what comes out of our hearts. He's interested in what's going on inside them.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible