sheep

The Lord is my shepherd
- Psalm 23:1a (NIV)
 
Visiting new churches can be exciting and scary at the same time. You might be greeted warmly and welcomed with open arms—or you might not have anyone really speak to you at all. When you show up at a church on a motorcycle, it can truly go either way.
Over the past few weeks, my husband and I have visited a church that is really making an impact on us. The pastor has been focusing on sheep (yes… sheep), and yesterday he unpacked Psalm 23 and the names of God found within it. It was such a simple yet powerful reminder of who God is and how He cares for us. This week, I want to share a few of those names with you.
In Psalm 23, David calls God Jehovah-Raah—the Lord who shepherds. A shepherd doesn’t rush the flock or drive them forward from behind. He walks ahead, watching, guiding, and protecting. He knows the terrain. He knows the dangers. And he knows his sheep well enough to notice when one is tired or beginning to wander.
David wasn’t speaking in theory. He had lived the life of a shepherd himself. Calling the Lord his Shepherd was a declaration of trust—I am not leading my life alone.
Because Jehovah-Raah goes before us, we are not lacking. That doesn’t mean life is always easy or predictable, but it does mean we have what we truly need: guidance when we’re unsure, protection when we’re vulnerable, and rest when we’re weary.
Sometimes faith is simply choosing to follow—trusting that the One who leads us sees farther than we can.
 
#dailybreadbykitty
Daily Inspiration from the Bible

unfinished

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
- Philippians 1:6 (NIV)
 
I’ve used a Franklin Planner since 1995. It’s been great for organizing my thoughts, tracking tasks, and taking notes during meetings. I have come into the 21st century, though—no more paper planners and switching pages each month. These days, my planner lives on my iPad.
Years ago, I had a manager who once watched me at the end of the day as I worked through my task list, making sure everything was checked off. He looked at me and said, “You know, you don’t have to check off every box every day.”
I was mortified. The OCD part of me requires that every box be checked.
But life doesn’t always work that way, does it? Some things carry over. Some plans take longer. Some progress happens quietly, without a neat little checkmark beside it. It’s easy to look back on a week and focus on what didn’t get finished. The things we meant to do, the conversations we wish had gone better, the plans that changed along the way. We’re often harder on ourselves than we need to be.
But God doesn’t measure progress the way we do.
Paul reminds us that God isn’t looking at our lives with a checklist. He’s not disappointed when things are unfinished. God is still at work—steadily, faithfully, patiently. What He starts, He continues. Even when we feel incomplete, unsure, or a little worn down, God hasn’t stepped away. He hasn’t lost interest. He isn’t disappointed in the pace. What God begins, He continues—and He’s far more patient with the process than we often are with ourselves.
As this week comes to a close, let that truth rest lightly on your heart. You don’t have to have everything figured out, it’s okay if not everything got done. It’s okay if some things remain unfinished. God is still working, and He’s doing it with love.
 
#dailybreadbykitty
Daily Inspiration from the Bible

never alone

 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
- Matthew 11:28 (NKJV)
 
There are seasons when the weight we carry feels heavier than usual. Responsibilities pile up, expectations linger, and even good things can leave us worn down. When that happens, it’s easy to pull inward and try to handle everything on our own.
But God never intended for us to walk alone.
Jesus invites the weary to come to Him, promising rest—not more demands. And often, that rest comes not only through quiet moments with Him, but also through the people He places in our lives. Friends, family, church, coworkers, fellow believers… in every walk of life, God gives us others to lean on.
Needing help doesn’t mean we’re failing. It means we’re human. God meets us in our weariness, and He also meets us through the kindness, encouragement, and support of those around us.
Today, if you’re feeling heavy, remember this: you are seen, you are supported, and you do not have to carry everything by yourself.
 
#dailybreadbykitty
Daily Inspiration from the Bible

tired

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)
 
Doing good doesn’t always feel joyful. Sometimes it feels exhausting.
I’ve been volunteering in one way or another since I was about twelve years old—working as a candy striper, joining a military career exploration group as a youth and later as an adult advisor, serving with various veterans’ organizations, fostering cats, teaching Sunday school, arts and crafts, and music. There have been fundraisers for youth groups, motorcycle ministry, and so many causes that mattered deeply to my heart.
And sometimes… I get tired.
Burnout doesn’t mean we don’t care. It doesn’t mean we’ve lost our passion or our faith. It usually means we’ve been giving faithfully for a long time, often without seeing immediate results or recognition.
Paul’s words are a gentle reminder, not a reprimand. He doesn’t say if we get weary—he says when. And he encourages us to keep going, not by gritting our teeth, but by trusting that God sees every act of love, every sacrifice, every quiet yes. Even when the harvest feels far away, it is not forgotten.
If today feels heavy, know this: your faithfulness matters. Even the good you can’t see growing yet is still taking root.
 
#dailybreadbykitty
Daily Inspiration from the Bible

just today

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
- Matthew 6:34 (ESV)
 
The weather lately feels like it can’t make up its mind. Just ten days ago, many of us in Northwest Arkansas were preparing for a terrible winter storm. Supplies were stocked, plans were changed, and we braced ourselves for what might come. Then, just three days ago, temperatures dropped close to zero again. Yesterday, it was in the 50s. And now they’re predicting 60s by Friday.
It’s exhausting trying to keep up.
But isn’t that how life feels sometimes? One day we’re preparing for the worst, the next we’re reacting to what just happened, and before we can catch our breath, we’re already worrying about what’s ahead. Our minds jump forward, trying to manage tomorrow before we’ve even finished today.
Jesus gently reminds us to stop carrying more than we were meant to hold. Today has enough going on all by itself. God gives us grace, strength, and provision one day at a time—not in bulk, not in advance, but right when we need it.
We don’t have to figure out the whole forecast of our lives. We just need to trust God with this day, knowing that when tomorrow comes, His mercy will meet us there too.
 
#dailybreadbykitty
Daily Inspiration from the Bible

groundhog day

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
- John 1:5 (NLT)
 
Today is Groundhog Day, a day built around watching for shadows and trying to predict what comes next. Will winter linger, or will spring come early? We look for signs, hoping they tell us something about the future.
But Scripture reminds us of something far more certain than a shadow.
Light has already come.
John tells us that the light shines in the darkness—not after the darkness, not once the darkness leaves, but in the middle of it. And no matter how heavy, long, or familiar that darkness feels, it cannot overcome the light.
Sometimes our days feel repetitive, like winter that just won’t end. We wake up, do the same things, carry the same worries, and wonder when something will finally change. We look for signs that life will feel lighter soon. But God isn’t asking us to predict what’s coming—He’s asking us to notice where His light already is.
Jesus doesn’t wait for perfect conditions. He shines in ordinary days, in long seasons, in moments that feel stuck. And even when we can’t see past today, His light is still at work—steady, faithful, undefeated.
So today, instead of watching for shadows, may we choose to look for the light that cannot be put out.
 
#dailybreadbykitty
Daily Inspiration from the Bible

it's not over

 

Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
—Philippians 1:6 (NIV)
 
We’re already at the end of the first month of 2026. Somehow January has both dragged on and flown by all at once. It’s a natural point to pause—to look back at what this year has already held, and to look ahead at everything still unknown.
There are eleven months left in this year. Plenty of time for change, growth, healing, and unexpected turns. But even more than that, we’re reminded that our story isn’t confined to a calendar. God is not in a hurry. He is working on an eternal timeline.
Faith in the middle invites us to loosen our grip on needing quick resolutions. It reminds us that God finishes what He starts—not just by the end of the year, but in His perfect time, stretching all the way into eternity.
If this year hasn’t begun the way you hoped… if prayers feel unfinished or answers feel delayed… take heart. God is still writing. The chapter you’re in now is not the conclusion. What He is doing in you and through you is far bigger than these next eleven months.
We can look ahead with hope—not because we know how the story ends, but because we know the One who does.
 
#dailybreadbykitty
Daily Inspiration from the Bible