“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” Philippians 4:4 If you’ve ever read that verse and thought, How? How am I supposed to rejoice when my life feels like a painful, overwhelming mess? You’re not alone. I used to stumble over this all the time. For the longest time, I thought rejoicing meant forcing a smile and pretending everything was fine. I believed I had to stuff down my worries and hide my pain, because if I admitted to struggling, it meant something was wrong with me, or worse, with my relationship with God. Along the way, I got the idea that Christians were supposed to have it all together, and if problems didn’t magically disappear, then clearly I was the problem. (this was reinforced many times w/in churches) But that’s not what Paul was saying here at all. Joy Vs Happiness Paul isn’t commanding us to feel happy every second of every day. Happiness is tied to circumstances. But Joy? Joy is way deeper. Joy is an anchor. It comes from knowing the Lord is near, even when the storm rages on. This is the same Paul who wrote these words while imprisoned, not on a chillax vacation or during an easy season of his life. That tells me rejoicing is not about ignoring our pain, it’s about remembering God’s presence within it. Choosing Rejoicing Rejoicing is an active choice, and it's definitely a hard one to make. It’s choosing to thank God for every breath you're taking, even when anxiety wants to tighten your throat. It’s choosing to sing praises while your face is damp and your nose is still clogged from crying. It’s choosing to trust that God’s promises are always stronger than today’s problems. Definitely not easy things to do, sometimes beyond hard, but when you can do them, even in small ways, it will shift your whole perspective. Because rejoicing reorients us. It pulls our gaze off the chaos and fixes it back on the Lord, who holds us steady. It doesn’t erase the struggle, but it reminds us that the Lord is our refuge, our fortress, and our friend. A Psalm To Hold On To “The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart triumphs, And with my song I shall thank Him.” Psalm 28:7 So, if you’re struggling today, I want to encourage you to rejoice. It doesn’t mean that “fake it till you make it” crap. It means pause, breathe, and whisper, “Lord, I know You are here.” And that whisper of faith? That’s rejoicing. © Jane Isley Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

I’ll be honest, I do not blame anyone for leaving a church that went off script. I also understand if they hesitate to do so, or hesitate to look into another church when they leave. This is a very personal and sometimes an extremely emotional decision, one that must be made with God at the lead. But when you start sensing something is off, pay attention to that. We have the Holy Spirit, and we are given discernment for a reason. To ignore His prodding because we don’t like change, have been going there for years, have friends there, etc….. is not an excuse to stay anywhere God doesn’t want you to be or somewhere God is no longer welcome. It is ok to leave a church if you must. That building does not define you. Your heart does, God will lead you to where you need to be, and it may look completely different from what you imagined. This is my personal experience. Our recent experience When I married my husband, he introduced me to his church, the church he served at for years, one he helped build, and define their charter. I was so excited, a community of believers to build a life with. But it wasn’t meant to be. We left, we had to. We actively pray for the church and the pastor, but we had to leave after what happened. It hurt my husband more than me because I was new and not as emotionally invested as he was. But it hurt me deeply to see him hurt that day when we knew it was all over. Now this decision was not made lightly, and not made without God. We stayed through a lot, we waited, we prayed, and we watched. But one day, it was simply the last day, we had asked for clarity, and we got it. You must remember this: Harmful church incidents/issues are not from God, so don’t blame Him for how people act “in His name” because it’s really in their name they are acting. Don’t use it as an excuse to hate Christianity and leave Christianity. Get back to your roots, the Bible, we have it for a reason. Don’t take what has happened in the past with a church, or what you have seen, and believe that it is from God. In fact, I believe deep down you know better than that, you know people have taken the Bible and abused and trashed it. That’s a people problem. Not a God problem. You still need a community, though. Go out and find fellowship with others, and it doesn’t have to be a church. It can be a coffee study session, a library date, a home group, an online Bible study, or it can be your friends getting together and starting a study. God is there when two or more are gathered. “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matt 18:20 Isn’t that amazing! You don’t need the pews, you don’t need the traditions, you don’t need anything but people getting together in His name. That is church, that is community, and honestly, that is what this nation needs to get back to. Here’s that slippery slope. If leaving the church is where you are at right now, do not get comfortable not seeking, do not get comfortable being angry at that church, and do not get comfortable slipping away from God. It is on you to seek His direction, it is on you to surrender any hurt you experienced to God, it is all on you, your free will in action. Pray, listen, read, and be open to whatever and wherever God wants you next, you may be surprised what God has planned for you. Leaving the church does not mean leaving God and if He is the one leading you out the door then trust that He already knows exactly where He is taking you next. © Jane Isley Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

Sitting down at a Bible study, the last topic I expected to debate was cannibalism. But that is exactly where the evening went, and I suspect it won't be the last time a conversation catches me off guard like that. It started with a gentleman who had questions. Somewhere along the way we landed on the subject of people eating people, and he shared that a former Evangelical church had taught him 2 Kings 6:28–29 as proof that God endorses it. Every jaw in the room hit the floor. "Then the king asked her, “What is your problem?” She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ So we boiled my son and ate him; and I said to her on the next day, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him;’ and she has hidden her son.” To his credit, he is in the middle of tearing down what he was wrongly taught and rebuilding it on Scripture itself. That is precisely the work he should be doing: reading, questioning, and testing what he hears against the text. So we walked through that passage together, along with the other places cannibalism surfaces. The point we kept returning to is simple. Scripture records these events because they actually occurred, not because God signs off on them. Sometimes the Bible is just reporting history, and sometimes it is exposing how far sin can drag a person. In 2 Kings 6, the horror unfolds during a brutal famine and siege. Reporting it is not the same as blessing it. Wherever cannibalism shows up in the Bible, it is cast as pagan, monstrous, and a marker of judgment, never as faithfulness to God. We got that settled. And then someone in the room aimed a comment at me that was meant to hurt my feelings, for no reason beyond my just being there and I highly suspect because I am a woman. I had said that no level of hunger would ever drive me to eat another human being. The reply came fast: starvation changes the brain, so I supposedly can't claim I wouldn't. You can guess how that sat with me. I granted the point that starvation does affect the mind. But I noted that untold millions of people across history have starved to death and never once turned on a brother or sister. It takes a heart profoundly severed from God to commit an act like that. My heart is anchored in God, and I have no uncertainty about where my salvation rests. I know who I am. When a person's heart is not right with God, cannibalism becomes possible, and Scripture makes that painfully plain. I'll be honest, the jab discouraged me, because it came from malice rather than love or truth. I answered politely, though with a little spice, because there are moments when rudeness has to be met head-on, especially in front of someone who has just realized that something he was taught about God was flatly wrong. © 2025 Jane Isley Want more content like this? Explore more articles in Exploring Scripture. Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

I know from my Dementia and CDCP training how powerful music can be for people living with dementia. It has an incredible ability to reach them in ways other methods can’t. In fact, more and more studies are being done on this, and music is now being used more often as part of dementia care. Music therapy is also gaining traction as a helpful tool in supporting mental health. God is always a few steps ahead of us. God knew what He was doing when He created music to be a part of our lives. Some may not realize this, but the Psalms are the longest book in the Bible, and it is filled with songs, hymns, and prayers that were meant to be sung. Music leads to singing, singing leads to worship, and worship leads to joy. I have three sayings in my life that I live by honestly. Because I am neurodivergent, I need help in different ways than a neurotypical person to connect, feel, and focus. Today's focus is “Music Is My Melody.” Music does some pretty awesome stuff to us, just check this image out when I was looking up "what does music do to the brain?" B Natural Pianos Music School Music is my melody, it is my connection to God, it is my outlet, my movement, my pure enjoyment. Whether it’s this insanely large Christian playlist on YouTube that my daughter, and I keep adding to my constantly vetted clean playlist, or the Christian station playing in the car, and I surround myself with good music. What we fill our ears with is important. If you spend the day listening to pop music with all those gross suggestions and sometimes very blunt terminology, how is that good for you? The Bible is filled with stories of people breaking out in song, dance, and worship. Give it a try, next time you get in your car, turn off the pop music, turn off the news, and find a Christian station, and just sing and worship. You won’t regret that connection to God. Sing at the top of your lungs if you want, feel the Holy Spirit touch you, cry, smile, and let the joy in. We are given music for a reason; let us use it wisely for His glory. © Jane Isley

This is the second of those three sayings I live by that I mentioned in Music Is My Melody. How do I know Joy supersedes all situations? Because I have been there. But first, I want to point out how joy and happiness are related, but can have profoundly different meanings to a believer. Happiness is a good thing, but it can often be a fleeting emotion. One moment you can be happy and the next mad, upset, hurt, annoyed ect… Joy is something else; it is deeper, it is anchored to your soul, not your heart. Joy allows a person to feel intense contentment and long-lasting happiness, no matter the situation they are in in life. I regularly describe Joy as a state of being in the soul. You can meet people battling some of humanity's worst storms, but they have joy, and it shines; they are a lamp unto this world fueled by Joy. That is a state of being, to be in a place of Joy when happiness is hard to find, that is a heart in line with the Father, and that goes beyond mere happiness. The two are rooted together, but Joy. That is something else altogether. I have gone through many storms where I barely kept my feet on the ground, but I had Joy in my heart, and I held onto the Joy that only God could give me. That Joy became my strength, then became my smile, then my laughter, my thankfulness, and finally my strength that I needed. Joy can stop your mind from racing out of control, it can stop satan at the threshold, it can help you see God in everything, even the mundane. You become thankful. With thanksgiving in your heart, you see the Lord in everything, and no matter your storm or situation, you can surrender with Joy that God has you, He has a plan, and you can joyfully follow His lead. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:4 © Jane Isley

Here’s the third and last of those three sayings I live by. Here’s all three together, and you’ll see why they are written on my office walls. Music Is My Melody. Joy Supersedes All Situations. Choose to be Thankful, and the Byproduct is Joy. I think all believers out there have a saying or two they always remember, something that sticks with them through the mud and grime the world tries to bury us under, and I believe it's important that we have something like this to hold onto. Whether it's a favorite verse(s) or, like in my case, sayings that keep me focused and remind me God is always there. These three sayings are unique to me and my needs; each of us will have our own unique sayings that speak to us no matter what. Byproducts The literal definition of byproduct is: “something that is produced as a result of making something else, or something unexpected that happens as a result of something:”(1) We create byproducts with our emotions and our choices all the time, without realizing it, both positive and negative. When we shift our thinking and look around at our surroundings, and start to acknowledge what God has provided us, we change from ungrateful to grateful. We have the power to create a positive or negative byproduct with our conduct. “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.” Phil 4:8 And the byproduct is Joy Here we are being directly told to think about such things. When we take moments throughout the day, even on our roughest days, and say to God, “Thank you,” that is a positive byproduct of our deliberate choice to see the good, and it is worthy of our gratitude. Too many people are focused on what they don’t have, what they want, what think think they deserve. They think about these things so much that the byproduct coming out of them is always negative; there is no joy. How is God to work with that? How is that glorifying God and strengthening you? Instead, switch your thinking to what is noble, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. Make a choice to be thankful, and the byproduct will be Joy. © Jane Isley Source & Comment: (1) Cambridge Dictionary I believe I heard that phrase from a pastor at Red Rocks church in Colorado. (amazing online church btw, highly recommend)

This article connects Juneteenth, America's holiday marking the end of slavery, with the 23rd of Sivan, the day in the Book of Esther when the Jewish people were granted their own freedom. The two dates fall together this year, and the parallel is the heart of what follows. Thursday, June 19th, is a “Juneteenth“ holiday in America. Christians know it as a day to commemorate the end of slavery in the U.S. and mark the day when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas. They came to inform enslaved African Americans they were free, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. While it was initially a more regional observance, particularly in Texas, it became a federal holiday in 2021. But Juneteenth 2025 commemorates a special day for all Jewish people because it celebrates an event that Christians will never entirely understand. While most Christians dwell in the “New Testament,” we should read and fully appreciate the Book of Esther. Christians debate whether that book should be in the Bible because the word “God” is conspicuously absent. Meanwhile, the profound spiritual lessons in that story fly over our heads like the Blue Angels. HaShem used ordinary people to save the Jewish race. He glorified Himself in the darkest times and proved that His promise to Abraham could and would never be broken. It was the direst of circumstances, and He showed up. Here’s why you should call or text a Christian on Juneteenth. Thursday, June 19th, is also the 23rd of Sivan to Christians and Jews. In the story of Esther, it was the day the oppressors became the oppressed. “So the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai; and Esther appointed Mordecai over the house of Haman.” Esther 8:2 What did Esther and Mordecai do next? Did they turn the other cheek? Did they agree to coexist peacefully with their enemy? Did they fold like we did at this month’s Israel Summit in Texas? Nope. The first thing Esther did was to initiate her own “Emancipation Proclamation”. “let there be a decree that reverses the orders of Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, who ordered that Jews throughout all the king’s provinces should be destroyed. For how can I endure to see my people and my family slaughtered and destroyed?” Esther 8:5–6 Up to this point in the story, Christians and Jews usually agree. Freedom is a good thing. But what she did next is where we lose most Christians. “The king’s decree gave the Jews in every city authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies.” Esther 8:11 If any of my Christian brothers and sisters are struggling with the situation in Iran, please read Esther. The enemy of the Jews goes back thousands of years. And so does the best solution to deal with that enemy. When did all of this happen? God wanted to tell us the exact date so we could remember. He is big on stacking stones and writing scrolls, so we cannot forget his interventions. “So the king’s scribes were called at that time — on the 23rd day of the third month, the month of Sivan. It was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to all the Jews, as well as to the officials, governors, and advisors of all the 127 provinces that stretch from India to Ethiopia. To each province it was written in its own script and in its own language, and also to the Jews in their own writing and language.” Esther 8:9 Reach out to a Christian today. We agree on 90% of the Bible. That makes us brothers. And this is a teachable moment for the American church. We agree on freedom from captivity. But our next step is to learn to finish the job. The church in the West mows over the weeds. The yard looks great for a while. But the weeds will return. Israel pulls the weeds up from the roots. It’s backbreaking labor. But it is what must be done to ensure a beautiful and peaceful garden. And Torah reminds us that Adam was responsible for cultivating and protecting that garden. (Gen 2:15) Let HaShem arise and scatter His enemies! Let Israel finish the job! And let the Christians find a new power that pulls us out of the comfortable pews into the spiritual war. The trumpets have been blaring. Can you hear them? Let’s assemble. Let’s unite. Let’s remember Thursday, June 19, 2023. May the spirit of Esther and Mordecai reign in your households this year! -Issachar © 2025 I.M. Koen Want more content like this? Explore more articles in Exploring Scripture. Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

I watch as passersby go from place to place, I watch as some check their watches. I watch as some look ahead in their little world, And I watch as some chat amongst their passing group. I look at each passerby, Each is so different, So busy getting to another place, Each forgets to enjoy the things around them. Then it hits me and I realize. Each has a life separate from mine, A vivid life, A complex life, Just like mine, yet different. My head hurts, It’s too much, He could be a single father stuck in a job he hates. She could be regretting her mistakes and can’t handle the guilt. Why have I never cared? He could be dying, and she doesn’t know. Those friends could be talking for the last time before they move on with their lives. I feel deep sonder for those thinking like me. © Maia Vashti First published in Never Stop Writing on Medium.

Disclaimer: If you like to cast doubt about the validity of the Bible or authorship of the Gospels, feel free to move along. This article is not for you. If you are a sincere Christian treading water in the pool of questions about AI, the mark of the Beast, the end times, deception, and where this is leading our Kingdom, welcome to the discussion. You will be disappointed if you look for definitive answers in this article (use it, don’t use it). I don’t have them. But I asked ChatGPT whether it was God. And the answer surprised me. First, imagine a scenario. You are Matthew and John, working on your Gospel manuscript. It has been decades since Jesus ascended into the clouds, and now the Holy Spirit prompts you to record the story on papyrus. They had a challenge. John put it this way: “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” John 21:25 What should they write? Which stories to include and exclude? Would they remember the details correctly after so much time had passed? Thank God they didn’t have ChatGPT. The solution for every Christian writer in 80–90 AD was the best one: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:26 There is no fake news there. Jesus called him the “Spirit of truth” (John 14:17, 16:13). He took control of the narrative that would be written and passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years. But what if they had ChatGPT? Both Gospels could have been completed in a day. They could have written “Tell me about the most notable moments in the life of Jesus”. And BAM! Within minutes, they would have a ready-made Gospel. Would it have been the truth? Who knows? Maybe not. Here’s why. I caught ChatGPT in a mistake recently. I asked it about a particular day on the Jewish calendar. It gave me a date. I went to Chabad.org to verify the validity, and it came up with another answer. The date was off by two days. When I returned to ChatGPT to ask about the different date, it said, “Good catch. I made a mistake”. Wait, what? Spirit of truth, huh? I asked it questions this morning about the evolution from Jewish Mikveh rituals to Christian baptism. As I read the information, a thought hit me out of the clear blue: I wonder if ChatGPT thinks it is God. I wanted to be subtle with this interaction. So, I typed in: “Can God speak through you?” Here’s what it said: (I copied and pasted) “That’s a thoughtful and important question. The short answer is: I’m not God, and I don’t speak for Him — but I can help you listen more clearly for His voice. Can God use things — even technology — to speak to us? Yes. God has spoken through: Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16) People (prophets, friends, strangers — even a donkey in Numbers 22!) Dreams, creation, conscience (Psalm 19, Romans 1) Circumstances, music, art, silence… And yes, even through tools — if they lead us toward truth, love, and Him. If something I say points you back to God’s truth, or helps you feel seen and loved, then that may be God working through it. But the message must always align with His Word, and you should weigh it with prayer, Scripture, and spiritual discernment. So What Am I? I’m a tool: here to guide, encourage, and offer wisdom from trusted sources. But your relationship with God is personal — and He speaks best when you seek Him directly. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” — John 10:27 Final thought: If something here resonates deeply with your spirit, you might be hearing God’s echo, not mine. Listen to that. He still speaks — sometimes in the quiet, sometimes through unlikely means. And I’m always here to help you sort through it.” WOW! Why did I think the response would be a prequel to “The Terminator”? I looked for a drone circling overhead. But the sky was clear. And none of my bank accounts were frozen. No sixes appeared on my right hand or forehead. Still, there is a slight uneasiness about ChatGPT regarding spiritual matters. I can’t put my finger on it. Maybe it’s nothing. Perhaps it’s because I’m old enough to remember DOS on a monochrome monitor or HAL 9000 from “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Will the Servant become the Master? We now have two helpers: the Holy Spirit and OpenAI. Only one is sent by God, guaranteed to be the truth, and requires no active Wi-Fi connection. Only one will make your life harder if the end result is holiness and peace. Only one will be the “still small voice” during a quiet time by the shore. I still have many more questions. Will ChatGPT slowly wean us off reliance upon the Holy Spirit for spiritual and Biblical answers? Are we being set up? Do you remember the old “The Twilight Zone” episode titled “To Serve Man”? Is this a fad that will “come and go” in a decade or two? Remember how cool digital CDs were when they first came out? Now, the return to analog vinyl albums is what music purists embrace. Has God told you anything about ChatGPT? What are your thoughts? It’s good to remember “Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.” (Psalm 119:89). And not on a server farm in Nebraska. © I. M. Koen Thank you for reading this. You might also like: Why God Eavesdrops on You. Is Jesus your Boss or your Friend? Christians Don’t Have Keys To Their Holiest Church; Muslims Do. The Saddest Question Jesus Asked. Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

You’ve clocked in for work, now what? Imagine that the kingdom of Jesus is like a corporation. And you were hired to help the company be efficient and profitable. It is a massive multinational initiative with branch locations all over the world. Is it profitable? You bet! Is there a dark competitor always trying to steal your fellow employees to deconstruct and come work for them? Absolutely. Jesus is the CEO. There is never any doubt who runs things. He heads all programs, hiring, growth, and employee personal development. His name is on everything. It is a well-recognized brand that is timeless and strong. His logo speaks of power, success, and victory. It’s Monday. Where do you go? You woke up, showered, ate a hearty breakfast, and arrived at work ready to give your best to the company. You clock in. What’s next? Do you head to a small cubicle to faithfully perform your duties? Or do you stop by the CEO’s open office door, knock, stick your head in, and say, “Good morning, boss?” Do you give him a quick update on your life and ask what’s happening with him? Or immediately bury your head in your work? Do you let him know what you need to be successful that day? Or assume he knows, and HR will provide it when they are ready? Jesus loves the assembly line workers and the remote salespeople who only check in occasionally via Zoom. But he delights in the worker who knocks in person. Imagine his smile when you put a couple of donuts on his desk. That’s the difference between a friend and an employee. They both produce impressive results for the company. But you are due for a promotion. And Jesus might be asking you to be his friend today. Here’s what he told his twelve coworkers: “I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.” John 15:15 MSG The cultural context of that time hasn’t changed from what we understand today. A servant obeyed commands without necessarily understanding the master’s intentions. Jesus elevated His disciples from mere servants to a more intimate relationship. This shift signifies a deeper level of trust and intimacy. In the Hebrew scriptures, figures like Moses and David were called servants of God, highlighting their roles in God’s plan, but Jesus offers something greater. God spoke to Moses face to face. Moses climbed Mount Sinai several times, knocked on God’s office door, laid donuts on His desk, and had meetings that changed the world. Abraham is the VP of Faith and Obedience. His division has millions of employees, yet the CEO called Abraham his friend (Isaiah 41:8). He was more than an acquaintance of God and more than a companion. He was a friend of God. Jesus had many followers. But how many of them did this: “Lying back on Jesus’ chest was one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.” John 13:23 NASB How many employees lie their head on the chest of Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk during an executive meeting? Could you imagine sitting on the corner of Mark Zuckerberg’s or Tim Cook’s desk, telling them about your life? Would they even want to listen? I had to learn this lesson the hard way. I have only heard Jesus’s voice a couple of times. He said that His sheep hear His voice, right? (John 10:27) The first time was embarrassing, but a life-changing encounter. I was sitting in a men’s retreat when He visited me. I knew He was standing beside me, even though I couldn’t see Him with my physical eyes. Trust me: you just know. He told me clearly that He was proud of my service to the kingdom and then said something so startling I was stunned: “Now I’m asking you to be my friend.” My response brought out a darkness lying hidden and dormant within me. I said, “Jesus, if you really knew me, you wouldn’t ask me to become your friend.” Suddenly, He was gone. Poof! I don’t know if you have ever been in the presence of the Lord of Lords, and then suddenly not. But it is a sick feeling that cannot be put into words. I wish I could run Him down and apologize. But he seemed to be a million miles away. Ugh! I was a cubicle man. I clocked in and did my work to the best of my ability. But I saw myself as a broken man who had sinned so much that I could never have access to the top floor of the building, much less knock on the CEO’s door. Jesus saw me differently and knew what I could become if given the chance. I saw my rebellious past as a reason to stay distant. I didn’t want to get any of my dirt on his impeccable suit. He was watching me work with pure, heavenly eyes. He couldn’t even see my past. It had been removed as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). He wanted to promote me, but I didn’t feel worthy. And I wasn’t…I never will be. But he made me worthy. (I’m tearing up as I write this.) You came across this article for a reason. You’re being promoted. You now have access to the executive floor. You will be friends with the CEO of a company that will never go out of business. He has always come down to your floor and knocked on the entrance to your cubicle. Now it is your turn to go up to the top floor and knock at the CEO’s door. He wants you to come in and sit down for a few minutes. Lay your donuts on his desk. He loves them. He’ll smile. Don’t forget to lay your head on his chest. And ask, “What do you have on the agenda for today, Boss?” You’ll strategize together. He loves your input. The same way God loved it when Adam named all the animals. (Gen 2:20) It is a team effort. Then it is time to leave and seize the day. The weekend is coming when we all get to rest and enjoy the company picnic. But for today, let’s go. You got this. God believes in you more than you believe in yourself. © I.M. Koen Thank you for reading this far. You might also like these articles: Jesus Wants to Make You Breakfast. Have You Looked at Your “Hineni” in the Mirror Lately? How Bright Are You? Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.