Restored in Him

There’s a story often told about Chinese bamboo that feels almost too good to be true—yet it’s grounded in how growth actually works. For the first five years, Chinese bamboo shows virtually no visible progress above the soil. You water it. You tend it. You wait. And nothing seems to happen. But beneath the surface, an extensive root system is forming—strong, interconnected, and capable of supporting rapid growth when the time comes. Then, in a…

Jesus says something almost too beautiful to absorb if we’re not careful. “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” (Matthew 13:43) We spend a lot of time imagining heaven—and rightly so. Streets of gold. A throne blazing with uncreated light. A universe flooded with the glory of God, radiating from His presence like the sun on its brightest day. Scripture invites that imagination.…

In Romans 9, Paul wrestles with one of the deepest questions of faith: Why does God choose some and not others? He looks back at Israel’s history—Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau—and reminds us that God’s purposes are rooted not in human merit but in His sovereign will. For some, this is a comfort. For others, it sounds like the work of a “cosmic manipulator,” pulling strings and deciding outcomes without regard for human freedom. But Paul&rsquo…

How curiosity, risk-taking, creativity, and even my failures were rewritten into a calling far bigger than myself. “God weaves every thread—strong and frayed—into a story He’s been writing since before we knew our own.” I’ve been reflecting on the strange, beautiful mix of gifts God embedded in me long before I understood who they were ultimately for. When I trace the thread back—through early days of self-taught programming at an MS…

This morning, I joined Tommy “Rivs” Puzey on an iFIT walk through Stephen’s Grove in the heart of the California redwoods—towering trunks reached toward heaven, some standing for centuries. Along the trail, we passed fallen giants—massive logs with hundreds of rings visible inside. Each ring marked a year of growth, each scar a season of fire or drought endured. John Muir once wrote, “As soon as a redwood is cut down or burned, it sends…

Are you aware that how you view God the Father is deeply affected by your family of origin? The same can be said of Jesus the Son, or the Holy Spirit. The relationships you grew up with, your family history and dynamics, and the quality of the bonds that you formed as a young person all contribute to the story that you tell yourself about who God is, and how He sees you. Many of us grew up and developed the notion that God is distant, aloof, and passive. Maybe we have…

Colleen loves her butterflies—swallowtails and monarchs. She nurtures them from the moment their tiny eggs hatch, through their caterpillar days, into the miraculous chrysalis stage, and finally releases them as fully formed beauties into the open air. I’ve watched the bond she forms with them. One swallowtail even returned after being set free, landing gently on her shoulder as if to say, “Thank you for caring for me.” But last week, something…

Your tombstone will have two dates—and a dash in between. That small line represents your entire life. How are you living it? In this episode of Colleen’s Corner, Colleen shares the inspiring story of a family friend whose quiet acts of service, humility, and love left a lasting legacy that pointed to Jesus. Be encouraged to reflect on your own dash and consider the kind of legacy you want to leave. https://youtu.be/-kP0HZSoPjs

I’m reading through the Acts of the Apostles. I didn’t title it, but if I did, it would more aptly be called the Acts of Jesus. But I digress … “For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.”—Acts 4:22 Forty years. That’s how long the man in Acts had been waiting—crippled from birth, carried daily to the temple gate to beg. Year after year, he sat just outside the place of worship, close to hope but never…