The Daily Memo

Light is remarkable, yet we go about our lives hardly giving it any thought. For instance, light is a singular white beam, but it can be separated into many colors. Countless scientists have devoted their entire career to proving whether light is composed of particles or waves, yet remarkably it’s both. And when combined with water and soil, light helps life to grow. Not only that, but it moves faster than everything in the known universe. Keep these qualities in mind…

As 2020 comes to a close, the solar system has decided to grace us with a cosmic Christmas miracle that hasn't been witnessed in nearly 800 years. On Dec. 21 (aka the December solstice), Jupiter and Saturn will align so closely in the night sky that they'll almost appear to collide from our vantage point here on Earth, creating a radiant point of light often referred to as the "Star of Bethlehem" or the "Christmas Star." "Alignments…

Country artist Chris Stapleton’s deeply personal song, “Daddy Doesn’t Pray Anymore,” was inspired by his own father’s prayers for him. The poignant lyrics reveal the reason his father’s prayers ended: not disillusionment or weariness, but his own death. Stapleton imagines that now, instead of speaking with Jesus in prayer, his dad is walking and talking face-to-face with Jesus. Stapleton’s recollection of his father’s prayers…

I have a simple prayer for you today. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13 (ESV) And that's the memo. Steve

Since the beginning of time, every age has faced unprecedented battles. Today’s Western world lives and breathes a gospel of now. Instant gratification is the way of our culture; it is the norm, the expectation. This gospel has deeply infiltrated authentic Christianity, and the desire to have it our way and to have it now is toxic to becoming restored as a man. When we turn to the gospel, the story of God and his kingdom, we find a very different reality. Doesn&rsquo…

Most days I feel like I’m watching the world from the mezzanine. Far above the happenings of each day disconnected from reality. In my 6th decade on the planet, I remember rotary phones, programming in COBOL with punch cards in Grad school, and being witness to processing speeds (since then) 100 quadrillion times faster. What just happened? Supersonic technological advancements haven’t changed the human condition one bit. We still find ourselves longing for a…

Thanking God glorifies and magnifies Him, but did you know doing so also benefits us? The Lord doesn’t need our gratitude, but as we give thanks, we become less selfish and more confident in God’s character. Expressing gratefulness … Refocuses our attention. Life is filled with distractions that can make it harder to notice all God has done for us. Instead of living with the weight of the world on our shoulders, it’s good to try refocusing on the…

Have you ever felt like you were in the depths of despair? Have you felt that ‘the bottom has fallen out of [your] life’ (v.1, MSG)? The psalmist says, ‘Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy’ (vv.1–2). Your prayers and God’s mercy are like two buckets in a well. When one goes up, the other comes down. There is an honest desperation about this prayer. Don’t try…

Love is the selfless, giving, devoted love of God and others. It’s an active display and compels us to put others' needs above our own. Love honors others and celebrates truth no matter how difficult it is to hear it. It gives of self even when it doesn’t feel like it. Love doesn’t allow feelings to dictate its choices. Love is hopeful, persevering, and trusting. Loving people keep hatred, apathy, and self-preservation far from them. Joy is a deep and…