The Mid-Week Memo

Do you remember what it felt like to be completely free? To live without shame, fear, or striving—when imagination ran wild and every day was full of wonder? We do. I (Steve) can still see myself at eight years old, ruling the backyard as a cardboard-armored knight, conquering invisible foes and rescuing fair maidens (usually the girl next door shaking out her mop). Life was simple then. Not perfect—but free. No performance, no pressure. Just joy. Colleen…

Hearing God in the Moment That Matters "Then the king asked me, 'What is your request?' So I prayed to the God of the heavens and answered the king..."—Nehemiah 2:4-5 (CSB) Have you ever been caught in a moment that required both courage and clarity? That split second where someone asks a question, presents an opportunity—or even confronts you—and your response could change everything? That was Nehemiah's moment. Before he answered…

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…

Looking for a summer that’s less frantic and more faith-filled? Let this be a season where your soul breathes easy and your heart tunes in to the gentle whisper of God. These 10 simple, spirit-centered practices are your invitation to slow down, look up, and live with holy intention. 🌅 1. Mornings = Me + God TimeBefore the texts and to-do lists start rolling in, gift yourself 5 minutes of quiet. No screens. No pressure. Just you, God, and the sunrise. 🌬️ 2.…

Have you ever thought about what it means to truly give something over to God? Not just in theory—but in practice? That’s what consecration is all about. It’s choosing—intentionally—to dedicate something fully and completely to Jesus. Not to share it. Not to hold some of it back. To say, “This is yours, Lord. All of it.” The Hebrew word for this is qadash. It’s tied closely to qodesh—which simply means “holy.;…

How do you know when God is at work? Often, it’s in the moments that look ordinary—but reveal extraordinary character. Genesis 24 tells the story of Abraham’s servant sent to find a wife for Isaac. He prayed a very specific prayer: that the right woman would not only offer him water but would also offer to water his camels. That’s not just polite hospitality—that’s an enormous undertaking. Let’s break it down. A single camel can…

My friend Matthew McConaughey is at it again, and I just can’t help but draw a life lesson from his reflection on success. Here we go. The first Webster’s Dictionary in 1806 described success as:“Prosperous, fortunate, happy, and kind.”Today’s dictionaries define success as:“The attainment of wealth, fame, rank, and power.” What’s your definition of success? Meet Jeanie. She’s from a small town on the Gulf Coast of.…

When David attempted to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem, things didn’t go as planned. In 2 Samuel 6, the celebration turned to tragedy when Uzzah reached out to steady the Ark and was struck down. Shocked and afraid, David halted the procession and placed the Ark in the home of a man named Obed-edom the Gittite. And that’s when everything changed. Scripture tells us, “The Ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite for…

Just before Colleen and I were set to begin our Identity Matters class at County Prison, CERT teams were called into three housing blocks. They call it Spring Cleaning—a routine shakedown where cells are searched top to bottom to uncover hidden contraband. Two tiers per block. Over 200 men had their belongings tossed, strewn about the floor of their 7x10 cinderblock cells—most of them built over 100 years ago. When everything you own fits in that small space,…