More Cheese than Holes

Early this morning, I couldn’t get an unusual picture out of my mind. It wasn’t a sunrise, a mountain, or an open Bible. It was a piece of Swiss cheese.

Strange, I know.

But sometimes God uses the most ordinary things to reveal extraordinary truths.

As I looked at that piece of cheese, I noticed what everyone notices first: the holes. Then I sensed the Lord gently say, “Look closer.”

That’s when it hit me.

When you hold Swiss cheese close to your face, all you can see are the holes. In fact, if you’re looking through one of them, it can seem like there’s nothing there at all.

Isn’t that how life feels sometimes?

When disappointment is right in front of us… when grief, unanswered prayers, financial pressure, or broken relationships fill our vision… it’s easy to believe our whole life is nothing but empty spaces. We become so focused on what’s missing that we overlook everything God has already placed in our hands.

But perspective changes everything.

Step back.

Now look again.

The holes are real. They haven’t disappeared. The pain happened. The loss was significant. Life may have landed a few hard blows that left their mark on your heart.

Yet the holes are not the whole story.

There’s far more cheese than hole.

Maybe today you’ve been staring through the opening created by disappointment. You’ve convinced yourself there’s no substance left, no hope ahead, nothing good to hold onto.

Can I encourage you?

Take one step back.

You’ll begin to see God’s faithfulness surrounding the places that hurt. You’ll notice His provision where you thought there was only lack. You’ll remember the people who love you, the prayers He’s answered, the strength He’s supplied, and the grace that has carried you farther than you ever imagined.

The scars may still be there, but so is the goodness of God.

Scripture reminds us, “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him” (Psalm 34:8). Sometimes we have to stop looking through the hole long enough to see the abundance that has been there all along.

Today, if all you can see is what’s missing, ask the Lord to give you His perspective.

I think you’ll discover what I did.

There is far more cheese than hole.

Reflection:
What “hole” has captured your attention lately? What evidence of God’s faithfulness have you overlooked because it has been sitting just outside your focus?

Prayer:
Father, thank You for reminding me that my life is not defined by what is missing, but by Your presence and Your faithfulness. Help me step back and see my life through Your eyes. Give me gratitude for what remains, hope for what is ahead, and confidence that You have never left me. Amen.

Learning to Shift

Have you ever noticed that some seasons of life feel like you're trying to drive a vehicle you've never driven before?

When I graduated from college and moved from Oklahoma to Texas, someone graciously loaned me an old pickup truck to make the trip. There was just one small problem.

It had a manual transmission.

Not the kind on the floor either. This one had the gear shift on the steering column. I had never driven anything like it.

Suddenly, I wasn't just steering and pressing the gas pedal. I had to learn where every gear was, coordinate both feet, find the clutch at just the right moment, and somehow keep the truck moving without stalling. Every mistake announced itself with an awful grinding noise that sounded like I had just scraped a brick across the hood. The truck shook. I shook. It felt like everything was about to fall apart.

Eventually, though, something happened.

The shifting became smoother. The gears began to connect. The truck moved forward.

Life has a way of feeling like that truck.

There are seasons when everything seems to shift at once. A job changes. Relationships change. Church changes. Family dynamics change. Plans you carefully mapped out suddenly take a detour you never expected.

Those moments can feel unsettling because we're trying to figure out which "gear" we're supposed to be in while everything around us keeps moving.

The truth is, change is rarely comfortable.

Everyone experiences transition differently. Some embrace it. Others resist it. Some need time to process, while others want immediate answers. That's why seasons of change often feel messy. They're filled with emotions, opinions, uncertainty, and questions that don't always have quick solutions.

I've learned that not every problem during a transition gets solved overnight. Sometimes the goal isn't perfection. It's simply continuing to move forward.

Forward is still forward, even if it's slower than you'd like.

One of the greatest gifts we can give during uncertain seasons is our steady presence. People don't always need someone with all the answers. They need someone who brings hope instead of fear, encouragement instead of criticism, and calm instead of chaos.

When you encourage someone, you literally put courage back into them.

When you choose empathy over judgment, you remind people they aren't walking through the uncertainty alone.

When you're available to listen, serve, or simply stand beside someone, you become part of God's steady hand during an unsteady season.

The Apostle Paul reminds us in Galatians 6:9, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

Maybe today feels like you're grinding gears.

Maybe you're wondering if you'll ever figure out this new season.

You will.

God has a way of teaching us how to shift. What feels awkward today often becomes second nature tomorrow. The shaking won't last forever. The grinding eventually gives way to progress.

So don't fear the transition.

Lean into it.

Trust the One who knows every curve in the road ahead.

Because even when life feels shaky, God is still moving you forward.

Cup of Joe to Go

The smoothest drivers weren't born knowing how to shift gears. They learned through the grinding. The same is true in life. Trust God through the transition, keep moving forward, and you'll discover that every shift has been preparing you for the road ahead.

Guard the Heart

Some mornings you wake up feeling like you’re already behind. Your phone has notifications waiting. Your mind has a to-do list. Your heart is carrying conversations, concerns, and questions that never really went to sleep.

Then Proverbs 4 quietly speaks into the noise:

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

That’s an interesting picture, isn’t it?

We usually guard our homes. We guard our passwords. We guard our retirement accounts. But Solomon says the most valuable thing you’ll ever protect is your heart.

Why?

Because your heart is the source of your words, your choices, your relationships, and even your perspective. When your heart is healthy, hope has room to grow. When your heart is neglected, everything else begins to feel off balance.

Proverbs 4 gives us three simple reminders.

First, pursue wisdom every day. Wisdom isn’t just knowing more facts; it’s learning to see life from God’s perspective. The best decisions are often born long before the decision itself, through a daily habit of listening to God.

Second, choose your path carefully. Every step takes us somewhere. Rarely do people drift toward purpose—they drift away from it. The small choices we make today become the direction of our lives tomorrow.

Finally, guard what enters your heart. Every conversation, every headline, every social media post, every voice has the potential to shape us. Not everything deserves access to your heart. Be intentional about what you allow to influence your thinking.

Today, ask yourself one simple question:

What am I allowing through the gate of my heart?

Maybe it’s fear. Maybe it’s resentment. Maybe it’s endless distraction. Or maybe today is the day to replace those things with God’s truth, His peace, and His wisdom.

Your future is shaped by what you treasure today. So guard the heart well.

Today’s Prayer ☕️

Father, help me value wisdom more than convenience. Give me discernment to recognize the right path and courage to stay on it. Guard my heart from anything that pulls me away from You, and let my life reflect Your peace, Your truth, and Your love. Amen.

Better Together

One of the greatest gifts God gives us is the opportunity to share life with others. We were never meant to serve, lead, struggle, or celebrate alone. Community is where encouragement grows, burdens become lighter, and our greatest potential begins to emerge.

There is power when people agree in purpose and faith. Scripture reminds us that “a cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12). When we stand together, pray together, and serve together, we become stronger than we could ever be on our own.

This is especially important in an online community. Connection does not happen by accident. It takes intentionality. It means noticing people, asking questions, following up, praying for one another, and making room for real relationships. Being interested in people is one of the clearest ways we show them they matter.

Ministry can be rewarding, but it can also leave us tired and wounded. Serving on the front lines often brings challenges, disappointments, and unseen battles. That is why we need people around us who can encourage us, strengthen us, and remind us that we are not alone.

Romans 12:11-13 calls us to remain zealous, keep our spiritual fervor, serve the Lord, be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. It also reminds us to share with those in need and practice hospitality.

When people know you are there, they feel cared for. Your presence, your prayers, and your willingness to walk alongside someone may be exactly what they need to keep going.

Reflection: Who can you intentionally connect with this week? Reach out, encourage them, and let them know they are not alone.

To Wait is to Hope

Waiting Isn’t What You Think It Is

Grab your coffee and sit with me for a minute. Today’s thought may change the way you see the seasons when life feels delayed.

Most of us think of waiting as passive. We picture a waiting room, a long line, or watching the clock until something finally happens. Waiting can feel like life has been placed on pause until the answer arrives.

But the Bible gives us a much richer picture.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word often translated as “wait” is qavah. It can also be translated as “hope.” That is not an accident. It reveals that biblical waiting is not simply sitting still. It is living with expectation, trust, and a heart that remains engaged with God.

Waiting and hoping are connected.

The word qavah carries the idea of being stretched or pulled tight, like a rope under tension. It is the picture of someone leaning forward, not checking out. It is not passive resignation. It is active expectation.

Psalm 27:14 says:

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Notice what sits in the middle of that verse: “Be strong and take heart.” God is not calling us to become numb while we wait. He is inviting us to strengthen our hearts in His presence.

Isaiah 40:31 says:

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

The same Hebrew root is often translated here as “hope.” And look at the result: soaring, running, walking. Hope produces movement. It renews strength. It keeps us moving forward even when the answer has not yet arrived.

Psalm 130:5 adds another layer:

“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.”

This is not a bored shrug while time passes. This is a whole-person posture of trust. The psalmist is waiting, but he is also anchoring his hope in the Word of God.

That is the shift we need to make.

When we see waiting as passive, we can begin to disengage. We pray less. We trust less. We stop expecting. We simply try to wait it out.

But waiting on God is not doing nothing.

Waiting on God means continuing to obey when the path is unclear. It means continuing to pray when the answer seems delayed. It means continuing to strengthen your heart when discouragement tries to settle in.

Think about a farmer waiting for a harvest. He does not plant the seed and then sit on the porch doing nothing. He waters. He weeds. He tends the field. He works with confidence that growth is taking place, even when he cannot yet see it.

That is biblical waiting.

Maybe you are waiting for healing, provision, direction, restoration, or a breakthrough. God is not asking you to freeze in place. He is inviting you to hope actively.

Keep leaning forward.

Keep tending the field.

Keep praying.

Keep obeying.

Keep your heart engaged.

Because in the language of Scripture, to wait is to hope, and to hope is to wait. They were never meant to be separated.

Until next time, keep your cup full and your heart hopeful.

Good Intentions

Have you ever said, "I really want to..."

I want to pray more.

I want to be more patient.

I want to forgive.

I want to serve.

I want to become the person God created me to be.

Good intentions are a great starting point, but they were never meant to be the finish line.

Paul writes:

"For it is God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work... strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose for His good pleasure."

Philippians 2:13 (AMP)

This verse reveals a beautiful partnership between God's work and our response.

☕️ God Gives Us the Desire

Have you ever wondered where that longing to grow spiritually comes from?

The desire to know God more. The conviction to change. The compassion to help someone. The burden to forgive. The passion to serve. Those desires aren't accidents. God plants them within us.

Long before He changes our circumstances, He often changes our hearts. He begins creating holy desires that weren't there before.

When your heart begins leaning toward God, that's evidence that He's already at work.

☕️ God Gives Us the Ability

God doesn't simply inspire us and then step back.

He empowers us.

The same God who gives the desire also supplies the strength, wisdom, endurance, courage, and grace to follow through.

When you feel inadequate, remember this:

God never calls you to something without providing what you need to accomplish it.

His power meets our willingness.

☕️ We Must Put Feet to Our Faith

Here's where our responsibility begins. God creates the desire. God provides the strength. But He doesn't make the choice for us. We still have to open the Bible. We still have to pray. We still have to forgive. We still have to serve. We still have to take the next step of obedience.

A coffee maker can be full of fresh beans and clean water, but until someone presses the start button, there won't be a cup of coffee. That would be sad. 😞

In much the same way, God supplies everything we need, but He invites us to participate. Obedience turns desire into action.

Faith isn't proven by what we intend to do someday.

Faith is demonstrated by what we choose to do today.

☕️ Purpose Is Found in Partnership

Sometimes we lean too far in one direction. We either believe it's all up to us or we sit back waiting for God to do everything. Scripture teaches neither.

God works in us. We work with Him.

He transforms the inside while we obey on the outside.

As we take each faithful step, He continues shaping our hearts, strengthening our character, and leading us toward His purpose.

That's how spiritual growth happens, one surrendered decision at a time.

The Christian life isn't powered by willpower alone. It's fueled by God's power working within willing hearts.

So if God has been stirring something inside you lately, don't ignore it.

Take the next step. Make the phone call. Offer the forgiveness. Start the ministry. Open your Bible. Pray a prayer.

Trust that the God who placed the desire in your heart will also provide the strength to fulfill it.

☕️ Cup of Joe to Go…

God supplies the desire and the power, but obedience is where purpose comes to life. Faith moves from intention to transformation when we take the next step He puts in front of us.