As we move through the first weeks of the year, many of us are already feeling the weight of life. Some are facing temptation they did not expect. Others are carrying stress, disappointment, or news that has left their hearts heavy. 

Maybe you cannot even name what feels wrong, only that sadness has quietly settled in. If that sounds familiar, I want to remind you of a simple but powerful truth.

Where Jesus is praised,

Jesus is present.

Scripture invites us,

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise”

—Psalm 100:4

Mission gives life its direction. Jesus was clear about why He came. He said, “I have come for the lost children of Israel,” and in Mark 1:38 He declared, “I must go and preach the good news. That is why I have come.” Jesus did not drift through life. He lived with purpose, clarity, and intention. Everything He did flowed from His mission.

When you discover your God given mission, your time begins to make sense. There are only three healthy ways to spend your days. You are either preparing for your mission, carrying out your mission, or recovering so you can continue your mission.

True richness comes when what God provides is received with joy, stewarded faithfully, and held with open hands. Prosperity begins in the heart long before it ever appears in the account.

So as we look toward 2026, the question isn’t only How much will I save? but How will I steward what God entrusts to me? Are we planning wisely while continuing to rely on Him? Are we building security without allowing fear to take root?

Scripture encourages us:

“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing”

— Proverbs 3:9–10

When Peter later followed Jesus’ instruction and trusted Him fully, that once ordinary boat caught more fish than it ever had before. The turning point was not better equipment or more effort. It was the moment Peter surrendered control and allowed Jesus to lead.

The same principle applies to us today. Your “boat” may not be made of wood and nets. It might be your work, your business, your marriage, your family, or any responsibility God has entrusted to you. Whatever influence, skill, or opportunity you carry, it was never meant to be managed alone. When we place it in Jesus’ hands, we invite Him to do what we never could on our own.

Jesus invites us to trust Him first, especially at the start of a new season. He gives us this promise

“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

— Matthew 6:33

As we enter this new year, do not give up. Do not assume that what you see now is the final chapter. Give God space to work. Trust Him with what feels broken. Step forward in faith, even when the future feels uncertain.

The story God is writing is not finished.

And His plans for you remain full of hope.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

—Jeremiah 29:11:

As this year closes and a new one begins, the invitation is simple. If we want to live our best life, we follow the example Jesus set.

We choose humility.

We choose generosity.

We choose to serve.

As we reflect on 2025, consider what unexpected blessings God brought into your life and how you responded. What challenges or losses tested your faith, and how might responding in trust have made a difference? 

As we move into the new year, may we carry these reflections forward with hearts ready to serve and lives anchored in faith, living fully for God and for others.

A Man appears, God Himself, and Jacob wrestles with Him all night. As dawn breaks, the Man says, “Let me go.” But Jacob refuses, “I will not let You go unless You bless me.” Pain follows as God touches Jacob’s hip, yet still, he holds fast.

This is true prayer, messy, raw, fervent, and full of faith. It is not always quiet or neat. Sometimes it is a spiritual struggle, a wrestling match with God Himself.

But in that struggle, the Holy Spirit steps in, guiding, comforting, and interceding on our behalf. Even when we cannot find the words, He whispers truth and strength into our hearts.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

— Joshua 1:9

You’re not too busy for God.

Your decisions aren’t too small for Him.

Your questions aren’t insignificant to His heart.

He is ready to guide you, ready to steady you, and ready to speak into your next step. Because the truth is simple and comforting: When you pray, God doesn’t just hear you. He leads you.

And there is no safer, wiser, or more peaceful place to be than in step with the Father’s voice.

You’re not too busy for God.

Your decisions aren’t too small for Him.

Your questions aren’t insignificant to His heart.

He is ready to guide you, ready to steady you, and ready to speak into your next step. Because the truth is simple and comforting: When you pray, God doesn’t just hear you. He leads you.

And there is no safer, wiser, or more peaceful place to be than in step with the Father’s voice.

Philippians 4:6 reminds us:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Notice the word: every.

Not the big things only. Not just emergencies. Everything.

In 2 Kings 4, we see this truth lived out. A widow facing debt didn’t try to handle it alone. She cried out to God, and He multiplied her oil. A grieving mother ran to the man of God instead of giving up, and her son was restored to life. A hungry group of people brought what little they had, and God made it more than enough.

Jesus echoed this same truth in 

“Apart from Me, you can do nothing.”

—John 15:5

If God speaks to you, tell your children. If He guides you, tell them. If you have experienced His comfort, His correction, or His provision, let them hear what it sounds like when a living God walks with a real person in real time. They need to know that the God of Abraham and Moses is also the God who meets you in your car, at your workplace, or in the quiet moments before sunrise.

The Bible says you will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way. Walk in it." The Holy Spirit is our Helper, faithfully directing our steps. It is one thing to share what God did for Moses, David, or Paul, but our children also need to see what God is doing in our lives today. 

Truth passed down. Example lived out. Relationship made visible.

This is how faith continues.

This is how legacy begins.

The ordinary days of your life are actually threads in a masterpiece only He can see. When you pay attention, you will start to notice the fingerprints of God everywhere, quiet, steady, and beautiful, even in places you did not expect.

So today, slow down. Be alert. Be willing to follow that gentle nudge. Your life’s story is being written with care, and the beauty of it will surpass anything you could imagine.

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

—Ecclesiastes 3:11 

Paul asks a question that challenges every one of us: “Am I seeking the approval of man, or of God?” 

—Galatians 1:10

Approval whispers comfort.

Obedience walks with fearless pace,

And courage is the gift our families and communities embrace

Fathers, leaders, and all entrusted with God-given influence: exercise strength with compassion, correct with love, and make decisions guided by God’s wisdom rather than fear.

Perfection is not required.

Faithfulness is.

Many of us, whether navigating disability, caring for loved ones, working through life transitions, or simply trying to stay steady in our faith, know what it feels like to drift from God. Maybe you have felt it too: “I just don’t feel close to Him anymore.” It is a quiet ache, a sense that something precious slipped through our fingers.

But Scripture gives us a comforting truth: God never hides His face from us.

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)

It does not say, “Draw near to God, as long as you have not sinned.”

Ask God, “How can I serve You today? Who can I lift up? Who needs Your love right now?” And suddenly, your conversations with God come alive.

We have 550 orphans in the Philippines, and we make sure we never miss a birthday. At Christmas, they celebrate. We worship with them, teach them the Bible, and surround them with love. And here is what amazes me: I will get photos from their birthday parties, and I will see these little ones opening their gifts, and I just weep. In those moments, God is sharing His heart with me. I am not just seeing a child’s joy; I am feeling His love for them.

So if you truly want to hear from God, here is the simplest truth: step into His work. Serve someone. Love someone. Let Him shape your heart as you shape someone’s day.

As children, we argued with friends and siblings, but somehow we always found our way back to each other. The hurt passed quickly. Pride did not stand very tall. Forgiveness felt natural, almost instinctive, as if the bond mattered more than the moment. But adulthood shifts the landscape. When we clash with people who are not family, people we know only in passing, it becomes easy to step back and decide the relationship is not worth the effort. Why repair something we never felt close to in the first place? Why reach out when silence is easier?

Yet Scripture brings us back to a deeper truth. "Blessed are the peacemakers." God honors those who choose peace even when they could walk away. 

In Jeremiah 33, God makes a promise that cannot be broken. He says there will always be a king from David’s line on the throne and priests who serve before Him. The passage explains it like this:

“The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ‘This is what the Lord says: If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time, then my covenant with David my servant and my covenant with the Levites who are priests ministering before me can be broken. Only then will David no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne.’” 

—Jeremiah 33:19–21

When we are saved, we are adopted as children of God. Imagine if my children had done wrong just hours, months, or even decades before being with me. Would I cast them aside? Of course not. I would bring them to safety because I love them unconditionally. That is exactly how God loves us.

Our adoption in Christ is permanent. Discipline may come, but abandonment does not. We might stumble, we might fail, but nothing can sever the bond of love God has with His children.

This is the message I want you to hold close: when God adopts you, you are His child. He will not let you go. No matter how far you have wandered, no matter the mistakes you have made, God’s love is unwavering.

When you read through Scripture, you’ll notice something beautiful. Long before Jesus was ever born, His story was already being written. The prophets spoke of Him, the psalms pointed to Him, and the people waited for Him.

One of those prophets, Zechariah, was told to throw thirty pieces of silver to a potter — a strange instruction that must have made little sense at the time. But hundreds of years later, Judas would be paid that same amount to betray Jesus, and those same coins would be used to buy a potter’s field.

The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.”

—Jeremiah 1:12

When you draw close to Him, your desires begin to change. They start to look more like His. The dreams that once felt like your own begin to reflect what He has placed inside you.

So start there. Ask God what He has placed in your heart. Ask what brings true joy, not the kind that fades but the kind that gives peace even in waiting. Often, that desire is the seed of a plan God Himself has planted.

“Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

—Psalm 37:4

Jesus made remarkable promises about prayer.

He said, “Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:13)

He said that when two or three agree in His name, the Father will respond. (Matthew 18:19)

He said that when prayers are answered, the Father is glorified.

And still, there are moments when we pray with all our hearts, and Heaven seems silent.

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us."

—1 John 5:14

There’s a quiet pattern that runs through the life of Jesus — a rhythm that powered every miracle, every word, and every moment of peace He carried into a restless world.

Before He chose His twelve apostles, He prayed all night. Before He faced the agony of Gethsemane, He prayed. Before calling Lazarus out of the tomb, He prayed. Before He taught, before He traveled, before He broke bread — He prayed.

Everywhere Jesus went, prayer went first.

“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

— Proverbs 3:6

Before he became Paul the Apostle, Saul was feared. His name carried weight across cities. People hid when they heard he was coming. He believed he was serving God by silencing anyone who followed Jesus.

He had Scripture memorized, arguments ready, and the confidence of a man certain he was right. But for all he knew about God, he didn’t know God.

Then came the road to Damascus.

“I once was blind, but now I see.”

— John 9:25

How would you live if you knew time wasn’t on your side? Not in the poetic sense — I mean really knew your days were short. That the calendar wasn’t a comfort anymore, but a countdown.

Would you rush to leave your mark? Would you hoard what’s left? Or would you start giving it all away while you still could?

“... just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

—Matthew 20:28

And that’s how eternity begins —

right here, in the short life you still have time to live well.

The mountainside was quiet that night, soft and still, as if the world had taken a deep breath. Jesus knelt alone, speaking to His Father, listening as much as He prayed (Luke 6:12). By morning, He would choose twelve ordinary men to carry hope into the world, but first, He let the Father guide Him.

Every whisper of wind, every pause of silence seemed full of direction.

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

— Psalm 46:10

There are prayers you say out of habit. And then there are the ones that leave you changed.

Jacob knew that kind.

Because sometimes, real prayer costs you something. Not because God wants to hurt you, but because He’s working something deeper—something that changes the way you walk, the way you trust, the way you hold on.

“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

— James 5:16

It’s easy to think faith is about getting everything right. But God’s work doesn’t begin with our perfection—it begins with our surrender.

“Above all else, guard your heart,” Proverbs says, “for everything you do flows from it.” That’s where life begins—not in your record, your résumé, or your body’s strength, but in the quiet soil of your heart.

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

— Proverbs 4:23

When Peter stood up to preach on Pentecost, he didn’t reach for clever words of his own. He reached back to a promise. Quoting the prophet Joel, he declared:

“I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams.”

“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.”

— Acts 2:17

Unforgiveness is a strange kind of prison. The bars are invisible, the locks self-made, and yet it can keep a person bound for years.

You tell yourself you’re in control—I’ll wait for them to make it right, I’ll hold out until they apologize. But what really happens is that the anger doesn’t leave you. It eats away at your peace. It steals your joy.

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

— John 8:36

Mark 1 shows us Jesus at the center of His calling. “I must preach the good news,” He says. “That is why I came.” Not a guess. Not a maybe. It’s His mission.

And His days reflected that mission. Early in the morning, He prayed. That was preparation. During the day, He preached, He healed, He served. That was execution. In the quiet hours, He withdrew to rest and commune with His Father. That was recovery. His whole life followed that rhythm.

".I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

— Philippians 3:14

From the very beginning, humanity has always faced a choice. In the garden, Adam and Eve were given life in abundance. But when they reached for the fruit that looked good to the eyes, they found only regret. That moment set a pattern that hasn’t changed much since.

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”

— John 14:6

Some days arrive wrapped in joy—birthdays, reunions, answered prayers. Others show up carrying weight we never asked for—delays, disappointments, quiet heartbreaks. But whether the day comes clothed in celebration or in struggle, it is still a gift.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

— Romans 8:28

Life teaches us to be careful. A promise gets broken, and we learn not to count on people. A dream falls apart, and we decide not to dream so big again. Before long, we carry a kind of armor — the kind that says, I will not be fooled twice.

"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

— Matthew 21:22

In Jeremiah 33:3, the Lord gives this promise: “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

This was spoken first to the prophet Jeremiah, but it tells us something deeply reassuring about the way God works. A prophet isn’t someone with all the answers. A prophet is someone who asks the right Person—and God, in His mercy, responds with wisdom far beyond our own.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

— Psalm 32:8

About 2,800 years ago, in the book of Isaiah, we meet a prophet who lived in a time that feels a lot like ours. The nation was shaking. The king had died. Enemies were pressing in from every side. Hunger filled the land, and fear was everywhere.

"... fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

— Hebrews 12:2 

You ask God for the dream. You ask Him for the steps. And then, with His help, you do the work. And as you do, His Word proves true.

May your heart rest in this: God has not only called you, He walks with you, and He delights to see His plans for you come alive.

"Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."

— Psalm 37:4

Some losses don’t fade quickly. A setback, a broken relationship, an illness, or the weight of years—it can linger, circling in the heart long after others expect it to ease. Time alone doesn’t always heal, especially when sorrow keeps replaying.

As the Word of God was read aloud, the people wept. And in that moment, Nehemiah spoke quietly but firmly: “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

— Nehemiah 8:10

Most of the time, failure isn’t about what we did wrong. It’s about what we left undone.

God’s image in us isn’t about free will or abstract arguments. It’s about authority. The ability to rule, to take dominion, to carry responsibility. That’s God’s imprint on us.

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded.”

— Luke 12:48

The Bible says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). That means it doesn’t matter if it was yesterday, or five minutes ago—if you’ve repented, you are forgiven. Period. Don’t let guilt cling to you longer than God does.

So whether it’s two times, three times, or thirty times—it’s still not who you are. What defines you is Christ.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"

—2 Corinthians 5:17

The best way to interpret the Bible is with the Bible. Scripture interprets Scripture. It’s not as hard to understand as some would have you believe.

The real challenge isn’t understanding what God says. It’s surrendering to it.

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."

Psalm 119:105

Jesus said, “It is for freedom that Christ has set you free.” Freedom means you’re not chained to anything—not fear, not the past, not unforgiveness. And yet, unforgiveness is often the easiest trap.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

— Ephesians 4:32

We’re sending a group of Americans to the Philippines this December — from the 12th to the 19th — to visit our orphans. Details are at Orphans.PH.

If you’re getting this newsletter, it’s because you’re part of our church family — whether you’ve been here a long time or just tuned in recently. And that means you’re invited.

We have 14 orphanages in the Philippines, home to over 600 children, and our American friends are going for three reasons:

1. Matthew 25 in action.
2. To encourage our local volunteers.
3. To see what locals can’t always see.

First 20 people to sign up get a spot. We may open more. Go to Orphans.PH  to register.

Jeremiah watched as the potter worked a lump of clay into something good. Useful, even. It took time. You could tell the potter cared. But just when it seemed finished, the pot buckled, sagged in on itself. A lesser man might’ve tossed the clay aside, blamed it for not holding shape. But not this man. He didn’t flinch. He simply gathered what collapsed and pressed it back together—not to recreate the same design, but to form something entirely new.

"Yet You, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand."

— Isaiah 64:8

Who makes you want to pray more, walk straighter, live deeper? Is there someone you should be leaning into more, someone who challenges you toward your best self—but you've kept them at arm’s length because you're too busy?

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

—Proverbs 27:17

Eve “saw that the fruit was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom.” We fall for the same trap, grabbing hold of what seems smart in the moment. It comes dressed up as wisdom, wrapped in sayings we’ve all heard:

“Everybody’s doing it.” But the crowd has never been our compass.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”

— 1 Corinthians 3:19

Galatians 4:7 tells us, “You are no longer a slave, but a son.”  That single sentence changes everything about how we relate to God.

Let me frame it this way. I have employees, and I have sons. Both groups make mistakes—sometimes the very same ones.

So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are His child, God has made you also an heir.

— Galatians 4:7

We all like to justify our actions when we’re not at our best. “I was just hungry.” “I didn’t sleep well.” “I’m going through a lot.” And sure, those things can make life harder—but they’re not excuses for sin. They just expose what’s already there.

Think about H.A.L.T.—Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired. Those four things can bring out the worst in us.

"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial..."

— James 1:12

Little children don’t come into the world guarded. They’re not cynical. You’ll never meet a 6‑year‑old who rolls his eyes at love or questions the sincerity of a hug.

Trust comes easy to them, and that’s the kind of heart Jesus was pointing us toward.

"Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

— Matthew 18:3

Don’t give up. Not now. Not here. Not when God still writes the ending.

Give Him a chance to do what only He can do.

Get back up.

“Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.”

—Micah 7:8

So what’s your ratio today? How are you seeing others? How are you seeing yourself?

Maybe today’s a good day to ask the Lord to help us see a little more clearly—not just with our eyes, but with our hearts.

“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.”

—Romans 8:5

You’re not where you are by accident. The people you’ll meet, the challenges you’re facing, even the disappointments—they’re all woven into a greater plan. As Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, it’s a plan “to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.”

"Rejoice always."

—1 Thessalonians 5:16

“I’m not hurting anybody. It’s just me.”

But the Bible doesn’t draw that line. Not between public sins and private ones. All of it belongs to God. Your body. Your thoughts. Your money. Your choices. Even the ones you think begin and end with you.

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

— Proverbs 4:23

Take heart. In Christ, no one is too green to be wise, and no one too gray to dream. This is the power of the Holy Spirit in our day.

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.”

— Joel 2:28

In Matthew 17, Jesus and Peter face the Temple tax. Peter wonders, “Should the Son of God even have to pay this tax? Isn’t this His Father’s house?” Jesus agrees it seems unfair. But to avoid offense, Jesus tells Peter to cast his line into the water. And sure enough, Peter pulls up a fish with not one, but two coins in its mouth.

Two coins.

One coin to pay Peter’s tax.

And one coin to pay Jesus’ tax.

Peter didn’t have the money. The burden was more than he could carry. But Jesus made a way — covering both their debts.

"For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

— Matthew 11:30

If God were not in control, we would stand vulnerable before the chaos of the world, left at the mercy of chance.

But God reigns with full authority.

"The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all."

Psalm 103:19

You’ve asked God for the dream and for guidance. Now it’s time to take action. God gave you the goal, He gave you the plan, and His promise stands firm.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

— Proverbs 16:3

if you’ll just hand it over to Jesus, you’ll see it become far more productive than it ever could be when you’re running it on your own.

And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.

- Luke 5:6

God's promise is as unbreakable as the cycle of day and night.

As Christians, we know that this promise finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is both the eternal King in David’s line and the great High Priest who intercedes for us.

"He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever."

-2 Samuel 7:13

What if your refusal to forgive someone, your choice to wait for an apology you know is never coming, is actually blocking God's grace in your life? What if that one decision is the very thing stopping the flow of His kindness?

Would you believe that?

You should. Because Jesus said it.

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

Ephesians 4:32

When we were kids, we argued with friends at school or with our siblings, but we always made up in the end. That was just how things worked. You got upset, but you moved past it.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

-Matthew 5:9

Being a child of God comes with incredible privileges, but it also comes with a certain look. My kids look like me! And as a child of God, I should look like Him.

Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.

- 1 John 2:6

The best thing you can do is pause and ask God. He is still speaking today. He is still ready to answer. He continues to reveal deep and unsearchable truths to those who call on Him with an open heart.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

-Matthew 7:7

God answers our prayers. If I had to list every prayer Got has answered for me, I would need many notebooks. It brings glory to the Father when prayers are answered in Jesus’ name.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.

- Romans 8:28

Have you ever prayed like that? Not merely spoken words, not simply gone through the motions, but poured your whole heart out to God. Perhaps in tears, in weariness, even in anguish, asking for wisdom, pleading for strength, crying out for answers that only He can give.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

-Jeremiah 29:13

He ends with this command: “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

That does not sound easier. It sounds harder. It sounds impossible.

"For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

-Matthew 11:30

Jesus didn’t just appear out of nowhere.

He was predicted. Promised. Announced.

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!

Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!

See, your king comes to you,

righteous and victorious,

lowly and riding on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

— Zechariah 9:9