As I return from almost three weeks of travel, I am eager to share new messages with you. Let me begin by saying that we were fortunate to travel to Hilton Head again for two weeks in mid-January. The most impressive beauty we get to experience most days is the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets. They are just beautiful, and always remind me of God’s beauty throughout our world, especially when clouds are part of the mosaic that form every morning and evening! I love sending them to my children every day, to let them know that both God and I love them and that God is with them always!
Now on to new business in 2026. I have decided to share a message from Sarah Young’s Jesus Calling daily devotional today, as it is an outstanding message she shared on January 15. Remember that Sarah writes as if it is God speaking directly to you. The message she shared that day read – My Face is shining upon you, beaming out Peace that transcends understanding. You are surrounded by a sea of problems, but you are face to Face with Me, your Peace. As long as you focus on Me, you are safe. If you gaze too long at the myriad problems around you, you will sink under the weight of your burdens. When you start to sink, simply call out “Help me, Jesus!” and I will lift you up.
The closer you live to me, the safer you are. Circumstances around you are undulating, and there are treacherous-looking waves in the distance. Fix your eyes on Me, the One who never changes. By the time those waves reach you, they will have shrunk to proportions of My design. I am always beside you, helping you face today’s waves. The future is a phantom, seeking to spook you. Laugh at the future! Stay close to me.
Sarah then closes with a few scripture readings related to this message:
Philippians 4:7 – And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Matthew 14:30 – But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
Hebrews 12:2 – looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
As I get older, I seem to worry more about the problems that I am facing at that moment. Maybe earlier in life I was too busy raising our children, trying to be a good husband, and building my career to have time left over to worry about issues swirling around me.
Of course, I believe it is also true that we seem to have more serious problems facing our country and world than even just 10-20 years ago. There seems to be so much more hate and anger prevalent in today’s world that we have seemingly lost our love for mankind.
This is the main reason we need to remain loyal to our Christian roots, to love God, and love everyone around us. We need to ensure that God remains the centerpiece of our life through both the good and the challenging days. We know from Sarah’s message today that we will constantly be challenged in life, and we need to stay strong through God’s Word that we always remain true to our Godly roots.