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Hundreds of millions of Christians around the world live with the risk of persecution and violence. According to Open Doors, that number reached a record 388 million this year, including 201 million women and girls and 110 million children under the age of 15. For believers living in places without persecution, those numbers can feel distant, and it is easy to become absorbed in the demands of our own lives, cities, and countries. Hebrews 13:3 calls us to remember the prisoners as if chained with them, and to remember those who are mistreated, since we ourselves are in the body also. First Corinthians 12:26 explains why: if one part suffers, every part suffers with it. We are one body in Christ, which means the suffering of a believer on the other side of the world belongs to all of us. We may not know their names or the details of what they face, but God does. This episode is an invitation to stand with them in prayer, asking God to uphold them with His presence, to guard their hearts and minds, to protect their families, and to give them exactly what they need, whether that is strength, healing, faith, or joy. It is also a prayer that God would keep reminding us to pray, and that we would have the strength to endure if persecution ever comes to us. Bible Verse “Remember the prisoners as if chained with them, those who are mistreated, since you yourselves are in the body also.”— Hebrews 13:3, NKJV Ponder Today We are one body in Christ. When one part suffers, every part suffers with it. The persecuted church is not a distant cause. It is family. Remembering is an act of obedience. Hebrews 13:3 asks us to remember those who are suffering as if we were chained with them. Prayer is one of the most direct ways to do that. God knows what we do not. We cannot know every believer facing persecution or all they endure, but God sees each one. We can trust Him to meet them where they are. Pray for specific needs. Strength for the weary, healing for the hurting, faith for the doubting, joy for the sorrowful, and protection for their families. More than anything, pray that they would receive more of Jesus. Ask God to keep reminding you. It is easy to forget when our own lives feel full. Asking Him to bring the persecuted church to mind, even in the middle of the night, is a faithful and practical prayer. A Prayer for You Today Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that because of Your Son, Jesus, we have not only a Heavenly Father but spiritual brothers and sisters. We do not know all of them or all they are going through, but You do. Today we pray for our brothers and sisters who are facing persecution. May they feel Your presence and Your hands upholding them. Guard their hearts and minds, bring them the peace that surpasses all understanding, and watch over their families. If they are weary, give them strength. If they are hurting, give them healing. If they are doubting, give them faith. If they are sorrowful, give them joy. Give them more of Yourself. And Father, remind us to pray for them, even if it means waking us in the night. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/  Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture. UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Grief does not follow a straight line. Some years feel like an eternity, and other moments feel as though no time has passed at all. There are seasons when healing seems to be happening, and then a single memory can bring a person to tears. For those who struggle with complex grief, the loss never fully lifts, and the sense that a piece of you went with the person you loved can stay for a very long time. The anniversary of a loved one’s death often brings all of it back at once: the pain of the final days, and also the love, strength, and joy of the person who is missed. Isaiah 25:8 speaks directly into that tension with a promise rooted in the character of God: He will swallow up death forever, and the Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces. Death has already been defeated, and one day it will be completely eradicated. Revelation 21:4 describes the new heaven and new earth, where there will be no more crying, pain, mourning, or death, and where the Lord Himself will welcome us with His love. Whether a loved one has been gone for a year or for decades, grief and hope can exist side by side. The anniversary can become a day to remember a life that mattered, to cherish the memories, and to hold tightly to the sure promise of reunion. You will see them again, and until then, the God who collects every tear is near. Bible Verse “He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.”— Isaiah 25:8, NIV Ponder Today Grief is not linear, and there is no deadline for it. Feeling better one day and undone the next is part of loving someone deeply. Anniversaries can reopen wounds, and that does not mean you have failed to heal. It is possible to carry both pain and gratitude on the same day. Remembering the hard final days and celebrating the life, love, and influence of the person you lost can happen together. Both are honest, and both honor them. Death has already been defeated. Isaiah 25:8 declares that God will swallow up death forever. The loss you feel is real, but it is not the final word. God sees and will wipe away every tear. He is not distant from your grief. Revelation 21:4 promises a day with no more crying, pain, or mourning, and until then He draws near to the brokenhearted. Reunion is a sure promise for those in Christ. Whether your loved one has been gone a year or decades, you can take heart. You will see them again, and that hope makes room for rejoicing even in the middle of sorrow. A Prayer for You Today Dear Jesus, I am approaching the anniversary of the death of my loved one. The pain is overwhelming at times, and even after all this time, I still miss them. Their smile, voice, and laughter fill my heart to the point that tears rise in my eyes. How I long to see them again, Lord. Please bring my soul peace as I navigate this difficult season. I will reflect on our wonderful memories and cherish the time we shared. Encourage my heart to remember that I will see my loved one again. You have defeated death, and one day all will be made right. Thank You for giving us this sure promise, Lord. In Your name, Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/  Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture. UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Chaos has a way of showing up in the body before the mind admits it. The constant bracing for impact, the sense of being in the spin cycle with a box of rocks, the panic that follows close behind and quietly steals peace and, over time, hope. Many people feel that the level of chaos inside and around them has never been higher, and the weight of carrying it all settles deep into the soul. First Corinthians 14:33 offers an anchor: God is not a God of confusion but of peace. That truth outlasts whatever is happening around us. We may be experiencing a shipwreck, but we do not have to go down with the ship, because the Holy Spirit is a life preserver within reach. Calming the chaos is doable, and it begins with deliberate choices. Slow down, because life is not an emergency. Turn off the news. Pay attention to the stories you tell yourself, since inside voices become viewpoints, and viewpoints out of line with what God says create internal chaos. Rest the way butterflies rest when it rains. Release what cannot be changed, recalibrate your pace, and remember that not every request deserves a yes. Shift from “I have to” to “I get to.” Take one step at a time, and ask for help, because that is wisdom and not weakness. Paul wrote a theological discourse from a dark, damp prison, which means peace is available even in the hardest conditions. Bible Verse “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.”— 1 Corinthians 14:33, ESV Ponder Today God is greater than all your inner and outer chaos combined. Circumstances may feel overwhelming, but the truth about who God is outlasts the facts of whatever you are going through. You are the sentry of your own soul. What you allow in, from constant news to replayed memories, shapes your peace. Guarding your soul is not selfish. It is essential. The stories you tell yourself matter more than you think. When your inner narrative is out of line with what God says, chaos follows. Bring your viewpoints back into line with His truth. Rest is not a luxury, even in the storm. Butterflies rest when it rains. Taking a break, a nap, or a vacation is a faithful response to chaos, not a failure to cope. Take one step at a time and ask for support. God does not show the whole picture for a reason. One piece of the puzzle is enough for today, and the Holy Spirit and the people God has placed in your life are there to help. A Prayer for You Today Father God, we thank You that You are not a God of confusion, and that chaos is not what You want for our lives. Your peace is our inheritance, and we are grateful that You have given us many ways to calm chaos within and without. May we seek Your wisdom in how to do that in every chaotic moment we experience. In Your mighty name, Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/  Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture. UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Election Day carries a weight that can feel overwhelming — especially when discouragement over past elections, concern about outside influence on outcomes, and the sheer volume of political messaging make it tempting to disengage entirely. But for Christians, withdrawing our voice only creates space for outcomes that grieve the heart of God. Our votes are one of the ways we can let our convictions as believers shape the direction of the nation and its future generations. Proverbs 16:33 anchors the whole conversation in an important truth: the lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. That does not remove our responsibility to vote thoughtfully and faithfully — it grounds our participation in the confidence that God is sovereign over every outcome. President Calvin Coolidge once wrote that voters should approach the ballot box in the spirit they would approach a sacrament, making their choices solely in the light of their own conscience. That is the invitation of this episode: to approach voting not as a partisan exercise or a reaction to political advertising and peer pressure, but as an act of worship and faithfulness. Five biblical principles provide a framework for that preparation — studying God’s Word to discern His voice, honoring God in every decision, supporting the value of life, seeking justice for all, and standing for the freedom that God gives to every person. When we prepare our hearts this way, the voting booth becomes less about political allegiance and more about faithfully reflecting what God has already spoken. Bible Verse “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.”— Proverbs 16:33, NIV Ponder Today God is sovereign over every election outcome — and that is both a comfort and a call to faithfulness. Our responsibility is to vote thoughtfully, grounded in Scripture and conscience. The results belong to Him. Withdrawing our voice does not protect us from outcomes — it contributes to them. Discouragement over past election issues is understandable, but withholding our votes only creates space for what we do not support. Faithful participation matters. Studying God’s Word is the most important preparation for voting well. When our hearts and minds are tuned to Scripture, we are better equipped to discern what is right and true — and to recognize the difference between God’s voice and political persuasion. Voting in the light of conscience, not pressure, is a sacred act. Calvin Coolidge’s counsel to approach the ballot box as a sacrament remains worth considering. Our votes should reflect our deepest convictions, not the most recent advertisement or social pressure. Biblical principles — life, justice, freedom, honoring God — provide a framework for faithful voting. When we filter the issues before us through these lenses, the choices become less about party and more about reflecting God’s heart for people and nations. A Prayer for You Today Dear Father, as I go to vote on Election Day, lead and guide me in choosing which individuals to vote for and how to vote on the various issues and policies presented to me. Help me to study and know Your Word so that I know Your voice when I hear it and it directs my voting. Embolden me to honor You with my votes, choosing in ways that please You. Strengthen my heart to uphold the importance of valuing life. Give me a heart that seeks justice for all — both the weak and the strong — and open my eyes to see what is right and wrong, true and false, good and evil. Help me to stand for righteousness and the freedom You give to each life on earth. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/  Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture. UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Most of us know what it is to have a mind worn out from turning an issue over a million times — praying and weighing options, making lists, brainstorming, and still finding only closed doors. Proverbs 3:5-6 is a passage many of us learn early, but its weight tends to land differently in adulthood when the stakes are real. Solomon wrote it as a father to his son, knowing his son would be walking into an unpredictable future. The word “lean” carries particular weight: lean not on your own understanding means do not put even a little of your weight on it — not the way you rest a hand lightly on a surface, but the way you would lean on a stair rail expecting it to hold you. Our own understanding simply will not hold when the path ahead is foggy and the news is hard. What God is asking of us in those moments is not that we know the way. He is asking us to know Him. He rarely reveals the whole path in advance — perhaps because we could not handle even the knowledge of what lies ahead. But He promises to make the path straight. That is what we can lean on fully. If you could use some words to pray through closed doors, I wrote Praying Through Life's Battles: 90 Days to Strengthen Your Faith for you. You can order it now at battleprayers.com. Until next time, remember, God sees you, hears you, and He knows your needs. Bible Verse “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”— Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV Ponder Today Knowing what is coming does not always make it easier to receive. Preparation softens some things, but it cannot remove the weight of sitting through a hard moment and hearing the news made real. God meets us in that exact place. “Lean not on your own understanding” means not even a little. The image is not of lightly resting a hand on something uncertain. It is of not putting any weight on it at all — because our own understanding will not hold us when the path ahead is unclear. God is not asking us to know the way — He is asking us to know Him. When the fog rolls in and the path disappears, the invitation is not to figure it out faster or try harder. It is to deepen our relationship with the One who does know the way and has promised to make it straight. God rarely reveals the whole path in advance — and that may be a mercy. We are often not equipped to handle the full knowledge of what lies ahead. He reveals what we need, when we need it, and that is enough. Our own understanding will not hold us up when the hard moment comes — only God can do that. All the calculations and determinations we make in advance have their limits. Leaning fully on God is not a last resort. It is the only foundation that actually holds. A Prayer for You Today Heavenly Father, I have turned this issue over in my mind a million times, and I am tired of trying to figure out what comes next. I confess that I have been leaning on my own understanding, and it is wearing me out. Thank You for not requiring me to figure it all out. You have asked me to trust You with all my heart, and I want to do that today. Even when the news does not surprise me, it still hurts. Thank You that I can grieve the pain of an ending and yet trust You for the road ahead. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/  Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture. UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Family gatherings are some of the richest places for hearing stories — and when multiple generations come together, those stories become a living testimony to the faithfulness of God across time. A grandparent’s prayer answered after many years. A teenager met with exactly the encouragement needed in a crisis. A family member who broke a long cycle of unhealthy behavior through God’s restoring work. A reconciliation that seemed impossible. These are not small things. They are the mighty acts, wonderful works, and glorious splendor that Psalm 145 calls every generation to tell the next. God’s faithfulness does not begin with us and it does not end with us. He was present and at work long before we arrived, and He will continue long after our earthly lives are over. When we listen to the stories of those who came before us, we discover a God who was just as close and just as faithful to them as He is to us today. And when we share our own stories with the generation coming after us, we build bridges for them to find hope in the same God. The holiday season and family gatherings offer a particular and valuable opportunity for exactly this kind of storytelling — not just as a pleasant tradition, but as an act of faithful worship. One generation commending God’s works to another, together telling a story too large for any one life to contain, weaving individual threads into a masterpiece that spans all of history. Bible Verse “One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.”— Psalm 145:4, NIV Ponder Today God’s story is bigger than any one generation’s experience of it. His faithfulness before we were born and after we are gone is part of the same continuous work. Hearing the stories of those who came before us expands our understanding of who He is. Family storytelling is an act of worship. When we share how God came through for us, we are doing exactly what Psalm 145 calls the generations to do — commending His works so that others can find hope and inspiration in the same God. Every generation has a unique angle on God’s faithfulness. Seniors carry lessons learned over decades. Younger adults carry fresh evidence of answered prayer. Children carry the simple, uncluttered experience of God’s love. Together, the picture is richer than any one perspective alone. God is big enough to rule the universe and close enough to care about the details. The same God who parted the Red Sea is the One who met a teenager with exactly the encouragement needed in a crisis. Both are worthy of telling, and both belong in the family story. We are called to be faithful storytellers for the generations coming after us. The people who told us about God’s goodness helped us find our way to Him. The stories we share now are building the same bridge for someone else. A Prayer for You Today Dear God, I am in awe of how big Your story really is, across generations and throughout history. Sometimes I get so caught up in my own little corner of the world that I forget You have been faithful for many years before I was born and will be faithful for many years after my earthly life is over. Thank You for the wonderful ways You never stop showing up in our lives to guide us, encourage us, and meet our needs. Help me discover Your wonderful work every day — in my own life and in the lives of my family members. Help me to be a faithful storyteller. Give me the words to share Your mighty acts, glorious splendor, and wonderful works with the people in my life. Let them see through my stories that You are just as powerful and loving today as You have always been. Thank You for weaving our lives together into a masterpiece that spans all of time. Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/  Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture. UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Martin Luther understood darkness before he understood light. A thunderstorm in 1505 drove him to his knees with a desperate bargain to God, and that crisis became a conversion. But even after committing his life to serving God, Luther felt perpetually undeserving. No amount of effort, confession, or self-affliction seemed adequate to justify him before a holy God — until Romans 1:17 broke open everything. The just shall live by faith. That single revelation, received through the study of God’s Word, unlocked what no amount of striving could produce. And what Luther did with that light is one of history’s most remarkable stories of one person’s obedience changing the world — translating the Bible into German, making God’s Word accessible to ordinary people, helping usher in the Reformation and the birth of the Protestant Church. He was only one man. But he let the light shine, and countless lives were transformed as a result. Reformation Day is a reminder that the same calling belongs to each of us — not to be remarkable in the world’s eyes, but to be courageous enough to let God’s light shine through us into whatever darkness surrounds us. Bible Verse “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”— Matthew 5:16, NIV Ponder Today We are called to let God’s light shine through us — not to generate our own. The source is God. Our role is not to manufacture brightness but to remove whatever is blocking His light from shining through us into the world around us. Salvation comes through faith, not through the accumulation of enough righteous deeds. Luther’s breakthrough in Romans 1:17 is the same truth that sets every striving, self-afflicting believer free. The just shall live by faith — not by performance, not by effort, not by doing enough. One person, fully surrendered to God’s light, can change the world. Luther was one man who translated a Bible and nailed a document to a door. The Reformation followed. Our sphere may be smaller, but the principle is the same — faithfulness to the light we carry has ripple effects we cannot see. Courage to let the light shine sometimes means risking reputation. Luther stood before emperors and princes and refused to recant. Most of us will not face that kind of test, but every believer faces smaller versions of it — moments where shining God’s light costs us something. God’s Word is the instrument through which light breaks through darkness. It was Scripture that opened Luther’s eyes. It is still Scripture that transforms lives today. Making God’s Word accessible and sharing it faithfully is one of the most powerful things we can do. A Prayer for You Today Dear Father, help me today on Reformation Day and every day to let Your glorious light shine through me into a dark world. Strengthen and embolden me as You did Martin Luther, to be courageous enough to risk my reputation if necessary to share Your gracious gift of salvation with a lost world. Remove all hindrances that keep me from proclaiming that the just shall live by faith. Fill me with the power and fullness of Your Holy Spirit so that I might go out into a lost world as a beacon shining brightly to all I meet. Shine Your light through me from this very moment on, in everything I do, so that You, O Lord, might be glorified. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/  Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture. UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/  Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture. UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Four months out from scoliosis surgery, one month before a son’s wedding, and nowhere near where recovery was supposed to be by now. The vision of dancing the night away in joyful celebration had quietly given way to the reality of significant physical limitation. And the question that settled in underneath the disappointment was a familiar and honest one: what good could possibly come from this? Joseph’s answer to that question, spoken to the brothers who had sold him into slavery and left him for dead, is one of the most stunning declarations of God’s sovereignty in all of Scripture. After years in a pit, in prison, falsely accused, and forgotten — he looked at the people who had meant him harm and said: you intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish the saving of many lives. And then he asked the question that reframes everything: am I in the place of God? He was not asking rhetorically. He was acknowledging something profound — that every place he had been, including the pit and the prison, was precisely where God had him. He was always in the place of God. That perspective did not make the suffering lighter while it was happening. But it produced a peace in the process that would have been impossible without it. That same perspective is available in every disappointing, uncomfortable, and confusing season — not because we can always see the purpose, but because we know the One who holds it. Whether the good is for us now, for us later, or for someone else entirely, it is always good. We are always in the place of God. If you enjoy this episode, check out Keri's latest book, Win Over Worry: Conquer What Shakes You and Soar With the One Who Overcomes. You can find it on Amazon or your favorite online retail site.  Bible Verse “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”— Genesis 50:20, NIV Ponder Today We are always in the place of God — in the pit, in the prison, and in the unexpected limitation. Joseph’s declaration was not that his suffering was good, but that God had purposeful placement in every single location his life took him. That same truth extends to every season we find ourselves in. God’s good purpose does not always reveal itself in the moment. Joseph could not have seen from the pit what God was building toward. The good was real, but it was not yet visible. The same is likely true of circumstances that currently feel purposeless or disappointing. Holding onto truth written down and kept in plain sight is a practical act of faith. In a long season of recovery and disappointment, having Joseph’s words visible daily made a tangible difference. What we keep before our eyes shapes what we are able to believe in hard moments. Whether the good is for us now, for us later, or for someone else entirely, it is all for good. Romans 8:28 and Genesis 50:20 together paint a picture of a God whose redemptive purposes extend beyond our individual timeline and touch lives we may never know about. Godly perspective in suffering produces peace in the process. Joseph did not wait until the reunion with his brothers to find peace. The perspective that God had good purposes shaped how he endured every season before the resolution came. A Prayer for You Today Lord God, You are the author of all good things, and everything You are doing in my life is leading toward Your good and perfect plan. But the truth is, it does not always seem good in the moment. My current circumstances often feel really uncomfortable, and I cannot imagine how they could be purposeful. But Your Word promises and reveals that You have a great purpose no matter where You have me — including this very moment, in my very situation, just as it is. Help me trust You in this season. Help me see Your goodness and light in the shadows of life. I know You never stop shining in and through each of my days, and I praise You for that. You are so faithful, so good, and I love You so much. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Standing in a kitchen on a normal Thursday morning, cordless phone in hand, ready to dial a familiar number — and then realizing, mid-reach, that Mom would not be picking up. She no longer lived on this planet. The sorrow of it washed over again, fresh and heavy. Heaven was certain, the reunion was coming, but time stood as a strong enemy between that moment and the promise. The distance between what had been and what would be felt like a thick darkness with no way to see through it. Romans 8:24-25 holds something that is counterintuitive but deeply true: hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? We often think that if we could just catch a glimpse of God’s good plan, just see something on the horizon, then we would finally have hope. Paul tells us it works the other way around. Real hope is exactly the kind that cannot be seen yet. It is the kind that sits with you in the dark, in the ordinary breaks of everyday life, when what you are waiting for is something you cannot hurry or fix. And the sense we need most in that darkness is not a glimpse of the timeline. It is the sense of His presence. Jesus does not wait at the other end of the darkness with hope in hand. He stands right next to us in the kitchen, in the middle of the moment, reminding us that we are never alone. Waiting is not a sign that He has forgotten. Waiting is the very place where He shows up so we can come to know Him more deeply. If you could use a boost to help your heart through challenges, pick up a copy of Praying Through Life's Battles: 90 Days to Strengthen Your Faith. Order it now at battleprayers.com. Bible Verse “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”— Romans 8:25, NIV Ponder Today Real hope is defined by what cannot yet be seen — not by what can. Paul’s logic is clear: if you already have it, you do not need hope. The kind of hope that carries us through darkness is the kind that holds on to what has not yet arrived. Waiting is not a sign that God has forgotten — it is where He shows up most deeply. The gap between what was and what will be is not empty. It is the very place where God meets us and makes Himself known in ways that easier seasons cannot produce. The sense we need most in the dark is the sense of His presence. Not a timeline, not proof of what lies ahead, not a glimpse of resolution — just the deep, settled knowing that Jesus is here and will never leave or forsake us. Hope is not off in the distance — it stands right next to us in the ordinary moments. It is not waiting at the end of the tunnel. It is present in the kitchen, in the break in the day, in the moment when grief arrives unexpectedly and reminds us of what we are still waiting for. Darkness does not mean hope has failed — it means hope is doing exactly what it was designed to do. Hope that only functions in the light is not the biblical kind. The hope Paul describes in Romans 8 is specifically made for the dark. A Prayer for You Today Heavenly Father, You understand the weight of this moment I am holding. Though heaven feels far away, You are with me in the everyday moments of life. I confess that in the darkness, all I want is to see — light on a timeline, proof of what lies ahead. When I cannot see that, I think hope has failed. But waiting is not a sign that You have forgotten me. Waiting is the very place where You have shown up so I can come to know You more deeply. Help me, Lord, to sense that You are here. I do not need all the answers today. I simply need to trust You in the dark and hold on to the hope You alone can offer. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/  Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture. UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Twenty years of motherhood brings a lot of reflection — on the laundry done and the meals prepared and the clean dishes and the fridge kept full, none of which earned applause. On the truths about Jesus taught, the prayers prayed over specific situations, the devotionals sometimes squeezed in and sometimes missed. On the quiet, persistent work of raising children that happens largely without an audience and without anyone keeping score. The role of serving a family can feel unseen, unnoticed, and unimportant — and yet it is some of the most significant work a person can do. John 13 offers one of the most striking pictures of what this kind of service looks like in the kingdom of God. Jesus, knowing His time on earth was ending, got up from the table during the last meal with His disciples, wrapped a towel around His waist, and washed their feet — one of the lowest jobs a servant could perform. He was their teacher and their Lord. No one expected this of Him. He did it anyway. Then He explained: I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. He saw a need and filled a need, without waiting for someone else to do it and without using His status as a reason to opt out. That is the picture of how families can function in the kingdom of God — noticing the unseen needs, meeting them without being asked, serving when no one is watching, and understanding that when we do it with our whole hearts, even the most mundane household task becomes an act of worship offered to the Lord. Bible Verse “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”— Joshua 24:15, NIV Ponder Today Serving the unseen needs of a home is some of the most significant work available to us. No one may keep track of the laundry or the clean dishes or the patient teaching, but God sees every act of faithful service offered within the walls of a home. Jesus modeled servant leadership by doing the lowest job in the room without being asked. He did not use His status as a reason to opt out. He saw a need, He filled it, and then He told His disciples to do the same. That example belongs in our homes. Serving when no one is watching is one of the most formative things we can teach our children. Recognizing a need and meeting it before being asked, doing a job that is not technically yours, putting someone else first — these habits are shaped by what children observe, not just what they are told. Even mundane household chores can become acts of worship. Colossians 3:23 does not limit wholehearted work to impressive or visible tasks. Whatever we do — for our families, in our homes — can be done as if doing it for the Lord. When we fall short, God fills the gaps. Perfect parenting and perfect service are not the standard. Faithful showing up, honest repentance when we get it wrong, and trusting God to work in the spaces where we fell short — that is the grace available to every imperfect servant in every imperfect home. A Prayer for You Today Lord, thank You for our home and for every soul who lives in it. We long to honor You, serve You, and shine Your light within our walls. Help each member of our family to recognize the needs around them — the ones easily seen and the ones hidden — and to take ownership of their responsibilities while also striving to help one another. Help us to serve in love, valuing others above ourselves and not looking to our own interests first. Help us recognize that even mundane household chores can be acts of worship that glorify Your name. Help us notice what needs to be done and do it, even when no one is watching. And when we act selfishly or put our own interests above everything else, humble us. I long for my home to be one of grace and humility. Teach us to serve one another joyfully, knowing that when we serve our family, we are also serving You. Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/  Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture. UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Just days before a son’s wedding, tears finally broke through and with them an honest cry to God: I do not want to let go. The son had found his person, and that was genuinely good. But the home that had been built and loved and found comfort in was changing — and knowing something is right does not always make it feel easy. The heart was broken even while the mind knew it should be full of joy. That tension is one most of us recognize. We acknowledge, somewhere beneath the pain, that if we could only trust God more — if we could truly believe that His goodness is real and His plan is genuinely good — the peace and joy we are grasping for might actually arrive. Jeremiah 17:7 holds the promise plainly: blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. But how do we get there? How do we actually deepen trust that feels thin in the middle of something hard? The answer is not a single breakthrough moment. It is daily dependence — morning declarations of surrender and gratitude, seeking God’s presence one day at a time, watching His faithfulness surface in the seeking. As trust deepens, so does peace. As trust deepens, so does joy. God does not require us to negotiate or bargain before His goodness shows up. He will come through. Surely goodness and love will follow us all the days of our lives — not because we performed well enough to earn it, but because He is who He says He is. If you like today's devotional, you will love Keri's latest book, Win Over Worry: Conquer What Shakes You and Soar With the One Who Overcomes. Get it wherever books are sold. Bible Verse “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.”— Jeremiah 17:7, NIV Ponder Today Knowing something is right does not always make it feel easy — and that tension is worth bringing to God. Grief over a good change is still grief. God is not asking us to skip the honest emotion. He is inviting us to pour it out to Him and trust Him with what comes after. Deeper trust is not achieved in a single breakthrough — it is built through daily dependence. Morning declarations of surrender, ongoing gratitude, the daily practice of seeking God’s presence — these are what produce the trust that holds in hard seasons. As we seek God more, we see His goodness more. The connection between seeking and seeing is not incidental. Trust grows as evidence of faithfulness accumulates — and faithfulness reveals itself to those who are actively looking for it. We do not need to negotiate with God before His goodness arrives. He will come through. He blesses those whose confidence is in Him — not because they earned it through sufficient surrender, but because that is simply who He is and what He does. Surely goodness and love will follow us all the days of our lives. Psalm 23:6 is not a conditional promise. It is a declaration of God’s character that extends through every kind of season, including the ones that hurt the most. A Prayer for You Today Father God, You are full of abundant goodness. I know this because Your trustworthy Word says so and because I have seen evidence of it throughout my life. Yet right now, there are circumstances surrounding me that hurt and are extremely hard. I long to deepen my trust in the truth of Your goodness so I can experience Your peace and joy. Show me the good around me today, remind me that there is even more to come, and help me lean on Your Word and promises with greater confidence. I know You bless those whose confidence is in You, and I want that to be more true of me every day. Thank You for Your faithfulness that always follows me and for Your love that never leaves me. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/  Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture. UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Leaving a lamp on in another room at night — just that small glow — makes a difference. Without it, familiar sounds become suspicious, familiar shapes lose their edges, and the room that is perfectly known in daylight feels suddenly uncertain. Darkness does something to our perception. It makes us imagine what might be lurking that we cannot see. Spiritual and emotional darkness does the same thing. When life becomes difficult or painful, our imaginations fill in the gaps with what might go wrong, what may never change, and what the days ahead will look like when we cannot see them clearly. That is exactly why Micah 7:8 is so worth pausing on — not for what it promises about the future, but for the specific tense of its declaration. Micah does not say “though I once sat in darkness.” He says “though I sit in darkness.” The difficulty has not yet lifted. The way forward is not yet clear. And in that present-tense darkness, he declares: the Lord will be my light. Micah’s hope does not depend on immediate change in his circumstances. It rests entirely in the character and presence of God. When the darkness does not lift as quickly as we hoped, God gives us more than a distant promise that light will come someday. He gives us Himself — His presence as protection, as guidance, as spiritual security. One small next step. One truth or promise recalled. One person brought alongside. That small glow is enough to remind us that the darkness cannot overwhelm us. Bible Verse “Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.”— Micah 7:8, NIV Ponder Today Micah’s hope is present-tense, not past-tense. He is not writing from the other side of the darkness, looking back with relief. He is writing from inside it, declaring God’s light while still sitting in the dark. That is the kind of hope available to us right now, in exactly the situation we are in. Darkness distorts our perception of what is true. In the same way that physical darkness makes familiar spaces feel uncertain, spiritual and emotional darkness makes us question what we know about God’s goodness, presence, and faithfulness. That is when His Word becomes an anchor. God gives us more than a future promise — He gives us His presence now. When circumstances do not change as quickly as we hoped, God does not leave us with a distant assurance. He meets us in the darkness itself, offering protection, guidance, and security in the present moment. The darkness cannot hide you from God — or God from you. That is one of the most steadying truths available in a dark season. He sees exactly where you are. His light reaches places our eyes cannot. Ask for one small next step, not the whole road. The request does not have to be for the darkness to be completely removed. It can be for one truth remembered, one person sent, one step illuminated. God meets that kind of humble, specific request. A Prayer for You Today Lord God, You see the darkness around me and the darkness within me. You know the places where I feel afraid, discouraged, confused, or weary. You know the prayers I have prayed for a long time and the questions that remain unanswered. When life feels dark, I struggle to hope. When I cannot see what You are doing, I sometimes wonder whether You are there at all. Help me to trust in Your words as spoken by Micah: though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. Be my light where I cannot see the way forward. Be my hope where I feel disappointed. Be my strength where I feel too tired to keep going. Be my protection when I am afraid. Remind me that darkness does not hide me from You, nor does it hide You from me. You are my light and my salvation. In You I place my trust. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/  Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture. UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

From ghost hunting reality shows to social media posts about psychic powers and manifestation, paranormal practices have never been more mainstream or more casually presented as harmless entertainment. And the temptations are understandable — curiosity about the future, grief over someone who has died, the thrill of the supernatural. These are real human experiences, and they can make the forbidden doorways seem appealing. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 sets clear and firm boundaries, presenting a list of practices God describes as detestable. At first glance, the list may feel extreme or inapplicable — most of us are not casting spells or consulting mediums. But God is not offering a comprehensive inventory of specific acts. He is issuing a warning: go directly to Him, not to anyone or anything else, for the spiritual answers you are seeking. Only He has the power to give what we truly need, and only He is trustworthy enough to always use that power for our good. When we turn to tarot cards, manifestation through spiritual energies separate from God, or anything that presents itself as spiritually helpful but operates outside of Him — even when it sounds holy — we are essentially stepping outside of His protection and opening ourselves to influences that do not have our best interests at heart. Evil spirits are real, and spiritual warfare is happening. God’s “no” to paranormal practices is not the prohibition of a cosmic killjoy. It is the protection of a loving Father who knows these things are counterfeits — offering a false sense of control while actually trying to keep us stuck. His door is wide open. He is inviting us in through the proper place. Bible Verse “Let no one be found among you who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord.”— Deuteronomy 18:10-11, NIV Ponder Today There is a thin line between curiosity and spiritual danger. Innocent-seeming interest in paranormal practices can open doors that are genuinely harmful. God’s warning in Deuteronomy is not about being restrictive — it is about protecting us from what we cannot fully see. God is not offering a comprehensive list — He is redirecting us to Himself. The principle behind Deuteronomy 18 is that He alone is the trustworthy source of spiritual answers. When we look elsewhere, we are essentially saying His provision and timing are not enough. Paranormal practices are counterfeits, not harmless alternatives. They offer a false sense of control while actually trying to control us. What presents itself as enlightening access to the spiritual world is often a back door that bypasses God’s protection entirely. Evil spirits are real and spiritual warfare is happening. Stepping outside of God’s protection, even unintentionally, opens us to influences that do not have our best interests in mind. Awareness of this reality is not fear-mongering — it is spiritual wisdom. God’s grace is bigger than any involvement in paranormal practices. Confession, repentance, and renunciation of past involvement are met with forgiveness and cleansing. No mistake closes the door that God holds open. His grace and His discernment are available to everyone who comes back through the right door. A Prayer for You Today Dear God, thank You for Your wonderful love that leads You to protect me, even from dangerous things I am not fully aware of in my life. Please forgive me for the times I have let curiosity tempt me to try paranormal practices You have forbidden. I confess that I have sometimes looked to other sources instead of to You for the spiritual answers I am seeking. Right now, in the name of Jesus, I renounce any involvement I have had with any dangerous spiritual practices and close every door I opened to evil spirits, intentionally or unintentionally. Please cleanse my soul and my home from any lingering influence. I choose to trust You completely with my future. Help me discern the difference between Your truth and the lies coming at me in this fallen world. Guide me and protect me every single day and night of my life. Thank You, God. Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/  Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture. UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Self-pity might feel satisfying in the moment, but it never delivers what it promises — and nothing halts a walk with God quite like staying in it too long. Proverbs 11:25 points in the opposite direction: the generous person will prosper, and whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. Humility and service do not just benefit others. They do something in the soul of the person who practices them, fueling the kind of revival that self-focus can never produce. Jesus is the model. His life was marked by peace, joy, and contentment — not because He insisted on being served, but because He came to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. Philippians 2 describes the posture that produced the world’s greatest revival: He made Himself nothing, took the nature of a servant, humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross. God the Father used that life to turn the world upside down. A.W. Tozer’s observation cuts through to the heart of why personal revival so often stalls: in every believer’s heart there is a cross and a throne, and we remain on the throne until we willingly place ourselves on the cross. We want to be saved, but we want Christ to do all the dying. No cross for us, no dethronement, no dying. But Christ must reign supreme if revival is to happen in our hearts. The prayer that opens the door is not a prayer for more blessing or more comfort. It is a simpler and more costly one: Lord, let me do the dying. Bible Verse “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”— Proverbs 11:25, NIV Ponder Today Nothing halts a walk with God like self-pity — and nothing fuels it like humility and service. The direction of our focus determines the direction of our spiritual health. Turning outward, toward others and toward God, is what opens the conditions for genuine revival. Jesus modeled the posture that produces revival: making Himself nothing and taking the nature of a servant. His life was not marked by self-assertion but by self-giving, and God the Father used it to turn the world upside down. That same pattern is available to every believer. In every believer’s heart there is a cross and a throne — and we choose which one to occupy. Tozer’s observation is as relevant today as ever. Revival begins not when we pray more impressive prayers but when we willingly step off the throne and place ourselves on the cross. We want to be saved, but we want Christ to do all the dying. That honest diagnosis of the human heart is where revival conversations have to start. Comfort, control, and the desire to remain king of our own small kingdom are what keep us spiritually sterile. Christ must reign supreme if revival is to happen — and that requires our decrease. John 3:30 is the prayer of a revived heart: He must increase, and I must decrease. The life that steps aside for Christ to take center stage is the life that becomes something worth watching. A Prayer for You Today Dear Heavenly Father, You are the maker of heaven and earth, over every throne and dominion. We ask that You take Your rightful place in our hearts and minds. Give us a clearer picture of who You are so that we can serve and love You better. Lord, we ask that You would increase and we would decrease. Take center stage in the life You have given us. Grow the fruit of the Spirit in our lives so that we can be more loving, joyful, peaceable, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. Apart from You we can do nothing, but with You we can do all things. Please help our lives to reflect You. Revive us so we can rejoice in You again. We love You. We need You. Please help us to be the people You want us to be. Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/  Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture. UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Mary Oliver’s question cuts through the noise of ordinary days with surprising force: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” It is the kind of question that either energizes or unsettles us, depending on the season we are in. And in seasons of heartache, loss, and hardship, it can feel almost cruel — because the blur of suffering makes it hard to believe that our lives matter at all, let alone that we are capable of acting as agents of meaningful change. Ecclesiastes begins in exactly that territory. Wisdom, pleasure, and work are all described as chasing the wind. The wise and the fool, the rich and the poor, will all die with the same fate. From a purely natural standpoint, everything ends — so what does any of it matter? But Ecclesiastes does not leave us there. Solomon turns our attention to God, and the conclusion is not nihilism but worship: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. With God, nothing is meaningless. The diligent work on a worthy task, the pursuit of godly wisdom, the choice to act justly — all of it is seen and known by the God who will bring every deed into judgment. And the longing to matter is not a symptom of existential crisis. It is built in. We were made to know God and glorify Him, and Scripture tells us that He prepared good works for us to do before we were even born. We are His masterpieces. That truth does not exempt us from suffering or confusion, but it does mean that what we do with the life He has given us means far more than we imagine. Bible Verse “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”— Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, NIV Ponder Today The longing to matter is not meaningless — it is built in. Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us God has set eternity in the human heart. The ache for significance is not an existential crisis to be managed. It is a design feature pointing us toward the God who gives our lives their true meaning. With God, nothing is meaningless — not even the small, mundane tasks no one notices. Ecclesiastes reorients us from the visible and celebrated to the God who sees every deed, including every hidden thing. What we do in His strength and for His glory matters, whether or not anyone else is watching. Seasons of suffering have a way of making meaning feel inaccessible. The blur of loss and hardship can strip our sense of purpose and leave us going through the motions. That is exactly when Ecclesiastes’ conclusion is most necessary to return to: God is the reason we are alive. We are God’s masterpieces, created for good works He prepared in advance. Ephesians 2:10 places our purpose not in our own ambitions or visible achievements, but in the specific, God-prepared works that only we — placed in this time and this place — can do. What we do with the life God has given us means more than we imagine. Mary Oliver’s question is not just poetic. It is theological. The answer we live out, day by day, in faithfulness and in trust, matters eternally. A Prayer for You Today Lord, these days I often feel untethered from anything greater. I go through the motions of routine and necessity, but something inside me yearns to know that what I do has meaning. Guide my steps as I begin to walk with renewed purpose today. I do not know what the future holds or what obstacles I may face, but I trust that You will be with me. What I do for Your glory and in Your strength matters, even the small and mundane tasks no one notices. Focus my eyes on eternity so that as I move through this day, I remember that each moment is filled with meaning. There is a reason You placed me in this time and place. May I not waste it but steward it well. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/  Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture. UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.