As I’ve been sitting here this Friday the words found in Mark ring loudly in my mind.
 
“And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" (which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) - Mark 15:34 NIV

Sadness fills my heart. Tears slowly begin to fill my eyes. The agony and pain of my Savior is heavy. I think about the relationship between the Father and His Son —perfect love, perfect unity, perfect fellowship from eternity past. But I can’t help but to ask - why in that moment did Jesus cry out to His God instead of His Father?

While hanging on the cross… something shifts. Not in their love. Not in their unity. But in their roles.

I argue that if Jesus the Son had called on God His Father, the plan of salvation would have collapsed. In that moment, if Jesus - His only begotten son - would have cried out, “Father, Father - why have You forsaken me?”. The Father - His Father - because of His love for His son surely would have sent heaven’s armies rushing to rescue Him. As a parent I can’t stand to see my children cry…and in that moment I’m sure His Father could not bear the cry of His Son.
 
But a sacrifice had to be made. God’s will had to be done.
 
So instead of crying, “Father,” Jesus cried, “My God.” Because in that moment the Father was not acting as Father. He was acting as Judge.

Jesus was not standing as Son. He was standing as Substitute. The Substitute for our transgressions. Substitute for our sins. Substitute for our punishment.
 
He cried out “My God, My God why have You forsaken me?”, because in that moment He wasn’t calling His Father for rescue…He was calling His God for redemption.
 
He was calling on the God that had to remain the righteous Judge because in that moment He was The Christ…the willing sacrifice.
 
“My God, My God why have You forsaken me?”

Not because the relationship was broken, but because the assignment required distance.

“My God, My God why have You forsaken me?”

Not because love had disappeared, but because wrath had to be poured out.

“My God, My God why have You forsaken me?”

Not because the Father abandoned the Son, but because the Son stepped into our abandonment.

Jesus took our place so fully that He prayed our prayer. He felt our distance so deeply that He cried our cry.

And God stayed silent—not out of rejection, but out of commitment to redeem every one of us.

So today, I encourage us all to sit with the weight of that moment. When Jesus stood in our place. When He carried what belonged to us. When He cried the cry that should have come from our own lips.

Do you hear the words of that old familiar hymn? Alas, and did my Savior bleed? And did my Sovereign die? Would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I? Was it for sins that I had done He groaned upon the tree? Amazing pity! Grace unknown! And love beyond degree.

At the cross, at the cross...

It wasn't an accident. It wasn't a tragedy. It was an exchange. His righteousness for our rebellion. His obedience for our wandering. His life for our salvation.

"My God, My God why have You forsaken me?"

He cried out so we would never have to. He stood alone so we could stand in grace.

Good Morning BFB & Friends!

For our devotional thought this morning, we’re back in the Gospel of Mark, back in chapter 11. I want to deal with a simple but powerful idea: A lot can happen in seven days — but let’s just talk about Monday.

I encourage you to read the entirety of Mark 11 during your own devotion time, but today we’ll focus on verses 15–17.

“On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, ‘Is it not written: My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” - Mark 11:15–17 (NIV)

The Monday After the Celebration
Yesterday we had an amazing time in worship. It was the triumphal entry — Palm Sunday. We shouted, we praised God, we remembered the palms, the cloaks, the donkey, and the celebration of the King. We celebrated because we know what this week means to us.

But today is Monday.

And Monday brings its own challenges. God laid this on my heart last night and again this morning: a lot can happen in seven days. On Sunday they cried, “Hosanna!” By Friday they cried, “Crucify Him!” But it didn’t end on Friday — He still got up.

What happens on Monday matters. What happened in Jesus’ life on Monday matters.
And what happens in our lives on Monday matters.

After all the praise of Sunday, Jesus didn’t go quiet on Monday. He went straight to the temple. And that teaches us something:

Monday Reveals What Sunday Covered Up
On Sunday, everything looked good — palms, praise, public celebration. But on Monday, Jesus walks into the temple and exposes what had been going on beneath the surface. The temple looked beautiful on the outside, but inside it was out of order.

That’s true for us too.

Our Sundays can look good. We can shout, dance, and worship. But Monday reveals what’s really in our hearts. Monday reveals our priorities. Monday reveals what we do first when God gives us new grace and new mercy.

Jesus overturns tables because He sees what has been happening all along. And He shows us that He’s not after the performance of Sunday — He’s after the purity of our hearts on Monday.

Monday Confronts What Doesn’t Belong
Jesus began driving out what didn’t belong in the temple. He said, “My house shall be called a house of prayer.” Anything that didn’t align with that purpose had to go.

The same is true for us.

What is Jesus trying to confront in your life today? What distractions? What misalignment?
What habits have replaced your devotion, your prayer time, your worship? Sometimes God disrupts what’s comfortable to restore what’s sacred.

What tables does Jesus want you to overturn this Monday so that your relationship with Him can take its rightful place again?

Monday Prepares Us for What’s Coming
There’s a reason Jesus went to the temple first. There’s a reason He cleansed it before Friday. There’s a reason He confronted what didn’t belong before carrying the weight of the cross.

You cannot carry the weight of what’s coming if you’re still full of what doesn’t belong.

God uses our Mondays to prepare us for the rest of the week — to clear space, realign priorities, and strengthen our spirit. Because a lot can happen in seven days.

So How Will You Start Your Monday?

Every Monday won’t be perfect. But how we start our week shapes how we walk through the next seven days.

Jesus knew Friday was coming.
He knew Sunday was coming.
But on Monday, He handled what needed to be handled.
Today, let’s focus on how we handle our Monday.

Amen and amen.

Imagine you were in trouble—not because you’re guilty, but because life has taken a turn. You get that one call. Who would you dial? A friend? Your mother? Your father? A brother or sister? Someone you believe would show up for you?

But what if you made that call… and no one answered? Or they answered but said, “I don’t have what you need.” What then? That question leads us to a deeper one: Can God be counted on when you call?

Every time we pray, we do so believing that God hears us, cares for us, and responds with power and grace. But in the moments when life is loud and answers feel delayed, we wrestle with the question: Does He really care? Can we truly depend on Him?

David’s Prayer in Psalm 17
Psalm 17 is the first psalm in Scripture labeled explicitly as a prayer. David is in life‑threatening danger, and his prayer unfolds in three escalating pleas. Yet even in distress, David assumes something vital: God will keep His covenant—He will hear, He will answer, and He will respond with steadfast love. David begins:

“Hear me, Lord, my plea is just; listen to my cry. Hear my prayer—it does not rise from deceitful lips.” (Psalm 17:1)

David isn’t claiming to be sinless. He’s simply saying, “Lord, I’m coming to You honestly.”
We’re trained to confess our sins—and we should—but David shows us another truth:
You can approach God boldly when your heart is sincere. 

And the secret to that boldness is found in the very first word of his prayer:
“O Lord…” The God who reveals Himself. The God who knows your name. The God who shows up.

God Sees, God Knows, God Tests 
David acknowledges that God doesn’t just see the enemy—He sees us.

“Though you probe my heart, though you examine me at night and test me, you will find that I have planned no evil.” (Psalm 17:3)

The language of “testing” and “trying” refers to refining metal—removing impurities so the gold shines. David doesn’t resist God’s examination. He welcomes it. Because he knows:

Right standing with God matters more than the circumstances around him.

It’s hard to call on someone you’re not in right relationship with. The same is true with God.
He desires closeness, honesty, and alignment with Him.

Walking the Path—Even When It’s Slippery
David continues:

“My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not slipped.” (Psalm 17:5)

Walking in righteousness isn’t easy. The path has pitfalls, snares, and traps. Life without God’s Word is a slippery slope. And let’s be honest—every now and then, we slip.

That’s why we stay connected. That’s why we confess. That’s why we ask God to examine our hearts at the end of each day. Have we been an example? Have we helped someone?
Have we looked beyond ourselves to those who are less fortunate? This is what God desires: A heart that leans on Him and a life that reflects Him.

Even when the world is slippery…
Even when people don’t answer the phone…
Even when help doesn’t come from where we expected…

God can be counted on when you call.

He hears. He sees. He knows. He responds. He refines. He delivers. Amen.

Good Morning BFB & Friends!

The month of March is set aside to honor women and their contributions throughout American history—and that is a beautiful thing. But long before America ever established a Women’s History Month, there were women in biblical history who had already paved the way. Women like Leah, Rachel, Deborah, Ruth, Mary, and so many others whose stories continue to inspire us today.

But this morning, I want to focus on one woman the Lord placed on my heart—Miriam.
Before we talk about her story, let’s look at our Scripture for today:

“Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. And Miriam answered them: ‘Sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea.’” - Exodus 15:20–21

Miriam is one of the brave and influential women in Israel’s history. She was the sister of Moses and Aaron, and even from a young age she showed courage and wisdom. When Moses was just a baby, it was Miriam who watched over him as he floated in a basket on the Nile, protecting him from Pharaoh’s cruel decree. With boldness and intelligence, she approached Pharaoh’s daughter and suggested an Israelite woman to nurse the child—leading Moses right back into the arms of his own mother.

Years later, as an adult, Miriam helped lead the Israelites after their deliverance from Egypt. As a prophetess, she carried messages from God and supported her brothers as they guided the people through the wilderness. Her leadership, especially in a time when women were often overlooked or silenced, stands as a testimony of faith and courage.

Miriam’s story continues to shine through the pages of Scripture. She is one of many women—both in the Bible and throughout our nation—who stepped out boldly and helped shape history. Their names are remembered because their faith was real, their courage was strong, and their obedience made a difference.

And since this month is Women’s History Month, I want to say: God bless all the women.
Because without women, there would be no us.

We praise God for every woman—for your strength, your sacrifice, your wisdom, your prayers, and your boldness. May God continue to bless you for all that you do.

Good Morning BFB & Friends!

This morning, God laid a simple but powerful prayer on my heart: “Lord, do it again.”
As we prepare for Revival Week—Spring Heat—I want us to sit with that prayer.

Habakkuk 3:2 in the New International Version reads:
“Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.”

The King James Version says it this way: “O Lord… revive thy work.” In other words:
Lord, do it again.

In the old church, they used to sing during revival time, “Lord, send a revival, and let it begin in me.” Today, we add: Lord, do it again. Habakkuk is essentially saying, “Lord, I’ve heard what You used to do. Can You do it again?” And that is our prayer as we enter this week: Lord, can You do it again for us?

In this one verse, Habakkuk gives us three things to remember as we prepare our hearts for revival.

1. Remember His Record
Habakkuk opens the verse by saying, “Lord, I have heard of Your fame.” Before he asks for anything, he remembers what God has already done.

Life gets busy. We get focused on what’s not happening, on what hasn’t come together yet, on where we think we should be by now. But revival begins when we slow down long enough to remember God’s record. God has been good to each of us in our own unique ways. And God has been good to us as a church.

Beulah, we must remember: How God has provided for us; how He has grown us; the souls He saved—even just yesterday; the families restored; the impact He is expanding in our community and beyond. God has a track record with us.

Think back on the doors He opened, the sicknesses He healed, the financial struggles He brought you through, the peace He gave when your mind was overwhelmed. Before we ask Him for more, we thank Him for what He’s already done.

Revival starts with remembering.

2. Request a Repeat
Habakkuk continues: “Repeat them in our day.” That is a bold request—a request for a repeat. Not just in Bible times. Not just in someone else’s life. Not just in another city.
But right now, in our day.

As we approach revival this Wednesday, we aren’t just living off yesterday’s testimonies. Yes, we remember His record, but we also ask for a fresh wind. Sometimes we don’t need something different—just something deeper.

Lord, breathe again. Lord, move again. Lord, stir us again.

The fire God placed in us can burn again. And the good news is: God can do it anywhere.
In the middle of our busy schedules. In the middle of pressure. In the middle of uncertainty.
In the middle of national division, economic stress, job changes, relationship questions—God can breathe again.

We don’t need perfect conditions to ask God to repeat His works. He can do it right now.

3. Rely on His Mercy
Habakkuk ends the verse with: “In wrath, remember mercy.” This is the part that grounds me.

Everything God gives—revival, provision, strength, renewal—is not something we earn. It is something He graciously sends. We don’t deserve fresh fire. We don’t deserve for God to “do it again.” We don’t deserve all He has done in our past. But because He is merciful, we can rely on Him.

Mercy says, “I’m not done.” God says, “There is still more I can do.” Lamentations reminds us that every morning we wake up with new grace and new mercy. If there is new mercy today, then God still has more He wants to do in us.

As we prepare for Spring Heat Revival and pray for a mighty move of God in our church and community, let our hearts be set on three things:

• Remember His record
• Request a repeat
• Rely on His mercy

When we do these things, I am confident that God can and will do it again.

Amen and amen.

Good Morning BFB & Friends!

God has been placing something in my spirit — even last week, wrestling with me then and still wrestling with me now. Three words for us this morning. Just three: Pause. Pray. Filter.

We’ve been in this “Check Your DM” theme, and today’s thought comes from something simple: a wrong text. You ever responded to the wrong text before? You fire off a message real quick, and then you look back and realize, “Oh man… wrong person.” Then you send that follow‑up: “Sorry, wrong text.”

Most of the time, that happens because we’re rushed. Life gets busy. We’re juggling too much. We let what’s around us distract us from what we were supposed to be doing.

And spiritually, the same thing can happen.

When We Respond to the Wrong Message

“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel.” -Galatians 1:6 (NKJV)

Paul writes this letter to the church in Galatia, a church he founded and labored in. But this letter doesn’t sound like his others. It’s sharper. It’s urgent. Because the people had started responding to the wrong message.

A group called the Judaizers had come in teaching, “Yes, believe in Jesus — but also add these Jewish rituals, festivals, and requirements. Faith alone isn’t enough.” And Paul is saying, “You’re drifting. You’re listening to the wrong text.”

If we’re honest, our walk with Christ can drift the same way. We let voices, pressures, distractions, and emotions pull us off course. We start responding to things God never intended for us to respond to. But I believe these three words — pause, pray, filter — can help us get back into the right text.

Pause
Pausing is not weakness. Pausing is spiritual. Pausing gives us space to slow down and evaluate what we’re doing before we react.

• Pause before you send that email.
• Pause before you respond to that comment.
• Pause before you get angry.
• Pause before you have that difficult conversation.
• Pause before you let someone’s words ruin your whole day.
• Pause before you let your emotions lead you somewhere God didn’t send you.

Everything that pops up on your phone, in your mind, or in your feed does not deserve your energy. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is pause. Because when we pause, we give ourselves room to hear God again.

Pray
After we pause, we pray. Before we respond outwardly, let us talk upwardly to God.

• “Lord, is this You?”
• “Is this message from You?”
• “Give me wisdom. Give me discernment.”
• “Guard my heart before I walk into this meeting.”
• “Calm my mind before I face this disappointment.”

Not every opportunity is from God. Not every voice speaking into your life is from God.
Not every thought you have is from God.

Prayer helps us settle the difference. Prayer helps us discern: “God, is this You — or is this someone or something else?”

Filter
Finally, we filter. Paul tells the Galatians they have drifted from the true gospel. So the question becomes: Does what I’m hearing line up with the gospel of Jesus Christ? Run it through the filter. Run it through the gospel:

• Does it sound like grace?
• Does it sound like Jesus?
• Does it produce peace or panic?
• Does it pull me toward Christ or away from Him?

If it pulls you away from Christ, it’s the wrong text. If it fills you with fear, doubt, or shame, filter it out — because God has not given us the spirit of fear. If it makes you anxious, angry, prideful, or hopeless, filter it out — because God is the lifter of your head.

Filter your thoughts.
Filter your reactions.
Filter your decisions.
Filter your emotions.
Filter your opportunities.
Filter your conversations.
Filter everything through the gospel.

Staying in the Right Text
This week, you’re going to receive opinions, pressures, temptations, opportunities, and criticism. But you don’t have to drift like the church in Galatia. You can stay in the right text.

Pause.
Pray.
Filter.

And when you do, you can be confident that you're staying in the right text, you’re hearing from the right God, and you're following the right gospel.

Amen and amen.

Good Morning BFB & Friends!

This morning’s devotional invites us to pause and consider a simple truth: God is still sending us messages. Paul’s words in Colossians 3 remind us that heaven has placed something in our inbox — a message meant to lift our focus above the noise of life and anchor our hearts in Christ.  So this morning — before we go into prayer — I want to draw our attention to this thought: You’ve Got Mail.

I know I’m dating myself, but I grew up excited about AOL. Some of us still have our AOL emails, and that’s fine. I still have one of mine. Back then, it was new and exciting to get online, have an email address, and hear that ringtone: “You’ve got mail.”

That’s where we’re going today, because I truly believe God is still sending us mail. The question is: Are we reading it?

You may be asking, “Pastor, where are you getting that from?” I know — I can be a little different. But stay with me.

We’ve traveled to Rome in one of Paul’s letters. We’ve been to Corinth in another. This morning, we’re heading to Colossae and reading from Colossians 3.

“Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” - Colossians 3:1–2 (NIV)

Colossae was a small but culturally rich city in what is now modern‑day Turkey. It sat along a major trade route, which meant the people were constantly exposed to loud influences, competing voices, and ideas that tried to crowd out the message Paul had given them.
And Paul wasn’t writing from comfort — he was writing from prison. Even there, he was encouraging this small but important church to stay grounded in Christ despite the noise around them.

God’s Message Is Bigger Than What We’re Going Through
In these two short verses, Paul reminds them — and us — that God’s message about us is bigger than what we’re going through.

He isn’t telling believers to ignore life or pretend challenges don’t exist. He’s reminding them that life should not define our identity. Because life can be loud. Stress can be loud. Bills talk loud — especially when we can’t pay them. Deadlines at work can be loud. Relationship struggles can be loud. Fear — fear of the unknown, fear of a diagnosis — can be loud. Disappointments can be extremely loud. And if we’re not careful, we start believing those voices tell the whole story about our lives.

But Paul is saying: God is sending you a different message. He’s sending you different mail. God says: You are redeemed. You are covered by grace. Your identity is not tied to your worst day or your hardest season.

Sometimes we lose our peace because we keep rereading life’s messages more than we reread God’s message about us. But when we woke up this morning, God had different mail waiting: “I am with you. I have not left you. Life may be loud, but My voice and My promises are louder.”

Spiritual Growth Happens When We Check God’s Mail Daily
Paul goes on to say, “Set your minds on things above.” That language suggests something ongoing — not a one‑time action. Spiritual growth happens when we check God’s messages daily.

What’s the mail God gives us? His Word.

Messages don’t help if we only read them once. You’ve probably had a text or a piece of mail you skimmed quickly, tossed aside, and later realized it was more important than you thought. God’s Word works the same way.

We shouldn’t rush through it. We shouldn’t only pick it up when we’re in trouble. We should reread it daily. When life gets loud, rereading God’s Word helps us: see what we overlooked, think differently, respond differently, trust differently.

Not because life suddenly gets easier, but because God’s voice becomes clearer.

Our spiritual growth happens when we keep returning to the message God has already sent and allow that message to shape how we see life.

Set Your Mind on What God Has Given You
Life will be loud. Things will come. But God has sent us messages we have access to every day. Our ancestors who endured slavery often couldn’t read. When they finally learned the Word of God, it didn’t change their circumstances — but it gave them hope to endure them.

That’s what God’s Word still does.

So this week, set your mind on things above — not on what you see on TV, not on what you hear around you, not on the noise of life. Set your mind on the message God has given you.
Because His Word may not change the situation, but it will change you in the situation.

We’ve all got mail. I pray we open it this morning.

Amen and amen.

Good Morning BFB & Friends!

As we continue our Check Your DMs series, God draws our attention to a simple but powerful truth found in Romans 12:1. Before we rush into the rhythm of a new week, Paul invites us to pause, refocus, and look at our lives through one lens — the mercy God has already sent us. This devotional reflects on that message and our response to it: becoming a living DM for Christ.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship.” - Romans 12:1 (NIV)
 
This idea of a living DM connects directly to where God has had us in this series, Check Your DMs. We’ve been looking at the messages sent to us through the epistles — these letters that speak directly into our lives. And today, we land in the book of Romans, perhaps the greatest letter Paul wrote to the churches in Rome.

As I kept reading Romans 12:1, God wouldn’t let me move past it. I believe this verse gives us one of the clearest examples of what a direct message truly is.

The Message Sent: God’s Mercy
In every direct message or text message, there’s a message sent, and then there’s a reply. Paul begins with the message God has already sent: God’s mercy. As we begin this day — after the stretch, after the routine, after everything else — we often jump straight into our schedules, our shows, our habits. But Paul slows us down. He says, before anything else, look at life through one lens: “In view of God’s mercy.”

When God’s mercy stays in view, something shifts. God’s mercy becomes the lens through which we see everything. God’s mercy covers everything else. And mercy is not us going toward Him — mercy is Him coming toward us.

I remember a preaching mentor explaining mercy this way. He’s an avid sports fan, and one of his vices is SportsCenter. He watches it every morning, not to catch every game — he doesn’t have time for that — but because SportsCenter shows the highlights. He doesn’t see the fumbles, the missed shots, the turnovers. He sees the good things. He said, “That’s how I explain mercy. Mercy doesn’t show my mess‑ups. Mercy doesn’t show when I fumble or turn over the ball. Mercy shows my highlights. When God sees me, He sees my highlights. He covers the mess ups.”

And Paul uses the word mercies — plural — because God’s mercy shows up over and over and over again. Every day we wake up, we wake up wrapped in God’s mercy. And we should be thankful.

The Reply: A Living Sacrifice
If God’s mercy is the message sent, then our lives — as a sacrifice — are the reply. Paul says, “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship.”

In view of God’s mercy, our response is to live sacrificially. When the Romans heard the word “sacrifice,” they would have pictured an animal laid on the altar. But Paul isn’t asking for something dead. He’s asking for something living.

God isn’t calling us to lie still like a scapegoat or a turtledove. He’s calling us to move. Living things move. When you study the tabernacle, you notice something interesting: among all the pieces of furniture — the mercy seat, the ark, the lampstands, the bread — there was no seat. The priests weren’t meant to sit. They were meant to move, to serve, to offer, to present. That’s our reply to God’s mercy.

Our bodies, our minds, our gifts — all of it should be doing something for God.

• Taking care of our bodies so we can serve.
• Studying God’s Word so we can encourage someone.
• Reaching those who don’t know Christ.
• Helping those in need — food, shelter, direction.
• Being the eyes, hands, feet, and arms of Jesus.
• Offering a hug when someone is in tears.

In view of God’s mercy, we are the sacrifice.

A Personal Message — Not a Group Chat
So as we start this week, remember: this isn’t a group chat. This isn’t a message that gets lost in the clutter of everyone else’s responses. This is a message sent directly to you.

God’s mercy has been sent.
And our reply is to live — fully, actively, intentionally — for Him.

A living DM.

Amen and amen.

Focus Area - REACH FORWARD
Stretching Toward the Future

Scriptures: Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)

Reflection: This is the last day of The Stretch but not the last stretch God will call you to make.

Expanded Focus:
I was watching Black Panther again (yeah, go figure…you all knew that I had to use at least one movie illustration), and the ending struck me. After all the internal battles and family tension, T’Challa stands before the United Nations. Wakanda had enough resources to stay hidden and comfortable. They could have kept everything inside and simply enjoyed what they built. But T’Challa chooses something different. He declares that Wakanda will no longer watch the world from the shadows. They will engage, invest, and help. What they built was never meant to stay within Wakanda.

That is what Jesus does in Matthew 28. The disciples walked with Him, sacrificed with Him, saw the cross, and celebrated the resurrection. If there was ever a time to rest, it was after the empty tomb. But Jesus does not tell them to settle into what happened. He sends them to reach. He says, Go and make disciples.

The resurrection was not a finish line. It was the launching point where Jesus gave the disciples, and by extension us, authority to go, an assignment to fulfill, and assurance that He would be with them. Authority means you are not relying on your own strength. An assignment means purpose is ahead. Assurance means you are never sent alone.

BFB, this is the last day of The Stretch, but not the last stretch God will call you to make. We’ve made it. We did it! This fast was God working in us so ministry could work through us. The prayers we prayed were never meant to stay in our journals. The clarity we received was never meant to sit in our minds. The discipline we built was never meant to stop at day thirty.

We stretched so God could help us REACH. You may be tempted to ask, “What did I gain during this fast?” I argue the more important question is, “Where is God calling me to REACH?”

I love you and there ain’t nothing you can do about it.

Questions to Consider:

1. Where is God calling you to step beyond comfort in this next season?
2. What clarity did God give you during The Stretch that you now need to act on?
3. What does REACH mean to you,and where can God use you as we carry out His mission?

Focus Area - REACH FORWARD
Stretching Toward the Future

Scriptures: Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV)

Reflection: 
“Only one life, ‘twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” – C.T. Studd

Expanded focus:
As I reviewed our theme’s anchor verse, Isaiah 54:2, and connected it to the 2026 vision—the year of reach—my heart was deeply moved. From growing inward to reaching outward, spiritually, relationally, and missionally, God is calling us to expand our faith in every direction. I couldn’t help but reflect on how, over the past two years, our mission has stretched us forward and outward. We have reached up, out, in, and now God is calling us to reach forward.

At 89 years old, the Lord has been so good to me. My meditation carried me back to an old song: “Take me back, Dear Lord, to the place where I first received You; take me back to where I first believed.” It reminded me of the commitment I made on that day and how easy it is to drift from it. I often wish I could move faster than I can now, but I’ve learned the key is patience. Even when I can’t see how I will finish the course ahead of me, I’ve learned to take one step at a time, to run with endurance, and not give up.

Hebrews 12:1–2 teaches us that the Christian life is not a sprint—it is a marathon that you run for a lifetime. What matters most is not speed but endurance. And if I make the conscious decision to pace myself and run with patience, I may move slower, but I will finish the race God has set before me. There are no shortcuts on this journey. We can’t microwave our faith or our church’s growth. God does not bow to our microwave mentality. And we cannot run anyone else’s race. Each of us has a race designed for us specifically by God. The only thing we share is that we are following the same God.

So don’t look at the person running beside you. When you do, you tend to drift toward whatever you focus on. The good thing about it is you won’t be judged for not running someone else’s race, but whether you ran the one God set before you.

This 30-day fast has given us the chance to empty ourselves through prayer, perseverance, and letting go of what holds us back. As Hebrews reminds us, we must embrace these truths and run with endurance, keeping our eyes on Jesus—not on our limitations. God is faithful. He will never leave us nor forsake us, and we can do all things through Christ.

As we push forward beyond this fast, let us continue in unity—reaching down through praise and worship, reaching in through love, growth in faith, and stewardship; and lifting up through service and fellowship. Let’s run this race with love, patience, and endurance. AMEN!

Questions to Consider:

1. Where have you seen God stretching you, and how have you responded to that stretch?
2. What “race” has God set before you in this season, and what obstacles or distractions do you need to lay aside to run it with endurance?
3. How can you continue moving forward after this 30-day fast, keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus rather than comparing your pace to others?

Focus Area - REACH FORWARD
Stretching Toward the Future

Scriptures: 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (NIV)

Reflection: Finishing strong is not about speed. It is about endurance, focus, and faith.

Expanded Focus:
A few years ago, I ran the DC Rock and Roll Marathon in weather I would not recommend to anyone. It was cold, wet, and miserable. And for those who do not know, a marathon is 26.2 miles. Twenty-six point two. Whoever added that point two clearly did not love God’s people.

Somewhere on the course, I reached a fork in the road. One direction lets runners finish the half-marathon. The other demanded every painful mile of the full race. For a moment, I thought, “Jesus would still love me if I turned left.” Thirteen point one miles and a warm shower sounded good. But my brother and friend, Myron Chivis, looked at me and said, “You did not train for halfway.” He was right. I came to finish. So I kept running… slowly, prayerfully, questioning my life choices… but I kept running.

That race taught me something spiritual. Finishing strong is a decision before it becomes a testimony. Paul writes his final words to Timothy from a Roman prison. His body is tired, and his circumstances are harsh. Yet he says with confidence, “I have fought, I have finished, I have kept the faith.”

Paul does not celebrate speed. He celebrates the refusal to quit. Finishing strong is not perfection. It is perseverance when you want to give up. It means choosing obedience when convenience is easier and trusting God when the outcome is unclear. It means finishing well in life by staying faithful to God’s assignments, honoring your commitments, sowing into your family, showing up in ministry without applause, and choosing growth over survival. God is building endurance in you. He is teaching you how to finish what He started.

Some of us began with momentum, but now the rain has set in, and the wind has picked up. Life is offering a half-marathon exit. BFB, please hear my heart. Do not settle for halfway. Do Not Quit! Finish what God started in you. God is not asking you to finish pretty. God just wants you to finish faithfully.

Questions to Consider:

1. Where have you been tempted to quit or settle for halfway in this season of your life?
2. What discipline or commitment needs renewed focus in this final stretch?
3. What one step can you take today that moves you closer to finishing The Stretch strong?

Focus Area - REACH FORWARD
Stretching Toward the Future

Scriptures: Joshua 1:6-9 (NIV)

Reflection: Strength and courage for new ground comes from relying on the unfailing presence of God – who is empowering us to step boldly into what’s next.

Expanded Focus:
Change. Change is inevitable. Change is constant. Change can be hard—and sometimes even scary. So how do we handle change in a way that stretches us and allows us to reach forward into where God is leading? Let’s listen in as the Lord speaks to Joshua.

Joshua was stepping into a new season as the leader of Israel, charged with leading God’s people into the Promised Land. Moses was gone, and now Joshua was responsible for carrying out God’s promise. I can only imagine the thoughts that ran through his mind. Yet before Joshua could move forward, God met him with encouragement.

In just nine verses, God tells Joshua three times to “be strong and courageous.” Not once, not twice—three times. Because courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s the presence of God. When God moves us into new spaces, His presence is what empowers us to walk in His purpose.

Joshua’s strength and courage were rooted in God’s promise. The same is true for us. Our confidence doesn’t come from what we can do, but from what God has already said He will do. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us—including stepping through the new doors and opportunities God is opening.

God also instructed Joshua on how to be strong and very courageous. God instructed him to stay grounded in His Word—to meditate on it day and night and live by it. When we consistently feed on God’s Word, it becomes our first response rather than our last resort. His Word strengthens us when the unfamiliar feels overwhelming. God’s word gives us courage when we begin to doubt because we’ve lost focus on the God who has brought us to it.

Lastly, we can be strong and courageous because God commands it—and because He is with us wherever we go. The same God who was with us in the familiar will meet us in the new. God is calling us to cross over boldly. He is not just the God of what was—He is the God of now and the God of what’s to come. So, take courage. Step forward. God is doing a new thing, and He wants you to be part of it.

Questions to Consider:

1. In what areas of your life do you need to be encouraged to “be strong and courageous” today?
2. What “new ground” is God calling you to step into, and how can you lean into His strength and presence to move with courage?
3. How can you keep God’s Word at the center of your heart so that it becomes your first response when God is moving you into new spaces? 

Focus Area - REACH FORWARD
Stretching Toward the Future

Scriptures: Psalm 78:1-7 (NLT)

Reflection: Faith is not a secret we keep, but a legacy we share. Your story provides the essential ingredients of hope for those coming after you. Don’t hide the recipe of God’s faithfulness—share it so the next generation learns to trust Him.

Expanded Focus:
This past holiday season, I made a few tasty treats, but three stood out: my pound cake, red velvet cake, and sweet potato pie.

I did not find these recipes through random Google searches; generations passed them down. My mother and aunts received them, learned from their mistakes, made adjustments, and shared what they learned so I wouldn’t face the same challenges. Someone took the time to share the goodness of baking with the next generation, which blesses my family and friends today. The authors of the recipes might be gone, but they are still impacting lives.

This experience mirrors Psalm 78:1–7. The Psalmist calls us not to “hide these truths” but to teach the next generation about the Lord’s power. Just as we preserve a family recipe to guarantee a sweet result, God commands us to recount His miracles, ensuring that future generations know Him, learn from past mistakes, and place their hope in God.

We can all reflect on “If it had not been for the Lord on my side…” moments in our lives. We must share these reflections with those following us. Tell them how God is a waymaker and a promise-keeper. Show them how He mends broken hearts and brings joy in the midst of sorrow. Share how God loves the imperfect and the impure. Through our faith journeys—whether good, bad, or ugly—we can empower the next generation to run on and see what the end will be. We must not remain silent; instead, we need to share our faith and tell our story. Let someone know there is hope, and that hope is in Jesus.

Questions to Consider:

1. What specific moment of God's faithfulness can you recall today?
2. Who in your life needs to hear your story this week?
3. What hard-earned lesson can you share to help someone else avoid the same mistake?

Good Morning, BFB!

This morning, I want to share something we’re going to be leaning into over the next few weeks. We’ll be walking through a series I'm calling Check Your DMs. Before I go any further, let me pause and explain what that means, especially for those who don’t spend much time on social media.

A DM is a direct message. It isn’t public. It isn’t posted for everyone to see. It’s personal, intentional, and sent directly to you. When someone sends you a DM or is "in your DMs" they’re saying, “This isn’t for everybody. This is for you.”

That language actually gives us a helpful way to think about many of the letters or epistles in the New Testament. The epistles weren’t written as abstract theology or general encouragement. They were personal messages sent to real people in real moments doing real life, often during seasons of pressure, uncertainty, and fatigue. These letters show us not only what faith believes, but how faith is lived when life gets heavy.

That’s why I'm calling this season Check Your DMs.

Because sometimes God isn’t making a public announcement. Sometimes God is sending a personal word just for you and just for me. God has a way of sliding into your DMs, and the question is are you going to read it?

That DM today comes from Hebrews 12:1, which says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

To be clear, we don’t know definitively who wrote the book of Hebrews. Some have suggested Paul. Others point to Barnabas. Some have even proposed Priscilla. While the author remains unnamed, what is clear is who this letter was written to.

Hebrews was written to believers, Christians who still trusted God, still believed, and still wanted to keep going. They hadn’t quit the race. They hadn’t walked away from faith. They were simply tired. Life had become heavy, and the pressure of their moment was starting to wear them down. And instead of telling them to stop running, Scripture invites them to run lighter.

That’s where many people find themselves today. They still believe, but they are tired. They are still coming to church, but they’re frustrated. They are still singing and serving, but they are overloaded.

For many, anxiety has risen as the weight of uncertainty, division, and instability has pressed in on us right where we live in these yet-to-be United States of America. The times are heavy, and the pressure is real.

That’s why these letters matter. That’s why we read these DMs, even though they weren’t written to us. What the first readers were facing then are many of the same realities we are navigating now. Different context. Same human experience. Same God. And the message remains just as personal, just as timely, and just as necessary today

What stands out in this verse is the distinction it makes between sin and weight. Sin entangles, but weight slows. That means not everything holding us back is sinful. Some things aren’t wrong at all...they’re just heavy. Pressure can be heavy. Expectations we’ve quietly carried can be heavy. Stress we’ve learned to normalize can be heavy. Responsibilities we’ve taken on without help can be heavy. These things don’t necessarily pull us off the track, but over time they drain our strength and make the race harder than it needs to be.

What’s striking is that God’s message here isn’t, “Try harder,” or “Push through.” The invitation is to lay something down. Sometimes the most faithful response isn’t repentance...it’s release. It’s recognizing that we’ve been carrying things God never asked us to hold alone.

Hebrews also reminds us that God cares about how we run, not just that we keep running. Endurance in Scripture is never about unnecessary suffering. God is not impressed by how much we can carry or how long we can survive under weight. He is concerned with whether we are running with freedom, trust, and attentiveness. Some of us are still moving forward, but we’re doing it exhausted. Still committed, but overloaded. Still faithful, but worn thin. And this passage gently calls us to examine whether our faith has become more about survival than trust.

To “check your DMs” spiritually is to pause long enough to ask what God is personally saying to you right now. It’s allowing space to consider what weight has made this season heavier than it needs to be. It’s being honest about what you’ve been carrying that God may be inviting you to release. Hebrews speaks to believers who still want to run, but need help running lighter.

As we move through this week, let this word stay with you. Pay attention to what feels heavy. Notice what has quietly slowed your pace. Listen for what God may be asking you to lay aside. This isn’t a week to push harder. It’s a week to move wiser. A week to choose release over resistance, trust over control, and freedom over fatigue.

So slow down.
Pay attention.
And check your DMs.

I love you, and there ain’t nothing you can do about it.
FLC

Focus Area - REACH FORWARD
Stretching Toward the Future

Scriptures: Habakkuk 2:1–3

Reflection: When was the last time you updated your spiritual vision prescription?  Oftentimes, we miss what God has for us because we get stuck in what we see now and not what He is trying to show us.

Expanded Focus:
There are seasons when God feels silent. Times when your prayers seem to echo without an answer. Habakkuk knew that feeling well. In Habakkuk 2, he chooses to wait, not passively, but attentively. He stations himself on the watchtower, expecting God to speak. He waited even when the present circumstances made no sense. God’s response is striking: “Write the vision; make it plain.” The vision wasn’t meant just for the moment Habakkuk was in, but for the future. God acknowledged the delay, but promised the fulfillment: “Though it tarries, wait for it.” That tells me something: that delay is not denial, and silence is not absence.

God's vision often asks us to see beyond what’s happening right now. It stretches our faith beyond frustration, beyond fear, beyond what we can control. Waiting becomes an act of trust. We hold onto what God has spoken, even when the timeline feels uncomfortable. We must believe that His timing is always intentional.

When life feels uncertain, this passage reminds me that God’s vision is still moving forward. It may not unfold the way I expect, but it will arrive right on time. My role is to stay positioned, to watch, to listen, and to trust that what God has promised will surely come to pass.

Questions to Consider:

1. Where in your life do you feel God asking you to wait rather than rush?
2. What vision or promise from God do you need to “write down” and hold onto in this season?
3. How can waiting become an active expression of trust for you today?

Focus Area - REACH FORWARD
Stretching Toward the Future

Scriptures: Nehemiah 2:17-20

Reflection: No matter what has been broken in your life, God is calling you to reach inward, rise up, and rebuild with faith and courage.
 
Expanded Focus:
Family, I want to pause today and encourage you: you can come back from whatever you are going through or facing. Every test that arises in your life has an expiration date, and by faith, I declare that day is today. Rebuilding takes faith and an unrelenting attitude that pushes you to rise to an occasion when everything in you wants you to surrender to circumstances. I know what it feels like to lose everything I held of value and have to rebuild. In July 2015, I was involved in an unforeseen accident with fireworks. I was surrounded by my family and friends, whom I had grown up with, and at that moment, I thought my life was absolutely over. I watched my life flash before my eyes as I lay there helpless, waiting for emergency services, hearing the panic and concern in my family’s voices.

As I was being transported to the hospital, thoughts raced through my mind—losing my life, losing my career in law enforcement, and the faces of the people I loved most were all that I could envision at the time. Fear tried to take the place of my faith. But in the midst of that chaos, I heard the voice of the Lord speak to me clearly:

That moment changed everything for me. God wasn’t just preserving my life. He was reminding me that every setback is a setup for a comeback and that all things are meant to work for my good. Just like Nehemiah, God was calling me to rise, to trust Him, and to strengthen my hands for the work ahead.

Questions to Consider:

1. What areas of your life feel broken right now, and what steps can you take to begin rebuilding for a better tomorrow?
2. What words has God spoken to you in a difficult season, and how did they give you strength or direction?
3. Where is God strengthening your hands to rebuild, whether in your life, your church, or your community?

Focus Area - REACH FORWARD
Stretching Toward the Future

Scriptures: Philippians 3:12-14; 2 Corinthians 3:18

Reflection: Every season may not be good, but God is good in every season. Press into Him, look forward and lay hold of every single thing He has for you!

Expanded Focus:
What I’ve learned over time is that we go through life in seasons. I went through a very hard season not too long ago. A season where I had to re-evaluate almost every area of my life, from the people I spent time with to the dreams and desires that I believed God placed in me. It was like a snowball rolling through my life and picking up everything that didn’t align with God. And then my brother-in-law died. He was only a few years older than me, and his death hit me hard. It made me see how short life really is, and I had to ask myself what I really wanted. And my answer was, I want what God wants for me. As I look back, I see God’s hands in it all.  He carried me through it all while loving me and teaching me so I would continue learning, growing, and transforming.  I see that without that hard season and the season that followed, I would not be standing in the season that I am in now. And I am excited to see how God continues to unfold my life as I continue to walk with Him.  

This I know for sure: not all seasons are good, but God is good in every season. Sometimes we must let go of past seasons so we can move forward and step into what God has called us to. God doesn’t just want us to live; He wants us to thrive. And as we walk with Him, abide in Him, and are obedient to Him, we are prayerfully becoming more like Him. Keep trusting Him, keep praying, keep worshiping, keep meditating on His word, and keep pressing into Him. Even when it’s hard, be obedient to God and the things He is calling you to. He will open the doors He wants you to walk through as you pursue Him. God is so faithful and so good. He will finish what He started in you and fulfill what He’s promised you. Be excited for what God has in store for you! Stay faithful, remain hopeful, and look ahead with joyful expectation. And when we fulfill God’s purpose for us here, we will lay hold of the ultimate prize, spending eternity in Heaven with God.

Questions to consider

1. Look back over your past seasons. What has God done in your past seasons to get you to where you are now?
2. Look at the current season you are in. What is God doing in this season, and how is He showing you His faithfulness? 
3. What has God done and is currently doing that encourages you to keep moving forward?

Focus Area - REACH FORWARD
Stretching Toward the Future

Scriptures: Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)

Reflection: Letting go is a spiritual discipline. You cannot walk into a new season while staring at an old one.

Expanded Focus:
Israel carried memories, both good and painful. They remembered Egypt and Babylon, failure and miracles. But memory becomes a prison when it prevents you from seeing God’s work in the present. God speaks through Isaiah, “Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past.” He is not erasing history. He is breaking chains for your future. Some of us are stuck, not because God is not moving, but because we keep replaying hurt, disappointment, or even the glory days.

One of my mentors, General Jim Slife, USAF (Ret), once told me, “You may not be culpable, but you are always accountable.” Coming from a leader who shaped airmen for decades, that stayed with me. I now see it from a spiritual perspective. You may not be to blame for what happened, but you are responsible for how you respond to God’s next move. Israel could not change Babylon, but they could decide whether to stay prisoners to memory or step into deliverance. Letting go does not erase pain. It releases its power over you.

Beulah, can I share something with you? Dwelling is not the same as remembering. Remembering informs you. Dwelling limits you. When you dwell on wounds, you rehearse pain instead of receiving promise. When you dwell on old victories, you focus on what God did rather than on what God is doing.

God shifts the conversation in verse 19: “See, I am doing a new thing.” Newness begins quietly, like a seed that is easy to overlook. God asks, “Do you not perceive it?” Can you see God even where nothing looks promising yet? Where you see no road, God is cutting one. Where you see no life, God is pouring water.

Letting go of the former things is not pretending yesterday did not happen. Instead, it refuses to let yesterday define tomorrow. You are not what you lost. You are not what they said. You are who God is leading you to become. God is making room for something new.

Questions to Consider:

1. What past moment, mistake, or memory is God asking you to release so you can move forward in faith?
2. Where have you been dwelling instead of perceiving what God is birthing in this season?
3. What step can you take to trust God with your future instead of rehearsing your past?

Focus Area - REACH IN
Stretching Toward One Another

Scriptures: Ephesians 4:1-6 (NIV)

Reflection: Fellowship is sacred, and it is fragile, and it must be guarded with intention.

Expanded Focus:
I was cleaning out my closet the other day and noticed I had quite a few pairs of Under Armour shoes. As I was deciding which ones to give away, I started thinking about their famous ad campaign, “Protect This House.” If you are not into sports, you might miss it, but that slogan became a rallying cry in locker rooms everywhere. It was a mindset that said what happens in the house matters. You guard it. You take responsibility for it. You protect it. And in that same spirit, fellowship matters. Fellowship, at its best, is not simply being surrounded by people. It is being supported by love and sustained by God’s grace.

Paul writes to the church in Ephesus with urgency when he says, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” That phrase “make every effort” comes from the Greek word spoudazō, which means to be eager, diligent, or zealous. Unity does not survive on intention alone. It survives when we take pains to guard it with humility, patience, restraint, forgiveness, and spiritual maturity. Fellowship is a gift from God, but peace is a responsibility we share.

What usually threatens fellowship is not doctrine. It is offense, miscommunication, assumptions, and hurt left unaddressed. When peace is not guarded, distance quietly grows where unity once lived. The enemy does not always have to destroy a church. Sometimes division is enough.

That is why protecting this house is spiritual work. It means we refuse to let ego set the tone, and we do not let gossip carry the conversation. It means we handle conflict with maturity, tell the truth with love, and listen with humility. It means we value unity more than we value being right. We are one body, not competing parts. God has called for us to REACH IN this season. Peace is not passive, and unity is not automatic. It is something we deliberately guard through the bond of peace.

Questions to Consider:

1. Where do you sense unity being tested in your relationships right now?
2. What is one step you can take to protect peace instead of protecting pride?
3. What conversation, apology, or act of humility might God be nudging you toward?

Focus Area - REACH IN
Stretching Toward One Another

Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 12:4-27

Reflection: Unity does not erase difference; it celebrates God-given identity so every gift can strengthen the body.

Expanded Focus:
One of the most powerful truths I learned later in life was this: we were never meant to look, sound, think, or operate the same. One of the biggest mistakes I made was trying to be like others and abandoning who God uniquely designed me to be. As a millennial leader, I want to encourage today’s reader to be who God created you to be. The church, the community, and the world need you to show up in your fullness. I grew up in a traditional Baptist church setting where it sometimes felt like being different was dangerous or even demonic. But now I see clearly, difference is not a threat; it is divine.

Diversity in unity is God’s design. God never intended for His people to be carbon copies; He intended us to be a living tapestry of gifts, backgrounds, and personalities that reveal His glory in unique ways. Our diversity is not a problem; it’s Heaven’s strategy. It is diversity that God uses to reach people right where they are and lead them to where He wants them to be. When we look throughout scripture, we see a pattern: God consistently uses people who are different. Individuals like John the Baptist, Mary Magdalene, and Paul were seen as unusual, unworthy, or even unholy, yet God used their stories for His will. Their lives remind us that our differences never disqualify us.

The Apostle Paul tells us in our key passage that although we all belong to one body, we each have different gifts, different functions, and different strengths. The eye is not the ear. The hand is not the foot. And yet, every part is needed. Every part is valuable. Every part was crafted with purpose. Unity does not require sameness; it requires surrender. It requires each of us to bring our differences to the table so the whole body can function.

The moment you embrace who you truly are, you step into freedom.

From as far back as I can remember, I became overly enamored with a certain person. I wanted to be just like them. But one day, a seasoned veteran in life told me, “The moment you find your purpose, you’ll finally see the people you’re called to help.” Now that I understand my gift and who I am, I am unstoppable.

Questions to Consider:
1. In what ways have you tried to look, act, or live like someone else instead of embracing who God designed you to be?
2. What unique gifts, strengths, or experiences has God given me that I have overlooked or undervalued?
3. Who in my life challenges me, stretches me, or inspires me because of their God-given uniqueness?

Focus Area - REACH IN
Stretching Toward One Another

Scriptures: Hebrews 10:23-25 (NIV)

Reflection: This walk with God has precious moments that are designed with you in mind. Embrace each person you meet, each project you take on, and each place you visit.

Expanded Focus:
About two years ago, I was praying for God to show me another assignment, one that would complement my retirement and give Him honor. Several things began to happen, challenges and blessings that are still vibrant in my life today.

Shortly after, I completed a detailed study of my family history. This exploration led me to meet new people from another country who were serving God with vibrant passion. I then visited their country, witnessed my daughter marry, and enjoyed my time with the children there.

Following this, I purchased a new Bible, one that differed from the King James Version and offered a fresh perspective on today’s applications. Reading the Bible in a year revealed how deeply God loves us and is on our side. I wanted to tell the world about God!

In addition to these spiritual developments, I got active with a community organization. Joining allowed me to fellowship and encourage ladies from various churches. When believers from diverse backgrounds get together and let God guide their actions, it produces remarkable success.

Through each of these steps, God already knew where I would be at this stage of my life. He made the process bearable and purposeful, answering my prayers then and promising to answer in the future. I give HIM the highest praise for everything – Hallelujah!

Transitions—whether retirement, a career change, or an empty nest—can feel uncertain. You may be asking, "What’s next, Lord?" My journey shows God doesn’t want us to settle, but to actively pursue His purposes. Your next assignment might begin with a family project or a new reading plan. God uses our small steps for greater impact, so trust that He has already prepared what’s next for you.

Questions to Consider:

1. So, what concerns you about the future? Talk with God about them.
2. Are you waiting for God to answer you? Prepare for your answer.
3. Stretch your faith today by finding someone to encourage. You will be blessed.

Good Morning, BFB!

Today we're going to look at Isaiah 54:3-4 NIV:

"For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities. Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the same of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood."

I believe God brought us to this passage for one simple reminder: we are still called to reach forward. That is our focus today and throughout this week — reaching forward.

When God spoke these words, He was speaking to people who had just come out of exile. Some were rebuilding their lives. The good thing is that they were no longer where they used to be, but they were still learning how to move toward what God was calling them to do. That speaks to us as well. No matter our current condition or situation, God always speaks forward.

God Sees More Than Our Current Season
God tells them, “You will spread out to the right and to the left.” That is the language of expansion and forward movement — even though it didn’t match how they felt. They were returning from Babylon, cautious, recovering, unsure. But God wasn’t speaking to their feelings; He was speaking to their future.

This teaches us something important: God does not define us by our present limitations.

He defines us by His purpose for us. He doesn't define us by the situation around us or how it may feel or what it may seem like. He sees the finished work while we only see the process. We see uncertainty; God sees confidence. We see where we are; God sees where we’re going.

You are not limited by your current job, your current situation, or your current season. God sees you moving forward — toward the vision and purpose that He's placed inside of you. The goals, the business, the degree, the healing, the growth He placed in your heart. Think about your car: the rearview mirror is so much smaller than your windshield. We often focus on what’s behind us, but God directs our attention to what’s ahead. He sees more than where you’ve been; He sees where you’re going.

God Removes the Power of Our Past
In verse 4, after speaking of expansion, God says, “Do not be afraid… you will not be put to shame.” 

Why? Because whenever God expands us, something tries to creep in — our past.
Old memories. Old disappointments. Old failures. The enemy loves to replay moments we wish we could undo. But God doesn’t leave us trapped there. He names those fears, and then He removes their power. He doesn’t pretend our past didn’t happen — He simply refuses to let it define our future. And we should do the same.

You are not defined by your mistakes.
You are not defined by your missteps.
You are not defined by your failures — those are lessons that lead you toward the success God has prepared.

What you went through does not get to name you. What you lost does not get to limit you.
What embarrassed you does not get to follow you into your future. Let God remind us of who we are and whose we are.  

Reach Forward
So as we move through this week, let God remind you of who you are. Your identity is not rooted in your past but in where God is taking you. God has placed in us the desire and the vision to expand ourselves, to see beyond where we are right now and move boldly toward our future.

Reach forward in your personal life.
Reach forward in the vision God has given you.
Reach forward as a church.
Reach forward in love, in service, in compassion.
Reach forward in new ideas, new goals, new ways to strengthen our families, our communities, and our children.

We cannot control the past or even all of the present — but we know the One who holds our future. Jesus Christ oversees us with mercy and purpose.

So let us reach forward:
• into expanding community
• into expanding outreach
• into expanding redemption
• into expanding education
• into every opportunity God places before us

Because where you are now is not where God is taking you. He sees you beyond your current place. And He will not let your past cancel what He has planned for your future.

Amen and amen.

Focus Area - REACH IN
Stretching Toward One Another

Scriptures: Galatians 6:1–5

Reflection: There is great responsibility and great blessing in carrying and being carried.  

Expanded Focus:
In Galatians 6, Paul calls believers to a community marked by humility, compassion, and responsibility. To me, that means when someone stumbles, the response should be gentle restoration, not judgment or distance. Carrying one another’s burdens means entering each other’s struggles with grace. Listening, praying, encouraging, or simply walking alongside someone in weakness is enough. But remember, bearing burdens requires humility. Paul reminds us to watch ourselves, or pride and comparison take root. It's easy to feel superior when helping, but true love knows we all depend on God’s grace. Today you may carry someone’s load; tomorrow, you may need support.

At the same time, Paul speaks of personal responsibility. While we are supposed to help one another with heavy burdens, each person is still accountable for their own walk with God. A healthy Christian community holds both truths. We do not walk alone, and we do not avoid responsibility for our own choices. To truly have a village, you must fully participate as a villager—contributing, engaging, and supporting others within the community.

When we carry one another’s burdens, we reflect the heart of Christ, who carried the greatest burden of all for us.

Questions to Consider

1. Is there someone in your life right now whose burden God may be calling you to help carry?
2. How can you offer support with gentleness and humility rather than judgment or pride?
3. In what areas do you need to take personal responsibility in your walk with God while still allowing others to support you?

Focus Area - REACH IN
Stretching Toward One Another

Scriptures: Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV)

Reflection: Forgiveness is not agreement with the offense. It is alignment with God’s grace.

Expanded Focus:
Forgiveness is one of the greatest stretches of community. We do not talk enough about how heavy it can feel. It touches places in us that offense tries to harden. Sometimes the hardest battles are not external. They are internal. They live in our memories. We replay conversations. We analyze silence. We justify resentment. We call it protection, but deep down, it is a prison.

Paul writes to believers who know what it means to be offended. His instruction is intentional. He tells them to put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, as if these qualities are garments we choose daily. Forgiveness is our spiritual wardrobe. It refuses to let bitterness clothe our hearts.

To forgive does not mean the wound was insignificant, that trust instantly returns, or that accountability disappears. Forgiveness simply means I refuse to let injury shape my identity. It means I will not allow offense to own my emotional space. Paul raises the standard when he says, Forgive as the Lord forgave you. He does not tie forgiveness to apology or closure. He ties it to memory. We forgive because we remember what God released in us.

Forgiveness is not weakness. It is maturity and spiritual courage. It takes strength to release what you could weaponize. It takes humility to bless someone you could blame. It takes discernment to hand justice back to God without demanding emotional payment from someone who cannot repay you.

Today, God may be resurfacing frustrations or unfinished conversations. He may bring names to mind that you have avoided in prayer. Additionally, he may expose the resentment that has been quietly living in the corners of your spirit. That is not punishment. It is an invitation. It is God guiding you toward emotional freedom. He may be reminding you that forgiveness is not a favor to the offender. It is freedom for the believer.

Questions to Consider:

1. What memory still carries more emotional weight than God’s grace in your life?
2. Where might resentment be acting like protection in your heart?
3. What step toward forgiveness could move you closer to freedom this week?

Focus Area - REACH IN
Stretching Toward One Another

Scriptures: Psalm 133

As I glanced at our theme for the following year, I smiled with excitement, 
I wanted to shed a tear, what a brilliant idea I said with a tiny cheer, we will 
enjoy this fast I know, this coming year.

For they call it the Stretch, well we all should know what this means, especially after the holidays when we barely can get into those jeans! But our Pastor, Rev. Felix Cole and Sister Darneshia Parish were not thinking about what we wear. They were only thinking about God and the Good News He gave them, that they couldn’t wait to share!

They knew from the Word that when God finished creating Heaven and Earth, He then created man who was also in His master plan.  He formed many of the precious things we see and hold so dear. He also gave us many instructions, to lead and guide us year after year.

I do remember the success we had doing the Daniel Fast. At first, we thought this task was too hard for us to do. Oh God we said, how will we last? But look at us now. By Reaching Up, God helped us to excel, and we know now if we Reach Out to Others, they too will do very well.

For this is the plan God has for us, as He said in the first verse of Psalm 133, “How good and pleasant it would be, for all God’s children to dwell together in unity!” Peace and Happiness should be our goal, to let our love Reach Out to every soul. This verse is a call to action, to make sure that unity continues to stand. How can we Stretch Forward in Faith and Hope if we do not follow God’s command?

Though God has given us many Gifts, and diverse as some of us may be, don’t
forget together we are strong, and His Love alone will continue to set us free! Just as the precious oil was running down from Aaron’s head, God commanded a Blessing for us, and this is what He said. You will have Life and Life evermore, and oh what a pleasant experience this will Be. If we all learn how to live in harmony!

As we step into the New Year, try to view each day as an adventure that was carefully planned out by our Guide. It tells us to Reach Up, Reach Out, Reach
In, and Reach Forward, for God is still on our side. In this world we will have trials and distress, but when we trust in the Lord, He promised to give us Peace, Love and Happiness!