Choosing Love Today

Choosing Love Today: mini-message: David: Waiting Shapes Character

When we walk through Acts, we see people waiting — waiting for direction, waiting for power, waiting for God to move. But that’s not a new pattern. It’s something God has been doing with His people for generations.
Take David.
David was anointed king as a teenager. He didn’t sit on the throne until he was thirty.
That’s a long stretch of waiting. A long stretch of running, hiding, learning, failing, growing.
A long stretch of living a life he never expected — a life that didn’t look anything like the promise God had spoken over him.
But here’s the part that speaks to us today:
God wasn’t just giving David a crown — He was shaping David into the kind of man who could carry it.
Waiting shapes character. Waiting strengthens humility. Waiting teaches us to trust God’s timing instead of forcing our own.
Waiting prepares us for responsibilities we’re not ready for yet.
Maybe that’s where you are right now. Maybe you’re in a season where the promise feels far away… where the path feels uneven… where the timeline feels slow… where your life doesn’t look anything like what you thought God had planned.
David’s story reminds us: Waiting isn’t wasted. Waiting isn’t delay. Waiting is formation.
God uses the waiting years to shape your heart, deepen your character, and prepare you for the weight of what’s coming next.
So as we continue through Acts — a book that begins with waiting — remember David. Remember that God is shaping you in the waiting too.

Choosing Love Today: mini-message - Abraham: Waiting Builds Trust

When we step into the Book of Acts, we see people waiting — waiting for direction, waiting for power, waiting for God to move.But that’s not a new pattern.It’s something God has been doing with His people from the very beginning.
Take Abraham.
God gave him a promise: “You will be the father of many nations.”
But Abraham didn’t step into that promise the next day… or the next year… or even the next decade.
He waited 25 years before Isaac was born. Twenty‑five years of wondering… Twenty‑five years of hoping…
Twenty‑five years of trusting God even when the timeline didn’t make sense.
And here’s the part that speaks to us today:
God wasn’t just building a nation — He was building Abraham.
Waiting taught him trust. Waiting taught him surrender. Waiting taught him to walk with God even when he couldn’t see the finish line.
Maybe that’s where you are right now. Maybe you’re in a season where the promise feels far away…
where the timeline feels slow… where the next step isn’t clear.
Abraham’s story reminds us: Waiting isn’t wasted. Waiting isn’t delay. Waiting is preparation.
God uses the waiting years to strengthen your faith, deepen your trust, and shape your heart for what’s coming next.
So as we continue through Acts — a book that begins with waiting — remember Abraham.Remember that God is working in your waiting too.

Choosing Love Today: mini - God Works in the Waiting

Before the Book of Acts explodes with movement, miracles, and momentum… there’s a quiet moment. A moment where the disciples are told to wait. Not because God was slow. Not because He was unsure. But because He was preparing something bigger than they could see.
And that’s a pattern we see all through Scripture.
Abraham waited years before the promise became reality.
David waited years before the crown fit his head. Noah waited years while building something nobody understood. Joseph waited years before stepping into the role God had shaped him for.
Waiting isn’t punishment. Waiting isn’t delay. Waiting is preparation.
And maybe that’s where you are today. Maybe you’re in a season where things feel slow… quiet… unfinished… unclear. Acts reminds us that God does some of His best work in the waiting — aligning, shaping, strengthening, preparing.
So as we step into this new series in Acts, let this be your reminder: You’re not stuck. You’re not forgotten. You’re being prepared.
God is working in the waiting, and He’s already shaping what comes next.

Choosing Love Today: Episode 9 - The Jesus We Continue to See

Episode 9 invites us to slow down and notice the Jesus who keeps appearing in the lives of His followers — not just in miracles, but in community, in devotion, and in the simple rhythms of faith. Acts 2:42 shows us a church shaped by presence, shaped by love, and shaped by a Savior who never stops showing up.
Weekly Memory Verse: Acts 2:42

Choosing Love Today: Mini-message - Follow Me

As we wrap up our journey through the Gospels, I keep coming back to this simple invitation from Jesus. He didn’t hand out a checklist or demand perfection. He didn’t ask people to fix themselves first. He simply said, “Follow Me.”
And He said it to ordinary people — fishermen, workers, folks with long days and real responsibilities. People who didn’t feel qualified or spiritual enough. People who were just trying to make a living.
Following Jesus wasn’t dramatic for them, and it usually isn’t dramatic for us. It’s quiet. It’s simple. It’s choosing patience when frustration rises. Choosing kindness when it’s easier not to. Choosing honesty when it costs something. Choosing love when the moment gives you every reason not to.
So here’s the reflection for today: What does “follow Me” look like for you… in the next hour? Not the whole week. Not the whole story. Just the next step.
As we close the Gospels and prepare to begin the Book of Acts tomorrow, remember this: The entire story of Acts begins with ordinary people who simply said yes to “Follow Me.”
Let’s keep Choosing Love Today.

Choosing Love Today: mini-message - The Jesus We Meet

Hey friends — Mike here. As we step into Saturday, I want to keep us anchored in the theme we’ve been walking through this week: The Jesus We Meet. And I want to sit with John 14:6 for a moment — where Jesus says, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.’
You know, Saturdays can be funny days. Sometimes they’re restful, sometimes they’re busy, sometimes they’re a mix of both. But no matter what kind of Saturday you’re stepping into, this verse gives us something solid to stand on. Jesus doesn’t just offer direction — He is the direction. He doesn’t just teach truth — He is the truth. And He doesn’t just give life — He is life itself.
And maybe that’s exactly what we need today. Not more noise. Not more pressure. Not more things to figure out. Just the reminder that the Jesus we meet is steady, present, and clear. He’s not hard to find. He’s not hiding. He’s not distant. He’s right here, inviting us to walk with Him in a way that’s simple, honest, and life‑giving. 
So whatever your Saturday looks like — whether you’re running errands, spending time with family, or just trying to catch your breath — let this truth settle your heart a little bit. Jesus is the way. Jesus is the truth. Jesus is the life.
Have a great Saturday, and keep Choosing Love Today.

Choosing Love Today: mini-message - The Jesus We Meet

“Hey friends — Mike here. As we head into Friday, I want to keep us centered on the theme we’ve been sitting in this week: The Jesus We Meet. You know, in John 14:6, Jesus gives us one of the clearest, most direct statements about who He is. He says, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.’
And I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately — how easy it is to look for direction in a hundred different places. We look for answers in our routines, in our plans, in our worries, in our own
strength. But Jesus doesn’t just point us toward the way… He is the way. He doesn’t just teach truth… He is the truth. And He doesn’t just offer life… He is the life.
So whatever you’re carrying into today — whatever decisions, frustrations, or uncertainties you’re facing — I want to encourage you to meet Jesus right there in the middle of it. Not the Jesus we imagine, not the Jesus we try to shape into our own expectations, but the Jesus who actually stands in front of us and says, ‘Come with Me. I’ll show you the way.’
Let that truth steady you today. Let it simplify your steps. Let it quiet the noise a little bit.
Have a great Friday, and as always… keep Choosing Love Today.

Choosing Love Today: The Daily Choice

You can’t fix the whole world. It’s too big, too loud, too complicated. But you can decide how you show up in it. Every day gives you a choice — react the way the world reacts, or respond with something different. Something steady. Something rooted. Something that actually reflects Jesus. And maybe the real difference is this: walking into a room thinking, “What do they think about me?” vs. “Who in here can I help?”
That one shift can change your whole day — and someone else’s. “Let us not become weary in doing good…” — Galatians 6:9 People may not remember everything you say, but they’ll remember how you treated them. And sometimes, that’s all it takes to make a difference — one person at a time.
You may not be able to control your circumstances, but you can control your response. That’s what this week’s message is all about — slowing down, breathing, and choosing love today.
 
 

Choosing Love Today: mini-message - Everybody’s Carrying Something

I saw a man at the grocery store yesterday who looked worn out. Not angry… just tired. The kind of tired that sits behind the eyes. And it reminded me of something simple: everybody’s carrying something.

Choosing Love Today: Episode 8 — The Gospels (Part 2): The Jesus We Meet

In this episode, we turn from the world Jesus entered to the Jesus we actually meet in the Gospels — not the Jesus we imagine, not the Jesus we create in our minds, but the Jesus who reveals Himself with clarity, compassion, authority, and truth. John 14:6 anchors us as Jesus makes one of the most defining statements in all of Scripture: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” We explore what that means for real people living in a real world, and how Jesus consistently surprises, challenges, comforts, and calls us. If you’ve ever wanted a clearer picture of who Jesus truly is — beyond assumptions, expectations, or cultural noise — this episode will help you see Him with fresh eyes and a fuller heart.