As we continue our “Heroes Who Waited” series — and as we prepare our hearts for Acts — I want to talk about Moses. Not the Moses who parted the Red Sea. Not the Moses who confronted Pharaoh. Not the Moses who led Israel out of Egypt.

I want to talk about the Moses who waited.

Because before Moses ever stepped into leadership… before he ever performed a miracle… before he ever spoke for God… he spent 40 years in a place nobody talks about.

Obscurity.

Moses went from the palace of Egypt to the quiet fields of Midian. No crowds. No spotlight. No influence. No platform. Just sheep… silence… and waiting.

And here’s the part we forget — Moses didn’t know he was waiting. He didn’t know God was preparing him. He didn’t know a calling was coming. He didn’t know he would ever lead anyone.

He was just living his life in a place that felt small.

But God was shaping him.

God was forming humility. God was forming patience. God was forming character. God was forming a shepherd’s heart — because before Moses could lead people, he had to learn how to lead sheep.

And this ties directly to Acts.

Acts is full of movement — preaching, miracles, mission, boldness — but every leader in Acts had a season where God shaped them quietly before He used them publicly.

Peter waited. John waited. Paul waited. The disciples waited in the upper room. The early church waited for the Spirit.

And Moses waited in Midian.

Some of you are in that same place. You’re not in a palace. You’re not in a spotlight. You’re not in a season of influence.

You’re in a quiet chapter. A hidden chapter. A chapter that feels small.

And maybe you’re wondering, “Does any of this matter?”

Let me speak this to you gently and directly:

God does some of His most important work in the places nobody sees. God shapes leaders in obscurity. God forms character in silence.

God prepares you privately for what He will ask you to do publicly.

Moses didn’t waste his waiting — and God didn’t waste Moses’ waiting.

And He won’t waste yours.

So today, as we prepare to step into Acts, remember this:

You don’t have to be seen to be shaped. You don’t have to be noticed to be prepared. You don’t have to be in a spotlight to be in God’s will.

God is forming something in you right now — even if it feels quiet, small, or hidden.

Just like He did with Moses.

Let’s keep choosing love today.

Episode 10 invites us to slow down and remember the God who never walks away. Through Paul’s words in Acts 20:24, we see a life shaped by purpose, steadiness, and the presence of a Savior who refuses to leave His people alone. This is a message for anyone who feels worn down, uncertain, or stretched thin — God is still with you, still guiding you, still calling you forward.

Memory Verse: Acts 20:24

As we continue our “Heroes Who Waited” series — and as we prepare our hearts for Acts — I want to talk about Joseph.

If Abraham waited on a promise, Joseph waited in the dark.

Joseph didn’t wait in comfort. He didn’t wait in peace. He didn’t wait in a quiet season of reflection.

He waited in betrayal. He waited in slavery. He waited in prison. He waited in places he didn’t choose and couldn’t escape.

Joseph waited while life felt unfair. Joseph waited while people mistreated him. Joseph waited while his circumstances made no sense.

And yet — Joseph stayed faithful.

He didn’t quit. He didn’t collapse. He didn’t turn bitter. He didn’t lose himself.

He kept honoring God in the dark.

He kept serving with integrity. He kept trusting when trust felt impossible.

And this ties directly to Acts.

Because Acts is full of movement — miracles, preaching, mission, calling — but behind every moment of movement is a season of waiting that shaped the person God used.

Joseph’s waiting produced:

humility

compassion

wisdom

strength

character

resilience

All qualities God uses in Acts.

All qualities God builds in us through waiting.

Some of you are in a Joseph season right now. You’re waiting in a place you didn’t choose. You’re waiting in circumstances that feel unfair. You’re waiting in a chapter that doesn’t match the promise God gave you.

And maybe you’re asking, “Why am I here?”

Let me speak this to you with tenderness and truth:

God does some of His deepest work in the dark. God shapes leaders in hidden places. God builds character where no one is watching. God prepares you privately for what He will do publicly.

Joseph’s waiting wasn’t the end — it was the beginning of everything God was about to do.

And your waiting may be the same.

So today, as we prepare to step into Acts, remember this:

God sees you in the dark. God is shaping you in the silence. God is preparing you in the waiting. And when the time is right, God will move.

Just like He did with Joseph.

Let’s keep choosing love today.

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.

When we step into the Book of Acts, we see people waiting — waiting for direction, waiting for power, waiting for God to move.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

“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.