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One of my daughter’s most vivid childhood memories is the day her dad taught her to ride a bike without training wheels. At one point in their outing, my husband balanced his feet on the hubs of her rear wheel (while she kept hers on the pedals and they shared the handlebars) so they could coast down a small, gently sloping section together. She remembers her dad laughing with joy—a sharp contrast to her own fearful experience of the moment. The ride was so short that the entire episode happened too quickly for him to stop and empathize with her. As they reminisce about the incident today, my husband’s gentle response to her recollection is to reassure her that he knew everything would be okay.

Their story is an apt metaphor for the moments when we too experience fear in life. The “hills” might look big and scary from our vantage point and the risk of being hurt can seem very real. Yet Scripture assures us that because “the Lord is with [us],” we don’t need to “be afraid” (Psalm 118:6). Though human help may fail us, He’s a trustworthy refuge when we feel overwhelmed by our struggles (vv. 8-9).

God is our “helper” (v. 7), which means we can trust Him to care for us during life’s most trying and fearful moments. Despite any falls, scars, and pain we might endure, His saving presence is our “strength” and “defense” (v. 14).  

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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org.

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Paul wrote, “Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking” (Colossians 3:15 NCV). How does this happen? The answer appears in the next verse: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another” (Colossians 3:16 NKJV).

Don’t treat Scripture like a guest, an occasional visitor, or temporary roommate. His truth sits at the dinner table, lingers in the living room, and is welcome in the bedroom. And it occupies its place richly. It pays dividends. It brings benefits. Ingested Scripture is vitamin C for the inner person.

Satan is allergic to God’s truth. When you speak Scripture, he skedaddles. He hopes you never hear these words spoken by Jesus: “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32 NIV).

Read more Tame Your Thoughts: Three Tools to Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

What story are you writing with your life? In this week’s episode, John Maxwell is sharing the two pillars he lives by that have helped him create a life story of profound significance. 

After his lesson, Mark Cole dives into deep application so you can confidently command your life’s narrative. 

Key takeaways: 

• You have the power to write your own life story. Don't let others write it for you. 

• Put your giftedness alongside the needs of people. 

• The way you make people feel is what they will remember most about your leadership.

Our BONUS resource for this episode is the Write Your Own Story Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John’s teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting MaxwellPodcast.com/WriteYourStory and clicking “Download the Bonus Resource.” 

Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member.

Dante’s neighborhood in Manila was prone to flooding. On rainy days, the little boy reached school by crossing a makeshift wooden bridge put up by a neighbor. “Mr. Tomas helped the community get around,” Dante said. “He’d guide me on the bridge, shielding me from the rain.”

Years later, Dante joined a church north of Manila. Leo, his Bible study leader, mentored him. In a conversation about their childhoods, Dante discovered Leo was Mr. Tomas’ son! “There’s no such thing as coincidence,” Dante said. “God used the son of a man who’d blessed me to help me in my faith.”

A woman from the town of Shunem also experienced God’s providence. In faith, she’d followed the prophet Elisha’s advice, leaving home to avoid a famine (2 Kings 8:1-2). In doing so, she’d forfeited her claim to her house and land. Now, at the exact moment she was seeking help from the king about this matter, the king just happened to be talking with Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, about her.

Years earlier, Gehazi had seen the woman’s dead son raised to life. Now, Gehazi said, "This is the woman, my lord the king, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life" (v. 5). The king then “assigned an official to her case” (v. 6) and returned her property.

We’ll always experience God’s care especially when things may not go as we planned. Our sovereign God will help us.

Joash P. Thomas joins me to talk about the justice of Jesus and what it means for the gospel to truly be good news for the poor and the oppressed. We trace Joash’s journey from growing up in Mumbai to working in U.S. politics, and then to encountering Jesus on the margins. Along the way, we explore how colonialism has shaped both the Global South and the Western church, why decolonizing our own assumptions is vital, and how Jesus’ ministry invites us into a justice that is both spiritual and physical. This episode is an invitation to imagine a church rooted not in empire or success, but in faithfulness, humility, and solidarity with our marginalized neighbors.

Rev. Joash P. Thomas is an author, speaker, and global human rights leader.

Drawing from his St. Thomas Indian Christian roots and a decolonized, justice-centered understanding of Scripture, Joash helps audiences reimagine a faith that unites rather than divides—and that stands firmly with neighbors on the margins. Through speaking engagements, teaching, and advocacy, he calls Christians to a more contemplative yet courageous activism, motivated by the grace-filled, non-violent way of Jesus.

Born and raised in India, Joash served as a U.S. political consultant and lobbyist before pivoting to global human rights advocacy. Now based in the Toronto area, he holds a master’s degree in Political Management from The George Washington University and has completed master’s degrees in Christian Leadership and Christian Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. A Deacon in the Diocese of St. Anthony, Joash is also the author of the forthcoming book The Justice of Jesus (Brazos Press, September 2025).

Joash's Book:

The Justice of Jesus

Joash's Recommendations:

A More Christlike God

Better Ways to Read the Bible

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83% of Americans say preaching impacts their decision on a church home. Having just filmed a new 45 video course called the Art of Preaching, Carey Nieuwhof and Mark Clark share 90 minutes of their...

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Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible.

Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org.

Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

James, the half-brother of Jesus, gave this admonition: “Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21 ESV). What a grand invitation! It’s not enough to uproot, we must also replant.

Jesus described a demon who had been cast out of a person. It roams about, looking for a new home. Not finding one, it returns to its former place of residence and finds it “spotlessly clean, but vacant” (Matthew 12:43 MSG). The demon sees no barrier, alerts its buddies, and they show up with a keg of chaos.

To clean out the old is wonderful, but to usher in the new—that’s essential. Uprooting weeds of lies is necessary. Replacing them with truth is vital.

Read more Tame Your Thoughts: Three Tools to Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.