Patience is essential in life and relationships because waiting reminds us we are not in control, challenging us to trust God’s timing rather than our own plans. Whether waiting for resolution, growth, or understanding, love teaches us to endure with hope, mirroring God’s long-suffering patience with us.

No matter what challenges your relationships face this season, remember: God initiates love, God demonstrates love, and God empowers us to love. Through Him, we can navigate the mess with grace and bring His light into even the darkest moments.

What is it about home that makes us long for it? The answer is often found in our stressful and painful current circumstances. So it’s no surprise that this longing for home is increased in us with the turmoil surrounding elections and political change. The current cultural moment starkly contrasts with the love and peace exemplified by Jesus. 

In John 1, the Gospel introduces Jesus as embodying both grace and truth—eternally present, sovereign, and deeply involved in the world He created. Through His life and teachings, Jesus calls believers to embody this same balance, especially in divisive times, uniting grace with truth to reflect His light in a dark world.

Jesus taught a countercultural vision of greatness, one not defined by power or ambition, but by serving others. In Mark 10, He emphasizes that true greatness is found in putting others first.

As followers of Jesus, we live in the tension of the "now and not yet" of God's kingdom—experiencing His reign in part now, while awaiting its fullness. It calls believers to embody kingdom values today, trusting in the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises in the future.

Two major threads run through the Bible: God’s love for humanity, empowering us with authority and gifts to shape the world, and the problem of sin rooted in the human heart. Jesus, whose radical kingdom and message challenged worldly politics, calls His followers to pledge allegiance to a higher kingdom and reminds them of the hope in God’s eternal plan, regardless of earthly politics.

Elijah's encounter with God in 1 Kings 19 teaches us that while God can show up in dramatic moments, as seen in Elijah's showdown with the prophets of Baal, He also reveals Himself in quiet, subtle ways. At Mt. Horeb, Elijah learned that God's presence is not always found in the loud and spectacular, but sometimes in the still, small voice—a reminder that God is always near, even in the silence.

In times of silence and solitude, we often encounter not just our true selves but also the lies of the enemy, who seeks to undermine our worth, identity, and trust in God. Through spiritual practices of and reliance on God's truth, we can dismantle the enemy's lies and live confidently in the identity and purpose God has given us.

In Exodus 33, Moses retreats to the "tent of meeting" to seek God amidst doubt and frustration after the Israelites' rebellion. His time in solitude not only brings him face-to-face with God's presence but also renews his sense of purpose and deepens his dependence on God, highlighting the transformative power of silence in gaining divine guidance and strength.