“New Requires Renewing”

Beloved, we often say we want something new — a new season, a new start, a new life. But Scripture is clear: we cannot make ourselves new. Change that lasts does not come from effort alone, determination, or willpower. We are not made new by trying harder — we are made new when God does the renewing.

The Old Testament points us to this truth. Ezekiel 36:26 says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Notice who does the work. God doesn’t ask us to replace our own hearts — He promises to do it Himself. Renewal is not self-improvement; it is divine intervention.

The New Testament confirms it. Paul said this in Romans 12:2 tells us, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Transformation is not behavior modification — it is God reshaping how we think, see, and respond. And 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” New life doesn’t start with us — it starts in Christ.

We cooperate by surrendering, but God is the One who renews. We bring the willingness; He brings the power. We bring the broken pieces; He brings the transformation.

So Beloved, stop striving to manufacture change. Instead, invite the Renewing God to do what only He can do. What He makes new, He sustains. What He renews, He restores fully.

Pray with me:

Father God, I confess that I cannot make myself new. I need You. Renew my mind, reshape my heart, and transform me from the inside out. I surrender my efforts and trust Your work in me — in Jesus’ name, I pray, believe, receive, and praise in advance, Amen!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#RenewedByChristAlone

“No Need To Panic”

Beloved, God never reacts out of panic. Panic belongs to people who lack control, awareness, or power — but God lacks none of those things. What feels sudden to us was already seen by Him. What shocks us was already factored into His plan. God does not scramble, rush, or react in fear. Instead, He rules with wisdom, patience, and absolute authority. When life spins, heaven remains steady — and that steadiness becomes our anchor.

The Old Testament reminds us of this truth. King David writes in Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”Notice — ever-present. God does not enter the situation late; He is already there before the storm forms. He is calm not because the situation is small, but because His power is greater than anything that rises against you.

The New Testament echoes this confidence. Paul declares in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him.” God doesn’t wait to see what will happen — He is already working inside every circumstance. Even in chaos, He is directing outcomes. Even in uncertainty, He is weaving purpose. Nothing forces His hand. Nothing corners Him. Nothing takes Him off guard.

So Beloved, when your heart races and your mind floods with “What if…?”, remember: God is not pacing the floors of heaven. He is seated on the throne, fully aware, fully prepared, fully in control. Trust His steadiness. Lean into His calm. If God is not panicking — neither do you need to.

Pray with me: Father God, thank You that nothing surprises You and nothing moves You into panic. Teach me to rest in Your stability when life feels unstable. Help me trust Your timing, Your wisdom, and Your control. In Jesus’ name, I pray, believe, receive, and praise in advance, Amen and Amen!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#NoNeedToPanic 

“The Lord Is With You, Mighty Warrior”

Beloved, sometimes God sees in you what you can’t yet see in yourself. When life has worn you down and fear whispers that you’re not enough, God calls you by a name that reflects His strength, not your situation.

In the Old Testament, Judges 6:12 says: “When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, ‘The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.’” This was more than just encouragement—it was a theophany, a visible manifestation of Jesus Christ Himself appearing to man. Gideon was hiding in a winepress, threshing wheat in fear of the Midianites, yet God addressed him as a mighty warrior. God didn’t speak to who Gideon was in that moment—He spoke to who Gideon would become through obedience and faith.

And in the New Testament, Philippians 1:6 echoes this truth: “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Just like Gideon, God’s presence transforms ordinary people into extraordinary vessels of His power.

So Beloved, when you feel weak, remember—El Gibbor’s presence changes everything. The same God who called Gideon out of hiding is calling you out of fear. He sees your potential beyond your pain, your courage beyond your circumstance, and your victory beyond your valley.

Pray with me: Father God, thank You for seeing strength in me when I feel weak. Just as You called Gideon a mighty warrior, remind me that Your presence defines who I am. Replace my fear with faith and help me to walk boldly in the calling You’ve placed on my life. In Jesus’ name, we pray, believe, receive, and praise. Amen and Amen!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#TheLordIsWithYou

“Stranger Things”

Beloved, sometimes the life of faith feels… strange. God doesn’t always move the way we expect. He opens doors we never planned to walk through, closes ones we thought were guaranteed, and leads us down paths that don’t always make sense in the moment. Following Jesus often means experiencing things that feel unfamiliar, uncomfortable — even unusual.

The Old Testament shows us this repeatedly. God asked Noah to build a boat when it had never rained like that before-ever (Genesis 6-9). He told Joshua to march around walls instead of attacking them (Joshua 6:1-27) He instructed Gideon to reduce his army before going into battle (Judges 6-7). None of it made sense logically — but all of it made sense spiritually, because it positioned them to trust God, not themselves.

The New Testament continues the pattern. Jesus healed with mud (John 9:1-7), walked on water (Matthew 14:22–33), fed thousands with a boy’s lunch (John 6:5–13), and chose fishermen, tax collectors, and ordinary people to change the world (The Gospels & Acts 4:13). Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” Faith doesn’t always feel familiar — sometimes it feels like stepping into “stranger things.”

God isn’t trying to confuse you. He’s training you. He uses unusual seasons to grow deeper dependence, clearer obedience, and stronger faith. What feels strange now may one day become the testimony you point back to and say, “That’s where I really learned to trust God.”

So Beloved, don’t assume something is wrong just because it feels unfamiliar. Often, the strangest seasons bring the greatest spiritual growth.

Pray with me: Father God, when Your ways feel unfamiliar, help me remember that Your thoughts are higher than mine and Your plans are good. Teach me to trust You even when the path feels strange, knowing You are always leading with love — in Jesus’ name, I pray, believe, receive, and praise in advance, Amen!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#StangerThings 

“New Year — Same God, New Surrender”

Beloved, every New Year comes with excitement, goals, and fresh expectations. We buy new planners, make new promises, and hope for different outcomes. But here’s the real question:

So it’s the New Year… now what?

Let’s be clear, a new year by itself doesn’t change anything. God changes things. And He doesn’t start with our schedules — He starts with our hearts.

The Old Testament reminds us where true direction begins. Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” We don’t ask God to bless our plans — we surrender our plans and let Him shape them.

The New Testament shows us the same truth. Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” You see, when God comes first, everything else finds its rightful place.

So Beloved, the best New Year resolution is not “try harder,” but trust deeper. Not “do more,” but surrender more. Not “create a new life,” but let Christ lead your life. Because when God is first, the year becomes more than a date change — it becomes a life change.

Pray with me: Father God, as I step into this New Year, I give You more than my goals — I give You my heart. Lead my steps, shape my desires, and help me seek You first in everything I do — in Jesus’ name, I pray, believe, receive, and praise in advance, Amen!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#NewSurrender

“The Hands That Bled For You”

Beloved, never forget this unshakable truth: the hands that were pierced for you on Calvary are the very same hands holding you right now. The hands that stretched wide on the cross didn’t stop working when Jesus said, “It is finished.” They carried your salvation then—and they carry your life now.

In the Old Testament, the Lord speaks tenderly through Isaiah 41:10 and the prophet said, “So do not fear, for I am with you… I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Long before Jesus walked the earth, God was already promising that His hand—strong, steady, and sovereign—would hold His people.

Then in the New Testament, Yeshua Himself makes it even more personal. In John 10:28, the Messiah declared “No one will snatch them out of My hand.” Beloved, your earthly confidence is not in your grip on God but in God’s spiritual grip on you. The same hands that bled for you are the hands that defend you, guide you, carry you, and refuse to let you go.

So when fear rises, when discouragement whispers, or when life feels unsteady, remember this: the crucified hands are still the comforting hands. The hands that saved you are the hands that sustain you.

Pray with me: Father God, thank You for loving me enough to stretch out Your hands on the cross for my salvation. Help me rest in the truth that those same hands hold me today. When I feel weak, remind me that Your grip is unbreakable. Teach me to trust the hands that were wounded for me and now carry me every moment. In Jesus’ name, I pray, believe, receive, and praise in advance, Amen and Amen!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#TheHandsThatSaves

“Change Your Mind, Change Your Life”

Beloved, every day we are being shaped by something. The voices we listen to, the culture we absorb, and the thoughts we entertain — they all form how we see God, ourselves, and the world. The danger is this: the world trains us to think in fear, self-preservation, pride, and comparison. But God calls us to think differently — to exchange worldly thinking for Word-of-God thinking.

The Old Testament reminds us of this calling. Isaiah 55:8–9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord… as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” God is inviting us upward — out of small thinking, fickle/fearful thinking, and flesh-driven thinking — into thoughts shaped by His truth.

The New Testament tells us how that shift happens. Paul writes in Colossians 3:2, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” And again in Romans 12:2, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” To renew your mind means to replace worldly thinking with godly thinking. Transformation doesn’t start with circumstances — it starts with thinking. We don’t just stop worldly thoughts; we replace them with God’s Word:

• Worry is replaced with promises.
• Pride is replaced with humility.
• Anger is replaced with grace.
• Fear is replaced with faith.

So Beloved, don’t just ask God to change your situation — ask Him to change your thinking. Take off the world’s mindset, and put on the mind of Christ.

Pray with me: Father God, show me where I have allowed worldly thinking to shape my heart. Teach me to see through Your Word, not my emotions. Renew my mind daily, and help me walk in thoughts that honor You — in Jesus’ name, I pray, believe, receive, and praise in advance, Amen!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#RenewingYourMind

“Jesus Is the Gift”

Beloved, Jesus is the gift. Not a symbol, not a season, not a tradition—but the gift. Before blessings were counted, before prayers were answered, before peace was restored, God gave Himself. Everything else we receive flows from that one act of love. When we lose sight of the gift, we start chasing substitutes—things that promise fulfillment but cannot sustain it. But when Jesus is the center, nothing else has to compete.

The Old Testament foretold this gift long before it arrived. In Isaiah 9:6, the prophet Isaiah declared, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.” Notice the language—given. Jesus was not earned, negotiated, or deserved. He was given freely, intentionally, and sacrificially. God knew humanity’s deepest need was not more rules or rituals, but redemption wrapped in relationship.

The New Testament reveals the fulfillment of that promise. The apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 9:15, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” Jesus cannot be fully explained because grace cannot be measured. He is forgiveness for the broken, hope for the weary, and salvation for the lost. When God gave Jesus, He gave everything heaven had to offer.

So Beloved, don’t overlook the gift by searching for what only the Giver can provide. Jesus is not just the beginning of faith—He is the substance of it. He is enough when answers are delayed, when seasons are difficult, and when life feels uncertain. Every good thing flows from Him, and nothing compares to Him.

Pray with me: Father God, thank You for the gift of Jesus. Help me never take lightly what heaven gave so freely. Teach me to treasure Christ above all else and to live from the grace He provides. In Jesus’ name, I pray, believe, receive, and praise in advance, Amen and Amen.

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#JesusIsThePrize

“The Struggle Is Real”

Beloved, the struggle is a sign of obedience. If you were walking away from God, there would be no tension. If you were fully surrendered to the flesh, there would be no resistance. Struggle does not mean failure—it often means you are choosing God in the middle of opposition. The pull you feel is evidence that your spirit is alive and responding to truth. Obedience rarely feels comfortable, but it always produces growth.

The Old Testament gives us a powerful picture of this truth. Moses records in Exodus 23:22, “If you listen carefully to what He says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you.” Obedience invites God into the conflict. When you choose His way, resistance often increases—not because you are wrong, but because you are aligned. The struggle is not punishment; it is confirmation that you are walking in step with God’s instruction.

The New Testament echoes this reality. The apostle Paul writes in Galatians 5:17, “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other.” That conflict is the struggle you feel. It is not a sign that God has left you—it is proof that His Spirit is actively working within you. If there were no obedience, there would be no battle.

So Beloved, don’t misinterpret the struggle. Don’t retreat just because it’s hard. Lean in. Stay obedient. The resistance you feel today is shaping the strength you’ll walk in tomorrow. God is doing something in you that comfort could never accomplish.

Pray with me: Father God, help me recognize the struggle as evidence of obedience, not failure. Strengthen me to stand firm when resistance rises and to trust You when the path feels difficult. Teach me to remain faithful in the tension, knowing You are working through it. In Jesus’ name, I pray, believe, receive, and praise in advance, Amen and Amen!

#BeStrong

#TGBTG

#NAP

#GodIsInTheStruggle

Be Strong | J1:9 – Weekly Devotionals for Courage, Purpose, and Kingdom Assignment.

Life has a way of testing our strength long before we feel ready. Trials come without warning. Storms rise without apology. Loss, disappointment, fear, doubt, and fatigue try to make their home in our hearts. And yet, in the middle of all of it, God continues to whisper the same powerful command He gave Joshua: “Be strong and courageous… for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

This book was born out of that command.

For years, I carried the weight of responsibilities—family, leadership, ministry, and the daily work of serving people with excellence. But after walking through some of life’s deepest valleys, including the passing of my twin brother Noel and the reshaping of my own identity through grief, God began stirring something new in my spirit. Strength is not a personality trait. Strength is a calling. Strength is a posture. Strength is a divine response to a God-given assignment.

Be Strong | J1:9 was written to speak life into that assignment.

These 60 weekly devotionals are not meant to be rushed. They are meant to be lived. Each reflection invites you to slow down, breathe, and hear God’s voice in practical, real-world moments—from the jobsite to the kitchen table, from the prayer closet to the places where leadership and service demand more from you than you think you have to give.

Every entry in this book follows one simple truth:

God does not expect perfection—He expects obedience. And obedience opens the door to strength that cannot be shaken.

In these pages, you will find stories, scriptures, leadership principles, and transparent moments from my own journey. You will be invited to see yourself not through the lens of fear or failure, but through the eyes of the God who called you, equipped you, and assigned you to influence the world around you. Whether you lead a home, a team, a ministry, or an entire organization, the charge of Joshua 1:9 remains the same for you today:

Be strong. Be courageous. God is with you.

My prayer is that this book becomes a companion for your spiritual walk, a spark for your leadership, and a reminder that strength is already inside you—placed there by the One who never leaves, never quits, and never stops working on your behalf.

Let’s walk this journey together.

Let’s grow together.

Let’s be strong together.

In Jesus name, I pray, believe, receive, and praise in advance, Amen and Amen!

Click the link to find out more: https://a.co/d/90gtCkl