For the past five years, Culture of Christ has been a space for exploring how to love God and our neighbors in our daily lives. Your engagement has made this community what it is—thank you!

Now, I’m inviting you to join me in a new endeavor: The Way of/to Life. This publication goes deeper into what it means to walk the narrow path Jesus described—not just believing but practicing a daily life shaped by Scripture and the example of Jesus. Click the button below to subscribe - it’s free!

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Why “The Way”?

The earliest followers of Jesus were called members of “The Way” (Acts 9:2, Acts 19:9, Acts 19:23, Acts 22:4, Acts 24:14, Acts 24:22). In the Greek, the word is hodos (“path” or “road”); in Hebrew, derek—a journey, a way of living. The call was (and is) not to just believe certain things, but to practice a new way of life.

Why does this matter now?

As John Mark Comer points out in Practicing the Way:

“Around 63% of Americans self-identify as Christians... trying to measure a person's level of spirituality is tricky, but quite a few surveys put the number of Americans who are 'following' Jesus [or walking the narrow path of The Way] at around 4%.”

That’s a gap we can’t ignore.

How is The Way of/to Life different?

At The Way of/to Life, we aim to raise that 4% by making true discipleship practical and accessible. Our approach is grounded in these four essentials:

• Scripture: The foundation for all teaching and practice—every post is rooted in the biblical narrative, not denominational doctrine.

• Context: We honor the historical, literary, and cultural context of Scripture, seeking understanding before application.

• Covenant: Our life with God is shaped by the new covenant in Christ, focusing on identity, relationship, and responsibility.

• Practice: True transformation happens when we put faith into action—through spiritual habits, ethical living, and Christlike love.

By subscribing, you’ll get weekly lessons each Sunday, biblical insights, and real-life guidance for walking The Way. It’s all free!

👉 Subscribe to The Way of/to Life and join a growing community dedicated to living out what Jesus taught.

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Thank you again for being a vital part of Culture of Christ. Let’s keep seeking, walking, and growing together.

I have been on five short-term international mission trips. So when I decided to go on another and was appointed the team leader, I thought, “God, what else can I learn?” When I returned from my first trip to India in 2015, I decided to not spend any money on myself for one year. This included not buying designer shoes, handbags, or clothing. As a magazine editor, this was a hard feat but after seeing poverty first-hand in Southern India, I knew I had to put my money to better—or more purposeful—use. So that year, I used the money I would normally buy those things to bless the homeless and to donate to organizations that were spreading the Gospel of Christ and serving others.

So for this sixth trip, this time to Honduras to visit Casa de Abby, a home for girls who have been sexually abused, I kept asking myself what would be different. And although I did not get a resounding revelation, in my heart, I just knew I was supposed to go. Sometimes, we just won’t know the answer up front but we are called and meant to be obedient and go. So I packed my bags and went to Honduras with six other women from my church. Our mission included delivering a message that would resonate with the Casa de Abby girls; doing two days of Vacation Bible School with kids in the community; going door to door to pray for local people in the surrounding neighborhood, and more.

Our team held meetings in preparation leading up to the trip. Before I left Atlanta, I prepared a message on Moses to complement our Superheroes of the Bible VBS theme. But after having a conversation with Brother Michael Vincent, the man who cofounded Casa de Abby, I knew that message would not effectively engage the crowd. So I changed my message less than 48 hours before I was supposed to give it. I titled it, “God’s Blueprint For Your Life” and made up my mind to move forward confidently in Christ with that sermon. After giving the message (slideshow included), the summer intern at Casa de Abby said to me, “I needed to hear this tonight. I am unsure about what’s next and your message reminded me that God is in control.”

A couple of days later when we were delivering food -- rice, beans and flour -- in the neighborhood, I was praying for a grandfather and his family. In the middle of the prayer, the translator told me that he told her to tell me to stop praying. I was not rattled because I knew the prayer was disturbing the enemy. So I closed out the prayer in the name of Jesus Christ and then stopped. Although the spirits inside of him did not want to hear what I had to say, I knew (and know) that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12).” It reminded me that no weapon formed against me will prosper (Isaiah 54:17) and that the blood of Jesus covers me. I had nothing to fear. God has my back, front, left side, right side, and my head to the soles of my feet. I just need to be compliant to His will and assignments for my life.

As the trip progressed, we were gearing up for VBS. On the first day, my role was to welcome the kids. On the second day, I was asked to supervise kickball. Being flexible and adaptable is key when serving the Lord. Wherever you are needed, go. I am not an outdoorsy person but I did what I had to do to make sure the kids were equipped with the rules of the game in order to play and have fun. Like Nike’s slogan says, “Just do it.” Do it for the Lord and do it all with excellence exhibiting His love.

Now that I’ve been back home for almost two months, I am reminded that on my walk with Christ, there is always more to learn. Everyday with Jesus is a new experience. I should have never even asked God what else I could learn. Silly me. I told the team that we must continue to work for Christ even after returning from our trip. John 9:4 says, “As long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.”

There is a lot to unpack here. But now, after going on six international mission trips, when I ask myself if I learned anything new, I say, “Yes, I did.” I learned to trust God with every detail of my life. He is in control, I just need to be obedient to His will, and I need to remain flexible. In all of these things, He will continue to prove Himself over and over again.

He did for me in Honduras and He can do it for you, too. God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). So let go and trust Him to show up and show out in not only your life but in the lives of others. He will and can use you to make a difference for His kingdom—internationally or locally. His will be done.

To contact the author, follow her on Instagram @laurakadowney.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Be thankful and learn to live in the precious present moment.

The Lord has given each of us more blessings than we can count, but it never hurts to try. Counting those blessings will put you in a mindset where your glass is not only half full, but it is overflowing.

I know He has plans for me that have yet to be fulfilled, if not I would not have survived a recent car accident. I survived without a scratch. A right tire failure while traveling at 70+ mph. The picture says, “If not for the grace of God, there go I” …. to the hospital or the graveyard.

The only physical reminder is poison ivy on my legs because I had to climb through it after I got out of the car.

I will focus, now more than ever, on my blessings, not my hardships or “coulda, woulda, shoulda.”

While you are trying to make an inventory of God’s gifts, remember Psalm118:24 (NIV): “This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

It is not enough just to thank God for daily blessings. We should revel in those blessings; find joy in the big and trivial things we encounter. Like being able to walk around the grocery store without pain in our body, listening to laughter while talking on the phone with friends, and just listening to nature and breathing fresh air!

Today, take time to make a partial list of God’s gifts to you: your talents, opportunities, possessions, relationships, and most importantly, the promise of eternal life because of Jesus Christ.

God has a plan for our lives and the world. Though chaos abounds nearly everywhere we look, as Christians, we know He does not do things by accident. God is willful and intentional even though we cannot always understand His purposes.

Has your life been touched by circumstances that you simply cannot understand? Has your life been shaken? Do you have questions that defy easy answers? Are you troubled by situations that seem unfair, even tragic?

If so, it’s time to turn your questions, your doubts, your fears and your worries over to God.

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These disruptions have a purpose, though unseen by us. Through these disruptions, He speaks to us. He is creating a correction because something is out of sync. When God speaks, He expects us to listen and to act appropriately. We know that those in the old covenant did not escape his anger. Nor shall we escape, if we follow in their footsteps. The kingdom of God’s grace and glory is firmly founded and cannot be shaken.

Hebrews 12: 25-29 (NIV):

See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.

On the road of life with its twists, turns and accidents, disobedience can be a dead-end road. Be open to the possibility that good things have happened and will happen even from catastrophes. Foster a realistic sense of confidence in God’s purposes and avoid worse-case pessimistic thinking.

As you think about your circumstances, remember that God is in control of His world and your world. When you focus your thoughts on God’s blessings, you’ll be happier and healthier. A grateful heart is a healthy heart.

Song: God Favors Me

Christian author and Bible teacher Kay Arthur writes: “God is in control, and therefore in everything I can give thanks — not because of the situation but because of the One who directs and rules over it.”

I have a grateful heart now more than ever, and a testimony because He brought me through this test. I joyfully count my blessings each day, and share them in the hope that they are multipled.

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Can you help a brother out?

On Father’s Day, June 19, I was blessed to offer the message at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in my hometown of Winston-Salem NC. The theme, “Can you help a brother out?”, was intended for anyone and everyone in a position to offer advice, encouragement and prayers for boys and men in their lives.  

Here’s that sermon, in part.

In 2015, I gave Father’s Day message at Grace Presbyterian Church in Winston-Salem. Then it was about brotherhood, the need for it, the importance of it and the commitment it took to be a good brother. My message today is different, more urgent because of the crazy and calamitous times we live.

In these last eight years, we’ve witnessed things that were unimaginable in 2015. I don’t need to list them. We’re confronted by their reality every day. I’d suggest the root cause of the disintegration of our society, of our world lies in the fact that we don’t love each other as we should. Brotherly love. That term is an anachronism, old fashioned, a bygone custom, a way of life, a Christian outlook that has all but disappeared from civil society.

Today, we are faced with unprecedented levels of homelessness, murder, economic and political chaos, thievery, opioid and fentanyl epidemics. But we can and we must do as Jesus taught us – even when we don’t want to -- to love one another as we love ourselves. If we did that, our question for today – Can you help a brother out - - would be a rhetorical one.  

Can you help a brother out?

For the men here, how many men have poured into your lives? Did the lessons help you, sharpen you, make you better, even though those lessons were painful?

Have many lives of young men have you poured into?

Scripture gives us a simple and powerfully encouraging example in the book of Proverbs 27:17 on how we can help a brother out. Here are 5 translations of the verse to expand our understanding of what’s it’s saying:

The King James Version says:

“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” 

The New Revised Standard Version says:

“Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens the wits of another.”

The New King James Version says:

“As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”

The English Standard Version says:

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”

And the New International Version says:

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

Do we have any chefs in here? A common method to sharpen knives, steel, or iron, is to use a similar piece of metal. When the two scrape against each other, both pieces are shaped and rough spots are removed. Two people can interact and help refine each other. 

Now, what are countenance and wits?

Countenance comes from a French word for "behavior," but it also means facial expression. It is the expression appearing on the face of the Lord as He looks upon His people. The phrase is most well-known for its use in Aaron's blessing in Numbers 6:24-26

Numerous biblical examples show the learning value in relationships. Jesus may have sent His disciples out two by two because each one would sharpen the other's testimony. Mentoring is also a good example of one Christian improving the spiritual life of the other. An example: The apostle Paul mentored Timothy. Paul’s epistles encouraged Timothy to mentor others, as well. Paul writes in 2 Timothy 2:2: "What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also." David and Jonathan, in the Old Testament, are good examples of two men who improved each other's lives. Friendship can help two people enjoy a stronger faith and a dynamic spirit. Friends can encourage each other, laugh together, sympathize together, and pray together.

And we must choose wisely who we consistently interact. Most of us wouldn’t be here if we hadn’t stopped running with the wrong crowd. … CAN I GET AN AMEN! … That goes for social media, too. Y’all feel me. …. A good friend can lead us to self-improvement and greater godliness. But ungodly people – gossipy, negative, conniving, petulant, they can lead us toward sin and disaster.

So how do we sharpen the countenance of another, whether it’s a friend, a stranger, anyone we might encounter? I’m so glad you asked.

When can with our behavior, with love and through prayer.

Let me say again. We can help brothers out by modeling Godly behavior, with tough love and persistent prayer.

Our behavior must be different in any circumstance, any situation where we encounter a brother, or when brush up against someone. If we lead with compassion, empathy and agape, we are doing what Jesus commanded, love thy brother as we love ourselves.

We are all familiar with the biblical story in the Book of Luke of a paralyzed man being lowered through the roof of a building so he could receive Jesus’ healing. We know little of the man, other than he was healed, but we know nothing of the brothers who helped him receive that blessing.

But we do know this: the men helped that brother out.

Luke 5:19-21 says some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they couldn’t find a way through the door because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

Who got blessed? Not just the paralyzed man, but also those men, those brothers, who knew they should help a brother out. Their behavior, finding a way around, a way through, is a model of how we should act to help others. Working together, around obstacles, and lifting somebody up.

OK, changing our behavior is one way. What about tough love?

Are you familiar with what’s happening now with Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzles? The young brother, a great player, has just be suspended for 25 games without pay next NBA season for flashing a handgun for a second time in an Instagram video. Do you think the principle of iron sharpens iron might have helped in his situation, if he’d had a Godly OG in his life? Why didn’t someone help this brother out?

Morant has apologized, again. He said he’d work on his mental health and decision-making. His best decision should be to get away from the people who are enabling his bad behavior. For if iron sharpens iron, there needs to be someone around him to tell him repeatedly to stop that foolishness.

Now, after changing our behavior so we act more compassionate and empathic, after acting in Godly love to mentor and guide young brothers, we now rely on divine intervention, through prayer:

The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous, says Proverbs 15:29…. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16 …  Let’s go a little deeper in what James is saying. It applies directly to how we help each other out.

If you have you Bible, turn to the book of James 5: 13-20. I’ll be reading from the New King James version.

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

Brethren ……. if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

I’m a witness to the power of my brothers’ prayers. In July 2021, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, about 6 weeks before I was to get married in September. My fiancée, now my bride Alison, sat with me and cried while we listened to the doctor. But, we started praying, too. Soon, I had four brothers, a pastor, deacon and devout friends here in Winston and in Louisville, praying daily, 2 of them had beat cancer, too, brain cancer & prostate cancer. It was their prayers that helped, No. 1, but it was also their advice on treatments, their encouragement, their support that helped me through. After 6 weeks of radiation and 6 months after wedding, there were no traces of the disease. It was prayer.

Let me say again. We can help brothers out by modeling Godly behavior, with tough love and persistent prayer.

You can do your part …Paul planted, Apollos watered and God provided the increase. Do your part. So can help brothers out.

2 Timothy 1:7 says For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. Don’t be timid about it.

This is true in season and out of season. Discipline yourself to act, to behave in a different way, in a more compassionate way, not with a spirit of fear and timidity but the spirit of power and love.

So can you help a brother out?

Next time a brother needs a few coins, if you’ve been blessed, bless him ….. because blessings are multiplied through sharing.

Next time you are about to cuss a brother out. Stop, and say get the behind me satan! And then say … come here youngblood, let me holler at you.

Next time a brother has something they are going through in their life and they can’t seem to get a handle on it, pray for them and prayer with them.

Can you help a brother out?

Next time cousin Day-Day or June Bug about to do something stupid, holler at them. Show them, tell them there’s another way, a better way.

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

We all know of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King as a leader of the modern Civil Rights Movement. That’s what he’s mainly celebrated for and why we commemorate those contributions with the only federal holiday for a Black American.

Too little is spoken about his theological roots and his underlying moral underpinnings for racial equality.

From 1954 until 1960, King was the pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery Alabama, the only church where he pastored and the site where he began his civil rights activism.

Some people who revere King know little of his core beliefs. His upbringing – he was the son and grandson of Baptist preachers -- motives, and speeches were all influenced by his Christian faith. Above all, King believed in the gospel of Jesus Christ and lived by the commandment “love your neighbor as yourself.”

Even though he was the most prominent civil rights leader, he considered himself a preacher of the gospel first and that his efforts toward ending racism were a part of his ministry. 

He was called an extremist by the white establishment, even some in the white religious community.

When he decided to lead a protest in Birmingham, Alabama – where four black girls would be killed in a bombing at 16th Street Baptist Church on Sept. 15, 1963 – he knew that the non-violent civil rights movement was at a critical juncture.

The Birmingham protest campaign began in April 1963, with marches and sit-ins against racism and racial segregation in the city. King led the protest in Birmingham five months before the bombing and was arrested in August with other protesters.

From his cell, King wrote Letter from Birmingham Jail, a letter to the city’s white churches and ministers about all peoples’ moral responsibility to break unjust laws and to take direct action rather than waiting for justice to come through the courts.

It is in this letter that he penned the famous line "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

That statement is often quoted among Pastor King’s notable quotes. But in the letter, he attempted to articulate a response to the call by whites to end the protests. King opposed that because he knew without agitation, no progress would be made.

He replied to those criticisms on religious grounds, hence what I consider his most powerful quote from that letter:

“Was not Jesus an extremist in love? -- "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you." Was not Amos an extremist for justice? -- "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream." Was not Paul an extremist for the gospel of Jesus Christ? -- "I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." Was not Martin Luther an extremist? -- "Here I stand; I can do no other so help me God." Was not John Bunyan an extremist? -- "I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a mockery of my conscience." Was not Abraham Lincoln an extremist? -- "This nation cannot survive half slave and half free." Was not Thomas Jefferson an extremist? -- "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." So the question is not whether we will be extremist, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate, or will we be extremists for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice, or will we be extremists for the cause of justice?

What Pastor King leaves us with are these questions: Will we be extremists for hate, or will we be extremists for love?

On a political scene, will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice, or will we be extremists for the cause of justice?

Today, look in the mirror and answer these questions for yourself. Will you be an extremist for justice? Will you be an extremist for love?

During these turbulent times, may you reflect the love of Christ.

A financial crisis, a troubled relationship, a health emergency, job insecurity. You name it.

A crisis either brings us to our knees, opens our eyes or deepens the malaise we’re in.

A recent health crisis put me on my knees, back in the hospital gave me more time in God’s word.  More significantly, it gave me time to talk to with my caregivers, the nurses, technicians,  therapists, doctors and others who selflessly care for us when we are unable to.

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Though my illness didn’t leave me in physical pain, I was ill enough to warrant a three-day stay.

In the last two years, I have been in the hospital three times, essentially with the same problem: diverticulosis. But my latest episode was trigger by radiation treatments for prostate cancer. I believe , truly, that positive, hopeful and upbeat care is helping me recover.

During my visits, I had time to talk, listen and pray with several caregivers. Their hopefulness is astounding, their resilience, especially during the pandemic, is heroic.

Each weekday the last month, I’ve spoken to nurses and therapists as I’ve had to undergo radiation treatments for prostate cancer. And I’ve talked to other patients cued up awaiting treatment.

So prayerfully, I had to wonder how do our medical caregivers deal with seeing the pain and suffering of so many every day?

Several told me of their faith, and what role it plays in their lives. Faith, one nurse said, sustained her during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, compelling her to return to her patients.

Hope is what also keeps them going. Hope -- believing their work prolongs life and eases suffering. Hope, -- believing they stand in the breach and their work is not in vain.

Their faith looks at life from the long view, just not in our present situations. Since afflictions are temporary and limited, wise Christians look at things unseen, which are eternal.

Faith to love others as ourselves -- as Jesus tells us in Matthew 22:35-40, Mark 12:28-31 and Luke 10:25-28 -- is why they care for patients relentlessly.

Several of my nurses and doctors on my trips to the hospital were not native-born Americans. They were from Ghana, Ethiopia, Korea and Nepal. Their hope comes from a different fount, one born of knowing how blessed they are compared to circumstances from back home.

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Keep in mind these care-givers are still working are under more pressure as hospital face staffing shortages, COVID fatigue, burnout and other issues.

I’m reminded of this passage from 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18:

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

One of my therapists told me she has a giving spirit and that nursing for her is a calling. And even though she’s seen people leave the field in the last couple of years, she’s staying.

“I like the feeling knowing that I am helping someone through a very traumatic time in their life, and when they are done with therapy, I can celebrate with them the process of being healed.”

Helping people at a vulnerable time in their life is a gift worth sharing. Let’s pray for them, so they will be sustained during these trying times.

Author and poetess Maya Angelou once said:

“As a nurse we have the opportunity to heal the mind, soul, heart, and body of our patients. They may forget your name, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”

Amen to that.

If you want to live by faith, then you must learn to trust God’s timing. You and I will be sorely tempted to do otherwise. Because we are a fallible human being, we are impatient for things to happen. But God knows better.

When we read of the great Biblical leaders, we see that it was not uncommon for God to ask them to wait, not just a day or two, but years, until God was ready for them to act.

God has created a world that unfolds according to His own timetable, not ours, thank goodness. We mortals do make a terrible mess of things. God does not.

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God’s plan does not always happen in the ways that we would like or at the time of our own choosing. Our task, as believing Christians who trust in a benevolent, all-knowing Father, is to patiently wait for God to reveal Himself. And reveal Himself He will. Always! But until God’s perfect plan is made known, we must walk in faith and never lose hope. And we must continue to trust in Him. Always.

God has very big plans in store for you and I, so trust Him and wait patiently for those plans to unfold. And remember God’s timing is best, so don’t allow yourself to become discouraged if things don’t work out exactly as you wish.

Instead of worrying about your future, entrust it to God. He knows exactly what you need and exactly when you need it.

God gives us hopes and dreams for certain things to happen in our lives, but He doesn’t always allow us to see the exact timing for His plans.

Is not the Lord’s timing better than our own?

We must leave it to God to answer our prayers in His own omniscient way. Sometimes, we are so impatient and think that God does not answer. He always answers! He never fails! Be still and abide in Him.

We must learn to move according to the timetable of the Timeless One and to be at peace with it.

Bible verses about waiting on the Lord

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 1 Peter 5:6

“Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.” Psalm 125: 1

“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” Isaiah 30:18

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:” Ecclesiastes 3: 1

1 Thessalonians 3:12

In the busyness and confusion of daily life, it’s easy to lose focus and to become frustrated and to ignore hose around us. We are imperfect human beings struggling to manage our lives as best we can, but we often fall short.

When we are distracted or disappointed, we may neglect to share a kind word or kind deed. This oversight hurts others, but it hurts us most of all.

Today, as you think about ways to make your world a better place, be alert for people who need your smile, your kind words, or your helping hand. Make kindness a centerpiece of your dealings with others. Friends, family, strangers, co-workers. They will be blessed and so will you!

When we weave the thread of kindness into the fabric of our lives, we’ll be strengthened. Our character will be strengthened but that’s not all. You’ll also be giving glory to the One who gave His life for you and me.

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So today and every day, honor Christ by following His commandment and obeying the Golden Rule. He expects no less and He deserves no less.

All around us are people whose lives are filled with trouble and sorrow. They need our compassion and encouragement.

Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s love.

Kindness is contagious, so make sure that your family and friends —even total strangers — catch it from you. And remember this: the kinder you are to other people, the better you’ll feel about yourself.

Bible verse about lovingkindness

“Therefore, whatever you want men to do for you, do also to them, for this is the law of the prophets.” Matthew 7:12

“A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” John 13:34

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Galatians 6:9

“Who is wise and has understanding among you? He should show his works by good conduct with wisdom’s gentleness.” James 3:13

Scripture says there will be days like these, days when your enemies might win a battle against you, days when your haters encamp around you.

But be encouraged, and encourage one another. Encouragement makes it easier to live in a fallen world in a holy way.

“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13).

Paul was a member of the tribe of Benjamin, whose blessing from Moses promised they would rest between God’s shoulders. He was first accepted by the church in Jerusalem because of Barnabas and his encouragement. Barnabas means “Son of Encouragement.” The Bible tells us to encourage one another, to remind each other of the truth that God loves us, that God equips us, that we are treasured, and that our struggles are worth it.

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Even in a season of drought, get ready for your season. Just believe, believe in His hand, believe that he will never leave or forsake you, believe that he is always near, for he is beside us.

10 Bible verses about encouragement 

“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Hebrews 3:13

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Romans 12:12

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

“For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” Ephesians 6:10

“The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” Exodus 15:2

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. (1 Corinthians 7:5)

Why 40 days for Lent? Why pray and, maybe, fast during Lent?

As we begin the Lenten journey in the age of COVID19, these and other questions arise. So let us be mindful of Lent’s true purpose: reflection, repentance, remembrance, renewal and relationship.

Without prayer, fasting is merely actions we do out of tradition without much meaning. Prayer is our conversation with God. It is through prayer that we find the strength to fast. It is through prayer that we develop a closer, more intimate relationship with God. This relationship makes us so grateful for the blessings he has bestowed upon us, that we eagerly give to those less fortunate than us. Prayer is essential to any action we Christians may undertake.

Fasting is one of the most ancient actions linked to Lent. Fasting rules have changed through the ages, but fasting has always been considered sacred. The prophet Isaiah insists that fasting without changing our behavior is not pleasing to God. So the goal of fasting is linked with prayer. The pangs of hunger remind us of our hunger for God, and prayer and fasting together brings us to what Lent is about - a deeper conversion with our God.

Let’s pray:

God, you are my God, and I seek you earnestly as I undertake this fast. I bow before you and ask you to purge me of all unworthy thoughts, words and deeds. Forgive my sins as I forgive those who have sinned against me. Keep me strong and alert during my fast. Protect me from the Satan, deliver me from temptation and steer my mind and heart away from all distractions. Help me to bring my spirit, soul, body and mind into subjection and focus them on you. So during this Lenten season, renew me, give me a repentant spirit and bring me into right relationship with you. Amen.

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. - John 14:26

Have you ever watched a fire begin to burn down to the point that all you have left are coals? It looks as though there is no fire actually left, because the coals may be under a layer of ash. You can’t really see much. But when you take a fresh log and toss it on top of those coals and stir it around a bit, it suddenly ignites, and you have a whole new fire going.

Paul wrote to Timothy, “Stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Timothy 1:6). That phrase stir up the gift means to fan it into full flame.

There may be live coals in your life, but you have allowed the fire to go down. You haven’t been using the gifts that God has given you, the talents He has given you. It’s time to fan them into full flame again. It’s time to be reignited. It’s time to say, “Lord, how can I use what You have given me for Your glory until You return?”

Now is the time to rekindle your faith, works and prayers to take advantage of the gifts and opportunities that you have been given. We need to take advantage of the opportunities that are out there. There are those who want to have the big, visible ministries. They want the applause of men. But if we will humble ourselves and take what we have and offer it to God, if we are willing to do what He has set before us and be faithful in the little things, then He will give us something better than visible ministries or applause – He’ll give us the peace and joy that comes from pleasing Him.

Any time you take a chance, you can fail. But it’s better to try than to never have anything happen in your life. I would rather try and fail than never try at all in service of our Lord.

Heavenly Lord,

Do not let us neglect Your Spirit or the gifts You have given us. Give us the courage to use these gifts and the humility to not use them for our glory, but for You and Your glory. Help us see the good work You have ready for us and embrace that work with faith, willingness and joy.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

John-Mark Hack, a white Christian from Louisville, KY discusses a piece he wrote for Culture of Christ with podcast co-hosts Andre Kimo Stone Guess and John X. Miller. The piece is about coming to terms with how the lie of white supremacy has influenced him over the course of his life.

“The only way by which the truth of Jesus’s unconditional love prevails in my life is the elimination of lies. ... Rigorous honesty, open-mindedness and willingness are my guides forward. .. I have to be rigorously honest in assessing the ways I allow the big White lie to influence me.”

In the piece he uses the term #TheBigwhiteLie to describe white supremacy.

The Culture of Christ uses the Great Commandments given by Jesus in Matthew 22:35-40, Mark 12:28-31 and Luke 10:25-28 to love God with all your heart, soul and mind and to love your neighbor as ourselves. Our goal is to provide content that engages Christian thinking to help transform our minds, bodies and spirits with God’s will, which is to foster and spread His love while walking circumspectly in the world. It is a place for believers to come for original and curated content from the best and brightest of Christian content creators.

The Culture of Christ is a platform that is designed to bring the love of Christ to an increasingly polarized world.  It is a place for believers to come to for curated content from the best and brightest of Christian content creators.  So much of media and entertainment is dominated by themes that run counter to our beliefs and actively contribute to the darkness and division that we see in the world. This content and the active engagement of the Body of Christ will help Christians to align body, soul and spirit with God’s will so that we can effectively foster and spread God’s love in the world by loving our neighbors as ourselves.

About the Founders

Andre Kimo Stone Guess has spent the past 25 years of his career in the service of African American Culture.  He was CFO and then Executive Producer for Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York and CEO of the August Wilson Center for African American Culture in Pittsburgh.  He currently operates a consulting and artist management firm with his wife Cheryl.

Andre is also a writer and cultural critic and has written several pieces and created content over the years mostly centered around African American Culture. He began writing for ESPN’s The Undefeated a few year ago. The Undefeated is a blog that is focused on content that explores the intersection of Sports, Race and Culture.

Shortly after having a few pieces published by The Undefeated, one of Andre’s dear Brothers in Christ prophesied that God was calling him to move beyond his own culture. That friend told Andre that God wanted him to use the gifts that God had given to him in the service of the Culture of Christ.

This was a true revelation to Andre, so he heeded the prophetic call and began to pray for clarity.  He received that clarity. God wanted him to now do for the Culture of Christ what he had previously been attempting to do for African American Culture and that was to help the world to value, appreciate and hopefully gravitate to that Culture by exposing them to the best of it.

Now that he had the clarity that he prayed for and began to plan for the site.  Since that time, God has placed several key people in his life who feel the same call, one of them was his editor at The Undefeated, John X. Miller.

John X. Miller is a licensed minister as well as the senior editor for commentary and HBCUs for The Undefeated.

He is a veteran journalist of more than four decades, having been a top editor at several newspapers including the Detroit Free Press, USA Today, the Charlotte Observer, the Myrtle Beach Sun News, and his hometown newspaper, the Winston-Salem Journal where he was managing editor, before joining The Undefeated.

One unique aspect of his decades-long career is that he was a founding staff member of USA Today in 1982 and at The Undefeated in 2016.

He was first licensed to preach in 2013 at Morning Star First Baptist Church in Hickory, N.C. He is now on the ministerial staff of Heritage Fellowship Church in Reston, Va.

He says his calling comes from the Book of Jeremiah 1:7: “Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you.”

He is a HistoryMaker, serves currently as board chair for the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., and is a 1977 graduate of Washington and Lee University.

At a providential meeting in Washington, DC, John and Andre came on one accord and decided to partner to bring the platform to the world

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“Therefore, submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

Many times, the things we are dealing with in our daily life are none other than the enemy having his way with us. In our flesh, we tend to fight our circumstances, another person or even ourselves. Maybe we focus solely on the problem, attempting to handle it ourselves as we try to control the situation.

But have you ever thought it might not be the person or problem you are actually fighting? Perhaps it’s the enemy himself whom you need to control and put in his place?

Ephesians 6 says we are fighting a daily spiritual battle. The enemy has the same goal each day and that’s to keep us from walking in the Lord’s provision and purpose for our lives. Satan has a great day when he discourages, distracts and deludes us.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." (Ephesians 6:12-13)

Submit to God, then resist the devil. An important part of submitting ourselves to God means taking everything back from Satan. We do this by resisting him, to no longer give him power in our lives. When we begin to remove all influences of the enemy and take back our power, the issues we face will either disappear or become manageable. The enemy no longer has the control.

Through Jesus, we have the power to overcome whatever it is we are facing. Jesus already overcame and defeated the enemy for eternity when He bore the cross. Scripture promises this.

Let’s pray:

Dear Lord, thank you for giving us the power to command the enemy to flee from us anytime we recognize the need. Thank you for your grace that we don’t have to be trapped in sin and disobedience. By submitting ourselves to you and resisting the devil, he is commanded to leave. Remind us, Lord, every time we are battling something, that it’s not a person or problem we are battling, but rather the enemy. Remind us that you are bigger than any problem. Remind us to hand everything over to you as we take everything back from the enemy by resisting him. In the name of our Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Can you recall the first time you were taken for granted? Do you remember the last time you gave of your time, gifts, or support and not even receive a ‘thank you’ in return? Were you hurt? Did you say, “I’ll never do anything for anyone again!”? Is that you talking? Or is that your hurt.

It’s probably the latter.

I am a giver; have always been. I watched my mother give so much of herself that I truly believe the hurt was partly the reason she gave up on life. I recall my brother standing at the podium at her memorial service - he said, “She gave so much of herself. She gave, to a fault.” It has been 14 years since her passing and his words have stayed with me. I imagine his words resonated with me so strongly because I, too, have been hurt by people I have blessed.

Don’t allow others to change your character because they wronged you. No matter how they behave, you blessed someone in that moment.

I grew up seeing how happy my mother made everyone. And, in my search to be accepted and loved, I figured that giving all the time kept people liking me, and kept them happy. I couldn’t recognize hurt or ungratefulness, because I really didn’t know the difference in my young age. It wasn’t until I was about 22 that I realized I was feeling empty and hurt too often. I started examining myself. I worked on trying to understand why I was giving to people that I knew didn’t care about me. I wanted to understand why I felt so good inside giving to people - in general. After several therapy sessions, I discovered I was codependent. The great thing about this revelation was it allowed me to be myself (a giver) and not feel guilty about it, or worry about what reciprocity would follow from the receiver - usually there was none.

I can tell you that having a giving heart is not a curse, it is a gift. I learned how to focus on the gift and grace of God in my giving. I focused on His promise of never forsaking me, to lead my heart and desire to give. I don’t depend on man to validate my existence; I rely on God. I have grappled with giving at times, because I knew I didn’t have it to spare. However, every time I surrendered and gave anyway, God blessed me or my children.

I can tell you that having a giving heart is not a curse, it is a gift. I learned how to focus on the gift and grace of God in my giving.

I am not delusional; I often don’t have enough to buy a clue. But, I give anyway. We give because it’s the right thing to do. I give because we are blessed. I give because people are in need, and I have more than enough to share. But, most importantly, I give because God said so. It’s that simple. I survive in the hurtful world because of His grace. He keeps me and replenishes all that I give (not lose).

Have you ever tried to receive with a closed fist? Well, you can’t give in that stance either. I know that past hurts can be the catalyst to you not being so nice anymore. But, the truth is, the things you can are replaceable. No matter how ungrateful someone is, it is not your responsibility to change that person, only your response. Don’t allow others to change your character because they wronged you. No matter how they behave, you blessed someone in that moment. Your blessings will be returned - tenfold.

I encourage you to be true to you. Rest well and be the person God intended you to be. He has you covered and protected in all your good deeds. Enjoy the wealth of His grace and mercy - for no one can take that away from you. His reciprocity is definitely greater than that which you were expecting to be returned.

"From everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children.” (Psalm 103:17)

Now that fall has arrived, I find myself delighting in the autumn of my life, old enough to appreciate my blessings and young enough to live them.

Life, like nature, unfolds in seasons. Springtime mirrors childhood, full of new beginnings, and fresh hope, a time of innocence and discovery. Summer, like our teen years, simmers with energy, passion and the illusion of invincibility. Autumn speaks of maturity, with its richness, wisdom and calm. Finally, winter sneaks up and covers the ground with a blanket of white just as age brings a covering of rest and quiet contemplation.

There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. (Proverbs 23:18)

No matter the season, God’s plans are unfolding day by day. And if you keep your eyes and your heart open, he’ll continue to reveal His plans. God still has big things in store for you, but He may have quite a few lessons to teach before you are fully prepared to do His will and fulfill His purpose.

No matter the season, your heavenly father created you with unique gifts and untapped talents; our job is to tap them. When you do, you’ll begin to feel an increasing sense of confidence in yourself and in your future.

So big of good courage. Accept the past, trust God to handle the future and make the most of the time He has given you today. Knowing that our future is absolutely assured can free you to live abundantly today.

Let's pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, In the book of Psalms, chapter 103 and verse 17, you give us this wonderful promise, “From everlasting to everlasting, the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children.” What better promise could we receive from You and no matter what the season we are in. Our work for the kingdom continues. We are so grateful, Lord God, for our yesterdays, todays and tomorrows. We ask for your grace, through all of our days, Father. We ask through our savior Jesus, the Christ. Amen.

This is something I've been tripping on these past couple weeks. I've starting looking at life through this new lens of providence, and things look different. I'm realizing coincidence disregards something that might have a brightness or lesson to it.

I have a friend of over 20 years named "Jack. "He’s someone I used to work a lot with, but over the years I've come to truly enjoy being around him. We would hang at times on my many trips to New York City over the years. We’ve shared some incredibly good times, usually around getting really drunk together, laughing very hard and dissecting the meaning of life. Jack challenges me; he is reckless and has always had a perspective on life I admire. He is a beloved person who brings joy to the people around him, and he’s a little crazy.

Through my early recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous, it’s become more important to me to reconnect with the people who mean something to me. I've been thinking about Jack, and I haven’t connected with him for over a year. While thumbing through Instagram the other day I saw a fluffy post of him riding through the mountains on this motorcycle, loving life, full of rainbows and unicorns. It didn't read right. I sent him a text saying, “I miss you, love you lots.”

He immediately called me, said he was also thinking about me, and we caught up on everything. He needed to get out of New York City, so he was randomly in Idaho just doing something different.

It was refreshing to chop it up with this guy I genuinely care about, and I reluctantly acknowledged: “Listen man, I've been doing a lot of self-reflection and have realized I have a dysfunctional relationship with alcohol that has just become unmanageable.”

“Whoa” he said, “I would have never expected you to get sober. I'm really proud of you.”

I was relieved this was received so positively, which is the feedback and support I get from anyone I love and have confided in about all this. I'm only 50 days sober, so I have a long way to go, but I'm feeling better than ever and realizing things I never thought possible.

“That’s awesome” he said, and after a brief moment of awkward silence, “I haven’t had a drink in about 236 days. I'm almost getting to the point of not counting days.”

A rush of calm came over me, our friendship just entered a new chapter and will never be the same it once was. I was blown away. Jack is the last person I ever thought I would be having this conversation with, but we both knew how important this moment was. It’s now cut into stone that I will know him for the rest of my life. He is now a mentor.

I can easily chalk this up to coincidence, but choosing to look at this from the lens of providence gives me a sense of new meaning, an importance that offers far more worth than disregarding and casting away. Who knows why this happened this way? Who cares? What I do know is this was a gift from something larger.

It feels right.

Saxophonist, bandleader and composer Tim Green plays his heart out on the classic hymn I Surrender All by Judson W. Van DeVenter (lyrics) and Winfield S. Weeden music. It was originally published in 1896.

May it bless your spirit.

Our Father

which art in Heaven

Hallowed be thy name

Thy kingdom come

thy will be done

And earth as it is in Heaven

Give us this day

our daily bread

And forgive us our debts

As we forgive our debtors

And lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil

For Thine is the kingdom

And the power, and the glory

Forever, Amen

This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity. (Psalm 118:24-25)

The Bible promises that God will guide you if you let Him. Our job, of course, is to let Him.

But sometimes we are tempted to do otherwise. Sometimes we are tempted to go along with the crowd. Other times, we will be tempted to do things our way, not God's way.

When we feel those temptations, resist them. What will you allow to guide you through the coming day?

Your own desires, or the desires of your friends? Or will you allow God to lead the way? The answer should be obvious. You should let God be your guide.

When you entrust your life to Him completely and without reservation, God will give you the strength to meet any challenge, the courage to face any trial and the wisdom to live in His righteousness.

So trust Him today, seek His guidance. When you do, your next step will be the right one.

Let's pray: Today, Lord, I seek your guidance in every part of my life. Guide my thoughts and decisions and order my steps. I will trust in you, Lord God, with all my heart and I will not lean on my own understanding. In all my ways I acknowledge you, please direct my paths. In the name of our savior, Jesus, the Christ. Amen!

“The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)

As we face waves of bad news in the media about COVID19, hurricanes and wildfires ravaging our America, even as believers our faith sometimes fails. We know in our hearts that God is sovereign and strong. We can believe that His plans for us and for our loved ones are for our good, but doubts persist.

We forget that the very God who created this entire universe, who holds the stars in place, and knows the exact number of hairs on our head, also knows our ways. He knows all that is happening around us, too. He can line up our pathways to cross with others He wants us to meet. He can open doors that leave us surprised at how they open. He can close doors that He knows are not the best for us. He has a plan even in the hard things we face.

His favor rests on us as we seek after Him first, and He holds the power to cause things to happen in just a moment, things for our good and not harm.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

Please know this: our greatest blessings come after the greatest times of testing. Throughout Scripture, we see God turn around for good the difficult pathways of those He loved. And He still works the same today, for He never changes.

Life today will stress us out. We somehow start to believe that it all depends on us. Like maybe we blew it, messed up and got ourselves off course. We spin our wheels trying to find a fast way out of trouble. We feel like it's up to us to make things happen.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

Yet, take heart! We are children of the King. He reigns supreme, giving favor, guidance and blessings to all those who seek after Him.

Let’s pray:

I come to you, Lord, knowing that my prayers are powerful and they fall at Your throne on my behalf and that of my family and friends. I ask for your mercy and grace, your peaceful presence, over them and me, all of us bathed in your lovingkindness. I know that even in our struggles, you are with us every hour of every day. You are always there, carrying our crosses with us, never leaving or forsaking us. You are our safe place and refuge. Nothing now, nothing in the future, nothing in the whole world will ever be able to separate us from your love through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.