Honest reflections on faith, culture, and the glorious mess between.

Here's the irony nobody talks about… Christmas, the season celebrating rest, peace, and the Prince of Peace, is often the most exhausting, demanding, and overwhelming time of year for those creatives serving in church ministry.

While everyone else is winding down, sipping hot cocoa, and watching their favorite Christmas movies, you're adding extra rehearsals to an already full schedule. You're managing multiple services, coordinating volunteers, creating something "fresh" for people who've seen every Christmas service imaginable, and somehow trying to be present for your own family.

And then there's the unspoken pressure… "Make it excellent. Make it meaningful. Make people feel something."

I get it. I've been there. I spent years as a worship pastor, and at one point, led 12 services over 4 days. Christmas nearly took me out more than once. Ask my wife and kids about some of our past Christmases, they’ll tell you the hard truth. So if you're reading this here in December, running on fumes, wondering if you can make it to January... this is for you.

Today is Thanksgiving. You've likely already seen dozens of gratitude posts on social media. Maybe you're preparing to go around the table and share what you're thankful for. It's become our annual ritual and there's nothing wrong with that.

But there's something lurking beneath the surface of our celebrations that can ruin the entire day. It's subtle. It's common. And according to the Apostle Paul, it's spiritually dangerous.

I'm talking about ingratitude.

You know that moment when you're trying to watch something important… maybe the finale of your favorite show and suddenly everyone in the house decides it's the perfect time to vacuum, run the dishwasher, and ask you questions?

That's exactly what happens when we try to hear from God. We want to hear His voice, but there's always something else competing for our attention.

Some of you might even be wondering if God still speaks at all. Maybe you feel like you've been ghosted by God.

Let me be clear… God still speaks today. The question isn't whether He's talking, it's whether we're quiet enough to hear Him.

We've all been there… knowing what we should do but finding creative reasons not to do it. That difficult conversation we need to have. The apology we owe someone. The phone call we keep putting off.

Today I want to talk about one of the most uncomfortable books in the Bible… Jonah. And no, this isn't just a story about a guy who gets swallowed by a fish. That famous fish only appears in three verses. This is a story about us, about our reluctance to take God's love to people we'd rather avoid.

When's the last time you looked in the mirror and thought to yourself, "There's a masterpiece!" My guess is probably never because most of us don't see ourselves as a masterpiece. We see all the things in our life that are holding us back from being who God called us to be. Things like bad habits, poor attitudes, fear, broken relationships, and so many more. 

Here's the thing... As a follower of Jesus, when God looks at you, He sees a masterpiece!

This past Sunday during the Super Bowl, millions of fans sported their favorite team's jerseys and gathered around TV's to watch the big game. While they may have looked the part in their team gear, they weren't actually on the field making plays. They were spectators, not participants. The reality is, many of us approach our relationship with Jesus the same way.

Have you ever felt pushback for following Jesus? Maybe it was a raised eyebrow from a family member, tension with a coworker, or that uncomfortable silence when you mention your faith. Here's what we must remember...

If you've ever used Focus mode on your iPhone, you know the immediate sense of peace that comes from silencing the constant stream of notifications. But what happens when you turn it off?