Some sacrifices are easy to see. Others are carried quietly for years.
Today, we pause to honor the men and women who have served our country. We recognize their courage, commitment, and the sacrifices they and their families have made. Whether their service took them across the world or kept them closer to home, we are grateful for their willingness to serve.
As we pause today, I’m reminded of Jesus’ words in John 15:13:
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
Jesus spoke these words to his disciples as he prepared them for what was ahead. His words remind us that love is more than something we say. Love is demonstrated through our actions, our willingness to serve, and our concern for others.
Our veterans have demonstrated a willingness to put the needs of others ahead of their own. Their service gives us an opportunity to reflect on the value of sacrifice and the importance of never taking others for granted.
First John 3:18 offers another important reminder:
“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.”
Today, we can put those words into practice. We can thank a veteran, listen to their story, check on a veteran in our community, or simply let someone know their service has not been forgotten.
We may not fully understand the experiences of those who have served, but we can show our appreciation through genuine acts of kindness and gratitude.
This Veterans Day, let’s do more than remember. Let’s show our appreciation.
To every veteran, thank you for your service, your sacrifice, and your willingness to serve others. May you know that you are appreciated today and throughout the year.
Most people do. We’re perusing Amazon. Multiple book covers are in front of us, and we make a snap decision on how to respond to the book based on the cover.
Now, take the judgment question deeper.
Do you judge a person based on appearance?
I know we’d all like to say no, but sometimes, we tend to make quick judgments. We naturally draw assumptions based on appearance. Clothes, body language, and speech leave us with a first impression that can be difficult to move past. Judgment is made before actually getting to know the person.
We are not the only ones who have struggled with this. When Samuel looked at David’s brothers, he assumed one of them would be Israel’s next king, but the Lord had a different idea. As Israel’s next king is being revealed to Samuel, we find a great challenge for us.
“When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!”
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:6-7).
Spend a moment dwelling on the Lord’s words: “People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
There’s the challenge. Look past the cover…
Look past appearance.
Look past limitations.
Look past disability.
Look past the first things we notice.
Look past a person’s outward appearance to a person’s heart. As Samuel and Jesse’s family were together, everyone had overlooked David. He was actually the one who stayed home to tend the sheep. People didn’t consider David, but God did.
You see, God specializes in seeing potential where others see obstacles.
What would happen if we looked at people through the Lord’s perspective? What if we focused less on flaws and more on possibilities?
We desire the Lord’s wisdom in our decisions, and we seek his direction in our lives. Many people look for God to show up in dramatic ways, yet he often guides us out of the ordinary.
A passage of Scripture.
Wise advice from a friend.
A conviction placed on our hearts.
An unexpected opportunity.
A closed door.
The Lord has guided me in all of these ways. None are dramatic. They wouldn’t make a good scene in a movie, but the Lord has offered much guidance through them. It is out of the ordinary, God often brings much wisdom and guidance.
In 1 Kings 19, Elijah experienced this lesson firsthand. After wind, earthquake, and fire came a gentle whisper.
“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
God’s voice wasn’t found in the wind, fire, or earthquake. His voice was in the whisper. Guidance wasn’t in the dramatic, but in the ordinary.
Perhaps you are waiting for God to do something dramatic before you take your next step.
Friends, don’t overlook the ordinary ways God works in your life. Slow down, listen, and remain open to his direction. You may not hear a mighty wind or see a fire, but as you seek the Lord, pay attention to the quiet ways he leads.
God doesn’t always speak through the extraordinary. Sometimes, the guidance you need is found out of the ordinary.
He was a man on a mission, and he was confident he was doing the right thing. With paperwork in hand, he was on his way to Damascus to arrest followers of Jesus and bring them back to Jerusalem. His goal was to persecute Christians and put an end to the movement spreading around him.
Then everything changed.
A bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around him, and he fell to the ground. A voice interrupted his plans and confronted him with a question he never expected to hear. The confident leader was now trembling before the Lord.
Acts 9 tells us that this man, Saul, was blinded by the encounter and had to be led by the hand into Damascus. There, he waited and prayed, unable to see what would happen next.
Meanwhile, God was preparing someone else for an important assignment.
“In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, ‘Ananias!’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he answered. The Lord told him, ‘Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying’” (Acts 9:10–11).
God then explained that Saul had seen a vision of a man named Ananias coming to place his hands on him and restore his sight.
I wonder what went through Ananias’s mind at that moment.
“Wait a minute, Lord. You want me to go to Saul? This is the man who has been persecuting Christians. He has caused so much suffering for people who follow You. And You want me to walk right up to him?”
We can hardly blame Ananias for having those thoughts. Saul had a terrible track record. He had approved of Stephen’s execution, dragged believers from their homes, and sent Christians to prison. Approaching him would have required tremendous faith and courage.
But God had a plan for Saul’s life, and Ananias was about to play an important part in it.
The Lord reassured Ananias:
“But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel’” (Acts 9:15).
Ananias obeyed. He went to the house, placed his hands on Saul, and spoke to him as a brother in Christ. Saul’s sight was restored, and he was baptized.
This was the beginning of a remarkable transformation. The man who had devoted himself to persecuting Christians became one of the greatest messengers of the gospel. His passion was redirected, and his life was devoted to telling others about Jesus.
Paul would go on to travel, preach, write letters that became part of the New Testament, and influence countless lives for generations to come.
But before Paul could carry the message of Jesus to the world, Ananias had to be willing to take a step of faith.
Paul would touch the world, but first, Ananias had to be willing to reach out and touch Paul.
What would have happened if Ananias had refused to go? God could certainly have accomplished his purposes another way, but Ananias would have missed the opportunity to be part of what God was doing.
You and I may have a “Paul” in our lives today. We may encounter people whose futures we cannot begin to imagine. They may be difficult to approach, rough around the edges, or struggling through circumstances that make us hesitant to get involved.
Yet, God may use a simple act of kindness, an opportunity, or a conversation to help change the direction of someone’s life.
Befriend the coworker who is a little rough around the edges.
Make an effort to talk to the neighbor who seems standoffish.
Give someone an opportunity to prove themselves, even when their circumstances make you hesitant.
Extend grace to someone who needs a second chance.
Allow your faith to make a difference in the life of someone who may one day make a difference in the lives of many others.
We don’t always know what God is doing in someone else’s life. We can’t see their potential or know how He might use them in the future. But we can choose to be faithful with the opportunities He places before us today.
The person you encourage today may be the person God uses to encourage thousands tomorrow.
Don’t underestimate the power of a simple act of obedience. You may never know how far its impact will reach.
Pip: Get Encouraged is doing what it says on the label this week — Chris Miller has been quietly writing through the hard parts of November, and the result is a stretch of posts that take suffering, storms, and eternity seriously.
Mara: We're covering three territories today: finding comfort when life gets painful, holding on to faith when circumstances feel chaotic, and what it looks like to live with a hope that reaches beyond this world.
Pip: Let's start with the harder end of that list — what to do when pain shows up uninvited and decides to stay.
Comfort Through Suffering
Mara: The question running through these posts is straightforward but not easy: when life fills up with anxiety, financial strain, loss, and grief, where do you actually put your weight?
Pip: "A Month of Blessings" opens with exactly that inventory — October's changes, worries, and financial pressures — and then lands on Psalm 100:4: "Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name."
Mara: Gratitude here isn't a mood. It's a practice — making a specific list of where the Lord showed up, even inside a difficult month, and using that list to walk into the next one differently.
Pip: "Hold Tightly" extends that same logic into the moments when energy, peace, and money are all running low simultaneously. The anchor verse is Hebrews 10:23: "Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise."
Mara: And the post is careful to name specific struggles — anxiety, guilt, financial pressure — and match each one to a specific promise. The point is that the promises don't depend on circumstances stabilizing first.
Pip: "When Pain is Part of the Story" takes that further. It asks what happens when you lose the thing that made you feel safe — a job, your health, a relationship — and the answer it gives is not a quick resolution.
Mara: Right. The post points to Jesus on the cross as someone who knew suffering lay ahead and endured it because of what was beyond it. The upshot is that present pain doesn't tell the whole story — God is still working even when you can't see it.
Pip: Which is a harder sell than a pep talk, and probably more useful.
Mara: That tension — real struggle, real hope — is what connects all three posts in this group. Speaking of what lies beyond the storm, the next territory is what faith looks like while you're still in the middle of one.
Faith In The Storm
Pip: The storm posts start with a scene most readers know — the disciples in a boat, waves crashing, and Jesus asleep in the back — and use it as a frame for whatever is making life feel chaotic right now.
Mara: "Peace in the Storm" sets it up directly: "Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, 'Teacher, don't you care that we're going to drown?'"
Pip: That question — don't you care? — is the one people actually ask when the storm is real. And the post doesn't skip past it.
Mara: It doesn't. Jesus answers by stilling the storm, and the post draws on Philippians 4:7 to note that the peace he offers doesn't always mean changed circumstances — sometimes it's the strength to keep going while the storm continues.
Pip: "Go Back to the Beginning" approaches the same territory from a different angle — not a storm that hits you, but a wrong turn you took. Dead-end road, no way forward, and the only honest move is to retrace your steps back to Jesus.
Mara: The post grounds that in 1 John 1:9 — confession, forgiveness, a welcome that doesn't require you to have earned another chance. It frames the start of a new month as exactly that kind of fresh start.
Pip: From storms and wrong turns, the next question is where all of this is actually heading.
Christlike Witness And Hope
Mara: This segment holds two different angles on hope — one pointed outward toward how we treat people, and one pointed forward toward what comes after this life entirely.
Pip: "Only Passing Through" opens with a scene that earns its tissue-box warning: an elderly man in a hospital bed, family gathered, and his last whispered words: "Don't cry. I'll see all of you again. This was never my permanent home. I'm only passing through."
Mara: That story carries the weight of Hebrews 13:14: "For this world is not our permanent home. We are looking forward to a world yet to come." The post uses it to remind readers that present struggles don't finish the sentence — Revelation 21:4 and Isaiah 35 fill in what's ahead.
Pip: It's a long view, and it's doing real work — not dismissing today's pain, but refusing to let it be the last word.
Mara: "Who Shows You Jesus?" brings that same hope into everyday interaction. The question it poses is whether the people around you would put your name on a list of the most Christ-like people they know — and Ephesians 5:1–2 is the standard: "Imitate God…in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ."
Pip: Eternal destination and daily character — turns out they're the same conversation.
Mara: Gratitude, endurance, peace in the storm, and a hope that outlasts the hardest chapters — that's the thread running through all of it.
Pip: Same territory next time, probably. November tends to keep asking these questions. We'll be back when there's more to say.
Have you ever spent time looking for something that was right in front of you?
It is rare that I lose my keys, but it does happen. One morning, I unlocked an office door and left my keys hanging in the lock as I turned to put several items down. I planned to grab my keys next, but then the phone rang. One thing led to another, and my day was underway.
A few hours later, I realized I couldn’t find my keys. After searching for a while, I mentioned to someone that I had lost them.
He replied, “No, you didn’t. They’re hanging in your door.”
Sure enough, there they were, right in plain view. I had been looking for something that was right in front of me.
Sometimes, we can miss what is right in front of us, even when we are looking for it. The same thing can happen in our spiritual lives. We pray for God to answer, but when the answer comes, we are so surprised that we struggle to believe it.
Just ask Rhoda and the believers who were praying for Peter.
They Forgot to Open the Door
Acts 12 tells the story of Peter being imprisoned because of his faith. While he was in prison, many believers gathered at the home of Mary to pray for him. They were asking God to intervene, and God was already at work. An angel appeared, led Peter out of prison, and brought him to freedom.
But when Peter arrived at the house where the believers were praying, no one seemed prepared for what happened next.
Acts 12:13–16 records the scene:
“Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed, she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, ‘Peter is at the door!’
“‘You’re out of your mind,’ they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said it must be his angel. But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.”
Luke paints a remarkable scene. A group of believers has gathered to pray for Peter’s safety, yet when Peter shows up at their door, they struggle to believe the news.
Rhoda is so excited that she forgets to open the door. Instead, she runs to tell everyone that Peter is outside. The others don’t believe her. Even as they insist she must be mistaken, Peter continues knocking.
Think about the irony. They are praying for Peter, and God has answered their prayers. Yet when the answer arrives, they cannot believe it.
The very thing they had been asking God to do was standing outside their door.
Eventually, someone opens the door, and there stands Peter. Their astonishment reveals just how unexpected this answer was.
We can smile at the scene, but perhaps there is a lesson here for us, too. Sometimes, we pray with faith that God can answer, yet we are caught off guard when he does. We may become so focused on how we expect him to work that we struggle to recognize his answer when it comes in an unexpected way.
Be Ready to Open the Door
God does not always answer our prayers as quickly as he answered the prayers of those believers. Sometimes, we wait much longer than we would like. Sometimes, his answer looks different from what we expected. And sometimes, we may not understand his work until much later.
But as we pray, we can remain watchful and receptive to the ways God may be working.
Is there an opportunity you have been praying for that you need to be willing to pursue? Is there a step of faith you have been asking God to help you take? Is he opening a door you never expected, but you have been hesitant to walk through?
We should never assume that every opportunity is God’s answer to a prayer. We still need wisdom, discernment, and a willingness to follow his word. We also need to be careful not to dismiss what God may be doing simply because his answer doesn’t look the way we imagined.
The believers in Acts 12 were praying for Peter, but they were astonished when he arrived. May we be people who not only pray expectantly but also remain attentive to how God answers.
You never know when the answer you have been praying for might be knocking at your door.
A quick word of caution: You may want to keep a tissue nearby.
An elderly man lay in a hospital bed, his strength quickly fading. Realizing the end was near, the doctors and nurses contacted his family.
Soon, his room was filled with the people he loved most. He held the hand of his wife of 50 years as he looked at his son and grandchildren. Then, with the little strength he had left, he whispered, “Don’t cry. I’ll see all of you again. This was never my permanent home. I’m only passing through.”
A moment later, he looked up and said, “I can see the Lord’s face.”
Peacefully, he closed his eyes and went to be with the Lord.
What a beautiful reminder of the hope we have in Christ!
“For this world is not our permanent home. We are looking forward to a world yet to come” (Hebrews 13:14).
The writer of Hebrews wanted his readers to remember that this world was not their final destination. They were facing difficult circumstances, and they needed encouragement to keep going. Their struggles were real, but those struggles did not tell the whole story. God was still with them, and a better day was coming.
We need that same reminder today.
Life can be difficult. We face disappointments, deal with heartache, and experience struggles we never expected. Sometimes, the challenges of today can make it difficult to see beyond the moment we are in, but as followers of Christ, we have a hope that reaches beyond our present circumstances. This world is not our permanent home.
The pain we experience here will not last forever. One day, the struggles of this life will give way to something far better. We are looking forward to Heaven!
Although we cannot fully comprehend all that awaits us, Scripture gives us glimpses of the glorious future God has prepared. Revelation 21:4 promises that God will wipe away every tear and that there will be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain. Isaiah 35:5–6 paints a picture of healing and restoration, where the blind will see and the deaf will hear.
Think about that for a moment. No more heartache. No more suffering. No more saying goodbye to the people we love. The struggles that weigh us down today will not follow us into eternity.
Heaven will be glorious!
Are you struggling today? Take heart. Your current circumstances are not the end of your story. Whatever you are facing, remember that this world is only temporary. Through Jesus, we have the promise of an eternal home where we will be with the Lord forever.
We are only passing through. Our permanent home is still ahead, and what awaits us is far greater than anything this world can offer.
Dwell on that promise today, and let it encourage you to keep going.
Have you ever lost something that made you feel safe?
Maybe it was a job you loved, good health you took for granted, a relationship you thought would last, or the stability of knowing what tomorrow would bring. One day, life feels predictable. The next, everything changes. What once brought you comfort is suddenly a source of pain, and you find yourself wondering how you will move forward.
Pain has a way of changing our lives. We desperately want to hold on to what we know, but sometimes, circumstances are beyond our control. We cannot stop the changes, undo the hurt, or see what lies ahead.
So, what do we do when pain becomes part of our story?
We can hold tightly to Jesus. He understands. Jesus knew what it was like to be rejected, hated, and physically wounded. He experienced the anguish of suffering and the heartbreak of betrayal. When we hurt, we can turn to him for help and discover how to face our pain with hope.
Look beyond today’s pain.
Jesus walked a path that led to a Roman cross. He knew suffering lay ahead. He knew the cross would bring unimaginable agony, yet he also knew the cross would not be the end of the story.
Beyond the suffering was the resurrection. Beyond the cross was victory over sin and death. Jesus endured the pain because of what his sacrifice would accomplish.
We may not understand why we are experiencing pain, and we cannot always see what tomorrow will bring. However, we can remember that our present circumstances do not tell the whole story. God is still at work, even when we cannot see what he is doing.
The Bible does not promise that every difficult situation will be resolved by tomorrow. It does, however, point us toward a hope that reaches beyond our present struggles. For those who belong to Christ, pain and suffering will not have the final word.
When today hurts, lift your eyes beyond what you are experiencing right now. There is hope beyond the pain, and God will remain faithful through every step of the journey.
Rely on the Lord.
When pain shakes the things, we once depended on, we need someone who will never let us down. Scripture reminds us that we can depend on the Lord.
The psalmist declares:
“The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” (Psalm 118:6).
Hebrews 13:6 echoes that same confidence:
“So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?’”
Notice the source of this confidence. It is not a promise that we will never experience pain, loss, or disappointment. It is the assurance that we do not have to face them alone.
When your world feels uncertain, the Lord remains faithful. When you do not know what to do next, you can ask him for wisdom and strength. When the pain feels overwhelming, you can bring your hurt to him in prayer.
You may not be able to change what happened yesterday or control what happens tomorrow, but you can rely on the Lord today.
Pain may have changed your circumstances, but it does not have to destroy your hope. Look beyond today’s struggles, lean on the one who understands your pain, and remember that your story is not finished.
Most likely, someone comes to mind. Their life reflects grace and love, and when you spend time with them, you see a glimpse of Jesus in the way they treat others.
I was recently asked this question, but there was a follow-up that made me stop and think: How many people would put you at the top of their list?
That’s a challenging question. When others think of me, do they think of someone whose character reflects grace and love? Does the way I treat people remind them of Jesus?
The Bible encourages us to be imitators of Christ.
“Imitate God…in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ” (Ephesians 5:1–2).
Being Christ-like isn’t about being perfect. It’s about allowing Jesus to shape our character, influence our decisions, and guide the way we treat others. It shows up in our patience, kindness, forgiveness, and love.
You may never know how much your actions influence someone else’s view of Jesus. A kind word, a gracious response, or a willingness to forgive may be exactly what someone needs to see.
So, let me ask you the same question I was asked: If someone were making a list of the most Christ-like people they know, would your name be near the top?
Don’t let this question discourage you. Let it challenge you. Today is another opportunity to reflect the love of Jesus in the way you live and interact with others.
Make it your goal to live in such a way that when people see you, they catch a glimpse of Jesus.
Have you ever faced a storm that made you wonder if you were going to make it?
The disciples knew that feeling. They were in the middle of the sea when a fierce storm suddenly developed. Waves crashed into the boat, and water began filling it. Several of these men were experienced fishermen, but perhaps even they had never faced a storm quite this frightening.
The storm was all around them, and they were afraid they wouldn’t survive.
“Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, ‘Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?’” (Mark 4:38).
Put yourself in that boat for a moment.
You’re sailing through life when a fierce storm suddenly develops. It may be uncertainty caused by the latest headlines, mounting financial pressures, a frightening health crisis, or the end of a relationship. Whatever the cause, life suddenly feels chaotic, and you begin wondering how you are going to make it.
Like the disciples, you cry out to Jesus for help, and Jesus answers.
“When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Silence! Be still!’ Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:39).
In a moment, everything changed. The wind stopped. The waves settled. The storm that had terrified the disciples was silenced by Jesus.
The same Jesus is with us when life’s storms threaten to overwhelm us.
Philippians 4:7 reminds us that God can give us a peace that surpasses all understanding. It’s a peace that doesn’t depend on having everything figured out, or knowing how our circumstances will turn out. Sometimes, Jesus changes our circumstances. Other times, he gives us the strength and peace to keep going while the storm continues.
The storm may be raging around you today, but you don’t have to face it alone. Jesus is with you. Hold tightly to his promises, bring your fears to him, and take the next step in faith.
You may not know how the storm will end, but you can trust the one who is with you in the boat.
