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.
Maybe you’re running low on energy, battling anxiety, wrestling with guilt, or wondering how you’re going to make ends meet. Life can feel overwhelming, and sometimes, the challenges of today leave us wondering where to turn for help.
When that happens, we can find encouragement in Scripture.
“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise” (Hebrews 10:23).
When life gets difficult, hold tightly to the promises of God. Our circumstances may change, our feelings may fluctuate, and our strength may run low, but we can trust the Lord’s promises.
If you’re struggling to find the strength to push through today, hold tightly to God’s promise that those who trust in him will find renewed strength (Isaiah 40:31).
If anxiety is weighing you down, hold tightly to the reminder that you can cast your cares on the Lord because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).
If guilt is keeping you from moving forward, hold tightly to God’s promise that when we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us (1 John 1:9).
If financial pressures are keeping you awake at night, hold tightly to Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:33. Seek God and his kingdom first, and he will care for your needs.
Your struggles are real. You don’t have to pretend they aren’t, but neither do you have to face them without hope.
Whatever today brings, hold tightly to the hope you have in him. You may not know how everything will work out, but you can trust the Lord’s promises.
God is faithful, so that gives you a reason to keep going today.
Have you ever made a wrong turn and found yourself on a dead-end road?
Your trip is going well. You make a turn that seems right, but suddenly, the road ends. You can’t turn left, right, or go forward. The best move you can make is go back to the beginning.
Our spiritual lives work in the same way. You may think life is going well, but suddenly, you realize you’ve made a wrong turn. The road ends, and the best thing you can do is go back to the beginning.
At the beginning, we find Jesus. John 1:1 reminds us Jesus has been there since the start. We may try thousands of paths to avoid retracing our steps, but when all is finished, the best move is to go back to Jesus.
You see, 1 John 1:9 says if we confess our sins, the Lord is faithful and just to forgive us. Jesus will welcome us. He won’t only welcome us; he will run to meet us. You don’t have to keep traveling down a road that leads you away from God. You can turn around and come back to Jesus.
As we begin a new month, perhaps this is the fresh start you need. You don’t have to wait until January, your circumstances improve, or you feel you’ve earned another chance. You can begin today.
If you’ve reached a dead end, turn back to Jesus.
His grace is sufficient.
His forgiveness is available.
His arms are open.
Sometimes, the best way forward is to go back to the beginning.
Pip: Get Encouraged is back, and this week the posts are asking the questions you probably forgot to ask yourself today — did you notice anything, did you show up, and are you carrying something you were never meant to hold?
Mara: Chris Miller covers that territory across three areas: finding God in ordinary moments, finding courage when the day goes sideways, and finding the nerve to step into what's next. Let's start with what it actually means to look for God in the everyday.
Faith In Everyday Moments
Mara: The central question here is attention — not whether God is present, but whether we're paying enough notice to catch it. Busy days have a way of absorbing the very moments that might otherwise feel like grace.
Pip: "Did You See God Today?" puts it directly: "Our lives are busy, and some days, we can become so distracted that we fail to see the Lord. The beauty of a sunrise is absorbed by worry about the upcoming day."
Mara: So the upshot is that distraction isn't just a productivity problem — it's a spiritual one. The post reframes the question itself: instead of "did you see God today," ask "where did you see God today?" The shift from yes-or-no to active searching changes how you move through a day.
Pip: That reframe is doing real work. It assumes presence rather than asking you to prove it.
Mara: "A Month of Blessings" extends that same logic across a longer arc — an entire month rather than a single day. It asks readers to inventory October specifically: the challenges, the financial strain, the moments of rest, and where the Lord showed up through all of it.
Pip: Gratitude as a closing ritual, basically. End the month by listing what held.
Mara: The post anchors that in Psalm 100:4 — "Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name" — and frames the exercise as a way to walk into November with momentum rather than just relief that October is over.
Pip: Noticing daily, accounting monthly. The scale changes; the posture doesn't. Speaking of posture — how do you hold up when the day itself falls apart?
Courage Through Disruption
Pip: This segment is about what happens when the plan breaks — and whether an interruption is a problem to manage or something else entirely.
Mara: "The Day was Disrupted" goes straight to a scene in Luke 8. Jesus is on his way to help Jairus when a woman in the crowd reaches out and touches his robe. The post quotes Luke directly: "Daughter," he said to her, "your faith has made you well. Go in peace."
Pip: And the point isn't the miracle — it's the posture. Jesus doesn't register the interruption as a cost. He treats it as the thing that was actually supposed to happen.
Mara: Exactly. The post asks what it would look like to respond that way — to see an unplanned moment as an opportunity rather than an inconvenience, because someone in that moment might genuinely need it.
Pip: "The Courage to Show Up Again" takes the disruption inward — what happens when the day that fell apart was yesterday, and now you have to face today anyway.
Mara: It leans on Galatians 6:9: "So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up." The post is honest that showing up again might just mean getting out of bed.
Pip: Small threshold, real courage.
Mara: "Put Down the Block" adds the third angle — the weight you're carrying into the disrupted day in the first place. Past mistakes, old grudges, unresolved guilt. The post uses the image of running a race while hauling a concrete block, and the argument is simple: you weren't built to carry that permanently.
Pip: Disruptions are hard enough without the extra freight. Which raises the question of what you're running toward — and whether fear is deciding that for you.
Embracing New Opportunities
Mara: "Keep Shining" opens with a farmer and his wife who planted a church two hundred years ago — no headlines, no recognition — and that church is still active today. Jesus puts it plainly in Luke 16:10: "If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones."
Pip: Faithfulness as compound interest. The lighthouse in the post makes the same case — it doesn't guide ships with one spectacular flash; it just keeps the light on.
Mara: "A Different Kind of Awesome" is the companion to that — it asks what happens when the opportunity in front of you is genuinely new and genuinely frightening. The promotion, the commitment, the change you keep postponing. The post doesn't dismiss the fear, but it does ask whether fear should be the one making the decision.
Pip: Sometimes the wilderness is just the view from before you took the step.
Mara: Notice more, carry less, keep showing up — that's the thread running through all of it.
Pip: Same territory next time, probably. The ordinary days keep coming. See you there.
As we close out another month, dwell on this question for a moment. This month has been filled with changes and challenges, worries and anxieties, financial strains and a little rest. Go ahead and place your specific list here. In essence, October has been filled with life, and through it all, the Lord has been there.
Maybe he’s given you wisdom to overcome challenges, or peace on those worrisome days. Perhaps he’s helped stretch the dollar a little more to get you by until your next pay day. The Lord has showed up in October, and Scripture encourages us to thank him.
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name” (Psalm 100:4).
Make a list of October’s blessings, and spend some time thanking the Lord today. This will help you finish the month strong, and walk into November with a heart full of gratitude.
A decision made 200 years ago is still making a difference today.
A farmer and his wife lived in a rural community. They wanted a place for their family, and perhaps a few neighbors, to worship. So, they did something simple but significant. They planted a church.
They weren’t trying to make headlines. They weren’t looking for recognition. They simply wanted to follow the Lord, and provide a place where people could worship together.
Two centuries later, the church they planted is still active. What began as a simple act of faithfulness has continued to impact lives long after that farmer and his wife were gone.
Many of us dream of doing something extraordinary for God. There is nothing wrong with that desire, but sometimes, we become so focused on doing something big that we overlook the incredible impact of doing small things faithfully.
Think about what that looks like in your life.
Reading Scripture daily.
Praying faithfully.
Treating others with kindness.
Honoring your commitments.
Serving others.
These actions may not capture anyone’s attention or make headlines. However, repeated over time, they can make a tremendous difference.
Consider a lighthouse. It doesn’t guide ships safely through the darkness with one spectacular flash. It does so by faithfully shining its light night after night. Some nights, its light may guide a ship away from danger. Other nights, no ship may pass nearby, but the lighthouse keeps shining because that is what it was designed to do.
Our lives can work the same way.
God calls us to be faithful in the ordinary moments, trusting him with the results. Jesus reminds us in Luke 16:10, “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones.”
Your consistent faith can encourage someone who is struggling. Your steady love can strengthen your family. Your faithful service can help a church grow. A simple act of kindness today may influence someone in ways you won’t fully understand until much later.
Friends, don’t underestimate what God can do through a life of steady faithfulness. You may never know how far your influence will reach, but you don’t have to do something extraordinary every day to make a difference.
Sometimes, your greatest ministry is simply being faithful with what the Lord has placed in front of you today.
Yesterday was difficult. You feel like you failed at everything, and no matter what you tried, things didn’t go as planned. Now, as you face a new day, the temptation is to give up. “What’s the point of trying again when yesterday went so badly?” This may be your thought, but there is something powerful about showing up again.
The Bible offers this encouragement:
“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (Galatians 6:9).
After a difficult day, you may not feel like trying again. Yesterday drained your energy, shook your confidence, and left you wondering whether today will be any different.
Yesterday is over though, and today is a new opportunity to keep going.
You don’t have to face today in your own strength. The Lord promises to renew the strength of those who trust in him (Isaiah 40:31). When your strength is running low, you can turn to the Lord for the help you need to take the next step.
You don’t have to face today alone. The Lord is with you. He knows what yesterday was like, understands what you’re facing today, and will be with you.
Maybe showing up again means trying one more time. Maybe it means taking a small step toward a goal that seems out of reach. Perhaps it simply means getting out of bed, facing your responsibilities, and trusting God to help you through the day.
Whatever today holds, remember this: You don’t have to win every battle today to be faithful. You just have to keep trusting the Lord and taking the next step.
Friends, don’t give up. Don’t let yesterday define today. Your difficult day is behind you, and God’s faithfulness is still before you.
What if the change you’re afraid of is the beginning of something wonderful?
You’ve been offered a promotion at work, but you’re nervous about the added responsibility.
You’ve been offered a better job at another company, but leaving what’s familiar makes you uneasy.
You’ve been dating someone for a while, and you want to get married. But the thought of making that lifelong commitment scares you.
You want to become a dad, but the thought of adding another person to your family keeps you awake at night.
Change can be unsettling. Even when an opportunity looks promising, stepping into an unfamiliar future can fill us with anxiety.
Life is going well right now. Why risk messing it up?
But what if tomorrow holds a different kind of awesome? What if that promotion gives your family greater financial stability? What if the new job opens doors you never imagined? What if she says yes, and the life you build together becomes more beautiful than you dreamed? What if becoming a dad introduces you to a kind of love you never knew was possible?
You won’t know unless you take that step.
In Isaiah 43:19, the Lord declares that he is doing a new thing. He speaks of making a way in the wilderness and bringing rivers into the desert.
Sometimes, the future looks like a wilderness to us. We can’t see the path ahead. We don’t know how everything will turn out, but the unfamiliar doesn’t have to mean the future holds nothing good.
Of course, not every opportunity is the right one. We shouldn’t make important decisions without prayer, wisdom, and careful consideration, but we also shouldn’t allow fear of change to make every decision for us.
You don’t have to know every detail of tomorrow to take a wise step forward today. Pray about the opportunity. Seek God’s wisdom. Consider the possibilities, and when the time comes to move forward, don’t let fear of the unknown keep you from discovering what may lie ahead.
Tomorrow may hold a different kind of awesome, and you won’t discover it by standing still forever.
His fingerprints may have been evident in a beautiful sunrise, leaves changing color, or flowers blooming. His work may have been noticed in a timely conversation or unexpected provision arriving. You may have noticed his peace throughout the day.
Did you see him?
Our lives are busy, and some days, we can become so distracted that we fail to see the Lord. The beauty of a sunrise is absorbed by worry about the upcoming day. We’re encouraged by a conversation, but we move to the next agenda item so quickly we miss the Lord’s fingerprints. The day flies by without us recognizing God. We miss that he is caring for us.
Friends, take a moment and slow down today. Look for God’s fingerprints.
And, instead of asking “did you see God today,” let’s ask one another, “where did you see God today?”
His fingerprints can be found in the most ordinary places.
Our days are full of activities. In fact, it seems some days have every minute filled, and there is no room for anything else. Then comes the dreaded disruption.
The Bible offers advise for days like this. Luke shows us Jesus having one.
The plans for the day had been set. Jesus was on his way to help Jairus, but another need suddenly appeared.
Luke says, “As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds. A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped” (Luke 8:42-44).
This woman touching Jesus wasn’t on the agenda. The plan wasn’t to stop by and help this lady on the way to Jarius’ home. She, and her need, were just in the crowd. Many people may have viewed her touching Jesus as a disruption to the day. She could have easily been met with frustration, but Jesus meets her with compassion.
“When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace” (Luke 8:47-48).
Jesus didn’t view this interaction as a disruption. Rather, he viewed it as an opportunity. He took a moment and made time for this lady. The interaction may have been brief, but Jesus took time to have compassion.
What if we viewed disruptions to our day in the same way?
Perhaps God places certain interruptions in our path because someone needs encouragement. Perhaps he uses unexpected moments to slow us down and redirect our attention.
Try treating the next interruption as an opportunity rather than inconvenience. You never know what the Lord may accomplish through a moment you didn’t plan.
