Daily InsPirational MOments with Rev. Dr. Precious Prothro

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Protect Your Peace: Start With Your Mind

I’m learning to accept that my house may never be “magazine ready”—at least not in this season of life. With a very busy schedule and two young children, that’s just reality.

But while perfection with tangible things may not be possible, protecting my peace is.

Clutter—whether physical or mental—creates problems. It makes it hard to find what we need, makes spaces feel overwhelming, and can even become unsafe.

We might manage clutter in our homes or vehicles, but we cannot afford it in our minds—because our peace lives there.

If we want to protect our peace, we have to start by clearing out the mental clutter—distractions, worries, negativity, and anything that pulls us away from God.

Philippians 2:5 reminds us, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”

What kind of mind was that
A mind fixed on purpose.
A mind focused on pleasing God.
A mind not weighed down by unnecessary distractions.

And Isaiah 26:3 gives us the promise: when our minds are stayed on Him, He keeps us in perfect peace.

If we don’t guard our mind, we will lose our peace—because peace doesn’t live in chaos.

Lord, help us to guard our minds and protect the peace You have given us. Remove every thought, distraction, and burden that does not come from You. Teach us to focus on what is pure, purposeful, and pleasing in Your sight. Keep our minds stayed on You, so we can walk in Your perfect peace. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The Power of a Simple Check-In

Last night, I watched a show where a new mother was struggling with postpartum anxiety. She was so overwhelmed with worry about her newborn that it affected her health, her mind, and her sleep. One of her mentors later apologized because everyone had been so focused on the baby and everything else going on that no one had stopped to check on her.

That stayed with me.

We do that sometimes. Life gets busy, heavy, and loud, and without meaning to, we forget to check in on the people we love. Life just gets heavy, and before we realize it, we have overlooked someone who may be silently struggling.

But we cannot forget that we are called to look out for one another, especially for our children.

Sometimes they do not know how to tell us that they are hurting. Sometimes their pain comes out in attitudes, disobedience, distance, or unkind behavior. Sometimes the weight of what they see and feel in this world is more than they know how to process. And sometimes, while we are correcting behavior, we miss the brokenness underneath it.

We have to check in. We have to slow down enough to notice. We have to care enough to ask. We have to love enough to listen.

Philippians 2:3-7 reminds us not to be consumed only with ourselves, but to look to the interests of others. Jesus modeled that kind of humility and care for us. If we have the mind of Christ, then we must make room in our hearts and in our schedules to check on the people around us.

Someone near us may be carrying more than they have said. Someone may be smiling and still struggling. Someone may need more than advice—they may simply need to know somebody noticed.

So today, let’s not just assume everyone is okay.

Check in.
On the mother.
On the child.
On the friend.
On the quiet one.
On the strong one.
On the one who is grieving (no matter the timeframe).
On the one who says, “I’m fine.”

Because sometimes one sincere moment of care can make all the difference.Sometimes the most powerful act of love is simply asking, “How are you—really?”

Lord, help us to be more aware of the people around us. Give us hearts that are sensitive, eyes that notice, and spirits that are willing to pause and care. Teach us to love like You—selflessly and intentionally. And when we are the ones in need, send someone to check on us too. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

One Blood. One Image. One Grace

Why do we make distinctions and differences between each other?

Genesis 1:26–27 reminds us: “And God said, Let us make man in our image… So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

The only distinction named in creation is male and female. Beyond that, we are all image-bearers of God, for we all have “equal access to God’s grace” (Standard Lessons Commentary Sunday School book)

Yet, somewhere along the way, we started assigning value to things God never used to measure worth—race, status, education, politics, background, and even religious labels.

We divide by what God never divided.

Yes, we have differences—opinions, cultures, experiences—but at our core, we share two undeniable truths:
• We are all created by God
• We are all in need of God

No one is more deserving of grace. No one is more “God’s people” than another.

Every breath we take is given by His grace.

Every opportunity for salvation comes through the same source—the blood of Jesus.

The ground at the foot of the cross is level.

So the question is not who is better—the question is why do we keep trying to be?

Lord, Thank You for creating us all in Your image and loving us without distinction. Forgive us for the ways we have judged, divided, and elevated ourselves above others. Help us to see people the way You see them—with compassion, humility, and grace. Teach us to walk in unity, remembering that we all stand in need of You. Let our lives reflect Your love, not our differences. In Jesus’ name, Amen.