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Sips That Sustain! 

I once had a friend (God rest his soul) whose response to any ache or pain was always the same: “Have you had any water today?”

It sounded simple—almost comical—but there was truth in it. Water affects every part of our body. It carries oxygen to the brain, lubricates joints, nourishes tissues, and sustains life. Without it, the body begins to shut down.

In the same way, the Word of God is water for our souls. It restores, directs, and sustains us.

Psalm 119:105 reminds us, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

So the question becomes: Have you had any water today? Have you read the Word—or at least made a plan to?

It isn’t silly, and it isn’t optional. If we want to survive spiritually, we must stay connected to the Word. That connection can begin simply: a verse-of-the-day app, a scripture someone shares, or a passage read in quiet moments. What matters is that we drink.

Because just as water is essential for the body, the Word is essential for life.

Jesus said in John 4:14, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst… it shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

Lord, we thank You for being our source of living water. Forgive us for the days we neglect Your Word while trying to survive on our own strength. Create in us a thirst for You—a hunger for truth, wisdom, and direction. Help us to make time to drink daily from Your Word so that our minds are renewed, our spirits are strengthened, and our lives reflect You. Fill us until we overflow, that others may see Your life flowing through us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Connected to the Power?

Saturday during the rainstorm, we lost power at the church. As I worked to get everything back online, I unplugged the modem to do a reset. I left it unplugged and moved on to troubleshooting other devices, trying to make sure everything else was ready to go.
Sunday morning, people began telling me that we still didn’t have internet. I went back into the electrical closet and started troubleshooting again. I went to unplug the modem once more to reset it—only to realize something important….It had never been plugged back in.

I traced the cord and discovered it wasn’t connected to the power source at all. And in that moment, the lesson became clear.

Sometimes we spend so much time trying to dissect our trials—asking why things are happening, what went wrong, and how to fix it—that we make everything far more complicated than it needs to be. When the truth is, the issue is simple. We’re not connected to the source of power.

We’re trying to function, produce, and move forward without being plugged in.

Jesus reminds us of this in John 15:4–5: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

A branch doesn’t struggle to produce fruit—it simply stays connected. The moment it disconnects, life stops flowing. The same is true for us.

When we feel drained, stuck, unproductive, overwhelmed, or confused, the first question shouldn’t be “What am I doing wrong?” It should be “Am I still connected to the power?”
Because without Him, we can do nothing—but connected to Him, everything we need flows.

Glowing Together. Growing Together.

In yesterday’s Women’s meeting, we participated in an activity that proved to be incredibly powerful.

I asked the ladies to name one thing they did well in the past week and one thing they wished they had done differently. In education, we often refer to this as identifying Glow and Grow opportunities.

The purpose of the activity was twofold—focused on ourselves and on one another.

For ourselves: To celebrate without guilt and to reflect without condemnation.

For others: To celebrate without competition and to pray with intention.

This morning, I prayed for every sister and every situation that was shared—and I prayed for myself as well. Support and prayer for one another are vital. Also, intentional celebration and reflection for ourselves is essential. 

So often, we are our own harshest critics. But what if we became intentional about offering pure, heartfelt celebration for even the smallest victories—both for ourselves and for others? What if we chose to pray with one another about the areas we see as flaws or struggles?

How much kinder would our world be?
How much safer would our spaces feel?

Scripture reminds us: “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (I Corinthians 12:26)

May we all find ways to glow together, grow together, pray together, and walk together—covered in grace.

Father, thank You for our sisters and brothers in Christ. We pray today for peace in their hearts and for growth in every situation. Help us to be gracious enough to stand in the gap for others, knowing that someone will be doing that for us as well. We want to learn to appreciate every moment—every season—as we celebrate and grow more in You. Thank You for forgiveness and grace, and we will continue to learn to receive and give the same. In Jesus’ name. Amen!