Threads of Hope

10/13/2026

Blessed in Trust

Jeremiah 17 begins with a rebuke. God is calling out the Israelites for their idolatry—for trusting in other gods and forsaking Him and His teachings.

Like a parent with a child who's made a terrible choice, God makes it very clear that these choices have led and will lead to consequences. And yet, rather than only focusing on all that's been lost and will be lost because of Israel’s terrible choices, Jeremiah takes a moment to bring a refreshing reminder:

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.”
Jeremiah 17:7 NIV

He calls those who trust Him “blessed,” even as chaos, sin, and idolatry reign around them. He says that people who trust in God “will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:8 NIV)

We get to choose who and what we worship.

Who is your confidence in? Who do you trust? If you're trusting in the Lord, take heart knowing that in this you are blessed. An abundant life in God, full of fruit even when sin is all around, is the mark of having chosen to trust Him. What an incredible thing it is to be able to make this choice!

10/13/2026

10/10/2026

The Good Life

Everyone on earth is searching for "the good life." We all want our lives to matter—to be filled with purpose and significance. But often, we're searching for fulfillment and meaning through things, people, or efforts that simply cannot satisfy us.

Many people try to find significance from the admiration and acceptance of those around them. Others look for fulfillment through material possessions and worldly success—by working hard and building wealth. Still others chase what they think is "the good life" through the allure of power and influence.

Though none of these things are necessarily wrong on their own, they cannot bring true peace and fulfillment in life. There will come a time when fame and accolades fade, when material possessions lose their charm, and when our reputations can only take us so far. Even the good relationships in our lives cannot bring us ultimate peace and fulfillment.

Jesus lets us know how the enemy tries to keep us from the actual good life He has for us. The thief tries to steal our attention away from what truly matters by distracting us with earthly things that have the allure of satisfaction, but this way only ends in death and destruction. However, Jesus says there is another way to find abundant life.

In John 10, Jesus compares Himself to a good shepherd who cares for and feeds the sheep in His pasture. Jesus says that He is the gate for the sheep to enter into the courtyard. While speaking in metaphors, Jesus is saying that anyone who wants to gain true access to salvation must come through Him.

Jesus also says that it is through Him that we will find true life. It is only through trusting in Jesus and following Him that we can experience life to the fullest. Real fulfillment and meaning come through following Jesus as our Shepherd, rather than following the world around us.

Take some time to think about the way you’re searching for fulfillment and meaning in your life. Are you trying to find "the good life" through possessions, status, relationships, or success? Or are you following Jesus and trusting Him to produce meaning and purpose in your life?

Jesus is the Good Shepherd, so continue to trust in and follow Him. He is the way to abundant life.

10/09/2026

Keep Practicing

In Philippians 4:9, Paul tells the Philippians to model his behavior by putting everything they have learned, received, heard and seen from him into practice. There are at least three benefits to this approach.

First, it’s effective. We learn best through imitation. We would never just tell a child how to kick a football. We would show them. A carpenter wouldn’t take up their trade by reading a manual. They would apprentice under a master.

Likewise, we shouldn’t just read about what our faith should look like. We should seek out mature believers who, like Paul, put it on display. Because although we can certainly read about selflessness, humility, forgiveness and compassion, we get a stronger sense of what those qualities look like when we see them lived out in fellow brothers and sisters.

Second, it’s relational. In 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7, Paul reveals how this process plays out. He imitates Christ. Believers imitate him. And then other believers imitate them. It’s a chain reaction. As we model faithful believers, we become models ourselves.

Third, it’s attached to a promise. This is the best part. Paul tells us that if we put these things into practice, the God of peace will be with us. And not just any peace — a peace that Paul says surpasses all understanding.

So, ask yourself who in your life models the faith and what would it look like to start living like them?

10/08/2026

Healing is Possible

Imagine a sick person who won’t tell anyone about their symptoms. Without help, getting through their illness would be challenging. Whether they need help from a doctor or just someone checking to see how they’re doing—it’s much easier to heal with the help of others.

Similarly, when we don’t tell anyone about the challenges we’re facing, it can be hard to work through them. Sometimes we do things we know are wrong, but we don’t tell anyone about it because it feels easier to hide. This is because we’re all affected by sin—our wrongdoing and brokenness that separate us from God.

It can be hard to share our wrongdoings with others, but when we keep our sin to ourselves, we’re like the sick person who won’t ask for help—we suffer in isolation rather than allowing others to help us heal.

James 5:16 tells us to share our wrongdoings with other believers so that we can heal together and pray for one another. When we share our past mistakes with someone, we are released from isolation. And when we pray together, we give God the opportunity to heal our hearts.

God is our healer—He saved us from the eternal consequences of sin through His Son Jesus. And because of Jesus, we have access to a relationship with God, and we can bring our requests to Him and trust that He will hear us.

This doesn’t mean God will always answer our prayers in the way we think they should be answered. Instead, when we share our brokenness with Him, He invites us on a journey that will help us grow closer to Him.

If you’re struggling with something today, take some time to share it with a trusted believer. Allow them to pray with you and ask God to guide you as you heal.