Choosing Love Today

Colossians – Episode 6:    “Set Apart”  Let me ask you something. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to just blend in? Not in a bad way. Just in an everyday way. You get up, drink your coffee, answer your emails, pay your bills, run your errands, watch the news, maybe scroll through your phone a little too long, and before you know it, you're moving through life pretty much like everyone else ar...

Colossians – Episode 5:     “Made New”  Here's something I bet you haven't asked yourself in a while. If ever, when was the last time you let yourself believe that God is actually making you new… right now? Not “someday.” Not “when life settles down.” Not “when I finally get my act together.” But now. I was thinking about this the other day while cleaning out an old drawer in my desk. You know the...

Colossians – Episode 4: “Rooted Deep”  I think I've got a real good question for you today. Actually, it's a 2-part question: and it might surprise you with how quickly it reveals some truth about you: The 1st question is: Do you like storms? And the 2nd question is What are your roots actually planted in right now? Not what you want them planted in… but what they’re really drawing strength from....

Colossians – Episode 3:          “Hope Given”  Today's opening question has to do with hope....and this one might hit closer to home than you might expect or like, but here it is: (and be honest with yourself), When was the last time you felt genuinely hopeful? Not optimistic… not “I think things might get better”… but real, steady, soul-level hope? I was thinking about that the other day while si...

Colossians – Episode 2: “Christ Above”  Hi everyone!  Here's a good question to start your day: What’s the one thought that just seems to have taken over your mind “above” everything else in your life lately? Not what should be above… but what actually is? I was thinking about this the other day while standing in line at the grocery store. You know how your mind wanders when you’re waiting? Mine d...

What does it take to grow strong in Christ in a world that constantly pulls us in different directions? In this first episode of our Colossians series, we explore Paul's encouragement to believers who were facing confusion, competing ideas, and pressure from the culture around them. Just as a tree with deep roots can withstand fierce storms, followers of Jesus grow stronger when their lives are fi...

Have you ever had a moment where you realized you were trusting God… until something happened that made you start trusting your own strength instead? Maybe it was a sudden problem, an unexpected bill, a tough conversation, or one of those “life just punched me in the gut” moments. You go from peaceful to panicked in about three seconds, and suddenly you’re trying to fix everything yourself. We’ve...

Have you ever noticed how serving someone else can change your whole mood? You might start out tired, frustrated, or just not in the right head space, but then you help somebody — maybe you hold a door, carry groceries, check on a neighbor, or even just listen — and suddenly your heart feels lighter. It’s almost like God wired joy straight into the act of serving. That’s exactly what Paul highligh...

Have you ever been in a room where everyone was supposed to be on the same team… but it sure didn’t feel like it? Maybe it was a family gathering, a workplace meeting, or even a church committee where half the people looked like they were preparing for a cage match. You walk in thinking, “We’re all here for the same reason,” and five minutes later you’re wondering if you should’ve worn protective...

As usual, you know I like to start these short messages with a question. So why should today be any different? Here's today's question: have you ever noticed how much easier life gets when people choose humility instead of trying to be “the big dog” in the room? I mean, think about the last time you were around someone who had to be right, had to be in charge, or had to make sure everyone knew how...

Let me start with a question — have you ever had one of those days where everything feels upside down, but then one small thing shifts your perspective and suddenly the whole day looks different? Maybe it’s a sunrise you weren’t expecting, a kind word from someone, or even your dog looking at you like you’re the greatest human who ever lived. Perspective is powerful. It doesn’t change the situatio...

Let me ask you something right out of the gate — have you ever tried to carry something heavy by yourself, only to realize halfway through that you should’ve asked for help? Maybe it was a couch, a refrigerator, or one of those “easy to assemble” pieces of furniture that comes with 400 screws and instructions written by someone who clearly hates people. We’ve all been there. And we all know the tr...

Life doesn’t always give us easy seasons. Sometimes the road gets heavy, the pressure builds, and joy feels like the last thing on our minds. Yet in the book of Philippians, Paul writes from prison — in hardship, uncertainty, and struggle — and still speaks with a deep, steady joy that doesn’t make sense unless God is involved. In this episode, we walk through all four chapters of Philippians and...

Have you ever walked into a room and immediately felt the mood? You know what I mean — you open the door and think, “Whoa… something happened in here.” You don’t know what, you don’t know who, but you can feel it. You can sense it. Now, here’s the funny part: we all know what it feels like when a room is heavy… but we don’t always realize when we are the ones who bring the light into it. Paul says...

Have you ever tried to change something about yourself… and the old version of you kept showing up like it still had a key to the house? Yeah. Been there? Paul says in Ephesians 4:24, “Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” And I love how he phrases that — “put on.” It’s intentional. It’s active. It’s something you choose. It’s not like the new self jumps...

Let me start with a question — and be honest with yourself here: Is there somebody you’re still mad at… even a little? Maybe not “throw a shoe at them” mad, but that quiet little simmer that pops up when their name comes across your phone or someone mentions them in conversation. Yeah… forgiveness really isn't a big deal until you actually have to do it. Paul says in Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind and c...

And today's message is something ALL of us (well, I'm assuming all of us anyway) have a problem with patience...or a lack of it. You know as well as I do, we all hate to wait...in grocery store lines, in traffic, at the doctor's office...the list is endless. We hate to wait on anything.   Well, have you ever found yourself waiting on something you wish God would hurry up and fix? Maybe it’s a situ...

Have you ever caught yourself reacting to a situation a little sharper than you meant to? Maybe the tone came out wrong, or the frustration bubbled up quicker than you expected. It’s one of those moments where you think, “That really didn't come out like it was supposed to.” Paul speaks right to that in Ephesians 4:2, where he says our walk should be marked with “all humility and gentleness.” Gent...

In this episode, we continue our walk through Ephesians by looking at what it really means to live a life worthy of the calling we’ve received. Paul isn’t talking about perfection — he’s talking about identity. Who we are shapes how we walk, how we respond, and how we show love in the everyday moments that matter. This teaching leans into the steady, practical side of faith: choosing humility, pat...

In Part 2 of our walk through Ephesians, we slow down and look at what it really means to live out our faith in everyday life. Not the polished, church‑stage version — the real, blue‑collar, regular‑guy version that shows up in how we talk, how we treat people, how we handle pressure, and how we carry ourselves when nobody’s watching. Paul doesn’t just tell us what to believe… he shows us how to w...

Hi everyone! Welcome to this series of messages I’ve titled “Who We Are.” Let me start with a question — something simple, but something every one of us feels at some point: Have you ever wondered if you’re really loved? Not “liked,” not “appreciated,” not “tolerated”… but genuinely, deeply, unconditionally loved? Most people won’t say that out loud, but almost everyone feels it. We all have momen...

Hi everyone! Welcome to this series of messages I’ve titled “Who We Are.” Let me start with a question for you — something simple, but real: Have you ever had one of those days when you wake up already tired? Not physically tired, but tired on the inside… like your strength ran out before the day even began? If you’ve ever felt that way, Paul has something to say to you — something about who you a...

Hi everyone! Welcome to this series of messages I’ve titled “Who We Are.” Let me start with a question for you — something honest and personal: Have you ever looked back at your life and wished you could undo something? A moment… a decision… a season… something you wish you could rewrite or take back? I think if most of us were honest we'd say, just one thing?” I sure know I do. Some things fade w...

Ephesians –  “Who We Are: Redeemed and Welcomed Home”    Hi everyone and welcome back to Choosing Love Today!   Today's message is very personal one to me because it's one I experienced over 50 years ago. I wasn't a terrible teenager, but I sure was a know-it-all and I gave my parents all kinds of grief. The sad part is it hurt my mother terribly and secondly, I lost my father in a tragic car acci...

Ephesians – Part 1 -- “Who We Are: Seen by God”    Hi everyone! Welcome back to our new mini-series of messages titles “Who We Are”, where we are taking some Biblical in-sites that can help us pause to pause, look inward and help us to see ourselves the way God sees us.   Have you ever had a moment where you felt pushed aside? Not rejected outright… just quietly moved to the margins. Maybe by circ...