Category: What he Wants

This goes over a few things that Jesus wants.

North Texas man finds more than $128,000 on top of a bank’s ATM; and returns every dollar

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Chase ATM displaying stacks of U.S. dollar bills

A routine trip to a Lewisville ATM could have changed one man’s financial life a bit. Instead, it revealed something rich about his character. Lewisville police say a 37-year-old man found a bag stuffed with $128,514 in cash sitting on top of a Bank of America ATM on West Main Street on Aug. 3. There was also a smaller bag containing 19 checks. Not a dollar of the cash was missing when the police got it. “I’ve never had a case like this before, ever,” Lewisville Police Detective Gina Miller said.

According to a police report, the man and a 42-year-old woman had gone to the ATM to withdraw money when they spotted the bags. The information on one of the bags pointed to Chick-fil-A. The man, who is a barber in Lewisville, asked not to be identified. He told CBS News Texas he couldn’t speak about the incident. Police said he was the person who called 911. Police say he drove to a nearby Chick-fil-A, believing the money might belong to the restaurant. A manager told him it did not. Inside the cash bag was a bank receipt showing exactly how much money was supposed to be there: $128,514.

That’s exactly how much police counted. An officer counted the money twice and verified the total with a digital currency counter before the cash was sealed and secured in the Lewisville Police Department property room. “I think to find that kind of money, or that amount of money, is certainly rare,” Lewisville Police Chief Brook Rollins said. “That’s very unusual. And then to not find it connected to any criminal activity is certainly unusual.” How $128,514 was left behind at a Lewisville ATM Police reports show the money belonged to Bank of America and was being handled by its cash vendor, Brinks.

Investigators said a Brinks technician serviced the ATM and was supposed to take the money, but accidentally left the funds on top of the machine. Police found no indication that the cash was connected to a crime. “The bag was just sitting there,” Miller said. “There was no indication of a crime occurring. It looked like it was just left there by accident.” Bank of America has since recovered the money. Brinks declined to discuss the specifics of the incident, saying in a statement that, as a general practice, it does not comment on law enforcement matters involving the safety of its employees or others.

Lewisville police want to honor the man who returned the money Police say they now want to recognize the man whose decision made the unusual case even more remarkable. Miller has handled cases involving people returning wallets, IDs and other lost property. But six figures in cash? “I’ve had cases where good Samaritans have turned in property that they found, wallets, IDs, things like that,” Miller said. “But in the case of $128,000, I’ve never had somebody turn in that kind of money before.” Rollins said the episode also demonstrates how much police departments depend on the communities they serve. “We are one half of the equation, the police; the other half is the community,” Rollins said.

As for why the man handed over a bag containing enough cash to make almost anyone stop and stare, Rollins offered a simple explanation. “I just think he just thinks it’s the right thing to do and doesn’t think it goes beyond that,” Rollins said. For Lewisville police, the case came with no robbery, no theft and no missing money. Just $128,514 — and one man who decided every dollar belonged to somebody else. Miller said there is no “Finders keepers, losers weepers.” The detective said people have to do due diligence to return what’s discovered or end up in trouble with the law.   The man told CBS News Texas that if the police department honors him, he’ll gladly attend a private ceremony.

Source: North Texas man finds more than $128,000 on top of a bank’s ATM — and returns every dollar – CBS Texas

For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
Romans 5:10

For God so Loved the World

“God loved you enough to send His Son, Jesus loved you enough to give His life, and through faith, you are offered a hope this world can never take…

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2 Timothy 3:12 

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted Paul was reminding Timothy that following Christ does not guarantee an easy life. When we choose…

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John 15:18–20

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but…

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Galatians 1:6-10

“When truth becomes negotiable, faith becomes vulnerable so know the Gospel, stand on God’s Word, and seek His approval above the world’s applause.” “I am astonished that you are…

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Police in Algeria Arrest 12 Christians during Worship

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Special force police in Algeria raided a worship service at a humanitarian shelter on Sept. 4, arresting all 12 Christians present on suspicion of holding an unauthorized, non-Muslim religious service, sources said. The House of Refuge shelter in L’Ayaida, 36 kilometers (22 miles) east of Oran, serves as a haven and restoration center for vulnerable women and their families. It housed a worship hall before authorities ordered its administrative closure in October 2019, but Christians have continued to meet for church services in one of the separate apartments on the shelter premises.

The premises have been under surveillance for some time, sources said. After law enforcement officers raided the site with a search warrant, the 12 detained Christians were transferred to the Bethioua police station about 40 kilometers from Oran. During the operation, police seized all Christian literature, mobile phones and identity cards of those present, said the sources, unidentified for security reasons. The women were released to be questioned the following morning, while the men were held until late at night, some until 3 a.m. Christians fear the detainees could be charged under Ordinance 06-03 governing non-Muslim worship in Algeria, which heavily criminalizes collective worship outside the officially approved state framework or any action deemed to “shake the faith of a Muslim.” 

The restrictive law exposes them to heavy fines and substantial prison sentences. Punishment under the 2006 law can range from two to five years in prison and fines of 500,000 to 1 million Algerian dinars ($3,745 to $7,490). It requires non-Muslim worship buildings to be licensed, but all applications to do so have remained unattended. The arrested Christians were not yet brought before a prosecutor, who would then quickly take them to court for judgment. Christian support group Open Doors has reported that nearly all of the 47 official churches affiliated with the Protestant Church of Algeria (EPA) have received administrative closure orders or have been sealed by the authorities. More than 50 Christians have been prosecuted for their faith in recent years, according to the organization. The Sept. 4 raid was part of a long-standing pattern of judicial harassment against Christians in Algeria, particularly in the Oran Region. In 2021, authorities convicted Pastor Rachid Seighir and Nouh Hamimi and closed their bookstore.

Also notable were the harsh five-year prison sentence handed down to Hamid Soudad, imprisoned for January 2021 to July 23 as part of a five-year sentence for “insulting Islam” related to Facebook caricature, before he was ultimately pardoned in 2023. EPA Vice-President Youcef Ourahmane was sentenced on appeal in May 2024 to one year in prison simply for organizing a spiritual retreat; originally he had been sentenced to two years and a fine. Pastor Ourahmane is the founder of the Timothee School and the L’Ayeida refuge center. These cases and significant events all attest to the persistence of a policy aimed at criminalizing the Christian faith and its structures within the country. According to Christians in the Béjaïa, Tizi Ouzou, and Bouira regions, authorities in the past month have been seeking to permanently resolve the “church issue” in Algeria. To this end, special envoys were appointed and sent across the country to meet with various leaders who were not affiliated with the EPA. Their mission was to identify and approach congregants, urging them to join a new Christian association project intended to replace the EPA.

This maneuver aims to orchestrate a reorganization under strict state control, paving the way for the potential reopening of places of worship subject to conditions rigorously imposed by the government. The number of Christians in Algeria is estimated at about 150,000 people, 0.3 percent of the total population of 48 million, according to Open Doors. There are 8,000 Catholics, while Methodists, Anglicans and Mennonites are made up mostly of foreigners, including diplomats. Algeria ranked 20th on Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.

Source: Police in Algeria Arrest 12 Christians during Worship – Morningstar News

And said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.”
Luke 9:48

Isaiah 45:2

“I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, This verse reminds us that…

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Proverbs 21:23

Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. This verse emphasizes that people who carefully watch what they say will protect themselves from serious trouble. “Guarding your…

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Slow to Speak: The Secret to Wise Reactions

Talk less, listen more, because wisdom speaks after it understands, not before. If you want stronger relationships and real influence, master this: control your tongue, calm your anger, and lead with…

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3 boaters rescued from capsized catamaran on Lake Michigan

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Three boaters were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office after their catamaran capsized on Lake Michigan.  The Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan command center received calls around 4 p.m. Monday of a capsized 16-foot catamaran with two women and one man aboard.

Three children standing on a makeshift floating platform in the water, holding a large surfboard overhead, with a boat partially visible in the foreground.

U.S. Coast Guardsmen assigned to Coast Guard Station St. Joseph approach a man and two women holding onto a capsized catamaran about one-half mile offshore Roadside Park in Coloma, Michigan, Sept. 21, 2026. After Berrien County drone operators located the capsized vessel, the Coast Guard boat crew rescued the individuals, who were all wearing life jackets. (U.S. Coast Guard photo, courtesy Station St. Joseph) U.S. Coast Guard

Berrien County drone operators found the catamaran about a half-mile offshore, and a Coast Guard vessel from the St. Joseph station reached the stranded boaters by 4:30 p.m.  All three boaters were wearing life jackets and holding onto the overturned vessel, the Coast Guard said.  

“This rapid rescue highlights both the value of local agency partnerships and the lifesaving impact of proper safety gear,” said Commander Aaron Dorrian, search and rescue mission coordinator for USCG Sector Lake Michigan. “The Coast Guard urges every boater across the Great Lakes to prioritize safety by always wearing your life jacket, monitoring local weather conditions, and carrying reliable means of communication.”  

Source: 3 boaters rescued from capsized catamaran on Lake Michigan – CBS Detroit

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 15:1

Psalm 5:8

Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me. In the verse David is praying in the morning while people…

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Injured Pelican Knocks on NOAA Fisheries Office Door Looking for Help

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Brown pelican beside a carrier outside a wildlife rescue center

A pelican in Florida came knocking for help, quite literally, using its beak. NOAA Fisheries Service The unusual encounter happened at the NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Panama City, Florida, when employees heard a distinct tapping sound coming from the door. When they went to investigate, they found a pelican waiting on the stoop with fishing line wrapped around its wing, a deeply embedded fishhook, and cactus spines stuck in its left foot.

Fortunately, the bird had come to the right place. According to NOAA, the pelican had a double-barbed treble hook deeply embedded in its right wing, along with several feet of monofilament fishing line wrapped around it. Luckily, the staff included expert animal handlers who quickly stepped in to help. They carefully snipped the hook’s barb, removed the hook, and unwound the fishing line from the bird’s wing. They also removed the cactus spines from its foot. The entire operation took about 10 minutes, and biologists said the pelican remained surprisingly calm throughout the process. “It must have known it was in good hands!” the organization shared on Facebook.

NOAA Fisheries Service Once the fishing line and hook were removed and the bird received a clean bill of health, the pelican was ready to return to the wild. It took to the sky, finally free from the painful fishing gear that had been weighing it down. Whether the pelican intentionally sought out help or simply happened to find the right doorstep, one thing is certain: It couldn’t have picked a better place to knock.

Source: Injured Pelican Knocks on NOAA Fisheries Office Door Looking for Help

So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
Luke 10:27

A study of the Mesha Stele

The Mesha Stele, also famously known as the Moabite Stone, is a 3-foot-tall black basalt monument dating back to circa 840 BCE. It is one of the most…

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Pentagon releases more UFO files, including documents on secretive military program

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Archivist reviewing classified documents in Archive Room 48, marked Restricted Access

The Pentagon on Friday released its sixth batch of files on unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAP or UFOs, including dozens of documents detailing a military program that commissioned studies of warp drives, wormholes and injuries that researchers linked to possible encounters with unknown craft. Friday’s release includes a total of 71 files — 67 provided by the Defense Department and four from local law enforcement in Colorado. There are 55 PDF files, 15 video files and one audio file. Most of the files — 64 out of 71 — contain redactions. The dates of the documents range from 1952 to 2025.

What’s in the latest UFO files? The most noteworthy documents deal with a secretive military initiative known as the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program. The Defense Intelligence Agency established the program in 2008 to study various aerospace threats decades into the future. The initiative ended in 2012.  One document describes the goals of the program and requirements for contractors who would work on it: “One aspect of the future threat environment involves advanced aerospace weapon system applications. The objective of this program is to understand the physics and engineering of these applications as they apply to the foreign threat out to the far term, i.e., from now through the year 2050.

Primary focus is on breakthrough technologies and applications that create discontinuities in currently evolving technology trends.” The release includes 37 “Defense Intelligence Reference Documents,” or DIRDs, produced under AAWSAP, dealing with topics like warp drives, wormholes, antigravity, negative mass propulsion and invisibility cloaking. All 37 have been publicly available for years, including through Freedom of Information Act releases by the DIA. But Friday’s versions include some details the agency had previously withheld, like the names of the agency offices that produced the documents. In notes accompanying the documents, the Pentagon says the DIRDs are “best understood as reference and synthesis products rather than as original research” and that they “should not be read as implying current validation of the concepts discussed.”

While most of the DIRDs examine ideas that are typically the domain of science fiction, one is a 38-page highly technical study from 2010 analyzing “evidence of unintended injury to human observers by anomalous advanced aerospace systems.” Researchers recounted that “three previous fit and active individuals experienced an anomalous [‘irregular, incongruous and inconsistent with their domain’] aerospace-related event” and suffered a range of medical symptoms in the aftermath, including heat and redness on their skin and hair loss. One of the individuals showed “signs of radiation illness” and “over several years developed signs of malignant transformations.”

The document did not identify the source of the exposure that led to the symptoms, but said the three individuals were “antennae engineers.” The author compared the cases to 42 published and roughly 300 unpublished incidents of conventional radiofrequency injury where the source of the radiation was known. “Sufficient incidents/accidents have been accurately reported, and medical data acquired, as to support a hypothesis that some advanced systems are already deployed, and opaque to full US understanding,” the author found. Most of the videos in Friday’s disclosure are similar to those from previous releases: grainy footage captured by military cameras of unexplained objects zooming across the screen at high speed. One unexplained incident from 2022 shows a UAP “traveling at various speeds between 80-180 miles per hour.”

An accompanying report on the encounter shows operators were flying a mission in the Middle East when they spotted various objects at unknown altitudes. The crew reported that the objects were between 1 and 2 meters in size and were “flying spora[d]ically within the target area.” Another video captured over the Middle East shows roughly half a dozen objects flying in tandem. The report says there were “six small spherical objects” that “seemed to be agile” and were “frequently changing direction.” The incident remains unexplained. Four of the videos originated from local law enforcement in Colorado who submitted reports to the Pentagon’s office that investigates UAP. The Pentagon said the partially blurred footage was captured by cellphone cameras in October 2023. “The reporting officer described the phenomenon as ‘silent’ and as featuring ‘red, blue, and green flashing lights,'” the military said in notes accompanying one of the clips.

The historical files include an hour-long audio recording and transcript of remarks by Air Force officer Edward Ruppelt from 1952 in which he explains the service’s investigation into UFO incidents. In the presentation, Ruppelt revealed that roughly 20% of the 800 UFO reports the Air Force had investigated were still a mystery. “We’ve gone through these reports and come up with the fact that about 20% are very good reports offered by very reliable people and … just absolutely no conclusions can be drawn,” Ruppelt said.

Ruppelt would go on to run Project Blue Book, an Air Force program that investigated UFOs from 1952 to 1969. Several other files related to Project Blue Book were also included in Friday’s disclosure. On Monday, the Pentagon announced the creation of a legal waiver that would allow current and former employees previously bound by nondisclosure agreements to share UAP-related information with the government.

Source: Pentagon releases more UFO files, including documents on secretive military program – CBS News

This God—his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
Psalm 18:30

Finding Truth and Life in Jesus

In a world filled with competing voices, confusing paths, and endless distractions, Jesus doesn’t simply show us the way He declares, ‘I am the way.’ When everything…

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Wanda the therapy donkey brings joy to Pennsylvania seniors: “She’s like Ariel from ‘The Little Mermaid'”

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Gray donkey grazing in a mountain valley beside a winding road and cottage

She spent her first 12 years in the wild, wandering through Arizona, but after being adopted by Kelsey Parisi last year, Wanda the donkey acclimated to life on the farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, quite quickly. “Begging for cookies and yelling to come into the barn every day,” Parisi said. “She’s like Ariel from The Little Mermaid, I want to be where the people are. So anytime she sees someone she walks up to the gate, and she wants to be involved.” Parisi said after only a few weeks, Wanda’s true personality came through.

She started taking her to summer camps and local stores on pet days, and she’s become a regular visitor at nearby senior homes. Wanda gets dressed up and allows residents to pet and feed her treats. Parisi said many times Wanda gravitates to the memory care patients and even puts her head in their lap. “Sometimes you’ll get people that would normally ask the animal’s name five or six times in a visit, but they might remember her within that hour and that’s pretty special,” Parisi said. On Friday, Wanda stopped by New Seasons at New Britain in Chalfont, where she makes routine visits and brings joy and smiles to everyone’s face.

“You can tell instantly the residents love when the animals are here. There’s just such a deep connection between the seniors and the love for the animals,” Carly Zimmerman, the activities coordinator at New Seasons, said. “It’s special. It brings them back to times when they were happiest.” Parisi is now sharing Wanda’s story. She entered her into a national Top Pets competition, where she cruised to the semifinals. Win or lose, Parisi said Wanda is one of a kind.

Source: Wanda the therapy donkey brings joy to Pennsylvania seniors: “She’s like Ariel from ‘The Little Mermaid'” – CBS Philadelphia

Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
Matthew 5:9

Hope in the dark

Pip: A mountain village, a wandering stranger, a mother weaving a basket by the river — Drink of Jesus has been building a world where ancient scripture lands like it’s happening right…

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3 bear cubs break into man’s San Bernardino County mountain cabin

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Three black bear cubs standing at an open rustic cabin door

A man had a close encounter with a trio of bears that broke into his cabin in the San Bernardino County mountains. After hearing his little, old hard-of-hearing dogs barking, Thomas Vander Wende woke up and went outside his cabin at Green Valley Lake. That’s when he came face-to-face with a bear cub crawling down a tree in front of his cabin at Green Valley Lake and making wild, throaty moans.   “I saw a silhouette of a bear just above my head,” he said.

“I was bare butt too. So, I didn’t want to hang around and talk to this bear.” Wende ran back inside his home, only to realize that at least two bears had already broken into his home. “We catch the little culprits, the bandits, trying to shimmy down the tree, trying to get away from their crime,” Wende said.  He said his teenage son started screaming that a bear had crawled through his second-floor window. They raided Wende’s loft and were sniffing around their guinea pig enclosure.  Luckily, the cubs were only after the dry food and did not hurt the guinea pigs.  “They did a bear home invasion,” Wende said. “In our home, where we sleep.”

The encounter got Wende’s adrenaline going, but once he lit the bear burglars up with a flashlight, they slowly ambled out of the home while he heard a strange sound in the distance.  Wende believes it was the bear’s mother making some distress calls or scolding them for their mischievous behavior.  “They’re teens. She’s probably having a hard time with them,” he said.  Wende said he’s glad the unusual encounter ended in the best possible way, knowing the potential dangers if the cubs became trapped inside and their mother bear came looking for them.  “They look like they’re in the ‘I’m getting in trouble stage,” Wende said. “Mom’s probably having a hard time keeping track of them.”

Source: 3 bear cubs break into man’s San Bernardino County mountain cabin – CBS Los Angeles

Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7

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Loving Like Jesus: Truth, Grace, and Transformation

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Wooden cross beside a country path in an autumn landscape

Jesus never separated love from truth. He protected the broken, confronted sin, and offered redemption. His love restored lives because it was rooted in obedience to the Father.

Scripture: John 1:14

Currently when people talk about love, it usually sounds like this: “If you really love me, you’ll accept everything I do.” In most cases love is often defined as agreement, affirmation, and silence. But if we look at Jesus, we see a very different kind of love, one that is deeper, stronger, and far more life-giving.

Jesus didn’t love people by telling them whatever they wanted to hear. He showed love to them by telling them the truth they needed to hear. “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things which I say? Luke 6:46

We can see in the Bible that Jesus came full of grace and truth. Not grace or truth. Not truth without grace. Both. Always together. That balance is what made His love so powerful. Grace made people feel safe in His presence. Truth made them want to change.

Take a look at how Jesus treated broken people. He welcomed them. He ate with them. He protected them from shame. But He never pretended that sin didn’t matter. At no point did He ever say, “Stay exactly the same.” His love always moved people toward freedom, healing, and obedience to God.

That’s important for us to understand, especially as we are people surrounded by a culture that says love should never challenge anything. Many will follow their immoral ways, and as a result, the way of the truth will be maligned. In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old doesn’t linger, and their destruction will not slumber. (2 Peter 2:2-3)

Jesus’ love was not weak. It was courageous.

He loved people enough to confront them. He loved people enough to say the hard things. He loved people enough to risk being misunderstood. Because of this there were times that some people walked away from Him because of it. But Jesus never watered down truth just so He could keep followers.

That kind of love is rare today. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. (Hebrews 12:11)

Throughout our lives we will often face pressure to choose sides: be loving or be truthful. Be kind or be biblical. But Jesus showed us that real love does not compromise truth, and real truth is never spoken without love.

Loving like Jesus means caring more about someone’s future than your current comfort right now.

That’s hard, especially with friends. It’s easier to stay quiet when someone is making choices you know aren’t good. It’s easier to avoid awkward conversations. It’s easier to go along with the crowd than to stand out. Understand that silence isn’t always loving. Sometimes silence is just fear wearing a friendly face.

Loving like Jesus doesn’t mean being rude or judgmental. It means being honest with humility. It means listening before speaking. It means checking your heart before correcting someone. And it means being willing to be patient, even when change doesn’t happen overnight.

Jesus never rushed people, but He also never lied to them.

He met people where they were, but He didn’t leave them there.

That’s the model for us.

This also applies to how Jesus loves you. Sometimes we like Jesus’ comfort more than His correction. We love when He forgives us, encourages us, and reminds us of our worth. But when His Word challenges our habits, relationships, or attitudes, it can make us feel uncomfortable. That doesn’t mean He stopped loving you. It means He loves you enough to grow you.

If you are never challenged by Jesus, you’re probably not listening closely. His love always calls us higher. It invites us to live differently, think differently, and choose differently, not because He wants to control us, but because He knows what leads to life.

If you want to love like Jesus it will mean learning how to love people who disagree with you. Jesus didn’t cancel people. He didn’t insult them. He didn’t compromise the truth either. He stayed grounded, calm, and faithful. He trusted God with every outcome. That’s a challenge for our generation.

You don’t need to win arguments to love like Jesus. You don’t need to be loud to be bold. You just need to stay rooted in truth and motivated by grace. But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6)

So here’s the real question for today:
Are you loving people the way Jesus loved, or the way culture tells you to?

Jesus’ love doesn’t just make people feel accepted.
It makes people feel invited to repentance, healing, and real life.

And when we learn to love like that, we don’t just represent Jesus well, we become part of how He changes the world. As His followers, we are called to reflect that same balance, firm in truth, rich in mercy, unwavering in hope.

Thoughts to Ponder

  1. How can I reflect Jesus more clearly?
  2. Where do I need balance between truth and grace?
  3. What does Christlike love look like in my life?

Ask God to shape you into a person who loves like Jesus.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, train my mind and heart to discern what is the truth. Let Your Word be my standard and guide me to find the truth. Shape my heart to love as You love. Let my words and actions reflect both truth and grace. Prepare my heart to receive and live Your Word. In Jesus Name Amen.

Getting to Know Him

Do you want eternal life? Do you want to enter heaven through the only guide that can help you navigate your way there? To enter His home, get to know Him better, and make Him your Lord and Savior CLICK HERE…...

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A 30-Day Bible Reading Plan for Spiritual Growth

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Open book and glasses resting on a mossy rock beside a forest trail

Reading the Bible, What the Bible Says

Reading the Bible is essential for every Christian because it is the primary way God reveals His character, truth, wisdom, and will to humanity. The Bible is not simply a historical book or a collection of religious writings, it is the living Word of God that teaches, corrects, strengthens, and transforms those who seek Him. Through Scripture, believers grow spiritually, gain wisdom, resist deception, and develop a deeper relationship with God.

The Bible itself declares its divine importance in 2 Timothy 3:16–17:

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

This verse explains that Scripture equips believers for every area of life. It teaches truth, exposes wrong thinking, corrects behavior, and trains Christians to live righteously. Without regular time in God’s Word, believers can become spiritually weak, confused, or influenced more by culture than by truth.

Reading the Bible also helps believers know God personally. In John 1:1, Jesus is called “the Word,” showing the deep connection between Christ and Scripture. As people read the Bible, they learn about God’s love, holiness, mercy, justice, and salvation. The more believers understand Scripture, the deeper their relationship with God becomes.

The Bible provides guidance and direction for life. Psalms 119:105 says:

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

Life is filled with difficult choices, temptations, and uncertainty. God’s Word acts as spiritual light, helping believers walk wisely and avoid dangerous paths. Without biblical guidance, people often rely only on emotions, public opinion, or worldly advice.

Reading Scripture also protects believers from deception. In a world filled with conflicting ideas and false teachings, Christians need discernment. Acts 17:11 praises the Bereans because they searched the Scriptures daily to test what they were hearing. God desires His people to know truth deeply so they are not easily misled.

The Bible strengthens faith during trials and hardships. Romans 10:17 teaches:

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Reading Scripture reminds believers of God’s promises, faithfulness, and power. During seasons of fear, grief, confusion, or suffering, God’s Word provides comfort, encouragement, and hope. Many Psalms reveal how God meets people in their deepest struggles and renews their strength.

The Bible also transforms the heart and mind. Romans 12:2 teaches believers to be transformed by the renewing of their minds. Regular reading of Scripture changes how Christians think, speak, and live. God uses His Word to shape attitudes, build wisdom, and produce spiritual maturity.

Finally, reading the Bible draws believers closer to eternal truth. Heaven and earth may change, but God’s Word remains forever. Jesus said in Matthew 24:35:

“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

For Christians, reading the Bible is not merely a religious habit, it is spiritual nourishment, guidance, protection, wisdom, and a daily connection with God Himself.

Why reading the Bible is important, What he Science says

Reading regularly, especially deep, focused reading like studying the Bible, has significant scientific benefits for memory, cognition, emotional regulation, and long-term brain health. Neuroscience and cognitive psychology both show that consistent reading strengthens neural pathways, improves comprehension, enhances attention span, and supports mental resilience throughout life.

When a person reads consistently, the brain actively engages multiple regions at once. Reading involves language processing, memory retrieval, visualization, reasoning, and emotional interpretation. Brain imaging studies have shown that reading activates areas associated with comprehension, critical thinking, and long-term memory formation. This repeated mental activity strengthens neural connections through a process called neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to reorganize and build stronger communication pathways through repeated use.

Memory improves because reading requires the brain to retain information, connect ideas, and recall details over time. When someone studies Scripture regularly, they repeatedly revisit themes, names, teachings, and concepts, which strengthens both short-term and long-term memory systems. Repetition is one of the strongest scientifically supported methods for memory retention. The act of reading, reflecting, journaling, and recalling verses reinforces encoding in the hippocampus, the brain region heavily involved in memory consolidation.

Reading also improves cognitive endurance and concentration. Modern digital culture trains the brain toward rapid scrolling, short attention spans, and fragmented thinking. Deep reading slows the mind and increases sustained attention. This helps improve executive functioning skills such as focus, decision-making, reasoning, and impulse control. Reading complex material like the Bible encourages analytical thinking because readers compare passages, interpret meaning, understand symbolism, and reflect on moral and philosophical ideas.

Scientific research has also linked regular reading to reduced cognitive decline with aging. Studies on lifelong readers suggest that consistent mental stimulation may help preserve cognitive function and build what scientists call cognitive reserve, the brain’s resilience against age-related decline and diseases affecting memory. Mentally engaging activities, including reading and memorization, may help delay symptoms associated with dementia and other degenerative cognitive conditions.

Reading spiritually meaningful material can also reduce stress and improve emotional regulation. Research has shown that focused reading can lower stress levels by slowing heart rate and reducing mental tension. Scripture reading, prayer, and meditation combine cognitive engagement with emotional reflection, which may support calmer thinking and emotional stability. Lower stress levels benefit memory because chronic stress and elevated cortisol can negatively affect the hippocampus and impair memory formation.

Another important scientific benefit is vocabulary and language development. Reading regularly exposes the brain to broader language structures, improving verbal fluency, comprehension, communication skills, and abstract thinking. This strengthens overall intellectual flexibility and learning capacity.

Memorization of Scripture specifically exercises active recall, which is one of the most effective learning strategies identified in educational psychology. Recalling verses without looking strengthens retrieval pathways in the brain, making future recall faster and more accurate. Over time, this repeated mental exercise improves overall memory performance beyond just the memorized material itself.

From both a scientific and spiritual perspective, regular Bible reading develops the mind through repetition, reflection, focus, and emotional engagement. It trains attention, strengthens memory, encourages critical thinking, supports emotional health, and helps maintain cognitive sharpness over time. Consistency matters most, the brain grows stronger through repeated mental exercise just as muscles grow stronger through repeated physical training.

Reading the Bible, A 30 day Plan

Each day: read the passage(s) listed, pray 2–3 minutes asking God to help you understand and apply it, and write one sentence about what stood out.

Week 1 — Who Jesus Is 

The next Seven days will help reveal Christ’s character, mission, and truth through His Word.

Day 1: John 1

Day 2: John 1:14–51 and John 3:16–17

Day 3: John 14:1–7

Day 4: Colossians 1:15–20

Day 5: Hebrews 1:1–4

Day 6: Matthew 16:13–18; John 6:35–40

Day 7: Luke 24:13–35 (post‑resurrection recognition of Jesus)

Week 2 — What Salvation Means & Assurance

The next seven days of this Bible reading plan introduces the heart of salvation and the assurance found in Christ. Through key passages, you will explore what it means to be saved, forgiven, and secure in God’s promises. Each day builds confidence not in feelings, but in God’s unchanging Word. Begin this journey expecting clarity, peace, and renewed assurance as you discover the foundation, purpose, and certainty of salvation in Jesus Christ.

Day 8: Romans 3:21–26

Day 9: Romans 5:1–11

Day 10: Ephesians 2:1–10

Day 11: Romans 8:1–17

Day 12: 1 John 1:5–2:2

Day 13: 2 Corinthians 5:17–21

Day 14: Romans 10:9–13; John 10:27–30

Week 3 — Growing in Faith (Word, Prayer, Spirit) 

Growing in Faith is a journey designed to strengthen your relationship with God. Each day focuses on Scripture, prayer, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, helping you build a consistent, practical, and vibrant faith. Through reflection, application, and intentional devotion, this plan encourages deeper understanding, personal growth, and a closer walk with Christ. Begin ready to encounter God, hear His voice, and experience transformation one day at a time.

Day 15: Psalm 119:9–16

Day 16: Matthew 4:1–11

Day 17: Philippians 1:3–11

Day 18: Galatians 2:20; Galatians 5:16–26

Day 19: 2 Peter 1:3–11

Day 20: Colossians 3:1–17

Day 21: Hebrews 4:12–16

Week 4 — Christian Living & Community 

This guides you through Scripture’s principles for faithful living and meaningful relationships. Each day explores how to love God, serve others, and grow spiritually within a community. Reflect, pray, and apply God’s Word to everyday life, building character and connection.

Day 22: Matthew 5–7 (Sermon on the Mount)

Day 23: Romans 12

Day 24: 1 Corinthians 12-13

Day 25: Ephesians 4:1–16 and Ephesians 5:1–2

Day 26: Acts 2:42–47 and Acts 4:32–37

Day 27: Hebrews 10:19–25 and James 2:14–26 (faith + works)

Day 28: Matthew 28:16–20 (Great Commission)

Final reflections 

Day 29: Psalm 23 and Romans 8 (comfort and assurance)

Day 30: Revisit a passage you found most helpful (reread and write a short plan: one habit to start based on it)

Optional weekly practice: memorize one verse each week 

Memorizing Scripture helps Christians internalize God’s truth, guiding thoughts, decisions, and actions. It strengthens faith, equips for temptation, and provides comfort in trials. God’s Word becomes an accessible source of wisdom, encouragement, and encouragement, allowing believers to meditate, pray, and respond with truth in daily life and spiritual challenges.

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Renewing Your Mind Amid Cultural Pressures

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Giant stone face sculpture with glowing eye beside a bright blue glowing river in a mountainous valley under a starry sky.
Dark storm clouds above ocean with rain showers and light reflections

Pip: Drink of Jesus is a site that takes seriously the idea that ancient words still do something in a noisy world — which is either countercultural or just stubborn, and honestly, maybe both.

Mara: Today we’re covering two stretches of territory: what it looks like to keep going when exhaustion sets in, and how believers are supposed to hold onto truth when the culture is pulling hard in the other direction. Let’s start with endurance in hard seasons.

When the Ground Feels Unstable

Pip: The question underneath this segment is a real one: when everything around you feels chaotic, where does a believer actually plant their feet?

Mara: God Is Not Caught Off Guard goes straight at that. Setting up the stakes, it reads: “Just because there is chaos on earth does not equal chaos in heaven.”

Pip: So the upshot is that disorder in the news cycle doesn’t map onto disorder in God’s governance. The post is making a structural argument, not just an emotional one.

Mara: Exactly. And it draws on Isaiah 46 to reinforce that point — God declares the end from the beginning, which means He is not reacting, He is ruling. The post puts it plainly: when the Church forgets this, anxiety replaces trust.

Pip: Running the Race in Weary Times picks up that thread and carries it forward — because sovereignty is one thing, but what do you do on the days when you’re just tired?

Mara: That post sits in Hebrews 12 and names the weight directly: tired of fighting sin, tired of cultural pressure, tired of waiting. The answer it lands on is refocus, not try harder.

Pip: Which is a genuinely different prescription than most people expect.

Mara: Both posts land in the same place — the foundation holds, but you have to keep choosing to stand on it. From there, how you think becomes as important as where you stand.

Renewing the Mind, Testing the Message

Pip: This segment is about a specific kind of threat — not dramatic apostasy, but the slow drift that happens when culture shapes your thinking more than Scripture does.

Mara: Renewing the Mind in a Corrupted Culture frames it this way: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” And then it unpacks the gap between those two words Paul uses — conformed, pressed into a mold from outside; transformed, changed from the inside out.

Pip: That distinction matters because it locates the problem. If formation is always happening, the question is just who’s doing it.

Mara: The post uses a river image to make it concrete — anything placed in a swift current moves with it by default. Spiritual drift is always easier than spiritual growth. And it asks a pointed diagnostic question: do you filter culture through the Bible, or the Bible through your culture?

Pip: Testing the Message, Not the Mood takes that same concern and narrows it to the teaching we receive. The argument there is that false teaching often succeeds not because it’s obviously wrong but because it feels right.

Mara: It leans on Jeremiah 17:9 — the heart is deceitful, not malicious, but easily influenced. Emotions shift with circumstances. So a message that only ever comforts and never confronts is worth examining closely.

Pip: Feeling affirmed without being transformed is a clean summary of the problem.

Mara: Why Discernment Is an Act of Love rounds out the theme by reframing discernment itself. The post pushes back on the idea that testing teaching is unloving — it argues the opposite: leaving people exposed to false ideas is the less loving choice.

Pip: And it pairs that with a humility check. The goal isn’t winning arguments; it’s protecting hearts. That’s a harder posture to hold than either pure skepticism or pure acceptance.

Mara: All three posts are pointing at the same discipline — staying rooted in Scripture as the primary shaping force, not as a supplement to everything else.

Pip: Sovereignty in chaos and discernment under pressure — different problems, same anchor.

Mara: Keep running, keep testing, keep your eyes on what’s actually true. More on that next time.

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

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Overcoming Division in the Church: A Call for Unity

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Blue denim jeans with a rip repaired by golden cross-stitch embroidery

Division within the church is one of the enemy’s greatest tools because it weakens unity, damages witness, and distracts believers from the mission of Christ. I personally believe that all of the denominations and interpretations are a disease that the devil created to separate Gods children. If you look around it works pretty good. Jesus warned in Matthew 12:25 that “every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.” When bitterness, gossip, jealousy, pride, and unforgiveness take root, the body of Christ begins to fracture from within.

Galatians 5:15 gives another sobering warning: “But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” Many times division begins quietly through offense, competition, misunderstandings, ego, or personal agendas. Instead of building one another up, people begin tearing each other down. What should be a place of healing becomes a battlefield of opinions, power struggles, and wounded hearts.

Yet God sees beyond outward appearances. Jeremiah 17:10 says, “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins.” God scrutinizes and examines our motives, pride, selfish ambition, and hidden bitterness that fuel division. Sometimes the greatest issue is not theology or disagreement, it is the condition of the heart. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” 

The solution to a divided church begins with repentance, humility, and returning to the love of Christ. Ephesians 4:2–3 calls believers to walk“with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Healing comes when believers choose forgiveness over offense, prayer over gossip, humility over pride, and truth spoken in love over destructive conflict. Unity does not mean everyone agrees on everything, it means Christ remains greater than our personal preferences.

A healthy church is not built by perfect people but by fully surrendered people who allow God to transform their hearts. When the church chooses love, accountability, grace, and biblical truth, division will completely loose its power.

Thought to Ponder:
Is your heart helping build unity within the body of Christ, or is it unknowingly contributing to division?

Journaling Prompt:
What attitudes, wounds, or unresolved conflicts could God be asking you to surrender for the sake of unity and healing?

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, search my heart and remove anything that causes division, pride, or bitterness. Help Your church walk in humility, love, forgiveness, and truth. Teach us to honor one another and remain united in Christ even through disagreements. Bring healing where there is conflict and restore peace within Your people. In Jesus Name Amen.

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Black bear breaks in to 5 Asheville homes, still on loose

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Black bear walking across a mountain cabin porch at dusk

Bears are not an uncommon sight in Western North Carolina, but a burglar bear is a little less common. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission has stated that a female bear has been breaking into homes in the Asheville area. Officials believe that she has no fear of people, learned that homes have food for her to eat inside them, and that she poses a threat to humans. “She has learned that all homes have food inside. This bear not only poses a risk to human safety, but she is teaching her cubs the same dangerous and unnatural behavior,” the N.C. WRC said in an update on Sept. 2. N.C. WRC first started tracking the bear on Aug. 18, after a Buncombe County resident encountered a female black bear inside her house and sustained non-life-threatening injuries as the bear attempted to exit the home. Since then, the female bear has tried to break into another four homes. “She is not afraid of people, causing extensive property damage, and has forcibly entered homes of residents that have no evidence of unsecured trash or other unsecured attractants outdoors,” the N.C. WRC said.

Breaking-and-entering black bear in Asheville area

Around 24-hours after her initial break-in on Aug. 18, the bear reportedly broke into a second home and tried to get into another home. The break-ins continued last weekend when the female bear tried to get into two more homes in the Asheville area, N.C. WRC stated. Officials state they know the same bear is the culprit responsible for all the break-ins due to her “distinctive” markings.

Is the bear still on the loose in Asheville?

What will happen to it? The female bear is on the loose. Once she is captured, the bear will be humanely euthanized, officials said. Wildlife officials stated that two of her cubs have been captured. Since the cubs are so young, they have been relocated to an undeveloped area to keep them away from populated areas.

Are black bears dangerous?

What to do if you see a black bear N.C. WRC BearWise warns that while black bears are generally not dangerous and rarely aggressive toward humans, people sharing territory with the animals should do their part to reduce the potential for conflict.

Black bear safety program BearWise recommendations include:

  • Never feed or approach bears. 
  • Secure food, garbage and recycling. 
  • Remove bird feeders when bears are active. 
  • Never leave pet food outdoors. 
  • Clean and store grills and smokers. 
  • Alert neighbors to bear activity.

What you should do if you run into a black bear in Western North Carolina

The National Park Service suggests people do this if they run into a bear:

  • Remain watchful.
  • Do not approach it.
  • Do not allow the bear to approach you.
  • If the bear is at a distance, feeding, or walking by and notices you but continues its natural behavior, no action is needed on your part.
  • Proceed while continuing to observe the bear. If your presence causes the bear to change its behavior (stops feeding, changes its travel direction, watches you, etc.), you are too close.
  • Being too close may provoke aggressive behavior in the bear, such as running toward you, making loud noises, or swatting the ground. The bear is demanding more space. Don’t run, but slowly back away, watching the bear. Increase the distance between you and the bear. The bear will probably do the same.

Source: Black bear breaks in to 5 Asheville homes, still on loose

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.
Matthew 18:15

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How much does backcountry rescue really cost?

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Last month, a hiker on a high-alpine plateau just beneath the summit headwall of the highest peak in Montana made a painful calculation. David Cifaldi had taken a fall on his way to Granite Peak in the Beartooth Mountains, near the Montana-Wyoming border, and ended up with the sharp end of a trekking pole driven through his torso.  His dilemma was widely reported by news outlets and online commentators: He could sit tight for a helicopter to whisk him away, or he could hike 10 miles back to the trailhead with his gruesome injury. Cifaldi, a 32-year-old nurse from Billings, decided the physical puncture would be preferable over the pain in his pocketbook.

“‘Tis but a flesh wound,” Cifaldi told his friends, according to The Associated Press. He said he didn’t want to be on the hook for a sky-high helicopter rescue bill. “Search and rescue coming to help you is free,” he said. “The flight’s not. That was a factor in me deciding to self-rescue.” Mott But how high would the cost of a wilderness helicopter rescue actually run — and based on what factors?  The answer is complicated. Search and rescue in Montana is largely a public service, funded by taxpayers and carried out mostly by volunteers.

But once a helicopter enters the airspace, the economics can change dramatically. Federal law has given people with health insurance more protection from surprise bills, but the particulars of backcountry rescue — and the particulars of different insurance plans — remain confusing. Even officials acknowledge there’s no simple answer to the question Cifaldi faced on Froze-to-Death Plateau.

How backcountry rescue works

Backcountry recreation is growing across the region and the country. Since search and rescue (SAR) groups are coordinated at the county level, comprehensive data doesn’t exist. But survey data provided by Nannette Gilbertson, executive director of the Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, shows that Montana search and rescue teams worked more than 13,700 hours on at least 306 missions in 2024. In 2025, SAR teams responded to at least 272 missions, working nearly 12,000 hours. When a SAR team receives a call about a backcountry rescue, a complex chain of events begins.

While some details vary from place to place, three SAR coordinators from across southwest Montana described the process playing out like this: Officials assess the danger and urgency of the situation, and the resources available. Can a rescue team get there on foot quickly enough to provide useful aid? If so, they will, using the resources they have.  “Our job is to get people out of bad places as quickly and effectively as we can, and then get them to the next level of care,” said Matt Boxmeyer, SAR captain with the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and chairman of the Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association Search and Rescue Subcommittee. 

In Montana and in most states across the country, search and rescue operations are a public good. In general they’re funded by taxpayer dollars, along with donations and grants in some cases. The people doing the work are overwhelmingly volunteers. “Search and rescue is never going to send a bill to anybody for anything,” chief deputy with the Stillwater County Sheriff’s Office Ty Williams said. “Just the same concept as the Sheriff’s Office doesn’t charge to respond to an emergency at your house, we’re not going to charge to respond to an emergency in the backcountry.” 

If a boots-on-the-ground approach isn’t an option, SAR teams will consider a helicopter — and that’s where cost calculations get tricky, depending on the helicopter teams nearby and the technicality of the rescue. Some are free, public resources. Some are operated by nonprofit companies. And others still are run by private companies with bills totalling tens of thousands of dollars for which the rescuee may or may not be on the hook.

When a helicopter costs money

When someone in the backcountry needs urgent medical care and a transport to a hospital, rescuers call in a private air ambulance when other available resources can’t meet their needs. In those cases, the private company will send a bill to the patient’s insurance company, said Nicci Urbigkit with Guardian Flight Wyoming, a private operator in Cody.  “When most people think about air rescue, they picture the helicopter,” Urbigkit said in an emailed statement.

“What they don’t always see is that we’re really delivering a mobile intensive care unit to patients who may be hours away from definitive treatment. Our job is to bring advanced medical care directly to the patient and get them to the right hospital as quickly and safely as possible.” Urbigkit declined to provide a specific figure for the average cost of a Guardian flight. She said the exact number varies based on the patient’s medical condition, the distance traveled and the level of care required. 

“We’re really delivering a mobile intensive care unit to patients who may be hours away from definitive treatment.” NICCI URBIGKIT, GUARDIAN FLIGHT

WYOMING A 2016-2017 analysis by the Brookings Institution found that air ambulance trips cost an average of about $32,000. Loren Adler, a health economist and the study’s author, said those costs have continued to rise in years since. He estimates the average air ambulance flight now comes closer to $50,000. In a traditional market, Adler said, a consumer can pick and choose what service to utilize ahead of time. Market forces set prices. Companies compete against each other. Fundamentally, the consumer has the power of choice.

But for air ambulances — whether in the front- or backcountry — “it’s all post-hoc,” Adler said.  “There’s not really any sort of functioning market for air ambulances in the U.S. right now,” Adler said. Injured in the backcountry, people in need of rescue don’t get to pick between companies. For years, that meant patients could be hit with enormous out-of-network bills after being transported by an air ambulance. But federal law has changed that landscape.

What insurance covers

The No Surprises Act, a bipartisan federal bill that went into effect in 2022, overhauled how air ambulance billing works. According to the law, insurers must treat all air ambulances as in-network. Adler said that change means the days of surprising, astronomical bills are over — at least in theory. County Search and Rescue Prior to the No Surprises Act, patients were faced with out-of-network charges they had no say in after many emergency medical situations.

They might get released from the hospital only to find their insurer would only cover a tiny fraction of their bill. “Air ambulances were one of the most extreme versions of this just because you are almost always dealing with a five-figure bill,” Adler said. But the No Surprises Act doesn’t mean air ambulances are free to use — all of a person’s costs depend on their insurance plan. If a patient has a high deductible and cost-sharing, they can still be on the hook for a lot of cash. But Adler said they might incur those fees from a hospital visit anyway.

“You can still get stuck with a high bill, but at least it’s being treated as a traditional in-network medical service rather than the old days where you could often get these $20,000 or $30,000 balance bills,” he said.  In some backcountry rescue scenarios, a patient may still need to use a ground ambulance, a service not covered by the No Surprises Act. Still, Adler said patients with commercial insurance are far better protected today than they were before the law took effect. “It’s not nothing,” he said about the bills patients could be left with.

“But I think it’s going to be much more something someone’s willing to pay.” But there’s another important caveat to the overall picture of backcountry rescue: Not every helicopter rescue is an air ambulance. 

Rescue helicopter hovering above climbers on a snowy mountain ridge
A rescue helicopter hovers above climbers assisting an injured person on a snowy alpine ridge.

The choppers that don’t send a bill

Montana SAR teams have access to a variety of public and nonprofit helicopters that might get called in for a rescue — and wouldn’t charge a patient a dime.  The Air Force and National Guard both have helicopter units that can respond to emergencies. These are federal resources, funded by taxpayer dollars and free of charge to injured backcountry recreators. These federal choppers can come with highly-trained medical personnel and rope-hoist systems for technical backcountry rescues. 

However, those federal resources aren’t always available for a rescue or fast enough to reach far-away patients. A federal chopper might need to take off from Great Falls to access a stranded climber near the Wyoming border. That can take hours.  Federal policy also dictates that SAR teams can only call in federal resources when private companies aren’t available or are inadequate. “Basically the federal government does not want to take work away from private companies,” Williams said.  Search and rescue responders conduct subjective and urgent calculus when responding to backcountry emergencies: “Am I putting the patient at greater risk by not getting them the fastest resources?”

Park County Sheriff Tad Dykstra said.  Private choppers have limitations, too: They might not be able to reach certain elevations, or might lack the equipment or personnel necessary for highly technical rescues where terrain limits landing and rescue options. In these cases, responders can go straight to federal resources when necessary. Finally, some counties, and even a nonprofit in the state, have resources that come at no cost to the person being rescued, making a stranded person’s location and the availability of local resources a significant factor in their luck of the draw.

Gallatin County, for example, has a renowned high-angle rescue team. Yellowstone County has access to a helicopter, too. Two Bear Air, a nonprofit based in Kalispell, never charges either rescuers or counties for their services.  Ultimately, SAR coordinators said that figuring out exactly which helicopter gets called in is a complex process that varies based on the situation: How severe is the emergency? Could you freeze, drown or bleed out? Is there somewhere to land, or will they need to hoist the person into the air?

Will the chopper need to treat the person in-air? Will they fly the patient to the hospital or to an ambulance waiting on the ground near the trailhead? And finally, who is available to get there before things get worse? The Absaroka Mountains are seen from above on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025. Credit: Lauren Miller, Montana Free Press, CatchLight Local/Report for America Extracting a person from a dangerous situation differs from the medical treatment they might need.

If you’re stuck on a cliff or too dehydrated to continue on, a rescue helicopter may simply remove you from the backcountry. In those situations, a private air ambulance is unlikely, SAR responders said. But if you have a broken femur or a traumatic head injury deep in the wilderness, that could be a different story. “We look at each situation differently, and we’re not gonna call an air ambulance for someone that doesn’t need it,” Boxmeyer said.

While this decision-making process is playing out, those in need of a rescue are often in the dark, without service or any say in who ultimately comes to transport them out of the backcountry.Rescuees, like Cifaldi, can always decline a helicopter, or even a ground ambulance, if they’re capable of weighing the pros and cons. 

Don’t hesitate to call 

Several SAR officials noted that Cifaldi was a medical professional. In general, rescue officials don’t want recreators in need to forgo professional help. “With the nature of our mountains, it can easily turn into a body recovery if you’re not prepared to be in the backcountry,” Dykstra said. “I would much rather have people call and have our county pay for it than have someone expire in the backcountry just because they didn’t think they could afford it.”  As recreation grows — along with emergencies in the backcountry — Boxmeyer said whether and how to charge for SAR services has come up many times in policy discussions. But the conversation never seems to go anywhere. 

“We look at each situation differently, and we’re not gonna call an air ambulance for someone that doesn’t need it.” MATT BOXMEYER, SAR CAPTAIN WITH THE GALLATIN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

States like Colorado, New Hampshire and Utah offer buy-in programs that support search and rescue teams to alleviate pressures on local tax bases. A smattering of other states, including Idaho, Utah, Oregon and Maine, have caveats to their policies that allow SAR teams to charge rescuees in cases of negligence or entering closed areas.  Boxmeyer said charging for SAR services in Montana has been a non-starter.

At the heart of the decision-making is a core idea: The public shouldn’t be weighing their own safety against the cost of a rescue. In practice, of course — as Cifaldi’s case demonstrates — the public hasn’t fully grasped that sentiment.  SAR responders across the region stressed that recreators should be prepared for emergencies and carry a way to communicate. For added peace of mind, satellite companies like Garmin and Zoleo offer rescue insurance, and so do networks of air ambulances like Life Flight and other groups like the American Alpine Club — though SAR coordinators cautioned they couldn’t attest to how effective or comprehensive those plans are on the ground.

Boxmeyer said in practice, fears about big bills for backcountry rescue are overblown. He said Gallatin County responds to lots of rescues on and near Granite Peak, where Cifaldi hiked 10 miles with a pole through his torso to avoid a helicopter bill.  “I’ve had lots of friends call and ask me about that guy who hiked out of the Beartooths with a pole stuck through him,” Boxmeyer said. “He wouldn’t have received a bill from us.”

Source: How much does backcountry rescue really cost?

Diesel spill from truck crash near Floriston threatens local wildlife

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About 100 gallons of diesel spilled over the side of a bridge after a semi-truck accident in Nevada County, threatening nearby wildlife, state officials said. CDFW Two “saddle tanks” on a semi-truck ruptured in a vehicle crash near Floriston on Friday, releasing about 100 gallons of diesel over the side of a bridge at the collision site, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife wrote in a social media post Monday.

The CDFW’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response crew responded to the collision to investigate whether any fuel had entered the Truckee River running under the bridge. After the spill response crew cleaned the area, they determined that no diesel reached the river and no “oiled wildlife” was found, CDFW announced Monday.

Source: Diesel spill from truck crash near Floriston threatens local wildlife

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
John 15:10

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The Power of Forgiveness in Christian Relationships

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Hands clasped in prayer beside an open Bible on a wooden windowsill

When life feels overwhelming, one of the most powerful ways to reflect Christ is simply to be present for someone else. God calls us to pray for others, forgive freely, and carry one another’s burdens, revealing His love through both our words and our actions.

In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote, “Do not waste your time bothering whether you ‘love’ your neighbor act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less.”

Our Daily Bread, February 14.

One of the greatest ways we can reflect the heart of Christ is by being there for others. God’s love is not distant or indifferent. He cares deeply about people and desires that they know His truth, experience His grace, and receive His salvation. As followers of Jesus, we are called to share that same concern for those around us.

praying hands of a person on white textile

Being there for others often begins with prayer. Paul reminds us in 1 Timothy that God desires all people to come to the knowledge of the truth. When we pray for family members, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and even strangers, we participate in God’s work in their lives. Our prayers become an expression of His love and our willingness to care about what matters to Him.

This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,  who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; 

1 Timothy 2:3-8

God’s desire is far greater than we often realize He wants all people to come to the knowledge of the truth and experience salvation through Jesus Christ. These verses remind us that Christ willingly gave Himself as a ransom for all, bridging the gap between sinful humanity and a holy God. Because of this incredible gift, believers are called to pray for others, including leaders and those in authority, so that God’s peace and truth may spread. Our prayers should reflect God’s love for people, free from anger, division, or selfish motives. As we seek God, we become partners in His mission of reaching the world with the gospel.

But being there for others also requires forgiveness. Relationships are rarely perfect. People disappoint us, misunderstand us, and sometimes hurt us deeply. Jesus teaches in Matthew 6 that forgiveness is essential for those who have experienced God’s mercy. When we choose forgiveness, we remove barriers that can keep us from loving and serving others well. Forgiveness creates room for compassion, healing, and restoration.

Sometimes being there for someone means offering encouragement. Other times it means listening without judgment, helping carry a burden, extending grace, or simply showing up when someone is struggling. These acts may seem small, but they can have a lasting impact. Through them, people often experience a glimpse of God’s love in a tangible way.

women embracing each other

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 6:14-15

We can see that Jesus taught that forgiveness is not optional for those who follow Him. Having received God’s mercy, we are called to extend that same mercy to others. Forgiveness does not mean excusing wrong behavior or pretending the hurt never happened. Instead, it is a decision to release bitterness and surrender judgment to God. Unforgiveness can harden the heart and hinder our fellowship with the Lord, while forgiveness brings freedom, healing, and peace. As we remember how much God has forgiven us through Christ, we find the strength to forgive those who have wronged us and walk in the grace He freely gives.

Today, ask God to help you see people through His eyes. Pray for those around you, forgive freely, and look for opportunities to serve. Your presence, prayers, and compassion may be exactly what someone needs to experience the love of Christ.

Thought to Ponder

Who in your life needs your prayers, forgiveness, encouragement, or support today?

Journaling Prompt

Write down three people God has placed on your heart. How can you intentionally pray for them and demonstrate Christ’s love to them this week?

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for being present in my life through every season. Help me reflect Your heart by caring for others as You care for them. Teach me to pray faithfully, forgive generously, and serve willingly. Open my eyes to those who are hurting, lonely, or in need of encouragement. Use me as an instrument of Your love and grace, so that others may see Christ through my words and actions. In Jesus Name Amen.

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Hope in the dark

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Hiker walking on a narrow rocky mountain ridge with sun rays at sunrise

Pip: A mountain village, a wandering stranger, a mother weaving a basket by the river — Drink of Jesus has been building a world where ancient scripture lands like it’s happening right now, and this episode walks straight into it.

Mara: We’re covering three territories today: a story that reimagines the prologue of John, the biblical case for living without fear, and a lesson in faith drawn from a corner of Exodus that rarely gets the spotlight. Let’s start with that village and the light it found.

Village Light and Hope

Pip: The post “A Light in the Village” takes John 1 and sets it inside a firelit gathering in a mountain community that has nearly forgotten the old scrolls. The question it’s posing is simple and serious: what does it actually feel like when the Word arrives among people who stopped expecting it?

Mara: The stranger at the center of the story quotes directly from John 1, and the passage lands at the heart of it: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Pip: That line does real work in the story. These are villagers who know darkness in the concrete sense — fear, hardship, loss. The post is asking whether that kind of light is stronger than the kind they already live with.

Mara: And the story doesn’t skip the harder verse. The stranger tells them the light came into the world, was unrecognized, and was rejected even by his own. Little Yani calls it sad. The stranger agrees — but the pivot is that those who did receive him were given the right to become children of God, which unsettles the villagers who assumed only the holy or important qualified.

Pip: Which is the real tension the post is after. Not a theology lecture — a room full of ordinary people realizing the invitation might actually include them.

Mara: Old Mira closes it: “If this light is real, then we must walk toward it. We have lived in shadows too long.” That’s the moment the village turns. And the post grounds it all in John 1:1–18, read aloud from a scroll the children find a year later.

Pip: From a village finding its light to something more direct — what scripture says when fear is already at the door.

Fearless Trust in God

Mara: “Fearless” opens with a declaration: there is no need to be afraid because you have a warrior beside you. The post builds its case entirely through scripture, and the anchor is Joshua 1:9: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Pip: That verse is the spine of the post. Joshua receiving it before entering Canaan — a moment of enormous personal stakes — and the post is saying that same command extends outward.

Mara: What this means in practice is that the post treats courage not as a personality trait but as a response to a promise already made. The Joshua 1:5 line comes first — “I will not leave you or forsake you” — and the command to be strong follows from that, not the other way around.

Pip: The post doesn’t stay in Joshua. It moves to 2 Kings, where Elisha’s servant is terrified until his eyes are opened and he sees the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire. The unseen army was already there. The fear was real; so was the thing the fear was missing.

Mara: And then Matthew 10:26 closes the scriptural arc: “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.” The post is threading a consistent line — what looks overwhelming from one angle looks entirely different when the full picture is visible.

Pip: That’s a thread that runs straight into the next segment, where a mother acts on exactly that kind of trust before she can see how it ends.

Unusual Faith in Scripture

Mara: “Faith Like its Never Been Told” opens with the writer noting that God pointed them toward a story rarely taught as a faith lesson. The setup is Exodus 1 — a new Pharaoh, alarmed by Israel’s growth, orders the Hebrew midwives to kill every newborn son.

Pip: Which puts one mother in an impossible position. And the post’s argument is that what she does next is a masterclass in faith, even though her name barely appears in the text.

Mara: The post names her — Jochebed — and quotes the moment Pharaoh’s daughter finds the basket: “She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, ‘This is one of the Hebrews’ children.'”

Pip: Pity from the daughter of the man who ordered the killing. That is either the worst possible outcome or the exact hinge the whole plan turned on.

Mara: The post leans into that tension. Miriam, watching from the reeds, has to think fast — and she does, offering to find a Hebrew nurse. Pharaoh’s daughter agrees, Jochebed is brought back, and she is paid to raise her own son. The post’s conclusion is direct: because she trusted God with the outcome, she raised the man who would free her people.

Pip: The post calls it “faith in action” — not faith as a feeling, but as a thing you weave with your hands and place in the water before you know what happens next.

Mara: Which is the through line across everything today: light that doesn’t wait for recognition, courage that precedes the outcome, and a mother who lets go before the story resolves.

Pip: A stranger walks into a village. A warrior stands beside you. A basket floats downriver. The same trust, three different shapes.

Mara: And next time, more of what that trust looks like when the stakes get even harder to hold. Stay with us.

For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
Galatians 6:8

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Bear swipes at man in Colorado apartment complex and scratches his arm

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Paramedics treat a man beside an ambulance while a bear crosses a meadow

A bear swiped at a man and scratched his arm on Monday. That’s according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials, who said it happened in the afternoon at an apartment complex in Eagle County. CPW said the man was leaving a laundry room when the bear appeared and scratched him. He then tried to get away and tripped and hurt his foot. The man was treated at a medical center for both injuries and has since been released.

Wildlife officers made an attempt to locate the bear, a female, but so far haven’t been able to find it. They said they set a bear trap in the neighborhood, which is close to Eagle-Vail. “Wildlife officials believe the presence of a larger male bear in the area prompted the sow and cubs to stay away,” CPW wrote in a prepared statement. It has been an above-normal year for bear sightings and conflicts in Colorado.

Source: Bear swipes at man in Colorado apartment complex and scratches his arm – CBS Colorado

In that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess.
Deuteronomy 30:16

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Nearly 30,000 pounds of Argentine beef sold in Texas, Florida recalled by Miami-area company

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Vacuum-sealed Argentine beef ribeye cuts with SENASA inspection labels

Shoppers in Texas and Florida are being asked to check their freezers for beef imported from Argentina that is now being recalled by federal officials. The Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Friday that Corte Argentino – a company based in Aventura, Florida – recalled nearly 30,000 pounds of raw beef products produced in May that have use or freeze-by dates between Sept. 15, 2026, and Sept. 20, 2026. The FSIS said the products were imported without the benefit of import reinspection into the United States. The service said the issue was discovered during routine inspection activities. Five products, all of which are boneless beef products in cardboard boxes of various weights and carry the “FrigorIfico Gorina SAIC” brand, are impacted:

  • “Top Sirloin Butt” (“Cuadril Sin Tapa”)
  • “Eye Round” (“Peceto”)
  • “Topside Cap Off” (“Nalga AD S/Tapa”)
  • “Flat” (“Carnaza Cuadrada”)
  • “Knuckle” (“Bola de Lomo”)

CBS News

Texas The FSIS said the products subject to the recall bear Argentine establishment number “EST. N° OF. 2025” and shipping mark “26644-AA”. While it’s not known which stores may have sold the beef, the service said the products were distributed to distributors and retailers in both states. While no illnesses or injuries have been reported as a result of eating the beef, the FSIS urges anyone with concerns to contact a healthcare provider. The service also said anyone who still has the beef should either throw it away or return it to the place of purchase. Anyone with questions about the recall can email Corte Argentino at info@corteargentinoinc.com.

Recall comes after U.S. ranchers’ opposition The recall of the Corte Argentino beef comes nearly a year after President Donald Trump announced a plan to import more meat from Argentina as part of a deal signed with his counterpart, Argentine President Javier Milei, as part of a plan to cut record beef prices. However, that plan was met with heated opposition from U.S. ranchers and skepticism from experts who said it likely wouldn’t lead to lower prices at grocery stores. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, along with the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of America and other farming groups — who are normally some of the president’s biggest supporters — all criticized Trump’s plan because of what it could do to American ranchers and feedlot operators. And agricultural economists say Argentine beef accounts for such a small slice of beef imports — only about 2% — that even doubling that wouldn’t change prices much.  

Several factors have sent beef prices soaring, starting with continued strong demand combined with the smallest U.S. herd size since 1961. In part, that small herd is due to years of drought and low cattle prices. Further, Kansas State University agricultural economist Glynn Tonsor said Argentina can’t produce enough beef to offset those other losses of imports. “We’re always going to have uncertainty in the world. But the more uncertain something is, the less likely most are to put money on the line,” Tonsor said.

Source: Nearly 30,000 pounds of Argentine beef sold in Texas, Florida recalled by Miami-area company – CBS Texas

For in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’
Acts 17:28

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Rabies alerts issued in Harford, Anne Arundel counties involving racoon, bat and fox

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Raccoon foraging beside dense vegetation in a suburban backyard

Health officials in Harford and Anne Arundel counties have issued new rabies alerts involving a racoon, a fox and a bat. The Harford County Health Department said Tuesday it had received confirmation from state health officials that two animals — a racoon and a fox — had tested positive for the rabies virus.  The rabid raccoon was found near the 200 block of Cooley Mill Road, in Havre de Grace, while the rabid fox was found near the 700 block of Walters Mill Road in Forest Hill, Maryland. The health department said the rabid animals may have exposed people or pets in surrounding areas.    

“Witnessing a raccoon, fox, or other wildlife is not cause for alarm,” the department said in a statement. “But if you or your pets have had contact with a raccoon or fox near the specified areas, please call the Harford County Health Department at 410-877-2300 for follow-up.” Anne Arundel bat alert In Anne Arundel County, an alert was issued by the health department seeking information about anyone who might have come in contact with an infected bat found outside Almondbury Drive in Pasadena. A statement said the bat was found August 9 and tested positive for rabies. The Arundel County Department of Health is urging anyone who might have come into contact with the bat to contact the department at 410-222-7254. Area residents who discover unexplained wounds on their pets should also reach out to report the injuries. 

Rabies is spread by the bite or scratch of an infected animal, such as a groundhog, cat, fox, raccoon, skunk or bat. It is also spread when an infected animal’s saliva comes in contact with the eyes, nose, mouth or open cut of a person or another animal. Latest warnings follow recent biting incidents Preventive treatment might be required for anyone who handled, fed or was attacked by the infected animal. Rabies is a fatal disease, and preventive treatment (injections) must be started as soon as possible. The latest reports of rabid animals follows an incident in July in which a beaver infected with rabies bit a 13-year-old boy at Cunningham Falls State Park in Maryland’s Frederick County.

The boy sustained injuries to his hands and chest and was flown to Johns Hopkins Hospital for treatment.   Then, earlier this month, a 19-year-old man was bitten on the leg while visiting Cunningham Falls State Park. 

Source: Rabies alerts issued in Harford, Anne Arundel counties involving racoon, bat and fox – CBS Baltimore

He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.
John 7:38

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Bay Area animal rescue and zoo needs help to recover from severe storm damage

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Seals resting on rocks in a fenced marine enclosure overlooking a coastal sunset and two people walking a dog on a path nearby

CuriOdyssey, a San Mateo animal rescue and zoo is still cleaning up after being battered by the winter storms. The powerful storms also destroyed animals’ habitats, obscured walkways and made it dangerous for staff and visitors.

Source: Bay Area animal rescue and zoo needs help to recover from severe storm damage – YouTube

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
John 14:6

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Unity in the Body of Christ: Breaking Down Barriers

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Stone church with bell tower and graveyard under cloudy sky with sunbeam

Division within the church is one of the enemy’s greatest tools because it weakens unity, damages witness, and distracts believers from the mission of Christ. I personally believe that all of the denominations and interpretations are a disease that the devil created to separate Gods children. If you look around it works pretty good. Jesus warned in Matthew 12:25 that “every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.” When bitterness, gossip, jealousy, pride, and unforgiveness take root, the body of Christ begins to fracture from within.

Galatians 5:15 gives another sobering warning: “But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” Many times division begins quietly through offense, competition, misunderstandings, ego, or personal agendas. Instead of building one another up, people begin tearing each other down. What should be a place of healing becomes a battlefield of opinions, power struggles, and wounded hearts.

Yet God sees beyond outward appearances. Jeremiah 17:10 says, “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins.” God scrutinizes and examines our motives, pride, selfish ambition, and hidden bitterness that fuel division. Sometimes the greatest issue is not theology or disagreement, it is the condition of the heart. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” 

The solution to a divided church begins with repentance, humility, and returning to the love of Christ. Ephesians 4:2–3 calls believers to walk“with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Healing comes when believers choose forgiveness over offense, prayer over gossip, humility over pride, and truth spoken in love over destructive conflict. Unity does not mean everyone agrees on everything, it means Christ remains greater than our personal preferences.

A healthy church is not built by perfect people but by fully surrendered people who allow God to transform their hearts. When the church chooses love, accountability, grace, and biblical truth, division will completely loose its power.

Thought to Ponder:
Is your heart helping build unity within the body of Christ, or is it unknowingly contributing to division?

Journaling Prompt:
What attitudes, wounds, or unresolved conflicts could God be asking you to surrender for the sake of unity and healing?

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, search my heart and remove anything that causes division, pride, or bitterness. Help Your church walk in humility, love, forgiveness, and truth. Teach us to honor one another and remain united in Christ even through disagreements. Bring healing where there is conflict and restore peace within Your people. In Jesus Name Amen.

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Finding Stability in Chaotic Times: A Guide for Believers

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Rough ocean waves under dark storm clouds with golden sunset light
Dark storm clouds above ocean with rain showers and light reflections

Pip: Drink of Jesus is a site that takes seriously the idea that ancient words still do something in a noisy world — which is either countercultural or just stubborn, and honestly, maybe both.

Mara: Today we’re covering two stretches of territory: what it looks like to keep going when exhaustion sets in, and how believers are supposed to hold onto truth when the culture is pulling hard in the other direction. Let’s start with endurance in hard seasons.

When the Ground Feels Unstable

Pip: The question underneath this segment is a real one: when everything around you feels chaotic, where does a believer actually plant their feet?

Mara: God Is Not Caught Off Guard goes straight at that. Setting up the stakes, it reads: “Just because there is chaos on earth does not equal chaos in heaven.”

Pip: So the upshot is that disorder in the news cycle doesn’t map onto disorder in God’s governance. The post is making a structural argument, not just an emotional one.

Mara: Exactly. And it draws on Isaiah 46 to reinforce that point — God declares the end from the beginning, which means He is not reacting, He is ruling. The post puts it plainly: when the Church forgets this, anxiety replaces trust.

Pip: Running the Race in Weary Times picks up that thread and carries it forward — because sovereignty is one thing, but what do you do on the days when you’re just tired?

Mara: That post sits in Hebrews 12 and names the weight directly: tired of fighting sin, tired of cultural pressure, tired of waiting. The answer it lands on is refocus, not try harder.

Pip: Which is a genuinely different prescription than most people expect.

Mara: Both posts land in the same place — the foundation holds, but you have to keep choosing to stand on it. From there, how you think becomes as important as where you stand.

Renewing the Mind, Testing the Message

Pip: This segment is about a specific kind of threat — not dramatic apostasy, but the slow drift that happens when culture shapes your thinking more than Scripture does.

Mara: Renewing the Mind in a Corrupted Culture frames it this way: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” And then it unpacks the gap between those two words Paul uses — conformed, pressed into a mold from outside; transformed, changed from the inside out.

Pip: That distinction matters because it locates the problem. If formation is always happening, the question is just who’s doing it.

Mara: The post uses a river image to make it concrete — anything placed in a swift current moves with it by default. Spiritual drift is always easier than spiritual growth. And it asks a pointed diagnostic question: do you filter culture through the Bible, or the Bible through your culture?

Pip: Testing the Message, Not the Mood takes that same concern and narrows it to the teaching we receive. The argument there is that false teaching often succeeds not because it’s obviously wrong but because it feels right.

Mara: It leans on Jeremiah 17:9 — the heart is deceitful, not malicious, but easily influenced. Emotions shift with circumstances. So a message that only ever comforts and never confronts is worth examining closely.

Pip: Feeling affirmed without being transformed is a clean summary of the problem.

Mara: Why Discernment Is an Act of Love rounds out the theme by reframing discernment itself. The post pushes back on the idea that testing teaching is unloving — it argues the opposite: leaving people exposed to false ideas is the less loving choice.

Pip: And it pairs that with a humility check. The goal isn’t winning arguments; it’s protecting hearts. That’s a harder posture to hold than either pure skepticism or pure acceptance.

Mara: All three posts are pointing at the same discipline — staying rooted in Scripture as the primary shaping force, not as a supplement to everything else.

Pip: Sovereignty in chaos and discernment under pressure — different problems, same anchor.

Mara: Keep running, keep testing, keep your eyes on what’s actually true. More on that next time.

The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.
Proverbs 11:25

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Reflecting Christ: The Power of Being Present for Others

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man in white shirt helping an elderly person

When life feels overwhelming, one of the most powerful ways to reflect Christ is simply to be present for someone else. God calls us to pray for others, forgive freely, and carry one another’s burdens, revealing His love through both our words and our actions.

In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote, “Do not waste your time bothering whether you ‘love’ your neighbor act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less.”

Our Daily Bread, February 14.

One of the greatest ways we can reflect the heart of Christ is by being there for others. God’s love is not distant or indifferent. He cares deeply about people and desires that they know His truth, experience His grace, and receive His salvation. As followers of Jesus, we are called to share that same concern for those around us.

praying hands of a person on white textile

Being there for others often begins with prayer. Paul reminds us in 1 Timothy that God desires all people to come to the knowledge of the truth. When we pray for family members, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and even strangers, we participate in God’s work in their lives. Our prayers become an expression of His love and our willingness to care about what matters to Him.

This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,  who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; 

1 Timothy 2:3-8

God’s desire is far greater than we often realize He wants all people to come to the knowledge of the truth and experience salvation through Jesus Christ. These verses remind us that Christ willingly gave Himself as a ransom for all, bridging the gap between sinful humanity and a holy God. Because of this incredible gift, believers are called to pray for others, including leaders and those in authority, so that God’s peace and truth may spread. Our prayers should reflect God’s love for people, free from anger, division, or selfish motives. As we seek God, we become partners in His mission of reaching the world with the gospel.

But being there for others also requires forgiveness. Relationships are rarely perfect. People disappoint us, misunderstand us, and sometimes hurt us deeply. Jesus teaches in Matthew 6 that forgiveness is essential for those who have experienced God’s mercy. When we choose forgiveness, we remove barriers that can keep us from loving and serving others well. Forgiveness creates room for compassion, healing, and restoration.

Sometimes being there for someone means offering encouragement. Other times it means listening without judgment, helping carry a burden, extending grace, or simply showing up when someone is struggling. These acts may seem small, but they can have a lasting impact. Through them, people often experience a glimpse of God’s love in a tangible way.

women embracing each other

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 6:14-15

We can see that Jesus taught that forgiveness is not optional for those who follow Him. Having received God’s mercy, we are called to extend that same mercy to others. Forgiveness does not mean excusing wrong behavior or pretending the hurt never happened. Instead, it is a decision to release bitterness and surrender judgment to God. Unforgiveness can harden the heart and hinder our fellowship with the Lord, while forgiveness brings freedom, healing, and peace. As we remember how much God has forgiven us through Christ, we find the strength to forgive those who have wronged us and walk in the grace He freely gives.

Today, ask God to help you see people through His eyes. Pray for those around you, forgive freely, and look for opportunities to serve. Your presence, prayers, and compassion may be exactly what someone needs to experience the love of Christ.

Thought to Ponder

Who in your life needs your prayers, forgiveness, encouragement, or support today?

Journaling Prompt

Write down three people God has placed on your heart. How can you intentionally pray for them and demonstrate Christ’s love to them this week?

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for being present in my life through every season. Help me reflect Your heart by caring for others as You care for them. Teach me to pray faithfully, forgive generously, and serve willingly. Open my eyes to those who are hurting, lonely, or in need of encouragement. Use me as an instrument of Your love and grace, so that others may see Christ through my words and actions. In Jesus Name Amen.

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First job gives Pittsburgh-area man with disabilities newfound confidence

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Curved paved path through a green park with people walking and jogging and a city skyline in the background

It’s said you never work a day in your life if you love what you do. For some, barriers prevent them from getting the opportunity to work.  For the past two and a half months, Jack Hartley’s routine has followed a rhythm. “You do the liner, then the pads, then the bag, then the divider,” he said about his job task. He’ll go through that process dozens of times, getting boxes together at Grandpa Joe’s Robinson Township warehouse.  “It’s actually a very important job,” Hartley said while putting the boxes together. It’s his first time in the workforce. Hartley has disabilities and battled mental health problems, but he didn’t want that to define him. “I really, really wanted to find something purposeful,” he said. Through a partnership with Achieva, he’s now thriving in his job. It’s part of a broader program called Integrated Vocational Engagement and Support Team, or InVEST.

It’s funded by the state’s Department of Labor and Industry and supports people with disabilities getting meaningful jobs. Hartley works for Grandpa Joe’s and is paid a competitive wage. “Everyone deserves an opportunity to work at a competitive wage. Some of the individuals with disabilities are some of your best employees,” Achieva associate director of business services Amber Westwood said. According to Achieva, they have been partnering with businesses across western Pennsylvania for about 15 years. Hartley is the first employee in this program for Grandpa Joe’s. It hopes to expand with more people filling more roles. “This allowed us to meet those goals while providing meaningful opportunities to individuals,” Grandpa Joe’s vice president of marketing and brand development, Kate Speer, said. “It’s helped me out,” Hartley said about his job. In the program, Hartley has a job coach who helps with resumes, interviews and settling into the job. The goal is for him and others to be independent at the workplace.

“Seeing them take on independence, acclimate themselves to the workplace, and be motivated to be in the workforce is great, and Jack’s been a true success story here,” Achieva job coach Jack Doran said, who works with Hartley directly. With the confidence this job has given Hartley, he now has his eyes on even bigger goals. “This has just been excellent for me. I’m thinking about going back to school,” Hartley said.

Source: First job gives Pittsburgh-area man with disabilities newfound confidence – CBS Pittsburgh

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:10

Psalm 1:1–3

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Lone Tree Arts Center offering movement classes for Coloradans with Parkinson’s disease

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Lone Tree Arts Center (LTAC) forged a partnership with Parkinson Association of the Rockies to develop a performative movement class. “In performative movement, you really take a look at the sequence: what does it take to throw, then we color it with emotional circumstance,” said Patrick Elkins-Zeglarski, Community Programs Coordinator at LTAC. The class zeroes in on very fine motor skills, the kind of skills that might be lost for people living with Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that damages the dopamine-producing neurons in the brain. It causes tremors, stiffness, slow movement, and balance issues, among other symptoms.  “One thing that we do know is that regular movement is really the only way to slow down the progression of the disease,” said Tahreem Pasha, Development Director for Parkinson Association of the Rockies (PAR).  Elkins-Zeglarski developed the class specifically for PAR. 

“It lends itself beautifully for the type of things that folks in the Parkinson’s community are looking for to build community, but also to challenge themselves in a comfortable, supportive space,” Elkins-Zeglarski explained.  Performative movement is a technique that actors use to develop their characters. Elkins-Zeglarski hopes it will help work against rigidity and create more fluid, extended movements. “This, to me, is such a fun way to really move your body, channel the creative side of your brain, but then also be part of the community,” Elkins-Zeglarski added. LTAC is committed to building community and making the center accessible to everyone. 

Source: Lone Tree Arts Center offering movement classes for Coloradans with Parkinson’s disease – CBS Colorado

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Colossians 3:2

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Critically endangered Bali mynah chick hatches at Zoo Atlanta

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Zoo Atlanta’s family has just become a little bigger, and its newest baby is critically endangered. The zoo announced on Wednesday that they have successfully hatched a rare Bali mynah chick. Found in southeastern Asia’s forests, the Bali mynah is known for its bright white feathers and its skill at mimicking other animals, including humans. The small natural range of the bird and poaching have left around 20 of fewer Bali mynahs left in the wild. Thankfully, more than a thousand members of the species live in zoos and breeding programs around the world. The new addition came after the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan recommended a breeding pair at the zoo, and this is the pair’s first successful offspring. While the little chick is growing up behind the scenes, it may eventually be found year-round at Zoo Atlanta.

Source: Critically endangered Bali mynah chick hatches at Zoo Atlanta – CBS Atlanta

We love because He first loved us.
1 John 4:19

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4 fluffy flamingo chicks hatch at San Francisco Zoo

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The San Francisco Zoo’s flock of 41 Chilean flamingos welcomed four new chicks in the last week, marking the first successful hatchings by this flock of flamingos in nine years, the zoo announced on Thursday. Zoo officials credit the birds’ recently updated habitat for providing the flamingos with the right environment to lay eggs. “We made some adjustments to their environment over the past several months by installing a mesh netting enclosure over the habitat,” said Quinn Brown, curator of birds at the zoo, in a prepared statement. “The mesh enclosure allowed us to keep the flock outside, rather than inside their night quarters, and it made a difference in their behavior, allowing them to act more naturally. San Francisco Zoo According to Thursday’s announcement, the new mesh protects the flock from wild predators and avian flu, which they could contract from wild migratory birds.

“We had no expectations of chicks this year, but wanted to see if they would behave differently since they had unlimited outdoor access,” said Brown. Zookeepers observed behavioural changes in the flock in April, and in May zoo staff began to get the flamingo habitat ready for breeding season, the press release said. San Francisco Zoo Chilean flamingos make cone-shaped nests with mud, feathers, and stones that keep their eggs safe from heat and rising tides, and zookeepers provided more nest-building materials by adding extra dirt around the flamingo enclosure. Once the mounds were ready, coupled-up flamingo pairs laid eggs and took turns incubating them, the zoo said. On July 11, staff watched as the first chick hatched. By the end of the week, a second chick emerged, and by Thursday, staff announced chicks three and four. The zoo said the chicks are all healthy and eating well. “There’s nothing sweeter than seeing a flamingo chick having other flamingo chicks to grow up with,” said Brown. San Francisco Zoo Though these chicks were born white and fluffy, as they reach 3 to 5 years old, they will start to become pale pink, turning to the deeper pink associated with flamingos as they mature, the zoo added.

Source: 4 fluffy flamingo chicks hatch at San Francisco Zoo – CBS San Francisco

Seek good and not evil, That you may live; So the LORD God of hosts will be with you, As you have spoken.
Amos 5:14

The News Part 2

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Antihistamine recall across the U.S. triggered by heartburn drug contamination risk, FDA says

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open green pill bottle with white tablets on blue surface

A generic version of the brand-name allergy medication Zyrtec is under recall across the U.S. due to potential cross-contamination with a heartburn drug, according to the Food and Drug Administration.  Drugmaker Unique Pharmaceutical Laboratories is voluntarily recalling antihistamine drugs, commonly used to treat seasonal allergies, over potential cross-contamination with ranitidine, a heartburn drug. Unique Pharmaceutical Laboratories announced the recall on July 18.  A pharmacy technician observed what they described as a red dot on some of the antihistamine drugs — cetirizine hydrochloride tablets USP 5 mg — when counting and bottling the medications, according to the FDA’s recall notice.

Other tablets were discolored, alerting the technician to a possible issue.  The FDA indicated that consumers who are hypersensitive to ingredients contained in ranitidine could experience adverse side effects upon exposure, including hypotension, shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, loss of consciousness and other life-threatening reactions.  There have been no reports of adverse events related to the recall, according to the FDA.  What products are affected?  The tablets, distributed by Rising Pharma Holdings Inc. to retailers across the U.S., are packaged in 100-tablet bottles. Products with the following lot numbers, set to expire in October 2028, are under recall:

  • GY825029
  • GY825030
  • GY825031
  • GY825032

Rising Pharmaceutical Holdings has notified its customers about the recall and is arranging for the return of all drugs that are under recall.  Consumers with questions can contact Rising Pharma Holdings directly at 1-844-874-7464, or by email at  pv@risingpharma.com  or qa@risingpharma.com. Patients are encouraged to reach out to their healthcare provider if they experience problems related to the potentially contaminated drugs. 

Source: Antihistamine recall across the U.S. triggered by heartburn drug contamination risk, FDA says – CBS News

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58

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Big Bear bald eagle Jackie rescued by Los Angeles wildlife officials after fight with other eagles

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A member of the beloved Big Bear bald eagle family was rescued by wildlife officials after it was involved in a fight, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley and the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation.  In a news release, LA County Parks officials said that the San Dimas Raptor Rescue team was dispatched to rescue an eagle at approximately 10:30 p.m. on Saturday. They made the more-than-two-hour trip to Big Bear and located the injured eagle, which was being monitored by San Bernardino County Fire Department personnel from Fire Station 96.  Friends of Big Bear Valley, the local nonprofit wildlife organization behind the famous Big Bear Eagle Nest Cam, says that an adult bald eagle was observed on the ground near Dana Point Park late Friday night near Dana Point Park, where it was also observed the prior day as well. 

“Later, that eagle was seen in a short ground altercation with two other subadult eagles,” FOBBV officials said in a social media post. “Cell phone video confirmed that the adult was able to fend off the other eagles by turning over and using its talons, but was unable to fly away.” A bald eagle swimming through water at Big Bear Lake. County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation After it was rescued, the eagle was taken to a rehabilitation facility that specializes in eagle care. LA County Parks officials shared a video that showed some steps of the rescue. “The adult eagle that we picked up was sick, very sick,” said a San Dimas Raptor Rescue official.

“There were no physical injuries, so we were able to do a quick assessment; look at her wings and stuff like that. There was nothing obvious, but she was very skinny and underweight.” The bird’s identity was initially unclear at the time of rescue, but FOBBV said that Jackie has not been seen on their 24/7 eagle nest cameras for several days. They said that Jackie, the so-called matriarch of Big Bear’s beloved bald eagle family, is not banded. They also noted that they’re unsure how many other bad eagles could be visiting the area at the time.  Later Sunday, they said that after reviewing photos and videos from the public and the rehabilitation center, the rescued eagle is “likely Jackie.”

“She is in the best place it can be and getting the care she needs,” said FOBBV’s statement. LA County Parks’ release said that they have been in communication with FOBBV regarding the eagle’s rescue and that she is currently being cared for at a facility in Ojai. The bald eagle rescued from Big Bear Lake by Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation San Dimas Raptor Rescue personnel. County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation Parks officials asked that the public refrain from contacting San Dimas Raptor Rescue for information or updates, as they would be shared by the appropriate organizations. Because bald eagles are a federally protected species, they require specialized rehabilitation permits that are issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and while the San Dimas Raptor Rescue can provide critical rescue services, bald eagles must be cared for by facilities that have “specific eagle rehabilitation authorization and expertise.”

On Tuesday morning, the Ojai Raptor Center said Jackie has more energy as she is eating well with assistance and is even picking up food on her own.  Tests showed that Jackie is anemic and has inflammation affecting her kidneys. They are unsure of the underlying issue causing these symptoms. X-rays did not show any fishing hooks, sinkers or other metal objects. The center is working with several specialist veterinarians to determine the best supportive care at this time.   

Source: Big Bear bald eagle Jackie rescued by Los Angeles wildlife officials after fight with other eagles – CBS Los Angeles

Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.
Genesis 9:11

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Climbing Your Mountain

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Hiker walking on rocky mountain path toward sunset with snow-capped peaks

Pip: A mountain village, a wandering stranger, a mother weaving a basket by the river — Drink of Jesus has been building a world where ancient scripture lands like it’s happening right now, and this episode walks straight into it.

Mara: We’re covering three territories today: a story that reimagines the prologue of John, the biblical case for living without fear, and a lesson in faith drawn from a corner of Exodus that rarely gets the spotlight. Let’s start with that village and the light it found.

Village Light and Hope

Pip: The post “A Light in the Village” takes John 1 and sets it inside a firelit gathering in a mountain community that has nearly forgotten the old scrolls. The question it’s posing is simple and serious: what does it actually feel like when the Word arrives among people who stopped expecting it?

Mara: The stranger at the center of the story quotes directly from John 1, and the passage lands at the heart of it: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Pip: That line does real work in the story. These are villagers who know darkness in the concrete sense — fear, hardship, loss. The post is asking whether that kind of light is stronger than the kind they already live with.

Mara: And the story doesn’t skip the harder verse. The stranger tells them the light came into the world, was unrecognized, and was rejected even by his own. Little Yani calls it sad. The stranger agrees — but the pivot is that those who did receive him were given the right to become children of God, which unsettles the villagers who assumed only the holy or important qualified.

Pip: Which is the real tension the post is after. Not a theology lecture — a room full of ordinary people realizing the invitation might actually include them.

Mara: Old Mira closes it: “If this light is real, then we must walk toward it. We have lived in shadows too long.” That’s the moment the village turns. And the post grounds it all in John 1:1–18, read aloud from a scroll the children find a year later.

Pip: From a village finding its light to something more direct — what scripture says when fear is already at the door.

Fearless Trust in God

Mara: “Fearless” opens with a declaration: there is no need to be afraid because you have a warrior beside you. The post builds its case entirely through scripture, and the anchor is Joshua 1:9: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Pip: That verse is the spine of the post. Joshua receiving it before entering Canaan — a moment of enormous personal stakes — and the post is saying that same command extends outward.

Mara: What this means in practice is that the post treats courage not as a personality trait but as a response to a promise already made. The Joshua 1:5 line comes first — “I will not leave you or forsake you” — and the command to be strong follows from that, not the other way around.

Pip: The post doesn’t stay in Joshua. It moves to 2 Kings, where Elisha’s servant is terrified until his eyes are opened and he sees the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire. The unseen army was already there. The fear was real; so was the thing the fear was missing.

Mara: And then Matthew 10:26 closes the scriptural arc: “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.” The post is threading a consistent line — what looks overwhelming from one angle looks entirely different when the full picture is visible.

Pip: That’s a thread that runs straight into the next segment, where a mother acts on exactly that kind of trust before she can see how it ends.

Unusual Faith in Scripture

Mara: “Faith Like its Never Been Told” opens with the writer noting that God pointed them toward a story rarely taught as a faith lesson. The setup is Exodus 1 — a new Pharaoh, alarmed by Israel’s growth, orders the Hebrew midwives to kill every newborn son.

Pip: Which puts one mother in an impossible position. And the post’s argument is that what she does next is a masterclass in faith, even though her name barely appears in the text.

Mara: The post names her — Jochebed — and quotes the moment Pharaoh’s daughter finds the basket: “She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, ‘This is one of the Hebrews’ children.'”

Pip: Pity from the daughter of the man who ordered the killing. That is either the worst possible outcome or the exact hinge the whole plan turned on.

Mara: The post leans into that tension. Miriam, watching from the reeds, has to think fast — and she does, offering to find a Hebrew nurse. Pharaoh’s daughter agrees, Jochebed is brought back, and she is paid to raise her own son. The post’s conclusion is direct: because she trusted God with the outcome, she raised the man who would free her people.

Pip: The post calls it “faith in action” — not faith as a feeling, but as a thing you weave with your hands and place in the water before you know what happens next.

Mara: Which is the through line across everything today: light that doesn’t wait for recognition, courage that precedes the outcome, and a mother who lets go before the story resolves.

Pip: A stranger walks into a village. A warrior stands beside you. A basket floats downriver. The same trust, three different shapes.

Mara: And next time, more of what that trust looks like when the stakes get even harder to hold. Stay with us.

Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, But he who gathers by labor will increase.
Proverbs 13:11

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