As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking of the word “YIELD”. You do not see that word very often, but while driving the other day, I came up to a sign that said YIELD. I had to stop and think for a moment and remember that the definition of YIELD is to give way!

I often find myself in such a hurry that I fail to YIELD to what God is asking me to do. I need to practice the art of yielding to God’s plan in my life so that I am not rushing full speed ahead into my own. Scriptures tell me HIS WAYS are not my ways. It is important that I YIELD when I come to an intersection and is important that I YIELD to the plans of Christ.

Today, as I go through the day, I will focus on yielding, YIELDING to the needs of others, YIELDING to my family, and, most importantly, YIELDING TO the voice of God! I have personally seen what happens when you DON’T yield. It always ends up in disaster.

Have a beautiful day.

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking of DARKNESS. It’s 4:10 in the morning, so it’s pretty dark outside. A few people have their lamps on in the window, but other than that, it’s dark. Sometimes in our lives, we find ourselves in darkness, even when it’s bright and sunny outside.

Many people can find themselves in very dark and sad places. That’s when they must remember the sunrise! The LIGHT is there, just ready to come out and bring us bright HOPE and PEACE! We must remember that this, too, will pass, and we will be in HIS LIGHT. We must just patiently wait and trust. So, when going through a dark period, remember that JESUS, the LIGHT, will shine. And we wouldn’t appreciate the LIGHT if we never experienced the darkness.

Today, I will wait for the LIGHT. I KNOW it is coming. I think I love this time of the morning best when, out of the darkness, it becomes LIGHT. Then I can see so much more than I ever saw in the dark. As I sit here and reflect, my street is coming alive. More lights are coming on, people are getting up, and soon the SUN will be shining.

Have a blessed day, basking in the LIGHT!

Radical Faith: Trusting Beyond the Evidence

Welcome to session two of Reflections with Craig! Today, we are continuing our short series on radical faith, looking at what happens when our beliefs are tested to the core.

For a long time, I believed a lot of things blindly simply because an authority figure or adult told me to. But when I walked through the dark night of my soul—a life-changing situation that broke my ego and caused so many things I relied on to crumble—I realized I was clinging to things that weren’t true. Yet right there in the darkness, the Holy Spirit challenged me to look at what I truly believed and God carried me through.

What Radical Faith Means:

• Believe Beyond Reason: Choosing to hold onto God’s promises even when your circumstances make no logical sense.
• Obey Beyond Comfort: Stepping out in obedience when it costs you your comfort or requires letting go of control.
• Trust Beyond Evidence: Standing firm in faith even when there is no visible proof that things are turning around.

Facing Life’s Dark Seasons

Life can bring unexpected trials—a painful divorce, a child struggling with addiction, sudden financial devastation, or a scary medical diagnosis. When life takes you to that dark place, it forces you to ask: Am I ready to open up, surrender, and let God grow my faith?

Though walking through the fire is hard, surrendering to God in those moments opens the door to deeper joy and growth than you ever thought possible.

Has a difficult trial ever forced you to stop trusting in your own plans and surrender completely to God?

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking about a reflection I read. In it was a quote that said, “Give me the courage to BUDGE whenever you NUDGE”. How often does God nudge us? He puts a person in our minds that He wants us to reach out to, He puts a thought in our heads of a kindness we can do; He nudges us. And how often do we ignore it?

It’s a great day to think about what God is NUDGING us to do. He nudges us to open our eyes to the beauty of His creation. He NUDGES us to reach out to someone who is sick or alone. He NUDGES us to spend some quiet time in prayer. Listen to the soft whisper of HIS HOLY Voice, and when God NUDGES, have the courage to BUDGE!

And have a blessed day.

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was reflecting on the Scripture verse from Philippians 4:6 that says, “Do not be ANXIOUS about anything!” Oftentimes we wake up already stressed out before the day even begins. We rush through our day saying, “When this is over, then I’ll pray” or “Then I’ll rest.” But it never happens. Wouldn’t it be nice to not be anxious about anything?

We need to begin our day by handing our anxiety, our worries, and our entire LIFE over to Jesus. It’s all in our minds. We need to turn our ANXIETY into EXCITEMENT! We have the power to live today with great excitement and positivity or to create worry, anxiety, and negativity. Just think, each day is a new day, a brand-new day, to learn new things, to see new things, and to experience God’s love.

So, make today a great day. Whatever you do, do it with a smile. Wherever you go, keep your eyes in the moment and see God’s creation in all. And whoever you encounter, know that you are encountering Christ face to face. Jesus reminds us that we DON’T have to be anxious about anything when we walk with Him.

Have a blessed day!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was reflecting on the gift of WAITING. Time is such an important and valuable part of our lives. We spend a lot of our time WAITING, waiting in traffic, waiting in line, waiting to hear from a friend, waiting to finish an exam; the list goes on and on. We cannot deny that WAITING is a part of that valuable time.

But WAITING is an art. We must learn to WAIT PATIENTLY, knowing that God’s plan is unfolding in perfect time. The Scriptures are full of people who waited patiently for God to reveal His plan. Abraham and Sarah waited to have a child they so longed for. Noah waited for the waters to recede. Paul waited in the prison cells. And we, too, are invited to wait for God’s perfect timing. We may get restless or uncomfortable, but we need to deal with our frustrations by learning to practice the ART OF WAITING.

Today, I am going to practice the art of WAITING joyfully. I’m going to trust that God is working in each and every area of my life for HIS glory. Waiting doesn’t mean I can’t continue to live in HIS presence. It just means HE has a greater plan, and HE wants me to trust HIM!

Have a blessed day!

In this engaging and insightful session of Reflections, guest speaker Craig Harrison explores what it truly means to develop a Spiritual Mindset and align our daily thought lives with Christ.

Anchored in Romans 12:2 – “Be transformed by the renewal of your mind” – Craig bridges Scripture and neuroscience to demonstrate how our minds possess the lifelong capacity to change and grow. Through lighthearted personal stories, relatable humor, and honest reflection, this presentation offers practical spiritual tools for stepping off the treadmill of daily anxiety, breaking free from negative thought patterns, and living anchored in the present moment.

Key Themes & Highlights:

• Neuroscience & Scripture: How neuroplasticity aligns with biblical truth, showing that we can train our brains to capture negative thoughts and reframe them through God’s promises.
• Three Transformative Practices: Practical guidance on implementing sacred pauses before reacting, welcoming sacred interruptions throughout the day, and stepping into sacred presence.
• True Stillness in Prayer: Moving beyond rushed routine to practice true quietude (Psalm 46:10), gratitude, and authentic connection with God.
• Releasing the Burden of Control: How trusting God’s sovereignty frees us from feeling responsible for fixing every situation or managing everyone else’s happiness.

Watch or listen to the full presentation above to discover how renewing your mindset can bring deep spiritual peace, joy, and freedom to your everyday walk with Jesus.

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was reflecting on the word EMBRACE, which means to support, to welcome, or to hold closely in one’s arms. You might remember that during the pandemic it was recommended that we stay six feet apart. That was devastating. There were many grandparents missing the embrace of their grandchildren and loved ones often died in the hospital alone. But because we were not able to embrace others, it lead many to embrace the Lord. And HE always embraces us!

In Ecclesiastes 3:5 it says, “There is a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; a time to EMBRACE and a time to shun embracing”. Not even a pandemic could keep Our Lord from EMBRACING US!

Today, take a moment in prayer, close your eyes, and feel the arms of our Lord around you. His EMBRACE brings you peace, security, and love. EMBRACE the day, EMBRACE the trials, EMBRACE the BLESSINGS, and know that you are not alone!

Have a blessed day!

Radical Faith: Tested Beyond Reason

Welcome to a brand-new series on Reflections with Craig! Following our previous series on radical relationships, gratitude, and communication, I am excited to dive into a topic that touches the very core of our lives: Radical Faith.

There is a quote I read that says, “Faith isn’t faith until it’s tested beyond reason.” I believe this with all my heart. Until your faith is truly put to the test—through the loss of a loved one, a painful divorce, sickness, or life altering trials—you don’t really know what you believe.

Going Back to the Roots:

• Rooted in Truth: The word radical comes from the Latin word radix, which means “root.” Having radical faith doesn’t mean being crazy; it means being deeply rooted, going beyond the norm, and holding an unshakable trust in God.
• Asking the Hard Questions: As we get older, we shouldn’t be afraid to ask real questions. We have to move past the childhood faith or simple stories we were told and ask: What do I personally believe about God, Jesus, life, and death?
• The Bridge of Assurance: Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is that bridge between what God promises and what our physical eyes can see.

My own understanding of who God is has evolved drastically over time, but my foundation as a believer is far stronger today because of the trials I’ve walked through.

Has there been a time in your life when your faith was tested beyond reason?

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking of the POWER OF THE SPOKEN WORD. Being given the gift of speech, we have the power to lift people up or to destroy them with our words. I read a quote from a philosopher, Zeno, who said, “Better to trip with the feet than with the tongue.” He goes on to say that we can always get up after we fall, but must remember that what we have said can never be unsaid, especially if it is cruel or hurtful. And James 1:19 says, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.”

When we follow Jesus, we learn to control what we say. Sometimes in anger and frustration, we say things we don’t mean. From the same mouth we can praise our God one moment and yet tear down another human being the next.

Today, let us strive to be followers of Jesus, careful of what we say so that we can build up HIS kingdom!

Have a blessed day!