As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was reading this quote, “Just a simple act of kindness goes a long way.” Wouldn’t our world be a better place if each one of us did just a couple acts of kindness each day?! If we would spend less time complaining, being critical, or being impatient and just did simple acts of kindness, we could transform our world!

Throughout this day, Jesus is going to give you opportunities in which you can choose to do SIMPLE ACTS OF KINDNESS. It might be letting somebody go in front of you at the grocery store, or being patient with your children as they struggle to do their homework, or phoning to check on an elderly neighbor…the list goes on and on.

Today, let’s make a difference. Let’s see how many simple acts of kindness we can do to bring the PRESENCE of God and HIS love to others. We have a lot to do, as the acts of kindness we can perform are unlimited!

Have a blessed day!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking about what it means to LET GO. There are so many things we need to LET GO of! We may need to let go of hurts from the past. We may need to let go of relationships or friendships that are unhealthy. We may need to let go of holding in anger and resentment. The good thing about letting go of things is that it makes room to HOLD ON to things that are truly important.

Think of what you need to let go of. Make a list of four or five things that trouble you. Then make a list of four or five things that you want to embrace. As I was working on my list this morning, I had to stop at four or five, because I probably have fifteen things I need to let go of! It’s amazing how this small exercise can put things into perspective.

But today, I’m going to pick just four or five. My list of what I need to hold on to is inspired by Jesus. I need to hold onto HIS love, HIS strength, HIS word, HIS forgiveness, and HIS mercy.

Have a blessed day!

Radical Relationships: Redefine Your Identity Beyond Work

Welcome back to Reflections with Craig! Today, we are diving into session four of our Radical Relationships series, continuing our look at the powerful insights from Matthew Kelly’s interviews with people near the end of life.

A majority of respondents shared this profound regret: “I wish I had not worked so much, or that I had found a job I really enjoyed.”

Modern culture tells us that our job is our identity—that we are defined by our title, our career climbing, or our productivity. But placing your identity in a job is a dangerous game.

Work to Live, Don’t Live to Work:

• Where True Identity Lies: Our identity should never be rooted in a corporate ladder; it should be anchored in Christ, our family, and the people we love.
• The Trap of Ego: Work can easily fuel our ego, which often stands for Edging God Out. So many marriages and families have fractured simply because work was given priority over relationships.
• A Change of Heart: Early on, I got a degree in business and economics and went into accounting. I hated it! Stepping away led me to teaching—where I actually met two of my future adopted children—and eventually into ministry. Following God’s calling over a paycheck changed my entire life.
• The Reality of the Daily Grind: You can pour 30 years into an organization thinking you are indispensable, only to receive a gold watch, a quick party, and a quiet exit.

A job should support the lifestyle and purpose God called you to—it shouldn’t replace it. Earn a living, serve well, but keep your heart at home.

Have you ever felt like work was taking over your true identity?

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was reflecting on WALKING in faith. It’s often hard to know what to believe today. What is real news? What is fake news? It can be hard to tell. But we always have HIS GOOD NEWS. What I do know is we need to WALK in faith And the only news we should trust is the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ.

To WALK in faith means to TRUST in God’s word and in HIS promises, HIS Commandments. It means being true to SELF while allowing the Spirit of God to direct our lives. How blessed we are that our CREATOR fills us with HIS SPIRIT to be our guide. If we are sad or depressed, or going through a trial, or are struggling, we just need to go to HIS WORD (The GOOD NEWS) and HIS promises. We may live in confusing times, but God is never confusing.

So today, open the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ. Listen to the TRUTH and follow HIS guidance. In the end, nothing else matters but to be true to self and true to God! Let our pray be, “Jesus, I surrender myself to you, you take care of everything!”

Have a blessed day!

As I sit this beautiful morning and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I am thinking about STRENGTH. What makes us strong? Usually when something difficult comes our way, a special trial or a great sorrow, something that really reshapes our world, that is when we grow STRONG. When God wants to strengthen us, HE allows us to enter a storm. After the storm, we have to clean up the debris. We look around and then we REBUILD. We do things differently too, so that we will be ready for the next trial. And when we look back, we will see that the trial and separation the storm brought was needed to bring us closer to God. And that has made us STRONGER.

Today, I am grateful for the trials, the storms, those moments when I am afraid, because they have made me stronger in my relationship with Christ. I may be battle-scarred, but I have learned that it’s not the TITLES we carry BUT the TESTIMONY that matters.

Have a blessed day, knowing you can handle the storms when Christ is your Lord.

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking about LIFE. Yesterday, my seven- grandson got a Happy Meal and in it was a miniature version of the game of Life. We played it for a couple of hours and laughed over and over again.

Sometimes we can take LIFE too seriously. Instead of basking in the beauty of God’s creation, the little miracles HE shows us each day, we get caught up in the problems of LIFE. To truly live means to have a LIFE.

Every once in a while I say to someone, “You need to get a LIFE!” But the life that God has planned for us is perfect! Sometimes we need to just surrender and go with the flow. There will always be things that challenge us in this LIFE, but when we allow Jesus in, there is nothing we cannot handle.

Today, I am going to celebrate LIFE, not just my personal LIFE, but the LIFE of my community, the life of my family, and the life of my friends. Today, I will celebrate LIFE, with gratitude and thanksgiving.

Have a blessed day!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was reflecting on a quote from St. Francis de Sales, who says, “Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day. Either HE will shield you from suffering, or HE will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then, put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations and say continually: the Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart has trusted in HIM and I am helped. HE is not only with me but in me and I in HIM.”

There is so much more we can learn and so much more PEACE we can achieve if we only LISTEN to the Lord. He will give us all we need for today. So, forget about yesterday and don’t fret about tomorrow. Live today THROUGH HIM, WITH HIM, AND IN HIM!

Have a blessed day serving HIM!

Radical Relationships: Making Room for God

Welcome back to Reflections with Craig! Today, we are diving into lesson three of our Radical Relationships series, drawing inspiration from Matthew Kelly’s book Resisting Happiness.

One of the top reflections from people near the end of their lives was: “I wish I had been more open to God, learned more, and prayed more.” Early in life, we spend so much time rushing around, raising kids, and building a career. But as we get older, it is time to slow down, simplify, and sanctify.

Deepening Your Faith Walk:

• Move Beyond Small Talk: We need more meaningful conversations. Instead of talking about things or people, engage with others about what faith means to you, what you think heaven will be like, or what you’re learning in Scripture.
• Reconnect with Community: Whether it’s stepping back into church after years away, joining a Bible study, attending a seminar, or participating in a group like GriefShare, surrounding yourself with faith-filled community is essential.
• Create a Sacred Space: Find a quiet spot to meditate and pray—whether it’s a porch, a quiet room, or a garden like my own “cigar garden” where I take time to reflect.

At this stage in life, we shouldn’t be grinding through long hours or staying too busy for what truly matters. Take a breath, look at God’s creation, and simply say thank you.

What is one quiet place or routine that helps you slow down and spend time with God?

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking about the word PEACE! It is really an amazing word. We can use it to describe inner peace, peace in the family, or peace in our world. I think that, before we can strive for peace in our world, it has to begin in our own hearts.

The world sometimes forces us to slow down. If we can take a deep breath and be present in the moment, we can find HIS PEACE. If we don’t look at the past and don’t worry about the future, but live in the present, in HIS presence, we can find peace!

Today, I’m going to be aware of my own breath. I am going to take time to look at the changing season. I’m going to become aware that, even in chaos, I can find peace. Jesus said, in John 14:27, “My PEACE I leave you; My peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled And do not be afraid.”. If we can find this PEACE, then we can pass it on.

Have a PEACE-filled day! And remember, Jesus is called the Prince of PEACE.

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was reflecting on a quote from St. Augustine. It says, “God is always trying to give good things to us, but our hands are too full to receive them.” So the question that we need to ask ourselves is what am I filling my hands with? Am I filling my hands with worry, wringing them daily? Am I filling my hands with busyness? Am I filling my hands with greed, or envy, or anger? Maybe I fill my hands with violence, or disrespect, or idleness. Maybe I close my hands all together and keep out love, and grace, and peace! To receive all that GOD gives us, we need to greet HIM with OPEN hands.

Today, I’m going to let go of all the things I’m holding onto so tightly and OPEN my hands to the Lord! While my hands are open, I will offer HIM praise and thanksgiving for all that HE does for me and for all the blessings HE gives me every day. With open hands, I will sing HIS praises.

Have a blessed day!