MyNewBeginnings

Driving at Night

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 03:34:58 -0700

My daughter has her driver’s permit.

Last Sunday night, I let her drive in the dark for the first time.

After she drove around and pulled into the driveway, I said, “So, how do you feel about driving at night? What do you think?”

She said, “It’s different! I can’t see to my left. I can’t see to my right. I can only see the light in front of me. So I’ve got to focus on the light!”

In this life, the LORD is the Light. In Psalm 27:1, the writer says, “The LORD is my light and my salvation.”

So, when it’s dark in your life, when problems try to discourage you, when worry tries to distract you, don’t look to the left. Don’t look to the right. But focus on the Light.

The LORD is the Light.

Open the Box

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 05:15:56 -0700

A couple of months ago, it seemed like, every week, while I was typing my sermon, my computer would crash, and I would lose some of my files.

So, one day, after it crashed on me again, I said, “You know what? It’s time for us to go our separate ways! Love doesn’t live here anymore!”

I rushed to the Apple Store and bought a new computer.

After the sales associate described the wonderful features of this new computer, I skipped out of there with my new MacBook Pro, smiling from ear to ear.

But the only issue with the new device is that it takes about an hour or two to set it up how I want. And given my busy schedule this semester, I just didn’t have the time to set it up.

So, when I brought the computer home, I placed it on the dining room table.

That was two months ago!

For the past two months, my new, powerful computer had been in the box on the dining room table.

In the meantime, I kept using my old computer.

But about a week ago, while I was working on a sermon, the old computer crashed on me again.

Bubble Wrap

Mon, 25 May 2026 05:35:17 -0700

When I was a kid, I used to get excited when my mom bought products that came in boxes.

I wouldn’t get excited about the product itself.

But I would get excited about the bubble wrap that enclosed the product.

Why? Because I would pop the bubble wrap—and pop it, and pop it, and pop it some more—and then stomp on it and twist it.

I eventually discovered that the primary purpose of the bubble wrap was not for me to pop it.

But the purpose of the bubble wrap was to protect the product inside the bubble wrap.

Although the product may have been tossed around, turned around, and thrown around, it was protected because it was inside the bubble wrap.

In this life, you may be tossed around, turned around, and thrown around. But as long as you are bubble-wrapped by the peace of God, you are protected.

The peace of God is your bubble wrap.

No Match

Mon, 18 May 2026 05:16:57 -0700

Back in the day, when I was about eleven, I played basketball for Glenwood Elementary School in Waukegan, Illinois.

In the championship game, we were beating our opponents like they stole something. We were beating them like Della Reese beat Eddie Murphy in Harlem Knights.

In the fourth quarter, we were leading 44-9.

But that wasn’t enough for me.

During the final minutes of the game, I was yelling, “Don’t let them get over ten! Don’t let them get over ten! Don’t let them get over ten!”

It seemed to me that we’d look more dominant if they had only a single-digit number.

I wanted to make it clear that they were no match for us.

In the same way, even though life is filled with storms, your storm is no match for the Lord.

The Wiz

Mon, 11 May 2026 04:54:22 -0700

A few weeks ago, I took my daughter to see the musical The Wiz. At the show, there was an intermission. An intermission is a break between parts of the musical.

At the point of intermission, I knew the play wasn’t over because there was unresolved conflict in the story. The conflict at the intermission was resolved after the intermission.

Right now, you may be enduring conflict in your life. But if you’re still here, your story is not over. It’s not the end for you. It’s only the intermission. God is not finished with you.

The Best Part

Mon, 04 May 2026 05:21:06 -0700

One of my favorite songs is “Best Part,” by Daniel Caesar and R&B sensation H.E.R. On the track, they vividly describe their admiration for each other.

On the track, they tell each other:

I just wanna see how beautiful you are

You know that I see it

I know you’re a star

Where you go, I’ll follow

No matter how far

If life is a movie

Then you are the best part

As I blasted this track the other day, I was reminded of God. If you look back over your life, you’ll see that God is the best part of your life.

Low on Lotion

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 04:47:47 -0700

If you’ve ever been low on lotion, you know the lengths you’ll go to get the last little bit out of the bottle. You jerk the bottle as if your life depends on it. Perhaps you even turn the bottle upside down and drum on it like bongos to get the final drop.

Just as you’re determined to get the lotion out of the bottle, God is determined to get some good out of everything you go through. God is determined to get purpose of the pain, meaning out of the mess, and good out of the bad.

Easter Egg Basket

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:13:58 -0700

A couple of weeks ago, our church had an Easter egg hunt for the children and youth.

My daughter participated.

About two days later, I had a taste for some Starbursts.

So, I found her Easter basket that she thought she had hidden from me—in one of my closets I hardly ever use.

But when I reached into the basket, I couldn’t find any Starbursts.

Nevertheless, I figured there had to be some Starbursts in there somewhere.

Eventually, after I opened about six or seven eggs, I found a packet of Starbursts.

Sometimes, life is like an Easter egg basket.

You may not see the blessing in your situation right away. But if you keep looking, you’ll see that God has a blessing in there somewhere.

A Better Deal

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 02:15:42 -0700

A couple of weeks ago, my Keurig coffeemaker stopped working. That day, I dashed to the store to replace it.

I saw one for $98.00 and another for $59.00 (that wasn’t quite as nice). I found myself in a dilemma—$98.00 or $59.00?

Yep! I bought the one for $59.00.

When I got to the car, however, I said, “Let me just see how much the other Keurig is online.”

When I went online, I saw that the one for $98.00 in the store was $59.00 online, and it would arrive between 4:00 and 8:00 the next morning.

What did I do? I bought the one online and returned the other one.

I returned it because a better deal was available for me.

Likewise, God has a better deal available for you—a better opportunity, a better situation, and a better possibility. God has something better for you.

Always Leave on a Make

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 04:59:22 -0700

Last summer, when my daughter and I flew to Chicago, I took her to the basketball court where my dad and I used to play.

We would shoot around for hours and hours.

When it was time to go home, he would always make sure that I made my last shot.

He would say, “Always leave on a make.”

That’s what God wants you to do. God wants you to keep on shooting until you make your last shot. If you miss, shoot again.

Don’t give up until you make your last shot.