What if worry isn’t wisdom, but rather a habit we can unlearn? Jesus’ words in Matthew 6, “do not worry,” lands not as a platitude, but as a liberating command paired with a practice: look at the birds, consider the flowers, and remember your Father’s care in the present moment.

Jacob digs into three lies that keep worry on the throne and show how each one backfires by draining attention, clouding decisions, and replacing trust with obsession.

You’ll hear practical tools for the moments when fear spikes. Jacob also talks about taking thoughts captive in community. The result is not a life without hard things, but a life where peace meets you in the hard things.

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In this message, Jacob unpacks four root causes of depression. biological, relational, circumstantial, and spiritual. That way, you can seek help without shame. We look to Lamentations 3, where Jeremiah gives language to darkness and then makes a decisive pivot: “Yet I call this to mind.”

The goal isn’t to pretend the valley isn’t real; it’s to discover that hope is real inside the valley. If your soul feels downcast, you’re not broken beyond repair, and you’re not alone.

If this message helps you breathe a little easier, share it with someone who needs light so others can find their way to hope, too.

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Breaking from well-meaning but harmful Christian platitudes that suggest anxiety indicates spiritual failure, Jacob points out that even Jesus experienced intense anxiety in Gethsemane. If the Son of God felt anxious to the point of sweating blood, how can we condemn ourselves for similar feelings?

Through the powerful biblical account of King Jehoshaphat facing overwhelming odds, Jacob reveals three responses to anxiety that can transform our relationship with it. Rather than just telling us to "be anxious for nothing" without practical steps, he demonstrates how anxiety signals us to pray, pause, and praise—even before victory arrives.

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What happens when your peace suddenly vanishes? One text, one headline, one setback, and that sense of calm you were enjoying seems to evaporate instantly. In the opening to our "Peace of Mind" series, we confront the reality that peace often feels frustratingly fragile in our chaotic world.

By examining biblical figures like Elijah, David, and Jeremiah—faithful servants who accomplished great things while battling depression and despair—we discover that loving Jesus and fighting anxiety are not mutually exclusive experiences.

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The true measure of compassion is not how we feel but what we do. This message can change how you view Jesus and yourself. When life gets tough, we want to pull back and shield ourselves from pain. Yet, in a powerful moment of Jesus' ministry, we see something different. After hearing about John the Baptist's execution, Jesus went off to grieve. But crowds seeking healing followed him. Instead of sending them away, he felt deep compassion and healed their sick. This wasn’t just sympathy; it was a gut-level response that moved him physically. Even in grief, Jesus looked beyond himself to the broken people before him. He didn't just feel sorry; he acted.

Jesus' compassion led him to the cross. From sympathy to sacrifice, from feeling to action. Real compassion costs something. It may cost your time, comfort, and even your ego. But that's where the miracle happens: when we say, "Lord, here I am. Use me for something greater than myself." What impossible situation are you facing today? What "little bit" can you offer to God? The miracle is waiting to happen in your hands.

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Finding direction in life's journey often leaves us longing for clear signs and unmistakable guidance. But what if God's direction comes through everyday moments rather than dramatic supernatural events?

In this powerful exploration of discerning God's will, we discover four key ways God guides us through life's complexities: open doors, closed doors, frustrated plans, and everyday choices. Drawing wisdom from the Apostle Paul's ministry journey, we see how even this spiritual giant navigated uncertainty with faith rather than perfect clarity.

When God opens doors of opportunity, opposition often follows—proving that divine direction doesn't guarantee smooth paths. Sometimes God protects us through closed doors, saying "no" even when our intentions are pure. Our frustrated plans, those painful moments when everything falls apart, can actually draw us closer to God when we bring our honest frustrations to Him.

Most profoundly, we learn that while we desperately want a complete map for our lives, God typically provides just enough light for the next step. "Your word is a lamp unto my feet," not a spotlight illuminating the entire journey ahead. This tension requires faith—trusting the Good Shepherd even when we can't see the full path.

God's ultimate concern isn't about what we do but who we become. He weaves our successes, failures, and everyday choices into His redemptive story, working all things together for good as we learn to trust His loving guidance.

Ready to discover God's direction in your ordinary moments? Take your next step of faith today, knowing the Shepherd's eyes are always on you.

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Have you ever found yourself paralyzed by the pressure of discovering God's perfect will for your life? You're not alone. While we're busy analyzing every angle of tomorrow's big decisions, we often miss what God wants to do with us today.

The profound truth is that God's will is more about WHO you're becoming than WHAT you're doing. This perspective shift changes everything. We tend to overcomplicate God's will while underestimating His goodness, treating His purpose like a precise dot on a map that we must locate perfectly. But God's loving eye is guiding us even through our detours and mistakes.

Scripture speaks surprisingly little about specific future decisions—which college to attend, career to pursue, or person to marry. Instead, Jesus repeatedly emphasizes how to treat people today, use money wisely today, and cultivate right thinking today. He even explicitly warns against worrying about tomorrow. The best way to discern God's future will is actually to live faithfully for Him in the present moment.

God's moral will, as revealed through Paul's writings, is for you to be holy—set apart, different, and dedicated to Him. This doesn't mean judgmental superiority but rather recognizing your dependence on God and living in surrender. We're all surrendered to something—our trauma, others' opinions, or cultural influences. The question is whether we'll surrender to the One who created us.

Whatever your circumstances—your job, relationship status, parenting challenges—do it for God's glory. The path to making a big difference tomorrow starts with doing small things faithfully today. As you practice this daily surrender, you'll discover that these "small things" are actually where God meets you most powerfully.

Ready to transform how you view God's will for your life? Join our small group starting September 7th, where real change happens through authentic community. Because today is all we have, and it's the perfect day to live for His glory.

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"What is God's will for my life?" It's the question that haunts us when we're facing big decisions, contemplating major changes, or reeling from unexpected hardships. We long for clear answers—maybe a booming voice from heaven or a divine text message spelling out exactly what to do next.

In this eye-opening first episode of our "God, Just Tell Me" series, we challenge the common misconception that God's will is some elusive target we must desperately hunt down. Instead, we discover that God isn't playing cosmic hide-and-seek with your purpose—He's inviting you into a relationship where His will becomes clear through knowing His heart.

We explore four distinct layers of God's will: His sovereign will (the big story He's writing through history), His moral will (His timeless truth for how we should live), His permissive will (the freedom He gives us to make choices), and His personal will (His unique calling for your life). Each layer reveals something profound about God's character and His intentions for humanity.

Perhaps most surprisingly, we learn that God's primary will for every believer isn't about career paths or geographic locations—it's about holiness. But this isn't the stuffy, judgmental holiness many imagine. It's about embodying the life of Jesus in a dark world, being signposts of His kingdom while we're here.

If you've been paralyzed by uncertainty about God's direction or haunted by the fear you've missed His plan, this message offers fresh perspective and genuine hope. Stop overcomplicating God's will and underestimating His goodness. He promises to instruct you, teach you, and counsel you with His loving eye upon you—one faithful step at a time.

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