Devotional

Jesus Identifies With Us

In reading this passage, it struck my attention that Jesus said to Saul, “why do you persecute Me”, rather than “why do you persecute my people”?

Jesus was identifying as the one Saul was terrorizing. Jesus was identifying with His called possessions, as not just as His own, but as Himself.

That thought is both awesome and terrifying.  Here me out…

When we come to Jesus and abide in Him we become part of Him. He revealed this in John chapter15, when describing the branches (us) as being part of the vine (Him).  

“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭4‬-‭5‬)‬‬

If you see a grape vine, you don’t distinguish the branches of the vine as being separate from the main trunk. It's all a grape vine. In the same way, when we stay in Jesus, with all reverence, we become an indistinguishable part of Him. That thought imparts holy fear into me quite honestly, and should.  It makes me realize that outsiders should see me as connected to Jesus. 

But, it is also reassuring. Too often we are pumped up by motivational teaching that we need to ‘find your identity’. Culture lies to us telling you to ‘be yourself’, or ‘be who you want to be’.  Let's correct this. We are to be like Jesus and our identity needs to be Him only. Pursuing that is the only goal in life that really matters.

As a bonus, Jesus will stand up for us during times of persecution, and say to our persecutors, ‘why are you persecuting Me’. He is the only defense we need.

Stories of Faith

Grace’s Story: How God Quietly Prepares Leaders Through the Ordinary

When we think about leadership, we often picture someone stepping onto a stage, leading a company, or inspiring a crowd. We tend to notice the visible moments, the promotion, the recognition, the accomplishment. 

But what if leadership begins long before anyone notices? What if God starts preparing us through “ordinary moments” that seem insignificant at the time?

That question came to mind as we spoke with Grace, a regional representative with HOPE International. Looking back on her life, one theme became unmistakably clear: God had been preparing her for leadership long before she understood where that journey would lead.

Grace grew up in Harrisonburg, Virginia, attending a small Christian school that would play a significant role in shaping both her faith and her character. When she entered ninth grade, the school was beginning to expand into a full high school. Each year another grade was added, which meant Grace's class was always the oldest class on campus. Rather than simply being students, they became examples for every younger class that followed.

Instead of seeing this as an inconvenience, Grace embraced the opportunity. She became involved in student government, athletics, and other leadership roles that allowed her to help shape the school's culture from the ground up. Looking back, what seemed like ordinary school activities were quietly becoming lessons in responsibility, influence, and servant leadership.

Those lessons continued at home. Around the same time, Grace's parents helped plant a local church. Unlike large congregations where it's easy to blend into the crowd, this small church invited everyone to participate. As a young teenager, Grace found herself reading Scripture publicly, serving in ministry, and helping build a church family from its earliest days.

At the time, those moments probably felt intimidating. Yet each opportunity was stretching muscles she didn't even realize she was developing.

Another unexpected lesson came when Grace was just fourteen years old. Hoping to raise money for mission trips, she began making and selling gourmet cheesecakes. What started as a fundraiser quickly became a small business. She learned firsthand what it meant to create something of value, serve customers, manage finances, and solve problems, all before graduating high school.

Without realizing it, God was nurturing two passions that would later define her calling: entrepreneurship and ministry.

When Grace entered Christopher Newport University, she intentionally chose a public university after spending her entire education in Christian schools. She wanted her faith to be tested, not because she doubted it, but because she wanted it to become her own.

That decision brought new challenges. She encountered classmates and teammates whose values often differed from her own. Rather than withdrawing, Grace sought to faithfully live out her beliefs. She started a Bible study with fellow volleyball players, respectfully asked teammates to change music that conflicted with her convictions, and simply chose not to participate in many aspects of college culture.

One surprisingly powerful witness was her everyday speech. Grace didn't use profanity, and people noticed. What seemed like a small personal conviction became an invitation for deeper conversations about her faith. 

She also kept a flip phone until her junior year of college, avoiding much of the comparison and distraction that social media often creates. These weren't rules she imposed on others; they were personal decisions that helped her remain grounded in Christ while living among people with very different worldviews.

Listening to Grace's story, one truth became clear: God rarely prepares leaders all at once. More often, He shapes them through ordinary acts of obedience, quiet seasons of growth, and opportunities that seem small at the time. Looking back, the student government meetings, the church plant, the cheesecake business, the Bible studies, and even the difficult roommate experiences all served a greater purpose.

Today, Grace helps advance HOPE International's mission of equipping entrepreneurs and strengthening communities around the world through Christ-centered microfinance and savings groups. It's easy to see her leadership now. But the foundation wasn't built in a single moment; it was laid over years of faithfully saying "yes" whenever God opened the next door.

Grace's journey reminds us that God's greatest preparation often happens in the places that seem ordinary. Long before we recognize His plan, He is already shaping our hearts, strengthening our character, and preparing us for the work He has ahead.

If you live in the NC Triangle area and would like to meet Grace in person, please join her at:

HOPE International’s Investing in Dreams Triangle Dinner
Tuesday, September 15, 6 – 9 p.m. | The Pavilion at the Angus Barn
Social hour followed by dinner and program.
Please register here by September 1:

Technology and Health Nugget

LED Lights - Health Impact and Suggestions

My wife recently shared this short video on how LED lights can cause headaches, sleep disruption and other health issues, which prompted my investigation. The two primary issues with LED lights are their high frequency flicker and emission of blue light.

High Frequency Flicker

Conventional incandescent lights operate by heating an element that glows to emit a steady source of light. LED lights operate on DC as opposed to AC current which our homes run on. As a result of AC to DC conversion, LEDs rapidly flicker at about 100-120 times per second. While this is not visibly seen by your eyes, your brain ‘sees’ or ‘senses’ it. This sub-conscious flickering forces your brain to constantly re-process visual information, causing eye strain, fatigue, and triggering migraines in photosensitive people according to The National Headache Foundation.

Blue Light Spectrum

Incandescent and halogen lights produce a broad spectrum range of light like the natural sun does. In LED lights, a blue LED chip is coated with a yellow phosphor that produces white light when powered. The resulting spectrum has a massive, sharp blue peak (around 450nm) and dips heavily in other colors.  Blue light has a shorter wavelength so it scatters more inside the eye and impacts your brain. It causes visual “glare” and reduces contrast, forcing your eyes to work harder to focus, leading to eye strain, headaches and migraines in some. Also, blue light suppresses melatonin production which could lead to sleep cycle disruption.

Practical Recommendations

I’ll be honest, until my wife reminded me of the issues of LED lights the other day, I was not fully alert to the danger. So, I have it on my to-do list to take action on some of these recommendations. The bottom line is there are no other low power alternatives to LEDs. Here are my suggestions based on some research and experience:

1. Limit LEDs - In practical terms it is impossible to get rid of every LED bulb in your home. So, I’m thinking of keeping the ones that are more decorative, like the color control ones, which are not always in use and not in direct visibility.  I also plan to keep using them for outside and security lighting.

2. High Quality ‘flicker free’ LEDs - There are some more expensive LEDs from top brands that explicitly say ‘flicker-free’ or ‘eye comfort’. Some dimmable LED bulbs have a frequency above 3,000 Hz to mimic flicker free.

3. OLED Panels -  You will notice newer TVs, and monitors are Organic LED (OLED). Instead of a tiny blue chip under a phosphor, OLEDs use a thin organic film that emits light across a larger surface area than regular LEDs.

4. Amber/Circadian LED Bulbs - I recently purchased these for our bedroom lamps. They are still LEDs, but emit primarily red/amber wavelengths (1800K–2200K), completely removing the blue peak that triggers photophobia and suppresses melatonin.

5. Blue Light Glasses - It is recommended to purchase and wear glasses that filter out blue light when you spend lots of time in front of screens (monitors, devices, TVs, etc.). They are most helpful in the evenings to aid in sleeping.

Note: Health Nuggets are opinions and not medical advice.

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