Devotional

Wisdom from a Buzite

I was intrigued to learn in reading the book of Job, out of the four friends that came to comfort and advise him, one was justified…..Elihu, the son of a Buzite!

In the last chapter of Job, God rebukes his three friends for their bad counsel, but not Elihu. Elihu, whose name means ‘he is my God’, was much younger than the others and out of respect only waited till they had nothing left to say before speaking. When he did, there is great wisdom that we can glean from:

1) God’s wisdom does not depend on age or human understanding.

Did you get that? It doesn’t matter how old you are, how experienced you are, or how knowledgeable you are, God’s wisdom is directly available to you through the Holy Spirit. 

2) When the Holy Spirit gives you boldness to speak to someone, don’t hold it back …speak up!

Ever feel prompted to say something to someone with a message that clearly is not your thoughts and you believe God is speaking?  Like Elihu, you may feel like you are about to explode inside if you don’t speak the words God is giving you to convey.  When this happens, I ask the Holy Spirit to give me confirmation and boldness to speak.

3) God speaks to us through multiple ways if we pay attention.

This is such a powerful reminder that God still speaks to us and through multiple ways.  While the Bible is the primary source, it is not the only way.  Dreams and visions were not just for the patriarchs and prophets of old.  God still speaks this way as I and other believers can attest.

Lets learn to be bold as Elihu was and speak God’s wisdom when prompted, and be attentive to the ways He communicates with us.

Stories of Faith

Grant’s Story- A Heart for NC Homeless

Some callings arrive slowly, unfolding over years. Others strike in an instant—an unmistakable nudge from God that redirects a life forever. For Grant, founder of a Durham, NC, nonprofit that ministers to the homeless, it was both.

Grant first sensed his purpose during his college years. One bright afternoon, he stepped out of a small sandwich shop, sub in hand.

As he walked down the sidewalk, he saw a man lying against the pavement—clearly homeless, clearly exhausted, and clearly hungry. Grant recalls feeling something stir within him, an unmistakable prompting of the Holy Spirit, nudging him to stop.

“Are you hungry?” Grant asked gently.
The man lifted his head and whispered “Yes.”

In that moment, Grant didn’t hesitate. He handed over his entire sandwich. Then, noticing the harsh glare of the sun and the man’s bare eyes, he slipped off his own sunglasses and offered those as well. 

The man’s face lit up with a joy Grant has never forgotten—a wide smile, a strand of cheese hanging from the sandwich, the expression of someone who felt seen.

As Grant walked away, he turned back for one more glimpse. The man was still smiling, savoring his meal. And just as Grant stepped into the intersection, he caught sight of a woman in a car at the stoplight.

She smiled at him—not just a polite smile, but a radiant “well done” kind of smile. In Grant’s heart, he knew: This is God showing me what I’m meant to do. That day planted the seed for the ministry he leads today called Sean, Heard and Known.

It would be a few years before Grant fully stepped into this calling. Once he did, he discovered both the joy and the weight of serving the marginalized. When asked about the hardest part of his journey, he shared that it has been learning to set boundaries. 

The people he serves often carry deep wounds, and some encounters have been physically tense or emotionally draining. Over time, he found himself getting attached—and sometimes hurt, used, or deceived.

His loved ones could always tell when something was “off”. But through these challenges, God taught Grant the importance of healthy boundaries—ones that protect his heart while still allowing him to pour compassion into others.

Today, Grant continues serving the homeless around the NC Triangle area with wisdom, humility, and unwavering faith—living out the calling God placed on his life that unforgettable day outside a sandwich shop.

Learn about and support Seen, Heard and Known.

Financial Update

December 11, 2025 Rate Cut Insight

The Federal Reserve’s December 11, 2025, rate cut was widely anticipated (and desired) by most, but what underlying message does it portray? 

Especially when Fed Chairman J Powell had stood firm for the entire year on his stance that we did not need rate drops.

After a year marked by debates between policymakers, repeated signals from the labor market, and persistent—though slowly easing—inflation pressures, the FOMC’s decision to trim another 0.25% off the fund rate simply confirmed a trajectory we have been tracking for months. 

Still, the implications of this latest move deserve careful attention, especially as we look toward the early months of 2026.

While earlier cuts this year sparked intense public debate—particularly the well-publicized tension between Chair Powell’s caution and President Trump’s preference for faster easing—the December decision reflects a more unified acknowledgment of the economic slowdown that has been unfolding. 

Hiring has cooled, business investment has moderated, and consumer confidence has softened just enough to give the Fed cover for another measured step toward easing.  In that sense, this cut is less about political pressure and more about acknowledging what the data has been quietly telegraphing.

From a business and financial-market standpoint, the update is straightforward: borrowing remains on a downward cost trajectory, which will continue to support liquidity and provide short-term relief for companies relying on credit for inventory, expansion, or debt rollover. 

Many firms have been anticipating this cut since early Q4, meaning some financing and pricing adjustments were already in motion before the Fed’s announcement. Businesses working with variable-rate debt will feel the impact most immediately.

On the market side, equity indices responded predictably with modest gains. We have seen throughout the year that the market’s sensitivity to rate decisions has been less about the cut itself and more about the Fed’s forward-looking tone. 

In this instance, policymakers signaled a willingness to remain flexible while not committing to a rapid series of future cuts. For investors, that combination of caution and openness tends to translate into short-term optimism but tempered expectations for 2026.

For sectors tied to goods production, logistics, and trade, the December cut offers incremental relief rather than a major transformation. Input costs driven by global supply dynamics remain elevated in certain categories despite the easing of domestic credit conditions. 

In other words, cheaper borrowing will help, but it will not override the structural pressures that shaped pricing all year. Businesses with international exposure should continue monitoring geopolitical and tariff developments, which remain independent drivers of volatility.

Interest-rate shifts—while important—are just one piece of a much larger economic landscape. What makes this particular cut noteworthy is not its size but its timing. It signals that the Fed has acknowledged the need for rate cuts and is committed to supporting growth without ignoring inflationary risk. It reinforces a central theme of this year: the necessity of prudent stewardship in uncertain conditions.

As we close out the year, the December cut positions the economy on a cautious but constructive path. The coming quarter will reveal whether the Fed’s approach successfully stabilizes growth or whether additional intervention becomes necessary.  Either way, as a Christ follower, staying informed, adaptable, and mission-focused will be remain key.

Health Nuggets

Herbs and Spices As Medicine

Herbs and spices can do more than enhance the flavors in our dishes. They are packed with antioxidants, anti-microbial effects and anti-inflammatory properties, they can transform our health. Our body was designed by God to heal itself. God has provided the earth with an abundance of herbs and spices to use as healing agents. According to Psalm 104:14, God provides us with “herbs for the service of man”. There are 110 key plants, many of which are still in existence in Israel today.

In the book The Biblio Diet by Dr. Josh Axe and Dr. Jordan Rubin, they describe 12 medicinal herbs and spices in the form of teas (such as green tea, ashwagandha, ginseng, astragalus, milk thistle, echinacea, aloe vera, etc.), capsules, tablets or tinctures; and 12 culinary verbs and spices used to flavor and season food while offering health benefits, such as cayenne pepper, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, cumin, saffron, garlic, etc.

I strongly recommend getting the book. It is filled with great health information we can get from herbs and spices, just like in Jesus’ time.

Note: Health Nuggets are opinions and not medical advice.

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