Narrow and Beautiful

No matter what situation you are in or how heavy life feels right now, remember that you are not fighting alone. God has never promised that we would never face trials, but He has promised to be with us through them. “The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm” (Exodus 14:14 NLT). Even when everything around you seems uncertain, His presence remains constant, and His power is more than enough to sustain you. Even if it feels like everyone and everything is against you, do not lose heart. God is greater than every opposition, every obstacle, and every plan of the enemy. “If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” (Romans 8:31 NLT). The battle may seem fierce, but the victory belongs to the Lord. As Scripture reminds us, “The battle is the Lord's” (1 Samuel 17:47 NLT). If you have lost hope or you are feeling discouraged, know that God sees every tear and hears every silent prayer. He has not forgotten you. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose ...

“For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me—the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!” Jeremiah 2:13 NLT Can you remember when you first gave your life to Christ? Do you remember how the fire burned within you? How you looked forward to spending time with God? How you longed to pray, read His Word, and fellowship with Him? Do you remember those moments during worship when you became so overwhelmed by His presence that tears rolled down your cheeks? Serving God was never a burden; it was your greatest joy. What changed? Was it adulting? More responsibilities? A demanding job? Family commitments? Or have you simply become too busy with your own life? None of these things are wrong. God expects us to be responsible and diligent in the assignments He has given us. We can serve God even in our workplaces, businesses, careers, and daily responsibilities by making Him the center of everything we d...

  “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”   Psalm 46:1 NLT We are living in times when many troubling things are happening around us. You turn on the internet, television, or radio, and there seems to be another sad story waiting. News of disasters, violence, sickness, hardship, and uncertainty keeps pouring in day and night. People are going through a lot. Many are suffering. Times are hard. Some are carrying burdens they cannot even talk about. In moments like these, some people begin to ask difficult questions. Is God still there? Does God still answer prayers? Even unbelievers may question your faith and ask, "If your God is alive, why does He allow bad things to happen?" As Christians, we must not allow ourselves to be swayed by doubt or fear. We must remember that God is alive and He has not changed. Nothing happening in the world today has caught Him by surprise. Before the foundations of the earth were laid, God alrea...

God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” Numbers 23:19 NLT Have you ever found yourself waiting on God for something He promised you, only for circumstances to seem as though the exact opposite was happening? Maybe you prayed, believed, and trusted, yet the situation became more difficult. Perhaps you began to wonder if God had forgotten you or if His promises would ever come to pass. One thing we must always remember is that God’s goodness is everlasting. His faithfulness is not determined by our circumstances, and His promises do not expire because of delays. The Bible tells us that God is not a man that He should lie. If He has spoken concerning your life, He is able to bring it to pass. What He says, He will do. What He promises, He will fulfill. Throughout Scripture, we see countless examples of God’s faithfulness. Abraham waited many...

Continued from Part 1 Chidi tried to ignore the voice, but it didn’t go away. Life around him was loud—applause, admiration, attention—but inside him, there was a quiet unrest he couldn’t silence. He had become everything people admired, yet he felt further away from God than ever before. Still, he kept going. The invitations increased. The fame grew. The title “Firebrand Youth Pastor” followed him everywhere. People loved his energy, his charisma, the way he commanded the stage. But God kept calling. “My son… come back to Me.” One evening, while preparing for a major regional youth concert—the biggest event of the year—Chidi felt it again. Stronger this time. “This place is not for you.” He paused for a moment… then shook it off. “No,” he whispered. “I’m doing well here. I can’t leave now.” The day of the concert came. The auditorium was filled to capacity. Lights. Music. Cheers. It was everything he had grown used to. “Please welcome… Pastor Chidi!” the announcer shouted....