Trust & Believe.

Dear Friend,

I’m not sure what state you are reading this from today, but let me tell you a little something about the state I was born, raised, and live in, Oklahoma.

Oklahoma has to be one of the prettiest states when it comes to land and sunsets. We aren’t known for much, but what we are known for is ranches and cattle.

But on top of that, something else we are known for is our bipolar weather. For example, within one week we experienced snowstorm weather, and now, seven days later, it’s a beautiful, sunny, walkable day.

And with this, it got me thinking about life, how sometimes you never know what storm or weather may be coming your way. Sometimes storms just have a way of showing up without warning.

One day everything feels steady, and the next, you’re just trying to keep your footing and quiet your thoughts.

I don’t know what kind of week you are walking into, but I want to give you two simple words to take with you: TRUST & BELIEVE.

Not the strong, confident kind. More like the kind you hold onto when you don’t feel strong at all. The kind that shows up as a deep breath and a quiet prayer: God, I’m still here.

When I read Ephesians, it feels less like a sermon and more like a reminder from a friend. Paul keeps pointing back to what’s already true, before the fear, before the doubt, before the storm.

That we are loved. Chosen. Not forgotten.

That matters when life starts shaking things loose.

Trust is what helps the heart settle when nothing feels certain.
Belief is what keeps the mind from running to the worst-case scenario.

Paul says God is already at work within us, stronger than we realize. Not waiting for us to get it all together, just waiting for us to lean in.

Here’s something I need to remember often: storms don’t mean you’re doing life wrong. They don’t mean God stepped away.

Sometimes they’re just part of the journey, and God stays closer than we think. Even when it feels like you’re barely staying afloat, you’re still being held.

Ephesians talks about being seated with Christ, but I’ll be honest, some days it feels more like I’m gripping the edge, hoping the waves calm down. And maybe that’s okay.

Belief doesn’t deny the waves; it just refuses to let them define the story.

Today, if you are facing any storms in life, I encourage you to trust and believe in our God!

Blessings,

Mike

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” – Jeremiah 17:7-8

Declaration:

Today, I choose to trust God with what I don’t understand.
I choose to believe He is near, even in the storm.
I am not forgotten. I am not alone.
And this storm will not have the final word.