Monthly Archives: January 2026

Life is a Series of Doors

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Which one will you choose? The door on the right or the door on the left? One is right; the other isn’t wrong—it’s just not better.

One door might bring people together. The other may divide a relationship. One might hurt someone, while the other will help and heal. Do you take that job that pays more but steals some of your freedom? Do you end a relationship to protect yourself, or do you stay—for the kids’ sake?

Do you buy a newer car and bury yourself in debt for 72 payments, or do you buy that “junker” for cash and hope the repairs don’t bankrupt you? Do you cut someone toxic and self-absorbed out of your life, or do you stick around in the hope that you can encourage them to change? Do you order the salad… or the juicy burger with greasy fries?

Some doors aren’t that significant, yet others are life-altering. Some lead to small, quiet places; others open onto vast auditoriums of possibility. But there is one door that is truly life and death—the door to eternal life with Christ, or the door to eternal torment and anguish, forever separated from God.

People don’t want to hear about it. They love their lives just as they are: successful, well-fed, comfortable, content. Talking about something intangible like heaven and hell makes them uneasy. They act as if ignoring the subject means they don’t have to choose. Sadly, that silence is a choice—and it’s not the one they would make if they truly understood.

I sometimes ask myself why God made it so hard. But then I realize: He didn’t. He made it astonishingly easy. The hardest part was already done for us on the cross. All we have to do is choose it. What will it cost? Everything. But what we gain is truly everything.

Jesus Himself said in Luke 9:24–25 (NIV): “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?”

Friends, choose today—and invite others to join you. Open that door, the one that leads to life—eternal life. D.L. Moody, the famous evangelist, once captured it powerfully: “If you are born once, you die twice. But if you are born twice, you die only once.” Born once in the flesh (on your birth date) means you will face physical death and eternal separation from God. But if you are born again—committing your life to Jesus Christ, declaring Him as your Lord and Savior—then when your body dies, your soul passes straight into eternal life with Him.

Choose to live. Choose the door that leads to Jesus.

A Different New Year: Chose HEALTH Over Discontentment

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My social media feed is overflowing with optimism right now. Friends are declaring 2026 will be “the best year ever.” Some are getting married, others are graduating college, expecting babies, or (like many of us in our 50s) becoming grandparents for the first time—or again. Every milestone feels like a reason to celebrate and post. Then come the classic resolutions: eat healthier, exercise more, and lose weight aggressively. I get it—I’ve been there.

But this is my 54th New Year, and I’m taking a different path this time. A couple of months ago, a friend asked if I’d set my goals for 2026. Goals? Honestly, I hadn’t even thought about it. Work makes me set them, but personally? Not really. So I pulled out a notebook and started brainstorming: Lose 10 pounds. Eat better. Join a gym. Spend less, save more. The list grew quickly—overwhelmingly.

As I stared at it, a wave of defeat hit me before I’d even begun. Listing everything I wanted to fix or improve just highlighted all the areas in my life where I am the most discontent. Nothing on that list was truly motivated by honoring God. It was all self-serving: I want to look better in my jeans, fight the signs of aging, feel more in control.

If I dug deeper, the real driver wasn’t closeness to God—it was gaining attention, approval, or security from the world. My flesh would be fed, but my soul? Still restless.The Bible warns us about this exact trap. In Philippians 4:11–13 (NIV), Paul shares his hard-won secret: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation… I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Paul wasn’t chasing better circumstances; he was learning contentment in Christ, no matter what.

Jesus puts it even more directly in Matthew 6:33 (NIV): “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” When our deepest pursuit is God Himself—not a smaller waistline or a bigger bank account—He promises to provide what we truly need.

Then there’s 1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV), Paul reminds us: “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” True gain isn’t in what we achieve or acquire; it’s in a life aligned with God, satisfied in Him.

So I simplified. Instead of a long to-do list that exposes my discontent, I chose one daily focus: H.E.A.L.T.H. —not just physical, but holistic health that feeds my soul.

Each day, I aim to pursue:

  • H — Heaping piles of fruits and vegetables (nourishing my body as God’s temple—1 Corinthians 6:19–20)
  • E — Exercise daily (moving my body with gratitude, not punishment)
  • A — Always start with God (time in His Word and prayer first, seeking Him above all)
  • L — Lots of water and less wine (simple stewardship of what He’s given me)
  • T — Take time to relax and read more (resting in His presence, not striving)
  • H — Hug a lot! (loving others well, because that’s where real joy lives)

I love this because it’s not about rigid outcomes or perfection—it’s about daily, grace-filled choices that honor God and care for the life He’s entrusted to me. When I start with Him (that “A” is non-negotiable), the rest flows more naturally. And if I slip? His strength (Philippians 4:13) covers me—no defeat, just gentle course-correction.

If you’re like me—if past resolutions have only spotlighted your discontent and resulted in defeat. Let’s stop chasing self-improvement that feeds the flesh and start pursuing the One who truly satisfies. True health begins when we delight in the Lord (Psalm 37:4), trusting Him to shape our desires and provide what we need.

Who’s with me on this quest for daily H.E.A.L.T.H.? Drop a “like” or comment if you’re choosing God-first contentment in 2026. I’d love to hear how you’re starting your year anchored in Him.

Happy New Year, friends. He’s already with us and being image bearers of God, all He asks is that we make Him the true motivation in 2026 —let’s walk it out together.