September 30, 2026

Let’s Get Out of the Huddle

Ahhhh…’tis the season. Crisp mornings, where we see our breath. Changing leaves falling, crunching under our feet. We are in the full throws of pumpkin spice, harvest décor and football games on every channel and in every stadium.  Even from my front yard on Friday nights I can hear the high school band playing and football fans cheering at the nearby High School.

Imagine paying for college or professional football tickets. You’re in the stands, greasy food in your hands. You’re adorned in your favorite teams regalia, the fans are cheering, momentum is building….Your favorite team runs onto the field and gathers in a huddle. The huddle lasts for 10 minutes, then 20, then 40, then one hour! Then they walk off the field. What would you do? How would you respond?

Pastor Harvey Carey is the pastor of  a thriving, mission-minded church in Detroit, MI. Pastor Harvey is the one who gave the aforementioned analogy about the long huddle at a football game.

Located in one of the poorest zip codes in America, Pastor Harvey Carey’s church was identified as one of the top churches in growing people spiritually. He says that some Sundays when his congregation shows up for church, they all walk right back out to go spread God’s love on the streets around the church for that hour.

Isn’t that what we do on Sunday mornings as Christians—huddle for one hour and go off the “field”? How do you think God reacts when He sees us all “huddled up”?

Pastor Harvey’s passionate sermon was quite convicting. I am guilty as charged, sometimes also staying in my Christian huddle of friends and family. Many of us “huddle” from one Sunday, one week to the next. We often don’t actually “play the game” of our faith, loving our neighbor as ourselves, fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28) and serving the “least of these” in Matthew 25. We can go to all these seminars, retreats, and conferences year after year, collecting binders of information on our shelves, which only collect dust. When are we to play the game?

After really feeling convicted about his sermon, I thought of the uplifting seminars and retreats and conferences I’ve attended. Have I been in a “huddle”? Maybe I’m wrong, but I liken them to Spring Training or Boot Camp to condition my/our spiritual muscles for the “game of ministry.” Fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, you are conditioned, you are prayed up, you have done your calisthenics. Let’s get out of the huddle now and play this Game of Life. Go serve! Go minister!

Reflect:

–In what ways are you still in your comfortable huddle? Please comment.

–How will you execute your plans from the huddle and play the game of Life?

Renew:

–“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'” –Matthew 25: 40 NIV

–Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…’” –Matthew 28:19 NIV

–“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” –1 Corinthians 9:25 NIV

Recharge:

–Name three “Fields” you will play on this month.

–What is one way your family can help “the least of these’ or your neighbor?

Resource:

— www.citadeloffaith.org

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June 23, 2026

The Wonder of Summer: Hula Hooping Fun

When is the last time you truly had fun acting like a child? Yesterday, last week, last month…you can’t remember? Recently I experienced a fresh perspective on fun and child-like frivolity.

Mom and I were driving in the car when she proceeded to tell me that she spotted hula hoops in the Dollar Store the other day. She wondered if she could still hula hoop as well as she could years ago when I was a kid. Did she let her mind just wonder about the hula hoops? Oh no. Mom didn’t stop just thinking about it.  She said she grabbed one of the hula hoops and  tried it out in the middle of the store to see if she still could. We laughed and laughed as she recalled putting down her big ol’ purse in the Dollar Store aisle, not caring who was watching her, having fun trying to hula hoop.

Good for her. Shame on me for taking myself too seriously so many times.

A few days later, I was out shopping and spotted hula hoops. I did not drop my purse right there in the store and test her out, but I did purchase two hoops.  On my driveway at home,  I stepped into the bright yellow, plastic oval hoop, painted with fluorescent stars. I brought the hoop slowly to my waist, took a deep breath, stepped forward with my right foot, and spun the hoop to the right, causing the little beans inside the hoop to make their familiar, spinning sound (just hearing that sound made me smile). It lasted just a few rounds around my waist before it dropped to the ground. I giggled and picked the hoop up, trying again.  This time it spun long enough for me to even take a few steps, then fell. I snickered more.

By this time, my two beautiful and hip grandmother neighbors walked by. I posed a challenge and handed each one a hula hoop. They laughed and stepped in the hoops without hesitation.  The hoops spun, then fell. We giggled. Fun is contagious!

Next week our neighborhood is having a “Summer Kickoff Block Party.” I plan to bring the hula hoops.  Joy and Fun are contagious!

Let’s intentionally play like children sometimes. It’s good for us, for our souls. Let’s hula hoop; build sand castles; sing karaoke; catch fireflies in Mason jars and let them go; blow bubbles; play frisbee; add your fun here….

Reflect:

–What kind of child-like fun do you and your family have? Please comment.

–Who will you reach out to this week make fun contagious?

Renew: 

–-“At the time Jesus said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.'” –Matthew 11:25-26 NIV

–“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'” –Matthew 18:1-4 NIV

–“May the God of hope fill you with JOY and peace.” –Romans 15:13 NIV

Recharge:

–Let’s humble ourselves and trust like children. What will you do differently to be more child-like?

Resource:

–Hula Hooping is also healthy for you. “Hooping improves core strength, tones your stomach, arms, thighs and behind, is a low-impact, high-energy workout that can burn approximately 400 – 600 calories in an hour.” http://www.hulahooping.com/hoop-fitness.html

March 31, 2026

Journey to Easter, Part 2–What is Truth?

Happy Holy Week! It was before 9am that “Good Friday” morning when Jesus was brought to Pontius Pilate. Pilate’s wife knew Jesus was innocent.

“‘What is truth?’ Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, ‘I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release the king of the Jews?’ They shouted back, ‘No, not him! Give us Barabbas!’ Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.” –John 18:38-40 NIV

Pilate’s three-word question of “What is truth?” is a question I find myself asking over and over. As we experience the different issues in our country, much of the outcomes are based on opinion versus Truth.  We are living today what Jesus did then. And Jesus is “the way, the Truth, and the Life.” John 14:6.

Pilate thought Jesus would go free. Guess what Barabbas means in Aramaic? “Son of Abba.” Barabbas means “Son of the Father.”

Friend, each of us is a son (or daughter) of the Father. That means all of us. We are Barabbas. Like Barabbas, Jesus was our substitute. He died for you. He died for me.

Sadly, some of the same people who waved palms of the crowd singing “Hosanna!” were the same peer pressured crowd who cried “Crucify!” on Good Friday morning, resulting in the pierced palms of Jesus’ hands. May we not be as fickle in how we treat people.

Pilate then handed the badly beaten and scourged Jesus over to be crucified. Jesus began the agonizing climb to Calvary or Golgotha, the Place of the Skull.

“Here they crucified him, and with him two others–one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: ‘JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS…’ (John 19:18-19 NIV).

The criminal on one side of Jesus threw insults at Him asking if He were Christ, why didn’t He save Himself and them? The other criminal feared God and rebuked the other criminal, saying Jesus had not done anything wrong. The criminal humbly said,

“Jesus, remember me when you come into Your Kingdom.’ Jesus answered  him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise. ‘ “ (Luke 23:42-43 NIV).

As the excellent Leader Jesus is with profound discernment, He appreciated the thief’s humility and extended amazing, matchless grace and love to the thief. He gave Him the gift of eternal life, moments before they both breathed their last breaths on this earth.

Like the two thieves, one on each side of Jesus, we are given a choice. Perhaps that’s why there were two criminals being crucified beside Him– not one, not five, but two–because of THE choice.

To accept Jesus as our King of King and Lord of Lords or not.

To ask Jesus to remember you in His Kingdom or not.

To hurl insults at Jesus or honor Jesus with humble praises.

Have you humbly asked for Jesus to remember you as His and to join Him in the paradise of eternal life? Friend, if not, there’s a simple prayer at the bottom to pray and make the most important decision of your life.

“…Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, He bowed his head and gave up His spirit.” –John 30b NIV

The Greek word “Tetelestai” means “It is finished.” During New Testament times the word “Tetelestai” would have been stamped or written on business documents or receipts to indicate that a bill had been “Paid in Full.” The connection between this common business transaction stamp and the Ultimate Transaction Jesus accomplished on the cross was conveyed crystal clear in the Gospel of John with Jesus’ words.

Sweet friend, you are so loved. Jesus extended tremendous grace and love to us all. He paid a sin debt He did not owe because we owed a sin debt we could not pay.

Recharge:

If you would like to welcome Jesus as the King of your life, pray with me this simple prayer:

Dear God, I need You. I am humbly calling out to You. I’m tired of doing things my own way.

Help me to start doing things Your way. I invite You into my life to be my Lord and my Savior.

Fill the emptiness in me with your Holy Spirit and make me whole.

Lord, help me to trust You. Help me to love You.

Help me to live for You. Help me to understand Your grace, mercy and peace.

Thank You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen. 

Congratulations! Send me an email to danya.jordan777@gmail.com, and I’ll send you a free devotional book to encourage you in your new faith journey! 🙂

Reflect:

–What influence does a crowd make on decisions? Is the majority always right?

–Ask the question “What is truth?” daily. Remember that Jesus is the Truth and His Word is Truth.

–How are we like Barabbas?

–Which crucified criminal beside Jesus do you relate to?

–How have you received Jesus’ amazing grace and love recently?

Renew:

–Please read Psalm 22 and compare it to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John story of Jesus death and resurrection.

–“All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before Him, for dominion belongs to the Lord and He rules over the nations…They will proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn–for He has done it.” –Psalm 22: 27, 28, 31  (written hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection).

–“But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” –Isaiah 53:5-6 (written 700+ years before Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection).

–“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a Lamb without blemish or defect.” –1 Peter 1:18-19

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