If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord.
So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
-Romans 14:8

This past weekend at the Little Prairie Fall Retreat, we finished our lessons with a simple but important scene from Toy Story 3

“Have you all lost your marbles?! He was putting you in the attic!”

Poor Woody.

He knew what had actually happened. Andy was preparing to leave for college, and he intended to put his toys in the attic. But Andy placed them inside a black garbage bag, and through an unfortunate series of events, Andy’s mom mistakenly carried them to the curb.

The toys didn’t see Andy’s intentions.
They only saw what was happening around them.
They were inside a garbage bag.
They were sitting beside the trash.
They watched Andy’s mom toss them onto the curb.

Based on everything they could see, it appeared that Andy had thrown them away.
But Woody knew the truth.
They were still Andy’s toys.

Woody kept trying to explain what had happened, but no one wanted to listen. The others had already made up their minds. They were hurt, angry, and ready to give up on Andy completely.

Woody was right; but he was not understood.

Have you ever been there, friend?

Have you ever known the truth but struggled to help anyone else see it? Have you ever tried to do the right thing while the people around you misunderstood your motives?

Woody definitely became frustrated. (Again: “Have you all lost your marbles?!”) But he did not allow that frustration to stop him from being faithful.

That is what spilled out of Woody: Faithfulness.

When Woody was misunderstood, faithfulness spilled out.
When his friends refused to listen, faithfulness spilled out.
When everyone else was ready to give up on Andy, Woody continued reminding them who they were and to whom they belonged.
Woody was Andy’s toy.

That identity did not change because Woody’s circumstances were confusing. It did not change because his friends misunderstood the situation. It did not even change when they chose to stop seeing themselves as Andy’s toys.

Woody knew who he was because he knew whose he was.

The same analogy often applies to us spiritually.

As Christians, we belong to Jesus. We have chosen to follow Him. We have been forgiven, redeemed, and given a new identity in Christ.

But sometimes we forget.

Other times, if we are being completely honest, we willingly choose not to see ourselves as Jesus followers.

We place that part of our identity in the attic and live as though it isn’t there.

We follow Jesus at church: but not at school.
We follow Jesus at camp: but not when we return home.
We follow Jesus when we are surrounded by Christian friends: but not when following Him could make us feel different, uncomfortable, or misunderstood.

Friend, being a Jesus follower is not simply something we do for a few hours each week.
It is who we are!

Our circumstances do not change who Jesus has called us to be. The opinions of others do not change it. A painful or confusing season does not change the truth of who we are supposed to be.

We still belong to Jesus.

If we are squeezed by disappointment, confusion, or misunderstanding, will faithfulness spill out of us?

Woody could have returned to Andy without the others. He could have said, “Fine! If you won’t listen to me, figure it out yourselves!”

Honestly, that might have been understandable!

But Woody refused to abandon his friends, even after they refused to believe him. He followed them to Sunnyside. He continued trying to tell them the truth. And when he discovered they were in danger, he went back to rescue them.

Woody didn’t only remember that he belonged to Andy.
He kept helping his friends remember that they belonged to Andy too.

That is a beautiful picture of what the church should be!
When someone begins forgetting who they are in Christ, we don’t abandon them. We remind them.
When someone becomes discouraged, we encourage them.
When someone wanders away, we lovingly help them find their way back.
When someone believes a lie, we continue speaking the truth with love and patience.

Being faithful does not mean we will never become frustrated. Woody clearly became frustrated! Faithfulness means our frustration does not get to decide how we treat people.

Jesus remains faithful to us, even when our faithfulness is shaky.

If we are faithless,
he remains faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.
-2 Timothy 2:13

So let me ask you one more time as we finish our Toy Story 3 devotionals from Little Prairie Bible Camp Fall Retreat:

What spills out of you?

When you are misunderstood, does anger spill out-or faithfulness?
When following Jesus becomes difficult, do you give up-or remember whose you are?
When your friends begin walking away, do you write them off-or lovingly remind them of the truth?

PLEASE, FRIEND—REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE!

You are not defined by the garbage bag you may currently find yourself in. You are not defined by confusing circumstances or the conclusions other people have made about you.

If you have chosen to follow Jesus, you belong to Him.

Live like you belong to Him.

And when the people around you begin to forget, be the kind of faithful friend who helps them remember too.

Woody was Andy’s toy, and he remained faithful to Andy, even when no one else understood. May we be even more faithful to the One to whom we belong. -Zac

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess,
for he who promised is faithful.
-Hebrews 10:23

For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
-Luke 6:45

We have spent the past few days talking about the characters of Toy Story 3. But today, I want to focus on one specific moment involving almost all of them:

The confrontation at the dumpster.
That sounds cheerful, doesn’t it?!

This scene perfectly illustrates the theme we have been discussing all week:
What Spills Reveals.

Lotso and his gang have Woody and his friends cornered. The toys are surrounded by garbage, facing an uncertain future, and Lotso is completely in control.

This is an incredibly tense moment—and pressure has a way of revealing what has been hiding inside us.

What spills out of Woody? Loyalty.
Woody refuses to accept Lotso’s lie that Andy no longer cares about them. He knows Andy is growing up, and he knows their relationship with him is changing—but Woody still trusts his kid.

What spills out of Jessie? Conviction.
Lotso offers them another opportunity to return to Sunnyside and become part of his so-called “family.” Jessie immediately refuses. She understands that a family built on fear, control, and cruelty isn’t a family at all.

What spills out of Barbie? Courage.
And a surprisingly thoughtful statement about representative government! Seriously, who expected Barbie to begin discussing how authority should come from the consent of the governed?! Have you been secretly reading political philosophy inside the Dreamhouse?
Barbie also stands with her friends, even though it means standing against Ken and everything she could have enjoyed at Sunnyside.

And what spills out of Ken? Eventually Leadership.
When Ken is forced to choose between protecting his comfortable position and doing what is right, his courage and bravery finally spills out as a leader. He finally recognizes that Lotso’s leadership is wrong. Sunnyside has become a pyramid with Lotso sitting comfortably on top while everyone beneath him suffers. Ken finally recognizes that Sunnyside could be different. He doesn’t simply stand against Lotso—he stands up for a better way of treating one another.

Then we see what spills out of Big Baby.
When Woody reveals the truth about Daisy, Big Baby realizes that Lotso has been lying to him for years. Underneath Big Baby’s frightening appearance and threatening behavior is still a brokenhearted toy who remembers being loved.

And then there is Lotso.
When Lotso is confronted with the truth, everything he has been holding inside finally spills out: “We’re all just trash, waiting to be thrown away.”

There it is.
That one statement explains so much about Lotso.

Lotso believed he was worthless, unwanted, and disposable. Instead of bringing that pain somewhere it could be healed, he allowed it to become the truth by which he lived. He treated the other toys like trash because deep inside, he believed that was all any of them were.

The outside finally revealed what had been growing within.

Jesus tells us that the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Eventually, what fills our hearts will find its way into our words, our attitudes, and the way we treat other people.

Pressure doesn’t create what is inside us: it reveals it.

When you are frustrated, what spills out?
When someone hurts your feelings, what spills out?
When your plans fall apart, someone challenges you, or you don’t get your way, what comes pouring from your heart?

Is it anger? Bitterness? Cruelty? Do you say things intended to hurt someone simply because you are hurting?

Or do love, patience, kindness, and self-control begin to spill out?

Friend, I know this can be a little uncomfortable. It is easy to look at Lotso and recognize his bitterness. It can be much harder to recognize what has taken root inside our own hearts, friend.

But Jesus doesn’t just want us to become better at hiding what is inside. He wants to transform us from the inside out!

We don’t merely need cleaner words. We need renewed hearts.

We don’t just need to control the spill. We need to pay attention to what is filling us!

What are you pouring into your heart each day? Are you filling yourself with anger, negativity, comparison, and resentment? Or are you allowing God’s Word and His Spirit to fill you with truth?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
-Galatians 5:22–23

Imagine if those were the things that spilled out of us whenever life knocked us over!

Love when someone is difficult.
Peace when everything feels uncertain.
Kindness when someone is unkind.
Gentleness when we are angry.
Self-control when we want to lash out.

We will not always get this right. Sometimes life will bump us, and something ugly will spill out. When that happens, don’t make excuses. Pay attention to it. Confess it to God. Ask Him to show you what is happening within your heart.

Then allow Him to begin changing what is inside.

The scene at the dumpster reveals the hearts of every character standing there. Some spill loyalty. Some spill courage. Some spill truth.

Lotso spills the bitterness he has allowed to define him.
What spilled from you yesterday, friend? What has been spilling from you lately?
More importantly: What are you allowing God to pour into you today?
Because sooner or later, what fills us will spill out of us. -Zac

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
-Psalm 51:10

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
-1 Corinthians 13:6–7

Come on, Barbie, let’s go…to Sunnyside Daycare! (I’m sorry. I couldn’t help myself. I have the song Barbie Girl stuck in my head because of today's lesson.) We are continuing this discussion because of the lesson of "What Spills, reveals" at the Little Prairie Fall Retreat last weekend outside Rolla, MO.

When Barbie and Ken first meet in Toy Story 3, it seems like an instant connection. Barbie finds someone who understands her passion for fashion, and Ken finally meets the Barbie of his dreams.

They are adorable together!

Ken has the Dreamhouse. He has the clothes. He has the confidence. I mean, he somehow changes outfits multiple times during one fashion show! This guy appears to have everything figured out.

There is only one fairly significant problem: Ken works for Lotso. (The evil strawberry scented bear)

At first, Barbie is distracted by Ken, his Dreamhouse, and that incredible wardrobe. But when she learns how Lotso is treating the other toys, she makes an important decision. Barbie refuses to enjoy the comforts of Ken’s world while her friends are suffering.

Barbie chooses her friends over the Dreamhouse.
She chooses truth over comfort.
She chooses what is right over what is easy.

That decision reveals what is inside her.
This is another example of our theme: What Spills Reveals.

When Barbie discovers the truth about Sunnyside, loyalty, courage, and compassion spill out of her. She loves Ken, but she refuses to pretend that what he is doing is okay.

That is what biblical love looks like.

Love does not ignore evil to keep the peace. Love does not look away because confronting the truth might make things uncomfortable. According to Paul, love “does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.”

Sometimes the most loving thing we can do is tell someone the truth.
Barbie basically tells Ken, “You can be better than this!”

Now, her fashion-based interrogation methods may be questionable. Watching Ken’s favorite outfits get ripped apart is both hilarious and slightly traumatic. No one should have to watch a vintage Nehru jacket suffer like that!

But beneath the humor is an important truth: Barbie sees something good in Ken, even while refusing to excuse his choices. (Cool. Groovy!)

Ken has a decision to make. He can continue supporting Lotso and keep his comfortable life; or he can stand with Barbie and do what is right.

And that pressure reveals what has been inside Ken too.

At first, Ken wants to protect his position. He loves his Dreamhouse, his clothes, and the privileges he receives from Lotso. He knows what Lotso is doing is wrong, but doing the right thing could cost him everything.

How often do we face a similar struggle, friend?

Maybe we know something is wrong, but speaking up could cost us a friendship. Maybe doing the right thing could affect our popularity. Maybe following Jesus requires us to give up something comfortable.

We want Jesus-but we would also really like to keep the Dreamhouse.

Friend, what spills out of you when following Jesus becomes uncomfortable?
Is it courage or compromise?
Is it love or selfishness?
Is it truth or whatever answer will keep everyone happy?

Ken initially allows fear, comfort, and selfishness to control his decisions. But thankfully, that is not the end of his story. Because of Barbie’s courage and example, Ken eventually stands against Lotso.

He makes a different choice.

Ken’s change reminds us that what spills out of us today does not have to define what fills us tomorrow. When God reveals something unhealthy within us, we can repent. We can change direction. We can allow Him to replace selfishness with love, fear with courage, and compromise with conviction.

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
-1 John 3:18

Barbie and Ken said they cared for one another, but eventually, their actions had to prove it.

Barbie showed love by refusing to leave her friends behind. Ken showed love AND repentance by finally standing against Lotso, even though it meant giving up his comfortable position. (FAR OUT!)

By the end of the movie, they help transform Sunnyside Daycare. A place that had been controlled by fear becomes a place where toys are treated with kindness and respect.

All because someone was willing to speak the truth—and someone else was willing to listen and change.

Who is your Barbie, friend?
Who loves you enough to tell you the truth when you are headed in the wrong direction?
And are you humble enough to listen?

Maybe you need to be a Barbie today. Maybe you need to speak the truth lovingly, stand beside someone who is hurting, or refuse to participate in something you know is wrong.

Or maybe you need to be a Ken. Maybe God is showing you that you have been choosing comfort over conviction. If so, don’t make excuses. Admit it, turn around, and make a different choice!

When life puts pressure on us, what is inside will eventually spill out.

May our lives reveal a love that rejoices in truth, protects others, and has the courage to do what is right—even when it costs us the Dreamhouse. -Zac

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves. -Philippians 2:3

Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
-Proverbs 4:23

Okay, honest question: Who else was a little terrified the first time Big Baby turned his head and stared at the toys with that droopy eye?!

THIS. BABY. IS. NIGHTMARE. FUEL.

We talked about this at the Little Prairie Fall Retreat in Rolla last weekend.
What spills reveals: What spills out of our actions and behaviors, reveals what is in our heart.

But after watching Toy Story 3 again, I don’t think Big Baby is simply a scary baby doll. There is so much more happening underneath the surface.

Like Lotso, the strawberry scented (evil) teddy bear, and Chuckles, a sad looking, scary clown that no kid should have ever owned, Big Baby once belonged to Daisy. The three toys were accidentally left behind during a family trip, and they had to find their way back home. But when they finally arrived, Lotso discovered that Daisy’s parents had replaced him with another Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear.

Here is the important part: Daisy had not replaced Big Baby.

Big Baby was still loved. Daisy’s name was still written on his necklace. But Lotso allowed his bitterness to take over, and he convinced Big Baby that Daisy had replaced all of them.

Lotso didn’t just carry bitterness inside himself: he poured that bitterness into Big Baby.

And eventually, what had been poured into Big Baby began spilling out.

Big Baby became Lotso’s silent enforcer at Sunnyside. He followed Lotso’s orders, intimidated the other toys, and helped maintain a system that hurt everyone around them.

It makes me wonder: Did Big Baby behave that way because he was truly cruel?
Or because he believed Lotso’s lies?

Now, believing a lie does not excuse the harm Big Baby caused. But it does show us something incredibly important:

What we believe within us will eventually spill out of us.

If we allow ourselves to be filled with lies, those lies will affect the way we see ourselves, the way we see others, and the way we treat the people around us.

That is why Romans 12:2 tells us:
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Friend, not every confident voice is speaking truth.

Lotso sounded certain. He had a painful story. He acted like he knew exactly how the world worked. Big Baby trusted him, and that trust led Big Baby down a terrible path.

Who are you allowing to speak into your heart?

What messages are you constantly consuming? What voices are shaping the way you see God, yourself, and the people around you?

Maybe you have started believing that you are unwanted. Maybe you believe you are not good enough. Maybe someone has convinced you that you have to be angry, cruel, or controlling to keep yourself from getting hurt again.

But what if the voice you have been listening to is wrong?

Near the end of the movie, Woody shows Big Baby the necklace with Daisy’s name still on it. Big Baby looks at it and says one word:

“Mama.”

That one word reveals so much!

Underneath the intimidating stare and frightening behavior was still a toy who loved Daisy and wanted to be loved by her. When Big Baby saw the necklace, he finally saw the truth: Daisy had loved him. Lotso had lied to him.

And once Big Baby recognized the truth, he finally found the courage to stand against Lotso.

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
-John 8:32

The truth changed Big Baby’s direction.

It didn’t erase everything he had done, but it allowed him to stop following Lotso and begin making a different choice. By the end of the movie, Sunnyside is no longer controlled by fear. Big Baby is learning to treat the other toys with kindness instead of cruelty.

That is what God’s truth can do for us!

God’s truth exposes the lies we have believed. It renews our minds, changes our hearts, and gives us the courage to stop repeating the harmful patterns we have learned.

So, what is spilling out of you today, friend?

Is it fear? Anger? Bitterness? Are you repeating something you heard from someone else without stopping to ask whether it is actually true?

Or are love, kindness, courage, and grace beginning to spill out?

PLEASE FRIEND: GUARD YOUR HEART!

Be careful what you allow to be poured into you, because eventually it will spill out. Fill your mind with God’s Word. Surround yourself with people who will lovingly tell you the truth. And if you discover that you have believed a lie, allow God to renew your mind and change your direction.

Big Baby spent years living according to someone else’s bitterness-but one encounter with the truth helped him finally break free.

May the same be true for us.

Let’s fill ourselves with the truth of Jesus, because eventually, what fills us will spill out of us. -Zac

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
-Philippians 4:8

See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
-Hebrews 12:15

Today, we are discussing one of the most deceptive characters in the entire Toy Story Universe: Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear!

I just took our youth group to the Little Prairie Bible Camp Fall Retreat, outside of Rolla, Missouri. It's a beautiful place, and was a fantastic spiritual getaway! We watched Toy Story 3 together at the Retreat, so I wanted to use Lotso, one of the main characters from that movie today in this blog, and I think it is safe to discuss some spoilers. (The movie is also sixteen years old, so I feel like the statute of limitations on spoilers has expired!)

Who wouldn’t trust a big, cuddly, strawberry-scented teddy bear?! Lotso welcomes Andy’s toys to Sunnyside Daycare with open arms and a warm smile. He seems kind. He seems caring. He smells like strawberries! What could possibly go wrong?!

Well…pretty much everything.

We eventually learn that Lotso was not always the bitter bear we meet at Sunnyside. He once belonged to a little girl named Daisy, whom he deeply loved. After Lotso was accidentally left behind, he worked incredibly hard to find his way back home-only to discover that Daisy had replaced him with another Lotso.

Bless his strawberry-scented heart—that had to hurt!

Lotso’s pain was real. His feelings of rejection and abandonment were real. But instead of allowing that wound to heal, Lotso allowed it to become bitterness. His pain changed the way he saw Daisy, himself, and eventually every other toy around him.

Lotso’s hurt became bitterness.
His bitterness became a belief.
And his belief eventually shaped his behavior.

He decided that if Daisy’s love couldn’t be trusted, then no child’s love could be trusted. He lied to Big Baby, took control of Sunnyside, and made the other toys suffer because of what had happened to him.

Pain may explain what is inside us, but it does not excuse what we spill onto others.

That is why the writer of Hebrews warns us about allowing a “bitter root” to grow. Roots may begin beneath the surface where no one else can see them, but they do not stay there. Eventually, they grow. Eventually, they produce fruit. And according to Hebrews, bitterness does not only affect the person carrying it; it causes trouble and hurts many people.

That is exactly what happened with Lotso.

Near the end of the movie, Woody and his friends actually save Lotso’s life! Then, just moments later, Lotso has the opportunity to save them from the incinerator. All he has to do is press one button. Instead, Lotso abandons them.

COME ON, LOTSO!

But that moment reveals what had been growing inside of him all along.

For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
-Luke 6:45

Lotso smelled like strawberries, but what spilled out of him was bitterness.

So let me ask you, friend: What spills out of you when life shakes you?

Is it anger? Sarcasm? Resentment? Control? Do you punish people in your present because of something someone did to you in your past?

Maybe you have been rejected. Maybe someone abandoned you. Maybe someone you trusted broke that trust. I am not asking you to pretend it didn’t hurt. I am not asking you to call something good when it was clearly wrong.

But I am asking you not to allow that pain to decide who you become.

Bring your hurt to God. Talk to someone you trust. Ask the Lord to help you forgive. Forgiveness does not mean what happened was okay: it means you are refusing to let what happened continue ruling your heart.

PLEASE, FRIEND: DO NOT LET BITTERNESS TAKE ROOT!

God can heal what hurt you. He can help you respond with grace instead of revenge, kindness instead of cruelty, and forgiveness instead of bitterness.

Don’t become like Lotso. Don’t allow one painful chapter to write the rest of your story.

May what spills out of us be love, grace, patience, and the truth of Jesus. And if bitterness has already started taking root, may we allow God to pull it out before it grows any deeper.

Smelling like strawberries won’t hide bitterness forever. What spills out of us reveals what we have allowed to take root within us. -Zac

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. -Ephesians 4:31–32

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not in despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed.
-2 Corinthians 4:8–9

Welcome back friends!

Combat Carl doesn’t just walk into a scene: he announces himself in the third person!
And honestly, anyone who talks about himself with that much confidence deserves our attention.

I didn't realize this until it was pointed out to me, but we actually first see a Combat Carl action figure in the original Toy Story. Unfortunately, that particular Combat Carl has a rather explosive encounter with Sid. Things do not end well for him. (Yes, that's right...Sid blows up poor Combat Carl in the original Toy Story.)

But later, in Toy Story of Terror!, we meet another Combat Carl! This is the Combat Carl I remember!! This guy has seen some stuff too! He has been separated from his kid, Billy. He is trapped inside a creepy roadside motel. He has even lost one of his hands!

Yet Combat Carl keeps going.
Why? Because Combat Carl has a motto:
“Combat Carl never gives up. Combat Carl finds a way.”

Is talking to yourself in the third person a little unusual? Absolutely.
Does Combat Carl somehow make it work? Also absolutely!

What I love most is that Combat Carl doesn’t keep that encouragement to himself. When Jessie is terrified and must face her fear of being trapped inside a box, Combat Carl teaches her to repeat the words using her own name:
"Jessie never gives up. Jessie finds a way."

Combat Carl’s courage becomes Jessie’s courage.

Sometimes we need someone like that in our lives; someone who reminds us of the truth when fear, disappointment, or exhaustion makes it difficult to remember for ourselves.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:8–9:
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not in despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed.

Notice that Paul doesn’t pretend life is easy.

He says we may be pressed.
We may be perplexed.
We may feel persecuted.
We may even be struck down.
But we are not destroyed.

Every “but” in that passage matters!

Being pressed is not the same as being crushed. Being confused does not mean that we are without hope. Feeling alone does not mean that God has abandoned us. And being knocked down does not mean that our story is over.

Combat Carl was missing a hand, separated from his kid, and trapped in a motel, but he was still looking for a way forward.

What about you, friend?

Have you been knocked down recently?

Are you facing something that has left you confused, discouraged, or wondering how you will keep going?

Maybe you need to remind yourself of the truth today. You don’t necessarily have to say it in the third person, LOL, but if that helps, Combat Carl certainly isn’t going to judge you!

Say your name and remind yourself:
I may be pressed, BUT I am not crushed.
I may be confused, BUT I am not without hope.
I may have been knocked down, BUT through God, I am not destroyed.

For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again.
-Proverbs 24:16

You may have fallen, BUT you can rise again.

You may have experienced a setback, BUT that setback does not get to write the final sentence of your story.

And maybe, once you are standing again, God will use you to help someone else find the courage to stand too. Combat Carl didn’t just find a way for himself: he helped Jessie believe that she could find a way forward as well.

So, here is my challenge for you today:
Don’t give up.

Keep trusting God. Keep doing what is right.
Keep taking the next faithful step-even if it is a small one.
Combat Carl never gives up. Combat Carl finds a way.
And followers of Jesus keep going because we know that God has not let go of us.
-Zac

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. -Galatians 6:9

Sing to the Lord a new song,
    his praise from the ends of the earth,
you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it,
    you islands, and all who live in them.
Isaiah 42:10

Were you surprised when we posted about Bo Peep’s sheep? Well, today’s character is also on the rarer side. We have officially entered the side-character era, if you will.

And I am excited to talk about Wheezy!

Poor Wheezy, though! His big moment comes in Toy Story 2, and when we first meet him, the poor guy has been forgotten on a shelf. After his squeaker breaks, he gets stuck behind some books and older toys. Dust collects all around him, and eventually, he can barely talk—let alone sing.

What a bummer for a toy who loves to sing!

And honestly, I think we can relate to Wheezy’s experience sometimes too.

We may not have been forgotten on a shelf, but I know what it feels like to be forgotten or left out. We may not have gotten stuck behind a pile of books, but I definitely know what it feels like to be stuck in life.

How about you, friend?

I chose to talk about Wheezy today because his story reminds us of an important truth:
Being stuck is not the same thing as being finished.

Even when Wheezy was forgotten, lonely, and stuck, his story wasn’t over.
Help was coming—even when he couldn’t see it.

I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.
Psalm 40:1–3

Wheezy’s toy friends eventually come to his rescue! They help him out of the dirt and dust, and Mr. Shark finds him a new squeaker.

Then, at the end of the movie, we see Wheezy with a new voice—and a new song to sing!
Sound familiar?

God hears the psalmist’s cry. He lifts him out of the pit, places him on firm ground, and puts a new song in his mouth.

So, where are you right now, friend?
Are you waiting patiently on the Lord?
Do you feel stuck in the slimy pit, covered in mud and mire?
Or have you already been rescued from the pit and find yourself standing on solid ground—feeling pretty good and pretty clean right now?

Wherever you find yourself, I hope you are reaching out to the Lord.
If all you have right now is a cry for help, He hears you.
If He has already placed a new song in your mouth, then sing it!

May Wheezy remind us that the shelf is not the end of the story. The dust does not get the final word. Being stuck does not mean that God has forgotten us.

May we wait patiently. May we keep going even when hope seems dim. And may we continue to sing to the Lord! --Zac

Sing to the Lord a new song;
   sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Psalm 96:1

The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Proverbs 12:18

As many of us are heading back into school/work-I want to talk about Mr. Potato Head!
A lovable curmudgeon with a sharp tongue, but a loyal heart. Mr. Potato Head is sarcastic, suspicious, hot-headed, and sometimes far too quick to speak—but underneath that rough exterior is someone who fiercely loves his wife, and ultimately remains loyal to his friends.

Mr. Potato Head has some of the funniest one-liners of the whole franchise. My personal favorite: “You uncultured swine!” You can ask anyone I work with, I quote that waaay too often. But just because you have a great quip, a great line to say, doesn't mean it always needs to be said out loud. Some of you may be rolling your eyes right now, but it's true. We have to be in control of what we say.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. James 3:9–10

James makes it abundantly clear-the same mouth we use to praise the Lord, can be the same mouth we use to tear down fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. The author of Proverbs says the same thing in the verse at the top of this page: our words have the power to wound others or heal them.

So that is my challenge to you today:
Are your words hurting others?
Or are they helping others? 

A gentle answer turns away wrath,
    but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 15:1

May your words today build others up!
-Zac

Happy Labor Day, Friends!

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
Psalm 23:1–3

I know we haven't even had time to discuss Bo Peep yet in this devotional series, but I did want to focus on her sheep today.

Why? Because it's a national holiday: it's Labor Day! A day to celebrate hard work, by allowing those hard working employees, hard working laborers, some much deserved rest and relaxation.

This is absolutely Biblical, you know?! God established rhythms of work and rest in the very beginning of Genesis. He worked 6 days and then He rested.

Biblical rest isn’t laziness or simply doing nothing. It is accepting that we are the sheep—not the Shepherd. I think Bo Peep's sheep get that point. (Did you know their names are Billy, Goat, & Gruff? What a fun fact!) Ultimately, it appears that Billy, Goat & Gruff knew Bo Peep was going to be there for them, and take care of them. The sheep can lie down because the Shepherd stays awake. They completely trusted their Shepherd.

Are you trusting your Shepherd?

We don’t have to know the entire path or course for our life.
We don't have to control every outcome.
Luckily, we don't have to keep everything running ourselves.

Our God, the Creator of the Universe, is in control.
And luckily he doesn't say our value comes from our productivity.

We see this played out in multiple verses I would encourage to look up and highlight:
Matthew 11:28–30: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened…”
Mark 6:31: “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
Psalm 127:2: God grants sleep to those He loves.
Hebrews 4:9–11: A Sabbath-rest remains for God’s people.
Exodus 20:8–10: God commands a rhythm of Sabbath rest.

Today-I hope you take some time to rest, friend.
Because rest is a true act of trust: the world will continue to turn without us.
-Zac

God's Spirit doesn't make cowards out of us.
The Spirit gives us power, love, and self-control.
2 Timothy 1:7

I absolutely love Rex! Not only because he is a green plastic Tyrannosaurus rex from Mattel—which is already pretty great—but because I can relate so much to his fears.

Sometimes those fears are completely irrational. But as a low-key anxious kid growing up in the nineties, it was great seeing Rex try to handle his insecurities while having friends who supported him along the way!

In yesterday’s devotional, we discussed Jessie’s fear. Rex also experiences fear, but they show us two very different expressions of it: Jessie fears abandonment, while Rex fears inadequacy.

Rex constantly worries that he isn’t enough.
He worries that he isn’t scary enough.
He worries that he isn’t capable enough.
He worries that he simply isn’t good enough.

Yet despite those fears, Rex continues showing up. He perseveres. He doesn’t give up.

One of my favorite Toy Story shorts is Partysaurus Rex. After being criticized by the other toys, Rex decides to do basically the opposite of what he would normally do. The outcome is both hilarious and amazing!

It also shows us an important truth:
Courage doesn’t require the absence of fear. Courage is choosing to move forward even while fear is still present.

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
Psalm 56:3–4

Notice that David doesn’t say, “If I am afraid.”
He says, “When I am afraid.”

Scripture doesn’t shame us for experiencing fear or pretend that faithful people never feel anxious. Instead, it teaches us what to do when fear shows up: We place our trust in God.

Paul gives us another direction:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6–7

Do you struggle with the fear of being inadequate, friend?

Do you worry that you aren’t capable enough, talented enough, brave enough, or simply good enough?

Those feelings may be real, but they do not get the final word. When fear tells you that you aren’t enough, take that fear to the One who is.

God has given us His Spirit—a Spirit of power, love, and self-control!

Notice that power doesn’t stand alone. God’s power is accompanied by love and self-control. Kingdom courage isn’t loud, reckless, or concerned with proving something. It is faithful, loving, and disciplined, even when our knees are shaking.

So, here is my challenge for you today:
Lean into the Spirit God has given you!

Be bold.
Be faithful.
Act in love.
Practice self-control.

You don’t have to feel fearless to live faithfully.
Go be courageous—even if your tiny plastic arms are shaking!
—Zac

“Can a mother forget her nursing child?
    Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?
But even if that were possible,
    I would not forget you!
16 See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.
    Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins."
Isaiah 49:15–16

Jessie! The rootinest, tootinest cowgirl in the Wild West!

She’s brave. She’s bold. She’s adventurous, full of energy, and always ready to jump into action. She also has a wonderful friendship with her trusty horse, Bullseye!

Yet beneath all that courage, we learn that Jessie also lives with fear.

In Toy Story 2, we discover that Jessie was abandoned by her original owner, a young girl named Emily. Bless poor Jessie’s heart—being placed inside a box brings back the terrifying memory of that abandonment.

Because Emily left her, Jessie is afraid to allow herself to be loved again. After all, if someone you love has left you once, what is stopping someone else from doing it again?

Can you relate to that at all? I pray that you can’t...but if you can, please keep reading, friend:

God does not forget or abandon His people.

I love the verse at the top of this devotional. In Isaiah 49:15, God says that even if it were possible for a mother to forget her own child, “I will not forget you!”

How amazing is that?!

Sometimes our anxiety whispers that we have been forgotten, overlooked, or left behind. But God answers those fears with a promise: I will not forget you!

We hear the Lord repeat this truth throughout Scripture:
Though my father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will receive me.
Psalm 27:10

Then, in the New Testament, we read:
God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5

Jesus Himself makes the same promise:
I will not leave you as orphans;
I will come to you.
John 14:18

Again and again, God tells us the truth:
I will not forget you.
I will receive you.
I will never leave you.
I will not leave you orphaned.

You are not forgotten. You are not abandoned. You are not alone.

I don’t want to spoil anything for you...but in Toy Story 5, we get to see Jessie’s story continue in a powerful way. It was amazing—and absolutely worth the wait!

Maybe you currently feel like you are waiting on the Lord. Maybe you feel boxed in, set aside, or even forgotten.

If that is where you find yourself today, I encourage you to stay faithful. Don’t give up!

PLEASE—I BEG YOU—KEEP GOING, FRIEND!

Waiting does not mean that God has forgotten you. Silence does not mean that He is absent. And a closed box does not mean that your story is over.

As long as there is breath in your lungs, God can still be working in you and through you. Paul gives us this promise:

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. -Philippians 1:6

God has not forgotten you. He has not abandoned what He began in you.

Your story is not over.

—Zac

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”-Jesus in John 8:32

Ah, Buzz Lightyear! Delulu from the moment we meet him. Problem solved by the end of the movie. Pure Pixar magic!

I’ve always thought Woody gets a bad rap for trying to help Buzz realize his true purpose. I mean, Woody was definitely jealous. The cowboy was being replaced by the space ranger, and—cue the music—all of these Strange Things were happening to him.

But Woody was also trying to help Buzz see the TRUTH.

Buzz wasn’t a space ranger. He couldn’t fly. He wasn’t stationed in the Gamma Quadrant. And Emperor Zurg was not waiting for him to finish repairing his spaceship.

Buzz Lightyear was a toy.

Here’s the hard part: Woody was right about Buzz, but that doesn’t mean Woody handled everything the right way. Sometimes our approach to helping someone can go too far. If your attempt to help someone ends with you pushing someone out of a window, check your motives, bro!

Galatians 6:1 says that when someone needs to be restored, we should do it gently—and then it immediately warns us to watch ourselves. In other words, the truth matters, but how we deliver that truth matters too.

Look at what Paul says in Romans:

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. -Romans 12:3

Buzz thought he was THE Buzz Lightyear—intergalactic space ranger bent on defeating the Evil Emperor Zurg. Woody was trying to tell Buzz that he wasn’t.

But not being what he imagined did not mean Buzz was nothing.

Buzz had another mission—one that may have sounded smaller, but was far more personal. He was somebody’s cherished companion. Andy’s name was written on the bottom of his foot. He belonged to someone. He had friends who needed him.

Buzz had to let go of who he thought he was before he could become who he was created to be.

If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.
Galatians 6:3

That verse—and really, the whole beginning of Galatians 6—connects so well with Woody trying to help Buzz step out of his delusion and into the truth. (This gets deep fast the more you think about it...)

So, what are you striving to be?

Are you thinking more highly of yourself than you should? Are you building your identity around impressing people, being important, or proving that you are the hero?

Or have you gone too far in the other direction and confused humility with believing that you have no value? Because we already covered that with Forky: You aren’t trash!

Humility means seeing yourself truthfully—no more and no less than who God created you to be. It means understanding that you don’t have to be the center of the universe to have a meaningful place in it.

I don’t want you living delulu like Buzz Lightyear. Not because you should dream smaller, but because the truth is so much better than pretending.

Buzz eventually snapped out of it. He stopped trying to prove that he was a hero and started becoming one. He found his purpose. He found friendship. He fully belonged and was exactly where he needed to be.

That is the same hope I have for you, friend! If you are trying to follow Jesus, I am praying that you discover who He created you to be—and that you land exactly where you need to be.

—Zac

A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
Proverbs 17:17

Any guesses on who today's devotional is going to be about?!

Here's a clue: who is a real friend and loyal companion to the already LOYAL SHERIFF?

Who doesn’t love Slinky Dog?! I mean, he is the personification of LOYALTY. If you find someone who doesn’t like Slink...I tell you this nicely: RUN AWAY FROM THEM NOW, FRIEND.

Slinky Dog is loyal almost to a fault. Time and time again in the first Toy Story, you see Slinky Dog supporting Sheriff Woody. He trusts Woody. He tells the group that there must be an explanation for all the crazy things Woody was doing to Buzz Lightyear—like pushing him out the window. He is just as loyal as—if not more loyal than—the sheriff himself. That’s a beautiful thing to behold!

But Slinky’s loyalty is not exclusive. He casts a wide net of friends; he leaves no one out. He eventually shows friendship to Buzz, which seems to irk Woody enough to push him off the bed. (I’m seeing a theme here with Woody: He likes pushing people off beds and out of windows...) Yet even after being pushed off the bed, Slinky is still the first to come to Woody’s defense. What a friend!

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24

A loyal friend remains beside you—even when everyone else doubts you. Slinky is the one who risks everything to jump out of a moving truck and try to save Woody—and Buzz. He gives it everything he’s got, even when he is literally stretched thin. Isn’t that the type of friend you want in your life? I know I want friends like that.

So, where does that type of loyalty come from? I’d say genuine and real love. Slinky’s heart appears to be bigger than he is. He may have the biggest heart in the entire Toy Story universe. (Bold statement: Challenge me in the comments!)

Who in your universe do you see displaying these traits of love, loyalty, and friendship? If you have someone who comes to mind, text them now and thank them!

Better question: Who are you showing these traits to?
Is there someone who would text you and thank you for your loyalty and friendship?
Jesus makes it clear: People will know that we are His followers by our love! So, my hope—and my challenge—for you today is this: Show genuine love to those in your orbit.

Be a Slinky Dog!

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Corinthians 13:6–7

-Zac

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11

If you were surprised by our first featured character yesterday (Forky!), I am sure you will be pleased that we are discussing Woody today. From the very first Toy Story, Woody has always showed loyalty, even to a fault. I mean he was so loyal to his kid Andy, that when a delusional new toy showed up (looking at you Buzz Lightyear), Woody did some unthinkable things to keep Andy safe. Luckily, Woody grows and matures, Buzz Lightyear realizes he is just a toy (and that's okay!), and the two become best friends thanks to some Disney/Pixar magic! (More on their friendship in a future blog...)

But today I want to use the same clip that we focused on yesterday, to see things from Woody's perspective. We discussed that Forky wanted to stay: trash. Litter. Just scraps. Luckily-he had a friend like Woody who refused to let Forky look at himself as just trash...check it out below!

There are so many admirable qualities that Woody has. I already mentioned his loyalty; but in this clip, we also see his fearlessness, his determination, and his leadership. Again it all circles back to the fact that he deeply cares about his people. I mean he jumped out of a moving RV to get Forky back to Bonnie, even when that spork thought he was nothing more than litter.

In this clip, Woody risked a lot to get Bonnie's newly created toy back, and he also challenged Forky when he called himself "trash". He kept trying to redirect Forky, but when Woody actually listened to what Forky was saying about himself, that is when he was able to reframe a part of Forky's faulty thinking, even if it was just partially. I mean it's a cartoon, so of course Forky realized he was more than just trash...he was "Bonnie's trash". SMH!

Woody was truly trying to help the new guy realize he was so much more than the lie he was telling himself and living in. What an admirable quality! That's true leadership. That's real character where character counts.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
-Ephesians 4:29

Yes, Woody has his flaws. We all do. Woody can be controlling. Woody at one point shoved his best friend out the window. (Who hasn't?!) But when it comes to shutting down negative or false self talk-Woody is there to speak truth. (Cue the scene from the original Toy Story between him and Buzz Lightyear: "YOU. ARE. A. TOY!")

I pray that you have people in your life that are speaking truth to you.

I pray that if you are speaking negatively about yourself, or have lies filling your head, that there is at least one person in your life who is countering what is untrue.

And maybe you need to start speaking truth and calling others up to love and good works. In a world full of people who feel like Forkys; I need you to be more like Sheriff Woody. The world needs more people who are breathing life into one another and not tearing each other down. The church, YOUR CHURCH, needs more people building one another up.

Do that today friend. Call someone out in the most positive of way: say the encouraging thing that needs to be said. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11) It's a wonderful gift to give someone! -Zac

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
Psalm 139:14

As we start a new month-we thought we'd take this opportunity to write the devotionals using the characters from Toy Story as our inspiration! Our first character we want to discuss is...

Are you surprised we picked Forky to go first?! We love Forky! He was my personal new favorite character when Toy Story 4 came out. I love his humor, I love his determination (even if he is having quite the existential crisis), but ultimately I loved how he grew and continues to grow as a spork! (I mean have you seen his series: Forky Asks a Question on Disney+?! He asks some hard hitting questions, my personal favorite: What is Love?)

Bonnie saw something in Forky. She took some odd and end pieces from arts and crafts and created him to be a new toy for herself. But Forky had such a hard time accepting that. He didn't think of himself as new "toy" material. He just thought he was trash. And unfortunately that is what Forky wanted to stay: litter, scraps. Luckily-he had a friend like Woody who refused to let Forky look at himself as just trash...

In the clip above: Forky says when he thinks about being trash he says "It's warm, it's cozy, and safe! Like somebody's whispering in your ear: 'Everything is going to be okay.'"

Woody aptly corrects him saying: "That's how Bonnie feels when she's with you!"

That is when Forky has an epiphany...sort of. Forky realizes he is Bonnie's and he wants to run back as quickly as possible to be with her. Unfortunately-Forky still thinks he is trash, but he wants to be back with his creator/kid/friend more than anything. And also sadly he never get's over thinking he's trash...but at least he now believes he's "Bonnie's trash".

Sometimes I'm afraid we think the same about ourselves. We beat ourself up, say discouraging things to ourself, we speak down to ourself, instead of realizing we were created for a reason. We were created for a purpose. We were created by a Maker who loves us enough to want to spend Eternity with us! But we sometimes just see our faults, our self as trash, instead of one loved by the God of the Universe.

I beg you: talk to yourself more graciously. Don't accept the lies that you are trash/garbage/not good/not worthy. Thanks to Jesus: we are fully reconciled! (Being made "at one" with God, where the debt of sin is addressed and fellowship is renewed.)

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21

Less trash talk; more Jesus filled truth in our minds! See ya tomorrow friends! -Zac

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
Psalm 139:14

Over the last few weeks we’ve talked a lot about telling your story, and we’ve encouraged you to go out and share it even when it’s uncomfortable. But why does sharing our story feel so scary sometimes? We could be afraid of making a moment awkward, or maybe we fear the rejection that could come from telling our story. It is scary to step into an uncomfortable situation, into uncharted territory, where we don’t know how those who hear will respond to us and our life.

But underneath all of that, I think what can make sharing feel so scary is knowing that part of our story is messy and ugly. We all have that part of our story. That one (or maybe two… or three…) thing that you just don’t want people to know about. Sometimes the ugly things are a result of our own sinful choices. Sometimes life gets ugly when others make sinful choices that affect us. Our story can start to feel ugly when certain things we want to happen don't. Or when things we don’t want to happen do. The truth is, hard things happen to all of us whether we want them to or not, and we don’t always respond in the healthiest ways. We all have that one part that is hard to share.

But the beautiful thing is that God. Uses. It. ALL!

There’s an anonymous quote that is floating around the internet, you may have seen it before. It says, “Jacob was a cheater, Peter had a temper, David had an affair, Noah got drunk, Jonah ran from God, Paul was a murderer, Gideon was insecure, Miriam was a gossiper, Martha was a worrier, Thomas was a doubter, Sarah was impatient, Elijah was depressed, Moses stuttered, Zaccheus was short, Abraham was old, and Lazarus was dead… God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the Called!”

Every single person that God has ever used has had some sort of trial or struggle that they’ve had to walk through in their story. You are not alone in walking through the hard, messy things of life.
Thank God that He still delights to use us in the middle of the mess! It is through our weaknesses, our ugly, messiness, that God's power and goodness and kindness is seen in us (2 Corinthians 12:9). Those ugly parts of our story produce in us endurance. Endurance produces character. And that character produces hope (Romans 5:3-5). Hope in Jesus. Hope in the freedom, life, peace, and joy that comes through Him. Hope of life after death that we will get to spend with Him forever.

So have courage, my friend! Share the messy parts! And know that in doing so, God will be glorified. Remember, the ugly part of our story that makes us afraid to share is the very thing that God wants to use to bring others to know Him.

This past Wednesday night in Bible Class, we discussed someone we have never really discussed before in Bible Class. We talked about Dolly Parton. Our youth group here at Rocketdyne has a strong pocket of Dolly fans! And I don’t know where you land on this, but Tuesday’s news of her passing hit hard. So we decided to talk about it during Wednesday’s night class.

I realized I wasn’t alone; several also wanted to discuss her life, her achievements, her philanthropy. Several knew obscure facts about her as we played an impossible trivia game about Miss Dolly.

One video I saw online on Facebook, (give me a break I’m over 40 years old!), asked what song did we play of Dolly’s when you really needed it? Not your favorite song of hers, but the song that you really needed to hear at a time in your life that was sentimental or difficult. I instantly knew the answer: it was this song below….

“When I get Where I am Going” by Brad Paisley featuring Dolly Parton was one of the songs we used during my Mom’s funeral service when she died suddenly at 42 years old. I was only 20 when it happened at the end of my Spring  Semester at college.

This song gave my family peace; this song gave us hope. Although this song, doesn’t directly reference God, or even Jesus (unfortunately), it does compare God to a Lion and talks about the Maker.
But when I get where I'm going,
And I see my Maker's face,
I'll stand forever in the light,
Of His amazing grace.
Yeah when I get where I'm going,
Oh, when I get where I'm going,
There'll be only happy tears.
Hallelujah!
I will love and have no fear.
When I get where I'm going.

This song is the soundtrack we played during my Mom’s picture slideshow at the funeral. It is the song I hear anytime I watch that memory video. This song helped me get through a very difficult time. And I thank Dolly Parton for being a part of that comfort. One day, when I get to stand before our Maker: God, I will get to live in the light of His Amazing Grace! I will get to see Jesus and thank Him for all He has done for me! We will finally get to see the Holy Spirit. And yes, I believe I will get to see my Mom, so many other family members that I miss greatly. So when I get where I am going, like Dolly said in the video announcement from her family, don’t be sad: because we are in the LIGHT!! I hope you can say the same, friend. If you need to talk-comment below or call the church office at 417-451-6698. Leave a message if no one answers, and I will call you back! We are all in this together friends! You are NOT alone, even if you feel lonely. We got each other! And we’ve got a story to tell! Let’s tell it together!

I want to end with this verse which was our closing verse on Wednesday night:
““A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.””
‭‭John‬ ‭13‬:‭34‬-‭35‬ ‭NIV

Dolly seems to have made this a core part of her life; Jesus did too! Let’s all try to live up to this New Command, and be more like Jesus, more like Dolly, and truly LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Blessings friends! -Zac

It was back in 2018, our theme for JumpStart was “Be the Light”. We brought in an acquaintance I knew named Jud Heald. He was our entertainment for the weekend, but he was unlike any entertainment we had ever had at JumpStart before or since. You see Jud is a professional skateboard and the Director of Untitled Skate. He has the most X-Games type job of anyone I know; but he also lives his life by “being the light” which was the theme of JumpStart weekend back then. He keeps in touch, about monthly, by sending me a random devotional. I heard from him this morning in fact! But I wanted to share this particular devotional from the other day because I feel it fits the week we’ve all been having. Enjoy! -Zac

Comforted to be a comfort
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-6 ESV

Looking at the scripture, it’s pretty clear that when bad things happen to good people, good people are then in a position to help people going through bad / hard things.
Pray of the Lord, that He might help you use the things you’ve gone through to help others going through things that they are now struggling with.

https://www.untitledskate.com/

Happy Friday everyone!
Today is our final day unpacking the song "The Author" by Brandon Lake & Nick Jonas.

I was able to sit in this class on Saturday during JumpStart, one because my wife, Jenn, was one of the teachers, but also because I was very excited about the content!

The class did not disappoint; nor did the discussion/conversation. One of the participants, Zach Foote, made this comment about how if God is "The Author" of our story...then he holds the copyright:

"God is the Author of our story, of your story. Copyright gives the Author/Creator exclusive rights to edit, share and display their creation. Copyright infringement is when someone uses, copies or shares an original creative work without permission from the owner. This violates the rights of the Creator. God has the copyright on our soul and with our story, and the enemy, since the garden, has been trying to use, change and alter our story and God's word.  Stick to the original, authentic story about an Author who write Himself into your story, stepped into the judgment seat on your behalf and paid for your salvation. God's not done writing your story!" AMEN!

My wife's friend, Stephanie Witcher, also co-taught the class and she shared with me this thought:

"I really hope those who attended heard that we should tell our stories, good, bad, and ugly, because all of them point others to God’s glory. He will keep writing our story, even if we have little to offer 'The Author' in return. But telling our story for His glory is an offering of thanks. Psalms 107 reminds us that 'The Author' wants the Redeemed to tell their stories."

So today: I hope you take a second and reflect on the entire chapter of Psalm 107. God's not finished writing your story...and you get to be as much as an active participant as you want! Write a good one, friend! -Zac Erisman

"Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,” Psalms‬ ‭107‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Let's continue looking at the new song "The Author" by Brandon Lake and Nick Jonas.

We are now to the Chorus of this amazing song!

CHORUS
So who am I? Who am I?
Am I just a poor preacher's prodigal son?
A troubled child, running wild
Chasing the glory instead of the One
Who says that I, even I
Have something still left to offer?
So who am I? Who am I
To question the pen in the hands of The Author?

Phew! What good stuff!! Let's unpack it...
If you found yourself questioning your life story yesterday, this chorus absolutely lets you unwind, recenter, and find peace with Jesus! It starts out asking: Who am I? It explains who the song writers think they are. One thinks they are the prodigal son of a preacher. The other thinks they are a troubled child who is running wild and only chasing glory. Maybe you relate to these examples. I know I personally do at times. Or maybe you feel differently when you ask Who am I? No matter where you land, prodigal child or the faithful older sibling, luckily  the chorus shifts gears.

It asks: Who am I? A troubled child, running wild, chasing the glory instead of the One [JESUS!] who says that I, even I, have something still left to offer? So who am I? Who am I to question the pen in the hands of The Author?

You absolutely cannot go wrong when you turn the focus back to Jesus! And that's what the chorus does expertly. It shows that God believes that you, yes YOU, have something left to offer. You are the one that the Lord says you, even you, have something to tell others. You have a story to tell friend! So who are we to question that? Who are we to question the pen that is writing our story? Who are we to question the pen in the hand of The Author, our Lord Jesus Christ?

Hopefully-we see that we should not be questioning, but instead be leaning into the Story that is being written around us! And sharing that story on repeat with whoever is around us! Keep going friends! Praying for you!! -Zac

Feel free to leave a comment or a prayer request below!

Let's continue our discussion from yesterday! One of our breakout classes two weeks ago was based on the new song "The Author" by Brandon Lake and Nick Jonas.

The first verse went like this:

VERSE ONE
Picked up the Book for the first time in ages
Still washed me clean with the dust on the pages
My life is a story I struggle to write
But is it one worth telling? Is it one You like?
 
I said yesterday, so much is packed into the very first verse of the song...and so much of the WHY we had our theme for JumpStart this year can be found in the struggle of these lyrics!

The last line of the first verse can be flat out devastating to read, depending on where you currently are at in your Christian walk:
But is [my story] one worth telling? Is [my story] one You like [Jesus/Lord]?
These were the questions that I hope you were able to answer at JumpStart.

We tried to talk about the fact that even though you may be struggling to write, or tell your story, it is absolutely a story that is worth telling. It really is friend!  Why? Because it is a story about a life that has, hopefully, found JESUS! A life that has found THE LORD!

But sometimes even once we find our story in the Lord, AND we find our voice to tell about what God has done for us, sometimes Satan likes to creep in and cast doubt. Satan will try to lie to you and say, "But is it a story worth telling?" If you have ever struggled with those doubts, I want to say again right now: YOUR STORY IS WORTH TELLING. Please don't let doubt keep you from telling your story.

Now the next question asked in the verse, that question may land you in another area. Is [my story] one You like God? Maybe you are sitting here today and you realize your story, your life is going in a direction that you don't like. Maybe you are aware you're heading down a path the Lord does not want you walking. Unlike Satan casting doubts about you even having a story to share, if you are feeling like you are living a Story that God doesn't like, this would be what we call conviction. Maybe there is an area in our life that needs to change. Or maybe there is just a chapter in your story that you're unhappy with. The amazing thing is we serve a God who allows us to change. He allows us to Repent. He allows us to Change! Using the author/writer analogy, our God is a God who allows us by His Grace and Mercy to have an eraser and start over. That freedom gives us an amazing fresh start! So if you don't think God doesn't like the story you're writing right now, I'd encourage you to talk to him and ask for forgiveness. Then I'd talk to another Christian Brother or Sister who is further on their faith journey to help pray for you and encourage you along the way. Again: YOUR STORY IS WORTH TELLING. Even if it is one that required an eraser. Guess what?! We all have made those mistakes! We all needed that eraser. And praise God, He always gives us an opportunity to erase and come back to Him! I am living proof of this! You are NOT ALONE! -Zac

Don't forget! A link to "How to Write Your Faith Story" can be found on your wristband or at www.ccneosho.com/daily-devo 

One of our breakout classes two weeks ago was based on the new song "The Author" by Brandon Lake and Nick Jonas.

Today-I want to zoom in on the first verse:

VERSE ONE
Picked up the Book for the first time in ages
Still washed me clean with the dust on the pages
My life is a story I struggle to write
But is it one worth telling? Is it one You like?

CHORUS
So who am I? Who am I?
Am I just a poor preacher's prodigal son?
A troubled child, running wild
Chasing the glory instead of the One
Who says that I, even I
Have something still left to offer?
So who am I? Who am I
To question the pen in the hands of The Author?
 
So much is packed into the very first verse of the song...
Can you relate? Picked up the Book [the Bible] for the first time in ages...
Maybe you can relate. Maybe instead of diving into the Scriptures, you find other things to dive into. Books? The News? Social Media? YouTube?
Maybe you can't relate, I mean you are here today reading a daily devotional! (Gold Star!) But it does make you wonder what the song writers were going through when they wrote that line. What made them pick up their Bible? What makes you pick up yours?

No matter why they picked up their Bible, or when you last read your Bible, the next sentence still hits hard: Still washed me clean with the dust on the pages. AMEN! By Jesus' blood-we are all still washed clean of our sins! Hopefully, we never forget that!

The next line of the song was the whole reason why we chose the theme for JumpStart 2026. My life is a story...that was the whole point of "Your Story" two weekends ago. We all have a story to tell! But the authors of the song said: My life is a story I struggle to write... Can you relate to that? I know I definitely can.
My life is a story I struggle to write...
For most of us, it is hard to find our Story, let alone be able to tell it easily to others.
This is why we had Rick Odell literally walk us through a class explaining how to write our Faith Stories! (A link to that activity can be found on your wristband or at www.ccneosho.com/daily-devo)

We don't want you to forget that fact that even though it is a struggle to write, or tell our story, it is a story that is worth telling because it is a story about a life that has, hopefully, found JESUS! A life that has found THE LORD!

We will come back tomorrow and unpack the last sentence of the first verse! Hope to see you then! -Zac

Happy Monday Family!
As you start this week off, I pray that you will go into your schools, jobs, friend groups, and homes with peace, joy, and courage to tell your story and the Story of Jesus.

Our theme verse for Jumpstart this year, as you may remember, is Mark 5:19. This verse comes from a story about a man who was demon-possessed but then encountered Jesus and was set free (we read about this story in Days 2, 3, and 4 if you want to go back for a refresher)!
Today, I want to move forward in this chapter. The rest of Mark chapter 5 tells two more stories of people whose lives were radically changed by Jesus, but for now I just want to focus on the story of the woman with the issue of blood in verses 24-34 (this is one of my very favorites!)

Before we dive in, I want to encourage you to look for yourself in this story. Maybe you think that you can’t relate at all to this woman, but there are still lessons we can learn from her. There is so much insight for us to gain about our own story by listening to other people tell there’s.

Okay, let’s set the scene for the story, shall we? Jesus just stepped onto shore after getting out of a boat, and was immediately met with a huge crowd of people. Like, so many people that Jesus couldn’t walk through this crowd without bumping into anyone. In this mass of people, there was a woman who had been constantly bleeding for 12 years. She spent all of her money going to see countless doctors and no one could help. She just kept getting worse. This woman was desperate, and I’m sure weak, tired, and in pain. Not only was she suffering because she was sick, but this issue made her socially unclean as well, meaning that she was supposed to stay away from everyone. So on top of being physically ill, I bet she was lonely.

Can anyone relate to this yet?

This woman had exhausted all of her options until she heard that Jesus was coming to town. So in her desperation, she weaseled her way through that crowd until she was close enough to Jesus to just simply touch his robe. She believed that alone would be enough to heal her. And boy, was she right! Immediately when she touched Jesus, her bleeding stopped and she was healed!

I want to pause this story and give some historical context… Back in the Old Testament in Numbers 15:37-41, it was commanded that God’s people were to wear blue tassels on the corners of their robes. This was to serve as a reminder to them of all that God had done in rescuing the Israelites out of Egypt, and that The Lord was their God, no one else. Scholars believe that since Jesus was a law-abiding Jew, that He would have worn these blue tassels on His robe, and that maybe that’s what this woman was reaching out for to touch.
Imagine with me, this desperate, sick, tired, lonely woman reaching out to touch Jesus, and, on Him, the very thing that was a reminder of God’s faithfulness and freedom. I love the idea of her, in her darkest moment, grasping to take hold of the promise that God is faithful.

And Jesus noticed her. 
He could feel His healing power leave Him, and knew that someone touched Him. Even though people were touching Him on every side, He noticed her. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well.”

This is a beautiful story. But this is the woman’s story. How can we apply this to our own?

This story is a testament that God is faithful. In our most desperate moments when we feel like we have nowhere else to turn, Jesus is there. He sees us. He has compassion on us. He will give us freedom. Like the man possessed by demons. Like the woman with the issue of blood. Like what you’re enslaved by now. Jesus brings freedom. And once you grab ahold of it, your life will never be the same. The plot of your story changes.

Just reach out to touch Him.

Happy Sunday everyone!

I don't know about you...but there are times when I get really excited that it's finally Sunday. I just need to be with my church family. Last week, we all got to celebrate and worship together; all 451 of us! I needed that. My soul needed that. Did you need that?

I will be going back to worship today in the same space that we all got to worship in last week. It will look different. A lot less decorations on the walls; less people in the auditorium. Absolutely no aliens in the baptistry. But I will walk in, and I already realize, I am glad to be there. Yes, it's almost completely different than a week ago...but my family is still there. My church family is still singing praises. My church family is still praying. My church family is still taking communion together. My church family is still very much present! And my church family is meeting all across the midwest, all across America, all across the world today even if I am not in the same room as them. And that just amazes me. Thank you Lord for giving us such an amazing gift: our church family!

It's easy to get caught up in what we don't have; what we are missing. But I urge you: today, next Wednesday, next Sunday, look at what you do have right in front of you in way of the Christian church family the Lord has placed you in right now. Maybe you feel very loved by your church family; maybe you feel forgotten or unseen by them. But you are there for a reason-I believe that with all of my heart-so what are you going to do? Why are you there? Who needs you there? Who needs to hear your story? Whose story do you need to listen to?

Let's never forget that one of the biggest blessings we have been given is our fellowship with other brothers and sisters in Christ. Go celebrate that blessing today! And know we at Rocketdyne MISS YOU ALREADY! We can't wait to have you join us again real soon. -Zac

24 Let us consider how we can stir up one another to love. Let us help one another to do good works. 25 And let us not give up meeting together. Some are in the habit of doing this. Instead, let us encourage one another with words of hope. Let us do this even more as you see Christ’s return approaching.   Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIRV)

Happy Saturday Family!
I hope you’re having a great start to your weekend and are finding some rest today as you prepare for the school week ahead!

The other day I wrote about how the only reason any of us have a story to tell is because of the Story that Jesus wrote for us on the cross. He perfectly came to earth to live among all this sin, and was killed on the cross and rose back to life so that our sin would be forgiven and we could have unity and relationship with Him. What a beautiful Story - thank you Jesus!

But that Story did not start on the cross…

God has His own Story that He’s been writing since before time began.

From the very beginning, before He created the ocean and the stars and mountains and daisies and kangaroos and peaches and lightning bugs and man and woman… He knew we would sin. He knew you and I, and He knew that we would fail Him. That we would choose other things instead of Him.
And yet, He still created. He still populated the earth and called people His children. God has written countless stories of men and women and families and nations who followed Him, and failed Him. Ran from Him, and returned to Him.
For thousands of years this was the Story. The characters in the Story would be doing really good, and then really bad. And then somehow they’d get worse, and then a little better, then they’d get bad again… an endless cycle of succeeding and failing, being near to God and then so far from Him.

And then, at the perfect time in the Story, a new character enters - Jesus. Although, He’s not really “new.” In fact, He’s been part of this Story since the beginning. From the very start, God knew He’d send Jesus. To put an end to the endless cycle. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we always get to be near God. Praise the Lord!!!

But that Story did not end on the cross…

Jesus died and then was alive again. He ascended to Heaven and lives still today! And life has continued on. Thousands of years have passed, countless generations have lived. New land has been found and wars have been fought. Blessings have been given and tragedy has struck. The Story, in all its messiness, continues on.

And in this continuation, we get to be part of His Story. Because of the Lord’s mercy on us, He has allowed us to be characters. And as characters in His Story, our job is to share the heart of The Author. To tell others of how good He is. How He is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness (Exodus 34:6-7)! We share His heart by sharing His Story.

This messy, rollercoaster, heart-breaking, life-giving, soul-saving, redemptive story. -Allie