Tag: Jesus (Page 4 of 67)

Saying Yes Changes Everything

December 1, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Yesterday we kicked off Advent with a deep dive into Luke 1:26-38. You know the story. Mary, a teenage girl from a nowhere town called Nazareth, gets the shock of her life when an angel tells her she’s been chosen to carry the Savior of the world. Yeah, that Mary.

Here’s the kicker: Mary had zero qualifications. No royal bloodline. No political connections. No resume that screamed, “I’m ready to be a world-changer.” Just a quiet life, a lot of questions, and a giant, terrifying call.

But God didn’t pick someone likely. He picked someone available.

Why Mary’s story is a punch in the face to our excuses

How often do we sit on the sidelines because we think we’re not enough? Not skilled enough, not bold enough, not experienced enough? Mary is the ultimate “Hold my beer” moment in the Bible. She’s God’s way of saying, “Stop waiting for permission. Stop waiting for perfect. Just show up.”

When the angel shows up, Mary doesn’t get a detailed step-by-step plan. She doesn’t get all the answers or guarantees. She just says, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.”

Now that’s faith.

Here’s your Monday challenge

Look at your week ahead. What’s the call you’ve been pretending not to hear? What’s the opportunity that feels too big or too scary? Whatever it is, remember God’s calling doesn’t come to the “most qualified.” It comes to the available. The willing. The ready to say “yes” even when the path is uncertain.

So what’s stopping you? Fear? Doubt? That little voice telling you you’re not enough? It’s a lie. All of it! Mary was essentially just a kid. If God can work through her, He can absolutely work through you.

This week, don’t just hope for change. Step into it. Say yes to the impossible. Step out of your comfort zone. Be the unexpected hero God is calling you to be. The world doesn’t need perfect. It needs you showing up and doing what only you can do.

Get uncomfortable. Get brave. Get moving. Your ‘yes’ could be the spark that changes everything.

Ready to stop waiting and start living your calling? Share your “yes” this week in the comments. Let’s fuel each other’s courage to be the unlikely heroes God is raising up right now.

Why Losing Focus Is Killing Your Mission

November 25, 2025 / / 0 Comments

When a person, a church, or any organization loses focus, it’s not just a minor slip-up, it’s a wrecking ball that smashes everything around them. If your goal is to help people grow and thrive in life and leadership, but all you do is shape them to fit your personal preferences, congratulations you’re not cultivating leaders, you’re making clones. Boring, lifeless copies with zero originality.

The church exists to make disciples real, passionate, life-changing disciples – not to obsess over boards, budgets, or butts in seats. When your priorities are stuck on numbers and committees instead of people’s souls, you’re not doing the work of God. You’re acting like the very religious folks Jesus called out in the New Testament who were more focused on appearances and power than on love and truth.

If you say you care about people but live like dollars rule your world, you’re sending a message louder than any sermon ever could. You don’t actually care.

So here’s the hard truth: Losing focus isn’t a small mistake. It’s spiritual malpractice. It’s a betrayal of the mission. And it’s why so many people check out not because they don’t need the church, but because the church stopped needing them.

Refocus or fold. Because discipleship is messy. It’s uncomfortable. It demands sacrifice. But anything less? It’s just cloning, and cloning is dead.

Grateful for the Little Stuff

November 24, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Let’s be honest how often do we catch ourselves griping about the little things? The slow Wi-Fi, the slightly burnt toast, the coffee that’s “just not quite right”? Yeah, those things. We act like the world is ending because our favorite show buffers for two seconds or because the line at Starbucks is one person too long.

But here’s the kicker: those “small” annoyances? They’re actually the stuff of life we really value.

I mean think about it. The Wi-Fi only matters because you’re connected to people you love or work you care about. That “not quite right” coffee is still warm in your hands and sometimes, that’s a miracle. And the line at Starbucks? It means you’re breathing, moving, living in a world full of people who also need their caffeine fix to survive Monday.

We take these things for granted. We complain like life is about to unravel when what’s really happening is this: we have what we need. The roof over our heads, food on the table, a phone in our pocket, and yes even imperfect coffee.

So today, let’s be bold enough to say thank you for the small stuff. For the mess, the glitches, the delays, and the little inconveniences. Because those things remind us we’re alive, we’re human, and we’re blessed in ways we often don’t even notice.

And hey if your toast burns, maybe that’s just the universe’s way of telling you to slow down and enjoy a second cup of coffee. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s time to embrace the chaos with a grateful heart and a little laugh.

Gratitude isn’t about waiting for the big wins. It’s about finding joy in the crumbs.

Thankful for People Who Drive Me Crazy

November 21, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Gratitude comes easy when life feels calm. When the people around us make us laugh, listen when we speak, or quietly show up when we need them – it’s not hard to be thankful.

But gratitude gets complicated when people hurt us. When they misunderstand us. When they drain us.

There are people in all our lives who test our patience. Who push our buttons. And who make relationships feel more like work than blessing. And yet, if I’m honest, those people have been some of my greatest teachers.

Because the truth is, God uses difficult people to expose the rough edges in me. They shine a light on things like pride, impatience, parts of my heart that still need His grace. They show me how much I still need forgiveness. They remind me that love isn’t just a feeling. Love is a choice.

Paul wrote, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, ESV) That “all circumstances” includes the messy relationships. The uncomfortable conversations. The disappointments that sting deeper than we’d like to admit.

Being thankful for difficult people doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine.
It means learning to see God’s hand at work even in the friction. It’s believing He’s forming something in me through it all.

Sometimes the people who frustrate us most are the very ones God uses to grow compassion, humility, and endurance. They remind us that grace isn’t just a word we preach. It’s a daily practice we live.

So today, I’m trying to thank God not just for the people who make life easy, but also for the ones who make me pray a little more, think a little deeper, and love a little harder.

Because they’re part of how He makes me more like Jesus.

Gratitude in Difficult Relationships

November 18, 2025 / / 1 Comment

If we’re honest, it’s easy to be thankful for the people who make life fun. The friend who shows up with coffee. The spouse who still laughs at your dad jokes. The coworker who actually does their job.

But what about the ones who make your eye twitch? Who get on that last nerve?

You know the person. They’re the one who always has to be right. It’s the relative who still thinks it’s funny to bring up politics at Thanksgiving. The neighbor who somehow blows their leaves directly into your yard.

Yeah… those people.

Here’s the thing: gratitude isn’t just about warm fuzzies. It’s about seeing God’s grace in the people who test your patience the most. Because every person in your life, even the difficult ones, are part of how God shapes you.

When Paul wrote “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18), he didn’t add a footnote that said, “except for the annoying ones.”

Being thankful in relationships doesn’t mean pretending everything’s perfect. It means choosing to see people the way God does. It’s seeing them as works in progress, just like you.

So maybe the person who drives you nuts isn’t your problem. Maybe they’re your reminder.

Your reminder to practice patience.
Your reminder that grace isn’t just for church. It’s for Tuesday morning emails, family dinners, and awkward conversations.
Your reminder that gratitude grows best in the dirt of real, messy relationships.

So this week, try thanking God not just for the easy people, but for the ones who stretch your grace muscles too.

Because sometimes the people who drive you crazy are the very people God’s using to make you more like Him.

Finding Gratitude in Life’s Messy Moments

November 14, 2025 / / 0 Comments

If I’m being honest not every day feels like something to be thankful for. Some days feel like a sitcom with no laugh track. You spill coffee on your shirt before the meeting. Your kiddo’s missing shoe somehow ends up in the front yard. And the leaf blower that worked fine yesterday decides today’s the day to bite the big one.

Yeah, one of those kind of days.

But here’s the thing: Gratitude isn’t just for the good days. It’s for the messy ones too. Because that’s where God does some of His best work.

Just look at the Christmas story. It wasn’t neat and polished. Jesus entered the world in a feeding trough surrounded by animals. Yeah mooove over for the messiah…

The resurrection? It came through betrayal, blood, and an empty tomb. God’s never been scared of a little mess. So he’s surely not scared of yours either!

The problem isn’t the chaos around us. It’s that we expect faith to clean it all up. Look real gratitude starts when we learn to thank God in the mess, not after it’s over. Somehow we’ve come the conclusion that following Jesus means that life will be easier or lighter in some way. But I just don’t see that.

My life isn’t smooth sailing. Not by a stretch! I still deal with family drama. I have conflict with people who I call friends. I have to deal with interpersonal communication issues on ministry teams in the church for crying out loud! Following Jesus doesn’t exclude you from the problems of life! It just changes how you see the struggles.

When the dishes pile up and life feels more exhausting than inspiring, maybe that’s the exact space where God’s trying to talk to you. Maybe that’s where He’s saying, “I’m here. I’m working. Even in this.”

My grandma gave me a paper when I was in high school that said “Something For God to Do Today.” It had a poem of sorts on it that I can’t remember completely but the gist is simple. There are things that are in your control. And there are things out of your control. When we approach life following Jesus, we’ll be able to confidently place things in the something for Jesus to do today box knowing that He has it under control.

So, maybe this weekend you don’t need to fix the mess. Maybe you just need to pause long enough to see God standing right in the middle of it with you.

Because the mess doesn’t mean He’s missing. It means He’s moving with you through it.

So for that… yeah, I’m thankful.

Unlocking Growth: The True Nature of Coaching

November 13, 2025 / / 0 Comments
A coaching conversation in progress, showing reflection and accountability in personal growth.

Coaching isn’t about advice — it’s about growth, accountability, and discovering what’s possible in your life.

When most people hear the word “coaching,” they think of someone telling them what to do.

That’s not coaching. Not really.

Coaching is about creating space. Space to reflect. Space to notice what’s holding you back. Space to explore what’s possible when you take responsibility for your own growth.

At its heart, coaching is about empowerment. It’s helping someone see clearly, think deeply, and make choices that align with who they want to be not just what someone else thinks they should be.

I’ve experienced the value of this firsthand. Coaching has helped me pause when life is moving too fast, see blind spots I didn’t notice, and stay accountable to the goals and values that matter most. I’ve also seen it transform others from people stepping into leadership, to finding focus in their faith, even taking ownership of the life God has given them.

Coaching also connects naturally with spiritual development. In both faith and personal growth, the journey is rarely about external instruction alone. It’s about reflection, discipline, accountability, and making intentional decisions in alignment with God’s will. When you take responsibility for your growth in thought, in character, and action you’re living out the spiritual principle of stewardship over your own life.

Here are a few key elements at the heart of effective coaching:

  1. Listening deeply: Understanding not just words, but motivations, fears, and hopes.
  2. Asking better questions: Encouraging reflection rather than giving answers.
  3. Holding accountability: Helping someone follow through on their own commitments.
  4. Fostering growth: Guiding toward insights that lead to intentional action.
  5. Encouraging courage: Inspiring people to step into what’s possible, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Coaching isn’t magic. It’s a disciplined, relational practice the combination of presence, clarity, and accountability that enables transformation over time.

It matters because growth rarely happens in isolation. Life, faith, and purpose all thrive when we’re willing to pause, reflect, and take ownership of the next step with someone alongside us to help us see what we might miss on our own.

Call-to-Action (CTA)

Take a moment this week to reflect: What’s one area in your life where you could benefit from reflection, accountability, or fresh perspective?

The Power of Truth Against Deception

November 3, 2025 / / 1 Comment

You’ve probably noticed it, people walking away. Walking away from faith. Walking away from commitments. Walking away from truth. It’s everywhere. Some quietly drift off, others announce it like a badge of honor. But 2 Thessalonians 2 reminds us that this isn’t new. Paul saw it coming. He called it “the rebellion” (literally apostasia) the great falling away from truth.

We picture rebellion as loud, messy, and obvious. But spiritual rebellion often happens in whispers. It’s subtle. It’s the slow fade when conviction becomes opinion, and truth becomes “my truth.” That’s the drift Paul warns about. It’s the kind that leads hearts away from Jesus and opens the door for deception to take root.

But here’s the powerful part: something or rather Someone is still holding the line. Paul says the “man of lawlessness” is being restrained. The enemy doesn’t get free rein. Truth still stands. God still reigns. The Word still works.

That’s not just theology, that’s real life. Because every time you hold fast to truth when it would be easier to compromise, you’re joining the resistance. When you open Scripture instead of scrolling for opinions, you’re reinforcing the barricade. When you choose to speak grace and truth, you’re standing with the One who restrains the chaos.

Here’s where it connects with coaching and leadership. Unfortunately we have to say it out loud but truth has to have a seat at the table. I see it every day in conversations: people are hungry for clarity, not noise. They don’t need another self-help mantra; they need something unshakable. That’s why real growth spiritual, personal, professional always begins with alignment to truth.

As a coach, I’m not here to hand out answers; I’m here to help people discover what’s already true. Because truth, when uncovered, still holds power. And when we live aligned with it, the enemy loses ground.

So, let’s make this practical:

  • Check your source. What’s shaping your worldview more the Word or the world?
  • Stand your ground. You don’t need to be loud to be firm. Quiet conviction changes rooms.
  • Stay connected. Apostasy starts with isolation. Stay in community. Truth sharpens best in relationship.

The rebellion is real but so is the restraint. And as long as God’s Word holds the line, we’re not powerless. We’re participants in His plan.

Truth wins. Always has. Always will.

3 Questions to Guide Your Week

  1. Where are you seeing “apostasy” or drifting from truth in your circles your workplace, family, or community?
    How are you responding with both grace and truth?
  2. What truth are you holding onto that could strengthen someone else right now?
    How can you lead others to discover and live in that truth?
  3. In what ways are you staying connected and accountable?
    Who is helping you stand firm so you can help others stand firm too?

Wholehearted Leadership: 10 Traits of Effective Leaders

October 28, 2025 / / 0 Comments

We don’t need more impressive leaders. We need more wholehearted ones.

I’m reading the book Daring Greatly and it’s been an eye opening read so far. Admittedly, I’m not too far into the book but this felt like something I had to put in my own words.

Too many of us lead from scarcity. We’re constantly chasing the next metric, afraid of disappointing people, afraid of being exposed as not enough. But what if the best thing you brought to your team, your church, your family… isn’t perfection, but presence?

That’s the heart of wholehearted leadership. It’s showing up fully human and leading from grace instead of fear.

Here are ten traits the author suggests mark leaders worth following. Each one is a tension: something to cultivate and something to let go of.

1. Cultivate Authenticity and Let Go of What People Think

People don’t follow titles. They follow realness. Stop performing. Start showing up as your actual self. Vulnerability isn’t weakness. It’s credibility.

2. Cultivate Self-Compassion and Let Go of Perfectionism

Perfection is the fastest route to burnout. Grace builds resilience; shame builds walls. Lead yourself with the same kindness you preach to others.

3. Cultivate a Resilient Spirit and Let Go of Numbing

Leaders hurt. That’s part of the deal. The difference between leaders who last and those who quit isn’t pain. It’s whether they process it or hide from it. So it’s okay to hurt. Just call it what it is and grow through the pain.

4. Cultivate Gratitude & Joy and Let Go of Scarcity

Scarcity says “there’s never enough.” Gratitude says, “God’s already provided.” Joy isn’t naive. It’s rebellion against cynicism.

5. Cultivate Faith & Intuition and Let Go of Certainty

Control is comforting, but it kills creativity. Faith requires movement without a road map. Trust God more than your spreadsheets and formalized plans.

6. Cultivate Creativity and Let Go of Comparison

Comparison steals contentment. You can’t lead freely while staring sideways. Be faithful to your calling, not another person’s highlight reel.

7. Cultivate Play & Rest and Let Go of Exhaustion as a Badge of Honor

Busyness isn’t a fruit of the Spirit. Leaders who never rest eventually have nothing left to give. Sabbath is your strongest leadership strategy.

8. Cultivate Calm & Stillness and Let Go of Anxiety as a Lifestyle

Anxious leaders create anxious teams. You set the tone. Lead from peace, not panic.

9. Cultivate Meaningful Work and Let Go of “Supposed To”

Purpose beats pressure. Don’t build a life around expectations. Build it around calling. Do the work that matters most. I try to live by the motto of only do what only you can do. I heard that at a conference years ago. It’s been a game changer for me most days.

10. Cultivate Laughter, Song, & Dance and Let Go of Control

If you’ve forgotten how to laugh, you’ve forgotten how to lead. Joy is magnetic. Freedom is contagious. People follow leaders who are alive.

Leading from Enough

Wholehearted leadership isn’t about soft feelings or sentimental slogans. It’s about leading from a place of enoughness. I know it’s not a word. It’s the realization that you are the one who is there for such a time as this.

When you stop hustling for worth and start leading from grace, everything changes. Your tone, your presence, your team’s trust, and your own soul. It’s like you and your team become brand new people.

Because the truth is, your people don’t need a perfect leader. They need a whole one.

What’s Next for the Blog (and Why I’m Excited About It)

October 24, 2025 / / 0 Comments

I’ve heard a few questions about why shift the focus? And that’s a great question! I think of it like a freeway system. Having more lanes is often a great way to free up congestion. Well there’s a lot more to life than just the part we see on Sunday. And frankly, if I’m asking the people in my circle to share their lives with the people in their circles then I should show you how it works in my own life.

Over the years, derrickhurst.org has lived mostly in the world of pastoring and discipleship. I’ve focused pretty solely on sermons, theology, church leadership, and the occasional rant about spiritual apathy. And that’s been good. But lately, I’ve been pulled to a bit of a new focus: Discipleship isn’t limited to Sunday mornings and coffee-shop Bible studies.

It happens when I’m swinging a shovel.

It happens when I’m training at the gym or even in my garage. Yeah even those times when I want to quit.

It happens when I share a pour of bourbon and engage in honest conversation with a friend under the stars.

It even happens when I’m arguing with weeds that keep winning the war in my garden.

So, starting next week, this blog gets a bit of a reboot. It will be this same old guy writing, with the same love for Jesus, simply using a wider lens.

Here’s what you can expect:

The Rhythm

  • Two posts every week.
    One will usually hit on faith, leadership, or discipleship. We’ll still consider that the core stuff.
    The other will explore the discipled life in the real world. Things like fitness, property work, bourbon reflections, simplicity, or the things that make us human will all be up for discussion. Some posts will be longer and others fairly short. But they’ll all be real, authentic, and me.
  • Bonus posts will pop up when the mood strikes, because sometimes a thought just won’t wait for the schedule.

The Voice

Still me. Still bold. Still calling things what they are. Still unapologetic.

Some posts will make you think; some might make you laugh; a few might make you uncomfortable and that’s kind of the point. Growth rarely happens in comfort zones.

The Goal

To explore what it looks like to follow Jesus in all of life. Not just as a pastor. Not just in church. But as a husband, dad, coach, neighbor, lifter, bourbon-sipper, and steward of a little patch of Ohio dirt.

So if you’ve been around for the ministry side, stick with me. You’ll still get plenty of that.

And if you’ve been waiting for something a little more real-life and raw, well you’re about to get it.

Starting next week, we’ll dig into gratitude, growth, and grace from the pulpit and the backyard.

It’s time to get a little more honest, a little more human, and maybe a little more fun. See you next week. Bring your coffee. Or your gloves. Or your glass. You decide.

« Older posts Newer posts »

© 2026 derrickhurst.org

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑