Month: June 2026

Courage to Stretch Out Your Hand

Then he said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. — Matthew 12:13 (NIV)

This story is often drawn to the debate about whether Jesus should heal on the Sabbath. However, I want to redirect it to the man with the withered hand. Jesus saw him, and He knew the Pharisees wanted to plot against Him, but He still told the man to stretch out his withered hand, and completely restored the hand, so that it is as sound as the other.

We all have our Withered Hand

We may not have withered hands physically, but we have our emotional trauma, which is easier to hide. It could be old hurts that never healed, painful disappointments, broken relationship, buried dream, shame that we have carried for years, a longing that has dried up. For most of us, it is well hidden. Except, God knows.

Jesus Asks for Our Brokenness

Jesus asked the man to stretch out his withered hands, exposing the very thing he is hiding and ashamed of. Yet, it is in obeying Jesus that healing and restoration can begin.

Jesus invites us to do the same, not because He doesn’t already know our pain, but because healing begins when we place our brokenness into His hands.

Restoration is God’s Desire

In front of the Pharisees, Jesus restored the man’s withered hand.

Jesus desires to restore our brokenness, remove our shame and make us whole again. Sometimes the restoration is immediate. Other times, it unfolds over time. But it begins with the courage to stretch out to Jesus what we have been hiding. It begins with obedience and trust in God.

My Invitation

This is my invitation to you today: have the courage to stretch out what are hidden in your heart to Jesus – your sadness, grief, disappointments, fear, anxiety, buried dreams, shame and guilt. May He bring healing and restoration to you, and make you whole.

A Midnight Search for Something More

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.’ Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. — John 3:1-3 (NIV)

Nicodemus was educated, well-respected and a member of the Jewish ruling council. Yet he had sought out Jesus at night, under the cover of darkness. With all his status and accomplishments, he felt restless and his soul longs for more. The religious rituals, knowledge and laws could not fill the emptiness in his heart. His restlessness led him to Jesus late one night – for he believed that God was with Jesus.

Jesus told him that he must be born again – which led to much confusion. How can we be born again, he asked. Jesus told him that he must be born again of water and spirit. Jesus offered him a new life in the spirit.

In our lives, we sometimes go through a midnight season – a time of darkness, confusion, and uncertainty. When we feel unsettled, God sometimes use this holy restlessness to draw us closer to Him.

In the quiet darkness, we reflect upon our plans, our calling and our purpose. Surely, there is more than this daily grind of busy activities? And the answer is: Yes.

The answer is in the person of Jesus and HIs Kingdom. Jesus explained to Nicodemus that God is not about religion and its many rules and rituals, as perceived by the Jews during his time. God truly longs to have a deep relationship with us, like a loving father for his beloved children.

My Invitation

This is my invitation to you: If you find yourself in a midnight season—restless, questioning, and searching for something more—don’t rush to silence those feelings. Like Nicodemus, allow your restlessness to lead you toward Jesus. What feels like confusion may actually be an invitation to a deeper encounter with Him.

The Rule of 5: Daily Actions Towards Your Dream

John C. Maxwell teaches that success comes from consistently doing five key activities every day that move you toward your desired outcome. His own Rule of 5 included reading, filling ideas, thinking, asking questions and writing – habits that contributed to his becoming a prolific author and speaker. He uses the metaphor of chopping down a giant tree with an ax; if you take five swings at the same tree every day, it will eventually fall, no matter how big it is.

Many people carry a dream in their hearts for years – a book they want to write, a message they want to share, or a business they want to launch. Yet life gets busy, fear creeps in, and the dream remains buried. It is not that they lack desire, but they lack confidence and a structure to see them through. When the dream feels too big, use this Rule of 5 to start and get into the momentum.

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin – Zechariah 4:10

How to Create Your Own “Rule of 5”

You can apply this framework to achieve your dreams:

  1. Identify your “tree” – having clarity on what your dream is. Example: write your book.
  2. Find your “ax” – this is the specific tools, skills, or resources required to achieve that dream. Example: writing skills, AI for idea generation, and accountability partner.
  3. Do your “swing” – define your 5 daily actions. Choose 5 small, manageable, and intentional tasks that directly move you toward your goal. Do this every day without fail. Example: write 300 words, use Ai to generate ideas, research topic, listen to podcast and update accountability partner.

My Invitation

This is my invitation to you today: if there is a dream that God has placed in your heart, identify five simple actions that will move you closer to it. Then commit to doing them daily. Your future is shaped not only by what you dream, but by what you do each day to achieve that dream.

God may have given you the dream, but you still need to sharpen your ax and take your daily swings.

Finding Our Identity in a Changing World

We live in a world that is changing faster than ever. Something trending today will be forgotten when a new trend takes over. Something popular today will be out of people’s mind when a newer thing emerges. A viral influencer can be hottest person in social media until he/she is replaced by another viral influencer…

The World Offers Many Identities

In the midst of all this change, it is a challenge to define who we are in the fast-paced ever-changing world. We tend to define ourselves by what we do, what we own and how others perceive us. We describe our identities based on our career, or achievements, or relationships. However, these do not define who we are.

Identity Needs a Strong Foundation

Just as a building requires a strong foundation, our identity needs something stable, strong and unchanging. Our identity begins with who God says we are.

”See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” — 1 John 3:1

God calls us His beloved children. We are loved, known and redeemed by God. Whatever happens in the world, or to us – we belong to a loving Heavenly Father. This is the foundation of our identity.

A Strong Foundation helps us Navigate Change

Change is inevitable. The world will continue to evolve. Technology will continue to advance. New opportunities and challenges will emerge.

But when our identity is grounded in something unchanging, we can face whatever challenges with greater confidence and peace. And we know we are never alone.

We do not need to follow trends to be accepted. We do not need to pretend to be someone else to blend into a group. We do not need to sacrifice who we are to be approved by others.

Our identity is rooted in Christ. In this ever changing world, we need to remain rooted in the truth of who we are and who we belong to. In this chaotic world, my faith in God has been the foundation of my identity.

My Invitation

This is my invitation to you today: in a world that is constantly changing, take a moment to reflect on the foundation of your identity. Do not be swayed by trends, popular opinions or latest movements – stand firm in who you are.

How Our Attachments Shape Our Identity

Last week, I talked about detachment. This week, I will talk about attachment. Our attachments to possessions, achievements, relationships, and status. In today’s world, many of us have become deeply attached to our devices – and our social media, digital validation and constant connection.

Technology and gadget are not the problem. But unhealthy attachment can quietly shift where we place our attention, worth and security.

Our Attachments Reveal What We Value Most

When we feel bored, lonely, anxious or uncertain, many of us instinctively reach for our phones. We scroll, compare and distract ourselves without even thinking.

Over time, these habits form attachments. And those attachments begin shaping our hearts. Jesus reminds us that our hearts naturally follow what we treasure the most.

”For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:21 (NIV)

Constant Attachment Can Distort Our Identity

The digital world constantly encourages us to build identity through visibility, performance and approval. We are tempted to measure our worth through: likes, followers, engagements, rewards or achievements.

When we become too attached to the opinions and noise of the world, we can lose sight of who we are in Christ.

God doesn’t define us by performance, but by our relationship with Him.

True Freedom Comes from Being Rooted in God

I am not saying to detach from the digital world, which for many of us, is quite impossible! However, we need a healthy detachment to use technology without allowing it to control us. We need to create space for stillness, reflection, prayer and deeper awareness of God’s presence.

The more rooted we are in God, the less dependent we become on external validation from social media to shape our identity.

Our identity is found in being deeply loved and known by a loving and gracious God.

My Invitation

This is my invitation today: pause and reflect on what you have become most attached to – and whether those attachments are drawing you closer to God and shaping who you are in God.