By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

You’re now a high school or college senior, or maybe you’re the parent of one.  You’ve known this day was coming sooner or later, but you’ve secretly dreaded it.  Life seems to be going by entirely too quickly for you and those whom you love.  The toughest part may be, as it was for my mom many years ago, watching me walk into my college dorm building as she and my dad drove off that first time.

Maybe you’re one of those folks with a lot on your plate.  You’ve juggled deadlines and meetings and assignments and problems until you’ve reached your limit.  The light at the end of the tunnel seems so very dim and so far away.  You’re overwhelmed by the weight of it all.

Maybe you’re not experiencing either of those things, and maybe you’re not really dealing with any great difficulty right now.  But, for whatever reason, you find yourself farther away from the Lord than you once were.  Your time with Him is not currently a priority.  You’ve gotten out of the habit of going to church and worshiping with other believers.  You feel alone and distant.

Yesterday evening, I rolled our large garbage trolley down to the end of our road/driveway so that it would be there for the garbage truck this morning.  We were home alone, the neighbors were gone, and there was no traffic.  The neighbors’ dogs even ignored my trek, and the only sound I heard was the scratching of the trolley’s big plastic wheels on the gravel.  For a brief moment in my day, it was just me and God.  There was no great spiritual moment; I hadn’t heard Him giving me specific direction.  I was taking out the garbage.

I left the can near the road and turned to make my way back toward the house.  That’s when I saw what you see here.  For just a moment, there was no house, there were no distractions, there wasn’t even any garbage any more.  It was the Lord’s handiwork on display in another beautiful sunset – directly ahead of me.  To get back home, I had to walk in that direction.  To be back where I needed to be, I needed to walk directly toward the Lord’s work – leaving my garbage behind.

If we are to make a difference in today’s world, we will only do so if we get rid of the trash and walk directly to Him.  Maybe we’ve not been “home” in a while.  Now’s the chance.  Let go of the garbage, head back to the House, and keep your focus on His handiwork in your week ahead.  He’s right in front of you, if only you’ll pay attention!

Just a thought.

By Ryan Kelly –

Over the past six months, we’ve witnessed a powerful return to conservative values and a Christ-centered culture. In the midst of this revival, it’s crucial that we remain vigilant, recognizing that sin can often disguise itself within things that appear wholesome or genuine. Music doesn’t need explicit lyrics to promote lust or drunkenness. A show or message doesn’t need graphic content to stir inappropriate emotions or suggest immoral themes. And it doesn’t take a riot to incite division or cause harm. These may be general statements, but we can all recall examples from pop culture and social media that reflect these subtle influences.

Let your focus remain on personal purity. Dress modestly, guard your words, be mindful of what you watch and listen to, and live in a way that honors our Father in Heaven. This isn’t always easy, but the Lord walks beside us, ready to guide us when we seek His direction. Be the culture. Shape the culture. This is how we carry forward the revival I believe is already unfolding in our nation and around the world. Together, let’s transform this world for Jesus.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

Something I don’t have to tell any of you is the fact that we are currently living in a very weird world.  In a weird world, there are weird people with weird titles doing weird things in their own weird ways and expecting the rest of us weirdos to label them as perfectly healthy and normal.

One day recently, I was roaming the aisles of one of those “dollar” stores that pop up seemingly overnight in any small community that turns its back too quickly to notice.  I was looking for canned dog food, the thick kind with the gravy that my parents’ dog had specifically requested for her daily meals.  I wasn’t familiar with this specific store, so it took me a few minutes to locate the correct aisle and then search for the correct products.  Here, I used that word “correct” very loosely.  

What I hope you can see from my picture is the labeling of the shelf underneath these cans.  I didn’t stage this.  These weren’t just two random cans that some kid had stuck there on his way to the toy section.  An entire case of Campbell’s Chunky soups was very neatly arranged in between several different dog food brands, and the shelf label read “Wet Dog Food.”  An entire case – put here on purpose by someone who obviously wasn’t paying attention.

In this weird world full of us weird folks, we must pay attention.  We must pay attention to those around us.  They are hurting, they are lost, and they need Jesus.  Some are wearing labels that are different from us.  Many of those labels are self-imposed, but many of those labels are ones we have attached because we assume their owners are just another one of those same old same old.  

Someone mistakenly assumed this soup was just some more of the same old dog food that the person was already so disinterested in stocking, that they never paid any attention to the face of the cans.

Don’t make the same mistakes this week.  Pay attention to the faces of those “weirdos” around you.  Remember you are perhaps a “weirdo” to them.  Regardless, we all deserve to be seen.  No one wants to be stacked where they don’t belong simply because we don’t care enough to pay attention to their needs.  “Love your neighbor as yourself” means, in part, that we are to love one another, regardless of their labels and regardless of how those labels came to be.  We must first see the label before we can help move them to the correct place that God has designed for them.  Weird world or not, weird labels or not, none of us is a mistake.  We do, however, make mistakes and then say God made us this way.  That’s a dangerous shelf to live on.  God made you to serve Him.  Do so with the label of one who knows we sometimes sit in the wrong place, but inside we are still the same person God made us to be.

Sitting on that shelf no more made that soup into dog food than the dog food would have been on a soup shelf.  Don’t worry about the labels the world throws upon you.  What matters is what God knows you really are on the inside.

(Perhaps I should make a disclaimer here.  I don’t want some disgruntled Campbell’s Soup employee suing me for this portrayal of their product as dog food.  Not only was I not responsible for the incorrect placement of the product or the shelf label, I am, after all, a proud Campbell myself.  And like my parents’ dog, Lady, I too love my gravy.  LOL.)

Just a thought.

By Ryan Kelly –

There is no greater investment we can make than the one we make in our children. Proverbs 22:6 tells us, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” This powerful verse reminds us that the seeds we plant today in the hearts of our children will bear fruit for generations. When we take time to play with our children, to enter their world with joy and imagination, we show them that they are seen, valued, and loved. Play isn’t just fun, it is a foundation for trust, creativity, and connection. It opens the door for deeper conversations and paves the way for meaningful lessons to take root.

Teaching our children is more than homework help or correcting mistakes; it is the sacred act of shaping character. Whether we’re reading stories of faith, solving math problems, or encouraging physical activity, every lesson is an opportunity to point our children toward wisdom, strength, and perseverance. As they grow, they learn not just facts and figures, but how to carry themselves with integrity, kindness, and faith. And just as Jesus taught through stories and moments of shared life, we too are called to walk alongside our children, teaching not only with words, but with love, patience, and presence.

Most importantly, we lead by example. Children learn what they live, and when they see us pray, worship, forgive, and grow in our own walk with God, they begin to mirror those same steps. By prioritizing spiritual growth, healthy habits, and lifelong learning, we give our children a model worth following. Our daily choices, even the small ones, speak volumes. So let us be intentional in our time with the next generation, because when we train them in the way they should go, with hearts rooted in Christ, we equip them to stand strong in every season of life.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

I grew up in a Mississippi town that was the county seat.  I have lived for several years now in an Alabama town that is our county seat.  Each county seat differs from other towns or cities in that the county’s court house is located there.  Local governments and organizations also differ in what in particular is housed within their local court house, but one thing is for certain.  It is considered the center for the business of that particular town or county.

The picturesque town of St. Clairsville, Ohio is home to the beautiful court house you see pictured here.  On the Saturday morning when we were in St. Clairsville, there was no business taking place at the court house.  It, like all others under normal circumstances, was closed for the weekend.  But even closed to the public, this court house and so many of our others around this great nation, stands tall in reverence and prominence in its place of distinction.

Perhaps the court house contains court rooms, office spaces, records, maps, and other important people and things.  Whatever the reason you visit your local court house, you’re reminded of the fact that our government is by the people, for the people.  That place is yours.  It is ours.

The church house also stands as a center for the people in the community.  Unfortunately, most are open only on Sundays with very little interaction from the public during the regular work week.  We take pride in our places of worship.  We look forward to being there from one weekend to the next.  But do we recognize its importance on other days of the week?

I do realize that, sadly, in today’s world, it would not always be sensible to leave our church buildings unlocked and unattended around the clock.  Neither are our court houses.  Behind lock and key are places, records, and things of vital importance to our daily lives and our future.

Most vital to our daily lives, and certainly to our future, are the words of the Lord in the Scriptures that are readily available to us at any hour of any day of any week in any town in America.  Do you realize how extraordinarily amazing it is that we have complete access to the Father at any time?!  AND, He has full access to us!

Never locked away, never separated from Him.  I pray that our journeys of the week ahead will take advantage of that accessibility!

Just a thought.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

As I stood in front of my grill, getting several things ready for our July 4th cookout at our house, I noticed a little critter scurrying around beside me.  He scooted along a window sill and stopped for a few short moments on the brick facing near the back door.  

The bright lime green color of his body was shining in the sunshine.  In fact, you might can see that what looks like small white specks on his back.  That is actually the gleam of the sunlight reflecting off of his scales.  I “zoomed in” on my picture and cropped it for you to see some of the details.

This little creature, no more than about 6 or 7 inches long, was brighter than I was in my Independence Day red, white, and blue get-up.  He sparkled in the sunshine.  And look at the tiny scales along his back and especially on his head and face.  The incredible detail in its design is amazing.  Take a look at his foot.  You can actually see the “suckers” on the ends of each toe, those things that allow him to climb walls and hang on with no problem.  The long toes can wrap around smaller objects as well.  

You can get a glimpse of his white underbelly, a stark contrast to the bright green color.  And, with the exception of those of you who are reading this and seeing the picture in the black and white print of the newspaper, you can also see the blue color around his eyes.

This tiny little lizard is beautiful.  The lizards come in many colors.  My parents and I have seen several bright blue ones around their house lately.  Each and every one has been created by God.  So stop for a moment and think about that today.

If God, in His infinite wisdom and creativity, spent that much time working on the beautiful tiny details of even the little lizard, then surely He cares about you.  If He puts that much effort into the colors and intricate parts and even these small creatures, then there is no doubt God cares about every single little detail of your life.  If you are struggling this week wondering if the Lord even cares for you and what you’re experiencing in your life, then just look at the lizard.  The proof is in the details.

Just a thought.