Romans 5:8 says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

I love that word while. Not after we cleaned ourselves up. Not once we got our act together. Not when we promised to do better. While we were still broken, still wandering, still missing the mark—God loved us first.

That kind of love changes the way you breathe. It takes the weight off your shoulders. It tells you that grace didn’t wait for your approval or performance. Grace showed up early. Grace knocked on the door before you even knew you needed it.

Some of us live like God loves the future version of us more than the one sitting here right now. But Romans 5:8 says He loved you at your worst, not just at your best.

So today, stop striving. Stop hiding. Let your heart rest in this truth: you are already loved, already pursued, already valued—right where you are.

And when love like that settles in, it doesn’t just forgive you.

It transforms you.

Take a deep breath, friend.

Grace has already met you on the porch.

Friend, let me read you a verse that feels like it was written for the days when faith has to do more work than sight:

“Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” -1 Peter 1:8 (KJV)

I love that Peter doesn’t pretend faith is easy. He admits it right up front—you haven’t seen Him. No physical proof. No visible evidence. No moment where Jesus walks through the door and sits down in the rocking chair beside you. And yet… you love Him.

That’s real faith.

Some of the strongest faith I’ve ever known wasn’t loud or flashy. It was quiet. It was steady. It was the kind of faith that shows up when prayers haven’t been answered yet, when the road is longer than expected, and when hope has to be held with both hands.

Peter says even then—even now—you can rejoice. Not because everything makes sense, but because Jesus is still faithful. That joy he talks about isn’t shallow happiness. It’s joy unspeakable. The kind that settles your heart when your mind is still asking questions. The kind that reminds you, God is still at work, even when I can’t see Him.

So if today you’re believing without seeing, loving without proof, and trusting without clarity—take heart. Heaven sees that faith. God honors that faith. And right there, in the unseen places, joy is being formed in you.

Keep believing, friend. He’s closer than you think.

Friend, Luke 2:17 says this: “And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.”

I love that verse because it reminds me of something simple and powerful. The shepherds didn’t go to seminary. They didn’t write a book. They didn’t wait until they had all the answers. They just told what they had seen and heard.

I picture them leaving that manger with straw on their sandals and wonder in their eyes. Their hearts were still racing. Their minds were still trying to catch up. But one thing was clear: they couldn’t keep it to themselves.

That’s how the gospel spreads. Not through perfect words, but through changed hearts.

You may feel like you don’t have much to offer. Maybe you think your story isn’t impressive enough, or your faith isn’t strong enough yet. But friend, if Jesus has met you—even in a quiet, ordinary moment—that’s a story worth telling.

The shepherds didn’t explain everything about the Messiah. They simply said, “Let me tell you what God did for me.” And God used that.

So today, don’t underestimate the power of your testimony. Share what you’ve seen. Speak what you know. Tell someone how the Lord showed up in your life.

Because when God does something real in your heart, it’s not meant to stay on the porch—it’s meant to be shared.

And who knows? Your simple telling may be the very thing God uses to light the way for someone else.