Just start!

Just start!

by | Apr 16, 2026 | priorities, relationship, study, wonder

Bible study does not have to be perfect. You don’t have to finish. You can participate in a group study without doing the homework and still be blessed by the fellowship with friends. You can skip the lessons now and go back to them later. What matters is that you show up and carve out some time to study in a way that works for you.

Photo by Carolyn V 

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Matthew 7:13-14

 

New year, new jam

As we kick off the New Year, I (Kristin) want to share few Bible studies that have rocked my socks!

 
Let me confess that I’m still on the last two lessons of the first study, and that both studies have taken me YEARS to complete. Studies meant for 8 to 12 weeks seem to take me, on average, 7 years to finish. I’m going at a slow (crawling) pace, but Bible study does not have to be perfect. You don’t have to finish. You can participate in a group study without doing the homework and still be blessed by the fellowship with friends. You can skip the lessons now and go back to them later. What matters is that you show up and carve out some time to study in a way that works for you.
 
With a fresh, new year ahead, we encourage you to just start!
 
Pick up an old study or a new study (we’ve included a couple studies we love below). Read the Bible cover to cover even if it takes 10 years. Develop a discipline of daily Bible reading (or audio). Do a daily devotional. Commit time to journaling.
 
Find your three
 
Our heart at three strands is studying the Bible in community and knowing God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit better! If you don’t meet regularly in a small group, life group of Bible study, or even if you do, the idea is to find three people you can study the Bible with who can help keep one another accountable to learning and growing in the Word. We believe the best way to really know God is to read His Word; whether you are new to Bible study or have been at this for a long time, we know you will be blessed by having a cord of three strands to grow with! We have seen personally how growth accelerates when you study together and pray for one another. We encourage you to pray about who your three might be and then go for it!
 
God’s dwelling place at Shiloh
 
Five years ago, when a friend asked me if I wanted a kitten from a new litter, I declined twice — until the third ask which came with a picture. From the moment I saw her face, she was Shiloh kitty. And she’s been my buddy ever since she arrived at my apartment covered in factory dirt with bright, beaming, blue kitten eyes. She was 8 weeks old.
 
As I was reading through the Bible on my (turned out to be) 7-year reading plan (true story), one day I landed on Joshua 18:1:
“Then the whole congregation of the people of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there. The land lay subdued before them.”
 
At this point in the book of Joshua, Israel is literally taking possession of the promised land and God has subdued it and given it into their hands. Since I have a Shiloh kitty, my attention was piqued and I dug a little deeper.
 
The tent of meeting was a holy place of worship that moved with the Israelites as they wandered for 40 years in the wilderness. It is the place where the priests of Israel met with the Lord, and it is also the place where the Lord’s presence dwelt (including the Ark of the Covenant). Until a permanent tabernacle could be built, God dwelt in the tent of meeting, which literally means “dwelling place.”
 
Shiloh is significant because it is the first seat of the government of Israel’s invading forces as they take possession of the land, according to Abarim Publications. Shiloh comes from the root verb shala, which means to “be at prosperous rest”. The word Shiloh is also translated as “He Whose it is”.
 
Study #1:  Knowing God by Name
 
You guys!!  God’s dwelling place is a place of prosperous rest, and it is a place of belonging. The tent of meeting at Shiloh is literally the place where God’s name dwells, and all of the characteristics, attributes and promises given in the names of God are ours to know and to live by; it is the place where we can find peace and prosperous rest in His promises.
 
Did you know there are over 100 different names for God in the Bible?
 
Mary A. Kassian has written a beautiful study called Knowing God by Name, which walks you through 35 different names of God. It is rich with scriptures that show where each name appears in Hebrew, and learning the Hebrew names is like unveiling a hidden layer of insight that is woven into the scriptures.
 
God is..  GOD!  He is too awesome and holy for us to fully know, but this study is an incredible resource for knowing God in a deeper way than you have ever known him. His many names are promises to us that he is faithful, mighty, sovereign, merciful, gracious, and abounding in love — to name just a few.
 
Study #2:  Sermon on the Mount
 
Do you ever wonder why Jesus says in Matthew 5:13, “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?” or why Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt? What is the meaning of salt?
 
Salt is a purifying agent and instrument of preservation. It is also the only thing that remained after a burnt offering was made.
 
God even gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant..  of salt (Numbers 18:19).
Ultimately, salt is symbolic of the presence of the Holy Spirit operating in our lives.
 
I wouldn’t know any of these things without the deep dive on the Sermon on the Mount that Jen Wilkin guides you through in the Sermon on the Mount study*, which is truly so rich that I consulted my notes to refresh myself on the significance of salt as I was writing this.
 
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus lays out the path for us to walk in, shatters the conventional wisdom of his time, and explains the Law, anger, lust, divorce, loving our enemies, charity, and living free from worry. He also gives us the Lord’s Prayer.
 
You may have read Matthew chapters five to seven many times in your life, but this study unpacks every passage with precision and teaches us how to sincerely apply Jesus’ teachings to our lives, helping to make sure we don’t miss the enormous message under its simplicity:  The Sermon on the Mount is a bold admonishment to live differently than the world, as hard is the way that leads to life:
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

Matthew 7:13-14

 
*note: This study has video presentations and is designed for group study, and you will want to have access to the videos to get the most benefit from the study. If you are interested in listening to the videos online or on DVD, please contact your church, as the videos may be available through your church for free.
 
Just start!
 
Whether you check out either of the above studies, pick up an old study or find a new one, we hope that you will incorporate a new rhythm of Bible study into your daily lives and experience the wonder and adventure that is knowing God more deeply through a deeper understanding of his character and his Word. Bonus if you do it with a cord of three strands, as we’re confident you will grow faster and deeper together!
 
Blessings and love,
three strands

 

A final note

We recognize that some of you may not have a Bible or be in a position to purchase a Bible study book right now. We do have grants available and we would be honored to mail you a Bible and/or Bible study FREE!  Just contact us to request a Bible or Bible study and include your mailing address-  and we’ll ship them directly to you! We love you all, and we believe everyone should have access to Bible studies.

 

 

The six truths + radical surrender

The six truths + radical surrender

by | Apr 16, 2026 | faith, grief, hope, prayer

This prayer, prayed in full surrender, will change your life. Maybe not overnight. But you can trust it will steady and stay your heart and help you to release whatever future space you are holding onto.

Photo by Gabriel Benois 

And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
1 John 2:17


It’s okay to grieve what you lost

Sometimes I find myself feeling anxious about how things will work out. I jump forward to the future when I need only be present. There’s so much I want to do in this life and I get frustrated with my limitations and forget about God’s miracle space — that in his arms I find sufficiency and purpose and this is the very best place to be, here and now, with him.
 
My story began a long time ago during the brokenness of my divorce, but that was simply the beginning of the trials and heartache — the opening act to years of struggles and hardships that have taken me on a rugged backroads journey through pain and loss. Even in the hardships, there is beauty.
 
How do we hold the loss and make space to grieve while moving forward (into the unknown)? Somehow it feels more foreboding after loss, yet God has good gifts for me. He is a good and a kind and a faithful God.
 
If you’re out there, too, feeling weary in waiting, I want you to know you’re not alone in your suffering. It may feel like God has forgotten you — but know that he sometimes pulls back from us to teach us and to test our hearts. He promises in his word that he will never leave us or forsake us; even when we let go of him, he keeps holding onto us. We are his — bought with the price of the blood of his precious son.
 
There are things in this life I expected to be able to do and to accomplish and still hope for with the deepest kind of hope — a certain knowing.
 
I believe, God, that you can heal me, but even if you don’t, you are sovereign and I trust you. My spirit is willing to go wherever he leads and my flesh, my mind, and my desires still want to override that spirit surrender. All too often, my will jumps ahead or proceeds in its own direction. Like a young child, I wrestle it out with God: God, I just want to do it my way. But I was crucified with Christ and bought for a price:  my body is not my own. I am his instrument.
 

This entire life is reaching higher in the spirit so we can release all things of the world, and the world as we know it is passing away. These things that we cherish are so.. temporary.

Radical surrender

 

I want to share a simple prayer that has helped me time and time again when I want to jump ahead to the future and analyze every prospective outcome: 

God, please move my will into your will and my heart into your heart.

 
It is a bold and peace-filled prayer for those who pray it. God, move my will for this situation into your heart. Give me supernatural perception, wisdom or understanding about this move/decision/job/relationship. With this prayer, we take ourselves out of the future space, which is God’s, and we ground ourselves in the present moment, free from anxiety or worry over anything in the future.
 
This prayer, prayed in full surrender, will change your life. Maybe not overnight. But you can trust it will steady and stay your heart and help you to release whatever future space you are holding onto. The future is like the wind. It’s unseen and we know it’s there, but we cannot touch it. We can only feel it when it sweeps over us.
 
In times of uncertainty, grief and struggling, we must learn to be present and ground ourselves in the truth of God’s word. Here are six truths you can lean on when you’re struggling and weary:
 

1. I am sufficient in Christ. I am God’s masterpiece. (Eph. 2:10)

2. There is beauty in hardship. The trials that test me refine my faith. (1 Pet. 1:6-7)

3. God has good things in store for me. In all things, God works for my good, because I love him. (Rom. 8:28)

4. Sometimes, God pulls back or is quieter to test our hearts — but he never leaves us. If God is quiet, I trust that he is still near. (2 Chron. 32:31)

5. We are his — bought for a price. My body is not my own, but a temple to the Holy Spirit. God bought me for the price of his son Jesus so he could dwell within me. (1 Cor. 6:19-20)

6. Hope is faith in what is not seen. I can know with certainty that my salvation is secure and that, with God, the impossible is possible. (Heb. 11:1)

 
 
Dear God,
So often, we cling to the reins of control and want to know every detail of our futures, when only you know the future and you hold the future in your hands. Help us to release the future to you in peace and trust that you are with us even when the future is uncertain. Help us to remember that even when you are quiet, we are known and precious to you. Help us to look towards the future with radical hope in your goodness and help us to move our hearts into your hearts and our wills into alignment with your Perfect Will for our lives.
In Jesus name,
Amen

 

Verses for study:

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
 
1 Peter 1:6-7
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
 
Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
 
2 Chronicles 32:31

And so in the matter of the envoys of the princes of Babylon, who had been sent to him to inquire about the sign that had been done in the land, God left him to himself, in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

 

 

 

Spiritual warfare, visions, and the prophetic (part 1)

Spiritual warfare, visions, and the prophetic (part 1)

by | Apr 16, 2026 | holy spirit, spiritual warfare, supernatural

We don’t have to engage in direct warfare with demonic forces. Once we know these demons cannot touch us, we can simply, and quietly, in our spirits speak, “Come Holy Spirit” and go back to sleep. God answers our cries for help with his angels, and he battles for us.

Photo by Nik Shuliahin 

“Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, shall make Myself known to him in a vision. I shall speak with him in a dream.”
Numbers 12:6
 

Have you ever seen things with your eyes closed, had visions that came true, or had dreams that you did not understand but were so vivid that you immediately began searching google for meaning? If so, you might have the gifts of prophecy or discernment of spirits, which are just a few of the spiritual gifts the Bible names in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. You may not even consider yourself to be a Christian, and know you are spiritually sensitive, but don’t know where to start in understanding your experiences- or maybe you need help developing your prophetic gifts. These are just a few of the topics that we’ll cover in this series on the spiritual realm.

Warfare in the spiritual realm 

It was the middle of the night and I had been in spiritual warfare for months. My sleep was often interrupted by nightmares, auditory hallucinations, and dark shadows with evil eyes and snarling dinosaur-like teeth that I could see with my eyes closed. At first, I thought I could be going crazy, but in my rational mind, I knew these experiences were real.
 
I woke and saw a dark demon-shadow holding a pitchfork which it then thrust through my abdomen. And I felt REAL PAIN.  Holy mother….  was I scared! 
 
This was probably a jump off the cliff of sanity- or was it?
 
I was living with my parents at the time (fortunately they have had some experience with spiritual warfare), and they knew it was an attack and assured me everything was okay. Once I realized that this demon could not physically harm me, I was able to stand in my spiritual authority, tell the thing to go away in the name of Jesus, and ask the Holy Spirit to come and fight for me. The spiritual pain left and this is where the breakthrough came.
 
In the future, whenever I encountered a demonic presence that I could see with my eyes closed, I learned to speak three simple words either out loud or in my spirit:  
 
Come Holy Spirit.
 
We live in both a natural and a spiritual world and the natural world is contained within a spiritual realm that is most often imperceptible to the human eye.
 
In the case of the demon and pitchfork I saw in the spiritual realm, the pain I felt was a spiritual pain and thus not happening in the natural realm, but it was perceptible to me because I have a spirit that lives in the spiritual realm. This is complex, so I like to think of it this way.
 
Get a pen and make one circle, and in it, place an “N”. Then draw a second, larger circle around the first circle and place an “S” in that circle. The larger circle is the spiritual realm, and because the natural realm is contained within the spiritual, the spiritual can become perceptible in the natural.
 
There’s a lot of information out there about spiritual warfare and it’s too much to take on in one blog or several. I don’t even pretend to know much about it other than my own personal experiences. 
 
But as Christians, we need to understand that there is a demonic part of the spiritual realm that aims to take us captive as prisoners of the enemy to 1. limit our effectiveness for the Kingdom and 2. to keep us ASLEEP in our faith.
 
We also need to understand that, as Christians, in the name of Jesus, we have authority over demonic forces in the spiritual realm. 
 
Some of you may have been experiencing spiritual warfare for years without knowing or understanding what is happening, and the purpose of this post is to let you know that you’re not alone out there because this stuff can be scary.
 
When I first began to see demons in my sleep, I was afraid a lot. I just wanted them to go away, and the information I was given to war against them was all wrong. We don’t have to engage in direct warfare with demonic forces. Once we know these demons cannot touch us, we can simply, and quietly, in our spirits speak, “Come Holy Spirit” and go back to sleep. God answers our cries for help with his angels, and he battles for us. 
 
I have not seen angels in their full form, but I have seen angels commissioned when I ask for help. They appear as little blue-light brush-flashes moving like wings around me and engulf the dark shadows. I am shielded and hidden in the shadow of his wings (Psa. 91:4).
 
Friends, the spiritual realm is real.
 
We see so many examples in the Bible of an active spiritual realm, and if we’re going to believe in and follow Jesus, we cannot deny its existence. Jesus ministry on earth documents him casting out demons. The disciples during Jesus time on earth also cast out demons in Jesus’ name. Angels come to the rescue of the disciples in prison, and the Angel of the Lord appears throughout the Bible.
 
Our God is stronger than the devil and we don’t have to fear.
 
How do I apply this?
 

As we grow spiritually, we are more likely to perceive and encounter the battle for souls in the spiritual realm. Yet as believers, we have authority over any powers of darkness we may encounter in our sleeping or waking hours and we can send them away in the name and power of Jesus Christ.

In Christ we have:
+ Authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19)
+ Power and authority over all demons (Luke 9:1)
+ Power and authority to cast out demons (Mark 16:17-18)

Know that there is a kingdom of darkness that works against the kingdom of heaven, but that the light has prevailed over the darkness (John 1:5) and nothing in the spiritual realm can harm you because in Christ you have authority over it (Luke 10:19).

 

May God continually strengthen you and bless you to know your true authority in Christ and when circumstances around you may be scary, or even confusing, to know that you are safe and protected by the Most High God. Watch for next week’s blog where we will look at stories of how God speaks in dreams and visions in the Bible and how we can apply these examples today.

Verses for study:
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
 
Psalm 91:4
He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
 
Luke 10:19
I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
 
Luke 9:1
When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases,
 
Mark 16:17-18
And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
 
John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

 
 
 
 

Hope for when we feel like giving up

by | Apr 16, 2026 | hope, love

A correction: Rahab is the prostitute who was married into the family line of Christ. In the book of Hosea, the prophet Hosea marries a prostitute, Gomer, under God’s direction. Hosea remains faithful to Gomer, even as she turns from him to other lovers. The book of Hosea is a metaphor for God’s complete and unfailing love for us, even as we remain unfaithful and place the false Gods and idols in our lives (Baals) before him.

 

“Therefore, behold, I will allure her,
and bring her into the wilderness,
and speak tenderly to her.
15 And there I will give her her vineyards
and make the Valley of Achor [trouble] a door of hope.
And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth,
as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.

16 “And in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me ‘My Husband’, and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’ 17 For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more. 18 And I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in safety. 19 And I will betroth you to me for ever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. 20 I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.

21 “And in that day I will answer, declares the Lord,
I will answer the heavens,
and they shall answer the earth,
22 and the earth shall answer the grain, the wine, and the oil,
and they shall answer Jezreel [God sows]
23 and I will sow her for myself in the land.
And I will have mercy on No Mercy,
and I will say to Not My People, ‘You are my people’;
and he shall say, ‘You are my God.’”

Hosea 2:14-23

Spiritual acts in the Bible

Spiritual acts in the Bible

by | Apr 16, 2026 | study, supernatural

Our natural world exists within the spiritual realm, and the Bible shows us wonders and signs that indicate a spiritual world of angels and spirits invisible to the naked eye but discernable to the spirit. In some cases, God opens a gate so we can see into this realm, and the stories below are just a few examples that reveal an active and very real supernatural realm around us.

Photo by Edin Hopic 

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever.. he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things.”
Daniel 2:20-22

 

As we are approaching Halloween/All Hallow’s eve, and people start thinking about the supernatural and the spiritual realm, we thought it would be fun to highlight a few spiritual acts that you may not be aware of in the Bible. Be sure to read the full chapter for more context. Don’t have a Bible on hand? Check out Bible Gateway for the full chapters.

  1.     Daniel 5:5-6  The Writing is on the Wall

‘Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking.’

  1.     2 Kings 6: 16-18  Heavenly Army of Angels

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.

  1.     1 Samuel 28: 11-13  Saul and the Medium

‘Then the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?”

“Bring up Samuel,” he said.

When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”*

The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see?”

The woman said, “I see a ghostly figure coming up out of the earth.”’

*We note here that God was not pleased with Saul for consulting with a medium, and we share this simply as an illustration of the spirit world.

  1.     Numbers 22: 26-31  Balaam, the Angel of the Lord and the Talking Donkey

‘Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff. Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”
…

Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.’

  1.     Exodus 3: 2-4  Moses and the Burning Bush

‘There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”’

 

How to know God more intimately

How to know God more intimately

by | Apr 16, 2026 | grace, knowing God, love, prayer

God’s heart is worth the refining journey. His heart is worth our most daring and audacious love. His heart is worth the expensive nard and our tears and wiping his feet with our hair.

Photo by Nick Karvounis 

“Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
Luke 7:47


Nard

 
Earlier this week, I knocked over an oil diffuser- the kind of diffuser with small sticks of wood that pick up the oil and fragrance the room. My ankle was so doused by the strong-scented oil that I undoubtedly knew I would be smelling it for a few days at least.
 
I immediately thought of the sinful woman in Luke 7:36-50 who rubs expensive nard (ointment) on Jesus’ feet and wipes it with her hair.
 
One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”
“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
 
What would it mean to be like the woman who rubs nard on Jesus’ feet? What would it mean to be in full and intimate abandonment to the King? Do we ever come close to this kind of intimacy in this life when we can’t touch and feel Jesus in the flesh?
 
When we think of Jesus’ time and the nature of the woman whose sins were forgiven (prostitution) and the audacious way she rubs nard on Jesus’ feet and wipes it with her hair, we can see quickly this is not a woman who is going through the motions of faith. This woman knows that Jesus is Lord, and she dares to know him intimately by virtue of understanding — and returning — his great, abiding love for her in a sincere and vulnerable way. It is either the most scandalous thing we will read about Jesus in the Bible, or the most beautiful act of mercy.
 
I like to sit with this passage and imagine the scene. I imagine how shocked the Pharisee must have been when she anointed Jesus’ feet with nard and how intimate the moment must have been as Jesus cleanses this woman from her sins while tears fall and mingle with the nard and she wipes his feet with her hair. Surely, Jesus is pure love and mercy and grace looking upon his beloved.
 
Friends, do we love Jesus this way? Do we humble ourselves in penitence, in full submission and gratitude that he paid the bride price for us? Do we remember the cost that Jesus paid so we could be with him and the Father in heaven?
 

Have we become numb to grace?


Beloved

 
In the book Song of Solomon, we read an account of Solomon’s wedding to a Shulamite woman. It is a beautiful work of literal prose, yet the deeper we read, we can see that is also a metaphor for our relationship with Christ.
 
In Song of Solomon 5:2-6, the Shulamite woman awaits her groom in bed, but when he knocks, she is not quick to answer, and he does not come in. She seeks him and he is not quickly found. In the same way, the Holy Spirit comes near to us, and when we don’t jump up to open the bedroom chamber, he can pull back a bit and we have to go out and search for our love (the truine God) until we find him again.
 
SHE
I slept but my heart was awake.
A sound! My beloved is knocking.
“Open to me, my sister, my love,
my dove, my perfect one,
for my head is wet with dew,
my locks with the drops of night.”
I had put off my garment;
how could I put it on?
I had bathed my feet;
how could I soil them?
My beloved put his hand to the latch,
and my heart was thrilled within me.
I arose to open my to my beloved,
and my hands dripped with myrrh,
on the handles of the bolt.
I opened to my beloved,
but my beloved had turned and gone.
My soul failed me when he spoke.
I sought him, but found him not;
I called him, but he gave no answer.

 

In my experience, God is extremely tender. When we know him and we can hear his voice clearly, yet don’t respond, he can be sensitive. Remember that God has all of our human emotions, too, because we’re made in his image. So, when we push him away or don’t respond eagerly to his loving call to our hearts, it can hurt his heart a little bit. That doesn’t mean that he is really pulling away from us but instead that we need to search a little deeper for him. We need to spend time with him and get to know him personally. We need to learn his heart. This only comes with time and a sincere desire to know God intimately, as a spouse and closest friend.
 

How to pray

 
Song of Solomon gives us the blueprint for an intimate conversation with God in the he/she model. For me, this means writing in my prayer journal something like this.
 
She: my thoughts
He: God’s response
She: my thoughts
He: God’s encouragement
She: my repentance
He: God’s grace
She: my questions
He: God’s answer
 
I have found that praying this way with a quiet and attentive spirit is truly like having a conversation with a spouse. When I need to talk about the day, unpack something hard, or simply need comforting, God is there with encouragement and the answers to my questions. Even the harder questions God will give tender, honest answers to:
God, what would you have me work on next?
Am I where you want me to be spiritually?
 
I have come so close to God that his holiness scared me because I could feel his love so palpably while also sensing my terrible, yucky, wandering heart in his presence. When we pray this way, our human faults are quickly juxtaposed against his perfection, and it takes some time to get used to the discomfort of our own inherent sinfulness.
 
But God’s heart is worth the refining journey. His heart is worth our most daring and audacious love. His heart is worth the expensive nard and our tears and wiping his feet with our hair.

 

 

Dear God,
Give us the fortitude to approach your holiness with honest and open hearts so that you can do the refining work in our hearts that matures us in our faith. Help us to love much as you have forgiven much. Help us to know you more intimately and to be disciplined in getting still enough to hear your still, small whisper to our spirits. May we gain a deeper understanding of your heart as we seek you in the stillness. You are our true spouse. May we yearn for you as you yearn for us.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Even if you have read Song of Solomon before, we encourage you to take some time to revisit this short book this week and to meditate on the intimacy that the Most High God desires to have with you.

Spiritual warfare, visions, and the prophetic (part 3)

Spiritual warfare, visions, and the prophetic (part 3)

by | Apr 16, 2026 | holy spirit, miracles, prophecy, supernatural

Maybe you are far from crying out like the false prophets of Baal who finally believed, “The Lord, He is God!” That’s ok. I understand, I was there. To my absolute and total amazement, I found out about his love for me even though I was so distant from him. I was doing so many things wrong, I never thought he would love me. But He loved me no matter what I did. Jesus just kept pursuing my heart.

Photo by Denys Argyriou 

When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD–he is God! The LORD–he is God!”
1 Kings 18:39

Just As We Are — God’s Prophet Elijah and the false prophets of Baal
 
So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing. Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.”
1 Kings 18:20-24
 
Elijah was a man who listened to God and knew his teachings. He was intimate with God. He was prayerful and heard God’s gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:11-13). God made him a prophet and he was obedient to what God told him to do. He carried with him the anointing of God and had his favor. He taught groups of prophets in multiple cities. 
 
King Ahab, who was King at the time, provoked God’s anger. Ahab led Israel to stray from worshipping God, to worshipping Baal and Ashtoreth, which were false gods. Baal worship routinely required child sacrifice by fire.
 
Elijah then came against 450 prophets of Baal… Yes, there can be false prophets who are workers of evil. This is the counterfeit to Christianity (Matt. 7:15-17). It was time for the great cookoff… Baal vs. God. Baal’s prophets prepared a bull for sacrifice and did their best calling all day on Baal to light their fire. When Baal failed to come through, Elijah was up. He had the Baal worshippers douse his bull and woodpile with a total of 12 jars of water! The fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. 
 
When all the people saw this, they fell down prostrate and cried, “The Lord – he is God!” Elijah then proceeded to the top of Mt. Carmel to pray and a heavy rain came after 3 and a half years of drought.
 
Elijah’s goal was to glorify God and be obedient to him, turning the believers of Baal into believers of God.
 
James 5:17-18 says Elijah was a human being JUST AS WE ARE. He prayed earnestly that it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again, he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. 
 
Elijah was a human being who just did what God asked — and you can too! Jesus wants us to speak with Him. He wants us to spend time with Him. He hears us. He sees our hearts. Most importantly Jesus wants to speak to us! (John 10:27) Why? Because he wants a true relationship with us.  
 
How do I know if it’s prophecy?
 
A prophecy is a prediction of future events that come true and are inspired by God. Prophecy also encourages, consoles, and exhorts. I’m truly not sure what source the following was from, but I have found this to be a reliable list to test whether something is prophecy, and I keep it in my Bible.
 
1) Does the revelation edify, exhort, or console?
2) Is it in agreement with the Bible?
3) Does it exalt Jesus Christ?
4) Does it produce good fruit?
5) If predicting the future, does it come true?
6) Does the prediction turn people toward God or away from him?
7) Does it produce liberty or bondage?
8) Does it produce life or death?
9) Does the Holy Spirit bear witness that it is true?
 
Maybe you have wondered if you have this spiritual gift. The Holy Spirit sometimes wells up inside you and you have prophesied, encouraged, or shared something Jesus has shown you. Or maybe you question how can anyone do that today?  
 
KEY:
But when he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.  
John 16:13-15  
 
Yes, this happens today all over the world.
1) He will guide you into all the truth
2) You will speak his words, not add your own
3) He will tell you what is to come
4) You will glorify God in speaking them
 
Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.
Jeremiah 33:2  
 
What he speaks to us are great and unsearchable things.
 
There are Prophets that are 100% accurate. Some call this the ‘Office of the Prophet.’ Bible prophets like Elijah were always accurate. There are people today who have a high level of intimacy with God like this.
 
Then there are Prophetic People. I have found, for instance, as I became closer to God and hearing his voice, I don’t always hear correctly. What then do we do? We wait. We do those checks I mentioned above. 
 
We ask God again if something is not quite clear. I know there have been many times when listening that there is more He wanted to say, that I didn’t wait around to hear. Walking with God is a learning process in so many ways.
 
Here are some examples of the prophetic experiences I have had in my own life.
 
Just as We Are — Having Faith and Obedience
 
A friend of mine, myself and two others were in Georgia teaching on prayer. Georgia was in the middle of a severe drought. It had not rained for months. Some farmers were beginning to plow their crops under. Like Elijah, my friend prayed with great faith, “God if you would just cause it to rain, I’ll do the morning prayer walk with no umbrella.” At about 5 a.m. we woke up to giant claps of thunder rolling through the skies and it began to rain! We all had tears rolling down our faces. So beautiful, and so amazing! Why should we be surprised when God answers our prayers? We walked in the rain and let it fall down around us. My friend, Ruth, kept her promise and walked without her umbrella. The Lord, He is God!
 
Just As We Are — Words of Encouragement
 
Once I was asked to organize prayer for each one of the pastors that were coming to our church for a retreat. Each prayer person was given a name of a pastor and was asked to really spend time listening to God and then write them a letter. 
 
Later, when the pastors read their letters, many asked our pastor, “Did you speak to these people praying for us? There are things in my letter that only I know.” 
 
“No, of course not,” he replied. 
 
Some of them cried. All the pastors were renewed and encouraged. How did this happen? Listening to God through the Holy Spirit, prophetic words of Knowledge may be given that are unknown to other people except by God. The Lord, He is God!
 
Just As We Are — Sweet Little Things God Does
 
One beautiful day Jesus said, “Go outside and pray for (a child) in the hospital.” After praying, I was overcome by the Holy Spirit and began singing the hymn, “Majesty, Worship His Majesty.” I danced around. The next day, I was checking on him; I told her I was praying for her child and I mentioned the song. She said, “You could not know this, but we made up all our lullabies for our children to this tune. We just made up another one for (our child) last night in the hospital.” This child was healed and with many praises they returned home.  
 
How did this happen? Through our loving Abba Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit. The Lord, He is God!
 
Intimacy With Jesus — The Beginning of The Prophetic and Where to Start
 
Maybe you are far from crying out like the false prophets of Baal who finally believed, “The Lord, He is God!”  That’s ok. I understand, I was there. To my absolute and total amazement, I found out about his love for me even though I was so distant from him. I was doing so many things wrong, I never thought he would love me. But He loved me no matter what I did. Jesus just kept pursuing my heart.
 
Maybe you are saying to yourself, “I’d really like this kind of relationship with Jesus.” It’s just like when you spend time with a really great best friend. You could recognize your best friend’s voice in a room of people with your eyes closed!  
 
Relationships take time. You didn’t know your friend so well in the beginning. That’s the way it is with Jesus. 
 
It takes some persistence in reading your Bible, being still and listening to learn to recognize his voice and distinguish it from our own or the devil’s. It doesn’t happen overnight. It is slow. 
 
I mean.. being still is hard, right?? We have so many things on our minds, not to mention a pandemic going on. But we need Him. He can bring us so much comfort. And ultimately, he heals us through and through with His radical LOVE for us. He loves us in our ugly times, in our failures, in our sins, and in our mistakes.  
 
Maybe start out by sitting in a quiet place just for 5 or 10 min. Write down all those distractions and little things that come to your mind. Ask Jesus, “How do you feel about me? Do you love me? Jesus, I want to know you more. I want to hear your voice. I am overwhelmed and I want your comfort. I want you to help me, Jesus. Help me now.” 
 
Just pray whatever it is on your heart. Now, watch and see what our Jesus does. He loves to come to His children.
 
Blessings and love in Jesus Christ,
Pam Bierwagen
 
 
 
Verses for study:
1 Kings 19:11-16 
The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”  Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lordwas not in the wind.  After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.  After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.  After the fire came a GENTLE WHISPER.
 
Matthew 7:15-17   
Watch out for false prophets.  They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.  By their fruit you will recognize them.  Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit.  
 
John 10:27  
My sheep (us) listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.
 
Matthew 11:28  
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
 
2 Kings 2:11
As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
 
1 Kings 17:1  
Elijah the Tishbite said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”  
 

 
 
 
 

A blessing for the times

A blessing for the times

by | Apr 16, 2026 | prayer, worship

Photo by Dieter de Vroomen


He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
Psalm 91:4

A blessing from Gillian

Heavenly Father,
We say thank you for all that you are and all that you provide. In the shadow of your wings we are safe, we are protected, we are loved.

We are truly only still when in your presence.

We only find true peace when we come to know you. You fill our hearts and wipe away our tears.

You are the light, Lord. You are our salvation, our redeemer. We pray others can come to know you Lord as we do. Humble us Lord, we are on our knees Lord, teach us, connect with us, lead us.

Thank you for your patience, your mercy, your grace. Hallelujah!

In Jesus name,
Amen

Real visions: Recapping spiritual warfare, visions and the prophetic

Real visions: Recapping spiritual warfare, visions and the prophetic

by | Apr 16, 2026 | holy spirit, prophecy, supernatural, visions

The future is still unwritten, but I know that God will continue to show up and to comfort my heart, just as he will for you. He may not show up in visions and dreams — instead, it might be a scripture or his still, small voice — but rest assured, He is speaking, and the deeper you search for him, you will surely find him (Jer. 29:13).

Photo by Javardh 

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13

 
Hi friends!  We didn’t expect to write a part 4 of this series, but there’s more to share!
 
So far, we have covered the scriptural basis for dreams, visions and prophecy. Today, we’ll ground ourselves in some more Biblical truth about prophecy and then I’ll share some of my personal prophetic visions as examples of how God speaks in this day through prophetic revelation.
 
Before we go any further, we want to note that God speaks to everyone differently. To some, he may speak through scripture or through a still, small whisper to our spirits. To others, that whisper may come in the form of a heart knowing or conviction, without words. To others, God may speak through creation. And to those who have the gift of intercessory prayer, like my Mom, God may speak in miracles and answered prayers.
 
If you don’t have prophetic visions or revelation, that is okay! God gives different spiritual gifts to all believers, and these gifts intersect with our natural gifts so we can lift up and encourage the world and the body of Christ in ways that only each of us can. As scripture says in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Your spiritual gifts and natural gifts are unique and purposed.
 
Let’s jump in by looking at Acts 10!
 

Peter’s Vision
 

About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.
While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”
Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”
The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
 
Peter at Cornelius’s House
 
The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”
While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”
Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”
 
Unfolding the truth
 
Historically, in the Old Testament, certain animals were considered unclean to the Jewish people. In the vision Peter receives on the rooftop, God literally unfolds a blanket of unclean animals and tells Peter not to call them unclean.
 
Immediately following the vision, while still pondering what it meant, Simon Peter is sent to a Gentile (someone who is not Jewish) called Cornelius who has found favor with God. It is not until he meets Cornelius, and learns that God has called him to a Gentile’s home, that Simon Peter understands the vision and the words, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
 

In the vision, God revealed the truth that the Gospel of Good News is for Gentiles as well as the Jewish people. God is saying the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ is for everyone and all nations.

 A few things we can learn from this vision:

+ God, being the creative author of life and the artist we know him to be, often speaks in imagery and metaphor
+ We don’t always know the meaning of the vision until it is fulfilled, but the vision is sent to confirm something that is to be known at a future time
+ Per last week’s post on prophecy by Pam Bierwagen, the vision is given to edify, exhort or to console — We can see from the vision and its fulfillment that it does all three, following the Biblical footprint for prophecy
 
Visions and prophecy today — Some real-life examples
 
Double confirmation
 
Sometimes, we are praying over decisions that we’d like to be extra sure we hear God’s voice clearly on. Just as when God confirmed to Cornelius and Simon Peter that each man was to be in each other’s company, my Mom and I have had a few similar experiences.
 
One time, I was praying over where to move. I kept hearing from God that there would be a house open for rent that my mom would find, and my mom was hearing there was a house, too. With my move deadline quickly approaching, I had gone as far as putting a deposit down on an apartment when my mom heard from a landlord that the house she’d seen months ago was available for rent, and hers was the only number the landlord had saved. Sometimes, God keeps us out on the ledge waiting just until the right moment and then he comes through. We can trust that his words are true- especially when they are given with double confirmation. I had the pleasure of living in that house for three years.
 
Another time, a dear friend had advised me to get a spiritual mentor, and I was praying for the name of the person I should mentor with. I asked my Mom to pray for the name, too. After praying separately, we each heard the same name, and this person’s mentoring was instrumental in guiding me through deep spiritual healing.

 
Vehicle in water
 
As I’ve shared on 3 Strands before, I’ve had several job breaks over the years. Incidentally, these job breaks and transitions have each been preceded by visions of a vehicle and water- where the vehicle either drowns, nearly-drowns or floats with me in it. These visions have confirmed in my spirit that the job changes were coming, thus edifying me about future events. Over time, after reading online about what a drowning car has meant to other people, and through my own experiences that have each preceded a job change or transition, I know that a car driving into water means change is coming.
 
Leaving a job
 
A few years ago, it was time to leave a job. Sometimes, you can see the writing on the wall and know the way the culture or role is changing is no longer a fit. After making the decision to leave I saw this vision:
 
+ I left some activity to make sticky rice noodles (I know, weird, right?)
+ I took a speedboat to my parents house (the speedboat was on their pond)
+ I landed in my parents’ living room with my family gathered. My brother was playing trumpet, and my Dad and a few friends from real life were gathered:  one friend was a recruiter, the other friend was a salesperson, and the third person, my Dad, works in IT.
 
This dream, when I began to unpack it, held significant meaning for me, because God was showing me my next step before I had any idea what it was. I was off work for about four months when my last company recruited me for a role ultimately touching aspects of HR and Technology Sales. I landed in a technical sales engineering role with coworkers who quickly became family, and the family gathering in my dream meant a realization of my dreams and a better fit in real life. It was a celebration.
 
So- what about the sticky rice noodles and speed boat? Well, after some googling, I learned that the sticky rice noodles can mean imagining new possibilities, and the speedboat meant a fast-track to the job that was a better fit and moving in the direction of my dreams.
 
While I, like Simon Peter, didn’t know the vision’s meaning until I got to my new company, the vision did edify, exhort, and console once I started working there.
 
Planes
 
In 2011, I had a dream I was on a plane that crash landed in the field next door to my parents’ house. Shortly after, I found myself in a situation where I had to make an emergency, unplanned move from Ohio to Indiana to live with my parents. The crash landing indicated the rushed and unexpected nature of the move, but I didn’t understand that until the move happened.
 
In 2016, I had another dream that I was on a plane, but this time it landed safely in the field next door to my parents’ house. I put this dream on file in the list of dreams I did not understand at the time, and waited to see what it meant. In the summer of 2019, I became ill with tremors severe enough that I had to leave work. By November, I had moved in with my parents to focus full-time on my health. God was faithful with this vision to edify, exhort and console, and instead of feeling anxious about the move, this time I felt peace and comfort that this was a season to enjoy the time with my parents and to heal. The vision helped me to discern my next steps and to plan ahead for the financial costs of healing and my needs for support at that time.

 

Which brings me to today. The future is still unwritten, but I know that God will continue to show up and to comfort my heart, just as he will for you. He may not show up in visions and dreams — instead, it might be a scripture or his still, small voice — but rest assured, He is speaking, and the deeper you search for him, you will surely find him (Jeremiah 29:13).
 
You may not always know the meaning of a vision right away. It could take years before you know. But write them down so you remember in the future and so you can clear your head space now. Try not to dwell on the visions too much. God will show you what they mean in time, and the more you develop your gift by writing these visions and dream pictures down, the more God will reveal to you prophetically. Keep at it and remember that if it’s a vision from God, it will always edify, exhort, or console. 
 
May God bless with you the knowledge and comfort of his presence this week, and may you continue to search for him and to know him deeper. He yearns for you.
 
 
Blessings and love,
three strands

Cast your nets in faith

Cast your nets in faith

by | Apr 16, 2026 | faith, hope, miracles, rest

When we are unemployed or underemployed, we need not strive or overextend ourselves. God is God. He can deliver us right to the place where we catch so many fish that it should break the net — yet the net isn’t torn. We need only cast our nets in faith and trust, and ask God for the strength and determination to follow through.

Photo by Hennie Stander 

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:34

 

Unemployed

 
The global pandemic has affected millions in the U.S. causing significant job insecurity including income reduction, underemployment, layoffs, and furloughs. With U.S. unemployment hanging at 12.6 million or 7.9 percent, down from a 14.7 percent peak in April 2020, U.S. workers and businesses are still struggling to get back to an even keel. These are uncertain times and the economic uncertainty is felt in both global markets and in our backyards.
 
There is a mental health burden that comes with job insecurity that we need to be talking about. Likewise, the Bible has a lot to say about times of uncertainty and about faith.
 
I’m here to tell you, friends, that I have been through it. I have been unemployed four times in my life, each time under a different circumstance, and I’m currently working part-time. For reasons I may not fully understand on this side of heaven, unemployment, underemployment and job gaps have been a part of my life story. 
 
Let me start by first sharing a few things that my job gaps have taught me.

 
God provides through community — when you pray in confidence in the knowledge that God provides for even the smallest sparrows and when you know how much more he values our lives (Matt. 6:25-27), there is a path to make it through this. You may have to get creative, but know there is a community around you ready and willing to help. You are not alone

God provides abundantly — God provides exceedingly, abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20):  We need only ask. I am a single woman. I don’t have a spouse. God is my Provider and my Redeemer, and I trust him to provide me with the opportunities and resources I need to take care of myself. In every case, they have been far more than I have asked for or imagined

God is God — he is not limited by man’s frame of thinking and it is simple and easy for him to align resources and help when you need it. He can come through for you when you’re at the end of your rope. He can bring food. He can bring cash. He can move mountains, and will, if you hang on and trust him, believe and do not doubt (James 1:6)

Which leads me to the most important thing!
 
We need community when we’re going through job insecurity, underemployment and unemployment, and we need fellowship with God even more. God’s supernatural provision is available to us, but to get to this space of miracle-provision, we have to cast our nets in faith and trust him to return a harvest.
 
One of my favorite stories is found in John 21:4-14 when Jesus reveals himself to seven of the disciples after his resurrection. 
 
Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 
Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” 
They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” 
So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 
That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.
The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.
When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread.
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.”
So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.
Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish.
This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
 
God’s miracle-provision is waiting there just under the surface when we cast our nets in faith.
Two things here:
1. God leads us to our next steps i.e. he tells us where to cast the net and where to invest our time
2. Where God leads, there is a harvest of exceedingly, abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine
 
When we are unemployed or underemployed, we need not strive or overextend ourselves. God is God. He can deliver us right to the place where we catch so many fish that it should break the net — yet the net isn’t torn (John 21:11). We need only cast our nets in faith and trust, and ask God for the strength and determination to follow through.  
 
God leads us to the harvest, and it is up to us to press hard on the right opportunities as he opens doors. This takes some effort and trust on our parts, but the harvest, friends, is oh so sweet.
 
Lastly, I have learned through my job gaps to use the time off to rest. Catch up with friends and family you haven’t seen in a long time. Expand your network but don’t over network. Enjoy hobbies you haven’t had time to cultivate. Get sunshine and fresh air. Take the break in stride and receive the rest God is giving you in this season. 
 
The bottom line is that unemployment can be devastatingly hard on our mental health — or it can be the biggest blessing. It can be a season of renewal and reinvention, and if you’re willing, it will lead you to new challenges and opportunities that will stretch you and grow you in new and exciting ways.
 
Remember above all that God is with you in this hardship and that he will not let you slip through the cracks. He sees you and he knows what you need before any prayer is ever spoken on your lips (Psa. 139:4). Just as with the smallest sparrow, he will attend to your physical needs (Matt. 6:26).
 
I don’t wish to understate the challenges of unemployment. It is exhausting to crunch out cover letters and resumes while you’re waiting to find the right fit and the company or organization you would like to grow with. The activity can drain us, and the cash flow crisis can leave us worried about how we are going to pay for essential expenses like rent and groceries.
 
Unemployment income is simply insufficient to pay our bills and most of us live paycheck to paycheck. God knows this. He’s gone out ahead of us, and he is attending to all the details.
 
If you find yourself going through hard times right now, share your needs with your community and seek help. Pray and ask God how he is growing you in this season of job insecurity. God will not allow any trial without growth and if he’s trusting you with a job gap, you can bet he has even greater plans for you. Simply trust and follow his lead.
 
 
Dear God, Many of us have fallen on hard times during covid-19 and are facing unemployment and underemployment. Help us to use this season of change to imagine new possibilities and to receive the rest you are giving us. You are teaching us something new in every circumstance, Lord. Help us to find the silver lining and your miracle-provision in the present hardships.
Amen.
 
 
 

Verses for study:
Matthew 6:25-34
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Ephesians 3:20
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.

James 1:6
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

John 21:11
So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn.

Psalm 139:4  
Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.

Matthew 6:26
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?