Words That Move Heaven

Have you ever scrolled through social media after a friend or family member posts about a season of deep trial? Perhaps they are facing a terrifying medical diagnosis, navigating the sudden loss of a loved one, or watching a life long dream crumble before their eyes. If you glance at the comment section beneath those heartbreaking posts, you will inevitably see a sea of well-meaning phrases: "Sending good vibes," "Sending positive thoughts your way," "Crossing my fingers for you," or "Hoping karma works it out in the end."

On the surface, these sentiments are born out of a desire to show empathy and comfort. People want to offer a gentle word when they do not know what else to say. But for the Christian believer, this cultural trend raises a critical question: What do these words actually mean? More importantly, what do they fail to do?

When we pull back the curtain on modern terminology, we discover that "good vibes" and "positive energy" are completely incapable of changing a single circumstance in human history. Secular concepts like karma, cosmic balance, or mother nature miss the mark of biblical truth entirely. As we draw closer to the Lord and deepen our walk with Him, our spiritual discernment grows. Naturally, as our hearts align with God’s heart, the very way we speak to others must begin to reflect the kingdom of God.

(Listen to the full audio podcast episode below or read on to explore what God’s Word teaches us about the supernatural power of true intercessory prayer. Episode 15)

Why Language Matters in Our Daily Conversations

Whenever I comment on a friend’s social media post or sit down with someone facing a dark valley, I have become incredibly deliberate with my words. I make it a conscious, intentional point to state clearly: "I am praying for you."

Now, of course I am thinking about them. My heart breaks for their pain, and I care deeply about the outcome of their situation. But I never want my message to be misconstrued or lost in the noise of worldly sentiments. I refuse to tell them I am "sending positive energy" or "crossing my fingers."

Why? Because you cannot wish things into existence with a good vibe. Crossing your fingers carries absolutely zero power to heal a body, restore a marriage, or calm a troubled mind. Hope is not found in a temporary mood, an emotional frequency, or a vague secular feeling. Hope is found in a Person—and His name is Jesus Christ.

When I tell someone I am praying for them, I want them to know that I am actively taking their exact, heavy burden directly to the Creator of the universe. I am entering the spiritual battle on their behalf, approaching the throne of grace, and asking the Sovereign God to intervene. That is what makes a real, eternal difference in a broken world.

Unpacking the Root: Vibes vs. The Sovereign Creator

To understand why these secular phrases are incompatible with Christian theology, we have to look at where they come from. Words are not neutral; they carry worldviews and spiritual foundations. When we look closely at the origins of modern phrases, we see why they stand in direct opposition to the Bible:

• "Good Vibes" and "Positive Energy": These terms come out of modern New Age movement philosophy and humanism. They rely on the idea that humans possess an innate energy field and that if we simply concentrate hard enough or emit enough "good waves," the universe will align with our desires. It makes human effort and human emotion the ultimate source of power.

 

·        "Karma" vs. Biblical Reaping and Sowing: People often confuse karma with the principle of reaping and sowing, but they come from entirely different foundations. Reaping what you sow isn’t karma—it’s biblical. Karma teaches that an impersonal, cold universe automatically balances good and bad deeds through fate or reincarnation, leaving no room for grace, mercy, or forgiveness. In contrast, Galatians 6:7–8 shows us a personal, righteous God: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Biblical sowing and reaping operates under the sovereignty of God, who offers redemption through Jesus Christ, breaking the ultimate curse of sin—something karma could never do.

 

• "Mother Nature": This term personifies the natural world, giving creation the credit for God’s design, weather, seasonal shifts, and earth's stability. It subtly redirects worship away from the Creator and bestows it upon the created order itself.

None of these three popular mindsets are biblical. They all share one fundamental, fatal error: they attempt to find comfort, power, outcome, and cause-and-effect without God. They attempt to bypass human sin, spiritual brokenness, and our absolute dependency on the Lord by substituting a self-reliant, worldly alternative.

What the Bible Says: Sound Doctrine

When life shatters and human strength gives out, "positive thinking" quickly reveals its emptiness. God’s Word paints a completely different picture of reality—one where human helpless weakness meets divine omnipotence.

1. Divine Power in Human Weakness

2 Corinthians 12:10 "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

The Apostle Paul did not attempt to summon positive thoughts from within himself when facing severe suffering. He did not ask believers to "send good vibes" to sustain him in prison. Instead, he acknowledged his utter helplessness so that the power of Christ could rest upon him. True spiritual strength is not manufactured through human optimism; it is revealed when we surrender our weakness to an Almighty God in prayer.

2. The Danger of Trusting Human Effort

Jeremiah 17:5, 7 "Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord... Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is."

When we offer someone "good vibes," we are subtly encouraging them to put their trust in human goodwill—we are "making flesh our arm." But Scripture warns that relying on human capacity leads to spiritual bankruptcy. When we pray for someone, we are pointing them away from human weakness and anchoring their hope securely in the Lord.

3. The Power and Weight of Our Words

Proverbs 18:21 "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."

Our words carry genuine spiritual weight. As followers of Jesus, our everyday speech ought to reflect the authority, truth, and holiness of the God we serve. When we adopt the world's secular idioms, we dilute our witness and miss an opportunity to point hurting souls to the living Lord.

Putting Faith Into Action: How to Change Our Speech

Surrendering secular speech patterns is a natural outcome of growing closer to the Lord. As our love for God grows, our spiritual language should become refined, bold, and distinct. Here are three practical steps to align your daily conversations with biblical truth:

1. Examine Your Vocabulary Intentionally: Pay close attention to how you naturally respond when someone shares bad news. Watch for times when you might be tempted to use empty, worldly catchphrases just to fit in or keep things comfortable.
2. Be Unashamedly Explicit in Your Faith: Do not hesitate or apologize for using the word pray. Let your friends, family, and online connections know that you are not offering vague, passive thoughts—you are taking their names directly before the God of heaven.
3. Turn Words into Immediate Intercession: When you type "I am praying for you" under a post or say it in conversation, don't let it stop as a nice sentiment. Pause right then, close your eyes, and speak that person's name to the Lord. Turn your promise into immediate action.

Moving Beyond the Surface

The world is hungry for genuine hope, but it often settles for cheap substitutes because it does not know the Father. As Christians, we have been given direct access to the Sovereign King through the blood of Jesus Christ. We do not have to
rely on "luck," "energy," or "vibes" when we possess the incredible privilege of prayer. Let us resolve today to toss aside empty phrases, stand bold in our faith, and speak words that move heaven!

 Be encouraged. 🧡

Preparing the Way: finding purpose and patience in the process

There are moments on a health journey where the path ahead suddenly comes into focus. It isn’t always the quick, easy answer we might hope for, but it is a path—and having a clear plan of action is something to be profoundly grateful for.

After my recent follow-up GI appointment, I walked away with both a definitive diagnosis and a structured strategy moving forward. As I’ve sat with the news, digested the timelines, and contemplated what this all means, I’m reminded that healing is rarely a single, sudden event. More often, it’s a deliberate process of clearing the ground, building a sturdy foundation, and preparing the way for whatever comes next. Foundations are super important, a physical but Biblical truth.

Isaiah 40:3  “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

The Findings and the 8-Week Plan

During my appointment, my doctor laid out the findings from my recent testing, specifically surrounding Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE)—an inflammatory condition where an overabundance of white blood cells builds up within the esophageal tissue.

A condition I didn’t know I had a few weeks ago.

To tackle this issue directly, we are embarking on an eight-week medical trial starting as soon as insurance approves this medication (hopefully). The regimen involves a combination of targeted therapies: a twice-daily prescription-strength PPI to suppress acid production and minimize tissue irritation, basically like Prilosec, alongside Dupixent, a biologic medication administered as a weekly self-injection (shot).

At the conclusion of these eight weeks, I will undergo a repeat endoscopy. The goal of this second procedure is straightforward yet critical: we need to re-biopsy the tissue to evaluate whether the white blood cell count has dropped and verify that the severe inflammation has subsided.

Being a Realist: Looking Beyond the Inflammation

While I am fully committed to executing this eight-week plan, I want to remain grounded and honest about where things stand. Looking at the broader clinical picture alongside my day-to-day symptoms, I don’t view this endeavor through rose-colored glasses, nor am I falling into pessimism. I am simply approaching the reality of the situation with clear eyes.

Even when this treatment successfully calms the widespread inflammation throughout my esophagus—as we pray and expect it will—I anticipate that the underlying dysfunction with my Upper Esophageal Sphincter (UES) will ultimately prove to be nerve-related. When normal sensation is absent and the muscle fails to relax properly, it points toward an interruption in the neuro-muscular communication pathway between the brain and the digestive tract.

If that proves to be the case, it simply means we will eventually need to chart a new course to bridge that specific gap. Recognizing that reality isn't a defeat; it’s merely reading the map accurately so we know precisely which direction to walk next. Plainly, if calming tissue does not allow the UES muscle the proper muscular function, the culprit is an absent adequate nerve path.

Proverbs 3:5–6  “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Addressing the Root: Why the Esophagus Must Come First

It is easy to look at a complex, multi-step medical trial and wonder, "Why do we have to complete this entire phase first if a nerve or sphincter muscle might be the ultimate culprit?"

The answer lies entirely in foundational preparation.

Whether we ultimately discover that the issue with the UES stems purely from a nerve pathway breakdown, or whether calming this environmental irritation is the key that enables the sphincter to resume functioning on its own, the complete esophageal inflammation must be tackled either way. Without addressing the raw, compromised tissue first, it remains a severe, impenetrable roadblock. Even if the UES were to regain perfect mechanical function tomorrow, severe inflammation in the surrounding tissue would still leave swallowing exceptionally difficult—if not impossible.

Trying to repair or retrain a delicate nerve-muscle connection in an environment crowded with inflammatory cells is like trying to build a permanent structure on shifting sand. By taking these eight weeks to settle the tissue now, we eliminate an obstacle that would have halted our progress later down the road. We are clearing away the noise so that when we address nerve and muscle function, we are operating from a stable, healthy baseline.

God is in the Details: The Purpose of Preservation

There is a well-known saying that "the devil is in the details," usually framed as a warning about hidden pitfalls or perfectionist traps. But looking at things through a deeper lens of purpose, I cannot help but turn the phrase around: Au contraire, God is in the details.

These specifics are not trivial facts or minor logistics—they are the exact details He sees, knows, and actively orchestrates. Addressing and documenting this health program for my EoE isn't simply about managing immediate outcomes, tracking diagnostic numbers, or anxiously waiting to see how every test turns out. It is about preservation—preserving the full truth of this journey, honoring the time spent in the waiting, and establishing an authentic record of what it takes to navigate a path like this.

This process of working through every piece and setting the record straight needs to happen either way. Whether a specific medication brings the exact result I hope for or leads us down a secondary diagnostic path, the integrity of the process matters. When you trust the timing and the broader purpose, getting the details right transforms from an act of anxiety into an act of spiritual alignment. It ensures that when things fall into place at the right time, they stand on firm ground.

Preparing the Way for the Table

The ultimate goal of this entire journey has never changed: preparing the way to eat by mouth again.

Every injection, every daily dose, every detailed record, and every medical procedure serves as a deliberate stepping stone toward that destination. While processing all of this information requires significant time and emotional energy, I take profound comfort in knowing that no step is wasted. God works through the orderly, step-by-step details of our lives just as powerfully as He does through sudden, dramatic breakthroughs.

We are taking this one week at a time, trusting the process, and laying an unshakable foundation for complete restoration.

Jeremiah 29:11“‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.’”

Beyond Swallowing: Hard Work, Sweat, and Whole-Body Stewardship

At the exact same time I am endeavoring to accomplish these goals for my swallowing and working through oral coordination exercises, I am also refining skills for my broader physical needs. A major focus of mine right now is on my mobility and walking—specifically concentrating on bending my knee properly to create a movement pattern that is graceful, smooth, and natural, rather than stiff and rigid.

Rebuilding movement involves many moving parts, but I am certainly not afraid of hard work, sweat, or physical fatigue. That is what true recovery demands, and it is something I have stepped up to do many times over. In fact, there is an immense sense of satisfaction in feeling strong, feeling that good physical soreness, and knowing that every effort has a clear, intentional purpose behind it.

Sometimes recovery means facing a physical challenge or a piece of exercise equipment that initially feels intimidating, scary, or downright impossible. But I always believe in stepping up to try anyway. The old saying claims that "practice makes perfect," but for me, practice is about persistent progress. If I cannot perform a movement perfectly today, I can build strength to do a little more tomorrow. I’ve even recently pushed past my own initial hesitation and learned to use gym machines that used to intimidate me. Every single session lays another brick in the foundation of my physical independence.

Call it a bit crazy or unusual, but I even went to my very first massage therapy session recently, focusing heavily on cranial and lymphatic work. I am learning to be deeply mindful of my whole body—recognizing how God designed every system to work in harmony, support itself, and communicate across nerve and tissue pathways. In this arena, I am committed to dotting every i and crossing every t, doing everything within my power to honor and care for the body I've been given as it heals.

Expected Opposition

When you make a firm decision to grow, change, or pursue a meaningful goal, don't be surprised when resistance immediately shows up at your door.

The enemy recognizes when you've drawn a line in the sand. Often, that opposition doesn't come as a giant, obvious threat—it comes disguised through everyday situations, sudden obstacles, or even people close to us who have no idea they are being used to derail your progress.

These moments are specifically designed to press on existing insecurities, amplify doubt, and make quitting feel like the easiest option. But when you recognize the pattern for what it is, the dynamic changes. Instead of letting the hurt shut you down, you can choose to reframe it. What was intended to cause discouragement can become the exact fuel that pushes you forward. Let every attempt to make you shrink become the reason you step up, meet your goal, and rise above it.

 Be encouraged. 🧡

 

​When Prayers Are Kept in Gold (Part 2): Ordered Steps, Surrender, and the Unknown Future ​

In my last post, I shared how the imagery in Revelation—prayers kept in golden vials, precious and never forgotten—helped me process my diagnosis of Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EOE). Receiving that answer on the exact 17th anniversary milestone of my motorcycle accident was a profound reminder that God’s timing is intentional.

​In ancient times and biblical symbolism, gold represents absolute purity and supreme value. God does not treat our petitions as passing, disposable words. He doesn't let them vanish into nothingness. Instead, He preserves them in Heaven like precious treasures.

​Then in Revelation 8:3–4, an angel stands at the golden altar with a censer, and the smoke of that incense—carrying every prayer, every whisper, and every quiet tear—ascends directly before the throne of God. Your words reach the very center of divine authority.

​When Fire Falls: Divine Timing

​Notice what happens next in Revelation 8:5. After the prayers accumulate and the incense rises, the angel takes that same censer, fills it with fire from the altar, and hurls it onto the earth—bringing thunder, lightning, and decisive movement.

​The very vessel that held the quiet, burning prayers of God's people becomes the vessel that carries His power back down to earth.

​This shows us something profound about unanswered prayer: a delay is not indifference—it is preparation.

​God does not operate on a microwave timer. He accumulates our prayers until the precise moment His divine will, timing, and purpose intersect. The vial is filling. When the golden censer is finally poured out, the response carries the full weight of Heaven.

​Looking back on 17 years of prayers that felt unanswered in the moment, I realize now that not a single one was lost in transit. Every prayer offered during those long years was sitting safely in pure gold right at the throne of God, waiting for the right time.

I’ve learned to be content with my circumstances. I have told God that I’d rather enter Heaven like I am than be whole and go to Hell.

​But as I’ve sat with this revelation over the past few days, the Lord has been showing me that the timeline goes even deeper than I initially realized.

​Looking back, I can see a trail of ordered steps. Every closed door, every decision, every person placed in my path was quietly lining up to bring me to this exact moment.

​The Doors That Had to Close: Stepping Away from Teaching

​When you’re in the middle of a life transition, it’s rarely easy. One of the biggest shifts for me was the bittersweet decision to end my time in teaching.

​At the time, walking away from that chapter felt heavy. I knew in my spirit that the Lord was closing that door so He could open new ones, but leaving something familiar is always a test of trust.

​What I didn't see then—what I couldn't see—was that stepping away was a necessary piece of the puzzle.

​If I had stayed on that path, I would not have had the capacity, the flexibility, or the opportunity to meet the specific people I needed to meet, or be in the right places at the right time. Every interaction and shift in my schedule over the last few years was secretly serving a purpose: positioning me to finally receive this diagnosis and the care I needed.

Proverbs 16:9 ​“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”  

​We often want to see the whole staircase, but God usually just shows us the next step. Looking back now, I see that even the painful transitions were acts of protection and preparation.

​Holding Hope Without Demanding Guarantees

I’ll be honest with you: sitting where I am right now is overwhelming.

​I don't know what the future holds with this diagnosis. I don't know every detail of what lies ahead on this medical journey.

​I am remaining extremely positive and hopeful—especially based on the encouraging things I’ve heard from my doctors. But there’s a delicate balance we all have to walk when facing health challenges: how do we hold onto fierce hope without building up human expectations for a specific outcome?

​Scripture tells us that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

​Faith doesn't demand a guaranteed blueprint from God; it simply chooses to trust Him with the unknown. Keeping that faith alive means choosing to believe that whatever comes, God is already in my tomorrow.

When you spent nearly two decades adapting to unresolved physical symptoms, survival mode becomes your second nature. You learn how to push through the exhaustion, downplay the pain, and adjust your daily routines just to keep moving forward. But when an answer finally comes, it brings a whole new emotional season that nobody really prepares you for—the in-between.

The in-between is that quiet space where the mystery has ended, but the healing journey is just beginning. It’s where relief and grief sit at the very same table.

On one hand, there is a profound, holy wonder in knowing that God heard every prayer and that every piece of your timeline was carefully directed. On the other hand, there is a very human weight in realizing how long you carried the heavy burden of the unknown. Allowing yourself to feel both of those things isn't a lack of faith; it’s simply being honest about the human experience.

God doesn't ask us to put on a brave face or pretend the journey hasn't been tiring. Throughout Scripture, He invites us to bring our rawest emotions right into His presence. In the middle of this in-between space, I am learning that surrender isn't a one-time event—it’s a daily decision. It means laying down my desire to control the outcome, releasing the lingering exhaustion of the past 17 years, and choosing to trust that the same God who held my prayers in gold is holding my tomorrow.

If you find yourself in your own "in-between" right now—standing between a past challenge and an unwritten future—give yourself the grace to breathe. You don't have to have every step mapped out today. You just have to hold onto the One who does.

​The Lies We Reject and the Light We Shine

​As I process all of this, two thoughts have become overwhelming, prominent truths in my spirit.

​First, the enemy loves to whisper quiet lies into our hardest seasons. He wants to tell us that we aren't capable. That we can't do it. That we have no voice, no influence, and that our story makes no difference.

​I want to remind you today: anything the enemy tells you is one big lie.

​You do have a voice. You are heard. Your story does make a difference, and what you do with your life matters deeply.

​My ultimate goal in sharing all of this—the highs, the lows, the diagnoses, and the waiting—is simply to share the goodness of God with a thankful heart. As children of God, that should be our highest calling: to live in such a way that when people look at our lives, they see something unique, different, and undeniably pointing back to Jesus.

​Doing My Part: Faith and Practical Determination

​Refusing to listen to those lies doesn't mean pretending things are easy. It means getting up every day and doing the work, trusting God to supply the strength.

​Recently, I was attending an event at a large facility with over a thousand people. Between the crowds and the long walking distances, using my walker was an absolute necessity. To be completely honest, I’ve never wanted to rely on it less than I did that week.

​While I am grateful for the help when I need it, it is my goal to keep pushing forward, making steady improvements so that one day I may not need it in those spaces. Even small, practical changes make a difference—like finding a backpack for my things so my balance isn't thrown off by carrying weight on just one side.

​I know that physical progress takes time, dedication, and God’s grace. But looking back over my life, that is exactly how I have overcome every single obstacle I’ve ever conquered. God provides the grace, but He also calls us to take the next step.

​Nothing New Under the Sun

​Our struggles may be unique in the details, but as Ecclesiastes reminds us, there is nothing new under the sun. We all carry burdens. We all fight battles—some visible, some hidden.

​My prayer is that by sharing my journey with open hands and an honest heart, you find a spark of encouragement for yours. Whatever battle you are facing today, remember that your prayers are kept in gold, your steps are ordered, your voice matters, and the God who brought you this far is faithful to see you through.

 Be encouraged. 🧡

                                Listen to this song 🎵Middle of a Miracle