That desire to see someone flourish? You got it from God.
He too is deeply invested in your success— Not just in what you do, But in who you become.
And like any wise parent, He uses the tiniest moments to train us for eternity.
When God Gives You a Parking Ticket
Learning to Reign by Losing What You Deserve
I had a dream the other night.
I’d found the perfect parking spot—maybe at a hospital or university. But someone official needed help, so I gave up my space and drove over to assist them. Later, I returned, but there were no more vacant parking spots. I quickly parked in a no-parking zone and ran inside for a two-minute errand, only to come back and find the same official writing me a ticket.
“I’m just doing my job,” he said.
I was furious.
Even after waking up, I was still seething—this wasn’t just frustration. It felt like righteous indignation.
But then a gentle whisper rose inside:
Why are you so angry?
Not “Why do you care?” But “Why is this anger spewing forth from you?”
If we really want to stand for what’s right, can we do it with a calm, grounded presence?
Cain’s story echoes: “Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted?” (Genesis 4:6–7). In the original language, God asks Cain, “Why is your nose red?” We’ve all been there.
My anger, unchecked, would only make things worse. This moment was training. Learning to reign over my own reactions so I can one day stand—with strength and peace—for what’s right.
If God is with us all the time, and every moment can be an invitation to deeper formation, what just got stirred up in me? What is God showing me?
I saw a picture: molten gold, impurities rising to the surface. It’s not punishment. It’s purification.
Jesus said, “I only do what I see the Father doing” (John 5:19). If we believe that, then even something as mundane as a parking ticket might be heaven’s way of exposing impatience, pride, or entitlement— not to shame us, but to set us free.
David prayed, “Create in me a clean heart” (Psalm 51:10). Ezekiel saw the promise: a heart of flesh for a heart of stone (Ezekiel 11). And Jesus modeled what real authority looks like: A responsive heart that walks in step with the Father.
In His kindness, God doesn’t start with thrones. He starts with traffic violations. He trains us like a fitness coach—one small resistance at a time.
If we endure, we will also reign with Him (2 Timothy 2:12).
But if we can’t reign over our reactions, How will we ever reign with Christ?
Reflection Question
Where is God inviting you to grow in emotional maturity and spiritual responsiveness?
A Simple Prayer
Lord, shape my heart. Make it soft and in tune with Yours. Help me walk with You today— especially when things don’t go my way.
Deanna’s Journey to Healing
Some of Deanna’s biggest fans came with her on her new adventure.
This was a big week.
The CT scan showed that the cancer has not spread to Deanna’s organs. That was the final big checkpoint. With that confirmed, the doctor is confident that Deanna is on a curative treatment path.
On Saturday, Deanna helped at the Food Centre that Anni leads monthly at Central Heights Church. It went well. But later that day, she developed a fever and began shaking. By 4:30 p.m., we were in Emergency, thinking we’d be home by supper.
We weren’t.
At 4:30 a.m.—twelve hours later—she was finally released with antibiotics and a diagnosis: early-stage pneumonia.
We’re learning the rhythm of chemo now:
Steroids. Chemo infusion. Stop the steroids. Crash.
The crash lasts about five days. It’s when her immune system is at its lowest. It’s also when infections strike hardest.
Then slowly—week three—she begins to rise again, just in time to start the next round.
We’ve now completed two full cycles, and made two visits to what we now call “Emerge.”
We’ve crossed over— immersed in a new culture, where syllables disappear, and everything smells faintly of hand sanitizer.
Still, Deanna walks this road with grace. And the good news from the CT scan makes the rest of it a little easier to bear.
We’re learning. We’re grateful. We’re hopeful.
Deanna’s healing path includes 6 rounds of chemotherapy.
Restoration of strength in her lungs and immune system
That God’s Spirit would flow at the Gurupá River Conference this week
That God’s Spirit would flow in you—and in each person who reads and reflects on these ideas
From Abbotsford to the Amazon
Milton and Luciana—our friends and leaders of Vineyard Brazil—are en route to a remote leadership conference in Gurupá. These are the kinds of gatherings we’ve been part of for years: long canoe rides, jungle heat, spontaneous worship, and joy far from the spotlight.
Just seeing the photos makes our hearts ache—in a good way.
The Secret to Happiness
We’ve learned this much:
Enjoy everything you can, In the season you’re in. Even the hard parts. Even the waiting rooms. Even the parking tickets.
If you do that, you’ll be left with a storehouse of rich memories that only grow more beautiful with time.
