Breakthrough rarely starts with strategy – it starts with prayer.
In Nehemiah, we see a leader move from comfort to calling through a simple but powerful pattern: Burden, Revelation, Examination, Agreement, Knock.
And the door will be opened…
‘AND IT CAME TO PASS’ – Used nearly 400 times. In Hebrew and Greek, it’s a narrative marker.
Something happens. (IT!) Then time passes. Then God moves the story on.
It never says:
It came to stay.
or
It came to define you forever.
IT came, whatever it is – (or now was, because, it passed).
Every suffering in Scripture comes with an expiry date – even if the length of that season is unclear at the time.
As the year opens, John 15 reminds us that vines grow through seasons, not constant progress. Pruning can feel brutal, tough soil can feel like the wrong place, and winter can feel empty – but the Father is the vinedresser. Hard ground doesn’t mean you’re misplaced -it may be preparing you for fruit still to come.
If disappointment isn’t dealt with at the end of the year, it doesn’t disappear – it comes with us. Here’s a biblical way to close one chapter before opening the next.
Some say AI will destroy the future of work.
Paul says ministry was never a job to begin with – it was a grace to steward.
AI can do admin.
It can’t administer God’s grace.
That distinction will matter – more than ever.
A simple Christingle talk for families, rooted in John 1:1–5, exploring light, life and love at Christmas. Free to use in churches and schools.
Something is stirring in our culture for those with eyes to see it. It’s an answer to prayer. It’s not a loud movement or a headline-grabbing revival, but a quiet turning of hearts. We are seeing people who would never call themselves religious asking deeper questions, reading the Bible, and finding themselves drawn toward Jesus. The story of the Magi reminds us that this kind of searching is not new. Long before they were imagined to be riding camels on Christmas cards and in carols, ancient seekers followed a faint light in the darkness, trusting there was more to life than what they could see. Their journey helps us understand why curious moderns today are finding God in remarkably similar ways.
Delegation and empowering others is a vital aspect of effective leadership that can prevent burnout and promote a thriving ministry.
Leadership development is a journey that requires intention, planning, and a willingness to invest in others.
As I studied John 1 again, I noticed a pattern — a progression, that mirrors how someone comes to know God, grow in His love, and go out to make a difference. And I’m not saying this is like The Bible Code to start some conspiracy, but…
It matches perfectly with Ivy’s Discipleship Pathway!
DISCOVER → DELIVER → DEVOTE → DEVELOP → DEPLOY
Let’s walk through the passage and see how this unfolds.
Plans are better than goals
Pretty much everyone sets goals. We’re fast headed toward New Year’s Resolutions time which are just goals you make with a Christmas paunch or hangover.
But a goal without a plan is just a daydream.
So let me ask you a simple question:
What’s your plan to develop as a leader this coming year?