Tag Archives: Jesus

Celebrate Every Milestone: Your Journey is Worth Remembering!

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Our lives are a journey full of moments—big and small—that shape who we are.  And when we get married and life gets busy, it’s easy to let these landmark days slip by.  But by making it a point to celebrate them, they become a powerful practice that strengthens our relationships and deepens our faith.

In the Bible, we are constantly reminded of the importance of remembering God’s faithfulness.  This act of celebration is rooted in thankfulness.  Psalm 77:11 says, “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.”  When we celebrate our anniversaries, birth dates, or relationship milestones, we are essentially building our own ‘milestones of remembrance.’  We acknowledge that the good in our lives is a blessing and that our journey is supported by someone greater.

Here are three ways to apply this practice in our lives, making our journey richer:

  1. Identify:
    • Think beyond the major holidays. What are the key dates in your life? (e.g., date of meeting a spouse, the day you started a new career, the anniversary of a personal breakthrough, or a commitment to faith).
    • Our Example: Debbie and I met on a blind date on Nov 3, 1991, and she said “I DO” on May 1, 1992, which are both foundational days we always celebrate.
  2. Be Intentional (Doesn’t Mean Expensive):
    • Celebration doesn’t require a big party or gift.  It requires intentionality.
    • Plan a simple, meaningful action: a special dinner, writing a handwritten note, or taking a few minutes to pray together and give thanks for that specific day.  The value is in the memory, not the cost.
  3. Reflect:
    • Use the milestone day as a chance to look back and appreciate how far you’ve come.
    • Then, look forward and reaffirm your commitment to the journey, whether it’s your commitment to a person, a goal, or your spiritual path.  This reflection keeps your foundations strong.

Every single milestone in your life is a checkpoint of God’s grace and a reminder of your perseverance.  Start celebrating those days this year, and you’ll find a renewed appreciation for the journey!

The Power of Words in Marriage

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How your tongue can shape your relationship—for better or worse

We’ve all heard it before: “Words have power.” But few of us realize just how true that is until we see the effects of what we’ve said, whether in encouragement or regret.

The Bible says it clearly:

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” — Proverbs 18:21

Words are not just sounds—they are seeds. They carry the power to grow love, trust, and intimacy… or to plant bitterness, pain, and distance.

Communication is the Lifeline of Marriage

In every marriage, communication is the heartbeat. It’s how we resolve conflict, show affection, share our hearts, and stay connected. Your relationship’s strength—or weakness—often comes down to the words you use daily.

Sadly, we live in a world that treats words lightly. Sarcasm, passive aggression, and criticism have become the norm in entertainment and even in everyday conversations.  The result?  A culture desensitized to the damage careless words can cause.

If you come from a background where criticism, yelling, or verbal abuse are common, it’s easy to repeat those patterns without realizing the harm.

But here’s the truth: You have the power to change that.

If You Don’t Like the Harvest, Change the Seeds

Every word we speak is a seed.  Over time, our words create a harvest in our relationships.  If your marriage feels distant, tense, or wounded, it might be time to look at the seeds you’ve been planting.

Encouraging words plant peace.  Honest words build trust.  Gentle words soften hearts.  But harsh words?  They build walls.

If you want a different harvest in your marriage, change your seeds.

Pause Before You Speak

Today, I challenge you to be more mindful of your words.  Before speaking, take a moment to pause and ask yourself:

  • Am I building up or tearing down?
  • Is this coming from a place of love or frustration?
  • Will this help heal or cause harm?

Questions to Reflect On:

  • Am I communicating with my spouse enough, not just logistics, but emotionally and spiritually?
  • Do I speak praise, appreciation, and kindness often?
  • Have I said anything recently that I need to apologize for?
  • Am I using my words to bring life or death into my relationship?

Speak Life, Not Death

You have one life to live.  One marriage to nurture.  One tongue—and with it, the power to either bless or break the heart of the one you love most.

Choose life.  Speak love.  And watch the seeds you plant today grow into a harvest of deeper connection, healing, and joy.

Want more encouragement like this?
Subscribe to the blog or share this post with someone who could use a reminder of the power of their words.

Naked

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I pray that everyone had a blessed weekend.

For most of us, there’s a deep desire to be loved, heard, needed, wanted, desired, and pursued. I believe every marriage should be full of these things—overflowing, even.

As I share on the topic of “naked,” I encourage you to open your heart and ask God to reveal how you can become the best version of yourself—and how you can consistently show up for your spouse.

“And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.” 
(Genesis 2:25)

I find it so powerful that when God created Adam and Eve, He made them naked, and they had no shame.

That word “naked” in Genesis 2:25 means “to be exposed.” In other words, God designed marriage to be a space where we can expose ourselves fully—mentally, emotionally, spiritually, sexually, and physically—without fear, without shame.

Because of this, we can experience intimacy on every possible level. When you are truly “naked” in your marriage—fully exposed and unashamed—you offer your spouse complete access to your life.

You can talk about anything without fear.
You can express your sexuality without inhibition.
You can share your darkest struggles and brightest dreams without worrying about being judged.

But all of this depends on one key condition: that the relationship remains naked, with both spouses willing to remain exposed, honest, and vulnerable in every area.

This goes so much deeper than just the physical. It creates a level of connection and purity that every relationship deserves.

If something has created a wall between you, take responsibility. Apologize for any hurtful words or actions, and begin moving forward, hand in hand.

We must always be intentional about how we treat each other. Watch your words, your attitudes, and your actions. Don’t allow yourself to start taking each other for granted. When you make a mistake, be quick to apologize.

This is how you build a “naked” marriage—the kind God intended.

Remember, it’s NEVER too late to change!

And don’t forget to enjoy the journey!

Battle Ready: Couples “The Pursuit”

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Pursuit Defined: “The action of following or pursuing someone or something.”

When we talk about pursuing our spouse, it means actively and intentionally seeking after them—to cultivate and strengthen the relationship. It’s about making a consistent effort to spend quality time together, engage in meaningful conversations, and discover or rediscover shared interests. Pursuing your spouse means showing up for them emotionally and physically because those two are the power twins of a thriving relationship.

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife.”
Genesis 2:24

The Hebrew word for “joined” or “cling” in this verse is dabaq, which means to pursue with great zeal. From the very beginning, God was clear: marriage is work! That’s right—it takes intentional effort, but the reward is a deep, lasting love that’s worth every bit of energy you pour into it.

Couples fall in love because they invest in each other. We try to impress one another, we’re careful to be sensitive, and we go out of our way to please. But somewhere along the journey, many couples shift into “coasting mode.” We stop investing. We stop pursuing. Comfort settles in—and with it comes the risk of taking each other for granted. The energetic behaviors that sparked love begin to fade. The result? Lost passion, boredom, and tension.

I can’t speak for everyone, but if we’re being honest, many of us have been there—or are there right now. This comfort zone, if left unchecked, can become a breeding ground for conflict and disconnection, leaving couples passionless and, at times, standing at the edge of separation.

But here’s the good news: resurrection is possible. It doesn’t happen overnight, but with intention, humility, and a little hard work, we can fire up our marriages to be better than they’ve ever been.

Let’s Take Action Together

Pray Together
Faith-filled prayer changes things.

Mark 11:23-24 NKJ “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”

Talk It Out
Ask each other these questions. Listen with open hearts—no interrupting, no negativity, just honest conversation.

  • Do we sometimes take each other for granted?
  • If so, in what ways?
  • What practical steps can we take to begin pursuing each other again, the way we did when we were dating?

Walk It Out

What I mean with “Walk It Out” is to take action steps like:

  • The next time you’re in the car together, reach for your spouse’s hand.
  • When out walking, take the initiative to hold hands.
  • A good bye kiss OR an I LOVE YOU before you end your phone call.

Just taking these simple, quiet gestures says “I’m still here. I still choose you. I still want you”.

It’s all about bringing something new into the moment and even if they don’t respond, just keep investing because it will pay off.

Marriage isn’t easy BUT it’s worth whatever it takes, no investment on our behalf is too much.  

In a world where marriages are falling apart daily, let’s be the light in the world to show what a lasting marriage looks like!

Remember, it’s NEVER too late to change, so let the pursuit begin =)

And don’t forget to enjoy the journey!

Battle Ready – Couples:  “You Don’t Always Have The Answer”

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If there’s one thing I’ve learned (and am still learning), it’s this: I don’t always have the answer—and that’s okay.

When Debbie is going through one of life’s speed bumps, I struggle. I hurt because she’s hurting. For years, I believed it was my job to fix it, to say or do something I thought would be helpful and make it better. But sometimes, trying to help actually made it worse.

I’ve come to realize: Only God can be the calm in the middle of the storm. We’ve got to stop trying to play God in our spouse’s life. That role is already filled.

I read a statement a few years ago that didn’t truly hit home until recently:
“It’s okay not to have all the answers to your spouse’s struggles.”
I’ll be honest—I didn’t like that truth. It feels like I’m giving up when I can’t help, but the more I pray over this, the more I see the truth in it.
I’m not God—and that’s not just okay… it’s necessary as we are called to fully rely on Him above all others.

So often, when we try to help, we draw from our own past struggles. We tell stories, offer advice, and try to give perspective. And while our intentions may be good, sometimes what our spouse hears is:
“I got through it. You should be able to as well.”

That’s not helpful; in fact, it can feel dismissive and create even more issues.

What our spouse really needs in that moment isn’t a solution.
They need presence.
They need compassion.
They need prayer.

Sometimes, that means praying with them out loud in the moment. Other times, it means silently lifting them up while sitting quietly beside them, holding space, being a rock, being there.

We have to remember to validate their feelings, no matter what we think they should feel. It’s not about fixing. It’s about being supportive, present, and listening.

And let’s be honest: shutting our mouths and just listening in love can be one of the hardest things to do—especially when everything inside us is screaming, “Say something! Fix it!” But love often looks like quiet strength.

You don’t always have the answer—and that doesn’t make you weak. It makes you humble. It makes you teachable. It makes you human.

And when we lean into that, we create space for God to do what only He can.

REST

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This post is from my first LWT partner teaching letter of 2024 and I wanted to share it here also with you. It’s titled “Finding Godly Rest in a Noisy World”.

God has always wanted the best for us, His kids, and for us to enjoy the life we have been blessed with. John 10:10 tells us that Jesus came so that we “may have life and have it abundantly”.  Sadly, many aren’t enjoying the abundant life God has blessed us with through Jesus.  Why is that?  I think that it’s in our daily choices and one of those choices is to not rest in the abundant blessings of God.  Where there is no rest there is no joy or peace.

Let’s look at the word abundantly a little closer.  In the Greek translation, it is “Perissos” which translates as superabundance, excessive, overflowing, surplus, over and above, more than enough, profuse, extraordinary, above the ordinary, and more than sufficient. That’s a powerful word and through Jesus, it describes the life God has planned for us, His kids.

We can only find true rest in the Godly abundance that He has provided us IF we can put our faith and trust in Him.  I said, trust and not try!  Living by faith is not a struggle but instead, it’s a rest. You can enter into God’s rest in every area of your life no matter what’s going on around you IF you trust in Him.

I have discovered that stress comes from the way we approach circumstances and our attitudes.  I have realized that the world will probably never change, but I can learn how to change the way I go about handling challenging situations.  When we don’t do our part which is to trust in Him and instead try to do His part ourselves, that’s when we live stressed out with worry, fear, anxiety, frustration, no peace, and no joy.  We MUST always remind ourselves that worrying is useless and trusting God means we give up worrying, reasoning, and anxiety and enter into His rest. 

I want to leave you with this, trust God’s unconditional love for you today and every day. Do what you can do and give Him the rest!  When you find yourself getting frustrated, feeling overwhelmed, like you just can’t do it anymore, remember to stop, get your focus back on Him, and enter His rest once again.  It’s so amazing to know that God is always with us, showering us with His goodness, mercy, and grace!

Enjoy the journey,
Keith & Debbie

50 Strong

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50 Strong

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Hiking trail view along Abalone Cove, San Pedro, CA – Photo taken by https://reachonedesigns.wordpress.com/

“After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.”
Nelson Mandela

My hope is that this post will find its way into the right hands this day to encourage and maybe add some humor and joy to it.

I realized this morning that I’m in the 30-day countdown till I turn 50 which to many that means I’m going “over the hill”. Well, that is NOT the case, as I’m doing it with great joy and NOT with fear and trembling =). I’m actually excited about the climb, the peak at the top and getting to see what’s next!

I just asked a group of friends that are very special in my life but also way younger than me, to be like a sounding board for my blog and podcast which are all getting relaunched on June the 1st. Their youthfulness is inspiring to me. So many reach a certain age and seem to think they don’t need youthfulness around them, but we all need each other!

I can remember at one point in my life thinking 50 was forever away and that “yes” when I got there, I would be old! But now I exuberantly say, “Bring it on”! So, which brought me think, “What Biblical nugget can I share about 50?” When you search the number 50 out in the Bible, you can find it many times and used in so many different ways. But one way stood out to me that was being used in a passage of deliverance. How is the number 50 related to deliverance? Well, I’m glad you asked! Fifty symbolizes deliverance or freedom from a burden. God commanded ancient Israel that every 50th year, on the Day of Atonement, that a Jubilee was to be declared with the sound of a trumpet (Leviticus 25). During the Jubilee year, ALL debts were settled in favor of the debtor and inheritances were returned to their rightful owners. Also, those who worked as slave laborers in order to repay a debt were granted their freedom to return home to their families and land. I’m actually seeing my Jubilee year coming I guess you would say and am ready to hear the trumpet sound. =)

I say often, “Life is a journey” and by design, I believe the journey was only to be the transition to a new place when we stop breathing. Until then, we should be seeking the adventure in every second and enjoying every breath no matter what life throws our way. We should be looking for ways to better ourselves and NOT be looking for excuses to slow down and accept that we are too old to do what we want or enjoy. Debbie and I were out jogging last night and talking about a friend we met through a local running club. They called him “Papa Turtle” because at 70+ he could run forever it seemed. He inspires me to push myself further than what feels comfortable and reach for things that others say you shouldn’t be doing anymore.

If 50 is in your line of sight OR way back behind you in the rear-view mirror of life, make no excuses for why you can’t any longer do what you really want to do. Instead, start reminding yourself that YES you can! As in the Nelson Mandela quote I shared above, there are many more mountains to conquer; so start climbing!!

Start today, right this very moment, investing in yourself. Read new books, exercise, step outside the box of the norm for you, and trade those old negative habits in for some new positive ones. Make whatever age you’re at the most impactive one of your life yet.

“Influence”

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This post is a teaching I did at Living Water Teaching’s US headquarters located in Caddo Mills, TX.  You can CLICK HERE to listen to the recording now or CLICK HERE to go to iTunes and download the Podcast.

Influence is defined as: “The capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something.”

One of the most important choices we make in life is what we ALLOW to influence us. Please take note of the word, ALLOW. We allow what influences us, it can’t take control and do it all on its own!

One major influence is what or who we spend the most time with. What we listen to, watch, read and allow to be in our lives, becomes a potential influencer.

In Proverbs 13, we read about the topic of wisdom. I really like v:20 in the NLT translation, which says: “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.”

There are two powerful forces that battle to influence us, wisdom and foolishness. The Bible reveals to us in Proverbs 9 that they are competing for our attention, calling out for us to follow them. So many people take the bait, hook, line, and sinker!

Something important to note about foolishness; it’s deceptive, and it can appear informed and attractive. We see it all over social media, in print, on tv and hear it on the radio. I was thinking about the news as I wrote this and the effect it has as we listen to it and then when you add the pictures to it as well, it can get so much worse. Most of the time, it provokes us to react because of the things we hear and see, and not in the right way.

To get a true understanding of wisdom and foolishness, let’s look at how they are defined.

Foolishness is defined as: “Lack of good sense or judgment; stupidity.”

Wisdom is defined as: “The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise.” 

Wisdom and foolishness express themselves through the words of the influencers which we allow into our lives. We’d like to think we’d never be influenced by foolish people. However, foolishness is deceptive and can appear informed and attractive.

When we read 2 Corinthians 11, we read where Paul was frustrated because the church allowed foolishness to deceive them. We read about their faithfulness as well as their foolishness, along with false apostles. Paul brings truth to light to distinguish the wise people apart from the foolish people. Here are three ways he did it; they can help us in our daily lives.

1.  Fools listen to anything anyone says. Wise people compare what they hear to God’s Word and in prayer receive revelation. They also seek wise counsel from those that they trust. (2 Corinthians 11:3-4).
2.  Fools look to move up the ladder, becoming anyone and saying anything to get ahead. We call this type of person a YES person. Wise people are faithful with the opportunities God gives them, and they always put others first. (2 Corinthians 11:7-15).
3.  Fools boast about their achievements (2 Corinthians 11:17-18). The wise know to boast in the Lord. (2 Corinthians 11:30-31).
Listening to foolish influences carries harmful consequences, but listening to the wise can help makes us wise (Proverbs 13:20).

In a world so full of opinions, the Bible must always be our rudder of truth and wisdom.

Here are 3 questions to ask yourself:
1. Who or what influences you the most? Based on the three things previously mentioned, are those influences wise or foolish?
2. If necessary, what is one way you can begin now to change who and or what influences you today?
3. What is one situation you need to ask God for wisdom about? James 1:5 tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you”.

 

Faith, Fact OR Fear

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Faith, fact or fear

Faith, Fact OR Fear

Today I shared at Living Water Teaching’s US Headquarters, in Caddo Mills, TX on “Faith, Fact OR Fear”.  Please go check it out and also help me get this teaching out to as many as possible.

You can CLICK HERE to go online and listen to the message.

You can also go to iTunes by CLICKING HERE and subscribe to the Kingdom Thinking podcast.

I would love to hear from you below!

Greatness Through Serving

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“Greatness Through Serving”

Today I shared at Living Water Teaching’s US Headquarters, in Caddo Mills, TX on “Greatness Through Serving”.  I used Matthew 20:20-28 as my reference.  I believe with all my heart that TRUE & LASTING greatness only comes through serving others!

You can CLICK HERE to go online and listen to the message.

I would love to hear from you on your thoughts on serving and also how you would define it, below.