Turn the Page

 

Turn the page. Flip the script.
Thursday, January 1, 2026 by Brave Knight Writers

As one year closes, another opens—and we reflect while looking forward. It occurs to me that one constant is the need to fight evil. From the beginning of time, evil has reared its ugly head in various guises. And then the ‘historians’ step in to ‘splain it to us.

I’ve found my niche this year, in writing devotions. It gives me peace and joy to search the Bible for passages of truth, or righteousness, or the need for a gospel of peace while wielding a sword. The first book in the devotional series is on Amazon, Daily Devotions For Brave Knights: feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. The second book will be published this winter, Daily Devotions for Brave Knights: with truth like a belt around your waist.

We also met some amazing tween and teen authors, Zach and Matt Pierre. Find their story and books at their website.

So I’ll share a few of my favorite devotionals, and stories of Brave Knights, to end one year’s fight and begin the struggle of another. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood. . .

A STORY OF BRAVE KNIGHTS

We sometimes take our ability to gather and worship for granted. People in some countries don’t have that luxury. They attend church, gather together, worship God—and get tortured and killed for it.

Tens of thousands of Christians have been killed in recent months, most notably in Nigeria and Sudan. Other areas of the world have also suffered this lately. Churches and homes are burned, and Christians of all ages killed or kidnapped.

These Christians are secure in their knowledge of God and His mercy. Even with threat of death, they don’t deny knowing God. They don’t just know about Him, they have a personal relationship with Him, and cannot say they don’t know Him, no matter the circumstances and consequences.

THEY ARE BRAVE KNIGHTS,

WORSHIPPING GOD, EVEN AT THE RISK OF DEATH!

SCRIPTURE- Isaiah 58:7… and not to ignore your own flesh and blood?

REFLECT & REMEMBER- Who are the people we are responsible for taking care of first?

This also ties into James 1:27-Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

SCRIPT- REMEMBER and CARE for the needs of your family first- it can be as simple as writing a card or drawing a picture. THINK about who may especially need some loving concern.

 BE A BRAVE KNIGHT!

YOUR REFLECTIONS: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SCRIPTURE- Isaiah 65:24 Even before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear.

REFLECT & REMEMBER- When does God know our needs and wants?

What is He trying to tell us?

SCRIPT- PRACTICE making your wants the same as God’s wants for you.

BE A BRAVE KNIGHT!

YOUR REFLECTIONS: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SCRIPTURE- Exodus 20: Do not give false testimony against your neighbor.

REFLECT & REMEMBER- If you lie, or don’t say what you need to say, will it ever lead to anything good in the long run?

Many of the commandments tie into each other. What other commandments are you breaking when you lie about someone?

SCRIPT- TELL the entire truth, especially if it’s not easy. We can’t see what God has planned.

BE A BRAVE KNIGHT!

YOUR REFLECTIONS: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A BRAVE KNIGHT’S STORY

We can only hope to be as full of joy as our good friend George.

George’s daughter was born with extensive cerebral palsy, requiring much care and devotion. He was happy to discern her every need and provide for it.

His son faced a debilitating illness for a decade until it took his life in his early twenties. George helped him all along the way. He carried him on his back to travel into the woods and explore.

George lived with excruciating arthritis, crippling his hands into gnarls. He carried on with all of the various and many activities he could.

He developed Chrohn’s disease, which caused major intestinal distress, pain, and limitations. He endured surgeries to manage it.

He received a fatal diagnosis but reached out for experimental treatment, just in case it could save him to be with his family a while longer.

Through it all, he displayed a bright smile and consideration for others.

HE WAS A BRAVE KNIGHT, FACING ILLNESS AND DEATH, BUT CHOSE TO CARRY ON WITH COURAGE, NOT FEAR.

God commands us to fear not, many times. Let’s carry on into 2026 with courage, knowing we are fitted with the full armor of God.

So embrace the challenges of the coming year with courage, good humor, and belief in something greater than yourself. Overcome with love and kindness, allow the true victories to unfold in the spiritual realm and turn over all glory to God.

                                         HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!

Be the Honey

 

BE the HONEY
Sunday, February 1, 2026 by Brave Knight Writers

Considered the impact of those you engage with along your path of life. What will your loved ones and acquaintances remember and reflect on, when they think about you? Will they even think about you at all? How do you let others impact you?

Jesus told us in the last days, people will be cold, lovers of self. Do you see that playing out? There’s plenty of excuses to go around. It’s easy to be considerate of everyone but family. Or everyone except the opposite political party. Or everyone except (insert label).

How many people will attend your memorial service? How much loss will they feel? Does it completely depend on you and your actions? What about the cultural tendency to focus on self?

And what about deconstruction? Social trends emerge almost before we even know what’s going on, if we’re not paying attention. Deconstructing history, deconstructing the truth is rampant now. AI is only going to increase that tendency. And yes there is only one truth, God’s truth—even if we don’t always figure out what that is.

Deconstructing the truth of another person’s life, we are basing our assumptions on our perspective. How can that begin to be a complete picture?

Take the best, leave the rest. Learn from every person you encounter. How not to BE. How to BE. We are human BEings. We’re meant to BE what God envisioned and planned for each of us. There’s only one way to know what that might BE. BE in the Word. BE in prayer. BE observant of each other’s hopes, dreams, and missions.

BE gracious, BE positive, BE considerate. How can you do that if you don’t take another person’s perspective? Try to take their perspective. Do you know what it means to BE them?

Have you traveled their path? Have you considered their past?

We lost a Brave Knight this month. Each person takes up their personal cross and follows their personal path, which eventually leads to the ‘other side’, a beautiful shore. Or not.

God will not BE mocked. He expects us to seek the entire truth of our existence as we travel our path. We can’t do this if we’re busy creating our own truths. God is the creator. Of us. Of truth. Of our existence.

Consider the good of someone’s life, their achievements, yes. But also the accomplishments that they didn’t have to do, they just did. Anyone can live the selfish life of the bar scene, the living for TV scene, the wrapped up in work and control scene, or even the do-gooder scene.

Consider this: A young mother of three whose father has an accident. He is paralyzed and in hospital rehabilitation for many months. She totes her three young children along while she cooks and cleans and cares for her parents’ children at home—seven of them. When life returns to the new normal, she takes along the youngest few, with her own kids, to gym & swim, to cultural events, to church events, to piano lessons, to parks, and playgrounds. She creates homemade gifts for the entire family, such as dresses for special occasions, and reading pillows for all. There’s no softball team in the town for girls, and girls were not allowed to play baseball in those days, so she starts a softball team. What does she know about the sport? Next to nothing. So she reads about it and drives ahead. Her team wins the league championship the first year. She starts a track team for kids ages 3 to 12.  She moves several kids along into AAU track, they make it to eastern nationals. She chauffeurs and provides drinks, honey, and encouragement. The honey convinces the kids they’ll have lots of energy to run. She encourages all the kids around her to do their best and provides a way for them to succeed. She spent many nights in a supportive role for musical band members of her family. She was one of the pioneer volunteers at the local pregnancy resource center. She not only provided essential supplies for babies and their mamas, but she created beautiful flower beds around the facility to add an element of nature for the young families visiting there. And in her old age? She continued to organize family get-togethers, provide numerous dinners in her home, and deliver 7 course meals to family in the midst of house-building. She even dressed up as Mrs. Claus to entertain local school kids.  And continued to call those she loved, Honey.

Let’s BE the honey of encouragement, the honey that sticks together. Who have you encouraged as they run the good race, trying to fulfill their God-given mission?

2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.