June 18, 2026

Hey guys,

I hope you're having a great week. This week’s Thought comes from I Peter 5:7-8. Verse 7 says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares for you.” 

“All your worries and cares” — the things that cause you stress, that make you anxious, the difficulties and trials you're going through — give all those to God, because He cares for you. This hit home for me this week in particular. Today, we leave for the Middle East. When we meet together as a team before we leave, we always warn them to “Be prepared for opposition, be prepared for trials, obstacles and difficulties. Expect things to pop up out of nowhere before you leave, because the enemy does not want this to happen!”

That's always our advice for those that go with us. However, I needed to heed that advice myself over the last couple of weeks. The enemy has hit me from all different directions: physical ailments, relational issues, family struggles, and others. It’s in those moments that we need to remind ourselves God wants you to give your cares to Him because He cares for you. The things you're struggling with, the things you're dealing with, the things that weigh you down, give those to God because He wants to care for you. 

Then you couple that with verse eight, “Stay alert, watch out for our great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”

Devour gives us this picture of a lion attacking an animal and ripping it apart in seconds. I don't think that's how the enemy works, at least not in my experience, both in what I have experienced myself and in my family, but also in the experiences of those with whom I've served. The enemy doesn't attack in such a way that at one time, or in one attack, everything's devoured. It's always been attack after attack after attack after attack. In my own personal experience these last two weeks, it's been a little attack, a little jab, a little stick, a little diversion, a little emergency. All those things were aimed at my downfall. Ultimately, the enemy wants to devour us, take us out of the game and take us away from what God has called us to. 

So, this week, let me challenge you: give your cares to Him, because He cares for you, but also stay alert, because our enemy is on the prowl!

Love you guys,

John