Hidden Cobwebs
Cleaning the chapels here in Wales is no easy feat. Honestly, it's downright frustrating at times! These old buildings seem to be home to a multitude of spiders that spin their webs day after day, resulting in a scene that resembles something from a scary movie, with elaborate cobwebs stretched across every surface. Every. Single. Surface.
The trickiest part about cleaning is that you can only see the webs when the light hits them just right. And since we have so little sunlight in Wales (let me tell you, the sun is a rare and precious commodity here), you can think you've gotten them all, only to have a ray of sunshine stream through the window and illuminate an elaborate web in the very area you just cleaned. I was literally standing there with my duster, feeling quite proud of myself, when suddenly the sun decided to make an appearance and reveal my failure. There, right where I'd just cleaned, was a massive cobweb I'd completely missed.
Tasting God’s Word, Not Just Checking Boxes
Yup, I've been guilty of it. I sit down with my Bible and reading plan, determined to knock out my chapters for the day. I glance at the clock, calculate how much time I have, and speed-read through the passages like I'm cramming for a test. Check, check, check. Done. Box ticked. Gold star earned. But when I close my Bible, I can't remember a single thing I just read.
Sound familiar?
There's a surge of Bible reading happening right now. Millions of people are starting 2026 with the intention of reading Scripture more faithfully. Bible sales rose 11% in 2025, with more than 18 million Bibles sold. Weekly Bible reading is at its highest level in 15 years. This is wonderful news! But I'm concerned that maybe we've turned Bible reading into another item on our to-do list instead of what it truly is: an invitation to encounter the Living God.
Walking in Their Footsteps
In my last devotion, I shared how, over the past week or so, Wales has been graced with a beautiful blanket of snow. Not long after I wrote that devotion, we woke up to around seven inches of white, fluffy snow. It was beautiful, though Tess, our little terrier, did not appreciate it at all! Still, there's something magical about fresh snowfall...at least until you have to walk through it.
Despite the cool and crazy weather, Jason and I have tried to maintain our daily habit of going out for a pleasant family walk. We've bundled up against the cold and put on our best boots. Tess has been sporting her stylish purple jacket with a cozy fleece lining. It's been quite the adventure, let me tell you!
Basking Like a Coney: Why Christians Need Time in the Son
I think I’ve discovered a new favorite animal, and surprisingly, it’s not a dog. It’s the coney, also known as the rock badger or rock hyrax. Picture a chubby, rabbit-sized creature with short legs, a round body, and a constant expression of “I wasn’t ready for this photo.” Not exactly fierce or intimidating. In fact, the Bible describes it this way: “The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks” (Proverbs 30:26).
“Feeble folk” is a pretty accurate description. Rock hyraxes struggle to regulate their body temperature and rely heavily on their environment to survive. They can’t handle extreme heat or cold for long, so what do they do? They bask. A lot.
Are You Ready With an Answer?
I recently watched a video from a YouTuber who makes his living as a content creator. In this video, he warned against telling people if you do YouTube for a living because many don't understand what that means. He shared a story about meeting friends over the holidays. When they asked what he was doing these days, he struggled to explain his job as a YouTuber. His excuse was that he hadn't anticipated the conversation and wasn't ready with an answer.
I had to laugh initially, but then it got me thinking. Here was a man who talks to a camera for hours each week, uploading content about his life and work, yet he couldn't provide a simple explanation when asked about his job face-to-face. The irony struck me. But before I became too smug in my judgment, the Lord nudged my heart with a convicting question: Am I any different when it comes to my faith?