The Parkinson’s Squats, the Potter’s Hands, and the Changing Desires of the Heart
I woke up at 5:45 AM today, and if I am being honest, I didn't have any profound, earth-shattering words from the Lord. Not every morning is a "Chick-fil-A" day where everything is perfectly wrapped and handed to you. Sometimes it is just generic; you put in the work, you show up, and you wait for the application to hit you later in the day. Yesterday was one of those days that required just putting in the heavy, unglamorous work. I spent time with my 72-year-old dad, who is entering the later stages of Parkinson's. He is on a dopamine pump now, stiff, and in serious pain—which makes his communication come off incredibly blunt and rude. "Move my feet. Do it ten times," he ordered. So there I was, doing leg curls for him. Later, I was practically giving him the Heimlich maneuver from behind just to help him execute two-inch squats at the kitchen counter. I just endured it, made jokes, and tried to lighten the heavy reality of it all. Before I left, he thanked me and said no one had ever done that for him before.
My mom had bought him four legacy books to fill out for his kids, but his hands can barely write anymore. So, I took the books, scanned the pages, and built a custom AI tool in Gemini. Now, he can just speak to it at his own pace, and the AI will ask him the questions and document his life story. Legacy is heavy on my mind right now. I look at Cash's best friends: Owen is married, Eli is getting married in December, and Terry is getting his pilot's license. Cash would have been 21 this year. Are things moving slow, or did his death just radically accelerate their impact for Christ? It is a surreal reality to process, but it makes me deeply cherish the 20-something Christian business owners I am ministering to and supporting at a webinar today.
The biggest miracle right now is how God is actively changing the desires of my own heart. Ceara and I are seriously looking at taking an RV trip through the winter instead of paying exorbitant beach rent. A year ago, I would have never entertained living in an RV. I would have just made a unilateral decision, forced my own way, and probably gone into debt to fund whatever luxury I wanted. Now, completely freed from that massive $75,000 debt early, I am actually listening to the Holy Spirit. I am letting Him dictate my desires.
Today's SOAP
S - Scripture
Jeremiah 18:6 (NIV): "He said, 'Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?' declares the LORD. 'Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.'"
Matthew 11:28 (NIV): "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
O - Observation
Reading through Jeremiah lately feels like watching a horror film. You know the killer is behind the door, you hear the endless warnings from the prophet, and you just want to scream at the people to get out of the way. But they refuse to listen. God explicitly shows them that He is the Potter and they are the clay, yet they remain stiff-necked and refuse to be molded. The result is exhaustion and destruction. But in Matthew, Jesus offers the direct antidote to our stubbornness: true rest. When we finally stop fighting the Potter's hands and drop the heavy burdens of our own ego, debt, and rebellion, He gives us peace.
A - Application
I am choosing to be clay today. For years, I directed my own steps, racked up debt, and lived on the arrogant laurels of my past. Now, I have to let the Holy Spirit mold my decisions—whether that means trading a luxury condo for an RV, doing painful physical therapy squats with my dad, or ministering to young guys the exact age my son should be. I am also choosing obedience in my work. I have exactly three days until the Restaurant Revival conference. Even though I don't have many people signed up yet, I am getting all my preparation done today so that I can actually take the Sabbath completely off. No work, no planning. Just trusting the Potter with the outcome.
P - Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the grace to just put in the work even when the morning feels generic. Thank You for the precious time with my dad, and give my mom the strength she needs to care for him. Lord, I surrender my stiff neck and my stubborn desires to You. Mold me like clay. Change my wants to align perfectly with Your will. As I prepare for this conference, I lay the results at Your feet. Help me to truly rest in Your sovereignty this Sabbath. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Today's Challenge
Identify one specific area of your life—a financial decision, a living situation, or a career goal—where you have been forcing your own way instead of seeking God's. Today, write down that specific goal and formally pray a prayer of surrender, asking the Holy Spirit to either completely change your desire or mold it to fit His exact plan.
