Then Jesus called the crowd and his followers to him. He said, “Any of you who want to be my follower must stop thinking about yourself and what you want. You must be willing to carry the cross that is given to you for following me.

Mark 8:34 ERV

This verse reminded me walking to a Pond, naming cloud pictures, hunting for heart rocks, bandages ready, carrying a small, tired child. Jesus’ call to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow him looks a lot like those walks: choosing another’s comfort over your own convenience, bending down to pick up a heart-shaped stone, offering a bandage, or lifting a child when they cannot go on. Denying yourself is not a grim duty but a daily, tender practice of putting love into action; taking up the cross is the willingness to carry what love asks of you, even when it’s heavy. When you follow Jesus in the small, ordinary moments, sacrificing ease for presence, you learn the shape of true life and teach your children what faith looks like in practice. Try this today: notice one small need around you and meet it without counting the cost. When you see someone hurting and you can’t reach them to pray, offer a heartfelt prayer for them anyway. Often, we think, “I wish I could have prayed for that person,” but they were talking to someone else and we didn’t want to interrupt, still, pray from your heart. As you carry your cross and walk in obedience, God will bless you.

Dear Blessed Lord Jesus, thank You and praise You for walks to a Park or Pond, for cloud games and found heart rocks, for scraped knees and arms that carry. Help me to deny myself in love, to shoulder what others cannot, and to follow You in the small, faithful things. Give me patience to bend down, strength to lift, and eyes to see the needs before me. Thank You that You can move mountains I can’t. Thank You for all You do. Love You, thank You, praise You and give You all the honor and glory in Your Mighty precious Name Amen.