TLTAJ

It’s difficult not to feel unsettled by the events happening in our world today. So much tragedy seems to unfold without pause—assassinations, school shootings, threats of violence at HBCU campuses, and even unrest at our nation’s military academies. We hear about a refugee murdered on a bus while bystanders remain unmoved. With so much evil around us, it feels as though society has grown numb and apathetic. Cities are forgotten where families, including women and children, are dying daily—yet celebrity news often receives more attention in the media. These tragedies don’t even account for the daily toll of drug deaths, human trafficking, sex crimes, and rising suicide rates.

And that’s just within our own borders. Around the world, conflicts rage—attacks in Israel and retaliations, war in Ukraine and Russia, turmoil in Tibet, and unrest across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The weight of it all can feel overwhelming.

We live in a time when people elevate their own opinions, with every microphone, camera, and keyboard turning anyone into an “expert.” History is being rewritten, misinformation spreads, and what once seemed like basic truths now shift beneath our feet. Sometimes, our reality feels more like a dystopian novel than real life. How did we get here? Maybe this isn’t a new destination, but a place humanity has visited before—many times over.

When I was younger—in my teens, twenties, and even thirties—I felt compelled to share my thoughts on every issue. I would call out wrongs, champion what I believed was right, and double down on my version of the truth. I poured my energy into writing, blogging, streaming, and podcasting—eager to add my voice as an ordinary person navigating the middle class. But after a while, I realized that my words weren’t making the impact I hoped for. Social media censors voices, misinformation clouds reality, and society now seems to live in a world where facts are constantly shifting into whatever people want to believe.

So I decided to turn my attention inward—to my own actions and the sphere of influence I had around those closest to me. If you want to change the world, start with yourself and your household. For me, this journey began with my faith: asking myself what I believe, why I believe it, and whether my beliefs align with Scripture. This process has been deeply transformative. Like an athlete who finds the game slows down with experience, I’m learning to see the common threads of history, how civilizations rise and fall, and how often mankind repeats the same patterns.

As we reflect on the persistent patterns of humanity—reaching for self-importance, stumbling over pride, and struggling to discern truth—it becomes clear that we are not the first generation to wrestle with uncertainty or spiritual confusion. The stories woven through Scripture are full of people who, facing adversity and temptation, either turned toward their Creator or sought answers apart from Him. The consequences were often profound, shaping not only their own destinies but those of entire nations.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Proverbs 9:10 (NKJV)

Yet, amid chaos and confusion, there remains an ever-present invitation: to walk humbly, to seek wisdom, and to anchor ourselves in something greater than fleeting opinions or shifting cultural norms. Faith, when cultivated with sincerity and humility, offers not just a refuge but a source of transformation. By acknowledging our limitations and opening ourselves to the guidance and grace available to us, we begin to see that growth often emerges from struggle, and clarity from persistence in seeking truth.

Whether facing personal trials or witnessing upheaval on a global scale, the choice to humble oneself before God—to admit need, to ask questions, to learn—becomes a powerful step in the journey toward hope and understanding. In community, through prayer, study, and fellowship, we find encouragement and support for the road ahead. The path may be challenging, but we are not alone. In every season, the light remains for those willing to seek it.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

John 1:1-5 NKJV

As you begin to seek answers beyond the noise of popular opinion and embrace the pursuit of wisdom, you may find yourself at the start of a journey into faith—a journey that can feel both daunting and exhilarating. The truth is, embarking on this path is not about having all the solutions, but about trusting that there is meaning, guidance, and hope available to anyone who earnestly seeks it.

Even when uncertainty clouds your vision and questions outnumber answers, remember that faith is not a solitary endeavor. You are invited to walk alongside those who have traveled similar roads, to learn from the experiences of others, and to find strength in fellowship with a community rooted in love and purpose. In this space, you can be encouraged to bring your doubts, your hopes, and your fears before God, knowing that He welcomes your honesty and desires your growth.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV

Each step forward, even the hesitant ones, can lead you closer to clarity, purpose, and peace. The wisdom found in scripture assures us that the light shines in the darkness—and that no darkness can overcome it. Whether you are taking your first steps or continuing on a well-worn path, remember that the journey is sacred, the questions are welcome, and you are never alone as you seek understanding and draw nearer to the source of life and hope.

I leave you with the first chapter of one of my favorite Books in the New Testament, I pray its message finds you well friends.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and  overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

James 1:1-27 NKJV