Look What God Has Done

Author: Niki Kirk

  • Proverbs 8:7

    Proverbs 8:7 — “My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness.”

    There was a season in my life when truth was the last thing on my lips. I spoke whatever would get me through the moment — excuses dressed up as reasons, half-truths I told others, and the quieter lies I told myself so I wouldn’t have to face what I was becoming. Wickedness didn’t just slip out now and then. It lived on my lips. It had a home there.

    But here’s what I’ve learned walking with Jesus: He doesn’t just forgive the words — He changes the mouth. When God gets hold of your heart, what comes out of you starts to sound different. Not perfect. Not polished. But true.

    Speaking truth isn’t only about refusing to lie. It’s about refusing to let the old language have a home in you anymore — the language of shame that says “this is just who I am,” the language of blame that points everywhere but inward, the language of denial that keeps you numb. When wisdom speaks, as Proverbs says, wickedness becomes something your lips detest — not something you wrestle with, but something you can’t stand to taste anymore.

    That change doesn’t happen by trying harder. It happens by staying close. The more time you spend with Jesus — in His Word, in prayer, in that quiet place where it’s just you and Him — the more His truth becomes your native language. You start to recognize the old words before they leave your mouth, and you choose differently. Not because someone is watching, but because your heart has changed its loyalty.

    Today, let truth be the first thing on your lips. Not the rehearsed story. Not the excuse. Not the version that makes you look better. The truth — spoken in love, spoken in faith, spoken because your Father in heaven delights in every true word His children speak.

    And if truth feels hard today, start small. Tell Him the truth first. He’s the safest place to be honest. He already knows, and He’s still here, still loving you, still making you new.

    Prayer: Lord, I give You my mouth, my words, my voice. Wash the old language out of me. Set a guard over my lips and teach them to speak what is true — and to turn away from everything that dishonors You. Let every word I speak today sound like someone who belongs to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

  • Talk to Him First

    Talk to Him First

    Today’s Scripture

    “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
    — Philippians 4:6 (NIV)

    For a long time, prayer was the last thing I tried instead of the first. I would worry, I would stress, I would try to carry it all on my own — and only when I was worn out would I finally fall to my knees and talk to God about it.

    Somewhere along the way, that changed. Prayer became the bookends of my day — talking to Him in the morning before the world gets loud, and sitting with Him at night, going over the day honestly. Not fancy prayers. Just real ones. And I can tell you this: the days I start with Him go different than the days I don’t.

    Scripture Study

    Philippians 4:6 doesn’t say pray about the big things. It says in every situation. The small worries, the quiet fears, the decisions that feel too minor to bother God with — He wants all of it. And notice what comes with the asking: thanksgiving. We’re not just bringing Him our problems; we’re bringing Him our trust, remembering what He’s already done.

    Verse 7 gives the promise: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Prayer doesn’t always change the situation right away. But it changes us — it guards our hearts while we wait.

    Personal Application

    Begin the day with Him. Before the phone, before the noise — even five honest minutes changes the whole day.

    Pray about the small things too. Nothing is too small for a Father who loves you.

    End the day with thanksgiving. Look back and name what He did today, even the little things.

    When you don’t have words, sit with Him anyway. Romans 8:26 says the Spirit intercedes for us when we don’t know what to pray. Your presence is a prayer too.

    Reflection Questions

    Take a few quiet moments with God. There is no need to rush.

    1. Do I tend to pray first, or only after I’ve tried everything else?
    2. What is one worry I’ve been carrying that I haven’t fully handed to Him?
    3. What would beginning my day with prayer change about how I face the day?
    4. What are three things I can thank God for right now?
    5. Is there someone in my life I need to start praying for regularly?

    Closing Prayer

    Lord, thank You that I can come to You with everything — the big, the small, the messy, and the unfinished. Forgive me for the times I try to carry it all alone. Teach me to talk to You first, to trust You in the waiting, and to end each day remembering Your faithfulness. Fill my heart with Your peace, the kind that doesn’t make sense to the world but makes all the difference to me.

    In Jesus’ name, amen.

    September 29, 2026

  • Embracing Spiritual Milk: A Path to Growth

    Embracing Spiritual Milk: A Path to Growth

    When I first came back to God, I didn’t need deep theology. I needed the basics — the simple, life-saving truth that Jesus loves me, that I am forgiven, that grace is real. I needed milk.

    Peter tells us, “like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation” (1 Peter 2:2). A newborn doesn’t apologize for needing milk. It just cries out for it. That was me — hungry, desperate, and finally honest about it.

    Hebrews describes the difference between milk and solid food. Milk is for infants; solid food is for the mature (Hebrews 5:12–14). And it names what’s in the milk: repentance, faith in God, baptisms, resurrection, eternal judgment — the elementary teachings (Hebrews 6:1–2). The foundation. The stuff everything else is built on.

    Here’s what I’ve learned: there’s no shame in needing milk. Shame would be staying a baby forever when God is calling you to grow. Milk kept me alive in the beginning. But at some point, growth means chewing on harder things — the passages that convict me, the obedience that costs me something, the faith that has to stand up when feelings fall down.

    Sometimes I still go back to the milk, and that’s okay. When life knocks me flat, I return to the simple truths: God loves me. I am forgiven. His grace is enough. The foundation holds.

    If you’re new in your walk — or starting over like I did — don’t rush past the milk. Crave it. Let it grow you. Ask yourself:

    • What basic truth about God do I need to hold onto today?
    • Am I trying to run on solid food when I haven’t finished the milk?
    • What would it look like for me to grow one step deeper this week?

    Start where you are. God meets you there — and He won’t leave you there.

  • Guidance Through Darkness: The Light of Scripture

    Guidance Through Darkness: The Light of Scripture

    A Lamp for the Next Step

    Today’s Scripture

    “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”

    —Psalm 119:105 NLT

    Psalm 119:105 was the first Bible verse I remember learning. At the time, I could not have understood how meaningful it would become throughout my life. Years later, as I walked through seasons of recovery, healing, rebuilding, and learning to trust God again, this verse became more than words I had memorized. It became something I experienced.

    God did not show me His entire plan at once. He gave me enough light to take the next step.

    Scripture Study

    Psalm 119 focuses on the goodness, truth, wisdom, and dependability of God’s Word. In verse 105, the writer uses two powerful images: a lamp and a light.

    In biblical times, a lamp did not illuminate miles of road. It provided enough light for someone to see the ground immediately in front of them. The traveler still had to move forward, but the lamp helped them recognize where to place their feet.

    God often guides us in a similar way. We may want Him to reveal every detail, answer every question, and show us exactly how everything will turn out. Instead, He frequently gives us the wisdom needed for the decision in front of us.

    His Word helps us:

    • Recognize truth when our feelings are confusing.
    • Notice danger before taking the wrong path.
    • Make decisions that reflect His character.
    • Find comfort when life feels dark.
    • Remember His faithfulness when the future is uncertain.

    God’s Word does not promise that every road will be easy, but it assures us that we do not have to walk without His direction.

    A Personal Reminder

    There have been times in my life when I wanted to know how everything would work out. I wanted to see the complete picture before moving forward.

    But when I began rebuilding my life with Jesus, He did not hand me a map showing every part of the journey. He led me through one act of obedience at a time. One decision. One surrender. One step forward.

    Looking back, I can now see that God was guiding me even when I could not see very far ahead. His Word gave me truth to stand on, and His presence gave me the strength to keep walking.

    The light did not always reveal the entire road, but it continually revealed the faithfulness of the One leading me.

    Personal Application

    Open God’s Word

    When you feel uncertain, begin with Scripture. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand what you are reading and how it applies to your situation.

    Follow What God Has Already Shown You

    Sometimes we ask God for more direction while avoiding the instruction He has already given us. Consider whether there is a truth you already know but have not yet acted upon.

    Take One Faithful Step

    You do not need every answer before you move forward. Ask yourself, “What is the next right step I can take with Jesus today?”

    Trust God With What You Cannot See

    Your limited view does not mean God has lost sight of the path. He sees the beginning, the middle, and the end. You can place the unknown parts of your journey into His hands.

    Reflection Questions

    Take a few quiet moments with God. You may answer these questions in a journal, pray through them, or simply sit with each one before moving to the next. There is no need to rush.

    1. Is there an area of my life where I am asking God to reveal the entire plan?
    2. What truth from Scripture do I need to remember today?
    3. Has God already given me direction that I have been hesitant to follow?
    4. What is one faithful step I can take today?
    5. How has God’s Word guided me through a dark or uncertain season before?
    6. What would trusting God with the unseen parts of my path look like right now?

    Closing Prayer

    Lord, thank You for giving me Your Word to guide my life. When I cannot see what lies ahead, remind me that You already know the way. Give me understanding as I read Scripture, courage to follow Your direction, and faith to move forward without having every answer.

    Help me do more than read Your Word—teach me to apply it. Today, I choose to seek Your guidance, listen for Your direction, and take the next faithful step You place before me. Shine Your truth into every uncertain place and keep my feet on the path that leads closer to You.

    In Jesus’ name, amen.

  • Recognizing My Need for Help

    There have been times when I thought I had to hold everything together on my own. I could see that something was wrong, but saying “I need help” felt harder than continuing to struggle.

    Sometimes pride gets in the way. Sometimes it is fear, shame, or the thought that we should be able to handle things ourselves. But being honest about our need for help is not a failure. It is a place where change can begin.

    Jesus tells us in John 15:5 that we need to remain connected to Him. I cannot expect to grow while trying to do everything in my own strength. When I turn to Him, I can be honest about what is happening instead of pretending I have it all under control.

    That honesty also helps me see the difference between what I can and cannot control. I cannot change another person’s choices. I cannot go back and rewrite yesterday. I cannot always make a difficult feeling disappear. But I can choose what I do today. I can tell the truth, ask for support, set a healthy boundary, or take the next right action.

    In 2 Corinthians 12:9, Paul writes about God’s grace meeting him in weakness. That reminds me that I do not have to hide every struggle before coming to God. I can come to Him with the struggle.

    If you are carrying something heavy today, take a moment to ask yourself:

    • What am I trying to control that I cannot control?
    • What choice is mine to make today?
    • Who is a trustworthy person I could reach out to?

    You do not have to solve your whole life today. Start with one honest step. Bring your need to Jesus, and allow someone safe to walk beside you.

    Admitting I need help does not mean I am giving up. It means I am ready to stop pretending I can carry everything alone.

  • Grace

    Scripture: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” — Ephesians 2:8

    Reflection

    For a long time I thought I had to earn God’s love. I tried to clean myself up first — as if He were waiting at the finish line, arms crossed, checking my record. But grace doesn’t work that way. Grace met me in the places I was least proud of — in the jail cell, in my addiction, in the shame I carried like it was part of my name.

    Grace isn’t God pretending He doesn’t see what I’ve done. He sees all of it, and He loves me anyway. That’s the part that still undoes me. Every morning I wake up, the mercy is new — not because I finally got it right, but because He is who He says He is.

    If you’re sitting in the middle of your mess today, hear this: you don’t have to earn your way back. You just have to come home.

    Prayer

    Lord, thank You for grace I didn’t earn and could never deserve. When shame tells me I’m too far gone, remind me that Your mercy is new every morning. Teach me to receive it — and to give it away. Amen.

    Reflect

    1. Where in your life are you working hard to be good enough — for God or for people?
    2. If you told God the whole truth about how you’re really doing right now, what would you say?

  • Your Past May Have Wounded You

    Your past may have wounded you, but it does not have to determine your future. God can take what has been broken and bring restoration from it. The goal isn't simply to take a broken life and make it comfortable. It's to allow Jesus to transform that life so deeply that His work becomes visible through it.

    A wound can affect the way you live today. Past abuse and emotional wounds can affect how someone sees themselves, relationships, trust, love, and even their ability to receive God's love. Meyer also discusses destructive coping behaviors that can develop as people try to escape emotional pain.

    You have to acknowledge the pain. Healing doesn't come from pretending nothing happened. Painful memories and emotions need to be brought into God's presence rather than continually buried.

    What happened to you is not your identity. A major part of healing is separating what happened from who you are.

    Instead of: “I am damaged.”

    the journey becomes: “I was wounded, but Jesus is healing me.”

    God's unconditional love is essential. Meyer emphasizes learning to receive God's love rather than believing you have to earn it. Shame, guilt, rejection, and feeling unworthy can keep people from receiving the love God freely gives.

    Healing also involves personal responsibility.

    This is an important distinction: You are not responsible for what happened to you, but you are responsible for what you choose to do with your life moving forward. Healing involves taking ownership of our attitudes, choices, behaviors, forgiveness, and relationship with God. What happened may be part of your story, but it does not have to define your future. Through Jesus, you can choose healing, growth, accountability, and a new way of living.

    Forgiveness is part of freedom. Forgiveness doesn't mean pretending the abuse was acceptable or allowing someone to continue harming you. It means releasing the person and the situation to God instead of allowing the offense to continue controlling your life.

    Don't rush God's healing process. Some memories and wounds take time to work through. Meyer specifically emphasizes the importance of God's timing when dealing with painful memories.

    Don't rush God's healing process. Some memories and wounds take time to work through. Healing is a process, and we must allow God to work in His timing as we learn to face painful memories, process our emotions, and surrender our wounds to Him.

    God can redeem your story. This is really the heart of the title.

    Ashes represent what was burned, broken, destroyed, or lost. Beauty represents what God can build from it.

    The goal isn't to erase your history. It's to allow God to use your history without allowing your history to control you.

    Old → New

    2 Corinthians 5:17 — New Creation

    Ephesians 4:22–24

    Colossians 3:9–10 — Old Self → New Self

    Broken → Restored

    Psalm 147:3

    Jeremiah 30:17

    Joel 2:25

    Death → Life

    Romans 6:4

    Galatians 2:20

    Romans 12:2

    Shame → Freedom

    Romans 8:1

    John 8:36

    Isaiah 43:18–19

    Mourning → Joy

    Psalm 30:5

    Psalm 40:1–3

    Redemption

    1 Peter 5:10

    Romans 8:28

    “Surrender your old life to Jesus, allow Him to transform you, and learn to walk in the new life He has given you.”

  • Looking Inward: Making Time for God and Learning True Self-Love

    “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” — Psalm 139:23

    Outside Looking In

    Ask everyone to imagine they are watching their own life from the outside.

    Questions:

    • What would someone notice about how I spend my time?
    • What appears most important to me?
    • Would they know God is a priority in my life?
    • What consumes most of my thoughts?

    Part 1: What Is True Self-Love?

    Many people think self-love means putting themselves first.

    Biblical self-love means:

    • Seeing yourself as God sees you.
    • Caring for your spiritual health.
    • Setting healthy boundaries.
    • Knowing your worth comes from Christ.

    Ask:

    • Am I loving myself in a way that draws me closer to God or farther from Him?

    Scripture:

    “Love your neighbor as yourself.” — Mark 12:31

    You cannot pour from an empty cup. Healthy self-love includes nurturing your relationship with God.

    Part 2: Stepping Back and Looking Inward

    Read Lamentations 3:40:

    “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.”

    Discussion:

    • When was the last time I truly evaluated my spiritual life?
    • Am I growing closer to God or simply staying busy?
    • What distractions have become more important than my time with Him?

    Part 3: How Much Time Are We Really Giving God?

    This is the heart of the lesson.

    Ask participants to estimate:

    • Time spent on social media each day.
    • Time spent watching television.
    • Time spent scrolling on their phone.
    • Time spent with God through prayer, worship, Bible study, or quiet listening.

    Reflection Question:
    If my schedule revealed my priorities, what would it say about my relationship with God?

    Scripture:

    “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…” — Matthew 6:33

    This isn’t about guilt. It’s about awareness.

    God wants relationship, not obligation.

    Part 4: Heart Check

    Provide these questions:

    1. What currently gets the best of my energy?
    2. What keeps me from spending time with God?
    3. Am I making excuses or making room?
    4. What would change if I gave God my first moments instead of my leftover moments?
    5. Is there anything God is asking me to surrender?

    Challenge for the Week

    Have participants commit to:

    • 10 minutes of prayer each morning.
    • Reading one chapter of Scripture daily.
    • Five minutes of quiet listening before bed.
    • Writing down one thing God teaches them each day.

  • Helping or Enabling? Loving Without Preventing Growth

    What is Enabling?

    Enabling is when our actions unintentionally protect someone from the natural consequences of their choices, making it easier for unhealthy behaviors to continue.

    Helping says:
    “I want to see you grow.”

    Enabling says:
    “I want to stop you from hurting.”

    One leads to transformation.
    The other often delays it.

    A Biblical Foundation

    One of the greatest examples is the story of the Prodigal Son.

    The father loved his son deeply.

    He didn’t chase him.
    He didn’t rescue him from the pigpen.
    He didn’t finance his poor decisions.

    Instead, he allowed consequences while leaving the door open for reconciliation.

    Love waited.
    Love prayed.
    Love welcomed.

    But love did not interfere with the lesson God was teaching.

    The Fine Line

    HelpingEnabling
    Encourages responsibilityRemoves responsibility
    Offers supportCreates dependence
    Speaks truth with loveAvoids difficult conversations
    Allows consequencesPrevents consequences
    Builds confidenceBuilds entitlement
    Promotes healingProlongs unhealthy behavior

    Ask Yourself These Questions

    Before helping someone, ask:

    • Am I helping because they truly cannot, or because they simply will not?
    • Am I motivated by love or by guilt?
    • Am I trying to rescue them from consequences God may be using to teach them?
    • Will this help them become healthier next month?
    • Am I solving today’s problem while creating tomorrow’s?

    When Helping Becomes Enabling

    Sometimes helping slowly changes into enabling without us realizing it.

    Examples include:

    • Constantly giving money that is used irresponsibly.
    • Repeatedly making excuses for someone’s behavior.
    • Taking over responsibilities they are capable of doing.
    • Shielding them from accountability.
    • Doing for them what they should be learning to do themselves.

    At first, it feels compassionate.

    Over time, it can become a barrier to growth.

    Even Jesus Didn’t Enable

    Jesus Christ healed many people.

    But He also asked questions.

    “What do you want Me to do for you?”

    He invited participation.

    He challenged people to change.

    He forgave sin while calling people to “go and sin no more.”

    Grace never removed responsibility.

    Grace empowered responsibility.

    Why We Enable

    Sometimes enabling has less to do with the other person than ourselves.

    We may enable because:

    • We fear they’ll be angry.
    • We want to feel needed.
    • We struggle with guilt.
    • We mistake boundaries for rejection.
    • We want immediate peace instead of long-term healing.

    Healthy love is willing to be misunderstood for someone’s benefit.

    What Healthy Helping Looks Like

    Healthy helping says:

    “I’ll encourage you.”
    “I’ll pray with you.”
    “I’ll teach you.”
    “I’ll walk beside you.”
    “But I won’t carry what God has called you to carry.”

    The Hard Truth

    Pain is often a classroom.

    If we constantly rescue people from every consequence, we may also rescue them from the very lesson that could change their lives.

    God often uses consequences to bring people to repentance, humility, wisdom, and dependence on Him.

    Reflection Questions

    1. Have I ever confused rescuing with loving?
    2. Do I struggle to say “no” because I fear disappointing people?
    3. Am I carrying burdens that belong to someone else?
    4. Have I prevented someone from experiencing consequences that might have led to growth?
    5. What boundaries is God asking me to establish?

    Closing Thought

    Love is not measured by how much we do for someone. Love is measured by whether what we do draws them closer to truth, responsibility, healing, and ultimately, closer to God.

    Sometimes the most loving thing we can do is offer support without removing responsibility.

    As Galatians teaches, we are called to “carry each other’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). Yet only a few verses later, we are reminded that “each one should carry their own load” (Galatians 6:5). The distinction is significant: a burden is a crushing weight someone cannot bear alone, while a load is the personal responsibility each person is called to carry. Wisdom is knowing the difference.

    That balance reflects the heart of Christ — full of grace, full of truth, and always leading people toward freedom rather than dependence.

  • Transference and Countertransference in Recovery

    What Is Transference?

    Ever met someone and instantly distrusted them, and you couldn’t figure out why? Or felt strangely attached to someone you’d just met — like they were supposed to rescue you? There’s a name for that, and it shows up in recovery all the time.

    Transference is when you take feelings left over from a past relationship and drop them onto someone in your present. Your new sponsor reminds you of your controlling mother, so you bristle every time she gives advice. A friend’s tone sounds like your ex, so you shut down before they’ve even finished talking. You’re not reacting to them — you’re reacting to someone from your past wearing their face.

    It can go the other way too. Someone reminds you of a person who once made you feel safe, so you trust them too fast, lean on them too hard, and expect them to fill a hole only God can fill.

    “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” — Proverbs 4:23

    What Is Countertransference?

    This is the mirror image. It’s when your past gets stirred up by someone else’s behavior toward you. A classmate shares something that sounds like your own story, and suddenly you’re over-invested — giving advice you weren’t asked for, worrying about them at midnight, feeling angry at their choices. That’s not just compassion. That’s your own unhealed stuff getting tangled up in theirs.

    Why It Matters in Recovery

    Recovery puts us in close, honest relationships — sponsors, mentors, small groups, close friends. That’s beautiful, and it’s also exactly where old patterns love to replay themselves. If we don’t recognize what’s happening, we end up:

    • Punishing new people for old wounds
    • Expecting people to be who we need instead of who they are
    • Burning out trying to rescue everyone
    • Repeating the same relationship cycle with different faces

    “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” — Psalm 139:23-24

    Signs It Might Be Happening

    • Your emotional reaction feels way bigger than the situation calls for
    • You keep replaying the same kind of conflict with different people
    • You’ve decided who someone “is” before you really know them
    • You’re either idealizing someone or you’ve already written them off
    • Someone else’s story hijacks your emotions and you can’t let it go

    What To Do About It

    1. Pause and ask: “Who does this remind me of?” Just naming it takes away half its power. You’re not crazy — you’re carrying something old.
    2. Separate the past from the present. That person in front of you is not your mother, your ex, or your old self. Give them the chance to be who they actually are.
    3. Take it to God before you take it to them. Pray Psalm 139:23-24 honestly. Ask Him to show you what’s yours to heal and what’s just an old echo.
    4. Talk about it with someone safe. Your sponsor, a mentor, a counselor. Saying “I think I’m reacting to my past, not to you” is one of the bravest sentences in recovery.
    5. Love people as they are. “Love is patient, love is kind… it is not self-seeking.” — 1 Corinthians 13:4-5. Real love sees the person in front of you, not the ghost standing behind them.

    “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” — Romans 12:2

    Old patterns don’t have to run your new life. Every time you catch it — that’s not them, that’s my past — you’re breaking a cycle. That’s what renewal looks like, one honest moment at a time.

    Reflection

    1. Is there someone in your life right now who stirs up strong feelings that might belong to an older relationship? Who do they remind you of?
    2. Do you tend to trust too fast or wall up too fast with new people? Where do you think that pattern started?
    3. What’s one relationship where you could practice seeing the person as they are — not as who they remind you of?

    Download the Seeing People Clearly worksheet