by Cynthia L Simmons | Sep 1, 2026 | Blog, Encouragement
September arrives as a gentle turning point… a return to routines, cooler days ahead, and an opportunity to refocus our hearts on what truly matters. It is a beautiful time to embrace new beginnings, nurture the relationships God has given us, and look for His goodness in the ordinary moments of our days.
This month also feels especially tender as we remember our precious Dolly and celebrate a life that touched so many. As we step into September, may we carry gratitude for what has been, hope for what lies ahead, and confidence that God is present in every changing season.
Dear Holy Father, thank you for the privilege to enter your presence in prayer! May we always keep your name holy, and we humbly pray to act as your servants as long as we reside on earth. May all our choices forward your kingdom and bring honor to your name. Help us to love you more than ourselves and seek the good of others. In Jesus Name we pray…Amen
Below please access one of our most-loved encouragements to you and those around you. My team and I pray our calendar challenge will get you one step closer toward our God, the Ultimate Father, who controls ALL things, including justice, peace, and the nations. 
CLICK HERE for your monthly encouragement so you can download the September 2026 Calendar Challenge.
by Cynthia L Simmons | Sep 1, 2026 | Encouragement, Standing for your faith, Stress, wisdom
During the Revolutionary War, the fight between Patriots and Loyalists raged near the South Carolina home of eighteen-year-old Emily Geiger. Both Emily and her father ardently supported the Patriot cause. One day, Emily overheard her disabled father lamenting that General Nathanael Greene desperately needed a courier to reach General Thomas Sumter for reinforcements. Her father longed to volunteer, but his failing health made the perilous ride impossible.
Without waiting for permission, Emily rode straight to General Greene’s camp. She knew the backroads and river crossings, and she offered to carry the dispatch.
Two days into her journey, British scouts captured Emily and brought her to Lord Rawdon’s encampment. Suspicious of the young girl by herself, Rawdon locked her in a room while he sent for a local woman to conduct a thorough search. Emily knew that if the letter were discovered, she would be hanged as a spy. Acting quickly while left alone, she memorized Greene’s dispatch, tore the paper into small pieces, and swallowed them.
When the search yielded no evidence, Lord Rawdon released her. Emily pressed on and delivered the verbal message to General Sumter.
Like Emily Geiger, we face choices every day. Our daily decisions may not involve dodging enemy patrols, but our obedience still carries lasting weight. Eternity itself can be shaped by how you choose to serve today.
“…Present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness…” -Romans 6:13 (NASB)
by Cynthia L Simmons | Aug 1, 2026 | Blog, Encouragement
August often brings a change of pace. New schedules begin, familiar rhythms return, and our calendars quickly fill. Yet in the middle of life’s activity, God gently reminds us that our greatest calling is not simply to stay busy—but to remain faithful.
Each day presents opportunities to be the hands and feet of Christ. A conversation with a hurting friend, a word of encouragement to a weary parent, a prayer for a stranger, or a quiet act of generosity may seem small, but God often uses ordinary moments to accomplish extraordinary purposes.
As you step into this new month, ask the Lord to make you attentive to the people He places along your path. Pray for eyes that see needs, a heart that responds with compassion, and a willingness to serve wherever He leads.
May August not only mark the beginning of a new season, but also a renewed desire to walk closely with Christ—bringing His light, His hope, and His love into every place He has prepared for you.
Father, thank You for the gift of new beginnings. As this new season unfolds, renew my heart to serve You with joy and compassion. Help me see the people You place in my path and give me the courage to love them as Christ has loved me. May my life reflect Your light in every ordinary moment. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.”
Below please access one of our most-loved encouragements to you and those around you. My team and I pray our calendar challenge will get you one step closer toward our God, the Ultimate Father, who controls ALL things, including justice, peace, and the nations. 
CLICK HERE for your monthly encouragement so you can download the August 2026 Calendar Challenge.
by Cynthia L Simmons | Aug 1, 2026 | Encouragement, Standing for your faith, Stress, wisdom
August is a month of fresh starts. Classrooms fill with eager students, calendars become busy again, ministries resume, and many families settle into new routines. As one season gives way to another, it’s the perfect time to ask, “Lord, how can I serve You faithfully in this new season?”
The early church faced a similar opportunity—not because life became easier, but because difficult circumstances revealed the power of Christ’s love.
During the second century, a devastating plague swept through the Roman Empire. Fear gripped entire cities. Many fled, leaving even family members behind. Yet followers of Jesus became known for something remarkable: they stayed.
Rather than running from danger, Christians cared for the sick, fed the hungry, comforted the grieving, and gave dignity to those who had been forgotten. Their courage wasn’t rooted in fearlessness—it was rooted in the hope of Christ.
Their quiet acts of compassion became a powerful testimony. In a world consumed by fear, believers reflected the love of the Savior who had first loved them.
As August ushers us into fresh routines and new opportunities, God invites us to live with that same spirit of faithful service. We may not be called to face a plague, but every day we encounter people who need hope, kindness, encouragement, and the love of Jesus.
This month, don’t simply fill your calendar—fill your days with purpose. Ask God to help you notice the person who needs a listening ear, an encouraging word, or a simple act of kindness. History reminds us that lives are often changed not through grand gestures, but through ordinary believers who faithfully say “yes” to God.
May this August be more than the start of another busy season. May it be the beginning of a deeper commitment to reflect Christ wherever He leads.
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” -Isaiah 43:19
by Cynthia L Simmons | Jul 1, 2026 | Blog, Encouragement
As we welcome July, our hearts turn with gratitude to God for the many blessings He has poured out on our nation. This month, as America celebrates 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we remember that throughout our history, the Lord has faithfully sustained us through seasons of triumph, trial, revival, and renewal. While our founders were imperfect, many acknowledged that our liberties ultimately come from God, not from man.
Today, our nation stands in great need—not merely of stronger institutions or better policies, but of humble hearts that seek the Lord. Scripture reminds us, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12) and calls us to pray, “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face… then I will hear from heaven” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Join us in praying this month for America. Pray for our leaders, our churches, our families, our schools, and the next generation. Ask God to awaken hearts to His truth, grant wisdom to those in authority, strengthen His Church to be a faithful witness, and bring spiritual renewal across our land.
Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your faithfulness throughout America’s 250-year history. We recognize that every good gift comes from You, and we are grateful for the freedoms and opportunities we have been given. Lord, our greatest need today is not political, economic, or cultural—it is spiritual. Turn our hearts back to You. Bring repentance where there is sin, courage where there is fear, truth where there is confusion, and hope where there is despair. We pray for our nation’s leaders, asking You to grant them wisdom, integrity, and a desire to pursue justice. Strengthen pastors and churches to proclaim Your Word with love and conviction. Protect our families, guide our children and students, and raise up a generation that will know, love, and serve You wholeheartedly. May we, Your people, be faithful in prayer, bold in sharing the Gospel, and steadfast in living lives that honor Christ. Let America not simply celebrate its history but seek the One who holds its future. We place our nation in Your hands, trusting that You remain sovereign over every generation. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.
Below please access one of our most-loved encouragements to you and those around you. My team and I pray our calendar challenge will get you one step closer toward our God, the Ultimate Father, who controls ALL things, including justice, peace, and the nations. 
CLICK HERE for your monthly encouragement so you can download the July 2026 Calendar Challenge.
by Cynthia L Simmons | Jul 1, 2026 | Encouragement
We think of home as a safe place to relax and rest. But imagine taking a deep breath in your own house and inhaling poison.
In the early 1800s, a vibrant new green wallpaper ignited a frenzy. It was beautiful, fashionable, and gracing the walls of thousands of bedrooms and nurseries.
The catch? It was laced with arsenic.
When exposed to normal household dampness, a fungus reacted with the dye, releasing odorless, toxic gas into the air. Families became mysteriously ill with chronic fatigue and painful coughs. Doctors noticed patients miraculously recovered on vacation (the “Holiday Cure”), only to develop symptoms again upon returning home.
It’s jarring to realize that something so ordinary, familiar, and beautiful could be quietly putting lives at risk.
Are we inhaling a different kind of poison today?
The ideas, values, and mindsets we absorb through the media and culture can be just as toxic to our spiritual health. We can easily adopt worldly positions simply because they are constantly around us, beautifully packaged, and familiar.
Instead of mindlessly absorbing the culture, let’s test everything against Scripture.
“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” —Philippians 1:9-10
