Posted on by Pastor Poet

Ease into the Day (2)

I’ve been working remotely for several years as a tech analyst, while also serving a local church, doing consulting work, continuing my education, and trying to hone my craft as a writer and editor. I’m not bragging—I’m offering a warning.

Working remotely has truly been a blessing. But there is a caveat. Where I once relied on a commute to help me shift gears, that transition has been replaced by a short walk upstairs to my home office.

What many would see as an opportunity for greater productivity has, for me, revealed something missing: the transitions—the space between tasks that allow the mind and heart to reset and recalibrate.

Now I move from one keyboard to another, one screen to another—headset on, headset off—shifting between responsibilities with little more than a swivel in my chair. A portrait of productivity. A master of multitasking, right? Yeah… not so much.

It’s more work, fewer transitions, and fewer breaks. I imagine my employers are well pleased, but remaining balanced requires intentionality. Being tethered to a desk for hours on end without healthy pauses simply isn’t good for us.

Scripture reminds us that even God honors rhythm and rest. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Transitions matter because seasons matter.

So, as we ease into this workweek, I want to encourage you to take breaks when you need them.

Transitions and pauses—those liminal spaces—do more than reset our minds. They are necessary rests that create distinction in our days and keep us from drifting into drudgery. Even Jesus recognized the need for this kind of withdrawal, saying to His disciples, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:31).

And surprisingly, these breaks do not diminish our productivity. They are not wasted time. While we may produce slightly less—though even that is debatable—we often produce better. Quality over quantity. “Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 4:6).

Good Morning, I love you all!

ihs,

just adam

Posted on by Pastor Poet

Invisible…

January 30, 2026

Years ago, during an anniversary program, my wife stood up at the end of the service and jokingly referred to being married to the invisible man.

Ouch.

She spoke of seeing the impact of my presence everywhere—while often not seeing me.

Yikes.

Her words still give me pause today.

She wasn’t wrong. I’ve always worked a lot—behind the scenes, below the radar—pulling strings, holding doors, cleaning up messes, fixing things, filling gaps. Keeping my head down. Helping out. Avoiding attention. Seeing without being seen.

This, I told myself, was faithful ministry. Or at least, that’s what I believed at the time.

“The invisible man,” she said. I understand what she meant. I can’t dismiss the piercing, painful truth in her words.

But I may offer a slightly different perspective.

Invisible? Perhaps. But I am not invisible—though I am often unseen.

There is a difference.

Invisible suggests absence. Unseen suggests presence without recognition.

And somewhere along the way, I’ve learned to be okay with that… sort of.

Unseen… impactful.

Unseen… integral.

Unseen… evident.

I’m okay with that.

But it’s a slippery slope.

Because unseen can become ignored. Unseen becomes unacknowledged. And over time, unseen becomes invisible.

And that matters.

So I have a question for us today:

Who are the unseen yet impactful—the unseen but integral people who have blessed us behind the scenes, simply because?

Who has God used to refresh and encourage us?

Here’s my challenge for us:

Don’t let them become invisible. Don’t allow those who have influenced us, sustained us, and quietly inspired us to fade into obscurity.

Though they may be unseen, do not let them become invisible.

Because invisibility is loneliness. It is the quiet ache of being present, faithful, and forgotten.

No one really wants to be invisible.

So choose to see. Choose to remember.

Although others may be blind to our benefactors, let us not allow them to become invisible to us.

“…for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people.” 1 Corinthians 16:18

Good morning. I love you.

ihs,

just adam

Posted on by Pastor Poet

It’s Cold Outside…

It’s Cold Outside

Winter’s chill is here, and many of us complain about the cold. But let’s remember: it’s supposed to be cold outside this time of year.

What isn’t supposed to be cold, though, are our hearts.

As a Black man and a Christian, standing on the shoulders of my ancestors, I cannot accept or celebrate the emotional coldness gripping the nation I call home. For centuries, my ancestors and their allies have warned of this chill—raising their voices, protesting, and urging us to prepare for a winter of the soul. Now, that winter is upon us.

This icy blast doesn’t just sting noses and ears; it numbs the hearts of those who believed that whiteness, or proximity to it, would shield them from the cold. The temptation is to say, “We told you so,” and to find satisfaction in being right. But I know that high places are slippery—especially when coated in ICE.

Instead of giving in to bitterness, I choose to stoke the fires of hope and compassion. I offer warmth—a hat, a scarf, some gloves, perhaps. I refuse to surrender love to hatred or compassion to coldness. Even when it’s difficult, I will not abandon the warmth of grace. I cannot stop caring.

What about you?
How will you keep your heart warm this winter?
Will you choose compassion over indifference?

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Matthew 5:43–45

Yes, it’s cold outside. Stay warm—in body and in spirit.


Good morning. I love you all.

ihs,
just adam

Posted on by Pastor Poet

Our Daily Bread…

I have to admit, most of my stress and anxieties come from concerns about the future.  In an effort to  be responsive to any number of circumstances, I have become a saver and planner.  

More often than not, the impetus to save and plan has served my family well, but I have to admit that the toughest times we’ve faced have little to do with a lack of resources.  

In retrospect, many of the worries and concerns that drove me to work so hard and to save  – these things never happened.  So, as a result, we often have more than what we need.  We have more stuff, more money than we actually need. (I probably shouldn’t say this out loud…)

We aren’t independently wealthy, but we aren’t lacking.  Unfortunately what we don’t have is an abundance of time.   And now when I look back, I wish I would’ve been more deliberate about the time I took off, the time I could’ve spent creating memories rather than trying to secure an unknown future or prevent some unlikely calamity.

When our family was young, we struggled with resources like many young families do, but God was faithful!  Things were leaner but our lives were simpler and we were happy.  I remember the days of buying groceries a day at a time, sitting at our small table and blessing our meals, and being content.  I remember the way we used to pray:

“Give us this day our daily bread…’

Matthew 6:11

Those were some sweet days, sweeter than I realized. I am only saddened by my latent realization.  But I will do better, one day at a time…

Good Morning, I love you all!

ihs,

just adam