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What’s In a Name?

July 8, 2026 by jbrianhill

Names are important. Some are chosen very intentionally. I remember as were expecting each of our three boys, there was much conversation, thought and prayer that went into what we would name each one. We looked at the meanings of the names we were thinking about. We considered the idea of namesake and honoring relatives. We looked at Biblical names. We went back and forth before settling on each one.

Today, in my morning reading, I read about the first time Jesus met Simon, the brother of Andrew. His words recorded in the first chapter of John’s Gospel were, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter). What I find significant is that first, Jesus knew his name and called him by his name. The second is that Jesus gave him a new name.

When I got in my vehicle to drive to the office, I tuned into my morning prayer podcast and the reading was out of Matthew, when Jesus called each of His disciples to follow Him – He called each by name. As I listened and reflected on my earlier reading, I began to think God was trying to tell me something – yes, I’m a quick study.

Names are significant – but even more important to remember is that God knows your name – He knows you intimately, better than anyone else knows you, even better than you know yourself. And He loves you. He calls you by name and says, “I am here, come follow Me.” It is not a blanket invitation – it is personal. He knows you and He wants you to know Him. He wants a relationship with you.

When you take that step to turn to Him, place your trust in Him as your God, and follow Him, then He gives you a new name – He calls you My child! What an awesome and life-changing realization to become aware that you are God’s child.

I pray that you go out and live as a child of the living God today!

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He Washed The Feet of Those Who Would Run

April 2, 2026 by jbrianhill

As we walk through this Holy Week, today we come to a very important day. On this day, we remember and reflect on the time Jesus spent preparing His disciples. He chose to use the very familiar Seder or Passover meal as a teaching moment to pour into His followers. He knew what the following days would involve and how life as they had come to expect it was about to change.

What weighs heavy on my heart this morning is the idea that Jesus knew these very people – the closest of His followers, these He loved deeply – and knew they loved Him as best they could – these very people would each fall away. He would walk the road to the cross alone.

And yet, He took time to tenderly and intentionally model for them what true love calls for – putting others first and serving them. He took a towel and basin and lowered Himself literally to wash their feet. The task of washing feet was relegated to the lowliest of servants. The One who was in the beginning with God and is God, bowed down and washed the feet of the people who would use those same feet to run away in just a few hours and leave Him to face the humility of a mock trial and torturous execution alone.

He did all this for each of them. He did this for each of us.

That is how much our Jesus loves each of us! Sit with this picture today.

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Don’t Rush To the Empty Tomb Just Yet

March 31, 2026 by jbrianhill

This week we focus our attention on something that happened 2000 years ago – something that changed the world forever. We remember the last week of Jesus’ earthly life. A few days before, Jesus had set His face toward Jerusalem. While His disciples were unclear on the purpose of this trip up to the Holy City, Jesus knew full-well what would take place. Even knowing what He would endure did not deter Him from His mission.

The stage was set as Jesus entered the temple and ran the merchants out. Tempers of the religious leaders grew more acute as Jesus called into question their actions. The cross was the eminent milestone and it was visible to Jesus now. His ministry was culminating in this looming event.

Each year, I seek to remind that as believers in Jesus, as recipients of His grace and salvation, we celebrate the fact that the tomb is empty. That truth is the foundation of Easter. But the empty tomb would not be a possibility apart from a gruesome cross. And the cross would just be a hideous tool of torture and execution if it were not for the empty tomb. But praise be to our Father in heaven who offers us life through Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection to life!

As we move toward Sunday and the celebration that Jesus is truly alive, do not rush to the empty tomb without lingering at the cross. Take time this week to think about the agony and pain that Jesus experienced as the ultimate sacrifice for you and all of humanity. Jesus sacrificed all so that any who believed could live.

Take time today to consider His sacrifice.

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God’s Time Zone

March 19, 2026 by jbrianhill

I recently had the opportunity to attend the Ascent Summit in Falls Church, Virginia. One of the speakers at the meeting used the analogy of time zones to discuss how we need to bend our will to God’s will. This lesson became very practical for me while I was there. Falls Church is just outside of Washington, DC – which means the eastern time zone (EST) I found myself in was different than the one I am usually in. For the most part, that did not make much difference – one hour is not too disruptive. But where I noticed the biggest issue was on my calendar.

With technology as it is, even though I was away for a conference, my normal work continued – writing, making contacts, and scheduling appointments. As I was scheduling a meeting for when I returned and placing the reminder on my calendar, I noticed something important. As I input the appointment, a prompt appeared that asked me which time zone to use in planning my meeting. I was grateful for the prompt. Had I not been prompted to make that decision, when I returned to the Central Time Zone (CST), the appointment would have appeared on my calendar incorrectly and I would have been an hour off. Thankfully, all is good.

That has had me thinking about time zones and the difference between my expectations and God’s expectations. God operates in His own time zone. And scripture reminds us that He will bring things about in the proper time (1 Peter 5:6). But I often operate in a different time zone completely. I may not always like His timing, but I have learned, through experience, that His timing is always best. So for me to move forward in life, I must always strive to have my time zone line up with His.

Today, you may have things you are working toward, hoping for or waiting on. Just remember, God’s timing is perfect. While I live and work in the CST, God is always at work in the GPT – God’s Perfect Timing. Learn to trust His plan and adjust your timing to His – it isn’t always easy but it is always best.

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God’s Expectation

October 20, 2025 by jbrianhill

Have you spent much time thinking about what God wants from you? The foundation of faith is found in the fact that God knows you and loves you. You were created for a relationship with Him. If you have ever contemplated the meaning of life, that’s it. The meaning and purpose of your life is to have a relationship with the creator. Now you know – – you are welcome!

It really is that simple. But we don’t stop with just knowing God – we should grow in that understanding and how it impacts who we become and how we live each day. God created you on purpose, for a purpose.

Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:8-10, that it is by grace we are made right with God – not by any thing we do to earn His love. But then he goes on to explain that we were created by Jesus as His masterpiece to “do good works.” As Dallas Willard said, “Grace is not opposed to effort but it is opposed to earning.”

So where do we start in trying to live this out? Paul, again in Ephesians, gives us guidance. Ephesians 5:1-2 says, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children, and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

We are to follow Jesus’ example and walk in the way of love. Specifically, we are to walk in the Way of Jesus – the way of love, the way of truth and the way of life. We do this by following Him – imitating Him.

Ephesians 4:32 is the verse just before this instruction and it says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Perhaps we start there.

May we be found faithful in walking our daily lives in the Way of love being imitators of Jesus.

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What Do You Need to Lay Down?

October 16, 2025 by jbrianhill

Often, there are multiple reasons we have a hard time connecting to God. In the last post, I mentioned the issue of FOMO. We can become so consumed with not missing out on things that we add and add to our lives to the point that we live a hurried and worried existence. Hurry can also become our norm when our focus is efficiency and productivity. Slowing down to focus on Jesus is hard to do when our lives are lived at mach speed.

But today I am thinking about another reason we lose focus on our relationship with Jesus. Sometimes, it is the burdens we carry that distract us. One of the many powerful experiences I had on the Camino de Santiago was a practice that many along the way added to their journey. Many would pick up rocks along the way to symbolize burdens they were carrying.

One day, early in the walk, I did that. I found a rock to carry and pray over. The rock had a name – the name of what I was carrying in my heart. For a couple of days, I carried that rock in my pocket and every time I noticed its presence, I prayed for God to work in the situation – to bring about healing and restoration. Then about day 3 of carrying that rock, I laid it down at one of the direction markers along the trail. As I laid it down, my prayer was one of surrender. I gave that burden, as best I could, to God and asked Him to take care of it. As I walked away, I felt His answer. What He told me was that I needed to continue to pray for the situation and show love as best I can, and leave the rest to Him.

I would like to be able to report that I have done a great job of not picking up that burden again, but I can say there has been a new sense of peace and hope.

There are so many things we carry – concerns for family, for careers, for community, for our world. But we were not designed to carry the world on our shoulders – that is God’s job. Whatever we carry can become a distraction that prevents us from truly connecting to the One who can take the weight from us.

What do you need to lay down today? Jesus is ready to take it but you have to offer it.

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The Irony of FOMO

October 15, 2025 by jbrianhill

Several years ago, an acronym became popular – FOMO – Fear of Missing Out. With the rise of social media, it has become easy to fall into the trap of seeing the lives of others lived out in front of our eyes through their posts of all the amazing things that make up their existence. The problem is, these images are snapshots in time and not the reality of their lives. But we see these images and think, “My life is not like that,” or “I want a life like that.” We fall into the hole of thinking we are missing out.

So we strive to do more, to see more, to taste more, to experience more. The irony of chasing this false reality is that by doing more we rush past what is really important and truly real. God created each of us for the best life we could ever imagine. The life God created us to live can only be found in slowing down and focusing less on the world around us and more on knowing Him. His reminder is just as important today as the day this verse was written: Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10) The literal translation of “Be still” is “Relax and let go.”

If you don’t want to miss out, then slow down, relax, let go and get to know God.

I don’t want to miss out on a minute of what God has for me.

How about you?

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Stay Salty

October 8, 2025 by jbrianhill

Over the past several months I have given much thought to living the life in The Way – daily following Jesus. I have thought about my effectiveness to this point – and often times the lack of effectiveness. But more recently, I have been thinking about my effectiveness as a believer moving forward. There are now many more days on this planet behind me than there are in front of me. So how do I make sure the days I have left are spent pleasing Jesus?

In my devotional life, I am reading through the Sermon on the Mount – the greatest sermon ever preached – offered by Jesus Himself to His followers on the northern side of the lake in Galilee. At the beginning of the sermon, Jesus gave us a list of characteristics we should try to exhibit each day – what we have come to call the Beatitudes. Immediately after the list, He said this, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” (Matthew 5:13)

Salt brings out flavors in food; in moderation, it is a good thing. It also can be used as a preservative. Our lives are to bring enhancement to those around us – to add flavor to life. Our lives can bring preservation when our lives point others to the One who rescues. I don’t know about you, but if I am to be salt in a tasteless world, I don’t want to lose my saltiness.

What I have found is the only way to stay salty is to stay close to the source. When we move further away from the source, and allow ourselves to be diluted by the world, we lose saltiness. Jesus reminded us, in the Gospel of John, that we must remain or abide in Him – like a branch connected to a vine. Our effectiveness – or saltiness – is dependent on our staying close to Him.

How will you stay close and stay connected to Him today to ensure you don’t become diluted by the world around you?

Stay salty!

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Join Me On the Camino

September 29, 2025 by jbrianhill

One of the best questions I have been asked since my return from Spain, and the experience of the Camino de Santiago Primitivo, has been, “What were the greatest take-aways from your adventure?” I have continued to put much thought into that question and have a list I am still working on in response.

A second excellent question has been, “How will you share your experience with others?” The answer to this question has proven to be a bit more challenging. I have used some illustrations from the way in my sermons since returning. I do still plan to continue sharing about it here on this platform – Clay In the Hands. But I am also going to attempt to share my experiences and lessons learned in a more formal setting – a Wednesday night study I am calling, Join Me On the Camino.

Over the course of six weeks, I plan to describe the journey but also bring some of the lessons I have learned along the way to life for those who are interested. The lessons I will share have application to our everyday journey in The Way. Following Jesus on a daily basis and experiencing the Camino go hand in hand. In fact, I have come to see the Camino experience as a living metaphor of our daily walk with Jesus.

So, if you are around Corpus Christi, Texas, on Wednesday nights starting October 1, and would like to hear about the journey, stop by at 6:30 and Join Me On the Camino! It is going to be fun – without all the sweat and exertion!

And if you are not in the area but would like to follow along, the sessions will be recorded and uploaded to the First Corpus Youtube channel as well.

I hope to see you there!

¡Buen Camino!

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Slowing Down

September 9, 2025 by jbrianhill

Much has happened since day 10 of my journey on the Camino (my last post here). I did complete the walk on day 13 and walked into the city of Santiago de Compostela, out onto the plaza of the Cathedral and took in the sights. The experience of joining the multitude of pilgrims who have made this journey before me was part of what overwhelmed me. It has been much to process (and will continue to be). The last three days of the journey were a mixture of gratitude, pain, tears, prayer and effort. So at the end of each day, there was just too much to put into words.

In the coming days, I will share from those days as I have continued to think through all God did there and continues to do in me.

One of the fears I have had in the return to “regular life,” is that things would return to “normal.” Some may think, but don’t we want normal? For me, God has worked in me over the past several weeks – particularly through the experience of the Camino – and shown me that there are some changes I need to implement in my life. Thus, my anxiety on returning to “regular life,” and not following through with the needed changes.

I journaled each day of my walk and have continued that discipline regularly. At the beginning of my sabbatic leave, I ran across a journaling activity that helped me re-launch into this practice. A question was given to meditate on and I did my best to do so. The question was this: If the last three months of your life were a headline, what would that headline be?

As I thought about that question and my life leading up to my time away, my headline emerged: Something’s Got To Give. That was the headline for the three months leading up to my sabbatical. I was tired, burned out and desperately looking for renewal. I am happy to say, God is in the process of that renewal even now. My new headline has become: Slow Down and Simplify.

So moving forward, my prayer is that I can live out this new headline. Being a very task oriented person, it is easy for me to push myself to be overly busy, leaving little time for margin. I have known for years that where there is no margin, there cannot be creativity. But knowing that has not helped me actually create margin to this point. But my prayer is that God will grant me the grace and courage to slow down and simplify.

How about you? Do you push yourself to do more and more in hopes of being productive or successful? An amazing truth we all need to remember is that God is more concerned about who you become than what you do. He wants your heart more than your activity.

Slow down today and simply spend time with Him.

¡Buen Camino!

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