The king could have chosen mercy. Or he could have chosen justice. Instead, he chose both — and what happened next paints one of the clearest pictures of the cross I’ve ever heard.

Click to read this week’s devotional thought below.

“Lord, help me… but not like that!”

You’re dangling from a cliff, holding on for dear life, and God says the one thing you don’t want to hear: “Let go of the branch.”

Sound familiar? This hilarious old story hits closer to home than we like to admit.

Come read how I’m learning (the hard way) what real trust in God actually looks like — even when it feels crazy.

Welcome to Black Hills Church of Christ – Who We Are

Discover what makes our church family special. Located on Highway 16 near Ellsworth AFB and Mt. Rushmore, we are a warm, Bible-based congregation offering simple New Testament worship, strong community, and an active youth group. Learn about our service times, beliefs, and why visitors feel right at home with us.

I’ll be honest—I do this more than I want to admit. After an argument, I rewrite the story in my head so I’m the one who’s right. I twist Scripture just enough to justify my choices instead of facing them. Sound familiar?

A fascinating psychology experiment (and some hard-hitting Bible truth) shows exactly why we do it—and how the gospel sets us free.

Watch the 3-minute video + read the full devotional linked below.

Ever feel like your life looks like a tangled mess of knots, loose threads, and clashing colors?

In this week’s devotional, “The Back Side of the Tapestry: Choosing an Eternal Perspective,” we step into the story of a master weaver and his discouraged apprentice. From behind the loom, the work looked chaotic and pointless—until they walked around to the front and saw the breathtaking masterpiece it had become.

What if the same is true of your story right now?

The doctor’s report, the financial strain, the family tension, the quiet disappointments… what feels like a hopeless jumble from your side is being skillfully woven by a Master who sees the finished picture. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 and Romans 8:18, this devotional will encourage you to lift your eyes from the tangled back side and fix them on the eternal glory God is creating.

You won’t want to miss this beautiful reminder that every dark thread has purpose—and that one day, everything will make sense from His side.

Read this week’s devotional below.

For over thirty years, a Scottish lighthouse keeper faithfully tended his light—never once seeing the ships he guided safely home. In seasons of uncertainty about your future, relationships, or next steps, his story offers profound hope.

If you’re praying and hearing silence, serving without visible fruit, or wondering why God hasn’t clearly shown the way ahead, this devotional is for you. Discover why your seemingly invisible faithfulness is never wasted, and how God counts every prayer offered in the dark.

Keep climbing the stairs. Keep tending the flame. The Light of the world sees every ship you cannot.

Two hundred fifty years ago, our founders didn’t rush into independence on their own strength. They first called the whole nation to a day of fasting, prayer, and humble dependence on God. People actually did it—churches filled up, soldiers paused, and they prayed together for forgiveness and guidance “through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ.”

Come read the full story and see what it means for us today. Then join us this Sunday, July 5 at 9:00 AM for a special time of reading the Declaration and praying for our nation right before services.

Napoleon on a rearing horse, cape flying, hand raised in triumph — the ultimate symbol of human ambition.

Years later, defeated and exiled, the same man declared that Jesus built a far greater empire than he, Alexander, or Caesar ever could… and He built it on love, not force.

Discover how this famous painting and Napoleon’s striking words point us to the only kingdom that truly lasts.

“Daddies don’t just love their children every now and then… It’s a love without end, amen.”

George Strait’s heartfelt song becomes a beautiful reminder this Father’s Day of the unconditional love we receive from our dads — and even more so from our Heavenly Father. Read this special Father’s Day devotional and let your heart rest in a love that never ends.

Imagine walking through your day—grocery store, coffee shop, work meeting—and every person you pass has a small, visible clock floating above their head. Tick… tick… tick… You can’t see the numbers, but you know they’re counting down. Closer to zero. Closer to eternity.

Would that change how you see them?

Would it change what you say… or don’t say?

Read more in this week’s devotional!

What if the hardest seasons of your life weren’t meant to break you… but to make you look more like Jesus?

A blazing furnace. Intense heat. Impurities rising to the surface.

God is doing something beautiful in the fire.

“I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” (Isaiah 48:10)

Check out this week’s devotional!

This Memorial Day, while many of us enjoy cookouts and family time, there are stories worth remembering — stories of young men who never got to come home, and one remarkable airman who almost didn’t… but chose to burn so others could live.

Read this week’s devotional!

“I still remember the first time I picked up my full battle kit on deployment… and almost dropped it.”

It weighed around 70 pounds, easy.

When it was packed in a big IPE bag and slung over one shoulder, it felt impossible to carry. But when I had it on—distributed across my body the way it was designed—it actually felt manageable. I could move. I could fight. I could stand.

That’s exactly what Paul is getting at in Ephesians 6.

We love talking about the Armor of God—the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith… But too many of us stop there. We admire the armor. We study the armor. We might even own the armor.

What we often forget is the two simple words right at the beginning: “Put on.”

Because armor doesn’t do you any good hanging in the closet...

Ever seen this movie??

If you have, you already know why I couldn’t stop laughing while writing this week’s Mother’s Day devotional.

If you haven’t… well, you’re about to get a sneak peek into the beautiful chaos that is motherhood.

I wrote this one as a dad who’s lived the “left at home with the kids” side of the story — and it ends with a really encouraging word straight from God’s Word that every mom needs to hear.

Tap to read the devotional below.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing moms out there!

Ever driven past a house and thought, 'Wow… that place has completely transformed!'?

One powerful change made all the difference — and it’s exactly what the Holy Spirit wants to do in our lives.

New blog post is live: Transformed by the Holy Spirit: The House That Changed

Read the full encouragement below.

What’s one area of your life you’d love the Holy Spirit to renew? Drop a comment if you’re trusting Him for fresh life today!

I thought I understood what I was seeing…

until God used one brief moment on a sidewalk to challenge my heart.

What does real joy on the journey look like?

Read this week’s devotional!

You’re gonna laugh… but it might hit a little close to home.

Read the full story in this week’s bonus devotional!

“Pour it out first…”

A challenging and encouraging devotional this week about real biblical faith — the kind that doesn’t just believe… it acts.

Check out this weeks devotional!