A daily quiet time journey as we search the scriptures and tell our story.
by Mark & Debbi Witt
March 1: Created for God’s Glory (Isaiah 43:7)
God says He created His people for His glory.
Isaiah 43:7 reminds us that God didn’t make us to build our own name, He made us to display His. That truth became very real to us not long after we purchased the Teen Quest Ranch in Somerset Pennsylvania.
A few months after the purchase, we met with the local tax assessment board to ask if they would waive the property tax since the Ranch was being used to reach young people for Christ. We prayed earnestly that God would open their hearts and let our request be received, not so Teen Quest would look impressive, but so His work could continue without unnecessary burden.
When I gave my presentation, the president of the board surprised me. With tears in his eyes, he told us he had grown up in camping, and God had used those experiences to strengthen his relationship with the Lord. In that moment, I sensed God was gently reminding us: This isn’t just about a tax decision, this is about what He’s doing in lives for His glory. Soon after, the board granted us the exemption.
Life makes more sense when we remember this: we exist not for our own fame or comfort, but to reflect Him. Every role, parent, spouse, worker, neighbor, servant, becomes an opportunity to show what God is like. And sometimes, in ways we could never plan, God even goes ahead of us and prepares hearts, so that what’s accomplished points back to Him.
Prayer: Lord, remind me today that I was created for Your glory, not my own.
Challenge: Ask yourself before one decision today: “Will this bring God glory or just make me look good?”
March 2: The Lord Is My Shepherd (Psalm 23:1-3)
David begins with a simple, profound truth: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” God leads, restores, and provides. He is not distant; He is near and attentive.
We saw that shepherding care in a very practical way back in 2001. A bank in Scottdale,PA agreed to give us a loan for the Ranch in Somerset County, but only if the Teen Quest building in Mt. Pleasant could be appraised at $190,000 so we would have enough equity to meet the bank’s requirements.
That felt almost impossible. We had purchased that building years earlier for $45,000. Yes, we had poured time, labor, and resources into fixing it up, but the number the bank needed still seemed out of reach. And if the appraisal didn’t come in to $190,000, we wouldn’t be able to move forward with purchasing the Ranch in Somerset.
The appraiser came and went. Then, a few days later, a letter arrived: the property value was $190,000, exactly what was needed. The bank was satisfied, the loan went through, and the Lord provided a way forward.
That’s what the Shepherd does. He guides us where we cannot guide ourselves. He provides what we cannot manufacture. He restores our souls when worry drains us dry. You may feel pressure to be your own shepherd, but your soul finds rest when you let Him lead.
Prayer: Shepherd of my soul, lead me and restore me today.
Challenge: Slowly pray through Psalm 23, personalizing it: “You are my shepherd…”
March 3: When the Valley Is Dark (Psalm 23:4)
Even in the valley of the shadow of death, David fears no evil because God is with him. Life’s darkest valleys, loss, illness, betrayal, are not evidence that God has left. He walks with you through them, not just around them.
Psalm 23:4 isn’t written for sunny days. It’s written for the moments when the road gets dark and you realize you can’t “power through” in your own strength.
Debbi and I learned that on a road trip out west in our little car. We were enjoying the trip, stopping at the Ark Encounter, sightseeing, and looking forward to seeing relatives. At one rest stop in Texas, a kind man offered to take our picture, so we said yes. Afterward, he mentioned his wife was sitting in their car, very sick with COVID. We didn’t think much about it.
But two days later, in New Mexico, Debbi fainted while riding in the passenger seat. Not long after that, I started feeling terrible too, so we went to Med Express. The doctors confirmed what we feared, we both had COVID, and we were really sick.
Suddenly our trip turned into a valley. We had to call our cousins and tell them we couldn’t come because we had COVID. We started the long, miserable drive back home, staying in hotels night after night, barely able to eat, worn down and weak. For more than two weeks we sat in misery, praying and asking the Lord to heal us. And because we knew people who had caught COVID and didn’t make it, the fear was real.
Yet Psalm 23:4 doesn’t say the valley isn’t frightening, it says we don’t have to face it alone: “You are with me”. Looking back, that’s what carried us: not our strength, not a perfect plan, but the steady presence of the Shepherd. He didn’t magically remove the valley, but He walked us through it, day by day, mile by mile, until we made it home.
Prayer: Lord, even in my valleys, let me sense Your presence.
Challenge: Think of one “dark valley” you or someone you love is walking through. Pray specifically for God’s presence there.
March 4: A Clean Heart (Psalm 51:10-12)
After his sin, David cries out for a clean heart and a steadfast spirit.
Psalm 51 was born out of a painful moment, when David stopped excusing his sin and came clean before God. He didn’t bargain. He pleaded: “Create in me a clean heart… renew a right spirit… restore to me the joy of Your salvation.” Real repentance asks for more than relief; it asks for change.
I saw how much the heart matters in something that happened to a man I’ll call Ethan (name protected). A storm caused lots of damage to Ethan’s home and he needed it fixed quickly.
His relative who had the skills to fix the damage came out, and worked only a day. Because he was family, Ethan trusted him and gave him the entire insurance money upfront believing the job would be finished. But the relative took the money and never returned. Ethan reached out many times, only to be told, “It’s your fault, you gave me the money.”
Ethan had to pay someone else to complete the repairs, and the loss hurt financially. What might have hurt even more was what that betrayal could have produced inside, bitterness, anger, and a hardened spirit that refuses to love.
But Ethan chose a different path: he forgave his relative and asked God to keep his own heart clean. That’s what Psalm 51 looks like in real life, letting God cleanse what sin and betrayal try to plant in us and refusing to let another person’s wrong make us become someone we don’t want to be.
That’s the kind of clean heart David is crying out for, a heart God can wash, soften, and steady again, even when life gets messy.
Prayer: God, create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me.
Challenge: Ask God if there is any hidden sin you’ve been excusing. Confess it honestly and ask Him for a new heart attitude.
March 5: Blessed in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-6)
Jesus says the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed.
My missionary friend Stan tells the story of how God used ordinary faithfulness to do an extraordinary work in his family. Stan’s mother was a religious woman who worked as a nurse in a local hospital in New Kensington, Pennsylvania. Nearly every day, the nurses she worked with would lovingly witness to her about Christ.
One day, she was ready. She prayed with a fellow nurse and received Christ and everything changed. She came home and told her husband. At first he rejected salvation, but in time he too trusted Christ.
That humble “yes” to Jesus didn’t stop with one person. Their whole home began to reflect the kingdom of God. The family became involved in Teen Quest, attended our monthly youth rallies, and even started a Teen Quest Bible Club in their home. Stan’s dad served on the Teen Quest Board, and Stan and his sisters, shaped by the example of their mom and dad, went to Christ Unlimited Bible Institute in Kansas City.
Today, Stan is a missionary in Guatemala, and we take short-term teams there each year. What started with one nurse praying in a hospital became a ripple effect that is reaching a nation.
That sounds upside down to the world, but it’s the way of His kingdom: the ones who recognize their need are the ones who receive His grace.
Prayer: Lord, help me embrace Your definition of “blessed,” not the world’s.
Challenge: Choose one beatitude and ask, “What would it look like to live this out today?”
March 6: Salt and Light (Matthew 5:13-16)
Jesus calls His followers the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Salt preserves and adds flavor; light exposes what’s true and helps people find the way. In other words, Christ never meant for our faith to stay private. He meant it to be seen, and to make a difference.
One of the most sobering stories I’ve ever followed is that of Sean Sellers. As a teen, he committed horrific crimes, first the killing of a convenience store clerk in September 1985, and then the murder of his mother and stepfather in March 1986. At the time, he was involved in dark, occult influences, and his life showed the that sin always brings.
But that isn’t the end of the story. In prison, Sean professed faith in Christ and spoke openly about the danger of Satanism and the reality of spiritual darkness. His testimony became widely known because of how dramatic the change appeared to be.
I had the privilege of interviewing him during one of my radio broadcasts on WPIT-FM (now WORD-FM) in Pittsburgh in the late 1990s. His enthusiasm for the Lord was very noticeable and I am sure his testimony really spoke to our radio listeners.
Sean Sellers was executed by lethal injection on February 4, 1999 at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. He met his Savior and his life is a reminder of two truths held side-by-side: sin is devastatingly real, and God’s mercy is everlasting.
Even behind prison walls, a believer can still be salt and light, warning others, pointing to Christ, and urging young people not to play with darkness.
You’re not called to hide your faith, but to live so openly for Christ that people see your good works and glorify your Father.
Prayer: Father, make me salt and light where I live and work.
Challenge: Do one visible act of kindness in Jesus’ name today, and if it fits naturally, gently share why you’re doing it.
March 7: Secret Prayer, Seen by God (Matthew 6:5- 6)
Jesus warns us not to pray “to be seen” by others. Instead, He invites us into the secret place, where the Father sees what’s hidden and meets us there.
When I was a teen, I spent time with my preacher uncle and the kids in his youth group. They seemed different from other teens. It wasn’t just that they went to church they had a real connection with God, and it drew me in.
One New Year’s Eve, we had a party at the youth building. We played games and laughed like you’d expect. But as midnight got close, we decided to do something unusual. Instead of watching the ball drop, we ended the year in prayer.
We gathered in small groups and knelt down. The room was full of teens praying, yet it didn’t feel like a performance. No one was trying to impress anyone. And as I knelt there, I felt the presence of the Lord in a way I still can’t fully explain. I prayed for a very long time, and God did something in my life that I’ve never forgotten.
It was a room full of kids, yet it was also deeply personal. That night taught me something Jesus was getting at: prayer isn’t about being noticed by people. It’s about being known by God.
Life can be noisy and public but your soul needs quiet, unseen time with God more than it needs public approval.
Prayer: Lord, draw me into the secret place of prayer with You.
Challenge: Find a quiet spot, set a simple timer for 10 minutes, and talk honestly with God no phone, no interruptions.
March 8: Seek and You Will Find (Matthew 7:7-11)
Jesus tells us to ask, seek, and knock, with the assurance that our Father gives good gifts.
Right after Thanksgiving we were honestly full of hope, because Giving Tuesday is usually the time when people step up and the year-end giving really happens.
After 49 years in ministry with Teen Quest many of the friends who stood with us for decades have gone home to be with the Lord. At the same time, everything has gotten so expensive like horse feed, insurance, maintaining our sewage and water plant, repairs just to name a few. Just keeping the Ranch running has been overwhelming.
Then Giving Tuesday came, and only one person gave. We were stunned. I told Debbi, “I don’t understand this.” It felt like the very time we normally count on had come and gone and we were left wondering what would happen next.
So Debbi and I prayed night after night specifically for God to touch hearts and to provide what we could not. We kept waiting and praying and even though it was hard, we made a decision not to quit trusting the Lord.
Then, right in the middle of December, something changed. Gifts started coming in one after another,
God is not stingy or reluctant to bless; He is better than the best earthly parent. You may not receive exactly what you ask for, but you never receive less love.
Prayer: Father, help me come to You with confidence, knowing You are good.
Challenge: Bring one persistent request to God today, and then thank Him in advance for answering in His way.
March 9: Build on the Rock (Matthew 7:24-27)
Jesus says the person who hears His words and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
As a little child, I remember my mom and dad coming into my brother’s and my bedroom each night to read the Bible and pray. I can still picture them sitting near the bed, Bible open, voices calm, ending the day by turning our hearts toward the Lord.
Back then we didn’t understand much. We would stumble over those big Bible words and sometimes we laughed. I still remember my dad reading Matthew 25:36, and we giggled when we heard, “I was naked and you clothed me.” Kids will be kids. But even in our childish laughter, something was being planted in us.
As a little kid I don’t remember most of what we read, but I do remember what it taught me: God’s Word belongs in everyday life. Not just on Sunday. Not just when things are going well. It was the discipline of daily devotions that sank deep into my heart. It quietly shaped me. It showed me that faith is not only something you believe, it’s something you build your life on, one day at a time.
Years later, when Debbi and I got married, we made a decision early on that our home would put the Lord first. We wanted our kids to grow up with the same kind of foundation. So we built a routine of reading Scripture, praying together, and keeping God’s Word in front of us.
Over time, that discipline has become the solid rock I need, especially when storms and problems become a reality.
Prayer: Lord, help me not only hear Your Word but live it.
Challenge: Think of one teaching of Jesus you’ve been ignoring or postponing. Take one concrete step of obedience today. It might be forgiving someone, telling the truth, making something right, praying with your family, or starting a daily time in the Word. Build on the Rock one step at a time.
March 10: Follow Me (Luke 9:23- 24)
Jesus says that if anyone wants to come after Him they must deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow Him. That is not a one time choice. It is daily surrender.
As a young man, I felt strong and in control. I believed I could do anything if I put my mind to it. With that attitude I often forgot how much I depended on God because I thought I could handle life on my own.
God got my attention at our annual Witt Family Reunion at my family home. More than 100 of us would gather for two days. I loved our annual volleyball games. I especially loved spiking the ball over the net.
One Saturday afternoon I went up for a big spike, but I fell backward and landed hard. In the scramble, one of my uncles accidentally fell on my leg, and I heard a snap. The doctor said it was not broken, but I had a chipped bone and had to wear a cast for six weeks or longer. In that moment my, “I can do anything” attitude turned into, “Lord, I need You.”
God used that injury to change my heart. He reminded me that He is my strength, not my confidence or ability. It helped me learn what it means to deny myself and let God sit on the throne of my life. And even now, years later, I am still learning to surrender, take up that cross daily, and follow Him.
Following Christ is not an add-on to a self centered life. It is daily surrender. Yet when you lose your life for His sake, you find true life.
Prayer: Jesus, I offer myself again today, help me follow You, not my own agenda.
Challenge: Ask, “What would it look like to follow Jesus instead of my comfort in this situation?” Then take one clear step of obedience.
March 11: The One Thing Necessary (Luke 10:38- 42)
Martha is busy while Mary sits at Jesus’ feet. Jesus does not rebuke Martha for serving, but for being anxious and troubled. Mary chose the one thing necessary - to listen to Him.
Back in 1990, Debbi and I took a small group of students on a mission trip to Mexico. We trained at a youth mission in Southern California and then moved to a base in Mexico to do ministry. When we arrived at our site, we were intimidated. Another church group was there and they had about six times as many kids as we did.
From the start things felt unfair. When we tried to use the bathroom they pushed us out. When we were ready to do skits their group grabbed the best ones and left us with the lesser skits. We had songs prepared, but we were no match for their big choir. As a young youth leader I was frustrated. I felt like we were being bullied and I grew angry that they seemed determined to show us up at every turn.
Finally, I gathered our kids together and prayed with them. In that moment, God began to speak to me. Yes, serving mattered, but something mattered even more: We needed to sit at Jesus’ feet and let Him minister to us first. I realized my anxiety and frustration were taking over and I was reacting in the flesh instead of resting in the Lord.
After that prayer my attitude changed. The bigger group still acted the same, but we did not have to let their behavior ruin what God wanted to do in us. I helped our students see it as a learning experience, not a competition. We came to serve, but we also came to listen, to obey, and to stay close to Jesus.
Your to do list may be long, but time with Jesus is still the most necessary thing.
Prayer: Lord, help me choose the one thing today, time at Your feet.
Challenge: Before diving into your tasks, read a short passage and ask, “Lord, what are You saying to me?” Write down one sentence.
March 12: Teach Us to Pray (Luke 11:1- 4)
The disciples asked Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray” and He gave them a pattern in what we call the Lord’s Prayer. It is not meant to be empty repetition. It is a guide that teaches us how to come to God with honesty, humility, and a heart ready to obey.
I have preached a message many times called, “Should Christians Pray the Lord’s Prayer”? In that message I walk through the phrases of this prayer and point out how we can be hypocritical when we pray words we are not willing to live. Here is what I mean as we sample this prayer.
“Father, hallowed be Your name.” How can we say, “Holy is Your name” if we are not willing to live a holy life? We cannot honor His name with our lips while dishonoring Him with our choices.
“Your kingdom come”. How can we pray for His kingdom to grow if we are not sharing Christ with others so they can become part of His kingdom?
“Give us each day our daily bread.” How dare we ask God to meet our daily needs while we ignore the daily bread of His Word?
“Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.” How can we ask God to forgive us if we are holding anger, bitterness, or unforgiveness toward other people?
“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” How can we pray this when we place temptation before ourselves every day? We ask God to deliver us, yet we entertain what feeds sin
Before we pray the Lord’s Prayer we may need to ask God to cleanse our hearts and help us honor Him in what we do and say. Prayer is not about fancy words. It is about relationship, dependence, and alignment with God’s will. We learn it like children, slowly and simply.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, teach me to pray the way You want me to.
Challenge: Pray through the Lord’s Prayer slowly, turning each phrase into your own words, and ask God to help you live what you pray.
March 13: The Good Samaritan Life (Luke 10:29- 37)
The Good Samaritan moved toward the wounded man when others passed by. He crossed ethnic, social, and financial lines to show mercy.
A few years ago, I was driving my truck in Monroeville, about an hour from the Teen Quest Ranch. I seldom travel to that town, but I happened to be in the area. What made the day even more unusual was that I had a gas can in the back of my pickup truck.
I pulled over at a Wendy’s to grab a sandwich and sat inside to eat. When I walked back out and headed down the road, a car stopped abruptly in front of me.
In that moment, I had a choice. Should I simply pass by and let someone else deal with it? But the Lord impressed on me to help.
The woman rolled down her window and said, “I’m completely out of gas. Could you help me?” Wow. I just happened to have a gas can in the back of my truck. I drove to the nearest gas station, filled the can, drove back to her car, and poured gas into her tank so she could get going again.
God wanted me to bless someone without receiving anything in return. She truly needed help, and the Lord had already placed the “tool” I needed right there in my truck.
That experience reminded me how important it is to be sensitive to people in need and willing to be interrupted. And honestly, I received the bigger blessing that day.
Loving your neighbor means noticing needs and being willing to be interrupted for the sake of compassion.
Prayer: Father, open my eyes to the “wounded” people around me. Help me respond with mercy instead of rushing past.
Challenge: Look for one interruption today and treat it as a God-given opportunity to show mercy, not a nuisance.
March 14: Lost and Found (Luke 15:1-7)
Jesus tells of a shepherd leaving ninety-nine sheep to search for one. Heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents.
When we built our first auditorium at the Teen Quest Ranch, it took a group of men who had a passion for kids and a burden to create a place where students could hear the Gospel. In the winter of 2006, we still were not quite finished with the building, but the kids came anyway.
That night, about three hundred students packed into an unfinished auditorium with a dirt floor, insulation hanging from the rafters, and a torpedo heater trying to keep the chill away. Honestly, we didn’t know what was going to happen. We just knew we needed to give out the Gospel.
Brad Daubenspeck from CRU spoke that night. As he stood on that stage, he invited students to trust Christ. In minutes, the altar area was full of teens surrendering their lives to Jesus.
Several of those students met God in that meeting and still have testimonies they could share today. One young man went on to serve with us for many years and has ministered to thousands of students.
That is the heart of the Shepherd. God is not indifferent to the lost. He seeks them. And if you belong to Him, it’s because He came looking for you.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for seeking and finding me.
Challenge: Pray specifically for one person who is far from God, asking that they would be “found.”
March 15: The Father’s Heart (Luke 15:20- 24)
In the story of the prodigal son, the father runs to his returning child, embraces him, and restores him.
Debbi and I believe that every Christian teen should spend a year in Bible school before moving on to higher education or pursuing a career.
During his teenage years, my son Jason had his challenges. In fact, he was one of the most difficult kids I ever worked with in all my years of ministry.
When he turned 18, Debbi and I challenged him to go to Bible school for one year in New York. He immediately said, “No way.” But later he agreed that he would at least go and look at the school.
When we arrived on campus he was reluctant, but something happened in his heart and he decided to stay.
During his time at school God worked on him. He grew in his faith, his attitude changed, and the Lord began shaping his future. He also met the love of his life and today Jason and Chelsea serve as associate directors of Teen Quest.
God loves taking a stubborn, rebellious believer and turning them into someone useful and faithful. That is exactly what the Father does in the prodigal son story, He restores, He rebuilds, and He welcomes repentant sons and daughters home with joy.
This is God’s heart toward repentant sinners: eager, joyful, and lavish with grace. He doesn’t take you back grudgingly. He runs to you. He welcomes you home.
Prayer: Father, thank You for Your open-armed mercy toward me.
Challenge: If you’ve been hesitant to return to God in some area, come honestly today. He’s already running toward you.
March 16: Abide and Bear Fruit (John 15:7- 8)
Jesus says if we abide in Him and His words abide in us, we will ask and bear much fruit, glorifying the Father.
When Debbi and I were living in our first home in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, my mother-in-law came to visit. She was excited to see my new garden. I had planted beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and more. What I thought were the beans grew very fast, so I even staked them to help them grow upright.
When my mother-in-law walked out to the garden, she looked closely and started laughing. I hadn’t staked beans, I had staked weeds that were growing in the garden. How embarrassing. But it was a great lesson I never forgot.
You can work hard in a garden planting good seed, but if you allow weeds to take over the healthy plants will eventually get choked out. In the same way the Word of God is like the garden of our soul. If we allow sin, distractions, and spiritual “weeds” to overtake our lives, we lose our appetite for Scripture and our desire for the Christian life weakens.
The Word of God does the work of God. When we abide in Christ and remain rooted in His Word, fruit begins to grow in us, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
Fruit is not about busyness. It’s about abiding. Staying rooted in Christ and in the Bible is the key to a fruitful, God-glorifying life.
Prayer: Lord, teach me to abide in You and let Your Word live in me.
Challenge: Memorize or write out one verse from John 15 and revisit it several times today.
March 17: A New Commandment (John 13:34- 35)
Jesus gives a new commandment: love one another as He has loved us. By this, everyone will know we are His disciples.
At Teen Quest, we’ve always taken in kids who need help. Our goal is to help teens look to Jesus and trust him as Lord.
One time a father asked us to help his wayward son by taking him into our home for a season. We welcomed him in. We spent time with him, fed him, gave him a place to sleep, and helped him in every way we could. Our desire was to see him turn back to the Lord and learn what it means to follow Christ. Later, we even found another place for him to stay to move forward and it seemed like he was making progress as he had come a long way.
But a few weeks later, while we were out of town, he drove back to our home, broke in, and stole my large jar of pennies. At first, I was furious. After all we had done for him, why would he do that to us? But the Lord spoke to my heart and reminded me that love isn’t conditional. Love is obedience to God in spite of what someone has done.
I first learned that kind of love from my dad when I was a kid. Our family had tremendous trouble with neighbors and I’ll never forget what my dad said: “Love your enemies, it will drive them crazy.” Watching my dad respond with love toward difficult people taught me more about love than I realized at the time.
That’s the kind of love Jesus is talking about, love that isn’t based on whether someone deserves it, but love that reflects Him. Our love for other believers, especially when it costs us, becomes one of the clearest testimonies to a watching world.
Prayer: Jesus, help me love other believers the way You have loved me.
Challenge: Do something today to intentionally love someone in your church family, encourage them, help them, or take a step toward reconciliation.
March 18: Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled (John 14:1-3)
Jesus tells His disciples not to let their hearts be troubled. They believe in God, and they are to believe in Him. He is preparing a place for them and will come again.
I stood at the bedside of my aunt as she was dying of cancer. She was understandably worried, scared, and unsettled.
Our family had a close relationship with my aunt and uncle. We would go to their home in the mountains almost every other Sunday. We loved them deeply and we shared many good years together.
As I sat by her bed I wondered about what could say when someone only has a short time left on this earth? What words could possibly bring comfort?
I opened the Scriptures and shared the promises of Jesus. I told her that the Lord has a place prepared for her and that it will be more wonderful than anything we can imagine. This life is temporary, but eternity with God is our final destination. Then I prayed with her.
What happened next was incredible. After our conversation, reading Scripture, and a prayer, a peace came over her that I cannot fully describe. It was as if the Lord Himself settled her heart.
One day, every one of us will face death. When that moment comes, we must cling to God’s comforting Word. The hope Jesus gives is not wishful thinking. It is steady ground for a trembling heart.
Are you prepared for eternity, or are you living only for the here and now? God’s plan is that we live ready, anchored in Christ, and confident in His promise.
Eternity with Christ is not a vague idea; it is a concrete hope that steadies troubled hearts.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, calm my troubled heart with the hope of being with You forever.
Challenge: When worry hits today, consciously lift your thoughts to the reality of your eternal home with Christ.
March 19: The Helper with You (John 14:16- 17)
Jesus promises another Helper, the Holy Spirit, who will be with us forever and dwell in us. You are never actually “on your own” as a believer.
Jesus’ words in John 14 are deeply personal: He didn’t save us and then leave us to figure life out by ourselves. He promised “another Helper”,the Holy Spirit, who would be with us forever, living within us to guide and protect us in ways we often don’t recognize until afterward.
I experienced that Helper in a moment I will never forget. A Christian school in Washington, D.C. offered to donate three large classroom trailers to the Teen Quest Ranch, and even pay to have them delivered to the Ranch if we could have someone jack them up on site so they could be moved.
We desperately needed those trailers to convert them into cabins that winter to house students. To save money, a friend and I drove down to D.C. planning to jack them up using air jacks and prepare them for transport.
While I was underneath one of the trailers hooking up the jacks something happened that I can only describe as the Holy Spirit’s clear nudge. The Lord impressed on me, strongly, to get out from under the trailer. I didn’t argue, I just moved. And the moment I did the entire trailer collapsed. If I had stayed under there even seconds longer I would have been crushed.
That day, John 14:16-17 wasn’t a “nice verse”; it was reality. The Holy Spirit wasn’t distant; He was present and He was protecting me. He was helping in a way no human could have at the exact moment I needed it most.
God Himself, by His Spirit, lives in you to guide, comfort, warn, and strengthen. You are never truly alone and you are never left without help.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, make me aware of Your presence and guidance today.
Challenge: Before a challenging task or conversation, pause and say, “Holy Spirit, help me.”
March 20: Pruned to Bear More Fruit (John 15:1-2)
The Father is the vinedresser who prunes the fruitful branches so they bear more fruit. Pruning seasons with loss, discipline, and change may feel harsh, but they are purposeful.
When I was a kid, my dad never failed to discipline me when I needed it. I was usually a compliant kid, but every once in a while I would do something stupid.
One day my brother and I were in the middle of a big fight in the living room. Dad stepped in and said, “March upstairs and get the ping-pong paddle.” We didn’t even own a ping-pong table. That paddle had a particular purpose.
As soon as I got upstairs the first thing I saw was the paddle. I remember thinking, “If I hand this to my dad, he’s going to use it on me.” So I walked down the hall and saw my mother’s laundry basket full of clothes. I slid the paddle under the laundry and went back downstairs and told Dad, “I can’t find the ping-pong paddle anywhere.”
Be sure your sins will find you out. A few minutes later, my six foot tall dad looked down at me and asked, “Did you find the paddle?” And again, I lied. He marched me into the bedroom, made me take off my belt, and he disciplined me until my will was broken.
I learned a lesson that day I never forgot: My dad loved me and his correction was meant to keep me on track. God used my dad’s discipline to prune me, not to harm me, but to make me stronger.
That is what the Father does for His children. God cuts away what hinders so that more of Christ’s life can flow through you. Pruning hurts, but it is proof of care. The vinedresser only prunes what he intends to make fruitful.
Prayer: Father, help me trust You when You prune my life.
Challenge: Identify one recent “cut” or loss. Ask, “How might God be using this to grow deeper fruit in me?”
March 21: In the World but Not of It (John 17:14- 18)
Jesus prayed for His followers saying they are not of the world, just as He is not of the world and yet He sends them into the world.
I remember praying to receive Christ in my church at the age of 12. Even then, I sensed God was calling me into ministry, but I struggled at times to know if my conversion was real.
When I entered my first college in Ohio, my faith was tested quickly. Some students challenged what I believed, and others openly made fun of it. I began to question God, wondering what was happening and why I felt so shaken.
Several weeks into my freshman year, I was walking across my college campus and I prayed something simple but sincere: “Lord, I am not sure if I truly trusted Christ when I was 12, but today I want to be sure of my salvation.” From that day on, God gave me a settled assurance that I belonged to Him.
That did not remove me from a difficult environment. I still lived in a dorm full of students who did not share my values. I was surrounded by different beliefs and pressures. But after that prayer on the campus walkway, something changed in me. I stood strong and did not waver like before.
Jesus never asked the Father to take us out of the world. He prayed that we would be kept, protected, and sanctified while we live in it. We are called to live distinctly without withdrawing completely. We are different, but we are present, as light, not as spectators.
Prayer: Lord, help me live set apart for You while still being present in the world for Your mission.
Challenge: Notice one place where you tend to blend in with the world’s values. Ask God how to live differently there, with courage and love.
March 22: Take Up Your Cross (Mark 8:34-35)
Jesus repeats the call to deny ourselves and take up our cross.
Over the years, many people have come to help build cabins and structures at the Teen Quest Ranch. In fact, since moving to the Ranch in 2001, most of it has been built by loving volunteers. These men and women have given their time, skills, and even their own money so that youth can come to know Christ. God has truly given us some of the best volunteers in the world.
Steven once brought an older friend with him to help us remodel an old tractor shed into the game room we now call the Tin Spur. One of the big projects was building a fireplace in that room. The older gentleman had the experience, but due to health reasons he was only able to complete half of the fireplace before he had to go home.
That meant Steven had to finish the fireplace and complete the rest of the room in a two-week period. He did it. He was an example of a man wholly dedicated to denying himself and serving the Lord.
Several years later, Steven fell off a ladder in Mexico while on a mission trip. He later developed ALS and passed away at a young age. Even in his suffering, Steven’s life remained a powerful example of someone willing to take up his cross and follow Christ.
Cross-bearing is not about minor inconveniences; it’s about dying to self-centeredness. Yet in losing our lives for Christ, we find real life.
Prayer: Jesus, show me what “cross” You’re asking me to carry today, and give me courage to say yes.
Challenge: Say “no” to one selfish impulse today for the sake of obedience to Christ.
March 23: The Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27-28)
Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27) God designed rest as a gift, not a burden.
For a few years we hosted a group of Jewish girls who ran a camp program at the Teen Quest Ranch. Because we love the Jewish people, we welcomed them and tried to honor their practices. From Friday at sunset to Saturday at sunset was their Shabbat, a time of rest, prayer, and no work of any kind. They even ran a string around the middle of the ranch, and no one was to go outside that boundary. They asked us to shut off motion lights because triggering a light to turn on was considered work. Watching their careful devotion reminded me how easily God’s good gifts can feel heavy when rules replace relationship.
In the early church, some Jewish believers, often called Judaizers, insisted that Gentile Christians needed to keep Jewish laws in addition to faith in Christ. When Paul heard this, he confronted it strongly, because adding law-keeping as a requirement for salvation was “a different gospel.” (See Galatians 1:6-9; 2:11-16)
Christians are not under the Old Testament ceremonial law as a way to be made right with God. Paul even taught that believers should not judge one another over special days. (Romans 14:5-6; Colossians 2:16-17) And yet the principle of Sabbath remains wise and life-giving. A regular rhythm of rest is still a gift from God.
When we practice a Sabbath type rest, we reset our hearts, quiet our souls, and prepare for the week ahead. Constant work and constant noise damage us. Rest in God is not laziness. It is obedience, humility, and trust.
Prayer: Lord, teach me to receive Your gift of rest.
Challenge: Plan a block of time this week for genuine rest in the Lord: worship, reflection, and refreshing, not just entertainment.
March 24: The God Who Hears (Psalm 34:15- 18)
The Lord’s eyes are on the righteous and His ears are open to their cry. He is near to the brokenhearted and saves those crushed in spirit.
Jimmy’s life has been marked by deep loss. At just 12 years old, he lost his father. Later, tragedy struck again when his younger sister was killed in a car accident. Grief became a familiar visitor in his home. Then came the day that changed everything. Jimmy and his friends went to a bridge near Johnstown, Pennsylvania planning an adventure - rappelling down for fun. One slip. One terrifying moment. Jimmy fell.
When he opened his eyes, the world was different. Hospital lights. Doctors’ voices. A body that would not move. Then the words no one ever wants to hear: “You will never walk again.”
Jimmy faced months and months of therapy, setbacks, and painful rehabilitation. But that was not the end of his story. Little by little, strength returned. Eventually, Jimmy was walking again with crutches, carrying pain and determination every step.
Jimmy loved archery, so I invited him to lead our Extreme Barn at the Teen Quest Ranch, filled with activities for teens… including archery. When He came to the Ranch something even greater happened. He surrendered his life to Christ.
Even today Jimmy still deals with pain. But for more than 18 years he has faithfully served thousands of young people who have come to the Ranch.
Suffering does not disqualify you. God meets us in it. If Jimmy could serve the Lord through so much loss and hardship, you can too.
God is not indifferent to your pain. He is especially near in times of heartbreak. He sees. He hears. He saves.
Prayer: Father, thank You that You see and hear me, especially when my heart is hurting.
Challenge: If you’re brokenhearted, pour out your heart honestly in prayer. If you’re not, pray for someone who is.
March 25: Count It All Joy (James 1:2- 4)
James tells us to consider it pure joy when we face various trials because they produce perseverance and maturity.
I have never had such pain in my life as when it shot down my entire left side all the way into my leg. The doctor said it was sciatica, a painful condition I believed was triggered by driving my stick-shift car. I could feel the pain gradually coming on and it was not fun at all.
I couldn’t sit, it was hard to lie in bed and I definitely couldn’t walk without crutches. I went to the hospital, but they couldn’t help. I tried a chiropractor and that took time. Life felt hopeless and I honestly wondered if it would ever go away.
After several weeks, the pain finally began to subside and healing came. Through that entire ordeal I prayed and prayed for God to give me relief. In the end I had to sell that car and purchase an automatic.
About a month later I slipped on a garbage can dolly and landed hard on my side. Once again I had to patiently wait on the Lord for healing.
I’ve learned that pain can remind us of our dependence on the Lord and help us recognize His blessings more clearly. God is not indifferent to your pain; He is especially near in times of heartbreak.
We don’t rejoice because pain hurts, but because God uses hardship to grow us. Trials are classrooms for Christlikeness.
Prayer: Lord, help me see my trials through the lens of what You are producing in me.
Challenge: Name one current trial and ask, “How might God be using this to mature me?” Thank Him for that specific work.
March 26: Doers of the Word (James 1:22- 25)
Those who hear the Word but don’t act on it are like someone who looks in a mirror, then walks away and forgets what they saw. God’s Word is not just for information it is for transformation.
For several years, Jerry, a school principal in China led students to the United States to tour cultural sites. But the students wanted to be around other kids, so a friend of mine, Dave, told them about the Teen Quest Ranch. Jerry brought about 30 students to the Ranch and they loved it even though none of them were believers.
Then God changed everything. During a winter visit to the States Dave led Jerry to Christ. The next summer Jerry returned with a new purpose and for several summers students from China came to the Ranch and heard the gospel and many turned to Christ and took the gospel back to China.
In 2019 we took a team of 10 to China to present our summer program in schools knowing we could not publicly share Christ there. The kids were very open to what we had to say. When the parents heard we were coming they invited us to do a parenting seminar. We were expecting a small group but more than 500 parents showed up.
That same summer more than 80 Chinese students came from China to our Ranch and heard the gospel for the first time. Many returned home with a new relationship in Christ.
Obedience is where the blessing of the Word is experienced.
Prayer: God, don’t let me be a forgetful hearer make me a doer of Your Word.
Challenge: After reading Scripture today, write one action step and do it.
March 27: Humble Yourself (James 4:6- 8, 10)
God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. We are called to submit to God, resist the devil, draw near to Him, and humble ourselves.
I remember driving in Plum, near Pittsburgh, when I took my eyes off the road for just a moment. The car in front of me suddenly stopped and before I could react, I slammed into the back of his car.
How embarrassing it was to cause an accident, but that wasn’t all. When the policeman arrived, he tested me for drunk driving. I had never drunk alcohol in my life, but my pride still got the best of me. I felt insulted and humiliated and I could feel my heart rising up in defensiveness.
Years later, I had another humbling moment. I was driving home after my grandson’s ball game in Winber, Pennsylvania, and a car behind me kept following and wouldn’t pass. In my pride, I slowed down to try to force him around me. He still wouldn’t pass and just stayed right behind me. Finally, I slowed down even more. That’s when I saw the flashing lights. It was a police officer. He actually pulled me over for driving too slowly and thought I might be drinking.
God has used moments like these to teach me humility and remind me not to let pride take over. Humility is the doorway to fresh grace. Pride shuts us off from help; humility opens the floodgates.
Prayer: Lord, show me any pride in my heart and teach me to walk humbly before You.
Challenge: Choose to apologize or admit fault in one situation today instead of defending yourself.
March 28: Faith That Works (James 2:14-17)
James says that faith without works is dead. He’s not teaching salvation by works but insisting that genuine faith always shows up in action.
In 1981, Debbi and I moved our offices from the South Hills of Pittsburgh to a small building in Murrysville, not far from where we held our monthly youth rallies. Living in Washington County meant we traveled daily through Pittsburgh to reach our Murrysville Center. After a while the drive became a burden. Inflation was at an all-time high and we honestly thought we would never be able to sell our home in the South Hills - but we did.
That decision led us into a very humbling season. For a time, we were living in our little youth center with one child, sharing the space with staff who came in during the day to work. We prayed for a place to live that would be separate us from the office. People told us, “You’ll never be able to afford a home in Murrysville.” But God had a plan.
A lady in the area had lost her husband in a car accident and she had a home for rent. It was in our price range and not far from our new office. The Lord opened that door in a way we never could have predicted.
We rented that home for about six years and then something amazing happened: When we were ready to buy, the owner credited all of our rent payments toward the purchase price. To top that, the bank president who attended our church, gave us his employee interest rate discount.
None of those steps were easy, but we learned something we’ve never forgotten: Trust the Lord even when the path feels impossible. God had a plan all along and our part was simply to walk in it and trusting Him each step of the way.
If Christ truly lives in us, our lives will increasingly reflect His heart and priorities.
Prayer: Lord, let my faith show itself in practical obedience and love.
Challenge: Ask, “Is there an area where my actions contradict what I say I believe?” Begin taking one step of alignment.
March 29: The God Who Provides (Philippians 4:19)
Paul assures believers that God will supply all their needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Since 1976, Debbi and I have raised our own financial support as missionaries to young people through Teen Quest. Most people would be scared to death to raise their own support and at first it was scary for us too, but we took the leap of faith.
I still remember sending 700 letters to friends and family, asking them to pray for this new venture. What amazed me was this: the people I was sure would support us didn’t and the people I thought never would … did. What did we learn? God is in control. We don’t rely on people , we rely on God who moves people’s hearts.
I also remember the day the Lord stirred a donor to give our first $1,000 gift. You can imagine how exciting that was. It felt like God was reminding us, “I’ve got you.”
For 50 years we have trusted the Lord for our financial support. We’ve had plenty of rough times, but God has always provided - maybe not on our timetable, but always at the right time and in ways He knows best.
Looking back over these 50 years, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Depending on the Lord has shaped our faith and strengthened our confidence that He truly does supply what we need.
You may not be a missionary raising support, but the principle is the same. God is the source of every blessing and He is faithful.
God’s provision may not match our wish list, but He will provide what we truly need to do His will.
Prayer: Father, help me trust You to supply my needs, not my every want.
Challenge: Instead of complaining about what you lack today, thank God specifically for three ways He has provided.
March 30: Pressing On (Philippians 3:12-14)
Paul admits he hasn’t arrived, but he presses on, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward.
Debbi attended Bob Jones University in South Carolina. At the end of her first semester she put all her belongings in a barrel and headed home for California. In August she heard about a new school starting in Lynchburg Virgina - Liberty University. She really prayed about this and felt God wanted her to go to Liberty. Her dad graciously drove her from her home in the San Francisco Area of California to Bob Jones in South Carolina to withdraw from school
When she tried to withdraw, the representative from Bob Jones informed her that her barrel was in the warehouse and she would have to wait several more weeks when school started to retrieve her barrel. This would have made it impossible for her to attend Liberty because the school was starting in a few days.
Debbi and her father said, “lets just look anyway.” To their amazement her barrel was the first barrel she saw. Obviously, God wanted her to go to Liberty and opened that door.
That same year Debbi and I met at Liberty and if she would not have transferred, we would not have met and later married,
Spiritual maturity is not perfection but persistence. We keep moving toward Christ, not living in past failures or successes.
Prayer: Lord, help me forget what needs to stay in the past and press on toward You.
Challenge: Identify one “anchor” from your past (regret or pride) that holds you back. Give it to God and choose one forward step.
March 31: The Grace That Trains Us (Titus 2:11-12)
God’s grace has appeared, bringing salvation and training us to say “no” to ungodliness and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.
The room was packed with teens as an evangelist friend preached at our Teen Quest Ranch on the topic of self-control. He didn’t pull any punches. With love and clarity, he challenged the students to reject a promiscuous lifestyle - including sexual immorality, pornography, and the cultural pressure to redefine marriage and identity outside of God’s design.
I believed his message was biblically on target. But after the meeting, a youth leader came to me upset. He was concerned we were “sending kids to hell” because some teens in his group didn’t know the Lord and would be offended by the evangelist’s words. He also felt his students weren’t ready or old enough to hear a message that direct.
After we talked for a while, he calmed down. I explained that his kids are already hearing mixed messages every day at school, in social media and from friends all pushing an agenda contrary to the Word of God. If we stay silent, we aren’t protecting them. We’re leaving them alone with the loudest voices in the room.
I’m convinced teens want truth, especially in a day when social media feeds them constant confusion. When truth is shared with grace, kids respond. They don’t need leaders who dodge hard topics; they need adults who love them enough to tell them what God says and to point them to the One who can help them live it.
Grace is not only pardon; it is power and training. The same grace that forgives you also reshapes you.
Prayer: Lord, let Your grace train me to live a godly life in this present world.
Challenge: Ask the Lord, “Where is Your grace teaching me to say ‘no’?” Obey that prompting today.
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Quest For The Journey — February 2026
Quest For The Journey — April Devotions