Quick Thought – Friday, February 17, 2023: The Key of Forgiveness

Posted on February 17, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Read

Ephesians 4:17-32

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32

Reflect

Corrie Ten Boom in the "Hiding Place" in her former home.Sometimes heroes come in different shapes and sizes. Often, they’re so unlikely that they could be standing right in front of you.

The Ten Boom family is a prime example.

During World War II, the Ten Booms took their Christian responsibilities seriously and began hiding Jews in their home in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. Even though discovery meant certain imprisonment, the Ten Booms, along with their friends, saved the lives of around 800 Jews over the course of about three years.

At one point, they even constructed a hidden room the size of a closet on the top floor of their house (in youngest daughter Corrie’s room) so that their “illegal” guests could have time to hide in case the Nazis investigated the home.

Eventually, that day did come. A local informant turned the Ten Booms in, and the Nazis raided the home. The entire Ten Boom family was thrown into concentration camps, where Corrie’s father Casper and sister Betsie both died.

Corrie is remembered for her heroic acts during the war, but also for the way that she forgave her betrayer and captors. She is remembered for sayings like, “Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hatred. It is a power that breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness.”

It’s doubtful that you’ll be betrayed in a matter of life and death, but you will almost certainly have times where people do things to hurt you, whether on purpose or not. The Bible is very clear on forgiveness – it’s not an option. Jesus led the way by forgiving those who crucified Him, and if we’ve confessed our sins to Him, He has even forgiven us. How, then, can we do anything less by holding unforgiveness in our hearts toward others?

Today, examine your heart and see if you have hardness toward anyone. If you do, pray that the Lord will help you release that so that you can forgive them, allowing your heart to fully heal.

Reflection copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Rat-a-Tat Patriotism

Posted on February 16, 2026 by Douglas Blaine
Daily writing prompt
Are you patriotic? What does being patriotic mean to you?
View all responses

Am I patriotic?

I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t.

We lived outside of Philadelphia in 1976 — which meant my entire fourth-grade year felt like one long, living history lesson. While other kids memorized dates from a textbook, we walked the ground where it happened. Independence Hall. Valley Forge. Streets where men argued over liberty and risked everything to defend it.

The Bicentennial wasn’t just a celebration. It was everywhere. Flags on porches. Red, white and blue bunting draped across small-town storefronts. A sense — even as a kid — that we were part of something older and bigger than ourselves.

One memory stands out more than all the field trips.

My brother had a snare drum he was experimenting with. My mom rigged a strap onto it and handed it to me. My sister Suzy picked up her recorder and learned a patriotic tune. My oldest sister, Holly, carried a flag. We dressed like figures from one of those old Revolutionary War paintings and marched up and down our street — Suzy piping, me rat-a-tat-tatting on that drum, Holly holding the flag high.

And people came out of their houses.

They clapped. They smiled. Some even stood a little straighter.

It wasn’t about us. It was about what we represented.

That’s where patriotism first took root for me.

Patriotism, to me, isn’t blind loyalty. It isn’t pretending the country is flawless. It isn’t shouting the loudest. It’s something steadier than that.

It’s gratitude.

It’s remembering that freedom isn’t normal in the sweep of human history. It’s understanding that self-government is fragile. It’s knowing that the experiment started in places like Independence Hall is still ongoing — and we are part of it.

Being patriotic means loving your country enough to celebrate its strengths and wrestle honestly with its weaknesses. It means putting the common good above personal comfort. It means standing for the Pledge of Allegiance even on days when the news cycle makes you tired. It means teaching students not just how this nation was formed, but why it matters that it was.

Every morning in my classroom, I face the flag. Hand over heart. Same words I’ve said thousands of times. Not because it’s required. Because it connects me — to that little boy with the drum, to the founders who signed their names in ink that could have cost them their lives, and to the students in front of me who will inherit whatever version of America we leave behind.

Yes, I’m patriotic.

Not because America is perfect.

But because it’s home.

Copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.

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Quick Thought – Monday, February 16, 2026: Finishing the Race

Posted on February 16, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Read

Hebrews 12

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2

Reflect

Derek Redmond and his father in Barcelona

No one who was in the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona on August 3, 1992, will ever forget what they saw. A crowd that entered the stadium expecting the greatest feats of competition left talking about one of the greatest feats of perseverance in sporting history.

Derek Redmond also entered the stadium with great hopes. After two heats of the men’s 400-meters, Derek was becoming a favorite to contend for a medal. He had won both of those heats with decent times, and he certainly looked like Great Britain’s best hope for a medal in the event. Four years earlier, he had to drop out of the Olympics in Seoul, Korea, just seconds before he was due to run because of an Achilles tendon injury. Now, he was just two races away from potential Olympic glory.

The race started well enough. Derek was posting a strong time, but almost midway through the race, he heard a pop and then felt a searing pain in his right leg. Breaking stride, Derek grabbed the leg and crumpled to the ground – a victim of yet another injury, this time to his hamstring.

At first, Derek thought he still might be able to catch the other runners and qualify. But then reality set in, and he realized that the best he could do would be to finish the race no matter what. Step by step, Derek hobbled toward the finish line, the agony clearly showing on his face. Derek was used to running the entire race in 45 seconds or less, but he could only manage those next 150 meters or so in 40 seconds.

It was then that a man ran onto the track from the crowd and pushed his way past security. He reached Derek’s side, and the runner could see that it was his father, Jim. “Derek, it’s me,” he said. “You don’t need to do this.”

Derek replied, “Dad, I want to finish, get me back in the semi-final.”

Putting his arm around his son, Jim said. “OK. We started this thing together and now we’ll finish it together.”

Jim’s next words to his son bring tears to my eyes: “You’re a champion, you’ve got nothing to prove.”

Together, Derek and Jim Redmond crossed the finish line, and the crowd erupted in a standing ovation. Because Derek crossed with assistance, the official result is listed as DNF – Did Not Finish. But everyone who watched that day or who has seen the video since then knows that the truth tells a much different story.

The writer of Hebrews told us that we’re all in a race as Christians and that the stadiums of Heaven are cheering for us as we run toward our eternal finish line. He told us that there will be difficulties, but that we need to press on in spite of those, striving with every step toward our goal.

Each of us will encounter problems and troubles as we try to live the Christian life. But ours is a race not only worth running but worth winning. One wonderful thing is that we don’t have to finish first – we just have to finish. Another is that each step of the way, our Heavenly Father is running with us, encouraging us and assuring us that, “You’re a champion.”

Today, pray that the Lord will give you a fresh wind for the Christian race. Ask Him to help you persevere and endure in spite of any obstacles that block your path.

 Reflection copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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The Sunday Pour: The Sweet Spot

Posted on February 15, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Somewhere between rye spice and corn sweetness, balance is found. Love and friendship live in that middle place.

If you’ve ever tasted a well-made bourbon, you know the magic isn’t in one note overpowering the others. Too much rye and the spice can bite. Too much corn and it can drift toward syrupy softness. But when the heat and the honey meet in the right proportion — when the cinnamon tingle rests on a bed of caramel — you find the sweet spot.

The day after Valentine’s Day is a good time to think about that.

Romance gets the headlines. It gets the roses, the music, the carefully planned dinners. But the real strength of love isn’t in the spotlight moments. It’s in what remains when the lights come up and the song fades.

It’s friendship.
It’s steadiness.
It’s choosing each other on an ordinary Tuesday.

The sweet spot isn’t the grand gesture.

It’s knowing the dance floor isn’t borrowed from someone else’s memory anymore. It’s ours. Not perfect. Not choreographed. Just two people who decided to keep stepping in rhythm.

Scripture says iron sharpens iron. That’s rye. There’s friction there. Growth. The kind of sharpening that only happens when two lives are close enough to touch.

But Scripture also speaks of honey — sweetness that strengthens, not weakens. That’s corn. That’s gentleness. That’s grace when one of you is tired or heavy or not feeling much like writing.

The miracle isn’t choosing one.

It’s learning how God blends both.

After the flowers fade and the chocolates are gone, what remains is the middle place — warmth with a little spark, honesty wrapped in kindness, a steady hand when the music changes tempo.

That’s the sweet spot.

It doesn’t shout.

It lingers.

And if you’re fortunate enough to find it, you don’t need the spotlight to know you’re standing exactly where you’re meant to be.

Copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.

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We’re All Lawbreakers (Even the Good Ones)

Posted on February 15, 2026 by Douglas Blaine
Daily writing prompt
Have you ever unintentionally broken the law?
View all responses

Breaking the law is, honestly, not that hard to do.

We live in a country with thousands upon thousands of laws — federal, state, county, city — many of which the average citizen couldn’t identify if their life depended on it. I don’t wake up each morning reviewing the Florida statutes before brushing my teeth. So unless someone out there has memorized the entire legal code (and if you have, I have questions), it’s likely we’ve all violated something at some point without even realizing it.

But even if we set aside the obscure laws, what about the obvious ones?

If the speed limit is 65 and you’ve crept up to 66, technically you’ve broken the law. (And yes, I was once pulled over for going 56 in a 55. That story may deserve its own post.) It’s unlikely an officer will write you up for being one mile over, but the line is still the line.

Cross the street without a crosswalk? Jaywalking.
Text while driving? Lawbreaker.
Skip the seatbelt for a quick drive down the road? That’s another one.
Toss a cigarette butt on the ground? Littering. (And yes, that one still grates on me.)

Then there were the Napster and Limewire days. In the late ’90s and early 2000s, downloading copyrighted music or movies without paying for them became almost culturally normal. It felt victimless. It felt harmless. It felt like everyone was doing it. But it was still theft. (I’ll simply say: the statute of limitations has hopefully expired.)

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: most of us don’t see ourselves as lawbreakers because we tend to define “lawbreaking” by the worst examples. We compare ourselves to criminals in orange jumpsuits, not to the standard itself.

But technically? We’ve all stepped over the line.

And that realization does something important to the heart. It softens it.

Because when I recognize that I’ve broken laws — sometimes knowingly, sometimes casually, sometimes thoughtlessly — it becomes harder for me to pound the gavel when I see someone else stumble. It doesn’t mean wrong becomes right. It doesn’t mean standards disappear. It simply means I approach people with a little more humility.

In Matthew 7:1–5, Jesus doesn’t tell us to abandon moral discernment. He tells us to examine ourselves first. Remove the plank from our own eye before obsessing over the speck in someone else’s. That’s not moral indifference; that’s moral honesty.

We still need laws. We still need right and wrong.
But we also need mercy.

Maybe the awareness that I’ve broken a statute or two keeps me from acting like judge, jury, and executioner in the court of public opinion. Maybe it reminds me that grace is something I both need and receive daily.

And maybe it reminds me to:

Slow down. Use the crosswalk. Pay for the music. Buckle up. Keep the texting hands-free.

Because the goal isn’t perfection — it’s growth.

Copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.

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Quick Thought – Wednesday, February 15, 2023: Hiding in Him

Posted on February 15, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Read

Psalm 11

In the Lord I take refuge…
Psalm 11:1a

Reflect

Bird flying over a mountainDavid was a man who experienced hard times. Consider that he continually had to escape the wrath of King Saul, who all too often looked to kill young David for fear that he would rise up and take Saul’s throne. David even started living in caves because that seemed like the safest place to avoid the king and his soldiers.

In the midst of his troubles, even David’s friends seemed to abandon him. Instead of standing with him, they were the ones telling him from behind, “Run away!” (Or, as this scripture says, “Flee like a bird to your mountain, for behold, the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart; if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”)

When everything seemed the bleakest, David didn’t seem to have anyone to turn to. So he turned to the most reliable place that he – or that any of us – could find. The Lord.

“In the Lord I take refuge.”

David simply acknowledges God and tells us about how wonderful and righteous the Lord is – and because He is so wonderful and righteous, He values those qualities in others. David knew that if he kept his heart pure, eventually God would uphold him. And eventually, that was indeed true. Saul’s corrupt heart failed him, and the king died a violent death. Meanwhile, David, the man after God’s own heart, did become king despite Saul’s efforts to prevent that.

No matter how difficult life becomes, there is only one place of refuge that will always be reliable – the Lord. He never shifts or changes, and He never turns His back on us. Even if every friend turns away, you can count on God to stand by your side. Take a page from David and proclaim His goodness and righteousness. And because those things are so important to Him, pursue goodness and righteousness in your own life.

Reflection copyright © 2023 Doug DeBolt.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Quick Thought – Saturday, February 14, 2026 (Valentine’s Day): True Love

Posted on February 14, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Read

Colossians 3:1-17

And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Colossians 3:14

Reflect

Hands making a heart

Fabius and Lucilla had a problem. Both were Christians, and they had met and fallen in love. That shouldn’t have been a problem—but in third-century Rome, it was. Emperor Claudius had issued an edict preventing young men from marrying. (After all, an unmarried soldier was thought to be a better fighter.) But Fabius and Lucilla desperately wanted to be married.

So in the dead of night, they sought out a priest named Valentine. They had heard rumors that he would quietly marry young couples in defiance of the emperor’s command.

A shadowy figure approached them.
“Fabius?”
The young man nodded.
“Both of you—come with me.”

The figure led them to a nearby door, entered, and beckoned them to follow. Once inside, he lit a candle and removed the hood from his head.

“I am Valentine,” he said. “I understand you are both in love.”

Such is the legend of St. Valentine—the Roman priest who defied the edict of his emperor and ultimately paid for it with his life.

Today, most of us remember Valentine by exchanging cards, flowers, candy, and gifts with the special people in our lives. But the greater homage we can pay to this saint is to live out the kind of love he was willing to die for.

Valentine’s Day is often an ooey, gooey holiday. But the love of St. Valentine—the love that finds its source in Christ Himself—is a love rooted in sacrifice. The love that gives you butterflies is sweet, but it pales in comparison to the love that leads you to lay down your life for someone else.

Today, I hope you enjoy the day and that there is someone with whom you can share it. But before you venture out for an evening of fun and romance, be sure to place the Lord at the center of your love. Pray that He will honor your time together and lead you both into a deeper relationship—with each other, and with Him.

Reflection copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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A Life Dedicated to Words and Faith

Posted on February 14, 2026 by Douglas Blaine
Daily writing prompt
If there were a biography about you, what would the title be?
View all responses

If there were a biography written about my life, the title would be A Life Dedicated to Words and Faith.

I didn’t arrive at that title quickly, and I didn’t arrive at it confidently. In fact, my first instinct was hesitation. Titles feel final, and my life doesn’t feel finished — or even neatly organized enough to sum up in a single line. But the more I looked backward, the clearer the pattern became.

The common thread running through my life has always been words.

I didn’t always know that at the time. In high school, it just felt normal to be around a newspaper — working at my dad’s paper, watching deadlines approach, hearing the hum of a newsroom that never really slept. In college, words became more intentional. I was the sports editor at one paper, the editor at another. Later, I edited a newspaper in the Air Force. Eventually, I graduated with a journalism degree from the University of North Florida.

At every stage, words weren’t just something I used — they were something I trusted. Words were how I made sense of the world, how I told stories, how I tried to bring order to chaos. Even my love for music, which came from my mother, ultimately pointed me back to language. She helped me see that while I loved melody and harmony, my deeper passion lived on the page.

Today, I’m a teacher. But even that fits the pattern. I teach English. I teach journalism. I spend my days helping students learn how words shape thought, truth, persuasion, and identity. I may not be in a newsroom anymore, but I’m still doing the same work — just with a different audience and a longer view.

The other pillar of my life — the one that gives meaning to all the rest — is my faith in Jesus Christ.

I’ve been a Christian since 1994. That doesn’t mean I’ve lived perfectly or figured everything out. I haven’t. I still stumble. I still get things wrong. But my desire, imperfect as it is, has always been to be a man after the Lord’s heart. That desire has shaped my choices, redirected my path more than once, and anchored me when words alone weren’t enough.

Faith has taught me that words matter not just because they inform or persuade, but because they can heal, encourage, correct, and point people toward truth. Faith is what gives the words weight.

So when I step back and look at the whole arc — from a kid in a newsroom, to an editor, to a writer, to a teacher, to a man still trying to live faithfully — that title feels earned.

A Life Dedicated to Words and Faith.

Not because I’ve mastered either one.
But because I’ve spent my life trying to honor both.

Copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.

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Looking Back at Their Lives — And Measuring My Own

Posted on February 13, 2026 by Douglas Blaine
Daily writing prompt
What were your parents doing at your age?
View all responses

It’s a fascinating question because it pulls you backward in time — not just to a different year, but into someone else’s life. When I think about what my parents were doing in 1998 — when they were roughly my age now — I get a vivid snapshot not just of what they were doing, but who they were becoming.

My Step-Dad: Leading With Purpose

In 1998, my step-father was still serving as President of ACTS 29 Ministries. He traveled the country speaking, leading conferences, and communicating the Gospel with resolve and passion. I was working with him as his Vice President of Communications, learning first-hand what it means to lead with clarity and conviction.

That part of his life — balancing responsibilities, inspiring volunteers and congregations, and shaping a spiritual mission — left an imprint on me. He knew how to take a message and make it matter to people. That’s something I still try to learn from.

My Mom: The Heart of the Family

In 1998, my mom was freely giving of herself — writing songs, performing worship music, and making people feel seen and appreciated. She wasn’t doing things small; she was doing things that connected people.

She had a unique way of making people feel loving, important, and valued in her presence. While I know I’ll never do that exactly like she did, I still try to keep that spirit alive — in my conversations, my teaching, and how I approach the people I care about.

My Dad: Publisher, People-Man, and Balancer

Meanwhile, my father was still the publisher of the Northwest Florida Daily News — a role he held for decades. He managed both the business side of a newspaper and the human side: keeping staff motivated, readers engaged, and quality high in an industry that never stops changing.

He could switch from serious boardroom decisions to being the life of a party, and there’s something about that blend of grit and charisma I admire. It reminds me that leadership isn’t just about strategy — it’s about people.

Where My Life Differs — And Where It Connects

At this same age, I’m doing different things — teaching, writing, and reflecting more deliberately on what matters most. I’m not traveling auditoriums or running a newspaper, but I’m trying to live a life that reflects the best parts of who they were:

  • From my step-dad: leading with honesty and heartfelt purpose
  • From my mom: making people feel valued and important
  • From my dad: balancing work with warmth, strategy with humanity

Looking at their lives makes me realize we don’t have to repeat their paths to honor them. We just have to absorb what mattered most — the way they approached life, work, and the people around them.

That’s a legacy I’m still unpacking, still learning from — and still grateful for.

Copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.

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Quick Thought – Friday, February 13, 2026: In Christ Alone

Posted on February 13, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Read

Colossians 1:24-29

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossians 1:27

Reflect

Frank Reich vs. the Houston OilersLast Sunday we reached the pinnacle of the NFL season with the Super Bowl. Each year, regardless of who plays in the big game, it’s hard to overlook one of the biggest accomplishments of any team in NFL history – the Buffalo Bills of the early 1990s. The Bills, sadly, are mostly known for reaching – and losing – four straight Super Bowls. But one of the Bills’ most amazing feats didn’t take place in a Super Bowl, but did help them reach one in their third bid for a championship.

During the 1993 Wild Card playoffs, the Bills hosted the Houston Oilers, and the game looked like a complete rout for the Oilers. To begin with, Buffalo’s starting quarterback, Jim Kelly, didn’t play, as he’d been injured in the final game of the regular season. And by halftime, Houston was up 28-3, and quickly moved to 35-3 after an interception return for a touchdown early in the third quarter.

It was bad enough that people watching on TV turned to other channels, and many of the hometown Buffalo crowd headed home rather than endure a blowout. Houston’s radio announcer quipped, “The lights are on here at Rich Stadium, they’ve been on since this morning, you could pretty much turn them out on the Bills right now.”

Most of those who sold the Bills short missed out on the greatest comeback in NFL history.

By the end of the third quarter, backup quarterback Frank Reich had led the Bills to four touchdowns and closed the gap to 35-31. In the fourth quarter, he hit Andre Reed for the go-ahead score. Houston later kicked a field goal to tie it 38-38 and take the game into overtime. In the extra period, Houston quickly turned the ball over, and Buffalo kicked the winning field goal.

But what happened after the game was perhaps the most remarkable thing of all. During the postgame press conference, Reich stood up and recited the lyrics to the song, “In Christ Alone,” by Michael English:

“In Christ alone I place my trust
And find my glory in the power of the cross
In every victory let it be said of me
My source of strength, my source of hope
Is Christ alone”

His testimony was an amazing witness to the power of Christ, especially on a day when he could have taken the full spotlight for engineering such an incredible comeback. Instead, Reich pointed all of us toward the cross of Christ as the source of his strength and hope.

Today, be sure to give praise and honor to the One who is our source of strength – Jesus Christ. Thank Him for all that He has done for you, and remember Him to others when you speak of success you’ve had in life.

 Reflection copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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