Steve Simms's Blog, page 23
April 7, 2025
The Spirit-Led Person of the Bible
View all responsesI want to consistently be the Spirit-Led person described in the Bible. Religion has never satisfied the hunger within me, but the leading of God’s Spirit is another story.
Having begun in the power of the Spirit, Israel quickly began to flounder and waver in the flesh. Rather than being led directly by the living God, they cried out for a human king. Many hundreds of years later their religious leaders rejected the eternal King — the God-Man Jesus. Christians have tended to follow a similar pattern for most of the past 2,000 years — looking for and relying on the power of the flesh (religious activities, self-effort, education, church attendance, money, government, marketing, entertainment, and even violence) rather than fully depending on direct access to God the Holy Spirit.
Access granted! Access has been granted to the most amazing relationship in the world — a never-ending, heart-to-heart relationship with the Creator of all that exists. This great gift is remembered by bread and wine as the reminder of the ongoing access to God we humans have been given through the broken body and spilled blood of Jesus the God-Man — the Word become flesh — “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” now risen, present, and powerfully working as God the Holy Spirit in and through whoever will fully surrender to Him.
Access unused is access ignored. “Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3) To ignore your access (even for a moment) to the presence, power, and reality of God the Holy Spirit is to rely on the means of the flesh — to depend on your own ability instead of totally and consistently depending on God, Himself.
The purpose of the Lord’s Supper isn’t to remind us Christians try harder. It’s to remind us to “Come unto Jesus,” to “Deny yourself,” to “Draw near to God,” to be continually “Led by the Spirit,” not by the flesh. Remember: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:24-25) Human knowledge and effort are “means of the flesh.” Revelation and spiritual power are produced in and through people, not by their self-effort and analytical study, but by fully surrendering to and keeping in constant step with God the Holy Spirit.
Don’t make Jesus a part of your life. Let Him take over your life! It doesn’t do much good to celebrate Easter if you’re not willing to live your daily life like Jesus is truly alive (and to do what He tells you to).
If you are unwilling to sincerely bless those who curse you and to love your enemies, your attempts to establish the kingdom of God will leave you frustrated. The self-effort of the human flesh will always fail but actual demonstrations of the presence, power, and love of “Christ in you,” will set people free and empower them to see the reality of the risen Jesus.
April 6, 2025
I’ve Found a Better Best Friend Than a Pet
View all responsesPeople open their heart to their pet. You see it every day. Some pets are even called “man’s best friend.” That’s because most people have no idea about who their true best friend really is. Let there be light.
If your Christian experience “seems to be nothing like those grand days of the past when” the Spirit descended on Pentecost, signs and wonders spread throughout the book of Acts, and the early Christians “turned the world upside-down,” it’s time to do what they did. It’s time to hear, behold, and fully obey the risen Jesus Christ. Refuse to separate yourself from God. Stir up the gift that is within you. Completely surrender your will and your life to Christ living inside of you. Let Jesus be your only hope of glory.
The peace, hope, and love of Spirit-led community depend on direct communication from the living God. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Later “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Jesus, the God-man is compassionately calling out to communicate with you. Hear Him say, “Let there be light,” and then you’ll be able to behold His glory (full of grace and truth) and see within yourself marvelous manifestations of the kingdom government of God. Let the King of Kings connect you heart-to-heart with Himself and with other people so that you can continually experience and demonstrate the presence, power, fruit, and gifts of His invisible inner kingdom.
The kingdom of God is about getting your way out of God’s way so He can continually have His way in and through you. Like a pet aligns it’s will and desires with its master’s will and timetable, completely surrender and align your will with the Lord and Master Jesus Christ.
I have chosen to continually focus on, devour, absorb and surrender to the presence and reality of the living, resurrected Jesus and to the testimonies about Him from His earliest followers recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Weekly religious talks about Jesus or the Bible are not sufficient for a true friendship with Him. Fictionalized accounts about Jesus made for TV shows and movies can confuse you about who He really is and about how He is trying to personally and directly lead and guide you every day. Settle for no one and nothing else than a personal, intimate, fully surrendered, heart-to-heart relationship with the risen, ever-present Jesus!
[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." data-large-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." src="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." alt="" class="wp-image-43092" />Photo by Bekka Mongeau on Pexels.comApril 5, 2025
Spreading Good News for Free
View all responsesI don’t need to be paid to spread good news. I do it for free. Bad news seems to be everywhere. We need some amazing news to encourage us. Many years ago, I found the best news ever when I personally encountered and surrendered my life and will to the risen Jesus Christ.
Fully surrendering to Christ’s sanity and presence will rescue you from the dominion of darkness (Colossians 1:13) where darkness reigns (Luke 22:53) and establish the government (kingdom) of God within you. (Luke 17:21)
Humanity
Desperately
Needs
Christ’s sanity.
Christ’s sanity sets people free. (John 8:32) It:
* Casts down imaginations and brings every thought captive to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
* Thinks about the things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, virtuous, and of good report. (Philippians 4:8)
* Has no anxiety about anything. (Philippians 4:6)
* Produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)
* Hungers and thirst after righteousness. (Matthew 5:6)
* Makes people pure in heart. (Matthew 5:8)
* Produces peacemakers. (Matthew 5:9)
* Introduces people to the inner government of God. (Matthew 5:3)
* Rejoices with joy unspeakable and full of glory. (1 Peter 1:8)
Christianity without Christ’s sanity is empty religion. Christians need to consistently follow and obey God the Holy Spirit more than they need to accumulate Bible information. (Bible information can help us stay aligned with God the Spirit, but it’s not sufficient by itself. We need the reality of Christ living inside of us and continually filling us with His sanity.)
[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." data-large-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." src="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." alt="" class="wp-image-43084" />Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.comApril 4, 2025
Watching For and Receiving Inspiration
View all responsesThe Olympics are a wonderful source of inspiration. But I have discovered an even greater source of positive uplifting influence — the world’s best fountain of hope and encouragement — available every moment of every day. I’m talking about God the Holy Spirit.
Let God the Holy Spirit continually release His power to flow in and through you. (Acts 1:8) Keep your body, soul, mind, and heart always filled with God the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18) When we fully surrender our will to the will of God the Holy Spirit, He overrides the weakness of our flesh and fills our spirit with the power of His presence. (Matthew 26:41)
God the Holy Spirit is patiently waiting for you to allow Him to lead, guide, teach, train, and disciple you throughout each day. God the Holy Spirit wants you to be His temple where He can rule and reign supreme as absolute Lord and Master.
It feels bad to be ignored. Refuse to make God the Holy Spirit feel that way. Take time to get to know God the Holy Spirit. He’s the friend who will always be with you.
Christians need to consistently follow and obey God the Holy Spirit more than they need to accumulate Bible information. (Bible information can help them stay aligned with God the Spirit, but it’s not sufficient by itself.)
Biblical Christianity is about hearing and obeying God the Holy Spirit. It’s not about collecting religious information. God the Holy Spirit is Someone to develop a close heart-to-heart relationship with. He’s not a subject to study and analyze.
God the Holy Spirit has come to fill whosoever with His presence, His power, His fruit, and His gifts. Let Jesus, God the Son, baptize you with God the Holy Spirit and His fire. (Matthew 3:11)
God the Holy Spirit
Has a mighty voice.
It’s time that we hear it.
God the Holy Spirit
Is calling you today.
He has a lot to say.
Let God the Holy Spirit
Take your life and steer it.
It’s time to listen
And fully obey
What God the Spirit
Is saying today.
April 3, 2025
The Most Effective Community Improvement
View all responsesThe most effective community improvement for any community would be for people to humbly and honestly open their heart to one another. True community is ignited by heart-to-heart connection. The key to deep and lasting heart connection is open up to and be led by God’s Spirit speaking within you.
Let the Holy Spirit write on your heart. (Jeremiah 31:33) According to Jesus, it’s essential for Christ-followers to let the Holy Spirit flow from within them. (John 7:38-39) Jesus said that the Holy Spirit “will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26) The Spirit will testify about Him. (John 15:26) The Spirit will tell you what is to come.” (John 16:13) The Holy Spirit will teach you what to say.” (Luke 12:12)
The Bible tells Christians to “live in the Spirit,” (Galatians 5:25) to “walk in the Spirit,” (Galatians 5:16)) to “pray in the Spirit,” (Ephesians 6:18) to “be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man,” (Ephesians 3:16) to “be filled with the Spirit,” (Ephesians 5:18) to be “taught by the Spirit,” (1 Corinthians 2:13) to “be led by the Spirit,” (Galatians 5:18) and to be “in realm of the Spirit.” (Romans 8:9) It’s vital for Christians to learn to freely flow with the Holy Spirit.
John was “in the Spirit” when he received revelation. (Revelation 1:10) God is still revealing by His Spirit, things that eye hasn’t seen, and ear hasn’t heard. (1 Corinthians 2:10) Let the Holy Spirit write on your heart. (2 Corinthians 3:3) Serve God in the new way of the Spirit, not in the old way of religious rules. (Romans 7:6)
Refuse to hinder what the Spirit wants to do in and through you. (1 Thessalonians 5:19) Never make the Holy Spirit sad by ignoring Him or disobeying Him. (Ephesians 4:30) Stir up the gift of the Holy Spirit who is inside of you. (2 Timothy 1:6) To ignore or overlook the presence, power, leading, and teaching of the Holy Spirit is to miss out on what it means to follow Jesus. (Romans 8:14)
Genuine faith in Christ doesn’t depend on human wisdom but on God’s power. Christians need to see actual demonstrations of the Holy Spirit, not to just hear wise words about Him! (1 Corinthians 2:4-5) Religious ties and strings can easily interfere with a person’s ability to hear and obey the Holy Spirit.
April 2, 2025
Heart-Changes Matter Most
View all responsesLife is constant change. From the day we are born until the day we die we are surrounded by changes. Seasons changes. Circumstances change. People change. Our bodies change. Yet in all the changes of life, a man named Paul wrote about someone who never changes. He said: “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)
Jesus confronted and was seen as a threat by the religious leaders, not the Roman rulers. He proclaimed and offered access to the living God, not access to political power. He spoke blessings over “the poor in spirit,” “they who mourn,” “the meek,” “they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,” “the merciful,” “the pure in heart,” “the peacemakers,” and “the persecuted.” His focus was on “the least of these,” not on the mighty and the powerful. He came to be the King of people’s hearts, not to infiltrate Roman rule with religious authority.
Jesus doesn’t want people to honor Him with their lips while their heart is far from Him. (Matthew 15:8) He want’s people to surrender their all to Him so He can transform their heart and life. Christ came so He can be your constant companion and continually live His life and demonstrate His reality in and through you. Allow Him to.
I believe that the Holy Spirit is speaking to Christ-followers day and night. When we don’t take the time and the focus to hear Him and let Him change us into His image, we are quenching the Spirit. I believe that the most common sin among Christians is quenching the Holy Spirit–ignoring God’s Spirit when He speaks to you.
[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." data-large-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." src="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." alt="" class="wp-image-43056" />Photo by Nothing Ahead on Pexels.comApril 1, 2025
Listening to be Led
View all responsesI wake up in the morning and listen. I listen to the thoughts that are coming across my mind and my heart. They encourage me. I write them down to encourage others. This morning, I was hearing thoughts about the Holy Spirit. Here they are:
“The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing.” (John 6:63)
If you’re not allowing the Holy Spirit to tell you where you are off track and redirect you, you’re not being led by the Spirit.
You can’t be led by the Spirit unless you let go of your desires and surrender to His.
Our desires are idols that attempt to distract us from the leading of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit wants to put His thoughts in your heart and mind and to lead you from within. Let Him!
Continually make room in your heart for the Holy Spirit. “Prepare the way of the Lord.”
When your heart is focused on your own desires it’s distracted from the Holy Spirit. That’s why Jesus said to deny yourself.
Mental assimilation and evaluation of the Bible can never take the place of the direct revelation and leading of the Holy Spirit.
To listen to, follow, and obey the Holy Spirit is to experience the tree of life. To try to figure God out with your mind is to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
You can’t be self-led and Spirit-led at the same time. Choose who you will follow and obey.
To be led by the Spirit requires focused, active, and intentional listening, as well as faithful obedience, to what the Spirit is saying to you.
If you are the one who is deciding where you go and what you do, you are being led by yourself, not by the Spirit. (Romans 8:14)
The first step to be “led by the Spirit” (Romans 8:14) is to “hear what the Spirit says.” (Revelation 3:22)
To “quench the Holy Spirit” is to refuse to be led by Him.
You can’t be led by the Spirit if you’re not conscious of His presence and if you are unwilling to hear what He is saying to you.
Religion is what happens when we approach God in ways that make us feel comfortable instead of being directly led by the Holy Spirit.
When the Holy Spirit isn’t continually focused on and kept constantly in our conscious awareness, we quickly move into being led by our own thoughts, opinions, desires, and feelings instead of by the Spirit.
“Walk by the Spirit,” not by your own desires. (Galatians 5:16)
Here are also a few thoughts from yesterday:
Are you a flesh-led Christian or a Spirit-led Christian? Paul asks a question for all Christians “After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?” (Colossians 3:3). Jesus said that no one can come to Him unless the Father draws them by the Spirit. (John 6:44)
All true Christ-followers begin by means of the Spirit. We are born again by the Spirit. (John 3:8) However, it is very common to shift away from the Spirit and into the mind — to drift away from personally experiencing and interacting with Christ heart-to-heart throughout each day and into merely hearing sermons and analytical teachings about Him. If you are not being continually “led by the Spirit,” (Romans 8:14) “you are now trying to finish by means of the flesh” (and the mind). Begin to daily surrender to and obey the risen Jesus; don’t just listen to talks about Him.
When sermons and Sunday morning programs were used to replace the presence and leadership of the Holy Spirit, church exchanged the power of God for human ability.
The Bible is much more effectively taught by demonstrating it than by lecturing about it.
Jesus overturned tables in the Temple. (Matthew 21:12) If Jesus was here today in His physical body would He be overturning any tables? I wonder if Jesus would turn over the:
* Table for book sales?
* Coffee and donuts table?
* God approves of you just the way you are tables?
* Table that holds the strobe lights?
* Tables holding up the giant TV?
* Prosperty gospel tables?
* Christian TV show tables?
* Tables of trivia conversation on Christian radio?
* Christian nationalism tables?
* Superficial preaching tables?
* Don’t worry be happy tables?
March 31, 2025
A Unique and Beautiful Relationship
View all responsesThere is a unique relationship that is unlike any other relationship. However, that relationship is seldom discovered and rarely recognized because it is hidden by or replaced by religion. That most unique relationship is a heart-to-heart relationship with the risen Jesus Christ.
Religion puts Christ in a box. Relationship is about “Christ in you.” Relationship isn’t built by a religious organization and its meetings, rules, and rituals. It is built by opening your heart to God and to people. If you want a real relationship with Jesus, you have to pursue it yourself. No church or preacher can do it for you.
Religion is dutiful. A relationship with Jesus is joyful. Religion is a tiny part of life. A relationship with Christ consumes all of life. Religion is often manipulative. A relationship with Christ is always transformative.
Religion is routine. A relationship with Jesus is riveting. Religion is repetitive. Relationship is revitalizing. Religion lasts an hour (or a few hours) per week. A relationship with Jesus is 24/7/365.
Religion focuses on an institution and its traditions. Relationship stays continually focused on the presence of the risen Jesus Christ. Religion is about rules, but relationship happens when Jesus rules.
Religion is led by programs. Relationship is led by the Holy Spirit. Religion analyzes the Bible. Relationship allows the Bible to ignite the heart with adoration for and obedience to Jesus.
Religion tries to force and coerce non-religious people into following its rules. Relationship seeks to demonstrate the love and beauty of the risen Jesus so that non-believers will want to get to know Him for themselves. Religion likes to set up a hierarchy of special people to rule over the ordinary people, but in relationship Christ is the only Lord and King.
Religion needs a physical building, but relationship makes me Christ’s building and He lives in and through me. Religion can be shoved aside, but my relationship with Jesus is my never-ending inner guide.
Religion likes to make ritual habitual but a relationship with Jesus will spontaneously make you full of and overflow with the fruit of the Spirit — love, joy, peace and more! A religious spirit can easily produce pride and self-righteousness, but the Holy Spirit always produces humble surrender to the fruit of the Spirit.
Religion looks for God to make life easier and more comfortable. Relationship with Jesus wants God’s will to be done on earth as it is Heaven even when it requires that we deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow and obey Jesus instead of our own thoughts, opinions, feelings, and desires.
Christ’s true disciples, of all nations, are one in the Spirit. They have been rescued from the kingdoms and nations of this world and made citizens of the kingdom of God. (Colossians 1:13) Discipleship is developed by a direct, personal, ongoing, heart-to-heart relationship with the risen Jesus, not by religion.
Religion wants to connect God and country, but a relationship with Christ infinitely surpasses anything any country can offer. The kingdom of God isn’t about national or religious offices or hierarchies. It’s about the inner government of God. It’s sad that the words, attitudes, and actions of so many evangelicals are pushing people away from the living, resurrected Jesus Christ.
Great nations want both the good and the bad parts of their history to be known. For a fuller view of American history, search: Off the RACE Track–From Color-Blind to Color-Kind.
[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." data-large-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." src="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." alt="" class="wp-image-43041" />Photo by How Far From Home on Pexels.comMarch 30, 2025
The Name That Truly Matters
View all responsesFor me, one name stands above them all. That’s the name I want to see honored and glorified — not my name, not someone else’s name, not the name of any organization, and not even a country’s name. “God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)
Your mind is a busy intersection where multitudes of thoughts cross by in the rush of day-to-day life shouting out various names and distractions. Some of those thoughts are sent directly from God to you to tell you about the name, the love, the power, and the presence of the risen Jesus. Notice those Jesus thoughts. Welcome them. Follow and obey them. Don’t lose them in the crush of the crowd.
“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” (Psalm 42:2) Nothing and no one else can truly satisfy me (not money, not pride, not entertainment, not sports, not wine, not religion, not politics). I can’t get enough of God’s presence. I long to be more fully surrendered and obedient to Him. I want to be better aligned with God’s inner kingdom so that King Jesus can continually rule and govern me from within as my absolute Lord and Master. I seek to lay down my own thoughts, opinions, feelings, and desires so I can fully embrace and follow “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” I want to be a light so brightly radiating Christ’s presence and love that my presence makes other people thirsty for the living God.
Christians are called to preach Jesus and to demonstrate the invisible, internal government of God, not to glorify any other name. “For there is no other name (than Jesus) under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
The kingdom of God isn’t about a particular nation. It’s about people from “every kindred and every tribe” who have fully surrendered their life to continually listen to and faithfully obey the risen Jesus.
[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." data-large-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." src="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." alt="" class="wp-image-43031" />Photo by Heiner on Pexels.comMarch 29, 2025
If You’re After Laughter . . .
View all responsesLaughter comes in many forms from various sources. It can come as pride, mockery, manipulation, anxiety, insecurity, drunkenness, or even vulgarity. Laughter can also come as innocence, happiness, sincerity, kindness, wholesome pleasure, delight, and spontaneity. Pure, blameless laughter that overflows from a heart full of love, joy, and peace releases and spreads inner healing. The innocent laughter that comes from small children radiates wellbeing and gratitude. That’s the kind of laughter I’m after — pure laughter from a pure heart.
Tiny children laugh a lot. They often laugh spontaneously without needing to be prompted by a funny thing or by a comical person. Their laughter isn’t just produced by outward humorous situations. It freely and joyously flows from within them. However, something happens as tiny children grow a little older. They begin to monitor themselves and tone down their laughter to blend in with the older kids and adults that surround them. Little by little they forget how to let inner joy flow from within their heart with jubilant laughter. They eventually turn into adults who feel like they can’t laugh unless a joke, a party, a bottle, or a comedy club loosens them up. It’s never too late to recover hilariously healing heart-felt laughter that rings out from deep within your soul.
I once saw an incredible example of the life-transforming power of laughter. I was in a conversation with three other men who I had just met in a secular setting. For some reason I said something about Jesus to one of the guys and in an instant, he was overcome with intense cleansing laughter. He couldn’t stop the healing hilarity from washing through him. With tears running down his cheeks he rushed into the hallway and closed the door. For several minutes we could hear him outside heaving with hearty laughter. All three of us were stunned by what we were witnessing. When he finally came back into the room, he radiated an amazing sense of peace and calm. His whole attitude and demeanor had changed. When I saw that man again a year and a half later, he came up and hugged me. At first, I had trouble recognizing him. Healing laughter had done something amazing and long-lasting in him.
When I encountered Jesus and surrender my life completely to Him spontaneous joy and laughter was restored to me. I began to see the bright and joyous aspects of life. My mental and emotional heaviness fell away. I started to spontaneously smile and laugh and enjoy being alive. However, the more I experienced and embraced the spontaneity and joy of the Lord, the less I seemed to be compatible with the religious system that kept trying to make me fit into rigid patterns and traditions.
I learned several things:
Religion can ease your conscience, but Jesus can forgive you, set you free from sin, and empower you to live a pure life.Religion can teach you to say prayers, but Jesus can teach you to pray from your heart.Religion can train you to be satisfied with a comfortable church service once a week, but Jesus can train you to overflow with the fruit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit both day and night.Religion can train you to passively let someone explain the Bible to you, but Jesus can train you to devour, absorb, and savor the Bible so that it burns in your heart.Reading the Bible every day with an open humble heart (and doing what it says) will impact your life in a far more powerful way than merely attending church every week.Religion can make you dependent on a pastor and an institution. Jesus can train you to continually trust in, rely on, and depend on His presence, power, and love.If you listen to routine, unenthusiastic speakers give analytical lectures about the most exciting book in the world (and never let you or anyone else make a single comment about it), they will bore you with it. No wonder so many people falsely believe that the Bible is a boring book, and so few Christians excitedly read it every day.Religion can try to convince you that you are right with God, but Christ living in and directing you will guarantee that you are.Religion can train you to hear sermons, but Jesus can train you hear Him directly speaking within you.Religion can train you to go to church, but Jesus can train you to follow and obey Him throughout each day.[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." data-large-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." src="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." alt="" class="wp-image-43020" />Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
![[image error]Pexels.com](https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-photo-1452717.jpeg){kind=link}
![[image error]Pexels.com](https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-photo-3768724.jpeg){kind=link}
![[image error]Pexels.com](https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-photo-133325.jpeg){kind=link}
![[image error]Pexels.com](https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-photo-4502492.jpeg){kind=link}
![[image error]Pexels.com](https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-photo-289740.jpeg){kind=link}
![[image error]Pexels.com](https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/pexels-photo-6788862.jpeg){kind=link}
![[image error]Pexels.com](https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/pexels-photo-204997.jpeg){kind=link}
![[image error]Pexels.com](https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/smile-man-worker-vertical-160914.jpeg){kind=link}