There is a reason the Bible remains the most read and best-selling book in human history. It isn’t a dusty relic of it’s a living, breathing story that connects your life straight to the heart of God. Join us as we trace His unbreakable promises…
Scripture tells one unfolding story: the arrival of a King and the establishment of His Kingdom. In this study, we will trace God’s covenant promises from Abraham to Jesus’ return, exploring where Israel and the Church fit into the future. Dive into prophecy and uncover the ultimate truth driving all of history—the King is coming back.
And my answer is probably not the one people expect.
No. I don’t believe everything happens for a reason.
I believe a lot of things happen because of the choices we make.
Sometimes they happen because of choices other people make.
Sometimes things happen because life is unpredictable.
And sometimes things happen because, well, people do stupid things.
I have certainly made my share of those decisions. If bad choices came with trophies, some of us would need a bigger shelf.
You know when I was 16 years old, some things happened to me in high school that turned me against wanting to be in high school and I quit , I quit going. I was jumped by several boys. I believe they were seniors one night. I was walking home from a basketball game I thought for sure I was gonna be raped. Did I think that happened for a specific reason no.. But thankfully, a friend of mine happened to be home from the military was driving down the road saw someone getting jumped by several boys got out of the car saw it was me and got me the heck out of there.
Was it my fault that I was walking a few blocks home in the dark from a basketball game? It was only 7 o’clock at night. I would say no I walked to the game with my friends walked home from the game with my friends, however a couple of my friends decided to stay longer and go drinking and I didn’t want to so I headed home thankfully I believe God was looking out for me and put my friend in that vicinity at the same time, could’ve been a stranger going down the street that it could’ve helped me possibly, but we don’t know.
I don’t truly believe everything happens for a reason.
And after I quit school, I went to work full-time knew I needed to finish my education and so I went back to school at night, and I ended up with my diploma a year before my graduating class.
I think there is a big difference between saying “everything happens for a reason” and saying “God can bring something good out of what happened.”
Those are not the same thing.
I believe deeply in God.
I believe in prayer.
I believe in grace.
I believe God can take our messes, mistakes, heartbreak, losses, failures, and even things we never asked for, and somehow help us find strength, wisdom, compassion, or purpose in them.
But I do not believe every painful thing that happens was deliberately placed in our lives because it was somehow “supposed to happen.”
Choices Matter
Take homelessness.
I do not believe every homeless person somehow ended up there because that was their destiny.
And I certainly do not believe God or the universe sat around one day saying, “Let’s make this person homeless and see what happens.”
Life is far more complicated than that.
Someone can have a good job, a home, a family, and a perfectly normal middle-class life.
Then the company closes.
We saw that happen in towns all across America when steel mills and factories shut down.
Thousands of people who had worked hard for years suddenly had no job. Men and women who had worked in the same company or Factory for 10, 20, 30+ years getting ready to retire maybe 60 years old now out of work and they’re wondering who is going to hire them when you have a 25 year-old competing for the same job who is probably college educated on top of everything else.

And when one company employs a huge percentage of a town, where exactly is everybody supposed to go?
The mortgage company still wants its money.
The electric company still sends the bill.
The grocery store does not accept “my company closed” as payment.
Savings disappear.
Unemployment runs out.
And eventually, some people lose their homes.
That did not happen because they were lazy.
It did not happen because God decided they needed a lesson.
It happened because circumstances changed.
Now some people could say well they could get a job anywhere. They’re just too particular well that may be true but you also have to think of a person‘s been at a company for 20 or 30 years even 10 years. They’re making a far better wage than somebody starting out at McDonald’s making a minimum wage and who’s to say that that job that they’re taking in a low pay is still gonna cover the mortgage in the bills..
Then there are other people who may become homeless because of addiction, gambling, poor financial choices, broken relationships, untreated mental health issues, or a combination of problems.
Every story is different.
That is one reason I try very hard not to look at someone’s current situation and assume I know how they got there.
We usually see the current chapter, but maybe not the last chapter .
We have no idea what happened in the first twenty chapters.
Sometimes Our Choices Catch Up With Us
Smoking is another example.
I started smoking cigarettes when I was 15 years old both my parents smoked, and I used to steal their pal mal’s of all the disgusting cigarettes to steal no filter disgusting. I upgraded Kool’s when I got a job after I quit school at 16.
And I smoked until I was about 50 I hated smoking. I hated the way it smelled. I hated the way my mouth tasted after I had a cigarette. It was just a nasty disgusting habit and I quit cold turkey and I have never picked up a cigarette since that’s been over 10 or 15 years now thank God.
If someone smokes for fifty years and later develops lung cancer, I do not believe the universe chose that person and said, “You’re next.”
Smoking damages the body.
We know that.
It is printed right on the package.
Now, nicotine is incredibly addictive, and I am not saying quitting is easy.
Some people try over and over again.
Some desperately want to stop and cannot.
Some do not want to stop.
Some tell themselves they will quit next year.
And next year somehow keeps moving.
But choices still have consequences.
That does not mean we should judge people.
It means we should understand that what we do today can affect us years from now.
The same thing can happen with drugs.
Addiction can completely change the direction of a person’s life.
Someone who might have built a business, raised a family, traveled the world, or lived a completely different life can end up losing jobs, relationships, money, freedom, and sometimes everything.
Not because they were born to fail.
Not because God wanted them destroyed.
But because addiction can take one choice and turn it into a road that becomes harder and harder to leave.
Our Choices Can Affect Innocent People Too
This is where I really struggle with the phrase “everything happens for a reason.”
Suppose I am driving and texting.
I look down at my phone.
I drift into another lane.
I hit another car.
Someone in that car is seriously injured.
Was that injury part of some grand cosmic plan?
I don’t believe that.
That person was injured because I made a terrible choice.
My stupidity became part of their life.
That is sobering when you think about it.
Our choices do not stay neatly contained inside our own lives.
They spill over.
They affect our husbands, wives, children, parents, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and sometimes complete strangers.
That is why responsibility matters.
That is why kindness matters.
That is why integrity matters.
That’s why doing the right thing when no one is watching matters.
And that is why your phone can absolutely wait until you get to the parking lot.
Some Things Just Happen
I also believe there are things that happen in life that have nothing to do with anyone’s choices.
Storms happen.
Accidents happen.
Illness happens.
A tree falls.
A person can do everything “right” and still receive a terrible diagnosis.
A perfectly healthy person can have something unexpected happen to them.
And sometimes beautiful things happen randomly too.
You sit beside someone you have never met and become lifelong friends.
You take a wrong turn and discover a place you love.
You miss one opportunity and later realize it pushed you toward something better.
Life is full of things we cannot explain.
And I think we do ourselves a disservice when we feel obligated to slap a little inspirational sticker on every painful experience that says:
“Everything happens for a reason.”
Sometimes people do not need a reason.
Sometimes they need a hug.
Sometimes they need somebody to sit beside them.
Sometimes they need someone to say:
“I don’t understand why this happened either, but I’m here.”
That can be far more Christlike than trying to explain somebody’s suffering.
Where I Believe God Comes In
This is where my faith becomes very important to me.
I do not believe God causes tragedy.
But I do believe God can meet us in one.
I believe He can help us rebuild.
I believe He can take something that nearly destroyed us and somehow use it to make us more compassionate toward another person.
I believe He can take our mistakes and teach us.
I believe He can take our regrets and help us make better choices.
I believe He can take our heartbreak and soften our hearts instead of hardening them.
And I believe He can take something we never would have chosen and still help us find purpose on the other side.
That is the God I believe in.
Not a God sitting in Heaven moving people around like chess pieces.
But a loving Father who walks with us through this complicated, beautiful, painful, ridiculous thing called life.
Jesus never promised us that life would be easy.
In fact, He said the opposite:
“In this world you will have trouble.”
But He also told us not to lose heart.
That matters to me.
Because faith does not mean pretending nothing bad will happen.
Faith means believing bad things do not have to have the final word.
So No, I Don’t Believe Everything Happens for a Reason
I believe choices matter.
I believe consequences are real.
I believe other people’s decisions can change our lives.
I believe random things happen.
I believe we live in an imperfect world filled with imperfect people.
But I also believe in something bigger.
I believe God can take what happened and help us decide what happens next.
Maybe the question should not always be:
“Why did this happen to me?”
Maybe sometimes the better question is:
“God, now that this has happened, what can I do with it?”
Can I learn from it?
Can I grow from it?
Can I help someone else?
Can I forgive?
Can I change?
Can I become kinder?
Can I make sure somebody else does not have to walk the same road alone?
Because maybe everything does not happen for a reason.
But with faith, grace, wisdom, and a few better choices along the way, I believe we can still find purpose in what happens.
And sometimes, that purpose becomes one of the most beautiful parts of the story.
One of the biggest lies many people believe is that God is angry with them.
They think every hardship, illness, or disappointment is God’s way of punishing them. They believe He’s keeping score, waiting for them to mess up again.
I used to think this way my cell phone occasion because sometimes it seemed like the better I was or the harder I tried the more I got beat down the more things life threw at me.
I’ve seen people I’ve loved die very young I’ve seen people go through horrible hardships really good people and then I’ve seen people who were right out. Evil seem like the world handed them everything they wanted no struggle no sickness and all I could think of is how hard do people have to pray for things to change thinking what did I do to get punished? What did they do to get punished but that’s the wrong thought mentality.
That is not who God is.
Yes, God hates sin—but because sin destroys the people He loves. Just as a loving parent hates anything that harms their child, God opposes sin because it separates us from Him and robs us of the life He wants for us.
The Bible tells us that God is love (1 John 4:8). His desire has always been to rescue us, restore us, and draw us closer—not to push us away.
Jesus proved that when He willingly gave His life for us.
“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:8
Notice it doesn’t say He waited until we had our lives together. He loved us first. i’m grateful for that because I am always a work in progress..
God knows every flaw, every mistake, and every regret, yet He still delights in you. Zephaniah 3:17 says He rejoices over His people with singing. That’s not the picture of an angry God looking for reasons to condemn us.
Does God correct His children? Yes. Loving parents correct because they care. Correction is meant to guide us, not destroy us.
Jesus also reminded us that our Heavenly Father gives good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:11). He wants to give us wisdom, peace, hope, strength, and everything we truly need.
Living in a broken world means sickness, tragedy, and hardship are part of the human experience. They are not proof that God has abandoned you or is punishing you. Instead, He promises to walk with us through every trial and never leave us.
If you’ve been carrying the weight of believing God is against you, let that burden go.
He loves you.
He values you.
He has a purpose for your life.
And He has never stopped wanting a relationship with you.
God isn’t standing with folded arms waiting for you to fail.
He’s standing with open arms, inviting you to come home.
Start getting into the word of God and you will hear him clearer than you have ever heard him before
You only get one family and one life to make memories. Don’t waste either.
Family is not always easy. There are times we get on each other’s nerves. We may say things we did not mean. We may disagree, misunderstand each other, or see life from completely different points of view.
But that does not mean we write each other off.
Family should be the place where love is bigger than pride. It should be where forgiveness matters more than being right. No one is perfect. We all need grace, and if we want to be forgiven, we have to be willing to forgive.
Different opinions, different personalities, or different ways of seeing the world should not be enough to destroy a family. We cannot hurt people who love us simply because they think differently than we do. Love should matter more than disagreement.
We also have future generations watching us. Our children and grandchildren deserve to be part of a loving family. They deserve memories, connection, laughter, stories, and a place where they feel they belong. We owe it to them to do better, forgive more, and keep family bonds alive whenever possible.
One day, the people we love will not always be sitting at the table. The phone will not always ring. The chance to say “I’m sorry,” “I love you,” or “come over” will not always be there.
So make the memories now.
Forgive when you can. Choose love over pride. Choose family over distance. Because you only get one family and one life to make memories.
What’s the best way to deal with negative thoughts?
When Negative Thoughts Show Up Uninvited
By Deb Andio
Someone recently asked me, “What’s the best way to deal with negative thoughts?”
I had to think about that for a while because, let’s be honest, negative thoughts have a way of showing up without an invitation.
One minute you’re feeling pretty good. The next, you’re looking in the mirror thinking, “Wait… was that wrinkle there yesterday?” Or you discover a random chin hair that apparently grew overnight and wonder if your face is staging a rebellion.
Then there are the deeper thoughts.
“I’m not good enough.”
“I’m too old.”
“I’m not smart enough.”
“I should have accomplished more by now.”
“I feel like this disease or condition is taking over my entire life. I don’t even feel like I have a life anymore.”
Or those old voices from childhood that somehow still echo decades later. Isn’t it amazing how something someone said to us years ago can suddenly replay in our minds as if it happened yesterday?
Negative thoughts don’t care how successful you’ve become or how much you’ve overcome. They sneak in anyway.
The truth is, we live in a world that constantly feeds negativity. Turn on the news. Scroll through social media. Listen to political debates. Read the comments section if you’re feeling especially brave. Even well-meaning people sometimes speak words that discourage instead of uplift.
If we’re not careful, our minds become a storage unit for everyone else’s negativity.
That’s why we have to become intentional about replacing those thoughts.
I love the saying:
“You can’t stop a bird from flying over your head, but you can stop it from building a nest in your hair.”
Negative thoughts may visit.
They don’t have to move in.
As a person of faith, I remind myself that I was created in God’s image. That means my worth isn’t determined by a wrinkle, a number on the scale, someone else’s opinion, or a mistake I made twenty years ago.
You are not your worst day.
You are not your biggest failure.
You are not the lie someone told you.
You are valuable simply because you are you.
Here’s a challenge.
Every single time a negative thought enters your mind, answer it with something positive.
Think of it as arguing with your inner critic—and this time, you get the last word.
Negative thought:
“I’m getting old.”
Replace it with: “I’ve earned every year I’ve lived, and each one has taught me something valuable.”
Negative thought:
“I don’t look good anymore.”
Replace it with: “My body has carried me through every joy, every heartbreak, every challenge, and it’s still carrying me today.”
Negative thought:
“I’m not smart enough.”
Replace it with: “I can learn something new every single day.”
Negative thought:
“I’ve made too many mistakes.”
Replace it with: “My mistakes became some of my greatest teachers.”
Negative thought:
“I’m not successful.”
Replace it with: “I’m still writing my story.”
Negative thought:
“No one cares.”
Replace it with: “I matter, even when I don’t feel like it.”
Negative thought:
“I’ll never change.”
Replace it with: “Growth happens one small step at a time.”
Negative thought:
“I can’t do this.”
Replace it with: “I may not know how yet, but I can learn.”
Negative thought:
“I’ll never lose this weight.”
Replace it with: “Every healthy choice I make today is moving me in the right direction.”
Negative thought:
“I have too many wrinkles.”
Replace it with: “They’re proof that I’ve laughed, cried, lived, and loved.”
(Although… I’d still like to have a conversation with whichever wrinkle invited its friends overnight.)
Here’s something else that helps.
Every morning, stand in front of the mirror—even if your hair looks like you wrestled an alligator in your sleep—and say something kind to yourself.
Try these:
I am worthy.
I am enough.
I am stronger than I think.
I have purpose.
I am loved.
I am capable.
I am not my diagnosis there is more to me than my disease or condition
God created me with value.
Today is a new beginning.
I choose peace over fear.
I choose gratitude over negativity.
Will this magically erase every negative thought?
No.
But just like exercising strengthens your muscles, practicing positive thinking strengthens your mind.
The more you challenge negative thoughts, the less power they have over you.
Remember this:
You cannot always control the first thought that pops into your head.
But you absolutely can control whether you invite it to stay for coffee.
Choose words that build you up.
Choose people who encourage you.
Choose gratitude.
Choose hope.
And most importantly…
Choose to believe the truth about yourself instead of the lies your inner critic keeps trying to sell you.
Your mind is listening.
Make sure you’re telling it something worth believing.
Joyful-Echoes 