Macland Community Blog

Following Jesus is more than knowing the right words—it’s about living them. Jesus calls us to embrace the values of His Kingdom and allow the Holy Spirit to transform the way we love, serve, forgive, and live each day.

What does it mean to live faithfully when this world doesn’t quite feel like home? The story of exile reminds us that even in seasons of waiting and displacement, God calls us to seek peace, remain faithful, and live with hope in the coming Kingdom.

There are seasons in life when we find ourselves asking a familiar question: “Are we there yet?”

You can’t hurry the rising of yeast.
You can help it. You can create the right environment.
But you cannot rush it.

I first learned about LifeWise Academy on Dr. Michael Easley’s Ask Dr. E podcast in August 2023 when founder Joel Penton was a guest.

Rev. Hollis said that as we trust the Holy Spirit to lead us, God will bring people next to us, whether at work, on the bleachers at a ballgame or in the airline seat beside us. Our job, Rev. Hollis explained, is to show God’s love to people by showing genuine interest in them and their stories.

Two days ago, we arrived in Abuja and stayed at the Peace Media Hotel.
Then we boarded a flight from Abuja to Gombe—on Air Peace.
We stayed on peace. We traveled on peace.
And today, we stand together in Gombe, still wrapped in peace.
Because deep down, each one of us longs for peace. Each one of us needs peace.

In the beginning, creation was good, and humanity was very good, made in the image of God to reflect His glory to the world. Adam and Eve were the first image-bearers, entrusted with the task of representing God.

One of my earliest and most vivid memories is from a family reunion, where my grandfather—Pop, my dad’s father, Clarence—stood before us with a small Bible in his hand. What he offered that day wasn’t money or possessions, but the most important gift he had: a relationship with Jesus Christ. That was our real inheritance.

In this conversation, Judy Stevenson invites us into her story—not just the polished parts, but the real, Spirit-led journey of leadership, faith, and unlearning.