Don’t Negotiate with Temptation
Elijah said it without sugarcoating: forgiveness is wonderful—but it’s better not to sin in the first place.
Part 2 – Integrity In The Ruins
“Caleb,” Elijah said, low and steady, already on his feet. “Look at me.”
Caleb’s eyes found his like a man grabbing a railing in a storm.
“Breathe,” Elijah said. “We’re going. But we’re going with control. Your kids need you steady.”
When Love Must Confront
“Everybody wants unity,” Jeremiah said, folding the bulletin like it was heavier than paper. “But unity isn’t achieved by silence. Unity comes when we submit to the same authority.”
Elijah rested his hand on the open Bible. “And if we can’t submit to Scripture when it’s uncomfortable,” he said, “then we never really submitted at all.”
When Fraud Makes the Heart Go Numb
The morning air inside The Shepherds Cafe carried that early-January stillness—soft jazz low enough to disappear into the clink of mugs, a few tired greetings at the counter, and the slow hush of people easing back into routine. Outside, winter light pressed against the windows like a pale hand, and the bare trees stood in quiet lines across the street.
Cleaning House and Cutting Corners
The Shepherds Cafe had that late-December hush that makes everything feel heavier than it should. Outside, the sky was winter-gray and unmoved. Inside, the jazz stayed low, the coffee stayed strong, and people spoke in the careful tone they use when the year is almost over and they’re trying to decide what stays and what goes.