“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” – Proverbs 4:23
by Marti Fischer We live in a noisy world. Turn on the news, and it’s one crisis after another. Open your phone, and there’s a flood of distractions, arguments, and empty comparisons. It’s constant, it’s loud — and if you’re not careful, it starts to shape how you see the world, how you see yourself, and even how you relate to God.
There are seasons in life when you don’t realize how long you’ve been stuck until something in you starts to suffocate. One day bleeds into the next, and though you’re showing up — to work, to family, to responsibilities — inside, you’re not moving forward. You’re just waiting. Wishing. Spinning in place.
We spend much of our lives trying to control things—our schedules, our health, our careers, even our emotions. But relationships? That’s where control meets its match.
You can’t control someone else’s heart. You can’t script their responses or guarantee their commitment. And as terrifying as that can be, it’s also where the most profound growth happens.
by Marti Fischer
There was a time — not too long ago — when a generation on the edge of despair was set ablaze by the Spirit of God. It wasn’t polished. It wasn’t programmed.
But it was powerful.
Don’t sin by letting anger control you.
Think about it overnight and remain silent. Psalm 4:4
This verse is from a Psalm I chose as my message last night in Church at the Catch. It was a message I titled “A Psalm for a Ruinous Time.” In it David talks about those who were out to ruin his reputation, speaking lies about him and making groundless accusations against him. The important thing is what David tells himself to do about all this falsehood being thrown at him. First, he says don’t let anger control you.
by Marti Fischer
There’s a reason some songs never fade. They don’t rely on production or cleverness. They carry something true. Something timeless. And if ever there was a song like that, it’s John’s “All Day Song.”
Simple? Yes. But only in the way a sunrise is simple — the kind of beauty you don’t need to analyze to feel its power.
If you’re a man — especially one shaped by evangelical culture — odds are you’ve been told that control is strength. Maybe not outright, but the message has been clear enough: real men hold the line, take charge, and don’t let anything slip. You carry the weight, you solve the problems, and you don’t flinch.
But here’s the question: what if the very thing you think is protecting you is the thing holding you back?
There is a lot of talk about Jesus these days.
You hear his name from the pulpit, from podcasts, from skeptics and searchers alike. According to Barna’s Spiritually Open series, even non-Christians hold generally positive views of Jesus. They like His message. They’re curious about His life. They’re open to hearing more.
So why aren’t more people following Him?
by Marti Fischer
Esther didn’t sign up for this.
She was just a Jewish girl pulled into a Persian palace by her sheer beauty, crowned queen in a world where her identity was a secret and her power was fragile. She had no grand strategy, no training for palace politics—just a heart that beat a little faster every time the king passed by. And then came the moment.
Today, Marti is going to bring another dimension into our study of Esther, it’s the contrast between operating from the head or the heart. Esther is a perfect example of this because had she listened only to her head, she would have never gone before the king because it was certain death to enter the king’s chamber uninvited. But her heart compelled her to go because of her love for her people.
I highly recommend you join me by answering the Journaling Questions at the end. I did, and it was well worth the time. Marti’s questions are very stimulating and get you thinking in ways you never have before. And we also welcome your comments as to what God is showing you from this study so far. Send your comments or your Journaling answers to me privately by replying to this email, or make your comments public by using the comment button below.
by Marti Fischer
For Such a Time As This: When the Heart Leads and the Head Holds Back
In the Book of Esther, we meet a young woman placed in an impossible position. She has rank, beauty, and influence—but she also carries the weight of fear. When her uncle Mordecai sends word that she must speak up for her people, Esther hesitates. It’s not that she doesn’t understand the stakes. Her mind likely raced with calculations and consequences.
John Fischer The Catch 