1415 8th Street NW, Roanoke, VA

Today I had the extraordinary privilege of joining Pilgrim Baptist Church, the 107th congregation I’ve visited on this remarkable journey guided by the Holy Spirit.

Though I had other plans, God had something different in mind, a friend urgently needed help. And isn’t that exactly what it means to follow Jesus? Sometimes our plans shift because God needs us to be His hands and feet, to show His love to someone in distress. I praise God for those divine interruptions!

As I joined this service online, my heart was immediately drawn into the sweet atmosphere of worship. The congregation lifted their voices, passionately singing, “You are my everything!” reminding us that Jesus truly is all we need.

The power of God’s Word resonated as we recited together the cherished verse John 3:16, reminding us of His ultimate sacrifice of love:
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” We prayed the Lord’s Prayer, and I felt the weight and comfort of those timeless words. We truly do have so much to be thankful for.

This month the church celebrated Pastor Steele’s 37th pastoral anniversary. His sermon pierced my heart deeply, a message titled, “The Man Who Might Have Been,” inspired by the troubling yet insightful story of Judas from Matthew 27:1-5.

Now, when we hear the name Judas, we instantly feel a sense of disappointment, betrayal, perhaps even anger. But Pastor Steele invited us to see Judas differently today. Judas walked with Jesus, shared meals with Jesus, watched miracles unfold right before his eyes, and yet something went tragically wrong.

Let this speak to us today: Judas had every opportunity, he heard Jesus preach, saw Him heal the sick, and break bread with the broken. But somewhere along the journey, something shifted in Judas’s heart. We don’t know exactly what, and perhaps it doesn’t even matter precisely why, but it matters profoundly that it happened.

Judas reminds us that you can be near Jesus physically but distant spiritually. You can know of Him and yet fail to truly know Him. You can walk with Life itself and yet choose a path of darkness and death.

Pastor Steele’s message echoed a deep truth: We must be careful who we confess to and where we go with our pain. Judas’s great tragedy was not just in his betrayal but in his despair afterward. Yes, he returned to the temple, confessing to those who could not heal his soul. He threw his silver on the temple floor, yet, tragically, he never returned to the One he betrayed, the very One who could’ve offered mercy, grace, and redemption. Instead, Judas chose the abyss of darkness and despair.

My dear brothers and sisters, the devil is the author of lies and despair. But here is the good news today: Jesus is the author of LIFE. He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. It is never too late to turn around. It’s never too late to run to Jesus. No matter what you’ve done, no matter how far you’ve fallen, no matter how grave the mistake, there is still hope at the cross!

Do you hear this today? Your story does not have to end like Judas’s. Perhaps you’ve stumbled. Maybe you’ve made choices you regret deeply. Maybe, like Judas, you’re feeling trapped in a pit of despair. But let me proclaim boldly, you can turn around right now. Don’t run to the wrong crowd, confessing your sins to those who cannot save you. Run straight to the feet of Jesus. He stands ready to forgive, to restore, to heal. He is not done with your story. Your final chapter does not have to be despair. Your final chapter can be one of restoration and redemption through Christ!

As Pastor Steele reminded us, Judas didn’t have to end his journey that way, and neither do we. Let us remember that even the darkest night must yield to the dawn. Even our deepest sins are no match for the grace of Jesus Christ.

Let us choose hope over despair. Let us choose confession to Jesus over the darkness of the world. Jesus is waiting with open arms, ready to forgive, ready to heal, ready to rewrite your story from tragedy to triumph.

Praise God for the opportunity to worship with Pilgrim Baptist Church today. I am grateful for the beautiful reminder that it’s never too late to run to Jesus.

May we always remember this powerful truth… Your story isn’t over. Run to Jesus. He is waiting for you with open arms!

I can’t wait to see where the Holy Spirit leads me next.