The Daily CHEW™
Chew on God’s Love. Live Transformed. Multiply Hope.
Twenty-three years ago this morning, I watched from my apartment window on 169th Street in Washington Heights as an F-15 screamed overhead toward the Twin Towers, responding to the unthinkable. In those moments of terror and uncertainty, something shifted in me, away from living for others’ expectations and toward what I knew God was calling me to do. That morning changed my trajectory from trying to please my parents to pursuing seminary and the personal consulting work that would become my life’s calling.
Maybe you know that feeling—the moment when crisis strips away everything non-essential and you’re left wondering: “What really matters? Where do people go when the world falls apart? And am I creating the kind of environment where hearts can actually heal?”
As leaders, we’re often so focused on performance, results, and moving forward that we miss a fundamental truth: the spaces we create either multiply healing or compound wounds. Whether in our families, teams, or organizations, people are carrying invisible burdens—shame from past failures, fear of not measuring up, exhaustion from performing instead of belonging. The question isn’t whether people around us are hurting; it’s whether we’re creating environments where God’s love meets that hurt and multiplies hope.
Every high performer I work with eventually faces this reality: you can drive results through pressure, but you multiply transformation through safety. And the safest space isn’t where nothing goes wrong—it’s where everything can be brought into the light of God’s unwavering love.
Join me for a CHEW—a simple return to what God offers right now, no spiritual heroics required.
CHEW in 3-5 Minutes:
Take three deep breaths—remembering God’s love is present now, even in the pressure to fix, lead, and perform.
Adore: “Father, You love me and everyone around me right now, before anything is accomplished or healed.”
Confess: “What am I actually feeling about the spaces I’m creating? Where do I sense people can’t be real with me? What’s driving my need to have it all together?”
Hear: What truth from God do you most need today?
- “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love” (Zephaniah 3:17)
- “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28)
- “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1)
Exchange: If this truth is real, how does it shift my heart?
I would exchange _______ (my need to appear strong, my fear of others’ messy emotions, my drive to fix everyone) for _______ (trust in God’s love to heal, patience with the process, courage to be vulnerable first).
Walk: What’s one small action I’ll take this week to create safer space for someone else?
Thanksgiving & Worship:
Thank God for His patient love that creates the ultimate safe space—even when you feel inadequate to lead others. End by focusing on God’s heart for healing, not your ability to provide it.
Remember this: Creating safe spaces isn’t about having all the answers or perfect emotional intelligence. It’s about anchoring yourself so deeply in God’s love that others sense they can risk being real around you. Every honest return to His love makes you a safer person to be around.
CHEW On This™:
If I really believed God’s love creates the safest space imaginable—where every wound can be brought into the light without shame—how would that change the way I lead, parent, or show up in relationships this week?
Ready to multiply safe spaces in your own context? Start with yourself—practice the vulnerable honesty that makes others feel permission to be real. Consider forming a CHEW Triad where leaders can practice the kind of authentic community that transforms organizational culture.
Want More?
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Ready for lasting transformation?
Learn how to make CHEWing a daily rhythm in CHEW Groups and beyond.
Chew on God’s Love. Live Transformed. Multiply Hope.
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