Praying for a duck taught me one of the most profound lessons of our spiritual walk with Jesus.

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Praying for a duck taught me one of the most profound lessons of our spiritual walk with Jesus.

That is likely one of the weirdest things you will read today. It’s unordinary. Strange. Unusual. Sometimes, I try too hard to be unusual, thinking it will gain me some favor.

Here is what God is teaching me: even in our ordinariness, we can have a profound impact.

• Better Thought: It’s not about knowing more; it’s about trusting more.

• Better Action: Pray for something simple. I'll even write the prayer.

Remember, better thoughts lead to better actions, and better actions lead to better Christians.

Full Version

You never think you'll pray for ducks—until you do.

I graduated from Oklahoma Christian University with an undergraduate degree in preaching and ministry, followed by a Master of Divinity (MDIV). I've been preaching for over ten years, guiding people through some of life's most challenging moments. I’ve counseled both pre-married and pre-divorced couples and sat with dying people in hospital beds.

In all my experience, praying for a duck stands out as one of the most profound moments.

Let me explain.

I recently took my youngest son, Hollis, to a prayer walk at a local state college. We were joining a campus ministry that hosts Bible studies for college students.

The task was simple: walk through the campus and pray.

So, Hollis and I did just that.

• We prayed for those who would walk under the shade of trees, hoping they would thank God for that shade.

• We prayed for those who would sit on the benches scattered throughout campus, overwhelmed by anxiety, worry, or hurt, that they might feel God’s comforting presence.

Then we came across a small pond where two ducks were floating.

"Quack. Quack.” My son's way of saying, Look, there are ducks over there.

“Yeah, buddy.”

“Amen.” My son's way of saying, We should pray for those ducks over there.

So I did.

At my son's suggestion, I prayed for a couple of ducks floating in a pond.

BETTER THOUGHT

Today's better thought: It’s not about knowing more; it’s about trusting more.

I’m an overachiever to a fault.

I have a nonstop, full-steam-ahead mentality—I am always pushing to improve and innovate. This bleeds into my family life, spiritual life, and even my hobbies.

I can’t even collect Pokémon cards without meticulously inputting them into a collector’s app to track my library. It’s out of control.

This drive is most evident in my walk with Jesus. I want to go deeper, know more, and do more because I feel like my knowledge and actions are tied to my relationship with Him.

So, when I took my son on a prayer walk around campus, I was determined to hit all the highlights. I planned to optimize the route to cover all the key areas.

I would pray for unique things—like shade from trees and benches for those in need—areas most people wouldn’t think to pray about.

I was ready to use eloquent and sophisticated words for…well, I guess for my two-year-old son to judge me by?

This prayer walk was going to change the world.

Then, my son asked me to pray for the ducks.

At that moment, all my plans and goals faded. It was no longer about achieving or impressing. It was about simplicity—finding God in the ordinary and trusting Him with insignificant things like ducks.

I hate to admit it, but my walk with Jesus isn’t about doing more or knowing more. It’s about being present and trusting God in every moment.

Sometimes the most profound moments with God don't come from striving but from surrender.

BETTER ACTION

Today's better action: Pray for something simple. I'll even write the prayer.

In every generation, a few Christians stand out for their extraordinary courage, sacrifice, and accomplishments.

What about the rest of us?

Can ordinary people truly be adequate disciples of Jesus?

This question haunts me more than I want to admit. It is the reason I work harder and dig deeper into my faith. I’m scared of just being ordinary.

Most of us lead ordinary lives—attending church, marrying, buying homes, raising families, and working regular jobs.

I often fail to realize that even in my ordinariness, I can have a profound impact.

Second-century apologist Tertullian once wrote to the secular world, highlighting ordinary Christians' subtle yet powerful witness: "We have the same kind of life as you... without taking ourselves out of the forum and the marketplace, without renouncing the baths and the shops and the boutiques and the inns and all the other places of commerce, we live in this world with you."

In other words, the Christian movement became extraordinarily influential through the faithful work of ordinary people—people like you. People like me.

We need saints of all kinds—the parent, the teacher, the coach, the lawyer, the politician, the neighbor, the volunteer, the athlete—who understand that how Christians live in the world matters to God.

Take a moment to reflect on your ordinary life. Walk through all the normal, routine things you do in a day.

• How can you connect with God through them?

• What is God’s purpose for them?

• How is God working out His redemptive plan in your life through them?

Here’s my offer: Prayer is one of the best ways to realign our hearts. The ducks taught me that. So, if you send me one ordinary task from your day, I will send you a written prayer for that task. Changing diapers, doing laundry, driving to work, buttering toast—anything.

BECOMING A BETTER CHRISTIAN

When Christians get better, everyone gets better. Here are a few ways I am getting better this week.

• I’m in a 30-day writing challenge, focusing on creating content for X and LinkedIn about writing online as a Christian. I’m writing about this because Christians have the most important message for humanity, and we need to communicate it with excellence. If you’re interested, I’ll be sharing everything I learn along the way.

• This week, I powered through Michael Finkel's The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession. It’s a wild tale about one of history's most prolific and audacious art thieves. The story highlights humanity’s deep, sometimes twisted, craving for beauty and belonging—something the gospel readily fulfills.

• Here is a prayer for changing diapers: Heavenly Father, help me remember a standing truth in menial tasks like changing a diaper: my love is professed in moments seen and unseen. In the repetition of sacrificial love, I am shaped and formed in the same way I hope my child will be shaped and formed through my love. Help me see this simple act from an eternal vantage point. From diaper to heart. From heart to world. Help change happen through me. Amen.

Hit "reply" and let me know what I can write you a prayer about.

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