Key Bible Verse: God, who calls you, is faithful; he will do this (1 Thessalonians 5:24). Bonus Reading:Mark 9:33—37

All morning long, I regretted making that call. Maybe you're tired, I thought. Maybe the pressure is getting to you.

Over lunch my boss listened to my desire to get back to Southern California. After some reflection—he didn't try to talk me out of my decision—he said the company could accommodate my desire to be closer to home. In fact, he believed he could find me a new contract to manage in California.

But what should have felt like a huge load off my shoulders, instead felt like a huge demotion. Hit the showers, Luck. You're through with this company. They're sending you to the bush leagues. Although I felt awful, deep down I knew God was asking me to put my marriage and family first. Gulp. I had to believe that. As I left the lunch meeting that day, I kept praying [today's Key Bible Verse]. It was all I had to go on.

Little did I know, however, that that small but painful step of obedience garnered not only more time with my family and church, but it also turned into a multiple-contract deal that provided a better financial reward and more advancement than I could have imagined.

My Response: How should I be reigning in my personal ambition?

Thought to Apply: Success is what people settle for when they can't think of something noble enough to be worth failing at.