“Spiritual formation in Christ is not a matter of trying harder, but of training wisely.”
”The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.”
Before we get into this, I just wanted to quickly introduce the new look and format for the newsletter. I made a small shift in how I’m writing these. Instead of longer updates, I wanted this to become something simpler and more consistent. Just a short space each week to:
Slow down (Arrive)
Be honest about what’s really going on in our hearts and minds (Receive)
Take one small step forward (Respond).
Share what I have been listening to in my music library (On Repeat).
That’s the goal with Oasis. Alright - here’s this week’s!
Arrive
Sometimes growth doesn’t always feel like growth.
It just feels like surviving another day. Like you’re still struggling with the same thoughts, the same patterns, the same weight.
And if we’re honest, it can make us wonder…
Is anything actually changing?
Receive
We tend to expect transformation to feel obvious.
Like something dramatic should happen - a breakthrough moment, a clear shift, something we can point to and say, “that’s when things changed.”
But most real growth doesn’t look like that.
It looks like:
Pausing when you used to react.
Telling the truth when it would be easier to hide.
Choosing not to go back, even when part of you wants to.
Showing up again, even when you don’t feel different.
It’s quieter than we expect. Slower too.
And because it’s not loud, it’s easy to miss. But that doesn’t mean it’s not real. God is often doing work underneath the surface - in the small decisions, the unseen moments, the internal shifts no one else notices.
And over time, those small things don’t stay small. They become a new direction. A new pattern. A new life!
Respond
Don’t overlook what feels small right now.
What’s one thing you’ve done recently to take a small step forward that the old version of you wouldn’t have?
One sinful thought you’ve challenged and taken captive?
One choice you’ve made to honor God and choose him over self?
Or maybe something else.
Hold onto that! Keep taking one step forward. God calls us to be faithful in the little things.
It’s about progress over perfection, and it’s definitely a long journey to a destination, not some big event that just happens.
Small changes are still growth. Don’t overlook them.
On Repeat
This section might not always be on every issue of the newsletter, and if some weeks have the same theme, we might leave the same song.
We might also at some point list suggestions from our community of readers and what they have On Repeat, and what it’s been teaching them.
The song Undivided Heart by Watermark Music has been On Repeat for me the last few weeks as I’ve been praying through the first few issues of the newsletter.
A reminder that even when I don’t feel different, something deeper might still be shifting!
Peace To You,
Ben
