Dear Mom,

I hope you’re doing well. How are things with you and dad? Hope all is well. I was sitting on the porch the other evening after a walk with Casey, and I made the mistake of checking the news on my phone. You know how that goes—violence, division, anger. It can make your heart heavy. I found myself wondering if the world is just winding down, waiting to fall apart. That’s certainly how I was taught to see things growing up—everything collapsing, the church escaping at the last moment. But then I actually read the Bible for myself, and as I’ve been studying Scripture more carefully, I’ve found a different kind of hope. And I wanted to share it with you.

Jesus talked about His kingdom in ways I think I missed before. He said it’s like a mustard seed—the tiniest thing—that grows into a tree where birds come to nest (Matt. 13:31–32). He said it’s like leaven a woman works through flour until the whole lump rises (Matt. 13:33). These aren’t pictures of failure or escape. They’re pictures of small beginnings leading to complete, unstoppable growth.

This vision of a victorious kingdom isn’t just in the parables—it’s the consistent promise of the prophets. Isaiah foretold of the Messiah: “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end” (Isa. 9:7). His rule is ever-expanding. Habakkuk promised a day when “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Hab. 2:14). Waters don’t just cover part of the sea; they dominate it entirely. This is a promise of comprehensive victory for the knowledge of God, not a temporary revival before a final defeat.

Jonathan Edwards, reflecting on Jesus’ words that “the gates of hell shall not prevail” against His church (Matt. 16:18), wrote with confidence: “The church of God is built upon a rock, so it will prevail, and the gates of hell will not overcome it.” We often miss the imagery: gates are defensive. They don’t march out to attack. It’s the Church that is on the offensive, storming the very gates of hell with the gospel, and those gates will not stand against the advance.

Mom, I share this because this truth has filled my heart with hope. The gospel is not a sinking ship waiting for rescue. It is a kingdom—His kingdom—spreading through the world like a great tree or leaven, transforming lives and cultures from the inside out. We aren’t just holding the fort until Jesus comes back; we are advancing, assured that one day the knowledge of His glory will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.

With love, Your son

Passages to read together:

• Isaiah 9:7
• Matthew 13:31–33
• Habakkuk 2:14
• Matthew 16:18