Allison Bryant

One thing we do know about the Day of the Lord: it will come as a thief in the night (1 Thes 5:2), and on that day, we had best know where we stand. I pray God gives us the conviction to stand right here, as “A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Isaiah 40:3

There is a command in Scripture that feels increasingly out of place in the modern world: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely… dwell on these things.” (Bible, Philippians 4:8) It is not a suggestion. It is a directive. And yet, when we look honestly at the culture around us, these qualities are becoming harder to find.

There is a quiet lie embedded in many struggling environments: Beauty is unnecessary. When resources are thin and needs are urgent, beauty is often the first thing to disappear. Walls become bare, lights turns harsh, furniture becomes purely practical. All too often, mere survival replaces thriving. But what if beauty was not meant to be a luxury? What if it was created as a form of restoration?