October 2026
It's happened again! Pumpkin spice is everywhere.
Coffee. Muffins. Cookies. Candles. Donuts. Creamers. Cereal. By the time you read this, somebody may have invented pumpkin-spice toothpaste.
Nothing is safe from the pumpkin spice craze.
And every year I wonder: How did a pumpkin become the official flavor of autumn?
We didn't ask the apple. We didn't consult the cinnamon. We certainly didn't hold a church committee meeting and then take a vote. Somehow, pumpkin spice simply took over.
But maybe there's something worth learning from it.
Our lives are made up of ordinary ingredients, too—our experiences, relationships, gifts, mistakes, joys, and challenges. We may sometimes wonder what we have to offer, but God has always been able to use ordinary people and ordinary things in extraordinary ways.
A kind word. A helping hand. A listening ear. A little patience. A little generosity. A little more grace.
October reminds us that seasons change. Some changes are exciting; others are difficult. But through every season, one thing remains constant:
God is with us.
So, enjoy October. Enjoy the cooler mornings, the pumpkins, the changing leaves—and, if you're a pumpkin-spice aficionado, enjoy that too!
But while everyone else is adding pumpkin spice to everything, perhaps we can add something else:
A little more love.
A little more kindness.
A little more grace.
Those never go out of season.
May God bless you this October and help us notice the simple blessings and everyday opportunities to share His love.
Give God your ordinary, and watch what he can do with it.
Glen