January 12, 2026 - Good Morning! It’s Monday, January 12.
On this date, in 1969, the singer, B.J. Thomas, released the song “Hooked on a Feeling”. It went on to become his first big hit, selling a million records, and he went on to have a big career, a career that spanned seven decades, and lasted until his death in 2021. But today’s devotion isn’t about B.J. Thomas. It’s centered on this thought - you never know what you’ll find when you go to church.
In 2009, I was on staff at First Baptist, Rosenberg, Texas. The church secretaries were in the middle of a project to transfer all the old church records onto computer files. One day they came across a membership card from 1952. It was signed by a ten-year-old boy named Billy Joe. It turned out that Billy Joe grew up in Rosenberg and sang in the church choir, before he used his remarkable voice to become the world famous B.J.
I remember another time when I was serving in a church in Grand Prairie, Texas. They were remodeling their children’s area, and when they pulled down some ancient paneling, out fell an ancient offering envelope, containing 25 cents from a first-grade girl. They were eventually able to track down the little girl, but by that time she was a grandmother. She said the church could keep the quarter.
One day, years ago, at my home church in Houston, they were doing some remodeling, too. And when they removed some old paneling, they found hundreds of messages written on the wall behind it. They were messages of encouragement to the pastor, my father. Messages that had been quietly waiting to be seen - for over 50 years.
Hidden treasures. Sacred surprises. Unexpected blessings.
You never know what you’ll find when you go to church! Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
