When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lemá sabachtháni?” which is translated, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Mark 15:33-34 (CSB) The world did not end that day, but it certainly felt like it. The sun disappeared at lunchtime. The ground trembled. A Roman crucifixion turned into a cosmic interruption. This was not just the death of a man; it was the unraveling of heaven’s plan in real time. Darkness swallowed the sky from noon until three. This was not a solar event or a cloudy day. Nature itself seemed to pause as the Light of the World was covered in the weight of sin. Creation responded to its Creator’s agony with silence and shadows. The darkness was both literal and symbolic, representing the separation between God and humanity that sin had caused. At the peak of that silence, Jesus cried out with gut-wrenching honesty. “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Mark 15:34). He was quoting Psalm 22, but this was not just recitation. It was the painful sound of perfect fellowship being torn. Jesus was not guilty, but He bore every sin as if He was. He felt what we often fear, that God had walked away. This cry reveals the depth of what Jesus endured. For the first time in eternity, the Son experienced separation from the Father. The weight of humanity’s rebellion, selfishness, pride, and hatred crashed down on Him. Every lie, every betrayal, every act of violence throughout history found its way to the cross. Jesus didn’t just die physically; He experienced spiritual death on our behalf. Later, Jesus shouted again and breathed His last. This was not a whimper of defeat. It was a shout of completion. Then something incredible happened. The curtain in the temple split from top to bottom. This curtain had separated the presence of God from the people. With it gone, God’s presence was no longer restricted. The way was open. Standing nearby, a Roman centurion watched it all. He had seen many men die, but never like this. Something about Jesus shook him to his core. He said, “Truly this man was the Son of God” (Mark 15:39). In that confession, we hear the gospel beginning to spread beyond religious walls. A pagan soldier became one of the first to recognize Jesus’ divine identity after His death.

Learn more about the new Live Bold class "The Wisdom Playbook"

When I played football, my coach handed me a playbook before the season started. It wasn't thick, but it had everything — every formation, every assignment, every route for every play. If I knew my playbook, I knew exactly what to do when I stepped on the field. If I didn't, I was speculating. And guessing gets you beat. I've been thinking about life the same way lately. Most of us are out here guessing in our relationships, our finances, our decisions, our spiritual lives. We're reacting instead of running plays. And we wonder why things feel chaotic or stuck or like we keep ending up in the same situations we swore we'd never be in again. That's exactly why I built The Wisdom Playbook. The book of Proverbs is God's playbook for life. It shows you where to line up, what your assignment is, and how to move when it counts. This course takes that ancient wisdom and puts it in language you can actually use — in your everyday life, in real situations, not just in a Bible study classroom. The Wisdom Playbook: 1. Proverbs Isn't Just Life Hacks—It's About HIM 2. High IQ But Terrible Decisions 3. Never Make A Bad Decision Again 4. Warning: Your Friends Are Determining Your Future 5. The Strong Tower Is Right There—Why Are You Running Past It? 6. Why You Can't Stop Worrying 7. Your Anxiety Is Making You Physically Sick 8. Why You Can't Break Free from Addiction 9. Situationships Are Destroying Your Ability to Bond 10. You Said THAT?! How to Stop Ruining Relationships With Your Words 11. The One Thing Christian Parents Miss 12. The Most Important Metric God Is Tracking 13. Existing Together vs. THRIVING Together—The Difference Is This 14. Why Smart People Make Dumb Decisions (The 4 Fools) 15. Why You Hate Your Job (And What God Says About It) 16. The Upside Down Economics That Actually WORK 17. The #1 Thing Destroying Your Spiritual Life (It's Not Sin) 18. That Thing They Said Here's what you get inside The Wisdom Playbook: → Teaching videos that break down Proverbs in a way that's honest, practical, and straight to the point — no filler, no fluff.

Before it officially drops on the Live Bold Community this Monday, March 2, I wanted to give you an early look at our brand new "Wisdom Playbook" study. Take a peek and let us know what you think! The "Wisdom Playbook" isn't like any Bible study you've done before. This is hope-filled, practical, and built for real life. Anchored in the truth of Proverbs, the course brings together relatable stories, straight talk, and wisdom you can actually put to work — in your relationships, your job, your decisions, and your walk with God. If you're tired of surface-level content and ready for real transformation across every area of your life, this is for you. Come learn how to build something that truly thrives by walking with Jesus as your wisdom. Here's what we cover: 1. Proverbs Isn't Just Life Hacks—It's About HIM (Jesus as the wisdom of God) 2. High IQ But Terrible Decisions (Knowledge vs. wisdom vs. fear of the Lord) 3. Never Make A Bad Decision Again (The three-legged stool: fear, friends, faith) 4. Warning: Your Friends Are Determining Your Future (How relationships shape your destiny) 5. The Strong Tower Is Right There—Why Are You Running Past It? (Running to God in crisis) 6. Why You Can't Stop Worrying (Trusting God instead of anxiety) 7. Your Anxiety Is Making You Physically Sick (The connection between stress, joy, and health) 8. Why You Can't Break Free from Addiction (Addiction as a worship disorder and the path to freedom) 9. Situationships Are Destroying Your Ability to Bond (Sexual wisdom and God's design for intimacy) 10. You Said THAT?! How to Stop Ruining Relationships With Your Words (Gentleness, timing, and openness in communication) 11. The One Thing Christian Parents Miss (Parenting according to each child's unique bent) 12. The Most Important Metric God Is Tracking (Soul winning and what God values most) 13. Existing Together vs. THRIVING Together—The Difference Is This (Building a home with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge) 14. Why Smart People Make Dumb Decisions (The 4 Fools) (Recognizing and avoiding foolish patterns) 15. Why You Hate Your Job (And What God Says About It) (Work as worship and finding purpose in your job) 16. The Upside Down Economics That Actually WORK (Generosity and God's financial principles) 17. The #1 Thing Destroying Your Spiritual Life (It's Not Sin) (Guarding your heart above all else) 18. That Thing They Said (The lasting power of words and how they shape lives)

In December, we embarked on an ambitious challenge to tackle the 101 Greatest Questions of Christianity on the Live Bold Podcast. Over the last few weeks, we've dove deep into some of the most important topics that every thinking person should consider. If you missed any of these powerful episodes, now's the perfect time to get caught up! Make sure to subscribe on YouTube and you can also find us on Spotify for easy listening on the go. Here's what you might have missed: "Does God Exist? 10 Questions Every Thinking Person Must Face"This isn't about blind faith—it's about confident trust based on evidence. We explore the cosmological, teleological, and moral arguments for God's existence, tackle tough questions like "Who created God?" and examine why faith and reason are actually allies pointing to the same truth. "Is Abortion Biblical? The Questions Everyone Avoids"We don't shy away from the hard questions in this episode. From the science of when life begins to difficult cases involving rape and health issues, we examine what the Bible actually says about the value of human life and address the tough ethical dilemmas with both truth and compassion. "Why Church Matters More Than You Think"Tired of church hurt and hypocrisy? We get it. This episode tackles nine tough questions about the church, from pastoral scandals to financial giving, and explores why the church—despite all its flaws—is still worth being part of. Spoiler: it's not about perfect people, it's about forgiven people. "The REAL Jesus: What History Actually Reveals"Was the virgin birth far-fetched? How can we verify the resurrection? What was Jesus like as a kid? We examine the historical evidence for who Jesus really was—fully God and fully man—and why you don't get to pick which version of Jesus you want to believe in. These conversations are designed to help you live with clarity, conviction, and courage in our present culture. Whether you're a believer, skeptic, or somewhere in between, these episodes will challenge your thinking and strengthen your faith.