Aaron Coe

Yes!!

Mornin Fam! “The One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. Their King will pass through before them, the Lord at their head.” Micah 2:13 The Lord goes before us. One of the most important jobs in elementary school was being the line leader. It felt like that person had real power, because wherever they went, everybody else followed. The job of everyone behind them was simple: keep your eyes on the leader. That’s a picture of life with Jesus. He is at the head. He leads the way. Our job is to keep our eyes on Him and follow. He may not always lead us down the path we would have picked, but He always leads with purpose. His way is for our good and for His glory. So today, keep your eyes on the Line Leader. He knows where He’s going.

Mornin Fam! “Because of this I will weep and wail; I will go about barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal and moan like an owl.” Micah 1:8 This is a heavy verse, but it reminds us of something important: God takes sin seriously. And yet, when God corrects His people, it’s not because He enjoys pain. He is not harsh, cruel, or looking for reasons to punish. He disciplines those He loves. He wants to bring us back when we drift. He wants to realign our hearts with His ways. He wants what is ultimately best for us. Sometimes conviction stings. Sometimes correction is uncomfortable. But that discomfort can actually be mercy. It can be God lovingly saying, come back to Me… there’s a better way. So today, let’s listen quickly when God corrects us. Let’s not harden our hearts. Let’s pay attention to His voice, turn from what is pulling us away, and walk closely with Him again. Jesus, give us soft hearts today. Help us listen to Your correction and trust Your love. Show us where we need to turn back to You, and give us courage to obey. Amen.

Mornin Fam “But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry… But the Lord said, ‘You have been concerned about this plant… And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh…?’” — Jonah 4:1, 9–11 Anger has a way of shrinking our world. It locks our eyes onto something small—a circumstance, a situation, a moment that feels huge right now but, in the bigger picture, isn’t the point. Jonah was furious about a plant. God was thinking about a city full of people. Jonah was focused on what made him uncomfortable. God was focused on what mattered most. The enemy loves when our attention gets stuck on the plant— the inconvenience, the frustration, the thing that didn’t go our way. Because when we stay fixated there, we miss the bigger story God is writing. Sometimes the best thing we can do is lift our eyes. Look past the plant. Look toward the purpose. God is always working on something bigger than the moment we’re upset about. So the question for today is simple: What’s the plant you’re focused on right now? And what might you see if you lifted your eyes to God’s bigger purpose? Let’s not miss the city because we’re staring at the plant.

Good morning fam! “Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh… The Ninevites believed God.” — Jonah 3:3,5 Here’s something simple but powerful: when we find alignment, the friction decreases. For a long time Jonah was running from God. Storms, fish, chaos. But the moment Jonah aligned himself with what God was asking him to do, everything changed. He went to Nineveh, preached a short message, and an entire city turned back to God. Was Jonah suddenly an incredible preacher? Probably not. God was already doing the work. Jonah simply stepped into alignment with what God was already doing—and he got to experience the blessing of being part of it. Sometimes we pray as if we want God to align Himself with our plans. But the better prayer is: “Lord, help me align with what You are already doing.” Henry Blackaby used to say, “Look where God is at work and join Him.” That’s how I’ve always felt about Passion City Church at Trilith. It never felt like we were trying to force something to happen. It felt like we were simply stepping into the stream of what God was already doing in that community. When we align ourselves with God, we get right into the flow of His work. And the amazing part? He lets us share in the joy of what He is already accomplishing. Love you guys. Let’s look today for where God is already moving—and jump in.

Mornin’ Fam! “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.” — Jonah 2:7 Sometimes it’s in the lowest moments that we finally remember to look up. Jonah was literally sinking—alone, desperate, and out of options. And in that place, he prayed. The amazing thing is that God heard him. God hears the prayers of the desperate. He doesn’t leave. He doesn’t forsake. He is near in the valley of the shadow. So whatever today holds—big worries or small ones—call out to Him. No need is too small. No valley too deep. God hears you.

Good morning fam! “At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.” — Jonah 1:16 Sometimes it takes a storm to wake us up. The sailors in Jonah’s story were just trying to survive. The wind was raging, the boat was breaking apart, and they were terrified. But in the middle of the chaos, they saw the power of God—and everything changed. Their fear turned into worship. What started as a crisis became a turning point. The whale wasn’t the beginning of Jonah’s story—but it was the beginning of theirs. And that’s often how God works. Sometimes the hardest moments in life become the clearest windows into who God really is. So when life gets difficult, don’t just panic—pursue God. Ask Him, “Lord, what are you teaching me?” Because even in the storm, God is working. And He’s always drawing us closer to Himself.

Mornin’ Fam! “Deliverers will go up on Mount Zion to govern the mountains of Esau. And the kingdom will be the Lord’s.” — Obadiah 1:21 There’s a famous line from theologian Abraham Kuyper: “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: ‘Mine!’” Think about that for a second. Not just church. Not just Sunday. Not just the “spiritual” parts of life. Every square inch. When God looks at the earth, He sees human beings made in His image. People designed to flourish in the abundant life He created. School, work, friendships, creativity, leadership, business, art, science—every domain of life was designed so that His people could live on mission with Him for His glory. The whole story of the Bible is moving toward one reality: The kingdom will be the Lord’s. History is bending toward alignment with God’s ultimate purposes. But let’s be honest… We drift. Sometimes our priorities get off. Sometimes our attitudes get off. Sometimes our hearts get off. Misalignment requires realignment. Being out of sync requires re-syncing. Sometimes our lives just need a little calibration. The good news? God isn’t trying to push us away—He’s inviting us back into alignment with Him. So today… Let’s walk with God. Let’s be honest about where we’re out of alignment. And let’s bring every square inch of our lives back under the loving rule of Jesus. Because in the end— The kingdom will be the Lord’s.

Mornin’ Fam! “And I will bring my people Israel back from exile. They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit.” — Amos 9:14 All through Amos we’ve seen some hard words. God rebuking His people. Correcting them. Tearing down things that had gotten far off track. But here’s the key: God doesn’t tear down just for the sake of tearing down. He tears down so He can rebuild. He restores ruined places. He mends what’s broken. He brings His people back. God isn’t vengeful for the sake of punishment. He doesn’t discipline because He gets some cosmic joy out of it. He disciplines because He loves us and wants our lives aligned with Him. And when that alignment happens…life begins to flourish again. Ruins become homes. Fields become vineyards. Gardens begin to grow. That’s God’s heart for us. Restoration. Peace. Purpose. So if God is doing some rebuilding work in your life right now, don’t resist it. Lean into Him. He’s not trying to destroy your life. He’s preparing you to thrive.

Mornin’ Fam! “Those who swear by the sin of Samaria— who say, ‘As surely as your god lives, Dan,’ or, ‘As surely as the god of Beersheba lives’— they will fall, never to rise again.” Amos 8:14 God is serious about His plans. He created the world with a lot of freedom for His people. But He also put guardrails in place to keep us on the path toward what is best for our lives and our relationship with Him. The big story of Scripture is this: Everything is for God’s glory and our good. But sometimes we step over those guardrails. When that happens, it requires discipline. God isn’t unjust or unkind in this. Quite the opposite. His discipline is loving—He’s trying to get us back on the right path. So the best thing we can do today is simple: Seek first His kingdom. Run hard after Him. Run after His ways.

Mornin’ Fam! “And the Lord asked me, ‘What do you see, Amos?’ ‘A plumb line,’ I replied. Then the Lord said, ‘Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.’” Amos 7:8 We all lose perspective. We drift. We rationalize. We convince ourselves we’re “basically on course.” That’s why we need reference points. In flight training, they drill this into you. Don’t just stare at the nose of the plane. Look for fixed objects. Things that don’t move. Things that tell you where you actually are. My favorite as a pilot? An interstate. You spot an interstate, and suddenly everything makes sense. You can follow it straight back to where you need to go. No guessing. No wandering. Just alignment. There are others—train tracks, power lines, lakes, rivers. Fixed points. Steady guides. Course correctors. That’s the picture in Amos. A plumb line was used in construction to see if a wall was straight. You didn’t argue with it. You didn’t negotiate with it. You held it up, and it revealed reality. God was saying, “I’m holding up the standard.” For us, that plumb line is the Word of God. Not culture. Not feelings. Not popularity. His Word. When we hold our lives up against it, it shows us where we’re aligned… and where we’re not. And that’s grace. Because correction means He cares. Direction means He’s not done with us. So today, don’t guess where you stand. Don’t trust your drifting instincts. Find the interstate. Hold up the plumb line. Line your life up with Him. Let’s fly straight today.

Maybe Abraham Kuyper was right — different spheres have different responsibilities. Scripture calls us to love the sojourner (Lev. 19:34), but the theological call to mercy isn’t the same thing as a political policy prescription — that’s a different sphere with different questions and tools. Can’t we hold both biblical compassion & responsible governance without collapsing one into the other?

Crazy! Was just in Mexico yesterday. Have a friend that is still there. Just talked with him. Intense situation.

Mornin’ Fam! “ You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your sins.” Amos 3:2 The Lord corrects those He loves. That verse almost feels backwards at first glance. Chosen… therefore punished? But here’s the reality: relationship brings responsibility. If you love someone, you want the best for them. You want them to succeed. You want them to avoid unnecessary pitfalls, heartbreak, and regret. So what do you do? You correct. You guide. You pull them back on track. A coach corrects the athlete with potential. A teacher corrects the student who can grow. A parent corrects the child they deeply love. Correction is not rejection. Correction is investment. God disciplines His people not because He’s angry and distant, but because He’s near and committed. He refuses to let us drift too far without a nudge… or sometimes a shove. So let’s not run from correction. Let’s not get defensive. Let’s not harden our hearts. If we are being corrected, it is actually a sign of belonging. A sign that He loves us too much to leave us where we are. Let’s receive it. Let’s realign. Let’s grow. Love you guys.

Mornin’ Fam! “The swift will not escape, the strong will not muster their strength, and the warrior will not save his life.” Amos 2:14 Gifts don’t matter! At least not the way we think they do. Speed won’t save you. Strength won’t sustain you. Skill won’t secure you. When we stand before God, we are all on level ground. No resumes. No trophies. No highlight reels. He’s not impressed with what the world applauds. He isn’t judging us based on the gifts we have or the talents we possess. He’s looking at our heart. Our trust. Our obedience. Are we walking with Him? Are we listening to Him? Are we aligning our lives with His? Being in right standing with Him is the goal. Following Him in faith. Trusting Him when it doesn’t make sense. Obeying Him when it costs something. That’s what matters. So today, let’s not lean on what we’re good at. Let’s lean on Him. Let’s align ourselves.

Mornin’ Fam! “This is what the Lord says: ‘For three sins of Damascus, even for four, I will not relent. Because she threshed Gilead with sledges having iron teeth,’” Amos 1:3 I will not relent. God never gives up on fulfilling His purposes and promises. He doesn’t get distracted. He doesn’t move on to something more interesting. He doesn’t forget what He said. He will do what He said He is going to do. That’s true in judgment here in Amos. And it’s also true in grace throughout the whole story of Scripture. The same promise is true in your life. He will be unrelenting in helping you fulfill His purposes in you. He will pursue you. He will nudge you. He will correct you. He will remind you who you are and whose you are. But you have to follow Him. You have to listen. You have to obey. At some point, if you continually resist, He will let you do what you want to do—not because He cares any less, but because He has given you the dignity of choice. That’s real love. So let’s stay near to Him. Let’s pursue Him today. Let’s align our steps with the One who never relents in His purposes. — Mornin’ Fam is a daily devotional from Aaron Coe, PhD, written for families—especially those raising and leading Gen Z—to start the day grounded in Scripture and moving together toward God’s best.

Mornin’ Fam! “Shall I leave their innocent blood unavenged? No, I will not.” The Lord dwells in Zion!” Joel 3:21 The Lord will fight His own battles. He will not leave the wrongs done against Him—or against His people—unjudged. That’s both sobering and comforting. Sobering because God takes justice seriously. Comforting because it means we don’t have to carry the weight of revenge. Here is the reality for us: We can keep our eyes on Him. We can trust Him. And more importantly, we do not have to be anxious about what others are doing. When someone misunderstands you… When someone mistreats you… When someone gets away with something (at least for now)… God sees. God knows. God will handle it. Our job is not to be the perfect avenger. Our job is to be faithful. We don’t need to plot. We don’t need to panic. We don’t need to prove. We can rest. Let’s rest in Him today. He is just. He is present. And He is the perfect avenger. — What is Mornin’ Fam? Mornin’ Fam is a daily devotional from Aaron Coe, written first for his own family—Ezra, Ella, Joshua, and Harper—and shared with yours. It’s a simple rhythm: one verse, one truth, one focus for the day. Something you can read around the breakfast table, on the way to school, or before practice. Just a daily reminder to fix our eyes on Jesus and walk in His ways together.

Mornin’ Fam! “Do not be afraid, land of Judah; be glad and rejoice. Surely the Lord has done great things!” Joel 2:21 Remember what He has done! If life seems bleak If you are tired and weak Remember what He has done. If circumstances are unfavorable If you feel no longer able Remember what He has done. If people are against you If you feel like you are through Remember what He has done. He has done great things! The same God who parted seas, toppled giants, and raised Jesus from the grave is the God who walks with you into algebra tests, board meetings, soccer practice, and tough conversations. We don’t hype ourselves up with wishful thinking—we steady ourselves with historical reality. When Joel says, “Surely the Lord has done great things,” he’s pointing backward so we can move forward. Gratitude fuels courage. Memory builds faith. What God has done before becomes the foundation for what we trust Him to do next. So today, before you spiral… before you quit… before you assume the worst—pause and rehearse His faithfulness. He has carried you. He has forgiven you. He has provided for you. He has sustained you. And He’s not done yet. ⸻ Mornin’ Fam is a daily family devotion written by Aaron B. Coe—created to help families, especially those raising Gen Z students, start their day grounded in Scripture, centered on Jesus, and ready to live with courage, clarity, and joy.

Mornin’ Fam! “Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.” — Joel 1:14 Realign with God Joel is talking to a nation that had drifted. Things had fallen apart. Crops ruined. Joy faded. Direction lost. And what was the solution? Not hustle harder. Not pretend it’s fine. Not blame someone else. Cry out to the Lord. Realign. When you have drifted away When you are tempted to stray When you wandered into the gray Realign with God When you are caught up in self When your dreams are on the shelf When you’ve lost vision for life itself Realign with God When you have fallen into a trap When your actions don’t fill the gap When you are on life’s final lap Realign with God Here’s the beautiful thing: realignment doesn’t require perfection. It requires humility. You don’t have to fix everything first. You don’t have to clean yourself up before you pray. You don’t have to wait for Sunday. You just turn. Realignment can happen in a bedroom. In the car on the way to school. Between classes. During a tough meeting. In the middle of regret. God is not hiding from you. He’s inviting you. And for our family — and for every Gen Z heart reading this — realignment is not weakness. It’s strength. It’s clarity. It’s courage to say, “I don’t want to drift. I want direction.” So today, let’s pause. Let’s breathe. Let’s cry out. And let’s realign. ⸻ About Mornin’ Fam Mornin’ Fam is a daily devotional written by Aaron Coe for families — especially families raising Gen Z and Gen Alpha kids — who want to start their day grounded in Scripture and centered on Jesus. These short reflections are designed to be read at the breakfast table, in the carpool line, or before school and work — simple, honest, and anchored in God’s Word, helping families walk together in faith one morning at a time.