June 10, 2026 | Moments Almanac | Quiet

Hello and welcome once again to Moments Almanac, a time to remember the people, places, and events that leave fingerprints on the soul. Today is June 10th, 2026, and today we remember a man whose influence has stretched across centuries, even though most people have never heard his name. On June tenth, fourteen seventy one, Thomas Kempis died. He was not a missionary to foreign lands. He did not found a denomination, he never led an army, governed a nation, or preached to great crowds. Instead, he lived a quiet life. He was born in Germany, and Thomas spent much of his life in the Netherlands. He copied manuscripts by hand, taught young students, prayed, worshipped, and wrote. His world was small by modern standards, and yet from that quiet place came one of the most influential Christian books ever written. The imitation of Christ. For more than five hundred years, believers have turned to its pages for guidance in following Jesus. Thomas wrote, If you seek Jesus in all things, you will surely find him. It sounds simple. Perhaps too simple. But maybe that's exactly the point. The world celebrates the loud, the visible, the viral. We measure success by influence, but the kingdom of God often works differently. Jesus spent thirty years in relative obscurity before three years of public ministry. Many of his disciples lived and died with little earthly recognition. The Apostle Paul reminds us seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands. That verse rarely appears on coffee mugs. It's a Christian vision of faithfulness. A quiet life is not a small life. A quiet life is a life that trusts God to do big things with ordinary obedience. Thomas Kempus understood something that we frankly often forget. Not every seed grows where the planter can see it. As he copied manuscripts by candlelight, he could not have imagined that centuries later Christians around the world would still be reading his simple words. He only did what God had placed before him, one page, one prayer, one act of obedience at a time. And perhaps that's the encouragement that we all need. I mean, we we might not all stand before crowds. You may never write a best-selling book. You may never become famous. But in the great scheme of things, what is important? You can be faithful, you can be praying. You can love your family, you can serve your church, you can encourage a friend. You can serve. You can quietly walk with Jesus. And God delights to use such lives. Listen to the words of Psalm 131. Lord, my heart is not proud, my eyes are not haughty. I do not get involved with things too great or too wonderful for me. Instead, I have calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child with its mother. The world tells us to strive for greatness. The gospel teaches us to seek Christ. And often that begins with a quiet heart. Near the end of his life, Christian musician Rich Mullen stepped away from much of the spotlight that came with success. Rather than pursuing fame, he chose a simpler path, living on a Native American reservation, teaching music to children, and seeking to follow Christ with humility and authenticity. One of his most beloved songs contains a prayer that Thomas Kempis would have surely understood. And I will ever praise you. I will seek you in the morning, and I will learn to walk in your ways. And step by step you'll lead me, and I will follow you all of my days. Thomas Kempus wrote this. Not how well we have spoken, but how well we have lived. Hey, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you spending five minutes with me just to reflect. I hope you'll join me tomorrow. Until then, take care. Notice the scattered moments and share the grace.