Aaron Joseph Hall | Updates

A Seat at the Table

Aaron Joseph Hall — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 14:24:06 -0400

The man and the woman exchanged smug glances before turning toward the stranger.

He was a large man. A bushy gray beard hung well below his round belly, and his arms were thick as tree limbs. At first glance, he looked like the sort of man who could split logs with his bare hands and argue with a stone wall until it surrendered.

But appearances are often poor judges of character.

Though rough in appearance, the stranger was gentle in spirit.

The man and the woman had little desire to share their feast with such a traveler. Their table overflowed with roasted meat, fresh bread, and sweet fruit, yet neither felt inclined to spare a morsel.

The stranger, however, smiled at the sight of the meal.

“May you help a stranger in need, sir… madam?” he asked politely.

The man and the woman continued eating as though they had not heard him.

“May you help a stranger in need, sir… madam?” the stranger repeated.

The man glanced at the woman, then back at the traveler.

“May you help a stranger in need, sir… madam?”

This time the man set down his fork.

“What is your name, son?” he asked.

“My name is Rye, sir.”

“Rye, I’ve lived many years before you, and never once have I begged for food.”

“Your fortune has been kinder than mine, sir,” Rye replied. “I have had little luck.”

“Everyone has some measure of luck.”

“Not I, sir.”

“Surely you have a home. A wife. A trade. Children to feed.”

“I have none, sir.”

The man folded his arms.

“And what makes you think we should share our meal with you?”

“I am a hungry man,” Rye replied. “A starving man. The hand of generosity reaches farther than we often realize, sir.”

The woman slowly set aside her fork.

“Mister Rye, I was always taught not to speak with strangers.”

A faint smile crossed Rye’s face.

“I am no stranger now, madam. You know my name. My name is Rye.”

“We worked hard for this meal.”

“I do not doubt it.”

“Then why don’t you have a home?” she asked. “A wife? A trade? Children?”

Rye lowered his head slightly, as though carrying a memory too heavy to lift.

“I was once happy.”

“Once?” said the man. “Why not now?”

Rye’s head tilted downward slightly as though ashamed.

“I was once happy.”

“Once?” said the man. “Why not now?”

Rye was silent for a moment.

“Because I thought happiness was something I could keep,” he finally answered.

The man frowned.

“What does that mean?”

“It means I had a wife. I had a son. I had a home and work enough to fill my days. I thought those things belonged to me forever.”

The woman shifted in her seat.

“And what happened?”

“A fever came through our village one winter.”

Neither the man nor the woman spoke.

“It took my son first,” Rye continued. “Then my wife. After that, I no longer cared for the house. I no longer cared for the work. Eventually, I had neither.”

The table grew quiet.

The man looked down at the food spread before him. The roasted meat. The fresh bread. The steaming potatoes.

“And now?” he asked softly.

“Now I walk,” said Rye. “I walk where the road leads. Some days I find kindness. Some days I do not. Today I found your table.”

The woman’s eyes fell to her plate.

“You have truly eaten nothing?”

“Not since yesterday morning.”

The man glanced at the woman. The woman glanced at the man.

Without a word, she pulled an empty plate from the stack and set it before Rye.

The man tore a large piece of bread and placed it on the plate.

“Sit,” he said.

Rye smiled.

It was not the smile of a beggar receiving food.

It was the smile of a man receiving something far more valuable.

“Thank you,” he said.

The three ate together beneath the afternoon sun.

For a long while, nobody spoke.

At last Rye stood and brushed the crumbs from his beard.

“I have nothing to repay you with,” he said.

The man shook his head.

“You owe us nothing.”

Rye smiled again.

“Then perhaps I can leave you with this.”

“What is that?” asked the woman.

Rye looked at the feast still covering the table.

“A full stomach lasts a few hours,” he said. “But a generous heart can feed a man for the rest of his life.”

With that, he turned and continued down the road.

The man and the woman watched until he disappeared beyond the hill.

Neither touched the food that remained.

For the first time that day, they understood that the richest thing on the table had never been the meal.

The end.

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My Review of Rags To Rescued: 365 Days Devotional

Aaron Joseph Hall — Thu, 2 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

If you’re searching for a devotional that encourages meaningful time with God and points you back to His truth each day, Rags to Rescued is well worth considering!

Corey is not only a friend of mine, but also one of the Elders at Jubilee City Church. This devotional is a reflection of his personal walk with Christ and a powerful reminder of God’s redeeming grace. The title couldn’t be more fitting—Corey is someone who has truly gone from rags to rescued, and his life stands as a testimony to the transforming power of Jesus.

As I read through these devotionals, I am encouraged by their authenticity, biblical truth, and practical application. Corey writes from experience, humility, and a genuine desire to help others grow in their relationship with the Lord.

I am incredibly proud of Corey for writing and sharing these devotionals in this book, and I wholeheartedly recommend Rags to Rescued to anyone looking for daily encouragement and a deeper walk with Christ.

Grab your copy below!!!

Buy on Amazon

*Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links through which, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission. Read our full affiliate disclaimer.

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What John Crist Reminded Me About Joy

Aaron Joseph Hall — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Recently, we had the opportunity to see John Crist in Mobile with some friends. And it was a blast! We laughed for a few hours straight! Anyone who knows me knows I love a good dad joke. I feel like every dad does, even if they don’t admit it!

As I sat there laughing, I kept thinking about how much I needed it. Life can get busy. Ministry can be demanding. Responsibilities pile up. Sometimes we get so focused on what needs to be done next that we forget to enjoy the life God has given us.

What I love about laughter is that it’s something the Lord created. I don’t doubt one bit that Jesus and His disciples laughed, had joy, and simply enjoyed each other’s company. We often picture Jesus teaching, healing, praying, and performing miracles—and rightly so. But He also attended weddings, shared meals with friends, and spent time with people He loved.

Proverbs 17:22 says, “A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones” (NASB2020).

That verse kept coming to mind throughout the night. Joy and laughter really are good for the soul. They don’t solve every problem, but they remind us that our problems don’t have the final word.

The enemy would love for us to live exhausted, discouraged, and overwhelmed. He would love for us to believe that joy is optional. But Scripture paints a different picture. Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit. Joy is a gift from God. Joy is strength for the journey.

When was the last time you experienced real joy?

When was the last time you laughed so hard your stomach hurt?

When was the last time you enjoyed the people God has placed in your life without worrying about tomorrow?

It matters more than we think.

The Lord used a night of laughter to remind me of an important truth about joy, burdens, and God’s provision for our lives.

That night in Mobile, the Lord reminded me that laughter isn’t a distraction from life. Sometimes it’s part of God’s provision for life. It’s like medicine for our souls. We need it.

Maybe for you, joy looks like spending time with family. Maybe it’s sitting on the back porch with a cup of coffee. Maybe it’s going fishing, taking a walk, sharing a meal with friends, or laughing with your kids.

Whatever it is, don’t neglect it.

If you’ve lost your joy, ask the Lord why. Ask Him to reveal what’s weighing your heart down. He is faithful to show us the things we’re carrying that He never intended us to carry alone.

And once He does, release those burdens to Him.

Then go have a good laugh.

May we be people marked by the joy of Jesus. May we laugh often, love deeply, and trust the Lord completely.

May we look more like Jesus every day.

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A Bold Witness

Aaron Joseph Hall — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

If Jesus commanded His followers to be His witnesses, why do so many of us struggle to speak about Him?

It’s a question I’ve been wrestling with lately as I’ve been preaching through the Book of Acts at our church. We recently began Acts 3, and one theme keeps surfacing: boldness.

One of the greatest blessings of preaching through a book of the Bible is that it forces you to slow down. You can’t rush past difficult verses or skim over familiar passages. You have to sit with the text, meditate on it, wrestle with it, and allow it to speak for itself.

In that slowing down, God often highlights truths that might otherwise go unnoticed.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Acts 1:8 HCSB (emphasis added)

This Scripture has challenged me in ways I needed to be challenged. What’s the evidence of someone having the power this verse claims will come upon them?

Some would argue that the primary evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues, the fruit of the Spirit, or one of the other spiritual gifts.

While each of those has an important place in the life of the believer, I believe the answer in Acts is found in plain sight and can be summed up in a single word: witness.

More specifically, a bold witness.

I’m not suggesting that boldness is the only evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in a believer’s life. Scripture clearly teaches that the Spirit produces fruit, distributes gifts, and transforms lives. Yet one of the clearest and most immediate evidences we see in Acts is a supernatural boldness to testify about Jesus.

The evidence is right there in the text.

Before Acts 2, the disciples were fearful, hesitant, and often hidden from public view.

After Jesus’ arrest, they scattered.

After His crucifixion, they gathered behind locked doors.

Even after His resurrection, they still wrestled with fear and uncertainty.

Then Pentecost happened.

When the Holy Spirit was poured out, a dramatic shift took place. The same disciples who once hid behind locked doors now stood before crowds proclaiming Christ without hesitation.

Peter, who had denied Jesus three times, boldly preached the gospel in Jerusalem. The apostles spoke openly about Christ despite threats, opposition, imprisonment, and persecution.

What changed? They had been filled with the Holy Spirit.

This is exactly what Jesus promised. In Acts 1:8, He told His followers, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses.” The purpose of the Spirit’s empowering was not merely personal experience but public witness. The Spirit gave ordinary believers extraordinary courage to testify about Jesus.

Throughout the book of Acts, this pattern repeats itself. The Spirit fills God’s people, and God’s people boldly speak God’s Word. One of the clearest evidences of a Spirit-filled life is a growing courage to make Christ known, regardless of the cost. What do you think?

Today, my prayer is that the same Holy Spirit who empowered the disciples in Acts would empower us to be bold witnesses—unafraid to publicly share what Jesus has done for us and eager to point others to Him.

When was the last time your faith led you to speak about Jesus?

Take a few moments to prayerfully reflect on these questions:

Who is one person in your life that God may be calling you to share your testimony or the gospel with this week, and what step can you take to do so?
What fears or obstacles most often keep you from being a bold witness for Jesus?
How does the transformation of the disciples before and after Pentecost challenge your understanding of what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit?

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