CountUp

Sunday Scripture

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday October 18TH 2026, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate this great new day of believing, following, trusting, loving, and being more like our Lord + Savior Jesus Christ. Let us love our neighbor as ourself.

Volume 9, Number 34, Edition 434
“Repentance”

When I was actively preaching on Sunday mornings – I preached often about repentance and salvation. It was a common theme in many of my sermons.

“Well there you go again Chris – preaching about repentance and salvation. You sound like a broken record. You keep preaching about it like it’s something important – like it’s some type of monumental life-changing event !”

Well that’s because it is. It’s the difference between Heaven and hell.

The word “repent” – and all forms of the word with “repent” as the root – appear in the Bible 112 times. That’s the King James Version. It’s in the Old Testament 46 times, and it’s in the New Testament 66 times. In other popular translations of the Bible it’s in there anywhere from 60 to 100 times. The New Living Translation uses the word “repent” 62 times – occasionally substituting it for phrases such as “turn away from sin”, “turn back to God”, and “change your heart”.

Repentance is about returning home. It’s about turning away from the darkness of the devil – and turning to the bright light of the Savior. It’s a change of mind. It’s when you realize that the direction that you’re headed leads to a dead end, so you turn in the opposite direction – deliberately and intentionally towards God. If you have pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, or sloth – then repent.

Paul wrote – For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. (2 Corinthians 7:10 NLT)

God meets us with His open arms. He cleans up our mess. And just as salvation is not a one-time event but a continuing process – so is repentance. Since we are all sinners – we must instantly realize that we’ve sinned, and regret it, and repent it, so that we may continue moving forth in His light because of His grace and mercy.

“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” (Matthew 3:2 NLT)

Let’s pray: “Lord I know what I did right there during that weak moment was wrong. That was a barrier that was placed between You and I. Thank You God for forgiving me for what I’ve done. I ask that You give me the strength and the wisdom and the guidance and the direction – so that I don’t do it again. Thank You for Your grace and mercy. In Your powerful name I pray to You. Amen.”

Tags Bible, Blog, Christ, Christian, Church, God, Jesus, Message, Minister, Ministry, Pastor, Preacher, Reverend, Scripture, Sermon, Sunday

Blogging Driving Geography Internet Music Travel

My American Splendor Cruise – Part 1

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date October 15, 2026
2 Comments on My American Splendor Cruise – Part 1

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. For 6 weeks – I wrote about “The Bluegrass State” (June 25TH), “The Hoosier State” (July 02ND), “The Buckeye State” (July 09TH), “The Mountain State” (July 16TH), “The Keystone State” (July 23RD), and “My Ohio River Cruise” (July 30TH) – that was unfortunately cancelled.

So I rebooked a replacement cruise, and for the next 10 weeks I wrote about “My Replacement Cruise” (August 06TH), “The Volunteer State” (August 13TH), “The Yellowhammer State” (August 20TH), “The Bluegrass State” (August 27TH), “The Scenic City” (September 03RD), “The River City & The Rocket City” (September 10TH), “The Renaissance City” (September 17TH), “Catfish Capital Of The World” (September 24TH), “Village Between The Lakes” (October 01ST), and finally “Music City U.S.A.” (October 08TH).

And of course last week I revealed that I had returned back home from Nashville and that replacement cruise. A few of you close to me knew that I was away, but most of you found out last #TravelThursday – after the fact. For those of you on Social Media (which is all of you, since you’re reading this blog) – you never ever want to announce to the whole world that you’re away on vacation. Wait until after you’ve returned, and then reveal it to the masses, and then of course tell us all about it, or as much as you wish to share. That’s what I plan to do starting with this edition and probably continuing every Thursday through the end of the year.

So let’s get started. My journey began at 6:50 AM on Tuesday September 29TH 2026 when I began my drive to my favorite airport – Sarasota-Bradenton (#SRQ). Of course my patience was tested early on in my journey leaving Avon Park on Florida State Road 64. I was trapped behind a slow truck carrying a giant boat on a trailer (from U.S. 27 to U.S. 17). How ironic since I’d be enjoying a cruise on a giant boat in a little over 24 hours. After the truck / boat combo pulled off – a school bus making multiple stops to pick-up Hardee County kids took its place – followed by a small fuel truck. Of course I was tailgated by multiple different vehicles while being trapped behind all three slower-moving vehicles.

Finding a parking space in the main long-term lot at #SRQ was easy. Check-in was a breeze (as always), and I was inside the terminal sitting at my gate a little over 15 minutes after shutting off my car in the parking lot. As always – #SRQ was catering to their most common demographics by playing the greatest radio hits of the 1970s loudly over their sound system. As usual – I was lip-syncing and subtly dancing in my chair.

The Delta flights from #SRQ to #ATL, and from #ATL to #CHA were uneventful. They each took off and landed early. The baggage carousel in Chattanooga gets started with the sound of a choo-choo train approaching. It took a while for my Uber to arrive. I didn’t order it until after I retrieved my luggage. I should’ve ordered it as I was walking off the plane. The Uber ride along I-75, I-24, and U.S. 27 was somewhat terrifying, but I arrived safely and securely at the pre-cruise hotel within 25 minutes.

Fun Facts: That was only my 2ND time ever using Uber. My first time was 8½ years ago after a previous (Disney) cruise out of Miami with my brother, sister-in-law, and nieces.

Tomorrow on Facebook (#FollowUpFriday) I’ll write about my hotel and dinner in downtown Chattanooga, and next #TravelThursday I’ll finally board the American Splendor cruise ship on the Tennessee River. Let’s keep traveling together.

Tags Airport, ATL, CHA, Chattanooga, Cruise, Delta, Florida, Sarasota, SRQ, Tennessee, Uber

Blogging Christian God Ministry Music Radio

My Top 10 Hits – Week 504

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date October 12, 2026
No Comments on My Top 10 Hits – Week 504

Every Monday I post my all-new Top 10 Christian hit music chart based on personal preference and influenced by radio airplay from the previous week. It’s the continuation of a weekly hobby that goes back almost 50 years. Here’s this week’s chart – for the week ending Sunday October 11TH 2026 – the 504TH week of this current era that began on Presidents’ Day Weekend of 2017:

TW	LW	WKS	SONG TITLE	ARTIST / SITE
1	1	15	Gonna Be Alright [3RD week @ # 1]	Matt Maher
2	3	8	Living Water	Cain
3	5	8	If It Was Up To Me	Ben Fuller Ft. Carrie Underwood
4	4	7	Lord It Feels Good	TobyMac
5	2	10	It Really Is Amazing Grace	Phil Wickham Ft. Crowder
6	9	4	Holding On (Praise God)	Jon Reddick
7	8	3	Hard Place	Jaye King
8	6	14	Breathe On It	Tauren Wells
9	7	10	God I’m Just Grateful	Chandler Moore
10	–	1	Beautiful Life	Switchfoot

2025 – “Can’t Steal My Joy” – Josiah Queen X Brandon Lake
2024 – “Up + Up” – Colton Dixon
2023 – “Praise You Anywhere” – Brandon Lake
2022 – “Good Morning Mercy” – Jason Crabb
2021 – “What If” – Matthew West
2020 – “God So Loved” – We The Kingdom
2019 – “Fear No More” – Building 429
2018 – “Only Jesus” – Casting Crowns
2017 – “The Gospel” – Ryan Stevenson

CAIN – My favorite Cains – Taylor, Madison, and Logan – originally from Morgan County Alabama in Hartselle – very near Decatur where I was just 11 days ago – are at # 2 on my chart with their 7TH hit – “Living Water”. We’ll find out soon if it becomes their 4TH # 1 smash.

My # 20 hit during my first 3½ years of salvation in Christ from August 2006 to January 2010 is “Addicted” from P.O.D. They formed almost 35 years ago in San Diego California. They are a very rare artist that spanned two distinct eras on my chart – both secular and Christian. Back in December 2001 / January 2002 they peaked at # 28 with “Alive”. That was a mainstream rock and pop hit at the time. They had 4 additional hits on my chart after I flipped it from Top 40 to Christian. “Addicted” was the biggest of all of their hits. It spent 3 weeks at # 1 in May / June 2008.

Next week it’s my # 21 hit – my # 1 smash of all of 2009 – spending 11 consecutive weeks at # 1. It was a great track for a season.

SPOTIFY – You can hear “My Top 10 Hits” anytime by accessing my CountUp playlist on Spotify. All 10 hits are there from top to bottom. You can hear them in order from # 1 to # 10, or you can shuffle them. My playlist will be updated every weekend (usually before the actual chart is presented here on Mondays). You can link to it here.

Your likes, follows, and comments are always appreciated. Thank You for being part of my online ministry to share God’s Good News and win souls for Christ through His music. God used loud music on the radio in South Florida to reach me in August of 2006. I’ve been testifying about Him ever since.

Be blessed my friends ! May our God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Tags Blog, Chart, Christian, christianity, faith, God, Jesus, KLOVE, Music, Radio, Spotify, TheJoyFM, WayFM, WGTS, Z883

Bible Blogging Christian Church God Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday October 11TH 2026, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate this great new day of believing, following, trusting, loving, and being more like our Lord + Savior Jesus Christ. Let us love our neighbor as ourself.

Volume 9, Number 33, Edition 433
“Home Sweet Home”

If you follow my #TravelThursday series (every Thursday of course) then you’ll know that I’ve returned home from vacation. It was a fun vacation on a small cruise ship on the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. I’ll begin writing about my experiences on and off the ship during those 9 days and 8 nights starting this upcoming Thursday here on my blog.

About halfway into my cruise I started thinking about home, and what a wonderful life I currently have here in Sebring Florida – because of God. He has blessed me abundantly with a beautiful life and beautiful people in it – from my neighbors – to my museum friends – to my church brothers and sisters. I had no idea what retirement life would be like beforehand, but I knew that all I had to do was to trust in God, and He would provide, and He has !

From Paul’s letter (written while in prison) to the Philippians – Chapter 4 – Verses 19 and 20 – and as the Bible says:

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches – which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever ! Amen.

Last #SundayScripture I wrote about Benediction. Paul ends his letter to the Philippians with a short one in Verse 23:

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Paul invokes God’s grace on those to whom he writes to in his letters. His letters are for us in these current times. We depend on God’s grace to bless us and keep us. The Holy Spirit lives in us – if we believe in Him.