Spiritual Vitamins

Word From Wiese

August 5, 2026

“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103

I’m a sucker for chocolate chip cookies.

However, I know they don’t give my body a boost like my daily vitamin pill or the nutrition teeming in the broccoli I try to eat. But what if? What if I could combine the empowerment of a vitamin with the sweetness of a dessert? Maybe the answer is in Psalm 119:103 which declares God’s words are like honey to our mouths.

My son Luke works out at his YMCA in Nashville. On a visit with him, he showed me how at the YMCA’s counter on the way out, they offered a jar of “spiritual vitamins.”

Each little slip of paper offered a Bible verse of encouragement or some wisdom from a trusted faith leader. The Y’s mission, of course, is to offer strengthening for the body but also the soul.

What a terrific idea! And since we want COS to be a place bubbling with God’s terrific ideas, let’s give it a try ourselves.

After all, God has given us a rich spiritual diet: worship, Holy Communion, baptism, prayer, scripture, Christian friends, opportunities to serve, music, generosity, quiet moments of reflection, and the countless reminders of God’s grace that appear throughout our days. All of these nourish our souls. They keep us growing in faith and hope.

If you were in worship this past Sunday, August 2, you know we’re adding one more little boost to that diverse spiritual diet. In our downstairs entryway, you’ll notice what looks a bit like a cookie jar, or perhaps a candy bowl, filled not with treats to eat, but with “Spiritual Vitamins.” Inside are colorful slips of paper, each containing a brief Bible verse or an encouraging thought. Some offer comfort. Others offer hope, courage, forgiveness, peace, gratitude, or joy. They’re printed on different colors simply to brighten your day a little before you’ve even read the words.

Feel free to reach in and take one home whenever you visit church.

Will a tiny strip of paper change your life? Probably not by itself. But God’s Word has a remarkable way of meeting us exactly where we are.

Sometimes a single verse is exactly the encouragement we didn’t know we needed. Tuck it into your pocket, your purse, your Bible, or your car. Read it over coffee on Monday morning. Tape it to your computer screen. Share it with a friend who needs encouragement.

I thought it was fun and fitting that we launched this Spiritual Vitamin ministry on the Sunday featuring Matthew’s story of Jesus feeding more than five thousand people with just five loaves and two fish (Matthew 14:13–21). Our little bowl certainly won’t feed five thousand people. But perhaps God will use one colorful strip of paper to feed one heart. And then another. Like the amazement of the little boy who saw his meager lunch feed over 5,000, maybe we too will be astounded with the numbers who are lifted up.

I gotta admit…for me, a chocolate chip cookie brightens my moment. But these spiritual vitamins sharing God’s words will be even sweeter and nourish us for the long-haul.

Questions for Reflection

What are some of the ways God regularly nourishes your faith?
How might one small word of encouragement (a Bible verse, a kind note, or a simple act of love) be something God uses to strengthen someone else this week?
Think about it: is there a faith motto, bible verse, or quote from a trusted Christian voice that you think should be on the list of spiritual vitamins that we offer? If so, please send it to [email protected]. Thanks.

In Christ’s hope,

Pastor Fritz

Let us pray:

Gracious God, thank you for feeding us with your Word, your grace, and your unfailing love. Nourish our hearts each day so that we may grow in faith, hope, and love. Use even the smallest reminders of your presence to encourage us, and help us become a source of encouragement for others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.