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There is a term that is used particularly in television circles that describes the moment a show begins its inevitable decline. The term is “jumping the shark” and is a reference to a point in the show Happy Days when Arthur Fonzarelli, Fonzie, ski jumped over a contained shark while on a visit to California. It was a crucial moment in the show because it indicated a transition from the wholesomeness of a family in the 1950’s to a focus on the near superhuman powers of the not so wholesome Fonzie. The show lasted another seven years, but it was never quite the same. When Fonzie jumped the shark, the character of Happy Days changed.

So, the term “jumping the shark” points toward a change in character, a moment when something or someone takes a new direction. That moment is usually something extraordinary, or at least out of the ordinary, and it leads to a decline in popularity. While it is most often used in reference to television shows, it has been said about politicians, products on the grocery shelves, and other things that begin to decline after a particularly unexpected action. It happens when a politician says something shocking or when a food product changes its formula. The public looks at them differently, rejects them, and thus the decline.

Those “jump the shark” moments often came when a show became stagnant. The writers of long-running shows eventually find it difficult to come up with new ideas. Children grow up and their place in the story has to change. Relationships mature to a point where they aren’t very exciting. How many times can you tell the same jokes over and over again? Unfortunately, some shows try to outlive their welcome, producing too many seasons. One of my favorite shows, one I still love, did not really have a “jump the shark” moment, but it aired for about two seasons longer than necessary. I never watched those seasons, though I continue to watch reruns from that show. I can’t even explain what went wrong, I just did not like the direction of the characters and the old jokes were not funny anymore.

Life changes. We all grow and mature, we see the world differently, and we need to go in a new direction. Data researches have determined that most people hold nearly thirteen different jobs during their careers. Young people are more likely to change jobs more often as they determine what they want to do, or are meant to do, with their lives. It isn’t just about new jobs, which can happen as a person moves within a company. The researchers discovered that the average person typically goes through three to seven different careers. Those changes are often made for financial reasons, but many people simply discover that their work does not fulfill their expectations or fit into their lifestyles. Some people change because their chosen career field is no longer accessible. This is perhaps truer today than it was a few years ago since computers and artificial intelligences is making some professions obsolete.

You might think that creative careers would be safe from that problem, but AI is transforming those jobs, too. Computers can write books, make art, and create music faster, and sometimes better, than human beings. Sadly, modern technology can make anyone creative these days, and it isn’t really a new problem. More than a dozen years ago, I attended a lecture by a famous photographer at a university. One of the students asked how they could succeed in the photography business. The speaker said, “Don’t bother. Cell phones can already take better photos than you ever will.” He may have been ahead of the technology with that warning, but he was right. I carry my fancy camera, but my phone often does a better job.

It is easy for us to “jump the shark” when it comes to our lives. Some people make rash decisions about their careers. They think they see the writing on the wall, so they jump to a different career without considering whether it is really what they should be doing. Perhaps that’s why some young people change their jobs every three years or so. There is, however, times when we really need to move on to something different, to find a new way of using our gifts to serve God and the world. Joshua certainly found himself in a career change in today’s story. His teacher and guide died, and the responsibility of the nation was passed onto his shoulders.

God encouraged Joshua in his new role. He does the same for us when we are going through changes in our lives, whether it is by choice or of necessity. It is up to us to seek His guidance, to discern what He would have us do, so that we will be less likely to “jump the shark.” If we follow His will, even when the changes are hard, He will help us and we will glorify Him no matter what tomorrow holds.

On August 1, 1999, I began a journey that lasted more than twenty-six years. It began as a two-week commitment long before there was such a thing as social media. I belonged to an email discussion group, and the moderator was going on vacation. She asked if I would act as the moderator while she was gone because she wanted to ensure that everyone received something in their email every day. She sent emails with fun and silly graphics, but that wasn’t in my wheelhouse, so I decided to write a brief note of inspiration each day. At the end of the first week, I wondered how I would ever make it through to the end. By the end of the second week, I had more ideas, so I just kept writing. That email group is long gone, but by God’s grace I was able to continue writing and inspiring people for all these years.

I have joked with friends recently that if this ministry had been a career, I would have gotten my gold watch already. I have hinted recently that I have been discerning the future, and today I am sad to announce that this will be the last regular posting for A WORD FOR TODAY, A Daily Devotional for the Common Man.

I have considered the possibility of stopping many times through the years. The daily commitment has not always been easy. Some days I suffer from writer’s block. On other days, I’ve felt uncomfortable with the message I believed God directed me to send. Many times, in the past twenty-six years, I’ve wondered if anyone is even listening. My life has certainly changed over the years. I’ve had jobs. I’ve been busy with my children. I’ve experienced financial and emotional struggles. Sometimes I’ve felt like I was just wasting my time. It has been, at times, difficult to believe that my mundane existence is inspiring to anyone else’s spiritual life. My life is incredibly boring these days, I seem to have told all my stories. I confess that in the past few years, I have done a lot of reruns. I don’t think I’ve “jumped the shark,” but we all experience moments when we realize it is time to change.

In the past, whenever I got that feeling that it was time to stop, God granted me a glimpse of the impact these devotions have had. I met someone who enjoyed reading my posts. I got an email or a comment that the words were just what they needed to hear. I have certainly experienced God’s grace as He has revealed Himself to me in new ways each day. And like the end of that first week twenty-three years ago, God has continued to put on my heart words He would have me say. Until now.

Technology has been the catalyst for my decision. After a few days on that email group, someone suggested that I should put the writings on the world wide web so they would be available to anyone who would like to access them. So, I tried. And failed. I tried a number of different programs and editors, but I failed each time. One day I cried out to God, “If you want this to happen, you will have to make it happen!” At that moment, an old friend struck up a conversation with me online. We had not seen each other for some time, so we talked about our lives, our triumphs and failings. I told him about my desire to build a website to share these writings. As it turned out, he was building a business helping people build websites. He walked me through the process and taught me everything I needed to know. That website reached the far corners of the world. As you can imagine, after twenty-six years of writing, it contained thousands of pages of work.

There have been issues over the past few years as the company that hosted had server problems, affecting my editing program, but after a few days or weeks, everything worked again. As much as we have come to rely on computers, we know that they are imperfect. We have to be patient while the humans behind the computers fix glitches, expand memory, overcome whatever is wrong. Thankfully, my website was always available to read during those times, even if I could not update it.

That changed in January. Suddenly, without notice, my website disappeared. I checked whether it was just me, or if it was a universal problem, and it turned out that there was a huge problem with the servers. Other people were complaining because their websites were gone, too. I wanted to be patient, but it wasn’t just my editing program this time, it was everything. The company, when they responded, assured the users that they were working on the problem and everything would be fine. They continued to bill us for the service, and though many of the other users decided to cancel their subscriptions, I decided to be patient. It was only a few dollars a month, and I did not want to risk everything, just in case.

A few weeks ago, I received an email that warned my payment could not post. There is nothing wrong with my credit card, so it must be a problem with their system. After three months of no service, I refused to change my payment method, accepting the reality that everything is gone. These past few months have been a time of discernment, asking myself if this is finally the moment when God is saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Take your gold watch, it is time to do something new.” I decided early this week that today would be my last day.

I received another email about my billing today and did some research. Here is what I found. “Angelfire and its parent company, Lycos, announced a shutdown of their hosting services, with a final deadline for user content expiration around April 5, 2026. Following a prolonged outage starting in January 2026, an official, albeit fleeting, message informed users to move their websites. Many legacy sites are now inaccessible.” I never received a message. It would not have done any good after January, because nothing was inaccessible by then anyway. Thankfully I have all my files. While I have said repeatedly, “Everything is gone,” I only mean it is gone from the Internet. I can still use my files to research for other writing.

That is the plan. I hope to spend less time at a computer and more time interacting face to face with my community, but I will not stop writing. As a matter of fact, I began two different books a few years ago that I have not had time to finish. I also write the Bible study I use for my class at church. I also hope to have more time to spend painting in my studio. I don’t know whether A WORD FOR TODAY will be gone forever. I’ve been thinking I may try to post something occasionally or even weekly via the email and on Facebook, which is where most of you access the writing anyway, so don’t forget me! I will certainly let you know when I publish my books.

In today’s Bible passage, Solomon wrote that the end of a thing is better than the beginning. Honestly, this is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I have loved sharing God’s Word, inspiring the readers of this devotion how to live in a world that does not always believe in God or accept our faith. Solomon’s words might seem sad, but I think that God wants us to understand that the end of one thing is just the beginning of something new. Solomon also wrote that being patient is better than being proud. Sometimes we have to accept that God has a plan, and that His plan is always right; we just have to wait for Him to reveal what is to come. It is better to trust in Him than to hold on to something that has outlived His purpose. Following His path will always give us hope, peace, and joy.

I would like to thank you all for your prayers, notes, and encouragement throughout the years. You will always be in my heart and prayers. I could not have done this without God’s help and your support. I have written nearly ten thousand devotions these many years, and it hasn’t always been easy, but then sharing our faith is never easy, is it? However, I know I am not alone. I am confident that God has brought us together for mutual edification and in our own way we will all continue to bless the world through our witness. Though many of you are strangers, we are one in Christ, joined together in Spirit and truth. May God bless us so that the light of Christ will move and shine through our lives and continue to impact the world. For today, I pray that God will continue to establish the work of my hands and bless all His people with His favor.

I have already begun working on a book that I hope will be published. I will also occasionally post on my Facebook page and through my email, so don’t lose my addresses. I will also let you know through those outlets of upcoming books or other opportunities to read my work.