Nov 14, 2025 4 min read

2319: Unconditional Faith

Writing this week’s newsletter takes me back to Saturday, November 8th. I’d fallen asleep on the couch and woke up to the closing moments of Saturday Night Live. An up-and-coming artist named Sombr was performing his song “Back to Friends.” My grogginess disappeared instantly. The melody was smooth, the lyrics were about heartbreak, and somehow it all just flowed. I didn’t know who he was or what the song was, so I grabbed my phone and Shazam’d it. I caught it in the nick of time—literally as soon as the song was recognized, the live set ended. It felt like I was meant to catch that performance. I’ll link it here; it’s a perfect late-night vibe.

That set put me in a musical mood. I opened YouTube, and the first recommendation was a live performance of “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls. I can’t even remember the first time I heard that song, but it has always lifted my spirits. From the very first strum you can feel the passion in the guitar. Playing their hearts out at the 2:56 mark. You can’t help but bob your head a little. It’s raining through the whole last part of the concert and the band just keeps playing. After that legendary performance, I finally had to put the phone down and go to sleep.

Sunday morning was all about speed. The São Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil came on and…wow. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s races ended almost as soon as they started. Meanwhile, the top three put on a show: Lando Norris, Kimi Antonelli, and Max Verstappen—who started from the pit lane—drove their hearts out.

Later that day at church, the message was about letting go. God wants us to hand over the things we’re gripping so tightly—the worries, the stress, the situations we can’t fix. The moment we take our hands off, He can take over. The more we give Him glory and praise, the more we invite Him into our everyday life, and the less room there is for worry. That’s what faith looks like.

We also reflected on the story of Lazarus—how Jesus raised him after four days in the tomb. The power in that story is a reminder that God is all-powerful and fully capable of handling whatever we’re facing. Our problems might feel massive, but when we remember that God is greater, we can rest in the fact that we’re covered.

It’s also officially holiday party season. This past weekend I pulled out the Canadian tuxedo (denim on denim) for a Topgolf outing—always a good time. Monday rolled around, and I started recovery week for my half-marathon training. The plan called for an easy five miles and a lift. The weights felt great, but the temperature was freezing, and I almost talked myself out of the run. I still got in four miles, which is better than nothing.

I wrapped up the night with a trip to Barnes & Noble, where I picked up a Lego set and the book Show Your Work by Austin Kleon. I’ve been looking for ways to share more, and this book is basically a guide to doing exactly that—showing the process, not just the polished result. That’s what I want this newsletter to be: a place to share the things that are inspiring me so you can go interact with the raw source yourself. I’ll hyperlink what I can so you can dive into the performances, messages, and books too.

Tuesday’s run might’ve been the darkest one I’ve ever done—literally. I really need to invest in a better headlamp; running deeper into the dark is just spooky. Wednesday turned into a nostalgia trip. I watched the 20-year anniversary of Dancing with the Stars, and it brought back the same excitement I felt watching it with my family as a five-year-old. Then I went back to the Lego set. Between the show and the bricks, I was fully tapped into my youth.

By Thursday, I was trying to pull the whole week together in my head. A lot happens in our lives in just a few days, and it’s easy to forget how much we’ve done and how busy we really are. I noticed I was more anxious this week—just a general nervousness about the future. I softened that feeling by letting myself build Legos, crack open a new book, and lean into things I genuinely enjoy.

So that’s my reminder for you this week: find your inner child and don’t be afraid to lean into what lights you up. Put the heavy things in God’s hands. Enjoy the music, the races, the small hobbies, the random late-night YouTube rabbit holes. I’m learning to welcome all of it—the busy days and the slow days, the certainty and the uncertainty—and to count it all joy.

Peace,

Zechariah Davis

🎵 Songs of the Week