“When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.”
Cut to the heart by Dietrich Bonhoeffer this morning.
“How can I possibly serve another person in unfeigned humility if I seriously regard his sinfulness as worse than my own?” —Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Fires burn… until they don’t. We can help you direct the flames.
There’s a moment every business hits if they stay in the game long enough.
The fire starts strong. You’ve got ideas, momentum, maybe even a few early wins. You post, you share, you write. And for a while, it feels like something is happening.
Then it doesn’t.
Is your campfire going out?
Most websites don’t fail because the owner doesn’t care. They fail because they were built to sit still.
That’s the quiet assumption behind the old model: design it, launch it, check the box, move on. Maybe you tweak it once a year. Maybe you call your developer when something breaks. Maybe you stare at your analytics and wonder why nothing’s happening.
It’s not that you did something wrong. It’s that you were handed a campfire with no one around to keep it burning.
Why Your Website Isn’t Working (And Why It’s Not Your Fault)
Let’s be honest for a second. If your website is just sitting there… it’s not working.
It might look nice. It might have cost you a few thousand dollars. It might even have all the “right” pages—Home, About, Services, Contact.
But if it’s not actively bringing people in, engaging them, and giving them a reason to come back, it’s basically just sitting on the couch watching reruns of Judge Judy, munching Doritos.
And here’s the important part:
That’s not your fault.
A grief observed: waves upon the ocean
Nobody tells you that grief is like treading out into the ocean.
Sometimes, a wave comes along that completely knocks you off your feet and leaves you breathless. You fall and the waves crash over you. It’s all you can do to stand back up.
Requiescat in pace: Kristina Kay Hackwith
I am deeply saddened to share that my mother, Kristina Kay Hackwith, passed away unexpectedly on March 21, 2026, following a sudden heart attack. While we know her faith in Jesus was strong, her passing is a profound loss to her family, friends, and all who knew her, and we ask for patience and understanding during this difficult time.
Introducing my latest print: “Co-Crucifixion (Galatians 2:20)”
It’s been a long time coming, but here is my life verse as a brand-new painting. Galatians 2:20 gives me hope. Hope that I am not stuck in the past. Hope that I’m not relegated to sitting on my hands, waiting for the future to become the present. Hope that I am still useful.
Igniting the Web of Compassion: The art and science of leading through genuine empathy
In a world where we scroll more than we speak and double-tap more than we truly listen, “connection” has started to feel like a buzzword. We all want it—deeper relationships with the people who follow our work, our words, our stories—but it’s easy to forget what actually creates it.
Presenting The Last Dove’s Flight (2025 Edition)
The 2025 Edition of The Last Dove’s Flight is an all-new recording that is being released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Creative Commons license. Remixes are welcome! Use hashtags #riverbeautiful and #thelastdovesflight and we will be proud to feature your work. We can’t wait to see what you come up with! Download: MP3 320 | FLAC Lossless | PDF Score
How to Create a C.O.R.E. Idea Ignition Network for Content Creation Success
An Idea Ignition Network is a collaborative ecosystem where creative individuals come together to share insights, brainstorm ideas, and inspire one another. Within this vibrant community, members engage in open discussions, pose thought-provoking questions, and offer constructive feedback, all of which help fuel the creative process.
New Embroidered Jackets are now available!
I’m pleased to let you know that we have two brand-new jackets and a super-soft fleece pullover available in the KAIOcreations store! Choose from a just-right lightweight bomber jacket in army green, a sturdy denim jacket available in white, black, or classic denim, or a comfy fleece pullover in carbon gray or black.
Praying for the impossible tonight.
"For He is our peace; in his flesh He has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us, abolishing the law with its commandments and ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it."
Almost thirty years in the making, the river Beautiful will be published as a premium hardcover, a value softcover, and a very special online multimedia experience.
Select a chapter below to view exclusive content from the upcoming collection of new and selected works by Jason Christopher Hackwith.
original prose, poetry, lyrics, illustrations and typography
