Category: Devotionals

My parents gave me a Bible for Christmas during my senior year of high school. Twenty years later, it’s marked with dates in the margins and underlined passages as it’s journeyed with me through school, college, adulthood, marriage and children. I love flipping through the pages and reminiscing moments with God in various seasons. I thought I’d share a random list of verses with you that I like and, hopefully, encourage your day. (I’ve included the references so you can read the context if you’d like.)

“Then Moses said to him, ‘If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.’”Exodus 33:15

“To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen” Jude 1:24-25

“But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.” Jude 1:20

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Philippians 1:27

“…they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13b

“Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” Luke 1:45

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” Psalm 68:19

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” Psalm 55:22

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” Psalm 32:8

“He tunnels through the rock; his eyes see all its treasures. He searches the sources of the rivers and brings hidden things to light.” Job 28:10-11

“They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, ‘Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.’ But I prayed, ‘Now strengthen my hands.’” Nehemiah 6:9

“…The Lord is Peace…” Judges 6:24

“Be careful that you do not forget the Lord…”Deuteronomy 6:12a

“But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves…” Luke 7:30a

“She did what she could…” Mark 14:8a

“…And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.” Matthew 8:34b

“He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17b

“Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.” Jonah 2:8

“I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope; Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.” Lamentations 3:19-22

“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand.” Isaiah 42:6a

“you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:3b-4

What are some of your go to passages?

We have all heard the phrase, “Because of Covid…” many times and each of us could finish this sentence with our own stories. For me, 2020 has canceled a lot of plans, rearranged my schedules and challenged me to, as Paul wrote, “learn the secret of being content in any and every situation (I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me).” 

Who would have guessed 12 months ago all the things that would transpire and where we would be on this New Years Eve. Wow – what a year! And yet, here we are.

I make a family photo album every year and as I’ve looked back at this year’s memories, it is marked with so many joys amidst the challenges. And I’m grateful. I’m grateful for the “ups” but I’m also grateful for the growth I’ve made in the “downs.” 

During days of question and tears, Jesus has drawn me closer to Himself as He’s taken me to places in my heart that needed to be surrendered. 

In his article, Last Days Ministries: Free As A Slave, Winkie Pratney talks about yielded versus unyielded rights. We have ideas of how life should look and how we want our plans to unfold but if we hold too tightly to these ideas, we will find ourselves in a place wrestling between God’s peace and life’s anxieties. God wants us to surrender everything to His loving care – our plans, dreams, fears, hopes, failures, expectations and so on – and trust Him. 

I’ll never forget what Pastor Shull said at a conference last summer, “Peace is the reward of surrender.”

As we close out this crazy year and enter into the unknowns of 2021, I pray that we will walk with confidence knowing that if we are journeying with Jesus, we are not alone no matter what lies ahead. He is already there. 

So…2021…welcome.

Wishing all of my readers a very Happy New Year. 

I’m still a year and a couple months shy of 40 but when my husband hit the big 4-0, it threw me into a couple days of introspection. I’m already quite obsessed with reflecting on life but somehow this moment took me for a deeper dive. 

I found myself asking, “If I could go back and change anything in my life up to this point, what would it be?” I added some things to my mental list and then began to ruminate on what could still be changed and what would stay in the category of “I wish I had…” 

I know that none of us know our futures and we are not even promised tomorrow but in the event that I die of old age, my life could possibly be half over, which led me to my second question. If in forty years I’m on my death bed, what will I regret if I don’t change now?    

So I wanted to pose the same question to you. I’m talking anything – a major life decision, a hobby you’ve wanted to tackle, a character issue you’ve wanted to overcome.

This has been good for me. It’s helped keep me focused when the mundane has tried to distract. As long as we have life and breath, there is possibility and opportunity. 

When I look back on my life, I want to know that I’ve spoken kindly, loved deeply, followed Jesus faithfully and pursued every dream God has placed in my heart with 100% of my efforts.

I encourage you, don’t live under the burden of regret but rather the peace of surrender. Then trust God enough to show you how to live so your future doesn’t contain regrets. 

We cannot change our past. We can, however, still change our future’s past.   

“Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes, snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes, silver white winters that melt into springs, these are a few of my favorite things….” 

Although it’s been years since I’ve seen The Sound of Music, I think of this song and it makes me want to add this musical to my holiday movie list.

My sister and I started a tradition years ago that Christmas music was officially allowed on November 1st. In fact, it was practically mandated. 

Now before some of you start hating on me for jumping to Christmas before Thanksgiving Day, let me explain. Thanksgiving is still a huge deal in our family. For us, Christmas music is an ushering in of the holiday season. It’s like opening the door to sweaters, boots and peppermint hot chocolate. And that in itself is something to be thankful for. 

I love holidays (do you see the italics here?)! I guess I’m still a kid at heart. I love family time. I love holiday shopping. I love traditional turkey dinners and my mom’s homemade caramel squares. I love walking into the house and smelling festive candles. I love Christmas parties and trees and lights. I love getting together with friends and reflecting on what Christ has done. I love baking cookies, cold weather and traditions. I love this season. 

And that’s it. There are no confessions or deep thoughts in this post, just a little glimpse into a few of my favorite things. 

So with that said, I’m off to introduce our boys to our tradition that must be carried on.

What are you enjoying this season?  

This morning I watched huge smiles emerge between giggles as one by one our three kids woke up, peeked through the blinds and saw the first snowfall of the year. Little fingers pressed against the windows and dancing eyes begged to go out and play. 

I poured cereal and divided out pumpkin bread (It’s still October and suppose to be fall, y’all – who’s with me?) but of course excitement trumped hunger and it wasn’t long before they were back on the couch peering outside. So I sat down with a fuzzy blanket and a cup of tea and simply watched them, savoring the moment. 

Oh to see the world with childlike wonder. 

I’m determined to pause the mundane more often to marvel at God’s intricate handiwork. Nature. Personalities. Relationships. Love. The changing seasons. The mysteries of God. Beauty. 

I know being attentive will take discipline and practice but it’s something worth striving for. Each new day lies before us like an adventure ready to be explored. So much can be learned, enjoyed and experienced if we will embrace the day as such and step away from becoming emotionally stagnant in the daily routine. 

Regardless of how age has labeled us, let’s be children of wonder! 

PS…In case you were curious, the day turned out to be a “school is canceled” snow day which included snowball fights, multiple cups of hot chocolate, cartoons and family dinner. I’m going to bed one exhausted but happy momma.

Our relationship with God cannot be based on emotions because emotions come and go like the tide. A real relationship requires commitment and faithfulness regardless of feelings. But there are seasons when God gifts us with the nearness of His presence. These times are like oases giving us strength to keep moving through our deserts. 

Lately I’ve found myself in such a place. And on the contrast of times when I simply trust His silence, I am hearing His voice like a shout. I’m keenly aware of the absolute passion of our Savior, Jesus, and lover of our souls. His friendship, His love, His peace, His words are life. I think of David when he wrote, “As the deer pants for water, so my soul pants for you.” The more I’m in His presence, the more I want to be there. I’m desperate for Him. 

In the midst of this awesome place, I’m getting a fresh view of God’s heart for His people. I see sadness in eyes and hear hopelessness in voices. And I can’t keep silent. I know the answer. 

My challenge to you and me is to be faithful in every season, trust the season that He is taking us through and share Him with everyone we can along the way. We have a voice and a testimony – let’s use it. 

Survival mode is like a gear. Sometimes we shift through it but we can’t stay there or we won’t move forward. Simply surviving can lead to apathy. Discontentment. Anger. It can lead to numbness of heart and mind and rob us of moments, relationships and opportunities. It may not be a natural instinct but there comes a time when we must choose joy. We must choose life. We must choose to praise Jesus through the pain. If we are going to reach our full potential and live the abundant life that He offers us, we must choose to trust His sovereignty in the unknown when we don’t feel the peace of the known.

Each of us has been, or will be, at a crossroad of emotions. Things happen that were not in our plans of perfection. There are speed bumps, road blocks, dead ends and construction on this crazy ride with the potential to make us or break us, as the saying goes. 

I beg you – don’t let it break you. Get up, stand strong, don’t quit. Your decision will affect you, your future and future generations. I think we often underestimate the power of our choices. Or maybe, rather, we simply don’t consider them. 

I don’t write this to speak at you but to talk with you and to share thoughts that God showed me when I found myself complaining to Him, “I’m in survival mode.”

We are not alone. With God’s help, we have the power to overcome. 

Be encouraged today with the words of Isaiah. He writes in chapter 40 verses 29-31, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” 

Tonight I found a prayer I had written back in 2016. I thought I’d share as it’s relevant to 2020 as well.

“God, may we be a generation who purposefully pursues You. May the importance and absolute necessity of dwelling in Your presence be deeply rooted in our hearts. Help us not to be distracted by fears, entertainment or our busy lives.

We are desperate for You.

Teach us to use our words wisely, speaking when we need to speak and staying silent when we don’t. Let our conversation uplift others and honor You. 

Help us love others deeply. 

Give us courage to face whatever comes our way. Give us passion to declare Your Name. 

Keep us in tune to Your voice and sensitive to Your leading. Give us a willing spirit to follow. 

Prepare a way for us like you did for the Israelites in the desert, whether we are walking in the day or the night.

When discouragement and frustrations comes, give us fortitude to stand strong. Keep us faithful in an unfaithful world. Keep us grounded in truth while surrounded by deception. May we never set aside the armor of God.

May we never succumb to complacency but live our lives for the good of others and the building of God’s Kingdom.

Teach us to love, serve, care for, protect and honor those around us. May we be women of God who walk humbly, yet confidently, in who You have created us to be, knowing that You have a plan and purpose for us in this generation.”

Psalm 5:3 “In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.”

Noise. It’s so hard for me to silence it and extremely difficult for me to be still. I’m constantly striving, talking or wrestling with my emotions. I want rest but I feel stuck in chaos. In this season, my time is limited for creativity and the logistics of life feel like a labyrinth of dead ends. There is uncertainty and unknown around every corner. 

I’m easily frustrated and I’m totally dependent on the Holy Spirit to produce the fruits of His Spirit within me when my flesh fights to be center stage. And yet, when I think of things that really matter in life, I feel guilty that I’m so quick to complain. I’m surrounded by everyday blessings if I will just stop to recognize them. I must ask myself what I ask my boys each night, “What am I thankful for today?”

Can anyone relate?

In the midst of all of this, God’s word rings out to us all, “Be still and know that I am God.” We live in an unstable and changing world but we serve a stable and unchanging God. We must trust Him. Be still. Enjoy the moment. And remember that every day is a gift.