Bible Truth for Everyday Life
Bible study tools, devotions, and free resources to help you encounter God in your quiet time and apply Biblical truth to your everyday life.
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Immanuel, God With Us: How Watching for Him Changes Everything
The angel watches over us from her crooked perch atop the Christmas tree, and it takes everything within me not to climb on top of the TV stand in an effort to straighten her out. As if to compensate for the lop-sided angel, a dozen candy canes adorn a tiny section near the bottom of the tree. Could it be that Immanuel, God with us, smiles at our efforts to celebrate his birth? I’m still chasing perfection in far too many areas of my life, but leaving the candy canes and the crooked angel are signs that I’m moving toward the life I long to live. For several years now,…
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What If This Disappointment Is God’s Protection?
The towering summit of North America’s tallest mountain loomed in the distance as I trekked through the Alaskan wilderness with the invincibility of a 21-year-old. I was alone, dozens of miles from civilization, and the dusky midnight sky made it hard to see the path in front of me. As the bushes along the path rustled, I prayed for God’s protection and kept pressing forward. I knew I could be mauled by a grizzly at any moment. I’d already walked close to 30 miles throughout the past 12 hours, and I wouldn’t reach the cabin for at least two more hours. I knew it was unwise to walk through the…
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God’s Provision for the Assignment You Didn’t Choose
A few years ago, God called me to an all-encompassing assignment I did not choose for myself. I spent the first weeks grumbling and resisting it. Finally, on a cold winter morning, God led me to the familiar story of Mary’s angel visitation. I was reminded that God’s provision is enough to carry me through every assignment—even the ones I don’t choose for myself. Most of us have heard the story of Mary’s angel visitation. The angel Gabriel appears to Mary and tells her she will give birth to the promised Messiah. Immediately after receiving this earth-shattering news, she wants to know how this will happen since she has never…
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A Sneak Peek into Our New Mother-Daughter Tween and Teen Devotional Book
Calling all moms and daughters! Today’s post will be a bit different! Bekah and I are just dropping by to share an excerpt from the mother-daughter tween and teen devotional we wrote together this year! In case you missed our announcement last week, it’s called Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith. The book is designed for mothers and daughters to read the devotions out loud together (or aunts and nieces, grandmas and granddaughters, or mentors and younger women), and we’re excited to share one of our devotions here with you today. The book will go on sale in mid-November, but we want to…
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Girl to Girl: A Life-Changing Mother-Daughter Devotional Book
We have huge news to share with you today! This might be the biggest news I’ve shared throughout my past six years of blogging! Drumroll, please! Eleven-year-old Bekah and I wrote a mother-daughter devotional book together! Last winter, Bekah saw a mother-daughter devotional written by an older mother-daughter pair sitting on our kitchen table. “We should write a mother-daughter devotional!” she declared. “That sounds great, babe. Brainstorm some ideas, and we’ll get started,” I suggested. I hate to admit that I never thought I’d hear another word about the big idea. Our New Mother-Daughter Devotional Book Well, 259 pages later, we are thrilled to tell you that our new book…
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Feeling Lost in Life? This Is for You . . .
Twelve years ago, I stepped into a season of major transition. I remember looking out the window one balmy summer morning and feeling lost in life. I felt like my identity was being slowly dismantled, and I didn’t know who I was anymore. We’ll revisit my identity crisis in a moment. First, take a moment to consider your most common responses when another person asks you to describe yourself. You might talk about your job, your family, or your hobbies. Maybe you share your interests and talk about the place where you live. Now, imagine how you would feel if these aspects of your life were suddenly stripped away. Consider…
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How Does God See Me?
Have you ever asked yourself, “How does God see me?” Your ideas about the way God sees you will radically impact your ability to connect with him in a close, loving relationship. Let’s explore this idea together today. How Does God See Me? We inch closer to the creek beneath the silver arms of the sycamores. Expectantly, we walk to the bend where the water pools in shades of ethereal emerald, and my little boy wiggles with excitement. He holds a stale piece of bread. We’re going to feed it to the minnows today, and sweet Aiden is beside himself with excitement. He squeals in delight as he throws a…
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God Is Sufficient When You’re Weak, Worn, and Weary
A skirmish of maple leaves flutters to the earth—the color of moonrise on a cloudless night. It’s early in the season for falling leaves, but perhaps these leaves have grown tired from holding on. I’m tired tonight, too. I could use a gentle reminder that God is sufficient to help me in my weak, worn, and weary seasons. I decide to sit beneath the maples with my Bible, and I stumble into these words: “Not that we are adequate in ourselves so as to consider anything as having come from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God” (1 Corinthians 3:5 NASB). Here in the silence of the words, I’m reminded that God wants me to…
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God Hears Our Prayers—Even When He Seems Silent
The summer air was thick with humidity as we made our way into the wilderness. Hemlocks breathed their pungent, piney scent, and the river rolled along casually—inviting us into the clear, cool water. I had no idea this backpacking trip with a friend was about to become a lifelong reminder that God hears our prayers. We reached our campsite and erected our tent as storm clouds gathered overhead. With the invincibility of 25-year-olds, we didn’t worry about the ominous clouds and ran to the river for a swim as soon as the tent was in place. After a short swim, the thunderous clouds descended upon us, and heaven unleashed in…
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Is God Mad at Me?
Smoky wisps of fog wrap their fingers through the goldenrod as I sit by the window in prayer. I’ve been distracted lately, and my thoughts have been far from God. A familiar question runs through my mind: Is God mad at me for neglecting my relationship with him? Summer days are full in these parts. I rarely find a quiet moment in this house filled with life and activity. Life has me stretched thin, and by the end of most days, I’m running on fumes. I imagine you know all about the rhythm of the ragged. Maybe you’ve felt guilty for neglecting your relationship with God, but you’re not sure…