Overcoming Trials
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8 Christmas Bible Verses About Peace and Joy
December rain falls cold and clear, washing away the mud-encrusted ice from children’s footprints. I gaze at the scene from the window as I open my Bible in search of Christmas Bible verses about peace and joy. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free Advent devotional eBook. Christmas Bible Verses About Peace and Joy Christmas will be here soon, and our family could use a fresh outpouring of peace. We’ve battled various viruses nonstop throughout the past several weeks, and we’re ready for a break as we celebrate with family and friends. We’ve faced unexpected setbacks in many realms, and our joy has been…
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Why Does God Test Us? (3 Reasons)
Do you have a sense that God has been testing you? God does not tempt us, but he does put us through tests to help us grow and build our character. Maybe you’ve been asking the question, “Why does God test us?” We’ll look at three reasons for God’s tests today. The following words are taken directly from our new mother-daughter devotional book, Heart to Heart. Find this book here today! Also, be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you draw near to God and experience his presence. Why Does God Test Us? “God left him alone only to test…
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Rising Above Adversity (With Bekah Pardoe)
Yesterday, Bekah and I shared an exciting announcement. Heart to Heart, our new mother-daughter devotional book for teen girls is on sale here! Today, we’re sharing another devotion from the book. This one is from Bekah. Join her as she shares a few insights on rising above adversity. You’ve Got This! (Rising Above Adversity) Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength. Isaiah 40:31 A few years ago, my mom and I decided to end the year with an adventure. It was New Year’s Eve, and we decided to walk five miles from our house to my grandma and grandpa’s house. We set out an hour before dark,…
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8 Powerful Prayers for Deliverance and Healing
I grew up believing that demons weren’t real—that they were figments of imagination, akin to monsters and the Boogie Man. The first time I read through the entire Bible, I realized I’d been deceived. Scripture paints a clear picture of a spiritual realm that is just as real as the temporal world we can see. When we pray prayers for deliverance and healing, beings in the spiritual world move. Today, we’ll explore eight powerful prayers for deliverance and healing. First, let’s take a closer look at the description of the spiritual realm in the book of Daniel. Also, be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a…
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10 Bible Verses to Calm Anxiety and Fear
The sky glows roseate as the sun ascends silently, and I gaze out the window. Instead of embracing the moment, I realize that my chest feels tight with some unidentified source of anxiety. “Lord, show me what I need to know,” I whisper. Opening my Bible, I begin listing them in my journal: Bible verses to calm anxiety and fear. 10 Bible Verses to Calm Anxiety and Fear As I soak in the words, my mind quiets. The inner chaos settles. God’s presence slowly begins to fill me with peace. If you could use more peace today, I invite you to join me as we soak in these verses to…
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10 Tension-Easing Bible Verses for Stress at Work
The creek writes its story in splashes of emerald and sandstone brown. I sit beside its clear waters with a heavy heart. The year is 2003, and I’ve just started my teaching career. Much to my frustration, the demands of the job are quickly shattering my dreamy ideals. I pull out my Bible as I sit in the forest, opening it with hopes of finding a few Bible verses for stress at work. Regardless of where we work, most of us face workplace stress. When these times come, God’s Truth can lift our heads and help us press forward. The verses I’m sharing today carried me through my first year…
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10 Bible Verses About God’s Plan for Your Life
We all face times when God changes our plans. He sends roadblocks to redirect paths that appeared to be smooth and clear. He permits detours that feel more like derailments. Today, we’ll explore ten Bible verses about God’s plan. First, I invite you to join me as I climbed a mountain alongside my 13-year-old daughter, Bekah. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you embrace God’s plan for your life. Bible Verses About God’s Plan: And What to Do With Detours As Bekah and I stand at the base of the giant quartzite mountain, I don’t expect our ascent to…
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Lead Me to the Rock That Is Higher Than I
“Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 61:1-2, ESV). Lead Me to the Rock That is Higher Than I We sit in the yard as the songbirds swoop beneath the pale blue canopy overhead. It’s hard to believe August has come. The sun is setting earlier, and the nights will soon grow cooler. These shorter days speak of what’s to come, and I’m not sure I’m ready. Long summer days spent sitting in the backyard and swimming in the creek will draw to a close. …
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Leave It to God: 4 Ways to Cast Your Cares on Him
The wheat field bends low in waves of ragged green as an evening storm blows in. Like velvet brushed by an unseen hand, the monochrome swath is broken. “Leave it to God,” I whisper as I stroll down our country road. Meanwhile, the same ethereal hand seems to sweep my cares away with the wind. I come to cast my cares on the Lord out here beneath these open skies as often as possible. Sometimes, I list my worries one by one. At other times, I imagine opening my heart and letting the One who sees every part of me wash away the concerns that are weighing too heavily. I…
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How to Stand Firm in the Lord When Life Gets You Down
The old sycamore leans over the creek with a trunk worn white by the weather. Resisting the pull of its own weight, it seems to keep watch over the valley where the water runs clear over silt and stones. As I rest against it on a warm evening, it seems like a metaphor for how to stand firm in the Lord. Just as the sycamore resists the earth’s gravitational pull downward, we are called to stand against the forces that aim to pull us down. How to Stand Firm in the Lord The Apostle Paul wrote that our struggles are not against flesh and blood but against authorities and rulers…
