Transformation
Encouragement on how life's trials and struggles can lead to the transformation that will shape your heart to be more like Christ, bring greater joy, and usher in the fulfillment you crave.
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12 Bible Verses About Self-Love: And Practical Applications
Followers of Christ are called to put others first, but this doesn’t mean we neglect ourselves. Today, we’ll explore 12 Bible verses about self-love as we aim to align our perspective with God’s perspective. Then, we’ll discuss some practical ways to extend kindness to ourselves. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you learn to be loving toward yourself so that you can be more loving toward others. 12 Bible Verses About Self-Love Let’s begin by examining God’s words about loving ourselves. Bible Verses About Self-Love 1. Mark 12:31, ESV “The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as…
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10 Bible Verses About Being Still With God
The shaded canopy at the trailhead fluttered to the ground, one golden leaf at a time. I was in the woods because I was desperate to rest with God. Opening my Bible, I began my time by soaking in God’s truth as I meditated on calming Bible verses about being still with God. Today, we’ll explore a list of Scriptures about being still and resting in God’s presence. Then, we’ll talk about practical ways to be still with God when our minds are racing. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you connect with God in stillness daily. 10 Bible…
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Knowing Jesus: Four Ways to Go Deeper in Your Relationship
The peepers sing their sweet serenade while raindrops crackle like fire licking up a pine bough. I search the skyline for a hint of lingering daylight and breathe a prayer that God will take me deeper on this journey of knowing Jesus through experience. “What do I need to know as we prepare to head into the summer season of noise and activity?” I pray. The words of Philippians 3:8 come to mind: “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.” I’m…
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3 Ways to Fall More Deeply in Love With Jesus
The old sycamore leans over the icy creekbed with shoulders washed white by the weather. Closing my eyes, I inhale the scent of the forest and pray that I might learn to embrace my moments and fall more deeply in love with Jesus in the process. For the past few years, I’ve been learning to slow down. I’ve been asking God to help me live with less grit and more grace. In the process, God is changing me. I’m also discovering that the secret to living with greater joy and deeper peace is falling more deeply in love with Jesus. What does this look like in my world with winter…
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How to Hear God’s Voice: 4 Keys
Do you want to learn to hear God’s voice and stay in step with him as you make decisions? God wants to reveal himself to us and teach us how to discern his quiet whispers. How to Hear God’s Voice Today, we’ll begin by discussing the most common ways God speaks to us. Then, we’ll explore a practical way to create space for listening to God. Let’s start with the ways God often speaks. 1. God speaks through his written Word. Most reliably, God speaks through his written Word. Has a Bible verse ever jumped off the page as if it were written just for you? Have you ever felt…
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3 Questions to Ask If You Want a Deeper Relationship With God
I sit by the sliding glass and force myself to stay for ten minutes of silence and semi-solitude. I’ve been sitting by this glass intermittently for several years now, trying to incorporate rhythms that will teach me how to have a deeper relationship with God. Most of the time, nothing spectacular happens by this window. I watch the poplar leaves wave mitten-like hands at the dawn. The slow fade of verdant wildflower fields captivates me as summer slips into the cool days of autumn. The Psalms help me lift my eyes to the work of God’s hands. This particular morning, I’m met with a surprise out the window. A grey…
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Overcoming Hindrances to Spiritual Growth: 11 Obstacles
I sit beneath a salmon sunset and tell God I want to go deeper with him. A certain pattern of behavior comes to mind, but I dismiss it quickly. I want to grow in my faith, but I’m not willing to let go of the habits holding me back. Most of us face times when we need help overcoming hindrances to spiritual growth. Maybe you can relate. You know how it feels to ask God what he wants you to surrender into his hands, only to butt up against a bad habit you don’t really want to release just yet. I sit with my desires as the coral-streaked sky fades…
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17 Free Devotional Books to Help You Grow With God
Are you ready to develop a deeper, life-giving relationship with God? My vision is to provide tools to help you encounter him. For this reason, I have compiled a list of free devotional books to help you draw close to God’s heart. The first four books on this list are free as eBooks with the Kindle Unlimited plan (you can sign up for a free three-month trial if you do not have the plan) and also available to purchase in print. The remainder of the list is available to download for free with just one click. No plan is required. I pray these books help you connect with the tender…
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A Surprising Reason You Might Feel Spiritually Stagnant
Winter wind washes the outside world with white, and the fields once so luxuriant with farmers’ crops are pale with sleep. I remember the sun-splashed fields of goldenrod as I read beside the window. Like this sleeping world, something inside me feels spiritually stagnant today. I want to be vibrant and faith-filled, but we’ve shifted into a season of simply trying to put one foot in front of the other with each passing day. Awakening Our Spiritually Stagnant Souls I’m reading Dr. Robert Mullholland’s book, Invitation to a Journey, as I sit by the window. He makes a point that catches my attention: Some of us feel spiritually stagnant because we…
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God, Lead Me in the Right Direction: 9 Prayers for Guidance
I recently drove ten minutes to the North Country Trail for an hour of hiking beneath the naked arms of the hardwoods. As I walked, I considered my life, my daily rhythms, and the state of my soul. “God, lead me in the right direction in my life,” I prayed. Every few months, I slip away to talk to God about the direction of my life. Mostly, I want the assurance that I’m walking according to God’s plans. Perhaps you need this space, too. Today, we’ll talk about how to find God’s direction and the importance of seeking his guidance. God, Lead Me in the Right Direction We all need…
