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15 Back to School Bible Verses for the New Year
Daylight met us softly this morning, tenderly folding its arms around us, maternally. It seemed fitting as the kids waved goodbye and headed to school. When they left, I opened my Bible in search of some anchoring back to school Bible verses to help our children navigate the challenges this time of year brings. 15 Back to School Bible Verses It is a time of transition. Most parts of the transition are positive, but the adjustment is rarely seamless. When the waves of life threaten to shake us, we need an anchor. Here are the verses I found to anchor our kids as they settle into the new school year.…
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The Power of Imaginative Prayer
I sincerely enjoy hosting other writers as they share their words in this space. Today, I’m happy to introduce my friend Traci Rhoades as she shares a personal experience involving imaginative prayer. Traci has been a great source of encouragement to me as a writer, and I’m honored to share her story here today. The Power of Imaginative Prayer By Traci Rhoades At the teacher’s request, we closed our eyes and settled into our chair. There was a time of silence. For nearly a decade, I’d prepared myself for moments like this one, learning and unlearning how to sit in a posture of silence. What it felt like to still…
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Has God Abandoned Me? 7 Promises for Your Hurting Heart
I awaken to the sound of wind rattling the windowpanes. Rain beats against the house like an intruder attempting to break through the walls, and I pray the old windowpanes can keep it at bay. When the storms of life rage, it’s easy to look to the ominous sky and ask, “Has God abandoned me to weather this storm all alone?” Has God Abandoned Me? Perhaps you know how it feels to cry out to God in your storm and find only silence. Maybe you’ve been looking heavenward and wondering why God seems to have left you to navigate your storm without his help. I’ve faced plenty of battles, but…
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15 Bible Verses About Fitness and Caring for Your Body
Caring for our bodies is important, but it’s not easy to find balance in this area. It’s easy to vacillate between neglecting our bodies and putting excessive energy into caring for them. Today, we’ll explore 15 Bible verses about fitness and health as we seek this balance. I also invite you to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you honor God with your body. 15 Bible Verses About Fitness and Health “I’ve been struggling with taking the time to exercise and keeping up with the rest of my life,” a friend recently admitted. “I know I honor God when I care for…
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10 Refreshing Bible Verses to Replenish Your Heart and Mind
After a day of rain, we awaken to glimpses of blue above the canopy. The forest is alive today. Songbirds I cannot name greet the dawn with cheerful chatter, and I open my Bible in search of refreshing Bible verses to match the brightness of this morning. We are at the cabin again this weekend. The air is pouring off the hillside with the brisk remnants of the night, and I am thankful to be here on this porch. Inside, our boys play a card game—war, I think—and my husband cooks pancakes over the blue flames of the old propane stove. The air smells like freshly cut firewood and damp…
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10 Prayers for Teachers This School Year
Over the years, the end of August has always marked the beginning of the new school year, a time filled with expectant prayers for teachers and students. Twenty years ago, this time of year meant something very different to me than it does now. As a high school teacher, this season was filled with anticipation as I prepared my classroom for a new year. Now that I’m no longer working in a classroom, the anticipation is different. As a mom, I scramble to make sure everyone in the house has what they need for the new year. The boys need at least a handful of unstained, untorn T-shirts, and we’ll…
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15 Bible Verses About God’s Blessings
God’s blessings often come in the most unexpected packages. His blessings come in the form of interruptions and detours we never would have chosen for ourselves. Today, we’ll explore 15 Bible verses about God’s blessings as we aim to cultivate grateful hearts. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you recognize God’s blessings in your life. 15 Bible Verses About God’s Blessings Here are God’s words about blessings. Bible Verses About God’s Blessings 1. Ephesians 1:3 ESV Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the…
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How to Lament With God: Finding Healing Through Honest Prayer
Years ago, a friend encouraged me to lament with God after a difficult loss in my life. “It’s important to let all these feelings out because they can lead to bitterness toward God if you hold them in. Tell him what you’re feeling. He can take it,” she said. Taking her advice, I went to the woods on a snowy winter evening. I let the tears flow as I sat along a quiet stream. I also let my anger out as I threw rocks into the water and told God that what happened didn’t seem fair. Verbalizing my anger, frustration, and confusion, I didn’t hold anything back from him. After…
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8 Bible Verses About Not Being Afraid: Finding Courage in Christ
We all deal with fear. In these moments, we can defeat fear by standing on God’s Word. Today, we’ll explore eight Bible verses about not being afraid. First, I invite you to join me in the wilderness as fear threatened to paralyze me. We’ll talk about overcoming our fears in practical ways. Then, we’ll dig into God’s Word for eight verses about not being afraid. 8 Bible Verses About Not Being Afraid Sometime after midnight, the coyotes woke me from a deep and dreamless sleep. As they sent their sad serenade into the inky night sky, I arose and went to the window. Our beagles joined in the melody, and…
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15 Bible Verses About Spiritual Growth (With Applications)
I once asked a friend how to discern spiritual growth. She said, “Are you more loving than you were a year ago? If so, you are growing.” I took her words to heart. After she left, I began searching for Bible verses about spiritual growth. Bible Verses About Spiritual Growth I found the following 15 Bible verses about spiritual growth. I pray these verses bless you as you apply them to your life Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook that will help you find victory in Christ as well as a library of free devotionals and eBooks for every season of…
