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When Trusting God With Your Future Doesn’t Come Easily
We threw out the old calendar—the one with the tattered edges and scratched-out plans—and we burned it to ash last week. We watched the flames lick it up like they were happy to say goodbye to the year and all it held. As I watched the tangerine flames dance in the wind, I considered the secret for really trusting God with your future—whether you’re coming out of the best season of your life or the worst. As I reflected on our past season, I gained courage. I also thought about the many times in Scripture when God’s people told stories about his past faithfulness. Maybe we should follow their lead.…
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Why Jesus Is My Hope—Even in My Disappointment
As the season changes here, I’ve been intermittently looking back and looking ahead. I’m reminding myself of one truth: Jesus is my hope for the future, and he is my hope in the face of my deepest disappointments. I don’t know what your past season looked like. Maybe you put everything you had into your career, and there’s still no fruit to be seen. Maybe you lost the job you loved. You might have had goals for your finances, your waistline, your marriage, or your ministry. Maybe some of these areas are worse off now than they were when you had all that hope. Even worse, you might have achieved…
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Devotional Time Tips to Stir Your Passion for God
The windows were blotted with raindrops the morning I walked to the window and prayed, “God show me how to do devotional time with you in a way that revives me.” I sat with my Bible and prayer book, but I felt tired and apathetic. Familiar practices had grown monotonous, and it was time to breathe fresh wind into my devotional time. Reading my Bible felt more like homework than an opportunity to connect with a precious loved one. I lacked focus and desire in my prayer life. My Ignatian prayer guide was no longer leading me to meaningful encounters with God. After noticing these shifts in my soul, I embarked…
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God Is Always Listening and Hears Our Cries
Today’s devotional post is adapted from my new 31-day devotional Mornings With Jesus. If you enjoy this post, find your copy of Mornings With Jesus at the bottom of the page. I pray this new online devotional book blesses you richly! And now, a gentle reminder that God is always listening. God Is Always Listening and Hears Our Cries “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working” (John 5:17). We’re living in the grey days of winter as I write these words. Already, I find myself craving the light and life of springtime. The winter seasons of waiting can feel never-ending as…
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A New Year Devotional to Help You Start Strong
Do you enjoy reading from an Advent devotional throughout December? If you’re like me, you hit a wall when Christmas comes and the devotional ends. You feel a bit lost and aren’t sure what’s next. Or maybe you recently decided you’re going to start the new year by renewing your commitment to spend time with God. I have fantastic news. Throughout the past few months, I’ve worked hard to create a New Year devotional called Mornings With Jesus to help you connect with Jesus every morning for the next 31 days! Why I Wrote This New Year Devotional I spent years reading my Bible and practicing a morning devotional routine…
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7 Bible Verses About Feeling Empty Inside
Snow is sparse on the muddied earth, and I’m not so sure I want to get out of bed and face the day. I should probably find my Bible and look up some Bible verses about feeling empty, but I lack the motivation. Instead, five simple words scroll across my mind. They’re the words of Leanna Tankersley: “Each day we begin again.” My soul needs these words today. I need the simple reminder to get out of my bed and begin again. God’s mercies are new every morning. Every time I begin again, I trust in these mercies to fall fresh on me. 7 Bible Verses About Feeling Empty (and How…
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How to Love Like Jesus When You Feel Annoyed
My little boy comes to me with his shoelaces twisted in knots. I’m soaking in my morning reading and enjoying a hot cup of coffee. I feel like I might be the world’s worst mom, but I don’t really want to set my coffee aside to untangle dirty shoelaces. A fleeting thought crosses my mind—a gentle whisper about how to love like Jesus—and I set the mug on the table. If I’m being real, I don’t want this interruption to the one part of the day I set aside to center myself. “Maybe you’re chasing the wrong center,” a quiet thought speaks to my soul. As I begin the tedious…
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A Prayer for God to Take Control in a Situation
Snow falls like a million answers to all the wishes cast on shooting stars. I made a wish while the moon shined white last night. I whispered it in the quiet part of my heart where child-like hopes mingled with prayers. On the surface, it seemed to be a wish for everything to turn out okay. On a deeper level, it was a prayer for God to take control in a situation that was weighing on my heart. A Prayer for God to Take Control in a Situation It was a prayer for my child. Long story short, I feel like I’ve been failing this child. Most parents have this…
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What Does It Mean to Live Life to the Fullest?
What does it mean to live life to the fullest? We live our best lives when we feel purposeful, fulfilled, and joyful. We’re living to the fullest when everyday problems and stressors don’t get the best of us. We’re living to the fullest when we’ve learned to walk in peace regardless of our circumstances. We have also learned to be thankful in all circumstances. I invite you to join our family on a chilly winter morning, and we’ll talk about living our lives to the fullest. What Does It Mean to Live Life to the Fullest? The moon hangs high in the morning blue, and the little one points in…
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10 Replenishing Bible Verses About the Goodness of God
I sit by the window as God infuses the sky with light, and I begin the day in my usual way. I open God’s Word. Today, I’m searching for Bible verses about the goodness of God. 10 Bible Verses About the Goodness of God As the lavender glow of dawn washes over me, I soak in the following verses and am filled with peace. When life is challenging, meditating on God’s goodness can change our hearts and lift our heads. I invite you to join me as we soak in these Truths together today. Bible Verses About the Goodness of God to Lift Your Head 1. James 1:17 (ESV) Every…
