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How to Bear Fruit When You Feel Worn and Weary
We set a vase of wildflowers on the table last week, and they felt like tangible beacons of joy. I gazed at them while I made the morning coffee and prayed about how to bear fruit amid these energetic summer days—days with all three children home and many needs surrounding me. After the coffee was brewed, I read the following words: “And seeing in the distance a fig tree covered with leaves, He went to see if He could find any fruit on it. But when He came up to it, He found nothing but leaves, for the fig season had not yet come” (Mark 11:13, AMP). I’ve always been…
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8 Calming Prayers for Anxiety, Worry, and Fear
The hollow growl of a thunderstorm awakens me well past midnight. I turn to look out the open window and watch the skyline flicker white. Four sleepless hours later, I lie on my back and begin uttering calming prayers with the hopes of quieting the noise inside my head. Perhaps you need God to quiet your heart today, too. I’ll share eight calming prayers for peace and rest today. Then, we’ll talk about how to take practical steps to shift into the peace we desire. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you find peace in God’s presence. Calming Prayers…
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15 Bible Verses About Living Life to the Fullest
I’ve been watching the poplar leaves grow on the tree in the backyard this spring. Their tiny faces glanced at me through the finger-smeared glass the day I turned the calendar to May. As I opened my Bible in search of Bible verses about living life to the fullest, the leaves offered a reminder as well. I reflected on the weeks spent watching them emerge and change. I remembered noticing the first tiny buds. Every day, they grew a bit more, and I didn’t miss it when the tiny leaves finally grew wide and offered shade on a sunny afternoon. Watching the summer canopy grow was a gentle reminder of…
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How to Declutter Your Mind With God’s Help: 8 Steps
Sometimes, it’s hard to know where to begin when it comes to sorting through our mental chaos. Today, we’ll explore some practical ways to declutter your mind and find peace and clarity. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free eBook to help you set aside time for resting with God daily. First, I invite you to join me in a place where I regularly sort through my thoughts: the forested valley behind our home. How to Declutter Your Mind With God’s Help Last night I took a walk beneath a canopy of beech trees as patches of fog hovered over the creek beside me. …
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The Pain of Waiting on God: How to Endure It
Five colorful bluegills swim in the shallows of the creek. They seem to be waiting for something. I watch them while the kids splash in the emerald swimming hole, and I get to thinking about the pain of waiting on God. Most of us are waiting on God for something. We’re waiting to pay off our houses, acquire promotions at work, or step into our dreams. We’re waiting for summer vacations and weekends away from work. The Pain of Waiting on God It’s easy to spend our entire lives waiting for what comes next and miss the lessons that can only happen in the waiting room. Most likely, you’re waiting…
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Your Pain Has a Purpose, and This Is Part of It . . .
A wide arc of geese honks overhead like a black thread woven through the grey. I watch them from the deck and remember a similar evening several years ago. I sat on this same deck and let these words wash over me: “Your pain has a purpose. Don’t rush through this valley of suffering.” I was at the end of a long season of suffering, and most of the time, I couldn’t see the purpose of the pain. It seemed entirely unnecessary. Maybe you can relate. You want to know your pain has a purpose. Meanwhile, for the most part, it seems unnecessary. Today, we’ll talk about God’s purpose for…
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8 Bible Verses About Self-Worth: See Yourself as God Sees You
Do you ever compare yourself to others and feel like you don’t measure up? Maybe you want to learn how to embrace yourself the way you are, but you don’t know where to begin. Today, we’ll explore eight powerful Bible verses about self-worth. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you find your worth in God’s love. 8 Bible Verses About Self-Worth Our self-worth is not found in others say about us or even what we think about ourselves. We find our worth through God’s thoughts about us. Soak in these eight Bible verses about self-worth as you let God’s…
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Bible Verses About Closed Doors and Disappointments
A scrim of periwinkle clouds hangs low in the morning blue. I stand at the window and admire the scene with an aching heart. The thrum of disappointment beats in cadence with my pulse, and I think of an often-repeated adage: “When God closes a door, he opens a window.” I’m not sure who said this first, but in my experience, it’s not always how life works out. Today, we’ll start by looking at six Bible verses about closed doors. Then, we’ll explore our reactions to life’s disappointments. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you draw near to God…
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17 Bible Verses for a Brokenhearted Woman
Recently, I met with a friend whose heart was broken. I did my best to encourage her, and after we parted ways, she asked me to help her find some Bible verses for a brokenhearted woman. Today, I’m sharing the verses I sent her. If you are hurting today, I invite you to soak in these words today, too. You are not alone. God hasn’t missed a moment of your pain, and he wants to comfort you. 17 Bible Verses for a Brokenhearted Woman Let’s look at 17 Bible verses for a brokenhearted woman. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to…
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7 Encouraging Bible Verses About Starting Over
A towering hemlock casts a sleepy shadow on bare earth, and a pine squirrel gnaws on a walnut from its unseen perch overhead. I am in the woods with a stack of books and a journal—intent on seeking God and as I ask him how to begin again after a setback in my life. Opening my Bible, I begin listing the words of Truth, composing a list of Bible verses about starting over. Bible Verses About Starting Over Here are the Scriptures I find. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you draw near to God as you begin again.…
