-
5 Lessons From the Samaritan Woman at the Well
The dust from the road sticks to the roof of her mouth as she forces her feet to carry her heavy jar just a few more steps. Rather than visiting the well in the cooler evening hours, she chooses to come in the middle of the day because she is avoiding other people. Today, we’ll take a closer look at this story as we glean five lessons from the Samaritan woman at the well. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you establish a rhythm of encountering the life-giving presence of God daily. Now, let’s return to this narrative. Lessons…
-
Only God Can Satisfy Your Emptiness: 3 Ways to Be Filled
We were just starting to believe we’d made it through the worst of the blustery winter days when the cold weather returned like a tempest fighting for one last victory. As I stared at the daffodils, crushed beneath the weight of the snow, a gentle invitation beckoned me, whispering, Only God can satisfy your emptiness; turn to him and be filled today. Winter had worn on me, and another grey day felt nothing short of defeating. Nevertheless, I knew that my emptiness could be satisfied by God alone. Mostly, I knew this because nothing else had been working. Only God Can Satisfy Your Emptiness Perhaps this invitation to let God…
-
7 Practical Ways to Show Grace to Others
Dawn came too early today—like an interruption to a night that went too fast. As the first rays of light poured through the windowpane, I asked God to fill me with his grace for the day ahead. Showing grace is never easy when we’re weary and on the brink of burnout. I went to bed late thinking about writing projects, our child’s science fair project, and what I was going to send to school for snack day. My mind raced for hours. When dawn came too soon, I had no desire to race into anything. I brushed my teeth thoughtlessly, and the impending nature of my to-do list weighed me…
-
What Does God Say About Making Decisions?
When it comes to walking by faith, there’s one question I’ve grappled with more than any other: What does God say about making decisions? I want to follow God and honor him with my choices. Yet, at times, I’ve struggled to find his direction. The summer after my junior year of college, I found a job working in a deli thousands of miles from my home in Pennsylvania. For three months, I lived outside Denali National Park, Alaska. In some ways, I was running from the life I’d created for myself at home. On a different level, I was searching for direction from God. I invite you to return with…
-
5 Things to Do When You Feel Stuck in Life
There’s just something about the long walk through winter. There’s something about the piles of muddied snow, the grey days, and the darkness falling early. It all makes me feel more than just a little bit stuck in life. What to Do When You Feel Stuck in Life It doesn’t have to be winter in your world for you to feel stuck in life. There are about a million ways to fall into a pit and find yourself clawing at the walls with no worldly clue of how to climb out. I know because I’ve been there. One thing I’ve learned is that the worst thing I can do is…
-
When the Walls Are Closing in: 5 Suggestions
There’s a pileated woodpecker pounding at the bird feeder, and Caleb stands entranced at the window. The vibrance of autumn is a distant memory, and there are long, dark weeks until the first signs of spring. As I watch Caleb by the window, I admit it to myself: The walls are closing in, and I’ve discovered no helpful escape route just yet. What do you do when you’re in the middle of a long, dark season and can see no way out? Today, I’ll invite you into my journey with this. We’ll also explore some practical suggestions for when it feels like the walls are closing in. Be sure to…
-
How to Have Faith in God During Hard Times
February came in waves of smoky grey. Patches of blackened snow lined the country roads, and overcast skies cast dim shadows. I was desperate for a quiet reminder about how to have faith in God during hard times. I went to the woods to find hope on a monochrome afternoon. Perhaps God’s created world would somehow breathe life into my faltering faith. Beneath the oaks, my mind drifted to the words penned by Henry David Thoreau: “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when…
-
15 Bible Verses About Celebrating Life
God is pleased when we cultivate joy and celebrate his goodness. Even in difficult times, focusing on God’s blessings can lift our heads. Today, we’ll look at 15 Bible verses about celebrating life. Then, we will examine practical ways to celebrate in even the most mundane seasons. Let’s start by soaking in God’s words about celebrating life. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free eBook to help you encounter God in difficult times. 15 Bible Verses About Celebrating Life As you read these Scriptures, I encourage you to soak in God’s invitation to praise and worship him. Thank him for the gifts in your…
-
Go Ahead and Wear Your Fat Pants: How to Love Your Body the Way it is
Don’t pretend you don’t exactly which pair I’m talking about. I have them. You have them. They sit folded in the bottom dresser drawer, and we only break them out when our winter waistlines increase, in week seventeen of our pregnancies, when going to visit our grandmothers, or when we just want to be comfortable for once! Yes, they are our precious fat pants, and if you’re like me, you have a love-hate relationship with these pants. I’m learning to embrace the skinny jean trend. My favorite thing about skinny jeans is that the bottom of my pant legs don’t drag on the wet cement of parking lots, and they…
-
15 Bible Verses About Transformation
Scripture has a great deal to say about renewal and transformation. Today, we’ll explore 15 Bible verses about transformation as we seek to align our hearts with God’s heart. We’ll also discuss four practical ways to let God transform our minds. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook about letting God transform our hearts and minds. Let’s start by turning to God’s Word as we study these Bible verses about transformation. 15 Bible Verses About Transformation Here’s what Scripture says about being transformed by God. Bible Verses About Transformation 1. Romans 12:2 ESV Do not be conformed to this world, but be…
