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How to Let Go and Let God: 5 Practical Ways to Surrender
The little one sits beneath a tall row of golden cone flowers. Ten feet tall, they tower like trees with vibrant sunny heads. As my boy throws stones into the dark water of Wolf Creek’s pools, I take a moment to consider how to let go and let God take control of my life. Like a child heaving small boulders into a lazy creek, I want to learn to cast my cares onto the Lord. I want to learn how to let my concerns rest with him instead of wading into the waters of doubt and picking them up again. Most of us like the idea of giving God control;…
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8 Bible Verses on Breaking Negative Cycles
I stand in front of the cupboard and stare blankly. I’m not hungry, but this cupboard is where I come to escape when the kids are fighting and the walls are closing in. I know what I should do. I should open my Bible and read through my list of Bible verses on breaking negative cycles of escapism and sin. Instead, I indulge. The cycle of my escapist eating continues, and I feel trapped and ashamed. Bible Verses on Breaking Negative Cycles Perhaps you can relate. Maybe you’ve been trying to overcome a destructive habit for decades, but you can’t seem to find freedom. Today, we’ll explore eight Bible verses…
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16 Practical Ways to Keep Your Heart on Fire for God
We gathered around the campfire as fireflies illuminated the hoary breath of dusk. As I watched the flames dance, I thought about my walk of faith and felt a deep desire to fan the flame of my passion for God. I want to be a woman who is on fire for God, and when I feel the flame dwindling, I come back to today’s list of practices. On Fire for God Let’s get right to the heart of the matter today. I pray these practices will help you fan the flame, too. 16 Ways to Stay on Fire for God 1. Stay on fire for God by seeking him for…
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Family Devotions: 3 Simple Tips for Success
I vividly remember meeting an older friend for lunch shortly before becoming a parent. I asked her everything from how to do family devotions with toddlers to how to stay connected with teens. After rambling through my questions, my friend looked into my eyes and said, “You won’t be the perfect parent. But if you love Jesus with your whole heart, your love for him will help your kids grow to love him, too.” Fourteen years later, I can attest that I am far from the perfect parent. My husband and I are still very much in the process of raising our kids. Nevertheless, we’re both pursuing Christ with our…
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15 Bible Verses About Unconditional Love
I recently sat beside the window with a throbbing head. It had been a long day, and the needs of our children felt endless. Feeling like I didn’t have the strength to go downstairs and prepare dinner, I opened my Bible in search of some encouraging Bible verses about unconditional love. Bible Verses About Unconditional Love We all face times when loving others doesn’t come easily. In these moments, we can turn to God’s Word for strength and inspiration as we follow him in loving others. Perhaps you need this strength today, too. If so, here are the verses I wrote in my journal as I let God’s love fill…
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8 Back to School Prayers for Parents
The wiry branches of our poplar tree nod in the breeze, and I brace myself for the coming change. These leaves will soon begin to wither beneath the late-summer heat. At the same time, our family will shift into new rhythms as another school year greets us. As I watch the poplar prepare for autumn, I pull out my list of back to school prayers for parents. I wrote these prayers a few years ago, and every year, I use these prayers to pray our kids into the new school year. Back to School Prayers for Parents May these prayers richly bless your family today and in the months to…
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Give It to God: 5 Ways to Give God Control
A midsummer drought slows the creek to a trickle and darkens it to the color of black tea. I sit by the water with a friend, and we talk about hopes, dreams, and the prayers we desperately want God to answer. We talk about how hard it can be to surrender control—to “give it to God” and trust him with the outcomes in our lives. I wonder if you can relate. Maybe you’ve been chasing a dream that hasn’t come to fruition, and you’re not sure how to embrace your calling while trustfully giving it to God at the same time. Perhaps you’ve been asking God to mend a broken…
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How to De-Stress, Rest With God, and Cultivate Whimsy
Not long ago, our family went to the cabin because we needed space to rest with God. We needed to break away from household projects and craved downtime for sitting beside smoldering campfires and soaking in the afternoon sunshine along the reservoir. My right shoulder blade had been twitching for days—a sign that I’d been pushing too hard, running on fumes, and succumbing to worry and anxiety. The Importance of Resting With God After 48 hours spent climbing muddy mountain roads, dipping nets in swampy bogs in pursuit of red-spotted newts, eating sandwiches beneath open skies, and bathing in mountain spring water, I noticed a shift in my body. The…
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Spiritual Renewal: 5 Fresh Ways to Connect With God
A rumble of thunder pulled us from sleep, and we spent the morning in stillness while God washed the world with warm, summer rain. The thin pages of his Word rustled in the breeze while the rain crackled like fire licking up dry grass. Something about a slow morning felt like an invitation to encounter God for spiritual renewal. Summer tends to be a full season for our family. The kids are home from school. Days fly by quickly. My time with the Lord is often short and almost always interrupted. Maybe you can relate. Perhaps you want to connect with God, but you’re pulled in so many directions that…
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How to be Grateful in Hard Times and Challenging Situations
We’re a half-mile from the truck when the sky opens wide and soaks us with silver beads the size of marbles. Hair matted beneath their bike helmets, the oldest two look at me with shining eyes and declare it the best bike ride of their lives. And to think, I hadn’t seen it that way whatsoever. My kids never fail to teach me how to be grateful in hard times and challenging moments. Obviously, getting stuck in a summer rain shower isn’t the kind of situation that turns a life upside down. There are far worse circumstances. However, our afternoon at the bike path was a gentle reminder for me.…
