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7 Prayers for Joy and Peace No Matter What You’re Facing
The morning opens wide over rolling grey hills splashed with vermillion. I walk slowly down the country road, thankful that my prayers for joy have been answered. I feel grateful and hope-filled as we look to the summer months ahead. Prayers for Joy and Peace Today, we’ll look at seven prayers for joy and peace. Whether you’re stepping into a hopeful summer season or a barren winter, may these prayers encourage you today. Prayers for Joy and Peace in All Circumstances 1. Pray for joy that isn’t dependent upon circumstances. It has often been said that happiness is dependent upon what is happening around us, and joy comes from deep within,…
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How to Cultivate Contentment When You’re Tempted to Grumble
A grey sky hovered over the mountains as we climbed out of the valley. Cloaked in wildflowers and the viridescent glow of summer growth, the hillsides held us in welcoming arms. The scene felt like a gentle invitation to cultivate contentment and peace. As we traveled up the mountainside, the tender growth of flora was gradually replaced by tall stands of conifers—lodgepole and jack pine surrounding us like protective guardians. We spotted elk grazing in meadows and moose meandering through willows. The shift came slowly at first. The trees began to thin and give way to more expansive meadows. Before long, the scant trees all clung to the mountainside below…
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4 Prayers for Joy and Peace This Christmas and Beyond
A white veil rises and falls outside the window like a clean linen bedsheet flogging in the wind. I watch the scene as our children haul their Christmas presents to their bedrooms. My husband sits at the dining room table assembling the little one’s train set. God has answered my prayers for joy and peace this Christmas, and I am grateful. Your Christmas might be full of noise and excitement, or this might be a difficult day for you. It might be a quiet day filled with memories or regrets. Wherever you find yourself on this day, I invite you to join me as we ask God to fill our…
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Characteristics of a Cheerful Giver: 4 Ways to Shift Your Attitude
Welcome to another sneak peek into our mother-daughter devotional book, Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls. Today’s devotion explores shifting from grumpiness to joy as we aim to be cheerful givers. We’ll also talk about the characteristics of a cheerful giver. This is written for teen girls, but I have a hunch most of us, regardless of age, can relate. You can find this new book by scrolling to the bottom of today’s post! Characteristics of a Cheerful Giver Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the Lord wholeheartedly, and King David also rejoiced greatly. 1 Chronicles…
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How to Keep Your Joy in the Lord: 7 Ways
Daylight met us without hesitation today—clear and blue as infinity. As I sat beside the window and prepared for another day, I felt the heaviness in my chest and realized my joy was lacking. Perhaps you can relate. You want to learn how to keep your joy in the Lord even when life feels challenging. In challenging times, it’s easy to take our eyes off God and get swept into the stress and anxiety surrounding us. How to Keep Your Joy in the Lord As I reflected on this tendency this morning, two familiar words came to mind: “Martha, Martha. . .” These two words come to mind often: When…
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How to Have the Joy of the Lord—No Matter What You’re Facing
I jogged through the vernal forest this morning. The tiny leaves offered a partial canopy overhead—not the deep emerald of summer, but the just-born chartreuse leaflets of springtime. The experience washed over me like a reminder of how to have the joy of the Lord embedded in my heart. Cold rain pattered on the forest floor and beaded on my forehead, and I considered the joy I find in a green forest on a rainy day. I also started thinking about cultivating rhythms for joy in my life, and I was reminded of a blog post I wrote a few years ago. After returning home, I found these words and…
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5 Encouraging Quotes for Struggling Moms and Weary Women
Throughout the past 13 years, I’ve spent most of my time caring for our children. As we push through the end of another long winter, I hope to offer a few quotes for struggling moms and weary women. I pray these words will bless and encourage you as you continue pressing forward. You are not alone, and your humble, hidden work matters deeply. Quotes for Struggling Moms and Weary Women A friend recently sent me a text that went something like this: “No one tells you how hard motherhood actually is!” I immediately called her so we could talk in real time. We talked about the difficult newborn days when…
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How to Have More Joy in the Lord—Even When Life is Tough
We are at the creek again today—hoping to imbibe the scarce rays of golden sunlight peering at us from behind the wooded knolls. I long to live with deep roots of joy in the Lord, but the winter months are often challenging. We’re on the cusp of springtime now. Nevertheless, the winter months have worn on me. Maybe you can relate. You might not have to fight for joy in the wintertime, but perhaps you’re navigating a difficult season in your life. Today, we’ll talk about how to have more joy in the Lord when life is challenging. No matter what your challenge looks like, I pray these words offer…
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An Advent Devotional for Less Stress and Deeper Peace
After years of writing, I finally decided to release an online Advent devotional this year! I pray these readings help you slow down, cultivate wonder, and connect with the Lord. I’m releasing it a few weeks before Advent begins so that you can have it on hand and start reading in December. Here’s a glimpse into this new online devotional. I pray it blesses you deeply. Still My Soul: An Advent Devotional for Deeper Peace I sit with the dawn and let my thoughts gather. The grey morning light lifts her sleepy head, and the thin air is embroidered with a crimson cardinal’s song. My mind is scattered, and I…
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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…
