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How to Be Gentle With Yourself
Do you need to learn how to be gentle with yourself? If so, you are in the right place. Today, we’ll have an honest conversation about what it looks like to treat ourselves with kindness and gentleness. I’ve spent most of my life being unreasonably hard on myself. I stand in front of mirrors, roll my eyes, and commit to more rigorous ab workouts. I regularly push myself beyond exhaustion and feel guilty for taking naps—even after staying up all night tending to fevered children. Often, I tell myself to suck it up, try harder, go faster, and give more. You might not push yourself through exhaustion or condemningly grab…
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3 Ways to Fall More Deeply in Love With Jesus
The old sycamore leans over the icy creekbed with shoulders washed white by the weather. Closing my eyes, I inhale the scent of the forest and pray that I might learn to embrace my moments and fall more deeply in love with Jesus in the process. For the past few years, I’ve been learning to slow down. I’ve been asking God to help me live with less grit and more grace. In the process, God is changing me. I’m also discovering that the secret to living with greater joy and deeper peace is falling more deeply in love with Jesus. What does this look like in my world with winter…
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A Devotional Book That Will Bless You: I Love You, Mom!
First light gives herself away without a hint of reservation, and I drink down the gift like I’m drinking from the fountain of life itself. We’re in the thick of what already feels like a never-ending winter, and I’m aiming to be intentional about tapping into life-giving resources. I’m slowing my rhythms to soak in golden beams of morning sunlight, splurging on flavored coffee, and digging into books that are nourishing my soul. I recently discovered a mother-daughter devotional book that’s touching my heart in surprising ways. I Love You, Mom: Cherished Word Gifts from My Heart to Yours by Blythe Daniel and her mom Helen McIntosh is filled with…
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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. Also, be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you live life to the fullest.…
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10 Inspiring Scriptures on 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 Scriptures on the goodness of God. 10 Scriptures on 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. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you…
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31 Prayers for Refreshing Daily Joy
A couple of years ago, a friend I knew from the online writing community reached out and invited me to a phone interview. We both write about encountering God in ordinary places, and it seemed like a great fit! Little Aiden was three months old at the time, and I happened to schedule the phone interview for the same day I was trying to sleep-train my little buddy. As my friend Emily Saxe interviewed me, I was overwhelmed with stress as I listened to my baby boy wail in his crib. I’m not sure I offered one cohesive thought that afternoon! But Emily was full of grace, and she managed…
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10 Bible Verses About Dwelling in the Presence of God
What do you want your life to be about? I asked myself this question the other day as dawn ascended in shades of lilac over the tree line. Opening my Bible in search of Bible verses about dwelling in the presence of God, I thought about learning to embrace more of life’s moments, cultivating joy, and rising above stress. Bible Verses About Dwelling in the Presence of God As I watched the sunrise, I reflected on the previous day and noticed some unhealthy patterns: my tendency to hurry through certain chores, impatience with my family, and an undercurrent of stress flowing beneath all my moments. There were no epic disasters.…
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8 Bible Verses About Abundant Life in Christ
The hayfield has been reduced to prickly stubble, and I wonder if the lush roots grieve what’s been lost. As the geese honk overhead, I stare at the sky and ask God to lead me into a more abundant life in Christ. I pull out my Bible in search of Bible verses about abundant life in Christ. How do we experience this kind of abundance in our everyday places? 8 Bible Verses About Abundant Life in Christ Here’s what I find: Christ’s definition of abundance is quite different from the definition of the world around us. Let’s take a closer look at three Bible verses about the abundant life. Be…
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Scripture About God’s Presence: 7 Verses With Applications
The morning glories are climbing the neighbors’ porch beams when I stop along the road and come to a realization: I have not been attentive to God’s presence lately. I’ve been hustling and striving and failing to stay in step with him. After returning home, I pull out my Bible in search of Scripture about God’s presence. I want to remain attuned to him throughout all my moments. Scripture About God’s Presence: 7 Bible Verses Below are the verses I find, writing them in my journal and soaking in the transformative truth of God’s Word. If you want to become more attuned to God’s presence, I invite you to spend…
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Four Practical Ways to Cultivate a Consistent Prayer Life
The roadsides are blanketed with wildflowers, and we often spend evenings playing kickball in the backyard now. It’s not officially summer yet, but it feels like summer has already settled upon us. As our rhythms change, I long to cultivate a more consistent prayer life, especially in this busy season. As I reflect on this desire, I’m reminded that God doesn’t want to be an add-on to my busy summer; he wants to do life with me. How to Cultivate a More Consistent Prayer Life A phrase keeps running through my mind: Don’t leave God in the prayer closet. God wants us to meet with him in quiet places. But…
