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Abundant Life in Christ: How to Live It
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. A gentle breeze brushes against my skin, and a familiar face comes to mind. He’s a cashier at a store I visit often. Customers casually ask how he’s doing, and he always makes the same comment: “Livin’ the dream.” According to an online dictionary, the term “living the dream” refers to “a life in which a person experiences the achievement of every success that one has aspired to.” …
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Dwelling in the Presence of God: 3 Practical Ways
The morning glories are climbing the neighbors’ porch beams when I stop along the road and come to a realization: I want to live a life spent dwelling in the presence of God, but hurrying is pulling my attention away from his presence. God is always present with us, which means that we are always dwelling in his presence; yet it’s easy to become distracted by the demands of our days and fail to cultivate the awareness of his presence. As counter-intuitive as standing along the road and watching the climbing vines feels, I could learn something from their slow climb heavenward. Staring at the climbing vines, I’m amazed by…
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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…
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Sweet Bekah Is Launching Her Own Blog for Kids
Throughout the past year or two, our sweet daughter Bekah has been asking to start her own blog for kids. A few weeks ago I told her if she could write fifteen posts to convey her commitment, we would do it. Honestly, I expected her to write a post or two and lose interest. Much to my surprise, she cranked out all fifteen posts with focus and determination. With sheer ten-year-old vision and insight, she has proven herself. Her vision is to write devotional posts each Wednesday and posts with fun activities every Friday. It looks like we’re doing this! Honestly, I had plenty of reservations. This isn’t a vision…
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How to Slow Down, Relax, and Enjoy Your Life
Are you tired of running on empty and feeling stressed out? Do you want to learn how to slow down, relax, and enjoy your life? Today, we’ll talk about several simple ways to find the peace you crave. How to Slow Down, Relax, and Enjoy Life I take myself to the woods on a warm autumn afternoon, and the golden canopy gazes down like God bottled up all the happiness in the world and imbibed it into the maples. Going to the woods is my way of stepping out of life’s rushed rhythms. I open my Bible to these familiar words: “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden,…
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3 Unconventional Ways to Worship God While You Work
You are completely exhausted as you drive home after a long day of living out your calling. You know there are four loads of laundry waiting to be folded. The floors are filthy, and dinner waits to be cooked. You’d give just about anything to lie on the couch in front of the TV instead of diving into the work. The last thing on your mind is construing ways to worship God in the middle of your work. Perhaps the idea of worshiping while you work feels like a pursuit reserved for women who don’t have full schedules – or kids. I feel you. I see you. I’m standing with…
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How to Have More Motherhood Joy in Challenging Seasons
A quiet undercurrent has been calling me into its flow throughout the past season. It’s a gentle voice that whispers, “Let these struggles of motherhood soften you. Lean into the transformation. In doing so, you will cultivate a deeper sense of motherhood joy.” Cultivating Motherhood Joy It is a gentle call to let these uncertain times chisel my rough edges, to learn to be a woman with less grit and more grace. Granted, throughout most of my life, my grit has served me well. My grit is my tenacity, my determination, my commitment to stay the course on the most rugged trails—my eyes fixed on the horizon, zeal goading me…
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How to Live for God Every Day: 4 Ways
The iridescent glow of a half-moon makes shadows on the picture frames across the room. For just a moment, I let myself get lost in the faces inside the frames. I remember taking the photos of children in a far-off place. It was a life-changing season, a time of learning how to live for God every day. How to Live for God Every Day Maybe you can relate. Maybe you look back to a different season of life, a time of fulfillment and passion for God. Or maybe you’ve never stepped into this way of living. You want to learn how to live for God every day, but you don’t…
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Satisfaction in Jesus: A Question to Ask Yourself
I’m not thinking about how to find satisfaction in Jesus as the wind rustles the maple leaves. However, as I open my Bible for inspiration on the warm afternoon, I discover stumble a surprising scene. A blind man named Bartimaeus is crying out to Jesus from the roadside. Stopping, Jesus looks at blind Bartimaeus and asks, “What do you want me to do for you?” For an instant, I imagine I am the blind man, and Jesus is asking me this question. “Jesus, you know what I want you to do for me,” I whisper in the deepest part of my soul. As the words leave my lips, I realize…
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Empty Inside? Take These 3 Steps Today and Get Filled
Fog hovers over clear water this morning. I sit in silence as my soul waits for the Healer to reach out and touch these empty places inside of me. When’s the last time you stilled your soul long enough to be real about the places where you feel empty inside? King David penned these words: “My soul waits in silence for God only.” I could use this reminder every day of my life. Because we all have empty spaces. Places where we’re longing for someone to reach out and offer something substantial – something that lasts. David continues his song like this: “From Him is my salvation. He only is…
