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10 Spiritual Reflection Questions for Growth and Renewal
Every three months, I set aside time to reflect on where I’ve been and where I’m going. I use this time to rewrite my goals and ask God to give me a vision for the upcoming season. Today, I’m sharing the spiritual reflection questions I use during these times. Space for Asking Spiritual Reflection Questions Four times each year—at set dates—I take time to step back and reflect on life. I’ve been doing this since I was 17. As a teenager, these seasonal dates reflected the shift from one athletic season to the next. After graduating from high school, I used this time to reflect on my college goals. Later,…
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Embracing Your Journey: 5 Tips to Help You
“God’s gifts are woven into every journey,” a friend once reminded me. “Embracing your journey happens when you learn to see the gifts, especially the ones hidden beneath challenges.” I’ve thought of her words dozens of times since that day. I invite you to join me in a place that often inspires my writing—the tiny cabin where our family escapes for long weekends surrounded by rolling hills, beech trees, and open skies—and we’ll talk about learning to embrace our moments. Embracing Your Journey The steady cadence of rain falling on a metal roof is broken by children’s squeals in the distance. A few minutes ago, my husband and sons took…
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Sowing Spiritual Seeds: 8 Truths for When You Doubt Your Calling
When I became a teacher, I remember looking around and thinking, The needs are so great, and I’m only one person. What difference can I possibly make? The idea of sowing spiritual seeds for God’s glory felt like a long shot. I was just trying to survive. Two decades later, I’m no longer teaching in a public school. But I often look at the world’s condition and have similar sentiments. The needs are so great. I feel so small. What impact could I possibly make? Maybe you’ve experienced similar thoughts. Sowing Spiritual Seeds When You Feel Insignificant Not long ago, I read the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000. The…
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10 Prayers for Direction and Clarity
The old poplar stretches toward a cloudless sky as yesterday’s snowflakes swirl in tiny cyclones below. I’ve been counting the lessons of winter as the snow piles higher. As I gaze out the window, I take the time to assess my life, my daily rhythms, and the state of my soul. I find myself lifting prayers for direction and clarity for the next season of life. Perhaps you need this space, too. Today, we’ll talk about how to find God’s direction and the importance of seeking his guidance. We’ll explore ten prayers for direction and clarity. 10 Prayers for Direction and Clarity We all need spaces where we can step…
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God Uses Broken Vessels, and He Wants to Use You
Have you ever felt too broken to be used by God? Bekah and I are sharing another devotion from our mother-daughter devotional book, Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls. Let’s talk about the ways God uses broken vessels for his glory. This devotion is directed toward teen girls but is true for all of us in our brokenness. God Uses Broken Vessels Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves…
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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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10 Tension-Easing Bible Verses for Stress at Work
The creek writes its story in splashes of emerald and sandstone brown. I sit beside its clear waters with a heavy heart. The year is 2003, and I’ve just started my teaching career. Much to my frustration, the demands of the job are quickly shattering my dreamy ideals. I pull out my Bible as I sit in the forest, opening it with hopes of finding a few Bible verses for stress at work. Regardless of where we work, most of us face workplace stress. When these times come, God’s Truth can lift our heads and help us press forward. The verses I’m sharing today carried me through my first year…
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What Is My Calling From God?
Twenty-five years ago, I vividly remember sitting on a hillside and wrestling with the question, “What is my calling from God?” I wanted to know what I was supposed to do with the rest of my life, and I hoped that if I sat quietly for long enough, God would tell me. God didn’t speak to me in an audible voice or give me an immediate sense of knowing what to do. Yet he began showing me how to find his will over time. If you’re wrestling with this question today, I invite you to join me as we explore practical ways to step into God’s calling. What Is My…
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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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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…
