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10 Bible Verses About the Beauty of Nature
The hills are lavender today. I drove to the lake to sit on the shore where the water laps against sand-colored stones, and the time outside renewed my soul. Spending time in nature is restorative. Let’s take just a few moments to turn to God’s Word as we study 10 Bible verses about the beauty of nature today. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook about slowing down to enjoy God’s gifts. 10 Bible Verses About the Beauty of Nature Nature calls us away from the fast-paced lives most of us have learned to accept. Wild places create space for slowing down,…
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5 Prayers for Spiritual Healing and Replenishment
Not long ago, I realized I was facing spiritual burnout. As I pursued restoration, I began regularly praying several prayers for spiritual healing and replenishment. I invite you to join me on the morning when I recognized the source of my exhaustion, and I’ll share my prayers for healing. 5 Prayers for Spiritual Healing and Replenishment The rose-colored glow rising from behind the spruce trees reminds me of alpenglow against the Rockies at dawn. Somehow, God’s light shining into our dark places is magical no matter where in the world we find ourselves. As I sit in the morning light, I long to draw near to God. As usual, the…
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15 Attitudes That Cultivate Biblical Hospitality
Ten years ago, I was just learning what it meant to offer biblical hospitality. My husband and I lived in a little home at least a dozen miles from anything worthy of being called a town. Mostly, we kept company with the deer and coyotes that walked through our front yard on cool autumn nights. I’d been investing in the life of a younger woman for a few months, and I finally invited her to our modest little home to chat. As the evening wore on, I wanted to hear more about her life, about the struggles that had shaped her and the truths that defined her. I asked deep…
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When God Interrupts Your Plans: 3 Steps to Take
Three green tomatoes rest on the table in the morning light like they’re just waiting for the golden rays to wash them into ripened red. I admire them with blurry eyes, the weight of my exhaustion hanging overhead like a raincloud. When God interrupts your plans, it can feel like a shock to the system. Today, we’ll talk about what to do when God interrupts your plans. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook for when God interrupts your life. When God Interrupts Your Plans I spent the night lying awake with a little boy who had a tummy ache—his warm hands…
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How to Get Out of a Rut in Life: 4 Ways
I’m sitting along the creek, pondering how to get out of a rut in life, on a cloudy spring afternoon. I feel divided between life as a mother, a wife, a friend, a Bible study leader, a writer, and more. I am weary, and I’m not sure I’m doing a good job in any area of my life. Gazing at the creek, I remember the truth: Before I am a wife, a mother, a friend, or a writer, I am a child of God. I belong to Jesus, and he belongs to me, and this is what matters most in life. I chew on the words and gaze at a…
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5 Reasons to Stop Seeking a “Balanced” Life
Do you feel frustrated by the lack of balance in your life? Most of us have had this experience. Let’s talk about why the idea of a “balanced life” might not be God’s plan for us. 5 Reasons to Stop Seeking a Balanced Life Recently, I went for a walk with a friend who was visiting from out of town. She had been serving the least of these in the far corners of the earth, and I had been chasing down the elusive ideal of a balanced life while mothering and writing. She asked how I was doing, and I told her I was feeling a little out of balance. Life…
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4 Ways to Discover Your Calling in Life
Have you been thinking about how to discover your calling in life? Most of us take a hard look at the idea of a calling at some point in our lives. Then we devise elaborate plans about which colleges will receive our applications, where we’ll find work, or how we’ll chase down our dreams. What if we have it all wrong? What if a calling isn’t about a job or degree? What if our callings are for today? You Discover Your Calling by Beginning Right Here Could it be that my calling is for today, not just for the future? The Bible makes it clear that planning is wise, but…
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How to Surrender to God When Life Is Hard and Your Calling Feels Hidden
A subtle clacking sound echoes from the black clock on the wall, and I stare into the ashen hues of winter outside. I sit by the window awaiting the roaring engine of the school bus. My calling feels humble, quiet, and hidden in this season, and I’m wondering just how to surrender to God in these hard days of mothering little ones. Opening my Bible in search of encouragement, I find Jesus talking to a wealthy young man. Jesus says to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me”(Matthew 19:21).…
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Encouragement for Tired Moms: 5 Ways to Add Joy to Your Life
I discovered a meatball under the china cabinet this morning. Suffice it to say, this wouldn’t be a huge deal if we’d dated meatballs in the past few days; however, we haven’t had meatballs for at least two weeks. We haven’t had meatballs for two weeks. As I scrubbed the floor, I felt compelled to offer a few words of encouragement for tired moms everywhere. Ten years ago, I spent my days teaching students with disabilities inside the walls of a respected high school. Each new day brought new challenges and changes in my schedule. During those years, my husband and I traveled overseas often. For fun, we regularly took…
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Four Ways to Decrease Stress by Slowing Down
It’s autumn in Pennsylvania. Autumn in this part of the world means cornfields that rustle beige in the evening thermals. It means pumpkins on stoops and hay mazes towering in muddy alfalfa fields. It means russet leaves applauding the sky and geese heading south with their human-like voices echoing overhead. For our family, it also means settling into a different routine, one that currently includes soccer games, hunting trips, and longer hours within the walls of our living room. Darkness comes earlier, and we find ourselves racing to fit more into days that seem shorter. It’s the time of the harvest, a time for filling the freezers and picking squash and baking countless loaves…
