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8 Bible Verses About Staying Positive in Hard Times
The cumulous clouds are stacked in a thick layer on the western horizon. I gaze at them from the room where I’m supposed to be writing inspiring words about life and God, but I’m too worn down to find a single thoughtful thing to say. Instead of writing, I open my Bible in search of Bible verses about staying positive in hard times. Bible Verses About Staying Positive in Hard Times Here are the verses I discover. 8 Bible Verses About Staying Positive in Hard Times 1. Galatians 6:9 “Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary” (Galatians…
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8 Scriptures on Purpose and Vision for Challenging Seasons
I wake up grumpy after a particularly difficult week of teaching my kindergartner while the one-year-old howls from the high chair. There’s no way around it: I’m struggling with life. I didn’t sign up for this. Pulling out my Bible, I begin digging for Scriptures on purpose and vision. Maybe you need these words today, too. Maybe the job that once felt like your calling now feels like drudgery, or maybe you’ve been trying to find God’s purpose for your life and falling short. Wherever this day finds you, I invite you to join our family in a challenging season as we explore what God’s Word says about purpose and…
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Please Help Me, God! I Need You!
Dawn breaks softly, and I stare down another day with its never-ending tasks. “Please help me, God! I’m drowning over here,” I whisper as I prepare to descend the stairs and begin the day. We’re living in pandemic times, which means I’ll be juggling again today. I’ll teach my kids, cook dinner, keep the little one from drawing on the walls (maybe), fold laundry, try to exercise, shower (probably not), lock myself in the laundry room with something chocolate, and complete at least 200 small but cumulative tasks. It feels like a lot. I’ve been crying randomly and feeling ridiculous about it. These are the days when my life leaves…
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10 Tips for Drawing Near to God When Life Is Busy
Winter sunlight sings her silver song as I throw on the heavy parka. The snow beneath my feet crunches as I walk to the dog kennel and pour warm water into silver bowls. The beagles lap it up while I stare at the glowing firmament and think about drawing near to God amid the chaos of a very full life. Drawing Near to God The air stings my face as I gaze heavenward and breathe, listening to the hollow sound of my heart synchronizing with the terrestrial thrum of a resting earth. Something within me shifts. I feel peace, rest. This is sacred space, holy ground. It’s the place where…
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7 Ways to Connect With God and Refresh Your Spirit
Do you want a deeper or stronger relationship with God? You are in the right place. Today, we’ll explore 7 ways to connect with God in fresh ways. I invite you to join me as I gaze at the autumn tree line, and we’ll talk about how to draw near to God in refreshing ways. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you connect with God. 7 Ways to Connect With God and Refresh Your Spirit The maples are splashed vermilion, and mist rises ashen from the valley. I take it all in from my morning watch by the window,…
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How to Be a Woman of Gentle Strength
Our little boy turned six last week, and he’s been asking me to spend the first moments of the day lying in his bed as we discuss kindergarten. I’ve been learning to live with a gentle strength that puts his needs above my desires. For this reason, I set aside my coffee every morning and follow him up the stairs. We lie in his bed and talk about raising his hand in class, responsibility, and why he should take his coat off when it’s 80 degrees in his classroom. Important things. I’ve been thinking about living a more grace-filled life lately, and I know pursuing this kind of life means…
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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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What Does It Mean to Lay Down Your Life for God?
Have you ever wondered what it means to lay down your life for God and others? Jesus spoke the following words to his disciples: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13, NIV). Perhaps you want to know how to live this out. I invite you to join me as we explore what it might look like to lay down your life for God. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you experience God’s presence and power in your life. How to Lay Down Your Life We’re watching the little one…
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Finding Your Calling From God: A Surprising Truth You Need to Know
Does the idea of finding your calling from God feel too subjective or difficult? I spent years trying to perfectly discern God’s calling for my life. Meanwhile, I missed the most obvious part of his calling. I invite you to join me as I coax our youngest child to sleep, and we’ll talk about finding God’s calling. Finding Your Calling From God The dusky light of summer’s slow fade into autumn makes its way through partially drawn curtains, and I read until the darkness is too thick to see the words. Setting aside the book, I gaze at the tiny boy in my arms. He seems to encompass most of…
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How to Love Like Jesus When It Doesn’t Come Easily
A warm wind rustles the maples and sounds like clear water flowing over granite. I’m taken back to a different season. Twenty years ago, God began the deep heart work of teaching me how to love like Jesus, especially when it doesn’t come easily. Working at a summer camp will teach that kind of lesson. God placed me in a quiet canyon where wild Wyoming skies brought adventure on tepid summer afternoons, and campfires beneath the stars on chilling summer nights formed lifelong memories. He placed me among dozens of varied personalities. We melded together like one large, dysfunctional family just trying to keep the peace and keep out of…
