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5 New Year Prayer Points for a Fresh Start
I meander slowly through a forest encased in white. Strangers’ footprints delineate the path through crusty layers that have thawed and frozen a dozen times. I’m in the woods today to regroup and focus on the months ahead. The New Year always feels like a fresh start. Today, I invite you to join me as we explore five New Year prayer points to help us begin this year with focus and hope. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you connect with God at the start of the new year or any time. 5 New Year Prayer Points for a…
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4 Ways to Stay Focused on Jesus at Christmas
For the first year in decades, I counted winter as a gift this year: not a grueling season to survive, but a wonderous season to embrace. As I aim to give thanks for the colder weather and darker days, I’m also reminding myself to stay focused on Jesus at Christmas this year. I tend to get pulled into the rush of my Christmas to-do list, making it tough to stay centered. If you can relate, here are four ways I’m helping our family stay focused on Jesus at Christmas this year. How to Stay Focused on Jesus at Christmas Let’s look at several practical ways to keep our focus on…
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10 Life-Giving Bible Verses About Light and Truth
As we prepare our hearts to celebrate the coming of the Light of the World, I’ve been soaking in Bible verses about light and truth. I invite you to join me as I watch the morning dawn, and we’ll savor these Truths together. 10 Life-Giving Bible Verses About Light and Truth This morning the sky greeted us with a color I’d never named. Like a tree-ripened peach, it smiled down from above—ready to offer the gift of its entire self. Thunder groaned a foreboding warning to the south, and I pulled the blanket over my head, resistant to surrender to the light. Meanwhile, I’ve learned that the light finds me…
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8 Bible Verses About Renewing Your Mind
I recently set out on a slow walk down our country road as the sun set behind the barren maple forest. I had no way of knowing that the walk was going to be a lesson in renewing my mind. Today, I’ll share my reflections from the road. Then, we’ll explore eight Bible verses about renewing your mind. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you renew your mind by spending time in God’s presence. Bible Verses About Renewing Your Mind As I walked down the road, I noticed that the tree line had turned gray with winter. I’m not…
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12 Godly Habits for Joy and Peace in Life
A pewter sky threatens rain, and I stand at the window as the little one calls from the living room. He wants to know what we’re doing for fun today. I’ve been deliberately turning to my mental list of godly habits daily, and I decide on a trip to the woods. “Let’s head to the creek,” I declare, and within minutes, we’re strolling down the road. “Better hurry up. It might rain, Mom,” he urges. “A little rain won’t hurt us,” I tell sweet Aiden. He makes a comment about melting, and we both laugh. Much to our delight, the rain holds off. We spend an hour throwing rocks into…
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4 Signs That God Is Pruning You
Do you sense that God is pruning you and cutting away parts of your life that aren’t bearing fruit? Today, I invite you to join me as I stand on our front stoop, and we’ll talk about the signs that God is pruning you. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to encourage you in life’s pruning seasons. Signs That God Is Pruning You Yesterday, I pruned the Rose of Sharon. It’s not the season for pruning, but the roseate blossoms were drawing bees to our front door. With flowers hanging like a garland around the door, it was just a matter…
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7 Uplifting Prayers of Gratitude to God
Nightfall welcomes a resplendent moon, and I admire it from the window. As I watch the first stars emerge, my heart fills with thankfulness, inspiring me to draw near to my Creator with prayers of gratitude to God. Today, I’m sharing seven prayers of gratitude to God with hopes to inspire your prayer life as well. After exploring these prayers, we’ll talk about how to cultivate prayerful lives. 7 Prayers of Gratitude to God In his letter to the Thessalonian church, the Apostle Paul encouraged these believers to be joyful always, pray without stopping, and give thanks in all situations (1 Thess. 5:16-18). Interestingly, recent findings in neuroscience reveal that…
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20 Words of Affirmation for Every Child
I want to build my kids up with the words I speak. Meanwhile, I’ve learned that I need to be intentional in this pursuit. It’s easy to get pulled into the rhythms of our busy lives and neglect opportunities to affirm our kids. If this resonates with you, here are 20 words of affirmation for every child. May these words encourage you to be intentional in your parenting and in your speech. I also encourage you to read to the end of today’s post for three powerful devotional books to read with your kids. These books are written with thoughtful input from three children. 20 Words of Affirmation for Every…
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How to Have the Joy of the Lord—No Matter What You’re Facing
I jogged through the vernal forest this morning. The tiny leaves offered a partial canopy overhead—not the deep emerald of summer, but the just-born chartreuse leaflets of springtime. The experience washed over me like a reminder of how to have the joy of the Lord embedded in my heart. Cold rain pattered on the forest floor and beaded on my forehead, and I considered the joy I find in a green forest on a rainy day. I also started thinking about cultivating rhythms for joy in my life, and I was reminded of a blog post I wrote a few years ago. After returning home, I found these words and…
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8 Thanksgiving Prayer Points With Scriptures to Guide You
Another grey sky greeted us this morning. I went to the window and watched the raindrops cling to the spruce needles like tiny, translucent pearls. Pulling out my Bible for guidance, I began thanking God for his goodness as I prayed. In the process, God lifted my head and encouraged my heart. If this kind of prayer sounds refreshing, I invite you to join me as we explore eight thanksgiving prayer points with Scriptures to guide us. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you connect with God and cultivate gratitude. 8 Thanksgiving Prayer Points With Scriptures As I looked…
