-
God Uses Broken People—and He Wants to Use You
Have you ever wondered if your mistakes disqualify you from serving God? Today, I warmly invite you to travel back in time with me, and I’ll bear witness to the fact that God uses broken people—and he wants to use you. God Uses Broken People My early twenties were tumultuous. I was angry with God and decided to live for myself instead of living for him. After a few tough years, I realized I wasn’t cultivating the life I wanted for myself. I returned to God with a humble heart and asked him to help me put my life back together. Slowly, God began the restorative work of healing my…
-
8 Bible Verses About Joy and an Invitation to Encounter God
A fresh blanket of snow found us in the early hours before dawn today. With lanky fingers, she reached down and touched us—wrapped us in an ethereal cloak and spoke of rest. I walked to the window and got lost in the purity of the wild world, and in the process, a spark was ignited in my soul. It felt like a fresh outpouring of joy—joy I’ve been craving for far too long. I pulled out my Bible in search of inspiring Bible verses about joy and started soaking in the words. The excitement of Christmas has passed. Many of us look to the long winter season ahead, and we…
-
Less Stress and More Peace: A Secret to Help You!
We have a special gift for you. Every Friday in December, 12-year-old Bekah and I will be sharing a devotion with you. These Friday posts are adapted from our mother-daughter devotional book, Girl to Girl. We wrote the book with a vision for moms and daughters to read each devotion together, but we invite you to join us even if you aren’t a mother or daughter! We hope to help you have less stress and more peace with today’s post! Let’s get to it! How to Have Less Stress and More Peace And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord…
-
5 Prayers for Insecurity: When You Wonder If You Fit in
Do you ever walk into crowded places and wonder where you fit in? Maybe you feel like you don’t fit in at all. Most of us have felt this way. Today, we’ll explore five empowering prayers for insecurity as we aim to overcome our fears of rejection. I invite you to join me as I navigated these feelings among a group of beautiful and talented women. Prayers for Insecurity I make my way cautiously from the ornately decorated lobby of the exquisite hotel and follow the lavender banners that lead to the conference room. I’ve just traveled eight hours to attend a women’s conference. This seemed like a wonderful idea…
-
A List of Good Habits for Joy and Energy
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 good 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…
-
Casting Our Nets
Today isn’t my usual day to post, but I’m excited to share the words of one of my dearest lifelong friends today. I met Courtney McNamara when we were in fourth grade at East Lawrence Elementary School, and we’ve been friends ever since! Courtney is a gifted artist, a talented published author, and a tender soul with a huge heart. Her friendship is a treasured gift. She’s one of a small handful of friends who receives my 6:00 a.m., “I need prayer” texts. As we all know, these friends are rare gifts! Courtney’s wisdom on the topic of casting our nets challenged me and blessed me, and I trust it…
-
5 Morning Routines to Help You Start Your Day With God
Autumn rain hangs from the spruce boughs like glass beads. Cleansing the sleepy earth, it feels like God’s invitation to begin again. I’ve been thinking about my rhythms lately—analyzing the morning routines that are working for me in this season as well as the ones that aren’t. The Importance of Morning Routines Last week, I felt tempted to return to self-effort in an attempt to restore some off-kilter areas of my life. However, this morning, the ivory mist reminds me that a Spirit-filled life is not built around willpower but around rhythms. The rhythms we establish ultimately make up our lives. 5 Morning Routines to Help You Begin Well If…
-
Does God See Me? Is My Labor in Vain?
A cardinal flitters at the feeder, defying the sleepy world with a splash of crimson. I watch him peck the seeds and try to fix my mind on things of God, but my thoughts race in dozens of different directions. Does God see me? I wonder. My daily work has been wearing on me lately. I feel exhausted, defeated, and unseen by God. It’s hard to believe your labor is not in vain when you’re sinking beneath the weight of the burden. Maybe you can relate. Perhaps you’re the full-time caretaker for an older family member. You had dreams and visions about what your retirement would entail, and your dreams…
-
How to Be More Like Jesus When Facing Interruptions
First light pours through the curtain slow and thick, like buttermilk. Lost in the glory of dawn’s hazy glow, I read a few Psalms as I soak in God’s love. My mornings by the window restore my soul like nothing else. Here, I seek God and ask him to help me learn how to be more like Jesus before I head into the world. How to Be More Like Jesus A few days ago, I’d been sitting by the window for less than ten minutes when our little boy shuffled up beside me dragging a chair. After pushing his chair next to mine, he sat down and snuggled against me.…
-
Seeking God’s Wisdom: Are You Praying or Ruminating?
Do you ever feel afraid of making the wrong decision and messing up your life? Maybe you need to choose between two jobs, two future spouses, or two different houses. In your uncertainty, you’re afraid you’re going to choose incorrectly and derail your life. You’ve been seeking God’s wisdom, but for the most part, heaven seems silent. A few years ago, I was desperate for wisdom and direction from God. I wasn’t sure whether to continue fervently pursuing my writing career or slow my writing and consider the possibility of having a third child. I reached out to a mentor and asked for advice. Secretly, I hoped she would tell…
