-
How to Fight Spiritual Attacks: 7 Ways
We lose a little more light every day now. I slip out for my evening walks beneath an underbelly of midnight blue. Not long ago, while walking beneath the canopy of darkness, I began thinking about how to fight spiritual attacks. I’ve been feeling discouraged in certain areas of my life lately. After weeks of restlessness, I finally recognized that the relentless stream of negative thoughts might be coming from somewhere other than my own mind. After telling a friend about the thoughts, she said, “Sounds like a spiritual attack to me.” How to Fight Spiritual Attacks Like me, you might be feeling discouraged today. Maybe you battle with worry,…
-
Feeling Defeated? 5 Scriptures on Overcoming Discouragement
Outside the window, the goldenrod fields have shifted from emerald to buttery gold. Frost will come soon, and any hint of color will be swallowed up by the monochrome beige of winter. I open my Bible in search of Scriptures on overcoming discouragement because I sense I’ll need them throughout the long months ahead. Perhaps you need these words, too. Maybe you’re facing an uncertain future or feeling defeated in some area of your life today. Regardless of what your discouragement looks like, let’s soak in these truths together today. Scriptures on Overcoming Discouragement 1. “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear…
-
How to Embrace Yourself Just the Way You Are
If you want to learn how to embrace yourself the way you are, you are in the right place today. I invite you to join me in the woods, and we’ll talk about the parts of our lives that make us feel unique. How to Embrace Yourself Just the Way You Are The bluebells have returned. Emerging from rocky soil as if breaking into the light took no effort at all, they hang their huddled heads—embarrassed by their brilliance. It seems they’re not unlike most of us: bashful about the precise attributes that make us remarkably unique in this world. Some part of me wants to tell the bluebells, “Your…
-
Paralyzed by Fear? 10 Bible Verses for Anxiety and Fear
The amber light of morning finds me through a partially drawn curtain. Within the first moments of the day, my mind returns to a situation that’s been filling me with anxious thoughts. “Not today, fear,” I whisper, and I open my Bible in search of Truth. Instead of meditating on my fears today, I decide to make a list of Bible verses for anxiety and fear and meditate on Truth. Opening my Bible, I’m reminded that when anxiety and fear come at me, I always have a choice. I can buckle beneath the weight of my paralyzing emotions—giving the enemy a seat at my table. Or I can use the…
-
Cast All Your Burdens on God: 4 Practical Ways
Do you want to learn to cast all your burdens on the Lord? I invite you to join me in the woods, and we’ll talk about practical ways to cast our cares on Jesus. Cast All Your Burdens on God: 4 Insights The forest is silent this morning. Shrouded in a fresh cloak of frozen ivory, every fallen log and standing hemlock dozes beneath the weight of winter’s breath. Suddenly, a rustle behind me catches my attention. I turn, startled, expecting a deer or coyote. The forest sleeps. I hear it again and realize the noise is coming from somewhere closer than I first realized. Looking at the ground just…
-
Nine Comforting Bible Verses for Worry (and a Plan for Peace!)
The winter wind writes its story in flourishes of ivory. As I stare out the window, I feel consumed by worries, and I open my Bible in search of comforting Bible verses for worry. Perhaps you need this Truth to stand on in challenging times, too. Let’s look at what the Bible says about worry, and then we will explore three practical ways to overcome worries with God’s help. 9 Comforting Bible Verses for Worry 1. Matthew 6:25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the…
-
Let God Set You Free: My New Online Devotional
Two months ago, 12-year-old Bekah and I took a leap of faith and published our coauthored mother-daughter devotional, Girl to Girl: 60 Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith. We’d like to thank you for all of your support. The book is doing better than we ever expected, and my daily prayer is that God uses it to bring mothers and daughters closer together and draws women of all ages deeper into his unconditional love. Thank you for helping us spread the word, writing Amazon reviews, and buying our book! I’m amazed by the outpouring of support from the writing community, our hometown, our church community, and the global…
-
Feeling Lost in Life? This Is for You . . .
Twelve years ago, I stepped into a season of major transition. I remember looking out the window one balmy summer morning and feeling lost in life. I felt like my identity was being slowly dismantled, and I didn’t know who I was anymore. We’ll revisit my identity crisis in a moment. First, take a moment to consider your most common responses when another person asks you to describe yourself. You might talk about your job, your family, or your hobbies. Maybe you share your interests and talk about the place where you live. Now, imagine how you would feel if these aspects of your life were suddenly stripped away. Consider…
-
Overcoming the Spirit of Failure and Trusting God
A placid lake shines silver beneath the sinking sun. As we sit along the water, a friend tells me I should share my writing with the world. I want to take her advice, but overcoming the spirit of failure feels daunting. I’ve been writing all my life, but this time feels different. It feels less like aimless wandering and more like a calling. Sometimes it’s hard to know the difference. Sometimes you just want God to write your next step in the clouds or dampen a sweatshirt on dry ground at dawn. You wish he’d tell you exactly what to do and when to do it. I tell my friend…
-
10 Bible Verses About Overcoming Fear and Worry
Are you facing any fears? Today, we’ll dig into God’s Word and unpack 10 powerful Bible verses about overcoming fear and worry. First, let me share the story of a great fear that threatened to paralyze me. 10 Empowering Bible Verses About Overcoming Fear Our first child was born on a Tuesday. I could barely believe she was hidden within me for all those months. After the hyperemesis diagnosis and the months of lying on the bathroom floor in a cloud of nausea, I couldn’t comprehend the love I felt for her. I never knew love like that was possible. In the months following her birth, I spent hours marveling…