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How to Be Thankful to God Even When Life Is Hard
It’s a quiet Wednesday evening, and I return home with a truckload of groceries to find an empty house. I have no idea that the evening is about to be a lesson on how to be thankful to God even when life is challenging. After stowing the food in the cupboards, I slip to the deck and discover my family playing in the backyard. They are laughing, wrestling, and chasing the beagles across the wilted wildflower fields. Standing on the deck unnoticed feels like a rare invitation to step back and truly see the big picture of my life from afar. I’m sure other moms can relate: Somehow, the kids…
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How to Find Freedom From Your Secret Sins
A hint of frost rests on the once-lavender heads of the Canada thistle today. I sit at the window with intentions to soak in God’s restorative presence, but what settles upon me sends a chill down the nape of my neck, like frost on a clear winter dawn. The chill is my body’s response to the reality that the secret sins of my life are not hidden from the One who paints the dawn with shimmering ice. Most of us have secret sins. We want to find freedom, but we feel stuck, and we’re not sure what to do about it. This post will help you find freedom. I also…
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15 Bible Verses About Joy and Happiness
We all face difficult times in life. Even in these times, we can experience the joy of the Lord by standing on his promises. Today, we’ll explore 15 Bible verses about joy and happiness. I’ll also share a moment when God reminded me of a simple principle for joy in life. I also invite you to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you live with greater joy in the Lord. Let’s begin with the Word. 15 Bible Verses About Joy and Happiness Here are 15 encouraging Bible verses about joy and happiness Bible Verses About Joy and Happiness 1. Philippians 4:4 (ESV)…
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Living in the Presence of God: 3 Ways to Increase Your Awareness
Most mornings, I sit beside our dining room window as first light ascends from behind the eastern tree line. I sit here to get my bearings at the start of each new day. I also sit here because this practice is teaching me about living in the presence of God. I’ve learned that when I begin the day with a few quiet moments spent seeking God’s face, I’m more attuned to his presence throughout the remainder of the day as well. Living in the Presence of God This morning is overcast. There are chickadees at the bird feeder; the colorful songbirds of summer are gone. I watch the tiny birds…
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Finding Rest in God: How to Create Space
The tamaracks are losing their needles again. They fall like golden flecks of rain, a gift from the Father of heavenly lights. I stop in the middle of the country road and let one fall into my open palm. I’m here because finding rest in God often comes most naturally to me beneath open skies. I’ve been longing for a touch from heaven lately, and I’m revisiting an experiment I tried a while back. It’s an experiment in being intentional about seeking God beneath open skies for just a few minutes each day. Finding Rest in God I need space for this weary and burdened soul to stretch heavenward with…
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When Silence and Solitude Don’t Come Easily
A strong west wind rips across the yard, and the last of the lavender aster petals are finally swept away. I sit by the window, searching for silence and solitude, and the churning of this autumn cold front mirrors the chaos in my mind. I am an introvert, and I find silence and solitude refreshing most of the time; however, this doesn’t mean quieting my soul always comes easily. When Silence and Solitude Are Difficult I am also a do-er, a list-maker, and, sadly, a perfectionist. I used to think perfectionism was a trait to be admired, but time and experience are teaching me that the pursuit of perfection generally…
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How to Find Rest in God: A Review of Kelly Balarie’s New Book
It comes to me as I bend over the sink, tomato juice spattered on the windowpane, a heavy crate of big pinks ripening beside me on the countertop. It’s a subtle impression upon the innermost part of me, and it goes something like this: Don’t hurry through these tasks. These tasks are gifts, and divinity is threaded throughout them. Slow down, inhale slowly, and find rest in God while you do his work. Find Rest in God It’s the season of harvest here, which means there is much to do. There are vegetables to tend to, transitions to navigate, and articles to write. If I’m not careful, I can get…
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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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Satisfaction in Jesus: A Question to Ask Yourself
I’m not thinking about how to find satisfaction in Jesus as the wind rustles the maple leaves. However, as I open my Bible for inspiration on the warm afternoon, I discover stumble a surprising scene. A blind man named Bartimaeus is crying out to Jesus from the roadside. Stopping, Jesus looks at blind Bartimaeus and asks, “What do you want me to do for you?” For an instant, I imagine I am the blind man, and Jesus is asking me this question. “Jesus, you know what I want you to do for me,” I whisper in the deepest part of my soul. As the words leave my lips, I realize…
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10 Steps to Take When You Feel Empty Inside
Fog hovers over clear water this morning. I sit in silence feeling empty inside. When’s the last time you stilled your soul long enough to be real about the places where you feel empty inside? We all have empty spaces. Emptiness might look like numbness, emotional distress, loneliness, isolation, or grief. When we feel empty inside, it can be hard to know where to turn. Today, we’ll look at ten things to do to fill the emptiness in our souls. When You Feel Empty Inside The feeling of emptiness can have many causes. Sometimes, grief leads to emptiness. All losses involve grief, not only death. We can feel empty inside…




























