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Be Still and Trust: 50 Devotions for Peace, Rest and Renewal
I’m excited to share that we are just over a week away from the release of my newest book, a devotional book called Be Still and Trust: 50 Devotions for Peace, Rest and Renewal. These devotions are designed to help readers create space for stillness and rest with God as they navigate full schedules and busy lives. Today, I’m sharing the introduction from the devotional and invite you to return next week to learn more and buy the book! Be Still and Trust I recently walked outside in the warm summer sunshine and did something I haven’t done in far too long. I collapsed onto the damp earth and watched…
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How to Live for God: 10 Insights to Transform Your Life
The rhythm of the elliptical is like a cadence keeping time with my prayers. I pray while I exercise. Today I’m praying for single-minded focus to help me live for God in a world so full of distractions. I stare at a beautiful landscape background on my computer while a worship mix stirs my soul. I’m listening to Israel Houghton’s moving rendition of “To Worship You I Live” when a question startles me from my daze. How to Live for God I think of Paul’s words: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21 NIV). The song prompts me to consider what I live…
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Managing Holiday Stress: 10 Insights for Peace
We walk to the hill where the fir and spruce trees mingle in a dozen shades of emerald. Within minutes, the youngest falls into the thorny branches of a hawthorn crabapple, and the oldest is tangled in a knot of burdock. What was supposed to be fun has become an exercise in managing holiday stress. I take a deep breath and remind myself that this moment doesn’t have to be perfect. Later in the day, after the tree is wired to the wall in the corner of the living room, I take some time to sort through the ways I plan to manage stress through this Christmas season. Perhaps these…
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15 Bible Verses About Spiritual Growth (With Applications)
I once asked a friend how to discern spiritual growth. She said, “Are you more loving than you were a year ago? If so, you are growing.” I took her words to heart. After she left, I began searching for Bible verses about spiritual growth. Bible Verses About Spiritual Growth I found the following 15 Bible verses about spiritual growth. I pray these verses bless you as you apply them to your life Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you grow closer to God. 15 Bible Verses About Spiritual Growth 1. Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV) But the fruit of the…
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15 Bible Verses for Travel: Anxiety, Safety, and Uncertainty
After 11 days on the road, we returned home to western Pennsylvania last week. All in all, the trip reminded me of how to thoroughly enjoy God and his gifts in every situation. I also pulled out my Bible as I reflected on God’s Word regarding travel. Today, we’ll look at 15 Bible verses for travel. At the end of today’s post, I’ll share some practical insights we can learn from traveling. You’ll also find a free devotional eBook that makes a great travel companion. 15 Bible Verses for Travel Let’s start by turning to God’s Word. Bible Verses for Travel: Anxiety, Safety, and Joy 1. Proverbs 16:9 The heart…
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An Online Advent Devotional for Less Stress This December
Last year, I released an online Advent devotional to help others slow down, cultivate wonder, and connect with the Lord. After receiving wonderful feedback, I made a few updates and am excited to release a second edition this year! Here’s a glimpse into this new online devotional. I pray it blesses you deeply. Still My Soul: An Online Advent Devotional for Deeper Peace I sit with the dawn and let my thoughts gather. The grey morning light lifts her sleepy head, and the thin air is embroidered with a crimson cardinal’s song. My mind is scattered, and I feel like a woman who is stretched too thin. I’m thinking about…
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15 Bible Verses About the Presence of God
Mirrored on sleek water, the expanse of sapphire sky comes down to touch us. My little boy presses a delicate fingertip into its blue, and it feels like heaven has come to dwell among us. God’s Word has a great deal to say about the presence of God. Today, we’ll explore 15 Bible verses about the presence of God. We’ll also learn how to apply these verses to our lives. I invite you to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional book to help you become more aware of God’s presence in your life. Let’s begin by turning to God’s Word. Bible Verses About the Presence…
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How to Be Still and Listen to God: 7 Practical Tips
Daylight finds us with an unseasonable chill, and we close the windows and wrap ourselves in fleece blankets. Pulling out my Bible, I flip to a familiar Psalm. It reads, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). I’ve been learning how to be still and listen to God for decades and have yet to master the practice. My mind has been racing again lately, and silencing my thoughts today feels next to impossible. Instead of being critical of my racing mind, I am kind to myself today. I lean back and let the thoughts pass like clouds in a sapphire sky. Finally, after several minutes, my mind…
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8 Bible Verses on Breaking Negative Cycles
I stand in front of the cupboard and stare blankly. I’m not hungry, but this cupboard is where I come to escape when the kids are fighting and the walls are closing in. I know what I should do. I should open my Bible and read through my list of Bible verses on breaking negative cycles of escapism and sin. Instead, I indulge. The cycle of my escapist eating continues, and I feel trapped and ashamed. Bible Verses on Breaking Negative Cycles Perhaps you can relate. Maybe you’ve been trying to overcome a destructive habit for decades, but you can’t seem to find freedom. Today, we’ll explore eight Bible verses…
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10 Bible Verses About Dwelling in the Presence of God
What do you want your life to be about? I asked myself this question the other day as dawn ascended in shades of lilac over the tree line. Opening my Bible in search of Bible verses about dwelling in the presence of God, I thought about learning to embrace more of life’s moments, cultivating joy, and rising above stress. Bible Verses About Dwelling in the Presence of God As I watched the sunrise, I reflected on the previous day and noticed some unhealthy patterns: my tendency to hurry through certain chores, impatience with my family, and an undercurrent of stress flowing beneath all my moments. There were no epic disasters.…
