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How to Empty Yourself and Let God Fill You
The syncopated sound of rain on a metal roof nearly lulls me to sleep on a grey afternoon. Life has been full lately, and this afternoon to rest is nothing short of a gift. Perhaps you need this gift, too—space to empty yourself and let God fill you. Empty Yourself and Let God Fill You Every few years, I reread a book called Invitation to Solitude and Silence by Ruth Haley Barton. I rarely read books more than once. Yet I return to this book because I need its truths regularly. I read the book again this summer, and it reminded me of what it looks like to quiet myself…
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How to Give God Control: 5 Scriptures on Surrendering to God
As morning broke, I recently left my usual chair and walked outside to the deck. The world was teeming with energy and life. Songbirds surrounded me as I opened my Bible in search of Scriptures on surrendering to God and slowing my pace. I needed this encouragement because summer break has come. Our oldest children will be home for the next two months. As much as I love these days together, I also fight the urge to rush from one task to the next. In the summertime, I struggle to keep up with the dishes, the laundry, and the constant requests for snacks and entertainment. I feel like I can’t…
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Transform Your Life With These 5 Prayers for the New Year
The wind howls all day—rattling the windowpanes and nearly bending the old poplar to its breaking point. We watch through ice-glazed glass while the Christmas lights blaze white on the mantle. I have no idea that stepping into the white world is about to help me begin praying focused prayers for the New Year. “You’re not thinking of taking your daily walk today, are you, Mom?” a little voice prods. “Are you worried about me?” I ask, turning from the window where the snow is swirling in small whirlwinds across the yard. “You shouldn’t go out in this,” our young son declares protectively. “The TV said it’s 40-below zero with…
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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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How to Let Go and Let God: 5 Practical Ways to Surrender
The little one sits beneath a tall row of golden cone flowers. Ten feet tall, they tower like trees with vibrant sunny heads. As my boy throws stones into the dark water of Wolf Creek’s pools, I take a moment to consider how to let go and let God take control of my life. Like a child heaving small boulders into a lazy creek, I want to learn to cast my cares onto the Lord. I want to learn how to let my concerns rest with him instead of wading into the waters of doubt and picking them up again. Most of us like the idea of giving God control;…
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Give It to God: 5 Ways to Give God Control
A midsummer drought slows the creek to a trickle and darkens it to the color of black tea. I sit by the water with a friend, and we talk about hopes, dreams, and the prayers we desperately want God to answer. We talk about how hard it can be to surrender control—to “give it to God” and trust him with the outcomes in our lives. I wonder if you can relate. Maybe you’ve been chasing a dream that hasn’t come to fruition, and you’re not sure how to embrace your calling while trustfully giving it to God at the same time. Perhaps you’ve been asking God to mend a broken…
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Submitting Your Emotions to God: 3 Steps to Help You
I spent most of my life believing that my emotions needed to be controlled and surpressed. Not recognizing the biblical truth that my emotions were God-given, I often wrestled with the intensity of my feelings. If you can relate, you’re in the right place. Today, I’ll invite you to begin the process of submitting your emotions to God. As we walk through this process, I invite you to join me as I walked through this process myself. Submitting Your Emotions to God Tufts of fog hover beneath an apricot sky as storm clouds roll eastward on the wings of dusk. I sit by the window and focus on breathing slowly.…
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5 Prayers for Insecurity: When You Wonder If You Fit in
Do you ever walk into crowded rooms 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. 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 from afar. Now that I’m here, I’m reconsidering. I imagine the hundreds of women who will sit among the…
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7 Calming Verses for When Life Feels Overwhelming
We all face overwhelming moments in life. Today, we’ll explore 7 calming verses for when life feels overwhelming. I invite you to soak in these truths today as God’s peace washes over your soul. 7 Calming Verses for When Life Feels Overwhelming 1. A Verse for Overwhelming Moments You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3 This powerful verse reminds us that perfect peace is possible. Perfect peace is available when we return our wandering thoughts to the Lord and trust him. Are your thoughts racing all over the place? Take those thoughts captive. Return them to the centering focal…
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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.…
