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8 Thanksgiving Prayer Points With Scriptures to Guide You
Another grey sky greeted us this morning. I went to the window and watched the raindrops cling to the spruce needles like tiny, translucent pearls. Pulling out my Bible for guidance, I began thanking God for his goodness as I prayed his Words. In the process, God lifted my head and encouraged my heart. If this kind of prayer sounds refreshing, I invite you to join me as we explore eight thanksgiving prayer points with Scriptures to guide us. 8 Thanksgiving Prayer Points With Scriptures As I looked out the window and prayed, I saw the rainy day through a different lens. Instead of complaining, I gave thanks for the…
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How to Have More Joy in the Lord—Even When Life is Tough
We are at the creek again today—hoping to imbibe the scarce rays of golden sunlight peering at us from behind the wooded knolls. I long to live with deep roots of joy in the Lord, but the winter months are often challenging. We’re on the cusp of springtime now. Nevertheless, the winter months have worn on me. Maybe you can relate. You might not have to fight for joy in the wintertime, but perhaps you’re navigating a difficult season in your life. Today, we’ll talk about how to have more joy in the Lord when life is challenging. No matter what your challenge looks like, I pray these words offer…
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7 Bible Verses About Being Stuck (and Tips for Breaking Free)
Somewhere along the thin line between night’s inky darkness and the hoary glow of daybreak, I place a flat palm on the frosted windowpane. It’s late winter in our world. I feel stuck inside and stuck in life today. Opening my Bible, I begin my search for Bible verses about being stuck in life. We all feel stuck at times. We feel stuck in habits we cannot break, jobs we don’t enjoy, and callings that suck the life from our bodies. During these times, God’s Word offers encouragement and inspiration. Today, we’ll explore seven Bible verses about being stuck. We’ll also look at five practical ways to get un-stuck! Let’s…
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Who I Am in Christ: Discovering the Part of You That Can Never Change
For the past two weeks, I’ve been offering glimpses into my new book, Lean Into Grace. Today will be our last excerpt from the book. This reading shares the story of one of the most challenging stretches of my life and describes the way God used difficult circumstances to teach me who I am in Christ. Let’s head into the book together. Who I Am in Christ My journey to more deeply understand who I am in Christ began shortly after my 29th birthday when my husband and I discovered that we were expecting our first child. We were thrilled. We’d been dreaming of becoming parents for four years, and…
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Lean Into Grace Is on Sale Now (Plus Reflections on Trusting God in All Circumstances)
Today is the day! My new book, Lean Into Grace, is now on sale! Find it right here! To celebrate, I have a special gift for you: a glimpse inside the book. The following excerpt is adapted from one of my favorite illustrations in the book and includes reflections on trusting God in all circumstances. Thank you so much for supporting the release of this new book. My prayer is that it will lead multitudes of people to life-changing encounters with the Living God. Trusting God in All Circumstances Every summer, I take our daughter Bekah on an overnight camping trip in Pennsylvania’s forested hills. We shove our sleeping bags,…
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How to Stop Worrying and Trust God in Tough Times
I’ve been a worrier for as long as I can remember. Throughout the past decade, I’ve been on a journey of learning how to stop worrying and trust God with the parts of my life that are important to me. Maybe you can relate. It’s not easy to keep from falling apart when it looks like your world might come crashing down at any given moment. Maybe you lost your job, the relationship finally fell apart, or the wayward child still hasn’t come home. It’s not easy to figure out how to stop worrying and trust God. Perhaps you prayed and pleaded for God to bring a dream to pass. …
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Join the Launch Team for My New Book, Lean Into Grace
I have exciting news to share with you today! After years of hard work, intensive editing, and much prayer, I’m preparing to release a new paperback book at the end of this month! It’s called Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free. I’d love your support in helping me launch this book into the world. If you are interested in joining my launch team, I’ll send you a free PDF file of the book in exchange for your support. I won’t ask much, only that you consider writing an Amazon review if you enjoy the book. I’ll also invite you to join…
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7 Characteristics of a Transformed Life
Are you searching for evidence that God is working in your life? Today, we’ll look at 7 characteristics of a transformed life. I invite you to join me as God transformed me through a challenging situation. Then, we’ll take a closer look at what it means to be transformed by God. 7 Characteristics of a Transformed Life The clock reads half-past two, and the moon hangs high in the inky black of a December night. I’m lost in deep sleep, and I have no idea that I’m about to be transformed by God through the encounter that unfolds. At first, I’m not sure what stirred me from sleep. It takes…
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Suffering at Christmas? 5 Insights to Give You Hope
Snow falls heavily like flour through a sifter, and I’m alone with only my thoughts and the hushed whisper of flakes gathering on frozen earth. As I sit beneath the hemlocks, I’m reminded of a season years ago when our family was suffering at Christmas. It was a year filled with illness, disappointment, and deep grief. We’d just watched a lifelong dream go up in smoke, and we weren’t sure where to turn next. We were grieving, and we were having a hard time embracing the Christmas season. I wonder if you’ve walked through a similar season of your own. Maybe it was a long time ago, or you might…
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Letting Go and Trusting God: 8 Reasons to Trust Him
This morning, I was startled to find the wood line painted grey. Nevertheless, the bleak scene matched the state of my soul. I sat by the window and wondered, What is God doing in my life? Letting go and trusting God felt nearly impossible. Above the hardwoods, a lavender cloud arched its back into the shape of a question mark. Perhaps the heavens were questioning God’s purposes as well. Later in the day, I took a walk beneath the naked arms of the maples, oaks, and sycamores. I let my mind trace the footprints of a handful of recent disappointments—disappointments that felt far heavier than a dismal shift of seasons. …
