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Honor God With Your Body: 12 Practical Ways
Have you ever wondered how to honor God with your body? Perhaps you’ve read Romans 12:1 and want to apply it to your life: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (NIV). Today, we’ll talk about how to honor God with your body by practicing 12 practical steps. I invite you to join me on a clear winter morning, and we’ll explore the idea of bringing God glory in all we do. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional…
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God’s Purpose for the Storms of Life
The sky opened wide this afternoon, and raindrops the size of marbles splashed in tiny pools upon our faces. We ran through the forest as thunder growled, surprised that the canopy overhead did so little to protect us from the rain. I had no way of knowing that the afternoon thundershower was about to be a reminder of God’s purpose for the storms of life. God’s Purpose for the Storms of Life As the dusty trail turned slick with mud beneath our feet, my son’s laughter was drowned out by the roar of falling sky meeting leaves and earth. We reached the truck saturated and mud-covered up to our knees,…
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How to Lament With God: Finding Healing Through Honest Prayer
Years ago, a friend encouraged me to lament with God after a difficult loss in my life. “It’s important to let all these feelings out because they can lead to bitterness toward God if you hold them in. Tell him what you’re feeling. He can take it,” she said. Taking her advice, I went to the woods on a snowy winter evening. I let the tears flow as I sat along a quiet stream. I also let my anger out as I threw rocks into the water and told God that what happened didn’t seem fair. Verbalizing my anger, frustration, and confusion, I didn’t hold anything back from him. After…
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8 Ways to Resist the Devil and Live in Victory
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 “We need to be careful not to give the enemy too much credit,” a wise friend recently pointed out. “Satan does attack us, but we also face attacks simply because we live in a fallen world, and our flesh gravitates toward sin. ‘The devil made me do it,’ is not always a valid explanation.” I’ve been thinking of her words often. Satan prowls around the earth looking for people to devour. We also live in a fallen world in which imperfect people are constantly dealing with the sinful desires common to human nature. In…
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How to Make Thankfulness Your Sacrifice to God
“Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God . . .” Psalm 50:14, NLT A million snowflakes fall effortlessly to the frozen earth, piling upon themselves in brilliance while I stand silently watching. My heart is heavy as I stand in this winter forest today—grieving so much change and loss over the past months. As the snow settles with an almost undiscernible hush, a verse comes to mind: “Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God” (Psalm 50:14, NLT). A friend’s words reverberate in my heart at the same time, reminding me to give thanks even in the pain of this season. Sometimes, thankfulness is nothing short of a sacrifice—a gift offered with a…
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15 Bible Verses About Not Giving Up in Tough Times
The way the mittenlike leaf of the poplar unfurls from its tiny burgundy bud is an astonishing mystery to me. In these moments of wonder, the rhythms of the natural world offer encouragement about the importance of perseverance. Today, we’ll explore 15 Bible verses about not giving up in adversity. I invite you to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you persevere through life’s difficult seasons. Bible Verses About Not Giving Up in Tough Times As the old poplar tree reminds me, when we stand strong in the face of challenges (including long winters, spiritually dry spells, and seasons of feeling defeated),…
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5 Gifts Found in the Valley of Weeping
Passing through the Valley of Weeping (Baca), they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with blessings. Psalm 84:6 AMP The Gifts We Find in the Valley of Weeping A chorus of birdsong ascends out the window, almost as if encouraging us to hope again—reminding us that seasons change, and a master Creator has ordered the ebb and flow of the world he holds in his hand. As I sit at the window and greet the day, I thank God for the gift of springtime sunshine and the shift away from the long, dark winter months. Opening my Bible, the words of Psalm 84 capture…
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Keep Christ in Christmas: 9 Ways to Keep Jesus Central
“Who wants to go on an adventure?” I ask the kids as we drive through farm country on a frigid Saturday afternoon. As the darkness of impending winter presses tighter, we could all use the reminder that the Light of the world has come. We could use the reminder to keep Christ in Christmas when the festivities threaten to draw our attention away from him. Keep Christ in Christmas Two hours later, we bundle in mittens, heavy winter coats, stocking caps, and heavy boots. Perspiration beads on my forehead as I slide the final mitten over the little one’s fingers. Managing to pile out the door on the cusp of…
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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,…
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10 Empowering Bible Verses About Feeling Defeated
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 Bible verses about feeling defeated because I sense I’ll need them throughout the long months ahead. Bible Verses About Feeling Defeated 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. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional…
