We tell ourselves life will slow down. After the holidays. After the kids go back to school. After the kids are out of school. After we finish a big project at work. We assume at some point there will be time to breathe. Sip some tea in our favorite mug. We make plans to snuggle on the couch under...
Joy is the difference-maker in the life of a believer. It’s evidence that God is at work. Joy doesn’t ignore the tragedy or trials of life, and it doesn’t fake a smile. It’s not a fleeting feeling, but an attitude of love and hope. It’s the result of the blessed assurance that God is our Helper,...
Fear digs its claws in deep and shakes you to the core. It’s debilitating. It affects your heart, mind, body, and soul. Fear isolates and robs us of courage. Fear convinces us of the worst possible scenario. Fear destroys us. But guess what? Fear is a liar! God is bigger than our fears. God is...
Withholding forgiveness gives us a false sense of power. A false sense of power is pride that leads us astray. Forgiveness denied doesn’t punish the other person. It punishes us. We make excuses as to why we could never forgive those who have wronged us but in doing so we deny ourselves fresh...
Is your phone the first thing you reach for in the morning and the last thing you touch before bed? Do you frequently pick up your phone to check your lock screen notifications? Do you go on your phone to “look something up” only to discover 45 minutes later that you forgot what you were searching...
What goes through your mind when you are expecting something to work out and nothing happens? I get pretty disappointed every single time. Recently I’ve been meditating on the Book of Psalms. I noticed a pattern where the writer begins by listing his troubles in the beginning or is expressing...
What do you do when the words “I’m not good enough” come into your thoughts? When negative thoughts like “I can’t do this” or “I’ll never change” create limitations in your daily life and keep you from even trying? Do you have lies that hang around in your head no matter how much you try to ignore...
It is impossible to travel safely in all my road trips across America unless I have my Waze navigation system open on my phone. When you are going through a dark and painful night of the soul, it may take a while before you remember that God is your guide—and that he wants you to have his help....
Does trouble or difficult situations ever cause you to wonder if God is punishing you? The circumstances of our lives are not always easy – job loss, broken down car, failed relationships, health problems, financial difficulties – can all cause us to question, “Why is God punishing me?!” Many of...
During the Christmas season, I was watching a movie called Arthur Christmas which is about how a little girl is left without a present on Christmas Eve and Santa’s son makes every effort that the little girl will have her present by Christmas morning. The story was very touching, during the end...
Recently I was asked me to give a devotion to the team, one hour before I needed to give it. My initial thought when asked was: I’m not feeling very devoted today. I’d had a rough week dealing with some challenges with my children and things they were going through and I was just feeling very...
Without honesty, a truly deep relationship with God is impossible! God cannot hear us, or speak to us if we are building a wall of self-deception. A lot of our conversations are usually filled with deception; most of it, unfortunately, is self-deception. What do I mean by this? Why am I making...