A while ago, I experienced a reconciliation with someone who hurt me deeply. After our interaction was over, I smiled and thanked God for giving me the gift of healing. I gave Him the glory and said, “You did this, God!” And, immediately, I heard His response in my head: “But you LET me.” Then […]

It’s bedtime and I have been striving since breakfast to make time to sit with God. But my day has been hectic, and my “First” has now become my “Last” as night arrives. Jesus, I ask You to take the shackles of performance and hustle off my wrists and bind me to You alone. I […]

God has marked you even though the enemy targets you. God set you apart, choosing you to be the place where He dwells. Do not betray or second-guess God’s selection, and stand firm against the enemy’s attacks. God will fight for you, if you let him. What the enemy means for targeting, God means for […]

Often, darkness feels worse than it is. It feels thick and heavy and endless, because you don’t know when the light will come to push it away. You worry that things won’t ever get better: the stress won’t subside, the teenager won’t open up, the job won’t slow down, the disease won’t be healed, the […]

It’s painful when hope dies, no matter what sort of hope you cling to. And I question and wonder, all along knowing He’s okay with me questioning and wondering. No matter what, I still trust because His track record with me is one of unflagging faithfulness. He always has my best in mind. The truth […]

I spent the first part of my life not knowing I needed a Savior. I was self-reliant, independent, and strong enough to stand on my own feet. I never considered myself needy until loss demolished my life and I sensed my fragility for the first time. Over many years, God taught me how to depend […]

For many years, I lived a religious life and not a Christ-centered life. I didn’t realize there was a difference, that I could be religious without Jesus. I finally had a true “religious experience” – albeit heavy on the “experience” and light on the “religious.” I surrendered control of my life to Christ and was […]

I assume my own heart is the one place where I am always safe and always innocent. Oh, but how I’ve found that to be the opposite sometimes! My heart is fickle and selfish. It will always choose self-preservation over future pain. It would rather strike out at others than admit vulnerability. Some days, my […]

There are some lessons you feel you’ve grown beyond. You believe you’ve mastered the message. But if that were true, then why do certain situations still trigger a response from you? When someone or something taps into your deep emotions, it’s a signal to pay attention. God will often keep sending that same kind of […]

Want to try a different sort of resolution for 2018? You may have read a daily devotional in the past: something like Daily Guideposts or maybe Jesus Calling. They’re books that lead you through an entire year’s worth of readings devoted to spending time with God or learning about the Bible. Would you please join […]