“Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’” 1 Samuel 2:29 (NIV) It’s natural for parents to pray for their children to be safe. When my kids got hurt, I hurt. When they suffered, I suffered also. And I…
“And so dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice–the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but…
“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105 NLT) A God Who Speaks From the very first pages of Scripture, we discover that our God is a God who speaks. He spoke the earth into existence. He walked and talked with Adam and Eve. And thousands of years later, He…
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. (Philippians 4:11) Clearly, something was bothering my friend. I watched her move through her newly remodeled kitchen with heavy sighs and a discouraged look on her face. Almost afraid to ask, I gently ventured,…
“Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him. And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre,…
Philippians 1:1–11 What to Pray When You Don’t Know What to Say From a young age, most of us were taught the basics of kindness. Say please and thank you. Be considerate. And always, always write a thank-you note. Paul, writing from a prison cell, did exactly that. His letter to the church in Philippi is unlike his…
They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green. Psalm 92:14 I’m 37 years old and I still haven’t made it as a TikTok star! Does my life even matter? Okay, so maybe that’s not something you’d say. Me neither. But sometimes, if we’re being honest, I think many of us quietly assume that our most fruitful years—the ones where we do things that matter—happen when we’re young. When we have energy. Vision. And an…
But Martha was distracted with much serving. Luke 10:40 ESV The Enemy of Intimacy How often do you get your cup of coffee, light a candle, turn on some peaceful worship music, and crack open your Bible… only to grab your phone and check a quick email, respond to a text, or see how many likes your…
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4, ESV A few years ago, one of my teenage sons had emergency spinal surgery to remove a lemon-sized tumor, that mercifully ended up…
I watched her take the stage—poised and confident—though I knew she was fighting butterflies inside. She stood before the judges, ready to defend her senior thesis, the culmination of her high school years. And as I sat there, holding back tears, I couldn’t help but think of where it all began. It felt like just…
The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV Seek Out Silence One summer, I found my soul in a depleted state. We’d moved to a new town…
Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. John 12:3 NIV From Nearness to Extravagant Worship At the beginning of Jesus’s public ministry, Mary and Martha invited Jesus…
When You said, “Seek My face [in prayer, require My presence as your greatest need],” my heart said to You, “Your face, O LORD, I will seek [on the authority of Your word].” Psalm 27:8 AMP Could it be that our restlessness and lack of satisfaction in life is a result of our disobedience to…
You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1 NKJV I’ve struggled with being so distracted during my quiet times with God lately. There has been so much going on in the…
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.”Proverbs 16:3 NIV We were in the middle of talking through a big decision, something I really wanted for our family. And then my husband said something that stopped me. “You want this, and it’s an admirable thing. But it would add more…
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