Devotionals for the Heart: Life lessons learned from watching a butterfly

When the Struggle is Worth It
A devotional by by Suzanne Felton

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”—Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV)

The life cycle of a butterfly is sometimes used as a metaphor for the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, as well as the spiritual transformation of all who put their faith in Him.

The metamorphosis of a crawling caterpillar into a beautiful, soaring butterfly is a powerful picture of Christ’s victory over death and the tomb. It is also an amazing, awe-inspiring thing to observe in nature. I learned a lot the first time I had that chance to be immersed in an outdoor observation one summer when I spotted a monarch caterpillar in our backyard. I watched it munching leaves for several days until there was a small, green, pod—a chrysalis—hanging in the place where the caterpillar had been. It was happening! I knew this was the stage in which the caterpillar was changing into a butterfly. I could not wait to see it emerge! About two weeks later, I noticed a change in the chrysalis. I was so excited that I got a lawn chair and settled in to watch the big event. I was ready to see the new butterfly triumphantly burst out of its tomb and take to the skies.

Much to my dismay, that’s not what happened. There was no bursting forth and there was nothing triumphant about it. Instead, for what seemed like forever (really about half an hour), whatever was inside the chrysalis struggled pitifully to get out through a small crack. It was hard to watch. I was afraid this butterfly had not fully developed and was not going to make it. I felt bad for it and I was tempted to run inside, get some scissors, and help the poor thing out myself, but I decided to let nature take its course.

When the creature was finally out of the chrysalis, it looked nothing like the glorious monarch butterflies I’ve seen in pictures. This was a wrinkled, weak-looking version, like someone had crumpled it up to throw it away. I could not take it anymore. I was sure something had gone wrong, and this butterfly would never fly. I packed up my chair and went inside.

About an hour later, curiosity got the better of me, and I went back to check on the butterfly one last time. What I saw took my breath away. Where the weak, shriveled insect had been before was a gorgeous, vibrant butterfly, wings spread wide and shining in the sun. I had barely processed the vision when the wings fluttered and the butterfly rose into the air, glided across the yard and out of sight.

For Christians, Easter Sunday is a joyful day of victory and celebration. We know that Jesus Christ died on the cross, overcame death, and rose on the third day. We know that He still lives, and that everyone who puts their faith in Him will also overcome death and have eternal life in Heaven. Hallelujah!

However, we might forget this fact of life: Sometimes His path to joy and victory was not glorious or easy to watch. Even before the unthinkable, excruciating physical pain of crucifixion, Jesus was betrayed by one of His closest friends, denied by another, rejected by the masses, convicted unjustly, mocked, and beaten by His captors. To outside observers, it must have looked as though this Jesus, the Teacher who had gained so many followers, was crumpled up, weak, and not going to make it. When His body was sealed in the tomb, it must have seemed like the end. But only a short time later, Jesus was alive again in a radiant, restored body!

It turns out, as I later learned, that a butterfly’s struggle to emerge from its chrysalis is a necessary part of its life cycle. The physical strain as it wrestles its way out is essential for strengthening its muscles and developing its wings. In short, without the struggle, it would never be able to fly.

Christ’s earthly path to the cross was not easy, and He was not eager to suffer. The Bible says that Jesus prayed fervently in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-40) that His Father (God) would take away the burden of what He had to do, but when God did not, He obeyed because He knew that what He would accomplish through his suffering would be far greater than even the weight of the sin of the world. As the Bible tells us, “For the joy set before him he endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2 NIV). God could have made things easier for His Son, but the struggle was a necessary part of the plan.

Putting our faith in Jesus does not guarantee us immunity from struggles or pain. In fact, the Bible tells us that the opposite is true. Before he was crucified, Jesus told His disciples what was going to happen to Him, and how they would face trouble because they were His followers. Then He said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NIV). We will all face difficult times in this life, but, as followers of Jesus Christ, we can remember that our faith is in the One who has overcome it all. The Apostle Paul knew this when he wrote, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18 NIV). Like Jesus, we can face the struggles of this world because of our hope in the joy that is to come.

This is Holy Week. As we look forward to the joy and celebration of Christ’s resurrection at Easter, let us not forget that His path to victory was not easy or appealing. Christ’s struggle was a necessary part of God’s plan of salvation. If you are struggling right now, you can put your hope in the One who has overcome death and darkness and wants to give you joy and peace.

Let’s Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, this week we pause to remember the tremendous sacrifice of your Son, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to save us from sin. Help us to remember that no matter what we are struggling with now, we can have hope because the joy of eternal life with You awaits us. Thank You, Lord, for loving us so much. In Jesus’s name we pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Thank You Jesus for the Blood (Live)” by Charity Gayle. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Suzanne Felton has been a writer for most of her life, even before she realized it. 

She has worked in a wide range of settings, from non-profits to science labs to government contracts to educational classrooms, all of which involved writing in one form or another.

Suzanne is amazed by the power of words and now uses her passion and experience to help authors and students as a writing coach. Encouraging others to find the words and the courage to share their stories is one of her greatest joys.

Suzanne’s devotionals have been published in periodicals and blogs including The Upper Room, The Love Offering, Keys 4 Kids, and The Swallow’s Nest. She is also a two-time finalist in the Cascade Christian Writing Contest for poetry.

She is a wife, mother, writer, reader, teacher, deep thinker, and sinner saved by grace. Suzanne and her family reside in Northern Virginia, but Suzanne will always call her native South Carolina home.

Married to her best friend for twenty-five years, Suzanne is active in her church, where she and her husband have served as deacons for over a decade. They enjoy watching sports and visiting national parks with their two teenage sons. Suzanne is also an avid birder, easily and happily distracted by anything with feathers.

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Connect with Suzanne:
Website: https://suzannefelton.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/l_suzanne_felton
Email address: suzannefeltonwriter@gmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: How to bear good fruit in God's Kingdom

Fruit Bearing in God’s Kingdom
A devotional by Karen Marstaller

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

—Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)

This morning a friend sent me a video of her little granddaughter reciting Galatians 5:22-23. She couldn’t have been more than five or six years old, but she was perfectly at ease as she quoted God’s word without any coaching. It was a beautiful testimony of her family’s dependence on the Lord and their devotion to teaching their children to memorize Scripture.

That little girl’s testimony convicted me not just because she knew all the words, but because her sweet face was wreathed in smiles as she spoke. She was dancing as she remembered each part, and when she finished her joyful rendition, she looked up adoringly at her parents to make sure she had said it all perfectly.

It convicted me because I realized how seldom God’s fruit of the Spirit in me looks like that young child. And it made me wonder if anyone who knows me would even recognize me if my face was as radiant as the girl in the video appeared. Are the spiritual fruits that the Lord wants me to exhibit evident in my life?

Lately, I’d have to say maybe not.

Why do I let the cares and concerns of daily living defeat God’s invitation to live by the Spirit and to produce His fruit in my life? How do I become so overwhelmed with calendars and schedules that kindness and gentleness rush out of my relationships? What will it take to show me how to dance again in the eyes of my Heavenly Father simply because there is so much joy in His presence? When will I wake up and realize that there is beauty in faithfulness, peace in obedience, and self-control in His strength?

As the Old Testament psalmist asked, “How long, O Lord?” Psalm 13:1 (ESV).

So, instead of whining and complaining about having too much to do, my question to God now is, “Lord, how long do I need to exhibit Your spiritual fruit in my life?” Rhetorical questions like this one deserve only one answer, and the answer is always.

Does God want us to always share His fruit of the Spirit with those in the world around us? Absolutely! How can we do that? One word: obedience. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV) tells us to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” It’s a great place to start.

Give thanks because our joints are hurting? Sure, and while we’re at it, let’s thank God for the physical therapist who is helping us to feel better. Thank Him for our meager paycheck? Of course! Thank Him for giving us a job.

Is practicing gratitude working for you yet? It is for me. Somehow life seems a little bit more hopeful. Maybe it feels a little more joyful. And maybe obedience is even showing me how to live closer to Christ. If this keeps up, I might turn into that little girl who loves learning God’s Word. My aching joints don’t ache quite as much when I’m dancing!

Whatever our circumstances, our thankful attitudes are steps of obedience to create loving, peaceful, joyful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled fruit for the Lord to multiply as He sees fit.

Jesus Christ, our Lord, cautions us about fruit-bearing in Matthew 21:18-22 (ESV). During the last few days before the crucifixion of Jesus and His resurrection, He and His disciples were walking one day when they came to a fig tree that was barren, with no fruit on it anywhere. Jesus says to the tree, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” (Matthew 21:19). That tree withered immediately at the rebuke of our Lord.

Let’s not be like that barren tree. In obedience, let us follow Jesus every day of our lives. May we have fruit to share with our brothers and sisters in this world so we can resemble that little girl who gazed up in adoration when she finished her verses. Our Father (God) sees and is glad when we follow Him genuinely.

Let’s Pray: Dear Lord God, oh, how we need You! Please show us the places where You ask us to obey. Please forgive us for our gloomy outlooks and for our rebellion against You, too. Lord, we need Your spiritual face-lifts in our lives. Please let us please You, our Savior and our God. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “I Wanna Bear Fruit (the Fruit of the Spirit)” by CJ and Friends. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Karen Marstaller is a retired high school teacher who spent most of her career challenging creative students to write. Her heart is for her readers. 

She writes to encourage them, to make them laugh, to show them that life is a beautiful journey, and regardless of their past, to show them that there is joy ahead if they will just keep looking.

Karen and her husband live in central Texas in a sweet little home that they completely remodeled. They enjoy spending time with their family, which includes seven precious grandchildren.

Most of all, Karen writes in obedience to the command to love your neighbor, to offer a cup of water to those who are dying of thirst, and to comfort others with the comfort she has received.

You can reach Karen by emailing her at this address: klmarstaller@gmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: Why God wants us to seek Him first

See Me First
A devotional by Colleen C. Howard

“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”—Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

My husband and I became parents in the 1980s.

This decade was filled with change—disposable cameras, camcorders, and the CD player are just a few. Video stores were becoming popular, and for the first time, you could rent a movie, take it home, and watch it at your convenience. It boggles the mind, but at the time, this was revolutionary.

During the 1990s, video stores began to dominate. They not only offered thousands of movie selections, but you could also purchase snacks, rent video games, and more. When our children were eleven and thirteen, we decided they were old enough to be left alone for the evening. We had a wedding rehearsal to attend and would be gone until about 9:00 p.m. They had dinner, a rental movie, and a smorgasbord of snacks. They were armed with phone numbers to call if they needed us. We prayed for safety and wise decisions and headed for the church. We were gone for about three hours.

On the drive home, we realized we hadn’t heard from the children and assumed all was well—until we pulled into the garage.

A note from our firstborn was strategically placed on the garage door leading into the house. These four words struck fear in this mama’s heart. It read, “See me first, Melissa.” We opened the door, and everything seemed calm. The house was quiet. Nothing was broken or out of place, and then she appeared. Melissa marched down the hall on a mission and headed straight for us as if a duel was about to occur.

The story tumbled out, but her words were clear. The movie we rented was in a hard plastic case, and her brother had difficulty getting it out. Determined to free the video from captivity, he slammed it on the kitchen table, creating a two-inch gash in the wood.

Melissa wanted the facts to be clearly stated—this was not her fault. Nick apologized, and it was clearly an accident. Much to Melissa’s chagrin, we weren’t too broken up about the table. It was old, and we disguised the gash with olive oil and wood stain. Melissa’s note represented more than an act of tattling on her brother. It was a call for justice and comfort. She wanted to be cleared of all wrongdoing.

Children look to their parents for love, protection, and justice. They want to know we’re on their side. When we’ve been treated unfairly, our first instinct is to lash out and vindicate ourselves. I don’t know about you, but I’ve experienced several unjust situations. In each, I wanted to take care of matters by myself.

How do we resist the urge to take care of injustice alone? Who will comfort us? God tells us to seek Him first (Matthew 6:33) and reminds us His steadfast love never ceases, and His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

We tend to hold a grudge when we seek justice, and our hearts become bitter. I love this quote from author Joyce Myers, “You can be bitter or better, but you can’t be both.” It’s not our job to deliver justice because we’re not the hero of our story. Our responsibility is to take our need for justice to our Savior (Jesus Christ).

God is the hero of our stories! He forgave us, saved us from sin, and is on our side. Perhaps we can take a tip from children like Melissa and give distracting, unjust situations to God. He loves us and is working all things for the good of His children.

Let’s Pray: Thank You, Lord, for being the hero of our stories. Help us to refrain from taking matters of injustice into our own hands, for You alone are in control. You are just and your faithfulness goes before you. Keep us focused on You and help us to seek You first every day of our lives. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “In Christ Alone” by Keith and Kristyn Getty. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “First” by Lauren Daigle. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Colleen C. Howard is a Jesus follower, wife, mom, mimi, educator and author. 

She lives with her husband in the beautiful Arizona desert where the sunsets are spectacular, the summers are hot, and the winters are a little slice of heaven. Her two adult children and their families live nearby. She considers it a joy to spend time with her family members!

She is a lifelong educator and co-founder of an educational professional development business. After spending her professional life in education, Colleen retired as the STEM Specialist for a large public school district. As she approached the end of that season, God placed a strong desire in Colleen’s heart to shine a light on God’s presence throughout ordinary days and encourage women in their faith-walk with Jesus Christ.

When asked what makes her faith walk real, Colleen replied, “It isn’t just one thing, but a million little things. Although some days bring trials and others bring joy, it’s never just another day.” She says when you give your heart to Jesus, each new day is another opportunity to walk hand-in-hand with Him and begin to know the heart of God. As you become more aware of His presence, stop, take a breath, and watch what God will do.

Colleen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Arizona State University and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University.

She has been published online via these websites: Inkspirations, Her View From Home, and Inside Out Worldwide.

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Connect with Colleen:
Website: http://colleenchoward.com

Devotionals for the Heart: God loves the original you He created you to be

Loving My Oddities Like God Does
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

Have you ever noticed that the little personal oddities and quirks we bring to our family or friendship group are a lot like the gifts we bring to the Kingdom of Heaven?

Recently, my family—four teens, my husband, and me—went bowling for the first time in ages. Our oldest was home from college on spring break, and we had so much fun. About halfway through, I just started laughing to myself. That’s because every one of our family members has a different style, and they’re all hilarious.

Our youngest, a football player, brings all his muscle power to the table, but he does this little leap at the end that almost makes throwing the ball look like a dance.

Our second youngest walks up to the very edge to the line and then she stands there, swinging the ball vigorously back and forth before launching it. Her sister, our second oldest, does what I can only call “the thump”—sort of dropping the ball and letting the weight of it slowly gain momentum as it rolls toward the pins (more often than not, she hits dead center). Our oldest, the family perfectionist, approaches the game much like you’d expect—with laser precision, which sometimes results in a strike and sometimes not.

My husband brings his boundless enthusiasm to the game, and me? I’m wildly inconsistent. I switch up balls every other turn, trying different weights and finger holes. Sometimes I use my left hand just for variety, and sometimes I get a strike while sometimes it’s a gutter. I’m all over the map.

It occurred to me driving home that it’s much like the different spiritual gifts we all have. A lot of our gifts are really different—some of us are healers, some are teachers, and some encouragers. Some of us are leaders, while some of us serve quietly in the background with as little notice as possible, thank you very much. Others bring infectious joy to a group, while others have deep wells of compassion and mercy.

Can you imagine how boring it would be if every single one of us were the same? If each of us looked the same, spoke the same, and brought the same gifts to the world? How monotonous! How tedious!

Yet sometimes we human beings act like all we want is conformity. We want all our students to act the same way in the classroom and our political leaders to be the same. We think sometimes that there is one standard for beauty instead of celebrating what makes us different.

What makes us different also makes us special. It’s also something God designed on purpose. He likes those quirks, those oddities, those differences. He likes the things about us we sometimes try to conceal, thinking they’re so strange and different. Those are the things he likes best, perhaps.

Why does it take us so long to recognize this? Some of us go to lengths to tuck away and hide the seemingly strange or unique aspects of our personalities or skills or looks instead of simply owning and celebrating them. I speak from experience—I spent a long time molding myself into what I was certain would be “socially acceptable” and “pleasing”, only to finally realize what I liked best about myself were the things that made me different, for they were what helped make me, well. Me. And guess what? Others liked the real me, too, when she finally came out of hiding. Maybe not everyone did, but by then I wasn’t too worried about pleasing everyone else, only about pleasing God.

Sometimes we think there’s one standard of a successful or blessed life, too—someone happily married with children and eventually grandchildren, living their best life with money in the bank and a neat home and investments and a career at a job we’ve worked at all our lives. Yet that doesn’t have anything to do with success. Just like our gifts and our looks, our blessings look quite different, too, and yet all are good!

Today, remember this: God loves you, quirks and all. He loves the real you—makeup free and just waking up in the morning. You are precious to Him because He made you, and you belong to Him.

Consider the words of Psalm 139:1-6 (NIV): “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.”

And because You (God) love me, because You loved creation in the first place, I, too, can share love with others in your name. Amen, and thanks be to God.

Let’s Pray: Lord, thank You for your great love for the world and for me. Help me to appreciate the quirks and oddities about myself, knowing that You created these differences intentionally and with love and care. Please help me to appreciate the differences of others all around me. All of us were created by You, and You are only and always good. In your holy and precious name I pray, Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Many Gifts, One Spirit” by Allen Pote. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning journalist, author, blogger, editor, writing coach, and devotional writer with thousands of articles to her name. 

Since 2010, she has served as the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism, which has won 123 journalism awards during her tenure. Her latest book is Preparing Our Hearts: An Advent Devotional to Draw Closer to God at Christmas.

Jessica has won more than 100 writing awards. She is a seasoned speaker and frequent contributor to Christianity.com, BibleStudyTools.com, and Crosswalk.com, among many others. She has a weekly faith blog at JessicaBrodie.com and is part of the team at Wholly Loved Ministries, with her work included in many of their devotionals and Bible studies.

She’s also produced a free eBook, A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When You’re Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed.

Brodie holds a Master of Arts in English, and she graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in communications/print journalism from Florida International University. Born and raised in Miami, Brodie now lives in Lexington, South Carolina, just outside Columbia. She has also lived in Ohio and in the mountains of western North Carolina. She and her husband, Matt Brodie, have a blended family of four teenage children and stepchildren.

Brodie has written several novels and is actively seeking publication through her agent Bob Hostetler of The Steve Laube Agency. Her novel The Memory Garden won the 2018 Genesis contest for Contemporary Fiction from American Christian Fiction Writers, and her novel Tangled Roots won a third place Foundation Award in Contemporary Romance at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in 2019. She is finishing the third in the series, Hidden Seeds, now.

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Connect with Jessica:
Website: https://www.jessicabrodie.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjessicajbrodie/
Twitter: https://x.com/JessicaJBrodie
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/jessicajbrodie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicajbrodie/
Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica-brodie
Download her free e-book:
https://www.jessicabrodie.com/ebook-god-centered

Devotionals for the Heart: What to do when you are facing failure in this life

The Biblical Response to Failure
A devotional by Chaplain Paul Anderson

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”—Psalm 73:26 (ESV)

Failure is an unavoidable part of life.

Sometimes we fail publicly, in ways others see and remember. Sometimes we fail privately, when our inner battles leave us discouraged and defeated. In those moments, we are painfully reminded of our limitations. We are not invincible. We are not perfect. We are human.

Asaph, the writer of Psalm 73, knew what it was like to wrestle with failure—not just moral failure, but the kind that shakes the soul. In the earlier verses of that psalm, he confesses to deep confusion and envy when he sees the prosperity of the wicked. He wonders why those who defy God seem to flourish, while those who walk with the Lord often suffer. That emotional and spiritual disorientation was, in a very real sense, a kind of failure—a failing heart, a weary soul, a shaken faith.

But it is precisely in this place of frailty that Psalm 73:26 breaks through with incredible hope: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

I have gleaned four life lessons from this text about how to deal with and live with my own failures. Perhaps you can find value in them too:

Life Lesson #1: God is not surprised by our failure.
We often treat failure as a disqualification, but God sees it as part of our development process. Throughout Scripture, we find faithful men and women who stumbled: Moses struck the rock, David sinned gravely, Peter denied Christ, Paul spoke of his weakness. Yet none of them were abandoned by God. Why? Because our failures don’t define our relationship with Him—His grace does.

Life Lesson #2: Failure is not the end of the story.
God has a way of redeeming what is broken. Our setbacks can become the soil in which deeper trust is planted. Sometimes we need to fail so that we can discover the strength that is not our own. Asaph admits, “My heart may fail.” That’s a confession of reality. But then he follows it with truth: “God is the strength of my heart.” That’s a confession of faith.

Life Lesson #3: In failure, we are drawn to dependence.
When everything is going well, we can easily fall into the illusion of self-sufficiency. But when we fall short, when our strength runs dry, we are brought back to the heart of the gospel: We are not enough, but Jesus Christ is. Asaph calls God his “portion forever.” That’s the language of inheritance, of something lasting and unshakeable. Earthly success fades. Human approval shifts. But the Lord is our eternal portion.

Life Lesson #4: The response to failure is not despair, but worship.
As the psalm progresses, Asaph moves from doubt and confusion to a place of renewed devotion. He ends Psalm 73 by saying, “But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works” (Psalm 73:28). Failure can be the doorway to a deeper relationship with the Lord.

So, today, if you find yourself weighed down by failure—whether it’s failure in your walk with God, in a relationship, in a responsibility, or even in your own heart—lift your eyes to the One who never fails. Let Psalm 73:26 be an anchor for your soul. 

Remember: Your failure is not final. God's strength is reliable and it lasts forever. Lean on Him when you're facing failure. Let that be your hope today.

Let’s Pray: Lord of all creation, thank You for Your grace that looks beyond our faults and failures and sees who You are growing us to be. When we fail or falter, restore within us your image. Replenish within us the joy of the Lord. Forgive us our sins and help us to freely forgive others. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Strength of My Life” by Vertical Worship. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Chaplain Anderson is the Director Emeritus of Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries for the North American Division. In this role, he was the friend, advocate and gatekeeper for the profession of chaplaincy among Adventist pastors. 

His new mission is to specialize in personal and personnel development coaching. He journeys with and guides clients, personal and corporate, as they define their goals and grow into their full potential.

His pastoral career began in the Allegheny East Conference where he was ordained.

Subsequently, he served in the Potomac Conference at the Sligo and Seabrook churches. His professional dream was to be a chaplain in the United States Navy. He got to live that dream and achieved the rank of Commander before retiring from Naval service in 2015 with 26 years of service.

Chaplain Anderson has earned four graduate degrees: He earned his Master of Divinity Degree was earned at the seminary at Andrews University. He earned a Master’s of Education from the University of Maryland and a Master’s in Sacred Theology from Boston University. His Doctor of Ministry was conferred by Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington D.C.

Chaplain Anderson and his wife Debra have been married for 41 years. They have two healthy, saved and well-adjusted adult children who picked good spouses and delivered four grandchildren.

Adventures through traveling, reading, praying, preaching, teaching and writing are the avenues of ministry and self-care that define his now and his destiny.

You may connect with Chaplain Anderson via email at this address: psanderson75@gmail.com.

Devotionals for the Heart: How to know if you've truly forgiven someone

Have You Truly Forgiven?
A devotional by Joyce M. Averils

“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”—Ephesians 4:32 (NKJV)

I truly thought I had forgiven my friend.

We had been close for over 20 years. Even though we lived in different states, we stayed connected with long phone calls, encouraging texts, and making it a point to see each other at least once a year.

But everything changed a little over a year ago. She shared a personal confidence of mine with several people—something I had trusted her to keep private. When I confronted her, trying to express how deeply betrayed I felt, she brushed it off. “It wasn’t a big deal,” she said. “You just need to get over it.”

But it was a big deal to me. And in that moment, our friendship dissolved. We stopped speaking. So, I did what I knew to do—I prayed. I asked the Lord to help me forgive her. I believed He had answered my prayer. I thought I had moved on. Then one day, I heard about a wonderful blessing she had received. And instead of feeling happy for her, my first thought was, “How could she get that after what she did to me?”

Immediately, the Holy Spirit convicted me. If I had truly forgiven her, why was I keeping score? Why was I weighing her worthiness? Who am I to decide whether someone deserves God’s goodness? The truth hit hard: I was still holding on to unforgiveness. And that is sin. Maybe you’ve been there too.

Have you ever replayed a confrontation in your mind, imagining how you’d say things differently, setting the record straight? Have you secretly felt satisfied when something negative happened to the person who wronged you? Or, like me, have you been shocked when God blessed them, wondering how He could pour out His favor on someone who hurt you?

These are the quiet, subtle signs that we haven’t extended true forgiveness. And Jesus Christ made it clear: forgiveness isn’t optional. Why do we forgive? Because God forgave us. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:32 (NIV), “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” None of us stand righteous before God apart from His grace. We have been forgiven more than we could ever repay. And just as God extended mercy to us, He calls us to extend it to others. Remember: Forgiving everyone is not a suggestion, it is a command from God.

Let’s read what Jesus says about forgiveness in Matthew 18:21-22 (ESV): Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

Peter wanted a limit – a boundary where he could say, “That’s enough.” But Jesus made it clear: true forgiveness isn’t about keeping count. It’s about a heart of grace.

It’s also important to remember that carrying unforgiveness has consequences. Matthew 6:14-15 (ESV) reminds us that, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

This is one of the hardest truths in Scripture. Unforgiveness doesn’t just affect our relationships with others. It also affects our relationship with God. Holding onto bitterness blocks us from experiencing the fullness of His grace.

I’d like to address the misconception about forgiveness. Too often, we wait for an apology. We want the person who hurt us to acknowledge their wrongdoing, to understand the pain they caused, and to ask for forgiveness. But here’s the thing: God forgave us without demanding anything in return. That’s what grace is all about. Romans 5:8 (NIV) says, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Before we repented. Before we asked for mercy. Before we could even see the depth of our sin, He forgave us.

So, if we require something from the person who wronged us before we forgive them, then we don’t really understand grace. But how do we truly forgive?

First, acknowledge the hurt. Forgiveness doesn’t mean pretending it didn’t happen. Jesus never minimized sin. He acknowledged it but chose to forgive anyway.

Next, surrender it to God. Let go of the desire to see justice done your way. Trust that God is the ultimate judge.

Then, pray for them. It’s hard to stay bitter toward someone when you’re genuinely praying for their well-being. Jesus told us to pray for our enemies because prayer changes our hearts, too.

Also, release the scorecard. Stop keeping track of offenses. If you’re still tallying the wrongs, you haven’t truly let them go.

Finally, remember who you are. You are a recipient of God’s mercy. And if you’ve been forgiven, how can you not extend the same grace?

Forgiveness is not about excusing wrong behavior. It’s not about letting people continue to hurt you. But it is about freeing your heart from the weight of bitterness. That’s what the Holy Spirit reminded me about my friend. So, I confessed my sin with a heart of real forgiveness this time. My friend and I are still not besties like before, but we’re speaking again. And I can honestly say that I have forgiven her because Jesus died for her just as much as He died for me.

If you’re still holding on to unforgiveness for someone who hurt you, release it. Let it go. Walk in freedom because when we truly forgive everyone, we reflect the heart of Christ.

Let’s Pray: Lord, You have forgiven me for so much. Who am I not to forgive others? Help me to forgive those who hurt me. Help me to extend the same grace to them that You have extended to me. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Forgiveness” by Matthew West. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Joyce M. Averils is an attorney by education and a retired judge who currently works as a Life Purpose and Business Empowerment Coach. 

She attended the University of South Carolina where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities and Social Sciences, with a concentration in Political Science in May 1981. Upon graduation from the University, she attended The Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law, where she graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in June 1984. Joyce was admitted to the Georgia Bar in November of 1984.

During her legal career, she served as the legal advisor for an episode of the American television program “Designing Women”. She also successfully argued a zoning case before the Georgia Supreme Court.

Today, she is the founder of Averils Omnimedia, LLC. It includes Her RICH Coaching where she helps high-achieving women of faith create a purpose-aligned life and business through coaching programs, workshops, and retreats. She recently launched 26th & Alden Paper Design House which will release its first paper product in early 2025.

Joyce believes that God created women to accomplish the extraordinary by living their purpose, calling, and assignment. He has chosen every woman to fulfill a calling that is hers alone. And if she does not answer that calling, then that work will never be done. Joyce knows that there are people who are waiting for help that only God can give and only God can use His people to help each other. Joyce believes that we are called by God to help each other. She wants to answer that call and inspire others to answer it too so we can be of service to God.

Her life verse is John 17:4 (NIV), “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.” In addition to being an entrepreneur, Joyce currently serves as the Associate Teaching Director for the Community Bible Study International class in Georgetown, SC.

Joyce makes her home on the coast of South Carolina.

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Connect with Joyce:
Website: www.herrichlife.com
Facebook Ministry: www.facebook.com/groups/thepurposealignedwoman
Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/coachlabforaspiringchristianwomencoaches
Facebook: www.facebook.com/@HerRichLife
Instagram: www.instagram.com/herrichlife
Email address: joyce@herrichlife.com

Devotionals for the Heart: When you wonder if God cares about your pain

Does God Know Our Pain?
A devotional by Terry Overton

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”—Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)

The bright rays of sunshine streaming through my kitchen window invited me to step outside onto my porch, hoping for the feel of an early spring.

But the chill in the air that greeted me sent a stark reminder that winter remained. There were no blooms, buds, or green leaves emerging on the trees. I glanced down at the brown branch of a rose bush with no bud. It was fitting that the scene in my garden matched my sense of being in the pit. This experience made me think, “Does God not see our sorrow?”

I glanced at the rose bush's lower limbs, and there it was—a tiny leaf struggling to push through and open to the sunlight. My own prayers asked for the same sense of hope in the future. I, too, struggle at times to stretch out my arms with gladness, knowing of God's love. Watching a loved one struggle with an untreatable health condition, knowing this was a long goodbye of sorts, I needed God's help desperately. Does He know my pain?

The Bible says in Psalm 56:8 (ESV), “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?”

A thought raced through my mind: “Of course He knows. He knows all.” God knows the roses wither and die, but He restores them in the spring. He knows they will die before they do, and He knows when they will bloom again. A sense of peace overcame my soul. It is all in His hands. He not only knows our sorrows, but He will provide help.

The Bible says in Psalm 34:18 (ESV), “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

Listening to the high-pitched chirps of tiny finches flittering through the brittle brown limbs of a nearby tree, I realized what a gift He had given me. I have the gift of seeing His handiwork, of witnessing His blessings all around me, and of time to share with my loved one who is still here with me. He had given me the gift of hope and the gift of joy in the moment as I stood by the rose bush.

The Bible says in Psalm 126:5 (ESV), “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!”

Taking a deep breath, I returned to my kitchen with a peaceful heart and hopeful thoughts. Now, I was ready to meet the day that awaited me. I could not anticipate how I would be needed, but I knew I would be able to meet the challenges that would come my way. The strength of my heart had been restored.

The Bible says in Job 14:7-9 (ESV), “For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the soil, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put out branches like a young plant.”

The sight of the emerging tiny green leaf in the cold air was a message. It was a reminder that spring will arrive just on time. God sent a powerful reminder to me. Pain is not the end. Pain is the reminder. God will provide us with strength, peace, and hope.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for knowing my pain and helping me understand that pain is not the absence of joy. I know two things—joy and sadness—can exist in my heart, but You provide peace and hope to sustain me through it all. Thank you, Lord!

In the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, I pray.

Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: "He's Concerned" by CeCe Winans. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Here with You” by Donnie McClurkin. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Terry Overton is a retired university professor of educational and school psychology. She has an Ed.D. in Special Education and a Ph.D. in Psychology. 

Her professional experience includes teaching public school, teaching at the university level, and being a college dean.

She has two children, seven grandchildren, and one great granddaughter.

Her previous writing and publication experiences include textbook and journal articles in the fields of special education and school psychology. She now seeks to answer God’s call to share the good news and grow the church by writing Christian books and devotionals.

Over the years, Terry’s books have won the Mom’s Choice Award, Christian Indie Award, Firebird Book Awards, American Writing Winner Awards, Bookfest Winner Awards, Pencraft Award, Reader Views Silver Reviewers Award, and International Book Award Finalist. Her writing examines real world events with a Christian worldview. She enjoys writing for young children, middle grade readers, YA fiction, and adult level novels.

Terry’s background in teaching adults and children shine through her stories that often include a character with educational or learning challenges. Her Christmas series, The Oddball Ornaments, features a box of misfit ornaments who first learn the meaning of Christmas and then discover the meaning of forgiveness. In The Underground Book Readers series, one of the main characters is on the autism spectrum yet is one of the leaders of the group of teens. Book one of a new series, The Messiah Brigade, features an awkward middle school nerd who helps his school turn around a bully gang of kids. Adoption and family issues are the focus of her new book, Charlotte McMaster and the Messenger Angel.

Terry lives in Texas and enjoys reading, taking pictures for devotional posts on social media, visiting with her family, paying golf, and writing.

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Connect with Terry:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terry.overton.71653
Author Website: https://www.authorterryoverton.com/
Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/overtont

Devotionals for the Heart: How to know true love and live in love

True Love
A devotional by Essie Faye

“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”—1 Corinthians 13:2 (NKJV)

I gasped as I witnessed an episode of road rage. Two cars sped by as one driver leaned out of the driver side window yelling obscenities while frantically waving his hands. The woman in the car to its left yelled back using offensive hand gestures. I was happy and relieved to see them drive far away from me.

Nowadays hatred and violence are all around us, but God’s love is very present. There are countless episodes of physical altercations, cyberbullying, injustice, discrimination, and verbal attacks in our world today. But we also experience random acts of kindness, outbreaks of joy, understanding, and safe spaces.

Darkness can never win when light is present. I can combat every display of evil with love. I can fight darkness with light. God loves humanity. He shows His love for us in various ways. He blesses us with life each day. He keeps us safe from harm. He spends time with us and provides for our needs. He even gives us what we want sometimes. Because God loves humanity passionately, He also wants us to do the same. As followers of Jesus Christ, our life’s mission should be to love.

In 1 Corinthians 13, the Apostle Paul defines true love. He clearly explains how true love acts, feels, and what it sounds like. He is a witness of the overwhelming love of God. When he ignorantly was an enemy of God, God’s love surrounded him. God’s love pursued Him and confronted him with loving truth and revelation. God forgave his murderous ways and accepted him as a son, though he didn’t deserve it. Love saw every flaw and shortcoming of his yet embraced him still.

Paul was multi-talented and multi-gifted, yet he says, “If I have the gift of prophecy… but I don’t have love, I am nothing.” In other words, he asserts that you can be incredibly gifted but if you don’t have love, your life lacks one of life’s essentials. Paul was well-studied. He was gifted to connect with people from different cultural backgrounds. Paul was blessed to operate in several of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He was a gifted sailor, orator, teacher, writer, and witness for Jesus Christ. He won countless souls for Jesus. Paul was a mentor and founder of many Christian churches. He understood that love was most important in order to impact the world for the glory of God.

The Apostle Paul was a man of wisdom and great knowledge, yet he knew, in the words often attributed to Theodore Roosevelt, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Love is transformative. Loving acts can melt the coldest heart and heal the deepest wound.

Love is essential to our survival. It is essential to living an abundant life and sharing the Good News with others. God is love. We who are His children on Earth should demonstrate love through our character, actions, and words. Paul teaches that only what we do for Christ will last. Therefore, we should not focus too much on our accolades and accomplishments that we make in this life on Earth because it is our possession of love that is most valuable and important. Love transforms people and situations. Love never fails!

Call to Action:

1. Assess your level of love for God, yourself, and others then check yourself.

2. Walk in humility, acknowledging that love is more important than your gifts, talents, work experience and knowledge.

3. Share the love of God with neighbors, loved ones, and enemies through your words and actions.

4. Share the Gospel message with others and allow your love to transform yourself first and others around you.

5. Remember: God’s love must be exemplified by His children (1 John 4:20).

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, there is no god like You. You are Love. You gave Your only Son (Jesus) because you love humankind. You sent Your Comforter (The Holy Spirit) because you love us. You sent Your Word (The Holy Bible) also because of your love for all of us. Thank You for loving us passionately, unconditionally, and with abandon. Teach us how to accept this unfathomable love, though we don’t deserve it and we can never comprehend it. Help us to love one another with a love so pure and pleasing to You. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayers. In the Name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Nothing Like Your Love” by Hillsong United. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Relentless” by Hillsong United. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “Love is the More Excellent Way” by Babbie Mason. Listen to it here. 

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Author Bio:

Essie Faye is a woman of faith. 

She’s a bilingual author, educator, speaker, psalmist, and interpreter.

Essie is the author of the “Finding the Love You Deserve” series for women and teens. She is deeply committed to motivating minorities, women, and youth to heal themselves, love and accept themselves, and pursue God while chasing their dreams and carving out their life’s path.

Essie is a Chicago native.

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Connect with Essie:
Website: www.essiefaye.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_essie_faye/
Read Essie’s YouVersion Devotion Plan here: http://bible.us/r/Abn

Devotionals for the Heart: How God can use us to accomplish great things

What’s in Your Hands?
A devotional by Colette Lawrence

Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

—Exodus 4:2 (NIV)

A question the Lord asked me recently was, “What is that in your hand?”

I was asking Him to open doors for me and that's the response that came to me. I remember pausing at hearing the question. I didn't bother to ask the follow-up question because I knew immediately what He meant.

As I read Exodus chapter four, it paints a picture of Moses, unsure of himself and how God would use him to deliver the Israelites from their enemies. Like Moses, it’s so easy for us to see our insufficiencies and focus on what we think we lack that we miss what is right in front of our eyes! We don’t realize what God can do with what we already have.

I loved that in asking that question of Moses, the Lord demonstrated to him how powerful the one thing that he had in his hand that seemed so insignificant could be used so mightily. The "thing" we have in our hands is important! These aren't any old gifts and talents God placed on the inside of us. We need to surrender them to God and their use to Him then trust His plan. Just like God did with Moses, He will demonstrate to us what we can accomplish with what we have in our hands. However, it starts with trust. Without believing that God can use our gifts, they are limited in power and can't accomplish much without His anointing on them.

Trust requires obedience—a necessary ingredient that puts faith into action. When the Lord tells us what to do with what we have, it's imperative that we be willing to do it. I know it's not easy. There are times when we have our own preconceived notion of how things should work so we miss the opportunity because it doesn't look the way we expect it to. The question then becomes, “How can God expect me to use that? I have tried using it before but it didn't work!” It had a limited effect and people didn't believe it could make a difference.

What would happen if we took a different approach? What if we confess to God our limited thoughts and ask for faith and trust to increase within us? What if we ask God for the obedience to move in His direction then ask Him to show us how to use what we have in our hands? We know at the end of the Bible story in Exodus chapter four, the Lord used what Moses had to accomplish His will.

This Bible story rings true for us in our modern day! Are you struggling with knowing what to do and asking God to open doors for you? Is God asking you the same question He asked Moses in Exodus 4:2? Are you willing to, like Moses, lay your “rod” down and trust that God will demonstrate His power within you for you to do what He has created you to do?

All I can say to you is that God is faithful. He is a promise keeper. All the time I was praying for God to open doors for me, God wanted me to release what I had in my hand to Him and move by faith. As I did, God opened opportunities for me in two paying clients and I am continuing to believe for more opportunities. As I opened my hands and laid my rod down before Him, I believe He was waiting on me to expose what He already gave me and if I trusted Him with my gifts, then and only then could He use them for His glory and honor.

But it starts with answering the question by identifying what we already have, exercising our faith to move and trust Him enough to believe that He will make the way plain, open the doors that need opening and provide at each step of the way.

My encouragement for you is that like Moses, question God, but don't stay at that place. Move forward by putting your faith in action! If your faith is weak and you don't trust that God can use you, pray for your faith to increase. I am praying for you to walk in obedience, knowing that if God is asking you to acknowledge what is in your hands, He has a plan to use it through you, for His glory and honor.

Let’s Pray:

Spirit of the Living God, I place my friend before you today. You are aware of the space they are in. You know that they are unsure of what you have called them to do. They don’t know how to use the gifts You’ve given to them. I pray You will demonstrate your power before their eyes! Please use the very thing they may believe is unimportant to show the power they have in their hands. Help them to trust You like Moses did so You can use them to do wonders in your Kingdom! In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Confidence” by Sanctus Real. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Colette Lawrence is an empowered woman who inspires women to be who they were created to be. Her core message is empowerment. She is an author, certified life coach, podcast host, and trainer with the Maxwell Leadership team. 

Colette believes that an empowered woman empowers others and is powerful in knowing who she is and what she can accomplish. Colette is on a mission to impact the lives of the women assigned to her, whether she is their coach or trainer or shares a word that will transform their lives.

Colette utilizes her Christian principles as the base of all her engagements. She is passionate about fulfilling her life purpose of empowering women to know who they are, rebuild their confidence, and use their voices as tools to uplift themselves and others.

​​She is the founder of the M.E.E. Movement L.L.C., a faith-based empowerment ministry business that helps women of faith rebuild their confidence and use their voice to walk in their purpose through life coaching, mentoring, and empowerment speaking. Colette believes in using the gifts God has given her to help women be who God has called them to be and ultimately fulfill the purpose for which they were created. She lives by Romans 8:28 (NIV), that promises, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

A native of Jamaica, Colette resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She is the mother of two beautiful young women, a son-in-love, and two grandsons. Colette enjoys reading, writing, watching good movies, and chatting with her daughters and friends.

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Connect with Colette:
Blog: https://www.colettemarie.online/blog
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colettemarie_cm/
Website: https://www.colettemarie.online/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ColetteMarie-cmc
Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2367935
Email: Colettemarieonline@gmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: Why we need to persevere and move forward

Stay in the Race
A devotional by Desiree Future

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”—Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

As I was approaching my fifty-second birthday, I realized that I was very overweight. Exercise was difficult for me because of underlying health problems. However, I knew I had to find a way to get around that obstacle.

By the grace of God, I received notice of a walking-step challenge. This would be perfect since I had to shed a few pounds. Having to walk a set amount of steps every day gave me the motivation I needed. My friend joined me in this challenge and that was even better. I was so eager to start the five-week challenge that I didn’t thoroughly read all the requirements. Somehow, I misread the instructions and didn’t notice you had to take 1,000 steps per day.

As a cancer survivor, I live with side effects from the medications. It limits what I can and cannot do. Having to walk 1,000 steps every day made me cringe. But I had already committed to it. There was a week for warm-ups when I walked almost 1,000 steps in one day. That was truly a record for me. Normally I get about 3,000 to 5,000 daily steps in, depending on how I’m feeling.

During the first week, when the steps counted toward the goal, I averaged 5,600 steps. My four teammates averaged about 1,300 steps. Needing to reach the goal or at least catch up to the others, I vowed to work harder but my body simply wouldn’t cooperate with my mind. At one point I thought, “Why would God bring me here to be the person with the lowest score on my team?” To me, there was no logic behind it.

The following week I averaged 6,400 steps. One of those days I walked 10,200 steps! However, that was nowhere near what my teammates did. They averaged twice the amount and more of myself. I wanted to quit because I felt like I was holding my team down. I felt like a complete failure. How could I not have read the fine print of what I was joining and gotten my friend to join me as well?

My friend and I discussed this in great lengths. She said it doesn’t matter about your place number. It matters that you’re in the race. Her words of wisdom blew my mind. I was so focused on my low score that I missed the biggest picture: My name was listed as part of the team.

Here I was, questioning why God sent me to be the last person. To me, it just didn’t make any sense because I was holding my team back—or so I thought. When, in fact, He sent me to be one of the people on the team.

In life, sometimes we tend to only look at the smaller picture. However, God always has the biggest picture for us. For instance, that tiny pebble that you see among the larger rocks could be the biggest and brightest diamond ever. You just need to look past the size to see its actual value.

After the walking-step challenge ended, I felt renewed. Even with my health challenges, I still managed to stay in the race. Not only that but I took off a week due to having the flu then after I recovered, I jumped right back in.

God’s purpose for me the entire time, I learned, was to stay in the race.

Let’s Pray: Father God, I’m not sure who needs this message but please let them know they can do this. They just need to stay in the race and keep the pace with You by their side, allowing You to guide them every step of the way. Thank You, Lord! In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Walk with You” by Michael Bethany. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Pieces” by Meredith Andrews. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Desiree Future is a self-improvement blogger at “Hope Faith & A Smile” where she pens inspirational and encouraging posts. 

This blog that she started as a place for her upcoming novel turned into something far more than she expected. It developed into a home for conversations with people from all walks of life. By writing about everyday events that occur in her world she makes her posts very relatable. As some commenters have said, “Desiree talks to us and not at us.”

In 2013, she self-published The Pastor’s Heart, a Christian romance novel. The following year in 2014, she self-published its sequel, It’s a New Season.

Desiree has been a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) since 2020. She’s also been a member of a writing critique group through her local ACFW Chapter since 2021. Several of her articles have appeared on the official blog for ACFW. In 2022, she became a contributing author in the encouraging devotional, The Courage to Write.

This child of God may not have a church home yet, but God is first in her life.

Desiree is a cancer survivor who calls New Jersey home. She enjoys traveling to different places to spark ideas for her next article. She likes thrifting and going to the theater to see the latest matinee.

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Connect with Desiree:
Website: https://desireefuture.com/
E-mail: desireefuturewrites@hotmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: The great love our Creator (God) has for us

How Do You Spell Love?
A devotional by Kerry Sue Teravskis

“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”

—1 John 4:16b (NIV)

Spelling is either your thing or not. If spelling bees were part of your growing up years, you understand that statement because you were either able to advance with your spelling acumen, or you were sent retreating in the first couple of rounds.

There are times when we need things to be spelled out for us because we don’t understand. This can happen when a challenge presents itself in a relationship, on the job, or something else. Our minds try to catch the drift, so to speak, but it eludes us. It is at this juncture where a friend will spell out what we missed. This is much like our understanding of God’s love, or rather our lack of understanding or a misunderstanding we harbor in our heart. How can we get it straight? How can we know this love God has for us?

In Scripture, all throughout its pages, God unfolds His multifaceted love for us. In the Old Testament, He points us to Jesus Christ (His Son) by demonstrating that the Law was not enough to wipe away our sins. It only covered our sins but did not blot them out. In the New Testament Jesus spells out God’s love for us: the giving of His Son as the sacrificial Lamb required for the forgiveness of sins (John 3:16).

Jesus is the ultimate definition of the love of God. He is God’s only Son, whom God loves very much. Jesus is the embodiment of love. It is hard to fathom. It is hard to comprehend how such a holy God can love a sinner like me, like us. Yet, He does in a myriad of ways.

As aforementioned, God sent His Son Jesus to die for us as a demonstration of His love (Romans 5:8), but He shows us His love in other ways too. These ways include, but are not limited to, a beautiful sunset just when you needed that beauty or the hug of a friend or grandchild comforting your heart when you felt alone, and the kind words of a stranger after other words from someone else had stung.

All throughout the Bible we can bask in God’s love. We can be reminded nothing can separate us from Christ’s love and God’s love, just as the Bible says in Romans 8:35 and Romans 8:38-39. The Apostle Paul told us twice in just a few verses the hold God and Christ’s love have on us. Nothing, absolutely nothing can come between us and the love of God. The enemy may try by throwing obstacle after obstacle in our way, on our way, at us, behind us, before us. But to no avail. God’s love conquers all.

What is keeping us from understanding this great love God has for us? What’s preventing us from seeing His love, from feeling and embracing this love? Maybe our definition of love needs to be redefined or spelled out for us. Read all of 1 Corinthians 13 to learn how God defines love. The Apostle Paul, who wrote this passage in the Bible, did a beautiful job of defining love from God’s perspective. While reading these verses, try inserting Jesus in place of the word love. You will not be the same when you see how much God loves you.

Another way to spell love is T-I-M-E. Think of the people you spend time with and you will quickly understand how this can be true. We do not intentionally spend our precious time with people who we do not love. We give our time to the people who we want to hang out with on a regular basis. Time is a piece of ourselves we can never get back. Our time spent talking with our loved ones will not be given back to us, but it will go a long way in fostering that relationship.

This is similar to how we can foster our relationship with Jesus. Do we spend time with Him? Not just a minute here or there, or an hour when we’re in church on the weekend, or out of obligation, but real time from our everyday life. Do we spend time with God from the moment we wake up and continue the conversation to the moment we lay our heads down to rest?

What does this realistically look like? Praying in a physical prayer closet or having our noses in the Bible all day long may not be feasible, nor necessarily advisable. We still need to go to work so we can pay our bills, feed our pets, do the laundry and take care of our loved ones. Yet, giving God our time is as individual as each one of us. Reading and studying the Bible is a good way to spend time with God—not just for a minute but taking adequate time to soak it in as we meditate on the words on the page. Prayer to God can be short throughout the day. We can have tiny conversations with Him that have no ending nor beginning but picked up where it was left off last. Time is a sacrifice. It is the giving of ourselves in that moment to one person. It is single-focused, purposeful and shared.

Isn’t this what God does for us? He is faithful and never leaves us. God never changes. He seeks us, pursues us and lavishes His love on us. He embraces us when He finds us, He comforts us when we hurt, and He holds us when we bury our head into His shoulder. Let’s receive this love from God. Let us give this love to God and to others. Because love never fails.

Let’s Pray:

Father God, thank You for Your love and Your definition of love—Jesus. Forgive me for pushing You away and not accepting this love or making it to be something it was never intended to be. Your love is beautiful and deserves its proper place in my life and in my heart. Thank You for loving me. I give my love to You, fully. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” by Selah. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Kerry Sue’s life is very full because she is a wife and Marmee to three adult children—two of whom are married—and a new grandson. 

Kerry Sue met her husband in college and served on the mission field with him for a few years before settling down back in the United States of America to raise their family.

Kerry Sue’s family was a homeschooling family for 20 years and they enjoyed it immensely. For the last 24 years they have lived on a small farm in Northern California where they have raised many farm animals, along with growing and preserving their food. Kerry Sue’s family farm has been a great source of enjoyment and a place to host many family gatherings. She maintains an open-door policy for dear friends—old and new.

Following and serving Jesus Christ is an integral part of Kerry Sue’s life as well as her family’s. Whether it’s singing in the church choir, teaching children or leading and lecturing at a women’s Bible study, Kerry Sue loves to demonstrate her love for Jesus by giving to Him in service. She’s been a blogger for more than eight years, a Bible study writer for four years, and a devotional writer for more than two years.

Kerry Sue feels led to write about finding God’s Sovereignty in our suffering because of her own ongoing journey of more than four years, with the hope to encourage others.

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Connect with Kerry:
Blog: https://www.sovereignblog.com/home
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kerry.teravskis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ksteravskis/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sovereignblog

Devotionals for the Heart: We need to stand firm in our faith in Jesus Christ

Standing Firm in Faith
A devotional by Christine Monteiro

“But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.”—Daniel 1:8 (NIV)

Scrolling on social media seems brainless. We don’t think about what we see. But the eyes can’t lie. We love what we see—the perfection of someone’s life.

Social media often showcases luxury, beauty, and success, subconsciously creating a desire for these things. We see people traveling along with beautiful scenery from one country to another. People we follow on social media showcase their accomplishments in many things and sharing their achievements in business, academic, career, etc. It is as if it is an easy achievement. Not to mention, these days, with beautiful camera filters, people look flawless. Beauty treatments seem to be more common everywhere. New beauty products are made available for purchase almost every day. Slowly, we start to compare ourselves and feel dissatisfaction, diverting focus from spiritual growth. We forget our true worth in the eyes of our Creator (God). We need to learn how to see ourselves as He sees us.

Lately, I’ve been studying the Bible story about Daniel. His decision to stand firm in his faith while held captive in Babylon reminded me of how we should stand firm in our faith while scrolling social media. We read in the first chapter of the Bible book of Daniel that Daniel was taken captive in Babylon during the Babylonian exile when King Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem. The king sought to assimilate these young men into Babylonian culture by educating them in the language and literature of the Babylonians and providing them with royal food and wine.

Despite the pressure to conform, Daniel decided not to defile himself with the royal food and wine. He requested permission to eat only vegetables and drink water for ten days as a test (Daniel 1:12). After ten days, Daniel and his friends appeared healthier than those who ate the king’s food. This spectacular result happened after Daniel and his friends consumed what we know in our modern day as “The Daniel Diet.” God blessed Daniel and his friends with knowledge and understanding. God gave Daniel the ability to interpret dreams and visions.

Living like Daniel today is difficult—not only with our food and drink choices but standing firm in our faith amidst social media temptations. However, we can take some steps to maintain our faithfulness and not be drawn to the temptation we see.

The first step is to discern what you consume on social media. We should pick and choose what we are exposed to. The right content will help our faith grow. The second step is contentment: We need to find contentment in God’s provision rather than worldly possessions because worldly possessions are temporary. The third step is to focus on God’s plan. Think about your purpose in life, what God has planted, the Godly desire instead of the worldly desires and the fleeting desires promoted online.

Let’s evaluate our social media habits and make conscious choices to prioritize our faith. When we are faithful to God, the reward is beyond our understanding. Just like God was with Daniel, He is with us, providing strength and guidance. Let’s maintain our eternal perspective, valuing spiritual growth over material gain.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for being such a good Father to us. Even though we face difficult choices in life, we believe you are there to give us strength and guidance. Please give us wisdom in choosing the right thing to do. Teach us to be content with what we have now and show us how to focus on eternity instead of the temporary pleasures of this world. Thank You for your love and mercy in our lives. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Magnificent” by Hillsong Worship. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Beautiful Savior” by Planetshakers. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Christine Monteiro is a certified transformative coach, writer, and keynote speaker who is passionate about helping others navigate the complexities of purpose, personal growth, and resilience. 

Christine’s journey to becoming a coach started four years ago, following the loss of her husband to brain cancer. That experience left her feeling as though she had lost her purpose—a feeling she deeply understands in clients who she works with now. Through self-discovery and training, Christine found the missing pieces in her life and regained her purpose and drive that now motivates her to help others.

Christine coaches her clients from all walks of life—from young adults to retirees—helping them to embrace change, set meaningful goals, and confidently pursue their dreams. She has received training through Creative Results Management and holds credentials from the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Christine also has certifications in Positive Psychology and Mental Health Coaching from Yale and Light University. Her diverse approach to coaching her clients combines empathy with strategic insight, helping them to navigate every stage of life.

When she writes, Christine likes to focus on topics like finding purpose, coping with grief, and achieving personal transformation. As she writes, Christine draws from her own experiences as a single mom and empty nester. She enjoys sharing these insights on various platforms to reach a wider audience and foster community support.

When not coaching or writing, Christine spends her time sipping black coffee and swimming in the pool. She has found that having three independent children gives her a privilege to have a lot of “me time” that she didn’t have when they were growing up.

Devotionals for the Heart: We should be still before God and trust His plan

Choose Solitude
A devotional by Easter Young

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”—Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

The Bible is unlike many literary works in that the words often jump off the page and meet readers wherever they find themselves. It is living, God-breathed, and relevant to our daily lives.

Scripture is here to guide, to encourage, to reprove, to correct, to enlighten, to comfort, and to engage readers in critical thinking and ultimately personal reflection. Today’s passage does all these things. In Psalm 46, we find a song of praise that emphasizes God’s greatness. This Psalm speaks about God’s sovereignty and ability to sustain His people through catastrophic events and everyday life.

In this passage the mountains are quaking and the foundations of familiar institutions are being destroyed. The waters are raging, nations are in an uproar, and ruling kingdoms are failing. This is juxtaposed to God’s ability to step into any situation and bring order, peace, and life. When there is utter devastation God comforts and gives us grace to rebuild our lives. Despite the chaos, His presence brings protection and provision. God stops wars and defeats our enemies. He revives the weary and heals the broken. The Lord Almighty is with us. He is our fortress. When we grieve, He is the God who makes us glad because He is with us.

This passage makes it clear that no matter how things look or what the human experience entails—the good, the bad, or the ugly—God is with us. He is compassionate, empathetic, loving, and concerned. He knows all and He has limitless resources. He is powerful enough to shift the tides of nature. Therefore, He is capable of taking care of one of his most vulnerable creations, us humans.

Our anchor text above (Psalm 46:10), lays out God’s characteristics before admonishing us to “be still”. This could be because God knows that many humans are moved to act when there is calamity. We do not like feeling helpless and often believe that we can do things on our own. This Scripture is advising us to find solitude. Solitude is a positive and constructive state of engagement with oneself. It is a spiritual discipline where one keeps themselves company and engages in reflection and inner searching that leads to personal growth.

Stillness requires intention and planning. It must also be coupled with knowledge. God directs us to be still and know that He is God. When we understand God’s character, we will trust that He has a plan for our lives despite what happens or what we experience each day. We can rest in God’s power to safeguard us. As mere mortals, we can also acknowledge our frailty and our daily need for Him.

We can rest our minds because God declares that through life’s events He will be exalted among every nation and throughout the earth. God has our best interest at heart. It takes spiritual knowledge of him and nurturing relationship with Him to live in peace.

Reading and reflecting on Psalm 46 causes me to remember one of the most chaotic times in my life—when I lost my brother. What began with a general call to the family because of an emergency at work ended with an abrupt exchange of final goodbyes. The world I knew was collapsing and I sought answers to questions everywhere I looked. I felt a deep sadness wondered about my individual identity, and experienced real personal chaos. Being with family felt foreign, spending time in prayer felt forced, and being alone felt awkward.

The call to “be still and know that I am God” in Psalm 46:10 was a powerful reminder that times of uncertainty were certainly apart of human experience. It was confirmation that God had not abandoned me, although I was in pain and searching for meaning. This scripture gave me courage to envision a life of hope, knowing that God had a plan for my future beyond the unexpected loss. I remembered His care and compassion. As a result, I could celebrate my brother’s positive contributions to society and his impact on my life.

I reflected upon how God had been merciful and gracious to our family even through such a difficult experience. I prioritized self-care and became more intentional about creating opportunities for quality connections with the members of my immediate and extended family members. I dedicated more time to nurturing my relationship with good and seeking healing throughout my grief journey. I discovered unique positive coping strategies that helped me to express my pain, accept the loss, and celebrate the memory of my significant person. This uniquely personal experience taught me that God rules in the affairs of his people. He is sovereign in our lives and when it comes to shifting or our world at large.

Given our current global climate this passage provides comfort when people and institutions fail us. It encourages us to remain consistent in our faith and diligent in our work. It reminds us to prioritize moments of solitude and contemplative prayer. When we practice being still and knowing that God is in control, we are able to understand what it means to live in community as His children who He gives the privilege to access to His Presence. God has endless resources to help us if we only believe in Him and ask Him for what we need.

Reflection Questions:

1. Where do I find solitude in my everyday life? Do I prioritize mindful reflection and connecting with myself?

2. Are there obstacles to my personal practice of this spiritual discipline? Is my life too busy or filled with obligations/commitments that keep me from being still and cultivating spiritual knowledge of God?

3. What tangible changes can I make that will allow me to practice solitude and increase my trust in God’s sovereignty?

Let’s Pray:

Dear God,

You are my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. You are Almighty and all-knowing. You are with us in the midst of natural disasters, personal crises, failing institutions, and strained relationships. When there is chaos orchestrated by humans, collective unrest, and an undeniable sense of overwhelm, please give us peace that surpasses all understanding. Help us to find solitude because of our knowledge of You. Give us grace and allow us to rest. We will be still because of your character, power, and plan. Our lives are in your hands. You know the path we take and you know the plans you have for us. Thank You that these are plans for good and not of evil. You will bring us to an expected end. We thank You and trust You completely, Lord. 

In Jesus’s name I pray. 

Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Be Still and Know” by Steven Curtis Chapman. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “You Are the Living Word” by Fred Hammond. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Easter Lilly is a native Chicagoan who is passionate about working with youth and families. 

She discovered her life's passion through participation in early college and mentorship programs, where she experienced the transformative power of wrap-around services and support. As a result, she has a unique perspective and aims to provide adequate support to the most vulnerable members of our population: the disenfranchised and often forgotten. Easter is an urban youth worker, minister, mentor, and Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She is an advocate for the use of holistic and evidence-based approaches that result in real change.

Her educational credentials include a Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University, a Masters of Arts in Christian Ministry with a concentration in Youth Ministry Studies from North Park Theological Seminary, and a Masters of Social Work from UIC's Jane Addams College of Social Work.

Easter has worked in the educational nonprofit field for 20 years. She has a wealth of knowledge because of her experience with youth development, youth guidance, counseling, and the provision of support services in faith-based and community organizations. She is energized by society’s challenges and driven by a genuine desire to serve others.

Her life’s mission is to be an ally, and valuable resource to youth and families as they learn, grow, and experience success together. She believes that this is one of the best ways to positively impact the world.

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Connect with Easter:
Email: eastermaeyoung@gmail.com