Devotionals for the Heart: Showing why we need Jesus Christ in our life

A Bruised Reed
A devotional by Aubrey Taylor

“A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.”

—Isaiah 42:3 (NIV)

Some people don’t want God. They think they don’t need God. Even if they might identify themselves as Christians, their behavior shows pride and stubbornness. They are self-made.

Occasionally within the walls of the church, the subject comes up about God needing to break our stubborn will, our pride, our obstinacy. It can be quite frightening to think we are all that way; that we are all raising our fist in God’s face, or that we are all untamed horses, needing to be broken in.

The other day I was tempted to pray this for someone in my life who needs to allow Jesus Christ to have His way: “Lord, please break this person.” Then I felt God speak to my heart: “This person is already broken. They are wounded and that is what is keeping them from trusting Me.”

This is entirely different from being stubborn and self-reliant. The person does not need to be broken again. The person needs to be healed. I suppose it is true that some wounds need to be broken again for healing to take place, but this is not God’s heart when He says of Jesus, “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.” Something like a reed is delicate and needs to be handled gently. A person in that condition needs to learn to trust.

I have been such a reed. My heart was damaged and trust seemed impossible. I berated myself, believed I was in sin, and sat under a weight of guilt and shame, feeling that I could not possibly measure up to the standard. Yet I also could not detect what was wrong. It was only then that I realized I needed healing, not brokenness.

We all have a measure of stubbornness and pride. But beloved, if you feel distant from God, do not automatically assume that some undefined sin is keeping you away from your Heavenly Father. A father who loves his child is going to help that child see where sin might exist in their life. But if there is no sin, we need to ask deeper questions. A good place to start may be, “Lord, what is it that stands between us?” For me it became an issue of, “Lord, what happened in my past that makes it so difficult for me to trust in You today?”

Perhaps you are already too keenly aware of your brokenness. Don’t shy away from healing; ask God to help you find ways to overcome. Our Father longs to heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds (Psalm 147:3). Seek restoration, not as a stubborn sinner who has gone against a loving God, but as a hurting child who longs to rest, fully confident, in the arms of their Father.

Let’s Pray: Dear Lord Jesus, I ask You to search my heart and show me if it is pride and stubbornness that is keeping us apart, or if there is something deeper. Let me know if I have a deep wound that has caused me to be unable to trust You. If that is the case, I pray today that You would begin to heal me. Show me ways in which I can seek healing. Help me open up to You, and begin to trust again. In Your Name Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Stay Broken” by Duawne Starling. Listen here.

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Author Bio:

The only child of a single parent, Aubrey Taylor filled her younger years by creating characters and writing stories. This ended around age sixteen when music, friends and part-time jobs began to fill her time. After that came college, work, marriage, and children. 

It wasn’t until the world was beginning to come out of the COVID pandemic that God led her back to her love for writing, coupled with a passion she’d always had for history. It was time to start a new adventure!

Along with writing devotionals, Aubrey is the author of the German-perspective 20th Century Fiction series, Gott Mit Uns. She lives in Upstate New York with her husband and three children. When she’s not writing or taking care of her home and family, she enjoys singing and dancing with friends from a German choir and a Bavarian folk dancing group. She is also a lover of Jesus Christ, The Holy Bible, history, German culture, tea, and cats!

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Connect with Aubrey:
Website: https://www.aubreytaylorbooks.com
Blog: https://www.aubreytaylorbooks.com/blog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aubreytaylorbooks/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/aubtaybooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aubreytaylorbooks/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21846520.Aubrey_Taylor
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/aubrey-taylor
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Aubrey-Taylor/author/B0973KWXV8

Devotionals for the Heart: When you learn how to wait on the Lord

Worth The Wait
A devotional by Angela Anderson

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

 — John 11:32 (NIV)

The phone kept ringing. Finally, my call was answered – but it was voicemail again. That was the third person on my “favorites” contact list who I tried to reach. I was on the verge of tears, and I desperately needed to speak with someone. I just wanted to hear a comforting voice, but no one was coming to my rescue. My heart sank as my fourth call went straight to voicemail. Why weren’t any of my friends available when I needed them the most?

I imagine Martha and Mary felt the same way when they made a SOS call to their Best Friend (Jesus Christ), and there was no immediate answer. You can open a Bible and read John 11 for the full story. Here’s the short story: Their brother Lazarus was deathly ill, and they knew Jesus could make him well. The situation was critical and there was no time to waste. Yet Jesus casually stayed where He was for two more days before starting on His journey to see Lazarus! When Jesus finally arrived on the scene, Lazarus had been dead for four days!

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she ran to meet Him. She greeted Jesus with these words: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21). Later in the same chapter, Martha’s sister Mary also confronted Jesus with those same words (John 11:32).

Have you ever cried out to God in distress, but your prayer seemed to be lost in a black hole?

Have you ever wondered where was God when you were going through the darkest moments of your life? Martha and Mary were crushed with disappointment. They felt as though the friend who they depended on did not show up when they needed Him the most. But Jesus did show up and when He did, He was filled with compassion. He felt their pain and immediately responded to their sorrow. According to John 11:33, “When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.”

Jesus asked to be led to the tomb where Lazarus lay dead, then He did something beyond anything they could have ever imagined: He raised Lazarus from the dead!

God also wants to do something amazing for us in the middle of a tragedy or disappointment.

We may be expecting something immediate, but sometimes God’s delay is intentional. As John 11:15a reads: “And for your sake, I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.”

God postpones His arrival to our situation in order to strengthen our faith, so that when He appears with all power and might, there will be no other option than to believe that it is God coming to our rescue.

The uncertainty in the waiting is hurtful, but He feels our pain and knows our hurt. When we cannot feel His presence, God is ever so present! Although there may be a delay, it does not mean there is a denial. God will show up, and when He does, it be worth the wait.

Let’s Pray: Dear God, You are wonderful and amazing in so many ways. Thank you for coming to our rescue in the past and for promising to be there in the future. May we trust and believe that You are with us, no matter how we feel or what we may expect. You have proven to be a faithful God. Strengthen us as we wait on You. In Jesus’s Name I pray, Amen.

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Note from Alexis: Angela’s devotional message today reminds me of the song “I Don’t Mind Waiting” by Juanita Bynum. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Angela Anderson was born in Brooklyn, NY, and raised in NJ. She found her love for writing when she was in elementary school. She continued writing through high school, college, and into adulthood.

Angela is the author of a devotional book titled, Just When I Thought I Knew God, and a children's book that is not yet published.

In 2021, Angela started writing articles for an online magazine called Christian Women Living, where she focuses on writing messages for mothers and sharing advice on parenting. In addition to this, Angela wrote a devotional that is featured in a book published by Proverbs 31 Ministries. The book title is Hope When Your Heart is Heavy.

Angela has a passion for inspiring and impacting others through her writing as well as speaking. She is the co-founder of Anchor Moms, a ministry to cure loneliness in Motherhood. Currently, this ministry meets via a group on Facebook.

Angela has been married to the love of her life, Duane Anderson, for 17 years. Together, they have two sons: Thomas (age 9) and Ryan (age 4). Angela’s favorite pastime is journaling, and she also enjoys spending quality time with her family. Her personal mission is to empower others to achieve their goals and dreams.

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Connect with Angela:
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/angela.thomasanderson
Facebook fan page for her devotional book, Just When I Thought I Knew God:
https://www.facebook.com/jwitikg/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelanderson1104/

Devotionals for the Heart: Why Praying Friends Are the Best Kind

A Praying Friend
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” 

–Ephesians 6:18 (NIV)

The words roll off my tongue as if on auto-reply: “I’ll pray for you.”

Yet what better thing can we do for a friend in need than stop what we are doing, bend our souls to the Risen One, and offer up heartfelt prayer?

I didn’t always think this way. I used to think the best way I could love my friends was listen to them—or even better, offer them advice (often unsolicited). I’d stay on the phone late into the night as my friends and I would talk about boys, school woes, and family drama. “Being there for them” was how I’d describe it.

Later, I might choose to love a friend by walking her dog or entertaining her newborn, raving about her performance at work, or cooking dinner for her when she had a cold.

Yet over the years, I’ve realized the very best thing I can do is pray. Yes, I still listen (and yes, sometimes I still offer unsolicited advice, though Little Miss Know-It-All over here is trying very hard to keep that at a minimum!). And yes, I still do favors, buy trinkets, cook meals, or whatever else might help.

But prayer is often my first response—and, I’ve come to understand, it’s the biggest gift of all.

See, a praying friend is a Godly friend, a forever friend. A praying friend is the best there is.

This is because a friend who prays for you knows the bond you share isn’t just in this world but also the “real” world: the eternal kingdom ruled by God the Father, the kingdom that has no end and transcends death, lasting for eternity. A praying friend knows the One who’s really in control of all things we worry about is God, and there’s no better way to deal with those worries than to bring them to God, to lay them all down at His feet and ask Him for help.

In James 5, the apostle tells us to fan the flame of faithful prayer always. As he writes, “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:13-16 NIV).

Elsewhere we get the same encouragement. Ephesians 6:18 urges us to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” And in 1 Timothy 2:1, we’re encouraged that “petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people.”

And, of course, there’s Jesus—our model of how we should live and love others. In John 17:6-26 we are shown how Jesus prayed fervently for his friends.

His example is a powerful display of true, God-honoring friendship, the kind of friendship that points to the Father.

If you’re not sure how to pray for your friends, it’s okay! God doesn’t need fancy language. An earnest heart is enough. Start however it feels natural to you. Perhaps begin by listing your friends by name, creating a picture of them one by one in your mind, and asking God to bless them. You might know the needs of your friends, such as a health issue or a work conflict, and you ask for God’s hand upon those circumstances, or you might find that as you pray for your friend, a need they haven’t even expressed to you comes to the surface. Even just saying their name in your head as you lift the thought of them toward God can be a prayer.

Another way you can pray is to write their names in the margin of the Bible passage you are currently reading, and let God’s Word take care of the rest.

Others like to journal their prayers for others, appreciating the focus and tangible action of the practice. You can pray for people by text and social media, too. There are so many ways!

Whatever you do, trust that God hears you, and know that the Holy Spirit is weaving a mighty cord of heavenly love among you and those you love.

Happy New Year, friends! Share below how you like to pray for your friends or other loved ones.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of friendship. Help me to love my friends the way Jesus loved His: with prayer, with sacrificial love, and always pointing to You. In Your holy name I pray, Amen.

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Note from Alexis: Jessica’s devotional message today reminds me of the song “My Friend” by Crystal Lewis. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach and the recipient of the 2018 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for her novel, The Memory Garden.

Jessica is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism. Learn more about her fiction and read her faith blog at http://jessicabrodie.com.

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

She has a weekly YouTube devotional and podcast. 

You can also connect with Jessica on Facebook and Twitter.

Devotionals for the Heart: Reflection

Reflection for Growth
A devotional by Erin M. Handley

“…but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”

– 1 Corinthians 13:10-13 (NIV)

Reflection is a beautiful thing.

As we approach the last few days of 2021, many of us may feel overwhelmed with goal setting, creating resolutions, and identifying the promises we are agreeing to take into 2022.

But while we are so focused on preparing for what is to come, it is just as important to take a moment to reflect on the experiences you have had thus far. The trajectory you are on now is primarily based on the experiences you have had up until this moment. Because of the significance of your experiences, it is important to take a moment to reflect on where you have been, what you have experienced, and how those things affect where you may be going.

Reflection helps us to make wise, sound decisions. Reflection helps us take a moment to measure our effectiveness in the work we do from day-to-day. Reflection helps us ensure our ‘why’ is still our ‘why’ right now.

As we reflect to prepare for a new year, we can easily find ourselves focusing on all the things we were not able to accomplish in 2021. We quickly recall all the ways we feel that we failed: in our professional life, in our personal life, in our relationships, in the way we show up for others, and even in the way we show up for ourselves. We focus on the things we did not do in efforts of making these things priorities that we can cross off our to-do lists.

But please allow me the opportunity to encourage you to leverage your strengths by acknowledging all of the things you accomplished this year. It may have been the success in your relationships or the promotion in your professional life. Maybe it is that you made strides with your health and nutrition goals. Maybe it is something else that is tangible and documented.

I also want to make sure we allow ourselves the space to own the growth we have experienced in our spiritual life. We have opened our hearts to be willing to hear God as He may speak to us in a new way that is unconventional to us. We have learned to be still for the purpose of thinking more clearly and simply waiting to hear God’s voice.

We have accepted that we must view ourselves with a Kingdom mindset. We have recognized that our identity is rooted in His purpose for us and is not limited to the roles we play in the lives of those we love. We have shifted our perspective and our posture before Him in order to receive all the things He has in store for us. And at the end of it all, we have learned to “praise our way through” so we can truly embody the joy we have been searching for.

Whatever you do, don’t allow the things you were not able to do to overshadow the major milestones you have reached in your life. The growth you have experienced simply serves as a reminder that you have been equipped for this, and there is so much more to come.

Let’s Pray: Lord, we simply want to use this moment to reflect and say thank You. We thank You for allowing us continued opportunities to grow in You. We thank You for your grace, your mercy and your kindness. We thank You for the love you show to us. We thank You for loving us when we struggle to know what love is and how to show love, grace, and kindness to ourselves and others. We thank You for life. We thank You for everything—seen and unseen, spoken and unspoken. We are in awe of You and or your work. Thank You. In Jesus’s Name we pray. Amen.

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Author Bio:

With an ever-growing desire to continually learn the Word of God and present teachings based on Biblical principles, Erin M. Handley is committed to her calling of teaching and inspiring others to ‘be more by doing more.’ With this in mind, Erin mentors young women and appreciates seeing the growth and change in the lives she impacts.

While she sincerely enjoys mentoring and speaking to young people, she is most passionate about educating and empowering women from various stages of life about Biblical womanhood and how to live out those principles in today’s world.

For over 15 years, Erin has worked with youth and adolescents in the fields of mental and behavioral health, education, and ministry.

When reflecting on her experiences in ministry and non-ministry settings, her most memorable encounters have been those that allowed her the opportunity to teach the Word of God in a way that is most relatable to the audience she served in that moment. She has enjoyed writing since her youth, but only recently felt the call to share her writing with the world.

With an undergraduate degree in English and a graduate degree in Ministry and Pastoral Counseling, Erin M. Handley has been fortunate to be able to leverage her gifts and her passions throughout her career in Education.

Aside from reading, writing, and mentoring, Erin enjoys dancing, interior design, cooking, and most other activities which allow her to utilize her creativity.

Devotionals for the Heart: Advent

Advent Season
A devotional by Heidy De La Cruz

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” – Matthew 1:21 (NIV)

Advent season is such a special season.

It’s a time for celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas. According to Crosswalk.com, the word “advent” comes from the Latin word adventus which means, “coming” or “arrival”.

This season is also used to celebrate the new life, such as when someone accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior and also the anticipation of Jesus coming again. Like it says in Hebrews 9:28 (NIV), “so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”

There are different ways people celebrate the Advent season, but it’s usually based on the themes of the four weeks of Advent. According to Crosswalk.com, “The purpose of each theme is to spend time reflecting on the true meaning of the season – the life of Jesus Christ.” People read scriptures on their own and in church, that reflect the theme of each week. Week 1 is “Hope”, Week 2 is “Preparation”, Week 3 is “Joy”, and Week 4 is “Love.” There are also four candles lit for each Sunday of Advent, which correspond to the themes of each week as well. The candles are usually placed around a wreath.

This year is the first year my family and I are starting an Advent tradition. My husband and I started reading an Advent Bible plan on YouVersion called “Advent: The Journey to Christmas.” It’s 25-day plan where we read a devotional and a few Bible verses each day. We started the plan on Dec. 1 and will finish on Christmas Day (Dec 25). I’m hoping that we can continue this tradition every year. I also hope that as my daughter gets older and understands more of the Bible, we can include her in reading the plan with us.

The plan really breaks down the meaning of Jesus coming to this world. One day that stood out to me was the devotional named “The Great Exchange.” It says that Jesus came to give us the gifts of forgiveness, healing, acceptance, and peace. But those gifts were not cheap. Jesus paid the price for us (John 3:16) by experiencing the most significant rejection. And because of this, we don’t have to pay the price (Romans 6:23). How wonderful is that? It’s not something we can ever repay nor something that we deserve, but God loves us so much that He sent His Son to save us and reconcile us to Him.

The devotional is followed by the verse Isaiah 53:3-5 (NIV), “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely, he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

This Advent season, I hope you take some time to reflect on the meaning of Christmas. Dig deep and ask God to reveal to you how deep His love is for you and how much it meant for Jesus to come down to Earth to save us all.

Let’s Pray: God, I pray for those who are lost and need to find their way to You. I pray for those who want to grow closer to You and are unsure how. I pray that You will lead them to You. I want to thank You for your covenant, promises, and love for us because it is truly unconditional. I pray that in this Advent season, more people are saved and learn who Jesus was. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

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Author Bio:

Hello, my name is Heidy (Reynoso) De La Cruz.

I am Dominican-American and I’m passionate about writing! I write poetry, encouraging blog posts about personal experiences and any message that God has stored in my heart. I am working on publishing my first poetry book.

First and foremost, I am a daughter of Jesus Christ. I am also a wife and a mother. I have my master’s degree in Healthcare Administration through Belhaven University’s online course. I have my bachelor’s degree in Science with the concentration of Psychology and Healthcare Administration.

I currently work in the medical field as a Medical Billing and Coding Specialist, and I’ve been in the medical field for the last six years. I love my career!

My hobbies include writing, reading, watching documentaries, listening to podcasts, traveling, and spending time with my family.

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Connect with Heidy:
Blog: https://heidyreynoso.wordpress.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidy.delacruz13/
Read my poetry on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidyspoems/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/heidyreynoso13
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heidyreynoso13

Devotionals for the Heart: The Light

Light of the World
A devotional by Christa MacDonald

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 

–John 8:12 (NIV)

When you're shopping around your book, movie, or even a technical gadget, the experts tell you to be prepared to give an "elevator pitch." That means being able to explain your main idea in the time that it takes for the average elevator ride.

What would be the elevator pitch for Christianity?

The immediate answer is John 3:16, of course. It's the heart of the Gospel, after all. But to get the idea of what it's like to be a Christian, not just to become one, I think John 8:12 does a pretty good job. Boiled down to its essence, Christianity is being brought out of the darkness and into the light. It's beautiful imagery, moving from darkness into the light. In practice, though, what does it mean?

It is now December, and for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, the world seems darker as winter approaches. The days are getting shorter and colder. Even the shadows grow longer due to the altered angle of the sun. Gardens and lawns get browner every day, and trees have been reduced to stick figures. It's why our northerly ancestors came up with so many traditions about the winter solstice. They were in darkness, and they craved the light. We need (as they needed) the light that doesn't change with the seasons, the light of eternal life that Jesus Christ offers through repentance and faith in Him as Savior and Lord.

Earlier in this story (John 8:1-11), Jesus was at the temple at dawn, when the people brought to him a woman to be stoned for adultery. Jesus tells the crowd, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." None do, and they leave until only Jesus and the woman are left. Jesus says, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

"No one, sir," she said.

"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus replied. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

Can you imagine how she must have felt? Not only has she escaped a death sentence, but God has declared that she is no longer condemned. He sets her free, telling her to leave the life that brought her to that place.

Forgiveness frees! I would wear that on a T-shirt. Redemption stories are my favorite, both to read and to write. That moment of liberation when the person gives up their sin and throws themselves upon the mercy of Jesus is pure beauty. So is the moment when someone gives up the bitterness of an old wound and forgives the one who gave it to them. Forgiveness even frees the forgiver! The divine forgiveness of sins frees completely.

There are times when we don't feel the light, times when we don't feel free at all. Even in the life of a faithful Christian, some struggles leave us fumbling in the dark. But the difference is that it only looks dark. The light of Christ's grace and mercy is always with us, even when we feel surrounded by darkness, struggling to hold onto our faith.

Believer, whatever it is that has a hold on you, weighing you down, let the light shine on it. Open your heart to God in prayer and let those burdens go. You don't have to be strong enough in that moment to let it go, but at least let the light in. Give the burden a name, confess it has a hold on you, and Jesus will lead you by hand deeper into His light.

Let's Pray: Father God, help us to keep our feet on the straight and narrow path that leads to Heaven. Help our eyes to stay fixed on Jesus. Enable our hearts and minds to focus on Your plan for our lives. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen. 

~*~
Author Bio:

Christa MacDonald is a 2017 Carol Award finalist for contemporary Christian fiction. 

She began her writing career at the age of eleven, filling a sketchbook with poems and short stories. After publishing a few short pieces in her college’s literary magazine she took a long hiatus during which she embarked on a few different careers, got married, had three kids, and renovated an old barn masquerading as a house.

Her most recent work, The Redemption Road, finished the Sweet River Redemption series published by Mountain Brook Ink.

When not working or writing Christa can be found ferrying her kids around, reading, or attempting something crafty. She and her family live along the coast of New England.

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Connect with Christa:
Website: www.christamacdonald.com
Newsletter: https://christamacdonald.com/connect-with-christa/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1538432676468229/
Amazon: https://amzn.to/33uk329
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CricketMacD
Christa's book publisher: http://mountainbrookink.com/about-us/authors/christa-macdonald/

Devotionals for the Heart: Love

Love in Another Language
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

—Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV)

Have you ever read a book that was life-changing? I certainly have, and among them is Gary Chapman’s The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts. I read the bestseller years ago, and what I really appreciated about it was the understanding it brought me about the ways I enjoy being loved—and the insight into how I can love the people in my world even better.

If you haven’t read it, Chapman identifies five major “love languages”, and one of them is our dominant form of expressing and receiving love. Those languages include acts of service, words of affirmation, gifts, touch, and quality time.

My “love language” is words of affirmation, which is no surprise given that I’m a writer and count encouragement among my spiritual gifts. And for a long time, when I wanted to express love to someone, I naturally did this with my words, telling them how much they meant to me or what I admired about them.

But not everyone responds to words of affirmation like I do. For some people, words mean very little. And reading Chapman’s book, I realized it was in my best interest to attempt to understand their language and them try my best to love them their way.

This has remarkably changed my relationships with people and enabled me to connect with those I love in new and better, more fulfilling ways.

Choosing to discover the love language of certain people in my world is an attempt on my part to be selfless and generous in my care. It makes a difference.

What’s interesting to me is that most of the people in my inner circle don’t have the same love language I do. So every day, to love my people well, I need to practice loving in their “language”. Think about it a bit like spoken language: I’ve forgotten most of the French I learned in high school and a lot of the Spanish I learned growing up in Miami because I don’t practice it every day. It’s the same thing with love languages—my fluency gets rusty if I don’t get the opportunity to practice it.

Here I share with you some of the ways I try to love the people in my life according to their particular love language, and how it helps me honor Jesus in doing so:

My son: Acts of service

My son, Cameron, has acts of service as his love language. This means that when I do something nice for him, he interprets it as a form of love and care on my behalf. So with this in mind, I know that while he’s perfectly capable of getting himself a glass of water, if I want to be a loving mom to him, I might bring him a snack or get him a drink.

Recently, he let me borrow his car for a few weeks while I was deciding what to do with mine. As a thank you, I not only verbally expressed my gratitude, but I physically vacuumed and wiped out his car when I was finished and put in a full tank of gas as a way to show my appreciation. I know it meant a lot to him, and while I could have simply paid somebody to do it or even given him some cash for the use of his vehicle, I know it meant a lot to him that I spent the time making it nice for him. It made him feel loved.

Similarly, the other night he was making himself hot chocolate, and he offered to make me some. I realized that was his way of extending love to me. It wasn’t just a polite “want some too?” It was an actual love offering. Saying yes enabled him to express love to me, and vice versa.

My daughter: Quality time

My daughter Avery is all about quality time. She loves nothing more than for me to sit down with her while she’s scrolling through TikTok or reading a book or journaling and simply keep her company. It doesn’t matter if we talk about anything important or not—it’s just the time spent together.

So I’ve learned to pay attention. If she asks me to sit down with her, I try to make that a priority. Of course there are a gazillion things I could be doing instead, from making dinner to cleaning, but I choose to use my time in a way that serves her better and honors our relationship. I interpret her invitation as a request that I pour some love into her—or understand that she’s offering to pour some love back my way.

My husband: Touch

Matt’s love language is touch, which means I have to pay attention to little physical gestures when I’m around him. If he’s standing in the kitchen and I need to put something in the sink, one way I can show him I love him is by scratching his back or gently squeezing his hand as I brush by him. When we’re in the car driving, I can put down my phone and instead link my fingers with his. When it comes time for family movie night, cuddling up next to him fills his cup. It’s the same thing with the kids or the dog—he loves to wrestle with our puppy and tickle-torture our teens. Their shrieks and giggles in response are music to him. A hug means a lot.

My mom: Gifts

My mom goes all out when it comes to gifts. It’s not that she spends an extraordinary amount, but rather it’s all the time, effort, and thought she puts into gifts. She spends days and sometimes weeks thinking about the perfect present and how to assemble it, then wraps it up nicely with a pretty bow and a sweet celebration. It’s not just family members, either—you should see what she gives her mail carrier or her friends at the dog park.

When she gives me a gift, I know she’s put her heart into it. And so when I want to show her love on her birthday, at Christmas, and on other occasions, I make sure a gift is always part of the equation. It’s a small but effective way to show how much she means to me.

Me: Words of affirmation

Most of the time my people are really great about loving me back with the words I crave. Words of affirmation aren’t empty compliments but rather words that let me know they see me, they hear me, or they value what I say or do.

In addition, I can honor my own preference for “love words” by choosing to love my people with their love language and my own. That is, when I give Matt a quick squeeze, I can also murmur “love you.” When I get Cam his water, I can say something kind. When I watch TikTok videos with Avery, we can chat. When I give my mom a gift, I can tuck a sweet card inside with all the loving sentiments I wish to express.

In the Gospel of Matthew, when asked by a religious expert which is the greatest commandment in the Law, Jesus told him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40 NIV).

Loving your neighbor as yourself means treating them with the same care we’d give ourselves or that we desire for ourselves. While it does mean providing food, financial assistance, and a friendly ear to people, it also means getting to know them and attempting to love them in their language.

Figure out how they respond or care for others in their world. For instance, do you have a neighbor who often bakes cookies for everyone just because? Consider how you can love her through an act of service of your own.

This holiday season, we get a ton of great opportunities to love those around us. Consider how you can love like Jesus, and love your neighbor “as yourself,” by understanding and attempting to love others in their own love language.

Let’s Pray: Dear God, please help me love others in a way that shines Your light in the world and draws them into Your kingdom. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach. 

She is the recipient of the 2018 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for her novel, The Memory Garden. She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism.

Learn more about her fiction and read her faith blog at http://jessicabrodie.com. She has a weekly YouTube devotional and podcast.

You can also connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

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

Devotionals for the Heart: Your Gifts

Your Gifts Have A Unique Purpose 
A devotional by Mirachelle Canada

“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us . . .” 

– Romans 12:4-6 (NIV)

Can a hand function as a foot, or a foot as a hand?

Not effectively because each is uniquely designed for a reason. Though similar in the digits of fingers and toes, the vast differences between the two are in their design, structure, and purpose. The hand provides strength, power, and protection to the body. The foot provides support, balance, and mobility of the body.

In this same way, God created each of His children with a special purpose. To each one He establishes a unique destiny with gifts to match. Why then do we desire to change ourselves or our circumstances, ignoring our unique gifts? A choir member wishes to be the lead vocalist on the praise team. An usher wishes to be the deacon. The Sunday school teacher wishes to be the credentialed pastor. A youth pastor wishes to be the senior pastor. A band leader wishes to be the musical director, and so on.

These wishes are all a part of the proverbial “grass is always greener on the other side” mentality. Wishing to be other than you have been called or designed to be by God is the same as wanting to trade in your hand for your foot. If the position is not what He designed you for, then you won’t function properly within the body of Christ.

When we covet someone else’s gifting in the body, we are taking our eyes off the mark, which is in Jesus Christ. This type of sin will hinder us and our purpose. Hebrews 12:1-2 says that we are called to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (NIV, emphasis added). Don’t miss the enduring hope in that instruction! Jesus pioneered the way for us to fulfill our calling both faithfully and effectively. Rather than looking to someone else’s gift to fulfill your purpose, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, who knows your unique giftings and will champion them to completion within you.

In this festive holiday season, there are so many of our unique gifts that we can humbly offer to God for His purpose. More than anything else, let us be willing to be the extensions of His hands and His feet by offering to others His unending mercy and everlasting love.

Let’s Pray: Dear God, thank You for the unique gifts within me that You designed for your purpose. Help me to use my gifts as You intended them as I keep my eyes fixed on your Son, Jesus Christ, who died so that I can live in hope and victory. Show me how to be a part of the Body of Christ with a cheerful heart—whether hand or foot, arm, or leg. Thy will be done. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Reflection Question: What has God shown you is your unique gift in the Body of Christ? Tell us about it in the comments section!

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Author Bio:

Mirachelle Canada is a writer, playwright, screenwriter, and theatre director/producer from Northern Virginia, where she teaches television production at her high school alma mater. 

She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Script & Screenwriting from Regent University and is an alumnus of Act One: Hollywood Film & Television Writing Program.

Mirachelle is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, American Fiction Writers Virginia Chapter, The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and Your Novel Blueprint.

She is currently working on her first historical fiction novel set during WWII.

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Connect with Mirachelle:
Website: www.mirachellecanada.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mirachellecanada/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/miracan

Devotionals for the Heart: Rest

Rest: The Forgotten Commandment
A devotional by Gena Anderson

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.” – Exodus 31:12-13 (NIV)

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with your to-do list?

Have you ever wanted a break but did not take one because then nothing would get done?

In my life the list of tasks is never-ending and I’m guessing yours is similar, yet God insists on rest in His Word. An interesting contradiction to what life demands, the idea of resting does not come naturally to me, and the execution of a day of rest is challenging.

Why?

While I’d like to say I cannot rest because I’m busy feeding orphans and caring for widows, being the hands and feet of Jesus, the reality is not quite that noble. What keeps us from resting is often one of these not so flattering reasons:

● Self-reliance over God-reliance

● Putting our identity in our work

● Materialism

● Envy

● Valuing achievement over relationships

● Insecurity, or the fear of not having enough

Contrast this with children. I often think how nice it must be to have someone provide for you, do your laundry and cook your food. They have no problem stopping work, none at all. We often have to bargain and threaten to get them to work. Somewhere in the transition to adulthood that changes.

We all learn to be self-reliant and not dependent on others, but we take that too far and try to function independent from God. Some are wounded from a childhood with unmet needs and don’t know what it means to have a dependable parent. As a child of God we are dependent on Him, whether we think so or not. He is our Good Father.

We need to stop striving for self-reliance and choose to be God-reliant.

What does God-reliance have to do with rest?

Resting on Sabbath on a weekly basis reminds us who God is. He is our God, our provider who will meet every worrisome need. The things on our to-do list are nothing compared to His great plans. A relationship with us is one of His greatest desires, and more meaningful than any accomplishment. When we rest we are choosing to make God a priority over everything else.

When we don’t rest we feel anxious, stressed, overwhelmed, depressed, and exhausted. Perhaps we should trust our Creator, who actually designed us, and operate by the manual.

Making rest a priority and setting aside the Sabbath is one of the most productive and beneficial things we can do.

How can you make rest a reality in your life?

When the Sabbath comes, make an active choice to rest. Plan for physical rest, and do things that recharge your body. Schedule a nap or a family bike ride! Recharge your emotions through creation and relationships. Refocus your spirit through intimate time with him without outside interference.

Watch what God does in your life when you prioritize Sabbath rest. You will undoubtedly benefit from remembering who He is and allowing Him to make you holy.

Let’s Pray: Dear God, you are so good to give us the gift of a command to rest. Help me to set aside time for you and go before me to enable me. Forgive me for the ways I’ve neglected rest and ignored your instructions. Help me to abide in you more and more through every Sabbath with you. Thank you for the opportunity to rest in your goodness, grace, and mercy. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

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Author Bio:

Gena Anderson is a Jesus-lover, writer, nurse practitioner, and blogger who loves to share wellness information and inspiration with the world around her.

She is the author of The Well Woman: A Journey to Wellness Through Loving Jesus, which is available on Amazon.com.

Gena proudly holds the title of wife, mom, and the world’s most average CrossFitter. She loves writing, reading, traveling, and brownies. She's working on that last one.

Gena lives in Hutto, Texas with her husband and two children.

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Connect with Gena:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellwoman.blog
Website: well-woman-blog.com
Email: wellwomanbook@gmail.com