Devotionals for the Heart: When God shows you how much He loves you

When God’s Love Gets Personal
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”

—Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)

Have you ever received an unexpected gift that made you feel really loved?

It sounds silly now that I’m talking about it, but one Christmas, my husband and I decided all our kids needed to have their own special cup. The cups weren’t cheap, but they were good quality, and they were excited about them. I didn’t even think about buying one for myself because they were pricey—and frankly, as a grownup, I didn’t “need” a special cup.

But on Mother’s Day, they all surprised me with my very own special cup. They picked out one with my initial, a pretty design, and colors they knew I'd like.

It’s been years since that Mother’s Day. Now three of those four little kids are in college! But this morning when I went to take a sip of water, I chose that cup to use. And when I looked down at it, suddenly I remembered how appreciated that unexpected gift made me feel—that I mattered enough to them that they wanted me to have my own special cup, too. They thought of me, they included me, and they wanted to do that for me as a gesture of love.

It still feels just as sweet all these long years later. It reminds me of God’s love. I don’t mean God’s love in the general sense—how He loves us all, how He sent His Son for all of us, how He created a place in Heaven for us if we repent and believe and follow Him. I mean those certain, very specific moments I have felt God intimately and personally in my life. Those moments when I’ve felt His hand stretched out, grasping toward me, His whisper meant specifically for my ears, the thought or insight or vision He has placed in my mind.

It doesn’t happen often, but looking back over my life, I remember times when I felt fully and intimately connected with my Lord. That time late at night on the beach when I looked up at the sky and saw His face. That dream He gave me that, when I woke up, made me realize it hadn’t been a dream at all but a vision, an actual divine encounter when I made a choice for Him definitively and eternally.

That time when my infant daughter had a clogged tear duct and I was so worried about her having to endure surgery and anesthesia again after having her ear tubes put in. And how, when I prayed, deeply and fervently, and placed my hands upon her head, I felt the Lord’s power heal her beneath my fingertips.

That time when driving to work, I looked up and saw a cloud part and God gave me a vision for what would become my debut novel, The Memory Garden. That time when I was sobbing on the bathroom floor and I felt Him right there with me—fully and unmistakably there with me.

I can’t explain those times adequately. I’m not sure I’m meant to. It’s a knowing I possess deep in my soul, deep in the Spirit within me, that recognizes my Lord loved me enough to gift me with something infinitely precious: a divine encounter.

What an honor that is! What an honor that we, mere sinful and broken and powerless human beings, are beloved by the God of the Universe. What an honor that He chooses to have an intimate, personal, genuine relationship with us, parting the waves and the clouds just so we can see Him in the middle of our earthly lives.

God loves us all generally. We’re all His creation, and we are precious to Him. But I also know God loves us—loves me—specifically. Personally. Intimately. And He wants us in His kingdom. That truth inspires me to do better—to love like Him, to live in a way that shines His light, to appreciate and honor and adore Him more. I’m not sure where you are in your life, my friend, and I don’t know if you know this truth. But today I urge you to stop a moment…to sit quietly within your own skin and turn your thoughts to the Creator, our Father God, who loves us.

God loves you. I urge you to know that He really does love you personally—it’s not generic. Scripture tells us this truth as well, a truth that is peppered throughout God’s Word from beginning to end. In Isaiah 43:1-2 (NIV), God says, “But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

Psalm 139:13-16 (NIV), reminds us, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

Now as I close with a prayer, and I hope you’ll join me.

Let’s Pray:

Father God, 

Thank You for loving me personally, intimately, truly. Thank You for knowing me, knowing my innermost thoughts, for seeing me as an individual beloved by You. Thank You for allowing me to be your child. Help me to know that love and to cherish and honor that love by loving others and walking with You every step of my day for every moment I have left on this earth. In the holy and precious name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

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Song of Reflection #1: “Fully Known” by Tauren Wells. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “God Loves You” by Jaci Velasquez. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “What A Privilege” by Cheri Keaggy. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #4: “Shine the Light” by Babbie Mason. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #5: “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” by Lauren Daigle. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #6: “When You Walk Through the Water” by Allison Durham. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #7: “Walk with You” by Michael Bethany. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #8: “How He Loves Us” by Kim Walker-Smith. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

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

Her two Christian contemporary novels, The Memory Garden and Tangled Roots, are Amazon bestsellers and her third novel, Hidden Seeds, is out now and is a top release. Learn more about Jessica’s writing ministry and read her faith blog at http://jessicabrodie.com. 

She has a YouTube devotional. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and more. She’s also produced a free eBook, A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When You’re Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed. She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism.

Devotionals for the Heart: God's mercies and faithfulness in our life

Between These Walls
A devotional by Colleen C. Howard

“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”––Psalm 100:5 (NIV)

Years ago, while house-hunting, my husband and I walked into a new house that had never been occupied.

We’d seen multiple listings and expected this one to disappoint like the others. As I lingered in its not-quite-finished rooms, a distinct feeling hovered over me. This felt more than just another listing. It was meant to be our home.

Somehow, I knew our teens would become adults between these walls, and we would grow older. Life would happen here. Sorrows and sadness, laughter and love, and the seemingly ordinary days that sometimes take your breath away would wash over our hearts and move us forward in life. God gave me a tiny glimpse of the future, and I was certain it would occur in this home.

Thirty years ago, we moved into this brand-new house, and it became our home. But in 2025, the time to say goodbye was knocking at the door of our hearts. We had to answer these important questions:

What will we leave behind? A house that served us well. It survived the desert heat, winds, and monsoon rains. Its walls, roof, and foundation are still in good condition despite the passage of time. But when we step out, we’ll leave behind our home and a piece of ourselves.

What will we take with us? Memories. Between these walls, there were celebrations—birthday parties, graduations, and anniversaries. Loved ones were lost while we lived here, and we mourned. Five grandchildren were loved, prayed for, and rocked to sleep in our arms. Five generations of our family have graced this house with their presence and their precious memories will remain in our hearts forever.

How will we say goodbye? With sadness and fondness. God saw us through victories and defeats, anger and reconciliation, and a multitude of unexpected events. Each moment we’ve spent here has reminded us that we’re part of God’s family, and His faithfulness is never-ending. Our hearts overflow with gratitude for the grace, comfort and mercies we’ve received from our Savior (Jesus Christ) while living between these walls.

We’re three decades older now. Our children are grown and our grandchildren are teens and young adults. When our moving day arrived, we said a heartfelt “Goodbye” to this home that served us well and a hearty “Hello” to the new adventures God has planned for us. Praise be to God, who is always faithful, good, and His love is never ending.

Let’s Pray:

Dear God,

Thank You for your faithfulness to us. We move through time and seasons seamlessly without giving it much thought. Help us to navigate our days with grace and heighten our awareness of your presence in our lives. Help us to notice the signs of shifting seasons and prepare us for the changes to come. As seasons come and go, we will turn to you our Lord and Savior. Praise be to God. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” by Carrie Underwood ft. CeCe Winans. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Colleen C. Howard is a follower of Jesus Christ, educator and writer. She lives with her husband in the Arizona desert where the sunsets are spectacular, the summers are relentless and the winters are a little slice of heaven. 

Colleen earned her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership. This degree opened opportunities to write science curriculum, develop district programs, work with Arizona teachers, community leaders, and more. With NASA Grant funding, she was also able to work with teachers all over the country and expand their knowledge of teaching science as a collaborative effort.

Over the last few years God has 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 Him. Although some days bring trials and others bring joy, Colleen believes that if you fix your eyes on Jesus then you will see the heart of God.

Colleen’s writing has been published in the following online publications: Living By Design, Her View From Home, Inside Out Worldwide, Inkspirations, and in anthologies like From Ruins to Restoration, Mountains Moved: 45 Devotions of Bold Faith, and The Miracle of Prayer. She is a monthly blogger for Dressing in God’s Love.

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Connect with Colleen:
Website: authorcolleenchoward.com

Devotionals for the Heart: When Jesus Christ is your Firm Foundation

A Foundation to Make a Better Future
A devotional by Desiree Future

“He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.”

—Isaiah 33:6 (NIV)

The year was 1968 when my parents decided to move from South Carolina to New Jersey, or as I’ve heard people say, “Move up north.” My siblings and I were yet to be born. I already had relatives living in two other northern states—one whom we would end up living mere blocks away from.

Why my southern parents decided to leave everything they’ve ever known behind is still a mystery to me. They exchanged the slow-paced-quiet life for the fast-paced inner-city life.

I can still remember their jobs. With just a high school education, my mother worked in a restaurant called Zimps Kitchen. Her uniform was a white dress with the Zimps logo on it. I remember seeing a picture of her slouching in one of the booths when she felt exhausted. If I’m not mistaken, my dad worked at a factory where my mother later joined him. He worked nights and she worked days. Between 1971 and 1974, my sisters and I were born and one of us was always in diapers. Therefore, both of my parents had to work to keep clothes on our backs and food on the table.

After my parents decided to go their separate ways, my mother continued to work at the same job for almost 20 years. And if the business did not close, she would have retired from there. After our six-family house was condemned because of safety hazards, we moved to a new place. Moving to the other side of town was different. My dad was gone, and we had to move in a short period. We settled into our new place and instantly made friends.

The following year, my mother walked me into my fifth-grade class. The teacher and my mother locked eyes then hugged each other. They grew up in the same small town in South Carolina. Mrs. Towns was her name. She was such a nice woman. If the two could have talked forever they would have.

Yes, it was hard for my mother to raise three children on her own but by the grace of God, she did. We had trials and tribulations just like the next family. However, God saw fit to put people in our lives to help. It takes a village to raise a child, they say. I am grateful God sent the whole village by way of my Godmother Mary and her entire family.

The cupboards may have been bare sometimes and the phone may have been disconnected but the rent was always paid. My mother used to say, “As long as the rent is paid, someone will always feed you.” And that’s exactly what happened. We were always fed.

I can’t say we didn’t want anything because we wanted a lot. We wanted the typical things that kids wanted back then—skates, Barbie dolls, board games, and so on. However, God gave us so much more. He gave us hope. Hope that things will get better for us.

When I was about to graduate from high school in 1990, my mother’s factory job closed. That was a hard blow because she had only had that and the waitress job at the restaurant since migrating from the South in the sixties. But just like everything else we made it through. After I became a parent, I re-connected with my father, then he reconnected with my mother (his wife). They say time heals wounds and I can attest to that. The two had forgiven each other despite everything they had been through.

Life was rough but it gave me the foundation to make a better future. It gave me the sense to want better and to do better. I’m a writer, and blogger and eight years away from retiring from my day job. God gave me a solid foundation and here I stand.

Looking back, I now see how my loving God was clearly working through it all. He gave me more than money can buy. He gave me a strong foundation.

Let’s Pray: Lord, I pray that everyone who comes across this devotional finds their strength in You as their foundation. Help them to stand tall. May they know that You are their solid rock. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Firm Foundation (He Won’t)” [feat. Chandler Moore & Cody Carnes] | Maverick City Music | TRIBL. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Through It All” by Andrae Crouch. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “In Christ Alone/The Solid Rock (Live)” by Travis Cottrell. 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: Why we need to have a child-like faith in God

A Child’s Faith in God
A devotional by Karen Marstaller

“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”—Matthew 18:3 (ESV)

As the youngest of four girls, my childhood revolved around hand-me-downs. Most were clothes, which always came in handy, but my favorite relics were the dolls my sisters had outgrown and passed along.

The soft-bodied baby dolls were precious to me. They needed lots of feeding and burping and changing of their perfectly clean diapers. Little nightgowns were for sleeping, and for an outing they needed to put on hats and coats before they were bundled into the doll stroller to get some fresh air.

Playing dolls was so important to me that I even convinced the little boy next door to play “Pioneer Family” with me. We set up our “cabin” under some shade and then moved in the doll beds and highchair. Then, while I tended babies, he went to “provide food for the family” which entailed elaborate hunts for imaginary deer, a much more pleasurable pursuit for a young boy.

But all that play set the stage for maturity. Especially as I became a young mom, I loved holding our boys, tending to them, and watching them grow into their little jeans and T-shirts. They discovered any kind of ball game, and I watched hours of T-ball, Wiffle ball, and eventually, tennis as our children matured.

In God’s perfect wisdom, He created families where little kids could grow up, start new families, and then teach their children to grow into healthy, happy kids, teenagers, and young adults. It’s an amazing cycle of birth, growth, adulthood, and parenthood—complete renewal.

As we tend to the kids around us, the most important thing we teach them is to love God. The child-like faith of a little five-year-old is precious to behold. She trusts God to bring her alcoholic parent to Jesus Christ. Her innocent prayers are dear to her Father (God) in Heaven, and He hears her cry.

One of our then three-year-old granddaughters found a most curious bug crawling on the driveway and excitedly asked me to take a picture. That photo remains a favorite to this day. I didn’t know how to switch the camera to take a selfie, but she did, and right as I took her bug picture, she switched the view. Her look of fascination far surpassed the fantastic bug she’d found. The faith of the child with eyes wide with wonder is a breath of exhilarating air. This child found such delight in her find, and I found joy in her.

The apostle Peter wrote in 2 Peter 3:9 (ESV), “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

This is child-like faith, to savor the days of dollies and little bugs, imaginations and dreams. It is ours if we exercise the Lord’s patience with the children in our lives. The children in the “Pioneer Family” grew up to start their own families, teaching their own children and grandchildren about Jesus. The young bug watcher is now a dedicated animal and insect lover. And the little girl who prayed for her Daddy saw him come to know his Savior. It was almost 50 years of waiting, but the Lord was patient with them both.

This same child-like faith can be ours for all of life, as well. There are sacrifices to be made along the way, of course. Staying up all night battling mosquitoes became the preview of a meteor shower that set a teenager on a life-long quest to explore the great outdoors. His photographs grace my wall with the pages of the newest calendar he and his family created. Then there’s ascending a mountain you never thought you could climb, but the view from the top changes your whole perspective. And the joy of the Lord is in them both.

And sadly, we often miss out on so much because we want to control the outcomes of our lives. We want to make money, or we let age creep up on us, a ready excuse not to climb to the top of the hill. Perhaps our love for Jesus has grown old and cold. It takes the faith of a child to open our Bible and ask God what He wants to teach us today. And then it takes child-like faith to obey what our Savior tells us.

Jesus says in Matthew 19:14 (ESV), “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” He is calling to us, dear sisters and brothers, to embrace the faith of a child.

Let’s Pray: Lord, You have shown us the joy of children as we watch Your magnificent ways. Please teach us to wake up every morning with excitement and eagerness as we wonder what new thing You have in store for us. And then give us strength and courage to embrace a new day full of Your possibilities. In child-like faith, we pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “A Childlike Faith” by The Pfeifers. Listen to it here.

~*~
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: How to prepare for the new year

Packing for the New Year
A devotional by Colleen C. Howard

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”—Romans 15:13 (NIV)

I welcome the New Year as if I were opening a fresh, new journal.

Flipping through the blank pages they call out to me, begging to be filled with new adventures and life lessons. I look forward to the coming season with a sense of expectancy and the assurance that God is in control. It’s like packing for a trip when I don’t know what’s coming.

I’ve been thinking about how God made His presence known to me throughout last year. Events flashed through my mind at warp speed. It was like watching a theatrical trailer for a new movie that shares the most exciting and dramatic moments in under three minutes.

The first memory that popped into my head was hearing the news that our adult daughter might have cervical cancer. The doctor moved swiftly and a biopsy was taken within a few days. We were told results would be back in a week to ten days. Time moved at a snail’s pace and every day that passed seemed like a week. Prayer warriors were on their knees, and we cried out to God for His grace and mercy. On day seven she got the call. There was no sign of cancer! I wouldn’t be surprised if our shouts of praise could be heard throughout the neighborhood.

Last year the mysteries and miracles of God were front and center. In the midst of unexpected circumstances, we saw God’s protection and compassion for loved ones who were thrust into situations filled with drama, turmoil and confusion.

Jesus Christ comforted family and friends as they experienced serious illnesses, surgeries, and medical procedures. Activities that were once routine became difficult, leaving feelings of frustration in their wake. But in His tenderness, God poured His patience, grace and peace to all involved.

During the heat of the desert summer, God brought relief to anxious souls, which resulted in life-changing discoveries. I watched in awe as hearts were healed and peace was restored.

In addition, there were birthdays, holidays, and graduations sprinkled over the months like confetti. As I look back, I feel the warmth of God’s goodness. From start to finish, the last twelve months put a spotlight on the unshakeable presence of God. He is always with us and even if you try, you cannot loosen His grip. The goodness of God permeates our lives.

What did I receive last year that I’ll pack for the New Year? The power of the goodness of God, His tender mercies, and His promise to sustain and rescue me (Isaiah 46:4).

As we step further into the new year, may your suitcase be filled with God’s Word (The Holy Bible) and your heart drenched in His love.

Let’s Pray:
Thank you Lord, for your love and comfort. Heighten our awareness of your presence and fill us with the peace of Jesus. May His light shine through like a beacon in the darkness and His love bring us great joy this New Year. Praise be to God. In the Name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “The Goodness of God” by CeCe Winans. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Been So Good” (feat. Tiffany Hudson) by Elevation Worship. 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: How to make a Christmas to remember

How to Experience the Wonder of Christ’s Presence This Christmas
A devotional by Sarah Cole

“After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”— Matthew 2:9-11 (NIV)

We’ve all heard it said a thousand times that Christmas is the most wonderful time of year, but for many of us, the holiday rush only magnifies our grief, disappointment, and loneliness.

I’ve been on my own since my parents passed away several years ago. As an only child, I’m used to it, but I often feel like an orphan longing for somewhere to call home. While everyone else has a place to celebrate this month, I am content sitting before the fireplace with a bowl of popcorn and watching Hallmark Christmas movies.

I’ll admit that I sometimes lose sight of the Christmas story when mine disappoints me. Don’t get me wrong. I love shopping, sipping hot chocolate, attending parties, and singing carols. Still, when I feel like my Christmas plans are not enough, Jesus Christ reassures me that His presence always is.

Christmas is less about finding the perfect gift and more about encountering Jesus with the same wonder the three wise men experienced that cold, starry night.

Imagine the anticipation as they followed the star to Bethlehem on their journey to meet the newborn King promised centuries before. When they arrived with gold, frankincense, and myrrh, it was clear they spared no expense to honor Him.

As you reflect on that miraculous night, imagine being present at the manger worshipping Jesus. Dictionary.com defines the word "present" as:

1. a thing presented as a gift: Christmas presents.

2. focused on or involved in what one is doing at a particular moment.

Jesus Christ entered this world not so we could cross everything off our lists, but so we could receive His invitation to join His forever family.

If, like me, your heart longs for more this season, escape the holiday rat race for a moment and sit at the feet of Jesus. You’ll find you don’t have to be a wise man to make this a Christmas to remember.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, when I compare my Christmas to everyone else’s, help me remember that the reason I celebrate is because Your Son (Jesus Christ) came to this Earth to be my Savior and Lord. When the world tempts me to focus on earthly treasures, Christ is the greatest gift of all, and the joy I feel when I enter His presence is always enough for me. In Jesus’s Name, I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Light A Candle” by AVALON. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Sarah Cole’s interest in writing began in grade school when her poem was published in the local paper. Since then, she has written for her college newspaper and two community newspapers where she wrote restaurant reviews and articles for their ‘best of’ spread.

 

Her experience as an administrator in the marketing field gave her the opportunity to write ads for a local business journal.

After a 20-year detour and a three-year season of adversity, God reignited her passion to write. Two divine appointments later, the short story she wrote about her father appeared in the St. Paul Almanac, and a short story about her cocker spaniel Gigi was published in Mysterious Ways by Guideposts. She believes her adversity was worth the lessons God taught her.

Sarah's devotionals have been published in David C. Cook’s The Quiet Hour and Devotions, The Secret Place by Judson Press, and Pray a Word a Day by Guideposts. Her short story will be featured in an upcoming book, Too Amazing For Coincidence, also to be published by Guideposts. To this day, Sarah smiles, pinches herself and gives God all the glory.

When she's not writing, she's enjoying her hobbies that include dog sitting, watching cooking shows and taking day trips.

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Connect with Sarah:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smittyc65
Twitter: https://twitter.com/@SarahCo45835279
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.cole.52

Devotionals for the Heart: When you are having a Blue Christmas

Are You Having a Blue Christmas?
A devotional by Joy Beless

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

—Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)

There are some memories that are etched in your mind forever. Those moments seem to hang in endless time.

One such memory for me was the holiday season in 1980. I was a freshman in college when I received a phone call during the week of Thanksgiving stating that my father, at age 49, had a massive heart attack. This seemed impossible for someone who was active and worked with his hands to fix everything. I’ll never forget sitting alone in the ICU waiting room, encouraging my mom and family to have a meal with friends on Thanksgiving Day. It was my turn to hold vigil and pray over my father, asking God to help him to make it through that day—and he did. He continued to recover through December, only to have triple bypass surgery shortly after Christmas.

I wish I could say that was the only holiday season marked with a hospital stay, life-threatening illness, or even death. But it wasn’t. And if we are honest, most of us have lived in the tension of a great loss, anxiety, estranged relationships, job loss, et cetera, during the holidays. The polarized internal emotions compete to see who will win. The dual playlist of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “In the Bleak Midwinter” take turns playing over each other in grating succession. The repetitive question from the people around us asking, “Are you ready for Christmas?” echoes in your ear as you nod your head. But you don’t offer too much of an answer because you are aware that it is a nicety and not meant to be honestly answered.

Does this scenario sound familiar? If so, you are not alone. The season of Advent leading up to Christmas day is a season of waiting, watching, and hoping. The reality of this world does not measure up to the Christmas movies we binge-watch to numb our authentic—some good, some bad—circumstances that simply do not take a break during Christmastime in December. I would dare to say that instead, the season of Advent is an invitation to bring our reality into the waiting, watching, and hoping of the holiday season.

Several years ago, after an especially difficult November when I spent the night in the hospital with two different loved ones, I just couldn’t pretend to be cheery and bright. I gave myself permission not to be but rather understood more than ever the gift of Jesus Christ, who also entered our world as a baby born to a financially poor couple (Mary and Joseph) who lived in an occupied land before escaping as refugees to a foreign land. I didn’t need to put on a happy face for Jesus because He understood and met me in that place.

A few years ago, a friend introduced me to the concept of a “Blue Christmas Service,” which I was not familiar with. This is a service traditionally on or near the winter solstice—the year’s longest night—and with the use of candles, scripture, carols, and prayers, hold space for the weary burdens and griefs that do not take a break during December but rather seem to be out of place. It is a service that creates a sacred space to speak and name the dear one lost, the illness we suffered, the painful divorce, or the job loss that is loudly snuffing out any good cheer. As the service progresses and additional blue candles are lit, the light of our Savior, Jesus Christ, brings hope and comfort as we witness His presence with us.

Some people may wonder if this kind of celebration adds to the depressed feeling we are so desperately trying to chase away. My experience is that acknowledging our reality and complicated emotions in a community that understands (even if amongst strangers) allows me to release the pain and tears and perhaps, in a small way, makes room for the cheer I so deeply want to feel.

As Isaiah prophesied in the verses above, the darkness of the world is nothing new, but we have the light of our Savior shining through even into the darkest circumstances. Others feel alone in their grief, and when we light our candles together in acknowledgment of this, our souls feel a little lighter. We experience the love and understanding of our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word that reminds us you are familiar with our difficult circumstances and desire to minister to us through the Holy Spirit. We ask for comfort and peace that only comes through You, the Light of the World.

In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Light A Candle” by AVALON. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Light of the World” by Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Joy Beless is a worshipper of God and lover of people. 

A practicing Spiritual Director, she is a speaker for retreats and conferences and facilitates guided solitude retreats at the family ranch in North Texas.

A seasoned worship leader and songwriter, she frequently weaves worship, God’s Word and spiritual practices together. She is a chapel provider for a shelter for the houseless and a certified Grief and Trauma Healing Facilitator. Serving at global retreats for Kingdom-minded women delights her soul.

She has written for Global Trellis and Missio Nexus. She connects God’s Word with the reality of our daily in all the ups and downs.

Joy is married to Roger. They live in Coppell (Texas). Joy is called "JoJo" by her nine adorable grandchildren. She enjoys the outdoors and encourages flowers to grow in the Texas heat.

~*~
Connect with Joy:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joy.beless
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joy.beless/
Website: www.joybeless.org

Devotionals for the Heart: How to write a psalm of Thanksgiving

Writing Your Own Psalm of Thanksgiving
A devotional by Joy Beless

“You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.”—Psalm 30:11-12 (NIV)

Much like the fall winds that tug at the leaves on the trees outside my window, so has change come to our family and loved ones.

I will be setting two fewer dinner plates at our table this Thanksgiving. I know I’m not the only one. As much as I want the beautiful tablescape, delicious traditional menu, and smiling faces around my table, the reality cannot be ignored. This year has been marked by loss, grief, and difficult circumstances. I want to honor the loss of loved ones before moving on to the festive table chatter. Much like noticing the fallen leaves before raking them into a pile for my grandchildren to jump in.

I need to step away and take some time to care for my soul and prepare for this hectic but meaningful holiday season. I spend hours preparing the holiday meal, my house, and décor before our loved ones joyfully come through the door announcing their arrival. Likewise, I want to care for my soul to receive my guests from an authentic place of peace and hope, not a cultivated artificial smile.

How do I do this? I begin with a ritual every November of writing my own psalm, patterning after the biblical psalms. There are six different kinds of psalms in the Bible, including those of thanksgiving, which are divided between personal prayers and prayers for the nation of Israel. Written by King David, the psalms are rich in description and often are ones we still sing today. While we generally associate thankful songs as happy and upbeat, a closer look at the personal psalms of David reveals something different. Psalm 30 (referenced above) is written in an authentic and reflective tone. As he looks back, David recalls being “lifted out of the depths” by God and not letting his enemies boast (verse 1), sparing him from sliding into a pit of despair (verse 3) and crying for God’s mercy (verse 8).

David also contrasts calling for God’s help and experiencing his healing (verse 2), God’s anger and his favor, weeping and joy (verse 5), and wailing and dancing (verse 11). Lastly, David mentions singing or praising God five times throughout the twelve verses. As David reflects on a painful and difficult season of his life, he sees the faithfulness, deliverance, and restoring power of God through it all and repeatedly praises Him.

As I consider writing my own psalm of thanksgiving, I will not think too hard about how it sounds or if the grammar is correct, but rather let it simply flow from my thoughts and allow the raw emotions to run through my arm, hand, and pen onto the paper. I may include laments, confessions, and prayers answered and unanswered. As thoughts of God’s goodness and faithfulness throughout this time rise in my soul, I jot those down too. When I recall sweet memories of those who are absent, that also goes on the paper.

My objective is not to have a beautifully crafted psalm for generations to read but rather an outpouring of my soul as an offering for God, who is the sustainer of hope through it all. The words may be something I read to a few close people, but most often will be an entry into my private journal.

When Thanksgiving in the USA ends and I begin to purchase and wrap Christmas gifts, I usually feel an invitation from God to set aside some time to reflect and write down a psalm of thanksgiving and gratitude. I feel encouraged to embrace the season of gratitude similar to the “selah” pause in the Psalms, a reset for my soul. Henri Nouwen said, “Gratitude as a discipline involves a conscious choice.” I agree completely with this sentiment.

It is a choice to come to the festive table with a lighter soul and a heart overflowing for the many ways I experienced the love and hope of God. I mentioned the two empty place settings at our table this year, but I’m so very grateful for the two additional place settings that I will add once my two grandbabies can move from their mother’s laps into the high chairs. And for that I’m very grateful and praising God!

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

You have been faithful in the highs and the lows of the past year. Your strength has sustained me, and your love preserves my hope. I am grateful and thankful for so many things, including your presence on the journey.

In Jesus’s Name, I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Sovereign” by Chris Tomlin. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Joy Beless is a worshipper of God and lover of people. 

A practicing Spiritual Director, she is a speaker for retreats and conferences and facilitates guided solitude retreats at the family ranch in North Texas.

A seasoned worship leader and songwriter, she frequently weaves worship, God’s Word and spiritual practices together. She is a chapel provider for a shelter for the houseless and a certified Grief and Trauma Healing Facilitator. Serving at global retreats for Kingdom-minded women delights her soul.

She has written for Global Trellis and Missio Nexus. She connects God’s Word with the reality of our daily in all the ups and downs.

Joy is married to Roger. They live in Coppell (Texas). Joy is called "JoJo" by her nine adorable grandchildren. She enjoys the outdoors and encourages flowers to grow in the Texas heat.

~*~
Connect with Joy:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joy.beless
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joy.beless/
Website: www.joybeless.org

Devotionals for the Heart: Finding Joy

Finding Joy in the Losses
A devotional by Peg Arnold

“God, investigate my life;

get all the facts firsthand.

I’m an open book to you;

even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking.

You know when I leave and when I get back;

I’m never out of your sight.

You know everything I’m going to say

before I start the first sentence.

I look behind me and you’re there,

then up ahead and you’re there, too—

your reassuring presence, coming and going.

This is too much, too wonderful—

I can’t take it all in!”

—Psalm 139:1-6 (The Message Bible)

Have you ever had to give away or sell something that you love?

You may have found yourself in this situation for many reasons: financial need, a job change, or a move. Seven years ago, we were preparing to leave our home of 32 years. I couldn’t believe the time it took packing our belongings, throwing away what we couldn’t take with us, making critical decisions, and saying goodbye to a house filled with memories. I wasn’t prepared for the grief of letting go. It felt like a part of my heart was being torn out.

But God has a purpose in our transitions, moves, losses, and changes. He lovingly accompanies us, preparing new experiences and relationships on our new path. He composes the melody of our lives through each moment, weaving together joyous chords, minor melodies, pounding bass notes with drums, and sweet harmonies in our life song. At the same time, He uses what we give up or leave behind to bless others.

It was hard to leave my old home, but God revealed new insights to me that inspired me to write a poem. Read it below.

Melodies of the Home

Empty rooms and echoing halls once filled with

the music of laughter, voices, and footsteps.

Walls that were decorated with faces of loved ones’ smiles,

are now bare, with only the years of memories soaked inside.

Oh if these walls had voices, the ballads they would sing

If the floors were instruments, the rhythm of life would be a symphony

First the bouncing beat of babies and toddlers

Full of giggles and teary-eyed cries

Boo boos being kissed and bedtime stories retold

Next the chaotic cacophony of schoolbooks and

choruses full of chatter, chiding and cheers,

Interspersed with descants of backyard picnics,

Refrigerator Picassos, piles of laundry, and insatiable appetites.

As the family grows into the teen years, the symphony reaches a climax of

the dichotomous joys and challenges that accompany emerging independence,

Ending with a mournful melody interspersed with harmonies of joyful expectation!

This home embraces the many memories and movements carved into the

walls and floors from each season of life,

But just like seasons, houses change, families grow up and move on.

This house now silent, cleaned spotless, swept clear of generational legacies,

Becomes an empty score for the composition of a new family chorus.

God bless this home, the tunes that dwell within, and the harmonies of a new song.

Now, think about the changes you're going through. Maybe it's not about moving out of a house, but something else is changing. What's the tune of your transition? Is it a mournful melody or filled with joyful chords? What's there to appreciate in the midst of these changes? What life lessons can you take away from this experience? Look for a glimmer of hope!

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord,

You are the composer of our lives. You see our past, and you know our future. You know how we will respond when we encounter changes and seasons. Help us to see the joys amid the losses, the hope instead of the fear, and cling to your faithfulness through it all.

In Jesus’s Name, I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Seasons Change” by Crystal Lewis. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Peg Arnold, Speaker/Author/Teacher is a Drama Queen for Jesus. 

Her vibrant, interactive, and soul-stirring messages encourage all to embrace their God-given value. As a mom, wife, nana, mentor, with a master’s in counseling, she connects on a personal basis by sharing her joys and challenges of many life experiences through her dramas, messages, and witness. Whether talking with a friend over coffee or addressing hundreds of people at a conference, her passion for equipping women is contagious.

She has published devotions on YouVersion and in The Upper Room. In addition, she has contributed to two Chicken Soup for the Soul books, three anthologies, numerous articles, and blogs. Her devotional, Devotions for the Distracted Heart, received a 2022 OASIS award.

Peg desires everyone to know that their story is important and has a purpose. She grew up in Michigan and raised her family in Maryland. Later in life, Peg and her husband relocated close to their family in Colorado.

~*~
Connect with Peg:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arnoldpeg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pegarnoldwow
Website: https://pegarnold.org/ Get some freebies when you visit!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC51V_iWr0RfGAQvQnWVXEoA
Devotions for the Distracted Heart blog: https://pegarnold.wordpress.com/
YouVersion: https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/22261-devotions-for-the-distracted-heart
Holiday YouVersion: https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/28680-holiday-devotions-for-the-distracted-heart
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/wonderofwomen/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/peg-arnold-wow

Devotionals for the Heart: How to remember special moments with God

Revisiting Your Altars
A devotional by Chaplain Paul Anderson

"The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord." –Genesis 12:7-8 (NIV)

Of all the people who lived during his era, Abram was selected by God to be the ancestor through whom the Messiah would come. Abram was on a mission to complete a family migration from the area near Iran to the area that now encompasses Israel and Palestine. While on the journey Abram experienced an epiphany. He literally conversed with God.

When the conversation ended, Abram built an altar, a place of worship, a spiritual landmark. As he safely journeyed further, he built altars and worshipped God at the places where he lodged. Travelers behind Abram would know by these altars that special moments had occurred in these places.

Abram’s spiritual journey is mapped by his altars. The milestone events in his life were memorialized by the altars that he built. Among his progeny, this ritual persisted. Centuries later when the descendants of Abram crossed the Jordan River, emancipated from centuries of slavery, they collected stones and they also built an altar (Joshua 4:6-7).

What are the spiritual markers in your life that remind you of interventions and epiphanies in your past? Each one can stand alone as a devotional exercise. They can create a praise perspective and usher you into a hope-filled and optimistic attitude for your current challenges. Each altar says that God was with you. His presence in your past can assure you of His care for you now.

If you have never marked the milestones of your spiritual journey, perhaps it is a good idea for you now. The altars in Abram’s era were often simply, stacked stones. Contemporary altars can be tangible, spatial, art, or prose. Begin by making a timeline of your life.

Mark the moments of the big or meaningful moments. Riding your bike successfully. Skating confidently. First crush on someone special. Baptism? Driving. Graduation. As you review your milestones, do you remember interacting with God or feeling some kind of transcendence?

When my grandson first rode his bicycle without training wheels, he had a spiritual moment. He stopped his bike and asked me what I heard as he rode. I said, “I don’t hear anything.” He said, “I do. Because I don’t hear the training wheels, I hear the birds singing and the cars going by on the other street, and I hear myself singing.”

Then he rode off singing, “Jesus loves me, this I know…”

It was a surreal and spiritual moment for me too. At the most ecstatic moment of his young life, he spontaneously sang to praises God. He and I fondly remember that day. He has had other milestone moments and marks them similarly. I do also. What about you?

I encourage you to spend some time thinking on the latest spiritual moment in your life and build an altar. Not an idol, but an altar. Don’t worship the altar, worship the God who created and facilitated your special moment.

As we approach the season of reflection upon the resurrection, Easter, focusing on how the real and living Savior (Jesus Christ) is present in our lives is a good idea and exercise.

Let’s Pray:

Dear God, thank You for today and the ability to remember and reflect upon how You have guided us in the past. May we find strength and confidence to live this day with courage and boldness because we are assured that as You have been with us in the past, You will guide us safely through today and tomorrow. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Goodness of God” by CeCe Winans. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Chaplain Paul Anderson served for 20 years as a U.S. Navy Chaplain. Over 26 years of active duty, he was promoted through the ranks from Seaman Apprentice (E2) to his final rank as Commander (O5) in the Chaplain’s Corps.

Prior to his Naval career, Chaplain Anderson pastored in the Allegheny East and Potomac Conferences of Seventh-day Adventists. His undergraduate preparation for ministry was completed at Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Md.

He has subsequently earned four graduate degrees: a Master of Divinity from Andrews University in Michigan, a Master of Education in Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland and a Masters of Sacred Theology in Religion and Culture from Boston University. His Doctor of Ministry degree was conferred by Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.

Chaplain Anderson also completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He also holds certifications in Suicide Awareness and Prevention, Civil Mediation, Alternative Workplace Dispute Resolution, Temperament Analysis, Marriage Enrichment, Workforce Diversity, and is a certified Life Coach.

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

Devotionals for the Heart: Why there is always hope, even in grievous times

Hope in the Grief
A devotional Jessica Brodie

Have you ever experienced a time of loss and sadness that is simultaneously also filled with deep joy? That was our family this week as we journeyed to Ohio to celebrate the life and mourn the passing of my husband’s grandfather.

Grandpa Bob was 95 when he died, and what a man! A World War II Navy veteran who enlisted at age 17 and saw significant action—including the Battle of Iwo Jima, the Okinawa Invasion, and Operation Crossroads for the Bikini Atoll nuclear bomb tests—he also served in the Korean Conflict on the USS Wisconsin. After his discharge, he spent his career in Ohio’s oil and gas drilling operations. He had three kids, then remarried and gained three stepkids, and at his death claimed 12 grandkids (plus spouses) and 15 great-grandkids, all who loved him dearly.

Matt and I and our four kids road-tripped from South Carolina last week for the funeral, joined by parents and a host of other cousins, aunts, and uncles, all of us surrounding Grandma Mary, his wife. At age 99, she and Grandpa Bob still lived in their house. Together, we mourned his death but celebrated his life with deep and affirming joy.

Why joy? See, in addition to being an outstanding person and family man, Grandpa Bob’s most important role was “child of God.” A Christian and active member of his local United Methodist church, one thing we all knew when Grandpa Bob passed on was that we didn’t need to wonder or worry what would become of him. We knew, because he was a follower of Jesus, that he was assured eternal life.

Yes, there were tears at his funeral. We miss him! But there was also… laughter. Giggles. His eulogies at the service—delivered by his pastor, one of his sons and his stepson—recounted stories about mishaps with dynamite and catching himself on fire, his love for John Wayne and gardening, his silliness rolling around on the ground with puppy dogs or playing at Cedar Point.

“Loyal, faithful, and hardworking,” are how his pastor, Jim, described him. “Disciplined but always fair,” his son, Uncle RJ, said.

A man of stories, said everyone.

That’s how I, a latecomer blessed to marry into this family, knew him. Grandpa Bob was an outstanding storyteller. I remember how we’d visit and he’d tell about standing on the deck of his ship in WWII, or about riding horses, another of his loves.

Uncle RJ shared how he had the opportunity these last years to spend at least two mornings a week having long coffee chats with his dad, listening to old tales told and retold, sometimes the same story twice in one day. What always struck RJ was the joy with which he told those stories. That’s what I had loved, too…and, come to think of it, is what always makes an extraordinary storyteller. It’s the love of the tale.

Grandpa Bob had that. He shared that. And oh, what a legacy.

A couple of the grandkids were not able to attend the funeral, and during the service, Uncle Warren shared a special memory one of his own sons had about Grandpa Bob. During their last visit, they’d sat on the porch together talking about the future, and Grandpa Bob passed on some sage advice to him: “We are ultimately measured as men by how we react to uncontrollable things.”

Wise, wise words from a good, good man.

As Pastor Jim said at the funeral, an eternal perspective in this life keeps us in balance. As believers in Christ Jesus, we know infinitely more awaits us in heaven. The casket is not our end.

Each of us who believe can hold fast to the promises of Scripture, promises like 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14: “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him” (NIV).

It's not that we do not grieve, but that we don’t grieve as others.

Our grief is rooted in hope, in joy, in promise.

We will be together again one day—thanks be to God.

Rest in peace, Grandpa Bob. We love you dearly.

Let’s Pray: Father God, thank You for the hope You give all of us who believe in and follow You: the hope of salvation. Thank You that the casket is not our end. Help us spread Your word to others so they can share in this, too. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
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.

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, Twitter, and more. 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: The Gift

The Gift of Laughter
A devotional by Tema Banner

“He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.”

–Job 8:21 (NIV)

As we turn the calendar to November, we who live in the USA think of Thanksgiving.

Many people in this country favor this holiday. Families and friends gather for the sole purpose of breaking bread and speaking aloud those things for which we are thankful. This holiday, more than any other, speaks to the heart of how God created us: as beings created to glorify Him with praises of thanksgiving and joy and to serve kindness up to our fellow man.

Family, health, and employment usually top the list of items on our gratitude list. But what God placed on my mind and heart to be thankful for today is laughter.

I was surprised to discover that the book of Job is tied with Genesis for the most mentions of laughter. If you have ever read the suffering and sorrow that Job endured, you too are likely surprised. Thanksgiving has been my favorite holiday for many years. But now as November arrives, I have other memories that darken my mind ahead of our family gathering. The first day of November marks the anniversary of the passing of my son, Steven.

Thoughts batter my mind of what I could have done differently, with hopes of a different outcome. Laughter is in short supply the week leading up to the first, fighting the threat of tears is more the order of the day. Laughter is one of the many joys that Steven brought into the lives of those he knew. The beauty is that laughter did not leave this world with him. God never promised an easy life or one that would fall into place as we plan. Life can change in a matter of seconds and leave you wondering what happened and asking if you will ever be able to smile again, let alone laugh.

Laughter is vital to our recovery, even when it is laughter through tears. The more I remember the laughter my son brought into my life, the more I laugh anew at his antics, and the more my heart heals. I realize that as Sarah said in Genesis 21:6, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” Laughter is indeed a gift, and it is not the only one that helps us heal. Proverbs 17:22 tells us that having a cheerful heart is also beneficial to our livelihood and health. These are gifts from God that we do not always think of when we are counting our blessings.

We live in a world that is bent on destroying the good gifts that God has bestowed on us. Therefore, we would be wise to cultivate the laughter and cheerfulness in our lives.

How can we do this?

First, ask God to open your eyes and your heart to the blessings He has given you. Sometimes we become accustomed to what we have, and we no longer recognize it as a gift from our loving Father (God).

Second, our brains are wired to think negatively, but we can change this by taking simple steps, such as writing out a scripture of hope and meditating on it, place it on your mirror so you’ll see it first thing every morning.

Third, recognize negative thoughts, give them to God and replace them with a positive thought.

It won’t happen overnight, but eventually you will create a good habit of positive thoughts which will make it easier to laugh and give you a cheerful heart.

Do you have an activity that brings you pleasure that perhaps has gotten lost over the past two years? My activity is walking. I enjoy nature and it is a special time between me and Jesus. Surprisingly, working from home seems to have curtailed my walking. It is important to push away from the world of work and take a stroll with God. He will refresh your soul and return laughter to your lips, just as He promised.

Let’s Pray: Thank you God for the beautiful gift of laughter! When I hear it flow uninhibited from the mouth of a toddler, I recognize what a beautiful gift you have given us. Thank you, Lord, for the memory of past laughter that still brings us joy. Lord, this Thanksgiving season bind the hearts of those who mourn with Your everlasting, unstoppable, love. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Writing stories that take the reader on a journey to parts unknown has been a lifelong love for Tema. She enjoys all history and continues daily to hone both her knowledge of history and her writing skills. 

God is her guiding light and the reason for every endeavor in her life. She is a member of the South Carolina ACFW chapter as well as an active member of her local RWA chapter, Carolina Romance Writers.

Tema has served as past President and Secretary as well as holding various chair positions of her local RWA Chapter, Carolina Romance Writers. She is the honored recipient of the Harold Lowery Service Award, presented by the Carolina Romance Writers.

God has gifted her with a loving husband, two children and four grandchildren who are the delight of her life.

In her spare time, she gardens and digs into genealogy for nuggets to use in her stories.

~*~
Connect with Tema:
Website: https://temabannerauthor.com
Blog: www.temabannerauthor.com/blog
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/temabanner/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/tema.banner

Devotionals for the Heart: Love

Love Over Labels
A devotional by Cyndi Staudt

But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.” When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” – Luke 8:46-48 (NLT)

Every time we got together as a family there was almost surely to come up a story that started with, “Remember that time when Cyndi…?” 

My family often retells stories of things I did that were rebellious when I was younger. I mean, to be fair, I gave them a lot of material. I was a bit of a wild child. In fact, if I am honest, I still have a streak of the wild and adventurous in me. But thankfully, I have also changed and grown not just older but wiser over the years. However, it doesn’t seem to matter how I have changed, they only seem to want to “remember when” I did things I shouldn’t have done. While I’ve come to accept it, I certainly don’t enjoy feeling like I am known by my “issues” or worst moments in life.

Every time I read the verses above in my Bible about the woman who suffered with constant bleeding for twelve years, my heart hurts. The title alone is certainly cringe-worthy. I mean we all have issues – was it necessary to point hers out so blatantly and then leave it there on the pages of the Bible for all to see forever?

I find it a bit unsettling to think this woman is known and labeled by her issues. Maybe because I have so many issues of my own that I am trying to free myself from mentally and emotionally so I can sit fully in my new creation status. What’s worse is sometimes we hold ourselves in that prison by not letting go of the past or shedding the labels we or others have placed on us. Thankfully, as is frequently the case with God, there’s more to the story.

In every Gospel account of this story, we see Jesus not only heal her issue but restore her value. Jesus first brings our sweet sister “out of hiding.” We are told “she realized she couldn’t stay hidden.” We often want to cruise through life with our issues, and sometimes ourselves, unnoticed. On the contrary, Jesus wants us to walk free and come boldly to His throne. And often that means bringing into His light those things lurking in the darkness.

My hope is stirred by the fact that Jesus ends this passage by calling her “Daughter.” While it’s not her “name”, I do believe Jesus wanted her (and us) to know He saw her, He knew her and the label of Daughter was the one that should truly define her. He was simply reminding her of the name she had always had. She had just forgotten, as we often do, that she was a Daughter of the King and that her status as Daughter of the King supersedes all other names and labels – even the name given by our parents at birth. We remain a Daughter (or son) of the King even when we stray or sin – we never lose our salvation or our status as His child.

I also love that we are told here that the “whole crowd” heard this exchange between her and Jesus. Because I am sure the “whole crowd” knew of her circumstances and may have had a hand in reminding her of her unclean status. They would have certainly avoided her, not spoken to her or acknowledged her, and would never have touched her. But Jesus did all of these. And He will do this for us too if we come to Him boldly and reach out for Him in faith. Our minds have a hard time forgetting our issues and failures. Others may make it a habit of reminding us of our issues and failures but our God does not. He puts them “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12) and we need to learn to do that too. Because when we do, we can walk fully and confidently into our future as a new creation in Christ and child of the Most High God.

Let’s Pray: Loving Lord, thank you for looking beyond our failures and infirmities to see us, truly SEE us. When our nature is to want to hide our face and cover our flaws, we are encouraged that you seek to remind us our true value and worth is found in You. Help us remember that when the world wants to label us repeatedly, You, instead, love us recklessly. Let us pursue You with abandon, knowing that in Your presence is where we encounter acceptance, secure our salvation and receive restoration to step fully into our position of royalty as Daughters and Sons of the King. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

~*~

Author Bio:

Cyndi Staudt is a Jesus-loving, adrenaline junkie who is devoted to living her life for Jesus Christ until the day she is living with Him. 

With a passion for cultivating a craving for God’s Word, her devotions and Bible studies are saturated with faith and hope to stir your soul to connect with God in deeper, more intimate ways.

Through her writing she hopes to ignite your desire to read God’s Word, invite your heart to experience God’s love, and inspire you to live your live life “souled out” to the One whose love has no limits.

Connect with Cyndi on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/souledoutcyndi/

Devotionals for the Heart: Life Lessons Learned from Making Banana Cake

Banana Cake
A devotional by Wade Webster

“While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life.” 

– 2 Corinthians 5:4 (NLT)

My life as a truck driver is fraught with many challenges. One of the main ones is the choice on what I'll eat while out on the road for several days at a time. Truckstop food is better than it used to be but can add up quickly in costs and calories. Squeezing a big rig through a fast food drive thru is a challenge I don't even want to think about.

Growing up relatively poor made me appreciate simple solutions for my meals. Sandwiches are a great option for me. I can make enough to last a week before I leave home. The small fridge in my tractor is a fantastic tool, too. Adding some fruit and nuts makes my diet quite healthy in an occupation known for making its minions fat. I fit it all in a cooler to transport it to work.

That is when I remember to pack everything into said cooler before I exit my apartment. One week, I left my bunch of five bananas on the kitchen counter instead of bringing them along for the ride. When I returned home Friday night they were still waiting patiently for me. They just had less of a green tint and much more of a brownish yellow hue. That's the challenge with bananas, they don't have a long shelf life.

My mom did her best to keep all seven of her children well fed as we grew up. Bananas were an important part of that regimen. When she had to buy yellow ones they would go bad before we could eat them all. No, we didn't throw much food away. She always used those mushy fruits in a recipe that would change their consistency and shelf life.

Fortunately, one of my sisters made a cookbook for me that she put some of mom's favorite recipes in. I found the banana cake recipe and fired up the oven. After putting several of those pieces of cake in the freezer, I ate those bananas for several weeks.

God has a similar challenge when it comes to taking His children home to heaven after our shelf life is completed. The first 10 verses of 2 Corinthians 5 explains in detail how we groan in our current bodies but that God gives us new bodies after we die. Yeah, the older we get the more we groan.

2 Corinthians 5:9 (NLT) gives us a great summary and life goal to reach for. “So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please God.”

So, my friend, groan if you must to make it through your day. It's normal and good.

Remember that a new, pain-free body is waiting for all who accept Jesus Christ into their heart, believe in Him and follow Jesus all the way to Heaven!

Do your best to please our Heavenly Father (God) while in this decaying body here on Earth.

Let's Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for seeing me through another day. Use my aches and pains to remind me of the perfect body you have prepared for me when you bring me Home.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wade Webster is a farm boy turned city slicker, heathen turned born-again Christian, truck driver turned writer doing his best to point folks to his best friend, Jesus Christ. 

He currently lives in Plano, Texas.

Wade is the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer, a book that didn't begin as a book, just weekly prayers to a group of writer friends.

He enjoys spending time in nature, running for exercise and dark chocolate, though not necessarily in that order. Apart from driving 18-wheelers for a living he has a part-time job painting houses on the side...and the front and back and inside.

As a teenager, he told his friends he never wanted to be considered normal. So far he's done a pretty good job of living up to that aspiration.