My Review of The Explorer Bible Dictionary for Kids

When Momentum Influencers Network (MIN) asked me to review The Explorer Bible Dictionary for Kids, I readily agreed because I love reading God’s Word (The Holy Bible) and sharing it with everyone! This version of the Bible is a bit unique because of the way it caters to children. I found it to be an asset to the book world for young readers.

But before I share my review with you, I’d like to share a word from Momentum Influencers Network about this innovative product:

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• Explorer Bible for Kids

• Explorer Bible Dictionary for Kids

• Scripture Memory Cards

• Bring the Bible to life for kids with the award-winning CSB Explorer Bible for Kids and companion products! Explore the (yet) unknown with the NEW dictionary and lock in key truths with these fun, NEW Scripture memory cards!

• Summer Goal: Develop joyful Bible study habits as a family! Get kids excited for
consistent days in God’s Word with Bibles designed for them.

Purchase link for this Bible Dictionary and to shop summer resources:
Explorer Bible for Kids - B&H Publishing

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My Review of The Explorer Bible Dictionary for Kids

The first thing I noticed about this book is the colorful and decorative cover with pictures and a design that is very kid-friendly. I believe this factor alone will draw children to this book and encourage them to ask their parents to buy it for them.

When I opened the book, two blank pages covered in a gorgeous shade of teal greeted me. This hue of blue put my mind at ease at once and created a sense of calm in my spirit. It helped me to relax and prepared me to read this book.

The most surprising feature of this book is the Table of Contents because it is listed by the letters of the alphabet and each letter corresponds to a page. For example, it looks like this: A…2 and B…18. I’ve never seen this before, so I found that feature to be intriguing and it encouraged me to keep turning the page to figure it out.

After the Table of Contents is a page that says, “For Parents and Teachers”. I found this to be important to inform adults who may want to read this book with their children. This letter prepares them to be able to properly instruct the children about God’s Word and the people who we read about in the Bible.

Following the letter to the parents and teachers, there is a short section on one page titled “Just for Kids”. I found that to be very user-friendly and something the kids will love because it makes them feel included and like this is their book even though they might need an adult to help them read it.

The next three pages are very colorful and filled with facts that teach about reconstructions, illustrated charts, definitions, Name of God and other features including a pronunciation guide that the reader will encounter in this book.

Finally, we turn the page to see the title page: “The Explorer Bible Dictionary for Kids” and that lets the reader know their journey through God’s Word has begun.

The first page we see as we start reading the Bible Dictionary portion of this book is the letter “A” in big case and lower case and beneath to the right page we see that A stands for Aaron (a Bible character) then we read all about him. We learn about his story in the Bible, his birthdate, the meaning of his name, his occupation, his relatives, his claim to fame and a few related details.

After Aaron we turn the page to learn about Abraham who was known to be a friend of God then Adam who was the first man God created on Earth. As we continue turning the next few pages, we learn more about Bible characters, including a woman named Anna who was old and known to be faithful to the Lord.

Something that impressed me was the attention to detail, not only with the content but in the page layout design and illustrations. It is very vibrant but careful not to overload the reader with too much information or too many images. Impressive!

This book follows the same layout format for every page until we reach the last two pages after the letter Z. The final page to the left lists the Art Credits and the final page on the right concludes those details. The last two pages of this book are the same gorgeous shade of teal that restores a sense of calm to the reader’s mind.

I highly recommend this book to all children within the publisher’s target audience. I believe it provides an immersive experience that is very educational and informative at the same time. I think the content will not only enrich young minds but encourage the youth to ask questions about the Bible and that is a good thing.

Disclosure: Many thanks to Lifeway Christian Resources for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own. 

Giveaway: 1 GRAND PRIZE giveaway of the Explorer Bible for Kids + Toddler Theology

Series Bundle (retail value of approx. $149.99)

Qualifications: Giveaway winners must be a resident in the United States of America.

To enter: Entrants must fill out the form on Lifeway's website (there’s no other way to enter) by 06/10/26. Here is the link: Explorer Bible for Kids and Toddler Theology Series Bundle Giveaway | Lifeway

Bundle contents: 2 copies of the Explorer Bible for Kids, 2 Explorer Bible for

Kids Dictionaries, Explorer Bible Stickers, an Explorer Bible T-shirt, and the Toddler

Theology Series set (6 books in set).

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Devotionals for the Heart: Why God wants us to have a grateful heart

Do You Have a Complaining Spirit or A Grateful Heart?
A devotional by Colette Christopher

The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”—Numbers 11:5-6 (NIV)

The children of Israel often seemed to forget what the Lord did for them after their exodus from slavery in Egypt and journey to the Promised Land.

They experienced mighty miracles from the hand of the Lord, but that did not stop their complaining spirits. We can be like that as well when we face situations that seem daunting and impossible. When the Lord allows hardships in our lives, we seldom stop to reflect on the good things He did for us in the past.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines complain as: “to express grief, pain, or discontent”. When we fail to see the good things that God has done and desire something else rather than what He provides, we are expressing our discontent with Him. This suggests that God does not have the best in store for us nor does He often give us the best. And that is certainly not true. When we read the history of the Israelites, we can see how much God loved His chosen people. It was He who was a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. It was He who parted the Red Sea and caused them to walk through dry land. It was the same God who gave them manna from heaven, yet they complained about what they had before, and not about what God was doing for them now. They reflected on the meat they had to eat in Egypt, but not on the harsh treatment they had endured as slaves, from which God had delivered them.

I am the first to admit that I was that person, and at times will lean back into that spirit. I tend to forget what God did for me in the past because my focus is on the current difficulty. This tends to happen when I am in a particularly tough season, praying for and expecting a miracle, but the Lord seems nowhere to be found. Can you identify with this?

We can read about the Israelites and think that we would not have complained, but we would. We just need to look back on past hardships and examine our hearts and see that we have done the same thing. Recently, I was praying to the Lord about a particular matter that I desperately need His help with. Truth be told, it required a miracle that I needed to have faith for, but in that moment, I had none.

My mind went back to a place I left seven years ago, and I started telling myself that maybe if I were still there, what I am experiencing would not be happening. As I engaged with that thought, I felt convicted by the Holy Spirit. Immediately, He reminded me of how God came through for me during those seven years. The multiple miracles, favor, grace, and mercy that He extended, and now, because I am in a hard place, I choose to forget what He has done and to complain against my Heavenly Father.

In that moment, all I could do was ask for His forgiveness. I started to recount the many ways that God showed up for me, and I felt so bad because I knew that it was God alone who kept me, my home, my sanity, and so much more. I chose to sing songs of worship from a grateful heart instead of engaging a heart of complaining. In doing so, my entire atmosphere shifted from one of darkness and gloom to one of brightness and hope. It is a choice that we can choose to make.

I still haven’t received the miracle yet, but I know it’s coming, and I still choose to have a grateful heart. It is important to command our spirits to remember the goodness of God because it doesn’t come naturally to us.

We must choose to give thanks for where we are now because God is right here with us, walking alongside each of us in this journey called life. Don’t choose to look back at only the things that you thought satisfied your cravings and made you happy in the past; look back at what God delivered and saved you from. A right perspective matters. God provides us with everything that we need on this journey. The problem is that it doesn’t always fit in with how we think our life should look.

Today, be encouraged that even in the hardness and the harshness of this life, God will take care of you. You may believe that what you are going through now and the provisions that God is giving you currently are inadequate to meet your needs. But please note that it’s not true.

Look at your life and think about the times you choose to express gratitude to God for what He’s given you instead of complaining to Him about what you do not have. What happens in your spirit when you make either the choice to complain or be grateful? What do you see?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines gratitude as: “the state of being grateful; thankfulness”. Today, choose thankfulness because the Bible says in Proverbs 17:22 (NLT), “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.”

I choose to be thankful today and every day. What about you?

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

We acknowledge that You are our God, our Provider, our Source for all that we need. We confess that we have complained against You. Please forgive us for forgetting Your goodness and Your grace. Forgive us for wanting the things of the past and forgetting what You brought us through. Please replace our complaining spirit with a heart of gratefulness. Father, help us when we choose to complain to look towards Your goodness and let praise flow from the inside of us. Lord, I thank you for my friend who is reading this today. Fill his or her heart with joy and remind them that just as You did for the children of Israel, You will do for them too. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.

~*~
Song of Reflection #1: “God I'm Just Grateful” by Elevation Worship & Chandler Moore. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Thank You” by The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

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

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

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

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

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

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Connect with Colette:
Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2367935
Email: Colettemarieonline@gmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: How God taught me to be more self-controlled

We All Have Smelly Words Sometimes
A devotional by Patti Schultz, Ed.D.

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing.”

—Philippians 2:14 (NIV)

There is a moment every parent knows. The moment before the words come out — that half-second when what we feel and what we're about to say are standing in the hallway together, and one of them needs to sit back down.

The Apostle Paul’s simple, almost laughably direct command in Philippians 2:14 is aimed right at that hallway: Do everything without grumbling or arguing. Everything. Even the homework battles. Even the spilled milk at 7 o’clock in the morning. Even the teenager who just rolled his eyes so hard you could hear it.

Before words become words, they are thoughts. And thoughts, like guests, need to be checked at the door. Not silenced, just screened. We should silently ask: Is what I'm about to say true? Is it kind? Is it necessary right now? That half-second pause is not weakness; it's the Holy Spirit doing His quiet, faithful work. Grumbling rarely starts loud. It begins as a murmur in the mind, a complaint rehearsed one too many times, until it walks right out the front door of our mouths and settles into the air around our children like a fog they can't quite name but can absolutely feel.

Here is a tender truth: Some of our words simply smell. They carry the odor of exhaustion, of unmet expectations, of fears we haven't handed to God yet. Grace is the deodorant. It doesn't pretend the smell isn't real; it transforms what goes out into the room. Before speaking to my child in a hard moment, I've learned to try breathing one honest prayer: Lord, let what comes out of me smell like You. A word laced with grace can correct without crushing. It can redirect without wounding. It can even say "no" in a way that feels like love because it is said from a place of care and compassion that lets the listener know they are loved.

Loving words are a currency we give, receive, and sometimes need to mop up from the floor. We give them when we choose encouragement over criticism, presence over distraction, saying “I'm proud of you” over silence. We receive them when our children speak their own brave truths to us and we resist the urge to defend or dismiss. And we mop them up on the days we get it wrong, which feels like most days for me, because parenting is not a performance. It is a long, imperfect act of love that keeps asking us to offer the same grace we so desperately need ourselves.

On the days I have already made a mess of it, when the words came out wrong and I know it, I found that going back is less scary than I thought. When I have to go back and mop up a harsh word, I try to do it with my whole self. Look them in the eye and say: “I was wrong, and you deserved better from me.” That is not weakness in front of your child. That is one of the greatest things they will ever see you do.

Philippians 2:14 is not a command to be cheerful at all costs. It is an invitation to carry our burdens without letting them become a burden on everyone around us. Somehow, in the middle of all that carrying, our kids are watching, not for perfection, but for what we do when we fall short. May they see in us someone who pauses in the hallway between what we feel and what we say…and chooses grace.

Let’s Pray:

Lord, set a gentle guard at my lips today. When I am tired and the words want to tumble out without kindness, slow me down. Let my thoughts pass through You before they reach my children. Where I have already spoken harm, give me the courage to go back and make it right. And in all the giving, receiving, and mopping up, let my children see not a perfect parent, but a loved and learning one. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

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Song of Reflection #1: “Speak Life” by Toby Mac. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Words” by Hawk Nelson. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “Slow Down” by Nichole Nordeman. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Dr. Patti Schultz’s inspiring journey weaves a tapestry of compassion, resilience, and divine hope. 

Formerly a public school principal, professor, teacher, and interpreter for the deaf, she now dedicates her life to a heartfelt ministry rooted in her personal experiences.

As a mother to three miracle boys here on Earth and a member of a heavenly soccer team, Patti’s story is one of unwavering faith and profound love. Her decade-long battle with infertility and recurrent loss fuels her deep compassion for grieving mothers, guiding them toward healing through the comforting embrace of Jesus Christ’s garment.

Patti’s gentle wisdom offers a safe haven for women navigating pain, reminding them they are never alone. Through her ministry, she seeks to envelop grieving mothers in divine comfort, encouraging hope, renewal, and the reassurance that God's love is always near, wrapping them in His compassionate hem as they walk the path to healing.

Living in northern Michigan, she cherishes precious moments with family and community, drawing strength from faith and connection.

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Connect with Patti:
Website: pattischultz.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.pattischultz/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dr.Patti.Schultz
Email: dr.patti.schultz@gmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: When God uses struggles to strengthen you

The Necessary Struggle
A devotional by Heidi Lewis-Ivey

“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

—1 Peter 5:10 (KJV)

Nobody tells you that growth feels like breaking.

I know this because I had to eulogize my aunt, my hero, the cornerstone of my family, while I was still figuring out how to breathe without her. I stood up and found words for everyone else’s grief while mine was still raw, still unprocessed, still too big to name.

They show you the before and after, the transformation, the glow-up, the redemption and skip over the part where you were on the bathroom floor at 2:00 in the morning wondering if you will ever feel like yourself again. They skip the months when you couldn’t tell if you were healing or just getting better at pretending. I’ve been thinking about that gap a lot. The space between who you were and who you’re becoming. Nobody warns you how long you live in that space. How uncomfortable it is to exist in the middle of your own story, without knowing how it ends.

Here’s what I’ve come to believe: The struggle isn’t a detour. It is the road.

We’ve been sold this idea that difficulty is a sign something has gone wrong. That if you’re suffering, you must have made a wrong turn or picked the wrong career, the wrong relationship, the wrong path. So, we spend enormous energy trying to outrun the hard parts, or numb them, or at least make them look more bearable on the outside.

But what if the friction is the point?

Muscles don’t grow without resistance. A person doesn’t either. Not real growth, not the kind that changes how you see yourself, how you move through the world, what you’re willing to tolerate and what you’re not. That kind of change requires pressure. It requires uncomfortable confrontation with your own limits.

The struggle isn’t proof you’re failing. It’s often proof you’re in the middle of something that matters. I’m not romanticizing suffering. Let me be clear about that.

There is suffering that serves nothing and grinds you down without teaching you anything, that you should walk away from if you can. Not all pain is meaningful. Not all hard things are worth enduring. Some struggles are just bad situations you need to exit. But there’s another kind. The kind that comes from choosing something difficult on purpose and starting over, telling the truth, walking away from what felt safe, asking for help when your whole identity was built around not needing it. That struggle is different. That struggle has direction to it.

The question I’ve learned to ask myself is: Is this hard because I’m growing, or hard because I’m ignoring something? The answer changes everything about what to do next. The hardest part of my own necessary struggles hasn’t been the struggle itself. It’s been resisting the urge to rush through it.

We want resolution. We want to arrive. We want to be the person who has already figured it out, not the person still in the middle of figuring it out. So, we skip steps. We declare ourselves healed before we are. We perform the after before we’ve lived through the during.

And then we wonder why the same patterns keep showing up. There’s no shortcut through the necessary struggles. You have to let them take the time they take. You have to sit in the discomfort long enough to learn what it’s trying to teach you.

That’s the part no one wants to hear. But it’s the only part that’s true.

There’s a promise in 1 Peter 5:10 that I keep coming back to. It says, “after you have suffered a while, God himself will make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

Four words. Four distinct things. And I don’t think they’re accidental. Let’s examine each word:

Perfect means not flawless, but complete. Whole in ways you weren’t before. The broken places filled in.

Stablish means established. Rooted. Fixed to something that holds even when the ground moves.

Strengthen means not just surviving, but capable. Able to carry what you couldn’t carry before.

Settle means that deep, quiet thing. The internal stillness that does not depend on your circumstances being calm.

Notice what all four of these words have in common: None of them are possible without the suffering that precedes them. You can’t be settled without having first been shaken. You can’t be strengthened without having first been stretched. The struggle isn’t the enemy of the outcome; it’s the condition for it.

If you’re in the midst of something hard right now that you chose or that chose you, I want you to know something: The fact that it’s hard doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. The fact that you’re not okay yet doesn’t mean you won’t be. The fact that you can’t see the other side doesn’t mean there isn’t one.

Remember, God promises to restore you “after you have suffered a while”. Not forever. A while. There is a duration to this, even when it doesn’t feel like it. And on the other side of it not despite the suffering but through it you will be more complete, more rooted, more capable, more settled than you have ever been.

Some of the most important becoming of your life is happening in the moments that feel the least like progress. Keep going. Not because it will get easier immediately. But because you are, right now, being built into something stronger than what you were whether it feels like it or not.

The struggle is necessary. So are you.

Let’s Pray:

Lord,

I come on behalf of everyone reading this who is in the middle of something hard—the ones holding it together on the outside while quietly falling apart within. The ones who have cried in the car, in the shower, in the silence of 3:00 in the morning when the rest of the world is asleep. The ones who are grieving for what they lost, what they never had, or who they used to be.

Meet them here. Not on the other side of this, but here. In the thick of it. In the mess and the confusion and the exhaustion of a struggle that has gone on longer than they thought they could bear.

Remind them that You are not absent from their pain. That You are not waiting for them to get it together before You show up. That You are close to the brokenhearted—not close to the healed, not close to the finished, but close to the broken, right now, exactly as they are.

And Lord, let Your promise in 1 Peter 5:10 be real to them today—that this suffering has a while on it. That is not permanent. That on the other side of this, You will make them perfect, stablish, strengthen, and settle them in ways they cannot yet imagine.

Do what only You can do in what they are walking through. Make them whole where they are broken. Root them where they have been shaken. Strengthen them where they have been emptied. Settle them where there has only been chaos.

And until that day, give them just enough grace for today. Just enough strength for this moment. Just enough hope to keep going. They are not forgotten. They are not forsaken. They are being formed.

In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Song of Reflection #1: “Wait on You” by Elevation Worship & Maverick City. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Open My Heart” by Yolanda Adams. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “I Won’t Complain” by Le'Andria Johnson. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #4: “God Restores” by Dynamic Praise. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #5: “Meet Me There” by Lydia Laird. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #6: “Eye of the Storm” by Ryan Stevenson (feat. GabeReal). Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #7: “Jesus Walks with Me” by Be Still Studios. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Heidi Lewis-Ivey is an affirmed prophet and an internationally acclaimed speaker. 

She impacts audiences with her authenticity and bold style of delivery. She has had the opportunity to minister in Trinidad, St. Thomas USVI, Manchester and Liverpool (England).

Heidi is an award-winning and bestselling author. She is the author of Can I Rest Awhile? and Black Girl Cry: What Black Women Need to Know to Amplify Their Voices. She is a co-author in Soulful Prayers (Volume 1 and Volume 2) and Soulful Affirmations. Heidi is the convener of the Encountering the Courts of God movement and the founder of Visions International, a training ground for five-fold ministry gifts.

She holds a Master of Business Administration in Organizational Leadership from Norwich University and a Bachelor of Science in Management from Boston University. Heidi is the CEO of Nael & Associates Inc and franchise owner of Patrice & Associates recruiting firm. She is a member of the Pentimenti Women Writers Group, a former mentor with Year Up, former board member for Friends of Young Achievers, and a Diversity Equity and Inclusion Strategist.

Heidi is the proud aunt/great aunt of 14 nieces and nephews and two bonus nieces. They are her joy. The older nephews have become her protectors.

Heidi is an NFL football fan. As a child, she taught herself the game. In 2017 she won her NFL.com fantasy football league. Heidi is an avid reader (Audible listener) of romance novels, a lover of purses and handbags, and a tea snob who believes bling is always appropriate.

She lives in Boston, MA.

~*~
Connect with Heidi:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamheidi01
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/heidi-lewis-ivey

Devotionals for the Heart: Jesus Christ can heal, restore and deliver you

Jesus Christ Can Heal Your Body and Restore Your Health
A devotional by Erica Bryant

And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God.

—Luke 13:11-13 (ESV)

There is a powerful story tucked in the Gospel of Luke, right between the teachings of Jesus Christ found in chapter 13.

One day, while teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath, Jesus noticed a woman who had been afflicted with a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and unable to fully straighten herself. Can you imagine the woman? Hunched over and in deep despair. Her gaze most likely was downcast as feelings of hopelessness weighed heavy on her heart.

However, what’s beautiful is that this woman was in the synagogue. Despite her suffering, she chose to be in a place of worship. As Jesus taught, He saw her. Scripture states, “When Jesus saw her . . .”. It is one hope-filled phrase that changed her life forever. Jesus called her over and said, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” He laid His hands on her, and immediately she could stand up straight and began praising God. From bent over in despair to standing straight in healing and victory, this woman was healed and set on a path of freedom.

While scholars may have different opinions about the specifics of her affliction, it’s clear she suffered physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Many of us can relate to her condition. Perhaps we, too, feel bent over, suffering, and void of hope. Let this story bring you encouragement if you find yourself in a similar situation.

Here are a few important truths to remember as you journey through life:

Truth #1: Jesus sees you. Just as He noticed this woman, Jesus has noticed you. Your pain has not escaped His knowledge. He has seen every moment of your existence, from your greatest triumphs to your deepest hurts. We can find hope and comfort in knowing that we are under His loving care. The Bible says in Psalm 34:15 (ESV), “The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.”

Truth #2: Jesus calls you to Himself. Jesus called the woman to Him despite the crowd. He brought her closer into His presence. Jesus is always drawing us closer to Himself. When we answer His call and come closer to Him, He will come closer to us. He desires to have an intimate relationship with us. The Bible says in James 4:8a (ESV), “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” When we draw closer to Him and His heart, we receive the hope, help, and healing we need.

Truth #3: Jesus speaks over our lives. Jesus told the woman she was loosed from her infirmity. His words spoken over her life provided the release that she needed. Jesus is still speaking over our lives today. His Words are Spirit and life-giving. If you are suffering, begin to speak God’s Word over your life. Find truths that speak to your circumstances and speak words of life. Let God’s Word come forth from your lips and receive His healing. The Bible says in Psalm 107:20 (ESV), “He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.”

Truth #4: Jesus has His hands on you. Jesus laid His physical hand on this woman to heal her in that moment. But truthfully, He had His hands on her the entire time. Her whole life led to this divine moment. Just as God has seen every moment in your life, He has always had His hand on you. He didn't leave you in your darkest moment or forsake you in your sins. Instead, He was always there. The Bible says in Isaiah 41:10 (ESV), "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Remember: Circumstances will make us feel bowed down and bent over. We don’t have to stay that way. Trust the Lord, our Healer. He sees you, draws you to His side, speaks words of life over you, and can heal you with His loving touch.

Take some time to think about these questions (listed below) or write them down in your journal. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you can grow and then take steps to live out God’s Word. The questions: Are there areas of your life where you feel “bent over”? How can you draw closer to Jesus in those circumstances? What specific truths from Scripture can you apply to your painful situations? How can you actively seek the Lord's healing and His presence in your life?

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for seeing me in my struggles and for always having Your hands on my life. Help me to draw closer to You and embrace the healing You offer. Teach me to speak Your truth over my life, allowing Your words to transform my heart and spirit. I trust You to turn all my pain into praise. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Song of Reflection #1: “He Has His Hands on You” by Marvin Sapp. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Healer” by Kari Jobe. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: "Broken But I'm Healed" by Byron Cage. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #4: “The God Who Sees” by Nicole C. Mullen. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #5: “God Loves You” by Jaci Velasquez. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Erica N. Bryant is a passionate Bible teacher, speaker, and author who desires to see believers live in the complete freedom and joy of the Holy Spirit. 

As the founder of Sparrow's Song Ministries, Erica invites a community of believers to get to know God by falling in love with His Word. Through Bible study resources, devotionals, teaching, and mentorship, Sparrow's Song encourages others to grow in intimacy with God and walk daily in the power of His Holy Spirit. She began The Word W.O.R.K.S. campaigns to help believers walk in Wholeness, Obedience, Righteousness, and Kingdom Success.

Erica is a writer with several published works including devotionals for adults and children, topical and textual Bible studies, and Scripture journals. In her debut book, Dwell: Living Life Fully Knowing that the Holy Spirit Lives in You, Erica draws from her own journey of healing from childhood trauma, rejection, and the struggles of fear and anxiety. With honesty and hope, she invites readers to embrace the life-giving truth that God's Spirit resides within them. Erica believes that when you know the Holy Spirit dwells in you, everything changes.

Erica is a passionate speaker who effectively communicates God’s Word with clarity and conviction. She speaks a relevant word to hearers and ministers to their hearts, inspires practical application, and empowers them to grow in faith and purpose.

Erica is a devoted wife and loving mother who actively serves in various roles at Strait Gate Deliverance Center.

Ultimately, she is just a girl in love with God and she is a soldier for Jesus Christ.

Devotionals for the Heart: How giving and receiving blessings creates joy

The Joy of Accepting Blessings
A devotional by Melissa Henderson

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”—James 1:17 (NIV)

I looked forward to attending a writer’s retreat where I would share writing ideas, fellowship with other writers, learn how to improve my writing craft as I sat in workshops, collaborate on devotions, meet with literary agents, and have other rich experiences. Every retreat I attended in the past was filled with laughter and a few tears. The relationships between these writers were strengthened by God.

However, my plans to attend the writer’s retreat changed when arthritic pain in my neck and back intensified. My heart ached when I decided not to attend. Through my decision to stay home, I soon learned the joy of accepting blessings. I sent emails and texts alerting my group of friends that I would not be attending our retreat. Immediately, the responses flooded my inbox: “Oh, Melissa, we’ll miss you. Are you sure you can’t attend?” “What can we do to help?” The compassion and love from the group warmed my heart. Each person covered me with precious prayers and blessings.

After that outpouring of love, I began to feel awkward about letting the group down. The plan was for a dear friend and me to share a room at the rental house. That would help with cost. Most of all, we love sharing time together. This special friend sent a message that she would refund the payment for my part of the room. I explained that she didn’t need to give any money back to me. My anxiety began to surface. I worried about accepting that check from my friend. I thought: “What if she needed that money?” “How could I accept her offer?”

But then, God began to speak to me in wonderful ways. He reminded me that sometimes we need to accept blessings from others. There is no need to feel awkward or embarrassed when someone offers to help. Yet, I am encouraged and inspired when I’m the person who is offering a blessing by helping someone in need. God reminded me through Scripture that every good and perfect gift is from Him. There are times when we can bless others with our words and actions. There are other times when we need to be blessed.

I accepted the check from my friend. That money was needed for an unexpected expense. God knew what was needed. My friend listened to God and blessed my husband and me. Accepting a blessing can bless the giver and the receiver. What a beautiful way to share God’s love and glory!

Today, I paused to think about different types of blessings. We bless people when we acknowledge them, look them in the eyes, and say hello. Listening and hearing what is being said can show God’s love to someone who needs to share about something happening in their life.

I also considered the Blessing Box that my husband and I fill at different times during the month. A team of volunteers from our church are assigned a week to fill the box with food and personal hygiene items. One of our team members recently shared that a man approached him while he was placing items into the box. The stranger thanked him for the food and toiletries.

I also remembered a time when my neighbor was exiting her vehicle this morning and sneezed loud enough to make us laugh. I said, “God bless you.” She responded with a smile and a “thank you”. She said that sneezing made her jump. A simple blessing over a sneeze allowed two neighbors to share a conversation.

I have learned the joy of accepting blessings, and it has encouraged my heart. Have you been blessed in a special way?

Let’s Pray: Dear God, thank You for big and small blessings. Each one is provided by You. May we look for ways to bless others every day. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Song of Reflection #1: “Counting My Blessings” by Seph Schlueter. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “So So Good” by Phil Wickham, Brandon Lake, Elevation Worship. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “Blessings Everywhere (Live from the Loft)” feat. Brandon Lake and Elevation Worship. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #4: “Brighter Days” by Blessing Offor. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Award-winning author Melissa Henderson writes inspirational messages sometimes humming with humor. 

With articles, devotions, and stories in print publications and online, Melissa shares her love for God and life. Some of the inspirations for her writing come from family life.

Melissa and her husband Alan have been married for over 46 years. Their son Mike, and daughter-in-love Christine have blessed the family with two precious children: Rowan and Eden. These precious souls bring laughter, love, and many funny experiences, which can often be found in Melissa’s writing. The family motto is: It’s Always a Story with the Hendersons.

Melissa is a member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) South Carolina Lowcountry Chapter, AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association), CWFL (Christian Writers for Life), and many other organizations.

Melissa’s books for children include Licky the Lizard and Grumpy the Gator.

Melissa serves in Christian ministry as an Elder, Deacon, and Stephen Minister.

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Connect with Melissa:
Website: https://melissaghenderson.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelissaHendersonAuthor
Twitter: https://x.com/mimionlife
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissahendersonauthor/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ahenderson312/

Devotionals for the Heart: A trip to Tanzania taught me about great faith

Great Faith
A devotional by Kerry Sue Teravskis

“When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.”

—Luke 7:9 (NIV)

Recently, I had the privilege of teaching primary school teachers at a Christian school in Tanzania. I was asked to teach on studying the Bible. It was a remarkable experience that humbled me.

Since I teach Bible study in America, I worked through a portion of Scripture I was to teach while here (I am currently still in Tanzania while I write this): The story of the centurion who had a sick servant and he asked Jesus to heal the servant.

One of the points we concluded from our time was that this passage talks about faith. Even Jesus Christ was amazed at the great faith of the centurion soldier. What is notable about this man was that he was a Gentile (a non-Jew), he was a Roman soldier, he was a friend of the Jewish elders, and he had heard about Jesus—presumably about the fact that Jesus was healing people from sickness.

Through the course of the interchange, the centurion says he does not want Jesus to come to his home but to just say the word and his servant would be healed. The centurion recognized the authority Jesus had to heal. He had the faith to come to Him, ask Him for healing (not for himself, but for his servant) and to have faith to know Jesus could heal from a distance. And Jesus was amazed by his faith.

Little did I know I would encounter this type of faith in Tanzania. The people here—especially Christians—are so sweet, loving and kind. I have seen a heart for the lost like I have not seen in a very long time. I have seen a passion to grow closer to God through daily Christian living by placing importance on fasting, Scripture memorization, sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, discipling, teaching, reaching out to children, and finding ways to share Jesus with others.

I have been humbled by their great faith. Part of my time has been spent working with the leaders of the kids’ clubs here. I was asked to help update the curriculum and so I spent a lot of time with five young adults (all are about the age of my own children, with their leader slightly older). They amazed me because I saw how their passion for children and for the lost is off the charts. The topics covered in their lessons are deep theological concepts.

One might think that it should not work with children in teaching them about sin, grace, the holiness of God, the Advocate we have in the Holy Spirit, and much more. However, I was able to participate in a kids’ club when we taught on these topics, and these street children ate up every word. They listened, answered questions, memorized long verses and genuinely engaged in meaningful conversations. They asked questions relating to the Bible story and wanted to know the answers.

These leaders have such great faith. They believe God will lead them where they need to go to teach the children and they give their all to them. They sing their hearts out, they give of their time, and they give of their resources (which is not much because two of the five are finishing up Bible college). In addition to these leaders, the teachers at the school demonstrated to me a desire to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). We agreed that is the way Jesus is calling us to live and that while it is hard, it is the best way to walk out our faith.

Walking by sight means we believe because we see. We can touch it, we can hold it, we can use it to carry us through. However, walking by faith is “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). Walking by faith means going all in for Jesus. It means going door to door to share the gospel. It means talking with your neighbor who is of a different faith and befriending that neighbor to start a relationship that will go beyond borrowing a cup of sugar.

Walking by faith is knowing what you are doing has eternal value for the kingdom of God. It is knowing our God is a holy God worthy of our worship and our time. It is knowing He is with us in the fire, in the storm and in the valley as well as on the mountaintops.

Jesus was amazed at the centurion’s great faith. And that was a question we had to ask ourselves: Would Jesus be amazed at my faith? Would He call it ‘great faith’? Why, or even, why not?

May we press on, ride hard and keep our eyes on the prize of Heaven with God for eternity. May we tell others about Him and may we spend our lives doing so. May we give of ourselves day in and day out. And know that by our faith, we are pleasing God.

Let’s Pray: Father God, You are amazing. You are holy, worthy, and beautiful. You give us our faith and You give us opportunities to grow our faith by loving You and loving others. Thank You for giving us this faith and may we use it daily as we walk with You. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Song of Reflection #1: “Walk by Faith” by Jeremy Camp. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Eyes on the Prize” by Sara Groves. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “What Faith Can Do” by Kutless. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #4: “My Jesus” by Anne Wilson. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #5: “Another in the Fire” by Hillsong UNITED. Listen to it here.

~*~

Author Bio:

As a wife and Marmee to three adult children—two of whom are married—and a new grandson, Kerry Sue’s life is very full. She met her husband in college and served on the mission field with him for a few years before settling down back in the States to raise their family. 

Kerry Sue’s family was a homeschooling family for 20 years and they enjoyed it immensely. For the last 26 years they have lived on a small farm in Northern California where they have raised many farm animals, along with growing and preserving their food. Kerry Sue’s family farm has been a great source of enjoyment and a place to host many family gatherings. She maintains an open-door policy for dear friends—old and new.

Following and serving Jesus Christ is an integral part of Kerry Sue’s life as well as her family’s. Whether it’s singing in the church choir, teaching children or leading and lecturing at a women’s Bible study, Kerry Sue loves to demonstrate her love for Jesus by giving to Him in service. She’s been a blogger for more than 10 years, a Bible study writer for six years, and a devotional writer for more than four years.

Kerry Sue feels led to write about finding God’s Sovereignty in our suffering because of her own journey of more than five years with broken feet. She hopes to to encourage others with her faith walk and real-life stories.

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