Devotionals for the Heart: How resting in God's creations calmed my soul

Resting in God’s Creations
A devotional by Melissa Henderson

“They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—and I will meditate on your wonderful works.”—Psalm 145:5 (NIV)

The morning began with the usual activities: Praying and sharing time with God, having a delicious breakfast of toast and chocolate milk, taking daily medicine, enjoying a refreshing shower, choosing an outfit for the day, and checking the calendar for any appointments. As I walked from room to room in the house, I looked out of the windows and watched the birds. Although there were many tasks for the day, I knew peace would come by resting in God’s creations.

The calendar was filled with medical appointments for my husband and for me. When I look at our daily schedule, I’m shocked if there aren’t any doctor visits listed. Shocked and thankful. This morning, the calendar showed medical procedures and follow-up appointments for Alan and me. Dread filled my body and my thoughts. “Why, Lord? Why aren’t our bodies healed? Why?” The questions kept coming as I spoke out loud to God.

Once again, God led me to look outside at His creations. The sunlight cast a beautiful reflection through the window. As the light touched the carpet, I walked from the window to the front door. Shadows covered areas of the hallway where the sun hadn’t reached. I smiled and reached for the door handle. As I stepped outside, the worries of medical appointments and achy bodies left my mind. I paused, took a deep breath in, then released it. My shoulders relaxed. My breathing slowed. The sun touched my face, and the warmth of God’s rest covered me.

I prayed and thanked God for the ability to rest in His creations. A ruby-throated hummingbird visited the feeder. A monarch butterfly danced around the petunias. A family of chickadees called out to each other from different trees. Red cardinals sat on the tray feeder eating breakfast.

These glorious creations were busy with their morning routines. Even the hummingbirds took time to sit on the feeder and drink the nectar. I noticed how none of these animals were in a hurry or looking rushed. Sitting on a porch chair, I listened to the sounds of God’s creations. I heard various bird calls, families taking morning walks together and sharing conversations, neighbors saying hello as they passed by our home and I felt the quiet of the morning. As I prayed, I listened for God’s guidance for the day. He answered. God showed me that although I have worries and trials, I’m never alone. I can find rest in His creations. God created these beautiful sights and sounds that brought me peace that morning.

My parents liked to sit on the porch and watch the happenings in their neighborhood. As a young girl, I wondered why they always enjoyed being outside. Now, I know. My Mama and Daddy were resting in God’s creations.

Today and every day, peace and comfort can be found with God. Praying, giving thanksgiving for His many blessings, and asking for His rest to cover us can bring calm and joy. Have you rested with God today?

Let’s Pray:

Dear God,

Thank You for Your creations. May we always make time to enjoy the many blessings You provide. Teach us to rest in your creation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

~*~
Song of Reflection #1: “In the Garden” by Joey and Rory. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “God of All My Days” by Casting Crowns. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “Plans” by Brandon Lake. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #4: “Still Waters (Psalm 23)” by Leanna Crawford. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #5: “For the Beauty of the Earth” by Barlow Girl. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #6: “The Maker” by Chris August. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #7: “How Can You Not” by Leanna Crawford. Listen to it here.

~*~
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.

~*~
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: What a squirrel taught me about God's love

What a Terrified Squirrel Reminded Me About God’s Love
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

“O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures.”—Psalm 104:24 (NLT)

Eye to eye outside my front door window, we watched each other. Me, sleepy in my workout clothes, ready to head upstairs to hop on the treadmill. Him, a terrified brown squirrel, clinging to the tree outside my door in terror.

I froze in my tracks, gazing at him. He didn’t move a muscle as his brown eyes locked on mine. I could almost see the thoughts coming from his brain: “Does she see me? Am I in danger? Maybe if I don’t move then she’ll think I’m part of the tree. Wait, is that nut still up there?”

Seconds ticked by. A full minute. I didn’t want to terrify the poor creature further, so in a moment I would slink away, letting him know he was truly safe after all. Yet I couldn’t help but marvel at him. His muscles bunched tight. His luminous brown eyes. The way his fingers, so childlike and delicate, clung to the slender tree trunk. He was a marvel, that squirrel! God’s precious creation. And for a moment, we saw each other. Fully. Finally, guilt set in at how scared I was probably making him, and I broke our eye contact and retreated upstairs.

Yet as I walked on that treadmill belt, I couldn’t stop thinking about that squirrel. About his tender, almost human-like hands. About those wide, chocolate-brown eyes. To God, that squirrel is likely as precious as I am. As you are. As that bird in the sky is. As that lonely man in the alley is, chasing away his demons in a bottle of something toxic. As that angry-eyed girl on the street is, keeping the world at arm’s length with her scowl and her fierce clothing.

All of us, every single one of us, is handcrafted in the image of God. Even the animals are perfectly designed—not necessarily, as humans—in the full image of God, but with that same amount of care and love and painstaking architecture. It doesn’t take much to look around and see God’s love everywhere. Even a leaf, with its delicate symmetry, shows that love, that attention, from our glorious Creator.

Our Father God cares for us, every one of us. Yet what do we do in return?

Sometimes we take that love for granted, becoming so consumed by our own lives and selfish concerns that we forget to be grateful for the breath in our lungs and the simple gift of our bodies. Sometimes we treat other people with disdain or show a complete lack of admiration and care for the world around us. We trash our forests and fill our air with toxins. We push our animals out into increasingly fewer spaces outdoors with overbuilding and urban sprawl. We overhunt and overindulge to our heart’s content. But if we only open our eyes, we will realize that loving God means loving others. It means loving His creation as much as we love ourselves.

Here are a few scriptures that point to God’s care:

- Genesis 1:31 (NLT) says, “Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!”

- Psalm 24:1 (NLT) says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.”

- Romans 1:20 (NLT) says, “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”

We have no excuse. So, let’s open our eyes and see God all around us. And in return, let us celebrate His creation—from the animals to the earth to the people around us—with love and deep gratitude.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for the great love You have for me and all your creation. Help me honor You with my life and with all the love I can muster. Instill in me a heart of gratitude and care, now and forevermore. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

~*~
Song of Reflection #1: “The Maker” by Chris August. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “For the Beauty of the Earth” by Barlow Girl. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: "God So Loved" by Jaci Velasquez. Listen to it here.

~*~
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.

Jessica is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism. She has a YouTube devotional, and you can also connect with her on Facebook and Instagram.

Jessica 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: When the birds of the desert sing praise to God

The Dawn Chorus
A devotional by Colleen C. Howard

“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”

—Matthew 6:26 (ESV)

This morning, my heart was touched by the Sonoran Desert’s fusion of colors and textures. I’ve lived here all my adult life, and it never ceases to amaze me.

If you’re unfamiliar with the desert, you might think it’s a desolate place filled with sand, cacti, and minimal vegetation. You would be right about the sand and cacti, but the desert offers much more. It’s a place of diversity, with Palo Verde trees, palms, and the grandeur of the saguaro cactus. Snow-capped mountains tower in the distance, and green velvet mesquite shrubs along the trails tell a story of God’s majesty and creativity.

What I love most about living here is the daily announcement of God’s morning mercies. Just before dawn, the chorus begins. The sun peaks over the tangerine horizon, and the birds of the desert sing praise for this glorious day. I close my eyes and listen. Joy fills their melody and washes over my soul. Oh, how I wish you could hear their song as they thank our Heavenly Father (God) for another day and all the possibilities it will reveal.

Even though the birds don’t make plans, God’s care for them is never-ending, and with each sunrise, they express their gratitude in song. If God cares for these magnificent creatures of the air, I can’t begin to fathom how much more God values us. We can learn something from the birds that soar effortlessly through the skies. Just like us, they don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but they seem genuinely surprised when the sun comes up, greeting each new sunrise as if it were the first they’ve seen.

Our God is a God of wonders, and His love encircles us with tender mercies. It’s astounding how many of His bounties escape my notice. The sun rises each morning and sets each evening. He holds the planets in orbit, and gravity keeps our feet on the ground. He created the stars in the sky (those in our view and beyond) and knows each of their names. This stirs my heart, and I ponder how many of God’s wonders have I neglected to see.

No one knows what today, tomorrow, or the day after will bring. But we can lift our voices and join the chorus with grateful hearts. God cares for the birds of the air and supplies their food. Yet, we are even more valuable to Him. When I hear these birds each morning, my entire being shifts into a posture of praise. Take care to listen to these fantastic creatures of the sky. Be still before the Lord, give thanks, and watch what He will do.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

You are the God of wonders! Help us to wake up each morning with a holy expectancy of what this day will bring. Teach us how to listen to these fantastic creatures of the sky. Help us to be still before You, thank You with a grateful heart then imagine the possibilities. Thank You, God, that your love for humankind is everlasting. Help us to fully embrace every new day with exuberance. Help us to praise You because your love has no boundaries and your grace is never ending. Praise be to God! In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~ 
Song of Reflection #1: “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” by Austin Stone Worship. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Morning Glory” by Dr. Juanita Bynum. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “God of Wonders” by Third Day. Listen to it here.

~*~
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.

~*~
Connect with Colleen:
Website: authorcolleenchoward.com

Devotionals for the Heart: God is always present with all His creation

Waiting for the Hummingbirds
A devotional by Melissa Henderson

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

—Matthew 6:26 (NIV)

Spring is here in the Lowcountry. Warm days and cool nights are forecasted.

I’m smiling as I write this devotional because the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the temperatures are rising. Early this morning, there was frost on the roofs. The sound of the heater turning on echoes throughout the house.

As I gaze out of my office window, I need patience as I’m waiting for the hummingbirds. My husband and I are usually the first people to hang hummingbird feeders in our neighborhood. Another neighbor hangs her feeder about the same time. We alert each other when we see the beautiful, winged creatures visiting us. Ruby-throated hummingbirds fly close to the windows while checking out their surroundings. Then, they enjoy the sweet nectar from flowers and hanging feeders.

Colorful plants catch the attention of these fascinating birds. Purple and pink petunias, red impatiens, orange and yellow cosmos, and many other varieties of flowers stand ready with nourishment. What a joy to watch God’s creatures!

When I have a stressful day and my body is filled with arthritic pain, I pause and rest, thinking about God’s creations. I pray and ask why the pain won’t stop. There are some days that my body needs to rest. Other days, I can participate in family activities, vendor events to sell my books, and other special occasions.

Reading Scripture reminds me that God is always present. The Bible shares that God cares for the birds of the air and that God cares for all His creations. He is with the birds when they are hurt. He is with the animals, keeping them safe. God loves each of His creations. He is always present.

Why do I worry? I’m human. That is the reason. I pray and give God my worries. Then, sometimes I take those worries back. God understands. Our Heavenly Father shows His love in every moment. He knows there will be times when I question Him. And He knows there will be times when I praise Him.

I wish I could say that worries never enter my thoughts. I admit I fret about certain things. God listens and hears the prayers of His people. When worries invade my mind, I find peace in going to God and seeking His peace and comfort.

Scripture tells us that God cares for the birds of the air, and He cares for us, too. Our Heavenly Father always provides what we need. Those provisions are sometimes given immediately, and other times, we must wait.

Our anchor text today (Matthew 6:26) reminds us that we are more valuable than the birds of the air. God feeds them, and He feeds us. Nourishment is important. For humans, spending time reading the Bible, studying Scripture, and sharing conversation with God in prayer can strengthen our faith.

As I wait for the hummingbirds, I pray and give thanks for the many glorious blessings from God. What parts of creation bring you joy?

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for the beauty of the world. Help us to pause and enjoy your creations. Guide us to share these glorious sights and sounds with others. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “His Eye is On the Sparrow” by Sandi Patty. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Look at the Birds” by Xander Stok. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “Creator” by Phil Wickham. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #4: “The Maker” by Chris August. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #5: “For the Beauty of the Earth” by Barlow Girl. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #6: “Gratitude” by Brandon Lake. Listen to it here.

~*~
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.

~*~
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: Life lessons learned from traveling across Texas

Storehouses New and Old
A devotional by Karen Marstaller

He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”—Matthew 13:52 (NIV)

As a young teenager, I had the opportunity to travel across the state of Texas by myself on a train! My boarding time was around 10:00 p.m. from Alpine, down near the Big Bend, and we finally arrived in Beaumont the next day. It was only about seventeen hours of travel, but it was an even longer journey of the heart.

When the sun came up that morning, we were still in the arid region of the state. Mesquite trees, greasewood, and sage were the only vegetation. It looked the same as my hometown of Van Horn, only flatter. I paid little attention to the view outside and took a little nap.

After a brief doze in the hot, dry air, I awoke to a sight never to be forgotten. The greenest trees I’d ever seen grew all along the great railway and there was no sign of an irrigation ditch, let alone a water hose. We even passed a school with a beautifully manicured lawn, and they weren’t even watering it! I couldn’t believe my eyes. As the miles rushed along, my face was glued to the scenery right outside my window. It was like racing through the Garden of Eden.

Later I grew up and moved away from my home in the desert, and eventually settled down in central Texas. The trees and grass and flowers flourish here, and I’m still amazed at the natural beauty of growing things in my backyard.

But part of me still longs for the scenes of my childhood. My heart cherishes the lessons I learned. Honesty and integrity. Helpfulness and neighborliness. A love of a challenge and, win or lose, good sportsmanship. A handshake is your word, and a promise made is a promise kept.

Added to that is the person I’ve become with the help of the Lord. A wife and mother. A teacher and mentor. A friend and confidante. A lover of God and a lover of the people He has created. And in my heart is something new, too. Joy and peace. Gentleness and kindness. Faith, hope, and love—the love of the Lord that is always more than any of us can imagine.

Both parts, the old and the new, come together more each day. The radiant sunsets that turn the desert hills a rosy pink are a favorite memory. And the plop of a fish on a misty morning lakeside brings a smile. The child who sat on the hot sand to sketch a picture of snow-capped peaks far to the western horizon is the same child in the woman who sits beneath a massive live oak to write a story of an imagined time. The old and the new. Both treasures of sweet moments that are to be cherished for a lifetime.

Granted, not every treasure is a pleasant one. The times of pain and suffering are also in the chest. But today is a time of rejoicing; it’s a day to remember and to bow in grateful adoration to the great God of Heaven and Earth. So, we reach deep into the storehouses of our days, and we give thanks to God who the Father of us all for giving both sorrow and beauty.

A remembered joy is to be shared. As we go through this day, let us give to others what has so freely been given to us. We pass along God’s provision, His patience, His tender mercy, and always, we love as He loves us—openly, joyfully, lavishly. I can only imagine God speaking to us like so: “Go,” He says to our hearts, “Go and teach My people to follow Me.” That is the message our Lord wants us to share.

Let’s Pray: Dear Lord, the God of all creation, we lift our storehouses to You. Please use them as You see fit and help us to love one another. In the great name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “The Maker” by Chris August. 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: God's Intentional Love for Humankind

An Intentional Love
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

Have you ever created something you came to care about so much that it almost hurts?

As a writer, I fall in love with the characters I create. They become like family. I feel their pain, their joys, their fears and sorrows. It’s the same way with my kids. For those for you who are parents, this might be super obvious, but they feel like an extension of my body and soul. I’d literally walk through fire for them, take on every hurt or illness or agony for them, without question.

I just started reading through the Bible again, and that’s what strikes me about the start of Genesis—the intentionality and love with which God so clearly handcrafted the world and everything in it. Personally, I like to switch up the versions of the Bible I read just to get a different perspective, and the language in the New Living Translation feels like poetry as I reread the beautiful account of our Lord creating something out of simple nothingness.

“The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,’ and there was light” (Genesis 1:2-3 NLT).

Can you imagine? Out of darkness suddenly came glorious, magnificent light! The Bible doesn’t tell us what this looked like, only that it was “good,” but I imagine a soft, soothing glow spreading across the dark waters, gradually growing stronger and stronger until it reaches a crescendo of pure and blissful brightness. I wonder how God felt. Did a new song of glee brim in His heart? Did He want to dance like a little kid, exuberant and carefree?

Then, the Bible tells us, God kept on creating. He created the sky the next day, and then the land the next, brimming with lush vegetation. Next came the stars and the sun and the moon, and then God “set these lights in the sky to light the earth, to govern the day and night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:17-18).

He created birds and livestock, wild animals and fish in the sea, then human beings, and these last ones, us, were extra-special. As the Bible tells us, humans God created “in his own image” (Genesis 1:27). Then he blessed it all, tasked us with stewardship over the earth and everything in it, and “rested from all his work” (Genesis 2:2).

What strikes me is the intention God had with all he created. He didn’t just create us, but created us in his own image. He didn’t just create and let it be, but He created and looked it over, reflecting on its “goodness.” That’s significant!

We—God’s people, God’s creation—are no happy accident but a magnificently handcrafted and intentional design set into motion by the Lord God Almighty. That’s love quite literally personified.

I think that’s why it is so important to remember what Jesus told us in Matthew 22:37-40: “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

In John 13:34-35, Jesus says, “Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

If God loved us so much that He personally handcrafted the world, and humans in His very image, of course it should follow that the two greatest commandments are to love Him back and to love each other.

This year, we have a new opportunity, a fresh start, when it comes to love. Every one of us who professes to love God needs to take this seriously. This commandment to love Him and love each other is not a suggestion but an order. We are to love even our enemies, Jesus tells us…to love each other as ourselves, caring for our neighbor in the same way we would care for our own children or parents.

For that is how we love him, Jesus says: whatever we do for “one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me” (Matthew 25:40).

In the New Year 2023, can we do this? Can we take a moment every day to step outside of our own naturally selfish inclinations and look around to care for others in our midst, others we don’t even know? Can we smile at strangers, share our money and our food with our neighbors, and lend a hand just because we can?

That is my challenge this year. I hope you will join me. In the spirit of the One who created us all, let’s each of us recognize our shared community in the Lord and love extravagantly, generously, and freely in honor of that perfect love.

Song of Reflection: “The Maker” by Chris August. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

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

Since 2010, she has served as the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism, which has won 123 journalism awards during her tenure. She is the author of Feed My Sheep: A 40-Day Devotional to Develop a Heart for Hunger Ministry (2019) and More Like Jesus: A Devotional Journey (2018) and the editor of a number of other books from her newspaper’s Advocate Press, which she helped found in 2017.

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

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

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

~*~
Connect with Jessica:
Website: https://www.jessicabrodie.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessicaJBrodie
Facebook Author: https://www.facebook.com/authorjessicajbrodie
Facebook Personal: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaJBrodie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicajbrodie/
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicajbrodie/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/shiningthelightjessicabrodie/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/jessicajbrodie

Devotionals for the Heart: When God gives you an unexpected gift of grace

An Unexpected Gift of Grace
A devotional by Karen Marstaller

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”—Matthew 19:14 (NIV)

He was just a little guy, but he sure made a lasting impression. Dressed in slim jeans, cowboy boots and hat, a tucked-in T-shirt, and a belt, he was in front of me to get his ice from the drink dispenser. I thought he was finished and started to fill my glass when I noticed he was waiting.

“Am I in your way?” I asked.

“Oh, no, ma’am,” he said with a boyish grin.

After filling my cup, I sat down on a bench to wait for our take-out order at our favorite chicken salad restaurant. Suddenly, he stood in front of me. Straight and lean, he looked me in the eye and gave me a beautiful smile. Then he did something I haven’t seen in a very long time. He took off his hat, held it several inches above his head and nodded at me before smiling again. This young man waited until I acknowledged his old-fashioned greeting, then he darted over to his family.

My granddaughter, my husband, and I saw them again as we went to sit outside, a little farther from where they were sitting. We’d just asked God to bless our food when he appeared at my elbow. “Look! Look!” he said as he held out his little shirt. “Do you see it? It’s a butterfly!” His eyes were shining so brightly that it seemed as if his whole being was aglow.

The tiny creature seemed perfectly content with its unusual resting spot, and all of us admired the lovely colorings as it slowly opened and closed its tiny wings. “You have a way with little critters,” I said.

With a joyful nod, he told us all about ladybugs and dogs, goats and chickens, and even his adventure with a snake. My granddaughter and I shared a little smile because she also loves all kinds of God’s creatures. We listened carefully. He had our full attention.

The butterfly fluttered to the ground, and with infinite care, he knelt and nudged it back on his finger. “I gotta go,” he said. We watched as he hurried back to his family.

He was watching us when we left, and we waved good-bye. His face lit up again with a big grin and he eagerly waved back.

Our busy day, filled with lessons and schedules, and surrounded with prayers for our friends and family in the path of a dangerous storm, was illuminated by a brilliant display of God’s extraordinary grace in the shape of a little seven-year-old cowboy with a gentle touch.

That’s how God works sometimes. In the busyness of our very ordinary lives, we’re given a glimpse of His glory. On this day, for me, God provided an encounter with a little boy who has an absolute delight in the world around him. He shared a few moments of his joy with us, complete strangers. He did it deliberately, wholeheartedly, and without the least shred of personal gratification. And in his usefulness to God, he became an emissary of the love of Jesus.

I’m thankful for another lesson in God’s grace and feel compelled to search my heart for the application. When was the last time I shared a joyful discovery with someone else? Have I simply laughed together with a person I may not even know? And am I willing to step into the life of another human being with no other reason than to be a blessing?

I call him “my little gentleman cowboy” since I don’t know even know his name. And he has made my heart rejoice. His unexpected appearance in the middle of a busy day was a gift from our “Father of lights” (James 1:17 ESV). His joy of life stays with me, a fragrant offering of hope sent from the Lord.

Let’s Pray: Dear Lord of Heaven, Earth, and of little boys with gallant hearts, we ask You to help us become like little children in the way we come to You. May we rest joyfully in Your perfect presence, and may You fill us in order to lighten and to brighten the lives of others as You have done for us. In the magnificent name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

~*~
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: What happens when you grow to know God

God’s Astounding Grace
A devotional by Karen Marstaller

“All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord, and all Your saints shall bless You!”

—Psalm 145:10 (ESV)

As a teenager I was a member of our high school band. Our director believed in giving his students many varied experiences outside of the high desert valley where we lived. One of those trips took us to the coast where we would be competing against other bands. Few of us had ever seen salt water, so it was a big shift for most of us.

On the day set aside for our little jaunt, we packed up our suitcases and instruments, loaded everything onto the buses, and set out for our destination. With all the windows down, we could hear a low-pitched roar as we neared the water, but we couldn’t see anything yet. We had to leave our big yellow transports and walk the rest of the way to the water’s edge. There were about a hundred of us trudging through the sand, so there wasn’t anything to see except the back of the person in front of me. Once our group topped the dunes, though, most of my fellow band members took off running. That’s when I looked up.

For the first time in my life, I was astounded. There were no words for me, only feelings. My senses were alive in a way I’d never experienced. My hair streamed behind me while my toes felt as though they were kissed by the sand, and I was riveted to the spot. I licked my lips to taste the faint saltiness, and the very air around me seemed to be caught up in a whirling mélange of fish, sand, and water. The overwhelming sound of the pounding surf filled me with a strange mixture of jubilation and wonder. And as I gulped in the fresh air, it dawned on me that part of the tingling sensation was my own heart, beating in time with the waves at my feet.

Years later, my first encounter with the sea was brought full circle. Just as I had pored over my geography books as a kid, filling my mind with information about Cape Cod and Puget Sound, I’d also been reading the Bible with its stories of David, Jonah, and Jesus. And just as all my book learning hadn’t come close to preparing me to meet the ocean, all the Bible studies were just words on the pages until the day the Lord allowed me to understand what His Word means.

The New Testament is filled with references about knowing Jesus. For years I had been reading and underlining every phrase about the sureness of knowing the Lord. I didn’t know Him yet, I just knew about Him, in the same way that I knew about the Straits of Gibraltar and Magellan, without ever seeing them in person.

But one day, the burning desire to know overwhelmed me, and I finally prayed, “God, if You’re really real, show me.” On that very day, the Lord Jesus became my Savior, and God became my loving Heavenly Father.

There I was, astounded for the second time in my life. But this time, it was so much more. I stood awash in forgiveness, a sweetness I’d never known. With my arms stretched wide, I was able to “taste and see that the Lord is good” like Psalm 34:8 says. God’s Word, the Bible, became real to me, just as the sea had so many years before. More importantly, the Creator of the sea and the Lord of my life became reality, as well.

In Matthew 16, Jesus asked His disciples two questions: “Who do people say that I am?” and “Who do you say that I am?” There were several answers to His first question, but Simon Peter answered the second question with the resounding declaration, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” (Matthew 16:13-16 ESV)

It is that declaration of faith that will always astound us. Here we are, sinners, far from God and ignorant of His majesty. Yet we are welcomed into God’s family when we believe in Jesus. As His children we are not only saved; we are accepted into God’s heart of grace.

So, we stand and behold the works of God. All the senses are tingling as we open our Bibles. We fall to our faces as we see the Lord “high and lifted up” in Isaiah 6:1, and we worship with the Revelation 4:8 (ESV) angels as they cry, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

And as we breathe in deeply, the Lord fine-tunes our hearts, so they beat in time with His.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly God, we praise You for You are the core, the very essence of life. We worship You, the Lord of Heaven and Earth. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Note from Alexis:

Karen’s devotional message today reminds me of “The Maker” song by Chris August! Listen to this beautiful melody about seeing God all around us in nature, 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: Finding God in the beauty of nature

Finding God in Big and Small Ways
A devotional by Karen Marstaller

For thus says the One Who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

— Isaiah 57:15 (ESV)

On a recent visit to California, my family and I were astounded by the grandeur of snow-capped mountain peaks, stunning electric blue lakes, vast Giant Sequoias, layers upon layers of lush ferns, and bubbling volcanic fields. Every day was an adventure to see which new turn in the trail would stop us in our tracks to stand in awe of God’s creative power.

On the last day we were there, we went to the Redwoods National and State Parks. Trekking down the gently curving path was a spectacular lesson in botany. Hundreds of Redwoods, along with much smaller trees, provided lovely shade and even shelter from a short spate of rain. A canopy of the Lord’s natural design served as our sanctuary.

Several signboards directed us to Big Tree just ahead. Almost 270 feet tall, and almost 70 feet around, Big Tree has lived for somewhere around 1,500 years. Surrounded by a deck, the tree is accessible to the hundreds of people who come every day to see this colossal reminder of our place in the world.

When I leaned over to touch the smooth-rough bark of the magnificent tree, I leaned back to look up. Suddenly overwhelmed by my own insignificance, all I could do was cry. God is our strong tower as Proverbs 18:10 reminds us. We look to Him to save us.

Just a few steps away another Redwood lay on its side, downed by wind or old age. It was almost halfway decayed, and much of the tree’s core spilled onto the ground in a trickle of sawdust. Such a sad, yet natural, part of God’s creation.

But out of the sawdust, fresh soil grew. A tiny plant drew sustenance from the death of the mighty Redwood above it. Its roots went deep, drawing moisture and life from the decay around it.

The tenacious little plant was adorned with dozens of tiny white flowers that were about the size of a pencil eraser. The petals of each blossom were shaped with small triangles. In number, they were seven.

Seven. Such a beautiful number, but as I knelt beside that fallen tree, it was a reminder to forgive—seventy times seven (as Jesus tells us to in Matthew 18:21-22). I looked up and surveyed my surroundings. Hundreds of those little flowers showed their lovely faces as far as I could see!

As I’ve thought and prayed about my experience that day, I understand now that God was showing me just a teensy glimmer of His majesty through His creation of Big Tree. In addition, He drew my eyes to see His message of forgiveness in a seemingly insignificant wildflower at my feet.

The Holy One, the King of the Universe, uses everything – even the smallest, most mundane things – to point us to Him. He loves for us to be amazed at His power, but He also demonstrates His love in myriads of ways. For me that day, He gently drew me to see His lesson. I needed to look up and to behold the creation given by my glorious King. And then it was time to look down, to go low, to be contrite, and to forgive seventy times seven—God’s number of infinity.

Let’s Pray: Father, please allow us to worship You in spirit and in truth, to acknowledge Your good and gracious love, and to be grateful for Your caring forgiveness and mercy. Please help us to do as You teach us, to forgive quickly, completely, and as often as we can. Help our forgiveness to be as fruitful as that little glen, growing daily with tons of Your seventy times seven. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

During this time of quarantine, Karen enjoys reading, writing, and connecting with friends and family via phone calls, texts, emails, blogs, live-streams, and video conferencing. 

She is grateful that the Lord has provided so many ways for humankind to stay in community, even when we are all hunkering down in our homes.

Karen says, “In this unprecedented time, we know that He has prepared us for such a time as this! To God be all the glory!”

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

Devotionals for the Heart: Did you know you are made in God's image?

God’s Splendor Revealed
A devotional by Karen Marstaller

“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” – Genesis 1:27 (ESV)

Recently my son and his wife went camping in Washington state, visiting many of the national parks, hiking numerous trails, and taking spectacular photos. One place they visited was a series of tidal pools. In order to see the sea creatures left behind as the tide ran out, they rose super early in the morning to explore.

All kinds of extraordinary animals were left to delight those who ventured into the early morning chill to photograph the wonders of God’s world. Back at home, the grandkids and I waited eagerly each day to see what marvels Mom and Dad would send. When they visited the tidal pools and sent us the pictures they had taken, we all stared in awe at the incredible images of a minute segment of this beautiful world.

One creature made an indelible impression on me—a starfish. He was a rather plump little fellow, almost as bright red as a strawberry, and it looked as though he was studded with pearls of different sizes in a gorgeous, intricate design. In one of the videos he looked to be dancing in the water, but after the water stilled and he became aware of his audience, he curled up into a defensive position. That’s when the most astonishing picture was taken. With his five arms tucked around and under him, his body shaped itself into a heart with the “beads” making an even more beautiful design than we had seen before.

It reminds me that as God created all the sea creatures in Genesis, His creative force was gearing up for the last day of creation when He made man and woman in His own image. As lovely as that starfish is, God’s pinnacle of creation was centered on Adam and Eve, and in turn, on all of us who follow them as members of humanity.

We all carry the imprint of our heavenly Father, the Creator God who took the trouble to fashion a tiny starfish in a remote tidal pool in upstate Washington and seen by only a handful of people before dawn one morning in the middle of August.

God fashioned the first man, Adam, and out of Adam’s rib He created the woman, Eve. The same intention and deliberation that God used to create a rarely seen sea creature also went into the designing of these two, the father and mother of us all. I don’t know what color Adam’s skin was, nor do I know what color Eve’s was. God deliberately didn’t tell us what color they were, but I know they had to be beautiful because our Father declared they were “very good.”

The glorious truth we face now is the fact that the Father’s same incredible, intentional, creative artistry went into designing us, too. Each human is made in God’s image, and He shapes every one of us to reflect Him. Granted, we sin. Granted, we fall way short of His desire for us. But Jesus’ redemptive death on the cross guarantees that His children, those who accept His gift of salvation, are covered with the magnificent skin of Jesus’ righteousness.

In my imagination, Jesus’ righteousness is a deep, sacrificial red, dotted with lustrous pearls symbolizing His perfect sinlessness. With His righteousness wrapped around us, we dance in the waters of our lives, and when times are hard, we curl up under His protective arms.

Either way, the joy of His salvation gives us life and peace and perfect love. Because of Jesus, we are beautiful in God’s sight, and we delight Him with our obedience to His Word, and with our love for others.

Let’s Pray: Father God, show us how to be faithful to You, full of love for our brothers and sisters, and hopeful as we wait for Your perfect will to be made perfect in us. And while we wait for You, please show us how to dance as we joyfully live out the salvation You have given us. Let us find peace and safety in the palm of Your hand, and throughout all our days, please let Your glory shine on each of the beautifully splendid children You created. In Jesus’s Name we pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

During this time of quarantine, Karen enjoys reading, writing, and connecting with friends and family via phone calls, texts, emails, blogs, live-streams, and video conferencing.  

She is grateful that the Lord has provided so many ways for humankind to stay in community, even when we are all hunkering down in our homes.

Karen says, “In this unprecedented time, we know that He has prepared us for such a time as this! To God be all the glory!”

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

Devotionals for the Heart: Creation

Falling in Love with God’s Creation
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

One of the most beautiful things I’ve discovered about life is something I spent decades taking for granted: God’s creation.

It’s not that I was completely oblivious. All of us can appreciate a gorgeous sunset or one of those perfect spring days, when it’s comfortably warm with no humidity and just a gentle breeze, the kind of day that makes you seek out patio dining or take a long walk just for the pleasure of it.

But as a type-A-personality do-er, I had a tendency to get so focused on my tasks that I’d tune out the beauty of life as simply “pretty setting,” of no real importance.

One day reading the Bible, it hit me that not only does God love me, but He also loves this whole planet. He designed everything—every flower petal. Every rock. Every single atom. Nothing was by accident! He intentionally handcrafted every star in the sky for His enjoyment. He loves creation—so why was I taking it for granted, thinking I was somehow “wasting time” when I lost myself marveling at the trees, the oceans, the rivers, or the rainbows?

One of my favorite Bible verses right now is one that eluded me for many years: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10a NIV). Learning to do that—be still—wasn’t easy for me at first. But I’ve come to understand forcing myself to sit and just be with the Lord is important. I’ve realized many of us are afraid of the quiet and the solitude because, deep down, we know when the noise and the excitement stops, we’ll be all alone. In the quiet, that’s when we are most likely to encounter God and wrestle with our true natures, and sometimes, we fear this.

Still, the quiet always comes. Even when we fight it, there comes a time sooner or later when the noise stops and we are left alone with our Creator. The sooner we can know it, face it, embrace it, and own it, the sooner we can stop going through the motions of living and start truly living.

In the quiet of creation, our souls can simply unite with God.

Look around—the flowers barely sway in the breeze, yet their vibrant-hued faces are turned upward, focused on the Lord. Notice how perfectly crafted every tree is, every blade of grass, every rock, every creature.

I’ve shared before how God recently nudged me to produce a mini book to help people shrug off their worries and center themselves in the Lord. Called A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When You’re Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed, the book is free for anyone who signs up to receive my blog by email.

One of the tips in that book is this one: Spend time outdoors. Soak up the sun! And most importantly, doing while you relax. Be still and know—that God created all this beauty! That His hand and His heart designed every bird chirping outside my screened patio.

Go outside and just bask in creation. Grab a folding chair or sit on a blanket by a garden, take a seat on your front porch step, or cuddle up in your jammies in a sunny patch someplace in your house.

Leave your phone and your book behind. Just go and sit in the silence of the Lord as His masterpiece of nature unfolds all around you.

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind” (Job 12:7-10 NIV).

“In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land” (Psalm 95:4-5 NIV).

There’s a rhythm and a unity, a harmony, undergirding it all. Take some time in the quiet to truly see it.

We get so busy in life. We get so focused on our purpose, on our people, on the work we are doing for the Lord, and while all that is good and important, if we’re not also taking the time to rest and bask in God’s creation, we’re missing out on an important way to get to know Him.

To love what He made—whether it’s people or the earth in general—is to love the Lord.

For other tips on how to be rooted in God and live a God-centered life, check out my free eBook, here.

~*~
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. 

You can also connect with her on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and more.

Devotionals for the Heart: Taking a moment to reflect on God's Creation

Creation Sings
A devotional by Christa MacDonald

“The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” 

–Psalm 19:1 (NIV)

Not sure about you, but this week I think I finally reached peak media exhaustion. It seems as though the news cycle lately has been an unending supply of badness. I want to just say, “One thing at a time, please!” Like a lot of folks, I feel overloaded and overwhelmed.

If you’re an ‘80s kid like me, you may remember the comic strip “Bloom County.” When the news got to be too much for the characters they would take a “dandelion break” where they’d go off into a field and sit in a patch of dandelions. I loved that image so much that I used to draw little dandelion patches in my notebooks. It was a reminder to me that God’s creation was a place where I could go to find peace.

During college, at those times when it all got to be too much, I’d go to a beach near my campus where giant rocks formed a seawall of sorts. I’d climb to the top and lean into the wind with my arms outstretched. It seemed like leaning into Creation’s arms. At the time, I didn’t question why I was there or what I was getting from it. Now I understand that I was doing it to feel closer to God, to cast myself at Jesus’s feet. My faith was off in the weeds and seeking solace in God’s creation was a way to keep going and find my way back to the path.

In the verse above, the psalmist is reminding us that all of creation declares the glory of God. Romans 1:20 (NIV) says, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” Nature, the very earth, can’t help but preach God’s glory. It’s in every leaf, every creature, the air itself. That verse makes me think of the scientists whose journey to faith began by studying God’s creation and questioning their own atheism.

We all know that getting outside in the fresh air is good for us, but I’d suggest that for Christians, reflecting on the glory of God’s creation can do even more. It can call us out of our fear and anxiety and remind us just whose we are.

Think of the last time you saw a sunset so intense that the air around you seemed to have color. Or perhaps the ocean when a storm is brewing and the waves are high. For me, sitting in my back yard, leaning back and staring up at a clear, blue sky and seeing a pure white heron flying overhead is a soul-deep experience. For that matter, so is watching the progress of seedlings pushing through the dirt and stretching for the sun.

All of creation sings the praises of God. When things are getting grim, find a way to take a dandelion break. Get out in His creation and let it call your heart to praise. I pray that you also find peace and strength to keep your feet on the path, walking humbly with your God, to keep sharing the Gospel with this fallen world in the time and place that God has given you.

~*~
Author Bio:

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

A native New Englander, she was inspired by her travels through the north woods of Maine to write The Broken Trail, which would become the first in the Sweet River Redemption series published by Mountain Brook Ink.

Christa's writing focuses on the real-life challenges of the modern world, love’s sometimes crooked path, and the redemptive power of Grace.

When not working or writing Christa can be found ferrying her kids around, reading, or attempting something crafty.

She and her husband live with their three kids, two cats, and one dog along the coast of New England. Connect with Christa at www.christamacdonald.com.

Devotionals for the Heart: Pruning

Pruning Season
A devotional by Sharon Musgrove

“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” – John 15:2 (ESV)

Gardening brings me awe and great joy. The activities of creation are entertainment to me.

For as long as I can remember, the outdoors has been my place of respite, a break from the to-do list that always seemed to originate indoors. For some, rest is found in coming in. I prefer spending quiet times in the yard because it is here that I witness how God has structured the laws under which life exists.

Three years ago today, I wrote about the importance of rest, likening winter to a Sabbath time. We require time and seasons for renewal. God designed it this way. Our lives include both day and night. Stopping our work is a commandment written in Exodus 20:9-10 (ESV), which says, “Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work...” God blesses the “setting down of the load.”

Years have come and gone, and as I have come through yet another winter season, I know that it is time to address the garden’s needs before spring shows up.

It’s time to prune.

Like a fruiting plant, I am maturing. This is the year that God has pointed out the time to cut back is at the end of the rest period. It’s at this time that the leaves are absent, revealing the true state of the branches. The bare bones of the plant show what has not survived heat of summer, damage of harvest and the bitter cold of winter.

I’ve come through a tough year. There is damage done, yet there has also been wonderful fruit. According to God’s cyclical design, rest was a requirement. And I took it. Slowing my pace, going on vacation, and taking naps were all a part of that rest. Reading replaced studying. I invited prayer. I shared with trusted people. I listened.

The rest has given me the nurturing to be ready for cutting season. I scrutinize my bare bones and know that I cannot be fruitful if growth continues in certain areas. I’ve been holding up dead weight. These areas must go.

Yet there are parts of me that have been strong and faithful. Parts of my life that have produced great fruit year after year. It makes sense that these “tried and true” parts should be preserved...right?

John 15:2 tells us that God trims both the nonproductive and the productive. One for being dead weight, the other to make room for more. All pruning for the purpose of more fruit.

What goes? The new shoot or faithful stock? The Gardener chooses. How will I respond?

If I hold too tightly to the fruit of my past, I will resent the cut. Be resentful of the Cutter too. I will not rejoice in the new fruit because I am focusing on the loss rather than the intended gain. If I have faith in God, I will accept His choice in pruning, perhaps grieving the loss, without becoming angry and resentful.

Pruning demands faith. Faith in the Gardener, not in the fruit.

The purpose of winter is renewal of the soil. While little happens outside, everything is happening inside. The building up of the soil is the building up of faith. Look closely. Cuttings become compost that replenish the soil. Everything is useful, there is no waste in the garden. And timing is everything.

I hope that you can glean from personal seasons of fruitfulness that God is faithful to produce fruit through you. I pray that you trust in His wisdom of rest and reliance for renewal of your heart. And I pray that your growing faith produces feelings of assurance and hope, in the midst of pruning season.

~*~
Author Bio:

Sharon Musgrove is a self-proclaimed sociologist. The opportunities opened to her, over the years, have led her on a fascinating journey observing human behavior. 

She has a diverse background in business, fitness and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both recovery programs served women primarily from the homeless community.

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She's been privileged to participate in Leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Easily identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she's served, Sharon now sees all people as needing more encouragement regardless of cultural or socioeconomic status. Within these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its transformative power has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys her garden, health food, travel and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, make their home in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. They have two grown children. Currently, Sharon is writing her first Christian historical fiction novel utilizing her study, experience, and understanding of self-destructive behaviors.

Devotionals for the Heart: A Life Lesson Learned from Cultivating Soil

Cultivated Soil
A devotional by Sharon Musgrove

“He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.” ~Proverbs 12:11 (KJV)

It’s growing season where I come from. Life is springing up everywhere. I’m behind in my gardening, barely having touched my vegetable beds. Just because I haven't worked my soil does not, however, mean that nothing is growing in my garden. Weeds and snails are already thriving and reproducing at a rapid rate. Without me working to cultivate and keep the garden fruitful, all sorts of invasive species take hold.

Life is complicated that way. Not just in the backyard garden, but in our spiritual gardens, our hearts, as well. Scripture in both the Old and New Testament give us warning after warning, encouragement after encouragement in the cultivation of our hearts.

Because I want a fruitful harvest, I began clearing my garden this week. In fact, I was preparing a new bed that hadn’t previously been part of the garden. As I removed the weeds and sifted out the rocks, I was reminded of the Parable of the Sower found in Matthew 13. In this parable, a farmer scatters seeds over his fields and they fall on four types of soil…a hard footpath, shallow soil with underlying rock, soil containing weeds, and deep fertile soil. Only the deep fertile soil produces an abundant harvest. In teaching, I’ve used this parable for many years. It’s easy to understand and provides a good visual.

As I worked, God planted a new seed for thought. I ran my hand through the newly tilled soil and heard, “You know the soil is ready for seed when it moves easily in the hand of the gardener.” I had just taken ground that was bound by root balls and littered with stones and was now running my hand through it with ease. Yes, I knew exactly what He was saying. This soil moved with direction, was soft and warm to the touch. This is how I know my heart is ready for new planting from God. My heart is soft, warm and moves with ease. It feels like love.

When I hear from God in the physical things I do, I pick up my Bible and read His words. It helps me affirm and retain what He is saying. Surprisingly, it was the garden story in Genesis that stood out, not the Parable of the Sower!

Genesis 2:5 (KJV) speaks of the creation story and of a state without vegetation in part because “there was not a man to till the ground.” In verse 15, the Lord put man into the garden of Eden “to dress it and keep it,” as well as Genesis 3:23 (KJV) stating, “…the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.”

We may think the Parable of the Sower is a clever story to help us understand that we have hard hearts or have thorns growing within us, but Genesis reveals that part of our purpose is to cultivate! God put Adam in a place of responsibility to continue what He started…to maintain and increase the fruitfulness of the garden…of humanity! If we do not continue to work our ground and “keep it,” then we don’t get to keep it! We lose ground.

This is evident in the consequence of Adam’s sin in both the exile from Eden and the cursing of the ground. What began for Adam as a life enjoying the fruitful trees God planted transitioned to laboring against thorns and thistles. To ignore our responsibility in maintaining loving hearts is a symptom of believing the lies that began in Eden. Proverbs 12:11 (KJV) states, “following a vain person.”

The wisdom in Proverbs foretells all! “He that tills the soil of his heart will be satisfied with bread.” While Genesis talks of the physical, “by the sweat of your face you will eat bread,” the Good News from Jesus is, “I am the bread of life: He that cometh to me shall never hunger…” (John 6:35 KJV).  It’s all the motivation I need to keep cultivating my soil! 

~*~
Author Bio:

Sharon Musgrove is a self-proclaimed sociologist. The opportunities opened to her, over the years, have led her on a fascinating journey observing human behavior. 

She has a diverse background in business, fitness and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both recovery programs served women primarily from the homeless community.

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She's been privileged to participate in Leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Easily identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she's served, Sharon now sees all people as needing more encouragement regardless of cultural or socioeconomic status. Within these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its transformative power has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys her garden, health food, travel, and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, make their home in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. They have two grown children. Currently, Sharon is writing her first Christian historical fiction novel utilizing her study, experience, and understanding of self-destructive behaviors.