Devotionals for the Heart: Reasons why you don't need to live in fear

God is Good All the Time
A devotional by Jessica B. Turner

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

Have you ever been given a gift to then live in fear that it’s going to be taken away?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been that person that struggles to enjoy the good things in life because I’m too focused on when things are going to go wrong. So much so that this is a recurring topic discussed with my Christian counselor.

My counselor would always advise that I focus on the present, constantly practicing gratitude. She would also recommend that I hold on to Who God is.

While expressing gratitude came easy because it was something I had come to practice over the years, I never truly felt like I had a good grasp on the character traits of God. 

Yes, I could easily list a handful of these divine traits. But when it came to being able to trace them back to scripture, I struggled...until I read James 1:17 (NIV) with fresh eyes: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

This scripture so beautifully illustrates the characteristics of the Father: Loving. Faithful. Powerful. Sovereign. Immutable.

Prior to this verse, the author is explaining that God does not and cannot be tempted, nor tempt us. Temptation sprouts from our own evil desires. After this point is made clear, the author brings our attention to who God is: a gift giver.

We also see this in Matthew 7:11 (NLT): “So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”

While reading this scripture the other day, the first thing it evoked was gratitude. Gratitude for the many blessings that are poured out upon me on a daily basis. Since the recent birth of our son, Daniel, he naturally stands out as the most recent “gift” from above.

However, it’s the second part of this scripture that I need to hang onto. With the current unknowns in Daniel’s health, I find myself doubting if God is a good gift giver. What if we are merely waiting for Him to take His gift back? 

It’s a legitimate fear but this scripture reminds us that God does not change. It is not in His nature to give a gift to His child to then turn around and take it back. He loves us and doesn’t want to harm us. We must choose to hold onto that truth in the face of uncertainty.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, please open my eyes to the many gifts You give to me each and every day. Help me to not take them for granted. Show me the power of gratitude especially when I recognize that You are the source of all my blessings. Reveal to me Your faithfulness. Help me to hold onto it when my faith is shaken. Establish in me a firm foundation of who You are so I can find peace amid any and all circumstances. I love You and I trust You. In Jesus’s Name, I pray. Amen. 

Song of Reflection: “I’ll Trust You” by Donnie McClurkin. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Jessica B. Turner is a wife, mom, and LSU graduate with a degree in veterinary medicine.  

After practicing small animal medicine for six years, she traded in her stethoscope to become an online wellness coach, motivational speaker, and writer with a passion for mental health advocacy. This major life change was sparked after Jessica struggled with postpartum depression soon after she birthed her twin girls.

Along with Jessica’s career change came the discovery of who Jesus Christ really is and how He was the missing piece for her to be able to move forward from past trauma that she had suppressed for decades.

Jesus walked alongside Jessica as she underwent a transformation like none other. God transformed Jessica’s life from a broken mom who struggled with depression, anxiety, disordered eating, and PTSD from witnessing an attempted suicide, to using her experiences to make her a powerful vessel for Him. To this day, God enables Jessica to touch the lives of others through her often unfiltered, yet inviting, form of storytelling.

Throughout this process of refinement, Jessica has shared her life story with the world through her social media platforms, in-person events, blog posts, and podcasts. She values the gift of transparency and has discovered that what so many people need to know is that they are not alone. Jessica has walked in their shoes, and she wants the world to know that Jesus is walking with them as well.

~*~
Connect with Jessica:
Website: www.jessicabturner.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessicabturner/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicabturner/

Devotionals for the Heart: Don't Limit What God Can Do in Your Life

When You Limit What God Wants to Do
A devotional by Jessica B. Turner

Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.” And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief.

–Matthew 13:57-58 (NLT)

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you are begging God to move, to perform a miracle, but you just don’t see Him doing it? Have you ever stopped to question if it’s your lack of faith contributing to His silence?

It’s a hard question because I think we would all like to assume that if we are believers in Jesus Christ then we automatically have what we need to see Him move in our lives. Yet, that isn’t the case and Matthew 13:58 reminds us of that.

We can agree that Jesus Christ exists. Those who grew up knowing Jesus before He began His ministry believed in His existence. However, it was their lack of belief in what He could do that restricted Christ’s ability to perform miracles in that place.

They had a preconceived idea of who Jesus Christ was, whether they were aware of that or not, and that idea is what ultimately caused Him to walk away without doing the work that He wanted to do in their lives.

Sometimes I think we fall into this same trap. We have a picture of who God is from our childhood Bible studies with our parents or in church. Maybe the image of our Heavenly Father is one that was formed by someone who didn’t believe in God or perhaps someone who had good intentions. Whatever the case, that picture causes us to minimize who God is. We see Him as this one-dimensional being instead of the all-knowing, all-powerful, loving Father He is to us.

We may believe that God exists, and we may even believe that He is capable of doing amazing things. But maybe we don’t believe that God can or will do them for us. Here’s the sad part: Whether we realize it or not, that lack of belief on our part directly affects what God is able to do in and through our lives.

This can be a hard place to find yourself, and I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve been there. I was doing all the things that I thought need to take place to set the stage for a miracle to unfold. I so badly wanted to trust God, only to realize that there is a part of me that still doesn’t believe that He is going to come through.

So, what is one to do when they find themselves in this space? A space where you so desperately want to believe but you just can’t seem to muster up the faith to do so?

Ready for the answer? Here it is: You ask God to help you overcome your unbelief. (Mark 9:24)

You lay down all of your fears, all of the “what ifs”, at God’s feet and you tell Him that you are struggling with trusting Him. You are struggling to believe that anything good can come out of what you are facing despite knowing that anything is possible through Him (Luke 1:37). And then you watch Him move, despite your doubts, because you handed them over to Him!

Isn’t God good? He never expects us to be perfect in our faith walk with Him. He simply wants us to come to Him, especially when we begin to question who He is and what He is capable of doing in our lives.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for being such a loving Father that I can come to You with anything, even my wavering faith. Remind me that my doubt doesn’t have to define me but instead, it can be used as a tool to strengthen my relationship with You. Help me to believe that anything is possible through You. Help me to believe that You can and will bring about good from all circumstances no matter how painful they may be. I love You and I trust You. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Song of Reflection: “What Faith Can Do" by Kutless. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Jessica B. Turner is a wife, mom, and LSU graduate with a degree in veterinary medicine.

 

After practicing small animal medicine for six years, she traded in her stethoscope to become an online wellness coach, motivational speaker, and writer with a passion for mental health advocacy. This major life change was sparked after Jessica struggled with postpartum depression soon after she birthed her twin girls.

Along with Jessica’s career change came the discovery of who Jesus Christ really is and how He was the missing piece for her to be able to move forward from past trauma that she had suppressed for decades.

Jesus walked alongside Jessica as she underwent a transformation like none other. God transformed Jessica’s life from a broken mom who struggled with depression, anxiety, disordered eating, and PTSD from witnessing an attempted suicide, to using her experiences to make her a powerful vessel for Him. To this day, God enables Jessica to touch the lives of others through her often unfiltered, yet inviting, form of storytelling.

Throughout this process of refinement, Jessica has shared her life story with the world through her social media platforms, in-person events, blog posts, and podcasts. She values the gift of transparency and has discovered that what so many people need to know is that they are not alone. Jessica has walked in their shoes, and she wants the world to know that Jesus is walking with them as well.

~*~
Connect with Jessica:
Website: www.jessicabturner.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessicabturner/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicabturner/

Devotionals for the Heart: Mustard Seed Faith Can Change the World

The Impact of Your Mustard Seed Faith
A devotional by Jessica B. Turner

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.” –Matthew 13:31-32 (NLT)

The illustration of our faith being the size of a mustard seed is one of the most popular scriptural references in the Bible. It’s not surprising because it delivers such a powerful reminder of what God can do with so little. We simply must be willing to trust Him with what we have, even when it doesn’t appear to be enough to make a difference. Afterall, He is the great multiplier!

As much as I love the message behind the size of the mustard seed and the visual it offers, that isn’t where I want to spend our time together today. What really stood out to me when reading this scripture, especially the New Living Translation, is the emphasis on what the mustard seed turns into: “it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”

Often, it’s the smallest steps in our faith walk that lead to the most influential changes in our lives as well as others. Small steps that make a big difference include but are not limited to: The first time you ever stepped foot into a church. The first time you had enough courage to pray out loud. The first time you shared your story with someone else. 

Every little act of obedience is one step closer to your life being a living, breathing example of God’s presence in your life. His refuge. His provision. His comfort. His magnificence. His power! He becomes your solid foundation, your unshakeable tree.

That is good news, my friend! But you know what is even better news? The longer you pursue a life chasing after Jesus Christ and trusting the will of the Father, the more you take on His image. This means that you become someone else’s tree!

A strong tree rooted deep God’s Word is what our mustard seed faith grows into if we are consistent in taking those seemingly insignificant steps of faith. Not only are we able to step back and watch our own spiritual growth appear before our eyes, we are able to witness its impact on everyone around us.

I don’t know about you but that encourages me to look at this scripture beyond what God is able to do in my life and more so what He is able to do in someone else’s life through my faithful obedience! Now that is a visual I can carry around in my heart when I start to question the significance of my actions. Remember: As a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, you are someone’s tree, and your example of walking by faith will lead to the people who are watching you to plant their own mustard seed of faith!

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, thank you for such a powerful reminder of what our faith can turn into, no matter how small it may seem. Help me to trust you with all my heart. Give me the strength to take that first step in faith and then another and another. Open my eyes to the growth that You are orchestrating and the impact that growth is having on others around me. Help me to be a living example of You, Jesus Christ, drawing everyone closer to a thriving relationship with You. I love You and I trust You. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Note from Alexis: Jessica’s devotional message today reminds me of the song “Little is Much” by Downhere. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Jessica B. Turner is a wife, mom, and LSU graduate with a degree in veterinary medicine.

 

After practicing small animal medicine for six years, she traded in her stethoscope to become an online wellness coach, motivational speaker, and writer with a passion for mental health advocacy. This major life change was sparked after Jessica struggled with postpartum depression soon after she birthed her twin girls.

Along with Jessica’s career change came the discovery of who Jesus Christ really is and how He was the missing piece for her to be able to move forward from past trauma that she had suppressed for decades.

Jesus walked alongside Jessica as she underwent a transformation like none other. God transformed Jessica’s life from a broken mom who struggled with depression, anxiety, disordered eating, and PTSD from witnessing an attempted suicide, to using her experiences to make her a powerful vessel for Him. To this day, God enables Jessica to touch the lives of others through her often unfiltered, yet inviting, form of storytelling.

Throughout this process of refinement, Jessica has shared her life story with the world through her social media platforms, in-person events, blog posts, and podcasts. She values the gift of transparency and has discovered that what so many people need to know is that they are not alone. Jessica has walked in their shoes, and she wants the world to know that Jesus is walking with them as well.

~*~
Connect with Jessica:
Website: www.jessicabturner.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessicabturner/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicabturner/