Devotionals for the Heart: Remember this truth when you feel unseen

To Those Who Feel Unseen
A devotional by Jessica B. Turner

“But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.” –Matthew 19:30 (NLT) 

Have you ever felt as if no matter what you do or how hard you try, your efforts go unnoticed?

Maybe it’s within the workplace or perhaps at home. Wherever you may be, it can be extremely hard to not grow weary when it seems as if no one even notices you.

Well I’m here to remind you that your Heavenly Father sees you! He sees your heart. He sees your faithfulness. He feels the love you pour out in all that you do. And He gathers all those things, holding them close until the day that you will be face to face with Him.

We live in a world where comparison can be hard to avoid. Everywhere we turn, there is someone who appears to be doing more than what we are currently able to do. Just when we think we are content, we see our neighbor with something that we believe should be ours as well. There is and will always be another out there that appears to be greater than you.

Yet, the words above, spoken by Jesus Christ Himself, remind us that what matters to God is often very different than what matters to the world. He is more worried about the motive behind our actions than the action itself. He is more delighted in our obedience over our desire to have the “perfect life”. He is more pleased when He sees us caring for His people understanding the eternal impact that is at hand instead of focusing on how we are seen as a result. He is more concerned with our ability to slow down and spend time with Him than to be too busy constantly focusing on the “next thing”.

His desire is to see His children working on His behalf regardless of the earthly praise we may or may not receive. This can be hard because it requires a humble heart, and a humble heart comes by understanding Who you are living for.

You may not be the greatest. You may not even be known outside of your family. But you matter to your Heavenly Father.

So when you find yourself feeling as if you aren’t enough because of how the world sees you, remember that God cares about the things unseen. He sees you. He sees your efforts. He sees your heart. And He is smiling down upon you because He is pleased!

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, thank you for being a Father who sees me for more than who I am to the world. Help me to focus on the work that you have laid out for me instead of getting stuck on what others are doing around me. Help me to find my approval in You alone instead of leaning on earthly praises. Remind me that I am nothing without you; yet I am everything I was created to be when I choose to abide in you. Encourage my heart when I want to give up and remind me that my treasure is waiting in Heaven. I love You and I trust You. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
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: Holding onto God's goodness in hard times

When All You Have Are Tears to Sow
A devotional by Jessica B. Turner

“Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.”

—Psalm 126:5-6 (NLT)

It's often the hardest to hold onto God’s goodness when we are walking through hard times. Such as: The loss of a loved one. A dreaded diagnosis. An unexpected financial blow. The heartache of a divorce. There are so many reasons one may fall to their knees in despair, each being unique to the individual.

I remember feeling as if my faith wasn’t what I thought it was when walking through the grief of my miscarriage last year. I would hear all these stories of other moms experiencing the same loss and handling it with such grace. While I on the other hand, seemed to be unraveling at a rate that had me seriously questioning my foundation in God.

During my mourning, I couldn’t find the words to pray. I even struggled with borrowing the words from my favorite praise and worship songs because I couldn’t see myself in them. All I could do was cry and every tear felt like a step further away from God.

I believe that is why this scripture (listed above) made such an impression on my heart when I came across it the other day. It’s such a beautiful reminder that sometimes we don’t have the words to express how we feel or even what we need to get through the other side. All we have are our tears.

The good news is that our tears can be a form of prayer when we direct them to our Heavenly Father, remembering that He is Sovereign. He knows our heart. He sees our brokenness. He shares our suffering.

But it’s up to us to lay those tears at His feet. Knowing that every single tear is accounted for (Psalm 56:8). Every single tear serves as a seed being planted in the Heavens. Every single tear is the dawn of a joyous tomorrow.

Sometimes that “tomorrow” isn’t apparent for quite some time, but hope can be found through clinging to God’s Word (The Holy Bible) that it is coming!

One day you will be able to look back on that season where all you could do was shed tears as a form of worship and you will clearly see the harvest that has sprouted as a result.

You will experience joy unimaginable because you will see things differently. You will be excited to share what God has done in your life because you will see His hand and how it brought good from evil. Your story will become a beautiful song for all to hear. A song that will bring unshakeable hope to others who are still in their season of planting.

Your decision to trust in God, even when you can’t find the words to express what you need from Him, will show others just how faithful He truly is. They will see that a surrendered heart is all that is needed for our Heavenly Father to move on our behalf. Rest in knowing He is already making a way for a harvest, a harvest that will be accompanied by a joy that you would have never experienced if it weren’t for the faithful sowing of your tears.

And if you are in your own season of planting, remember your tears are a beautiful offering and they are enough. 

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, thank you for such a powerful reminder that our tears are never shed in vain, that they are in fact a form of prayer setting a foundation for a joyous harvest to come. Help me to hold on to that hope when I feel as if I can’t go on anymore. Surround me with your love and comfort. Breathe new life into my weary bones. Fill my heart with a new song and help me proclaim it so others can know of your goodness. 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 “Every Single Tear” by Scott Krippayne. 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: What it means to be set apart by God

You Are Set Apart
A devotional by Jessica B. Turner

“And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” 

–Mark 11:13-14 (ESV) 

When I first read this scripture a few years ago, I was greatly disturbed by it. I just couldn’t comprehend Jesus Christ’s harsh response to a fig tree that was simply doing what was expected of it: not producing fruit during a season that wasn’t meant for figs.

Christ’s reaction seems so out of place, unjustified even. How could He curse something for not doing something it wasn’t even set up to do?

I believe it caused such an unsettled response in me, and still does sometimes, because I could easily relate to the fig tree. Numerous times, I’ve found myself walking through a season of drought, feeling as if I have nothing left to give. The mere thought of producing anything of value out of such a time of barrenness seems unfair and gives thought to the question, “Will I ever be able to please my Savior?” You may be asking the same thing as you read this.

But don’t fret for I have good news!

Until recently I didn’t realize that Jesus knew more than I did when it came to this particular fig tree. He understood that the presence of leaves on this tree was out of character for this time of the year, setting it apart. He also knew that the leaves should have been accompanied by fruit despite the “season” it was in.

After learning this small, yet priceless detail, the way I read this scripture has been completely transformed. Now, I can’t help but see the leaves as a symbol of our proclamation of faith. Our salvation. Our knowing of who Jesus Christ is.

As believers, we are set apart from the rest of the world, just like this tree was. But it is up to us what happens next. Do we simply accept Christ into our lives and allow ourselves to become complacent? Content with the fact that we are now planted in the kingdom of God, ready for all to see. We have the title of a Christian and may even look the part, but do we stop there?

We must be willing to go the next step. We must allow God to have access to our lives, pruning what may look good yet is an obstacle standing in the way of what God has in store. While Christ’s behavior in this scripture may appear odd, He understood that the only way His Father’s will would be done here on Earth is if there were believers willing to go through the process of transformation. A process that would require them to go from simply saying “I believe” to “I am ready to give my life to you, sharing the fruits of your presence in my life.”

So how do we do that, especially when we are in a season where it doesn’t seem possible to produce anything of value? Through sharing our stories and the role our Savior plays in them.

Feel as if you are barely hanging on by a thread? Share how you are clinging to who He is and His promises. Through doing so, you are giving the gifts of joy and hope.

On the receiving end of His grace, extend that to someone else the next time you are tempted to cast blame. Through doing so, you are giving the gifts of forgiveness and gentleness.

See someone being treated unjustly? Stand by their side and let them know they are seen and heard. Through doing so, you are giving the gifts of love and kindness.

There will be times in our lives where it easy to share the goodness of God, but we are called to spread His love and bring Him glory even when it isn’t. In fact, our greatest testimonies often come out of the seasons where we are not expected to be praising His name, yet we still do.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me so much that you gave Your one and only Son to die on the cross for me. Through His sacrifice, I am able to live a transformed life. A life that glorifies You. Help me to be set apart while advancing Your kingdom here on Earth by living in such a way that others may experience Your love through the fruits I produce. I love You and I trust You. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

~*~
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: Obeying God When It Doesn't Make Sense

When What God is Asking of You Doesn’t Make Sense
A devotional by Jessica B. Turner

“However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.” –Matthew 17:27 (ESV)

If you are like me, you have likely read this scripture without much thought because of what precedes it. Starting in Matthew 17:24, you can find one of the many examples of authority figures trying to trap Jesus with their questions concerning the law. This time it was involving a two drachma tax, a form of Greek currency. But it’s not the units of money that I want you to focus in on today.

It's what Jesus tells Simon Peter to do in response to the tax that I want us to explore.

Could you imagine being in Simon Peter’s shoes in this moment? Jesus is telling you to go fishing as a means of providing provision, but not from selling the caught fish, but instead by simply opening its mouth! Do you realize how bizarre this command really is?

I can’t help but think that Simon Peter walked away wondering how this plan would work. What are the odds of a fish swimming around with a coin in its mouth, much less a coin worth exactly what they need to pay for both of their taxes? Or better yet, that this coin would be found in the very first fish caught?

It’s just such an odd way to solve a problem, isn’t it? An impossible way. But this is a reminder that nothing is impossible when the orders are coming from God Himself!

How often do you find yourself in a situation where you know God is leading you to a solution, but you just can’t make sense of how it will work out in your favor? The odds appear to be stacked against you. Everyone around you is telling you to go a different route, a safer, more predictable route. Yet, you know in your heart that isn’t what God is asking of you. You want to be obedient, but you seem paralyzed by all the pieces that don’t seem to make sense.

This is where the faith of a mustard seed, referred to in Matthew 17:20, comes into play. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are called to lean on Him when all logic seems to disappear. When things cannot be explained in any other way than “But God!”

These are the moments where we are given an opportunity to truly see God at work! But He needs us to be willing to do more than just listen; He needs us to act alongside Him.

Simon Peter would have never experienced God’s provision that day if he would have let logic steer his decisions. He would have missed out on a miracle.

What is God commanding you to do in this season of your life? What are you missing out on because you are afraid to take the first step?

I pray this message gives you the courage to stop over-thinking it all and simply put your trust in a God whose thoughts and ways are so much higher than ours. I can’t wait to see what He is going to do through your obedience!

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, it brings you such joy when I come to you for wisdom instead of looking to the world for answers. Yet sometimes it can be hard to muster up the courage to act on what you are asking of me. Lord, please give me the faith to take that first step in obedience. Strengthen my confidence in your ability to show up against all odds in my favor. Open my eyes to how you are working in and through my life and allow me to be a vessel of praise and glory towards Your holy name as a walk in Your will. I love you and I trust you. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
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: What to do when you face mountains in life

When Faced with Mountains
A devotional by Jessica B. Turner

“God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.” –Habakkuk 3:19 (ESV)

Do you ever feel as if you finally arrive at the top of the mountain only to realize what lies ahead is an even bigger, taller mountain to climb?

That is how I felt most of last year. When I could barely breathe after experiencing a loss through miscarriage, I was being asked to face yet another trial. And then another. Trials that I would have never imagined walking into, much less surviving.

If I’m being completely honest, there was a time during those hardships when I questioned if God really was there. I felt broken and empty. Betrayed and humiliated.

But then I remembered this scripture (Habakkuk 3:19). It had become my anchor since it was given to me the summer before. It was shared as a response to my story in which I compared obstacles in life to mountains. For months it served as a simple reminder that God is where my strength lies when things seem too big to face. That strength is often all I need to get through another day. I had forgotten that truth despite its impact in my life in the past. But once I remembered, I buried it within my heart to never forget again. When we fix our eyes on Jesus Christ, He enables us to encounter any mountain with the grace of a deer.

Can you picture it? Your struggle, your illness, your broken relationship—whatever your mountain in this season is. Picture it and then remember that the same God who created the sunset that takes your breath away is the same God that has vowed to give you the strength to face any obstacle this life may throw your way.

But even greater than that, He will invite us into a transformation that can only come through climbing that mountain. A foundation in endurance leading to a molding of character and the birth of a hope that this world cannot take away from us.

How encouraging is that? Not only are we climbing our mountains with the God of the universe by our side, we are doing it with the anticipation of a story only He can orchestrate. Good that only He can bring about. That alone is often the source of the strength I need to get through another day, another hour, another minute.

Don’t try to climb alone, my friend. We weren’t created to do so. He is waiting for you to call out. He is waiting to lift you up so you can take one more step.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, I thank you for who You are. That You are a God who is so powerful and mighty yet so in love with me that you will come to my aid at a moment’s call. I am that important to you. I am your beloved. Help me remember that as I face life’s mountains. Remind me that You are my source of strength and that there is great hope on the other side of my trial. I love you and I trust you. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
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/