Promo: Everyday Prayers for Love devotional book by Rachael Adams

Today, we celebrate my author friend Rachael Adams because it is the birthday (release date) of her new devotional book! To celebrate this special event, Rachael has graciously offered an excerpt from Day 19 of her devo, Everyday Prayers for Love: Learning to Love God, Others and Even Yourself. This chapter (Day 19) focuses on how to love people fearlessly. Enjoy!

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Loving Fearlessly
By: Rachael Adams

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out fear."

—1 John 4:18a

I didn't want to put myself out there again. Every time I did, I was met with disinterest. I already felt like I didn't belong in the group, which seemed to be affirmed each time I brought up an idea or topic of conversation. Whether or not I was misreading the situation, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t enough. So, in self-defense, I pulled back. I chose to respond less and withdrew myself from the group before they removed me.

We tend to self-protect when we get hurt, don’t we? Our instinct is to hide or put up walls so our hearts don’t get broken. Likely, we have all had instances where we extended an invitation and were told no, tried out for the team and didn’t make it, applied for the job and didn’t get it, worked towards our dream and were met with a closed door, or gave our best in a relationship and were rejected. In these instances, we are tempted to close ourselves off and not try again. We allow fear of future failure to prevent us from faithfully moving forward.

While this behavior feels safer, it simply isolates and makes us more vulnerable. The enemy prowls like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). While I’m no zoologist, a pack of animals has a much better chance of protecting themselves against a lion than a single animal alone. The same is true for us as believers. There is strength in community.

But what if it is that community that has caused the hurt? If so, we are tempted to escape. Hiding has been humanity’s tendency from the beginning of time. When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they hid from God (Genesis 3:8). But what did God do? He pursued them.

Since creation, and despite rejection, God has desired to fellowship with mankind, pursuing a closer relationship with us. Throughout Scripture, we see the progression of Him moving toward us. First, His Spirit hovered over the waters. Next, He lived in the desert in the Tabernacle. Then, God became flesh when Christ came to live on the earth. When Jesus descended to heaven at Pentecost, He sent the Holy Spirit to come and dwell within us. Isn’t it unfathomable that the God of the universe would want to be so near to us? No matter what your earthly relationships are like, God is pursuing you.

Something to Think About

There are 686 mentions of love in the Bible. Fear also ranks high in biblical word count, with the emotion mentioned 437 times. I’ve heard it said before God told us to “fear not” (or some variations of the phrase) 365 times in His Word–one for each day in the year. He knew we would struggle with these feelings. Fear is a valid emotion we should pay attention to, especially if we are unsafe. However, when we are afraid, we can trust that God will be with us. “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love (1 John 4:18).” His love will quiet your fears and give you confidence.

Hagar experienced God’s pursuit of love in the desert after being mistreated by Sarah. Although it was Sarah’s plan for her slave Hagar to have a baby with her husband Abraham, she became jealous and took her anger out on her servant. The angel of the Lord found Hagar in the desert and advised her to return to Sarah. After this encounter, Hagar called God El Roi, “the God who sees (Genesis 16:13).”

Hagar returned and birthed her son, Ishmael. Fourteen years later, Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 21). The bitterness between the women continued, and Sarah demanded Hagar and Ishmael be cast out. Although it grieved Abraham to do so, he gave Hagar and Ishmael some provisions and sent them away.

Once again, God graciously intervened. The Lord saw Hagar’s distress, provided for her need, and blessed her son because he was the child of Abraham. This story reminds us that no matter who or where we are, God sees and cares about us. He will comfort and provide for anyone who turns to Him and always keeps His promises.

Escape is only a temporary solution. God continually desires us to face our problems with His help. We experience His aid most clearly in and through conflicts and difficulties, not away from them. Are there problems in your life from which you’ve been running away? Allow His perfect love to cast out your fear.

Extra Verses For Study Or Prayer

Isaiah 41:10; Romans 8:15

Verse Of The Day

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out fear."

—1 John 4:18a

Prayer

Father, I admit I’m afraid of the heartbreak that can happen in relationships. I have felt rejected and unwanted by people in my life. It feels safer to stay alone than risk being hurt again. But I know You’ve made me for community. Give me the courage to open my heart again. Remind me that You accept, choose, and see me. I no longer want to live in fear. Cast it out and replace it with Your love. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Questions For Deeper Reflection

1. Have you been hurt in relationships with people or even with God? Has this caused you to pull back in self-protection?

2. What could happen if you pushed past the fear? How does knowing God sees you and loves you help to open your heart again?

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Author Bio:

Author of A Little Goes a Long Way and Everyday Prayers for Love, Rachael Adams, hopes to help women realize God’s love and purpose for their lives. She and her husband, Bryan, live in Kentucky with their two children, Will and Kate. 

Her work has been featured on Good Morning America, Crosswalk, Proverbs 31, Today Parenting, and YouVersion. Connect with her by visiting rachaelkadams.com, searching @rachaeladamsauthor on Instagram and Facebook, and tuning in to The Love Offering podcast every Tuesday on your favorite listening platform.

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Connect with Rachael:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachaeladamsauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachaeladamsauthor/
Website: https://rachaelkadams.com/

Devotional Book Spotlight and Giveaway hosted by Rachael Adams

The Inspiration Behind “A Little Goes a Long Way”

A guest post by Rachael Adams

During a dinner conversation with new friends at a writer’s conference, I had an epiphany moment. I was sharing my background and ministry with my mealtime companions as we were getting to know one another. I told them about hosting The Love Offering podcast, where I interview others about how they are living out the greatest commandment. Trying to get to know me better, one woman asked if I ever hosted a solo show. After a brief pause, I responded. “No. I haven’t done a solo show because I doubt what I have to offer.”

How ironic, right? I host The Love Offering podcast and yet I question my own contributions.

Once I returned home, I continued wrestling with this tension in my heart. I wondered if other women were struggling in this area too, so I polled my podcast listeners about how much they felt they had to offer God and others. On a scale of one to ten, with one being nothing and ten being a lot, the average answer was a three. When asked if they believed their contribution mattered, 83% responded no. I had hypothesized this would be the case, however, these findings were even more startling than I presumed.

Would your response be similar? Do you question whether your contributions matter, too?

We want our lives to count, but feel minuscule like our ordinary, everyday moments will never amount to anything. We take stock of the families we were born into, the towns we grew up in, and the positions we serve in, then determine that they are of little value. If we aren’t careful, we can start to believe that who we are, where we are, and what we are doing doesn’t really matter.

But friend, nothing could be further from the truth. Despite living in a culture where bigger is seen as better, I've discovered that a significant life is actually simpler than we think. A quick prayer between errands, a meal shared with family, or a short text to a friend means something in God’s kingdom. We can affect others while standing in the check-out line or sitting on the game-field sidelines, while walking the dog or talking to a colleague at work.

Contrary to how you may feel, every little thing you do can go a long way in God’s hands. Through my devotional A Little Goes a Long Way: 52 Days to a Significant Life, I hope to help you believe that when you partner with God, He can use even the most minute things to affect eternity in ways beyond what you can imagine.

If you are longing for significance and questioning whether your contributions matter, I’d love to help you realize how important what you do is and how significant you truly are. It isn’t about doing more but trusting in the value of all the little you are already doing. Grab your copy of A Little Goes a Long Way and watch God take your everyday actions and transform them for His eternal purposes. A significant life is simpler (and smaller) than you think.

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Author Bio:

Author of A Little Goes a Long Way and host of The Love Offering podcast Rachael Adams hopes to help women realize their God-given purpose and significance.

She and her husband, Bryan, run a family business and farm in Kentucky with their two children, Will and Kate, and two dogs.

Her work has been featured on Crosswalk, iBelieve, Today Parenting, and YouVersion. Connect with her by visiting rachaelkadams.com, by searching @rachaeladamsauthor on social media, and by tuning in to The Love Offering podcast every Tuesday on your favorite listening platform.

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Blurb for A Little Goes a Long Way:

A significant life is more simple than you think.

 

In a culture where bigger is seen as better, it’s easy to wonder if your quick prayer between errands or the short note you text a friend means anything in God's kingdom.

Contrary to how you may feel, every little thing you do can go a long way in God's hands. 

Partnering with God unlocks the eternal significance of the smallest act. In fifty-two devotions, Rachael Adams exemplifies this empowering truth and shares personal stories of how God values each deed, practical actions for lasting impact, and encouraging prayers that reveal how much your contributions matter.

Watch God take your everyday actions and transform them for his eternal purposes.

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Buy Rachael's book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christian Book, and Walmart

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Connect with Rachael:
Website: https://www.rachaelkadams.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachaeladamsauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachaeladamsauthor

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Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below: 

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