Devotionals for the Heart: Faith

Just a Little More Faith
A devotional by Angela Anderson

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

–Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)

Let’s take a stroll down my Memory Lane to illustrate my message today on faith. I remember the day when my three-year-old son was balancing on the edge of a short brick wall.

He insisted on walking up there as I was holding his hand. When he reached the end of the ledge, he exclaimed, “Ready Mommy? Catch me!”

Next thing I knew, he took a flying leap as if he was Superman. I was not in the proper position to catch him and I certainly was not ready for him to fly from the ledge. I dropped all of my belongings that were in my hand, and I had to lunge forward to grab him before he hit the ground, face first. Although that little stunt hurt my back, I would have rather sustained an injury than allow my son to fall on his face. Somehow he knew I would do that. My three-year-old son had that much faith in his mother. (A lot more faith than his mother had in herself!)

In the Bible, faith is described as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 NKJV). That is what makes faith such an enigma. It's the act of hoping for something that has not happened. This act of faith may make some people ask this question that is found in Romans 8:24 (NKJV), “...for why does one still hope for what he sees?”

Furthermore, faith is having confidence in the unknown and believing that what you are hoping for will one day be a reality. Faith is the realization that God will come through on your behalf, no matter how bleak the circumstances may appear from your point of view. Faith does not only involve your ability to hold on to God, but it also involves your assurance in God's ability to hold on to you.

Faith can also be so plain and simple. Faith is exercised on a daily basis without thinking twice about it. You use faith every time you step on the brakes while driving a vehicle. Faith is used when you set your alarm the night before rising from sleep to begin an early day. When you board a plane, you have faith that whoever is sitting in the pilot's seat is qualified to perform a successful take-off and will land that plane on the runway when you’ve reached your destination. In these cases, maybe it's so easy to have faith because these tasks are performed again and again. You become so familiar with the successful outcome that you begin to expect it.

Imagine what your life would be like if you had the type of faith where you ask God, trust God, and then expect His blessings. Maybe you already have this kind of faith because you have experienced God's goodness and deliverance time and time again. On the other hand, if you are like me, sometimes when the walls are closing in, you panic and you forget how God just brought you out of a similar situation.

According to Romans 12:3 (NKJV), God gives each of us "a measure of faith." The enemy wants nothing more than to add doubt and confusion to the equation in an effort to shake the foundation of your faith. We should not let this happen, but when it does, I am thankful that God remains faithful, even when we are faithless. When life seems to take you on a flying leap, be certain that God is willing and able to catch you and He will always hold on to you.

Let’s Pray: Dear God, Thank you for Your faithfulness to us. May we in turn have a childlike faith that is ready to trust and believe You in all things. As we navigate through this life, teach us how to hold on to You. Thank you for always holding on to us. May we excel in strength and grow in faith. In Jesus's Name I pray. Amen.

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Author Bio:

Angela Anderson was born in Brooklyn, New York. She was raised in a Christian home in New Jersey. Angela dedicated her life to Christ and was baptized at the age of 12.

As a child in elementary school, she developed a penchant for writing book reports and entering writing contests. By high school, she was taking advanced placement courses in English and Speech & Creative Writing. Angela’s love for journaling also had its beginnings in high school and it evolved into prayers journals and detailed notes for prospective book ideas. As a result, Angela is the author of a published 40-day devotional book titled Just When I Thought I Knew God. She also wrote a children’s book that is not yet published.

Although Angela wanted to somehow incorporate writing in her life, she is currently a Certified Human Resources Professional. Angela graduated from Rutgers University in NJ with a double bachelor’s degree in Labor/Employment Relations & Sociology. She also has an MBA from Strayer University.

Angela founded a non-profit 501(C)(3) organization called Head to the Sky, Inc. It was formed in order to assist those in prison with their transition into society and to reduce the rate of recidivism in the community. During this venture, Angela received a certification in grant writing from The Edyth Bush Institute for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership at Rollins College. Angela was very passionate about teaching, training, and sharing the love of Christ in this ministry; but she had to refocus her passion when she and her husband decided to start their family.

Angela has been married to the love of her life, Duane Anderson for 16 years. Together they have two sons: Thomas (age 8) and Ryan (age 3). Angela’s favorite pastime is journaling and she also enjoys spending quality time with her family. Her personal mission is to empower others to achieve their goals and dreams.

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Connect with Angela:
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/angela.thomasanderson
Facebook fan page for her devotional book, Just When I Thought I Knew God:
https://www.facebook.com/jwitikg/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelanderson1104/

Devotionals for the Heart: Simplicity

On Simplicity
A devotional by Lisa Lickel

“The best way of doing good that I can devise is to make myself an efficient member of society and it is obvious that if every man did this there would be very little want to for the professional philanthropist. It is not help that men need most, but opportunity.” 

–William Dawson, Quest for the Simple Life

“Simplicity…has little to do with how many things you own and everything to do with not letting your possessions own you.” – Robert Smith

When my husband and I were finally ready to show our home to real estate agents, the one we signed with shook his head when he saw our basement. “You guys are, like, minimalists! Look, there’s nothing here.”

Of course our garage and driveway were fairly decked out with rummage—the kids’ old weight bench, a humongous freezer which a farmer around the corner came to buy, some old chairs that had actually been left by the previous owner thirty years earlier.

My husband was quite put out. “I already moved at least ten carloads of stuff out to our new place,” he said. Well, yeah...canning jars, wood, and tools from the garage, sleds, and more wood. Stuff I wouldn’t know how to use. Not stuff from inside the house.

I’m not a packrat (books don’t count). Oh, I still have a chest of drawers full of craft things I thought I might like to do, but as the years pass, I’m emptying those drawers, too. Baby and childhood mementos are going to the grandkids. Even the loss of things we stored that didn’t survive a damp summer didn’t really bother me when we finally moved into our new home. As I explore a renewal of my faith practices, this discipline of simplicity comes fairly easily. I’m drifting closer to God, further from anxiety over things that are out of my control. Building a new house can do that. I need to dig deeper into what “living simply” means.

Our possessions are a reflection of our characters. Are we determined to make such a comfortable life here on earth that heaven doesn’t seem better? I love Richard Foster’s take. He said, “Because we lack a divine center our need for security has led us into an insane attachment to things. We really must understand that the lust for affluence in contemporary society is psychotic. It is psychotic because it has completely lost touch with reality. We crave things we neither need nor enjoy.”

I may not be a packrat, but I freely confess to the above psychosis. I bought an entire series of one of my favorite television shows…two years ago…that I haven’t opened. Please don’t hate me.

Jesus basically calls wealth an idol, and cheerfully condemned the idle rich. He preached about abundant possessions—treasure that would steal our hearts—in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus instead asks his followers to give to those in need. All the time. Everything we “own.”

Everything we are.

Sobering.

So how do I reconcile that ideal with the reality of contemporary living? We don’t need to feel guilty about being comfortable. What we can do to reconcile how we survive is to consider what we purchase, if it’s ethically produced and delivered. Ask, am I addicted to acquiring? Do I give as often or more than I receive? Those answers reveal our core of self and faith.

My Prayer: Lord, I want to live for you. Help me appreciate and be content with what you have given me, and be resourceful in the future. Amen.

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Author Bio: 

Lisa Lickel is a Wisconsin writer who lives in the rolling hills of western Wisconsin. 

A multi-published and award-winning novelist, she also writes short stories and radio theater, is an avid book reviewer, blogger, a freelance editor, and workshop leader. 

She is a member of Chicago Writers Association and part of Novel-in-Progress Bookcamp and Writing Retreat, Inc., mentoring writers from across the US and Canada.

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Connect with Lisa:
Website: http://www.LisaLickel.com.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lisalickelauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2839406.Lisa_J_Lickel
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lisajlickel
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2bPxi2X SaveSave