Devotionals for the Heart: God's love for you stays steady and forever true

An Uninterrupted Love in a Disorienting World
A devotional by Kim McGovern

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”—Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)

I opened the Night Sky app on my phone and lifted it to the night sky. Its light shone brilliantly against the ink-blackness of the Atlantic Ocean.

Here I was, on a ship in the middle of nowhere, relying on technology to find what sailors had followed for centuries. The phone's glow ruined my night vision, but I needed its help. Everything looked different out here. No landmarks, no light pollution—just stars upon stars upon stars, an overwhelming sky in which the ones I knew were nowhere to be found.

Growing up, I'd always thought the North Star was the navigator's friend—fixed and reliable. But I'd recently learned that magnetic north actually shifts. The pole wanders. What I thought was unmovable...moves. How disorienting.

Isn't this exactly how spiritual disorientation begins?

The pastor we trust is embroiled in scandal. The healing we claim by faith doesn't materialize. The marriage we thought God blessed falls apart. The church that felt like family wounds us deeply. The child we raised in faith walks away. And God? He seems silent right when we need Him most.

Our hearts latched onto these things like fixed points we could navigate by. When they shift—or shatter—we don't just lose the thing itself; we lose our sense of direction. When what we hoped was reliable proves unreliable, we're left spinning in the dark, wondering if God Himself has moved.

That's where my heart lingered for months. Reeling from disappointments I never saw coming. And here I stand, holding up my phone like a cosmic translator, needing an app to tell me what I used to know by heart.

Vega. Altair. Deneb. The app traced the Summer Triangle, and suddenly I could see the massive pattern I'd been looking straight through. Three of the brightest stars in the sky, yet millions of dimmer ones blinded me to their pattern.

The Summer Triangle is not a constellation itself, but an asterism—three stars from three different constellations creating one absolutely reliable navigational pattern. Sailors have trusted it for millennia because, unlike instruments prone to fail, magnetic poles that wander, or human feelings that lie, these stars hold steady.

I lowered my phone and let my eyes adjust. The Triangle blazing overhead had been there all along, even through every one of my dark months.

In my disorientation, I’d forgotten that the Gospel isn't that God will protect us from disappointment—or that churches won't wound us, bodies won't fail, or prayers will always be answered as we expect. The good news is that God loved us so much He sent His Son (Jesus Christ) to deal with the one thing that could actually separate us from Him for all eternity—our sin.

Jesus didn't stay in Heaven, simply sending us better navigation instructions. He dove headfirst into our chaos. Fully God and fully man, He lived the perfect life we couldn't live. Then, on a cross—shaped like Cygnus above me—He took every sin, every separation, every disorienting darkness we would ever face. He died bearing it all. And three days later, He rose, proving that nothing—NOTHING—could ultimately separate us from God's love anymore. Not failure. Not unanswered prayer. Not rejection. Not a diagnosis. Not even our doubts in the dark.

“For I am convinced,” Paul wrote from prison, listing every cosmic force that might threaten us, “nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:39 NIV)

God’s love doesn't depend on our ability to feel it. It depends on what Jesus has already accomplished; it's not maintained by our steady faith but by His finished work. The Father sent it. Jesus secured it. The Spirit seals it within us.

The ship rolled gently. Other passengers had retired to bed, but I remained on deck, no longer needing the app. The Triangle blazed overhead, pointing toward the river of light known as the Milky Way.

Tomorrow, the ground might shift again or another trusted thing might fail. But tonight, under stars that have watched a thousand generations struggle with the same disorientations, I am reminded that the love of Jesus holds steady—even when everything else shifts.

It blazes on—an uninterrupted triangle of love in a disorienting world that no disappointment can ever extinguish.

Let's Pray:

Heavenly Father, when everything we thought was fixed starts shifting—when trusted voices fail us, when healing doesn't come, and when You seem silent—remind us that Your love isn't anchored in these things. It is anchored in what Jesus accomplished at the cross. Thank You that no disappointment, betrayal, or disorientation can separate us from the love You secured forever. Help us navigate by this truth when we cannot trust our feelings. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Just to Know You” by Mark Schultz. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Your Love Never Fails” by Chris Quilala / Jesus Culture/Jesus Culture Music. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Kim McGovern is passionate about helping women reorient their hearts to the uninterruptible love of Jesus Christ. 

A former IT professional turned writer, she meets women in the messy middle of faith—where grief, joy, doubt, and hope often collide. Her work draws from decades of ministry leadership, special needs advocacy, and personal seasons of surrender that deepened her dependence on God's presence.

Kim's writing has been featured by Proverbs 31 Ministries, Encouragement for Today, Joyful Life Magazine, (in)courage ministries, Truly Magazine, and numerous other faith-based publications.

She and her husband savor the quiet rhythms of life on Florida's west coast in Homosassa, where the river serves as their backyard playground. They have four grown children and grandchildren who daily remind them that the best stories are still being written by God's grace.

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Connect with Kim:
Website: https://kimmcgovern.com/
Substack: https://kimmcgovern.substack.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_kim.mcgovern/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimEMcGovern/

Devotionals for the Heart: A pure and true love that will never leave you

A Love That Never Leaves
A devotional by Erica J. Hill

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”—Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)

Every February, couples celebrate Valentine’s Day holiday.

Many of us learn about this holiday as early as elementary school when the tradition in the classroom this time of year was to give “Happy Valentine’s Day” greeting cards and sometimes candy to our classmates. Sometimes, the girls secretly hoped to receive an extra-special one from the cute boy who they had a crush on. For many females, that same mindset follows us into adulthood. We quietly hope the special man in our lives will buy the perfect gift, and when he falls short, disappointment quickly follows. No matter what the relationship has looked like the rest of the year, we often place all our feelings on this one day.

Even when the people in our lives fail to show up in the ways we want or need, we must remember who we are and whose we are. We are children of the Eternal King (God). We belong to Him. Once we truly understand this, we can begin to love others rightly. Love is not something we give based on what someone does for us; we love them because of who they are. This reminds me of God’s love for us and why we should love Him too. The Bible says this about His Love for humankind in 1 John 4:19 (NIV), “We love because he first loved us.”

The beautiful thing about God is that He loves us every day, and His love is unconditional. God does not forget dinner plans, fail to read our minds, or rush to the florist at the last minute. His love for us is everlasting—eternal and enduring without end—because God is love. Unlike the world, which often loves with a “What can you do for me?” mindset, the Lord’s love has no limits. God does not look back over the year or month to determine how much He loves us today. His love is not based on what we do for Him, but on who He is.

God’s love is constant. He shows His love daily by waking us up in the morning and protecting us from seen and unseen danger. His love is not tied to a holiday or a season. God sees everything we do and still loves us with all our faults, flaws and failures. However, we as flawed humans often see those same faults and judge each other or “cancel” people. They remind us of who we used to be and question what we should or should not do based on past failures. But God sees the person He created and knows who we can become when we walk in the purpose He designed for us. His love does not leave us when we fall. He picks us up and carries us. God covers us in the storm, while the world may drag us through the mud because often people love us for what we can do for them or for the image we project.

Here's the truth: Everyone wants to be loved for who they are—imperfections, flaws, and failures included—not judged but comforted by someone who truly sees them. However, what we often discover is that people love conditionally, while only God loves unconditionally. Yes, God rebukes us when we are wrong and calls us to repentance and obedience, but He still extends grace and mercy. Humans tend to judge each other before hearing the full story and count us out after one mistake. But God—who sees what others cannot—offers chance after chance.

If you are seeking true and everlasting love, do not look for it from people; seek God as your Heavenly Father. He alone can give the love that never leaves.

God’s love brings comfort and joy not only in happy moments, but also in painful ones. While some measure love by gifts or status, and others feel discouraged by loneliness, God remains faithful. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. The Bible says in Psalm 34:18 (NIV), “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Valentine’s Day may come once a year, but God’s love is available to us every day.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for a love that never ends—a love that does not exhaust or condemn but lovingly corrects and desires to see me at my best. Thank You for a love that still chooses me daily, even when I am walking through my mess. I love You, Lord.

In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Love” by Kirk Franklin. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Love Theory” by Kirk Franklin. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “Goodness of God” by CeCe Winans. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #4: “I Am Loved/There Is Nothing Better” by Maverick City Music (feat. Naomi Raine) | TRIBL. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #5: “That's How Much I Love You” by Kathy Troccoli. Listen it here.

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Author Bio:

Erica J. Hill is a wife, mother, and proud grandmother living in Georgia. 

With a career spanning both elementary education and higher education, she has served as an elementary and middle grade English Language Arts (ELA) teacher and now works as an administrative assistant in higher education. Currently pursuing her master’s degree in Instructional Technology and Media Center Specialist, Erica’s love for learning and teaching runs deep.

Raised in the Southern Baptist tradition, she has faithfully served as a Sunday School teacher and now as one of the youth directors at her church. A lifelong writer at heart, Erica once set her passion aside to pursue other career goals—but recently felt God’s undeniable tug to pick up her pen again, this time to write for His Kingdom.

She is currently working on her first book, Worthy. Whole. Woman. It is a devotional that she hopes will be an encouraging resource created to uplift and empower women—especially women of color—to walk confidently in their God-given identity.

Through her words, Erica blends faith in God, personal reflection, and practical wisdom to inspire women to heal, grow, and embrace the fullness of who God created them to be.

Originally from Atlanta, Erica now calls Macon County home, where she lives with her husband and children. In her free time, you’ll usually find Erica curled up with a good book, working on DIY projects, or planning her next travel adventure.

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Connect with Erica:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leahsgrace2931/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahsgrace2931/

Devotionals for the Heart: God's true love for humankind will never fail

Unfailing Love
A devotional by Essie Faye

“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”—1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT)

True love is the greatest experience ever. I’m not talking about that fairytale love or the fictional love that exists in many Hallmark movies during the holidays.

I’m talking about the love that endures everything yet still stands. I’m talking about that love that chooses to stay, even amid your ugliest and even worst times. I’m talking about that love that sacrifices so that you can be well, safe, content, and protected. I’m talking about the love that walks with you through sickness and pain. Love that empathizes with those who’ve experienced loss and struggle. This is true love. It is a lesson that I continue to learn each day. I’m still learning to love God, myself, and others more deeply, more honestly, and more vulnerably. I’m a student of love. It is a patient teacher. I don’t know it all and the more intimately I grow to know true love, the more I am transformed.

God is love (1 John 4:16). All of God’s attributes are also the attributes of love. Love is eternal, transformative, holy, and pure. Love is good, kind, faithful, and trustworthy. Love is safe and wholesome. Love is everything good. Love is a space of health and healing.

In 1 Corinthians 13, the Apostle Paul begins a discourse about the transformative attributes of love. He describes love as sacrificial, gentle, powerful, kind, and considerate. He declares that in life, love is the principal thing to acquire and demonstrate to the world. He goes on to emphasize that love is the greatest—that is to say that love is most transformative and necessary to the existence of humanity.

Love is a superpower, not a weakness. Many people, including myself, consider love to be a weakness. When we love others truly, we are vulnerable and we seem to be under the power of another. Love causes us to act in ways that seem at first glance to be weaknesses. Love causes you to give to others, when it would be easier to be selfish. Love causes us to share our lives and remove protective walls around us, in the face of fear and insecurities. Love causes a mother to give everything–blood, bones, even her body–to bear a child. It would seem rather fragile to be impacted by love in such a way. On the contrary, the submission demonstrated in love is powerful, transformative, and empowering.

Love never gives up. Society would tell us that at some point—sooner, rather than later—we should give up. We should give up on ourselves after we’ve made so many mistakes. We should give up on God when He doesn’t do what we want Him to do. We should give up on people when they have a rough go of life. We should give up on relationships when they become inconvenient or challenging. We should just walk away. But God, like true love, never gives up. True love continues to show up when times are hard and when it’s inconvenient. True love forges ahead in the face of obstacles, challenges, and difficulty. That’s what love does.

God pursues us relentlessly. At every turn He seeks to win our hearts, though He is the God of the universe and doesn’t need us (but He loves us). As God, He has no rival and He has no equal. He is omniscient, omnipotent, and preeminent. He is eternal and everything belongs to Him. He is God with and without us. Yet, He loves us and pursues relationship with us. He never gives up on humankind.

Love never loses faith. Faith is complete trust or confidence in someone or something. Faith is demonstrated by works, according to the Apostle James. If you want to see love, watch a person’s actions. Actions speak louder than words. Love believes and behaves accordingly. If love is present, it will act. Love will give. Love will care for others. Love will protect. Love will support and show up. Love will celebrate and cherish.

Love is always hopeful. Hope is a feeling of expectation in a certain outcome. Love looks forward to the future. Love carries hope with it even as it celebrates the past. Love works together with faith and hope to create an environment of safety and peace. In hopelessness, love is absent because love brings peace, rest, faith, and hope. God loved the world and sent His Son Jesus into the world to bring hope. He brought hope of salvation and eternal life (John 3:16).

Love endures every circumstance. Love is undefeated. True love never loses. It is resilient and eternally victorious. Love is a gentle giant with massive influence. Love enters the room with gentleness and kindness yet impacts the atmosphere like a massive earthquake. Love shifts atmospheres and changes hearts. Love endures difficult circumstances to emerge victorious. Love patiently endures discomfort so that another person grows, heals, and learns. God is love and He has no end. Like God, true love is eternal.

As we close this devotional, I encourage you to learn to love God with reckless abandon, love yourself like God loves you, love others intentionally and love your enemies as God tells us to in Matthew 5:44-45.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, 

Thank You for loving us passionately, intentionally, and profoundly. You are True Love and You’re our example on how to love. Help us to love like You do. Help us to practice unfailing love in our relationships with ourselves, You, and others. Help us to harness the transformative power of love and to use it for the furthering of the Gospel and the edification of Your kingdom. Let Your kingdom come. Let Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Let love reign in our hearts and lives. Show us how to love in word and deed. Thank You for hearing and answering us. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Your Love Never Fails” by Chris Quilala /Jesus Culture/ Jesus Culture Music. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “One Thing Remains” by Cory Asbury | Bethel Church. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “The Maker” by Chris August. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #4: “No Greater Love” by Rachael Lampa. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #5: “God Loves You” by Jaci Velasquez. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Essie Faye is a woman of faith.

 

She’s a bilingual author, educator, speaker, psalmist, and interpreter.

Essie is the author of the “Finding the Love You Deserve” series for women and teens. She is deeply committed to motivating minorities, women, and youth to heal themselves, love and accept themselves, and pursue God while chasing their dreams and carving out their life’s path.

Essie is a Chicago native.

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Connect with Essie:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_essie_faye/
Read Essie’s YouVersion Devotion Plan here:
https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/58980-grow-through-it-7-healing-practices-that

My Review on the Peace of God Bible

When Momentum Influencers Network (MIN) asked me to review the Peace of God Bible, I readily agreed because I love reading God’s Word (The Holy Bible) and sharing it with everyone!

Before I share my review with you, I’d like to share a word from Momentum Influencers Network about this product:

You were made for peace—and to be a peacemaker. The story of the Bible is the story of peace—peace with God and with one another. But peace isn’t simply a feeling of calm or ease. It is a way of experiencing life as we were always meant to—in relationship with our Creator and with each other. We can recover a completeness that was once lost but is restored in the gospel.

The Peace of God Bible invites you to experience peace with God as you trace this important theme throughout Scripture. By meditating on it daily as you read 365 devotions and application notes, you will find the encouragement you need to live out of the wholeness you have in Christ—and be equipped to share that peace with others.

Features include:

• Book introductions to help reveal the part peace plays in each book of the Bible

• 365 devotionals based on a key verse or passage to guide you in how to receive and live by God’s peace

• 365 peace notes offering short, powerful insights to help you understand more deeply the wholeness you have in Christ

• Topical indexes to help you study on your own how God's peace can shape different relationships in your life

• Articles explore what the peace of God is, how to find or recover it, and how to experience eternal salvation because of what God has done for you

• Concise concordance and index of features

• End-of-page translators’ notes and cross-references

• Line-matched, double-column typesetting

• Clear and readable 9.5-point NKJV Comfort Print®

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My Review on the Peace of God Bible:

I love the box cover that contained the Bible because its blue and orange and yellow color scheme featuring what looks like the sunrise in the mountains over a lake creates a sense of calm in me as the reader. It is like a glimpse into the peace of God that awaits me as I read His Word.

There is only one feature about this Bible that I did not like: The cover design on the actual Bible. While the material feels soft and smooth like leather, I don’t like the etched picture of mountains. Also: The words etched above the mountains “Peace of God” can be easily missed because of the small font size and due to how it fades into the background because it is the same color as the leather covering.

Upon opening this Bible, I noticed the dedication page is clear as day and really stands out with its bigger font size and nice format.

As I turned the pages, I found several things that I liked. Such as: The first few sections that tell the reader how to find the peace of God and keep it, how believers can recover the peace of God, and details about God’s plan of salvation that Jesus Christ accomplished. I found these sections to have powerful messages that can reach readers at any level of their faith journey.

I appreciated the introduction page that comes before the first chapter of each book in the Bible. It starts with notes about the author then mentions the era and theme.

I like how throughout this Bible, there are blue boxes with words written in white ink that provide what looks like a mini devotion anchored on a verse in that book. Such as “The God Who Hears” on page 69 that is anchored on Exodus 2:23. Beautiful!

I love how there are light blue boxes of just the right size with dark blue lettering that says “Peace Note” then there is a one or two sentence note with a question or statement to ponder based on the recent reading of that particular chapter. Clever! The first peace note I read is on page 273. It reads: How do you discover the will of God for your life? Perhaps you have prayed, “Lord, which opportunity shall I pursue?” A clear determiner is the peace of God.” At the end of each peace note is a Scripture reference. This one is Judges 18:6.

When I reached The New Testament that contains the last books in the Bible, I like how true to tradition, words spoken by Jesus Christ are written in red. This helps His direct quotes to stand out against everything else written in black ink.

After the final book (Revelation), there is a very comprehensive Features Index that tells the reader the exact page where each devotion and peace note can be found. Very helpful!

The last few pages of this Bible feature a concordance that can help the reader dive deeper into studying the Bible. Wrapping it up are colorful maps showing what the land and regions looked like during the time when the Bible was written. This is at the very end.

I enjoyed reviewing this Bible and I would recommend it to everyone who wants to experience the peace of God.

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Watch this preview from the publisher featuring the Peace of God Bible:
https://youtu.be/OdqbjPq9nsg?si=19nEOuqZDrH-prwQ

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Read more about Peace of God Bible on the publisher’s website:
https://www.thomasnelsonbibles.com/peace-of-god/

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Purchase your copy of the Peace of God Bible today on Amazon!

#PeaceOfGodBibleMIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

Disclosure: Many thanks to HarperCollins Christian Publishing for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

Devotionals for the Heart: What true love looks like in our modern world

Love Reimagined
A devotional by Essie Faye

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”—Romans 8:38-39 (KJV)

I am convinced that most people in our world today do not know the true meaning of love, nor do they know how to show it and share it in a healthy way.

An example of this is when I watched on as a group of teenage “friends” interacted. They made fun of each other and embarrassed each other. One minute they were cool and the next they were arguing bitterly. Some days I didn’t know if they were friends or enemies. So, I’d tread lightly. Teaching adolescents is sometimes a rollercoaster. One minute, students love each other and the next they hate each other. It is often like riding a rollercoaster. I couldn’t keep up with the relationship drama and frequent changes my students were experiencing.

True love in today’s world is tough to find. People say they love you, but truthfully, most don’t know love. They’ve come from broken families and have had a history of broken relationships. It is safe to say that all of us are broken in some way. True love comes from a healthy place. True love can be freely given when a person experiences healing of their heart. Many people can’t properly love others because they don’t properly love themselves. Or they’ve never truly been loved in a healthy and safe manner. More importantly, many people don’t know love because they don’t have a real relationship with Love Himself: God is Love.

In Romans 8:38-39 the Apostle Paul writes about the persevering and unstoppable Love of God. Love pursues us relentlessly until God captures our hearts and transforms our souls. God’s love is like the love of no other. It is unchanging and unconditional. There is nothing we could ever do or fail to do that would cause God to stop loving us. God’s love provides for us consistently. His love protects us from harm and heals us from pain. His love rescues us from danger. His love hears us when we call. God’s love for us is never ending, overwhelming, incomprehensible, and unfathomable. We don’t deserve His love, yet He chases after us to lavish His love upon us. Nothing and no one can separate us from God’s love.

Call to Action:

1. Thank God for loving you unconditionally and consistently.

2. Learn from the mistakes you’ve made on your journey to loving yourself, God, and others.

3. Treasure the love of God in your life.

4. Look around to see how God loves you and how He proves it.

5. Remember: God’s love must be reimagined. We think we know love. We do not. We must be reintroduced to Him.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

There is no god like You. You are Love. You gave Your only son (Jesus Christ) to save our souls because You love humankind. You sent Your Comforter (Holy Spirit) because of your love for our broken hearts. You sent Your Word because You want us to read The Holy Bible and get to know You. Thank You for loving us passionately, unconditionally, and with abandon. I pray that we can accept this unfathomable love, though we don’t deserve it and we can never comprehend it. Help us to love one another with a love so pure and pleasing to You. Thank You for hearing and answering us. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “No Greater Love” by Rachael Lampa. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Essie Faye is a woman of faith. 

She’s a bilingual author, educator, speaker, psalmist, and interpreter.

Essie is the author of the “Finding the Love You Deserve” series for women and teens. She is deeply committed to motivating minorities, women, and youth to heal themselves, love and accept themselves, and pursue God while chasing their dreams and carving out their life’s path.

Essie is a Chicago native.

~*~
Connect with Essie:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_essie_faye/
Read Essie’s YouVersion Devotion Plan here:
https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/58980-grow-through-it-7-healing-practices-that

Devotionals for the Heart: A true love that is always committed to God

Committed Love
A devotional by Essie Faye

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”—Deuteronomy 6:5 (NKJV)

There are so many people who don’t truly know what love is.

People use the word “love” without deep meaning and care. They attach it to manipulative actions. Others use it emptily without actions of support, care, or concern. Some people swear they love you while behaving in unloving ways and causing you pain intentionally. It is hurtful to realize that you’re not loved by someone who either professed their love for you or should love you.

Scripture defines “love” as incredibly good. The Bible says that God is love (1 John 4:8). Scripture also says in 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 (NIV), “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

God’s love for humankind is limitless. We cannot measure His love for us, but we have evidence of His love each day. He preserves our lives. He cares for us. He provides for our needs. He gives us good things. He comforts us when we are sad and heals us when we are hurting. He gives us joy in sorrow. God always shows up for us. Our Heavenly Father (God) constantly communicates His love for us. He does this through His creation, Scripture, our life circumstances, our relationships, and through prayer. He deserves our love in return.

Deuteronomy 6:5 commands us to love God with every fiber of our being. With everything that we are and all that we have, we should love Him. What does this look like? This looks like committing to make God the center in our life. Committed love for God means deciding to honor God in our daily living. We honor Him by adopting His views about life and obeying His commands. We chose to follow Jesus Christ (God’s Son) all the way to Heaven.

Loving the Lord our God with all our heart means that we align our passions with His. We love what God loves and we hate what He hates. We are sensitive to issues that concern Him. This means that we act with compassion toward others. We express our sympathy and speak with empathy. We refuse to be insensitive, hateful nor rude to anyone. In essence, we exemplify the characteristics of Christ. We are not perfect, but we are striving to be Christ-like every day.

Loving the Lord our God with all our soul means that we discipline our emotions and thoughts so that they align with God’s standards and perspective. In 2 Corinthians 10:5, the Apostle Paul says that we must bring into captivity every thought and cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself above the knowledge of God. He often teaches about the importance of disciplining our mind as we follow Christ. We must have a paradigm shift and renew our minds daily. We must examine our thought life and make changes so that we develop the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5).

Loving the Lord our God with all our strength means using our efforts to love God. It is using our energy and time to actively and intentionally love Him. Our actions toward ourselves, God, and others should demonstrate our love for God. Loving God takes work—faith and work to be exact. Love is more than lip service; love is action. 1 John 4:20 (NIV) says, “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” Our relationship with ourselves and others is a direct reflection of our love for God.

Call to Action:

1. Examine your definition of love.

2. See God’s love in your life daily.

3. Love Him in return.

4. Demonstrate your love for God by obeying His Word and living according to His standards.

5. Remember: God’s love deserves to be reciprocated. Will you choose to love Him in return?

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us. Cause us to experience the reality of your love each day. Give us the desire to love You in return. Cause us to see your love daily. Help us aim to love You, ourselves, and others. Expand our capacity to love passionately and intentionally. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayers. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Love God Love People” by Danny Gokey. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Essie Faye is a woman of faith. 

She’s a bilingual author, educator, speaker, psalmist, and interpreter.

Essie is the author of the “Finding the Love You Deserve” series for women and teens. She is deeply committed to motivating minorities, women, and youth to heal themselves, love and accept themselves, and pursue God while chasing their dreams and carving out their life’s path.

Essie is a Chicago native.

~*~
Connect with Essie:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_essie_faye/
Read Essie’s YouVersion Devotion Plan here:
https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/58980-grow-through-it-7-healing-practices-that

Devotionals for the Heart: True Love is patient, kind and clothed with humility

Love is Patient and Kind
A devotional by Essie Faye

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”

—1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)

A few years ago, I read a beautiful message about patience. It resonated with me because at that time, I was in dire need of it.

It was a time when I was focused on building my career and in a hurry to live life to the fullest. I was rushing to accomplish so many goals. I sped through college, earned a master’s degree then became one of the top performers in my career field. I ran hard after God, hoping to climb the ministry ladder and sprint to my destiny. I was well-accomplished, but it seemed that I wasn’t advancing toward my goals quickly enough. I was impatient to see what the future would hold. Impatience was evidence of my spiritual immaturity. Life teaches us in time. Even King Solomon said that there is a season for everything in life (Ecclesiastes 3:1). In essence, you can’t hurry life. Each of us lives moment by moment.

In today’s text, the Apostle Paul teaches us about true love. He teaches about three characteristics that distinguish true love from imposters. Paul had experienced this true love of God despite his past as a murderer and persecutor of Jesus Christ’s church. He was transformed by God’s love, adopted into His royal family, and trusted to establish countless ministries, pastor them, and lead God’s church. He was trusted by God with servant leadership. It is from this vantage point that Paul instructs the church about the profound characteristics of love.

The Bible says love is patient, meaning love suffers long. To explain it more thoroughly, love is not easily provoked nor does love quit without a fight. When you love someone, you are willing to endure some things in order to maintain your relationship with them. Love causes you to overlook faults and shortcomings because you value the presence of that person. Love is willing to endure challenges, disagreements and differences in order to preserve the relationship. Love is willing to forgive and even forget when offended or wronged. Love waits willingly for a person to grow to maturity and understanding. Love chooses to overlook ignorance and look for teachable moments. Love is not only a feeling, but it is a decision to cover the faults of another patiently.

Love is kind. When you love someone, you have his or her best interest at heart. Love is considerate of the feelings and situations of others. When true love is present, you handle your loved one gently and with care. Love does good to others. Love never intentionally causes harm.

Love is clothed with humility. Love is not prideful. True love is willing to admit fault and correct that fault. True love leads with valuing the presence and contribution of others. Love is realizing that you are no better than anyone else while accepting others. Love humbles itself to preserve and even fight for love. Humility is being willing to do whatever it takes to guard and maintain love.

Each of these characteristics are seen in the face of Jesus Christ. He was patient with humankind. He came to His own and they didn’t receive Him. Humans who He created who lived in the world that He created, rejected Him. Yet, God didn’t destroy them. Instead, He practiced patience with them in love. He came to save humanity despite the fact that they were His enemies. Christ was kind. He came to do good things and destroy the works of the devil. His purpose was to liberate humankind and to bring salvation to us. Christ came in humility. He took off His robe of royalty, left the glories of Heaven, wrapped Himself in flesh, and died to redeem humanity (John 3:16-17).

Jesus learned obedience by the things He suffered. He did it all for love. Because of His Love for us, we have hope and the promise of eternal life if we obey Him.

Call to Action:

1. Practice patience.

2. Be kind.

3. Daily walk in humility.

4. Identify with Christ through spiritual disciplines such as corporate worship, prayer, fasting, bible study, solitude, and engagement within your faith community.

5. Remember: God loves us patiently. He is kind to us, and He is clothed with humility. He requires that we walk daily with Him and love others.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for your love that is patient, kind and humble. You are our perfect example. Help us to embrace others with the same agape love as you have shown us. Help us to exemplify Your unfailing love in a world that sometimes lacks love and hope. Strengthen us to be your hands and feet in a dark world. Show us how to shine the light of Jesus Christ through Your message of love in the world. You are the definition of true love. Help us to experience a more profound level of Your great love and know You in a greater way. Thank You, Lord, for hearing and answering us. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Love of God” by Brandon Lake and Phil Wickham. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Essie Faye is a woman of faith. 

She’s a bilingual author, educator, speaker, psalmist, and interpreter.

Essie is the author of the “Finding the Love You Deserve” series for women and teens. She is deeply committed to motivating minorities, women, and youth to heal themselves, love and accept themselves, and pursue God while chasing their dreams and carving out their life’s path.

Essie is a Chicago native.

~*~
Connect with Essie:
Website: www.essiefaye.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_essie_faye/
Read Essie’s YouVersion Devotion Plan here: 

https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/58980-grow-through-it-7-healing-practices-that

Devotionals for the Heart: How to know true love and live in love

True Love
A devotional by Essie Faye

“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”—1 Corinthians 13:2 (NKJV)

I gasped as I witnessed an episode of road rage. Two cars sped by as one driver leaned out of the driver side window yelling obscenities while frantically waving his hands. The woman in the car to its left yelled back using offensive hand gestures. I was happy and relieved to see them drive far away from me.

Nowadays hatred and violence are all around us, but God’s love is very present. There are countless episodes of physical altercations, cyberbullying, injustice, discrimination, and verbal attacks in our world today. But we also experience random acts of kindness, outbreaks of joy, understanding, and safe spaces.

Darkness can never win when light is present. I can combat every display of evil with love. I can fight darkness with light. God loves humanity. He shows His love for us in various ways. He blesses us with life each day. He keeps us safe from harm. He spends time with us and provides for our needs. He even gives us what we want sometimes. Because God loves humanity passionately, He also wants us to do the same. As followers of Jesus Christ, our life’s mission should be to love.

In 1 Corinthians 13, the Apostle Paul defines true love. He clearly explains how true love acts, feels, and what it sounds like. He is a witness of the overwhelming love of God. When he ignorantly was an enemy of God, God’s love surrounded him. God’s love pursued Him and confronted him with loving truth and revelation. God forgave his murderous ways and accepted him as a son, though he didn’t deserve it. Love saw every flaw and shortcoming of his yet embraced him still.

Paul was multi-talented and multi-gifted, yet he says, “If I have the gift of prophecy… but I don’t have love, I am nothing.” In other words, he asserts that you can be incredibly gifted but if you don’t have love, your life lacks one of life’s essentials. Paul was well-studied. He was gifted to connect with people from different cultural backgrounds. Paul was blessed to operate in several of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He was a gifted sailor, orator, teacher, writer, and witness for Jesus Christ. He won countless souls for Jesus. Paul was a mentor and founder of many Christian churches. He understood that love was most important in order to impact the world for the glory of God.

The Apostle Paul was a man of wisdom and great knowledge, yet he knew, in the words often attributed to Theodore Roosevelt, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Love is transformative. Loving acts can melt the coldest heart and heal the deepest wound.

Love is essential to our survival. It is essential to living an abundant life and sharing the Good News with others. God is love. We who are His children on Earth should demonstrate love through our character, actions, and words. Paul teaches that only what we do for Christ will last. Therefore, we should not focus too much on our accolades and accomplishments that we make in this life on Earth because it is our possession of love that is most valuable and important. Love transforms people and situations. Love never fails!

Call to Action:

1. Assess your level of love for God, yourself, and others then check yourself.

2. Walk in humility, acknowledging that love is more important than your gifts, talents, work experience and knowledge.

3. Share the love of God with neighbors, loved ones, and enemies through your words and actions.

4. Share the Gospel message with others and allow your love to transform yourself first and others around you.

5. Remember: God’s love must be exemplified by His children (1 John 4:20).

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, there is no god like You. You are Love. You gave Your only Son (Jesus) because you love humankind. You sent Your Comforter (The Holy Spirit) because you love us. You sent Your Word (The Holy Bible) also because of your love for all of us. Thank You for loving us passionately, unconditionally, and with abandon. Teach us how to accept this unfathomable love, though we don’t deserve it and we can never comprehend it. Help us to love one another with a love so pure and pleasing to You. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayers. In the Name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Nothing Like Your Love” by Hillsong United. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Relentless” by Hillsong United. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “Love is the More Excellent Way” by Babbie Mason. Listen to it here. 

~*~
Author Bio:

Essie Faye is a woman of faith. 

She’s a bilingual author, educator, speaker, psalmist, and interpreter.

Essie is the author of the “Finding the Love You Deserve” series for women and teens. She is deeply committed to motivating minorities, women, and youth to heal themselves, love and accept themselves, and pursue God while chasing their dreams and carving out their life’s path.

Essie is a Chicago native.

~*~
Connect with Essie:
Website: www.essiefaye.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_essie_faye/
Read Essie’s YouVersion Devotion Plan here: http://bible.us/r/Abn

Devotionals for the Heart: Learning what the Bible says about love

How to Fully Love Others
A devotional by Dr. Jessica B. Turner

“A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 

–Matthew 22:39 (NLT)

If you go to church, study the Bible, read Christian books or listen to faith-based podcasts, then you have most likely heard the commands Jesus Christ gave in the Scripture above.

If you are anything like me, you have likely heard it so many times that you don’t give it much thought anymore. We know we are called to love our neighbors. That is one of the first things you learn as a Christian. We may even understand that Jesus was talking about our literal neighbors as well as those across the ocean.

Plain and simple: We are called to love.

That should be easy enough, right? Yet it’s not. I struggle to love the way Jesus calls us to, especially when my “neighbor” is someone who doesn’t believe the same things I do.

But what about when it’s also difficult to love people who are like us? I believe the answer is in the latter part of Christ’s command. We tend to hear the part telling us to “love your neighbor” but we somehow gloss over “as yourself.”

This should prompt us to ask the question, “How do I love myself?”

If you struggle to answer that question honestly, you are not alone. I was in your shoes not too long ago. However, I’ve learned during my walk with God that it is extremely hard to love the way He calls us to when we don’t even love ourselves.

When I first gave my life to Jesus, I was broken. I had decades of buried trauma that I never fully acknowledged or attended to. Even as an adult, I saw myself as the little girl who was never good enough for my peers. This belief led to me feeling inadequate as a wife and a mother. No matter how hard I tried, I simply couldn’t seem to love myself the way I longed to. That is until I invited Jesus into healing my past wounds.

For once, I began to see myself the way Jesus saw me. Not through the lens of this world but as a daughter of the King of Kings! It was then that I realized the reason I always struggled with loving others freely was because I didn’t love myself the way God loves me. As soon as I opened my heart to His love, I was able to share it with others.

Today, I hope you see that you, too, are loved more than you will ever be able to comprehend! Such an understanding should encourage you to love in such a way that others experience a little piece of Heaven when they are with you.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me the way You do! Open my eyes to how You see me. Soften my heart so I may receive the fullness of Your love for me. When my self-image becomes hazy and the world begins to dictate my worth, help me to hear Your words of love and encouragement over all the noise. Fill me with Your love. Allow it to overflow so my love for others may reflect You. I love You and I trust You. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “How Beautiful” by Twila Paris. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Dr. 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 in 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: The kind of love that only God can give to you

No Greater Love
A devotional by Karen Marstaller

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” 

–John 15:12-13 (ESV)

February. The month filled with hearts, flowers, and boxes of candy is upon us.

In our very modern world, we tend to believe that if we look a certain way, or say a particular phrase, or buy the most expensive gift for someone we care about that they will reciprocate and will love us back.

We call it “romantic”. We watch the sweet movies about a man and a woman who fall in love, and we shed a few happy tears when they finally kiss at the end.

Or maybe it’s the tender love stories we learned to enjoy when we were young. Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott started it for me. You can read the blurb on the cover of the book and are assured that the main characters will face hardships throughout the story, but true love will eventually rule the day.

Love is multi-faceted. We love our relatives differently than we love our best friends. We love our spouses and children in another way. We seldom talk about loving our neighbors, but we’re always ready to defend our favorite ice cream. “But I love Chocolate Chip,” we say. “It’s my favorite!”

Maybe we’ve trivialized the meaning of the word “love” so much that we don’t recognize real love when we see it. It could be that some of us entered a “love” relationship with a cute guy, or a hunk of an athlete, or the wealthy aristocrat who can whisk us away where our dreams of romance await. But that’s not always love.

Our Heavenly Father has a completely radical view of love. God’s version of love is His Son, Jesus Christ, on a cross, dying for the sins of the world (John 3:16). His sacrificial love is equal to our redemption. His love shelters us, cleanses us, and renews and motivates us.

Ultimately, God’s love makes it possible for us to find our true home in His heart. Walking in the forgiveness of our sins, we are given the opportunity to live the abundant life that Jesus promised in John 10:10.

God’s love is a different experience from the generic kind of love that the world has contrived.

God’s love is so pure and complete that His desire is for our hearts to be cleansed, and not for our gorgeous or good looks to be our only selling point. He wants us freed from the burden of our sin which often yanks us by a chain into sometimes disastrous choices. His plan for us is to learn how to truly love each other. And His example is our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus agreed to embrace humility all the way to the cross. He carried the shame and embarrassment which we so richly deserve. He stepped into a chaotic world that was swirling in the depths of wicked ways, and in love, He laid down on a cross to let sinful men pound heavy nails into His sinless flesh.

That’s what love did.

And that’s not all God’s love did. Through the resurrection of our Lord Jesus, God granted us another freedom—access to God Himself. We can call out to the Lord to save us, to help us, to love and care for us, and then we have the privilege of asking for strength to share His wonderful love with those around us. He hears all our prayers.

It all comes down to this: Do we love other people enough to tell them about the Lord? Do we allow His love to bubble up inside of us and spill out into our everyday interactions? Do we bless others with the joy He gives? And most importantly, do we really believe that God loves us? If so, then we will share the unfathomable love of our risen Savior with the people we meet.

It’s a true love story that’s worth sharing.

Let’s Pray: Dear Lord God, the Creator of pure love, please open our eyes for opportunities to share Your good news of hope, of life, and of love to the people around us. Please give us overflowing hearts of gratitude for the miracle of Your love for us. Please bless us all with Your perfect Valentine, Your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank You, dear Father. It is in the wonderful name of Jesus that we pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “No Greater Love” by Rachael Lampa. 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: Why Jesus Christ lived, died and rose again!

The Joy Set Before Him
A devotional by Cyndi Staudt

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” 

–Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV)

For the joy set before him he (Jesus Christ) endured the cross.

I’ve read this verse probably hundreds of times with my focus usually landing on the advice to fix my eyes on Jesus Christ. If I keep my “vertical vision” (as I like to call it), I could potentially walk on water or at least maintain a fairly consistent walk with Jesus. These words stood out to me on my most recent read through the verse. I was stunned as their significance settled in my spirit. At the time of Christ’s greatest struggle, His focus was on the joy set before Him. His focus was on the mission. His focus was on us. But to get to the joy set before Him, He had to be willing to drink the cup of suffering.

For the joy set before Him, Jesus endured brutal beatings and relentless ridicule. He experienced desertion and denial from His closest friends. He suffered rejection and injustice at the hands of those He came to save. Jesus accepted being spat upon and nailed to a tree. He took on the cross and all of the scorn and shame that came with it. We read in the Gospels (books of the Bible) that as they were accusing Him, Jesus stood silent before them and allowed them to hurl their insults and accusations without rebuttal. At any moment He could have called on a legion of angels to rescue Him, but He had a different rescue on His mind—ours.

There was a joy that was constantly before Him, and that joy was us.

It was this joy that strengthened Jesus and drove Him to achieve His Father’s purpose. He saw the end goal. He saw the possibilities. He kept His eyes on the prize and the prize was us. He did it all just to have a shot at spending eternity with us, hoping we would see his sacrifice and accept his incredible offer of salvation. Jesus envisioned multitudes ransomed and redeemed. He didn’t just count the hairs on our head; Jesus counted the cost for our redemption, and He concluded we were worth it. He determined the price He would have to pay was overshadowed by the purpose He came to fulfill. While we are called to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, when He was on the cross, His focus was on us.

In the words of a popular movie, Jesus knew his mission and He chose to accept it. His mission was, and always has been, restoring relationship with His people. When Jesus surrendered His will to God while in the Garden of Gethsemane where he prayed fervently to God as he agonized over the intensity of how his life would end, He saw beyond the crucifixion to the coming resurrection. With the weight of the world literally on His shoulders, Jesus conquered death and the penalty of our sin on the cross. His death would strip every principality of its power and authority, publicly shaming them while securing our freedom (Colossians 2:15). 

What was relinquished in the Garden of Eden was redeemed at The Cross. Christ’s victory on The Cross proved that wounded heels can still crush serpents and He is, and always will be, seated on His throne.

Christ’s suffering and love sacrifice secured our salvation and so much more. We have been adopted as sons and daughters of the Most High. The veil was torn from top to bottom, offering us direct access to our Heavenly Father. His sacrifice allows us to approach His throne with confidence (Hebrews 4:16), receiving an endless reservoir of grace and mercy. Our prayers can be offered with the assurance that He hears us and will answer us (1 John 5:14-15). We can walk in authority over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19). Our names have been registered in Heaven and He is holding our reservation.

Friends, we were purchased at a high price for a holy purpose. Jesus chose the unimaginable and endured the unthinkable, so we could have the unbelievable. For the joy set before Him, Jesus endured, so we could enjoy eternity in His presence, where we will find fullness of joy!

Let’s Pray:
Sweet Savior, thank you so much for choosing to go through with your rescue mission, allowing us to have restored relationship with you and experience your redeeming grace. It's humbling to be reminded of all you endured just so we could have a chance to choose whether or not we wanted to accept your astounding offer of salvation. Knowing many would reject your incredible gift and all of us would fall short of your Holy standard repeatedly, You still thought we were worth the cost. Help us to never lose appreciation for Your sacrifice or gratitude for the lengths you were willing to go to rescue us. May we commit to sharing your story with others so they can come to know You and experience your unconditional love, endless grace and redeeming mercy. May we always savor the sweetness of Your salvation, experience peace in Your presence, and find joy in our journey with You! In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Note from Alexis: Cyndi’s devotional today reminds me of the song “Just for Me” by Donnie McClurkin. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Cyndi Staudt is a Jesus-loving, adrenaline junkie who is devoted to living her life for Jesus Christ until the day she is living with Him.

With a passion for cultivating a craving for God’s Word, her devotions and Bible studies are saturated with faith and hope to stir your soul to connect with God in deeper, more intimate ways.

Through her writing she hopes to ignite your desire to read God’s Word, invite your heart to experience God’s love, and inspire you to live your live life “souled out” to the One whose love has no limits.

~*~
Connect with Cyndi on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/souledoutcyndi/

Romantic Reads: Heart's Desire

Interview with Linda Hoover about her book, Heart’s Desire:

Alexis: Why did you title this book “Heart’s Desire”? Explain the significance of your story title.

Linda: Early in the story, Julia tells her mother it’s her heart’s desire to marry for love. That struck me as the perfect title. The story is about her “heart’s desire.”

Alexis: Describe the heroine of your story (Julia). What makes her tick? What makes her beautiful? What makes her strong? What is her personality and outlook on life like?

Linda: Julia is youngest of four girls and a little spoiled. She’s intelligent, independent and a bit of a risk taker. She’s had more freedom in picking and choosing what gentleman she spends time with and if an offer of marriage came, her parents allowed her to turn it down. Because of this, she’s shocked when she’s informed of her father’s agreement to betroth her to Lucien.

Alexis: Why is Julia set on marrying for love and love alone?

Linda: Two of her sisters were maneuvered into advantageous marriages and neither is happy. Julia’s parents weren’t a love match and at times it’s obvious. Not to mention the examples she sees in their upper-class social circle. She doesn’t want to live like that.

Alexis: What is Julia’s relationship with her father like? In what ways does it threaten to place her in a love-less marriage?

Linda: Julia loves and admires her father. She’s always trusted in his protection and provision. His sudden decision to engage her to someone she doesn’t want is out of character for him. It’s confusing. She finds herself in a position where she’ll have to defy him or end up in a marriage like her sisters.

Alexis: Why did you choose to set this story in Boston, era 1880? Paint a picture of this time and setting with words.

Linda: I love history and Boston played a big part in our country’s beginnings. Beyond that, though, Boston in 1880 was full of things for young people to do. The story begins after the new year, so Julia and her friends bundle up and go sleighing, complete with sleigh bells, and spend time at the lagoon in the Public Garden ice skating. Julia and Jacob first see each other there. There are also lectures and concerts to attend in the evenings. All these things are open to everyone, regardless of social class. When the weather warms up, they go on picnics, walk in the park and ride the swan boats on the lagoon.

Alexis: Who is Lucien Harris and what role does he play in this story? How does he impact Julia’s life?

Linda: Lucien is the villain. He blackmails Julia’s father into giving his blessing on marriage to his daughter. Julia isn’t aware of the true circumstances and spends most of the time she’s with Lucien trying to change his mind. He represents the very thing she told herself would never happen to her.

Alexis: Who is Jacob Anderson and what role does he play in this story and in Julia’s life?

Linda: Jacob moved to Boston from a farm in upstate New York to work with his uncle in a jewelry store. He’s from the merchant class which makes him an unsuitable choice for Julia, but that doesn’t stop them from falling in love.

Alexis: What is it about Jacob that captivates Julia’s heart?

Linda: She would tell you it was love at first sight. A connection of hearts. Besides being handsome, he’s fun, gallant and caring. When she tells him about Lucien, he immediately wants to rescue her.

Alexis: What role does real-life faith in God play in the lives of your fictional characters?

Linda: Julia and her family go to church, but for most of the upper-class it had more to do with being seen going to church. Julia’s oldest sister meets someone who leads her to Christ and it makes a real difference in her life. She shares her experience with Julia and Jacob who also accept Christ.

Alexis: As the author, what brought you the most joy in writing this story? Why?

Linda: The characters were a lot of fun. One in particular, Edward, practically wrote himself. He’s not a main character, but is one of my favorites. I like putting them in situations they have to find their way out of and writing dialogue with sarcasm and humor.

Alexis: As the author, how does your faith in God impact the way you tell stories?

Linda: I pray daily that God will be the center of everything I do or say. For me that means the worlds I create are centered on God. My characters may not know him to begin with, or maybe they did and lost their way or are mad at him and feel justified in ignoring him, but before the story is over, they’ll come to know him and it’ll make a difference in their decisions and in the way their path ends up going.

Alexis: If you could step into this story (Heart’s Desire) and counsel Julia, what would you say? Why?

Linda: Being the author means I can speak through a character and that’s what I did with Katherine, Julia’s oldest sister. She shares her joy in finding new life in Christ and tells how he freed her from worry. Her faith in God’s presence and protection is strong and she encourages Julia, and later Jacob, to pray about everything, believing he hears and will answer according to what’s best for them. No matter what, they can trust him.

Alexis: As the author, what is your heart’s desire for the readers of this book?

Linda: I hope readers will be entertained by the story, but also be inspired to seek a closer commitment to God, or be encouraged to share their experience with someone who needs to hear what God can do.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Linda! Would you like to share closing thoughts?

Linda: I’d like to thank you, Alexis, for the privilege of being on your Romantic Reads blog. I enjoy the opportunity to reach potential new readers, and I’d like to invite everyone to stop by my website to learn more about me and my books.

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Author Bio:

Linda lives in west central Ohio with her husband, daughters, grandson, two cats and a dog.  

She earned a degree in psychology from Anderson University where she learned the voices in her head were actually characters from stories waiting to be told.

Linda recently retired from the county’s public library system. It was the perfect place to indulge her love of young adult and Christian fiction. It was also a good place to build a long “To Read” list. These days she enjoys being a fulltime author in her home office, despite interruptions from family members and pets. Linda is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. 

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Blurb for Linda's book:

Julia wants to marry for love … But her father’s secret condemns her to a love-less marriage. 

In 1880 Boston, Julia Phillips’s father betroths her to wealthy Lucien Harris to cover up a tragic secret. She has no interest in Lucien, but Jacob Anderson, a kind jewelry store clerk has captured her attention. Can she put off Lucien long enough to convince her parents to accept a man who isn’t in the upper-class as her husband?

Jacob works with his uncle in Boston, but plans to buy land for a farm out west when he has enough money. When Julia walks into their store his priorities change. Their mutual attraction grows into love, and he wants to be the man she marries. But how can he with so little money?

Julia feels increasing pressure from Lucien to pretend she’s happy about the upcoming wedding. Then, she discovers the arranged marriage is based on blackmail. Her family will be ruined if she doesn’t comply.

Will God make a way for Jacob and Julia to have their heart’s desire?

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Buy Linda’s book on Amazon

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Connect with Linda:
Website: https://www.LindaHooverBooks.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/lindahooverauthor
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/lindahooverauthor

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Devotionals for the Heart: Romance

Real Love in Today’s Romance-Hyped Culture
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

A good romance book or movie can be a great escape, a fun read, even a spiritual encouragement. But sometimes, our culture’s portrayal of romance can poison our expectations of what real, lasting love is and how to achieve it.

As someone who used to be teased as a teen for being “in love with the idea of love,” I’m definitely a romantic at heart. I adore love stories, and I absolutely adore my husband.

But trouble often arises when I compare my life or my wants with what’s depicted in movies, books, or social media. The “comparison game” sets so many of us up for failure, not only in romance, but in life generally. We look at what someone else appears to have, or the way movie couples interact, and think, “Why don’t I have this, too? Am I not good enough?”

In his letter to the Galatians, the apostle Paul reminds us, “Each person should test their own work and be happy with doing a good job and not compare themselves with others” (Galatians 6:4 CEB). It’s the same when it comes to love. My romantic relationship with my husband is not the same as someone else’s (nor should it be!). What I find romantic might be far different from what you do, and what my husband responds to might be different, too. That’s a good thing, for we are all different!

Over the years, I’ve wised up to some myths about love:

Myth one: Romantic movies and books convince me my true love will ask me out on a date. But in real life, I’ve found a lot of guys don’t do this. They’re nervous, scared the girl will reject them or that she doesn’t have “those” kinds of feelings for them, so they don’t. They just fumble along, throwing out hints that may or may not work out. Sometimes, the girl is the one who does the asking. And that can be romantic, too!

Myth two: Romance just falls in your lap.

Romantic movies or books often depict two people who are not looking for love, but they happen to collide and then explosive romantic sparks force them to acknowledge their feelings for each other. But in my experience, most couples are seeking to find someone to love. They smile at or cultivate a friendship with someone they find attractive. They ask their friends if they know someone eligible, and they go on dates. At the very least, they put themselves out in the world to make friends and have fun doing things they are interested in, whether that’s rock climbing or hanging out sipping coffee at a bookstore.

Myth three: Relationships are easy.

They are not! They take work. Men and women are different, and we can’t read each other’s minds. The best relationships start out between friends, and they offer lots of grace, humor, and forgiveness. For me, mind games have always been a deal-breaker. And if there’s an issue or conflict, gently addressing it rather than burying it helps solve a lot of small problems before they become monstrous. Bottom line: feelings ebb and flow. Real love, as with any relationship, takes investment, time, and appreciation.

Myth four: Flowers show he loves you.

Sure, they do—but so does doing the dishes, tenderly taking your hand, or smiling at you at a red light. There’s not one key way to express love. The trick is noticing the little ways he tells you he adores you—and trying in turn to show the same (it’s not a one-way street!).

We need to remember: What we read or watch is fiction—and often, what we see on social media is fiction, too. People usually present the best version of themselves on social media, so even if they are not intentionally trying to be deceptive, we only see the “rosy” stuff and not the real-world daily grind.

Real love is beautiful, too, but it doesn’t always look the way it does in fiction. Sometimes it’s nursing your spouse through the flu or choosing not to fight when your loved one is a little snippy or grouchy.

This Valentine’s Day, whether you are in a romantic relationship or not, take the time to love the people in your world the best way you know how. Romantic love is not the only kind of love—far from it! Love well, love beautifully, and love with all your heart as generously and as extravagantly as you possibly can.

For, as Jesus told his disciples in John 13:34-35 (CEB), “I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.”

Let’s Pray: Dear God, help us to keep our focus on You and understand that personal relationships are a gift from above. Help us to stop comparing, to stop looking to other sources for validation and understanding, but instead know that we are uniquely loved and that You have a plan for us that is special and right. Whatever our situation, help us to know we are loved and precious. Help us to look beyond culture and keep our sights upon You. In the holy Name of Your Son Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

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Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian journalist, author, blogger, editor, and devotional writer. For the last decade, she’s been the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism, which has won 118 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 editor of Stories of Racial Awakening: Narratives on Changed Hearts and Lives of South Carolina United Methodists (2018), all from her newspaper’s Advocate Press.

She is a seasoned speaker and contributor to Crosswalk, Christianity.com, and the United Methodist News Service, among many others. She has a weekly faith blog at JessicaBrodie.com and is part of the team at Wholly Loved Ministries.

Represented by Bob Hostetler of The Steve Laube Agency, she is seeking a publishing contract for her two contemporary women’s fiction novels, The Memory Garden and Tangled Roots. 

The Memory Garden won the 2018 Genesis Award for Contemporary Fiction from American Christian Fiction Writers, and Tangled Roots placed in Contemporary Romance at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in 2019. 

Married, Brodie has four children and stepchildren and lives in Lexington, South Carolina.

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Connect with Jessica:
Website: https://www.jessicabrodie.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessicaJBrodie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjessicajbrodie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicajbrodie/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicajbrodie/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/shiningthelightjessicabrodie/

Devotionals for the Heart: True Love

Deciding to Love
A devotional by Christa MacDonald

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 
– 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)

The very first novel I wrote I stuck in a drawer, never again to see the light of day. It was a mess, and after trying to fix it I decided it just wasn’t meant to be.

Occasionally, though, one of the scenes will pop into my head like a little echo while I’m writing something else. Often they’re the gems hidden in the dross. That was the case today when I sat down to write this devotional featuring the verse above. In a scene from that ‘lost novel’ a man named Owen is sitting in the office of the church pastor who is attempting a ‘come to Jesus.’ The pastor reads these verses to Owen, who realizes that real love requires sacrifice. Romantic love takes us over in a rush, but the kind of love God calls us to is different. Love is a decision. It’s choosing faith over fear.

In the same scene, the pastor also reads a quote from The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis:

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”

Owen is gutted by these words because he sees that that was what he had been doing to his own heart – walling it off, keeping all emotion at bay so he could function day to day – instead of facing his pain and receiving healing. A heart like that is incapable of love.

There has been a lot written about love, but nothing can match the example of love that Jesus Christ gave when He voluntarily laid down his life for us on the cross. On top of that, He actually bore our sins, which is something that we have no real ability to comprehend.

God’s Word (The Holy Bible) tells us that such a great sacrifice is the foundational truth for our love of other people, considering them more important than ourselves, praying for them, assisting them, and fulfilling God’s command in Scripture that calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves. True love is only truly understood through the revelation of God in the Bible, which calls us to love God first, thus fulfilling the requirements of what love actually is.

To love is to persevere. In marriage, in parenting, even in friendships love is tested. If we truly love, that love goes on. These verses give us the standard and boy is it high. Because love in its true sense comes only from God, it is only through a saving faith in Jesus Christ that it’s even possible to come close to attaining it.

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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.