Devotionals for the Heart: Dreams

Audacious Dreams
A devotional by Wade Webster

"For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength."

–Philippians 4:13 (NLT)

Here in the United States of America, school children are often taught this poetic statement, “In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue.”

Today (Oct. 12) is a special day here in the USA. This day was set aside to commemorate good old Christopher Columbus. That sailor who discovered the new world. There are a few interesting details about this voyage that should be looked at.

First off, he had a hard time getting funding for this historic event. It seems most governments were convinced the prevailing thought of that day was correct and the earth is flat with the oceans setting the edges of this supposed boundary.

Columbus kept two separate journals during the journey. One entered the accurate events and measurements that they were traveling according to the stars. The other one gave a more optimistic view of things. He hid the accurate one and kept the good news report available for the crew to see if they were curious about things.

When the three ships did find land again, they all thought they were on the west side of India. That's why they called the native folks Indians. They had no way of knowing there was another continent and an even larger ocean to cross before they reached that destination.

I'm sure there are even more interesting tidbits of information about this but those are the only ones I know of that I remember. The most important thing to keep in mind is that Columbus had an audacious dream that he believed in and followed through with. That's why we have this day in remembrance of him.

Many people have dreams. Most of them are small like where they want to go for their next vacation, or what color to paint the rooms next. Some folks have big dreams like getting a degree or going back to get a bigger degree to advance their career. Very few have audacious dreams, dreams that will change the world like Christopher Columbus did in his day.

The challenge with dreams is that they pull us out of our comfort zones. We like the familiar where we’re safe. We want to know what will happen next. We want to keep as much control of our lives as we can maintain.

God wants us to change the world for the better and to do that, we must dream out of our comfort zone. We need to read Philippians 4:13 (NLT) like we mean it: “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” And then we need to show the world what that looks like. Yes, this will shove you out of your comfort zone but that’s where God does his best work.

So, my friend, where has God been prompting you to go where you have not gone before? What can you do to change your part of the world for the better?

Even if all you can do is pray then pray like there’s power in every word you send to our Heavenly Father because there is great power there!

~*~
Author Bio:

Wade Webster is a farm boy turned city slicker, heathen turned born-again Christian, truck driver turned writer doing his best to point folks to his best friend, Jesus Christ.  

He currently lives in Plano, Texas.

Wade is the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer, a book that didn't begin as a book, just weekly prayers to a group of writer friends.

He enjoys spending time in nature, running for exercise and dark chocolate, though not necessarily in that order. Apart from driving 18-wheelers for a living he has a part-time job painting houses on the side...and the front and back and inside.

As a teenager, he told his friends he never wanted to be considered normal. So far he's done a pretty good job of living up to that aspiration.

Devotionals for the Heart: Why we should always listen to God's direction

Go Right
A devotional by Alexis Newlin

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

Since COVID-19 started, I now take drives to explore the mountains in my town so I can satisfy my travel bug and connect with God through nature. I’ve lived in California for almost seven years and there is still so much I haven’t discovered yet. That is one positive in this quarantine time.

I am so thankful that I am surrounded by so many places that I can explore in under three hours. Each time I take one of these drives, I come back feeling grounded and refreshed, having spent a bit of time out in nature with God.

Last Saturday, I revisited one of the backroads that my friend mentioned to me a few weeks ago. The mountain road is curvy, tree-lined and covered with wildflowers before it cuts through a beautiful valley. The sights on this road are absolutely breathtaking, and because of its sharp curves, you have to go slow or you will plunge off the edge of the mountain. The slow speed allows you to really take in all the beauty around you: wildflowers, large oak trees, birds singing, cattle grazing in the hillside. It’s now one of my favorite places to go.

At the end of this drive, there is a fork in the road. If you choose left, that will lead you back to town in about 20 minutes. I’d gone left three weeks ago and it was a beautiful drive. Now there was an option to go right, but I’d never gone that way before. I was a little afraid of getting lost and I didn’t want to accidentally end up three hours away from home.

I heard a whisper from God. “Go right.”

I was scared to go right. I knew what was to come if I went left since I’d gone that way before. So I went left.

The urge to go right became stronger. I felt like God was saying, “Alexis, if you turn into this turnout, you can still U-turn and go right.”

I knew that urge would not go away until I decided to go right. Swallowing my fear, I pulled into the turnout, made a quick U-turn when it was safe and headed right.

I am so glad I did.

Not only was the drive beautiful, it ended at a marina of a very large lake I’d never seen before. I couldn’t go onto shore because the lake was closed, but from my parking spot I got to take in a beautiful view: crystal blue water with mountains as a backdrop.

If I had listened to my fear and continued to go left, I would have missed out on discovering this lake. Taking a different path, the one that God chose for me, ending up being better than my original plan.

That often happens in my Christian walk. I don’t know about you, but I am not a big fan of the unknown. I like routine, I like to know what lies up ahead so I can plan and weigh my options. I like to be in control.

However, none of that exists in the unknown. Walking in the unknown plans that God has for us, takes a lot of trust and faith.

Faith that God knows what is best for us.

Faith that He is always with us, especially when things are hard.

Faith that although we think we may know the way, God always has a better way.

When God calls you to take a new path or leads you into the unknown, remember these verse from Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV):

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make straight your paths.

We may think we know the best way, but friend, God always knows better.

Trust Him.

~*~
Author Bio:

Alexis is a 36-year-old lover of Jesus, loose leaf tea, roller coasters, writing stories and going on adventures. Originally from Marietta, GA, Alexis now resides in Fresno, CA.  

You can always find Alexis outdoors enjoying a walk in her neighborhood, scoping out the newest food truck, hanging out with friends or planning her next trip.

Her church, The Revival Center, and family mean the world to her. They have supported her through the loss of her mother and her own cancer diagnosis.

Alexis enjoys encouraging others by reminding them not to look at what they see, but to always look to God, who is working in the unseen.

Alexis currently writes for several online ministries and launched her first podcast – The Brave Podcast – in January 2020.

~*~
Connect with Alexis:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apeachincali/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/apeachincali
Podcast: http://thebravepodcast.buzzsprout.com
Website: www.apeachincali.com

Devotionals for the Heart: The Depths

Going to the Depths with God
A devotional by Mirachelle Canada

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." 
– Ephesians 3:14-19 (ESV)

How deep are we willing to go for God?

Recently, a treasure hunter found a 2.2-carat emerald from a 1622 shipwreck off the coast of Florida. Depending on the quality, the emerald could be worth a few dollars or a few hundred thousand dollars. The ship once carried 40 tons of gold and silver worth in excess of $450 million. The wreck was first discovered in 1985, and it continues to yield treasures to this day. Read the story here.

Treasure seekers will go to great lengths and depths to find priceless treasures. Some even pay millions to be on excavations that may or may not yield a find. Why do they go with no guarantees? It’s the thrill and possible notoriety of a discovery – of being the one to find the most priceless jewel or coin on earth.

In fact, if someone offered an all-expense paid excavation to find such riches, most people would sign up. The world tells us we’d be crazy not to. It’s free! You have only to commit to the dive. Few wouldn’t go because it’s a journey that can change your life!

Yet, God daily offers us the same chance. He asks us to dive deep with Him into the depths of our hearts, into the great unknown. Most don’t want to go on God’s excavation because of what is buried deep within them. Why then can we believe for the buried treasures of the world, but lack the faith and courage to let the God take us on such a journey into our hearts?

Reasons for our reluctance are based on fear, feelings of unworthiness, doubt, lack of faith, or heart-diving methods we can’t understand. The Bible is a manual for the dive to explore with Him. Scripture tells us we will find Him “when we seek Him with all our heart” (Jeremiah 29:13 ESV). That means to find Him we have to be willing to dive within our heart!

The power to dive deep is provided by the Holy Spirit “in your inner being” that makes you “rooted and grounded in love” (Ephesians 3:17 ESV). It’s an all-expense paid journey that was purchased by Jesus Christ’s death on the Cross and redeemed through the belief in His resurrection. The promised yield is unconditional love and an eternal life with an immeasurable treasure stored up in Heaven.

Just like any dive into the depths, it may start out a little dark and scary, but fear not! His strength will enable you to comprehend the “breadth and length and height and depth” of all there is because your oxygen tanks will be filled with “the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:18-19 ESV).

Allow yourself today to be weighted down by God’s grace, forgiveness, and love that can take you to unfathomable depths. He’s there, waiting to heal your heart and unearth His treasure from under your buried hurts and pain in order to show you riches beyond your wildest dreams. He’s guaranteed everything you find will be priceless.

~*~
Author Bio:

Mirachelle Canada is a writer, playwright, screenwriter and theatre director/producer from Northern Virginia. She teaches television production at C.D. Hylton Senior High School. 

She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Script & Screenwriting from Regent University and is a member of Act One: Hollywood Film & Television Writing Program, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), ACFW Virginia Chapter, The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and Your Novel Blueprint.

Mirachelle is passionate about awakening creativity and the gifts of God in everyone. She is currently working on her first historical fiction novel set during WWII, inspired by her time studying theatre education in London, England.

In her spare time, she also writes and directs Christmas and Easter passion plays at Christ Chapel Assembly of God in Woodbridge, Va.

~*~
Connect with Mirachelle:
Website: www.mirachellecanada.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mirachellecanada/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mirachelle77/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/miracan

Devotionals for the Heart: Potential

Discovering Your True Potential
A devotional by Glynis Becker

“Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.”
–Matthew 16:18 (NLT)

Potential. I love the possibilities available with that word. It holds out hope and promise. Has someone ever seen something in you that you didn’t see? Has someone been kind enough to tell you that you’d be good at something and it made you see yourself in a different light?

This summer, we are preparing to send my son to his senior year of high school. As we prepare, I’m feeling grateful that a few years ago a teacher saw something in him that we probably never would have. She gave him the encouragement to try something that has given him direction and focus, as well as a possible career that will help others. Her ability to see his potential, and a few words to tell him that, have made a huge difference in his life.

In the verses above, I love that Jesus Christ gives Peter a hint of the future He sees in him—as a rock, steady enough to build His church on. Peter is one of the most relatable characters in the Bible, because in his weaknesses—his impatience, his temper, his reactions—we see ourselves.

Jesus, being God, has the perfect vantage point to see everything that Peter had been, who he is in that moment, but also who he would become.

Jesus knew Peter would not remain the way he was. He would become a preacher, an evangelist, a foundation for the faith of generations to come.

What must Peter have felt hearing those words from Jesus? To tell a fisherman from Galilee, “I love you. I know you. I see the amazing person you will be as you let Me work through you. What a story you will have to tell!”

What story is Jesus telling through you today? Do you need to hear the encouragement from Him that You are here for a reason? Or is it your turn to speak those words of potential to someone in your life?

So often we want to see the worst in people, especially people who aren’t like us.

Be on the lookout today, making an effort to see the best in someone—maybe an acquaintance, maybe a family member, maybe someone you don’t even really like. Look for a quality or a characteristic or a potential in them. Say something about it. They may not know that they are or could be really good at something.

Your words of encouragement about their potential may change their world!

Let’s Pray: Dear Living God, do a work in each of us today. Give me eyes to see the best in those around me, and myself. Let me live in the grace that You are changing me day by day into the person You see when You look at me. I love You for what you are doing in me! Please give me grace with others who You are working on as well. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Glynis Becker writes devotions and inspirational fiction, hoping someday to have a published novel on her resume.

She has co-written several screenplays, including the film Sinking Sand, available on DVD and digital streaming.

Glynis, whose childhood was spent all over the country as an Air Force brat, has called South Dakota home for many years, along with her husband and two teenage children.

When she’s not writing or reading, she is watching more television than she should and crocheting. You can find her at www.glynisbecker.com.