Devotionals for the Heart: When Jesus Christ asks you the eternal question

The Eternal Question
A devotional by Karen Marstaller

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

—Matthew 16:15 (NIV)

Questions come at us all the time. How are you? How’s work? Are you dating anyone? How’s the spouse? What are you cooking for supper tonight?

Those are the generic, everyday questions we always hear. Then there are the seasonal questions: Where do you spend your holidays? Do you have any seasonal traditions? Do you travel during the winter or summer? Where do you like to go?

And there are also those very personal questions that we don’t share with just anyone. Do you love me? Do I love you? Will you marry me? Do I want a ring on my finger? Can I commit to marriage? Do you want to have children? Where do we want to live?

These are important questions that we all must answer sometime in life, and they change the direction of our careers, our spouses, and our families.

But there is another question that holds even greater importance. It changes the trajectory of our lives here on earth, and the rewards or consequences of our answers will be ours for all eternity. This momentous question sounds like a simple one: Who is Jesus Christ to you?

Ah, there it is. Who is Jesus? People have myriads of answers. He was a good man, a good teacher. Some might think He was a prophet, or somebody in the Bible they’ve heard about. In some hearts, Jesus is the one who makes us feel guilty when we hurt other people, or who makes us angry when we meet someone from church wo has an oh-so-righteous-holier-than-thou attitude. His name might be one we’ve only heard when someone is cursing. Some might say that Jesus doesn’t even exist. He’s just a fairy tale within the pages of the Bible.

Throughout my lifetime, I’ve heard all these answers, but my skeptical heart couldn’t really buy any of them. For me, it took years of digging into the Scripture and asking what seemed like thousands of questions before my real question about Jesus was answered.

Jesus is exactly who the Bible says He is. He is the long-awaited Messiah of the nation of Israel. He is the Savior of the world. He is the Prince of Peace. And there’s more! Jesus is the lover of my soul. He lifts my weary head. He forgives my sins. He is the Lord of my life. Jesus is God’s Son, and because I have believed that Jesus died for my sins and I have asked Him to forgive and save me from those sins, I’m also considered a member of the family of God.

There’s even more than all that! When Jesus Christ returns to earth to take His faithful followers home, I will be welcomed into God’s eternal heavenly Kingdom to live forever. My death won’t change anything but my address because the life I am living now is centered on Jesus. And that’s exactly what eternity promises.

There’s nothing in my life that has earned God’s favor. Just the opposite is true. I was sinful and rebellious toward God. Nothing could convince me that He is real and that all His promises are true until He opened my eyes to read the Bible and He gave me the ability to trust Him. His first gift to me was belief in Jesus. His second gift was His forgiveness of every sin. His third and lasting gift is His abundant life in Jesus Christ, right here on earth for now, and then forever in Heaven with Him.

So, each of us is faced with the question, “Who do you say Jesus is?”

Your eternity hinges on your answer. Which will you choose? Eternal salvation in Heaven with the Lord who loves you, or eternal damnation in hell without Jesus? Remember, dear one, eternity is just as real as Jesus is, and what we choose now determines either eternal life or eternal death.

Choose Life, Beloved. Choose Jesus.

Let’s Pray: Dear Jesus, I trust You, and I believe that You are the only way to be saved in your Kingdom. Please forgive my sins and accept me into Your family forever. Thank You, Lord. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Choose Life” by Big Tent Revival. 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: When and how grief can be good for us

Good Grief
A devotional by Kayla de Jong

“Jesus wept.”

— John 11:35 (NIV)

What is grief? Some people would describe it as a dark night. But there is hope!

Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky who was critically acclaimed as one of the greatest novelists in the literary world, once said, “The darker the night, the brighter the stars, the deeper the grief, the closer is God!”

After unexpectedly losing my mom when I was only 21, I found myself wrestling with God in my grief. Hopefully, the insights I have gained on my grief journey can benefit you as well, even if you are not grieving the loss of a loved one. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of grief is “deep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement.”

I’ve learned that grief is not just about death; it is about loss. Perhaps you are grieving losing a spouse through divorce or the lack of relationship with a child or the decision a friend made to stop following Jesus Christ. I believe grief is a good thing if done the way God intended. And knowing how to grieve in a godly way can not only help you grieve but also prepare you to walk with others in their grief journeys.

Let’s read Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 (NIV). It says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot.”

Knowing that there is a season for everything—happiness and sadness—comforts my soul. I am comforted to know that God does not expect me to feel happy all the time. To me, these verses give Christians the permission to have what society deems “negative” emotions. While this is not a devotional about emotions, I will quickly say that I don’t think God views our emotions as good or bad. However, I think what matters to Him is how we handle them and how they affect our behaviors and relationship with Him and others (and ourselves). Ecclesiastes 3:4 supports this idea by declaring weeping and mourning appropriate for certain times. Notice how we are not instructed to always dance and laugh.

Another concept that has helped me understand grief from a biblical perspective is that God grieves too. And knowing that God expects me to manifest characteristics that are His, this means God expects me to grieve as well. Let’s talk this through: Jesus Christ wept on His way to raise His friend Lazarus from the dead, knowing fully well that Lazarus would soon be alive again. Yet He wept (John 11:35). Why? I believe He was not only showing His followers that it is okay to grieve, but I also love the footnote found in the Amplified version of The Holy Bible that suggests Jesus was angry at the sorrow induced by death.

Now let us look at biblical instruction on grief in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 (AMP), which reads, “Now we do not want you to be uninformed, believers, about those who are asleep [in death], so that you will not grieve [for them] as the others do who have no hope [beyond this present life].” In other words, Christians can grieve but not without hope. We know if we continue to follow Jesus Christ then we will be reunited in Heaven with our fellow Christians who have passed away and are no longer living on Earth. When we are in Heaven, we will be fully healed and holy in the Presence of God. Simply put, in the midst of our bereavement, we can choose to rejoice that God has provided a means to eternal life with Him that is far better than this life on Earth.

So, based on these few biblical examples, it seems that grief is an appropriate response to death. God, even though He is omniscient, and death is no surprise to Him, grieves too. However, it is clear that we are not to view death as “the end.” Instead, let it serve to remind you of eternity and salvation and hope from God.

Let’s Pray: God, thank You for giving me hope while I am grieving and let me share this with others who have lost someone or something important to them. Thank You for the time I had with my loved ones who have passed away. Help me to have a healthy perspective on grief. Thank You for comforting me, Lord, when I am sad. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Light of that City” by Allison Durham Speer. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Hi! I’m Kayla de Jong! 

I’ve lived in Indiana my whole life and was blessed to have been raised in a Christian household. I have an associate degree in library science and have worked in various libraries for over six years. I love reading and writing!

I have mostly written poems, some of which were published in the compiled works of a local writers guild. I am in the middle of seeking a new career. I would love to be an author, artist, or journalist. But most of all, I would love to be a stay-at-home mom someday.

~*~
Connect with Kayla:
E-mail: kaylagmcdaniel@gmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: Our Dreams and God's Plans for our life story

The Unexpected Journey: Dreaming with God
A devotional by Tessa Huckstep

“And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” –Luke 2:12 (KJV)

I am a dreamer and I have a habit of dreaming big dreams.

Like most Christians, I want to do big things for Christ. I want to start a movement, impact generations, and make a difference in the world. We tend to think about long term goals and plans, especially at the beginning of a new year. God wants us to dream big dreams, but often the journey to accomplishing these dreams is not what we expect.

Throughout this Christmas season, I have considered how unexpected the birth of Jesus Christ was to the people living in that time period. The Son of God (Jesus Christ) was sent to this Earth to save the souls of humankind. God could have sent Jesus as a mighty warrior or as a victorious king, but He chose to have His Son be born of virgin (Mary) who was engaged to marry a poor carpenter. After Mary gave birth, she placed Jesus in a manger and wrapped him in swaddling clothes. This may not sound like the beginning of a big dream, but it is the beginning of the biggest and most wonderful dream of all. This was how God planned to save all humans and give us eternal life. Read John 3:16 for details. 

God has the most beautiful ways of surprising us. Sometimes, He gives us gifts that we believe are burdens or are insignificant. Then, one day, we understand why God put that trial or heartache into our lives and we simply cannot praise Him enough for it. Jesus is the greatest gift we have ever been given. Yet, He had to be wrapped in swaddling clothes. With God, things are sometimes not as they seem. The way that Jesus entered this world was unexpected, but far more beautiful than any story about a mighty king or warrior.

I also like to consider the first thirty years of His life. Jesus was a carpenter. He probably took exceptionally good care of His mother, and He probably lived a life that is similar to our own. He most likely had a schedule to follow, responsibilities to keep, and countless tasks to do. But I think He spent this time with His Father, prayed often, and simply loved the people around Him.

Perhaps our biggest problem is that we are each looking for external signs of change. We all want to see the visible miracles and physical healings. But what about the miracles that take place within your heart? These are the most beautiful miracles of all. Jesus healed many blind, sick, and dying people, but the greatest miracles He performed were the ones where He saved a soul in His Kingdom.

As you look back and reflect on this year, you may feel a little disappointed that you are not as far along as you thought you would be. Maybe you cannot even see where the road of life is taking you. Maybe you are struggling with your progress in your personal relationship with our Savior. Just remember that God’s big dreams do not usually follow the carefully planned schedule that we created.

Dream big, but do not become discouraged when things look different than you expected. Keep your eyes on the Savior and you will never be disappointed. God will fulfill His plans. Our life on Earth is the journey, but our destination is always Heaven and spending eternity with Jesus Christ. He is the one constant and the one absolute that we have in this life on Earth. Lean into God and trust Him with your whole heart.

Let’s Pray: Dear Lord, thank You for the unexpected blessings You have given us this year. Please help us to remember that You are the Author of our real life stories and You have a perfect dream for us. Grant us the courage to look beyond our current circumstances and always look to You. Allow us to find peace in our journey as You write our story. In Jesus’s Name I pray, Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Heaven on Earth” by Darlene Zschech. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Tessa Huckstep grew up in rural Illinois to Christian parents and has known Jesus personally since the age of five. 

She is currently attending community college and majoring in elementary education. In the future, she plans to teach in the public school, hoping to bring the love of God with her.

God’s dream of Tessa becoming a writer was revealed to her at the age of sixteen and she hasn’t been able to stop since. Though she has not yet been published, Tessa enjoys writing historical romance novels and speculative fiction.

Tessa believes God loves stories, and through her writing, she wants to reveal the happily ever after God dreams of for each of his daughters—one where Jesus is the knight in shining armor.

Tessa loves all things Georgian/Regency, needlework, and dainty teacups of every size. When she isn’t writing or studying for exams, Tessa can be found in the kitchen with more flour in her hair and on the floor than in the mixing bowl, though the mess is always half the fun!

~*~
Connect with Tessa:
Blog: https://beautifulbeloved937002841.wordpress.com/

Devotionals for the Heart: Why there is always hope, even in grievous times

Hope in the Grief
A devotional Jessica Brodie

Have you ever experienced a time of loss and sadness that is simultaneously also filled with deep joy? That was our family this week as we journeyed to Ohio to celebrate the life and mourn the passing of my husband’s grandfather.

Grandpa Bob was 95 when he died, and what a man! A World War II Navy veteran who enlisted at age 17 and saw significant action—including the Battle of Iwo Jima, the Okinawa Invasion, and Operation Crossroads for the Bikini Atoll nuclear bomb tests—he also served in the Korean Conflict on the USS Wisconsin. After his discharge, he spent his career in Ohio’s oil and gas drilling operations. He had three kids, then remarried and gained three stepkids, and at his death claimed 12 grandkids (plus spouses) and 15 great-grandkids, all who loved him dearly.

Matt and I and our four kids road-tripped from South Carolina last week for the funeral, joined by parents and a host of other cousins, aunts, and uncles, all of us surrounding Grandma Mary, his wife. At age 99, she and Grandpa Bob still lived in their house. Together, we mourned his death but celebrated his life with deep and affirming joy.

Why joy? See, in addition to being an outstanding person and family man, Grandpa Bob’s most important role was “child of God.” A Christian and active member of his local United Methodist church, one thing we all knew when Grandpa Bob passed on was that we didn’t need to wonder or worry what would become of him. We knew, because he was a follower of Jesus, that he was assured eternal life.

Yes, there were tears at his funeral. We miss him! But there was also… laughter. Giggles. His eulogies at the service—delivered by his pastor, one of his sons and his stepson—recounted stories about mishaps with dynamite and catching himself on fire, his love for John Wayne and gardening, his silliness rolling around on the ground with puppy dogs or playing at Cedar Point.

“Loyal, faithful, and hardworking,” are how his pastor, Jim, described him. “Disciplined but always fair,” his son, Uncle RJ, said.

A man of stories, said everyone.

That’s how I, a latecomer blessed to marry into this family, knew him. Grandpa Bob was an outstanding storyteller. I remember how we’d visit and he’d tell about standing on the deck of his ship in WWII, or about riding horses, another of his loves.

Uncle RJ shared how he had the opportunity these last years to spend at least two mornings a week having long coffee chats with his dad, listening to old tales told and retold, sometimes the same story twice in one day. What always struck RJ was the joy with which he told those stories. That’s what I had loved, too…and, come to think of it, is what always makes an extraordinary storyteller. It’s the love of the tale.

Grandpa Bob had that. He shared that. And oh, what a legacy.

A couple of the grandkids were not able to attend the funeral, and during the service, Uncle Warren shared a special memory one of his own sons had about Grandpa Bob. During their last visit, they’d sat on the porch together talking about the future, and Grandpa Bob passed on some sage advice to him: “We are ultimately measured as men by how we react to uncontrollable things.”

Wise, wise words from a good, good man.

As Pastor Jim said at the funeral, an eternal perspective in this life keeps us in balance. As believers in Christ Jesus, we know infinitely more awaits us in heaven. The casket is not our end.

Each of us who believe can hold fast to the promises of Scripture, promises like 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14: “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him” (NIV).

It's not that we do not grieve, but that we don’t grieve as others.

Our grief is rooted in hope, in joy, in promise.

We will be together again one day—thanks be to God.

Rest in peace, Grandpa Bob. We love you dearly.

Let’s Pray: Father God, thank You for the hope You give all of us who believe in and follow You: the hope of salvation. Thank You that the casket is not our end. Help us spread Your word to others so they can share in this, too. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach and the recipient of the 2018 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for her novel, The Memory Garden.

She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism. Learn more about her fiction and read her faith blog at http://jessicabrodie.com. She has a weekly YouTube devotional and podcast.

You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and more. She’s also produced a free eBook, A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When You’re Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed.

Happy Easter Sunday! JESUS (Christ) is our HOPE in hopeless times!

Devotionals for the Heart: Quarantine

Quarantine doesn't mean separation
A devotional by Wade Webster

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” –Romans 8:35 (NIV)

Quarantine is a word we seldom used before 2020. There was never a situation in our personal lives that demanded such drastic measures. But that pesky little COVID-19 virus changed all that.

I came across the word when I drove for Conway Freight. We transferred freight of various sizes around the world for several companies. In the wintertime, a blizzard or ice storm would make driving in a particular region unsafe and/or impossible. A hurricane would cause the same scenario during the summer months. The company would call a quarantine for that area. No freight was allowed to go there until the situation improved.

To slow the spread of this Coronavirus, we've been asked to quarantine our bodies at home until further notice, especially for those at high risk of infection. Technology makes it possible to remain in touch with loved ones but that has its limits. Seeing a face and hearing a voice is nice but there's nothing like a human touch to build a bond.

Introverts handle such isolation better than extroverts do. Extroverts thrive on human interaction. They need it to recharge. Introverts prefer to be alone to get back in touch with themselves.

So, we isolate ourselves to protect us and to keep from adding to the statistics. Then the loneliness settles in ... even for introverts. God told us in the opening chapters of the Bible that it's not good for people to be alone. When that forbidden fruit was eaten by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, a separation occurred. That perfect, face-t0-face relationship Adam and Eve experienced with God, died. They were quarantined out of the Garden of Eden for the rest of human history on Earth.

The following chapters of the Bible are filled with failed attempts at restoring that broken relationship with God. Sin was the virus that kept the statistics high. It took God's Son (Jesus Christ) becoming a man and sacrificing His life, to restore our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Sin still tries to step between us and forever quarantine us away from God.

While it feels at times like we will be forever separated from God, we can rest assured that’s not possible because of what God says in His Word (The Holy Bible). Let’s read His Words in Romans 8:38-40 (NIV). The Apostle Paul, who wrote this book of Romans, underscores this point in the very last verse of that magnificent chapter. He said: “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.”

That's quite an exhaustive list. We can add any virus, pandemic, or personal quarantine as well. Sin still taints our relationship with God as long as we walk this earth. But because of Jesus Christ's sacrifice, we have hope of experiencing a time that will never end. A time when we'll know God as He is and fully realize face-to-face with Him that we are His precious child. God will be that perfect Daddy who we've always longed for.

Hold on, my friend. Quarantines will be lifted. Hugs will be all the sweeter when they come ... especially that hug we receive from Jesus Christ when we see Him face to face.

~*~
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: Courage

Courage, Dear Heart
A devotional by Christa MacDonald

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” –2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV)

This month of May is the beginning of real spring here in Massachusetts.

The garden is coming alive, the trees are budding, the bulbs are all up, the bees have come back, and all of nature is growing. If you had seen my gardens in March, you'd see that it was a mess filled with mud and twisted brown horribleness. The weather was awful, the news was worse. It was downright depressing inside and outside. But there was an unseen process that was going on. Under that mud and bracken the world was waking up.

For a lot of folks, these last few weeks have been a season of affliction. Many of us have lost loved ones, our financial health, and maybe even our overall sense of security. The world doesn’t look the same way it did just a few weeks ago. Plans have changed. Hopes for the future have changed. The world has changed. But this verse above is the reminder that the world is always changing. As Christians there is no guarantee of easy days and prosperity, because our hope is not in this earth—it is in Heaven.

There is nothing here for us that is not transitory. Our country’s history, as meaningful and epic as it is, is still a blip on the record of time. Our homes, our jobs … all of it is momentary and ephemeral when set against the eternity that waits for us.

When it all gets to be too much, when I’m too anxious about the future or panicked about a present crisis, that’s when I try to remind myself that what I’m going through might feel like everything—all-encompassing, insurmountable, the ONLY thing—but that’s my brain telling me lies. God has me in His hands. My life is His. He knows what I’m experiencing and where it’s going to end. He’s written every chapter of the book I’m living and what I need to do is to trust Him.

A big part of trusting in God during these times of affliction is the stuff that we’re all taught to do in Sunday School, but we often forget. Read your Bible, pray as often as you can, reach out to other believers and share your struggles, share the Gospel with others. It’s the basics of having our inner selves renewed. We’re in the Refiner’s fire. Let it burn away the petty things that don’t matter: the things that weigh us down. Like the hymn by Helen Howarth Lemmel says: ‘Turn your eyes upon Jesus/Look full in His wonderful face/And the things of earth will grow strangely dim/In the light of His glory and grace.”

When affliction comes—and boy has it—remember that we are God’s children. He loves us. When it gets rough, raise your eyes and your heart from the earthly to the eternal. God is with us. “Courage, dear heart.”

~*~
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.

Devotionals for the Heart: Marriage and Taking the Lord's Name

The Lord’s Name
A devotional by Sharon Musgrove

“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” 

–Isaiah 43:1 (ESV)

When I married, I took my husband’s last name for my own. It was a time when it was becoming common for women to either keep their maiden names or to hyphenate the two names. Personally, I was happy to take on the new name feeling like it was a new beginning to my life. I had no idea.

My life as a “Musgrove” has not been anything like what I expected while at the same time has contained most of the things I had hoped for. I’d planned to take on duties like cooking, the finances, housekeeping and eventually parenting. I looked forward to all the things I’d do. The unanticipated challenge was changing from being an individual to a partner. The growth curve was in putting someone else first.

There were other significant changes to becoming Musgrove. My husband’s family was firmly rooted in business in our community and had an established reputation. To behave rashly could tarnish not only my reputation, but would affect both family and business. No one sat me down to explain what I was getting into. No one told me that marriage required improvement to my character. My love for my husband and his family, it turned out, was motivation enough to rise to higher standards. And it’s been a blessing.

We have a God who desires to call us by His name. He loves us with a deep love that is incomprehensible. His love is such that He is willing to redeem…pay a ransom…to become unified with His bride. He offers a relationship of blessing.

Reading of the restoration of God’s beloved Israel in Zephaniah 3 is beautiful. The Hebrew word for “renowned” is “Shem,” meaning “a name” or “fame.” All of these terms infer that we receive a designation as being His and that designation is recognizable by others. The taking of His name elevates us to a status far above human ability.

God explains to us exactly what we’re getting into when we partner with Him. Deuteronomy chapter 28 goes to great lengths to spell out the benefits to taking the Lord’s name. It tells of His blessings in the city and the field, in finances and family, in coming and going, and (my favorite) in basket and kneading bowl! He even defeats our enemies. Now that’s some list of pros!

In return, God asks for a pure heart. He creates a list in Exodus 20 that includes His requirement to be first. He stipulates that we desist in creating other objects of devotion. He demands that we not take His name irreverently. He requests that we rest in His provision. It’s marital vows we don’t fully understand the meaning of as long as we’re in a singleness mindset.

When I took the Musgrove name, I no longer sought out other men to fulfill my wants. I only looked to my husband. I did not keep photos of my old boyfriends around. I committed to one man and one man only. To continue to behave as single while bearing the name Musgrove would be to dishonor my marriage and my spouse. Gratefully, marriage has taught me a greater understanding of what God is both insisting of me and what He is offering.

To take the Lord’s name, to be His, frees us from the search for identity. We no longer need to strive for purpose and meaning because we take on God’s family business. He provides, we accept. He elevates our character. We give up being sole-proprietor for partnership. Lone becomes family. It’s a really sweet offer.

Won’t you accept His proposal? And take His marriage vows? It’s a decision that will change your life for the better, forever!

~*~
Author Bio:

Sharon Musgrove is a self-proclaimed sociologist. The opportunities opened to her, over the years, have led her on a fascinating journey observing human behavior.

She has a diverse background in business, fitness and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both recovery programs served women primarily from the homeless community.

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She's been privileged to participate in Leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Easily identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she's served, Sharon now sees all people as needing more encouragement regardless of cultural or socioeconomic status. Within these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its transformative power has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys her garden, health food, travel, and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, make their home in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. They have two grown children. Currently, Sharon is writing her first Christian historical fiction novel utilizing her study, experience, and understanding of self-destructive behaviors.

Devotionals for the Heart: A Proposal, An Engagement Ring and Eternity

Holy Engagement
A devotional by Amanda Wen

“The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.” 

–Ephesians 1:14 (NLT)

Tomorrow, my husband and I will celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary. It’s hard to believe we’ve been married that long; it seems like only yesterday I was floating down the aisle toward his smiling face, secure in his love and confident that God had prepared both of us for exactly this moment.

That moment, though, wouldn’t have happened without another, equally precious moment: the night he proposed to me. New Year’s Eve, 2004, he dropped to one knee and asked me to be his wife, a question that garnered an immediate and enthusiastic “Yes!” from me. As a symbol of his promise to marry me, and my commitment to marry him, he gave me a gorgeous diamond ring (my engagement ring)!

That ring’s presence on my finger didn’t mean we were married. We still lived separately. Still reserved certain activities for after the wedding. I still had my maiden name. But that sparkle on my left hand meant I was spoken for. I was committed. It meant that I had promised my husband-to-be that I would be his forever. We were already committed, but not yet married. It was sweet to be engaged…but the sweetness wasn’t complete until we made our vows and became one flesh in the eyes of the law and of God.

It is this already-but-not-yet tension in which we believers find ourselves. From the moment we trust Jesus’ sacrifice for our salvation, we receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ presence dwelling within us, working to guide us, to teach us, to be the voice that whispers, “This is the way. Walk in it.” His presence actively molds our character to be more like His. 

Having God’s presence inside me is sweet indeed… but it isn’t complete because I am not yet perfected into the image of Christ. I do not yet stand face to face with Him. The Groom has not yet returned to Earth for his Bride, the Church. We are not yet enjoying the wedding feast with Him in a new eternity free from sin and death.

However, The Holy Spirit’s presence within us is a deposit. It is a guarantee from God Himself that one day we will be with Him in perfect union. One day, He will come back for us, gather us to Himself, and take us to the perfect home He has created for us. One day, the Bride of Christ will walk down that aisle toward Jesus’ smiling face.

In a sense, the Holy Spirit is our engagement ring.

So when we doubt, when we wonder if God’s promises are true, when we wonder if God even cares about us at all, we merely need to look within, to the sparkle of the Spirit’s presence, to know that the answer is “Yes!” He does care about us. He loves us. He sees us. He knows us. 

And He chose us to be His Bride! Saying "Yes" to God commences a marriage that starts on Earth and carries on throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity after Jesus Christ returns to take you home to Heaven. It's the perfect union filled with promise, hope and endless love.

~*~
Author Bio:

Amanda Wen is an award-winning writer of contemporary inspirational romance and split-time women’s fiction. 

A first place winner in the 2017 Indiana Golden Opportunity Contest, she also placed first in the 2017 Phoenix Rattler Contest, the 2017 Great Expectations Contest, and the 2016 ACFW First Impressions Contest, among others. In addition, she was a finalist in the 2018 ACFW Genesis Contest.

Amanda is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and regularly contributes author interviews for their Fiction Finder feature. She’s also been spotted onstage with the worship team at recent ACFW conferences. Amanda is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

In addition to her writing, Amanda maintains an active and rewarding career as a freelance cellist, frequently performing with symphony orchestras, string quartets, and her church’s worship team. She lives in the Midwest with her amazing husband and their three adorable and hilarious Wenlets.

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Connect with Amanda:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authoramandawen
Twitter: www.twitter.com/authoramandawen
Instagram: www.instagram.com/authoramandawen
Website: www.amandawen.com

Thankful Thursdays: HOPE Eternal

It’s Thursday and I’m thankful for HOPE but not the kind of fleeting hope of the heart for things we want to have or experience here on Earth…I am thankful for the eternal hope that only accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior can give you.

What brought this on, you may ask?

So glad you asked! The answer is reflection. I’ve been reflecting on words about life and death that I’ve heard over the years and I’ve been thinking about what to say in response that would help people understand why there is hope eternal available to us but we have accept Jesus into our lives to have it.

My reflections that led me to write this blog post today are several. I remembered that one day in my first career as an educator, there was a teacher who told his students something that I still recall today. A student complained to the teacher about something he did that the student thought was unjust. The student cried out, “But that’s not fair!” to which the much older teacher who had been seasoned by life responded, “Life’s not fair and then you die!”

I also recall that time in the teacher’s lounge at a school where I as a substitute teacher (I worked as a "sub" before studying to become a full-time teacher). We were on lunch break. The conversation amongst the teachers in the lounge was about how to live longer and one of the male teachers who walked in on the conversation told his colleagues with a side helping of cynicism, “Everybody dies!” Then he walked out.

Finally, I recall a conversation that I had as an adult with an older friend. She told me that she doesn’t believe in life after death. She believes that after you die, that’s it ... No resurrection by Jesus Christ, no hope of Heaven or fear of hell. So she makes the most of every day because she believes that life is precious.

Now, what is wrong with these scenarios and real-life views? To the people who believe these views nothing is wrong with it for them because everybody is entitled to believe what they want. However, as a person whose life has been not only saved but enriched by a relationship with Jesus Christ, I cannot imagine what it’s like to live with no hope eternal.

I cannot imagine that I’d never see my loved ones who have died again because of the theory that there’s no life after death. I cannot imagine going through all the trials and tribulations here on Earth then knowing that after I die there’s no hope of Jesus Christ returning to Earth to take His faithful followers home to Heaven where we will live with Him in healthy, immortal bodies forever. I cannot imagine that God will not do what He says He will do in His Word (The Holy Bible). I cannot imagine God not keeping His promises to give us eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ (John 3:16) because the Bible says that God does not lie (Numbers 23:19) like we as mere mortals do sometimes.

Even before dying, I cannot imagine living without the hope in Jesus Christ that helps me survive and keeps me alive. He protects me from so much. He gives me hope in seasons of despair. He adds to my quality of life and helps me love others and treat others the way that I would want to be treated.

A verse that came to my mind when I was reflecting on all of this today is found in
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NIV) where followers of Jesus Christ are admonished to not grieve as those who “have no hope.” It addresses the grief process that we all experience when a loved one dies. Before closing, I’d like to share the entire passage with you:

“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

In the midst of my reflections, God impressed me with a personal lesson. He showed me that when situations in my life or in the world around me become overwhelming and I feel like I’m sinking into despair, I should NOT feel hopeless. 

I realized that I have a choice: I can allow the issues of life to overwhelm me and feel hopeless OR I can choose to trust God who is Lord over ALL as I remember that no situation is ever hopeless because He is our Eternal Hope.

Please note: If any of you are dealing with chronic illness, depression, despair or any problem that makes you feel like you’re in the dark then do not only pray about, ask God to lead you to a medical professional who can help you. I’ve heard it said many times in real life and on social media that “It’s okay to talk to Jesus (Christ) and a therapist!” Don’t think that you have to handle the storms of life alone. You don’t! You have God and you can be under the care of people who God’s gifted on this Earth to be professional doctors, counselors, therapists, nutritionists, personal trainers…all to help you in every area of life!

In closing, I’d like to share this beautiful song by Terrian. It’s called “God with Us.” 

I hope that her kind, soothing voice will bless your heart and that the message in this song will help you get a glimpse of hope eternal!

Love,

Alexis A. Goring
Founder of "God is Love" blog

Devotionals for the Heart: Refreshed

A Refreshing New River
A devotional by Sharon Musgrove

“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. The wild animals in the field will thank me, the jackals and owls too, for giving them water in the desert. Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland so my people can be refreshed.” 

 ~Isaiah 43:19-20 (NLT)

Recently, my husband and I drove south, down the I-5 corridor, through Northern California. We were taking the trip to witness my Grandfather’s entombment. The landscape was dry, rocky riverbeds laid open, and trees reached long arms in search of water. Despite the winter season, the terrain cried of its recent forest fires. I had been made aware of the drought and wild fires through the National news. However, driving through this territory, in the tracks of death and grief, I felt akin to a dry riverbed and an outstretched tree. My heart was cracked and brittle from parched hours of watching a precious life go. My eyes were seeing in this landscape what my heart was grieving. God used this trip to help me see more fully His love.

God does not leave His children in a wasteland. His heart is for renewal of life! Scripture repeats this beating of God’s heart like the hospital monitor I had spent so many hours watching. The Israelites entered the promised land (Joshua 24:28), Job’s fortunes were restored (Job 42:10), and Jesus came that we might have a life of freedom, good pastures and abundance (John 10:9-10). The constant, familiar beating comforts, but change sets off alarms throwing me into a fear that keeps me staring at death rather than trusting God and His renewal process.

For my Grandfather, the changes in his heart rhythms were indications of something new. For months he had been praying for his life to come to an end because that life had become his dry wasteland. I heard him say repeatedly, “I am ready to go,” yet our last conversation was over “one regret.” That regret kept my Grandfather’s eyes fixed on the wasteland and tethered to his life. His eyes, like that of the jackal or owl were staring at empty burrows and dry riverbeds for life.

It was here, along the California freeway, that I too found a choice in where I cast my eyes. I could stare long at regret and loss and choose to live in desolation and sadness, or I could look to something new. Now following the Interstate northbound, we headed home. Having turned, this same pathway now revealed something new…snow in the mountains! Little did I know that while I was traveling in the desert, my eyes downcast, God was preparing refreshment on the high hills. God's magnificent nature was doing what it thrives on doing…renewal! I could see it! He had already begun storing up the waters that would refresh this dry and thirsty land!

In an instant I felt refreshed! My heart swelled with joy and my spirit knew hope renewed! The compass on my outlook on Grandfather's life had been reset to true north. My eyes were no longer downcast nor my grieving heart. My Grandfather had lived a lifetime with Jesus and was now resting in peace with the hope of eternity. The California landscape might have to continue to be as patient as an old man living a challenging life, but I know I can access the refreshment today.

~*~
Author Bio: 

Sharon Musgrove is a self-proclaimed sociologist. The opportunities opened to her, over the years, have led her on a fascinating journey observing human behavior. 

She has a diverse background in business, fitness and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both recovery programs served women primarily from the homeless community. 

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She's been privileged to participate in Leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Easily identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she's served, Sharon now sees all people as needing more encouragement regardless of cultural or socioeconomic status. Within these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its transformative power has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys her garden, health food, travel and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, make their home in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. They have two grown children. Currently, Sharon is writing her first Christian historical fiction novel utilizing her study, experience, and understanding of self-destructive behaviors.

God loves you! Merry Christmas!

Devotionals for the Heart: Thoughts on Time and Eternity

An Intersection of Time and Eternity
A devotional by Dana McNeely

Note: This is the fourth post in a series on the prophet Elijah. To read previous posts, click the titles: Love in the Time of Drought, In the Waiting Room, and A Widow, a Prophet, and Provision from God.

After Elijah reached Zarephath and found shelter with the widow and her son, they lived under God’s blessings. Though the drought worsened, the never-ending jug of oil and jar of meal nourished them. It would have been reasonable to expect the good times to continue.

However, some time later the widow’s son became ill. He grew worse and worse and finally stopped breathing. She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?” (1 Kings 17:17-18 NIV)

I feel for this poor woman. One moment she ate the bread of life, the next she gagged on the stench of death. Anguished, she lashed out, but then secret guilt whispered. Did you come to remind me of my sin? Any mother would be devastated by her child’s death, but she’d already lost her husband. Now she was alone in the world.

I don’t know about you, but I want life to roll along smoothly. When it does, I often forget to thank God, taking everyday blessings for granted. But when trouble strikes, it’s easy to complain or blame others or myself.

I know this is unreasonable. We live in a fallen world, and God hasn’t promised immunity from its hardship, even to those who follow him. Think of Joseph, who ran from Potiphar’s wife but still ended up in prison. Or Daniel, who refused to quit praying and then faced lions.

Though I empathize with the widow’s reaction, what I find interesting is Elijah’s calm response to her remarks. Known for his somewhat hot temper, Elijah didn’t remind her of all he’d already done to help her and her son. In humility, he ignored her harsh words, and in faith, he took this problem to the Lord.

“Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!" (1 Kings 17:19-24 NIV)

The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!"

Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”

I believe the Lord prepared the widow’s heart with a whisper before Elijah even arrived. She must have heard the truth about God’s love and claims on her life during the time the prophet lived with her and her son. Yes, she reacted out of pain and confusion when her son suddenly died. Such a response doesn’t mean she had no faith … only that it faltered. In quietly asking the widow to give him her son, Elijah allowed her time to quiet her soul and consider. And the Lord, in his mercy, ignored her outburst and looked on her heart, where a tiny spark of faith burned.

In an intersection of time and eternity, God reached down and touched the widow’s son, restoring him to life. Yes, he was still subject to a fallen world; he would grow old and die again. But now, more than ever before, he was his mother’s comfort and a blazing example of God’s mercy and miraculous power. If the widow’s faith in God was a spark before, it was a sturdy flame now.

Do you believe in miracles? When Paul met with Agrippa, the apostle asked, "Why should it be thought a thing incredible that God should raise the dead?" (Acts 26:8 KJV)

Have you ever experienced that which only God can do? Perhaps your miracle was as soft as a whisper to the heart or as earth-shattering an event that, even now, you can hardly bring yourself to speak of. An intersection of time and eternity.

I leave you with this final thought from the great Bible scholar A.W. Pink: “Bring into the scene the living God, and no matter how drastic and desperate be the situation, all difficulties a once disappear, for nothing is impossible to him.”

*For further reading: Elijah by A.W. PinkSaveSaveSaveSave

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Author Bio: 

Inspired by the Bible story of Elijah and the widow’s son, Dana McNeely wondered why the prophet had come to stay with these two. Who were they? What was their life, before? And how did the boy change after dying, seeing the other world … and coming back? 

Dana began research for her novel, “Rain,” which tells the story of the three-and-a-half-year drought from the boy’s perspective.

No stranger to drought, Dana lives in an Arizona oasis with her hubby the constant gardener, two good dogs, an antisocial cat, and migrating butterflies. She writes biblical fiction, cozy mysteries, and has written for magazines and newspapers. Her short story “Death in the Butterfly Garden” appears in SoWest: Killer Nights (2017).

Connect with Dana on Facebook, Twitter, or DanaMcNeely.com