Devotionals for the Heart: What to do when you're afraid of the dark

Monsters in the Dark
A devotional by Colleen Howard

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”—Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)

When you were a child, were you ever afraid of monsters?

Do you remember being alone in your bedroom? The room is dark, and you’re starting to drift off when suddenly your eyes open wide, and you see a shadow on the wall.

You hold your breath, and just as you start to exhale, you hear a noise. By now, you’re building a blanket fortress for protection, and then, “Bam!” Fear grips your five-year-old heart. You let out a scream, and in an instant, light floods the room. It’s Mom and Dad to the rescue. They assure you the monsters are gone. While safe beneath the covers, you finally drift off to sleep.

Let’s face it: Many of us still have our monsters, but like us, they’ve grown up too. They’re not as easy to recognize as a shadow on the wall of a dimly lit room. But don’t fool yourself, these determined monsters are alive and invading in the corners of your mind. The CEO of Monsters Incorporated is none other than the enemy (Satan) himself, and these ugly, evil creatures are his favorite weapons.

Our grown-up monsters have a new look and new names: discouragement, grief, temptation, sorrow, anxiety, disappointment, addiction, and worthlessness. Like an invasive species, they worm their way through the cracks of your armor and attack your soul. Before you know it, you’re trapped. If stuck too long, you risk slipping into the abyss where you’ll find yourself surrounded by darkness, on a treadmill of futility, constantly moving but going nowhere.

It’s a scary, uncomfortable, lonely place to reside. I’ve been a visitor there and most likely you have too. But the good news is, we don’t have to change our address to Monster Avenue. We have a choice, and we have our Savior (Jesus Christ) who can’t wait to rescue us. I know what you’re thinking. These are easy things to say when your season of monster-sized trials has passed. But difficult challenges are part of life on this planet, and no one is immune.

Our brains are hardwired to look for patterns and will always take the path of least resistance. Your fears, feelings of disappointment, or worthlessness take up residence and become impossible to evict. However, you have the option to take a different path. Like the fight-or-flight response when faced with a threat, you can choose to make a run for it, battle by yourself, or cry out to God for protection. The journey will not be easy, but He will see you through it.

From deep within your soul, call out to Jesus. Give Him your fears and ask Him to destroy this vicious villain. No matter how scary the monsters are, God is a faithful parent. His lantern of truth obliterates the darkness. He will never let anyone snatch you from His grip. Reach out and take hold of the righteous right hand of God the Father. He will see you through the night.

Let’s Pray: Dear Jesus, we come before you with grateful hearts. You have not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-control. Your righteous, right hand upholds us when we are weary. You are the anchor of our souls and we place our hope in you. Help us to focus on You as we face our monsters today. Thanks be to God! In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Fear is a Liar” by Zach Williams. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Colleen C. Howard is a Jesus follower, wife, mom, mimi, educator and author. 

She lives with her husband in the beautiful Arizona desert where the sunsets are spectacular, the summers are hot, and the winters are a little slice of heaven. Her two adult children and their families live nearby. She considers it a joy to spend time with her family members!

She is a lifelong educator and co-founder of an educational professional development business. After spending her professional life in education, Colleen retired as the STEM Specialist for a large public school district. As she approached the end of that season, God placed a strong desire in Colleen’s heart to shine a light on God’s presence throughout ordinary days and encourage women in their faith-walk with Jesus Christ.

When asked what makes her faith walk real, Colleen replied, “It isn’t just one thing, but a million little things. Although some days bring trials and others bring joy, it’s never just another day.” She says when you give your heart to Jesus, each new day is another opportunity to walk hand-in-hand with Him and begin to know the heart of God. As you become more aware of His presence, stop, take a breath, and watch what God will do.

Colleen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Arizona State University and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University.

She has been published online via these websites: Inkspirations, Her View From Home, and Inside Out Worldwide.

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Connect with Colleen:
Website: http://colleenchoward.com

Devotionals for the Heart: Learning how to praise God through it all

Learning How to Praise the Lord
A devotional by Hannah Benson

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” –1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)

Paul’s admonition in the verse above is easier said than done. Rejoice always? Pray without ceasing? Give thanks in all circumstances? Ha. Surely not!

The Bible doesn’t say that we should rejoice in only “pleasurable”, “some,” or even “most” circumstances. It says we are to rejoice in “all circumstances.”

That’s a pretty tough pill to swallow. Especially when life is traumatic, amid a cancer diagnosis, or when the future is unclear.

You might be thinking, “Well, that’s easy for you to say because you’re not going through what I’m going through right now.”

Maybe.

Maybe not.

A few months ago, my mom was diagnosed with the very beginning stages of ovarian cancer. It came out of nowhere. What followed was the most frightening time of our lives. We were terrified. Were we going to lose our mom? It was the most uncertain time of our lives, a time where we had to surrender everything to God.

Yet in the midst of it all, God drew us closer to His heart. A few months after the initial diagnosis and her second surgery, my mom was preparing to go hear her results. I remember sitting at the dinner table with my family a few days before her appointment. “We need to thank God in all circumstances,” I said, “and that includes cancer.”

During the most frightening time of our lives, God grew our faith and stretched our trust in Him in ways I’d never seen before. Despite the fear and pain of the last few months, how could we not see God? How could we not see His hand in everything?

Even my little brother grew in his faith walk with God in a way I’d never seen before. With tears in his eyes, I remember him telling Mom, “I believe you’re going to be a walking miracle.”

The day our mom went to the doctor to receive her results, he said that he wanted to make a cake with the name of the hospital on it. Had it ever been done before? He didn’t know, but he wanted to make a cake to celebrate even though, at the time, he had no way of knowing what her results would be. The rest of us agreed, saying, “Yes, let’s make a cake!” We said we would put the words, “Give thanks in all circumstances” on the cake as well, because no matter what Mom’s results were, we wanted to praise the LORD.

We had already made the decision to praise God regardless of the outcome. But when her results came back clear, and we received the joyous news that she was cancer-free, don’t you think praising God is exactly what we did?

Even though our story had a happy ending, I know it’s not the same for everybody. But living through one of the darkest, scariest times of my life, I can tell you that choosing to worship God no matter what, well, it’s worth it.

I believe that it is in the darkest times that hope shines the brightest. In a similar way, we notice a candle gleaming in a dark room, but would we even notice it if it were outside where the sun is shining?

Friend, pain will either draw us closer to God or push us further away. It depends on how we choose to respond. No matter what we’re going through today, let’s choose to praise the LORD!

Let’s Pray:
Dear Father God, thank you for giving me reason to rejoice even when all is dark! Please help me to praise you no matter what happens. You are good and kind and hold my future in Your hand. Thank you for hope! In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Praise the Lord” by Micah Tyler. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Hannah Benson is a Jesus-follower who’s passionate about sharing the love of Christ with others. 

From the time she could hold a pen, she was writing. But it wasn’t until she was sixteen that she began to seriously follow God’s calling to write a novel. Hannah is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and has at least four novels in the works. For the past five years, she has been involved with her local Biblical theater company. She wants to show others the love of Jesus through the creative arts.

When she’s not acting or working on her upcoming novel, you can find Hannah laughing with her siblings, cuddling her little fluffy dog, or reading books (usually historical fiction or fantasy stories). You can read more of Hannah’s writings on her blog or on her Instagram where she strives to write content that leaves others feeling encouraged.

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Connect with Hannah:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahlynnauthor/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Hannah-Lynn-Writer/100073790792576/
Blog: www.loveunconditional.blog

Devotionals for the Heart: God wants to carry you through tough times

He Will Carry Us
A devotional by Hannah Benson

“Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.”—Isaiah 46:4 (ESV)

Have you ever been afraid?

Maybe you’re afraid you won’t make a deadline at school or work, or maybe your fear runs deeper than that. Maybe you fear losing a loved one. Or maybe, you look at the state of our world and feel yourself start to tremble when you watch the news.

Or maybe it’s all the above.

We all have fears.

In stress, busyness, confusion, it can be difficult not to be afraid or worry. The enemy tempts us to be afraid, and then, he tries to keep us there.

Fear is crippling. If you have lived for any amount of time, then you know this. At some point, we have all wrestled with fear.

I believe that the enemy uses fear to try to hold us back from living our lives with full potential. Maybe we are afraid of the future, and we are terrified of stepping through a new door God has opened simply because we don’t know what’s on the other side.

Or maybe we are afraid of losing someone close to us.

I can’t claim to know the future. But I promise you this, that whatever you walk through in the days ahead, God will go with you. If God has opened a door, don’t be afraid to walk through it. He will go with you, and He won’t leave you alone.

Friend, do not be afraid. When everything around us looks dark and hopeless, there is still a glimmer of light. And you know what? I find that it is easier to truly see the light when everything else around us is dark. If there were no darkness, then I believe we would have no reason to long for the light.

This year has been a particularly hard one for my family, and just when we thought things couldn’t get any worse, we received medical news that no one ever wants to hear.

It’s been hard, and we are afraid. I’m not going to deny that. But despite everything, God is with us. I feel it. He is wrapping His arms around us and holding us. He has reminded us of His promises and whispered softly that He will carry us. We’re going to come out on the other side, whatever that means. And in the meantime, He won’t leave us to walk alone.

Yet God has promised that He will never leave or forsake us. He has made us, He will bear our burdens with us, He will carry us, and save us.

Isn’t this such a beautiful picture?

What are you fearing today? I promise, friend, that God will not leave you to walk alone. During the times of our lives when we walk through something frightening, God will go with us. If we will let Him, He wants to carry us.

Let’s Pray:
Dear Father God,
Please forgive me for not trusting You when I am afraid. I know that I never walk alone and that You are with me no matter what. Please help me to live a life in peace and not in fear. I don’t want to live in fear anymore. Thank you for carrying me! In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “I Will Carry You” by Ellie Holcomb. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Hannah Benson is a Jesus-follower who’s passionate about sharing the love of Christ with others. 

From the time she could hold a pen, she was writing. But it wasn’t until she was sixteen that she began to seriously follow God’s calling to write a novel. Hannah is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and has at least four novels in the works. For the past five years, she has been involved with her local Biblical theater company. She wants to show others the love of Jesus through the creative arts.

When she’s not acting or working on her upcoming novel, you can find Hannah laughing with her siblings, cuddling her little fluffy dog, or reading books (usually historical fiction or fantasy stories). You can read more of Hannah’s writings on her blog or on her Instagram where she strives to write content that leaves others feeling encouraged.

~*~
Connect with Hannah:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahlynnauthor/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Hannah-Lynn-Writer/100073790792576/
Blog: www.loveunconditional.blog

Devotionals for the Heart: God's Love for you is perfect and casts out all fear

Perfect Love
A devotional by Kerry Sue Teravskis

“Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”–1 John 4:18 (NLT)

Fear and anxiety have become quite commonplace in our society these days. Why is that? Maybe it is because most people are more prone to talk about their fears and anxieties because they are more acceptable in this modern era?

The bigger question then is, “How come fear is acceptable?" "Why is my ‘lot in life’, excusable and even expected in this day and age?” And more importantly, “Why is this is happening in the church?”

The answer is not easy, nor is there a quick fix. Life is hard, things happen, the struggle is real. Just looking around in our communities will give us a glimpse into the hurts people face. And it is not getting easier.

While I was listening to a podcast recently, the verse above was quoted and the word "all" struck me. All fear is expelled by perfect love. I circled the word “all” in my Bible because all means all. Not halfway, nor just some, but all.

Perfect love expels all fear. Perfect love is defined for us in 1 John 4:10 (NLT), which says, “This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.”

God defines love and demonstrates this love to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. Reading the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the Bible) will give you a good glimpse into love working in real life. Jesus cannot and will not change His love for you. His love is perfect because He is perfect. Jesus does not need to change, or grow and mature. He is perfection defined. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). We can depend on His perfect love.

All fear is gone. If all fear is gone, then why do we hold on to it? Why are we allowing ourselves to be pulled back into a struggle that has already been chased away and expelled? Why do we nurse our hurts, anxieties or fears? Real fears do exist as well as anxieties, and there may be times when professional help is needed. Please seek help from a mental health professional if you need it. But, before you do, look to Jesus. Ponder His definition of love and what He does for us. Jesus sets us free. He stamps His love on our fears, our anxious thoughts and all of our lives. It’s when we hold on to them we run into trouble.

Cast all of your cares and fears on Jesus. When you do this, you will shine the Light of Jesus into the darkness that surrounds you so that the darkness ceases to exist. Why? Because God’s perfect love moved in and expelled darkness, shame, fear, doubt, anxiety.

It takes true grit to walk in love, light and follow Jesus. We need to take one step at a time. It takes belief and trust that what God says He will do, He will do. The victory has been won, so let’s walk in victory.

Let’s Pray: Father God, thank You for Your perfect love. I accept it. Help me to live my life knowing it is here to cast out all fear and anxiety. Show me areas where I have allowed myself to fear and to be anxious. I repent. Please forgive me. Please pour out Your love on these areas of my life. I trust You to help me take one step at a time in casting out all fear. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “I Will Fear No More” by The Afters. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

As a wife and Marmee to three adult children and one brand new daughter-in-love, Kerry Sue’s life is very full. She met her husband in college and served in the mission field with him for a few years before settling down back in the United States of America to raise their family. 

Kerry Sue’s family was a homeschooling family for 20 years and they enjoyed it immensely. For the last 23 years they have lived on a small farm in Northern California where they have raised many farm animals, along with growing and preserving their food. Kerry Sue’s family farm has been a great source of enjoyment and a place to host many family gatherings. She maintains an open-door policy for dear friends—old and new.

Following and serving Jesus Christ is an integral part of Kerry Sue’s life as well as her family’s.

Whether it’s singing in our church choir, teaching children or leading and lecturing at a women’s Bible study, Kerry Sue loves to demonstrate her love for Jesus by giving to Him in service. She’s been a blogger for more than eight years, a Bible study writer for two years, and a devotional writer for about one year.

Kerry Sue writes about finding God’s Sovereignty in our pain and suffering.

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Connect with Kerry:
Blog: https://www.sovereignblog.com/home
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kerry.teravskis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ksteravskis/

Devotionals for the Heart: A remedy from God for worry, anxiety and fear

God’s Prescription for Fear
A devotional by Sarah Cole

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”–Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

In the classic folktale Chicken Little, the cowardly hen suffers a concussion after an acorn falls on her head. Convinced the sky is falling, she rushes from the woods to warn the king and creates mass hysteria among her feathered friends.

Chicken Little’s fear may be extreme, but aren't humans just as prone to expect the worst before gathering all the facts? When faced with crisis or uncertainty, we often turn to worst-case scenarios instead of God.

Fear is a liar. It is “False Evidence Appearing Real”.

At its core is a lack of control over a real or perceived threat. Like a spark to a forest fire, one anxious thought builds momentum, and before we know it, we're in a full-blown panic attack. But the good news is that when we surrender our concerns to God and meditate on His promises, fear doesn't stand a chance (Philippians 4:8).

In his letter to the Philippian church, the Apostle Paul provides a prescription for fear: the power of prayer. He tells them that by surrendering their concerns to God and thanking Him for what He's done and is about to do, they would experience peace. Thousands of years later, the same holds true for us.

Friend, God didn't design you to live in a perpetual state of anxiety. That's why He tells us 365 times in His Word not to fear. So, instead of letting stress keep you up at night or dilemmas eat away at your peace, take a dose of God's Word, and your heart will be calm (John 14:27).

The next time fear rears its ugly head, consider taking one or more of the following prescriptions and see how you feel. 

Turn your worries into prayers. When you transfer ownership of your cares to God, you can be confident He will take care of you (1 Peter 5:7). Keeping a written record of your prayers and God's answers builds your faith.

Capture your thoughts. Instead of letting your thoughts run wild, go on a fact-finding mission and measure them against God's word (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Practice gratitude. Even when things look grim, be grateful for God's faithfulness, sovereignty, and promise to care for you (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Learn the art of optimism. Someone once told me, “Things have a way of working out.” Expect a hopeful future, and your anxiety will dim (Romans 15:13).

Recall God’s faithfulness. Make a list of the times God answered your prayers, provided unexpectedly and healed and delivered you (Lamentations 3:22-24). Reminding yourself of God's goodness helps you expect the best.

Friend, fear doesn't have to run the show. When you know Jesus Christ, no matter what happens on this side of Heaven, you have eternity to look forward to (John 14:2-4). And that hope is the best prescription of all.

Let’s Pray:
Heavenly Father, when my heart grows weary and my circumstances overwhelm me, I need not fear because You promise to take care of me. Thank you for delivering me from the fears that hold me captive. I trust in Your unfailing love now and forever. In Jesus's Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: "Fear Not" by Aaron Shust. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Sarah Cole’s interest in writing began in grade school when her poem was published in the local paper. As she got older, her mother’s chronic illness inspired her to design a line of greeting cards. Since then, she has written for her college newspaper and two community newspapers where she wrote restaurant reviews and articles for their “Best of” spread.

Her experience as an administrator in the marketing field gave her the opportunity to write ads for a local business journal.

After a 20-year detour and a three-year season of adversity, God reignited her passion to write. Two divine appointments later, the short story she wrote about her father appeared in the St. Paul Almanac, and a short story about Gigi (her Cocker Spaniel) was published in Guideposts (magazine) Mysterious Ways. She believes her adversity was worth the lessons God taught her.

Since 2022, Sarah’s devotionals have been published in The Secret Place by Judson Press, as well as David C. Cook’s Devotions and The Quiet Hour. To this day, she smiles, pinches herself and gives God all the glory.

When she’s not writing, Sarah enjoys watching cooking shows, designing cards and mugs, and taking day trips.

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Connect with Sarah:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smittyc65
Twitter: https://twitter.com/@SarahCo45835279
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.cole.52

Devotionals for the Heart: Reasons why you don't need to live in fear

God is Good All the Time
A devotional by Jessica B. Turner

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” –James 1:17 (NIV)

Have you ever been given a gift to then live in fear that it’s going to be taken away?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been that person that struggles to enjoy the good things in life because I’m too focused on when things are going to go wrong. So much so that this is a recurring topic discussed with my Christian counselor.

My counselor would always advise that I focus on the present, constantly practicing gratitude. She would also recommend that I hold on to Who God is.

While expressing gratitude came easy because it was something I had come to practice over the years, I never truly felt like I had a good grasp on the character traits of God. 

Yes, I could easily list a handful of these divine traits. But when it came to being able to trace them back to scripture, I struggled...until I read James 1:17 (NIV) with fresh eyes: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

This scripture so beautifully illustrates the characteristics of the Father: Loving. Faithful. Powerful. Sovereign. Immutable.

Prior to this verse, the author is explaining that God does not and cannot be tempted, nor tempt us. Temptation sprouts from our own evil desires. After this point is made clear, the author brings our attention to who God is: a gift giver.

We also see this in Matthew 7:11 (NLT): “So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”

While reading this scripture the other day, the first thing it evoked was gratitude. Gratitude for the many blessings that are poured out upon me on a daily basis. Since the recent birth of our son, Daniel, he naturally stands out as the most recent “gift” from above.

However, it’s the second part of this scripture that I need to hang onto. With the current unknowns in Daniel’s health, I find myself doubting if God is a good gift giver. What if we are merely waiting for Him to take His gift back? 

It’s a legitimate fear but this scripture reminds us that God does not change. It is not in His nature to give a gift to His child to then turn around and take it back. He loves us and doesn’t want to harm us. We must choose to hold onto that truth in the face of uncertainty.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, please open my eyes to the many gifts You give to me each and every day. Help me to not take them for granted. Show me the power of gratitude especially when I recognize that You are the source of all my blessings. Reveal to me Your faithfulness. Help me to hold onto it when my faith is shaken. Establish in me a firm foundation of who You are so I can find peace amid any and all circumstances. I love You and I trust You. In Jesus’s Name, I pray. Amen. 

Song of Reflection: “I’ll Trust You” by Donnie McClurkin. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

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 from 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.

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Connect with Jessica:
Website: www.jessicabturner.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessicabturner/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicabturner/

Devotionals for the Heart: Why we should not fear anyone or anything!

Whom Shall We Fear?
A devotional by Christa MacDonald

“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” – Psalm 27:1 (NIV)

We all go through difficult seasons in our lives, but some of us go through tremendous difficulties where comparisons to Job aren’t all that out of line.

I’m thinking of a family I know who lost their brother and just a few months later discovered that their mother had inoperable cancer. They had to endure her quick decline and passing while still in the early stages of profound grief. I think, as well, of the many families who have suffered multiple losses due to the pandemic. There’s a lot of grief in our world right now.

Along with collective grief I think a lot of us are struggling with fears we never experienced before. As a people, we Americans tend to be optimistic. We have a ‘can-do’ spirit for the most part. We believe in forward progress, making sure our kids have a better chance at a good life than we did. But the last few years have taken a toll on our optimism. Living through cultural and political upheaval is rough enough, but add in a pandemic and the safe assumptions we could make about our world seem to be gone.

Making it worse is a media that seems determined to keep us afraid. I get a newsletter from what used to be a pretty staid outlet. But the titles in the email subject line lately are giving me agita. They’re all some version of ‘things are bad and you should be worried.’ I firmly believe in being well-read, informed and educated, but I don’t need a daily email telling me to worry. Throughout the Bible God tells us not to worry, to not be afraid.

Right now it’s hard to resist fear and anxiety. There’s a lot to be worried about, but as the passage above states, who do we need to fear? Certainly not our neighbors, though they have different views and cultural ideas than we do. Every human being on Earth is an image-bearer of God (Genesis 1:27) and we are called to love all humankind. 

Should we fear governments (our own or others)? No. We must remember God is our fortress and He will not be shaken. What about disease or economic disasters? Not those either. It’s totally normal to feel the dread or stress from living in difficult times, but what’s important is how we chose to act when those feelings come.

We need to live out our faith, trusting in God, emulating Jesus. For starters, that means finding and joining a church whether that’s in a house, in a mall, or an old stone building with stained glass. Having community with other Christians in real life can keep us grounded, supported, and accountable. We need each other in times like these. While online communities can be helpful, the goal is to have local support and teaching.

Remember the verse above the next time you see an article, a Facebook post, or a video telling you to be afraid. We worship and awesome God and He has us in His hands.

Let’s Pray:

Dear God,

Please be with us.

Help us to maintain and grow our churches to support each other and reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We love You, Lord.

Help us to be ready for Your soon return.

In Jesus’s Name I pray,

Amen.

~*~
*Note from Alexis: Christa’s devotional today reminds men Keith & Kristyn Getty’s song, “The Lord Is My Salvation”. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Christa MacDonald is a 2017 Carol Award finalist for contemporary Christian fiction.

She began her writing career at the age of eleven, filling a sketchbook with poems and short stories. After publishing a few short pieces in her college’s literary magazine she took a long hiatus during which she embarked on a few different careers, got married, had three kids, and renovated an old barn masquerading as a house.

Her most recent work, The Redemption Road, finished the Sweet River Redemption series published by Mountain Brook Ink.

When not working or writing Christa can be found ferrying her kids around, reading, or attempting something crafty. She and her family live along the coast of New England.

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Connect with Christa:
Website: www.christamacdonald.com
Newsletter: https://christamacdonald.com/connect-with-christa/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1538432676468229/
Amazon: https://amzn.to/33uk329
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CricketMacD
Christa's book publisher: http://mountainbrookink.com/about-us/authors/christa-macdonald/

Devotionals for the Heart: Rainbows

Chasing Rainbows
A devotional by Shirley A. Denson

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” 

– 2 Corinthians 1:20 (NIV)

Have you ever found it hard to trust God?

You know He’s sovereign, He sees all, and He knows all, but in certain areas you find it really difficult to trust Him wholeheartedly. You’re not alone!

We’ve all felt the same way at some point in life. Thankfully, God doesn’t hold it against us. Our inability to trust doesn’t take away from His ability to be trusted. He knows that at some point we’ve been dropped, disappointed, mishandled, or misled by people. As a result, our ability to trust may be fractured. This still doesn’t take away from His trustworthiness, or His reliability.

Numbers 23:19 (KJV) reminds us, “God is not a man, that He should lie, neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?”

No matter how many people may have lied to you, God won’t. It’s not in His nature. He can be trusted. If He couldn’t be trusted, the story of Noah (detailed in Genesis 6:11–9:19) would have never been written. It’s because of Noah’s testimony of God’s trustworthiness that we should be able to trust Him more. Noah trusted God so much that he built something that had never been built before (an ark), to experience something that he’d never experienced before (a flood).

I’m sure Noah may have had some trepidation during the building process, but most definitely when the earth started to flood. However, he had to trust that what God told him to build was able to weather the storm set before him. Because of that trust, he and his family were saved—along with the animals. After Noah endured the storm, God made him yet another promise. He promised that He’d never destroy the earth again by flood. As a symbol of that promise, He placed a rainbow in the sky. From the days of Noah until now, whenever a rainbow is seen in the sky, it serves as a reminder of the Promise Keeper.

Trust is a major component in our walk with Christ. If the enemy can shake your trust pillar, he’ll make you question everything God ever said about you. When you’re secure in who God called you to be, and what He said you can have, you’re not easily shaken. Sometimes, you may have to endure patiently before obtaining the promise, but don’t ever stop pursuing.

There are 66 books in the Bible to help remind you of every promise God made concerning you. They’re just awaiting your pursuit. If there’s a need, a lack, a deficit—whatever you may be facing—search the scriptures, see what God says about it, and chase the rainbow.

Don’t relent until you’ve laid hold to everything God’s promised you. Healing is yours…because He said it! Provision is yours…because He said it! Prosperity is yours…because He said it! Victory is yours…because He said it! 

Stop believing the lies of the enemy and start chasing the rainbows (promises) of God! 

Combat every lie with a promise from God.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, I thank You for being trustworthy—even when my trust waivers. I’m so glad that I can depend on You. Thank You for your many promises towards me, and for the prompting to latch onto them even the more, through Your Word. Thank You for always keeping your promises. Help me to walk in all that you’ve ordained for my life. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen!

~*~
Author Bio:

Shirley A. Denson is a native of Statesboro, GA.  

She found out at a young age that she had a creative mind and a way with words. Later on in life, she learned to cultivate her passion for writing as a budding author.

Shirley is very passionate about writing. Each book that she releases will be a product of God stirring and cultivating the gift He’s entrusted her with. She has won numerous writing awards/certificates, and is a published poet and blogger.

For the past six years, Shirley has worked as a professional ghostwriter, editor, and author. It is her joy and goal that through print, she might impact lives and leave the imprint of the King.

Visit her website to stay in the loop about her new book releases, current projects, and to read her blog posts.

~*~
Connect with Shirley:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SayWhatEnterprises
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saywhatenterprises/

Devotionals from the Heart: How to have freedom from fear

Freedom from Fear
A devotional by Alexis Newlin

“For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear but you have reviewed the spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry, Abba! Father!”
–Romans 8:15 (ESV)

Let me tell you about something I seriously hate: FEAR. It is by far the worst thing that is out there in this world. It’s running thick in this season in many people around us. It is the very enemy of our souls. Once it attaches itself to you, its bondage can be very difficult to break.

This is my story:

I spent the majority of my life bound up in fear. My mom was a believer but a worrier, and she often expressed her worries to us. She had many worries, mostly financial. There were many times we were facing homelessness, not having enough food, having the lights turned off. It was a high stress environment. Because of our family’s lack in my childhood, I vowed to never struggle financially as my mother did. I would never require help from others and I would do everything myself. I set out to be financially independent.

Everything I did in my life was based upon this fear: that I would not be able to take care of myself and have no one to depend on. There’s a lot of pride in this belief that it is up to me to provide for myself. I was a believer, but my actions stated that I did not believe or trust that God would take care of me.

With my way, I thought I was being safe. I thought I was free.

In reality, I was deceived. I had become a slave to my fear.

And sadly, like fear does, it flows into other things: fear of love, fear of losing loved ones, fear of losing control, fear of sickness, fears about what others think, etc. In my mind, if I didn’t have any of the above fears happen, I’d be okay. Life would be good.

Then my biggest fear happened: I lost my mother.

I ran to God, but I also started building a wall. I closed myself inside it. I vowed to not let anyone in for the fear of the pain of losing someone again.

The beautiful thing about God is, that once we are His children, He’ll only let you live in bondage for so long before He comes in and starts shaking things.

That’s exactly what He did to me. He brought a friend to kick a hole in my wall. Then another. And another. I started to venture out, to see what life could be like outside the walls of my self-protection. When scary things happened I would run back inside. Eventually, I would stay outside my walls longer and longer. I’d let more people in, start new friendships, try new things, find new adventures.

My walls were still there until one day, after I had another world rocking moment, God knocked my walls down. I felt exposed, vulnerable. God said, “It’s time to learn how to live free.”

My life has never been the same.

It hasn’t been easy. I still deal with fear daily. I just choose not to live by it. It no longer rules over my life. In fact, I do many things that I fear. But, I am doing them with God. He’s always there. He always will be. He loves me and as soon as I cry out to Him, He’s right there.

Once that truth is realized, there is so much freedom. We are not meant to live in fear. It is bondage. It’s a spirit of slavery and we are NOT slaves. We’re meant to be free, just like God says in the following verses from His Word (The Holy Bible):

“For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear but you have reviewed the spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry, Abba! Father!”
–Romans 8:15 (ESV)

“for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

– 2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV)

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” – Galatians 5:1 (ESV)

In this current season where fear is running rampant and we’re questioning our mortality, remember this: God is bigger. He is bigger than our fears. Bigger than any virus. Bigger than our “what ifs.”

Run to Him. Trust that He cares for you. Choose to live in that freedom.

~*~
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: Jesus Christ can calm any storm in your life

When Jesus Is In Your Boat
A devotional by Julia Wilson

“They all got into a boat and began to cross over to the other side of the lake. And Jesus, exhausted, fell asleep” –Matthew 8:23 (TPT)

Since transport in Biblical times was on foot or by boat, I imagine the disciples because they were fishermen, were used to being in a boat. They would also have been used to being in rough seas. So I can only wonder what was different about this storm described in Matthew 8:24 as “a violent storm.”

There are times in life when we drift along being perfectly content. We are used to little blips and then it is calm again. But now COVID-19 has hit the whole world. It is a situation none of us have experienced before and it is frightening. Like the disciples we feel blown off course. Daily lives have changed. We cannot see our friends and family as we are in lockdown. Symptoms range from none to death. It is a scary time, but when Jesus is in your boat, you do not need to fear. In Matthew 8:26, Jesus said, “Why are you gripped with fear? Where is your faith?”

Nothing surprises Jesus. Nothing scares Him and that is why He sleeps as the storm rages. COVID-19 does not scare Jesus, and if we know Jesus, it should not scare us. Yes, we must obey the government’s rules to “Stay home. Protect the NHS. Save lives.” But we who believe in God and know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, have unwavering hope. We know that when fear comes knocking, we can run to Jesus because by faith, we know that He will calm us, just as He calmed the storm.

There is an old saying, “Do not tell God how big your fear is. Tell your fear how big God is.” When we have wobbles, and we all do, we must “fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2 NIV). When we look to Jesus, He will calm the storm inside us, whether it is COVID-19 or anything else. We need to activate our faith muscle.

When Jesus is in your boat, you can rest assured He will never leave you (Deuteronomy 31:6). Whatever you face in life, Jesus will be with you.

What happens when a storm hits and Jesus is not in your boat? Cry out to Him and He will be with you. He never ever left you but sometimes in life, our fear blinds us to His presence. We fail to see, hear or feel Jesus but that does not mean He has left us, it merely means we took our focus off Him.

When I was little, the biggest, boldest, bravest person in my life was my Dad (I realize this may not be the case for everyone). My Dad protected me because he loved me. When I was afraid I could run to him. When I was hurting I could run to him. When I wanted to feel loved I could run to him. My Dad was always in my boat.

Jesus asks us to see Him in the same way. He wants to be in our boat of life. He wants to help us to feel safe, to heal us when we hurt and He wants to love us. 

Jesus is asking you today: Will you let me into your boat? Will you put your faith in Me so I can be with you through all the storms of life? Will you let Me love you?

COVID-19 is unknown and feels very scary. Jesus can help us overcome our fears when we rest in Him. In these uncertain times, why not put your faith in Jesus. If you don’t know Him, then you can, today, right where you are, just reach out to Him.

Let Jesus be in your boat today and let Him calm any storms that rage inside you.

If you have never said yes to Jesus, may I lead you in a prayer today?

Let’s Pray: Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and I invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Saviour. In Your Name I pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

My name is Julia Wilson but I also go by Christian Bookaholic.

I live with my husband and five cats in a small town in Worcestershire on the banks of the River Severn (England). We have four grown up children and three granddaughters.

I have always loved reading and have always been surrounded by books. I used to work as a teaching assistant for special needs in the local high school. Ill health forced me to stop working in December 2015. I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (known as M.E.) and fibromyalgia. I now have plenty of time to read and review books!

Our eldest son set up my Christian Bookaholic blog. I review every book I read. I read over 300 books a year. I read Christian and mass market. I prefer stories set from 1850 onwards. My favourite type of books to read is stories set in WWI and WWII, and Russia under Czar Nicholas II.

I am a historian, having a Combined Humanities degree where I majored in History and minored in English. I also love swimming. I only learned how to swim in 2017 and go swimming four mornings a week for 90 minutes before breakfast, it keeps my joints going.

I am also a crazy cat lady. I absolutely love my cats. I have grown up with cats and cannot imagine life without them. My dream is to own an old fashioned seal point Siamese … but not while we have our young rescue cat as she hates other cats!

I love God and love going to a large lively church called Lifecentral. I cannot imagine life without God. He gives a peace even when life does not. He guides my life. He is my Rock.

Devotionals for the Heart: Safety

God is our safe place
A devotional by Alexis Newlin

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous run to it and is safe.” 

– Proverbs 18:10 (ESV)

Do you have a need to feel safe in your life? Is that need preventing you from taking steps of faith in your Christian walk with God? Here’s how I handled one aspect of this need to feel safety in my life.

I struggle very much with the fear of being hurt by another person, whether it be a friend, spouse, sibling, stranger…I do not want to get hurt. Because of this fear, I often try to put myself in situations where I won’t experience hurt and I won’t try to connect with a person unless I can feel completely safe with them.

I told one of my friends this while out to lunch one day and she told me these wise words:

“That’s a lot to put on a person – feeling safe with them. It’s an impossible request to meet. Only God is your safety. No one on this earth can fulfill that. You may need to repent to God for this, for seeking safety in someone other than Him.”

Bam! My eyes were opened. SAFE. That’s it! Not feeling safe was the root of my fear. If I didn’t feel safe, there were a lot of things that I would refuse to do outside of this situation.

I had to feel safe and secure before taking action in many areas of my life. So after realizing this, I took this new information to God. We went on a journey to find out where my holding on to safety higher than anything else came from. This is what we found:

As a child, my environment was unpredictable. It was not always safe. As I grew older, I vowed to always have a safe place and have those around me that I considered safe. It became an idol. What I called being cautious was actually me being fearful. Yikes.

God then had me look up the definition for safe from Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Here is what I found to define the word safe: free from harm or risk : UNHURT 2a: secure from threat of danger, harm, or loss 3: affording safety or security from danger, risk, or difficulty 5a: not threatening danger : HARMLESS 6a: not likely to take risks : CAUTIOUS b: TRUSTWORTHY, RELIABLE.

I look at this definition and to me, being safe on this earth almost seems impossible. We encounter things and people that could harm us every single day. There is no way that we can go one day without encountering some sort of physical, emotional or mental harm.

I was honest with God, telling Him: “I am trying to grasp the concept that you God, are my safe place. That you will protect me and keep me from harm. Many painful things happen every single day. How are you keeping me safe if I get hurt?”

It is so beautiful when God answers.

This is what He said to me and it redefined my definition of safe:

I use your pain to grow you. The injuries you encounter help you grow stronger and stronger each and every day. How do you grow without trial?

A flower must work in order to bloom. It must break its way out of the seed, and then plow through the soil to get to the water and sunlight it needs just to bloom. When it blooms, behold, there is all manner of things that can and will destroy the flower – too much rain, not enough water, too hot, too cold – yet it still blooms.

You are to bloom no matter what you encounter. When trials come, when you feel afraid or face danger, when you feel unsafe then I, God, will be there. I will be a safe place. I will stand beside you; hold you up so you do not fall.

Despite what comes, I am your safe place.

This sent me on a quest to study everything the Lord says about His safety and protection. I found so much. I keep finding verses that show how He has protected us and continues to protect us. Words like, refuge, stronghold, strong tower, shield, shelter, secure and fortress describe our Father and the beautiful things that He does for us if we run to Him. Some of my favorite verses from this study are:

Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous run to it and is safe.”

Proverbs 30:5 says, “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”

Psalm 28:7 says, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song, I will praise him.”

This has been such a beautiful journey to take with the Lord and a journey that I am still walking. It was hard to admit that at times I do not feel safe with the Lord. But, had I not admitted it, I would still have this barrier between God and me. God will do anything to let us know how much He loves us and cares for us.

Although there are times I don’t feel it, it gives me comfort to know that His protection and love for us is splashed all over the pages of His word. God is, and will always be, my safe place.

~*~
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: Hope for your heart in troubled times

Hope in Desperate Times
A devotional by Christa MacDonald

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” – Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)

How are you holding up these days?

As I write this, the world is in the midst of a pandemic. My husband has been furloughed from his job, and at mine, my staff has had their hours cut and the administration has let me know that I will likely be next.

Our family is facing the fear of illness and death as well as a financial disaster, just like so many others. Those are the plain facts. But it’s also spring, my favorite time of the year. I’m a gardener, so these weeks ahead of summer are all about preparing and working for the future. It’s hard not to be cynical and fearful of the days ahead right now. It has been a struggle to keep ahold of the joy this season usually brings.

Planting a garden is an act of hope. Every year I am amazed at what comes from the tiny seeds that I stick in the dirt, hoping for the best. I have trays of seedlings sitting next to me now, stacked on shelves in a window, straining towards the sun. That sight usually fills me with an expectant joy. But this week I had read too much of the news and started to feel hopeless, that the virus would eventually reach us no matter how hard we’re trying to keep it at bay and that I’d die before I could see them transplanted in the ground. I let fear take over completely and drag me down with it.

Normally, I’m a practical person, and when it comes to things that scare me I like as much information as possible so I can make the best decisions. Like so many others, I want to know what the worst is so I can prepare. Typically, I find some comfort in that. Not this time. It might be because I was already dealing with a number of crises in my extended family and stress has been my constant companion since November. Perhaps I burned through whatever reserves of calm and rationale I had. Hope is already an audacious thing in this broken world, and it seems impossible in times like these.

After days of struggling with flashes of panic and hopelessness, I realized where I went wrong in all of this. There’s no plan I can make, no human power I can access, no steps I can take to save myself or my family. I am not in control. But, if my control is an illusion, and if my strength is gone, that’s okay.

God is in control, God gives us the strength it takes to live, one day at a time, moment by moment. For those who place their faith in Jesus Christ, hope abounds. The real stuff, too, not wishes or dreams. Hope of Heaven, secure in the knowledge that this time of suffering is God’s will and whatever happens and however it ends it will be for the good of those that love Him.

We persevere, bringing the Gospel to the world around us, serving others as we are able in the time and place that He has given us. Not despairing, not tiring, but pressing on in hope.

~*~
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: Arguments

Foolish Arguments
A devotional by Christa MacDonald

“Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” – 2 Timothy 2:23-26 (NIV)

2020 is shaping up to be another challenging year for my family personally and, it would appear, the world at large. In the U.S. we now have the COVID-19 virus on top of all the silliness and animosity of an election year. As a nation we’re more divided than ever, and those firmly in the right or left camps daily lob accusations and remonstrations at each other as well as those in the middle who refuse to join in. It’s a mess made far worse by social media.

Remove the interpersonal part of communication but keep the speed and ease (unlike mailed letters or even phone calls) and you get the unique set of circumstances that has created our current online interaction. While it truly is great that we can all connect, there are some serious downsides. Every day I see a Facebook post that makes me want to fire off a comment about how ignorant/hateful/wrong it is. It’s hard to scroll by, but I try my best to do just that. If that person is part of my non-virtual life I try to remember its important elements for when I can address them face-to-face and in love. Otherwise I honestly try to weigh it before I wade in.

This verse, among others, always come to mind. Paul is being blunt (and I love it). The message is straightforward; don’t get sucked into a stupid argument because eternity is at stake.

The Internet is full of foolishness and, boy, does it produce quarrels. If it seems as though a lot of posts in social media are tailor-designed to outrage you. SPOILER ALERT: They are! The Internet world runs on what is called engagement: likes, comments, clicks, etc. Content-producing web sites live and die by engagement. If you’re not clicking on their posts they aren’t selling ads or influence or whatever else they’re using to remain in business. The more outrageous a post the more engagement it gets.

The Internet rewards all of our bad behavior with access to content designed to confirm our worst opinions of those we disagree with and to share that confirmation widely with our like-minded friends. It’s no joke that some would say about Facebook that the website isn’t the product, the subscribers are.

While Paul probably couldn’t have conceived of a world in which people interact online, he knew plenty about human beings and how we act when we’re not putting Christ first, others next, and ourselves last. This passage is reminding us of what the standard is for how we act with each other so that the Gospel message that we are supposed to be bringing to the world is not lost. We are to be kind to everyone, and to be gentle with our opponents so that by the Grace of God, they will be led to the truth about Christ and their sin, repentance, and salvation.

We simply can’t allow the squabbles the world spends its time on to distract us from how God has called us to be. The next time you find yourself knee-deep in an argument going nowhere, take a breath, step out of that quagmire, and ask yourself how you got there to begin with. While you’re at it, make a decision to let go of any resentment, access the kindness element of the Fruit of the Spirit of which the Bible says in Galatians 5:22-23 that "against such things there is no law." You literally cannot be too kind! Remember that you’re here to help souls escape the devil and to find redemption in Jesus Christ.

Don’t let anything that the Bible defines as ‘foolish’ and ‘stupid’ be the thing that keeps you from fulfilling the Great Commission.

~*~
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.

A devotional about hope in the midst of our troubled times

Hope for Our Troubled World
A devotional by Alexis A. Goring

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” –Psalm 42:5 (NIV)

In the early morning hours of Sunday, March 15, CNN reported around 1:07 a.m. (EST) that there are 142,000 Coronavirus cases globally. People are getting sick from the virus and dying. The numbers of cases and deaths seem to increase on a daily basis. Fear is sweeping over the people of this world.

On their company website, CNN reported the following in a box titled “What You Need to Know” about emergency measures globally: "The US has declared a national emergency. France is closing all restaurants, cafes, cinemas, and clubs. People in Spain are restricted from leaving their homes. And the Philippines capital is about to go under partial lockdown."

Clearly, our world is in trouble and people have real reasons to be fearful. But the Bible says that this is just the beginning! However, God doesn’t want us to be fearful. The Bible says in Matthew 24:6 (NKJV), “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.”

Now here’s the Good News: God has promised to be with us until the end of the world (Matthew 28:20) and He means that literally!

Let’s take a moment to see what that means … The Creator of the Universe who made this Earth and your heart tells us to NOT let our hearts be troubled! In John 14:1 (KJV), Jesus Christ (God’s Son) says, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”

Let’s read the full context of that Scripture in John 14:1-6 (NIV). This is where Jesus comforts his disciples. He said: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Jesus is The Way to our home in Heaven. He is our hope in troubled times. He is our Savior. Our Healer. Our Redeemer, and He wants to be your Best Friend. Let that sink in, the Savior of the world wants to be your very Best Friend! Jesus is the friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). Jesus is the only friend capable of not only calming your fears, but saving your soul (John 3:16-17).

With Jesus in the picture, you always have hope! And the good news is that Jesus is always in the picture! Unfortunately, we as humans (even those of us who believe in God and are sold out for Jesus Christ) can sometimes forget these beautiful, Bible based truths and comforting promises of God as we become overwhelmed by the troubles of this world.

Early in the morning of Sunday, March 15, my soul was troubled. I was wide awake with worry after watching the news and emotional eating just after midnight. But, then God struck me with a Bible verse then He followed up with a song. Let’s read the verse first. The psalmist says in Psalm 42:5 (NIV), “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”

Put your hope in God. I could almost feel God whisper those words to me.

Then the song “Find Rest” by Francesca Battistelli entered my mind and I went to YouTube and played it immediately. As the song lyrics washed over me, it helped me to renew my mind (Romans 12:2) and focus on what really matters (my relationship with Jesus Christ because only He can save me)!

Let’s examine my paraphrase of the song: The opening lyrics point to Biblical truth in saying that God never sleeps nor slumbers (Psalm 121:3-4). He’s never off the clock. Nothing that happens to us on Earth from the shedding of our tears to our expressions of what we fear, is a surprise to Him. God never runs out of resources to rush to our aid. All He wants us to do is to trust Him. He wants our weary souls to find rest in Him. He wants us to put our hope in Him. God is strong. God is faithful. God’s love for you and me is real.

As we say in church, God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good! Unlike mankind, God cannot lie. Everything that He says in His Word (The Holy Bible) is true! The Bible says in Numbers 23:19 (ESV), “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”

Now the age old saying when we are living in troubled times and experience tragedy or trauma is, “How could a good God allow this?”

There are many answers that we may not receive until we arrive in Heaven, the Bible says in Deuteronomy 29:29, and even then we may not know everything. But we can be okay with not knowing everything because what we do know is that God is good, God loves us unconditionally and He has our best interest at heart. We can trust Him to take care of us. Even when you don’t feel like God is there for you, He is. Don’t be fooled into thinking that He’s abandoned you. The Bible says that He will NEVER abandon you (Hebrews 13:5).

If you are living and breathing on this planet Earth then that is proof therein itself that God loves you and is there for you! Pastor Bianca Olthoff says, “If you are NOT dead, then God is NOT done!” Every day is another chance to accept Jesus Christ into your heart, believe in Him, love Him, obey Him, trust Him and follow Him all the way to Heaven!

Yes, we are living in troubled times. No, we don’t know what tomorrow holds but as the saying goes, “I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but I know Who holds tomorrow.” God holds tomorrow! Can I get a “Hallelujah, Amen?”

You are in my heart and prayers. May God continue to watch over, bless and protect you. I pray that you will trust Him to deliver you and know that He will always be there for you. God will show up right on time in your situation. If you believe in the Bible and what it says then you have hope knowing that in the end, God wins! And if you stay on His team, you will win too and receive the most beautiful gift for free!

The free gift from God is better than a winner’s trophy or cash prize, it is eternal life spent in His Presence and that life starts in Heaven. It will be a life free from sickness and sorrow. A place that does not include death and is free of pain and destruction. It will be the start of a beautiful, real story that never ends. But first, we must press forward and never give up or grow weary of doing good (Galatians 6:9)! We must live for Him (God) and not worry about or become fearful of anything. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV), “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Hold on to hope, God’s hope. Put your trust in God.

Love,

Alexis A. Goring

Founder of "God is Love" blog

Devotionals for the Heart: Fear Not

Letting Go Of Fear
A devotional by Julia Wilson

“There is no fear in love; perfect love drives out all fear.” 

–1 John 4:18a (GNB)

Fear immobilizes us and keeps us from living the life that God intended for us.

Many times within the Bible we hear the phrase “fear not.” God knows that we are prone to be afraid but He asks us to fear not and to trust Him.

An acronym for fear is False Expectations Appearing Real. We concoct scenarios in our head that hardly ever happen yet we are still paralyzed by fear.

For much of my life I have been paralyzed by my fear of water. This stems from childhood – on going to my first swimming lesson when I was eight years old, the first thing the swimming instructor did was to get us all to jump into the deep end to show that we would float. You do not float when you panic, and I had to be rescued. My fear of water began. It was a fear that I passed down to our eldest son.

Fast forward nearly fifty years – I was in my church life group and one of the ladies prophesised in September 2016 that this was the year that God was going to cure me of my fear of water and I would learn to swim. I laughed at her, like Sarah in the Bible, and thought, “No chance. Does she not realize how deep my fear is?”

But God had other plans. Whenever we hear the phrase “But God … ,” we know that God is going to move mightily. According to Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV), God says, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you.” God’s plans are so much greater than ours. We need to ‘fear not’ and trust Him.

In January 2017, I signed up for a 10-week course for people older than 50 who want to learn how to swim. I was very frightened. I nearly did not go. But with the love and care of my swimming instructor Vanessa, I did learn to swim. I faced my fear and trusted Vanessa would not let me down. God asks us to face our fears and to trust Him to hold us up “Through All the Changing Scenes of Life,” as the old hymn says. 

When fear threatens to overwhelm, lift your eyes up to God. As the psalmist says in Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV), "I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." If we keep our eyes focused on Jesus, we are not looking at our fears and we will receive peace that passes all understanding.

When the road of life is dark and fear comes knocking, do not open the door. Run to God! He sees our end from our beginning. He will sustain you and He will not let you go.

When fear rules our lives, we miss out on all that God intends for us.

As a footnote, I had intermediate swimming lessons for six months and now swim four times a week for about ninety minutes and I love it. My only regret is that I did not learn to swim as a child. I missed out for nearly fifty years. Do not miss out on the life that God intends for you through fear. Give fear the elbow. Look to God. He’s got you and will never let you down. As the saying goes “Do not tell God how big your fear is, tell your fear how big your God is!”

Let go of your fear and watch where God will take you. He loves you and He will never let you down!

~*~
Author Bio:

My name is Julia Wilson but I also go by Christian Bookaholic.

I live with my husband and five cats in a small town in Worcestershire on the banks of the River Severn (England). We have four grown up children and three granddaughters.

I have always loved reading and have always been surrounded by books. I used to work as a teaching assistant for special needs in the local high school. Ill health forced me to stop working in December 2015. I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (known as M.E.) and fibromyalgia. I now have plenty of time to read and review books!

Our eldest son set up my Christian Bookaholic blog. I review every book I read. I read over 300 books a year. I read Christian and mass market. I prefer stories set from 1850 onwards. My favourite type of books to read is stories set in WWI and WWII, and Russia under Czar Nicholas II.

I am a historian, having a Combined Humanities degree where I majored in History and minored in English. I also love swimming. I only learned how to swim in 2017 and go swimming four mornings a week for 90 minutes before breakfast, it keeps my joints going.

I am also a crazy cat lady. I absolutely love my cats. I have grown up with cats and cannot imagine life without them. My dream is to own an old fashioned seal point Siamese … but not while we have our young rescue cat as she hates other cats!

I love God and love going to a large lively church called Lifecentral. I cannot imagine life without God. He gives a peace even when life does not. He guides my life. He is my Rock.