Devotionals for the Heart: When God calls you to move beyond comfort

When God calls you to move beyond your place of comfort
A devotional by Colleen C. Howard

When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” –Exodus 3:4 (NIV)

I’ve always found comfort in writing. I kept a diary as a child and journaled as a young adult.

However, about five years ago, something changed. I felt God calling me to write with purpose and encourage women in their faith walk with Jesus Christ by sharing my stories. But lately, I’ve wondered if I’m getting too comfortable.

I have a favorite armchair in a cozy corner of our family room in our home. Each time, I settle in, put my feet up, slowly sink into its welcoming arms, and heave a big sigh. This is where I talk with Jesus every morning. I read the Bible and listen for His voice—all in the comfort of my little corner, in my favorite chair.

During my quiet time, I feel safe and secure amid the chaos of life. I talk with God, and He speaks to me through His Word and His presence. I wonder if I’ve become so comfortable that it prevents me from living the abundant life Christ wants me to live. Is it possible that an excess of comfort is a breeding ground for complacency?

Not long ago, I sensed God’s nudge regarding my writing because I kept it to myself. I’d been writing for quite a while but hadn’t shared it with anyone except my husband. It felt as though God gently tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Colleen, you need to share this with others.” I was terrified. Sharing my writing with others felt like bearing my soul through an intercom for all the world to hear. Once words take flight, they can’t be unheard or unread. What if I mess this up?

A few days passed, and reality took over. Realizing God didn’t ask me to read my writing on stage to a crowded auditorium, I got a grip on my fears. He asked me to share my pages with two trusted friends. They were kind, encouraging, and supportive. If I hadn’t taken that first step, no one would be reading these words now.

A few weeks later, I was reading chapter three in the Bible book of Exodus where Moses was tending to his flock. Suddenly, his attention was captured by a bush on fire. But oddly, even though the fire continued to rage on, the bush never burned to the ground. Moses approached the bush to get a closer look, and something remarkable happened! He heard God call his name.

When Moses left his comfortable position with the flock and walked toward the flames, God showed him that the bush was on fire but wasn’t being consumed. If Moses hadn’t taken those first steps of faith, he might never have been had such a powerful relationship with God. However, Moses took those brave steps and God used him to deliver the Israelites from bondage in Egypt.

When I feel my love for what’s comfortable is holding me prisoner, it’s time to walk toward the holy fire of God. He wants to free us from the false sense of security the enemy provides. God saved me from becoming an “armchair Christian” as I’d call it, by giving me the faith and courage to leave my cozy chair and take action. He can do the same for each of us.

When we ask Jesus Christ for courage, we’re able to take steps of faith and move outside of our comfort zones. As we become aware of God’s presence, we also gain the benefit of His leadership and our mission.

Let’s Pray: Dear Father God, I ask You to continue to give me the courage to step over my self-imposed boundaries and take action. Give me the faith to live a life of abundance. Position my heart to align with yours and open my ears to hear your calling on my life. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Song of Reflection #1: “I Will Follow” by Chris Tomlin. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “He’s Calling You” by Donnie McClurkin. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “I Will Go” by Steve Green. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #4: “Alone in the Presence” by CeCe Winans. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Colleen C. Howard is a follower of Jesus Christ, educator and writer. She lives with her husband in the Arizona desert where the sunsets are spectacular, the summers are relentless and the winters are a little slice of Heaven. 

Colleen earned her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership. This degree opened opportunities to write science curriculum, develop district programs, work with Arizona teachers, community leaders, and more. With NASA Grant funding, she was also able to work with teachers all over the country and expand their knowledge of teaching science as a collaborative effort.

Over the last few years God has 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 Him. Although some days bring trials and others bring joy, Colleen believes that if you fix your eyes on Jesus then you will see the heart of God.

Colleen’s writing has been published in the following online publications: Living By Design, Her View From Home, Inside Out Worldwide, Inkspirations, and in anthologies like From Ruins to Restoration, Mountains Moved: 45 Devotions of Bold Faith, and The Miracle of Prayer. She is a monthly blogger for Dressing in God’s Love.

~*~
Connect with Colleen:
Website: authorcolleenchoward.com

The story behind a NEW book by Becky Beresford that releases today!

Join me in wishing my author friend, Becky Beresford, a "Happy BOOK Birthday" because her debut nonfiction book (She Believed HE Could, So She Did) releases into the world today (March 5, 2024) and it's going to be amazing! In fact it already is. 

But don't take my word for it, read all about her story in the post below.

~*~

The story behind the book by Becky Beresford: 

I never thought I would be a serious writer, let alone write a book like the one God has asked me to write.

After working in ministry with women for five years, I got married and quickly became pregnant with our oldest son. I was used to meeting face-to-face with women and discipling them over a cup of coffee or in a small group setting. But motherhood (especially mothering a little one with special needs) soon proved to be a new season where I couldn’t pour into women like I once had. With the passion still in my heart, I asked God to either remove my desire for ministry or to somehow make a way for ministry and motherhood to coexist. He responded with a third option, something I had never considered before. The Lord expanded my idea of ministry and showed me that discipleship could also take shape in the form of writing, and now He was asking me to write for Him!

With shaky hands I sent my first blog post out into the world in 2015, not knowing if anyone would see it or if they would want to read what I wrote. Little did I know the plans Jesus had for the words He was inspiring. People began to respond and relate to the messages God was laying on my heart to communicate. And so, I decided to pursue the idea of writing an actual book. 

After three years of trying to publish a separate book that is not She Believed HE Could, So She Did, I felt worn down to the bone. Not only was I receiving rejection after rejection from publishers, my life was full of overwhelming circumstances, all of which left me feeling like a failure. With special needs parenting, financial strain, health issues, loss, and a marriage on the brink of divorce, I came to the end of my own strength and sufficiency. I tried hard to believe I could handle whatever life threw my way—that if I could just keep my head afloat a little longer, then everything would be okay. Instead of relying on God as my source and security, I kept taking matters into my own hands. Jesus had to show me I didn’t have to be the savior of my story. It was never my job to have, but His.

During this hard time I had a sign on my writing desk from my husband with the popular saying “She Believed She Could, So She Did”. But the more I stared at the statement, the more unsettling it became. Did I really think I could hold everything together and be enough for everyone always, including myself? I was weary from trying to do it all, a state many of us find ourselves in today.

But God never intended for His Daughters to live with the burden of carrying the world’s concerns or trying to make everything happen. Instead, He wants to bring us back to the message of the gospel where we come to Jesus in our weakness and allow His love, truth, and strength to empower us to face trials. We don’t need to believe solely in ourselves when there’s a God who is able to do immeasurably more than anything we could imagine or think. We can take a deep breath and lean into the care and capacity of Christ.

This is why I wrote She Believed HE Could, So She Did. It goes against the grain of culture’s popular self-empowerment mindset, but also challenges similar sayings within the church. We need to go back to the Bible and see what God truly says. I pray the message found within this book’s pages will inspire women to stop striving according to society’s standards and in turn, surrender everything to the God who can. 

True freedom is possible when we ground our whole selves in the Good News.

~*~
Author Bio:

Becky Beresford lives in North Carolina and is happily outnumbered by her husband and three wonderful boys. She is an author, speaker and coach with a Master's Certificate in Spiritual Formation and Discipleship from Moody Theological Seminary. 

Becky loves encouraging God’s Daughters to embrace Christ-centered empowerment through the truth found in the gospel. Her work has been featured in large online communities including Crosswalk, (in)courage, iBelieve, HuffPost, DaySpring, and she recently became a writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries’ First 5 writing team. 

Becky’s book with Moody Publishers, She Believed HE Could, So She Did, releases in March.

~*~
Buy Becky's book:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Target

 
~*~
Connect with Becky:
Website: https://www.beckyberesford.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/becky.beresford/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beckyberesfordauthor
Sign up for Becky's Empowered Email Tribe: https://www.beckyberesford.com/sign-up

Devotionals for the Heart: Following God's will and trusting His timing

Aligning God’s Will with His Timing
A devotional by Monique M. Anderson

Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.”

–John 7:6 (NKJV)

In John 7:6, Jesus Christ’s brothers urge him to prove he is the Messiah by revealing himself in Judea at the Feast of Tabernacles. They wanted him to show up in a grand way to make himself known to the public. However, Jesus knew the Jews sought to kill Him and did not want to walk into Judea.

According to the Blue Letter Bible, time in Greek is “Kairos”. It means due measure. It represents a suitable or seasonable time, the right time, and a limited period of time. Kairos refers to waiting for the right opportunity or moment to reveal itself. Kairos is not a form of time that is counted or calculated. It is knowing when the circumstances are most suitable to take action.

Afterward, in John 7:10, Christ’s brothers leave him to attend the feast. Shortly after, Jesus also makes his way to the feast in secret. He did not make the grand entrance His brothers wanted him to. However, once He arrived, He went into the temple to teach.

I wondered why Jesus initially turned down the invitation to participate in the feast, then decided to attend in secret, only to make himself known in the temple by teaching, knowing that this would gather a crowd.

I soon realized that God’s will was not for Jesus to make a grand entrance. The opportune time (kairos) was not to be bold and grand in his arrival but to be bold and grand in his teaching. Christ’s teachings were a part of God’s will. He was not to be known for His controversy but as the son of God, Rabbi, and Savior.

In John 7:30 (NKJV), the Bible says, “Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.”

I noticed that the author used the word “hour” instead of “time” in this verse. Hour is “ora” in Greek, and according to the Blue Letter Bible, it means a certain definite time or season fixed by natural law and returning with the revolving year. Other definitions are “the daytime (bounded by the rising and setting of the sun)” hour, in this text, refers to the Chronos time, which is a specific amount of time or time of day.

Although the kairos (opportunity) was there, the Jews could not lay a hand on Jesus because it was not yet chronos (time). Some things may be God’s will but not yet His time.

Do you find yourself looking to pursue God’s will, but nothing seems to be working out? You’ve tried to set up the meeting, make the phone call, or send the email, but something constantly blocks it. It may be the right opportunity, not the right time or the right time but the wrong opportunity.

God’s will is in complete alignment with His timing. If the two don’t seem to be coming together, you may need to step back and ask, "What must I do first?"

Jesus still had work to do on earth before His death. The Jews could not capture Him then because He still had to forgive an adulterer woman, give a blind man sight, and raise the dead. What do you have left to do for God’s will and time align in your life?

Your arrival when starting to pursue God’s will may not be grand. You may not get noticed the moment you enter the door if God intends that for you. However, when you enter in secret and stand in your rightful place doing the work you came to do, people will notice your impact. That will be the right opportunity to fulfill God’s will as your Heavenly Father who knows best.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, I pray that you align me perfectly with your will and timing. Please give me the wisdom to know the right time and appropriate opportunity to fulfill your will for my life. Keep me in step with you, Lord. Holy Spirit, I patiently wait for your guidance and prompting. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “In His Time” by Maranatha! Music. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Monique M. Anderson is a writer, creator, wife, and bonus mom. She was born and raised in Mount Vernon, NY, where she still resides. She released her always present yet hidden talent of writing to the masses in June 2019. 

Monique always felt like God was chasing after her but was never ready to surrender. Finally, she reached a point in her life when things started going left, and she no longer felt in control. At this point, she was ready to hand over the reins to God. After forming her relationship with God, she always felt compelled to share the revelation’s that His Word gave her. She felt The Holy Spirit prompting her to write but was afraid of what people might think. So, her writing started in her journal. The journal turned into a book and the book into a blog.

Her obedience provided more opportunities. In late 2021, Monique became a partner with the notable YouVersion Bible App as a Content Creator. With her first Bible plan debuting in December of 2021, she will continue to provide content for the app as long as God allows her to.

In 2021, God revealed her prophetic gift and how He wants her to use it. Monique always felt compelled to pray for others but had no idea God would use her in this way. Through this gift as a prophetic intercessor, she’s not just writing about what God can do but showing what God can do.

Since God has shown her who He created her to be, she now feels it is her life’s work to help those taking their first steps in their walk with Jesus Christ. She is doing so through her blog, prayer, and soon-to-be-published works. She is excited to extend her reach to YouTube, podcasts, and speaking engagements soon.

Her blog is the stepping stone to fulfilling the vision God gave to her: “Sharing God’s revelations so we can all better reflect his image and fulfill His purpose.”

~*~
Connect with Monique:
Website: www.yourstrulymoe.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourstruly__moe/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Yours-Truly-Moe-140255684101423

Devotionals for the Heart: Why We Need to Remember Our True Source

The Brook Cherith Season
A devotional by Monique M. Anderson

“Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.”—1 Kings 17:3 (NKJV)

I was finally in a good rhythm.

I had a monthly theme for all my blogs and newsletters. My social media posts were created and scheduled a month in advance, correlating with the theme. I had finally gotten a handle on creating reels consistently and effortlessly. They were reaching thousands on social media every week. My email subscribers were growing, and my followers were increasing. The words God had given me to teach and edify His people were reaching and stretching to countries worldwide, and I knew this was only the beginning. Just as the momentum was building, God told me to, “Stop. Get away and hide.”

We find the prophet Elijah in the same predicament in this verse in 1 Kings 17:3. He was starting his ministry. God had just instructed Elijah to give a word of the Lord to King Ahab, announcing there would be no rain in the land. Giving this word was his first assignment, then God said, “get away from here” and “hide.”

I wonder if Elijah asked the same questions I did. Such as: “But God, we’re just getting started.” “You’ve given me so many assignments to complete, and they’ve only just begun. So why am I stopping now?”

I was confused and felt lost. I didn’t quite know how to obey this command. How do I keep still? How do I not do the work God gave me to do? I sometimes felt worthless if I didn’t have “work” to do. However, when the Holy Spirit led me to this scripture, I realized why Elijah needed to be alone at the brook and why God brought me here.

During Elijah’s time at the brook, God sent ravens to feed him. God placed him in a situation where he had to rely on God and God alone to provide for him. God sometimes needs to separate us, even from the work we do for Him, so we can remember our true source. At some point, God needs to bring all of us to a place where we have no choice but to walk by faith and not by sight.

Although my workflow was structured and in order, this order was not God’s order. It was not God’s structure. Therefore, He had to tear it down. I thought I was on my way up, but God brought me back to the valley for an important reason and lesson.

The Brook Cherith season is a time of strengthening your devotion and dependence on God. It is a training and building-up season for the next season to come. After Elijah spent three years in a season of isolation, (1 Kings 18:1) he then went from the brook to the mountaintop. In the next chapter, he performed a prophetic miracle on Mount Carmel by bringing down fire from Heaven (1 Kings 18:38-39). This sign and wonder showed the idolatrous nation of Israel who the one and only true God is.

Throughout the Bible, you will see examples of the valley experience before the mountaintop miracles. For example, Joseph was imprisoned before he made it to the palace, God hid David in caves before he became king, and Moses was hidden in the wilderness before he led the people out of Egypt.

We all need a season alone with God to prepare us for our greater assignment. The next level God was leading these heroes required Him to do inner work in them first. First, He will need to build your character and discipline. Next, He trains you in obedience and reliance on Him. Finally, He shows us that nothing we do or accomplish can succeed without Him.

We cannot manipulate this season and try to rush ourselves through it. It would be like giving birth to a baby before it is fully developed; complications and abnormalities will occur. If God has you in this season, as He has me, don’t look at it as idle time. This time is valuable. It is a time to be molded, sculpted, and pruned by God Almighty. It is time He chooses to allocate to you exclusively. We should feel privileged because God wants us all to himself. He is even willing to put aside His work to do some work in you.

All the work you’ve been doing for Him was valuable for that season. However, what He needs you to do next will make another version of yourself you have not yet met. Only He knows who you need to become for your fire on Mount Carmel moment.

I’ve learned to be grateful for this time. I no longer try to fight against what He wants to bring forth. I no longer want to rush through the process because I might lose followers or subscribers. Instead, I am allowing myself to be groomed by Him, which feels great!

According to the Blue Letter Bible app, the word "Cherith" means "cutting, to cut away, or separation". That is the purpose of this time; to cut out what is not needed. After the cutting, all that is left is you and God. I appreciate this hidden season and all the things He is cutting away that no one else can see. He is cleaning me up for my big premiere. Therefore, I will praise and thank Him for the Brook Cherith season.

Let’s Pray: Father God, I thank You for the Brook Cherith. I thank You for a season of isolation to be with You alone. Thank You for Your desire to be with me in this way. Forgive me for wanting to rush through this precious time. Forgive me for putting my structure before yours. I am yours now. Have Your way in my life. Continue to prepare me for the next season. May Your will be done and not my own. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Just the Beginning” by The Kurt Carr Singers. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Monique M. Anderson is a writer, creator, wife, and bonus mom. She was born and raised in Mount Vernon, NY, where she still resides. She released her always present yet hidden talent of writing to the masses in June 2019.

Monique always felt like God was chasing after her but was never ready to surrender. Finally, she reached a point in her life when things started going left, and she no longer felt in control. At this point, she was ready to hand over the reins to God. After forming her relationship with God, she always felt compelled to share the revelation’s that His word gave her. She felt the Holy Spirit prompting her to write but was afraid of what people might think. So, her writing started in her journal. The journal turned into a book and the book into a blog.

Her obedience provided more opportunities. In late 2021, Monique became a partner with the notable YouVersion Bible App as a Content Creator. Her first Bible plan debuted in December 2021. She will continue to provide content for the app as long as God allows her to.

Also in 2021, God revealed her prophetic gift and how He wants her to use it. Monique always felt compelled to pray for others but had no idea God would use her in this way. Through this gift as a prophetic intercessor, she’s not just writing about what God can do but showing what God can do.

Since God has shown her who He created her to be, she now feels it is her life’s work to help those taking their first steps in their walk with Christ. She is doing so through her blog, prayer, and soon-to-be-published works. She is excited to extend her reach to YouTube, podcasts, and speaking engagements soon.

Her blog is the stepping stone to fulfilling the vision God gave to her: “Sharing God’s revelations so we can all better reflect his image and fulfill His purpose.”

~*~
Connect with Monique:
Website: www.yourstrulymoe.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourstruly__moe/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Yours-Truly-Moe-140255684101423

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour featuring "Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe" (book)

Welcome to my blog's stop on Carla Laureano's tour for her new novel, Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe!

My review of her book is simple and sweet: 

What can I say? Brunch at Bittersweet Café is a winner!

It's a deliciously wonderful story filled with mouthwatering food, captivating characters and a romance to remember!

The plot thickens with the turn of every page. The dialogue is fresh and engaging. The storyline is rich and multi-layered. The characters are well developed, each with a mind of their own and passion for life.

The hero is swoon-worthy and the heroine is strong-willed. Watching them fall in love with each other was rewarding because the author did a great job in making it look like they could never be together. Carla (the author) kept me as the reader guessing until the very end of this story. I think that readers will be pleasantly surprised by the way this story ends.

After reading Brunch at Bittersweet Café, I was inspired to keep fighting for my creative career dreams because the concept of grit when working to make a dream come true was well-portrayed in this story and a true mirror to what can happen when you persevere in real-life.

Bravo, Carla Laureano, for writing a story that’s as memorable as it is sweet!

Please note: Celebrate Lit provided me (Alexis A. Goring) with a complimentary copy of "Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe". My opinions in this book review are my own.

Read more about Carla's story below and enter the giveaway contest toward the end of this blog post for your chance to WIN amazing gifts!

~*~

About the Book

Title: Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe

Author: Carla Laureano

Genre: Christian Romance

Release date: February 5, 2019

Publisher: Tyndale

Baker and pastry chef Melody Johansson has always believed in finding the positive in every situation, but seven years after she moved to Denver, she can’t deny that she’s stuck in a rut. One relationship after another has ended in disaster, and her classical French training is being wasted on her night job in a mediocre chain bakery. Then the charming and handsome private pilot Justin Keller lands on the doorstep of her workplace in a snowstorm, and Melody feels like it’s a sign that her luck is finally turning around.

Justin is intrigued by the lively bohemian baker, but the last thing he’s looking for is a relationship. His own romantic failures have proven that the demands of his job are incompatible with meaningful connections, and he’s already pledged his life savings to a new business venture across the country—an island air charter in Florida with his sister and brother-in-law.

Against their better judgment, Melody and Justin find themselves drawn together by their unconventional career choices and shared love of adventure. But when an unexpected windfall provides Melody with the chance to open her dream bakery-café in Denver with her best friend, chef Rachel Bishop, she’s faced with an impossible choice: stay and put down roots with the people and place she’s come to call home . . . or give it all up for the man she loves.

Click here to purchase your copy.

About the Author

Carla Laureano is the RITA® Award-winning author of contemporary inspirational romance and Celtic fantasy (as C.E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons, where she writes during the day and cooks things at night.

Guest Post from Carla

“Confessions of An Erstwhile Baker”

Like most females, baking is encoded somewhere deep down in my DNA. Call it nature or call it nurture, but at the earliest age, I figured out that the cute boy in my English class would talk to me if it involved chocolate chip cookies. Got my heart broken or had a friend betray me? I grabbed the mixing bowl and went for the brownies (even better if they’re served à la mode.) My friend was having a birthday? I made a cake drowned in pounds of buttercream.

I quickly graduated from the boxed mixes to the real thing when I got married and had a kitchen large enough to roll out dough. I would comb magazines for the best recipes and spend my weekends trying them out. I quickly became known for bringing beautifully iced Christmas cookies and delicious homemade cakes to work.

Then my husband and I moved our young family from Los Angeles to Denver, a relocation that was about 1000 miles northeast and 5000 feet up. Suddenly, every recipe I’d perfected in the previous eight years failed. Cookies burned to crisps, cakes fell, and don’t get me started on candy making. Gradually, I adapted my recipes (my beloved never-fail Toll House recipe took eight tries to get right) and even became an avid artisan bread-baker.

Then disaster. Or at least, what a baker would consider a disaster. After developing chronic health problems, I discovered that among other things, I was sensitive to gluten. The horror! In order to heal, I turned to the paleo diet, which eliminates all grains (there goes most gluten-free recipes) and all processed sugars (there goes everything else). I’ve tried baking paleo-style, and while I can now make cakes that even my gluten-fiend family enjoy, it’s just not the same.

So what’s a once-obsessive baker do when she can’t eat her creations? She bakes for other people and goes on faith that they actually taste good… considering she can’t taste them herself.

It struck me that there was a spiritual lesson in that, and an obvious tie to Brunch at Bittersweet Café, which deals in large part with Melody’s faith journey. There are times when we have no idea if things are working out the way they’re supposed to, in which case we just have to trust the “recipe” and the input of friends and family who love us. Sometimes our instincts tell us when we’re off track, and sometimes we need that outside nudge from our “taste-testers” to put us back on course.

In any case, what Melody and I have in common is that we both bake to show our love for the people around us. And the process of baking my favorites, even knowing that I can’t enjoy them myself, can still be a selfless way to show people they’re important to me.

Fortunately, macarons, which happen to be made with almond flour, are still on the menu.

~*~

Blog Stops

Quiet Quilter, February 12

Among the Reads, February 12

Lighthouse Academy, February 12

By The Book, February 12

The Power of Words, February 13

As He Leads is Joy, February 13

Cultivating Us, February 13

Blossoms and Blessings, February 13

Fiction Aficionado, February 14

The Lit Addict, February 14

Christian Chick’s Thoughts, February 14

This Chattanooga Mommy Saves, February 14

All-of-a-kind Mom, February 15

Just the Write Escape, February 15

100 Pages per Hour, February 15

Splashes of Joy, February 15

Bibliophile Reviews, February 16

Texas Book-aholic, February 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 16

C Jane Read, February 17

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, February 17

Moments, February 17

Back Porch Reads, February 17

Cordially Barbara, February 18

Genesis 5020, February 18

Simple Harvest Reads, February 18 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 18

Livin’ Lit, February 19

Kat’s Corner Books, February 19

Life with the Tribe, February 19

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, February 19

Through the Fire Blogs, February 20

Remembrancy, February 20

Vicky Sluiter, February 20

Living Life Free in Christ, February 20

2014 and Beyond!, February 21

Daysong Reflections, February 21

Inklings and Notions, February 21

Pause for Tales, February 21

Cafinated Reads, February 22

Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 22

two points of interest, February 22

Ashley’s Bookshelf, February 22

My Devotional Thoughts, February 23

Two Girls and a Book, February 23

The Christian Fiction Girl, February 23

For the love of books, February 23

God is Love, February 24

Book by Book, February 24

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, February 24

Janices book reviews, February 24

Lukewarm Tea, February 25

Carpe Diem, February 25

A Baker’s Perspective, February 25

Bigreadersite, February 25

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carla is giving away a grand prize package of a macaron baking mat, a macaron book, and a paperback copy of Brunch at Bittersweet Café!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/db0f/brunch-at-bittersweet-cafe-celebration-tour-giveaway 

Devotionals for the Heart: Following

“Who are you following?”
A devotional by Melissa Henderson

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 

- Matthew 4:19 (NIV)

Every time I read Scripture, I learn something new. In every life circumstance, each verse reveals something amazing and enlightening. A feeling of peace comes over me when I pick up my Bible and open the pages.

There are times when I am not searching for a particular passage. Those times, I simply open the Bible and see where the pages land. Today, the Bible opened on this Scripture in Matthew.

Matthew 4:19 gives me a reminder to look at my life and see who I am following in every moment. In this Scripture, we are told how Jesus had just begun His preaching in Galilee. He met fishermen Simon Peter and Andrew and invites them to join Him. Jesus tells them He will make them “fishers for people”.

Can you imagine the setting? Close your eyes and picture the water lapping against the side of the boat, fishermen standing while throwing their nets in and out of the water, a daily routine.

Here is Jesus. Encouraging them the join Him. Did they understand his meaning of making them “fishers for men”? Discussion could have gone on for a while. Debates about whether they should go with Jesus or not could have occurred. Did they discuss for a long time or did they answer quickly? Continuing to read the book of Matthew, we can learn more.

If they truly became “fishers of men”, would they be able to bring others to Jesus? So many questions. Those fishermen had to make a decision.

Every day, we have to make a decision in our own lives. Are we going to follow Jesus and show His love to others? Or are we going to make a decision to follow someone or something else? Temptation is all around. 

Making the true decision to follow Jesus allows us to show others His love, through our words and our actions. We never know when someone is affected by something we speak or some action we take.

Perhaps while standing in the grocery line, we notice a person behind us with only one item to purchase while we have a cart full. We let that person go ahead of us. That’s showing God’s love.

Maybe we are taking a walk in the neighborhood and see other neighbors. We pause to say hello and have a chat. Listening and hearing to what the person shares is another way of showing God’s love.

Or even in our own families, do we truly forgive and forget a wrong done to us? I have heard people say forgiving family is harder than forgiving friends. Who are we following if we don’t have forgiveness in our hearts?

If we rush by opportunities to show God’s love, who are we following? Are we following material things or thinking only of ourselves? Life can be very busy, with activities, daily routines, and definitely unexpected events. Do we pause, reflect and remember to follow the examples Jesus provided? Love, care, compassion. Or are we so concerned about the next minute that we move ahead without showing His love?

I pray that we will all follow Jesus each day. What a difference we could make if we became “fishers for people”.

Look around and see how you can show God’s love to others.

Have a blessed day,

Melissa Henderson

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Author Bio:

Melissa Henderson and her husband Alan live in South Carolina.

Married for over 38 years, they have one son (Mike) who is married to daughter-in-love (Christine) and now are blessed by a precious grandson (Rowan).

Melissa was taught the love of reading and writing at an early age from her parents. She is now working on her first inspirational fiction novel.

Her passions are volunteering, Bible Studies and reading and writing. Connect with Melissa online, https://mimionlife.wordpress.com.