Devotionals for the Heart: How Easter points us to the Creator of Life

We Are a Part of the Easter Story
A devotional by Alicia Searl

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”—John 3:16 (NIV)

This beloved verse gets to the heart of our faith, portraying three key points:

Point #1: God loves His creation.

Point #2: God sacrificed His Son to save us from a fallen world.

Point #3: God gives us a choice in this life.

Easter isn’t only a story about a sinless man that lived a perfect life and died on a wooden cross. He (Jesus Christ) wasn’t just a man that loved others and performed miracles—He was the miracle for us! When we dig into the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John…all books in the Bible), we discover that this story is the most powerful story of all time. It’s a story wrapped in hope and healing, grace and truth, and where sin meets beautiful redemption.

Jesus painstakingly suffered on that cross because it was all a strategic plan from God. It showed and encompassed His very nature. His righteousness. His wrath and judgement. His ultimate, unfailing, and sacrificial love. Sadly, it also depicted our human nature that is bound by cruelty and worldly transgressions. Satan tried to win. But Easter shines a light in the midst of darkness.

Acts 4:11-12 (CSB) tells us, “This Jesus is the stone rejected by you builders,
which has become the cornerstone. There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.” According to John 14:6, Jesus Christ is the only way to God. There is no other way to be saved in God’s Kingdom.

Jesus came in human form to save us from this harsh world and our own sinful flesh to flip the script and rewrite the story—our story. We celebrate Easter and honor our Savior because it isn’t just any story; it is a story where we have the opportunity to be a main character. Jesus is inviting us to play a crucial role and continue to share His righteousness, love, and truth with a lost and broken world.

The Easter season is a time when we have the distinct honor of celebrating the Author and Creator of this life. The One who writes our story and uses it to whisper hope, weave in healing, and project truth to everyone He places in our lives. Our purpose this side of heaven is simple: Love God by loving others.

We love others by sharing the powerful, true story of Easter! Christ’s life shows us how to love. His death gives us a pathway to redemption. His resurrection proves that He is not of man, but of God. If Jesus didn’t resurrect on that glorious third day, we would have no hope of an eternal life. We would be bound by our sins. Forgiveness wouldn’t matter. We would never be reunited with loved ones. Our testimony and confessions of faith would be pointless. Yet, Jesus rising from the grave is the pivotal plot twist that allows us to share the story of a man that led a devoted life, humbly walked the long and treacherous road to calvary, endured brutal beatings and was executed on a cross in shame on purpose for all of mankind! The Son of Man defeated death, so we don’t have to (Romans 6:23).

That is the hope we carry. May love and faithfulness never leave us (Proverbs 3:3) as we cling to the greatest story ever told, all while holding our head high knowing that we have the privilege of being a part of it!

Let’s Pray: Oh, beautiful Savior, how can we come before You with gracious hearts and even begin to truly understand the gravity and magnitude of Your love? Your story that weaves unwavering and unconditional love and grants us a pathway to peace and eternity is something we do not want to ever take for granted. Give us a way to share Your story with others and testify about how You have impacted our life. We long to give You glory this Easter, Lord. In Your Name we pray, Jesus. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Because He Lives (Amen)” by Matt Maher. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “My Redeemer Lives” by Nicole C. Mullen. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “What a Beautiful Name” by Hillsong Worship. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #4: “Just to Know You” by Mark Schultz. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Alicia Searl is a Christian author, writer, coach, and speaker who is passionate about sharing God’s Word to spread hope and healing. 

She is a contributing writer for iBelieve, Crosswalk, Christianity.com, and Your Daily Prayer. She has authored two devotionals, several Bible studies, a children’s book and coloring book top comfort grievers.

When she isn't writing her heart on a page, she enjoys sipping an oat milk latte while soaking in a bit of peace on her back porch swing. Otherwise, she is playing house with her rowdy little family of five or handing a hammer to her hubby for their next DIY project.

~*~
Connect with Alicia:
Website: https://www.aliciasearl.com/
Blog: https://www.aliciasearl.com/blog
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliciasearlwrites/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AliciaSearlWrites
Email: alicia.searl@gmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: Celebrating Jesus Christ after Christmas is over

Keeping the Christ of Christmas in Our Hearts
A devotional by Cyndi Staudt

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”—Colossians 3:16 (NIV)

Decorations begin to make their descent, lights dim, schedules free, excitement wanes and things settle back into a more regular rhythm. If we’re honest, it can feel downright depressing to realize the sparkle and celebration of the Christmas season and anticipation of the new year are gone and we have 364 days till we encounter it again.

Countless posts pop up on social media surveying the acceptable time to take down decorations as if searching for someone to grant them permission to leave them up just a little longer. Radio stations have resumed their regularly scheduled programming, replacing the familiar melodies of Christmas carols, strains of "Silent Night", and pondering “Mary Did You Know?” Store shelves are lined with products for the upcoming holidays: red and pink hearts for Valentine’s Day in February, green shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day in March, and in some stores, colorful eggs and bunnies for Easter in April!

It makes me wonder…have we compartmentalized Christmas to a day or few weeks in December or a cameo appearance in July? Are we being intentional about making Jesus Christ “the reason for the season” but not letting Him be Lord in our everyday lives? As we move away from December 25 and step over the threshold of a new year, are we intimately aware that Immanuel (“God with us”) is not just the baby in the manger but He is actually with us always, every day in every year? Do we remember that the birth of Jesus is just the beginning of His rescue mission here on Earth?

God has always desired to be with us. From the first moments with humankind’s First Parents (Adam and Eve) in the Garden of Eden, to the first Christmas when Jesus made His debut in the manger located in Bethlehem. God has always been about fellowship with His children. When Adam and Eve chose to sin over obeying God, an act that threatened to permanently separate humans from their Creator, He immediately set in motion a plan to win us back. When our sin separated us from Him, Jesus came to Earth to be here with us (John 3:16-17).

But that is not the end of the story! It’s what Jesus did after His arrival on Earth that secured our salvation and a promised home in Heaven when Jesus returns to take us there. The miracle of the virgin birth was followed by a myriad of miracles carried out by Jesus during His earthly ministry, culminating in the resurrection that fulfilled countless prophecies. All of these are worth celebrating and great reasons to focus on Jesus all year long, not just at Christmastime.

So how do we prevent losing the wonder and awe of the Christmas season after the decorative lights have dimmed, the nativity scenes have been stored away, and the trees have been taken down? We spend time in God’s Word (The Holy Bible) regularly. We speak to Him in prayer continuously. We remember that the birth of Jesus, while miraculous, is anticlimactic if He had never made it to the Cross, was laid in the tomb, or rose again on the third day. The excitement that builds during Advent doesn’t reach its peak with the birth of Jesus. On the contrary, that signals He is just getting started. It simply sets in motion the earthly journey of our Jesus to fulfill His rescue mission for us.

So this year, amidst the setting of resolutions and choosing a word of the year, let’s not forget to keep Jesus at the forefront of our minds and a priority in our daily activities. As the calendar continues its march forward let’s allow our minds to rest not solely on the baby in the manger but on the risen Christ and everything in between. Let’s remember what it took to win us back, the sacrifice He made, and the price He paid. You see, Jesus is “God with us” from the cradle to the cross, from everlasting to everlasting. He is the reason for every season. Salvation could not have happened had He not incarnated in humble circumstances and chose to stay on that Cross until His work was finished. And that’s worth celebrating every day!

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, Holy God: Thank you for being Immanuel, God with us, at Christmas and all year long. As our hearts reflect on Jesus Christ’s incarnation at Christmas, help us remember that He didn’t stay in the manger. Remind us that His life on Earth was for a specific purpose: to secure our salvation so we could spend eternity with Him in Heaven. Help us keep Jesus the number one priority in our lives every day of the year, immersing ourselves in His Holy Presence and perfect peace. In Jesus’s Name we pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Day After Christmas” by Matthew West. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Cyndi Staudt, founder of Walking the Walk Ministries, is a Kingdom-focused writer, speaker, and coach, passionate about helping women worldwide awaken their hearts to see their God-given purpose and thrive in their walk with Christ.

With a desire to cultivate a craving for God's Word, her writing is saturated with faith and hope to stir your soul to connect with God in deeper, more intimate ways.

Through her writing, speaking, and coaching she hopes to ignite your eagerness to pursue God passionately, invite your heart to experience God’s love personally, and inspire you to live your life “souled” out to the One whose love has no limits.

Cyndi lives in Central Florida with her two kitties and is a Jesus-loving, adventure enthusiast devoted to living her life for Jesus until the day she is living with Him.

~*~
Connect with Cyndi:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WalkingtheWalkMinistries
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/walkingthewalkministries/
Website: https://walkingthewalkministries.com/

Devotionals for the Heart: When Jesus Christ became human like you and me

The Staggering Miracle of ‘Word Became Flesh’
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14 (NIV)

Has a phrase ever settled upon your heart because it expressed the most beautiful, poignant, tender, and inexplicable concept in just a few poetic words?

For me, that phrase is “Word became flesh.”

We find it in the Gospel of John 1:14. In the start of this chapter, John (the writer) is summarizing the entirety of the Trinity and all God did for this world and for His people. Sometimes it just makes me want to cry when I really, truly think about it.

Take a look if you will at the start of this beautiful book in the Bible. As John explains, in the beginning was the Word. The Word was God, everything! And one day, God decided His people needed something far more personal in order to understand His message. So a part of Him—His Son, Jesus Christ, part of the Word, the Trinity, part of everything that is creation and eternity—was somehow miraculously born to human flesh (John 1:1-14).

Flesh. Think about that word! Skin! Blood, muscles, saliva, hormones, and angst and joy and struggle. All the things about us as we are, walking around in these bodies, that’s what God did.

Somehow His Holy Spirit impregnated a blessed young woman named Mary. The child Jesus, part God and part human, was born into humble circumstances. He spent part of his childhood as an immigrant in Egypt because the king in Israel wanted to kill all young boys his age because they were perceived as a threat to the throne. His family tried to do what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and they raised him well, steeped in all the traditions of holy, righteous Jewish culture.

And when Jesus was a man, upon his baptism, we’re told the Holy Spirit settled upon him “as a dove” (John 1:32).

We don’t know exactly what this means. It likely doesn’t mean a literal, actual dove flew down from Heaven and sat upon Jesus’s shoulders. The phrase used is “as a” dove, meaning “much like” or “similar to.” In Matthew 3:16 (NIV), the phrase is, “He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.” A dove had great biblical significance, both a symbol and a tool signifying peace, comfort, and the fulfillment of promises. The word choice here clearly meant something special.

Then, filled with the Spirit, Jesus spent the rest of his life teaching the Gospel, caring for others, healing and driving out demons, raising some from the dead, and ultimately went it was revealed he claimed to be the son of God, the religious leaders decided that was too much—blasphemy—and they orchestrated his execution. Of course the end of the story is the best part, for as songs proclaim, death could not hold him and the grave could not keep him, and he resurrected from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of God, the Father. And he will come again one day to judge the living and the dead and bring about God’s glory, forever and ever.

Just thinking about that concept, “Word became flesh,” is incredibly personal to me. Right now I’m looking down at my own body as I write this. I’m just a person, one soul in a sea of infinite others. I’ve felt God’s hand upon my heart my whole life. I was raised to know and to love God, and while I am tremendously imperfect in so many ways, as we all are, I strive to model my Lord in my life. I read His Word (The Holy Bible) and pray. I do what I can to keep the Holy Spirit burning fiercely in my core. I try to represent the love of God in the world. That’s what we all do, we who believe and follow Jesus.

But looking down at my body now—the bones in my hand, the skin on my calf, the freckle on my arm, the steady thrum of heartbeat I feel and see pulsing at my wrist—it’s staggering to think that God, our Almighty God, Creator of the Universe, walked around the Earth, just like me. Became flesh, flesh like me.

And He died, but death was not the end.

Sometimes all the stories of God and all we read in the Bible and sing about on the radio and in church, and pray about and walk through life knowing … sometimes it can seem impersonal, like these are all mere facts. We proclaim them, and they are wonderful and magnificent facts, and they apply to us all.

But then we wake up in the morning, maybe a little sore or tired from all we’re doing in life, and the intimate and personal nature of what God did seems far away. Sometimes God himself seems far away. And while we’re told He’s never far away, that God is bigger than our feelings, still as a human being it’s difficult, because we often confuse our feelings with the truth.

But here’s the truth: God became flesh, just like you and me. He did this because He loves us and because He wanted to make a path to Heaven for those who chose Him. He knew we couldn’t do it on our own and we needed help, and so He did what He needed to do.

It’s personal, my friends. We have a personal, living Jesus, and a personal, living Holy Spirit alive in us right this moment. We are all connected, powerfully and mightily. This is God at work in the world.

Think on this a minute. Let this sink in. Marvel at this.

Consider the words of Psalm 46:10 where God says, “Be still and know that I am God.”

Be still with me now in the knowledge and the gift of what God did, and what He’s still doing now. Praise Him, praise Him, for He is so good. And we are so blessed.

Let’s Pray: Lord, thank You for all You do and for how fiercely You love us. Thank You for the precious gift of Your Son. The fact that Jesus understands intimately what it means to have flesh and blood and all the things of humanity makes His sacrifice and His Way so much more personal. I love you, Lord. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Forever” by Kari Jobe. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio: 

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

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

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

Jessica has released an Advent devotional for those seeking true closeness with God. Find it at https://www.jessicabrodie.com/advent.

Devotionals for the Heart: God's Intentional Love for Humankind

An Intentional Love
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

Have you ever created something you came to care about so much that it almost hurts?

As a writer, I fall in love with the characters I create. They become like family. I feel their pain, their joys, their fears and sorrows. It’s the same way with my kids. For those for you who are parents, this might be super obvious, but they feel like an extension of my body and soul. I’d literally walk through fire for them, take on every hurt or illness or agony for them, without question.

I just started reading through the Bible again, and that’s what strikes me about the start of Genesis—the intentionality and love with which God so clearly handcrafted the world and everything in it. Personally, I like to switch up the versions of the Bible I read just to get a different perspective, and the language in the New Living Translation feels like poetry as I reread the beautiful account of our Lord creating something out of simple nothingness.

“The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,’ and there was light” (Genesis 1:2-3 NLT).

Can you imagine? Out of darkness suddenly came glorious, magnificent light! The Bible doesn’t tell us what this looked like, only that it was “good,” but I imagine a soft, soothing glow spreading across the dark waters, gradually growing stronger and stronger until it reaches a crescendo of pure and blissful brightness. I wonder how God felt. Did a new song of glee brim in His heart? Did He want to dance like a little kid, exuberant and carefree?

Then, the Bible tells us, God kept on creating. He created the sky the next day, and then the land the next, brimming with lush vegetation. Next came the stars and the sun and the moon, and then God “set these lights in the sky to light the earth, to govern the day and night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:17-18).

He created birds and livestock, wild animals and fish in the sea, then human beings, and these last ones, us, were extra-special. As the Bible tells us, humans God created “in his own image” (Genesis 1:27). Then he blessed it all, tasked us with stewardship over the earth and everything in it, and “rested from all his work” (Genesis 2:2).

What strikes me is the intention God had with all he created. He didn’t just create us, but created us in his own image. He didn’t just create and let it be, but He created and looked it over, reflecting on its “goodness.” That’s significant!

We—God’s people, God’s creation—are no happy accident but a magnificently handcrafted and intentional design set into motion by the Lord God Almighty. That’s love quite literally personified.

I think that’s why it is so important to remember what Jesus told us in Matthew 22:37-40: “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

In John 13:34-35, Jesus says, “Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

If God loved us so much that He personally handcrafted the world, and humans in His very image, of course it should follow that the two greatest commandments are to love Him back and to love each other.

This year, we have a new opportunity, a fresh start, when it comes to love. Every one of us who professes to love God needs to take this seriously. This commandment to love Him and love each other is not a suggestion but an order. We are to love even our enemies, Jesus tells us…to love each other as ourselves, caring for our neighbor in the same way we would care for our own children or parents.

For that is how we love him, Jesus says: whatever we do for “one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me” (Matthew 25:40).

In the New Year 2023, can we do this? Can we take a moment every day to step outside of our own naturally selfish inclinations and look around to care for others in our midst, others we don’t even know? Can we smile at strangers, share our money and our food with our neighbors, and lend a hand just because we can?

That is my challenge this year. I hope you will join me. In the spirit of the One who created us all, let’s each of us recognize our shared community in the Lord and love extravagantly, generously, and freely in honor of that perfect love.

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

~*~
Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning journalist, author, blogger, editor, writing coach, and devotional writer with thousands of articles to her name.

Since 2010, she has served as the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism, which has won 123 journalism awards during her tenure. She is the author of Feed My Sheep: A 40-Day Devotional to Develop a Heart for Hunger Ministry (2019) and More Like Jesus: A Devotional Journey (2018) and the editor of a number of other books from her newspaper’s Advocate Press, which she helped found in 2017.

She has won more than 100 writing awards and is a seasoned speaker and frequent contributor to Crosswalk.com, Christianity.com, and BibleStudyTools.com, among many others. She has a weekly faith blog at JessicaBrodie.com and is part of the team at Wholly Loved Ministries, with her work included in many of their devotionals and Bible studies.

Brodie holds a Master of Arts in English, and she graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in communications/print journalism from Florida International University. Born and raised in Miami, Brodie now lives in Lexington, South Carolina, just outside Columbia. She has also lived in Ohio and in the mountains of western North Carolina. She and her husband, Matt Brodie, have a blended family of four teenage children and stepchildren.

Brodie has written several novels and is actively seeking publication through her agent Bob Hostetler of The Steve Laube Agency. Her novel The Memory Garden won the 2018 Genesis contest for Contemporary Fiction from American Christian Fiction Writers, and her novel Tangled Roots won a third place Foundation Award in Contemporary Romance at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in 2019. She is finishing the third in the series, Hidden Seeds, now.

~*~
Connect with Jessica:
Website: https://www.jessicabrodie.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessicaJBrodie
Facebook Author: https://www.facebook.com/authorjessicajbrodie
Facebook Personal: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaJBrodie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicajbrodie/
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicajbrodie/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/shiningthelightjessicabrodie/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/jessicajbrodie

Devotionals for the Heart: Why Jesus Christ lived, died and rose again!

The Joy Set Before Him
A devotional by Cyndi Staudt

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

–Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

~*~
Author Bio:

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

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

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

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

Devotionals for the Heart: God's Love

When God Entered the World
A devotional by Kay Pflueger

“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 

–1 John 4:9-11 (ESV)

Adam and Eve had everything they wanted or needed in the Garden of Eden; that is until they broke God’s heart in disobedience. He loved them fiercely and was saddened by their actions. The world that should have been a perfect place of love and peace became dark with sin and hatred. Generations of God’s people longed for salvation and prayed to Him for peace and a restoration of His kingdom on earth.

When God deemed it to be the perfect time, He sent an angel to Mary to tell her that He had chosen her among all women to bear His son. That child to be born would bring God’s love back into the world. As we read in 1 John 4:9 (ESV): “the love of God was made manifest among us.” He loved us so much that He chose to become like us and to walk the earth among us. Mary knew in her heart that the child she would deliver was the Messiah—the one sent to save the world. In Luke 1:48-49 (ESV), she praised God saying: “For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.”

The baby born to Mary in that stable in Bethlehem is the focus of our Christmas celebrations, but the true revelation of God’s love for us did not happen that night but on the cross at Calvary. Before his sacrifice for our sins (dying on the cross), Jesus Christ walked on the earth. He lived and loved selflessly. He showed us how to love one another—those poorer than us, those who hate us, those who demand things from us, and those who speak against us. We are to love them all just as He did. He knew that real, genuine love would fix the human heart and He willingly walked the road to the cross to show that same real, genuine love for us.

We were made in the image of God, and He desires for us what He planned for Adam and Eve. He wants our lives to be full of love, beauty, wholeness, and goodness. He loved us with such an immense love that He sent His Son to suffer a painful death, so that we could spend eternity with Him (John 3:16-17).

In 1885, Christina Georgina Rossetti penned a beautiful poem titled “Love Came Down at Christmas” which was later set to music. The first stanza portrays an inviting image of the love of God descending to earth while the angels and the stars heralded the event. It says that love divine came down at Christmas. It says that the Savior of the world was born. Angels announced His birth and stars in the sky guided the people to the place of His birth (a manger inside a stable located in Bethlehem). Open a Bible to read the full story of Christ’s birth in Luke 1 and Luke 2.

This is the story of love. This is the story of Christmas. Love came down at Christmas. Unwrap that gift and share it with others.

Let’s Pray: Father God, thank you for the gift you gave us in that stable in Bethlehem. You sent your Son to show us how to love and we ask that you help us share that love with those who need it most. Let us not be concerned with how many gifts are under the tree but rather with that gift that is in our heart. Your love came down at Christmastime. Let us rejoice! In Jesus’s Name we pray. Amen.

~*~
Note from Alexis: Kay’s devotional reminds me of the Christmas song “When Love Came Down” by Point of Grace. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Learning to read as a young child opened a world of adventure for Kay Pflueger. She came to realize that words can have a unique power and beauty.

Choosing to share those words in her devotional writings has become a joyful and rewarding experience for her. As a widow, she feels a special affinity towards those who are grieving or experiencing loss.

When she is not spending time with her married son and three grandchildren, she is either reading, cooking, writing, or working on pursuing her Copyediting Certification.

Kay is an avid baseball fan who looks forward every summer to following her favorite team, the Chicago Cubs.

She is an active member of Victory Lutheran Church in her hometown of San Diego, California.

Kay enjoys writing devotions to be shared on her church’s website and personal social media.

~*~
Connect with Kay:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kay.m.pflueger
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irishsweetpea/

Devotionals for the Heart: Division

A Church Divided Isn’t What Jesus Started
A devotional by Gena Anderson

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.” – 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 (NIV)

History is full of conflict. World wars, civil wars, and religious conflicts fill the pages of history books. Humanity has been fighting for something, it seems, since the dawn of time. 

The Bible is filled with tales of nation against nation, Jews against Gentiles, and religious leaders against a Savior. People fighting should come as no surprise to us, yet many feel shocked, angry, saddened, and exhausted with all the division around us.

As we who live in the United States watch our country and our own friends and family be divided by their views on everything from racism to vaccines, we all react differently. Some fight back when met with resistance, others back down in retreat, and some go on offensive attack. I’ve stayed quiet, spoken up, offered sympathy, and everything in between. Recently I considered the damage that has resulted not to our country and relationships, but to the Body of Christ.

Jesus Christ came to create a united new body of people (Ephesians 2:14-15). Don’t misunderstand, He didn’t do that by accepting sin and rolling past ungodly conduct. Jesus was clear on God’s expectations, but He didn’t compromise his position on the whole “love one another” thing while making his points. That’s something we can’t say about how we’ve been acting lately.

When asked which commandment was greatest, Jesus says first to love God and second, to love others (Matthew 22:37-38). As Christians, we can’t allow our feelings to control our words and actions because those emotions often betray our love for the Lord and serve ourselves more than others. James 1:19-20 tells us to be quick to listen and slow to speak, as well as slow to become angry because doing so will cause us to dishonor God. When we reverse those recommendations and are quick to speak in anger and slow to listen, we are making God and Christians look bad, and dividing the church that was intended to unanimously carry Jesus’ message of love to the world.

So what are we to do when the world seems to be turned upside down and we feel in conflict with so many? If we listen to Paul’s words in the verse above, we would do good to remember that everything we think isn’t meant to be said out loud. Furthermore, the things we feel we have the right to say and do might need to be set aside for the good of others. In fact, I don’t see anything in those top two commandments about anyone's rights.

Jesus loved all of us so much that He gave His life for us, and silently endured persecution and crucifixion. We can surely bite our tongues for the sake of bearing our cross. In the name of Christian love, we can seek to listen and understand more than we strive to be heard. When we feel ourselves frustrated with the unprecedented situations around us we can take a moment to remember we serve a God of power, provision, and presence who wants us to point others to Him.

When we speak and act, we can let the Holy Spirit lead us to discern how to do so in a way that is rich with the love of God and others, and void of arrogance and pride. I am going to try to do better, what about you?

Let’s Pray: Lord, help us remember that you are always in control, and we have no reason to fear. Forgive us for allowing our emotions to control us. Help us to call on your Spirit and follow its prompting, and to be more skilled in listening than we are in speaking. We are so thankful for and humbled by your never-ending love. In Jesus's Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Gena Anderson is a Jesus-lover, writer, nurse practitioner, and blogger who loves to share wellness information and inspiration with the world around her. 

She is the author of The Well Woman: A Journey to Wellness Through Loving Jesus, which is available on Amazon.com.

Gena proudly holds the title of wife, mom, and the world’s most average CrossFitter. She loves writing, reading, traveling, and brownies. She's working on that last one.

Gena lives in Hutto, Texas with her husband and two children.

~*~
Connect with Gena:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellwoman.blog
Website: well-woman-blog.com
Email: wellwomanbook@gmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: Fitting In

Clarity Against Conformity
A devotional by Christa MacDonald

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

– Romans 12:2 (NIV)

As humans, we are social creatures.

Belonging—whether to a romantic partner, a family, or a group—is essential to us. 

What’s the number one concern of kids heading into a new school? Friends. They’re not stressed about what classes they’ll take; they’re focused on who they will sit with at lunch. For many kids, it’s not just a new school either. Every day can see a shifting social scene with new alliances and fractured friendships. The drama in middle school is rough, folks. Children are thrown into this high-test social environment right when they are beginning to develop the character they will take with them into adulthood. The pressure to conform so one can fit in can be exhausting. And it doesn’t stop with middle school.

We all face the pressure to fit in—whether it’s within our family, our community, or our country. We’re told if we want to belong, we need to conform. For Christians, that’s a non-starter. As Paul tells us in the verse above, we are called out of the world, transformed by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. This means that we are not going to fit in.

We should look to God for what is good and right, not to the world around us. Does that mean we don’t belong? Well, yes and no. We are not of this world, but we are to live in it, form relationships, love our neighbors and even our enemies. As Christians, we should stand out, not blend in. People should know we belong to God because of how we conduct ourselves. 

In the United States, we are in a time of rancor and discord. There are so many factions forming, teams we’re urged to join, sides we’re supposed to be on. But we don’t belong to any of them; we belong to God. The Church’s only foundation is Jesus Christ, and that one Church spans the globe with members of all ethnicities, all countries.

We need to engage our discernment in times like this to live in a world that is so intent on getting us to conform. Remember the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

If the group you’re being urged to join shows none of this fruit, it’s not a place you can belong. It doesn’t mean you can’t have a relationship with others outside of the faith; on the contrary, we need to be in the world as salt and light. But for loyalties, for allegiances, we have one that transcends all others. We can give time to worldly matters, but our hearts have to stay with Jesus. It’s the only way to live in the world and not be conformed to it.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, please give our hearts and minds discernment to help us navigate the dangerous waters we find ourselves in. Bind us to You so that our feet may stay on the path that leads to an eternity spent with You in our true home (Heaven). In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
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.

~*~
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: God's Love

The Measure of God’s Love
A devotional by Mirachelle Canada

“...so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” – Ephesians 3:17-19 (ESV)

How do we measure the love of God? God is great. He is the creator and master of the vast, never-ending universe. He has no beginning or end. Then, the essence of all He is must be immeasurable, right?

When growing up in church, young children are often taught to sing the famous hymn “Jesus Loves Me.” In the very first verse is the assurance that His love is true. It says, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Children rarely question this or ask where in the Bible it states Jesus loves me. A child’s faith level allows them to accept this as truth unconditionally. It’s only as we grow older (and imagine ourselves wiser) that we question the truth of who God is, and the validity of His love for us.

Have you ever questioned God with, “If you love me, why did you let this happen?” Or requested of Him, “If you love me, show me...tell me...let me...” If is a word that isn’t in God’s vocabulary of Love. If casts doubt on who God says He is. When we doubt His love, we have but to go the Bible for clarification and assurance to find Ephesians 3:18 that tells us that the measure of God’s love goes to “the breath and length and height and depth” and also that there is a depth of His love that “surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:19). Meaning God’s love knows no worldly bounds. As God is out of this world, so too is His love.

So, how then do we understand the level of God’s supernatural love?

We gain understanding by allowing God to fully dwell in our hearts through our faith (Ephesians 3:17). “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1 ESV). The measurement of God’s love is determined by how deep we are willing to let our faith (and hope) go with Him beyond the confines of our contradicting mind and flesh. To any height, depth, breath, or length. To the expanse of a never-ending universe! To that incomprehensible place where only He can impart the surpassing knowledge of His love so that we may be filled with His fullness (Ephesians 3:19). Then, by being filled with His Spirit, it will bear witness with our spirit (Romans 8:16) and produce in our lives God’s fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23 ESV).

By acknowledging the greatness of God and being willing to go to immeasurable, supernatural lengths to be rooted and grounded in His love, we can be confident “that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39 ESV). Thank you, Jesus!

Let’s pray: Lord, I thank you for your boundless love. Help me to overcome any doubt and to unconditionally accept your love for me. Lead me into a deeper understanding with you so that I may be one with your Spirit and honor your purpose for first loving me. In Jesus's Name I pray. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

How has God shown you the levels of His immeasurable love in your life? 

Share your experience in the comments below. 

Are you struggling with accepting God’s love? 

Leave a comment below so we may know how to pray for you. 

~*~
Author Bio:

Mirachelle Canada is a writer, playwright, screenwriter, and theatre director/producer from Northern Virginia, where she teaches television production at her high school alma mater. 

She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Script & Screenwriting from Regent University and is an alumnus of Act One: Hollywood Film & Television Writing Program.

Mirachelle is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, American Fiction Writers Virginia Chapter, The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and Your Novel Blueprint.

She is currently working on her first historical fiction novel set during WWII.

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

Devotionals for the Heart: Brokenness

Love Anyway
A devotional by Alexis Newlin

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” –John 13:34 (ESV)

There is a lot of brokenness in our nation. Racial clashes, political differences, poverty, divorce, gun violence, injustice; it is everywhere and happening every day.

These are subjects I am afraid to talk about or acknowledge. I don’t watch or read the news often. When I do, I find myself anxious and overwhelmed by it all. When I hear stories about injustice in our country, I get so angry. I hate the brokenness. I wrestle often with what action to take. Sometimes the action that I take is ignoring it but I know that this is incorrect.

Recently I watched a video where the artist expressed how he felt about the brokenness in our nation. It made me sad; even now I tear up writing about it. It was hard to watch as it displayed the brokenness that our nation has struggled with for decades. It is sad that there is so much division, violence and hatred. God didn’t intend for any of this.

Let’s read some Bible verses about what God wants for humankind:

He calls us to love one another: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” (John 13:34 ESV)

He meant for us to be united: “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1 ESV)

Division is the plan of the enemy: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand” (Matthew 12:25 ESV).

I asked God what my portion is in all of this, because ignoring isn’t an option. God said a few things: Pray. Love others. Speak up.

I will pray that we are united as a nation – despite our differences – and I will pray that all plans from the enemy to destroy us as a nation be destroyed. I will make a choice daily to love others and seek to understand beliefs different from my own. I will choose to see the person, not their color, sexual orientation, economic status, political preference or religion. Even if my voice trembles, I will speak out against injustice.

As children of God, we are called to love anyway. This is how we unite our nation. This is how we defeat division. Today, think of ways that you can love others despite differences. We are so much stronger together. Divided we will fall.

~*~

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: Power, Compassion and God's Heart for Humankind

God's Power and Heart of Compassion for Humankind 
A devotional by Malinda Fugate

Key Scripture:

Matthew 8

If we open the pages of the Bible to Matthew 8, we are ushered to a front row seat where we witness Jesus Christ heal a man with leprosy, restore mobility to the servant of a centurion from afar, relieve Peter’s mother-in-law of fever, and drive out demonic spirits from numerous people.

As we continue to read through the chapter, we see Him calm a raging storm and send evil spirits into a herd of pigs. As these things unfold, we are confronted with three major truths about Christ:

Major Truth #1: Jesus has the power to heal.

Skeptics have argued since the days Christ walked on earth that He was merely a man, a good teacher at best. But through miraculous acts of healing, the Lord demonstrated power that could only be done by the Son of God. He provides care better than the most skilled doctor, defying laws of nature and physics to do what can only be done through divine power.

Major Truth #2: Jesus has authority in Heaven and on Earth.

Matthew 8:5-13 highlights an encounter with an official in the Roman army who had great faith in Christ. When Jesus offered to come to his home to heal his paralyzed servant, the official declined. His reasoning? As a person in authority, he understood that commanding words have power, and this was especially true of the divine power of Christ. He trusted that it would only take a word from Jesus to heal the servant and that’s exactly what happened! This healing demonstrated the authority of Jesus. The driving out of demonic spirits and the calming of the storm would also serve as evidence of Jesus’ authority on earth and in the supernatural realm.

Major Truth #3: Jesus has compassion.

The power and authority of Christ is worthy of every knee bowing and every tongue confessing that He is Lord. But the most remarkable thing the healings of Matthew 8 show us is the incredible compassion of our Savior. Jesus didn’t wield His power with the heavy hand of a tyrant. Instead, He actively loved the people God sent Him to save. He sees our needs and provides gentle, kind care. He removes hindrances and brings us closer to our Heavenly Father. Jesus overflows with love for us and shows us in many ways, including healing.

My Conclusion:

Jesus Christ reigns in Heaven and on Earth, and so we rightly declare that He is worthy of glory, honor, and praise. But it is His love that moves our hearts to worship in a way beyond description, exceeding what can be articulated with words.

The precious relationship that we have with our Savior is like no other. Such a powerful love can’t be matched, imitated, improved, or replaced. Nothing can take it away or destroy it. We are secure in the love of Jesus Christ who gently holds our hearts in His strong, capable care.

~*~
Author Bio:

Malinda Fugate writes from the heart. 

Though she serves full time as the Children’s Education Director at a church in Southern California, she is also a crafter of words published in books.

Her writing includes children's faith resources, commercial copywriting, and various faith-based stage and screenplays.

Malinda invites you to explore the various 3:16s in the Bible with her new book, The Other Three Sixteens (published by Ambassador International in May 2020).

She also invites you to read her previously published books: Bible Time for Active Kids, which is an activities-based devotional that is available for purchase on Amazon.com, and The Pen and the Sword: Connecting With the Word of God, which is an interactive creative writing journal.

Malinda earned a communications degree with a theatre emphasis from Azusa Pacific University, and then worked behind the scenes at the Los Angeles Salem radio stations, including The Fish and KKLA.

When she's not writing or working at church, Malinda might be creating art, reading, or exploring the many adventures to be found in the Los Angeles area. 

She lives by the beach with her pup, Yoshi.

Visit Malinda online via https://www.malindafugate.com.

Devotionals for the Heart: Back to the Garden of Eden with God

Walking with God in the Garden of Life
A devotion by Tema Banner

“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” 

–Proverbs 3:6 (NKJV)

The Garden of Eden was designed to perfection with complete harmony and with no sadness, tears, pain or sickness. Sin was completely absent from this original paradise that God created. Our first parents (Adam and Eve) who were the first humans created by God, spent time daily walking with God in the garden and talking to Him.

Can you image how perfect this place was and how special it was to walk with God and spend time in His Presence face-to-face? Try though I may, I cannot. My feeble abilities to ponder what that experience would be like, I am sure, fall short of reality.

Many times, the thought has occurred that “back to Eden” is God’s plan. He wants us to return to a time of no pain, tears, sickness, or sin. To once again walk with Him in His garden of perfection. God has done a great deal to enable us to return to communion with Him. He has been patient, loving, forgiving, compassionate, and most important of all, sent Jesus Christ to provide the ultimate, permanent sacrifice: His life for our sin. 

Such love I cannot fathom. It is deeper, wider, higher and more encompassing than the human mind and heart can comprehend or conceive.

There is proof of God’s love in every small detail of the world in which we live. The majestic beauty of the earth, even when at times it seems she is coming apart with hurricanes that lash the shores and rip plant life from their roots and homes from their foundations; earthquakes that are untraceable in the destruction they cause, until they have ended with objects, lives, and thoughts turned upside down; tornados, their unknown path of destruction starkly definitive as it wipes one home off the face of the earth but leaves its neighbor untouched. 

The strength of nature in these storms leaves me amazed. I recognize that they represent a fraction of God’s might and power. The majesty of God should make us tremble at the audacity we exhibit in our thoughts and behavior when we barely acknowledge God or spend time praying to Him. How easy it is for us to forget about His Sovereignty as we go about our daily lives in this sin-filled world.

Proverbs 3:6 has pressed on my mind and made me ask myself, “Do I want God to direct my path?” The answer is a resounding, “Yes!” I have tried my way frequently enough to know that it is not the right way. God’s great love for us is once again shown in this verse (Proverbs 3:6): He desires to direct us, to show us His good will for us, which will give us peace, even in the storms of life.

God desires to walk with us for all of our days, both here on earth and in Heaven. God desires genuine friendship with us. But He doesn’t force us to be His friend. God gave us the freedom to choose Him, to acknowledge Him. He wants to be part of all your ways, as God was in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, He wants now to walk with you through the garden of life.

Will you accept God’s invitation to walk with Him and talk with Him? He’s waiting with open arms, eager to guide you through this life on Earth and bring you “Back to Eden.”

~*~
Author Bio:

Writing stories that take the reader on a journey to parts unknown has been a lifelong love for Tema. She enjoys all history and continues daily to hone both her knowledge of history and her writing skills. 

God is her guiding light and the reason for every endeavor in her life. She is a member of the South Carolina ACFW chapter as well as an active member of her local RWA chapter, Carolina Romance Writers.

Tema has served as past President and Secretary as well as holding various chair positions. She is the honored recipient of the Harold Lowery Service Award, presented by the Carolina Romance Writers.

God has gifted her with a loving husband, two children and three grandchildren who are the delight of her life. In her spare time, she gardens and digs into genealogy for nuggets to use in her stories.

~*~
Connect with Tema:
Website: https://temabannerauthor.com
Blog: www.temabannerauthor.com/blog
Instagram: Instagram.com/temabanner

Devotionals for the Heart: Forgiveness

The Grace of Forgiveness
A devotional by Allison M. Wilson

Key Scripture: 
John 3:16, Romans 6:10, Romans 7:14-25, Psalm 103:12, 1 John 1:9,

 Ephesians 5:26-27, Zephaniah 3:17 (NASB)

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16 is one of the first verses I remember memorizing as a child. It’s taken most of my life to truly grasp a part of what that verse says, though.

God so loved the WORLD. Who does that encompass? Everyone, it seems. However, not everyone will embrace the sacrifice of Christ and accept that forgiveness. The forgiveness is offered, though, to everyone. Those who receive it will be saved.

Those of us who have believed in Christ as our Savior are forgiven for all of our sins. (Romans 6:10) Not just a few. Not just the “big ones,” as some might want to imagine. A “little white lie” on my part put Christ on the cross just as much as someone who murdered countless people. Yes, I’m forgiven of all my sins.

The problem comes when we, as believers, don’t let that forgiveness permeate our being. We continue to beat ourselves up for things we do wrong. We think we should be perfected in our behavior, though there’s nowhere in the Scriptures which says that will happen on this side of heaven’s gates. In fact, one of the most prominent writers of the New Testament tells us that he does the things he hates, and doesn’t do what he knows is right (Romans 7:14-25). If the apostle Paul couldn’t get it right, after being personally taught by Christ, why do we demand perfection from ourselves?

Our focus on the sin takes our focus off of our Savior. It may even be easier to give forgiveness to others who hurt us than it is for us to forgive ourselves when we mess up. We forget that we couldn’t save ourselves, and think we can change ourselves. As if it’s up to us to get it right.

Grace came for forgiveness. I don’t like to use the phrase “covered my sins.” My sins aren’t covered so much as they are washed away. They are no more. They are as far as the east is from the west. (Psalm 103:12) I’m now a co-heir with Christ. All that God has promised to His Heir is mine, too! God wouldn’t be giving those riches to someone who wasn’t cleansed from all unrighteouness.

1 John 1:9 we are told that confessing our sins brings cleansing. That word “confess” means “to agree with” in the original language. We agree with God that what we did/said/thought was disobedient to His calling on our lives. His forgiveness was already given at the cross. Our agreement is just for our sake, not His. He already knows what we did wasn’t our best. He sees the perfected product that the sacrifice of His Son bought. The journey to that perfected product is where sanctification happens. In God’s eyes, you are already without spot, stain, or blemish. (Ephesians 5:26-27) We shouldn’t agree with the enemy that we are any different.

Walk in His truth of who you are and whose you are.

Let’s Pray: Father God, we allow ourselves to be swayed by our feelings and thoughts so often, rather than having our feet firmly grounded on Your Word of truth. Speak that truth to our hearts when the lies come to tell us that we’re not worthy, or not good enough, or that we’ve done something wrong to make You mad at us. Before Christ went to the cross to cleanse us, You wrote the words in Zephaniah 3:17 saying that You rejoice over me “with shouts of joy.” Let that sink into my heart to remind me that You are not disappointed in me. Your love has already gone beyond all my mess-ups and counted me a joy to You. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

A very early reader and lover of the written word, Allison M. Wilson has been writing since the age of 8 with the heart to impart stories and God's truth.

She has judged countless contests for the last 25 years, reviewed for several online publications, professionally edited, and written articles and devotionals.

Wife, mother, writer, editor, teacher, mentor, and mompreneur, God keeps her busy while living in east central Florida with her family.

~*~
Connect with Allison:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allisonmwilson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amwilson

Devotionals for the Heart: God's Grace

What Grace Is Not
A devotional by Allison M. Wilson

Key Scripture: Romans 6:23, Proverbs 6:16-19, Proverbs 27:17 (NASB)

There’s a movement in the world of believers, which is greatly troubling. It’s a passive acknowledgment that there is sin in our lives, but it’s not a “big” one, so it really doesn’t need to be addressed. As if there is some hierarchy to sin which makes one worse than another, we ignore the “little” sins. The “little white lie” to spare someone’s feelings, or the gossip which is couched as concern and prayer requests. Sometimes even the “big” ones are covered over in the name of grace.

God says sin, not based on the level in our human minds, is all bad. Take Romans 6:23, for example. Scripture says, “For the wages of sin is death…” which seems like pretty strong language. There isn’t anything here that says one sin is better or worse than another. Is there such a place in the Scriptures?

Well, we see in Proverbs 6:16-19, there are six things the Lord hates, and seven which are an abomination to Him. Perhaps these are the “biggies” we should avoid? But, what about the Ten Commandments? Those must be important since He gave them to Moses on tablets to keep with the Ark of the Covenant while they wandered around the wilderness for four decades.

What did Jesus say about those ten, though? He said things like, if you even hate your brother, it’s as if you have committed murder in your heart. Or, if you look lustfully at someone, it’s as if you have committed adultery. So, even those first ten He gave aren’t the full depths of what sin is. How are we supposed to know what is a “big” sin and what is a “little” sin? Where is the line?

The reality is that there is NO line. All sin is bad. Period. My little white lie put Jesus on the cross just as much as a serial killer’s murdering did. Jesus died for ALL sin. He didn’t die a smaller amount for what we humans want to trivialize. He died a horrible death, endured suffering of which we cannot even fathom, to take the sins of the world away. When we ignore sin in our own lives, we ignore what He did for us.

What is Jesus calling out in you today? Is there something in your life you know, in your Spirit, is not right, yet, you’ve allowed the enemy to deceive you into believing it’s not a huge deal? Is there something He’s asked you to speak up about in someone else’s life, yet you’ve avoided it, because it’s too uncomfortable a conversation? 

I’m not saying you are the Holy Spirit, and should be going around pointing out everyone’s wrongs. However, we, believers, have stayed silent about too many harmful behaviors within the body of Christ, and then we wonder why we’re the walking wounded. Too many are enslaved by behaviors that are killing their spirits, and we sit silent in fear. Has Christ called on you to be the iron to sharpen another’s iron? (Proverbs 27:17)

You’ve likely heard the following phrases. Hurting people hurt people. Damaged people do damage. Another phrase God’s been developing in me lately is that healed people heal people. If the enemy has you in bondage to a sin, you are less likely to be able to help someone else who needs freedom.

Grace doesn’t ignore sin. It says sin is there, but there’s a Savior Who has conquered the consequences of it for you…DEATH. Grace is Jesus taking on my sin, before I even knew what sin was, and putting it to death so I might live sin free. Oh, what amazing grace that is!

Let’s Pray: Lord Jesus, I do not want to make Your sacrifice less than it was. I want the sinless life You died to give me. Show me the places where sin still has a hold on me, and give me the strength, through the power of Your death and resurrection, to put it away from me. Thank You for loving me when I was so unlovable. In the holy name of Christ, I pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

A very early reader and lover of the written word, Allison M. Wilson has been writing since the age of 8 with the heart to impart stories and God's truth.

She has judged countless contests for the last 25 years, reviewed for several online publications, professionally edited, and written articles and devotionals.

Wife, mother, writer, editor, teacher, mentor, and mompreneur, God keeps her busy while living in east central Florida with her family.

~*~
Connect with Allison:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allisonmwilson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amwilson

Devotionals for the Heart: New Year 2020 edition with new writers!

Dear Reader Friends,

Tomorrow (Jan. 1, 2020) marks the start of a New Year!

And it also begins another part of our devotional journey!

I am excited to announce that this year, we have 7 NEW regularly scheduled writers, 8 original writers from 2019 who are continuing to write devotionals this new year, and three back-up writers contributing to my blog's tri-weekly series, "Devotionals for the Heart!"

This is the introduction post! Scroll down to see pictures of ALL of my writers (new and old) then read their author bios and starting tomorrow, read the first NEW devotional for this year! :)

Note: My backup writers will only contribute their original devotionals in emergency cases when my regularly scheduled writers for this year cannot meet their deadline. God willing, a new devotional will be published every Monday/Wednesday/Friday of every week for all of this New Year 2020.

I hope and pray that God blesses you this New Year with His Peace, Hope and Love!

May this devotional series bless your heart too.

Love,

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

~*~

Read on for the author bios and photos of my NEW devotional writers for this year...

Author Bio:
Alexis Newlin 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 hopes to launch her first podcast – The Brave Podcast – in January 2020.

~*~
Author Bio:

Amy Odland has been serving in church ministry as a volunteer leader for over 16 years, in various worship, prayer and women’s ministry roles. Her passion for helping women stems from her own struggles and lessons learned in her journey as a Christian since first deciding to follow the Lord in 1994. 

Amy’s priorities after her faith include her family — husband Rick and their four kids — as well as extended family who all live close in proximity and the many friends she’s made over the years.

In addition to a love of teaching and helping her husband with the bookkeeping for their many businesses, Amy has recently expanded her stay-at-home work to include leading author’s book launch teams for publishing companies like Baker, Revell, Barbour, and Lifeway.

She also enjoys teaching new authors about platform building, self-launching, and online marketing.

~*~
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 favorite type of books to read are 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.

~*~
Author Bio:

Karen Marstaller is a retired high school teacher who spent most of her career challenging creative students to write. Her heart is for her readers. 

She writes to encourage them, to make them laugh, to show them that life is a beautiful journey, and regardless of their past, to show them that there is joy ahead if they will just keep looking.

Karen and her husband live in central Texas in a sweet little home that they completely remodeled. They enjoy spending time with their family, which includes seven precious grandchildren.

Most of all, Karen writes in obedience to the command to love your neighbor, to offer a cup of water to those who are dying of thirst, and to comfort others with the comfort she has received from God.

~*~
Author Bio:

Malinda Fugate writes from the heart. 

Though she serves full time as the Children’s Education Director at a church in Southern California, she is also a crafter of words, including The Other Three Sixteens (her book that is scheduled to release in May 2020 with Ambassador International), Bible Time for Active Kids (which is an activities-based devotional that is available for purchase on Amazon.com), and The Pen and the Sword: Connecting With the Word of God (which is an interactive creative writing journal). 

Malinda earned a communications degree with a theatre emphasis from Azusa Pacific University, then worked behind the scenes at the Los Angeles Salem radio stations, including The Fish and KKLA.

Her writing includes children's faith resources, commercial copywriting, and various faith-based stage and screenplays. Malinda lives by the beach with her pup, Yoshi.

When she's not writing or working at church, she might be creating art, reading, or exploring the many adventures to be found in the Los Angeles area.

~*~
Author Bio:

Writing stories that take the reader on a journey to parts unknown has been a lifelong love for Tema Banner. She enjoys all history and continues daily to hone both her knowledge of history and her writing skills. 

God is her guiding light and the reason for every endeavor in her life. She is a member of the South Carolina ACFW chapter as well as an active member of her local RWA chapter, Carolina Romance Writers.

Tema has served as past President and Secretary as well as holding various chair positions. She is the honored recipient of the Harold Lowery Service Award, presented by the Carolina Romance Writers.

God has gifted her with a loving husband, two children and three grandchildren who are the delight of her life.

In her spare time, she gardens and digs into genealogy for nuggets to use in her stories.

~*~
Author Bio:

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

He currently lives in Plano, Texas. He's the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer, a book that didn't begin as a book, just weekly prayers to a group of writer friends. 

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

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

~*~

Read on for the author bios and photos of my OLD devotional writers returning this year...

Author Bio:
A very early reader and lover of the written word, Allison M. Wilson has been writing since the age of 8 with the heart to impart stories and God's truth. 

She has judged countless contests for the last 25 years, reviewed for several online publications, professionally edited, and written articles and devotionals.

Wife, mother, writer, editor, teacher, mentor, and mompreneur, God keeps her busy while living in east central Florida with her family.

~*~
Author Bio:
Chaplain Anderson served for 20 years as a U.S. Navy chaplain. Over 26 years of active duty, he was promoted through the ranks from Seaman Apprentice (E2) to his final rank as Commander (O5) in the Chaplain’s Corps.

Prior to his Naval career, Chaplain Anderson pastored in the Allegheny East and Potomac Conferences of Seventh-day Adventists. His undergraduate preparation for ministry was completed at Washington Adventist University (WAU) in Takoma Park, Maryland.

He has subsequently earned four graduate degrees–a Master of Divinity from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan; a Master of Education in Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland; and a Masters of Sacred Theology in Religion and Culture from Boston University. His Doctor of Ministry degree was conferred by Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.

Chaplain Anderson also completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He also holds certifications in Suicide Awareness and Prevention, Civil Mediation, Alternative Workplace Dispute Resolution, Temperament Analysis, Marriage Enrichment, Workforce Diversity, and is a certified Life Coach.

~*~
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.

Sweet River Redemption is her three-book Contemporary Christian Romance 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.

~*~
Author Bio:

Glynis Becker enjoys writing devotions, inspirational short fiction, novel-length fiction, and screenplays. Her film Sinking Sand is available for streaming on Amazon.com, TubiTv, and on DVD. 

She spent her childhood traveling the country as an Air Force brat, until she decided to attend college at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

Once she got her mechanical engineering degree, she decided she couldn’t leave, so she has made her home for the last thirty years in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota with her photographer husband, their almost-grown two children, and one very cat-like poodle. She has worked as a software engineer for a defense contractor, an adult ministries director at a church, and currently does paperwork and intake for an adoption agency.

When she’s not writing, working or volunteering, you’ll find her reading everything from Christian fiction to epic fantasy novels, watching TV or cheering for her favorite sports team, the Minnesota Vikings.

~*~
Author Bio:
Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian journalist, author, blogger, editor, and devotional writer. She is the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism, which has won 113 journalism awards during her tenure. 

She is the author of Feed My Sheep: A 40-Day Devotional to Develop a Heart for Hunger Ministry (2019) and More Like Jesus: A Devotional Journey (2018) and editor of Stories of Racial Awakening: Narratives on Changed Hearts and Lives of South Carolina United Methodists (2018), all from her newspaper’s Advocate Press.

She is a seasoned speaker and contributor to Thrivent Magazine, Crosswalk, and the United Methodist News Service, among many others. She has a weekly faith blog called "Shining the Light" that is published on her website, www.JessicaBrodie.com and is part of the team at Wholly Loved Ministries. 

Her novel Tangled Roots won a third place Foundation Award in Contemporary Romance at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in 2019. An earlier unpublished novel, The Memory Garden, won the 2018 Genesis Award for Contemporary Fiction from American Christian Fiction Writers.

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

~*~
Author Bio:

Mirachelle Canada is a writer, playwright, screenwriter, and theatre director/producer from Northern Virginia, where she teaches television production at her high school alma mater. 

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

Mirachelle is currently working on her first historical fiction novel set during WWII.

~*~
Author Bio:

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

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

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

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

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

~*~
Author Bio: 

Temeka Borden, better known by her pen name “Positivity Inspires,” is an author, speaker, minister, PharmD, multi-state licensed pharmacist, founder and owner of Positivity Inspires, LLC, and most importantly, a servant of the Lord. 

She was introduced to Christ at a very early age and was raised in the church. Her ministry focuses on encouraging Christians to love God first, to love all people, to continually strengthen their bond with Christ, and to study His Word, and live His Word daily.
​
Dr. Borden has been blessed with a variety of gifts, and she has gained much professional experience in a variety of settings. She also has served in administrative roles in the professional and church settings. In addition to obtaining her PharmD, she also obtained her bachelor's degree in biology (minor in English), and she is working on her third degree. What's more, as stated in her words, “I completed a specialty pharmacy residency that prepared me for the workforce and made me a force to be reckoned with.” She is a long-distance runner, a drummer, a singer, and she has a strong “fashion sense.” She also can read and type at almost supersonic speed in some instances.

Dr. Borden loves to learn and is constantly looking for new ways to challenge herself.

She loves God and she loves people. She is “crazy about her family,” and she adores her friends. She strongly encourages others to show kindness, respect, and love to everyone. She loves and welcomes diversity and flourishes in culturally diverse environments.

Dr. Borden loves to laugh and loves to make other people laugh. She also is passionate about giving back to the community. Her favorite sayings are “Speak Up!” and “Watch God Work!”

~*~

Read on for the author bios and photos of my backup devotional writers for this year...

Author Bio:

Erin Mifflin lives in the beautiful Missouri Ozarks.

She works as a one-on-one tutor with grades 6-12 at a Christian school. 

As a lifelong lover of words, she is passionate about stories and has been a book blogger since 2010. She's always written in one form or another, and in recent years has begun to develop this gift more seriously. 

Her nonfiction articles have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, as well as various Christian magazines and blogs.

She's hard at work on a historical fiction manuscript as well. Erin is a homeschool graduate and comes from a large family, which now includes nearly 20 nieces and nephews.

She's active in her church as a Sunday School teacher, choir member, and church officer.

When she has a spare moment, she enjoys cooking, decorating cakes, watching British period dramas, and helping care for her large and crazy family.

~*~
Author Bio:

Kathleen Rouser is a multi-published author who has won the 2017 Bookvana Award for her first novel Rumors and Promises, which is about the people of fictional Stone Creek, Michigan. She also wrote its sequel, Secrets and Wishes, as well as a few anthologies. 

Kathleen is a longtime member in good standing of American Christian Fiction Writers. 

She has loved making up stories since she was a little girl and wanted to be a writer before she could even read. She longs to create characters who resonate with readers and realize the need for a transforming Savior in their everyday lives. 

A former homeschool instructor, mild-mannered dental assistant, and current Community Bible Study kids’ teacher, Kathleen lives in Michigan with her hero and husband of thirty-some years and their two sweet kittens. 

She is still on the quest to brew the perfect cup of coffee to drink while she’s writing.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wendy Wilson Spooner is a professional Genetic Genealogist by day, a writer by night, and an artist in between.

Her first book, Once Upon an Irish Summer, is a YA crossover historical fiction novel. It is the first in a trilogy, traditionally published by Ambassador International and set to release April 3, 2020 in five countries.

Wendy’s love of history compels her to write the true stories that she unearths during her research, and she’s found that truth is indeed, stranger, and way more exciting than fiction. 

Wendy writes about family, faith, grief, art, and overcoming the obstacles in life by coming to know who we really are—a child of God, and, the descendant of incredible people who paved the way for us to have the lives we have now—even if they really struggled. She believes in learning from ancestors, honoring them, and then standing on their shoulders to become someone even better.

Wendy is an award-winning author of professional articles and poems. She turned to novel writing to share what she knows with more people.

~The End ~