Devotionals for the Heart: How taking a small step led to my big adventure

How Adventures with God Begin with Small Steps
A devotional by Lynette Allcock Yoon

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

—Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)

Everything changed when I stepped on the plane to Korea, but I didn’t know it yet. I thought I was going to teach English for a couple of years. Instead, I met my husband, and started to put down roots in a country I had no original plan to settle in. God led me on a course I had not imagined!

What meaningful experience in your life started as one simple step of faith?

Big changes most often begin as small decisions. A single step forward, following God’s prompting, may lead to an entirely new path. Yet, it can be tempting to downplay the significance of small things.

We might look at some of the more dramatic stories of the Bible—a burning bush, a pillar of fire, a thundering voice from heaven—and wish for similarly clear signs. We want to know for sure that something important is happening, that we are going in the right direction, or that we are embarking on a momentous journey.

However, God doesn’t always give us bold indications of what He is up to, what will happen next, or exactly how He is leading us. Instead, adventures with God often begin with ordinary moments and quiet—but brave—decisions.

Consider the story of David. In his life, a series of seemingly small choices and events led to something significant. In 1 Samuel 16-17, we see that David was the youngest in his family and a humble shepherd. His older brothers were fighting with the King of Israel against the Philistines. One day, David’s father told him to take some food to his brothers on the battlefield. While he was dropping off the supplies, David overhead Goliath taunting the Israelite army, and he couldn’t stand it.

He decided to fight the giant, finding courage in how God helped him rescue his sheep from lions and bears in the past. Then, he chose to fight armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling instead of using the king’s heavy armor.

David triumphed over Goliath and the Philistines fled. This led to David being appointed as a wildly successful army officer under King Saul…which then led to Saul’s jealousy…which led to David’s fugitive years in the wilderness where he wrote many of the Psalms that speak so deeply to our hearts today. Eventually, David became the king of Israel and an ancestor of Jesus Christ. And to think that all this began with David faithfully carrying out a simple, humble task for his family!

David went from a lowly shepherd to a celebrated king, whose story is still told thousands of years later. I’m sure David never imagined that course for his life, but God guided him into miracles and adventures he had not foreseen, one step at a time.

Just as how David’s ordinary lunch delivery ended in the slaying of a giant, we may never know how one moment could completely change our lives. We can’t see the future, but God can. He knows where He is leading us. Each single step we take in following God is important.

Remember, the Bible says in Zechariah 4:10 (NLT), “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.”

May you be encouraged today that the little things matter—whether you are carrying out your regular responsibilities, or whether you are making a small, faith-filled decision to turn in a new direction. God will establish your steps and lead you on.

Let’s Pray: Father God, it’s amazing to think that my ordinary faithfulness and my small steps in following You can lead to beautiful outcomes that I can’t imagine yet. When I don’t always sense that something important is happening, or see immediate results from my efforts, help me to still be faithful in the small things. I know You are directing the course of my life. Help me to trust You, Lord, with every step I take. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

~*~
Song of Reflection #1: “Say Yes” by Josh Wilson. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Increase My Faith” by Brian Courtney Wilson. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “He Leadeth Me” by Reawaken Hymns. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #4: “Walk by Faith” by Jeremy Camp. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #5: “I Know the Plans (Audrey’s Song)” by Dámaris Carbaugh. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #6: “Lead Me Lord” by Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir with w/ Elizabeth Goodine. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #7: “I Will Follow” by Chris Tomlin. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Lynette Allcock Yoon is a writer, teacher, and former radio host. 

She grew up in three countries and now lives in South Korea with her husband.

Lynette writes about life abroad, faith, and relationships from an expat, Third Culture Kid (TCK) perspective.

Outside of work, Lynette enjoys musical theatre and long walks with good friends.

~*~
Connect with Lynette:
Website: https://www.lynetteallcock.com/

Devotionals for the Heart: Learning to trust God and wait on His timing

God’s Timing is the Best
A devotional by Christine Monteiro

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”—Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

The past twelve months have been a real challenge for me. I feel like I am losing direction in life, and I can’t see beyond what is in front of me in a very close range.

I have doubts about many things and opportunities that lie before my eyes. I waited for what I thought was the best timing. I was juggling decisions. Every night, after I pray to God, I spend my time with ChatGPT. Wondering around, I wish God would work in that way. When you ask, He will directly speak to you—answering all your questions. I wondered why God doesn’t work like ChatGPT, giving all the positive and encouraging answers right away.

Slowly but surely, I made a bold decision—starting with straightening my finances, recalculating, structuring debt, and cutting many expenses. I’ve been ignoring things I should have done for a long time. Sometimes, doing the right thing can be scary. But miraculously, when I did the right thing by letting go of my fear, suddenly my anxiety subsided and things started to flow nicely. I’ve learned that God’s blessings are not only for me, but also for my children. Everything came on time for them: the food they needed, the money to pay their tuition for college, and a job for extra cash. I would never have guessed God would work the way He did. He left me in awe. I am grateful for what He has done for me.

Several years ago, I met a man who captured my heart. But at that time, neither of us was ready for a commitment. Our previous marriages have hurt us both. I was afraid of losing a spouse again. The death of my husband was traumatic enough, and I don’t want to experience that again. But who can guarantee someone’s life?

For years, I have tried to convince myself to toughen my heart and to believe that no one can guarantee a perfect future or everlasting life…until last month, when I decided to say yes to his proposal. Within three weeks, we planned our intimate, simple wedding with only eight people as our witnesses. It takes courage to enter a new journey. But I’m looking forward to this new chapter in my life story. It feels like I took a ton of weight off my shoulders. It feels incredible to feel loved, and the thought that I don’t have to go through life alone anymore. I can see God’s blessing upon my new marriage.

I had to make a decision not just to get married but to quit my job which was something I’d been putting off for months because I was so worried. Every time I thought about it, anxiety rose within me. It is scary to think about quitting my job and starting a new life with someone different. Funny enough, a day after I declared my new life, my boss allowed me to quit my job. We’d spoken about this for months, but he never approved my request to stop working for him. One thing I know then and now: God is in control. Proof that God is with me was in every single decision I made—the right decision, the right path, as He wanted me to do. I am now facing another level of faith because I want to pursue my calling. A calling that will make my life purposeful: A life where I can do ministry for the teens and run my coaching business at the same time. I am passionate about this life that I feel called to live. I am starting to see how God guides my path step by step. Just like Proverbs 3:5-6 says, God will make your paths straight.

I have many reasons to worry about pursuing my passion. I still have to support two kids in college and another one next year, but I am confident that God will show me the right path to take. Uncertainty has a way of drawing me closer to God as I keep seeking Him for strength. I’ve learned that God never wastes our time. He aligns things in our lives when we align our hearts with His. When you are in God’s waiting room, don’t panic, because He is still moving. When things happen, it will feel effortless. Not because it’s easy, but because it’s right.

I didn’t understand God’s timing when I was in the middle of a confusing time. But now I’m living inside the answered prayer. And I realized God was never late. I was just early. His timing is always best!

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for being involved in every decision I’ve ever made. Thank You for proving that You will never leave me nor forsake me. Thank You for the mercy and love that you’ve shown me amid my confusion. Help me to keep believing in You and walking on the right path by your side. I need your guidance in my life. I am so grateful that I can call you Abba Father, whom I can rely on. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “In His Time” by Maranatha Music. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” by Hillsong UNITED. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “Goodness of God” by Cece Winans. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Christine Monteiro is a certified transformative coach, writer, and keynote speaker who is passionate about helping others navigate the complexities of purpose, personal growth, and resilience. 

Christine’s journey to becoming a coach started four years ago, following the loss of her husband to brain cancer. That experience left her feeling as though she had lost her purpose—a feeling she deeply understands in clients who she works with now. Through self-discovery and training, Christine found the missing pieces in her life and regained her purpose and drive that now motivates her to help others.

Christine coaches her clients from all walks of life—from young adults to retirees—helping them to embrace change, set meaningful goals, and confidently pursue their dreams. She has received training through Creative Results Management and holds credentials from the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Christine also has certifications in Positive Psychology and Mental Health Coaching from Yale and Light University. Her diverse approach to coaching her clients combines empathy with strategic insight, helping them to navigate every stage of life.

When she writes, Christine likes to focus on topics like finding purpose, coping with grief, and achieving personal transformation. As she writes, Christine draws from her own experiences as a single mom and empty nester. She enjoys sharing these insights on various platforms to reach a wider audience and foster community support.

When not coaching or writing, Christine spends her time sipping black coffee and swimming in the pool. She has found that having three independent children gives her a privilege to have a lot of “me time” that she didn’t have when they were growing up.

Devotionals for the Heart: Learning how to hear and discern God's Voice

Understanding the Voice of God
A devotional by Cherie Mendez

The Lord will give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, but your Teacher will no longer hide Himself—with your own eyes you will see Him. And whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: “This is the way. Walk in it.”

—Isaiah 30:20-21 (BSB)

Like the children of Israel, we all have a tendency to complain when problems arise. God will allow us to go through seasons of adversity in order to get our attention.

Hearing the voice of God is a learned skill and over time it can get easier or harder depending on our obedience or disobedience.

I’ll never forget when I first met my husband, Jimmy. We went out on a few dates, but after praying about it, I was unsure if he was “the one.” After our third date, I felt it would only be right for me to break up because I didn’t think it was fair to keep stringing him along.

This was a huge struggle—I had a history of bad experiences with men and a lot of baggage to deal with before I could commit to a serious relationship. It was a very hard decision because deep down inside, I was afraid I would never get married.

So, the day came when I ended our dating relationship. He didn’t take it well but we agreed to part ways. To make things easier we started going to different churches.

A year went by and I kept seeking God on whether or not He was calling me to get married. I started to question if I had made a mistake by breaking up with Jim. To make matters worse, I received a phone call from a friend of mine who said she had just gone on a day trip with Jim. My heart sank! I started to wonder if I missed the boat. Later, I learned that friend who went on the day trip with Jim only went as “friends” and she was actually dating another guy. Phew!

So, at that point I wasn’t sure what to do. I prayed about it and God opened the door for me to see Jim again in a group setting with other friends. Slowly we started to reconnect and by that time I felt God’s peace about our relationship. We dated for a few months and one night he got down on his knee and proposed. We then moved forward and got pre-marital counseling by our pastor and his wife. One of the most beautiful things our pastor’s wife said was that she saw “God’s signature on our marriage.” Three months later we tied the knot.

Now, thirty-one years later, I am still happily married to the man God chose for me. God knew exactly what He was doing. Maybe I needed that year after breaking up for God to heal all the issues in my heart before I could walk down the aisle. God was writing our true love story all along, I just couldn’t see it at that time.

So how does one properly hear God and discern when He is speaking? Let me share what I have learned from over the years. I have found three of the most common ways God speaks to us:

Common Way #1: His Word. Psalm 119:105 (KJV) says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” In order to “hear” from God we need to develop an understanding of His character. We need to know how God honors obedience and punishes disobedience.

Common Way #2: Our Circumstances. Sometimes, God will allow the “bread of adversity and the water of affliction” Isaiah 30:20 (BSB) to get our attention and guide us.

Common Way #3: The Still Small Voice. The Holy Spirit speaks very soft but also very clear. When He speaks we will either have a peace about something or not.

God’s grace towards us never changes. He is always faithful to guide us back on the way of truth. Whether you are in a season of adversity or enjoying a time of prosperity, know that God is always speaking. All He asks is that we listen.

Let’s Pray: Lord Jesus, I pray that You will help us to be still and quiet before You. Help us to not let the noise of the world distract us from hearing Your voice. I pray that You will give us the eyes to see and the ears to hear Your guidance. Thank You for Your never-ending patience with us. Help us to see beyond our circumstances and keep our eyes on You. In Your Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Speak” by Bethany Music. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Cherie Mendez is a New York-based actress and model. Network appearances include Blue Bloods and Bull (CBS), Power (STARZ), and Hunters (Amazon).

She got her start in modeling at the age of 18 when she was offered a contract to work with an agency in Paris. Over time, she worked for clients such as Mary Kay Cosmetics, Clarins Skincare, Garnier, Lancôme, and Wella.

In recent years, Cherie has been sharing about her faith in God on Instagram where she has an audience of over 30k followers. She is compelled by love to encourage women to understand their identity in Jesus Christ.

It is her goal to bring to light what God’s Word says about our self-worth. She does this by sharing encouraging stories on how she overcame the many struggles that models and actresses typically face.

Some of the topics Cherie loves to write about are:

· Coping with rejection

· Finding your purpose and using your talent for God’s glory

· How God always looks at the heart and the meaning of inner beauty

· Understanding that we are all a work in progress and God is not done with us yet

Cherie and her husband Jimmy live in Upstate New York. They are thankful to have been married for 30 years.

~*~
Connect with Cherie:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheriemendez/

Devotionals for the Heart: Hope in a God who cannot and will not fail

A Promise of Hope
A devotional written by Essie Faye Taylor

“This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.”—Lamentations 3:21-25 (KJV)

I dropped to my knees and sobbed.

I cried for what seemed like half an hour. I cried for my loss of love. I cried for the life I thought that I would have. I cried for the marriage I could not save, no matter how hard I tried.

I was in the living room of the small apartment that my ex-husband and I were renting. Like the apartment, I was empty, my life was shattered, and my heart was broken. After several years of emotional abuse, my ex packed his things and left. I cried as a result of the loss, but simultaneously I felt relief. Though I was hurting, I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.

No more pain.

How had I endured three years of extreme pain, disappointment, hurt, and maltreatment within a marriage, while operating in ministry leadership? How had I held onto my faith in such a turbulent time? It was because of the Lord’s mercies that I was not consumed by the experience.

In the text, Jeremiah who was known as the “weeping prophet”, declares a message of hope.

He was called the “weeping prophet” because his heart was tender as he delivered a message of hope and warning. This text is often quoted in circles of believers because of the encouraging and hopeful words. To hope means to trust or to have expectations of something. To extend mercy is to not give someone what he/she deserves. God gives us a new start each day, not because of who we are or what we’ve done or not done, but because of who He is. Jeremiah attributes his stability in the face of challenges to God’s Hand in his life. And so it is in our lives. Because God’s Hand is moving in our lives, we have hope that a brighter day is ahead.

Because God gifts mercies to us and He is compassionate toward us, He doesn’t allow evil to overtake us. God shields and protects us, even in the midst of the storms of life. Therefore, we are not utterly destroyed. John 10:28 (KJV) confirms that we are in the hands of the Lord and no one can take us out of His hands. In God’s hands, we are safe. In God’s hands, we are well because He has plans to prosper us and give us hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

Call to Action:

1. See the hand of God in your life—in the good, bad, and ugly situations. Yes, I am hurting, but God is with me. Yes, I have lost love from mankind, yet I have experienced the beauty of my Heavenly Father’s love for me. 
2. Heal day by day through the practice of gratefulness. A grateful heart births peace and contentment despite the difficulty. 
3. Embrace hope daily—hope in God because He doesn’t fail. 
4. Renew your mind (think “right”). Storms are a part of the human experience. Our belief in Christ does not make us exempt from struggle or trouble. Our faith does sustain and strengthen us. It gives us hope.

Remember, our hope in God transcends our worldly experiences–our hope is eternal.

Let’s Pray:
Heavenly Father, You are God. The earth is Yours and everything within it. You are the Creator of the Universe. You have me in Your Hand. No one can remove me from Your care. I can trust You with my life, my possessions, and my times. Help us to trust in You and to know that You are in control of every situation that we experience. You know all about it and You care. Increase my faith in You and my hope for today and for my future. Thank you Father, for hearing and answering me. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “He Has His Hands On You” (song) by Marvin Sapp. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Essie Taylor is an author, educator, minister, youth advocate, recording artist, podcaster, and improviser. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Rockford College.

She is a veteran educator of Bilingual Education, English as a Second Language, and Spanish Language Acquisition with National Board Teacher Certification. She is an advocate of lifelong learning, language learning, and multiculturalism.

Essie is the CEO of KenMar Press, an author agency, and The Essie Faye Collection. Essie is the author of Finding the Love You Deserve: 30 Lessons in Self-Love & Acceptance, and Finding The Love Your Deserve: A 60-Day Healing Journal For Women of Faith.

She is deeply committed to motivating minorities, women, and youth to pursue God while chasing their dreams and carving out their life’s path. She loves God, people, and helping others.

Essie has been a Christian for nearly all of her 39 years. She was born again at 15 years old. She has been a bilingual worship leader and interpreter for 10+ years. By the grace of God, Essie helped to establish bilingual ministries at five churches in her young life. She is a survivor of domestic violence (verbal and emotional abuse) and marital abandonment in a prior marriage.

Essie is a Chicago native. She lives in Chicago with her husband Donald Taylor II.

~*~
Connect with Essie:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_essie_faye/
Website: www.essiefayetaylor.com

Devotionals for the Heart: A lesson on how to love everyone and yourself

Love Yourself, Too
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

I first saw the words on a T-shirt 12 years ago: “Three priorities in life: Number one, God. Number two, others. Number three, self.”

I was new on the job as editor of a Christian newspaper, the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the job I’m still blessed to hold today, and after an entire career spent in the secular journalism and marketing industry, I welcomed this priority list. To me, it encapsulated exactly where my heart and mind needed to be. I was done putting myself first in a culture that seems hardwired to drive us to do just that. God must always come first, and after that, I needed to be concerned with the well-being, care, and love for other people.

Self came last.

But I might have taken those words a little too literally—so literally that self-care not only took the back burner but went off the stove entirely.

That phase, the start of my job at the Advocate, soon also kicked off one of the hardest periods in my life. My marriage unraveled, and soon I became a single mom of two very young kids. I was existing on four hours of sleep a night, lost so much weight my size-small pants were swimming on me, and soon became plagued both by migraines and by horrible stomach pain that started around noon and didn’t stop until nearly midnight every single day. It was a miserable time.

Eventually, life evened out and became steadier. I remarried and was no longer a single mom, and I began getting more sleep. My stomachaches finally subsided, and my migraines dwindled. I began spending regular time in God’s Word (The Holy Bible), learning to sit and simply be still, basking in God’s presence. My finances got under control.

And I finally learned that thing that had eluded me my entire life: I started to actually like myself. To enjoy time with myself. I appreciated who God had designed, flaws and all, and owned my quirks and talents. I strived to be the woman God wanted me to be, and it was liberating.

While I still value that priority list—God first, others second, self last—I’ve come to understand that perhaps the self isn’t actually meant to be last at all. God didn’t actually say put ourselves last. In fact, Jesus’s exact words from the Sermon on the Mount were, “Do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12 NIV). He also said the first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:39).

He didn’t say love your neighbor more than yourself, he said love your neighbor as yourself. Care for your neighbor as though you were caring for yourself.

In order to do that well, I think we need to love ourselves too. It shouldn’t be neighbor over self, or self over neighbor—it’s equal. We are all together in this. When I feed my neighbor, I should be feeding myself, and vice versa. When I extended a kind word to my neighbor, I should be extending that same kind word back to myself. When I love on those in my inner circle, those who feel like an extension of myself, such as my spouse or kids, I should be loving my neighbor in the same way.

Sometimes we get our priorities skewed, but God should always come first. Still, it’s important to keep in mind that Jesus commanded us to love others as well as ourselves. Think on that. Pray on that. What does this mean to you?

If you are struggling with self-care, feeling exhausted, feeling burned out or depressed or down on yourself, ravaged with guilt or beating yourself up, remember to extend yourself the same kindness, love, appreciation, and forgiveness you do others. You’re part of the equation, too.

Let’s Pray: Lord God, thank You for the blessing of life. Thank You for the people around me. Help me to love myself and love others in a way that honors and glorifies You, pointing to You always. In Your holy and precious name I pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

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

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

Jessica 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.

Watch "Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters" movie on PureFlix

My Review of Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters (movie)

Review written by Alexis A. Goring

Pure Flix VIP Ambassador program asked me to review the movie Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters. I watched this heartwarming movie on August 5. First, I’d like to describe the storyline in the words of talking points from Momentum then I’ll share my thoughts (review).

According to Momentum, this movie is based on the New York Times Bestselling book written by Dr. Meg Meeker. Here’s the summary for this movie: When a wealthy businessman learns his daughter is engaged to a missionary, he embarks on a quest to keep her closer to home. But when his efforts go awry, he must learn to give up control and trust God with her future. Steve loves all three of his daughters – but does he really know who they are? Discover the heartfelt journey of a dad who is desperately trying to hold onto his little girls but learns he must give up control and trust God with their future.

Now for my review:

This movie was inspired by Dr. Meg Meeker’s best-selling book, “Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters.” The movie features real-life married couples Bart Johnson & Robin Lively and Maria Canals-Barrera & David Barrera. I thought that was a nice touch that made the movie all the more personal and engaging! In the movie, Steve has three daughters: Abby (adult), Zoe (teen) and Bridget (young tween). But this movie is centered more on Abby who wants to marry a missionary. She announces her engagement to Oz (the missionary) as a surprise when she visits home and says they plan to move to Kenya after they marry. This clashes with Steve’s plans for Abby to join the family business in Corporate America and have her own office as Junior Executive. From that point forward, the audience is taken on a wild ride of family conflict, drama, faith in action, life lessons and plot twists you won’t soon forget.

Themes of this movie included:

• Seeing your children through different phases of life and viewing them through the eyes of others
• The difficulty of letting go as your children grow and allowing them to live their own lives (trusting them to fly the coop)
• Competition between dad and future son-in-law
• Who is in control? Us or God? 
• Parenting is about being present and available and encouraging them to pursue their own dreams
• Forgiveness
• Acknowledging mistakes were made in order to change and grow
• Seeing past your own expectations and allowing people to discover their own gifts and own path in life

I loved everything about this movie except the way they portrayed Kenya and talked about Africa. As a person of color who is part of the African Diaspora, I find it offensive when people in real-life or in fiction/media/movies, talk about Africa with words that paint a picture of it as a dangerous, dark and wild place filled with lions and poor people who live in mud huts.

Sadly, these were the kind of references made several times by the characters in this movie (mainly Steve who played the father of the bride). At one point, Steve said his daughter (Abby) would be “Living in a mud hut” if she moves to Kenya. And at another point, he told his colleagues that “She’ll be playing with lions and hyenas.” 

These type of comments are not taken personal by mainstream America and obviously by the people who made this movie. But for people who have roots in the continent of Africa, such portrayal of their ancestors’ homeland is not only hurtful but untrue. This is 2022, most countries in Africa are civilized and have rich cities, nice restaurants, five-star hotels, expensive houses and luxurious resorts. Sure, there may be parts of Africa and other countries outside of Africa that are still tribal. But with the way Africa was talked about in this movie, you’d think the entire continent was stuck in primitive days. 

For me, the way that Africa was talked about took away from the beauty of this movie. However, I think that overall it was a wonderful movie and the acting was superb. It’s just hard to get over the negative light they shone on Kenya (Africa) and sadly it also hurts because these are views that people have about Africa in real-life not just in fiction or movies. It’s hurtful and hard move past as a person who has roots in Africa.

Here's the website link to where you can watch Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters:
https://www.pureflix.com/movie/strong-fathers-strong-daughters

See the movie trailer:
https://youtu.be/M7piWfjoypc

Watch the Momentum Influencers Interview conducted by Jean Thomason featuring Dr. Meg Meeker, author of the book that inspired this movie here:
https://youtu.be/GNZvXTrk95M

Before you go, enter this contest for your chance to WIN one 3-month PureFlix subscription!

Please note: This giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only. The giveaway starts today and ends on August 14, 2022.

Here is the Giveaway Contest link:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/f8dcb68c397/

Disclosure: Many thanks to Pure Flix for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

#StrongFathersMIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

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

Embracing the Unconditional Love of God
A devotional by Cyndi Staudt

“We love because He first loved us.”

—1 John 4:19 (NIV)

As the calendar turned to February my sigh was audible.

It was the first February after my divorce, and for all intents and purposes, Valentine's month had snuck up on me. Valentine's Day was never one of my favorite holidays to begin with. But after my marriage had crumbled around me, it was really the last holiday I wanted to be reminded of. My capacity to love and to be loved seemed to have been dismantled as divorce papers were signed. After two failed marriages, I found myself taking an honest look in the mirror and whispering—really whimpering—to God, “Point out any offensive way in me.” His answer came in the still, small voice that simply stated, “Cease striving.”

Even though I had been a Christian for many years, I came to realize I was still a baby drinking spiritual milk when it came to an understanding of God's love for myself and others. I felt like I was always trying to balance a scale between “He loves me” and “He loves me not”. Unfortunately, the scale always seemed to be teetering toward the “He loves me not” direction.

I would “perform” for Him and wait for His applause and approval. Was He pleased that I lead the small group Bible study? Would He be happy that I served on the prayer team? Would I earn a reward for sharing my faith with a friend? It was stressful and it was exhausting. And it certainly was not Biblical. I decided to venture out on a journey of searching the scriptures for all God said about love and pleading with God to help me truly understand what they all meant, so I could treasure them in my heart and cease striving once and for all.

God is love. So it goes without saying that His Word (The Holy Bible) has a lot to say about love.

As I searched and studied His Word, praying for God to remove the scales from my eyes, He tenderly led me into many truths about love and, sadly, many lies I was believing about His love. What I discovered was I needed to truly experience God’s love before I could ever hope to love and be loved properly. Without allowing myself to be loved by God, I would never be able to fully love Him or others. I had turned receiving God's love into a competition I was constantly performing to earn. But God loves me just because He loves me. Not because of any awesome things I do or spectacular things I say. His desire is to completely overwhelm me with His love. My job is to simply receive it. It sounded simple, yet my mind had an easier time wrapping itself around that concept of work leading to reward.

Over the next few weeks my prayer became simple. I prayed, “Lord, help me understand and receive Your love.” When I felt myself slip onto the performance path, which happened far more often than I realized, I pulled back and pressed into His presence. I sat still before Him until I felt His peace and became immersed in His love. I began to become acquainted with what it felt like to just be loved without seeking to earn it.

Receiving God’s love was freeing and fulfilling. I came to experience Him in a deeper, more intimate and fully authentic way. I brought Him all the broken pieces of me and He stitched them together with His unfailing love. I ceased striving, sat still before Him and He stirred a desire deep in my soul to simply receive His love.

In doing so, I discovered God’s love leads to a multitude of other qualities, all rooted in an understanding and experience of His unconditional love. His love empowers and establishes. His love drives out fear and fuels faith. His love kills comparison and cultivates compassion. His love demolishes doubts and ignites delight. His love is extravagant and eternal, doesn’t need to be earned and is for everyone.

He showed me that love never stops loving and as He continues to pour it in, I can allow it to flow out to those around me and the reservoir only grows larger.

Let’s Pray: Loving Lord, thank you for the way you love us and the example you set for us in loving others. Help us to willingly receive your love, be filled with your love and fully experience your love. Let us be a vessel that allows your love to pour into us, freely flow through us and spill over into the world around us. May those who we have an opportunity to meet and mingle with experience your love through us, giving them a desire to know You as the source of love and Savior of their souls. We ask this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

~*~
Note from Alexis: Cyndi’s devotional message today reminds me of the song “Your Love Never Fails”, performed by Chris Quilala / Jesus Culture. 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: Dreams

Aligning Reality with Our Wildest Dreams
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” 

–1 Corinthians 13:12 (NIV)

Have you ever set your sights on something far-off, then dreamed about how wonderful it would be? When I was in my twenties, I longed for children. I began to idealize motherhood, imagining my life would change completely the moment I gave birth—I’d suddenly be mature, have it all together, live a life of bliss and maternal joy.

Life certainly did change when I finally had kids at age 30, and most of those changes were wonderful, but it wasn’t all perfection. I had plenty of days I wanted to pull out my hair or lamented having to pack an entire diaper bag before heading out for a simple trip to the mall. I had a notion of what I thought life would be, but the reality of my future was different—good, but different.

I spent some time as a single mom a few years later, and I was overjoyed when my husband, Matt, and I fell in love and he proposed. But again, I had an idealized vision of what our future would be when we finally exchanged vows. I couldn’t wait for our wedding date to hurry up and get here. Not only did I want to share my home with my best friend and the love of my heart, but I also was eager to have a partner in the home to help shoulder finances and child-rearing tasks. I imagined post-marital life would be much like our dating life, only full-time.

In reality, the intimacy and deep, abiding, Christ-centered love proved to be even better, though the future didn’t exactly match my expectations. Romantic nights at the movies were sometimes exchanged for other romantic moments—like holding hands while buying our first washing machine when my old one finally died.

In truth, I’ve been picturing my future in one way or another since I was a child, and reality and expectation don’t always align. For instance, I always expected summer break would be amazing, but it ended up being kind of boring after a few weeks.

But sometimes the future wows us, and we cannot believe how wonderful something is. When I was pregnant with my second child, I couldn’t begin to imagine loving this new one, my daughter, as much as I loved my son—and yet my heart’s capacity for love surprised me.

I think that’s what the apostle Paul might have been alluding to in his letter to the early church about what awaits Christian believers. He wrote, “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12 NIV).

The mystery of God, His kingdom, His coming, and His vast, grace-filled, and merciful love aren’t fully understood by us now. We are only humans, not divine, and we only have a sense of the promises of eternal life awaiting us in heaven. But one day, if we hold to faith, we will fully know, as God fully knows us now. Everything will be clear in a way it cannot possibly be understood now.

You might be holding tight to a dream, imagining the day when This Big Thing will finally happen to you. Or you might have relinquished that dream when heartbreak occurred—your child or spouse died, you got divorced, a job ended, catastrophe hit—and can’t ever imagine the future will once again hold joy.

What happens on earth is never going to be perfect. We might achieve a dream, only to discover it’s not as great as we’d thought, or maybe it’s the opposite. Maybe that job we took, while biding our time until something better comes along, ended up fueling our purpose in life.

One thing we do know: We can’t even begin to imagine how perfect and complete we will feel once we come face-to-face with our Creator.

So hang on, my friend, and trust in the plan and mighty purpose of the Risen Savior. All will be well—better than well. All will be perfect according to Him.

Let’s Pray: Dear Lord, thank You for Your encouraging promises and Your guidance for life in Your holy book, the Bible. Help us cling to that and not the false promises of this world. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

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

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

Jessica has a weekly YouTube devotional and podcast.

You can also connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

She’s also produced a free eBook, A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When You’re Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed.

Romantic Reads: Heart's Desire

Interview with Linda Hoover about her book, Heart’s Desire:

Alexis: Why did you title this book “Heart’s Desire”? Explain the significance of your story title.

Linda: Early in the story, Julia tells her mother it’s her heart’s desire to marry for love. That struck me as the perfect title. The story is about her “heart’s desire.”

Alexis: Describe the heroine of your story (Julia). What makes her tick? What makes her beautiful? What makes her strong? What is her personality and outlook on life like?

Linda: Julia is youngest of four girls and a little spoiled. She’s intelligent, independent and a bit of a risk taker. She’s had more freedom in picking and choosing what gentleman she spends time with and if an offer of marriage came, her parents allowed her to turn it down. Because of this, she’s shocked when she’s informed of her father’s agreement to betroth her to Lucien.

Alexis: Why is Julia set on marrying for love and love alone?

Linda: Two of her sisters were maneuvered into advantageous marriages and neither is happy. Julia’s parents weren’t a love match and at times it’s obvious. Not to mention the examples she sees in their upper-class social circle. She doesn’t want to live like that.

Alexis: What is Julia’s relationship with her father like? In what ways does it threaten to place her in a love-less marriage?

Linda: Julia loves and admires her father. She’s always trusted in his protection and provision. His sudden decision to engage her to someone she doesn’t want is out of character for him. It’s confusing. She finds herself in a position where she’ll have to defy him or end up in a marriage like her sisters.

Alexis: Why did you choose to set this story in Boston, era 1880? Paint a picture of this time and setting with words.

Linda: I love history and Boston played a big part in our country’s beginnings. Beyond that, though, Boston in 1880 was full of things for young people to do. The story begins after the new year, so Julia and her friends bundle up and go sleighing, complete with sleigh bells, and spend time at the lagoon in the Public Garden ice skating. Julia and Jacob first see each other there. There are also lectures and concerts to attend in the evenings. All these things are open to everyone, regardless of social class. When the weather warms up, they go on picnics, walk in the park and ride the swan boats on the lagoon.

Alexis: Who is Lucien Harris and what role does he play in this story? How does he impact Julia’s life?

Linda: Lucien is the villain. He blackmails Julia’s father into giving his blessing on marriage to his daughter. Julia isn’t aware of the true circumstances and spends most of the time she’s with Lucien trying to change his mind. He represents the very thing she told herself would never happen to her.

Alexis: Who is Jacob Anderson and what role does he play in this story and in Julia’s life?

Linda: Jacob moved to Boston from a farm in upstate New York to work with his uncle in a jewelry store. He’s from the merchant class which makes him an unsuitable choice for Julia, but that doesn’t stop them from falling in love.

Alexis: What is it about Jacob that captivates Julia’s heart?

Linda: She would tell you it was love at first sight. A connection of hearts. Besides being handsome, he’s fun, gallant and caring. When she tells him about Lucien, he immediately wants to rescue her.

Alexis: What role does real-life faith in God play in the lives of your fictional characters?

Linda: Julia and her family go to church, but for most of the upper-class it had more to do with being seen going to church. Julia’s oldest sister meets someone who leads her to Christ and it makes a real difference in her life. She shares her experience with Julia and Jacob who also accept Christ.

Alexis: As the author, what brought you the most joy in writing this story? Why?

Linda: The characters were a lot of fun. One in particular, Edward, practically wrote himself. He’s not a main character, but is one of my favorites. I like putting them in situations they have to find their way out of and writing dialogue with sarcasm and humor.

Alexis: As the author, how does your faith in God impact the way you tell stories?

Linda: I pray daily that God will be the center of everything I do or say. For me that means the worlds I create are centered on God. My characters may not know him to begin with, or maybe they did and lost their way or are mad at him and feel justified in ignoring him, but before the story is over, they’ll come to know him and it’ll make a difference in their decisions and in the way their path ends up going.

Alexis: If you could step into this story (Heart’s Desire) and counsel Julia, what would you say? Why?

Linda: Being the author means I can speak through a character and that’s what I did with Katherine, Julia’s oldest sister. She shares her joy in finding new life in Christ and tells how he freed her from worry. Her faith in God’s presence and protection is strong and she encourages Julia, and later Jacob, to pray about everything, believing he hears and will answer according to what’s best for them. No matter what, they can trust him.

Alexis: As the author, what is your heart’s desire for the readers of this book?

Linda: I hope readers will be entertained by the story, but also be inspired to seek a closer commitment to God, or be encouraged to share their experience with someone who needs to hear what God can do.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Linda! Would you like to share closing thoughts?

Linda: I’d like to thank you, Alexis, for the privilege of being on your Romantic Reads blog. I enjoy the opportunity to reach potential new readers, and I’d like to invite everyone to stop by my website to learn more about me and my books.

~*~
Author Bio:

Linda lives in west central Ohio with her husband, daughters, grandson, two cats and a dog.  

She earned a degree in psychology from Anderson University where she learned the voices in her head were actually characters from stories waiting to be told.

Linda recently retired from the county’s public library system. It was the perfect place to indulge her love of young adult and Christian fiction. It was also a good place to build a long “To Read” list. These days she enjoys being a fulltime author in her home office, despite interruptions from family members and pets. Linda is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. 

~*~

Blurb for Linda's book:

Julia wants to marry for love … But her father’s secret condemns her to a love-less marriage. 

In 1880 Boston, Julia Phillips’s father betroths her to wealthy Lucien Harris to cover up a tragic secret. She has no interest in Lucien, but Jacob Anderson, a kind jewelry store clerk has captured her attention. Can she put off Lucien long enough to convince her parents to accept a man who isn’t in the upper-class as her husband?

Jacob works with his uncle in Boston, but plans to buy land for a farm out west when he has enough money. When Julia walks into their store his priorities change. Their mutual attraction grows into love, and he wants to be the man she marries. But how can he with so little money?

Julia feels increasing pressure from Lucien to pretend she’s happy about the upcoming wedding. Then, she discovers the arranged marriage is based on blackmail. Her family will be ruined if she doesn’t comply.

Will God make a way for Jacob and Julia to have their heart’s desire?

~*~
Buy Linda’s book on Amazon

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Connect with Linda:
Website: https://www.LindaHooverBooks.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/lindahooverauthor
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/lindahooverauthor

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Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below:  

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Devotionals for the Heart: Friendship

A Sweet Friendship
A devotional by Heidy De La Cruz

“Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart,

and the pleasantness of a friend

springs from their heartfelt advice."

–Proverbs 27:9 (NIV)

The Bible talks about different types of relationships: marriage, parental, and friendships.

It talks about the importance of each one and how the structure should be. We don’t choose our family members, but we do choose our friends, and I want to say that friendships are meaningful relationships in our lives.

We make friends in different stages of our lives because we meet people everywhere we go, but some of us are blessed enough to have one or two friendships that have gone through almost all stages of our lives. And I’m blessed to have a friendship like that.

The friend I’m talking about (I won’t mention any names) I met in middle school, and I want to say we instantly bonded, but I don’t quite remember now how exactly we became friends. I do know we played sports together, all through middle school and through high school. We were always at each other houses, and we spend almost all of the summer vacations together. She was someone who was always there for me in a time of need, to wipe my tears or make me laugh. I felt like I had a personal counselor because she always knew just what to say.

When I found out I was pregnant, at the age of 20, with no stable job and no place to go, she opened up her home to me. Although it was a small house, a little crowded with all of us there, she still welcomed me and gave me a roof over my head. That is something I will never forget, and I will forever be grateful to her. God places people in your lives for a reason. Sometimes it’s just for a season, but sometimes it’s for longer. And I am so thankful for my friendship with her.

I value our honest relationship, and I’ll never take it for granted. We may not talk every day, but when we do, it’s like nothing has changed. Of course, we’ve had our disagreements just like any other relationship has, but we always find a way to forgive each other and move on. And although we live in different states, the distance has not mattered when it comes to our friendship; it is as strong today as it was back when we met in middle school.

We aren’t meant to walk alone in this life. I mean, yes, God is always with us, but He created us for community and for relationships. God created us to be together. Today, I want to honor those special friendships I have in my life and for you to do the same. Think of someone who has been there for you through really rough times, someone who knew the right thing to say to make you feel better, or someone who was there in a desperate time of need. Let them know that you are thankful for them. Let them know that you value them and that you love them. 

In closing, please open The Holy Bible and read Proverbs 27:9 (NIV) because this verse is a beautiful reminder of how beautiful friendships can be.

Let’s Pray: God, thank you for the friends you’ve placed in my life. Thank you for the memories I’ve created with them, and thank you even for the ones who are no longer a part of my life now but once were. Because at one point, I needed those people in life for a reason. Lord, I trust that the friendships I have now will continue and stay true until the end of time. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Hello, my name is Heidy (Reynoso) De La Cruz.

I am Dominican-American and I’m passionate about writing! I write poetry, encouraging blog posts about personal experiences and any message that God has stored in my heart. I am working on publishing my first poetry book.

First and foremost, I am a daughter of Jesus Christ. I am also a wife and a mother. I have my master’s degree in Healthcare Administration through Belhaven University’s online course. I have my bachelor’s degree in Science with the concentration of Psychology and Healthcare Administration.

I currently work in the medical field as a Medical Billing and Coding Specialist, and I’ve been in the medical field for the last six years. I love my career!

My hobbies include writing, reading, watching documentaries, listening to podcasts, traveling, and spending time with my family.

~*~
Connect with Heidy:
Blog: https://heidyreynoso.wordpress.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidy.delacruz13/
Read my poetry on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidyspoems/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/heidyreynoso13
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heidyreynoso13

My Blog's 10th Year Birthday Bash: Beth Wiseman's book giveaway

Welcome to the second day of my blog's birthday bash!

Please welcome my author friend Beth Wiseman.

She's here to give away three of her books!

    

Enter the book giveaway contest via the Rafflecopter widget the end of this blog post. Only residents of the USA are eligible to receive a signed paperback copy of this author's books. International residents will only receive ebook copies due to costs of mailing books outside of the USA.

Let's learn a bit more about Beth and her books ...

Author Bio:

Bestselling and award-winning author Beth Wiseman has sold over two million books. 

She is the recipient of the coveted Holt Medallion, is a two-time Carol Award winner, and has won the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award three times. Her books have been on various bestseller lists, including CBD, CBA, ECPA, and Publishers Weekly. 

Beth and her husband are empty nesters enjoying country life in south-central Texas.

~*~

Back Cover Copy for A Beautiful Arrangement:

Can Samuel and Lydia find love in their marriage of convenience? 

Lydia still can’t believe that she is Mrs. Samuel Bontrager. Or that she is seventeen with a six-month-old daughter. As Baby Mattie grows fussier by the day, Lydia wonders how she will survive a lifetime of marriage to a man she doesn’t love—at least not in the way she wants. 

Samuel knows that he and Lydia did the right thing by marrying when Lydia became pregnant. He has even grown to love Lydia, though he never seems able to say the words out loud. What if she doesn’t love him back? After all, she pushes him away whenever he tries to draw closer. 

When Lydia and Samuel introduce their mutual friends Beverly and Joseph to each other, they are as envious as they are delighted to watch their friends fall in love. But just as Samuel thinks Lydia might be softening to him, she gets involved in investigating the mysterious past of a local homeless woman—a curiosity that threatens to drive the couple further apart. 

The third and final novel in the Amish Journeys series by bestselling author Beth Wiseman explores how wounds from the past must come to light before they can hope to heal. 

“A Beautiful Arrangement has so much heart, you won't want to put it down until you've read the last page. I love second-chance love stories, and Lydia and Samuel's story is heartbreaking and sweet with unexpected twists and turns that make their journey to love all the more satisfying. Beth's fans will cherish this book.” —Jennifer Beckstrand, author of The Petersheim Brothers series 

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Back Cover Copy for Hearts in Harmony:

Their love of forbidden music brings them together, but it could be what tears them apart.

Musical prodigy Levi Shetler hasn’t touched a piano since he secretly played one many years ago. His strict Amish community forbids instruments or the singing of any music not in their approved songbook. Levi asks God often why music tempts him when playing an instrument isn’t allowed in his world.

One person knows Levi’s talents: Mary Hershberger, the girl who promised years ago to keep his secret. Mary comes from a more liberal district than Levi, but she’s facing family troubles of her own. The mutual care for an aging Englischer, Adeline, reunites Mary and Levi as young adults. They realize that, despite their differences, they have a shared love of music—and a shared confusion about whether their talents are God-given gifts or temptations luring them into the Englisch world.

The couple realizes they must compromise or part ways, but a tragic accident shakes their decision. Both Mary and Levi will need to reconcile what they love with what their hearts say is right.

“Beth Wiseman has penned a poignant story of friendship, faith, and love that is sure to touch readers’ hearts.” —Kathleen Fuller, author of The Middlefield Family novels

“Beth Wiseman’s Hearts in Harmony is a lyrical hymn. Mary and Levi are heartwarming, lovable characters who instantly feel like dear friends. Once readers open this book, they won’t put it down until they’ve reached the last page.” —Amy Clipston, bestselling author of A Seat by the Hearth

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Back Cover Copy for Listening to Love:

Falling in love can only mean trouble for an Englisch girl and an Amish boy… unless there’s another way for them to listen to their hearts.

Englischer Natalie Collins looks forward to Friday night suppers at Levi and Mary Shetler’s house every week: delicious food, wonderful conversation with her Amish friends, and, best of all, the presence of Levi’s older brother Lucas. Natalie and Lucas have become best friends despite their different backgrounds. They share a love of books, and he is teaching her about God in a way that she can understand.

But the closer they become, the more opinions everyone seems to have. Levi and Mary, Lucas’s family, and even Natalie’s mother—whose own life is a mess at the moment—have concerns about their relationship. Why can’t everyone understand that it’s possible to just be friends? Besides, they couldn’t be together even if they wanted to be. Lucas would never leave the Amish faith, and Natalie is Englisch and pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine.

But when a terrifying accident happens, Natalie and Lucas are forced to confront their true feelings and decide if they can stay true to themselves and each other.

This sweet Amish story is the second in the Amish Journeys series by bestselling author Beth Wiseman.

“I always find Beth Wiseman's books to be both tenderly romantic and thought provoking. She has a way of setting a scene that makes me feel like I'm part of an Amish community and visiting for supper. I loved the title of this book, the message about faith and God, and the heartfelt romance between Lucas and Natalie. Listening to Love has everything I love in a Beth Wiseman novel—a strong faith message, a touching romance, and a beautiful sense of place. Beth is such an incredibly gifted storyteller.” —Shelley Shepard Gray

"Listening to Love is vintage Beth Wiseman...clear your calendar because you're going to want to read this one in a single sitting.” —Vannetta Chapman, author of Shipshewana Amish Mystery Series

~*~

Connect with Beth:

You can find Beth at Fans of Beth Wiseman on Facebook where she interacts with readers and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bethwiseman.

~*~

Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below: 

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Devotionals for the Heart: Blended family relationships and true love

Forget that evil stepmom: On loving my stepkids like Jesus would
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

The clichés abound: wicked stepmother, the evil “other woman” who only wants to push away these children of the past so she can have her man, their dad, all to herself. I’ve lost count of how many fairy tales and fables start with some poor princess who’s lost her mother tragically, only to have her replaced by a jealous rival for her father’s affection.

I knew this all too well when I walked down the aisle and married my husband five years ago. We were both entering rocky territory: He would be stepdad to my two biological children, and I would be stepmom to his two. It didn’t matter that we each loved each other and all the kids fiercely. We weren’t naïve—we knew the negative expectations, the strange new roles we were walking into.

And as Christians, we also knew another twisted truth: The devil wanted us to fail.

Five years later, I’m happy to report I am a blessed woman. I am blessed to have four wonderful kiddos, two stepkids, two biological kids, all loved deeply and fully by two parents trying their best to do right by all of them. We call ourselves a “blended family,” and I like the term.

Of course, it’s not all butterflies and sunshine. It’s a daily process to shove our egos aside and understand we can’t take anything personally. We just need to love the kids the way they need to be loved—for the people they are, not for the people we want them to be.

We try our best to love them as Jesus would have us love them: with patience and grace, with compassion and mercy, always pointing to God and as selflessly as humanly possible.

Our family is what many call a “stairstep” family. Each of the kids is a year and a grade level apart. My son is 14, my stepdaughter is 13, my daughter is 12, and my stepson turns 11 this month. We battle both teenage hormones and preteen angst—times four! Dinner time humor… well, let’s just say it’s not always ladylike. Our friends call us the Brodie Bunch, playing off the sitcom “The Brady Bunch.” They’re not far off.

Five years in, I’ve learned there is such beauty in the role of stepmom. I strive to exemplify the kind of stepmom Jesus would want me to be so other stepmoms have a positive example to follow. I want to shove all those nasty stepmom clichés in the trashcan where they belong!

Remembering a few key things helps keep me on-course:

Give up control

Loosening one’s grip is hard but necessary if you want to live a full life. After all, even children can be idols if we let them. So can the myth of an “ideal family”—the illusion of what things are “supposed” to look like.

But God’s plan for our family is far better than anything I’ve dreamed up. When I give up control, step aside, focus on Him, and trust His plan, we are all happier, and I can love all my kids—biological and step—far better.


Be kind

Awhile back, I started thinking about the distant future: How would our kids reflect on their childhood? How would they remember me as a mom or stepmom?

I want to be remembered as someone who treated people with sweetness and love. So I try to follow Paul’s advice for the early church: Clothe myself with humility, gentleness, forgiveness, love, unity(Colossians 3:12-14).

Rarely do fairytales or movies portray loving, authentic “step” relationships. But that’s fantasy, not reality. We can’t let fairytales dictate what agape love looks like. As Christians, we live a different way; that means modeling it in our families, too.

I let the kindness of Jesus rule my heart, which directly impacts how I love all the kids.


Team spirit

Even in non-blended families, kids like to divide and conquer. If Dad says no, ask Mom; maybe she’ll say yes. Sometimes in stepfamilies, kids and parents, too, deliberately or unintentionally try to play one side against the other. If mom is being “strict,” stepmom might see that as the opportunity to swoop in and be “the nice one,” and vice versa. But we choose not to play those games. We choose to be a team.

Acting as a unit makes us an unstoppable force—me and my husband as a team, in tandem with their other parents (my kids’ dad and my stepkids’ mom), all with Jesus at the head. Our kids thrive, and everyone wins.


Pray

Every day, I pray for strength and patience to be a good mom and wife. And every two weeks when we get my stepkids, I pray an extra-special prayer: that God helps me be the best stepmom possible.

In our me-first culture, sometimes we take our make kids’ misbehavior personally, make it about us, not them. In a blended family, these me-centered thoughts can escalate, as we might be inclined to read all sorts of unnecessary things into the equation, like, “He wouldn’t be doing this with his ‘real’ parent.”

But parenting isn’t about “me”; it’s about the kids. When conflict arises, we cannot take their behavior personally. It’s not easy curbing oversensitivity, but it helps to intentionally pray for the ability.

As the apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength” (NIV).

Conclusion 
No one is perfect, and we all make mistakes. But at the end of the day, striving to be the kind of parent, stepparent, and wife Jesus calls me to be makes a huge difference in our family dynamic. With hard work and a focus on Jesus, we can get rid of those stepparent clichés and embrace a new example of love in a stepfamily.

~*~
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, and a member of the Wholly Loved Ministries team.

Learn more about her fiction and read her faith blog at http://jessicabrodie.com.