Devotionals for the Heart: How to find true treasure that satisfies your soul

The True, Lasting, and Satisfying Treasure
A devotional by Jennifer Reese

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”—Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV)

If someone were to ask you or even just observe your life, thoughts, conversations, worries, angers, and actions, what would be determined as your heart’s treasure?

Oftentimes we live day-to-day in search of our worth, value, and purpose based on what we do, what we have and how others view us. It can be easy to compare ourselves and our lives to those around us. Comparing yourself can result in a number of realities and struggles: discontentment, envy, superiority, inferiority, anxiety, anger, confusion, doubt, and the list goes on and on.

Why is it so easy to find ourselves in a state of comparison and/or desire to be perceived a particular way? I would say this often results from our treasure being in the wrong place and on the wrong thing(s). Nowadays, you can see the highlights of everyone’s life online. Media and technology have become an idol and a way to perceive how others are really doing and how others perceive you are doing. Our American culture highlights all the money, pleasure, success, possessions, status, personal feelings and experiences, etc., as the end all be all. “Do whatever your heart desires” and “Live in a way that makes you happy” are just a couple phrases that distract us from the truth.

The truth is, whatever treasures we are trying to gain and lay up for ourselves here on Earth, will fade away and be destroyed by moths, dust or thieves. So, then the question may be, “What are we to focus on and set our minds on while we are here on earth?” The answer is Jesus Christ. Knowing who God is and making Him known to those around us in this world is where our treasure should be.

Our greatest goal in this life on Earth should be to know the Truth of God’s Word and to seek to grow in Christlikeness, faithfully and diligently. When we cherish God’s Word (The Holy Bible) and focus on knowing who God is—based on His Word rather than our own perspective, thoughts, wants, desires, and feelings—then we will walk in a way that is filled with hope, joy, confidence and gratitude.

Life is full of ups and downs, highs and lows, heartache, suffering, pain, and sin. Even when our eyes are fixed on Christ and we truly treasure Him, we can be tempted to lose heart and look to the world for help and hope. We can be tempted to compare our lives to the social media highlights we see online or even to the people we know personally or professionally, then feel on the losing end because of the circumstances we are experiencing. But this is where we must dig our heels in deeper and fight for our heart’s attention to be on the pleasures forevermore that await us in Heaven (Psalm 16). I love this Psalm because it discusses the promise that the Lord will never abandon our soul, no matter what we may face, what we may feel, or what we may experience this side of Heaven. It reminds us that there will be a day when we will experience and feel true satisfaction and perfect contentment, joy, peace, and pleasures forevermore.

So how can you assess where your heart’s treasure is? Here are some questions to help you examine your heart today.

Question #1: What do you think you can’t live without? What do you feel you need to have to be happy or to flourish? What makes you feel discontented?

Question #2: How do you define and weigh success or failure? What must you do to feel like you have “arrived”? Is there anything you are holding onto in this life that won’t be worth anything in the life to come?

Question #3: What do you worry about? What makes you afraid? What do you not want to happen?

At the end of the day, we are each given 24 hours a day and a lifespan of what only God Himself knows and has sovereignly ordained. Are you stewarding your time well and storing up the treasure that matters? Are you seeking to grow to be more like Jesus Christ and trying to walk in His ways? Do others know that you love the Lord because your life (words, desires, attitude, actions) in Christ looks vastly different than what we see among people in the world who don’t know Christ yet?

Today is a new day and a new opportunity to put on the ways of Christ. Seek to turn away from the pursuit of worldly treasure. Ask for God’s help to be satisfied in His plans for your life, His provision for you, and His approval of you. Seek to faithfully steward all He has given you and called you to. By the Holy Spirit’s grace and help, little by little, you will see your heart’s treasure become the only true, lasting, and satisfying treasure.

Let’s Pray:

Dear God,

Thank You for being good and faithful. Thank You for the Truth that You are the good, perfect, and sufficient treasure. Thank You that I can experience true hope, peace, and rest as I look to You and set my heart’s affection on Your Truth and promises, treasuring You and knowing You above all else. I ask for Your help today, Oh Lord, that You would teach me how to surrender my desires and expectations unto You. May my heart trust Your good and sufficient provision, and may I have a heart that desires to know You and make Your Truth known to those around me. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: "Treasure" by Meredith Andrews. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Christ is Mine Forevermore” by CityAlight. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Jennifer Reese obtained a Bachelor of Social Work, a Master of Ministry in Intercultural Studies, and certifications in Biblical Counseling. 

Her educational training has afforded Jennifer the opportunity to work with various populations—such as foster care and adoption, refugee women, homeless, under-resourced youth, international students, and local churches. It has been through these experiences that she has seen a need for women of all ages to understand their true identity as a child of God in order to experience the promised abundant life and freedom.

By working as a Biblical Counselor and Coach, Jennifer focuses on helping women and teen girls discover who God is and to know their true identity in Jesus Christ. Through her professional work and ministry, she helps people learn how to carry out their specific purpose and calling in building God’s Kingdom that is not of this world.

On a personal note, Jennifer recently got married on May 24, 2025. The day was filled with abundant joy and peace, bringing glory to the Lord and wonderful fellowship with their closest friends and family. After many years of praying and waiting for this gift, Jennifer is excited to step into this new season and ministry of being a wife and hopefully, one day soon, a mom.

~*~
Connect with Jennifer:
Website: www.rootedandfixed.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/rootedandfixed
Email address: rootedandfixed@gmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: We need to stand firm in our faith in Jesus Christ

Standing Firm in Faith
A devotional by Christine Monteiro

“But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.”—Daniel 1:8 (NIV)

Scrolling on social media seems brainless. We don’t think about what we see. But the eyes can’t lie. We love what we see—the perfection of someone’s life.

Social media often showcases luxury, beauty, and success, subconsciously creating a desire for these things. We see people traveling along with beautiful scenery from one country to another. People we follow on social media showcase their accomplishments in many things and sharing their achievements in business, academic, career, etc. It is as if it is an easy achievement. Not to mention, these days, with beautiful camera filters, people look flawless. Beauty treatments seem to be more common everywhere. New beauty products are made available for purchase almost every day. Slowly, we start to compare ourselves and feel dissatisfaction, diverting focus from spiritual growth. We forget our true worth in the eyes of our Creator (God). We need to learn how to see ourselves as He sees us.

Lately, I’ve been studying the Bible story about Daniel. His decision to stand firm in his faith while held captive in Babylon reminded me of how we should stand firm in our faith while scrolling social media. We read in the first chapter of the Bible book of Daniel that Daniel was taken captive in Babylon during the Babylonian exile when King Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem. The king sought to assimilate these young men into Babylonian culture by educating them in the language and literature of the Babylonians and providing them with royal food and wine.

Despite the pressure to conform, Daniel decided not to defile himself with the royal food and wine. He requested permission to eat only vegetables and drink water for ten days as a test (Daniel 1:12). After ten days, Daniel and his friends appeared healthier than those who ate the king’s food. This spectacular result happened after Daniel and his friends consumed what we know in our modern day as “The Daniel Diet.” God blessed Daniel and his friends with knowledge and understanding. God gave Daniel the ability to interpret dreams and visions.

Living like Daniel today is difficult—not only with our food and drink choices but standing firm in our faith amidst social media temptations. However, we can take some steps to maintain our faithfulness and not be drawn to the temptation we see.

The first step is to discern what you consume on social media. We should pick and choose what we are exposed to. The right content will help our faith grow. The second step is contentment: We need to find contentment in God’s provision rather than worldly possessions because worldly possessions are temporary. The third step is to focus on God’s plan. Think about your purpose in life, what God has planted, the Godly desire instead of the worldly desires and the fleeting desires promoted online.

Let’s evaluate our social media habits and make conscious choices to prioritize our faith. When we are faithful to God, the reward is beyond our understanding. Just like God was with Daniel, He is with us, providing strength and guidance. Let’s maintain our eternal perspective, valuing spiritual growth over material gain.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for being such a good Father to us. Even though we face difficult choices in life, we believe you are there to give us strength and guidance. Please give us wisdom in choosing the right thing to do. Teach us to be content with what we have now and show us how to focus on eternity instead of the temporary pleasures of this world. Thank You for your love and mercy in our lives. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Magnificent” by Hillsong Worship. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Beautiful Savior” by Planetshakers. 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: Looking for God with Great Expectations

Great Expectations
A devotional by Glynis Becker

“I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven.”

–Psalm 123:1 (NLT)

A few weekends ago, our local Air Force base held an air show.

My family spent a good portion of a beautiful spring day squinting into a bright blue sky watching with anticipation for something to happen. We saw everything from vintage aircraft to cutting-edge jets over the course of the afternoon. Anytime we heard an engine rumble, our heads whipped around, scanning the sky until someone pointed, “Over there!” or yelled, “I see them!”

The high point of the afternoon was an aerial display of precision flying by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. We were not far off the runway and had incredible seats to watch this amazing show happen almost directly over our heads.

As we watched with open-mouthed excitement, I was struck a little by how several people, especially during the highlight events, didn’t look up from their phones, or just walked around the grounds, heads down, like nothing was happening. They had made a trip to be there, so they were not unaware of what was going on, yet they did not seem to care.

I admit that I often get distracted by other things and forget that I should be watching for God every day. He is always up to something, in both the ordinary and extraordinary moments of my life. How often do I wander around, not even noticing when He is at work right beside me?

Two of the best stories in the Bible about anticipation are back-to-back in the book of Luke, early in Jesus’s life when He lived and walked on this earth. In Luke 2:25-35, we meet Simeon, a man filled with the Spirit who had been assured by God that he would see Jesus before he died. On that day, it seems he allowed himself to be led to the temple and had the chance to bless Jesus. Simeon lived his life in connection with the Spirit and in anticipation that God was at work. He was rewarded for his faithfulness.

In the next verses, Luke 2:36-38, we see the prophetess Anna, who had spent many of her 84 years in the temple, waiting to see the Messiah. It seems that she expected God to show up, so she prayed, waited, and watched. When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus into the temple that day, she was there, available to give Him the blessing she had waited years to do. What might she have missed out on if she hadn’t been there that day, working and waiting in anticipation?

God’s kingdom is here and is moving around us every day. Spiritual battles are being fought through prayer and intercession every day. People in our lives are in need of Good News every day. If we don’t have an expectation that God is at work, what might we miss?

We see what we expect to see. Those of us who looked up during the air show got a day of excitement and fun, which was just what I was expecting. I don’t want to miss what God has in store for today, so I choose to “look up” in anticipation and wonder. How about you?

Let’s Pray: Father God, remind me to watch in anticipation of You showing up in my life. Keep my eyes open to Your perfect timing and Your amazing miracles. I believe You are here and You are at work in the world. Please stay with me as I learn to see You more and more every day. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Note from Alexis: This devotional by Glynis reminds me of the song “Look Up Child” by Lauren Daigle. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Glynis Becker writes devotions and inspirational fiction, hoping someday to have a published novel on her resume. 

She has co-written several screenplays, including the film Sinking Sand, available on DVD and digital streaming.

Glynis, whose childhood was spent all over the country as an Air Force brat, has called South Dakota home for many years, along with her husband and two college-age children.

When she’s not writing or reading, she is watching more television than she should and crocheting.

~*~
Connect with Glynis:
Website: www.glynisbecker.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckerglynis/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlynisBecker7

Devotionals for the Heart: Focus

Where is Your Focus?
A devotional by Tema Banner

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.”

 –2 Chronicles 7:13-15 (NIV)

Whatever consumes your every thought, therein is your god and the very thing that will pull you away from God. Our generation has never seen a world more battered than now. On every front we are stressed: marriages, children, finances, the list is endless. The devil uses these situations to pull us away from what is most important. This is nothing new, it is what he has always done.

He can be subtle. You might not initially see the things he uses to pull you away: politics, business, the cares of life, health, even church activities. The devil will use everything that is going on in the world today to get your attention and make you worry when God has told you not to worry about anything, but to take everything to Him in prayer (Philippians 4:6). As Christians, we love to quote 2 Chronicles 7:14, but if you read verse 13 you will see that it is speaking about a country being bombarded by pandemics and famine. Sound familiar?

There really is “nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Instead of only quoting 2 Chronicles 7:14, why not live it out in our own lives every day? Take our eyes off those things that bring fear, distress and confusion into our lives. It may be the news, strained relationships, children dealing with school issues or addictions, failed finances, an unknown future. The devil deals in fear and confusion, God does not. When you see the world in confusion and when you see yourself being pulled into confusion, realize it is the work of the devil, the one who hates God and hates us. Turn your eyes back to Jesus Christ who is the lover of your soul.

Perhaps you have gotten away from reading scripture, maybe you are focused on watching TV and the most recent news report. The news is the same day in and day out. Instead of watching TV, turn it and social media off. Take that time to open your Bible, read a devotion, pray with a friend, sit in silence, and ask God to speak to you. There is nothing He desires more than to communicate with us. He created us to have relationship and to glorify Him. We do this when we sit in His presence.

It is not always easy to be still. I find it difficult because I allow other things to get in my way: washing clothes, cleaning the house, walking the dog. I make excuses for things that need to be done instead of being still and knowing that He is God and experiencing Him.

The world tells us that we must be busy all the time, but that is a lie. What we need more than anything is to be like Mary and to sit at Jesus feet instead of like Martha – busy and worried about things that are unimportant. (Read the full story in Luke 10:38-42). I can say this because I am a Martha, always thinking I must fill every minute of every day with activity and feeling guilty if I am not industrious all the time.

What I need is to hear Jesus speak to my heart to remove the confusion and stress of a world in chaos. Remember all the gifts God has brought into your life, think of the beauty of His creation, rejoice in the salvation He has provided by the gift of His son, Jesus Christ. Know that He loves you deeply and no matter what the future holds, He will be with you every step of the way.

Let’s Pray: Father God, thank you! Thank you for your never ending, unstoppable love for your creation of which I am one. Thank you for the blessings you daily shower on me. May Your Holy Spirit fill me with greater love each day for you and those you put in my path. Keep my eyes and heart focused on you, let my ears be attuned to your voice so that I will not fear or be confused. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
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 of her local RWA Chapter, Carolina Romance Writers. 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 four 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: https://www.instagram.com/temabanner/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/tema.banner

Devotionals for the Heart: When your past is messy, God can still bless you!

God Bless This Hot Mess
A devotional by Cyndi Staudt

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 

– 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT)

I groaned in frustration as my Instagram opened.

“Again?” I asked to no one in particular.

Filling my screen was yet another picture of my friend off on some incredible adventure with the perfect pose in the perfect setting, the wind blowing perfectly through her perfect hair … it was, well, perfect.

In today’s social media world we get accustomed to seeing everyone with their beautifully filtered, seemingly picture-perfect lives and can often start feeling sorry for ourselves. Or worse, we jump on the bandwagon and spend an hour trying to capture the “perfect” selfie to post for ourselves, then spend another hour (or more!) checking our account repetitively to see how many “likes” our image has received. And if we are able to secure a comment, we’ve hit the social media jackpot. Comments like: “You look gorgeous!” / “I am so inspired by you!”/ “I wish I had your life.”

Acknowledgements like this would leave us feeling pretty satisfied with ourselves and allow us to completely forget the three hours of our life we just wasted and will never get back. Please somebody give this post a like if you can relate to any of this (just kidding!). We seem to have an addiction to making ourselves look like we have it all together. We rarely see people confessing their failures to the world on Facebook, posting unfiltered photos on “the gram.”

But our God wants us to be raw and real with Him. Romans 5:8 (NLT) tells us, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

Or as I personalize this verse, “Cyndi, while you were still a hot mess I came to rescue you. I am so crazy about you! I think you are to die for.”

God didn’t wait for me to have my act together to save me; which is good, because at this point, I’m not sure that will ever really happen. He wants us to come as we are and leave the perfection up to Him, because He has perfection mastered. One of my favorite things about the the Bible book of Psalms is seeing how King David laid himself bare before God – the good, the bad, and the ugly. And God called David a man after His own heart. I don’t know about you but I would love to hear God say, “Cyndi was a woman after my own heart.”

I believe if I’m going to hear that from my Savior, I have to realize that God loves me as I am – hot mess and all – and accept myself just as I am.

I was several years into my Christian walk when God revealed to me that my desire to hide the mess of my past was robbing Him of glory and preventing others from seeing where God had brought me from. I was sitting in my office at work one day when one of my co-workers came into our office and plopped down in her chair visibly dejected and distressed. It was her day off which made it even more surprising that she was there, so I asked her if everything was okay. She said she “had a lot going on at home and just needed to get away from it for a bit.”

Then she added, “But you wouldn’t understand because you’ve got your life together.”

In that moment, God spoke so clearly to my heart. “Cyndi, if you don’t share what your life was like before you met Me, people will never know what I can do or how much I love them.”

It was in that moment that I had a full understanding of Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 12. So I spent the next half hour sharing with my co-worker a glimpse of what my life looked like before I turned it over in complete surrender to Jesus Christ and how He helped me shed the shame of my past and trade it for a garment of righteousness that I will continue to wear until I meet Him in Heaven.

We tend to wear our (fake) perfection like a badge of honor when, in reality, we should be boasting about our weaknesses and the big God who helps us navigate them. Next time you are tempted to put on the happy face and pretend everything is “fine”, try instead crying out to God or admitting to a friend “I’m struggling.”

By walking in truth, you will come to know the freedom Jesus was talking about when He said, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32 NLT)

Let’s pray: Gracious God, we praise you for your love and mercy. Thank you for not requiring us to fix our failures before accepting us into your Kingdom. Help us to resist holding ourselves and others to unrealistic expectations of perfection, expectations that You never make of us. Remind us that as Your Holy Spirit works in us, You are looking for spirits that are surrendered to You, minds that are teachable and hearts that are tender to Your Word and Your will. Then give us the faith to believe You and the desire and dedication to obey. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

~*~
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/

Book Review: The Loneliness Solution

 

Alexis A. Goring's Review of 

The Loneliness Solution: Finding Meaningful Connection in a Disconnected World 

by Jack Eason (Author)

 

In an era when face-to-face interactions with friends is replaced by online interactions with "Facebook friends," this book by Jack Eason is just what the doctor ordered!

 

Filled with practical advice on how to make lasting friendships that are fostered in person, Eason teaches us the value of old-fashioned community. He reminds us of a time when we actually talked to each other in coffee shops and spend quality time together, in person without modern technology as our sidekick or third wheel. 

 

Through the word and real-life stories in this nonfiction book, The Loneliness Solution: Finding Meaningful Connection in a Disconnected World, the author encourages us to connect with each other again in a way that is meaning, deep and real.

 

Loneliness is on the rise and is becoming as prevalent as the modern day technologies that keep us occupied. This book is a challenge to the status quo and a call-t0-action for every lonely heart. 

 

Beautifully written, this book is a keeper! 

 

It's also a perfect gift for your loved ones this Christmas!

 

~*~

Author Bio:

Jack Eason serves nonprofit organizations throughout the United States and around the world as a consultant for fundraising, growth and development, board governance, and other areas of ministry leadership. 

Jack is the Executive Stateside Director of Crossover CUPS Mission, a 501c3 nonprofit organization that has been privileged to serve the local Church and missions-related organizations around the world for 30 years. Through the ministry of Crossover, Jack's team led student camps on the East and West Coasts for many years. Jack also produced a nationally syndicated radio and television show aimed at students for over 15 years. Now the Crossover CUPS mission impacts the lives of families in the Dominican Republic and Malawi.
africa2.jpg

Jack is married to Lynette Eason (the real famous one in their family, an accomplished author) and is the father of Lauryn and Will. He and his family live in Simpsonville, SC. Jack loves Jesus, his family, sweet tea, and serving others. 

In the last 15 years, God has used him to raise tens of millions of dollars for organizations like Christian radio, children's homes, mission efforts, pregnancy centers, and more. 

Whether it be raising funds for your upcoming special event or facilitating a training for your Staff and Board of Directors, Jack Eason not only has a heart to serve... he has the experience to connect and impact your team. Simply put, Jack gets results for the groups he speaks for! 

Jack is passionate about helping people understand the impact we can have when we work TOGETHER.

~*~
Book blurb for The Loneliness Solution:

 

Statistics show that, despite our connected worldworld — and partly because of it —we are lonelier than ever. Social media tricks us into thinking that we are engaged in genuine friendships, except we never quite get beyond that feeling of being outside someone else's life and looking in every so often at what they choose to show the world. Instead of intimacy we get little more than what amounts to digital small talk. But there is a solution. 

With plenty of good humor and practical advice, Jack Eason invites you to discover the benefits of doing life together with other brothers and sisters in Christ. Grounding his message in Scripture, Eason helps you:

- learn the obstacles to real community
- reimagine what real friendship looks like
- discover a place of true belonging
- and more

If you're tired of feeling lonely, this encouraging and community-building book is just what you need.

~*~
Buy this book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

~*~
Connect with the author:
Website: https://www.jackeason.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackeasonspeaks/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wjackeason/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jackeason
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/JackEasonCMI
Podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jack-eason-podcast/id1485111148

 

~*~
Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): 

Many thanks to Revel Publishers for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. 

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor FlyBy Promotions/Momentum Influencer in the last 30 days, from the same blog, you are not eligible to win. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

~*~
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: 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Devotionals for the Heart: Speaking the truth in love according to the Bible

In Love
A devotional by Allison M. Wilson

Key Scripture:

1 Corinthians 16:14, John 13:35, Philippians 4:8, John 3:1-20, John 4:4-26 (NASB)

I’ve been pondering this, or something like it, for a long time. My heart is heavy. 

As I scroll through social media, I see those I love, on all the different sides of the issues surrounding us in these times, being bludgeoned by the other side of whichever issue. Yesterday, a friend posted that she didn’t want to be Christian if the treatment she kept seeing was what it meant to be one. My heart broke, as I can only imagine my Savior’s does.

We are told in 1 Corinthians 16:14 to speak the truth in love. We are told in John 13:35 that those who are not in Christ will know that we are His by our love, one for another. 

Yet, is that what they see? Or, do they see us disagreeing with everyone to the point of name calling and nasty comments? Do they see the love of Christ showing through our words, whether on social media or in person, or do they see us tearing others down, just because they may not agree with us? Are we seen as loving, or as someone who ignores the hurting of someone else, in the name of our “rights” or beliefs? Is what scrolls through our timeline on social media filled with “…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute…worthy of praise…”? (Philippians 4:8)

In all of the Scripture reading I have done, I have never seen Jesus scaring anyone into a relationship with Him. He already knew where the hearts of most of the Pharisees stood. For those He knew would come to Him, like Nicodemus (John 3:1-20), He spoke in love, and drew him with that love, into a right understanding. Jesus didn’t ever scare someone out of hell. He loved them into Himself. 

When He insulted the Pharisees, it was with the full knowledge, that we cannot have, of what they would choose to believe. He called out sin without calling out the person. See how He dealt with the woman at the well. (John 4:4-26) He knew her sin, full well. Everyone knew who she was and what she had done. Yet, He did not speak to her in judgement and shame her. He loved her where she was, and called her out to a better life in His love.

We cannot control what others post. We have the calling from God to be a light to those in darkness, and that darkness may even be shrouding other believers. We are not called to browbeat them into our opinion. I once heard it said that you will never convert someone you have insulted. Yet, I see insults flying around all the time, in an effort to change the minds of others. Done by those who claim the name of Jesus, it takes on even more gravity. 

We know the love of Christ, but are acting out of our flesh too often in these times. Personally, I believe that is what it means when He tells us not to take the Lord’s name in vain. We bear the name of CHRIST, but we act as poorly, and worse sometimes, as those who do not believe. The grief this must cause Him.

Let’s pray: Dearest Jesus, I do not want to be someone who drives others away from a life with You in eternity by my words or actions. I want to love as You love, see others as You see them, and walk as You walked. Show me where I am missing the mark. Guide my steps onto Your path of love for everyone I encounter, in person or online. Let only Your love be what they see from me. In the precious 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: Unity

Bound in Unity
A devotional by Malinda Fugate

Key Scripture:

Romans 15:1-13 (NIV)

My soul is heavy as I look away from the headlines unfolding on Twitter and open a blank Word document to write. It feels like the world, already fragile from the strain of pandemic, is crumbling into pieces of division, violence, and unrest. My heart breaks for those who are hurting, helpless and angry at injustice. At times like these, when hope in humanity is frail, we know where to turn: the sovereign source of all strength, God our Father.

The Word contains so many encouragements of hope, including Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” How refreshing this is! He provides more than merely a nugget of hope for us to survive. We are filled to overflowing by the Holy Spirit, and with accompanying gifts of joy and peace! I wanted to place these promising words in context, so my eyes wandered to the beginning of the chapter to see what Paul was thinking.

This letter to the Romans was written in a time of great divide between the Jews and the Gentiles. Centuries of conflict separated the people, but Christ was a game-changer. Salvation wasn’t only meant for the Jewish people; God’s love extends to all His children. The problem, however, is that the tumultuous history was not quickly forgotten. Paul had a few things to say to the divided believers in Rome, and as I read his words, they resonated for such a time is this.

“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.” (Romans 15:1-2)

We live in communities divided by race, economics, and history. Some groups experience benefits while others struggle through challenges daily. If we only focus on ourselves and remain blind to the plight of our neighbors, we are ignoring the commands of the Lord. Can we be brave enough to support our brothers and sister first, tending to their needs before addressing our own? Will we be the revolutionaries we are called to be and live as selflessly as Christ?

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
(Romans 15:5-6)

We were never intended to be divided by race, economics, history, or any other factor. We were designed to be unified in Christ. This takes intention and effort. So often, we focus on more popular teachings of Jesus and ignore the difficult mandate to be together as one—despite our many differences. Yet, shouldn’t we work as diligently at unity as we do at honoring the Ten Commandments and caring for widows and orphans?

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” (Romans 15:7) Some translations say welcome or receive each other. We are to care for one another as family and dear friends. This is more than just acknowledgement or regarding one another fondly. When we accept, welcome, and receive each other, we are actively concerned for the well-being of our neighbor and involved in their life. This, says Paul, brings praise to God. By blessing others, we bless the Lord!

It’s after this discussion of unity that Paul speaks of hope. God blesses us with hope in the gift of community, and when we stray from that togetherness, we miss out. As we are currently realizing, there is pain and discord when we ignore our brothers and sisters and focus solely on ourselves. We know better. We can do better.

We can seek the Lord together and welcome His healing to our communities. This takes intentional effort, but the Holy Spirit equips us to follow the way of Jesus.

And there we shall discover overflowing hope.

~*~
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: Focus!

Focus
A devotional by Temeka Borden

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” 

– Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV)

One day, as I was doing one of my live Biblical teachings, I asked viewers what were some of the greatest challenges they have faced or are facing right now. One of the most common answers to my question was remaining focused. In other words, many are becoming distracted while trying to meet their goals.

Allow me to begin this devotional by writing the following: When God assigns you a task (or sets a goal for you to meet) don’t think the path to completing that task will always be easy. However, remember that “not being easy” can be a good thing because if everything we attained was always easy to get, we would not have the opportunity to grow and become stronger spiritually. There is a benefit to encountering resistance.

Recently, I gave up some things so that I could better “focus.”

In January of 2020, I announced my sabbatical from Biblical teachings, which later became a sabbatical from posting on social media, which most recently became a sabbatical from even logging into my social media accounts, except when absolutely necessary. Why? I’m trying to avoid as many potential distractions as possible while I’m on this journey of becoming as mentally, emotionally, and spiritually prepared as possible for when I resume my postings and teachings.

As a sidebar, I have spoken at length regarding the importance of taking care of ourselves mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually in the past, and I intend to talk about this topic even more upon my return to the social media world as I know the pandemic we are currently facing has impacted so many in a variety of ways, including mentally and emotionally.

During the time of my sabbatical, I have begun running again, including long-distance running, and not only that, how often I run have changed. I run almost every day now; I have never done that before in my life.

I’ve (unintentionally) become vegan again, and most importantly, I’m spending much time in the Word, in worship, and in prayer. I’ve established a reading schedule that will allow me to read the entire Bible before my social media return in August, and I’m listening to certain Biblical sermons frequently.

All I can say is that doing all of these things is making a difference. Now, there have been days when I got that “itch” to log into my social media account and post something not necessarily spiritually related (or just take a peek at what is going on in the social media world), and then the Lord would kindly remind me of why I’m on my social media sabbatical in the first place (in His own very unique way).

I must say that when I “focus” on God and His Word, I am better able to “focus” on continually becoming the person He wants me to be. Sometimes we must temporarily remove ourselves from certain people, certain situations, and/or certain environments so that we can be strengthened in Christ.

However, I also want to caution you regarding the spirit of “guilt” when doing what I mentioned above. Because I’m not posting encouragement, I experienced moments of feeling guilty because of this. I felt as though I was not fulfilling my Christian duties by being there for others. However, as I’ve mentioned so many times before, you must feed and fill yourself before you are able to adequately feed others.

Ultimately, what I want you, the reader, to get out of this devotional is to do all you can to avoid potential distractions while working toward your goals, and you will see a difference.

God has given each of us an assignment, a purpose, and the enemy (Satan) knows this and will do all he can to stop you from fulfilling that purpose. Still, remain focused. Remember why you are doing what you are doing. Commit to it. See it through to the end, and know that a reward awaits you for your faithfulness.

~*~
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!”

Devotionals for the Heart: God's Light

Shining God’s Light
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

One of my favorite things to do lately is go into really busy places, like gas stations or the grocery store, and spread some God-inspired peaceful light and love.

Like the rest of us, in today’s fast-paced society I am more than guilty of rushing to and fro, getting so tunnel-visioned in my thinking that I miss out on important connections with others—sometimes even the people right next to me.

It doesn’t help that so many of us spend such a great deal of time staring into small rectangular screens—our cell phones—giving us yet another reason not to connect with our fellow humans. When was the last time you waited at a doctor’s office and actually talked to the person a few seats over instead of checking Facebook or email on your phone?

But as a Christian, I’ve lately become convicted that I am called not just to love my family and my close friends, as well as people in need and people in my church, but I also need to love the people all around me—the general public. I’m talking about the cashier who rings up my sale. The teenager who hands me my salad through the drive-through window. The lady who takes my money at the tollbooth. The elderly man thumbing through a magazine next to me at the dentist.

“I’m just soooo busy” can no longer be my excuse in life. Instead, I’m making a huge effort to stay off my phone when I’m in public and instead try to connect with people around me. Even if they’re lost in their own cell phones, at least I can send some loving prayer vibes their way. When it’s my turn at the cash register, I no longer care how grumpy the clerk looks. I find a way to look into her eyes and give her a sincere thank you.

Even in the first century, early Christians had places to go and things to do. Jesus and his disciples knew this, knew money and security vied for his followers’ hearts far more than anything else. But time and again, Scripture reminds us that loving others is far more important than our own concerns.

“This is love: it is not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son as the sacrifice that deals with our sins. Dear friends, if God loved us this way, we also ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. If we love each other, God remains in us and his love is made perfect in us. This is how we know we remain in him and he remains in us, because he has given us a measure of his Spirit." 

~1 John 4:10-13 (CEB)

Loving others is loving God. Let’s shine His light together.

~*~
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/shiningthelight.

Devotionals for the Heart: Football, Scripture and Our God-given job

Do Your Job
A devotional by Amanda Wen

Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” –John 21:22 (ESV)

Those of you who know me know how much I love football, especially my team, the New England Patriots. And I’m no bandwagon Pats fan, either; it’s in my DNA. My mom has rooted for the Patriots since the 1970s, and I’m told I watched (or, more accurately, slept through) my first Patriots game the night I was born. (They lost, something they did quite reliably back in those days). My husband and I bonded over our mutual love for the Pats—he’s a Boston native—and one of our first dates was to a Patriots game in Indianapolis. (They won that one).

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is known for telling his players, “Do your job.” It’s a simple mantra, but a profound—and obviously very effective—one. In any given play, there are a total of 22 guys on the field, each with a different assignment. With all the motion, noise and communication, it would be very easy for any individual player to get distracted, and many do. But Belichick coaches his players to not worry about what anyone else is doing, or supposed to be doing, just do what you’re supposed to be doing. If you’re supposed to cover the wide receiver, cover him. If your assignment is to block a player, block him. If you do your job, and the guy next to you does his job, so the theory goes, everyone’s jobs get done and the team is successful.

Believe it or not, this idea resonates with Scripture. After Jesus’ resurrection, when he reinstated Peter and prophesied both Peter’s key role in the church and his eventual martyrdom, the disciple’s response was not to ask for more details, but to ask, “Okay, so what about that guy?”

Let's read John 21:20-22 (ESV): Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them…and said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”

In other words, “Don’t worry about him, Peter. It’s none of your business. Just do your job.”

In our age of social media, when we’re bombarded with images of everyone else’s highlight reels dozens of times every day, it’s so very, very easy to compare, and we Christians are not immune. We make think thoughts like these: Lord, why can’t I have a house like hers? Lord, why can’t my ministry impact as many people as hers does? Lord, why can’t my children behave as well as hers do?

I believe He’d say the same thing to us as He did to Peter. “If it’s My will that she have (fill in the blank), what is that to you? You follow me!”

Our job—our only job—is to follow Jesus. To lock in with laser focus to Him and what He is calling us to do. He has a unique role in His kingdom for each and every one of us. Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are His workmanship, created to do good works He’s prepared for us in advance. 

In other words, God’s drawn up the game plan. He’s given us each an assignment. Worrying about what He’s assigned someone else to do is wasted energy, and it takes our focus off where it needs to be. Trust your Coach. Spend your time and energy on what He’s called you to do.

Go out there and do your job.

~*~
Author Bio:

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

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

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

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

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

Words of Faith: What to do when you're in a bad mood

Jesus and My Bad Mood Day
A Words of Faith Story written by Sherri Stone

So it happened…I woke up one morning in a bad mood. No reason. Just irritable and mad at my husband who wasn’t even awake yet. I rammed my little toe into the dresser, spilled water on the floor, dropped my make-up brush into the sink and got it wet. My hair was, well, my hair. I’m overweight and short and I need new shoes. And underwear – it’s falling apart and that’s got to be someone’s fault. And why is there nothing sweet in this entire house? And what happened to the…

You get the picture. Not pretty. Not a tragedy. Not even close. Just a bad mood day. But mighty ugly.

I had just finished a month of fasting that was so amazing. God taught me so much during that time and I was learning to trust him in a deeper way than ever before. I felt like I’d accomplished something together with God. And now this. No huge obstacle or terrible thing to challenge my trust in God. Just a really bad mood. I sat down that morning, partly because it seemed dangerous to keep moving around, and partly because I felt so defeated. By my own mood. How ridiculous. How immature. How very sad.

Then God spoke to my heart. Invite me into this day. Into this mess. Invite me in. So I did. I repeated the prayer I’d prayed so often during my fast. It doesn’t feel good or right. It doesn’t even feel like you’re there. BUT I CHOOSE TO TRUST YOU.

My bad mood lasted all day. Everything irritated me and I have no idea why. But God was there. Right in the middle of my mood and my mess. He didn’t fix it. He didn’t even fix me. He just walked with me that day because I shared it with him. Over and over that day my thoughts turned to God and I knew he was there. He wasn’t intimidated by my bad mood. I vented all the way to work and all the way home. He listened. He didn’t change anything that day, but he never left me. And that changed me. It made me grateful.

We are so quick to pick up the phone and call or text a friend or our family when we’re having a bad day. We Tweet and post on Facebook as if the world really cares and wants to hear it. We invite everyone in except the One who can and will stick with us in a way no other mortal being can. I’m not saying we shouldn’t share with our friends. They are gifts from God to walk with us through life, but God wants that privilege first.

God is there for the tragedies of our lives and that’s when we are quick to call on him. But he wants to be Lord of our bad mood days, too. I was guilty of thinking that since it was my mood it had to be my fault, therefore God had to be disappointed in me. I metaphorically sent myself to my room without supper until my attitude got straightened out. The problem with that is, I was cutting myself off from the very One who could change that attitude. He didn’t let me get away with that this time. He gently pushed his way into my bad mood day and simply lived it with me. Now I find myself on those days saying, I don’t know what’s wrong with me today but I’m glad you’re here with me. I also realized that the only thing about that day that could separate me from God was me.

It is a powerful thing to build that kind of history with Jesus. If we practice that on good days, and on the bad mood days, when the big challenges come we will be ready to trust Him with those too, with a deeper trust, and a deeper knowledge of who he is and why He does what He does.

It’s not about doing anything for Him. It’s about living life with Him. And that is the sweetest thing of all. 

~*~
Author bio: 

Sherri is a social worker by day and a writer by night. 

Her debut fiction novel, Sacred Ashes, was released last year and is available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble. 

More fiction and some non-fiction inspirational books are in the works and she is looking forward to finding God’s purpose for her next fifty years. 

Connect with Sherri:
Website - sherristone.net
Blog - hospiceheartbeats.com
Facebook - sherrilynnestone
Twitter - @sherristone2
Pinterest - pinterest.com/sherriston

True Love Stories: It Began with A Song

Fireworks happened on the 4th of July. No, not the kind you see light up the sky in brilliant streaks of red, white and blue. It was the kind that lit a deep love in the hearts of CJ and Deedré. It is a love that led to marriage and a lifetime of happiness between this couple not only committed to each other, but to God and His people. 

Today's featured true love story is a real gem. I hope you will not only enjoy it but be encouraged by the journey God took CJ and Deedré on together. It's a beautiful story. I believe you're going to love it. 

But don't take my word for it, see for yourself...

~*~

It Began with A Song

CJ and Deedré's true love story

Our story begins in Plantation, Florida—a suburb west of Fort Lauderdale—on a Friday night, during praise and worship rehearsal at my local church. 

As the rehearsal was getting ready to start, in walks a new face with one of the members of the praise team. Her name was Deedré and I was immediately captivated by her eyes but tried to stay focused on the rehearsal. She was later invited to join us in a song. After hearing her beautiful voice, I was convinced she needed to be a part of our praise team. Little did I know that she was also trying to recruit me for a singing group with a mutual friend. The next day we exchanged phone numbers, both intending to recruit the other. When I finally called her a week later, we spent hours on the phone laughing like two old friends. It felt like we had known each other for years. This was the start of a friendship that was originally brought together by music. It was at a time when neither of us were looking for a relationship, yet simply enjoyed being in each other’s presence. 

A few weeks later, I invited her to a potluck at the home of family friends. Somehow, everyone left the two of us together and ate in another room. We talked, laughed, played Truth or Dare and by the end of the evening we shared our first kiss. It was 4th of July! 

About a month later, after another potluck, I walked into the living room where Deedré was with a sticky note and a pen stuck to my back. The sticky note said, “Will you be my boo? Yes, no or maybe?” When I walked in, she didn’t see it at first. So I pretended to have an itch on my back and asked if she could scratch it for me. Then I turned around so she could see the paper. She began to laugh and then checked “yes” while hugging me. This was now two months after we met and we were now officially boyfriend and girlfriend.

Not long after we started dating, Deedré got the chicken pox. My family and I took her in and took care of her until she recovered. Whenever we tell this story, Deedré shares that this time meant a lot to her because it showed her that I would be there for her no matter what. This was evident when I had the privilege of meeting Deedré’s mother, Dulcie, who’d been battling cancer. She passed away a year later. One of the last things she said to me was “Take care of my daughter”. It was as if she knew what was coming and wanted me to be there to pick up the shattered pieces of Deedré’s heart. It was later confirmed by God when I asked Him what I should do for Deedré during this time of grief. He stopped me and told me, in a clear voice, “Show her my love!” From that day, I vowed to do just that.

Deedré always told me that if I ever proposed to her, it should be as private as possible. So I decided to make it as public as possible! Our church planned a trip to the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, Florida. At the end of the day, I caught Deedré totally by surprise by having her arrested and brought to the Temple mount by very convincing actors who played Roman Guards. With the entire park as my witness, I proposed to her. About 9 months later we had a beautiful wedding filled with friends and loved ones at our local church. 

Our journey has not been easy. We’ve been through things that would’ve broken more seasoned couples, yet through it all, we are there for each other and God was and is the supernatural glue that keeps up together. We’ve been married for over 8 years and are more in love now than we have ever been before. We challenge, yet complement each other and I thank God every day for giving me such a beautiful gift.

~*~
Author bio: "CJ" Claypole S. Cousins Jr. is simply a man who is in love with Jesus. His passion is to live, preach and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

CJ serves as Associate Pastor for Restoration Praise Center in Lanham, Md. He serves in the areas of evangelism, discipleship and multimedia. He also served as intern pastor at One Place and graduate assistant for grow groups at Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University. 

CJ holds a Bachelor's of Business Administration, majoring in Human Resource Management from Florida International University in Miama, Fla. He also has a Master's of Human Resource Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University. He has completed his Master of Divinity with an emphasis in church growth and evangelism at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University.

CJ is married to the lovely Deedré Nicole Cousins who is a wonderful support and partner in ministry. 

He is passionate about sharing God's love as seen through the gospel of Jesus Christ in the context of Revelation 14:6-12. In addition to preaching and teaching, CJ also loves to sing and write about Jesus.

--
Mrs. Deedré Cousins' professional bio: Deedré's affinity for multimedia and technology was evident at a very young age. Throughout her childhood, Deedré developed a keen ear for music and a sharp eye for visual art which led to the completion of three degrees—an associate of arts in music, a bachelors in music technology and a masters of art in multimedia communications. 

Her academic and professional achievements have made her passionate about creating innovative and contextual media on multiple platforms. Whether it's producing a news segment for prime time television or creating a human interest web series, recording music projects, capturing still photography, or giving seminars and consultations on social media marketing strategies, Deedré can conceive, create, publish and promote your next big idea.

~*~
Bonus feature: CJ & Deedré's Love Story video on YouTube