Devotionals for the Heart: How to surrender your heart and life to God

Jesus Christ Calls Us to be a Living Sacrifice
A devotional by Anne Madison

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”—Romans 12:1 (NIV)

Few words seem more contradictory than these: living and sacrifice. Yet somewhere in the tension of these two words is the heart of Jesus Christ, the reason for life, and the calling for our lives. Fully alive yet fully surrendered. Being a living sacrifice begs the same question asked in Ezekiel 33:10 (NIV), “How then can we live?”

Life Laid Down: Surrender

Surrendering doesn’t bring up thoughts of strength. Rather it brings up thoughts of defeat and captivity; giving up and giving in to an enemy force; losing and abandoning. What if surrendering is a powerful choice to follow after the heart of God? What if surrendering is, “Lord, not my will, but Yours be done in this life you’ve given me”? What if surrendering is trusting God with our surrendered state, with our surrendered thoughts, attitudes, and struggles? What if in surrendering we are truly set free?

Jesus Christ is the truest example of the power in a surrendered life. Daily, He rested in His Father’s presence where His strength and purpose were renewed. Jesus lived a life in wholeness of who He was in God. He shared the truth and love of the Father with each word He spoke, each lesson He taught, in each deed He did. His daily, incremental surrendering led Jesus to make the ultimate choice that literally changed the world for eternity. No enemy force took His life; Jesus willingly laid it down, abandoning His will to a greater purpose—to reconcile humanity to our Heavenly Father (John 3:16-17).

Christ’s life didn’t happen by accident. It flowed from a heart fully surrendered and connected to God. He was filled in the presence of the Father. This filling enabled Him to keep surrendering to God even when it cost him His earthly life. A living sacrifice breathes, moves, grows, and keeps choosing God repeatedly in ordinary life. It is an aligning of our desires with God’s purpose. Sacrifice is an intentional offering born out of love. Sacrifice is ultimately an act of love, not loss.

The Beauty of a Surrendered Life

Honestly, sacrifice is … well … a sacrifice. Uncomfortable. Unpleasant. Uneasy. A surrendered life is letting go of being right, serving when tired, giving when empty, forgiving when hurt, choosing patience when it’s hard, and showing kindness when it’s easier to be rude or self-serving. Rest assured, dear one, sacrifice in God’s kingdom is never wasted.

Surrender is about letting go of control. When we surrender our control, God gives us wisdom, clarity, and peace. When we choose obedience, He generates purpose. Every time we lay something down—our will, our plans, our control—God replaces it with something greater: His peace. His purpose. His presence. This is the gift and beauty of a surrendered life—a life lived as a reflection of Him. A life whose choices ripple out farther than the expanse of existence in the few short years of earthly living.

Reflection:

Galatians 2:20 (NIV) says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Sacrifices are daily intentional decisions to give up things that are not serving the purposes of God in our lives. As we continue to lay our lives down something beautiful happens: We begin to reflect His love more clearly to the world around us. Our surrender becomes someone else’s hope. A place to begin, just for today, is asking ourselves what one area of my life am I holding onto tightly? What would it look like to surrender that one thing to God today?

Every day is opportunity to surrender our will and choose God’s good pleasing and perfect will. What would His will for my life look like today? How will I live out my faith today in its ordinary moments? What area of my life is not fully surrendered? What step can I take this week to live more sacrificially for God?

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

We long to live lives that truly honor You and reflect the work You are doing within us. With hearts full of love and gratitude, we offer ourselves completely to You. Teach us to surrender our own desires and instead choose to live a living sacrifice—holy and pleasing in Your sight. Thank You for redeeming us through Your sacrifice, for transforming us by Your love, and restoring us again and again through Your abundant grace. Guide us each day to live in a way that brings You glory and reveals Your kindness and mercy to those around us. May our lives be daily, intentionally, and purposely surrendered to your purposes and for your glory. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, who perfectly showed us what it means to live as a living sacrifice. Amen.

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Song of Reflection #1: “Living Sacrifice” by Jeremy Bilson. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise” by Maranatha! Music. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “Victor's Crown” by Darlene Zschech. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #4: “Way Maker” by Leeland. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #5: “All to Bring You Glory” by Ashmont Hill. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Anne Madison is a devotional writer whose words gently guide women toward a deeper connection with God through personal reflection, scripture, and everyday experiences. 

Based in Iron River, Wisconsin, Anne is continually inspired by the natural beauty around her and the strong sense of community she calls home.

A dedicated journaler for over 46 years, Anne draws from a rich well of spiritual practice and daily life to craft devotionals that are heartfelt, relatable, and deeply rooted in faith. Her writing speaks to women seeking encouragement, stillness, and spiritual renewal amid the busyness of life.

Anne has a unique gift for noticing God in the ordinary. Whether it's a cup of morning coffee, a walk through the woods, or a quiet conversation with a friend, she uncovers sacred messages that reveal God’s goodness and the blessings hidden in everyday moments.

In addition to her writing, Anne is pursuing her certification as a Life Coach through the Life Mentoring School, further deepening her calling to encourage and uplift others.

She finds joy in simple pleasures—quilting, reading, and spending time with her beloved family and friends.

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Connect with Anne:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lessonsinthejourney    
Email: lessonsinthejourney@gmail.com  

Book Spotlight: Chasing Emptiness, Finding Fullness (devotional)

I Chased Success and Found Emptiness
A guest post by Dr. Gladys Childs

Have you ever chased something you thought would make life more full, only to realize it was quietly draining the life out of you?

I have.

A few years ago, I stood at a crossroads that looked impressive from the outside. I was serving as Chair of the Religion Department. I loved my students. I loved the rhythm of teaching. Summers gave me space to breathe and time to be present with my son. My life felt full in the right ways.

Then the Provost approached me about stepping in as Interim Dean of the School of Arts & Letters. I had not been campaigning for it, but the invitation stirred something old in me: leadership, influence, and impact. My husband and I prayed, talked late into the night, and finally decided to try it. We told ourselves it was temporary. If it did not fit, I could step away.

At first, I convinced myself it was working. I avoided the political games of Dean’s Council and met with each dean one-on-one instead. I hired an executive coach. I launched initiatives that protected programs and strengthened morale. On paper, everything looked successful.

But my body told a different story.

I stopped sleeping well. I ate standing up between meetings. My inbox felt like a living thing that multiplied overnight. I would sit in my car before walking into the building and feel a tightness in my chest I could not pray away in five minutes.

Then one afternoon, in the middle of class, a student looked at me and asked, "Do you even want this job?"

The room went still. I said yes. My voice cracked. And in that crack, I heard the truth. I did not want it. I was exhausted. I was slowly disappearing behind a title.

When the permanent dean search opened, everything intensified. Complicated dynamics made applying feel less like ambition and more like escape. I told myself that if I just secured the position, the chaos would settle. The stress would make sense. The sacrifice would be worth it.

I made it to the final three candidates. Then the whispers started. A small group of faculty spread rumors. There were threats of a no-confidence vote against the Provost if I were chosen. What had once felt like an opportunity began to feel like a trap closing in. The Provost called me in and asked me to stay another year as interim, with assurances the permanent role would follow. I sat there, listening, feeling the weight of expectation pressing on my ribs.

And I remembered the words from months earlier. "If you do not like it, you can walk away. You do not need this." So I said, "No." Shock flickered across faces. Some were angry. Others confused. The very people who opposed me celebrated. But when the word left my mouth, something shifted inside me. The tightness eased. I walked out of that building lighter thjan I had felt in months. The “no” was not a failure. It was freedom.

In the quiet that followed, I began to see how subtly I had started chasing fullness in the wrong place. I chose the weight of control over trusting God’s ability to handle any situation. I had carried a weight Jesus Christ never asked me to shoulder. His words in Matthew 11:28–30 came alive in a way they never had before: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

I had been yoked to something else. No wonder I was worn thin.

As I stepped back into a simpler rhythm, I began to notice what had been missing. Peace that did not depend on outcomes. Joy that did not rise and fall with performance. Patience returned when I was no longer grasping for control. The fruit of the Spirit described in Galatians 5:22–23 was not something I could manufacture through work or control. It grew when I stopped striving.

That season reshaped me. It exposed how easy it is to chase the illusion of security while quietly running on empty. And that is why I wrote my new devotional book: Chasing Emptiness, Finding Fullness: A 45-Day Journey to Spiritual Abundance.

This devotional was born out of lived surrender. It is not a call to try harder. It is an invitation to slow down long enough to notice what we are really chasing and to let the Holy Spirit cultivate what lasts. Each day focuses on one aspect of His fruit, not as a checklist, but as evidence of a life rooted in Him.

If you have ever lain awake rehearsing tomorrow’s demands, wondering why success feels thinner than you expected, you are not alone. If you have smiled through meetings while feeling hollow inside, you are not crazy. And if you suspect God is inviting you to loosen your grip on something impressive, that nudge may be mercy.

Saying no to the corner office did not shrink my life. It redirected it. It opened space for writing, for hosting my tv show, Bare Faith, for walking with others who stand at their own crossroads.

Fullness is not found at the top of a ladder. It is found at the feet of Jesus.

So let me ask you gently: What are you still saying yes to that God never asked you to carry?

The chase can end. And in Christ, true fullness can begin.

~*~
Author Bio: 

Dr. Gladys Childs hosts the TV show Bare Faith, where raw faith and deep pain meet a relentless God.  

Known as the "Truth Doctor," she names the lies standing between people and God’s truth. 

A pastor’s wife, author, speaker, former religion professor, and boy mom, Gladys, speaks with authority, heart, and real-life grit. 

Her new book, Chasing Emptiness, Finding Fullness, offers practical guidance, Scripture, and encouragement to live fully in God’s abundance. Learn more at gladyschilds.com. Follow on Instagram or Facebook.

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Blurb for Chasing Emptiness, Finding Fullness:

Stop chasing what leaves you empty. Discover the spiritual abundance only God provides.

Feeling drained by the pursuit of approval, success, or endless busyness? Chasing Emptiness, Finding Fullness: A 45-Day Journey to Spiritual Abundance is a daily Christian devotional rooted in Galatians 5:22–23. This 45-day Bible study blends short, impactful devotionals with reflective journaling to cultivate the Fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, and other biblical virtues—guiding Christian women and men to deeper faith and spiritual self-help.

With this Christian devotional, you’ll: deepen your faith with daily Scripture and Christian meditations, overcome anxiety and spiritual dryness with practical steps, and grow in biblical virtues through inspiring journaling prompts.

Perfect for Christian women and men seeking spiritual self-help, this devotional leads to the abundant life God intends. Get Chasing Emptiness, Finding Fullness today, and unleash the joy of God’s abundant love!

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Buy this book on Amazon

Devotionals for the Heart: Why we should surrender our heart to God

Ending the Year Consecrated, Not Calloused
A devotional by Adriana Watt

“God, your God, will cut away the thick calluses on your heart and your children’s hearts, freeing you to love God, your God, with your whole heart and soul and live, really live. God, your God, will put all these curses on your enemies who hated you and were out to get you.”—Deuteronomy 30:6-7 (MSG)

When an aspiring musician first picks up the guitar, they are painfully aware that their fingertips will need to toughen up. Calluses form on their fingertips over time, allowing them to play comfortably for longer periods, helping them develop greater skill.

The hardening that occurs for a guitar player’s fingers is a positive thing. This is not so with our hearts. Our hearts become calloused through fatigue, sin, or self-protection. This can cause us to become deaf, blind, and hardened to the voice and Word of God (Matthew 13:15).

As we welcome a new year, may our hearts welcome surrender and softness as evidence of true strength in the Lord and His deep love for us. The Lord “will cut away the thick calluses on your heart and your children’s hearts, freeing you to love God, your God, with your whole heart and soul and live” (Deuteronomy 30:6 MSG). With the calluses removed, your heart is tender, sensitive, and responsive to God without any barriers. This work of removing the calluses is for our good and His glory.

With this in mind, how do we compassionately assess a calloused heart? We begin by yielding to God and inviting Him to search us and reveal any hidden hardness within (Psalm 139:23–24). In that posture of surrendering to God, we begin to notice how calluses express themselves in daily life. Emotionally, they may appear as bitterness, fear, exhaustion, or defensiveness. Spiritually, they can show up as distraction, disinterest in the Word, or a resistance to yield fully to God’s direction. In relationships, callousness can take the form of pride, critical attitudes, or guarding our hearts against pain. All of these calluses form barriers that hinder us from loving God and others.

As these calluses come into the light, God continues the process of gently removing those hardened areas. The language in Deuteronomy 30:6 is vivid. The Message translation says God will “cut away” while many other versions say He will “circumcise”. Circumcision was performed in Bible times as a covenant sign, symbolizing God’s work of removing hardness from our hearts. Spiritually, this act signifies a covenant with God and expresses consecration to the Lord. Yes, this work is painful, no doubt. Thickened calluses may take longer to be softened one layer at a time. We have the blessed assurance that God is present and close to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). After these layers are removed, He promises a new heart. With sensitive hearts, we create space to pause and reflect further.

Let’s bring our hearts before the Lord with these questions:

● Where has God been faithful in the past year?

● Is my heart soft?

● Is my heart surrendered to God?

● Where do I need to surrender to Him more fully?

● Has this year created calluses upon my heart or made old calluses thicker?

Surrender is strength in the Lord. For surrender to become our response, we need to regularly assess our hearts for hardness. May our hearts, renewed and tender, be ready for worshipping God. May we always be ready to respond in obedience, and ready for intimacy with Jesus Christ. Let us enter the new year fully trusting God with our hearts, surrendering to His work to remove the calluses and to be set apart for Him, with responsive hearts to do the good works He has prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10).

Let’s Pray: Dear God, Thank You for drawing near to our hearts and for Your promise to remove the thick calluses, giving us hearts that are soft, tender, and responsive to You. Help us let down our guard, surrender fully to Your love, and trust You with every part of our hearts as we step into the new year. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: "New Wine" by Hillsong Worship. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: "O Come To The Altar" by Elevation Worship. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Adriana Watt, founder of “Framing Your Health in Christ” supports Christian women who find themselves running on empty from pouring themselves out in caring for others struggling with mental and emotional exhaustion and chronic stress because they have forgotten to rest and prioritize their health.

 

She helps them to live a guilt-free, nourishing, full, and sustainable life by helping them climb out of the trenches to see the bigger vision of their calling and God’s purpose for their lives.

Adriana is a gentle and encouraging author and speaker with a critical message for the current caregiver crisis. She is a living testimony of how it is possible to rest in Christ for your strength, healing, and to serve others well without sacrificing your health to feel fully alive again.

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Connect with Adriana:
Website: https://www.adrianawatt.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adriana_watt_wholehealth/
Email address: Care@adrianawatt.com

Devotionals for the Heart: How I learned to surrender and trust God

Why We Need to Trust God and Surrender to Him
A devotional by Colette Christopher

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;

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

—Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)

Solomon, the wisest man God created, tells his son to trust God. His wisdom is recorded in the verse above (Proverbs 3:5-6).

We are to trust God not with a part of our heart but with our whole heart. Solomon could make that bold statement because he had the experience of what it was like to fully surrender his everything to Almighty God. Perhaps you say that Solomon made some unwise decisions and did things God told him not to. But that doesn’t negate the fact that there were a lot of times when he relied solely on God. He knew the outcomes of those times worked in his favor when he relinquished control to God and asked Him to take control. This is why he can encourage us today through Scripture to do the same.

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word “trust” means “to rely on the truthfulness or accuracy of: believe” or “to place confidence in” and “to hope or expect confidently.” The word “surrender” means “the action of yielding one's person or giving up the possession of something especially into the power of another.”

As I reflect on my life and think back to the times when I truly applied this Scripture (Proverbs 3:5-6) to my life as I learned how to surrender to God and trust Him, I saw and experienced the hand of God in profound ways. If I trust God then I have to surrender my will to His. We can’t have one without the other. We have to give Him total control and trust that the outcome for the challenges we face, the difficulties and hardships. Tough decisions we have to make yield better results when we leave it in God’s capable hands.

It’s easy to say we will trust God and we will surrender everything to Him. But when we are in a time crunch, when our backs are against a wall, and time seems to be running out, we sometimes take matters into our own hands. We should know that the outcome from that decision is never good. However, when we take our hands off the steering wheel and give God full control, it is in those moments that we experience peace, joy, and satisfaction because we know that no matter what, God’s will is the final outcome. And His will is best.

Have you ever been in a place of waiting on God to show up for you? You are praying and waiting and believing. Perhaps you are quoting Proverbs 3:5-6 like your life depended on it because you know that the outcome you desire is something only God can do? What do you do in those moments? Did you recall past experiences, looked at the outcome when you surrendered to His will and timing and then look at what happened when you didn’t?

The lessons I have learned from both scenarios are always a reminder to trust God no matter what and not to take matters into my own hands. What have you learned from those experiences and how has it affected your desire to lean into God?

I know trusting and surrendering aren’t easy. It’s especially hard in these days when the demands of life are upon us, our needs seem unbearable and waiting seems far-fetched. But as I recall the Bible story in Genesis chapter 16 about Abraham and Sarah. They took matters into their own hands because they couldn’t trust God’s word and surrender to His plans. This true story taught me how important it is to trust God and not rush ahead of Him.

My prayer is that every time we are about to lean to our own understanding and acknowledge our own capabilities then we will remember not only our own outcomes when we didn’t wait on God, but the outcome of Sarah and Abraham’s impatience and the negative results that occurred after they rushed ahead of God.

Today, I encourage you, despite what your circumstances say, to trust God and surrender your heart and will to Him. God is producing something within you that far outweighs the answered prayer we desperately need. When we wait while God is working on our behalf, we are building our faith, trust and confidence in Him. This makes it easier to surrender our hearts and own understanding of what should be and lean into the fact that surrender and trust leads to God directing our path.

Let’s Pray:

Dear God,

You alone are Sovereign and You know the end from the beginning. Thank You for your infinite wisdom. I pray for every person reading this devotional today. Please strengthen and undergird them. When they feel like waiting is too hard, remind them of this promise: As we acknowledge You (God) then You will direct our path. Thank You for developing within us the desire to submit our will to You. In Jesus’s name I pray, Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “I Surrender” by Hillsong. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Order My Steps” by GMWA Women of Worship. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “I Surrender All” by Cece Winans. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #4: “Wait on the Lord” by Donnie McClurkin. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Colette Christopher is an empowered woman who inspires women to be who they were created to be. Her core message is empowerment. She is an author, certified life coach, podcast host, and trainer with the Maxwell Leadership team. 

Colette believes that an empowered woman empowers others and is powerful in knowing who she is and what she can accomplish. Colette is on a mission to impact the lives of the women assigned to her, whether she is their coach or trainer or shares a word that will transform their lives.

Colette utilizes her Christian principles as the base of all her engagements. She is passionate about fulfilling her life purpose of empowering women to know who they are, rebuild their confidence, and use their voices as tools to uplift themselves and others.

​​She is the founder of the M.E.E. Movement L.L.C., a faith-based empowerment ministry business that helps women of faith rebuild their confidence and use their voice to walk in their purpose through life coaching, mentoring, and empowerment speaking. Colette believes in using the gifts God has given her to help women be who God has called them to be and ultimately fulfill the purpose for which they were created. She lives by Romans 8:28 (NIV), that promises, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

A native of Jamaica, Colette resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She is the mother of two beautiful young women, a son-in-love, and two grandsons. Colette enjoys reading, writing, watching good movies, and chatting with her daughters and friends.

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Connect with Colette:
Blog: https://www.colettemarie.online/blog
Website: https://www.colettemarie.online/
Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2367935
Email: Colettemarieonline@gmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: God cares about the desires of your heart

The Desires of our Hearts
A devotional by Hannah Benson

“You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.”

—Psalm 145:16 (ESV)

What desire do you have on your heart?

As humans, we naturally want so many things: a satisfying or well-paying job, a family of our own one day. Honestly, you could fill-in-the-blank with anything.

We know God loves to give us good things and bless His children, so at first glance, this verse might seem to contradict reality. After all, we don’t always get what we want when we want. Sometimes, we don’t get what we want at all. What gives?

Notice what this verse says: “[God] will satisfy the desire” not “God will give us everything we want.” It’s so hard to want something specific and be told “No” from God. Maybe you’ve been there or are still there. I get it. I’ve also been there. I often wonder why God says “No.” Why can’t I have what I want? And while we’re at it, why can’t I have what I want now?

The truth is, God is sovereign, and there could be a variety of reasons why He says no or makes us wait. If He were to give us everything we wanted when we wanted, then we would be the gods over our own lives, and we’d have no reason to trust Him. In other words, God would be a genie to us. Second, He could be protecting us from unseen harm. Other times, God might say “No” because He was better plans in store for us. Or maybe, it’s simply not a “No”, but a “Wait.”

I believe that God will give us the desire of our hearts if they are aligned with His will for us. If our wants are not aligned with His plan for us, then He will change our hearts to want what He wants. Even though it’s so hard to surrender our plans, God truly does know best. After all, His plans are for our good, to give us a future filled with hope, and not to harm us (Jeremiah 29:11).

As a young child, I had specific desires God laid on my heart, dreams that looked impossible to achieve. I prayed so hard every day, faith filling my heart, yet not seeing any answers to my prayers. Eventually, I gave up those desires to God, fully surrendering them to Him. It wasn’t until years later that God brought those dreams to life again, resurrecting what I’d laid to rest, and showing me that He does fulfill the desires of our hearts. It may not be in our timing (most of the time it probably isn’t), but the desires of our hearts are there for a reason.

And even if I don’t get what I want, I have found that whatever I want pales in comparison to the desire of knowing and loving Jesus. That, more than anything, is the deepest desire of my heart. Often, God will ask me to surrender a desire or a dream. Sometimes, it means truly letting go because it’s not His best for me, but other times, it’s because it’s not time yet. When my heart is “empty” and longs for something else, it’s then that God steps in and fills the void in my heart, reminding me He’s the only One who can truly satisfy me anyway.

Matthew 7:7-8 (ESV) says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

The desire of truly knowing and loving Jesus Christ and walking with Him will always be met.

Let’s Pray:
Dear Father God, it’s so hard for me to believe that You will fulfill the desires of my heart when there are so many unanswered prayers and unmet wants in my life. But I know, more than anything, that You are the ultimate desire of my heart. I know that desire will be met even if in life I don’t get what I want. Thank You for the truth of Your love! In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “The Secret Place” by Phil Wickham. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

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

From the time she could hold a pen, she was writing. But it wasn’t until she was sixteen that she began to follow God’s calling to pursue writing seriously. Hannah is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). In addition to fiction, she also writes devotionals and has been published on other websites. Her prayer is that her readers leave deeply encouraged and more in love with Jesus.

When not writing, Hannah also enjoys being involved with local theater companies, with a primary focus on Biblical theater. She wants to show the love of Jesus through the creative arts.

You can read more of Hannah’s writings on her blog or on her Instagram where she strives to write content that leaves others feeling encouraged.

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Connect with Hannah:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Hannah-Lynn-Writer/100073790792576/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahlbensonwrites/

Devotionals for the Heart: Emotions

Surrendering Our Emotions to God
A devotional by Monique Anderson

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” 

– Galatians 5:16-17 (NIV)

When it comes to relationships in the natural, we depend heavily on our feelings.

We rely on how a person makes us feel to determine how good or bad the relationship is. If the person gives us butterflies, makes us feel good, or comfortable, or safe then we decide that this is a good relationship, and this person cares about us. Being human beings of this world, we are naturally led by our feelings. But as we know, this is a fallen world. So are our feelings reliable leaders for our lives?

Having emotions, or even being emotional isn’t necessarily a bad thing. God gave us different emotions for a reason. He wants us to feel joy, happiness, excitement, and love. At the same time we also have to go through feelings of sadness, sorrow, grief, and anger. It is not what we feel that causes a problem, it’s how we respond to those feelings that can be dangerous. The way that we respond to our emotions can either lead to healing and peace, or brokenness and conflict.

The Bible provides several examples of those who mishandled their emotions. Below are some examples (from books in the Bible) of where these people’s misguided feelings led them.

Example #1: Anger. In Genesis, Cain killed his brother because of uncontrolled anger and jealousy in his heart. 

Example #2: Fear. In Genesis, Abraham lied to Abimelech about Sarah because he was afraid of losing his life.

Example #3: Lust. In 2 Samuel, David was led by lust and committed adultery with Bathsheba.

Example #4: Guilt. Judas killed himself because of the guilt he felt after betraying Jesus.

Letting our emotions take control of our decisions leads to bad choices and puts a wedge between you and your relationship with God.

I am guilty of frequently using the phrase “I don’t feel like it” whenever it comes to things that I need to be doing; specifically, the things that God instructs me to do. Instead of prioritizing my time for the work that He has trusted me with, I instead succumb to my feelings and my mood. The time that should be delegated to writing or studying God’s Word (The Holy Bible), gets overthrown by how I feel at that moment.

I realized that this was starting to put a strain on my relationship with God. I am not serving Him well when my emotions led me away from Him. Unlike the relationships we are used to in the natural, me relying on my feelings does not strengthen my relationship with God. I am learning to detach from my feelings and align myself to the Holy Spirit.

This is how our relationship with God was intended to be. We are to walk with God through life and use His Spirit as our helper and guide. John 14:26 (ESV) tells us: “But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

He is who we should rely on. The Holy Spirit can’t lie nor lead us astray … but our feelings? Our feelings will send us on an emotional rollercoaster, tossing us to and from. Our feelings change so frequently depending on our circumstances or mood. They are fickle and unreliable. So how can we allow the instability of our emotions to be the dictator of our lives? How can we make decisions based on feelings instead of God’s truth?

When we rely on our emotions more than the Holy Spirit, our emotions become our idol. We give into them. We obey them. They run our lives. We even allow our feelings to determine how much God loves us. When we don’t feel God’s presence, we think He has abandoned us. When we don’t feel the Holy Spirit when we pray or worship, we think God is not listening or paying attention to us. We are putting God in a box of how we think He should express his love for us.

We need to remember God is always present whether you feel Him or not. Don’t become so reliant on the “feeling” of God that you walk away from Him when He has actually never left your side.

So how can we respond well to our emotions?

We give them to God. We lay them at His feet. We surrender to Him everything inside of us that does not align with His character. We ask Him, “Why am I feeling this way?” Ask God, “What do these feelings really mean?” He will lead you in how to respond well. In our relationship with God, it is better to be emotionally detached than emotionally driven.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, help us in detaching our emotions from our relationship with you. Help us to rely solely on the Holy Spirit to lead us in making the right decisions for our lives. I pray we no longer allow feelings to dictate how you love us. Give us the strength to not succumb to our feelings and make them idols. Holy Spirit, prompt us to follow your lead and teach us how to not follow our emotions. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

End note from Monique: I would like to recommend the following book by Peter Scazzero as a resource for remaining emotionally healthy in your Christian walk, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It's Impossible to Be Spiritually Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature.

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Author Bio:

Monique M. Anderson is a writer, wife, and bonus mom to a 14 year old. She just recently unleashed her always present yet hidden talent of writing to the masses. She was born and raised in Mount Vernon, NY where she still resides, and serves on the prayer team of her church The Gathering Harlem.

Monique always felt like God was chasing after her, but never felt the need to surrender. Until that is when life started veering left, and she no longer wanted to steer so she finally gave Jesus the wheel. After forming her relationship with God she always felt compelled to share the revelations that the Word gave to her. She always felt the Holy Spirit prompting her to write, but was afraid of what people might think. So her writing started in her journal. The journal turned into a book, and the book into a blog.

Slowly but surely God’s love started to cast out all fear. She started to consistently update her bi- weekly blog called “Yours Truly, Moe.” Her obedience led to further revelation. God revealed to her that He would use her to help others along their walk the same way God helped her along hers. Since Monique did not grow up in church she always felt intimidated by the Christian life. She thought that she would be losing so much of herself, not realizing that she would actually find her TRUE self.

Since God has shown her who He really created her to be, she now feels it is her life’s work to help those that are taking their first baby steps in this walk with Christ. She is doing so through her blog, and soon to be published book. Monique is excited to extend her reach to podcasts and speaking engagements in the near future.

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

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

Devotionals for the Heart: Patience

Patience
A devotional by Allison M. Wilson

Key Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Love, joy, peace, and patience are probably the most well known of the Fruit of the Spirit, yet they are some of the hardest to see manifested in our own, or other believers’, lives. Patience tends to be difficult for me. I want perfection now. That’s likely a very common human trait, but still not what God wants from us.

Love is needed for joy to be expressed. Joy is needed for peace to flow. Peace is necessary for patience. Why? If we have peace, we’re not going to be thinking things should be a different way, or done in a different timeframe. We’ll be content with whenever God deems the timing to be right.

As with all the Fruit of the Spirit, patience is something which is given to us, not something we can do on our own. I used to tell God that I would work to be more patient. It might last a few hours before the human side of me would come back out. I would then beat myself up for not following through on what I promised to God. The issue was, God already knew I could not make myself more patient. It’s called a fruit of the Spirit for a reason. Only the Spirit can manifest this, and all the other fruits, in us. Otherwise, it’s just works, and they will burn up as nothing.

Patience only grows in me as I’ve given up. I’ve surrendered. I’ve put my life into the Savior’s hands, and said it’s no longer mine to live. I don’t want to live my life for Christ. I want Him to live His life through me. Only one perfect life was ever lived.

Giving up has been a process. We sing about surrendering all to Him, but we really don’t have a clue what that means, or how to do it. He doesn’t ask us to do that, anyway. He calls us to one step at a time. One moment of surrender, and then another, and another, and another until we look back and see how far He’s brought us.

Know where this surrender is hardest for me? Traffic. Yup. The Lord uses traffic to teach me about patience the most. Several of the other fruits get thrown into the lessons, too, but patience is the biggie. You see, I’m a rule follower. If there’s a sign that says, “Wet paint. Don’t touch,” I’m not going to touch it. If a person has a sign saying to stay off their lawn, I’m going to respect that. I use my turn signal, am careful to move out of the way of traffic on multiple lane roads, and have studied the traffic laws for the state where I live in order to be a better driver. I expect others to have done the same, but that’s not the case. Don’t get me started on driving pet peeves! I live in Florida, and it seems like every other state is represented, poorly, by the drivers who come to visit…or live.

But, if I am truly allowing the love of Christ to be a fruit of His Spirit in me, then joy will be a natural outflow, even in traffic. From that joy will come peace in the knowledge of God’s overwhelming love for me. Peace will manifest in patience, because I know that God’s got the timing down perfectly for all He needs to do in my life. I’ll be someone known as patient, peaceful, joyful, and loving. The Father’s heart will be what others see when they see me. He will be living His life through me to love those around me. That is what I want to be seen in me. Only Jesus. Only love. Only joy. Only peace. Only patience. May it be made so in me, Lord.

My Prayer: Heavenly Daddy, I can’t do any of this on my own. It all has to come from You as You get me to surrender more and more of the things which hold me back from the life You want to live through me. Show me more of You. In Jesus Christ’s Name I pray, Amen.

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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.

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

Devotionals for the Heart: Kindness

Loving God by loving my guy
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

I have a cute little game I play with my husband, only I’ve never actually told him about this.

Every day, I try to out-do him in kindnesses. You know, those small things that make everyday life go more smoothly: I empty the dishwasher. If the gas tank is low and I know we’ll be trading cars tomorrow, I fill up the gas tank. I tell him he is hands-down the most handsome guy in the world (he totally is).

The basic theory is that I try to one-up him in generous love. After all, I’ve figured out that when I win, he wins.

What’s been really neat about this unspoken game is that he does nice stuff back for me and tries to out-do me in generous love and little kindnesses.

It's a win-win circle.

One thing that is so great about a God-centered marriage is that we know love is one of the Lord’s top two commandments, and one huge way I can love God is by loving my husband.

And there are so many ways to love him! I can love him with my words, with my service, with my time. I can love him with honor and respect, just like he loves me with honor and respect. I can love him by loving his family (that’s super-easy, because they are incredible). I’m a busy woman. I work full-time running a Christian newspaper, I’m a wife, I’m the mom and stepmom of four kids, I’m active at church and in my small group, and I’m an author, blogger, freelance editor, and writing coach. I might scrimp on doing my hair (love me some ponytails). I might not vacuum as often as I’d like.

But one thing I don’t scrimp on: loving my guy.

The apostle Paul had some helpful things to say about a God-centered marriage and a godly life. He urged us to “submit to each other out of respect for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21, CEB). Submit means yield, surrender, capitulate. It echoes what Jesus himself taught us in the Gospel of Matthew, that if someone slaps you on the right cheek, “You must turn the left cheek to them as well” (Matthew 5:39). If they take your shirt, “Let them have your coat too” (Matthew 5:40). If they make you go one mile, “Go with them two” (Matthew 5:41).

Out-do each other in generosity. Yield. Love. Surrender. Model wild, extravagant sacrifice.

Model the example of Jesus.

This works in a God-centered marriage. My husband loves me and honors me, too. He doesn’t hurt me physically or emotionally. He wants what’s best for me. I do the same for him. It’s a two-way street.

Whether you are married or not, try my Out-Do in Kindness Game in your own life. Try it with strangers (pay for someone’s meal in a drive-thru or their toll on the turnpike). Try it in your home. Try it at church. Hold the door for people. Let someone else go first.

When others win, we all win.

We’re all in this together.

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Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach and the recipient of the 2018 ACFW Genesis Award for her as-yet-unpublished 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 blog at http://jessicabrodie.com/shiningthelight.

Love is in the Air: Author interview with Julie Arduini

Welcome Julie Arduini to my blog today! 

Julie is here to talk about her own book Entrusted and The Love Boat Bachelor which is a book containing stories from several authors, not just Julie.

Best of all, Julie agreed to giveaway one copy of Entrusted, one copy of The Love Boat Bachelor and one copy of "A Walk in the Valley" an infertility devotional which was co-written with other authors.

So that means three individuals each have the opportunity to WIN a book from Julie through the book giveaway contest she's hosting on my blog today! See the Rafflecopter widget for details and remember to enter the contest with your name and e-mail address. We need your name and e-mail so we can contact you if you're one of the three winners.

Are you excited to know more? If so, continue on to read my author interview with Julie!

*Words from Alexis in bold, words from Julie not in bold. 

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Alexis: Tell me about your book Entrusted.

Julie: Entrusted is the first of three books in my Adirondack Surrender romance series. It’s about a young woman who promises a beloved friend on her deathbed that she in return will never take life for granted. Jenna knows her job has no room for promotion so when she finds a job opening in a magazine, she makes a call and is offered the job on the spot.

Entrusted starts when Jenna, from Youngstown, Ohio, lands in the rural mountain village of Speculator Falls in the Upstate N.Y. Adirondack mountains. She’s ready for change but not everyone is as excited about her and her plans. For instance, grocer and town Councilman Ben Regan.

What exactly is the Adirondack Surrender Series? Quite a name too! Please explain the meaning behind that series title.

All my writing and speaking centers around surrender. My fiction plan is to write about surrender issues using Upstate, New York settings. The Adirondack Surrender romance series is my first contract with Write Integrity Press, and it is the name we thought fit.

Is Entrusted the first book in your Adirondack Surrender Series?

Yes. Entrusted is first, Entangled is second, and Engaged is the third.

Your leading lady in Entrusted is Jenna Anderson who in your book summary, you describe as a “sassy city girl.” What makes Jenna so sassy? Explain her character, motivation and role in the story.

Jenna tends to think big and speak without thinking it through. She doesn’t mean to come across as too much, but she finds herself in a bit of trouble whenever she tries to communicate with Ben. Her motivation is to make good on that promise she made to her neighbor in Ohio. She doesn’t want a mediocre life.

Councilman and grocer Ben Regan is your leading man for Entrusted. What makes him tick? What makes him smile? What is his weakness? How does he affect Jenna? Explain his role in the story.

Ben is the polar opposite of Jenna even though they both experienced loss and change in their lives before meeting. Ben’s reaction is to try to control everything so there won’t be loss again. He’s acting out of fear and grief. Ben and Jenna clash quite a bit because their reactions to the same things are different. They need to trust God as they navigate through the changes in their lives.

Describe the story setting for Entrusted and explain why you chose that place.

Entrusted is in Speculator Falls, a fictional village I based on the real Speculator, New York. I first visited Speculator in the early 1990’s and immediately fell in love with the place. I could envision the characters and started asking questions to form the story. It’s so rural in the real Speculator that the entire county doesn’t have one traffic light. My hope was readers from all over would read Entrusted and fall in love not just with the characters, but the place.

What was the easiest part of writing Entrusted? What was the most difficult?

Any scene that pitted Jenna against Ben. The sparks flew naturally and it was fun to write. The difficult part was editing and revising. I had to battle my own fear about if the story would ever matter to a publisher or a reader. I broke my writing wrist during revisions and it did not heal properly. I lost a lot of time.

What do you want your readers to take away from Entrusted?

God’s arms are open and He can be trusted. He longs to help us find freedom when we surrender our fears to His Son.

*Segue*: Now let’s talk about The Love Boat Bachelor.

Alexis: You are one of several writers who wrote stories that compose the book The Love Boat Bachelor. Share the story of how you were selected for this opportunity.

Julie: All the authors are part of Write Integrity Press (WIP). I was one of the new authors on the block and Tracy Ruckman asked if I would like to participate. Before I ever signed with WIP I was a reader in love with their work. It was easy to say yes.

Who is your leading lady in this book? What makes her happy? What makes her sad? What brings her hope?

I wrote Nora Laing. Helping her family makes her happy. She’s sad to know her role as a caregiver is ending. For years she helped her sister care for her son. Now her sister is married and the blended family needs to move forward, without Nora being as directly involved in her nephew’s life. She has hope in seeing how well her nephew adjusts and how Pastor Brent Teague interacts with him.

Who is your leading man? What makes him angry? What makes him happy? What makes him fall in love?

We all wrote the same leading man, Pastor Brent Teague. He grew up in an abusive home so anytime he sees a woman disrespected, he is angry. I believe seeing God at work in all things makes him happy. Brent is compassionate so anyone with a tender heart, especially for children, is going to catch his attention and affection.

In what ways do your leading lady and leading man affect each other? You can start with sharing how they meet.

Brent shows Nora it’s okay to let go. She’s been so embedded in her sister’s life she forgot to have a life of her own. Once Nora starts to embrace this, she displays a fun side that loosens Brent up. They are good for each other as they face new beginnings. They meet on the cruise ship during the first full day at sea. The waters are a bit rough and Brent feels a little green. It’s Nora’s nephew that meets Brent first, and Nora then is able to give him advice on how to overcome.

What lesson do you want to teach your readers as they read your story?

Surrender your fears to God. It’s okay to start over or do something new.

What do you like the most about being part of a book that contains stories by several other authors?

We are a family. There was no competition in the ending, we were rooting for each other. Although Nora wasn’t chosen, I absolutely loved who was and how the book ended. We cross market so it isn’t a lonely venture. It’s a fantastic experience all the way around.

*Closing*: Let’s talk about you as an author as we wrap up this interview.

Why do you, as an author, love writing about love?

I think it’s a fun way to give readers hope for their circumstances, relationships and hopefully draw them closer to a relationship with Christ---the greatest love anyone could know.

If you could spend a weekend with one of your characters from either of your two books mentioned here today, who would it be and what would you do?

That’s a great and hard question! I would have to say Sara from Entrusted. She’s the matriarch of Speculator Falls and although she looks like Mrs. Claus, her hugs are fierce. I’d love to spend the day with her at the cabin and listen to her stories about how God came through for her and her husband. I’d love to learn from her wisdom that I know came through her faith.

What do you love the most about springtime?

Lilacs. My absolutely favorite.

Thank you for the interview, Julie! If you’d like to do a book giveaway, please leave a question for my readers to answer. 

Julie's question for readers: What has been the hardest thing for you to surrender? It can be silly or serious. Afterall, you’re talking to the girl surrendering the good, the bad, and---maybe one day---the chocolate.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Author bio: 

Julie Arduini loves to encourage readers to find freedom in Christ through surrender. She’s the author of the Amazon bestseller, Entrusted and co-author of the international bestseller The Love Boat Bachelor. She also shared her story in the Amazon bestseller infertility devotional, "A Walk in the Valley." 

She’s the fiction contributing editor for the digital magazine, Imaginate, and blogs every other Wednesday for Christians Read. 

She resides in Ohio with her husband and two children. Learn more by visiting her at http://juliearduini.com.
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Blurb for Julie's book Entrusted:

Jenna Anderson, sassy city-girl from Youngstown, Ohio, plows–literally–into Adirondack village, Speculator Falls, with a busted GPS. She gets a warning from the sheriff but has ideas for the senior center to prove she belongs in town as their director. Town councilman Ben Regan is as broken as the flower box Jenna demolished. He’s grieving and wants to shut down the center before there’s too much change and heartbreak. They work on community projects and build a slow relationship, but the council needs to vote on the senior center’s future. Can Jenna show Ben both her and the center are worth trusting?

- See more at: http://juliearduini.com/books

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Buy Julie's book Entrusted:
Amazon.com - http://amzn.to/1zDWq04
Barnes & Noble - http://bit.ly/1AxyePM
Christianbook.com - http://bit.ly/1zUDkWN

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Connect with Julie:
Facebook - http://facebook.com/JulieArduini
Twitter - http://twitter.com/JulieArduini
Google+ - https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JulieArduini/posts
Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/JulieArduini
Instagram - http://instagram.com/JulieArduini
Goodreads - http://goodreads.com/JulieArduini
Amazon - http://amzn.to/1QrfyEq