Devotions Archive

Giving Our Children to God

Today’s Truth:

“Everything is possible for him who believes,” (Mark 9:23 NIV).

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Once a distraught father had an unruly son with multiple physical and emotional problems. Many people even said the boy was possessed by a demon. The dad had tried everything, but the boy continued to demonstrate antisocial behavior by throwing himself in fire and then in water. That sort of behavior, on top of frequent seizures, rolling on the ground, foaming at the mouth, and an inability to talk, made the dad desperate to find a solution. He even took the boy to some …

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Run!

Today’s Truth

Don’t turn off the road of goodness; keep away from evil paths (Proverbs 4:27, NCV).

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At the close of the sermon, a church member came forward to speak with the pastor. He was very upset because of the sin in his life and his blatant disobedience to God. With tears streaming down his face, the repentant man took the pastor’s hand to confess that his life was full of sin, but what came out was, “My sin is full of life.” I can relate.

I don’t know about you, but my sin is definitely “full …

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Oil For My Lamp

Today’s Truth

“Her lamp does not go out at night…” (Proverbs 31:18 NIV).

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Driving along the coast and coming upon a lighthouse is an inspiring sight.  Even though the map marks where the landmarks are stationed, it still brings a thrill when each one comes into view. That’s how I feel when I see a mother nurturing her child. It is nothing new, this love of a mother for her offspring, but each time I see it, my heart takes a leap. Lighthouses and mothers share some common features, yet each one is beautiful and unique. Her …

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What Did You Say?

Today’s Truth
“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver” (Proverbs 25:11).

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Fruit is one of my favorite foods. When I go grocery shopping, it always takes me longer to get through the fruit section than any other area of the store. I spend what some might consider a ridiculously long time picking out what I hope will be the juiciest apples, the plumpest grapes and sweetest bananas. Experience has taught me to quickly discard any piece of fruit that is bruised, mushy or discolored. I shake cantaloupe and thump watermelons. Ripe …

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Healer of the Broken

Today’s Truth

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3

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I love my girlfriends. I love doing life with friends who “get me.” I love having tangles of conversations over hot coffee that are stranded together with light-hearted laughter, rich revelations, loads of love, treasures of time and gobs of grace.

Though sharing beautiful life-moments is always fun, some of the most powerful blessings of friendship for me have been found in broken places. In the trenches. Those places where our troubles and fears scream loudly and long to be quieted by the understanding …

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Can We Really Trust God?

Today’s Truth

Romans 8:28 (NIV) “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.”

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A daughter was telling her mother how everything was going wrong. “I am failing Algebra. My boyfriend just broke up with me, and my best friend is moving away,” she wailed. Her mom listened patiently and then asked, “I made a cake for dinner. Would you like a snack?” The girl grinned and said, “Sure, Mom. I love your cake.” The mom smiled and asked, “How about …

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To Speak or Not to Speak

 Today’s Truth

 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…a time to be silent and a time to speak,” (Ecclesiastes 3:1,7).

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When Steven was about seven-years-old, we went snow skiing. For hours I instructed him in how to stand up, ski down, and get up once he fell. Steven fell down, and fell down, and fell down. He was not getting the hang of it at all. What’s the problem, I wondered.  Then I found out.  It was me.

“Mom,” Steven cried, “If you just quit telling me …

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Storms Are For Our Good

Today’s Truth

Psalm 46:1 (NRSV) “God is our refuge and strength, a tested help in times of trouble.”  

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While vacationing in the mountains, a man watched as a lumberman occasionally jabbed his sharp hook into a log, separating it from the others floating down the mountain stream. The man asked the lumberman why he was separating some of the logs.

The worker replied, “These logs may all look alike to you but a few of them are very different. The ones I let pass are from trees that grew in the valley. They were always protected …

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Where Do You Go When You Hit Rock Bottom?

Today’s Truth
“But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God,”(1 Samuel 30:6 NIV).

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Sometimes life doesn’t work out the way we thought it would. This was certainly the case for a teenage boy named David who was anointed the next King of Israel.

While King Saul was still on his throne, God chose David to be his successor. This didn’t sit too well with the King and he made every attempt to kill David before the crown could be placed on his handsome head. The young David, who earlier had bravely charged the Philistine giant, …

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Something Beautiful

Today’s Truth
“…Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.” (Matthew 26:10, NIV)

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I am completely crazy about cool jewelry, so when the Lord prompted me to take off my favorite necklace and give it to the woman who had just admired it, I tried to pretend that I didn’t hear Him.

“It’s mine, God!” I reasoned. “It isn’t replaceable! Why would you ask me to do that?”

My self-plan didn’t like the God-plan that was laid out before me. God was asking me to give up …

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